RTHK: US challenges Russia to step back from Ukraine attack The United States said on Thursday that Russia is on the verge of unleashing a massive military attack against Ukraine, dismissing Moscow's claim to be pulling forces back, as artillery fire hit a Ukrainian kindergarten. In a dramatic, previously unscheduled speech to the United Nations in New York, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said intelligence showed Moscow could order an assault on its neighbour in the "coming days." With US and other Western governments saying they see no evidence to support Russia's claim to be withdrawing, Blinken challenged the Kremlin to "announce today with no qualification, equivocation or deflection that Russia will not invade Ukraine. State it clearly. State it plainly to the world." "Demonstrate it by sending your troops, your tanks, your planes, back to their barracks and hangers, and sending your diplomats to the negotiating table," he said. President Joe Biden, at the White House, accused Moscow of preparing a "false flag operation" as a pretext for an attack and said this could happen "in the next several days." "They have not moved any of their troops out. They've moved more troops in," Biden said. "Every indication we have is that they're prepared to go into Ukraine." He added, however, that diplomacy is not dead. "There is a path. There is a way through this," he said. Russia has massed enormous air, land and sea forces around Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin and officials say they do not plan to invade Ukraine and that the troops are only conducting practice exercises. However, Putin has made clear that the price for removing any threat would be Ukraine agreeing never to join Nato and for the Western alliance to pull back from a swathe of eastern Europe, effectively splitting the continent into Cold War-style spheres of influence. Ukraine is far from being ready to join Nato but has said this is part of a broader goal to integrate with the democracies of western Europe, making a historic break from Russia's orbit. The United States said on Thursday that it had received Putin's response to its offers of a diplomatic solution to the crisis, but did not give any reaction to the contents. The Russian foreign ministry indicated that there was little to discuss. "In the absence of will on the American side to negotiate firm and legally binding guarantees on our security from the United States and its allies, Russia will be forced to respond, including with military-technical measures," the foreign ministry said. "We insist on the withdrawal of all US armed forces in Central Europe, Eastern Europe and the Baltics," it added. Russia also expelled the number two US diplomat in Moscow, the US State Department said, condemning the "unprovoked" action. Russia took over Ukraine's Crimea region and began backing heavily armed separatists in the eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions in 2014, sparking a war that has already cost thousands of lives. Sporadic fighting remains common in the east and the Ukrainian army accused the pro-Russian separatists of 34 ceasefire breaches on Thursday, 28 of them using heavy weapons. The potentially most serious incident - an example of the kind of spark that many fear could ignite far more intense fighting - was the shelling of a kindergarten in the village of Stanytsia-Luganska. Children were inside but none were hit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted that the attack "by pro-Russian forces is a big provocation." Russian news agencies meanwhile quoted authorities in the separatist Lugansk region saying they blamed Kyiv after the situation on the frontline "escalated significantly". US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin described Thursday's reports as "troubling". "We've said for some time that the Russians might do something like this in order to justify a military conflict. So we'll be watching this very closely," Austin told journalists after a meeting with Nato counterparts. Putin earlier this week claimed with no evidence that Ukraine is committing "genocide" in the eastern region. Moscow has made several announcements of troop withdrawals this week and on Thursday said that units of the southern and western military districts, including tank units, had begun returning to their bases from near Ukraine. Defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said some troops had returned to their garrisons in several areas far from the border, including Chechnya and Dagestan in the North Caucasus, and near Nizhny Novgorod, some 300 kilometres east of Moscow. After previously announced withdrawals earlier this week, the United States, Nato and Ukraine all said they had seen no evidence of a pullback, with Washington saying Russia had in fact moved 7,000 more troops near the border. Zelensky said on Thursday his country was not looking for foreign forces within its borders. "We have no need for soldiers with foreign flags on our territory. We are not asking for that. Otherwise, the entire world would be destabilised," he told the RBK Ukraine website. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-02-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. USAID supports COVID-19 fight in Tay Ninh The US Agency for International Development (USAID) on Friday provided lifesaving equipment to the Tay Ninh Department of Health for the provinces fight against COVID-19. The US Agency for International Development provides lifesaving equipment to the Tay Ninh Department of Health for the provinces fight against COVID-19 on February 18. The equipment was delivered by USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock, who joined Vice Director of the Tay Ninh Department of Health Dr. Nguyen Van Cuong at Trang Bang District Health Centre to highlight the diligent efforts of Tay Ninh and the provinces partnership with USAID to improve clinical care for COVID-19 patients. I am humbled to share this moment with representatives from Tay Ninh, said Mission Director Yastishock. I am impressed with your dedication, commitment to your communities, and your efforts to build resilience in the healthcare system that will bring short term and long term benefits. The donated equipment, which consists of 10 patient monitors, 40 infusion pumps, 200 fingertip pulse oximeters, and 20,000 masks together valued at $250,000, will enhance the health centers COVID-19 case management. Patient monitors allow hospital staff to efficiently track patient vital signs and quickly respond to changes in patient conditions. Infusion pumps are programmed to deliver medication, nutrition, and fluids to patients. Fingertip pulse oximeters are noninvasive devices that estimate the amount of oxygen in a patients blood. Over the coming months, USAID is also installing liquid oxygen tanks and piping systems at Trang Bang District Health Centre, Tan Bien District Health Centre, and the Tay Ninh Provincial General Hospital. Combined, these systems will be able to support the delivery of medical oxygen to nearly 200 patients daily. In addition, USAID is supporting the training of frontline health care workers on COVID-19 clinical care, infection prevention and control, and community-based care. Frontline health care workers will also have access to training and support to manage mental health challenges associated with long-term support of the countrys COVID-19 response. In total, USAID is investing $5.5 million in COVID-19-related training and equipment in Binh Duong, Dong Nai, HCMC, Long An, Tay Ninh , and other COVID-19 hotspots. During an empowering speech Wednesday at McDaniel Colleges inaugural Black History Month convocation, the Rev. Nontombi Naomi Tutu continually invoked a phrase her grandmother spoke during apartheid in South Africa: This is not the end of our story. Apartheid legislation institutionalized racial segregation between South Africas white minority and nonwhite majority from 1948 to 1994, sanctioning political and economic discrimination against the Blacks in that country. The challenges of growing up in apartheid South Africa have inspired Tutu to teach and preach against systemic oppression. Advertisement Our story is not going to end with us being an oppressed people in our own land, our story is not going to end with our humanity being questioned, she said. Tutu is the third child of the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, one of South Africas most well-known human rights activists. In 1984, Desmond Tutu was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end apartheid in South Africa. He died at the age of 90 on Dec. 26, 2021. Advertisement On a daily basis, his daughter said, activists were tortured, protests were held and people died in police detention. Throughout those traumatic experiences, she always remembered her grandmothers words. I saw so many courageous people during apartheid, she said. I held onto this is not the end of our story, as we went from state-of-emergency; to state-of-emergency; to state-of-emergency. Carroll County Daily Headlines Daily Get the day's top news and sports headlines. > Tutu, who has divided her adult life between South Africa and the United States, also explained how systemic racism is woven into the foundation of American culture. She highlighted stories of young Black men shot by police and the fight against teaching critical race theory in American schools. I hold on to that phrase, This is not the end of the story, once again living as a Black woman in [America], she said. Marnice Briscoe, a senior majoring in social work at McDaniel College, attended the speech and said she was moved by Tutus words. Briscoe said she was struck by the similarities of systemic oppression between apartheid South Africa and modern-day America. Richard Smith, McDaniels associate provost for equity and belonging, called the Tutus speech powerful. I was really happy that she was here, and she really kicked off this Black History convocation, Smith said. It was exactly what we needed to hear at this time. Advertisement Smith said the convocation will be a signature event planned annually at McDaniel in recognition of Black History Month. Tutu started her public speaking career as a college student at Berea College in Kentucky in the 1970s and continues to share her story as a human rights activist today. Former Rajasthan Education Minister and state Congress President Govind Singh Dotasara stirred a political row after he said that the war between Rajput ruler Maharana Pratap and Mughal Emperor Akbar was a "power struggle" but Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) painted it as a "religious" war. Addressing party workers at a district-level training camp in Nagaur on Wednesday, Dostara said, "In school syllabus, BJP portrayed the war between Maharana Pratap and Akbar as a religious war between Hindus and Muslims. It was a power struggle. They see everything through the Hindu-Muslim prism." Congress has received backlash from some BJP leaders after Dostara's statement alleging the grand old party for following appeasement politics. BJP state president Satish Poonia said that the war between Maharana Pratap and Akbar was a fight for "nationalism." "It was not a power struggle, but a fight of nationalism. You have already given controversial statements on this matter. Why is there so much fear in your Congress party of losing Muslim votes?" Poonia tweeted on Thursday. Former Chief Minister and BJP leader Vasundhara Raje reiterated that the war was a struggle for "national security." She also demanded an apology from Congress over Dostara's controversial statement. "The Congress has challenged the self-respecting history of Mewar by describing the struggle of Maharana Pratap and Akbar as a fight for power only. Maharana Pratap continued his lifelong resolve to protect the motherland," Raje tweeted in Hindi today. In a series of tweets, she added, "The war of Maharana Pratap with Akbar was not a power struggle, but a struggle for national security. For the sake of self-respect of Mewar, he even ate loaves of grass in the forests, Congress should publicly apologize to the public for insulting such a mighty warrior. The Battle of Haldighati was fought in 1576 between the armies of Maharana Pratap, the Rana of Mewar, and the Mughal emperor Akbar's forces. (ANI) The Delhi High Court on Friday in an interim order restrained several historians and others from publishing any defamatory content (online and offline) about Dr Vikram Sampath, author of a two-volume biography of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Recently Historian Audrey Truschke and others have accused Dr Vikram Sampath of plagiarism and wrote a letter dated February 11, 2022, to the Royal Historical Society (RHS) in London and made serious allegations of plagiarism against Dr Sampath with respect to his two-volume biography of Savarkar. Dr Sampath is also a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. After taking notes of the submission of Advocate Raghav Awasthi, appearing for Plaintiff Dr Vikram Sampath, the bench of Justice Amit Bansal on Friday restrained Dr. Audrey Truschke, historian of South Asia, Dr. Ananya Chakravarti, Associate Professor of History at Georgetown University, Dr. Rohit Chopra, Associate Professor of Communications at Santa Clara University, Abhishek Baxi, freelance tech journalist, Ashok Swain, Professor of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, Sweden and said, in my view plaintiff has made a prima facie case. Justice Bansal noted that the continued publication of said letter has been causing considerable damage to the plaintiff's reputation and career. Court further asked the counsel for the plaintiff to supply the copy of the plaint to the Defendants and sought their response within four weeks. The court fixed the date for April 1, for further hearing in the matter. The Court direction came, while hearing a civil suit filed by Indian Historian and Author Dr Vikram Sampath against other historians who made alleged defamatory tweets against him. Dr Sampath also seeks a decree of damages of Rs.2,00,00,100 (Rs two crores and hundred) in favour of the plaintiff and against the Defendants. The petition stated that the said letter makes it clear that allegation against the plaintiff that in an essay written for the journal, plaintiff has plagiarized from an essay written by one Vinayak Chaturvedi. The said India Foundation is a respected think tank focusing on the issues, challenges and opportunities of the Indian polity. It is submitted that the said allegation is quite absurd inasmuch as a perusal of the article in question would clearly establish beyond all reasonable doubt that Vinayak Chaturvedi has been cited. References are there in the article and have given extensive and exhaustive footnotes in the book. The relevant extract has been reproduced, stated the petition. It further added that the alleged defamatory letter in question is being quoted extensively on the platform of the microblogging site Twitter by various unscrupulous elements and Twitter users. It is clear that the same is part of the motivated smear campaign against plaintiff and each and every time the defamatory material is being retweeted, a new cause of action arises. (ANI) Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Friday slammed Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal over allegations levelled by his former associate and termed Aam Aadmi Party as "Arvind Anti Punjab". Addressing a press conference here on the last day of the campaign in the state for assembly polls, Thakur accused Kejriwal of "silence" over allegations made by a "founding member" of the Aam Aadmi Party who has now moved away from the party. "There are some people whose political appetite is never satiated. Several members of AAP who were also the founding members of the party have levelled serious charges against Arvind Kejriwal. And he has not responded yet," he said. The BJP leader said AAP stands for "A- Arvind A- Anti P- Punjab". "People of Punjab will never accept them," he said. He said the Narendra Modi government provided justice to the Sikh community for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. "What could not be done for 30 years, the Modi government has done that. What has Kejriwal done in Delhi? He did not appoint a single Punjabi Minister but has come to seek votes in Punjab. So on the eve of the polls, I want to tell the people of Punjab, it is very important to understand what kind of thought they (AAP) have. The allegations raise a big question mark," the Union Minister said. Punjab will go to the polls on February 20. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI) Addressing a Nukkad Sabha (a street corner meeting) in Jalalabad, ahead of Assembly elections in the state, Kejriwal alleged that there no water supply in 150 villages in the Congress-ruled state. "There's no water supply in 150 villages, don't know what they've (Congress) done in last 5 years, they couldn't even supply water in last 70 years but we'll ensure water supply to every village once our government is formed," he said. Kejriwal has been campaigning in the pol-bound state for the past few days. He held a roadshow in Pathankot on Thursday. Earlier he also campaigned in Fatehgarh Churian of Gurdaspur district. Kejriwal and the party's Chief Ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann conduct a roadshow in Jalandhar Cantt Assembly constituency on February 16. Assembly polls for electing 117 assembly seats in Punjab will be held on February 20. The results will be declared on March 10. In the 2017 Assembly polls in the state, the Congress had won an absolute majority by winning 77 seats, ousting the SAD-BJP government, which had been in power for 10 years. (ANI) Demanding the resignation of Karnataka minister KS Eshwarappa for his controversial comment about replacing the national flag with a saffron one, Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar on Friday said BJP does not know the Constitution properly and also how to respect the National Flag. "BJP is a part of defaming the National Flag, it's not just KS Eshwarappa, as they're supporting him. They don't know the constitution properly or how to respect the national flag. Congress has given the National Flag, Constitution, freedom, they're (BJP) enjoying it", said DK Shivakumar. Shivakumar stated that until the Chief Minister and Governor sacks the Karnataka rural development and Panchayat Raj minister, they won't allow holding the assembly sessions. He said, "Karnataka Minister KS Eshwarappa must resign (over his saffron flag remark). We'll continue overnight protests at Karnataka Assembly till he gets sacked from the Cabinet, otherwise, we'll go to the court and not allow the Assembly to function." Congress held an overnight protest inside the Karnataka Legislative Assembly after Eshwarappa said that the saffron flag may become the national flag sometime in the future and maybe be hoisted on the Red Fort. Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the Congress leaders were selectively quoting a part of the minister's statement and were misleading the Assembly and people. "Eshwarappa has issued a clarification. He did not say that the saffron flag would be hoisted at the Red fort immediately but in another 300 or 500 years. He said it may or may not happen. He also added that we have accepted the national flag and no one must disrespect it. Legally, Eshwarappa has not committed any mistake and no action can be taken against him," Bommai said. (ANI) As part of India's efforts to showcase the country's investment-friendly policies and growth opportunities in agriculture and allied sectors at EXPO2020 Dubai, Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, invited the startups and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to submit their proposals to the ministry, and assured them that they would be considered for providing equity grants, management costs, and other available support measures. As per the ministry, the 'Food, Agriculture and Livelihood' fortnight (February 17th - March 2nd) will comprise various sessions which will be presided over by representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Cooperation. In addition, an array of activities has been planned during the fortnight under the key themes of millets, food processing, horticulture, dairy, fisheries, and organic farming and the vast investment opportunities these sectors offer. Likhi said, "The primary purpose of our participation at Expo2020 is to benefit the small and marginal farmers who need economies of scale, collectivization, and more forums to come together, create synergies connect with markets both domestic and international." Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shubha Thakur, said, "Indian farmers produce food that not only sustains India but also provides food security to the world." On the theme for the first week of the fortnight, that is, millets, she said, "Millets is an important area for us, and we would like to utilize this global platform to learn about the health and nutritional aspects of millets and bring back the glory of millets." India produces all the nine commonly known millets and is the largest producer and second-largest exporter of millets globally. The U.N. General Assembly recently adopted a resolution sponsored by India and supported by more than 70 countries, declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets. During the launch of the 'Millet' theme as part of the 'Food, Agriculture and Livelihood' fortnight at the sector floor at the India Pavilion, the delegation led by Likhi unveiled the Millet Book comprising nutritious and delightful recipes made using millets. The delegation also launched the first 'Millet food festival', during which the visitors will get to relish the healthy and nutritious delicacies prepared using the millets. The agriculture and allied sector is the backbone of the Indian economy and accounts for about 19 per cent of the total exports. As per the second advance estimate released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare on Wednesday, record foodgrains production of 316.06 million tonnes is estimated for the 2021-22 crop year (July-June). (ANI) Rohini court session's Judge enquired about the callous and cavalier investigation of police officials in a murder case upon which the Delhi Police Deputy commissioner of police (Northwest) took disciplinary action against five inspectors after an enquiry due to lapse in the investigation in a murder case. In August 2018, what police suspect to be a gang war, a 46-year-old property dealer, allegedly associated with the Gogi gang, was shot dead by unidentified men in northwest Delhi's Ashok Vihar. After the arrest of accused persons, the charge sheet was submitted in Rohini court and the matter is at the stage of charge arguments from the last three years. The defense counsel Advocate Ravi Drall for accused Narender alias Yudhveer and Sachin Mann argued before the Sessions court that the accused persons have been arrested upon the suspicion and there is no evidence on record to prove the fact that the alleged murder was committed by the accused persons. It was further argued that if there was any conspiracy in regard to the alleged crime there shall be any evidence but the investigating agency failed to collect any CDR of any of the accused persons in order to prove their whereabouts on the alleged day of the incident. Further, the case is on charge arguments for the last two years but no ballistic report has been submitted so far. Taking note of arguments, ASJ Kiran Gupta, Rohini Court sought a reply from the Deputy commissioner of police (Northwest) and as per the enquiry report "an enquiry was conducted through ACP." As per the enquiry report, "there is a lapse on the part of the IO's Inspector Satish Kumar, Inspector Narender Beniwal and inspector Nag Bhushan, who failed to investigate the case in a professional manner. They failed to obtain CDR, did not make sincere efforts to obtain a ballistic report from FSL. There is a supervisory lapse on part of W/Inspector Arti Sharma and SHO/Ashok Vihar Nafe Singh who failed to supervise the case. Letters have been sent to concerned DCP offices for taking disciplinary action against them." (ANI) Union Minister Smriti Irani asked people in Manipur on Friday whether they expect the Congress, which could not build toilets in the state, to shape their future. During a public interaction, BJP Manipur incharge Sambit Patra and Smriti Irani urged people in Manipur to boycott Rahul Gandhi's scheduled rally on February 21 because the Congress party always "ignored the North East region and used it as an ATM to fill their pocket." Irani, who was in Manipur to campaign for a BJP candidate, joined artistes performing traditional Kabui dance at an event in Wangkhei area of Imphal East on Friday. She was campaigning for BJP candidate Okram Henry Singh, the nephew of former Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, who is contesting from the Wangkhei constituency. "The Congress party couldn't construct toilets. You expect it shape your future?" she asked. "BJP can only bring prosperity to the state and can ensure people live with dignity. BJP will bring first AIIMS in Manipur after February 28. Girls are the pride of Manipur. We will give them scooty and laptop for their studies," she said. "The Gandhi family did politics in Manipur with selfish motives. Manipur people suffered blockades where youth queued at fuel stations for long hours and parents used to send their children to other cities as they did not see any future for them," she said. "The Congress government was unfair to Manipur. PM Modi constructed toilets at each house. Toilet was never part of the agenda in politics but Modi did it," she added. PM Modi has come 54 times to NE region and Dr Manmohan Singh, who was Rajya Sabha MP from Assam, never visited Manipur during his tenure, said Patra while addressing the public meeting. (ANI) Former Punjab director general of police (DGP) Mohammad Mustafa, who was the strategic adviser to state Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu has been asked to appear before Punjab Police Special Investigation (SIT) team on 21 February over his inflammatory poll speech in Malerkotla, sources told ANI. According to sources, SIT has issued notice to Mustafa under section 41 CrPC to appear before it on 21st Feb after CFSL Chandigarh has confirmed the integrity of video footage in case of Malerkotla incidence. His Video of speech was sent to CFSL Chandigarh and on 17th February CFSL in its report confirmed the integrity of video footage, after that SIT summoned him to appear on 21st Feb. Earlier the former DGP had tweeted that there was "no Hindu-Muslim context to what happened in Malerkotla". Last month Mustafa has been booked over an allegedly inflammatory speech he made while campaigning for his wife, cabinet minister Razia Sultana, in Malerkotla. An FIR was lodged against Mustafa around midnight Saturday under Section 153A (promoting disharmony, enmity or feelings of hatred between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc. and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Section 125 (promoting enmity between classes in connection with election) of The Representation of the People Act, 1951. Opposition parties including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hit out at the ruling Congress over the speech, warning it against "disturbing law and order" ahead of the elections. They also asked the Election Commission (EC) to take action against Mustafa. The former DGP is also purportedly heard saying that he is a soldier of the "qaum" (community) and not an "RSS agent" that he will get scared and hide in his house. "If they repeat this a second time, I swear to God that I will go to their houses and beat them up," he is allegedly heard saying in response to claims that AAP was trying to disrupt his gathering. "Today, I am only giving out a warning. I am a soldier of the qaum. I am not fighting for votes, but for the qaum," he purportedly goes on to say, amid loud cheers and claps. (ANI) Days ahead of Assembly elections in the state, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National General Secretary Tarun Chugh on Friday said that the party is committed to Punjab's all-round development which would ensure the resurgence of industry and protection of the farming community. In a statement, Chugh said Punjab needed to be immediately taken out of the hold of drug mafias and the BJP would ensure that it happens within six months of the party's win. The BJP would also make sure that law and order is restored in the state, particularly in view of the repeated attempts being made by the Pakistan ISI to disturb peace in Punjab, he said. Chugh assured the business community in the state that the BJP would soon introduce a package for the industries so that there was an immediate halt of industrial migration from the state. He said special care would be taken to promote small scale units that have suffered due to pandemic conditions. Similarly, a package would be announced for agriculture so that farming would become a profiteering profession and Punjab could go back to the days of the Green Revolution with the hard work and commitment of farmers. Farmers have been the spinal cord of Punjab and the BJP would make sure that farmers get back to prosperity and progress., He said that the BJP would also announce a package for students to improve their job opportunities in the state. New start-ups would be launched in a big way to enable the youth to capitalise on his enterprise and hard work. He said the departure of students to other countries must be checked and new avenues would be opened in Punjab to ensure that there was no more flight of youth from Punjab. Political parties have been aggressively campaigning in Punjab. Congress is the incumbent government in the state. Assembly polls for electing 117 assembly seats in Punjab will be held on February 20. The results will be declared on March 10. In the 2017 Assembly polls in the state, the Congress had won an absolute majority by winning 77 seats, ousting the SAD-BJP government, which had been in power for 10 years. (ANI) A federal grand jury indicted a North East man on charges of conspiracy and bribery on Feb. 8, according to a news release from the Maryland U.S. Attorneys Office. Jason Edmonds, 43, worked as a U.S. Army research biologist for the Armys Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center at Aberdeen Proving Ground. According to the news release, the center is known as the nations main research and development hub for non-medical chemical and biological weapons defense. Advertisement The seven-count indictment statedthat from 2012 to 2019, Edmonds allegedly accepted cash and other financial benefits from co-defendant John Conigliaro of EISCO, Inc., in exchange for favorable action on contracts from the CB Center. Conigliaro, of Kingsville, was separately charged with conspiracy Feb. 1. Edmonds allegedly directed four contracts from the CB Center to EISCO from 2016 to 2018. During the same period, Conigliaro allegedly paid for $30,000 worth of renovations to Edmonds personal residence. Advertisement If convicted, both men face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy. Edmonds could face 15 additional years for bribery. The Karnataka government on Friday urged the Supreme Court to set up a bench to hear a plea relating to the dispute among the neighbouring states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh on the allocation of Krishna River water. A bench of Chief Justice NV Ramana, Justices AS Bopanna and Hima Kohli said it will consider setting up the bench for the case. "We will look into this," the CJI said after senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for Karnataka, mentioned the matter for setting up of the bench after bench of Justice DY Chandrachud, hailing from Maharashtra, and Justice AS Bopanna, who belongs to Karnataka, had on January 10 recused from the case. CJI also inquired whether the parties can amicably settle the dispute. Divan replied that the main issue would require adjudication from the bench itself and some of the ancillary matters may be settled. The dispute is over the allocation of water of the Krishana river, flowing in states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. In the top court, Karnataka had sought the vacation of its November 16, 2011 order that restrained the Central government from publishing in the official gazette the final order of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal II (KWDT) pronounced in 2010, allocating the river water to Karnataka, erstwhile Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. The tribunal had also modified its final order and report on November 29, 2013 to allot surplus water to Karnataka, Maharashtra, and the erstwhile State of Andhra Pradesh while preserving the allocation of 2,130 TMC already made among them. The publication of the tribunal order is a necessary precondition for its implementation. However, following the bifurcation of unified Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh had moved to court challenging the KWDT's allocation of share. It had been contended by Karnataka that thousands of crores of its dam and irrigation projects to provide water to its parched northern areas were stalled for all these years because of the 2011 order to not publish the KWDT decisions in the Official Gazette under Section 6(1) of the Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956. Karnataka had said that the dispute raised by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana was between them and did not concern it. (ANI) The anti-terror agency arrested Arvind Digvijay Negi from Shimla based on some evidences proving his link with LeT supporters, said the NIA. Negi is an Indian Police Service officer and is currently posted as a Superintendent of Police at Shimla since his repatriated from NIA. This case was registered on November 6 last year pertaining to the spread of a widespread network of OGWs (Over Ground Workers) of LeT, a proscribed terrorist organization, for providing support in planning and execution of terrorist activities in India. Earlier NIA had arrested six accused persons in the case. During the investigation, the NIA said the role of "A. D. Negi was verified and his houses were searched". "It was also found that official secret documents of NIA were leaked by A. D. Negi to another accused person who is an OGW of LeT in the case," said the NIA. (ANI) Foreseeing a shortage of coal, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has reached out to Coal India Ltd and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to expedite clearance from Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel to secure coal from state-owned coal mines in Chhattisgarh. In a letter dated February 10, Gehlot wrote to Gandhi saying that Rajasthan state may suffer power crisis due to outage of 4,340 MW power plant on the ground of non-availability of Parsa East & Kanta Basan (PEKB) Coal block in Surguja, Chhattisgarh, which was allotted by Ministry of Coal, Government of India to Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam (a State Government undertaking) for power generation. "Mining from this coal block is likely to be exhausted after February 2022," Gehlot said. Notably, Congress is the incumbent government in both states. Seeking the Wayanad MP's intervention, Gehlot in his letter said, "I request you to kindly intervene and advise the Chief Minister, Chhattisgarh to ensure arranging all the requisite pending approvals in respect of Parsa East & Kanta Basan (PEKB) Coal block enabling us to start mining activities at the earliest to avoid a power crisis in the state in future." Rajasthan will lose eight to nine rakes of coal supply if Chhattisgarh government do not permit it to commence production from the next phase. While reviewing the coal supply situation for state's power generation units last week, Gehlot instructed top officials to engage Coal India and Indian Railways to ensure adequate supply and smooth logistics in order to meet the possible shortfall in coal supplies to its generation units. Gehlot also advised his team to clear old dues to Coal India and other companies to avoid power cuts in the state. Rajasthan has three captive coal blocks in Chhattisgarh but it is able to produce coal only from Parsa East & Kanta Basan (PEKB) Block. In a bid to ensure uninterrupted power supply in the upcoming summer, Rajasthan government has initiated slew of measures to avoid coal shortage. It has also floated a tender to purchase 1,000 mw of electricity for short term during March to August. A number of power generation units of Rajasthan are already failing to maintain adequate coal inventory even before the peak summer. Rajasthan government fears the situation to worsen from next month if it fails to get necessary clearances from Chhattisgarh government to commence the next phase of mining at its captive block. Rajasthan consumes over 15,000 MW of electricity during peak summer. In September and October last year, Rajasthan's distribution utilities had to resort to hours-long power cuts even in urban areas including the state capital Jaipur. The government wants to ensure adequate availability of coal and power during the upcoming summer. (ANI) The High Court of Tripura, in a recent order, commended the role of the state police force for successfully tracing a housewife who went missing two years back and taking the needful steps to investigate the missing complaint. Hearing a Habeas Corpus petition, the High Court division bench comprising Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice SG Chattopadhyay reads: "We appreciate the efforts of Tripura Police and the assistance rendered by the Court at Thane to protect the interest of the alleged victim We also suggest to the Director-General of Police, Tripura to issue commendation to the Police Officers namely Inspector Rana Chatterjee and Inspector Jayanta Kumar Dey, who had gone to Mumbai to investigate into the matter since they have done a commendable job in not only locating the victim but also producing her before the appropriate Court at Thane and ensuring the recording of 164 statement." The order was related to the missing case of a housewife from the Chailengta area under Tripura's Dhalai district. The team of Tripura police successfully traced her to Maharashtra where she was staying with another partner. In her statement, she clearly stated that the abusive nature of her husband turned her conjugal life unbearable. She was introduced to her present partner through an online dating platform and consequently, they started living together in Thane. Advocate General of Tripura SS Dey informed the Court that the alleged victim girl in the case was willing to return to Tripura and stay with her father in her ancestral home. Considering the submission of the Tripura Government, the Court directed that police to file an appropriate application before the concerned Court seeking liberty. "We further direct the Tripura Police to send a team of officers including a lady officer to Mumbai to file an appropriate application through the alleged victim before the Court concerned and on being granted such liberty bring the alleged victim to the residence of her father. Since the alleged victim has been found and she is not in unlawful custody, nothing further remains for our consideration in the present writ of habeas corpus Accordingly, the present writ petition stands disposed of in terms of the aforesaid order," the order read. (ANI) Ahead of the third phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, which will cover majorly cover the state's potato farming belt, potato farmers have raised their pressing issues including falling prices, stray cattle menace and high electricity bills. The potato farming areas comprise 16 districts in the state. More than 32 segments of the potato farming areas are the part of potato belt of Uttar Pradesh in the 59 assembly seats, that are going to polls in the third phase. In India, Uttar Pradesh leads in producing potatoes with an average annual production of over 150 lakh tonnes followed by West Bengal, Bihar, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. There are altogether more than two dozen varieties of potatoes. However here Pokhraj is the most common and weighted potato. Among superior quality of potatoes Chipsona sugar-free rules. Chipsona sugar-free potatoes are kept in cold storage for a particular time period to make them sugar-free. This time with the arrival of new cash crops in the market, the rates have started plummeting to a worrying low for the farmers. According to the monthly report of the horticulture statistics division, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' welfare in June 2020, the average wholesale price of potato per quintal in Uttar Pradesh was Rs 1524.41 and the market arrivals (in tonnes) were 279270.00. Farmers that ANI spoke with from villages namely Dhilawal, said that they are getting Rs 300 to 400 per 'katta' (gunny bag) whose actual cost should be at least Rs 700. Musaraff Siddiqui, a farmer who owns eight bighas of farming land at Bijadharpur said, "We are not getting the proper price for potatoes. The price should be at least Rs 1,500 to 1,600 per quintal. However, now it's Rs 700 to 800 per quintal. Our demand is that the potato price per katta should be Rs 700." Meanwhile, he expressed satisfaction at the rates of maize. "The cost of maize per quintal was Rs 1,700 to Rs 1800 which is fine," he said. On an average, a labourer, who picks potatoes gets Rs 300 per day and picks up 15 to 16 kattas. Another farmer named Kallu aged 55 said, "Electricity bills have increased like anything. We here are worried about the stray cattle that eats away potatoes and wheat. We stay awake even at night to guard our crops." In 2017 Assembly poll, BJP bagged a major 49 seats whereas Samajwadi Party, BSP and Congress got eight and one each respectively. SP Mahan Dal alliance leader Suman Morya, BJP's Sunil Dutta, who is also the sitting MLA, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid's wife Louise Khurshid and Vijay Katiwar from BSP are fighting from Farukkabad Sadar seat. Two phases of the seven phased polling for the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly have been completed. The third phase of the elections are scheduled for February 20. The 16 districts which will go to polls in the third phase of Assembly elections are Jhansi, Kanpur Dehat, Kannauj, Auriyya, Etah, Etawah, Farukkhabad, Firozabad, Hamirpur, Hathras, Jalaun, Kanpur Nagar, Kasganj, Lalitpur, Mahoba and Mainpuri. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI) Taking to Twitter, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated the citizens of the country and said, "Young India taking the world's largest vaccination drive to the next level! Over 2 crore youngsters between 15-18 age group are now fully vaccinated against #COVID19." Notably, the vaccination drive for those aged between 15-18 years commenced on January 3 this year. India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 174.99 crore (1,74,99,61,545) today. More than 32 lakh (32,92,516) vaccine doses have been administered till 7 pm on Friday, the health ministry in its press release stated. More than 1.86 crore (1,86,82,261) precaution doses for the identified categories of beneficiaries (HCWs, FLWs and over 60 years) for COVID-19 vaccination have been administered so far. The nationwide COVID-19 vaccination started on January 16, 2021. (ANI) With tensions rising between Ukraine and Russia each passing day, parents of several medical students from Bihar's Gaya who are studying in Ukraine appear worried about the safety of their children. The parents are constantly keeping in touch with their children who are studying in different medical universities in Ukraine. Manoj Kumar, a resident of Rajapur village of Bodh Gaya, told ANI that his daughter Swati Priya and son Shubham Kumar are currently in Ukraine. "However, my children have told that at present, the situation is completely normal here. But, as parents, we are still concerned about their safety." On the other hand, Ramswaroop Yadav, a resident of Sonu Bigha area, said, "My son Akash Kumar is also studying MBBS in Kharkiv National Medical University in Ukraine. We are monitoring the status of the dispute between Ukraine and Russia. We are worried about their safety." "If the situation becomes more tense, we will try to call the son home. It takes about eight hours to reach the Medical University from the Kiev Airport in the capital of Ukraine. At the same time, children travel from Kiev to Delhi via Dubai. There is no direct flight at the moment," he added. S Kumari, who is a mother of two students studying at Kharkiv National Medical University, said, "My family lives in Rajapur village. Two of my kids are studying there (Ukraine). Though are in touch with our children, we are concerned about their safety. Our children are safe in Ukraine as of now." "We are constantly in touch with the Indian Embassy in Ukraine. We request the government to safely repatriate them to India," she said. Tensions over Ukraine have increased in recent months as Russia and NATO are accusing each other of amassing troops on the Russian-Ukrainian border. The United States and Ukraine accuse Russia of preparing to invade the country. Meanwhile, Moscow denies the claims and maintains that it has no intention of attacking any country. The conflict in Donbas between Ukraine's government and the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics has been going on since 2014. The Minsk Agreements, designed to find a political resolution to the conflict, were negotiated by the leaders of France, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine -- the Normandy group -- in February 2015. However, the agreement has so far not been observed and sporadic clashes continue. Earlier, India called for immediate de-escalation of Russia-Ukraine border tensions. Tirumurti said the Russia-Ukraine military tensions can only be resolved through diplomatic dialogue. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has removed the restriction on the number of flights that can be operated between India and Ukraine under the bilateral air bubble arrangement to facilitate the travel of Indians from the eastern European country. On February 15, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine asked its citizens to leave Kiev temporarily amid the ongoing tension between Russia and Ukraine. In an advisory, India also requested its nationals to keep the Embassy informed about the status of their presence to enable it to reach them where required. (ANI) A new study has identified common genetic factors in both depression and AD. Importantly, the researchers found that depression played a causal role in AD development, and those with worse depression experienced a faster decline in memory. The study was published in the journal Biological Psychiatry. Co-senior author Aliza Wingo, MD, of Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA, said of the work, "It raises the possibility that there are genes that contribute to both illnesses. While the shared genetic basis is small, the findings suggest a potential causal role of depression on dementia." The authors performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS), a technique that scans the entire genome for areas of commonality associated with particular conditions. The GWAS identified 28 brain proteins and 75 transcripts - the messages that encode proteins - that were associated with depression. Among those, 46 transcripts and 7 proteins were also associated with symptoms of AD. The data suggest a shared genetic basis for the two diseases, which may drive the increased risk for AD associated with depression. Although previous studies had examined AD and depression using GWAS, the current work was made more powerful by using larger, newly available data sets that revealed more detailed information. "This study reveals a relationship between depression and Alzheimer's disease and related dementia at the genetic level," said co-senior author Thomas Wingo, MD. "This is important because it may explain, at least in part, the well-established epidemiologic association between depression and higher risk for dementia." Dr. A. Wingo added, "This relationship raises the question of whether treatment of depression can mitigate the risk for dementia. We identified genes that may explain the relationship between depression and dementia here that merit further study. Such genes may be important treatment targets for both depression and reduction of dementia risk." "The costs of ineffectively treated depression continue to mount. There has been increasing evidence that major depressive disorder increases the risk for Alzheimer's disease, but little insight into this relationship," John Krystal, MD, Editor of Biological Psychiatry, said. "This innovative study, which links genetic risk mechanisms to molecular changes in the brain, provides the clearest link to date supporting the hypothesis that depression plays a causal role in the biology of Alzheimer's disease." This does not mean that if one has an episode of depression that dementia is an inevitable result. Instead, it suggests that ineffectively treated depression may aggravate the biology of Alzheimer's disease, potentially hastening the onset of symptoms and increasing the rate of functional decline." (ANI) "We've been bolstering our resources, developing clear plans and preparing to take action. The action is imminent," Bell told a news conference on Thursday. The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) will be assisted by the country's federal police force, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and other law enforcement agencies from Ontario and Quebec, Bell said. (ANI/Sputnik) Highlighting that the Chinese government has detained about 1.8 million Uyghurs since 2017, an anthropologist said that the mass detentions are part of China's settler colonialism and resource extraction in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). Nuriman Abdurashid, writing in Radio Free Asia (RFA) said that an anthropologist Darren Byler, assistant professor of international studies at Canada's Simon Fraser University, in his book Terror Capitalism: Uyghur Dispossession and Masculinity in a Chinese City examined how China's settler colonization of Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang's capital Urumqi. Terror capitalism is a system that justifies oppression by branding Uyghurs a security threat to generate state investment in policing and surveillance technologies to monitor and control them, said Byler in an interview with RFA. Byler's ethnographic fieldwork in Urumqi shows how the Chinese government's imposition of ethnic majority Han Chinese values along with efforts to increase the number of Han settlers in the area have perpetuated Uyghur dispossession and expulsion from the city. He focused on young Uyghur men, the main target of state brutality, and their development of tight social bonds as a protective measure, said Abdurashid. Byler's other book on Xinjiang, In the Camps: China's High-Tech Penal Colony, also published in 2021, examines China's pervasive surveillance network in Xinjiang. Terror Capitalism is focused on the rise of an economic form of a kind of security-industrial complex where the state has hired over 1,000 contractors -- private companies -- to build forms of surveillance that will begin to sort through Uyghur and Kazakh behaviour and diagnose who is potentially a criminal, said Byler. The Chinese counterterrorism laws define things as terrorism that are not terrorism. It is things like having WhatsApp on your phone, using a VPN, and having relatives who live abroad and sending them money. The first three chapters of Terror Capitalism focus on processes of enclosure devaluation and dispossession, which are all of the ways in which Uyghurs have been systematically targeted by this system, Byler wrote in RFA. Two of the last three chapters focus on ways that Uyghurs survive and how they find where to live even as these things are being done to them, he added. Talking about the expectation of the readers, Byler said that he wants readers to know about what's happening to the Uyghurs is similar to and related to older forms of settler colonialism that occurred in other places like in North America where Native Americans were colonized. The Global War on Terror is being utilized as a tool to put those colonial systems in place. The same thing is happening in northwest China. That's what I want readers to take away from this.... The decimation of Uyghur society is the most egregious form of settler colonialism that's in the world right now, said Byler. (ANI) Throughout its 185 years, The Baltimore Sun has served an important role in Maryland: uncovering corruption, influencing policy, informing businesses and enlightening communities. But legacies like ours are often complicated. We bore witness to many injustices across generations, and while we worked to reverse many of them, some we made worse. Arunah S. Abell (A.S. Abell) - Founding publisher of The Baltimore Sun The newspapers founder, Arunah S. Abell, is credited with bringing affordable and independent journalism to everyday citizens in Baltimore, beginning in 1837, at a time when newspapers were focused on moneyed, merchant classes and special interests. But like others in this country during that time, Abell was a Southern sympathizer who supported slavery and segregation. And this newspaper, which grew prosperous and powerful in the years leading up to the Civil War and beyond, reinforced policies and practices that treated African Americans as lesser than their white counterparts restricting their prospects, silencing their voices, ignoring their stories and erasing their humanity. Advertisement Instead of using its platforms, which at times included both a morning and evening newspaper, to question and strike down racism, The Baltimore Sun frequently employed prejudice as a tool of the times. It fed the fear and anxiety of white readers with stereotypes and caricatures that reinforced their erroneous beliefs about Black Americans. Through its news coverage and editorial opinions, The Sun sharpened, preserved and furthered the structural racism that still subjugates Black Marylanders in our communities today. African Americans systematically have been denied equal opportunity and access in every sector of life including health care, employment, education, housing, personal wealth, the justice system and civic participation. They have been refused the freedom to simply be, without the weight of oppression on their backs. Advertisement For this, we are deeply ashamed and profoundly sorry. Our contribution to this maltreatment is a dark and disgraceful component of The Suns past. As an institution, weve called on many others to recognize and rectify their own bigoted practices, past and present, particularly in these recent years of a national reckoning on race. It is our responsibility to do the same within our own walls. We have made efforts before to bolster diversity and inclusion, but the evolution has been slow. The death of Freddie Gray while in Baltimore police custody in 2015, and the national light it shone on the persistent disparities in the city, shook us out of our complacency. And, as a movement grew across the country, as more Black Americans died at the hands of police Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Breonna Taylor, Anton Black, George Floyd so did our obligation to scrutinize The Suns past. And so, now we turn the spotlight on ourselves and our institution, looking at our history through a modern-day lens in an attempt to better understand our communities, the effect we have had on them, and the distrust engendered by The Suns actions. As part of that process, members of The Suns editorial board and its Diversity Committee, made up of staff volunteers, consulted the papers archives and several other archives online, including newspapers.com and ProQuest, which we accessed through the Baltimore County Public Library. We found appalling coverage that clearly furthered prejudice and alienated many of our readers. Among the papers offenses: Classified ads selling enslaved people or offering rewards for their return, the first of which appeared just two months after the papers launch in May 1837; Editorials in the early 1900s seeking to disenfranchise Black voters because, as The Sun opinion writers wrote, the exclusion of the ignorant and thriftless negro vote will make for better political conditions and to support racial segregation in neighborhoods to preserve what Sun writers called the dominant and superior white race; A failure to hire any African American journalists before the 1950s, and too few Black journalists ever since; The identification of Black people by race in articles into the early 1960s, until progressive readers threatened to cancel their subscriptions if the labels werent removed; A reliance by too many of us for too long on the word of law enforcement over that of Black residents who said they were being improperly targeted by police; A 2002 editorial dismissal of African American lawyer Michael Steele, running mate to gubernatorial candidate Robert Ehrlich, as bringing little to the team but the color of his skin; A dearth of stories about issues relevant and important to non-white communities, and a failure to feature Black residents in stories of achievement and inspiration, rather than crime and poverty, on a level proportionate to that of their white counterparts. The papers prejudice hurt people. It hurt families, it hurt communities, and it hurt the nation as a whole by prolonging and propagating the notion that the color of someones skin has anything to do with their potential or their worth to the wider world. The Suns bigotry also hurt its business. It cost the paper readership and community credibility, particularly in Baltimore City, where the African American population swelled from about a fifth of residents when Abell founded the paper, to more than 60% today. Distrust of The Sun has been handed down through generations of Black Marylanders, deservedly so. We who make up The Sun today are committed to atoning for the papers past wrongs regarding race and have taken steps toward an intentionally inclusive future in our pages and professional practices. We know its not enough to simply avoid doing further harm by rejecting stereotypes; we must actively work against them by reflecting and promoting the experiences of the full spectrum of our population, across racial, religious, economic, sexual and social boundaries. Advertisement In recognition of this, the paper has taken a number of steps over the past several years. They include: Launching a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion reporting team focused on telling the stories of underserved groups; Developing a cultural competency style guide to help ensure that our coverage of Black, Hispanic, Latino and Asian American communities; Indigenous people; people with disabilities; and LGBTQ+ individuals is respectful, accurate, inclusive and fair; Building a database of sources made up of people of varying backgrounds to diversify the voices who bring analysis and insight to our stories; Nurturing a talent pipeline to broaden the pool of applicants we promote and hire from: From 2018 to 2021, the percentage of non-white people who make up the newsroom rose from 20.7% to 26%, and of the 26 people weve hired over the past two years, 13 of them 50% have been people of color; Partnering with the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, a nonprofit training organization, to provide diversity and bias education for the staff, and to audit content across Baltimore Sun Media properties to gauge how well our reporting and opinion coverage reflects the variety of race, class, gender, generation, geography and sexual orientation in our communities; Forming outreach committees to engage with groups we have inadequately served in the past to find out how we can do better. Among those contacted were Black funeral home directors, some of whom told us they didnt believe we would welcome their input or feature news obituaries of African American residents; Making a point of diversifying the photos we publish to better represent the communities we cover. Our approach today, unlike that of the countrys colorblind era of the 1980s and 90s, is to actively see the differences among us and work to understand: why they exist, what they mean to whom and why, whether theyre real or perceived, and whether they should be honored or struck down. Pretending we were all the same never worked, because it ignored the fact that were not all given the same opportunities to succeed or fail on our merits; some are privileged, others are oppressed. Refusing to recognize that only prolonged difficult conversations and much-needed soul-searching, dooming more generations to repeat the cycle. As journalists, as the Fourth Estate, we at the paper have a public responsibility to confront and illuminate societal ills so that they can be addressed and eradicated. On race, The Suns history is one were not proud to share, and we should warn you that its offensive to read. But addressing ones wrongs begins by acknowledging them. While weve taken great pains to highlight the papers righteous actions through the years, and there have been many, we have yet to shine a light on our dark corners until today. This accounting is most certainly incomplete. Nevertheless, we hope that by revealing some of our institutions past injustices, we will step closer to truly providing, as our masthead says, Light for All. The Baltimore Sun editorial board $300 for the return of Matilda When the first issue of The Sun rolled off a hand-operated press in May 1837, an editors note from founder Arunah S. Abell promised that the penny publication would, without fear or partiality, work toward the common good. And it did, in many ways. But in the one way that arguably counted the most integrating our population and lifting it as a whole the paper failed devastatingly. Though born and raised a Northerner, Abell, who was white, had strong Southern sympathies, and his newspaper perpetuated and profited from the brutal enslavement and sale of Black people up to and through the Civil War. At the time, Baltimore acted as a hub for the slave trade, with dealers bringing captive people into Maryland, imprisoning them in pens around the citys harbor, then transporting them on packet ships down the Chesapeake Bay to Southern markets. The Sun profited from the misery, running advertisements from dealers and others. Advertisement One ad from October 1849, placed by an Elkridge man, offered $300 for the return of a 30-year-old bright, Mulatto Negro Woman, named MATILDA, who escaped in a horse carriage with her husband, a free man, and five children, ages 10 months to 10 years. On the same page, a 12-year-old girl is offered for sale. The ad reads: She is honest, healthy and active; well acquainted with house work. A good home is wanted for her. Apply at the Sun office. Slavery and attitudes toward it would politically divide the country over the next several years, with a new anti-slavery Republican Party quickly gaining supporters in the North and detractors in the South. By 1860, most Southern states were promising to secede from the Union if Republican Abraham Lincoln won the presidency, which he did in November of that year. The Sun strongly criticized Lincolns election, claiming the new president would rule with authority over slave states that rejected his principles and avowed policy as in direct conflict with their constitutional rights. Though Maryland was a slave state, it voted against secession, which put it on the Union side by default. Once the Civil War began, with four times as many Maryland men fighting for the Union as the Confederacy, and under threat of jail from federal authorities, Abell held off from both pro-Confederate and anti-Lincoln commentary in The Sun. After the war ended and the Union won, the paper accepted the outcome as a practical matter. But instead of focusing on integration, it frequently sought to advance segregation and cement the idea that Black citizens were second-class at best. Purify the electorate In 1887, as Jim Crow laws were put in place to counter gains made by Black Americans during Reconstruction, a Sun news brief hailed the unveiling of a memorial to Roger B. Taney. He was the U.S. Supreme Court chief justice from Maryland who wrote the infamous 1857 Dred Scott decision claiming that Black Americans had no rights which the white man was bound to respect and were not included in the Founding Fathers declaration that all men are created equal. The Sun called the installation of the statue an event of great interest to our people and noted that the Dred Scott decision, which Maryland judges largely eschewed, was in strict agreement with the constitution and that Taney was brave, pure and learned. (Thats in sharp contrast to the papers position today. When the Taney statue was removed in 2017, along with three Confederate monuments, The Suns editorial board said they never should have been erected in the first place.) Advertisement As the 1800s gave way to the 1900s, Democrats were in control of Marylands government, and they fought hard to disenfranchise Black voters, who largely supported the Republican Party at the time, introducing amendments over several years meant to prevent Black people from voting. On Page 5 of the Oct. 31, 1909, morning edition of The Sun, in large type that spread across two columns, the paper made its case for why the suffrage amendment on the table that year, which would have required voters to pass a sort of writing test before being granted the right to cast a ballot, should be ratified. Unlike todays efforts to disenfranchise minority voters, there is absolutely no attempt to code the language of the argument. It comes out swinging against Black Marylanders and never lets up, calling them ignorant, thriftless and a threat to better political conditions. And, in case that didnt make the point, the paper followed up on Election Day with a last word for the intelligent white voter. It urged him to purify the electorate by voting for the suffrage amendment: You can make Maryland a white mans State, and make each and every white mans vote count instead of being killed by an illiterate negros ballot. The encroachment of the negroes The next year, the paper wrote glowingly in its news pages of a segregation ordinance preventing negroes from moving into majority-white neighborhoods and vice versa signed into law in 1910. The measure was drafted, one article claimed, after white residents in the northwest section of the city decried the encroachment of the negroes into white residential sections, lowering property values and driving white people from the neighborhoods in which, previous to the black invasion, they had liked to live. As Antero Pietila, a former Sun reporter, noted in his 2010 book, Not in My Neighborhood: How Bigotry Shaped a Great American City, that particular ordinance paved the way for residential segregation in America. Nothing else like it was on the books anywhere, and legislation modeled after it soon sprung up in other regions of the country. The ordinance was eventually struck down, as were others that followed, by a 1917 Supreme Court ruling concerned that the measures limited the ability of white homeowners to sell to whomever they wished. But The Sun remained a strong proponent of segregation including segregation contained within voluntary neighborhood covenants in which white residents agreed not to sell to Black buyers (these, too, were eventually struck down by the high court, in 1948). And its writers complained of the negro invasion for nearly two decades. Advertisement Antero Pietila personally signs a copy of his book, Not in My Neighborhood: How Bigotry Shaped a Great American City, for a reader at the 10th Annual Words & Wine Benefit hosted by the Friends of the Catonsville Library in 2015. (Nate Pesce / For The Baltimore Sun Media Group) In the 1930s, as the Democratic and Republican parties began the slow philosophy swap that would come to represent them today, it appeared as if The Sun had a moral awakening. It gave front-page news coverage to two horrific lynchings on the Eastern Shore, and took strong positions against them in editorials. Sun columnist H.L. Mencken wrote so derisively of Salisburys white population and town leaders, he was threatened with death should he show his face there. But the coverage, as our editorial page later noted in 2018, deplored the inhumanity of the perpetrators without ever really acknowledging the humanity of the victims or the community terrorized by their brutal deaths. The ire was directed at the poor, white trash killers, as Mencken put it; there was no empathy for or even real interest in the Black victims. (This was also the decade that the paper featured an offensive recipe column, written insultingly and proudly by a white woman in the vernacular of an ante-bellum mammy.) And in the early 1950s, the editorial board bemoaned the banning of the decades-old pro-Confederacy and pro-Ku Klux Klan film The Birth of a Nation. After Marylands Board of Motion Picture Censors deemed the movie morally bad and crime-inciting, The Sun defended it as simply trying to depict sentiments of the South during the Reconstruction era. Painful to many Marylanders And as court rulings began to reveal the lie in the notion of separate but equal education, The Sun was reluctant to endorse the obvious. In 1952, when Baltimore Polytechnic Institute high school allowed 10 academically qualified Black students to enter its accelerated A course program, after determining that a separate program would not provide equal educational opportunity, The Sun congratulated the school board on its conscientiousness and restraint in handling the matter, but failed to note the historic nature of the integration or even the appropriateness of the decision. When two years later, the U.S. Supreme Court, struck down the separate but equal doctrine and outlawed segregation in its Brown v. Board of Education ruling, The Sun, while acknowledging that the decision must be accepted and was inevitable, editorialized that it also would be painful to many Marylanders. The bright side, the writers found? It might decrease the criminal activity to which too many of the Negro race are given. At that time, The Sun was still choosing to identify Black people by race in its coverage and only Black people placing the tag Negro after individual names, even though many other newspapers had long since stopped similar practices. When a Westminster minister and seminary professor asked the paper to discard this discriminatory practice in 1955, according to an article in The Afro-American, the editor-in-chief flat out refused, self-righteously declaring that the Sunpapers will not be a party to such suppression of fact and that the matter of what it is now fashionable to call pigmentation is important from both the white and the Negro point of view. Advertisement He didnt spell out what, exactly, was so important. But he did mention crime and Black responsibility for it, so wed venture a guess that the significance was in perpetuating a stereotype of Black people as dangerous and to be feared. At the time, Baltimores population was about 24% Black, and white fear of the other was strong. Several years would pass, and a new editor-in-chief would ascend, before the paper eliminated the automatic race tags, in 1961, under pressure from readers who were sick of them. As the civil rights movement grew throughout the 1960s, so did The Suns conscience. In 1964, a decade after the Brown v. Board decision, editorial writers produced a fiery piece denouncing Alabamas segregationist governor, George Wallace, and decrying school segregation as a caste system that has kept Negroes in a position of inferiority. The same editorial embraced the Civil Rights Bill of 1964 working its way through Congress as a national commitment to sweep away the inequities which racial discrimination has imposed on a large body of citizens that is right and inevitable. And when the bill passed in June of that year, editorial writers called it a mighty step and a reaffirmation of the principles of equality upon which our society was founded. Voice of inspiration for millions Opinion writers also recognized the genius and dedication of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to a point. They praised his clear plan and commitment to nonviolent civil rights advocacy, but chafed when he proposed action outside that realm, such as marching in support of home rule for Washington, D.C., or encouraging resistance to the Vietnam War draft. When King was assassinated April 4, 1968, the front pages of The Sun and The Evening Sun the next day underscored the significance, with headlines urging peace and proclaiming the whole world stunned. The editorial board called the assassination a national tragedy, noting that King was the voice of inspiration for millions. There was none other of his stature, they wrote. The editorial cartoon that day featured a headstone and Kings name, with the epitaph: Killed in the cause of equality. Baltimore Sun 1968 editorial cartoon, following the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. (The Baltimore Sun) By April 6, a violent backlash had begun in Baltimore and across the nation, with irate crowds taking to the streets and burning buildings out of frustration, becoming a backdrop to congressional consideration of the 1968 Civil Rights Act. The Sun urged the bills passage, saying that the public officials who say now that the bill ought to be defeated because of the riots are acting like children. Like the uprising in 2015 following Freddie Grays death, the 1968 unrest drove news coverage for months, as officials and media dug into the issues underlying it. But how much of an effect it had on Sun coverage going forward is hard to gauge. The newspapers opinions grew progressively more supportive of racial equality, though changes within the paper were subtle. The Sun hired its first Black female journalist in 1973, but the staff was and still is overwhelmingly white, compared with the makeup of the community; this is especially evident in The Suns leadership teams through the years. By the 1980s, Sun editorials focused on issues of poverty, criminal justice and equal opportunity in hiring through a lens of race, but they still had an ivory tower quality to them of being written by someone largely disconnected from the topic. In a December 1981 editorial, writers decried strict welfare rules that hurt the working poor, but made a point of separating them from people on the dole, seemingly buying into the mythology of the welfare queen popularized by Ronald Reagan during his 1976 presidential campaign. Advertisement And in 1989, after the personal journals of H.L. Mencken were released, revealing deep-seated racism and antisemitism, Sun writers undertook great efforts to make excuses for the revered writer, even though Mencken had been dead for nearly 34 years. The fact that the sage of Baltimore had unkind things to say on a broad range of topics can hardly come as a surprise to those familiar with his sharp and biting work, wrote one columnist. They make him a more complex figure, more difficult to decipher. An H.L. Mencken quote was installed on the lobby wall of The Baltimore Sun's former building on North Calvert Street. (Tricia Bishop/Baltimore Sun Staff) The Sun would continue to sponsor a writing contest named after Mencken, despite protest from some award recipients. And more than a decade later, it would install a Mencken quote on its lobby wall on North Calvert Street, showing, in the most generous interpretation, a lack of self-awareness and sensitivity. Black Lives Matter Shortly after the diary release, in 1991, the vicious beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers was recorded on video and broadcast across the country, and white Americans could no longer deny that Black people were being mistreated by law enforcement. Yet, The Sun would continue to take the word of local law enforcement over Baltimore residents in its reporting for decades to come, largely without question. It did this even as the city adopted a zero tolerance style of policing in the late 90s that the U.S. Department of Justice would later find led to repeated violations of the constitutional and statutory rights of community members. Though people like state Sen. Jill P. Carter, whos long been in the Baltimore political scene, had for years been raising alarms over police brutality and the need for reform, it wasnt until 2014 that The Sun took an in-depth look at why it was that the city was paying out millions of dollars to settle dozens of lawsuits by Black residents who said police beat them up. That investigation won multiple awards for the paper, as good journalism has a way of doing, and was a prescient walk-up to the story that would dominate the paper the next year: Freddie Grays death. The Suns coverage there earned it two Pulitzer Prize finalist honors, one for breaking news reflecting the newsrooms knowledge of the community and advancing the conversation about police violence and one for the editorial board, for writing that demanded accountability while also offering guidance to a troubled city, according to the prize committee. Image on the wall of the Sandtown Conference Room at The Baltimore Sun. (Tricia Bishop/Baltimore Sun staff) When The Sun moved offices to East Cromwell Street in 2018, we covered one wall with a photo from a protest in Grays Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood. It shows a sea of mostly Black faces crowded together, beneath Black Lives Matter and Stop Police Terror signs. Its a better reminder of what we are here to do than the Mencken quote for various reasons, not the least of which is that its about the people we serve, rather than about us. But a quote or a picture doesnt a paper make. Actions speak louder than words, even in the newspaper business. Advertisement Were still grappling with improving diversity in our staff and our coverage. Reporting that arises directly from sources in the regions Black communities has long been lacking in The Sun, largely because the connection is lacking. Were not out there enough, and were not trusted enough. We are working on that, and looking into an impression some hold that The Sun is harder on Black officials than white. Unlike in years before, were talking about these issues routinely and how to address them. To that end, we ask for your input, as readers and community members. How can we better connect? How can our reporting be more relevant? How can we better serve? What wrongs have we yet to right? Please share your thoughts on our past, present or future at talkback@baltimoresun.com, with the word apology in the subject line. Some responses will be compiled for publication, but we will read and consider all of them. We are your newspaper, and we want to serve your interests and that of the public good as a whole. Earlier this month, the US House of Representatives passed the America COMPETES Act, a bill focusing on US semiconductor production and supply chains, reported Beijing News.Net. The Chinese publication claimed that the "industrial" act includes actions to hold China "accountable" for genocide and slave labour, according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and specifically allocates 500 million US dollars for media outlets to smear China. China claims that this bill echoes the US Innovation and Competition Act of 2021, another hawkish bill against China passed by the US Senate in June 2021, which authorized 300 million dollars to be appropriated for each fiscal year through 2026 to counter China's influence globally. The Chinese publication said that Washington has been implementing intricate plans to boost the so-called "China threat" narratives and "combat Chinese disinformation" via the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour, and the Agency for Global Media, its state-run foreign media service. In September 2021, the largest Zimbabwean daily newspaper The Harald claimed that the United States is funding and training local reporters to produce anti-China stories and discredit Chinese investments. As per the Beijing News.Net report, some private media journalists were told to portray Chinese companies investing in Zimbabwe as "causing harm to communities, environment and workers," receiving payment of 1,000 dollars per story from the US embassy through its proxy. (ANI) An ex-security forces employee of the former Afghan government on Thursday urged the Taliban to respect the general amnesty announced by them after they took over the war-torn nation in August last year. Javad Jafari pleaded with the Taliban to honour amnesty after he was released by the Taliban. He was detained by the Taliban for 5-days without committing any crime, reported Tolo News. "I was detained by the Islamic Emirate for five days. The misunderstanding they had was resolved," Jafari said. Jafari, 35, is the only breadwinner for his family of six members. He, like thousands of other former security forces, became jobless after Kabul fell to the Taliban, reported Tolo News. "I am very happy that my father is released. We call on the Islamic Emirate to provide job opportunities for my father," said Ali Sajad, Jafari's son. "The detention of these officers after the announcement of the general amnesty is an act against Islamic values and will form a gap between the government and the people," said Mohammad Matin Mohammad Khail, a military veteran. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Taliban denied the detention of Jafari but said they will pursue the issue. "We will investigate. Who is he and where he was arrested--and this is a wrong allegation that he was arrested because he was a former member of the (security forces)," said Taliban's Spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid. Although the leader of the Taliban Hibatullah Ahkundzada announced a general amnesty following the unexpected fall of the former government, there have been several reports of arbitrary detentions. The UN said in a recent report that around 100 former government officials have "disappeared." (ANI) "Greetings to FM Dr Mamadou Tangara and the Government and people of The Gambia on their Independence Day. Committed to the strengthening of our friendly ties," tweeted Jaishankar. The Gambia celebrates its independence day on February 18 each year which marks the day when the country gained full independence from colonial Britain in 1965. It is normally celebrated in Banjul at McCarthy Square. Earlier in November 2021, the Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan during his visit to the Republic of Gambia signed two agreements. Two agreements signed between India and Gambia during the visit of the Minister of State (MoS) are - Agreement on Exemption from Visa Requirement for Holders of Diplomatic and Official Passports and General Framework Agreement for Cooperation between India and The Gambia. The visit set the tone for further diversifying and deepening India's relations with The Gambia. The Gambia has a small but vibrant Indian community of about 1,600 people, mostly businessmen and traders. (ANI) The US Central Command (Centcom) chief Gen Kenneth McKenzie on Thursday expressed concerns about the presence of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Afghanistan. In an interview shared on Facebook by the US Central Command - Dari/Pashto, McKenzie said that America is still "sorting out what is going to happen" since the Taliban came into power, reported Tolo News. "ISIS... concerns us in Afghanistan," McKenzie said, adding "We know that the Taliban are no friends, particularly of ISIS and in fact over the past couple of years, they have occasionally under-taken operations against ISIS." "I think... what we see developing in Afghanistan is ungoverned and under-governed spaces which are areas were ISIS traditionally flourished and... I think there is a risk, we know that ISIS does in fact have ... a desire to carry out external attacks--attacks against the United States-- the homeland of the United States and attacks against the homeland of our neighbours in Europe... and other places. So, I am concerned by what is happening in Afghanistan," he said. The Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Stanislav Zas, warned that the re-emergence of foreign terrorist groups including Al-Qaeda and ISIS are not only a threat to Afghanistan but to the whole region, reported Tolo News. "We pay in our work particular attention to our southern borders. Afghanistan remains a long-term ongoing source of danger, given the unfolding socio-economic and humanitarian disaster stemming from the country, as well as the terrorist threat and the risk of drug trafficking. That is all increasing," he said. Meanwhile, the Taliban Defense Ministry denied reports over the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan. "We deny these reports. We assure all the people that the security forces of the Islamic Emirate are ready to fight the terrorists. There are no terrorists in Afghanistan," said Inayatullah Khwarazami, a spokesman for the ministry. Based on the Doha agreement signed between the Taliban and Washington on February 29th, 2020, the Islamic Emirate is committed to cutting ties with all terrorist groups in the region. (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has proposed dates for holding a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, late next week, who accepted it if Russia does not invade Ukraine, local media reported. Taking to Twitter, State Department's Spokesperson Ned Price said that the Russians have responded with proposed dates for late next week, which we are accepting, provided there is no further Russian invasion of Ukraine. He stated that if Russia does invade in the coming days, it will make clear they were never serious about diplomacy. "We will continue to coordinate with our Allies and partners and push for further engagements with Russia through the @NATO-Russia Council and @OSCE.", he added. US Secretary of State, noted in his remarks at the United Nations Security Council earlier today that, because the US believes the only responsible way to resolve this crisis is through diplomacy and dialogue, he had proposed to meet Foreign Minister Lavrov in Europe next week, as per Price. Tensions over Ukraine have increased in recent months, with Russia and NATO accusing each other of amassing troops on the Russian-Ukrainian border. The United States and Ukraine accuse Russia of preparing to invade. Meanwhile, Moscow denies the claims and maintains that it has no intention of attacking any country. The conflict in Donbas between Ukraine's government and the breakaway of Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics has been going on since 2014. The Minsk Agreements, designed to find a political resolution to the conflict, was negotiated by the leaders of France, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine -- the Normandy group -- in February 2015. However, the agreement has so far not been observed and sporadic clashes continue. (ANI) The protestors slammed the government for unnecessary delay in fund approvals and also chanted slogans demanding the government to fulfil their demands, reported The Express Tribune. The protest rally, on Wednesday, was held from Zarghoon Road, Municipal Corporation and White Road in Quetta on the call of Balochistan Labour Federation. Along with this, a sit-in at Edhi Chowk was held too where hundreds of workers and employees participated in the protest. Balochistan Labour Federation leadership rebuked the 'anti-labour policies' of the provincial Finance Minister and Finance Secretary. They made clear that the protest will not end until and unless their demands are met and salaries of employees are released, reported The Express Tribune. The MCQ also expressed its disappointment towards the government against non-payment of dues. Balochistan Labor Federation President chided the government and said that negligence and incompetency of government has forced the government employees to stage protests and sit-ins. Moreover, he promised to extend the protest across Balochistan if the payment is not made on time. (ANI) "Shehbaz Sharif has formed a committee," sources said, as per The News International, adding Leader of the opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz Sharif has been made the head of the committee and will mobilise people to bring a no-confidence motion in Punjab. According to The News International, PML-N has mobilised all its MNAs, MPAs, ticket holders and office bearers to bring a no-confidence motion in Punjab province. Citing sources, the publication said that the party president Sharif has given his nod for the move and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has also been taken into confidence for this action. Pakistan opposition is jettisoning mutual hatred to ouster Khan. They were planning a no-confidence motion or street protests or even a combination of both in a joint fight against Khan's misgovernance. Earlier, opposition parties like Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the allies of Imran Khan - Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) are setting aside their differences to ouster 'Kaptaan' (Imran Khan), reported Dawn. While PPP and PML-N have announced separate long marches on Islamabad with the former's starting on February 27 and the latter's March 23. Both parties have not yet confirmed whether they will stage a sit-in after reaching the capital, as noted by Dawn. (ANI) Russian Defence Ministry on Friday said that it had begun withdrawing more tanks and other armoured vehicles from areas near Ukraine's border amid the ongoing tension between Moscow and Kiev. "Units of the Western Military District continue to return to the points of permanent deployment after the scheduled exercises. Another vehicle convoy with military equipment has begun to march from the training ground to the point of permanent deployment," the ministry said, according to Sputnik News Agency. The convoy included about 30 heavy vehicles with personnel, special equipment, military materiel, the ministry noted. Despite Russia's claims to be pulling forces back from Ukraine's borders, shelling from the Moscow side has raised tensions. The US Embassy in Kiev informed on Thursday that Russia's shelling of Stanytsia Luhanska in Ukrainian government-controlled territory in Donbas hit a kindergarten, injured two teachers, and knocked out power in the village. "Russia's shelling of Stanytsia Luhanska in Ukrainian government-controlled territory in Donbas hit a kindergarten, injured two teachers, and knocked out power in the village. The aggressor in Donbas is clear - Russia," tweeted US Embassy in Kiev. Russia's recent build-up of around 150,000 troops just over the border from the Donbas region in the east, in Belarus to the north and Crimea to the south, which began in the autumn, has escalated tensions. Russia claims the surge of forces has always been for military exercises and that it poses no threat to Ukraine or any other nation, but has refused to offer any real explanation for the biggest build-up of military might in Europe since the Cold War. Defence officials in Moscow have said since Tuesday that troops and military hardware are pulling back, having completed some of the drills. Western intelligence officials say, on the contrary, that Russia has moved roughly 7,000 more troops close to the borders in recent days. (ANI) Puneet Singh Chandhok, President of the Indian World Forum on Friday, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanking him for providing humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and for undertaking efforts for the welfare of Afghan Hindu and Sikh minorities and ensuring their safe evacuation. Notably, the Government of India from time to time has granted citizenship and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) to Afghan Hindus and Sikhs. In the letter, Chandhok urged the government to process the remaining pending citizenship applications. The IWF president urges the country to consider the setup of a single-window facility in particular for Afghan Minorities for processing their fresh and pending applications in a time-bound manner. After the Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021, all the earlier visas issued to Afghans have been invalidated for those out of the country. As these Afghans now seek fresh e-visa, he urged the government to process these pending applications. "Government may consider and set up a dedicated cell for issuance and processing of fresh visas, conversion into LTV Visas, residential permits and exit permits for Afghan minorities in a time-bound manner along with easing of restrictions including the requirement of a local guarantor", he said. He also pointed out that India may consider maintaining the Gurdwaras and Mandirs in Afghanistan in coordination with International agencies as it is likely that disgruntled elements may grab the personal estate of minorities. Talking about the Hindus and Sikhs who have been displaced from the war-torn Islamic nation, he urged PM Modi to consider setting an "Afghan Nagar" at any suitable location by providing land on a gratis basis. In the letter, he said, "detailed mechanism may be adopted wherein the allotment, construction and development cost may be jointly borne by the community at large." Chandhok also said that Afghan Hindu and Sikh youth have a strong built-in particular known for their fearless combat and bravery and they can be put under training and be recruited in Armed Forces and Central Police Organisations under a special drive. He also praised the leadership for the transfer of holy books from Afghanistan to India including Sri Guru Granth Sahib and ancient Hindu scriptures. (ANI) The US government has informed Afghanistan's diplomats in the country that it will shut down the embassy in Washington and the consulate missions in Los Angeles and New York, according to a media report on Friday. As per a memo sent to the Afghan diplomats at the beginning of the week, Afghan diplomats will also be stripped of their diplomatic immunity, reported Pajhwok Afghan News Agency, quoting Al Arabia. A State Department official told Al Arabiya that there had been "no change in the status of the Afghan mission or its personnel." However, a diplomatic source revealed-- "They said there would be a shutdown of the embassy [in Washington] and the consulate missions in LA and New York.", reported the news agency. Earlier, according to media reports, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West said that the United States is not yet ready to reopen its embassy in Afghanistan, but continues to monitor the security situation in the country while maintaining diplomatic ties with the Taliban. "At the moment, we are not prepared to reopen our embassy. I think we are evaluating the security situation carefully," Sputnik News Agency quoting West reported. "We don't have a calendar, we were thinking of a specific time when we were considering full recognition of the Taliban. What I would say is that my bosses have told me to continue diplomacy with the Taliban in order to protect American interests," he added. The Taliban took over Afghanistan in August last year. After the collapse of the republic government, the Taliban had announced that Suhail Shaheen would represent Afghanistan in the UN, but he was not accepted by the organization. (ANI) The top Democrats in Marylands House of Delegates unveiled a package of tax cuts Friday to help offset the rising costs of everyday child care and medical items such as diapers, child car seats and thermometers. House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones framed the cuts which will cost the state $60 million a year as a way to help working-class families that have been hit by rising costs or squeezed during the pandemic. Advertisement Struggling Marylanders need a break, Jones, a Baltimore County Democrat, said Friday at an Annapolis news conference announcing the relief package. She has promised since before the legislative session began that new programs, including any potential tax cuts, would provide relief to low-income and working families. Advertisement As the price of basic goods continues to rise, its getting harder and harder for working families budgets to keep up, Jones said. The proposals would exempt the sale of diapers, baby bottles, infant car seats, certain thermometers, blood pressure monitors and other items from the state sales and use tax, effectively cutting the cost of those items by 6%. Those products would join others already exempt from the state tax, such as baby oil, baby powder and disposable medical supplies. Another bill in the package, sponsored by House Democratic Majority Leader Eric Luedtke, would create a state match to mirror the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit, a tax break for companies that hire people who might otherwise face challenges finding work, including the disabled, military veterans, the long-term unemployed, those with criminal records or residents of low-income neighborhoods. The proposed sales and use tax cuts would be permanent, but the employer tax credit would expire at the end of 2028 unless renewed by lawmakers. Jones was joined by about a dozen fellow Democratic delegates for Fridays announcement, including House Ways and Means Chair Vanessa Atterbeary, a Howard County Democrat whose committee oversees taxes. The packages backing from the top Democrats in the House puts considerable weight behind the proposal. Parents should not have to decide between buying diapers or new toothbrushes for the family, Jones said. People shouldnt have to worry if they can afford next months diabetes test strips. The pandemic has increased the need and in some cases the cost of such products as thermometers and other medical equipment used in homes. Some pieces of the legislation predate the pandemic. Advertisement Maryland Policy & Politics Weekdays Keep up to date with Maryland politics, elections and important decisions made by federal, state and local government officials. > A lot of it also is about long term making sure Maryland families can afford the necessities of daily life, said Luedtke, of Montgomery County, in an interview. The proposal for the diaper exemption, for example, has been on the table and discussed for several years. In Maryland, bizarrely, adult diapers are tax-free but infant diapers are not. Some of these are overdue changes. A spokesman for Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore City Democrat, did not respond to a request for comment on Friday. Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, has proposed his own separate raft of tax cuts aimed largely at retirees, businesses and low-income workers. Republican state lawmakers, who hold relatively little sway in the General Assembly where Democrats have veto-proof majorities in both chambers, have backed Hogans tax cut suggestions enthusiastically. It says a lot about how much weve changed the culture in Annapolis that Democrats are feeling the heat and proposing some tax relief of their own, Hogan said in a statement Friday in response to the House Democrats proposal. While this doesnt come close to the $4.6 billion in tax relief weve proposed for families, small businesses and retirees, we appreciate this effort and look forward to further bipartisan discussions. Last year, Hogan and Democratic leaders struck a deal on a pandemic relief package that included a $1 billion combination of direct payments, tax refunds, tax breaks and state aid to businesses. Politicians have been eyeing how to spend a multibillion-dollar surplus, swollen by a huge influx in federal funding from congressional coronavirus relief packages and President Joe Bidens infrastructure package. The state finished its most recent budget year, which ended last June 30, with an extra $2.5 billion. And projections show the state will continue to have billions extra for the next several budget years. Advertisement Lawmakers also are set to face voters again this year. Every member of the General Assembly is up for election and all three statewide offices governor, attorney general and comptroller are on the ballot as well. Neither Hogan, who is term-limited, nor retiring state Attorney General Brian Frosh are running for reelection. The current state comptroller, Peter Franchot, is running for governor. Abuja [Nigeria], February 18 (ANI/Sputnik): European forces, whose withdrawal from Mali was announced earlier yesterday, will be redeployed to regions of Niger along the border with Mali, Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum said. On Thursday, France and its allies in the European mission Takuba, along with a small number of Canadian servicemen, began a joint troop pullout from Mali due to disagreements with the African nation's transitional government, which came to power as a result of a military takeover. "The new bases will be located near [the Malian cities of] Menaka and Gao. They will particularly accept Takuba because it will give us great advantages. These are special forces capable of responding to the threat from terrorist organizations. Takuba is also a force integrated into the army of Mali and soon into the army of Niger," Bazoum said in an interview with the Le Figaro newspaper issued late on Thursday. He expects a "vacuum" to be formed with the departure of European forces which will allow for increased activities of terrorist groups present in the region, posing threat to northern Mali and subsequently neighbouring Niger, the president added. African and European countries see the need to reorganize their presence in Mali, he stressed, adding that linked arrangements will be clarified from June. In particular, European troops will be present in Niger and are also expected to be deployed to other countries in need, for example, Benin, he specified. (ANI/Sputnik) China has faced rejection from tiny Palau even after intense pressure and arm-twisting, failing to coax it to withdraw its recognition of Taiwan, reported a Canada-based thinktank, International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS). Palau in 1999 gave international recognition to Taiwan. China then dangled the carrot of tourism to wean it away from Taipei. Tourism officials in Palau were surprised in November 2017 to find that the tourist boom from China had ended, with a 22 percent drop in Chinese visitors and a reduction in chartered planes flying to the island. For the Taiwanese - owned Palau Pacific Airways, bookings from China to Palau fell by 50 percent; leading to the airline shutting shop in 2018. Following this, China simply asked its tour operators to stop sending groups to Palau. China has been trying to distance the small islands states from Taiwan with which these countries have long-established ethnic and historical ties. However, it is failing in its quest. Palau has not withdrawn its diplomatic recognition of Taiwan. It also did not walk out of the Compact of Free Association agreement with the USA under which the US is responsible for the defence of the island state till 2044 and has the exclusive and unlimited use of its land and waterways for strategic purposes. China is aiming to annex Taiwan and the country is also looking to take on the USA in its quest to build a Chinese global empire. Many questions are raised about China's intent which is to convince the international community that Taiwan has no independent existence, reported the thinktank. The setbacks China has suffered in recent years in its effort to spread its tentacles should make Beijing aware of the limits of Chinese influence in the southern Pacific. (ANI) The Indian side was led by Reenat Sandhu, Secretary (West), and the Armenian side was led by Mnatsakan Safaryan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, the Ministry of External Affairs Ministry (MEA) said in a statement. During the consultations, both sides had comprehensive discussions on bilateral cooperation in diverse areas including political, economic, commercial, defence, development partnership, capacity building, consular matters and cultural cooperation. The ministry said that both sides also reviewed the implementation of decisions taken during the first-ever visit of the External Affairs Minister to Armenia in October 2021. The sides exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest and agreed to strengthen cooperation in the UN and multilateral fora, MEA said. The talks were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere. Both sides agreed to hold the next consultations at a mutually convenient date, it added. (ANI) Progressive Students Collective (PSC) has entered its ninth day on Thursday, demanding a revival of the student unions, reduction in fee and withdrawal of security forces from the campuses, local media reported on Friday. On Thursday, the Aurat March Lahore organisers visited the week-long sit-in to show solidarity with the students fighting for their rights for a better future. PPP parliamentary leader in Punjab Assembly Syed Hassan Murtaza also visited the student's camp and supported their demands for the restoration of the unions across the country. He said a bill for the restoration of the unions would be tabled in the next session of the assembly, supporting all demands of the students. Notably, the demonstrations started on February 9 to mark the 38th anniversary of the ban on student unions. 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. (ANI) China is introducing a new regulation in Tibet to ban religious content online such as worshipping Buddha, and according to a report it is 'sinicizing' Buddhism. The new regulation 'Measures on the Administration of Internet Religious Informative Services', will come into effect from March 1. As per this regulation, all foreign organizations and individuals are banned from spreading religious content online in China and Tibet. The rule is an exception for those who have acquired government licenses, reported Phayul. Last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping during the national conference on 'Work Related to Religious Affairs' called for punitive action against those who use social networks for religious purposes. Chinese authorities in Amdo region recently imposed a ban on sharing religious content on social media, including the app WeChat, reported Tibet Watch. The social media app WeChat was asked by the Chinese authorities to be closed immediately on January 20 in Qinghai province. Along with the popular Chinese app WeChat, other apps such as 'Good Conduct Group', 'Guru Sidhi Group' and 'Mani Group' were also asked to be taken down. During the conference, Xi Jinping had also called for action on those who speak against the government policy on religion. As per Article 17 of the regulation, people who do not have a government license are "not allowed to organize and carry out religious activities on the internet". In addition to that, the people are also "not allowed to broadcast or record religious ceremonies such as worshipping Buddha, burning incense, ordaining, chanting, worshipping, mass, and baptism in the form of words, pictures, audio and video." The report further states, "With the inevitable closure of these WeChat groups, dispensing practical apolitical information, the hundreds and thousands of Tibetan group members will now have to depend on atheist Chinese government sources for religious discourses and content, effectively imposing further restrictions on the practice of Tibetan Buddhism," (ANI) On Wednesday, Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested journalist Mohsin Baig from his home in Islamabad. The federal agency had raided Baig's house in Islamabad, along with the police and took him into custody. The Dawn newspaper reported that the investigators of the case arrested the three domestic staff of Baig for attacking the FIA team during his arrest. Baig, who has been critical of the government's policies, is the second arrest made by the law enforcement agencies during the past week for anti-government commentary, The News International reported. Baig's son said that FIA officials came to the house and arrested his father. "Initially, we thought that they (FIA personnel) were thieves and opened fire in the air but later they introduced themselves as law enforcers. We also asked them to show arrest warrants but they had none. Meanwhile, a police party also came to our house," Baig's son told Geo News. On Monday, the FIA had arrested a social media activist for "running trends" against the country's Prime Minister Imran Khan on social media. (ANI) The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday announced that the first six African countries to receive technologies needed to produce Moderna vaccines will include Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia. "At the European Union - African Union summit in Brussels today WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced the first six countries that will receive the technology needed to produce mRNA vaccines on the African continent. Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia all applied and have been selected as recipients," the WHO said in a statement. The world health body said the Moderna technology hub will support manufacturers of vaccines by ensuring access to the necessary operating procedures and know-how to produce vaccines on a large scale and in accordance with international norms. In addition, the hub will expand production capacity not only for COVID-19 vaccines, but also for other medical products the countries need to strengthen their health systems. "In the mid-to long-term, the best way to address health emergencies and reach universal health coverage is to significantly increase the capacity of all regions to manufacture the health products they need, with equitable access as their primary endpoint," the WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said: "This is an initiative that will allow us to make our own vaccines and that, to us, is very important. It means mutual respect, mutual recognition of what we can all bring to the party, investment in our economies, infrastructure investment and, in many ways, giving back to the continent." According to the statement, the WHO and its African and European partners will work with the recipients to develop a roadmap and ensure the appropriate training and support so that the countries will be able to launch production of vaccines in the near future. Although COVID-19 vaccine supplies to Africa have increased significantly over the last months, rates of vaccination are still very low on the continent, with just about 11% of the population fully vaccinated. (ANI) According to the police, the private TV channel's senior producer Athar Mateen was assassinated at the main thoroughfare in North Nazimabad while he was on his way back home after dropping his children to school, Geo News reported. The police said that Mateen, who was driving a car, tried to foil a robbery bid when he saw armed motorcyclists robbing another citizen, by shoving his car into their motorcycle. At this, one of the motorcyclists, who fell on the ground, opened fire at Mateen's car, Geo News reported. The assailant fired three shots, but Mateen sustained only one bullet injury which killed him on the spot, the police said. Meanwhile, the assailants crossed the road on foot and fled while snatching another motorcycle, the Pakistani newspaper said. Recently, The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) released a report to highlight how press freedom deteriorated in 2021 as compared to the previous two years in Pakistan. In the report titled "Pakistan Media Freedom Report - 2021", CPNE said in 2021 alone, five journalists were killed in the line of duty, including Karachi-based social media activist and community journalist Nazim Jokhio, who was abducted and killed mercilessly. The report also said that Pakistan is one of the countries, where violence against journalists is increasing and not even a single murderer has been brought to justice. (ANI) The European Union (EU) on Friday filed a case against China at the World Trade Organization (WTO) for restricting EU companies from going to a foreign court to protect and use their patents. "China severely restricts EU companies with rights to key technologies (such as 3G, 4G and 5G) from protecting these rights when their patents are used illegally or without appropriate compensation by, for example, Chinese mobile phone manufacturers. The patent holders that do go to court outside China often face significant fines in China, putting them under pressure to settle for licensing fees below market rates," the European Commission said in a statement. According to the statement, this Chinese policy is "extremely damaging" to innovation and growth in Europe, effectively depriving European technology companies of the possibility to exercise and enforce the rights that give them a technological edge. "We must protect the EU's vibrant high-tech industry, an engine for innovation that ensures our leading role in developing future innovative technologies. EU companies have a right to seek justice on fair terms when their technology is used illegally. That is why we are launching WTO consultations today," said Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade. Since August 2020, Chinese courts have been issuing decisions - known as "anti-suit injunctions" - to exert pressure on EU companies with high-tech patents and to prevent them from rightfully protecting their technologies, the EU said. Chinese courts also use the threat of heavy fines to deter European companies from going to foreign courts. The bloc said this has left European high-tech companies at a significant disadvantage when fighting for their rights. Chinese manufacturers request these anti-suit injunctions to benefit from cheaper or even free access to European technology. The EU has raised this issue with China on a number of occasions in an attempt to find a solution, to no avail. As the Chinese actions are, according to the EU, inconsistent with the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), the EU has requested consultations at the WTO. Last month, the European Union had launched a case at the WTO against China over its discriminatory trade practices against Lithuania, which it says are also hitting other exports from the EU's Single Market. The 27 member bloc in a statement had said that these actions are harming exporters both in Lithuania and elsewhere in the EU, as they also target products with Lithuanian content exported from other EU countries. (ANI) Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday said the country is moving away from democracy and sliding towards authoritarianism and dictatorship under the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. Addressing a gathering of lawyers hosted by the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA), Bilawal said, it was widely perceived that Pakistan was transitioning towards democracy - one step forward, two steps back and two steps forward, one step back. However, he said, it was now clear that during the government of Imran Khan the country was not transitioning towards democracy but away from it, towards dictatorship, Dawn newspaper reported. Stressing that Pakistan needed a fair, non-discriminatory, transparent and efficient accountability system, Bilawal said the courts had the responsibility to uphold the values of fundamental rights, fair trial and due process. "Unfortunately, very often the judiciary has failed to do so," he added. Bilawal stated that the fate of the judiciary of Pakistan and democracy was in the hands of the lawyer's community. Telling the lawyers that the PPP had decided to challenge the regime, he urged them to, once again, stand with the party as they had stood shoulder to shoulder with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his daughter Benazir Bhutto, the Pakistani newspaper reported. Talking about the march against the ruling government, the PPP leader said his party decided to march on Islamabad to save democracy and the Constitution, to save the economy and the country. Bilawal said the PPP would run a campaign against the "selected" government of Imran Khan with the people of Pakistan who lost faith in the prime minister, Dawn newspaper reported. "We will bring a no-confidence motion and democratically challenge this government," he added. (ANI) The election of Hong Kong's chief executive which was earlier scheduled to be held on March 27, will be postponed to May, amid the increasing COVID-19 infections. The election will now be held on May 8, Chief Executive Carrie Lam told a news briefing on Friday, according to Xinhua News Agency. This comes two days after Chinese President Xi Jinping called on the Hong Kong government to prioritize containing the local coronavirus outbreak, which reached a record 6,116 daily cases on Thursday, Kyodo News reported. During a press briefing, Chief Executive Carrie Lam cited the use of the city's Emergency Regulations Ordinance to delay the election. The nomination period, which was slated to begin on Sunday, has also been rescheduled to take place between April 3 and 16. In July 2020, the Hong Kong government used the same ordinance to postpone the Legislative Council election originally scheduled for September that year by one year, citing public health concerns during the pandemic. It was eventually held last December. The Western democracies, including the United States and the United Kingdom, had expressed concern over the election results in Hong Kong, where only one seat went to an opposition member in the 90 seat Legislative Council. Writing in Washington Times, Jianli Yang, said the Legislative Council (LegCo) election in Hong Kong on December 19, 2021, was just a mockery of democracy. With only about 30 per cent of the voters in Hong Kong bothering to exercise their franchise in a sham called election, pro-Beijing candidates swept the polls, beating the moderates and independents, leaving only one seat to an opposition member in the 90 seat Legislative Council. (ANI) US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J Austin on Friday said he held a productive meeting with Poland Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak "over Russia's military activities around Ukraine". He also said the United States looks forward to increasing our interoperability through Poland's acquisition of M1A2 Abrams tanks. "I had a very productive meeting today with Polish Defense Minister @mblaszczak on Russia's military activities around Ukraine. We look forward to increasing our interoperability through Poland's acquisition of M1A2 Abrams tanks, which will enhance NATO's deterrence efforts," Austin said in a tweet. "The US has a deep appreciation for our Alliance and our shared values, and I'm especially thankful for their gracious hosting of US forces," he added. Russia's recent build-up of around 150,000 troops just over the border from the Donbas region in the east, in Belarus to the north and Crimea to the south, which began in the autumn, has escalated tensions. Austin said at a press conference in Warsaw that Poland and US are in solidarity with the allies. "What Putin did not want to see happen was a stronger NATO on his flank. That's what exactly he will see moving forward. Poland and US are in solidarity with the allies. We will continue to work together to overcome any challenge... for peace and stability and any future challenges to come." Austin said he and Secretary of State Antony Blinken reported to Congress about Washington's intention to sell Poland 250 M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks. "In response to Poland's formal request in July of 2021, Secretary Blinken and I have relayed our intent to Congress to offer Poland the opportunity to acquire 250 M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks," Austin said at the press conference, Sputnik News Agency reported. The schedule of deliveries of tanks is being discussed, he noted, adding that vehicles are the most modern version of Abrams model. The procurement is aimed at boosting defence capabilities within NATO, the secretary outlined. On Thursday, the US Embassy in Kiev informed that Russia's shelling of Stanytsia Luhanska in Ukrainian government-controlled territory in Donbas hit a kindergarten, injured two teachers, and knocked out power in the village. "Russia's shelling of Stanytsia Luhanska in Ukrainian government-controlled territory in Donbas hit a kindergarten, injured two teachers, and knocked out power in the village. The aggressor in Donbas is clear - Russia," tweeted US Embassy in Kiev. Moscow claims the surge of forces has always been for military exercises and that it poses no threat to Ukraine or any other nation, but has refused to offer any real explanation for the biggest build-up of military might in Europe since the Cold War. On Friday, the Russian Defence Ministry said that it had begun withdrawing more tanks and other armoured vehicles from areas near Ukraine's border amid the ongoing tension between Moscow and Kiev. (ANI) Chinese corporations have been acquiring the controlling rights in the US media ecosystem, as Beijing owns a 60 per cent stake in an American company that leases almost all of the station's program. A study of the corporate records revealed that a subsidiary of the Chinese state-owned radio broadcaster owns a 60 per cent stake in a US company, Policy Research Group reported. WCRW is an AM radio station serving the most powerful city in America - Washington. The Communist Party of China (CCP) calls the shots on what gets aired on the station. The station can be heard both on Capitol Hill and at the White House, as per the Policy Research Group. WCRW is just one spike in the wheel of media channels that Beijing is using to broadcast China-friendly news and propaganda. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), an independent US agency that regulates communications by radio, wire, satellite, cable, and television, forbids foreign governments and their representatives from having a radio license for a US broadcast station. China Radio International (CRI) does not have any direct ownership but it does have a majority share in a subsidiary company that leases WCRW. China has a lot of state-owned and operated news agencies that are famous around the world including Xinhua, almost all media houses in China are viewed as the party mouthpiece. China's strategy is to utilize the existing media ecosystem in foreign countries to disseminate China's narrative. Policy Research Group reported that it's not that other countries do not employ media to voice their opinions and policies, but the difference is while these nations are openly vocal about the government's involvement in the media outlet, CRI masks its presence. Last year in July there were reports of China Daily, owned by the publicity department of CCP, paying over millions in dollars as funding to some most influential publications and newspapers in the US to cater to Chinese propaganda by employing a pro-Beijing spin on contemporary news events. China is making aggressive attempts to expand state-run media outlets' reach and influence in different jurisdictions and insinuating state media-fed content into mainstream media channels. Communist Party's efforts to widen dominance over state-owned media based outside China are much systematic, demonstrating how CCPs domestic political affair often steers foreign policy priorities. There is an immediate need for enhanced transparency of foreign government ownership of media outlets and the labeling of paid content sponsored by foreign governments (POREG). (ANI) He said that both the countries are entering a golden era of economic and trade cooperation with the signing of India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). "Held a bilateral meeting with the UAE delegation led by Minister of Economy, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri & Minister of State for Foreign Trade, @ThaniAlZeyoudi. Both nations are entering a golden era of economic and trade cooperation with the signing of India-UAE CEPA," Goyal said in a tweet. India and UAE have collaborated closely during the COVID-19 pandemic in critical areas of healthcare and food security. Bilateral trade, investment and energy relations have remained robust. The two sides are also strengthening their cooperation in new areas of renewable energy, start-ups, fintech, India is participating with one of the largest pavilions in the Dubai Expo 2020. (ANI) According to NOS, the Dutch authorities decided to supply Ukraine with sniper rifles, combat helmets, bulletproof vests, radars and mine detectors. Amsterdam responded to Kiev's request for military assistance in this way, NOS reported. The Netherlands is ready to train Ukrainian troops on how to use Dutch equipment but outside Ukraine, NOS continued. (ANI/Sputnik) A single People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shaanxi Y-8 electronic warfare plane flew into the southwest sector of Taiwan's ADIZ, Taiwan News reported citing the Ministry of National Defense (MND). In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, issued radio warnings, and deployed air defense assets to track the PLAAF plane. Beijing has sent a total of 34 military aircraft into Taiwan's identification zone so far this month, including 16 fighter jets, 17 spotter planes, and one helicopter, Taiwan News reported. It further reported that since September 2020, China has increased gray zone tactics by routinely sending aircraft into Taiwan's ADIZ, with most occurrences taking place in the southwest corner. In 2021, China military planes entered Taiwan's ADIZ on 961 instances over 239 days, according to the MND. Gray zone tactics are defined "as an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one's security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force," according to Taiwan News. Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades. Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which have been repeatedly opposed by Beijing. China has threatened that "Taiwan's independence" means war. (ANI) The Embassy of the United States in Nepal on Friday said that violence and incitement to violence in the name of protests is not at all acceptable, as demonstrations objecting to the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)- Nepal Compact, a US-funded infrastructure programme turned violent. The US government aid agency, MCC had agreed in 2017 to provide USD 500 million in grants cross-border electricity transmission and road connectivity. There has been a delay in Parliament approval for the project due to disagreements among political parties and there are protests against the proposed project on a daily basis in Nepal. US Ambassador to Nepal, Randy Berry said that any activity that incites violence was not acceptable to the US. "We are a strong supporter of free speech & public discourse based on facts, including on MCC. The right to express one's views is intrinsic to democracy, and people must be allowed to peacefully share their views. Violence and incitement to violence are never acceptable," Berry tweeted. Dissenters especially those from the sister organization of ruling communist parties CPN (Maoist Center) and CPN (Unified Socialist) have been picketing areas near parliament on almost daily basis. On Wednesday, a violent protest broke out near parliament where dozens were injured as well as arrested as the protestors tried to enter into the restricted areas. On Friday too, a clash broke out near the parliament as the ruling coalition parties continued their protest by burning tires, an effigy of MCC and chanting anti-government slogans. Of the five ruling parties, the CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (Unified Socialist), People's Socialist Party Nepal, and Rastriya Janamorcha Party are in favor of approving the MCC grant agreement only after amending it, while the Nepali Congress is in favor of ratifying the MCC agreement as it is. The multi-million dollar pact which needs to be ratified by parliament is being contested now as political parties of Nepal debated on whether to accept or reject it. With the nation divided over the pact, the government under the leadership of Sher Bahadur Deuba has withdrawn its earlier decision to table the pact in the parliament. After failing to table it on Wednesday, the government had planned to table it for Friday but had to backtrack again as CPN-MC and CPN-Socialist reaffirmed their demands. The public in Nepal has been driven by misinformation about the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a US Foreign Assistance Agency that aims to fight poverty, as a military pact. Despite the fact that Nepal was first country in region to qualify for program and an agreement to this effect was signed in September 2017, some opposition leaders have been claiming otherwise. Ruling government under Deuba's leadership is in favour of ratifying of grant MCC-Nepal Compact despite being aware of the fact that communist parties in the ruling coalition would stand against it. Meanwhile, the US has conveyed to Kathmandu that it would be forced to review its relations with Nepal if the country fails to keep up with its commitments on the USD 500 million MCC grant signed nearly five years ago. Earlier this month, US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu said that Washington will review its relations with Nepal in the event of its failure to ratify the MCC compact from Parliament by February 28, according to the Kathmandu Post. Earlier, MCC vice president Fatema Z Sumar had said that the February 28 deadline was set by Prime Minister Deuba and Maoist Centre chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal through a letter the two leaders dispatched to the MCC Board chairman, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. However, the MCC continues to hang in balance as successive governments in Nepal have failed to get the grant ratified by the parliament. (ANI) India and UAE are looking at May 1 'Labour Day' to bring Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) into effect, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal told ANI after the singing of CEPA between the two countries. India and the United Arab Emirates today signed CEPA that will help bolster the strategic partnership and take bilateral economic and commercial engagement to the next level. CEPA was signed during a meeting between the Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and UAE delegation led by Minister of Economy, Abdulla bin Touq Al-Marri and Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi. Separately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a Virtual Summit earlier today. Both leaders expressed deep satisfaction with the continuous growth in bilateral relations in all sectors. Prime Minister and the Crown Prince issued a Joint Vision Statement "Advancing India and UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: New Frontiers, New Milestone". The Statement establishes a roadmap for a future-oriented partnership between India and UAE and identifies focus areas and outcomes. The shared objective is to promote new trade, investment and innovation dynamics in diverse sectors, including economy, energy, climate action, emerging technologies, skills and education, food security, healthcare and defence and security. A major highlight of the Virtual Summit was the signing and exchange of the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and Minister of Economy of UAE, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri in the virtual presence of the two Leaders. The Agreement will provide significant benefits to Indian and UAE businesses, including enhanced market access and reduced tariffs. It is expected that the CEPA will lead to an increase in bilateral trade from the current USD 60 bn to USD 100 bn in the next 5 years. The two Leaders also released Joint Commemorative Stamp on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of India's independence and the 50th year of UAE's foundation. Two MOUs signed between Indian and UAE entities were also announced during the Summit. These are, MOU between APEDA and DP World and Al Dahra on Food Security Corridor Initiative and MOU between India's Gift City and Abu Dhabi Global Market on cooperation in financial projects and services. Two other MOUs - one on cooperation in Climate Action and the other on Education have also been agreed between the two sides. (ANI) UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri on Friday said the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed today with India will be the foundation stone for this next era of success. Al Marri made these remarks after India and UAE signed CEPA today. Speaking at joint press conference, UAE Minister of Economy, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said, "By signing this agreement, the United Arab Emirates and India are writing a momentous new chapter in our shared history." Al Marri said that the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement is a milestone for both nations that builds on decades of enterprise and exchange to establish a new era of progress and prosperity for people in both countries. Al Marri highlighted that last summer, in preparation for the nation Golden Jubilee, the UAE government launched a series of bold initiatives to pave the way for the 50 years of growth and opportunity. "The goal was clear to double the size of our economy from 1.4 trillion Dirham's to 3 trillion Dirhams by 2030," he said. "This required bold new strategies for diversification, including embracing the Fourth Industrial Revolution, integrating advanced technology across the economy, enhancing our research and development capabilities when incubating the industries of the future," the UAE Minister said. As the world enters into the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, UAE Minister said the pandemic impact on the free flow of goods has affected every aspect of economic life, from manufacture to construction, from retail to medicine. It understood the importance of strong reliable transparent global supply chains. It challenged us to expand international trade ambitions, he added. Talking about India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, Al Marri said, our agreement on terms of a deal of this size, scope and importance within five months demonstrates the power of our shared vision. He further said that he is confident that the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement will be regarded as an achievement. Al Marri highlighted that the leaders of the G-20 summit in 2020 said that "trade is now more important than ever." "And as we emerge from the global pandemic, this CEPA will uphold our commitment to a free, fair, inclusive and non discriminatory, transparent, predictable, stable, trade and investment environment," he added. UAE Minister further noted "the UAE and India are going to keep our markets open. And together we can help redraw the global economic map. The benefits for both parties are clear. And we are confident that will be shared by the whole Middle East, North Africa and South Asia region." "The UAE has turned the page on next 50 years. We're entering the third phase of our economy story. We're transitioning to new industries, new capabilities, new partnerships. This CEPA with our last long lasting, trusted ally will be the foundation stone for this next era of success," he said. (ANI) India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday reaffirmed their joint commitment to the fight against extremism and terrorism, including cross-border terrorism at both regional and international levels. This statement comes after India and the United Arab Emirates signed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that will help bolster the strategic partnership and take bilateral economic engagement to the next level. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan separately held a virtual summit on Friday. They also issued a joint vision statement. In the joint statement, the leaders agreed to enhance maritime cooperation contributing to the maintenance of peace and security in the region. "The leaders agreed to continue defence exchanges, sharing of experiences, training and capacity building." Both the leaders recalled the importance of maintaining and strengthening peace in the Middle East. The leaders reiterated that dialogue and cooperation must be the cornerstone of a more integrated, stable and prosperous region, and India welcomed the outlook of the UAE in this respect, the joint statement said. In the joint statement, the two leaders also agreed to support international efforts to maintain peace and security in the region and resolve regional conflicts, including efforts to support the reactivation of the Middle East Peace Process in line with the two-state solution and based on the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and previous agreements between the parties, the joint statement said. It further said that the leaders "expressed hope that the Abraham Accords will contribute to regional peace and create positive change for the Middle East region." "The leaders further agreed to deepen their bilateral cooperation in the fight against terrorism, terrorist financing and extremism. In this context, they emphasized the importance of promoting the values of peace, moderation, coexistence and tolerance among peoples, and stressed the need for all forms of terrorism, extremism, violence, hatred, discrimination and incitement to be renounced," the statement said. In view of the recent terror attacks against the UAE, PM Modi reiterated India's full solidarity with the leadership, government and people of the UAE and offered condolences to the UAE over the victims of the recent terrorist act. (ANI) The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) under the leadership of Manzoor Pashteen organized a protest in front of the Sindh Assembly in Karachi for the release of Pashtun leader Ali Wazir. Ali Wazir has spent nearly 14 months in prison for allegedly delivering anti-state speeches in Karachi, The News International newspaper reported. PTM leaders said the Pakistan Supreme Court had in November last year had allowed Wazir's appeal against the dismissal of his bail plea by the Sindh High Court and granted him post-arrest bail in the Sohrab Goth rally case. "Despite the apex court's orders, Wazir is in jail," said Pashteen. Wazir was arrested in Peshawar on December 16, 2020, at the request of the Sindh police, and flew to Karachi. Wazir was arrested on the charges of making insulting and incendiary speeches against the state institutions at a PTM protest rally in Karachi on December 6, 2020, according to the newspaper. The PTM leader was charged for treason and hate speech against the state. However, Wazir denied such allegations and blamed the state for a biased attitude towards minorities. Dozens of PTM supporters demanded the provincial government to discard the FIRs lodged against Wazir and listen to the grievances of the Pashtuns residing in Karachi. PTM chief Manzoor Pashteen said the group would continue to stage its protest sit-in till a notification for the release of the lawmaker was issued. They demanded the release of other Pashtun leaders like Hanif Pashteen, Owais Abdal and others. The protest entered the fourth day on February 16, 2022. Moreover, the Awami National Party cadres under the leadership of its Sindh Chairman Aurangzeb Buneri participated in the protest. He was accompanied by Younus Buneri, Provincial General Secretary, Haneef Shah Agha. Central Joint Secretary and Sher Afridi, Provincial Deputy Secretary of ANP. A post shared by 'Afridi Rehman FazI Ur, Chairman of PTM-France' on a social-networking site on February 14, 2022, mentioned that PTM-Europe had organized three separate protests in France, Belgium and Denmark on February 13, 2022, for the release of PTM activists viz. MNA Ali Wazir, Hand Pashteen, Owais Abdal and Idris Khattak were arbitrarily detained by Pakistan. PTM also condemned the failed assassination attempt of the Pakistan Army on PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen. Meanwhile, PTM --Germany also organized a protest in Frankfurt and the protest and conference of PTM-Italy is scheduled for February 19, 2022. (ANI) Pakistan is trying to discredit the US-based Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention (LIGP) statement that reiterated the horrors of the genocide of 1971. The Pakistan Army had killed three million Bengalis and raped about 400,000 Bengali women and girls during the 1971 genocide. This is the second biggest genocide after the Holocaust that needs to be recognized as such by the global community. Lemkin Institute on December 1, 2021, issued a statement on the 50th anniversary of the Bangladesh Liberation War calling upon the international community, including the United Nations, to urgently recognize the Bengali genocide as a way to pay tribute to the victims and to hold perpetrators accountable. The LIGP's statement underscored the then West Pakistan's (now Pakistan) discriminatory policies towards then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). It said that the policies were aimed at destroying East Pakistan's (now Bangladesh) cultural and national identity and imposing on them a singular West Pakistan identity. There was a prohibition against speaking Bangla, Urdu was imposed as an official language, followed by violent persecution and repression of a linguistic and cultural opposition that had started right after the partition. According to the statement, in order to muzzle the dissent, Pakistan launched "Operation Searchlight" to implement genocidal policies in extreme and mass physical violence. In the face of defeat, it proceeded to kill thousands of Bengali intellectuals. Among those intellectuals who were killed were journalists, philosophers, poets, musicians, writers, professors, filmmakers, lawyers, doctors and many other individuals who represented the different aspects of the Bengali identity. Underlining the atrocities committed by the Pakistani Army and the local collaborators, the statement further condemned the horrific policy of sexual violence against Bengalis, mostly Bengali Hindu women and girls, involving vicious gang rapes, life force atrocities, sexual slavery, sexual torture, and forced maternity. The LIGP's statement also applauded the efforts undertaken by the Bangladesh government to bring justice to the victims and accountability for perpetrators by establishing the International Crime Tribunals of Bangladesh in order to try the Bengali nationals who collaborated with the Pakistan government to perpetrate heinous crimes. The Lemkin Institute called upon the international community to provide help and support to Bangladesh in its justice efforts, as well as to persuade Pakistan to work with Bangladesh in its search for truth and justice. In light of the Lemkin Institute's statement, Islamabad is allegedly trying to discredit the claims made in the statement and persuade LIGP to withdraw its indictment. (ANI) Claiming that it has information about the mining of a number of social infrastructure facilities in Donetsk by Russian special services, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) on late Friday urged residents in Donetsk not to leave their home and avoid using public transport. Taking to Twitter, the DIU said these measures are aimed at destabilizing the situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and creating grounds for accusing Ukraine of terrorist acts. "The DIU of the State Security Service is authorized to state that the military intelligence of Ukraine has information about the mining of a number of social infrastructure facilities in Donetsk by Russian special services in order to further undermine them," tweeted Defence Intelligence of Ukraine. "These measures are aimed at destabilizing the situation in the temporarily occupied territories of our state and creating grounds for accusing Ukraine of terrorist acts," it added. "The Defence Intelligence of the State Security Service of Ukraine urges Donetsk residents not to leave their homes and not to use public transport," it said in another tweet. Earlier on Wednesday, the White House warned that Russia could invade Ukraine at any time using a fabricated pretext or a false flag operation. "We are in the window where we believe an attack could come at any time and that would be preceded by a fabricated pretext that the Russians use as an excuse to launch an invasion," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at a press conference. Her remarks came one day after Russian defence officials reported that some military units were leaving their positions near Ukraine's border. But US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Washington does not see any "meaningful pullback" of Russian troops. Earlier on Friday, Blinken said Russia's claims it was pulling forces back from the border are false, adding that "on the contrary, we see additional forces going to the border including leading-edge forces that would be part of any aggression." Blinken also said that everything Washington has seen happening on Russia's border with Ukraine in the past 24 to 48 hours is part of a scenario of creating false provocations designed to elicit a response. The US Embassy in Kiev informed on Thursday that Russia's shelling of Stanytsia Luhanska in Ukrainian government-controlled territory in Donbas hit a kindergarten, injured two teachers, and knocked out power in the village. Washington has estimated that some 30,000 Russian troops have been deployed at neighbouring Belarus as part of joint exercises that are due to run until Sunday. Russia has denied any plans and accused Ukraine of breaching cease-fire agreements in the east of the country, where the army is fighting pro-Moscow separatists. (ANI) As the annual Aurat March continues to be targeted by the upholders of the patriarchal mindset in Pakistan, the Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Noorul Haq Qadri has urged the Imran Khan government not to allow any organisation or individual to raise "anti-Islam slogans" during the march. In fact, Qadri asked Khan to mark 'International Hijab Day' on March 8, the International Women's Day to highlight issues of religious freedom, reported The Express Tribune. The minister wrote a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan on February 9, asking him to mark the 'International Hijab Day' on March 8 to express solidarity with the Muslim women. Instead of raising the genuine issues, Qadri claimed that they rather resorted to maligning Islam's golden principles of life, especially for women. He made it clear that Islam is a complete code of life and women's rights are highly protected in Islamic societies. "But they totally disregarded the problems being faced by Muslims, as their banners, placards and slogans mismatched with the local social, political and religious norms," he lamented. He urged the government not to give any individual or civil society free hand to "ridicule" the divine injunctions, particularly regarding hijab in the wake of 'Aurat March', reported The Express Tribune. Reacting to the minister's statement, Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman said Qadri's letter seeking "ban" on Aurat March is a matter of concern and astonishing, reported The Express Tribune. "What will you [Qadri] achieve by banning the march of women," she questioned in a series of tweets from her official handle. Rehman said that International Women's Day aimed at raising awareness in the society against gender stereotyping and prejudices against women. "You are conspiring to deprive women of their freedom and rights on International Women's Day," she added. (ANI) AUSTIN, Texas A state grand jury has indicted 19 Austin police officers related to allegations of excessive force during the May 2020 George Floyd protests, according to the police union's president, citing attorneys who were briefed on the matter. Grand jurors were considering charges this week against as many as 21 officers a number that has grown during the ongoing grand jury probe. And the number of indictments already is likely to be among the highest for police of any U.S. city in the social unrest ignited by Floyd's murder more than 20 months ago. Prosecutors did not immediately identify the officers facing charges or the charges they face. Under Texas law, an indictment must remain confidential until an officer has been arrested. Police supervisors and attorneys for the officers were working Thursday to notify the indicted officers and instruct them on how and where to surrender. Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza said in a news conference that the public should expect that "multiple indictments will be forthcoming in the days ahead." "A thorough investigation was conducted before our office's presentation to a grand jury," Garza said. "The facts discovered in that presentation are disturbing. We believe many protesters were innocent bystanders." 'THIS IS A THRESHOLD CASE': In trial of officers in George Floyd's death, was it their duty to intervene? He added the victims suffered "permanent and lasting injuries." Police Chief Joe Chacon, who was an assistant chief at the time, said in a news conference that he was disappointed by the indictments. "I am not aware of any conduct that, given the circumstances that officers were working in, that would rise to the level of a criminal violation by these officers," he said. Chacon was surrounded by Police Department leaders and city management, including City Manager Spencer Cronk, at the news conference. Story continues The Austin American-Statesman, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported last week that up to 18 officers were facing possible charges stemming from their uses of force during the protests. Legal experts said at the time that grand jurors likely were analyzing whether the uses of force were legally justified under state law that allows officers to use force to protect themselves or someone else. Attorneys representing officers targeted for grand jury investigation said the officers faced attacks including having objects such as water bottles and rocks thrown at them that justified their use of force. The cases considered by grand jurors focused almost exclusively on their use of so-called bean bag projectiles. During the first week of protests that started May 29, 2020, more than three dozen people went to the hospital, several with critical injuries. It was not immediately clear for which cases the officers face charges. Injured people included Brad Ayala, a 16-year-old who collapsed after being shot with a bean bag munition and was left in critical condition; Justin Howell, a 20-year-old Texas State University student, who, according to his brother, was left with a fractured skull and brain damage; and Anthony Evans, who suffered a fractured jaw and needed emergency surgery. On Thursday, the Austin City Council approved settlements totaling $10 million for Howell and Evans. Howell will receive $8 million, while Evans will get $2 million. Ayala has not filed a lawsuit, but his attorney said he plans one. The charges also come as part of a wave of indictments against police officers in excessive force cases during the past year brought by Garza, intensifying friction between his administration and police. SEVEN DAYS OF 1961: Police violence enforced white supremacy during 1960s protests. Similar tactics are still used today. Garza, who has been in office 14 months, ran on a platform of police accountability and criminal justice reform. But police and their supporters say he has brought charges in instances in which force was justified and that they will prevail at trial. Earlier this month, two Dallas Police Department officers who shot civilians during Black Lives Matter protests in May 2020 were issued arrest warrants by the Dallas County District Attorneys Office. They are facing felony charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon by a public servant and misdemeanor charges of official oppression. The new indictments are expected to ignite immediate controversy and place new attention on police operations during the protests. Ahead of the indictments, the state and local police unions held a news conference claiming, without offering evidence, that the prosecutions are politically motivated. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin police officers face charges tied to 2020 George Floyd protests By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - A Vatican symposium on the priesthood, including discussions on sexual abuse, was embarrassed on Friday by the discovery that a French priest disciplined for alleged sexual abuse was among the attendees, witnesses said. The priest was Father Tony Anatrella, 81, who was barred from public ministry in France in 2018 after a Church investigation found that he abused adult seminarians he was treating in so-called conversion therapy aimed at suppressing their homosexuality. The Vatican declined to comment, but a Church source confirmed Anatrella's presence after it was first reported by the French Catholic newspaper La Croix. Anatrella was seen at the symposium by the La Croix reporter as well as a reporter for the French Catholic news agency I Media, one of whom spoke to him. Anatrella, 81, could not be immediately reached and it was not immediately clear if he was still at the symposium on Friday afternoon after news of his presence had broken. The three-day event began on Thursday. Anatrella, a psychotherapist who had previously advised the French Church and the Vatican, denied wrongdoing at the time he was disciplined by the French Church. La Croix said one of its reporters saw Anatrella's name on the list of participants and that the priest had lunch on Thursday along with other participants in the restaurant of the Santa Martha residence where Pope Francis lives. The Vatican source said only the speakers were invited by the Congregation of Bishops, which sponsored the symposium, and those who attended registered though an outside events organising company. The conference is discussing, among topics, the effects of the sexual abuse crisis on vocations to the Roman Catholic priesthood. Anatrella registered as a priest for the Vatican event. The French Church in 2018 banned him from public ministry but did not defrock him. "It is perplexing that despite his personal history, which caused immense pain to a number of people, the priest can still move around normally, without limits," said an editorial on Il Sismografo website, which specialises in Church affairs and also separately reported Anatrella's presence. Story continues "The Vatican has some problems in its communications with the French episcopate," the editorial said. Pope Francis did not mention the sexual abuse crisis when he opened the symposium on Thursday. Cardinal Marc Ouellet, the head of the Congregation for Bishops, said in his opening address that it was taking place "in the current historical context dominated by the drama of sexual abuse by priests". (Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Nick Macfie) Last August, human rights activist Zarlasht Haidary was among the lucky few vulnerable Afghans who were airlifted out of the country before the last U.S. troops departed. Her activism made her a target for the Taliban, so she chose to leave despite the knowledge that she could live in limbo for months, years possibly a lifetime. She had been displaced before, after fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban took power in 1996 when she was just 6 years old. As a kid, I barely grasped what we went through ... but what I grew up to realize is that that country had never been our home, and we were never welcomed there as Afghan immigrants, she said in an interview from Boston, where she is currently living. Now everything is happening all over again, only I feel the gravity of it this time. More than 76,000 Afghans have arrived in the U.S. in this wave of evacuations, while thousands more are waiting in bases and refugee facilities in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates with the expectation that they will be relocated to the U.S. in the coming months. But many of those Afghans dont know what happens next, because they are arriving under what is known as humanitarian parole status. Like Zarlasht, they will only be authorized to live and work in the U.S. for two years and receive resettlement benefits for a few months. Humanitarian parole allows temporary lawful presence in the United States but does not create a path to lawful permanent residence. I am not sure what comes next, and I cannot think of any long-term plan now, she told HuffPost. Evacuees board a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Aug. 21, 2021. (Photo: Senior Airman Taylor Crul/U.S. Air Force via AP, File) According to a recent Department of Homeland Security report, 36,821 Afghan evacuees living in the U.S. have no clear route to permanent legal status. They do not qualify for the Special Immigrant Visa, or SIV, program for Afghans and Iraqis who worked for or on behalf of the U.S. government. Even for those eligible for Special Immigrant Visas, it could take years to get a green card due to a backlog of applications. Story continues Afghans and civil society groups are calling for an urgent fix, asking lawmakers to introduce and pass legislation creating a pathway for Afghans here on humanitarian parole to gain lawful permanent residence status essentially, a green card. No such bill yet exists in Congress, though groups have floated the idea of an Afghan Adjustment Act. Every day our staff receives calls from Afghan parolees anxious about their prospects of remaining on safety of American soil, said Krish OMara Vignarajah, president of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, at a press conference on Capitol Hill this week. They worry about how they could possibly find and afford a lawyer to navigate a deeply complex asylum system, and they are justifiably terrified at the possibility of being returned to the same peril they narrowly escaped just six months ago. Vignarajah said this legal limbo is creating an unwarranted source of stress and sleepless nights for our new Afghan neighbors and making resettlement and integration more difficult. Humanitarian parole was only the best option for the Biden administration to get a large number of people out very quickly, said Bilal Askary, an Afghan American advocate who works with Welcome with Dignity, a campaign that advocates for refugees rights. It does not guarantee the fate of recently arrived Afghans in America. While Congress has authorized $13.3 billion to resettle Afghans, advocates are hoping Congress will take action to make it possible for evacuees to get green cards. Veterans, refugee advocates and Afghan evacuees urge members of Congress to pass an Afghan Adjustment Act in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 14, 2022. (Photo: AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Two congressional aides told HuffPost the idea is gaining traction on Capitol Hill. But one noted that Democratic leadership in the House and Senate will make a final call on whether to push for it and may be wary of doing so ahead of this years midterm elections. Now Republicans are starting to more openly freak out about bringing refugees into the country, the aide said. The proposed act would give Afghans an additional opportunity to stay in the U.S. beyond the current SIV, asylum and priority refugee processes, said Chris Purdy, director of Veterans for American Ideals and Outreach at Human Rights First. Those pathways take a long time. An Afghan Adjustment Act would allow every Afghan that is here to become a legal permanent resident after a year by skipping those pathways, he added. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has a backlog of 412,000 pending applications for asylum, according to a 2021 report. Purdy estimated that around 40,000 SIV applications are pending, which is more than double the 18,000 a year ago. Some advocacy groups are also promoting the idea of offering Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, to recently arrived Afghans, another designation the government can give on a country-by-country basis if conditions in a particular nation temporarily make it unsafe or impossible to return there. Purdy said that would be helpful, but it is not permanent. In at least three similar instances, Congress has created pathways for people fleeing war or unrest to stay in the U.S.: for Cubans in 1966, Southeast Asians in the 1970s and Iraqis after the U.S. invasion in 2003. Discussions among lawmakers are at a member-to-member level, Purdy said. We have had hundreds of meetings with officials on both sides of the aisle. Republicans clearly want to get this done; there are questions that they have to have answered. Supporters of the idea say it would prevent further chaos and benefit countless desperate people. If we fail them again, theyre going to be homeless on our streets this time. Matt Zeller, a U.S. Army veteran, author and senior adviser to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said at the press conference. Purdy noted that by granting special status to Afghans already in the U.S., Congress could free up resources to evacuate others in Afghanistan who are still at risk: For every case that we do not do here in the United States on SIV, we could use that case on someone in Afghanistan and get them out. The view of the Biden administration which is currently facing flak for its approach to Afghanistans ongoing crisis remains unclear. Weve had very encouraging conversations with the White House on this, Purdy said. They want to see Afghans put on a pathway so theyre not languishing in a temporary status or in a backlog for years. But they have got to do something big and positive, and so this would be a great opportunity for them to come out and support this in a robust way rather than just private conversations. The White House did not respond to requests for comment for this story. Akbar Shahid Ahmed contributed reporting. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... Feb. 18The plans for Hitchcock Preserve Section 1, a proposed patio home development on Wando Ridge Road near Aiken, failed to win the approval of the Aiken County Planning Commission on Thursday night. The vote against was 3-2. Richard Adams, William Harris Jr. and Mitch Mitchell opposed the construction project's design. Dennis Gmerek and Denise Fulmer voted for approval. Vice Chairman Liz Stewart, who was the acting chairman because Grace Vance was absent, didn't vote. The agenda for the Planning Commission's meeting, which was held at the Aiken County Government Center, identified Beazley Development Company Inc. of Evans, Georgia, as the applicant and Southern Partners Inc. of Augusta as the engineer. According to Hitchcock Preserve Section 1's preliminary plat, there would be 146 lots on 65.66 acres. The development would have been an extension of the Hitchcock Crossing subdivision. Eight or so people who live in the area expressed concerns about Hitchcock Preserve Section 1. Among their worries were traffic congestion in general that would result from additional homes, construction traffic and drainage issues that already exist. Wando Ridge Road is off Hitchcock Parkway. In other action, the Planning Commission unanimously approved, with contingencies, the plans for two other patio home developments. One of those projects, Summerton Village Section IV, will be in an area off Talatha Church Road, which is south of Aiken. The applicant was Southern Partners Inc. The engineer is Southern Partners Inc. There will 66 lots on 17.17 acres. The other patio home development, Savanna Bluffs, will be on Beech Island Avenue in southwest Aiken County. The applicant was Beech Island Development Company LLC. The engineer is Alfred Benesch & Company Inc. in Augusta. There will be 79 lots on 18.53 acres. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Joe Manchin. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images; Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images In a Thursday tweet, AOC criticized Joe Manchin for nuking the child-tax-credit payments. New research found that the monthly child poverty rate increased following the payments' end. Manchin told colleagues that parents might use the extra funds to buy drugs, people told HuffPost. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lambasted one of her fellow Democratic lawmakers in a Thursday tweet over the expiration of the child tax credit. The tweet followed the release of new data from Columbia University's Center on Poverty and Social Policy that showed the monthly child poverty rate jumped from 12.1% in December to 17% in January after the expiration of the monthly child-tax-credit payments last year. "The 4.9 percentage point (41 percent) increase in poverty represents 3.7 million more children in poverty due to the expiration of the monthly Child Tax Credit payments," the researchers wrote. "Latino and Black children experienced the largest percentage-point increases in poverty (7.1 percentage points and 5.9 percentage points, respectively)." The government-funded COVID-19 measure expired in December after lawmakers failed to pass President Joe Biden's Build Back Better agenda, which included a renewal of the program. "One US Senator 'heard stories' about people allegedly using the Child Tax Credit 'for drugs' without any evidence or data to back it up," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. "He then used that as justification to nuke the entire national program, causing millions of kids to fall into poverty in weeks. Horrifying." "Meanwhile the press talks about it like it's some beltway drama without ever showing the people who are sleeping in bubble jackets with no heat or the kids going hungry waiting for some guy in a yacht to decide if they are fully human or not," the New York lawmaker added. "It's just shameful, all of it." Story continues Biden's $1.9 trillion spending agenda was effectively tanked after Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia refused to support the package following months of contentious discussions. The centrist Democrat took particular issue with the child-tax-credit payments, which he excluded completely from his own $1.8 trillion pitch to Biden during negotiations. For his support of the continuation of the payments, Manchin called for strict work requirements and an income cap for recipients. He also told colleagues that parents might use the extra funds to buy drugs, people told HuffPost. A spokesperson for Manchin previously denied Manchin's opposition to the payments. "Senator Manchin has made clear he supports the child tax credit and believes the money should be targeted to those who need it most," Sam Runyon, the lawmaker's communications director, told Insider in December. A representative for the senator did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on Thursday evening. The New York congresswoman wasn't alone. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont also lambasted Manchin for siding with Republicans to oppose extending the child allowance. From July to December, parents received monthly payments worth up to $250 per child ages 6 to 17 and $300 per child under 6. The program benefited more than 61 million children in more than 36 million households, Columbia said. The research suggested that by December, the payments were keeping 3.7 million kids from poverty and reducing monthly poverty by 30%. Last month, parents told Insider they were "a little bit terrified" about what life without the "godsend" payments could look like. "Without these payments, I won't eat so my kids can," one parent said. The fate of the child tax credit program is still unclear. Democrats included a one-year extension of the program in their House-approved Build Back Better plan, but Manchin torpedoed it and declared it "dead" last month. Republicans oppose the spending package entirely and Democrats can't advance it without Manchin's vote in the 50-50 Senate. A group of Democrats that include Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Michael Bennet of Utah; and Reps. Rosa Delauro of Connecticut and Suzan DelBene of Washington are still fighting to revive the expired program. A handful of Senate Democrats that included Brown and Bennet sent a letter pushing Biden last month to keep the program in a skinnier version of a future social and climate spending bill. Read the original article on Business Insider A Broward Sheriffs Office deputy involved in the rough take-down of a high school student in 2019 wont have to stand trial on battery charges, an appeals court ruled Thursday. The Fourth District Court of Appeals in West Palm Beach affirmed a lower court ruling that Broward Sheriff Deputy Gregory LaCerra was protected by the states Stand Your Ground law, finding he was justified in feeling threatened during DeLucca Rolles arrest outside a McDonalds two years ago. The incident was caught on cellphone, which showed the teens head being pounded on the pavement. LaCerra is still facing charges of falsifying a police report and conspiracy to falsify a report. The struggle between Rolle, LeCerra and another officer, Christopher Krickovich, was caught on cellphone that showed the teens head being pounded on the pavement. In the earlier ruling in October 2020, Broward County Court Judge Jill Levy ruled that Krickovich still must stand trail on a battery charge. Rolle was arrested on April 18, 2019, outside a McDonalds restaurant in Tamarac where dozens of teens had gathered and police were trying to disperse the crowd. LaCerra, Krickovich and others were there because a fight had broken out the previous day at the same spot. When an officer went to arrest a different teen believed to have taken part in that fight, he dropped his cellphone near Rolle, who was a 15-year-old J.P. Taravella High School student at the time. Police said Rolle disobeyed orders when he picked up the phone. LaCerra pepper sprayed him before Krickovich grabbed the teen and slammed his head to the ground. Krickovich was fired soon after by Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony. The incident garnered national attention, with Rolles family hiring renowned civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump and sports celebrities like Lebron James weighing in on the deputys actions. The charges against Rolle were dropped. The Daily Beast Claudio Peri/Pool/ReutersROMESince the beginning of Russias invasion of Ukraine, Pope Francis has floated the idea that he wants to take a trip to Kyiv to try to broker a ceasefire. But now he says he would prefer to go to Moscow to try to talk some sense into Vladimir Putin, who he has not outwardly condemned in the now nearly three-month-old war and only did so lightly in a lengthy interview with an Italian newspaper.I feel that before going to Kyiv, I must go to Moscow, he told Corriere D AUSTIN, Texas (AP) A Texas grand jury indicted 19 Austin police officers on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for their actions during 2020 protests over racial injustice that spread nationwide following the killing of George Floyd, according to people familiar with the matter. Multiple people spoke to The Associated Press Thursday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly. Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday confirmed 19 officers are facing charges but did not have details. It ranks among the most indictments on a single police department in the U.S. over tactics used by officers during the widespread protests methods that led to the resignation or ouster of several police chiefs across the country. Word of the indictments came hours after Austin city leaders approved paying $10 million to two people injured by police in the protests, including a college student who suffered brain damage after an officer shot him with a beanbag round. Combined, the charges and settlements amounted to conservative Texas liberal capital of 960,000 people taking some of its biggest actions as criticism still simmers over its handling of the protests, which intensified pressure on then-Police Chief Brian Manley to eventually step down. Jose Garza, the district attorney for Travis County, which includes Austin, spoke to journalists Thursday afternoon about the grand jury investigation but gave no specifics about it, including how many officers are facing charges, and for what crimes. Our community is safer when our community trusts enforcement. When it believes law enforcement follows that law and protects the people who live here, Garza said. There cannot be trust if there is no accountability when law enforcement breaks the law. A spokesperson for the Travis County District Attorneys office, Ismael Martinez, declined to comment on the number of officers charged and referred reporters to Garza's comments. Story continues Prosecutors have not identified any of the officers facing charges. Texas law requires that an indictment remain secret until an officer has been arrested. Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, when committed by a public servant, could carry a sentence of up to life prison. Casaday, the president of the Austin Police Association, called the move devastating for law enforcement in the city, but also said hes confident that no officer will be convicted. He criticized Garza, calling the investigation politically motivated. DA Garza ran on a platform to indict police officers and has not missed the opportunity to ruin lives and careers simply to fulfill a campaign promise," Casaday said. Garza said his office prosecutes anybody who causes harm regardless of who causes it. Austin Chief of Police Joseph Chacon, who took the job after Manley left, said he respects the grand jury process but was extremely disappointed to hear the district attorney announce anticipated indictments of his officers. Chacon stressed that his command staff had prepared officers to face hundreds of people when thousands actually showed up to protests that he said were at times righteous and violent. I am not aware of any conduct, that given the circumstances that the officers were working under, would rise to the level of a criminal violation by these officers, Chacon said. But beanbag rounds fired by officers did not always perform in the manner anticipated, Chacon said, and his agency now prohibits the use of less lethal munitions in crowd-control situations. The settlements approved Thursday are among the largest paid to people who were injured by police across the U.S. during massive protests that followed Floyd's death. The largest of the Austin settlements gives $8 million to Justin Howell, who was 20 years old when police shot him with a beanbag round. Family members told the AP following the incident that Howell suffered a cracked skull and brain damage, leaving him in critical condition for multiple days. The city will also pay $2 million to Anthony Evans, who was 26 when an Austin police officer shot him with a beanbag round in a separate incident, which resulted in extensive medical treatment in his jaw. Austin Mayor Steve Adler said the settlements remind us of a real difficult and painful moment in our city. A representative for the Howell family did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It is the latest reflection of how, two years after the protests that swept across the country, cities are still addressing the injuries and tactics used by police. Earlier this month, prosecutors announced charges against two Dallas police officers accused of injuring demonstrators after firing less lethal munitions. After the protests in Austin, then-police Chief Manley later said Howell was not the intended target after an altercation in a crowd, which he said involved people who threw objects at a line of officers. Authorities have said that led to the officers firing at the mass of protestors from above. David Frost, who captured on video the moments after Howell was shot, told the AP that he saw protesters throwing fist-sized rocks and water bottles at the line of police on an overpass. Then he saw Howell fall. He was bleeding heavily and went into a seizure, Frost said at the time. The settlements are the second and third payments awarded among a dozen lawsuits filed in Austin that have claimed injuries from the protests. Earlier this month, The Austin American-Statesman reported that a $150,000 settlement was approved for a woman named Ariana Chavez, who was shot in the head with less lethal munition resulting in a concussion. At least 19 people were hospitalized in Austin following the protests. Eleven officers were disciplined for their actions in the early summer protests, with seven additional officers placed on administrative duty. ___ This story was first published Feb. 17, 2022. It was updated Feb. 18, 2022, to correct the spelling of the Austin Police Association presidents name. He is Ken Casaday, not Ken Cassidy. ___ AP writer Terry Wallace and Bleiberg contributing to this report from Dallas. NEW YORK A group of Brooklyn gang members with ties to the drill rap scene turned the COVID-19 unemployment program into a bottomless ATM, using stolen identities to score more than $4 million, police and federal authorities said. Police caught wind of the fraud when members of the NYPDs intelligence bureau noticed that members of the Canarsie-based Woo gang were making trips to California, renting houses, buying expensive cars and posing on social media with stacks of cash at the beginning of the pandemic. That led to a federal probe with the Department of Labor Inspector Generals office and on Thursday, the arrest of 11 suspects in a scheme to steal nearly $20 million in unemployment funds. The suspects got away with more than $4.3 million before authorities cut off the money flow and arrested them, police say. They even bragged about the scheme in a YouTube rap video, "Trappin," with the lyrics, Unemployment got us workin a lot. In New York state, applicants for COVID-related unemployment were given ATM cards issued by KeyBank, or got the money through direct deposits into existing bank accounts or old-fashioned paper checks. The result of this was like gang criminal magic. It was a never-ending spigot of money, because when you tapped out the funds from one identity, you simply moved on to another, and to another, and to another, said NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Public Information John Miller. Imagine a bottomless ATM that was free, and just spit out cash. Early in the pandemic, the state had such a high demand for unemployment claims that its website crashed, leading Google to help fix and redesign the site. The system helped people in need apply quickly, but it also offered an opportunity for the gang members to get rich quickly, at least early on, Miller said. One of the suspects, Romean Brown, 23, was pulled over for running a stop sign in Brooklyn in January 2021, and had three KeyBank debit cards on him, according to a federal complaint. Story continues He posted a message months earlier on Facebook, asking if he should open a new chat on Telegram so he could get even more IDs to use. S--- is too easy, he said, according to the compliant. Individual gang members were purchasing hundreds of names from the dark web, the deep web and criminal sources that included Social Security numbers, Miller said. Theyd also get drivers licenses, often for $150 a piece, according to federal court documents. The gang members would cycle between dozens of KeyBank cards at a clip, withdrawing as much as they could at an ATM before moving onto a new identity, A lot of this money was pulled out in cash almost immediately, Inspector William Viscardi of the NYPD criminal intelligence division said. That money was either spent as cash, or quickly transferred to an app like Venmo, making it impossible to recover, he said. The suspects were showing off Ferraris and other luxury cars, houses with palm trees and flights on private airplanes, authorities said. Theyd also brag about their prosperity in rap videos, challenging their rivals over who had the better cars or jewelry, police sources said. The Woo gang and its rival Cho gang has ties to the violence tearing through the drill rap scene. In 2019, Rising Brooklyn rapper Pop Smoke, who has ties to the Woo gang, was gunned down in a rental house in Los Angeles. Earlier this month, Tajay Dobson, 22, better known by his stage name Tdott Woo, was shot dead just hours after signing a recording contract. The fraud suspects Brown, Tyrek Clarke, 21, Kennith Desir, 20, Stephan Dorminvil, 21, Kai Heyward, 22, Keith James, 20, Oneal Marks, 20, Jahriah Olivierre, 22, Christopher Jean Pierre, 21, Roleeke Smith, 20, and Christopher Topey, 21 all face charges in Brooklyn federal court. DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed Friday letting private citizens in his state sue gun makers to stop them from selling assault weapons just as Texas lets its residents sue abortion providers to stop the procedures, then essentially dared the U.S. Supreme Court to treat both issues the same. At a news conference in the coastal town of Del Mar, north of San Diego, Newsom said he thought the Texas law was wrong and the Supreme Courts decision in December to let it stay in effect while its appealed was absurd and outrageous. But they opened up the door. They set the tone, tenor, the rules. And either we can be on the defense complaining about it or we can play by those rules. We are going to play by those rules, Newsom said. He later added: Well see how principled the U.S. Supreme Court is. The unique Texas law, approved last year, bans all abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually around the sixth week of pregnancy. The law does not let the government enforce it. Instead, private citizens can sue abortion providers or anyone who aids and abets the procedure. The theory is that because the government can't enforce the law, then abortion advocates can't sue the state to block it. That makes it much harder to challenge in court. A bill in the California Legislature unveiled Friday would do the same thing. But instead of abortion providers, it would let people sue gun-makers and others who sell, make or distribute assault-style guns in the state. California has banned the sale and manufacture of many assault-style guns for decades. But last year, U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez overturned that law, ruling it was unconstitutional while comparing an AR-15 rifle to a Swiss Army knife as good for both home and battle. The ruling incensed Newsom and he vowed to fight back. California's proposed legislation is exactly what gun rights groups feared would happen if the Supreme Court allowed the Texas law to stay in effect. That's why the Firearms Policy Coalition opposed that law at the high court. The group said Friday it would go to court if necessary to block the California proposal. Story continues The restrictions, the group said, are really just modern-day Jim Crow laws designed to suppress the exercise of human rights the tyrants who run California dont like." Newsom and his Democratic allies in the state Legislature are convinced the U.S. Supreme Court would have to uphold their gun proposal if it allows the Texas abortion law to stand. But it might not be that simple. The U.S. Constitution specifically says people have a right to bear arms, and the Supreme Court has interpreted that broadly. The right to an abortion is not specifically protected in the Constitution. But the court has recognized lots of other protections that aren't explicitly stated in the Constitution. Melissa Murray, a law professor at New York University, said she believed if the conservative court majority could find a way to distinguish between the Texas law and the California proposal, they will. I think it will be a real test of this courts principles about how they regard a law like that that basically does exactly what (the Texas law) did only in the context of assault weapons, she said. California law defines assault weapons as semiautomatic rifles or pistols that have a variety of functions. The bill would let people seek a court order to stop the spread of these weapons and recover a minimum of $10,000 in damages for each weapon, plus attorneys fees. Californias bill, authored by Democratic state Sen. Bob Hertzberg, is not yet available on the states website. But a fact sheet provided by Hertzbergs office said the bill would apply to those who manufacture, distribute, transport, import into California, or sell assault weapons, .50 BMG rifles or ghost guns untraceable weapons that can be bought online and assembled at home. Sam Paredes, executive director of Gun Owners of California, said he believed the bill's true purpose is to ban guns altogether in California. Theres no question that it would put some of the smaller mom-and-pop gun stores out of business if they were challenged in court. They dont have the resources to defend themselves, even if they are not guilty, he said. This will have a huge chilling effect, and thats their intent." The bill is one of four pieces of legislation targeting the gun industry in California. The other bills would make it illegal to market assault weapons to children, crack down on ghost guns and make it easier for people to sue gun manufacturers for liability in shootings. Earlier this week the families of nine victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut announced they have agreed to a $73 million settlement of a lawsuit against Remington, the maker of the rifle used to kill 20 first-graders and six educators in 2012. The case was watched because of its potential to provide a roadmap for victims of other shootings to sue firearm-makers. California Democratic Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, introduced AB 2571, which would limit the type of firearms advertising and marketing that can be geared toward children. She and Newsom said the gun industry is using social media and childrens books, mascots, apparel and guns decorated to appeal to kids. They specifically criticized a company called Wee1 Tactical, which markets the JR-15, patterned after the popular adult AR-15 assault-style semi-automatic rifle. The companys website says its goal is to safely help adults introduce children to the shooting sports. The companys logo is a skull sucking on a baby pacifier and it is on hats, shirts, patches and stickers. How the hell did they think thats OK? Newsom asked. The company did not immediately respond to a telephone message and email seeking comment. ___ Beam and Associated Press Writer Don Thompson reported from Sacramento. Protesters demonstrated against pandemic restrictions on the street where L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer lives on Nov. 29, 2020. (Laura Nelson / Los Angeles Times) California school boards, city councils and boards of supervisors would have clearer authority to remove disruptive participants from their meetings under a bill introduced Thursday in the Legislature that aims to protect local officials from harassment and verbal abuse. Senate Bill 1100 would modify the Brown Act, a 1953 state law that requires an opportunity for public input during meetings to increase accessibility and transparency in local government. The law already lets those serving on legislative bodies remove people for "willfully interrupting" proceedings, but state Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) said it should be updated to include a more precise definition of that behavior. Assembly Member Evan Low (D-Campbell) also signed on to the bill as a principal co-author. The bill would clarify "willfully interrupting" to mean "intentionally engaging in behavior during a meeting of a legislative body that substantially impairs or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting." The bill would also require officials to issue a warning to participants to "curtail their disruptive behavior" before removing them or clearing a room. Cortese said he decided to write the bill in response to verbal attacks last year against Marico Sayoc, then-mayor of Los Gatos. Protesters used anti-LGBTQ and anti-vaccine rhetoric during meetings, made personal comments about Sayoc's son and then demonstrated outside her home. "She came under very aggressive attacks over not only policy issues there, but they became very much ad hominem attacks against her and her family ... over issues that really weren't in play before the town council," Cortese said. Similar situations have occurred across California during the COVID-19 pandemic, in meetings of local governments and legislative bodies, as officials rendered decisions on mask policies and vaccine requirements for schools, businesses and restaurants. Story continues Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District board members have ended meetings minutes after they began because attendees have refused to wear masks. Protesters showed up at an El Dorado County principal's home last month in opposition to mandated face coverings for children. An August San Diego Board of Supervisors meeting made national headlines after speakers railed against COVID-19 mitigation measures and discussed conspiracy theories. Participants have also used local meetings to lambaste public health officials and oppose critical race theory, an academic framework that reviews systemic racism in the United States. California School Boards Assn. Chief Executive Vernon M. Billy asked Gov. Gavin Newsom in a September letter to help address "dangerous and outrageous conduct committed against school trustees during their board meetings." "Ive watched in horror as school board members have been accosted, verbally abused, physically assaulted, and subjected to death threats against themselves and their family members," Billy wrote. The debates have centered on increasingly partisan and political issues, deepening divisions between Democrats and Republicans. Cortese said SB 1100 wouldn't prevent public meeting participants from expressing their views, "whether we agree with them or not." Assembly Member Heath Flora (R-Ripon) said it was important to protect freedom of speech "while ensuring respectful dialogue," but he and other Republicans did not raise immediate concerns with the bill. "As long as there are safeguards in this bill to make sure it isn't abused by local officials to silence the public, then this sounds reasonable to me," Flora said in a statement. Cortese said he carefully crafted SB 1100 to pass constitutional muster with regard to the 1st Amendment but acknowledged the bill might need to be amended as it moves through committee hearings. "We are going to do the best we can to thread the needle on verbal abuse without trampling rights," he said. "I am pretty confident we will be able to come up with suitable language that will strengthen public safety protections within these meetings without crossing any lines ourselves in terms of the public's right to petition their government and say things they want to say." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. By Carlos Osorio and Steve Scherer OTTAWA (Reuters) -Police, some on horseback, pushed into crowds of demonstrators to clear them from the streets of downtown Ottawa on Friday, arresting more than 100 and hauling away vehicles that had been blocking the capital's core for over three weeks in a protest against pandemic restrictions. Fearing escalation or violence, Ottawa police had sought to disperse protesters with fines and threats of arrest, but on Friday hundreds of officers moved in despite frigid temperatures and freshly fallen snow, slowly clearing one part of the city. There were tense moments during the day as some protesters were dragged from their vehicles, and others who resisted the police advance were thrown to the ground and had their hands zip-tied behind their backs. The protesters showed "assaultive behaviour," forcing mounted police to move in "to create critical space" in the late afternoon, according to a police statement. As this happened, one person threw a bicycle at a horse and was arrested for harming a police service animal, police said. Authorities said it may take days to fully remove the protesters and tractor-trailer trucks that have occupied Ottawa streets since Jan. 28. "We will run this operation 24 hours a day until the residents and community have their entire city back," Steve Bell, Ottawa's interim police chief, told reporters. At least one military-style armored vehicle was seen downtown, and there were at least eight helmeted officers on horseback. Some police carried guns, and others what looked like tear gas launchers. No tear gas was used on Friday. But according to Canadian broadcaster CTV, some demonstrators reported being pepper-sprayed and others trampled by mounted police during the day. Reuters was unable to independently verify those reports. The occupation began as a convoy of truckers demanding an end to a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all cross-border truckers re-entering Canada from the United States. But the blockade gradually turned into a broader-based protest against the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Story continues Ottawa police initiated their crackdown by setting up 100 roadblock checkpoints around the protest zone to cut off any further flow of food, fuel or demonstrators into the area. By late Friday, police said they had arrested more than 100 people and towed away 21 vehicles. CTV reported numerous truckers were seen driving out of the area of their own accord on Friday, but dozens of trucks still remained by late in the day. In addition to protesters taken into custody, police said they had arrested the three most prominent organizers, two on Thursday and one on Friday. Commenting on the arrest of its leaders, Freedom Convoy 2022, an umbrella group representing the protesters, said: "We will continue to hold the line. We refuse to bow to abuses of power. The world is watching, Canada." 'SHOW SOME SUPPORT' After a night of heavy snow, protesters with shovels on Friday erected a chest-high snow bank on Wellington Street outside parliament and positioned themselves behind it as they waved Canadian flags and "Freedom Convoy" posters. Police were driving the protesters toward the parliament building, clearing territory along the way, but had yet to reopen the area in front of the House of Commons and below the prime minister's office by late in the day. Police were expected to press on through the night, a government source said. "If they want to arrest me, I'll put my hands out, and they can twist-tie me up like everybody else here. We're going peaceful," said Mark, a protester from Nova Scotia who would not give his last name. The demonstration has for weeks been non-violent, but on Friday shouting protesters engaged in shoving matches with police, and brief scuffles erupted. Video shared by Canadian media showed a young girl at the center of a tightly packed group of protesters facing off with dozens of officers. "Protesters have put children between police operations and the unlawful protest site," Ottawa Police said on Twitter. "The children will be brought to a place of safety." One teenage girl who attended the protest with her father and 12-year-old twin siblings said she had come to "show some support" for the truckers. "Thank all you guys for fighting for mine and my brother and sister's freedom," said Emily McAuley, who is from a town 30 hours away from Ottawa by car. 'STAY AWAY' Trudeau on Monday invoked emergency powers to give his government wider authority to stop the protests. Legislators had been due to debate those temporary powers on Friday, but the House of Commons suspended its session, citing police activity. "If you are not in the House of Commons precinct, stay away from the downtown core until further notice," a House of Commons notice said. Trudeau sought the special powers after protesters shut down U.S. border crossings, including Ontario's Ambassador Bridge to Detroit, a choke point for the region's automakers. The shutdown of the bridge, which was cleared on Sunday, had damaged both countries' economies and posed a major crisis for Trudeau. As police accelerated work to clear the protesters' last stronghold, at least a dozen tow trucks worked to remove trucks and other protest vehicles still parked downtown. Chrystia Freeland, Canada's deputy prime minister, told reporters the protesters could not be allowed to undermine the government's authority. "These illegal blockades and occupations will end, and they will end for good," Freeland said. (Additional reporting by David Ljunggren, Julie Gordon, Blair Gable, Lars Hagberg and Kyaw Soe Oo; Writing by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Mark Porter, Sandra Maler and Richard Pullin) Teppei Yamashita entering the State Courts on 18 February. (PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore/Nick Tan) SINGAPORE Japanese restauranteur Teppei Yamashita was jailed for four weeks on Friday (18 January) after he admitted to driving while under the influence of alcohol, and crashing into a zebra crossing light pole in 2020. Yamashita, a chef and founder of Teppei Group, which is behind Teppei Japanese Restaurant, Hana-Hana Japanese Restaurant and Man Man Japanese Unagi Restaurant and Teppei Syokudo, was also banned from driving for four years. The 41-year-old Singapore permanent resident's alcohol content level was nearly thrice the legal limit for driving. He pleaded guilty to one count of drink driving and one count of driving without due care and attention. On 24 August 2020, Yamashita was at a restaurant near Tanjong Pagar MRT where he drank beer. He had his last drink at 10.20pm before leaving for his multi-purpose vehicle, which was parked at the multi-storey carpark of International Plaza. He drove to Tampines to send a friend home around midnight. After dropping off his friend, Yamashita drove home alone. Traffic was light and visibility was clear, while the road surface was dry that night. Lost control of MPV While driving at the signalised cross junction of Tampines Avenue 10 and Tampines Avenue 5, he lost control of his vehicle and veered right. His car mounted a pedestrian island and hit the zebra crossing light pole, uprooting it. The damage caused was $501.25, which Yamashita fully restituted. A driver who was following about two car lengths behind witnessed the incident. He saw Yamashita fail to follow a left bend of the slip road. Instead, Yamashita travelled straight, mounted the kerb of the pedestrian island and collided into the light pole. The driver alighted and assisted Yamashita, noting that he reeked of alcohol. A police officer was dispatched to the scene and also noted this. Yamashita failed a breathalyser test and was brought to the Traffic Police for a further test. The test, administered to Yamashita at about 2.06am on 25 August, showed that his alcohol content level was 102 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath. The prescribed legal limit for driving is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. Story continues The car's front portion was damaged, with its right wheel punctured and its left wheel twisted. Three aggravating factors The prosecution noted that drunk drivers are one of the biggest contributors to serious accidents on the roads. He cited three aggravating factors. Yamashita had driven a long distance of about 20km from International Plaza to Tampines, putting both himself and his passenger in danger. The car which Yamashita had driven was a large one, increasing potential harm to road users, especially those at the pedestrian crossing area. Property damage had also been caused, added the prosecution, which sought five to six weeks jail and four years disqualification for Yamashita. Yamashitas lawyer Josephine Chee argued for two weeks jail, stating that while the alcohol level was high, Yamashita had not driven in a manner which was particularly dangerous, and that no damage was caused apart from the light pole. Chee said her client had completed chemotherapy for a brain tumour and submitted two doctor's letters detailing his extensive treatment. These letters highlighted the risk of Yamashita catching an infection if he was placed in a communal setting. However, the prosecution replied that the chief medical officer of prisons will ensure that Yamashita receives the necessary care for his condition. For driving without due care or attention, he could have been jailed up to six months, and/or fined up to $1,500. Where a person is a serious offender, he can additionally be jailed up to a year, and/or fined between $2,000 and $10,000. For drink driving, he could have been jailed up to a year, and/or fined between $2,000 and $10,000. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore Authorities say Palm Beach County patient brokering suspect Thomas Stanley was captured July 2, 2021 on this vessel in the Bahamas. A co-owner of a now-closed medical lab in Lake Park who fled to the Bahamas after his arrest and was captured on a catamaran named "Chillin' like a Villain" pleaded guilty Wednesday to 53 counts of patient brokering. Thomas Ralph Stanley, 54, of Stuart will receive five years in prison when Circuit Judge Sarah Willis sentences him in April, according to court records. On Wednesday, Willis ordered Stanley to pay fines totaling $250,000 as well as court costs. The fines will drop to $100,000 if Stanley pays them within 60 days. Why patient brokering is illegal Stanley was a co-owner of Coastal Laboratories LLC in Lake Park. He was among dozens arrested in 2019 in a multimillion dollar patient brokering scheme connected to the now-closed lab. Under Florida law, it is illegal for a lab or a health-care provider either to offer or to pay a sober home or a drug-treatment center a commission, a bonus or a bribe for the referral of patients. For Subscribers: 'My brother had everything to live for': Family seeks answers year after man shot along I-95 Brightline crash: Third Brightline crash in four days in Palm Beach County sends man to hospital in Lake Worth Beach Parking lot brawl: West Palm Beach police officer facing aggravated battery charge after 2019 fight outside store Patients with private health insurance can be particularly lucrative to them. Doctors affiliated with sober homes and treatment centers can order multiple urine drug tests each week. The tests can cost thousands of dollars, which the insurance companies then reimburse. Prosecutors alleged that more than $6 million was kicked back to the operators of treatment centers for referring patients' urine specimens to Coastal. The lab reportedly billed insurance companies $141 million for urine tests over a two-year period from 2015-2017. In 2016, Palm Beach County's State Attorney's Office formed a Sober Homes Task Force to investigate fraud and abuse at treatment centers. Since the task force was formed, the State Attorney's Office has made 121 arrests for patient brokering resulting in 94 plea deals and one conviction by a jury. A jury also found one person not guilty as well. Story continues Catamaran found off Pig Beach in the Bahamas Authorities say Stanley absconded to the Bahamas after his arrest, where he was found in July, weeks after he failed to show for a scheduled court hearing. Bahamian and U.S. authorities found Stanley and an acquaintance anchored off Pig Beach in the Exumas district of the Bahamas. Last summer, the Lake Park lab's co-owner, Jesse Peters, pleaded guilty to five counts of patient brokering and seven counts of conspiracy to commit patient brokering. Peters was sentenced to 60 months in prison and fined $110,000. jwhigham@pbpost.com @JuliusWhigham This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Medical lab owner faces five years in prison after patient brokering plea BEIJING (Reuters) -China's banking and insurance regulator issued a warning on Friday against using the metaverse as a tool for illegal fund-raising, amid widespread interest in the country's private sector. The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission said in a statement published on its website that some companies were engaging in illegal fund-raising, fraud, and virtual real estate speculation. "Beware of being duped, and if you find clues of suspected illegal crimes, please actively report this to the relevant local departments," the statement said. Investorsentrepreneurs, and established Chinese tech giants have piled into the country's "metaverse", described as a virtual shared space that blurs the boundaries between the online and offline worlds. But the fervour has received mixed reactions from Chinese authorities. While the ruling Communist Party and state media have issued calls for caution and warned about the risk of a metaverse bubble popping due to over-speculation and financing, some local governments have held symposiums on the topic and also described how it could be used to spread Party ideology. (Reporting by Eduardo Baptista; Editing by Sam Holmes) U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne is urging the U.S. Department of Treasury to speed up its response to a request to reroute millions in unspent Iowa rental assistance to Polk County. In a letter Wednesday to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Axne, D-Iowa, said her office has been given no reason for the departments failure to approve the transfer of $35 million to the states most populous county to help prevent the evictions of those still suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Iowa has about $92 million left to distribute from a first-round of $195 million in rent and utility assistance approved by Congress in late 2020. That includes the $35 million pending approval from the Treasury. Polk has run through a previous round of funding. But demand for assistance has continued to be high there, even as infections have begun to decline, and the state has agreed the county should get the funds. For more than a week now, residents of Polk County have been unable to apply for rental assistance funds, leaving my constituents in need and waiting on Treasury to approve a transfer that both parties want to make, Axne wrote to Yellen. More: Congress allocated $195M to Iowa for rent aid last year. So far, its only given out $3M to families Congress approved two rounds of rental assistance to help offset the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic: $25 billion in Emergency Rental Assistance in December 2020 and $21.6 billion as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The second round of funding can be used for a broader array of programs aimed at preventing homelessness and other hardships caused by the pandemic-related economic downturn. The Treasury in January approved the transfer of $30 million from the Iowa Finance Authority to Impact Community Action, a Des Moines nonprofit that has been distributing the funding to Polk County residents. Both Polk and the state supported a similar transfer request for the other $35 million earlier this year. Story continues Anne Bacon, executive director of Impact Community Action, said the agency distributed the $30 million by the end of January and cannot take any more applications until the transfer of the next $35 million is approved. More: Across Iowa, tenants of subsidized Truverse apartments frustrated by lax maintenance, confusing fees We stopped taking applications a little over a week ago, Bacon said. I think what (the Treasury) was not clear on is that we had started (awarding) the last round in October and had spent it all by the time we received it. The Treasury did not respond to request for comment. With the pandemic ongoing, Bacon said people continue to suffer setbacks financially because COVID-19 exposure. There are a lot of people who couldnt work and cant work, she said. The effects of the pandemic are not over. Regardless of whether we have a public health declaration, that doesnt change the economic impact on many, many families. The Iowa Finance Authority is still distributing rental assistance for people elsewhere across the state, including in the Cedar Rapids metro's Linn County, which had its own rental assistance program but ran out of funds. As of Tuesday, the finance authority had sent $33.2 million tor residents across the state far less than the $47 million distributed so far in Polk County. But the state also has stricter eligibility criteria than Impact Community Action, and has denied 5,012 applications. Scott, Johnson, Black Hawk, Linn, Woodbury, Dallas, Des Moines, Dubuque, Pottawattamie and Muscatine counties account for about 75 percent of the state agency's distribution. "Funding continues to be available and we encourage Iowans who need help with COVID-related past due rent and utility payments to apply at iowahousingrecovery.com," Iowa Finance Authority spokeswoman Staci Hupp Ballard said in a statement. Bacon said shes not sure how much outreach the state has done in rural areas to make sure people know rental assistance is available. But in Des Moines and other urban areas around the state, people hit by the pandemic are using it. So far, Impact has helped nearly 8,000 households in Polk County. That's fewer than the 9,792 aided elsewhere in the state by the Iowa Finance Authority, but the nonprofit also is giving out more per recipient: three months of rent as well as a month of overdue rent. The finance authority only provides a month of future rent for applicants already in arrears. "We have an additional 1,375 applications in the review process right now," Bacon said. Lee Rood's Reader's Watchdog column helps Iowans get answers and accountability from public officials, the justice system, businesses and nonprofits. Reach her at lrood@registermedia.com, at 515-284-8549, on Twitter at @leerood or on Facebook at Facebook.com/readerswatchdog. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne calls to hasten rent assistance to Polk County Alexia Davis The Columbia Police Department provided updated information on Thursday in the search for a missing 15-year old Columbia teen Alexia Davis. "Law enforcement is concerned about the welfare and safety of Alexia," the Columbia police Facebook page said. According to the post, authorities believe that Alexia is potentially with Cayce Davis, her "non-custodial mother." "It is believed that being in the care and custody of Cayce Davis is detrimental to Alexias safety. Cayce Davis is wanted by the Columbia Police Department for assisting Alexia in not being located," according to the post by police. Alexia Davis has been missing since at least Feb. 11 and was last seen in the area of Nashville Highway in Columbia. According to a previous description of her issued by police, the teen is 5 feet tall and weighs 100 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. Any person with information that may assist in the search for Davis is encouraged to contact the Criminal Investigations Division of the Columbia Police Department at 931-560-1670. More: Decades-old cold case of missing Tennessee teens reopened after diver finds car underwater Other contact options include the 24-hour line of Columbia Police Department Dispatch at 931-388-2727, Maury County Crime Stoppers at 931-381-4900, or email a tip to Columbia Police at SafeTips@ColumbiaTN.com. Investigators request that tips not be submitted on the public thread of the departments Facebook page. If submitting information on Facebook, the department requests that it be done in the form of a private message. There are more than 70 missing children recorded in Tennessee each year. More than 60% of those children are girls. More: Central High senior helps teens get access to feminine products through Period Poverty Project The National Runaway Safeline says between 1.6 to 2.8 million youth run away each year in the U.S. Approximately 23% of runaways traveled a distance of 50 miles or more from home. Story continues More: Columbia police find missing teen Across the U.S., an estimated 800,000 children are reported missing each year, the equivalent of more than 2,000 children every day, according to the nonprofit organization Child Watch of America. Of those reports, there are an estimated 115 "stranger abduction" cases each year, in which the child is taken by an unknown individual. Mike Christen contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Columbia police release update about missing 15-year-old girl in search Could any part of the new federal infrastructure bill help fund the extension of the U.S. 30 expressway east from Canton to Columbiana County? A staffer for U.S. Rep. Anthony Gonzalez went over the elements Friday morning in a virtual meeting with officials of three counties. Congress in November passed the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure and Jobs Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law. Extending U.S. 30 to Route 44 is expected to cost at least $110 million. Extending the highway to state Route 15 in Columbiana County is expected to cost more than $1 billion. Mike Cunnington of Gonzalez's office displayed a handout that listed different grant programs local governments could pursue. That includes programs with an assortment of acronyms like RAISE, which stands for Rebuilding America Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, which the bill allocates $7.5 billion. Or INFRA, which stands for Infrastructure for Rebuilding America, allocated $3.2 billion. Or obtaining financing by borrowing money through Surface Transportation Private Activity Bonds, for which the infrastructure bill allocates $500 million. US DOT has been very aggressive about getting this money out the door," he said. More: Schuring: Consultant's death will not set back U.S. 30 project Going over Route 30 funding options Cunnington addressed officials from Stark, Columbiana and Carroll counties who make up the Regional Transportation Improvement Project. The infrastructure bill makes it easier for entities like the RTIP to apply directly for federal grants or government-facilitated bond financing, he said. And the use of private partnership financing would improve the chances of getting the grant. He also raised the question whether U.S. 30 could be designated an Appalachian highway, making it eligible for even more grant funding. Sen. Kirk Schuring, R-Jackson Township, said the RTIP's consultants told him they're reaching out to 75 investors to see if they'd be interested in helping to finance the construction of the U.S. 30 extension. Story continues In return, they would obtain an interest in the use of right-of-way along the corridor for commercial uses like high-speed broadband network connections or towers. Schuring referred to conversations he's had with CG/LA's investment officer Anand Hemnani and consultant Gordon Arbuckle of 2025 Law and Policy. In response to a question by Stark County Engineer Keith Bennett, Schuring said he opposes a bill proposed by State Sen. Stephen Huffman, R-Tipp City, to reverse for five years the state gas tax increase of 2019, which funds road improvements. Schuring called it "the most nonsensical thing," saying it would only save an Ohio motorist an average of $150 a year. Reach Robert at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @rwangREP. , This article originally appeared on The Repository: Infrastructure bill could fund U.S. 30 expressway east from Canton Any bill to prevent lawmakers from trading stocks must apply to their immediate family members, Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) and Chip Roy (R-Texas), the authors of a stock trading ban proposal, said Friday. Several stock trading proposals circulating through Congress omit lawmakers' spouses and dependent children, and Democratic leaders have warmed to the idea of a bill that extends a stock trading ban to senior congressional staffers but not spouses. Spanberger and Roy, who are pushing a bipartisan stock trading ban with 50 co-sponsors that includes immediate family members, said that they would draw a "line in the sand" over the issue. "To put forth a stock ban that only applies to members would be, as I would perceive it as an American ... kind of a slap in the face to the American people," Spanberger said during an event hosted by Issue One, the National Taxpayers Union and the Project on Government Oversight. Good government experts warn that lawmakers cannot restore trust in Congress if they exempt spouses from a stock trading bill. They point to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif), who has come under fire for numerous trades made by her husband, even though Pelosi herself doesn't trade stocks. "It would defy logic to say you're not going to include your immediate family, because I think everybody would see that for what it is," Roy said. The Spanberger-Roy bill, one of several proposals, would require all members of Congress and their immediate family to place their stocks into a blind trust. Lawmakers who violate the law would face a fine equal to their entire congressional salary. Several lawmakers have come under scrutiny for their spouses' stock trades. House ethics officials are investigating Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) over his wife's decision to buy stock in a struggling Ohio steelmaker shortly after the Trump administration informed Kelly that it would take action to boost the company's competitiveness. Story continues Earlier this month, Pelosi said that she would be open to a stock trading ban after previously opposing the effort. She directed Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), chairwoman of the House Administration Committee, to get started on a stock trading bill that would include increased transparency around Supreme Court justices' financial transactions. Spanberger said Friday that while she is supportive of government-wide reforms, she doesn't want the bill to have a "poison pill" that would slow down the process. She and Roy called on House leaders to allow a vote on their bill and give members an opportunity to offer amendments. "Let's police ourselves first, let's hold ourselves to the highest standard first, and then we take the next look at who comes next," Spanberger said. State lawmakers are weighing legislation that would bar public and private colleges from considering legacy status as part of the application process. The practice, which gives the children of alumni an admissions boost, has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years. Critics say legacy admissions perpetrate inequality by providing a powerful advantage to high-income white applicants. It really only serves to give a leg up to students who already have a substantial leg up in the admissions process, Logan Roberts, a junior at Yale University, told members of the legislatures higher-education committee Wednesday. Roberts, whose father is a mail carrier and whose mother is a hairdresser, said legacy admissions discriminate against low-income and first-generation students. The practice took hold in the 1920s at Ivy League institutions looking to restrict Jewish applicants. When we look at the history of legacy preference we see its one thats rooted in anti-Semitism and anti-immigrant sentiment, he said. In response to the national racial-justice movement following the killing of George Floyd in 2020, several universities no longer consider legacy, including Johns Hopkins and Amherst College. And a bill pending in Congress would ban institutions from using legacy preferences if they participate in federal student-aid programs. This practice is both unfair and a relic of a past from which we must move on, said Amy Dowell, state director of Education Reform Now CT, which backs the measure. By its very definition it disadvantages first-generation college applicants. Furthermore, research shows that legacy students are more likely to be wealthy and white than their peers. Last year Colorado became the first state to ban public institutions from considering legacy status. The ban was largely symbolic as most state universities do not give legacy applicants an admissions advantage. Connecticuts House Bill 5034 would apply to both public and private universities. Story continues Nathan Fuerst, vice president for enrollment, planning and management at the University of Connecticut, said UConn does not take legacy into consideration as part of its admissions process. But Fuerst and representatives from several private institutions said the bill signifies an incursion into the academic affairs of Connecticuts colleges and universities. Fairfield University strongly opposes this bill on the premise that it is not appropriate for the state to be dictating admissions policies at private entities, university President Mark R. Nemic told the committee. The university promotes access and opportunity but feels strongly that the complex admissions policies are best left to individual institutions. Several lawmakers agreed. I dont think we should be micromanaging private institutions in their admissions practices, said Rep. Kurt Vail, a Republican from Stafford. The committee could schedule a vote on the bill at a later date. Daniela Altimari can be reached at daltimari@courant.com (Reuters) -Sika posted a 27.1% jump in full-year net profit on Friday and proposed a 16% higher dividend, as the Swiss construction chemicals maker benefited from an upturn in building projects after the pandemic and a raft of acquisitions. The company, which makes products used in reinforcing and waterproofing concrete, posted earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of 1.39 billion Swiss francs ($1.51 billion) for the 12 months ended Dec. 31, up from 1.13 billion Swiss francs in 2020. The figure exceeded the pre-pandemic level of 1.06 billion Swaiss franc operating profit for 2019. Sika's EBIT margin of 15% also met its guidance. "Sika has generated lasting added value in a challenging year.... We will pursue our strong growth in all regions and we will continue to deliver impressive performance in the future," Chief Exective Thomas Hasler said in a statement. The company proposed a 16% rise in its gross dividend to 2.90 Swiss francs per share. Sika expects annual sales to surpass 10 billion Swiss francs for the first time in 2022, driven by a more than 10% sales jump in local currencies. Sika, whose products are also used by carmakers as adhesives, also said it expects an annual sales growth of 6-8% in the years up to 2023 and an operating profit margin of 15-18% from 2021. After making seven acquisitions last year, Sika said it was aiming to increase its share of the construction chemicals market from around 10% now to 12% by 2025. ($1 = 0.9212 Swiss francs) (Reporting by John Revill in Zurich and Shubhendu Deshmukh in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich) More than 60 service members have joined lawsuits against the U.S. government, alleging that the militarys process for awarding religious vaccine exemptions is a sham. They argue that their 1st Amendment rights are being infringed upon, because their sincerely held religious beliefs prevent them from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Through much prayer and reflection, Plaintiffs have sought wisdom, understanding, and guidance on the proper decisions to make concerning these COVID-19 vaccines, and Plaintiffs have been convicted by the Holy Spirit that accepting any of the three currently available vaccines is against the teachings of Scripture and would be a sin, according to a Florida lawsuit first filed in late 2021, then amended on Feb. 7 with additional plaintiffs. The lawsuit is one of two that have grabbed headlines in recent months, as the military has imposed mandatory vaccination deadlines that have since lapsed for all of the services and their components, save the Army National Guard and Army Reserve. The goal, representatives for the plaintiffs say, is to at least secure religious exemptions for their clients, but potentially see a Supreme Court ruling that would apply to all service members. Both cases are in a wait-and-see phase, where judges have granted injunctions against any discipline for vaccine refusal while the government responds to requests for information. The Justice Department intends to appeal the Texas ruling, while a temporary injunction in the Florida case expires Friday. Im very confident that this case going to the Supreme Court, Mat Staver whose Liberty Counsel represents plaintiffs in the Florida case told Military Times on Tuesday. I think we win under the First Amendment, because you have individualized exemptions with medical exemptions, but not religious exemptions. Whats at issue? What the government will have to prove, in both cases, is that while its granted thousands of medical and administrative exemptions though many of those are temporary that the high bar for approval of religious exemptions is necessary for keeping the force healthy and deployable. Story continues They will also have to make the case that vaccinating, or involuntarily discharging, every service member is the least restrictive means of keeping the force safe from COVID-19, rather than enforcing masking or social distancing or in some cases, grandfathering in troops who acquired some immunity after catching COVID-19. The first lawsuit to garner national attention, filed in Texas late last year, made a splash because its plaintiffs include SEALs, among the most elite of the Navys special operations forces. All told the lawsuit includes 26 SEALs from the original complaint, plus five special warfare combatant crewmen, five divers and one explosive ordnance disposal technician who joined the case in late January. Their objections to the vaccine fall into one of four categories, according to their complaint, including opposition to abortion and the use of fetal cell lines in pharmaceutical development, belief that body modification violates their religious principles, direct, divine instruction not to receive the vaccine, or declining to inject trace amounts of animal cells into ones body. The primary protest centers around fetal stem cells, which may or may not have originated with an aborted pregnancy. Researchers cultivate these cells for generations, using their derivatives to create or test all manner of pharmaceutical products. Simply put, no actual fetal cells were used in the development of any of the COVID-19 vaccines the cells in question were replicated by scientists, in labs, from tissue harvested previously. The lawsuits dont mention other vaccines these troops received either in their childhoods or during service the chicken pox, rubella and hepatitis A vaccines are all required that used descendent fetal cells in development. Nor do they mention the host of common medications that also use these stem cells, including Tylenol, Advil/Motrin, aspirin, Tums, Pepto Bismol, Benadryl, Sudafed and Claritin. Also missing from the lawsuits are any new religious conversion, or simply the possibility that they were previously unaware of the role of replicated fetal stem cells in pharmaceutical development, that would explain why they never objected to any vaccines or medications before. But there may be good reason for that. Many religious exemption applications have explained that the service members werent aware of the use of fetal stem cells prior to all of the controversy over the COVID-19 vaccine, but for the purposes of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, they dont have to explain themselves. The law says that sincerely held religious beliefs are to be taken at face value. This whole thing is really unprecedented, right? Just because of the just incredibly political nature of, of all of it, from the virus to the vaccine to the mandates, Marshall Griffin, a retired Coast Guard judge advocate who now practices private, told Military Times on Monday. I mean, all of it is just fraught with ideological purpose, and suspected purpose. What do religions say about vaccines? The lawsuit also fails to mention an established precedent regarding vaccines in religious traditions. The vast majority of the plaintiffs express some sort of Christian faith, though the vast majority of denominations have no formal ban on vaccination. Jehovahs Witnesses, who ban military service for their members, are probably the most prominent. Plaintiffs do not believe that staying true to their faith means exposing themselves or others to unnecessary risk, according to the filing. Quite the contrary, they view life whether their own or that of their fellow servicemembers as sacred and deserving protection. That includes protection from an adverse action while their exemptions are in process, a key part of the complaint, according to one of the attorneys on the lawsuit, which alleges that the plaintiffs have been removed from their jobs, flagged for promotion or otherwise hampered during the exemption process. All the things that that that, you know, that the Navy was doing to harass and punish sailors we basically wanted that to all stop, Mike Berry, a former Marine judge advocate and now vice president at First Liberty Institute, which represents the Texas plaintiffs, told Military Times on Wednesday. The judge agreed, issuing an injunction against discipline for the sailors on Jan. 3. The government has since filed a notice that it plans to appeal the decision. It cost millions to recruit, train new troops being booted for vaccine refusal The Texas lawsuit argues that the Navy Department is blanketly denying all religious requests, making the process a sham. It was just a bunch of window dressing, on what was really a foregone conclusion of ... 100% of religious exemption requests were going to be disapproved, Berry said. Military vaccine exemptions by the numbers To date, no members of the Army or Space Force have received a religious exemption, though nine airmen and three Marines have been approved. The Navy on Wednesday announced it had granted one waiver to a member of the Individual Ready Reserve, a non-drilling service member, who would have to get vaccinated should he or she come on orders. According data submitted in the Florida case on Feb. 8: The Air Force Department had received more than 12,000 religious exemption requests, denying over 3,000 of them and with roughly 2,000 still in adjudication. Total exemptions granted in the Air Force included about 1,500 temporary medical exemptions and 2,300 administrative waivers, which includes the nine religious approvals. In the Navy, none of more than 4,000 religious exemptions had been approved, but there were about 252 temporary and 11 permanent medical exemptions. The Navy granted another 500 administrative exemptions, including temporary waivers for sailors planning to leave the service or in the middle of a permanent change-of-station move, for example. The Marine Corps had fielded 3,500 religious waiver requests, granting three, in addition to about 250 medical waivers and 400 other administrative approvals. The Army reported about 1,300 religious requests, none of which have been approved, as well as six medical exemptions. The services have declined to provide any details about the circumstances of the religious approvals, but both lawsuits allege that at least one of those Marines is due to leave service later this year. The Marine Corps confirmed to a California congressman that two of those Marines were preparing to leave the service, while another one is doing a Training With Industry assignment. Essentially, while the Marines applied for exemptions on religious grounds, they were already entitled to a much more straightforward administrative exemption for troops soon to leave service or not currently with their units, which is likely the reason they were approved. The Texas lawsuit also states the plaintiffs are willing to continue to wear masks, social distance and take mandatory COVID-19 tests, rather than get vaccinated. Plaintiffs, therefore, do not object to safety measures that reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in the workplace, it reads. Indeed, Defendants employed such measures during the prior year before COVID-19 vaccines were made widely available. Facing court-martial The Florida case, in a 187-page complaint, takes measures much further. In the filing, attorneys argue that the plaintiffs are facing criminal conviction and dishonorable discharge, which would strip them of any veterans benefits. Telling Plaintiffs they must accept or receive a shot they oppose according to their sincerely held religious beliefs, or face court martial, dishonorable discharge, and other life altering disciplinary measures, disgraces the sacrifices these heroes have made, according to the lawsuit. While powerful, that statement isnt true. All of the military services have released vaccine refusal policies, none of them involving judicial or non-judicial charges for simply staying unvaccinated. The prospect of dishonorable discharges has been a concern for some against vaccine mandates, but that type of discharge can only be handed down through a court-martial conviction. Dishonorable discharges for COVID vaccine refusal off the table as military separations begin The Florida case began a Navy and Marine Corps officer in 2021, but has soon ballooned to 36 plaintiffs from all military branches as well as some civilian Defense Department employees. They have similar objections to their Texas counterparts, from opposition to abortion to concerns about modifying their bodies. Based on his Roman Catholic Christian faith and absolute opposition to abortion, he cannot accept a vaccine that has been manufactured, or whose efficacy has been tested and proved, using aborted fetal cells, the Florida lawsuit alleges, on behalf of a Coast Guard pilot. The Catholic churchs policy on derived fetal cells has been clear for decades: the sin of abortion is so far removed in pharmaceutical development that a Catholic is not violating any principles by getting vaccinated. Pope Francis has called vaccination against COVID-19 a moral obligation and an act of love. Frequently people let themselves be influenced by the ideology of the moment, often bolstered by baseless information or poorly documented facts, he said in January, adding that vaccines are not a magical means of healing, yet surely they represent, in addition to other treatments that need to be developed, the most reasonable solution for the prevention of the disease. Another claimant, a Muslim Marine Corps captain, who said that his religious beliefs that require him to abstain from participation in that which is haram forbidden including the destruction and commoditization of innocent human life as exemplified by the use of human fetal cell lines derived from abortions, according to the lawsuit. But Islamic tradition does not discourage vaccination, and doesnt forbid abortion before 17 weeks gestation, with even more leeway if the health of the mother is in jeopardy or if there are life-threatening fetal abnormalities. Officer faces court-martial for refusing mask mandate, COVID test Just because the plaintiffs identify as a member of one religion or another doesnt mean they need to follow every tradition, according to Griffin, the former Coast Guard lawyer, nor would they need to justify why they are religiously opposed to the COVID-19 vaccine in particular. Under the law, theres no requirement that you adhere to a major or even recognized faith tradition, he said. Other plaintiffs focus not on the abortion issue, but on several Bible passages that refer to the body as a temple. Plaintiffs sincerely held religious beliefs that their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and that they are to glorify God with their bodies lays the foundation for everything they do, consume, or inject into their bodies, according to the Florida lawsuit. From this foundation they make studied and reasonable decisions about what is good and what is not good or may not be good for their bodies. None of the plaintiffs clarify whether they engage in any other behavior that might be seen as a desecration of that temple, whether its alcohol, drugs, unprotected sex or in the case of the Old Testament tattoos and piercings. And both lawsuits include arguments that the plaintiffs prayed on the issue and came to the conclusion that vaccination would violate their principles. As part of the exemption process, service members are required to meet with a chaplain to work through their concerns. The lawsuits do not offer details from these meetings, nor do they state that the plaintiffs consulted with experts in their own religious communities before making their decisions to refuse vaccination. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act sets a low bar for proving ones religious beliefs, in that if someone states them, they are assumed to be sincere. It is a danger of, you know, the government saying, Well, hey, heres what your faith tradition teaches, you should follow that, " Griffin said. Thats really prohibited by the by the courts considering these types of cases. And they recognize that theres almost a presumption of belief. The government really cant scrutinize belief very far. And in fact, he said, the exemption process is fraught in and of itself. Religious freedom laws are set up to avoid a circumstance where the Navy, or the military or the government, is doing a faith test, to determine whether or not you really believe what youre supposed to believe, Griffin said. Its just such an inappropriate position for the government to be in. Staver, the attorney for the Florida plaintiffs, said his clients have shared their exemption rejection letters, which do not detail specifically why their requests werent approved. Yes, many of them have brought that and its a rubber stamp rejection, he said. The Florida case also expands the arguments past the religious exemption process, citing a handful of other arguments made by COVID-19 vaccine detractors. They include the small risk of myocarditis, which has anecdotally occurred in 1,626 U.S. residents out of more than 200 million fully vaccinated, with the highest risk in men under 24. Challenging the mandate The complaint also brings up the issue of Food and Drug Administration licensure. In late August, Pfizers vaccine received full approval under the brand name Comirnaty. While vials contain the same formula, some have made the argument that because providers are still giving the emergency-use Pfizer version, no one can be compelled to get vaccinated until the Comirnaty-labeled vials are in circulation. Our lawsuit is certainly centered on religious exemption, but our lawsuit is broader than that to block the mandate in general of a non-FDA approved product, Staver said. DoD, for its part, settled its own policy with a memo from Assistant Defense Secretary for Health Affairs Terry Adirim last fall. Per FDA guidance, these two vaccines are interchangeable and DoD health care providers should use doses distributed under the EUA to administer the vaccination series as if the doses were the licensed vaccine, " she wrote. Whos who? The Florida filing also spends much more time on the biographies of the complainants. While in Texas, the sailors offered descriptions of their jobs, in Florida, the biographical information goes into training, deployments and expertise, attempting to make the case that their involuntary discharges would be a huge loss. The judge recognized that when he granted our [temporary restraining order] on Feb. 2 because toward the end, he said the public has an interest also in this because these are courageous skilled, individuals who are not easily replaceable, Staver said. The question is, whats the bigger risk to readiness: Discharging skilled, expensively trained service members for refusing to get vaccinated, or allowing them to continue serving with the potential to become infected with COVID-19, experience serious illness and potentially long-lasting side effects? Challenges piling up Other service members have struck out on their own to fight the mandate. On Tuesday, a federal judge granted an injunction against discipline of an Air Force officer whose religious exemption had been denied. Theres a case to be made for turning these lawsuits into class action matters, Staver said, so that individual service members dont have to sue or just another case. Otherwise, the courts are going to be flooded with thousands of lawsuits, he said. And well be back week after week. Staver believes the Florida case case has a good chance of making it to the Supreme Court, potentially invalidating all government mandates for COVID-19 vaccination. For the Texas case, its more likely those sailors will receive religious exemptions, but that they wont necessarily change the way the military mandates vaccines or reviews exemptions. I dont think that the precedent is going to be that big of one, Griffin, the former Coast Guard lawyer, said. The population of people seeking religious accommodations now is fairly small. The Texas case has smaller aspirations purposely, Berry said. We took a very intentional approach of maintaining a laser-like focus on religious liberty, because we believe that that is the strongest legal basis, he said. The free exercise of religion, even in the military, it triggers the strongest protection available in the law. But it may not take a lawsuit for the issue to change the environment when it comes to mandatory vaccination. [Many] didnt even know that there was a religious exemption option, because they had never been informed of it, Staver said. They had been told to get certain vaccines or other things without even be notified of a religious objection. Whats clear is that the COVID-19 has broken open a bit of a wormhole in the military. For a population accustomed to having very little power over their personal decisions where they live, what they wear, how they cut their hair, how much they weigh the opportunity to have some control over their medical decisions is an enormous discovery. Here are the news stories trending across Connecticut on Friday afternoon: After a woman criticized him on traffic issues, the towns mayor told the woman she had "s--- for brains.">>>Read More. The moose caused a small traffic jam before police showed up and photographed him hanging out by Main Street.>>>Read More. The daily coronavirus positivity rate dropped, nearly a percentage point overnight in Connecticut.>>>Read More. The fire department responded to "an accident involving a car that was hit by a tree.>>>Read More. Located on 3 acres overlooking Long Island Sound, this award-winning Queen Anne home has no shortage of amenities.>>>Read More. The fatal shootings were several hours apart, according to media reports.>>>Read More. 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 CULVER CITY, CA Culver City community members are invited to a free drive-thru COVID-19 testing location every Saturday hosted by the Culver City Unified School District. All residents can take advantage of the offer, which is conducted by UltimateDX Saturdays from 9 a.m. t0 2 p.m. at the Culver City Middle School parking lot on Elenda Sreet. In order to order a test/schedule an appointment, you must complete a health questionnaire, district officials said. You need to have a valid ID, insurance card or a credit card before you can proceed with scheduling an appointment. Although the website asks for insurance information, the user will not be billed beyond what insurance pays, according to district organizers. People can register to sign up for testing, which takes about less than three minutes, on the website. If you have already registered, login, click order a test and the process will be complete. Culver City Middle School is located at 4601 Elenda Street, Culver City. This article originally appeared on the Culver City Patch Daunte Wright's mother says she can "never forgive" former Brooklyn Center, Minn., police officer Kim Potter for killing her son. Potter was convicted of first- and second-degree manslaughter in December after she shot and killed 20-year-old Wright in April, The Associated Press reported. "She never once said his name [in trial]. And for that I'll never be able to forgive you. And I'll never be able to forgive you for what you've stolen from us," Katie Wright said. "My life and my world will never ever be the same again," she added. The incident occurred in April, when Wright was pulled over for expired license plate tags on his car and officers discovered he had a warrant out for his arrest in connection to a weapons possession charge. Wright allegedly struggled with officers who tried to get him out of the car. During the interaction, Potter yelled "taser" but pulled out her gun instead, shooting and killing Wright. The comment from Wright's mother came during Potter's sentencing hearing on Friday. Prosecutors are arguing for a little more than seven years in prison for the former officer. Defense attorneys for Potter argue that she deserves probation because she has no prior criminal record and showed remorse toward the situation. The defense also argued she has been isolated in prison and her mental health has declined. Her lawyer said prison guards told him it is too dangerous for Potter, as a former officer, to be with incarcerated with the general population. Prosecutors have said if probation is given, Potter should spend a year in jail, 10 years on probation, have to meet with the family and speak to law enforcement about the dangers of confusing weapons, according to the AP. The defendants have agreed to those terms, but ultimately the judge will decide if Potter will face prison or probation. Nick Kristof. Illustrated | Getty Images, iStock Nick Kristof and and the recently ousted members of the San Francisco school board have something in common and it's not just that none of them will be serving in elected office anytime soon. The commonality? They forgot about the basics. Kristof, the former New York Times columnist, stepped down from that esteemed post last summer to run for governor in Oregon. (My colleague Bonnie Kristian was skeptical at the time.) But he soon ran into a problem: He hadn't actually lived in the state long enough to be eligible for office. On Thursday, the state's supreme court affirmed an earlier ruling by the Oregon's secretary of state that Kristof was ineligible for a spot on the ballot. The campaign is over and if Kristof isn't embarrassed, he should be. It's probably a good idea to check the rulebook before quitting your day job to take a job you can't have. What does this have to do with the San Francisco school board? Much of the commentary about this week's recall election has focused on "wokeness." That's understandable the three members who lost their jobs had focused heavily on racial justice issues, most famously voting to rename some city schools that had previously honored historic figures like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. (Their history wasn't always solid.) But as Mother Jones' Clara Jeffrey points out, one of the real problems was that the school board was focusing on school names instead of working to get kids back in the classroom during the pandemic. "If I had to boil it down," Jeffrey wrote of the recall, "it was a vote to put performance over performativeness." Well yes, exactly. Pundits and activists often have gauzy, romantic visions of what they might do if they were in charge. But what the voting public wants first and foremost is for things to work for potholes to be filled and schools to be open. That means doing the unglamorous drudgery of government, crossing the "T"s and dot "I"s. The basics. Once that's accomplished, and only then, is it possible to move on to higher-order concerns. Story continues Democrats are probably going to lose the House of Representatives in midterm elections later this year, and more than a few of them blame that fate on the party's inability to pass the big things on its agenda, like the Build Better Act and voter reform. There might be something to that. But it's also true that Gallup's latest "right track/wrong track" poll indicates just 17 percent of Americans are satisfied with how things are going. Voters are paying more for gas and COVID is still crimping their lives, and those things matter. Dems are running out of time to get the big things done. Maybe the best thing they can do is get back to basics. You may also like Tensions between the U.S. and Russia just took their darkest turn yet Netflix's Stranger Things to end with its 5th season Watch a Clydesdale recover from injuries in Budweiser's new Super Bowl ad Buffalo, WY (82834) Today Cloudy and windy with periods of light rain. High 58F. Winds NNW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 42F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Higher wind gusts possible. Diogo Jota has been ruled out of the match with Norwich (Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool forward Diogo Jota will miss Saturdays visit of Norwich but the extent of his ankle injury is not yet known. The Portugal international was taken off at half-time of the Champions League win against Inter Milan and was pictured wearing a protective boot afterwards. He will not be available (for Norwich) but the extent is still not clear, said manager Jurgen Klopp. We need further assessment. Its something with some ligaments in and around the ankle, but not the ligament, some others. So, pretty much everything is possible in the moment; that it will go really quick and the other way around unfortunately as well. So we have to wait. Everybody saw the picture with him in the boot. Its a normal procedure, even when you just feel something, they put you in that boot. For the weekend, for sure not. PA Feb. 18The BDN Editorial Board operates independently from the newsroom, and does not set policies or contribute to reporting or editing aticles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com. As players, coaches and fans return to arenas across the state for the high school basketball tournament, it's hard not to reflect on the people inside and what they have been through the last couple of years. They are moms and dads, brothers and sisters, grandparents, cousins, family friends, classmates and fans who cheer on the team. And they're all rebounding after a year without this tournament tradition. The 2021 event was canceled because of COVID-19. "I am really excited to have it back for the kids, the fans, the parents and everyone involved in it. It is such a huge thing that everybody looks forward to," referee Tracie Martin, who has also participated in the tournament as a player and coach, told BDN sports writer Larry Mahoney. "People take the week off to go. It's a great community thing for everybody. They get to support their teams and see people they haven't seen in a while." Amid nearly two years of pandemic unease, a more familiar perhaps even welcome kind of anxiety is returning to the tournament venues in Bangor, Augusta and Portland. Mom and dad may be fretting for their child. He or she is nervous, they know, about the big game. Will he get some floor time? Will she make the right switch on defense? Inside the auditorium, the parents are the ones with tightened, thin lips, brows furrowed, eyes anxiously scanning the floor, silently offering up a prayer that their daughter or son plays well. The young athlete's case of nerves likely was confessed at home, but during the pregame layup drill it doesn't show because it's time to put on the swagger. Confidence, after all, is the companion of champions. The extended family members are probably less fretful and are more likely to beam with pride when the family name is announced over the PA system. Whatever the final score is, family members are going to be more proud than they were at tipoff. Theirs is an essential role in this drama, offering a hug or an attaboy at the after-game meal. They echo the accolades, whether it's a win or a loss. Family, friends and classmates are on the edge of their seats during overtime nail biters. They cheer for the surprise upsets. Story continues And then there are the folks who have historically been fixtures at the hometown high school gym each Friday or Saturday night. No one is really sure are they related to one of the ballplayers? Long ago, did a son or daughter trot up and down these hardwood floors and the habit of attending stuck? Or is it that they just enjoy witnessing the amateur ballet and epic battle that is a high school basketball game? They, too, play a critical role. And so do the tournament workers who make it all possible. Together, the whole event is a great example of the many people who hold our communities together. Allan Snell started working at the Bangor Auditorium in 1977 and has done a number of jobs, including his current role as the co-site director at the Cross Insurance Center for the Classes B, C and D North tournaments. "I love working with the same people and the whole atmosphere," Snell told Mahoney. "It's so much fun, particularly the northern Maine tournament because we all have a lot in common. You watch kids whose parents played here or, in my case, maybe even their grandparents." This atmosphere is Maine at its best ( don't ruin it by yelling at the referees, and follow venue COVID-19 policies). After being benched for a year, it is time to enjoy the high school basketball tournament once again. Wednesday, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt tried to defend his disgraceful behavior in the Kevin Strickland case and failed. Miserably. Again. Strickland, youll recall, spent more than four decades in a Missouri prison for a crime he did not commit. A judge released him last year after Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker acknowledged the states profound mistake in convicting and incarcerating an innocent man. Before that ruling, Schmitt tried desperately to prevent Stricklands release from custody. He claimed the court and the prosecutor could not be fair. He filed delaying motions and appeals. He fought at every turn to keep an innocent man behind bars. Wednesday, Missouri state Rep. LaKeySha Bosley of St. Louis asked Schmitt to explain his behavior. Obviously, this is a heavy issue, Schmitt shrugged. There had been a conviction, obviously, by a jury of his peers, the attorney general continued. No. The 1979 jury that convicted Stickland was all-white. Black people were intentionally struck from the jury pool. Strickland is Black. The attorney general insisted he needed to test the evidence in the case. We have an adversarial system, he told the House Budget Committee. Thats the role that weve played for 200 years in the office. Whose interest was Schmitt protecting when he butted into the case? Stricklands adversary has been the state for 43 years. It convicted him on flimsy evidence, denied his appeals and kept him behind bars for something he didnt do. When Baker recognized the error of the conviction, she asked a court to overturn it. She was the states representative. She asked a judge to weigh the evidence of Stricklands innocence and issue a ruling. That should have been the end of it. Schmitt, who is a candidate for higher office, had other plans. What the attorney general said Wednesday is that the truth doesnt matter that obeying the corrupt system that put Strickland in jail is more important than seeing justice done. Its appalling for any lawyer to suggest that, but it is beyond imagining for an attorney general. Story continues Has this really been the practice of the office for 200 years? How many other innocent people were put in jail, or are still in jail, because the attorney general doesnt care about a defendants actual guilt or innocence? Schmitt didnt say. He had an opportunity Wednesday to apologize to Kevin Strickland on behalf of the state he claims to represent. He did not do so. Lets be clear: The state of Missouris only interest in criminal cases is to make sure the guilty are punished and the innocent are not. Schmitt failed that test, egregiously, and his ham-handed explanation Wednesday deepens our conclusion that he is unfit for public office. There was plenty of news across Connecticut on Thursday. If you missed any of it on your local Patch, here's a roundup of some of the most-read stories. The woman used temporary ATM cards to steal $103K from a customer at the Bank of America where she worked, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.>>>Read More. The former local residents were found guilty of using lottery and romance scams to defraud mainly elderly people, federal authorities said.>>>Read More. A Board of Education member called for an end to the mask mandate, regardless of state guidance.>>>Read More. The community pool at Waveny Park will be renamed in honor of Steve Benko, New Canaan's beloved recreation director who died this month.>>>Read More. The establishment of the airport in Windsor Locks as an operations hub means the creation of more than 200 new jobs in Connecticut.>>>Read More. After graduating from high school, Tommy McCarthy was uncertain about his next steps. Fortunately, he took them into the woods>>>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 By Nathan Layne (Reuters) -A Minnesota judge on Friday sentenced former police officer Kimberly Potter to two years in the fatal shooting of Black motorist Daunte Wright during a traffic stop, a lighter sentence than the roughly seven years in prison sought by prosecutors. Potter, 49 -- who mistook her handgun for her Taser in firing on Wright, 20, as he resisted officers who pulled him over in a Minneapolis suburb last April -- was found guilty by a jury in December of first-degree and second-degree manslaughter. "This is a cop who made a tragic mistake," said Judge Regina Chu, who became emotional as she handed down the 24-month sentence, two-thirds of which is to be served in prison and the remaining third on supervised release. Chu said Potter was required to make a split-second decision during a "chaotic and tense" encounter with Wright and that the evidence presented at trial justified the veteran policewoman's intended use of a Taser to protect another officer at the scene. But she said a sentence of probation, which Potter's lawyers had argued for, was not enough to account for the loss of life. "In this case, a young man was killed because Officer Potter was reckless," Chu said, calling the case one of the saddest in her career. "Rightfully, there should be some accountability." The shooting in Brooklyn Center triggered multiple nights of protests there. It occurred just a few miles north of where Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, was standing trial for killing George Floyd, a Black man whose 2020 death during an arrest helped set off demonstrations around the nation and the world over racism and killings by police. In rendering her decision, the judge made a point of distinguishing Potter's actions from those of Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes and was convicted of murder. Both former officers are white. Daunte Wright's mother Katie Wright expressed anger that Chu was emotional in delivering the sentence but not during Wright's victim-impact statement in court on Friday. She blasted the two-year punishment as too lenient and questioned the sincerity of Potter's tearful testimony at trial. Story continues "Kim Potter murdered my son, and he died April 11. Today the justice system murdered him all over again," Wright said outside the courthouse. "White woman tears trumped justice." Prosecutors had sought a sentence of seven years and two months, in line with state guidelines for first-degree manslaughter. Under state law, defendants facing multiple charges for the same act are sentenced only for the most serious count. But Judge Chu appeared to side with the arguments for leniency put forward by Potter's lawyers, who cited her lack of a prior criminal record and her complaint-free 26 years on the police force. One of her attorneys, Paul Engh, said on Friday that Wright had been an "aggressor" in resisting arrest. Chu also said she believed that Potter, who broke down in giving brief remarks on Friday, had shown deep remorse. "I am so sorry that I hurt you so badly," Potter said in court on Friday in comments directed at Wright's family. "My heart is broken and devastated for all of you." Potter has not appealed her conviction, and has not indicated she plans to appeal. Potter and a second officer pulled Wright over because there was an air freshener illegally hanging from his mirror and his vehicle registration tab had expired. They then learned of a warrant for his arrest on a misdemeanor weapons charge and tried to detain him. Wright resisted, breaking free from the second officer. Potter then shouted, "Taser, Taser, Taser!" and fired at Wright with her handgun, video from her body-worn camera showed. Potter testified that she feared for the life of a third officer who had entered the car through the passenger side. (Reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut, Doina Chiacu in Washington and Tyler Clifford in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) Heavy rain precedes dangerous flash freeze in Atlantic Canada An unpleasant stretch of soggy, blustery weather will sweep across a vast swath of Atlantic Canada through the end of the week as a dynamic storm reaches Eastern Canada. The systems heavy rain and high winds will push across the provinces through Friday morning. Snow will pile up in the northern Maritimes and western Newfoundland. Well see a flash freeze behind the system, which could make travel dangerous Friday and Saturday. More on the timing and impacts, below. MUST SEE: Common household items that combat snow and ice MARITIMES Rain will continue across the Maritimes overnight Thursday into Friday. The precipitation will pick up in intensity by Friday morning, accompanied by gusty winds that could toss around loose objects and make it hard to keep a grip on the steering wheel. An array of warnings are in effect for the Maritimes, including rainfall warnings, wind warnings, and flash freeze warnings. ATLRain Well see anywhere between 20-50 mm of rain throughout the Maritimes, with higher totals likely in some spots. As temperatures begin to dip behind the cold front, the rain will taper to flurries or ice pellets Friday afternoon and end in the evening. There is a risk of a brief period of freezing rain during the changeover. Storm drains, gutters, and downspouts should be cleared in preparation for rain and melting snow as significant runoff is possible. WATCH | POTHOLES WILL BECOME A BIGGER ISSUE IN HALIFAX: Click here to view the video Strong winds of 80-100 km/h, with higher gusts, will begin overnight Thursday and last into Friday. Residents are advised to bring in or secure any loose objects ahead of the system. Downed trees and power outages are also likely as winds pick up through the overnight into Friday. ATLWind1 By Friday afternoon, the temperature will drop quickly as the cold front moves north to south, which will lead to a flash freeze on surfaces such as roads, highways, walkways and parking lots. Plan for a slippery commute Friday evening. Story continues ATLTemps4 NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR Flooding will be possible as significant rain and runoff is expected for most of Newfoundland. Southern and western Newfoundland could see as much as 50-90 mm of rain, with possibly more than 100 mm over higher elevation areas by Friday evening. Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads, cautions Environment and Climate Change Canada in a rainfall warning. Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible. ATLWind2 Additionally, the weather agency has issued wind warnings for the area. The strongest winds will arrive on friday, when gusts could reach about 110 km/h. Meanwhile, southern Labrador can expect more snow than rain with this system. Storm totals of 30-50 cm could fall near the Strait of Belle Isle, tapering off the further it moves north. ATLSnow Beyond the system, temperatures will be near seasonal for the weekend as the system departs the region. It will then turn much milder for a few days next week. For more details on the impacts and timing of this complex storm, watch the video that leads this article. Check back for the latest on conditions across Atlantic Canada. More than two years after a Florida 6-year-old Black girl was arrested in her school, her family says the child has been diagnosed with PTSD and separation anxiety after being handcuffed by authorities. According to CNN, relatives say that the girl has never been the same. Meralyn Kirkland (right) recalls the moment she learned her 6-year-old granddaughter, Kaia, had been arrested and taken to juvie after throwing a tantrum at school. (Photo: WKMG / video screenshot) In 2019, Kaia Rolle, a first grader at the Lucious and Emma Nixon Academy Charter School in Orlando occupied headlines after an officer took zip-tie handcuffs to restrain her. Orlando Police Officer Dennis Turner used the plastic ties because the childs wrists were too petite for the standard cuffs. He was called because Rolle was having a temper tantrum in school. The Florida native allegedly screamed at, kicked, and hit school staffers, including one school worker named Beverly Stoute, because was not permitted to wear her sunglasses in class. The Center for Public Integrity discovered there was more to the story. Their investigation discovered that the family said Rolle, the 6-year-old, had been suffering from sleep apnea due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids since kindergarten. Some of her previous teachers and staffers understood the behavioral issues associated with her sleep deprivation and usually let it play out until she calmed down. The organizations report says that by the time the officer came, Rolle had mellowed out and was quietly sitting in an office with a staffer, per her usual pattern. This is substantiated by Turners body camera. Still, Stoute, according to the police report, wanted to press charges on the child. Stoute has since denied she wanted charges pressed. When the officer approached, Orlando Police Officer Sergio Ramos, who was working with Turner that day, objected to the detainment strategy and called his sergeant. Ramos says, Sarge, this girl is tiny. She looks like a baby. Rolle at the time was 3 feet 10 inches. Turner insisted on cuffing the girl as school staffers in the background wiped tears from their eyes. The girl begged the official not to take her to jail, crying, Please give me a second chance! Please, let me go! Story continues But he continued to detain her, placing her in his patrol SUV and drove away with her in restraints. She was taken to a juvenile detention center, fingerprinted, had her mugshot taken during processing, and was charged with misdemeanor battery. Her charges were dropped the next day. Turner, the Black arresting officer, was later fired by Orlando Police Department for violating policy by arresting the little girl and another 6-year-old in an unrelated incident at the school on that same day, WESH reports. While it might have seemed harsh, it was not illegal. In 2019, there was no minimum age for arrest in Florida. Since then, that has changed. In 2021, Orlando Senator Randolph Bracy and Rolles family passed a law that makes it illegal for a child under 7 to be arrested or prosecuted except in the case of a violent felony. Named after Rolle, the law is called The Kaia Rolle Act. The childs grandmother, Meralyn Kirkland, has taken the lead with her legal team and the senator to move this legislation. They hope to persuade lawmakers to raise the age of KRA to 12 years old. During the celebratory day, Kirkland informed the press that Rolle has been traumatized by the ordeal. One of Kaias greatest fears is that every time she sees a police officer they are coming to arrest her, one of her friends or one of her family members, Kirkland said. I thought the brunt of the trauma was the day it happened, she continued, but Im finding out day by day it is going to be a long road. Kaia still has night terror, shell be up at 3 oclock in the morning, crying, scared. Months after the ceremony, when Rolle actually turned 8 years old, expressed new anxiety, believing that she has aged out of the law that was created to protect children like her, her family says. And in 2022, it has not gotten any better. Grandma now says that she lives a solitary lifestyle. Before the incident, Kaia was an awesome young lady. She wanted to hug everybody, she wanted to sing for everybody, she wanted to dance for everybody, Kirkland told CNN this month. As a result of the incident, Kaias been diagnosed with PTSD, with severe separation anxiety. She almost has a solitary lifestyle right now. Experts have diagnosed her oppositional defiance disorder and phobias of simple things like tiny little bugs. When Rolle speaks about the ordeal in retrospect, she remembers being terrified of the officer. She said, I was really scared and confused. I said are those police officers for me? I feel bad about what happened at the school with the police officer because I think he was being very mean to me, she said. Rolles case is not an isolated one. USA TODAY did a study of federal crime reports and identified more than 2,600 arrests in schools involving kids ages 5 to 9 between 2000 and 2019. The publication noted there is a plethora of research that recognizes that harsh punishments are often applied unfairly to Black children and those with disabilities. More news from our partners: I Even Offered to Get Handcuffed: White Teen Speaks Out Following Backlash Over Viral Video Showing New Jersey Cops Breaking Up Mall Fight Black Americans Might Miss Out on the $68 Trillion Transfer of Generational Wealth. Heres Why. They Didnt Like Him Stopping Them| Texas High School Baseball Coach Suffers Broken Arm After Being Jumped By MIddle Schoolers Da Nang to welcome first international flight on March 27 The central coastal city of Da Nang is set to welcome foreign tourists on its first international flight on March 27 after nearly two years of closure due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The central coastal city of Da Nang is ready to welcome back foreign tourists This information was released on February 17 during a meeting held between leaders of Da Nang City People's Committee and representatives of numerous local airlines. According to a representative of Singapore Airlines, the carrier is scheduled to bring in the first international delegation to Da Nang on March 27. Representatives of various airlines have expressed their desire to see the central coastal city reopen all entertainment services at tourism sites, properly handle F0 cases if infections are reported, and lift other restrictions currently in place. They also noted that slow reopening will cause the central city to lose its competitive advantages as an attractive destination, and at the same time hinder the capital flow from foreign investors. A representative of the Da Nang Department of Health revealed that the city would no longer implement a quarantine period for foreign tourists, adding that the unit would also provide timely support and treatment for those who are unfortunately exposed to the virus. At present, 45% of lodging facilities in Da Nang have reopened to visitors, while 150 travel firms have resumed operations. In mid-March, other tourist attractions will reopen with a wide array of fresh tourism products. Tran Phuoc Son, vice chairman of Da Nang City People's Committee, affirmed the city is ready to welcome back tourists. He requested that local airlines conduct international flights next March in order to revive the local tourism industry as soon as possible. A jury has found former Los Angeles Angels employee Eric Kay guilty of providing Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs with the drugs that led to his overdose death, The Associated Press reported. Kay, a former public relations employee for the Angels baseball team, was convicted on each count of drug distribution resulting in death and drug conspiracy. The jury, made up of ten women and two men, deliberated for no more than three hours following the conclusion of the eight-day trial, according to the AP. During the closing arguments, prosecutor Lindsey Beran said the government proved that Kay provided the drugs to Skaggs before his death, adding that the delivery was conducted in Texas, with fentanyl being the cause of death for Skaggs. Skaggs, an eight-year MLB veteran, was found dead in his Dallas-area hotel room in July 2019. A coroner's office report said Skaggs choked on his own vomit and had a fatal mix of alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone in his system. Prosecutors also argued that Kay provided Skaggs counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl, the AP reported. "We're obviously disappointed in the verdict. We thought there were many reasons to doubt the government's case," one of Kay's attorneys, Regan Wynn, said in a statement "This is a tragedy all the way around. Eric Kay is getting ready to do minimum 20 years in a federal penitentiary and it goes up from there. And Tyler Skaggs is gone." This comes after current and former MLB players Matt Harvey, Mike Morin, Cam Bedrosian, and C.J. Cron testified on Tuesday that Kay provided drugs for them. Harvey, a former All-Star pitcher with the New York Mets, also admitted to cocaine use before and during his stint with the Angels, the AP reported. "This case is a sober reminder: Fentanyl kills. Anyone who deals fentanyl - whether on the streets or out of a world-famous baseball stadium - puts his or her buyers at risk. No one is immune from this deadly drug," U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham said in a statement after the verdict. Kay faces life in prison when he's scheduled to be sentenced on June 28, according to the AP. After five days of deliberating, a Fresno County jury on Thursday found Cruz Hinojosa not guilty of first degree murder in the fatal shooting of two men inside a Tower District tattoo shop. The jury returned its verdict at about 2 p.m. to a stunned Hinojosa. The 31-year-old tattoo artist was facing life in prison without the possibility of parole had he been found guilty. His public defenders, Maribel Romo and Marina Pincus, convinced the jury that Hinojosa did not go to the Fresh Ink Tattoo shop on July 14, 2018 to do anyone harm. He worked at the shop. But when he entered the Olive Avenue store, he was violently attacked by the shops owner Pisa Xayapheth, 30, Pincus said. Hinojosa fell to his knees and covered his head with his hands to try and block the blows, his attorneys said.. He moved toward the door, but saw Xayapheth and 35-year-old Jesse Hernandez III coming at him. Fearing for his life, Hinojosa, who is licensed to carry a concealed weapon, pulled out his Glock handgun from a waistband holster and began firing, striking and killing Xayapheth and Hernandez, according to court records. Police say a violent altercation preceded the shooting death of Pisa Xayapheth, 30, left, and Jesse Hernandez III, 35, right. Hinojosa was also acquitted of attempted murder for shooting at Xayapheths girlfriend. She was inside the shop that night waiting for her boyfriend. Pincus and Romo said they were grateful for the jurys verdict. The lengthy trial began in September, but was stalled several times by COVID-19 protocols. The jury spent five days carefully reviewing the evidence and the law and we appreciate their time and effort. We believe the remaining lesser counts should be dismissed in the interest of justice, the lawyers said in a statement. The jury could not unanimously agree on the lesser counts of voluntary manslaughter. Pincus said nine jurors voted not guilty and three voted guilty. The Fresno County District Attorneys office has not said if it will drop the lesser charges. Both sides will return to Department 50 for a status conference on March 24. Representatives from local unions hold signs in support of workers of two Seattle Starbucks locations that announced plans to unionize, during an evening rally at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle, Washington, January 25, 2022. Representatives from local unions hold signs in support of workers of two Seattle Starbucks locations that announced plans to unionize, during an evening rally at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle, Washington, January 25, 2022. Credit - Jason RedmondAFP/Getty Images Joseph Nappi is a 20-year-old Starbucks barista and Cleveland State University political science major. Hes also learning how to be a union organizer. My family is a union family, Nappi says. His late grandfather was the president of the United Steelworkers of America union in Ashtabula, Ohio. They gave my grandfather a fantastic pension that allowed him to send my dad and his brothers to school, Nappi says. We still get benefits from his pension now to help afford my grandmothers memory care. If it wasnt for United Steelworkers, I dont know where we would be with supporting my grandma. Nappi has been with Starbucks since June of 2021 but moved to his current location in downtown Cleveland in September of last year. Last month, Nappi and a coworker started talking about unionizing. One of the main motivating factors for the partners at this store to try and unionize was our partners in Buffalo, he says. What theyve done out there, I think it really lit a fire under us to start the process of filing for an election and trying to become a unionized Starbucks. Seventeen of the stores 20 partners (Starbucks term for employees) signed union cards. In the age of COVID, the signatures were digital. In December, workers at three company-owned Starbucks stores in Buffalo, N.Y., held votes and hearings in front of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and formally organized with Workers United, a Service Employees International Union affiliate. Two of the three locations voted for the union and are now unionized. Since then, more than 60 (the numbers keep changing daily) company-owned stores across the country, from Massachusetts to California, have filed for union elections, including three in New York City, according to the NLRB. Two of the companies three U.S.-based flagship stores/roasteries have filed; one is in Seattle, the other in New York City. Starbucks opposes the unionizing efforts and has set up a website outlining its stance. The company has been accused of union-busting efforts, including firing employees involved in organizing their stores. Employee-led marches and rallies were planned across the country for Tuesday after the company fired seven employees in Memphis, Tenn. Union organizers allege that the firing was in retaliation to their trying to organize their store. Story continues This union organizing has a very different image than the picket lines and factory floors of previous generations. Many of the Starbucks organizers are in their 20sthe average age of a barista is 24and are tweeting their calls to unionize, running Zoom onboarding meetings for other would-be organizers, and holding organizing get togethers in their living rooms or at local bars. Nappi says that most people think of traditional union jobs as steel workers, teachers, or construction trades. But we live in this new time, during whats been called the Great Resignation, he says. Its really turned everything upside down. Workers are finally realizing that they have this right to organize and that they can demand more from their employers. Thats what were doing at Starbucks. We dont want to be part of the Great Resignation because we like our jobs and we want to keep working at Starbucks. But we want to make Starbucks a better place to work for all of us. In Buffalo, N.Y., Cortlin Harrison echoes that sentiment. When the 25-year-old was looking for a job last fall, he started blanketing local Buffalo businesses with his resume, hoping to get a response. For most of the jobs, he simply uploaded his resume to a career website and hit send. But he took a lot more time and care with his Starbucks application, he says. He had heard about the many benefits the company provides, and about his neighborhood store possibly becoming the first one to unionize. Harrison says that as a teenager, he worked for numerous fast-food companies: McDonalds, Burger King, and Subway. None of them really cared about the workers, so I felt no loyalty to them, he says. And none of them offered the benefits Starbucks does; Harrison was especially interested in college tuition being covered. But even with all the benefits, at the end of the day, it comes down to pay, he says. Its great that they offer health insurance and they offer to pay for my school, but if I cant afford my rent, what does any of that matter? Harrison signed his union card his first day on the job. Its exciting, he says. Im working at the first American store to unionize. Its a big deal. I think what we do here sets the tone for what other stores can accomplish. I think that all the eyes are on us right now. Some of the older workers, who have worked for the company longer, were behind the initial push for the union. Michelle Eisen, 38, works at the same Buffalo store as Harrison and has been working at Starbucks for a little more than 11 years, both part time and full time. In her 20s, she took the job because her other job as a production stage manager didnt have benefits. I needed a job that would provide those benefits for me. And Id heard really great things about Starbucks as a company and how flexible they were and the benefits they provided, she says. They really were that company when I started with them. But Eisen says she has noticed a pretty big decline the last four years with the cost of benefits going up while the coverage goes down, among other changes. It has been a pretty clear shift from partners to profits, she says. Its very much, Get a body in there and get them to produce as much as they can produce in whatever time period theyre able to give you. And then whatever happens to them doesnt really matter. Its been very disappointing to see this change. The problems only magnified under the pandemic, she says. Starbucks really capitalized on the fact that, because they remained open throughout all of this as a company, it represented to their customers and the public the last ditch of normalcy: no matter what was going on in the world with COVID, you could still get in your car and drive to your local Starbucks and get your caramel macchiato, she says. It began this push within the company to not only produce at the rate we were producing pre-COVID, but to exceed those expectations, at any cost, in my opinion. The changes felt too big and unsafe for Eisen, so she planned to leave in fall 2021, after her next stock vesting period. But then, suddenly, this opportunity to organize and form a union and have some sort of voice where we felt like we didnt have one presented itself, she says, And thats what brought me to this cause. The action in Buffalo struck a chord with young baristas across the country, like Nappi in Ohio. When I first started thinking about organizing, it had been after seeing what was going on in Buffalo, and the swift corporate reaction, says Kylah Clay, 24, who works at a store in Boston, Mass. It was a very slow process of very discreetly speaking with people to get a gauge on how they feel about it and then eventually forming a small committee and a lot of logistics from there. Before the union drive, Clay and Tyler Daguerre, 26, had never met, just lived parallel lives: working at different Starbucks in the Boston area while going to law school. But when both of their stores decided to unionize, the first two in Massachusetts, they quickly became the de facto leaders and began helping people at other stores do the same. Now the two talk like friends who have known each other for years, laughing simultaneously and finishing each others sentences. For Daguerre, it has been nonstop activity since his Brookline store filed paperwork back in December. It has actually been crazy. We were just doing another onboarding meeting with someone yesterday who was a partner for seven years. We have another partner whos been with Starbucks more than 10 years who wanted to do it. But then I also got a message today from someone who has only been working at Starbucks for a week and is asking how they can get involved and how they can get their store on board, says Daguerre. Most of the initial meetings for the Boston area store took place either on Zoom or at Kylah Clay's apartment. Courtesy Kylah Clay The majority of organizing is virtual and all of the onboarding meetings are conducted via Zoom, says Clay. While this approach poses some challenges, it allows organizers to communicate and collaborate with baristas across the nation, she says. Were helping the organizers by essentially onboarding them and giving them all the information we have. They dont have to reinvent the wheel. We are helping them through the process and kind of streamlining things so that way, once they feel ready, they dont have to go through all the hoops and logistics. When a worker emails Clays team wanting to learn more, they set up an initial meeting via Zoom and run through a broad overview of unionizing. Then she follows up to focus on the step-by-step details. Once theyre ready, our team in Massachusetts prepares starter kits with union signing cards, shirts, and buttons so they can get the process kicked off, says Clay. I help them gather everything for their petitions and provide this information to the union attorneys for filing. Clay has already helped onboard 10 stores. At first, wed get connected to baristas interested in unionizing their store through coworkers, she says. Now, weve been doing outreach and visiting stores to spread the word and help them get connected to our team. Grant Graves, 22, has been carefully watching unionizing efforts like Clays in Boston and others elsewhere via social media at his barista job at a Starbucks in Gainesville, Fl. The University of Florida senior has been working at Starbucks on and off since 2016. Shirts and cards for the starter packs being delivered to folks in the Greater Boston area. Courtesy Kylah Clay Before the union success in Buffalo, most partners did not think unionization was possible within Starbucks, he says. Now, I think many more are hopeful that unionization could become a reality. But Graves isnt so sure his storeor others in Florida, even the one in Tallahassee that organized last monthwill be successful. To be perfectly honest, here in Florida, I think it is more likely that my fellow partners and I will be fired for trying before actually achieving union representation, but I think it is worth trying anyways, he says. When customers have asked about union prospects, he has had to tell them he is not allowed to discuss it while on the clock. But he has definitely felt the support in subtle and not so subtle ways. One [customer] changed the name on their mobile order to Union Strong, he says. FG Trade / Getty Images mentatdgt / Shutterstock.com Google Google CEO Sundar Pichai sent a memo to employees in July that updated the company's policy. It stated that Google was requiring anyone coming to work on company campuses had to be vaccinated. The policy was rolled out in the U.S. throughout the summer and was expanded to other regions into the fall. The company extended its global voluntary work-from-home policy, but that extension expired on Oct. 18. By year's end, the company had doubled down. CNBC reported in December that Google had announced a new policy, as many employees still remained unprotected with 2022 approaching. The company took an impatient tone in telling its workers that those who remained unvaccinated by Jan. 18 would be put on paid administrative leave for 30 days, then unpaid leave. Any remaining holdouts are to be terminated after that grace period ends this spring. Modern Money Etiquette: Can You Ask Your Co-Worker If They Are Vaccinated? JasonDoiy / iStock.com Facebook Another Silicon Valley giant announced its own mandatory vaccination policy in late July right on the heels of Google, according to CNN. "As our offices reopen, we will be requiring anyone coming to work at any of our U.S. campuses to be vaccinated," Lori Goler, Facebook's VP of people said in a statement to CNN. "We will have a process for those who cannot be vaccinated for medical or other reasons and will be evaluating our approach in other regions as the situation evolves," she added. Also like Google, Facebook's parent company Meta doubled down on its own directive in December -- although the social media giant had a different goal in mind. The Wall Street Journal reported at the end of 2021 that Facebook was delaying the full reopening of its offices until March to give employees time to get their booster shots -- which the company also made mandatory. Facebook Stock: Is It a Good Buy Right Now? alexfan32 / Shutterstock.com Lyft As of Aug. 2, all employees working in Lyft's offices are required to be vaccinated, CNN reported, citing an email that Lyft CEO Logan Green sent to employees. Story continues The email also noted that, in addition, That timeline, however, wasn't in the cards. While Lyft did fully open its offices in February as planned, the space is meant only for employees who want to return voluntarily. On-site work will now remain optional all year long until 2023, at least, according to Bloomberg. It's important to note, however, that the mandate is for office workers only -- neither Lyft nor Uber require their drivers to get vaccinated. Compare: The Average Uber and Lyft Prices Then vs. Now -- Is the Cost Still Worth It? Shutterstock.com Netflix Netflix was the first major studio to implement a blanket policy mandating vaccinations for the casts of all of its U.S. productions, as well as those who come into contact with them on set. In July, the new return-to-work protocols agreed upon by the Hollywood unions and major studios gave producers "the option to implement mandatory vaccination policies for casts and crew in Zone A (which consists of the actors and those who come in close proximity to them) on a production-by-production basis," according to Deadline. Shortly after that announcement, Netflix expanded its vaccine mandate to include all of its office employees, as well as all visitors to its offices, according to Variety. Net Worth: Michael Douglas, Gillian Anderson and 12 More Rich Netflix Show Actors and Actresses Grandbrothers / iStock.com Union Square Hospitality Group Danny Meyer, founder and CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group -- which includes Shake Shack -- told CNBC that the group will require indoor diners and drinkers at its restaurants to show they've been vaccinated against COVID-19. The mandate also applies to current employees and new hires. The group's website has a statement that reads: "In an effort to keep our community safe, anyone five and older who wishes to dine indoors must show proof that they are fully vaccinated. Our teams are required to be fully vaccinated as well." "This is the most logical thing I've ever seen," Meyer told CNBC. "I'm not a scientist, but I know how to read data and what I see is that this is a crisis of people who have not been vaccinated, and I feel strong responsibility, on our part as business leaders, to take care of our team and our guests, and that's what we're doing." BalkansCat / Shutterstock.com American Express On Nov. 15, American Express chairman and CEO Stephen J. Squeri released this statement: "As part of this ongoing commitment and in light of pending federal government mandates, starting this Thursday, November 18 and until further notice, we will require all colleagues to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to work in or visit any of our offices in the United States." The Amex chief went on to say that employees who weren't vaccinated or who preferred not to share their vaccination status could apply to work remotely if their jobs were compatible. lentamart / Shutterstock.com Citigroup On Oct. 28, The New York Times reported that Citigroup had become the first big U.S. bank to make vaccination mandatory for all its employees. By January 7, the company announced that it had reached 90% compliance, according to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). Just one week later on Jan. 14, compliance was at 99% -- excluding branch workers who were given extra time to comply -- and Citi was moving to terminate the last holdouts. Proxima Studio / Shutterstock.com Ford Most recently, Ford joined the list of industry giants that are requiring their employees to get the vaccine -- but the mandate applies only to Ford's 32,000 salaried employees. According to a CNBC report from Nov. 3, the ruling does not apply to factory workers, Ford Credit employees, or any of the 57,000 Ford employees who are represented by the United Auto Workers union (UAW). Shortly after it announced the mandate, Ford pushed back the deadline to January. The automaker's own press release said the reason for the delay was the large number of medical and religious exemption requests it received. More From GOBankingRates Yael Bizouati-Kennedy contributed to the reporting for this article. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Google, Netflix and More To Require Vaccines for Workers Is Your Company on This Growing List? Feb. 18The Kern County grand jury released a report Thursday claiming the Kern County Fire Department must upgrade or replace aging facilities, reduce firefighters' exposure to diesel exhaust and find new recruits. "As a facility ages, it may no longer meet the needs of an evolving workforce and community," the report said. "This can negatively affect efficiency, morale, safety, security and overall efforts to provide quality fire, rescue and emergency medical services." The report begins by acknowledging the Kern County Board of Supervisors conducted an analysis of KCFD through the Center for Public Safety Management in 2017, which addressed many similar concerns. Of the 62 recommendations, 55 instances have been fixed or are currently in progress. The grand jury sought to address unfinished items from the CPSM report, and other issues discovered during the investigation. Ryan Alsop, Kern County's chief administrative officer, said the county understands work still needs to be done, but referenced the Board of Supervisors' investment of more than $10 million to replace fire engines, bulldozers and other vehicles. Some difficulties also arise when trying to make these upgrades, he said. "There is a backlog of infrastructure and equipment need, and that is something that we are working with our fire chief to address," Alsop said in an emailed statement. "It's not an overnight fix, replacing helicopters and fire stations is tens of millions of dollars in each instance, but we are currently working to get our county into a position where our backlog of these projects is largely eliminated and additional funding for these critical investments can be provided more rigorously." A "significant number" of KCFD facilities are "well past their serviceable" life, according to the grand jury. Nine stations are more than 60 years old. The oldest facility Station 53 on Old River Road and Taft Highway is 71 years old, the report states. The document claims fire stations have a service life of approximately 50 years. Story continues The grand jury also visited numerous fire stations and documented other concerns for a variety of stations. Station 45 on Edison Highway had exposed rebar, water-damaged ceiling tiles and cracks on the exterior wall. A bathroom remodel was completed, and all water damage was repaired this fiscal year, KCFD Chief Aaron Duncan said in an email. Next month, the department plans to resurface, texture and paint the exterior of the station, he added. The report also states the facilities' exercise area is located in the department's Fleet Maintenance shop. "This area is a major health concern," said the grand jury in the report. "Firefighters are exposed to diesel exhaust, carbon monoxide, metallic abrasion particles, sulfates and silicates." Duncan did not answer a question about this claim; however, the chief said an official response will be given to the Board of Supervisors within 90 days. The report also claims a diesel exhaust removal system is missing in seven stations, while 39 facilities possess the filtration. Furthermore, 28 stations are missing back-up power generators or a fire sprinkler suppression system, according to the grand jury. "A fire or power outage at any station would disrupt the entire KCFD operations," the report states. Duncan said he has received $1.2 million in grants that will buy 32 generators this fiscal year for fire stations without a back-up generator or an outdated generator. KCFD struggles to find new recruits, the report said, "which leads to mandated overtime, sleep deprivation and burn-out." Duncan said staffing is a "top priority." He added the current budget funds all safety positions, and has created a bridge program for Kern County Fire Department Seasonal Wildland Firefighters to become full-time firefighters. Moreover, he added 27 recruits graduated in January 2022 and 19 recruits began training Jan. 31. The grand jury recommends the KCFD develop a plan to replace or repair stations 50 years or older over the next five to 10 years. Funding should be secured by the Board of Supervisors and by tapping into President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, according to the report. KCFD invests money each fiscal year to address the backlog of equipment and infrastructure needs, Duncan said in an email. The county has 90 days to provide an official response to the grand jury report. You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @idesai98 on Twitter. Two children were found dead at Greenridge Crescent Playground. (SCREENSHOT: Google Maps) SINGAPORE The man charged with murder over the death of an 11-year-old boy was handed a fresh charge over the death of the boy's twin brother at the State Courts on Friday (18 February). Xavier Yap Jung Houn, 48, had earlier been charged with the alleged murder of Ethan Yap E Chern between 4.23pm and 6.25pm on 21 January at a covered canal located at Greenridge Crescent playground in the Upper Bukit Timah area. Following his first charge on 24 January, Yap was handed a similar charge on Friday over the alleged murder of Aston Yap Kai Shern, Ethan's twin brother, between 4.23pm and 6.18pm at the same location on the same day. His earlier charge was amended on Friday to state that Ethan was also killed between 4.23pm and 6.18pm. No explanation was given over the delay in the second charge. The prosecution, seeking an adjournment, told the court that while Yap's Institute of Mental Health report was ready, he was still pending a medical report and a report from the Health Sciences Authority. The medical report concerns injuries sustained by Yap during the incident. Yap has a pre-trial conference fixed in the High Court for 12 April and will return to the State Courts on 26 April for a further mention of his case. His lawyer Anil Singh Sandhu did not object to the adjournment and said he would be seeing Yap, who appeared on Friday via videolink, next week. The police earlier said that Yap called the police hotline at about 6.25pm on 21 January asking for help at a playground along Greenridge Crescent. Officers arrived to find Ethan and Ashton dead in a nearby canal. According to media reports, the twins were special-needs children. If convicted of murder under section 302(1) of the Penal Code, Yap faces the death penalty. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore It's a great place to visit or shop The new street is nice but shops have disappeared I have no reason to go there Vote View Results Hoboken students of all ages read poetry, performed theater monologues and sang gospel music at "More than a Month," an event honoring members of the Amistad Commission and the Hoboken chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on Wednesday night. You should ask your grandparents if you want to learn more" about Rosa Parks, second grader Zaara Ella Lalani said at the end of her speech, sparking a laugh out of the audience gathered in Hoboken High Schools auditorium. The 22-member state-appointed Amistad Commission is a panel of scholars and experts who help implement the teaching of African American contributions and experiences and the history of slavery in America to New Jersey's K-12 students. "You with all your talk and dreams about Africa! You still think you can patch up the world. Cure the Great Sore of Colonialism with the Penicillin of Independence !" Janiyah Ramos read from Lorraine Hansberry's 1959 watershed play about a black family in Chicago, "A Raisin in the Sun." Story continues below the gallery Touching upon another legacy of colonialism, outside the United States, the high school chorus sang "Siyahamba," a liberation song written during the apartheid movement in South Africa. From modeling high expectations to assisting with complex situations, Superintendent Christine Johnson thanked the Amistad Commission for its impact on the school and on curriculum, and the NAACP of Hoboken for working with the school to draw attention to the urgency of examining the root causes of race-related divisions. This content area, this subject, is the key to bridging the reality with social awakening, said Johnson, a former high school history teacher. Did you know?: 20 things to know for Black History Month: Test your knowledge A closer look: Why those killed in apartment fires are more likely to be Black or poor Americans New Jerseys Amistad Commission was the first created in the country with a mandate for African American history in all the K-12 content areas, said Stephanie James Harris, executive director of the commission. Story continues Named after a ship carrying African slaves who won their freedom by overthrowing the crew in the 1830s, it was signed into law in 2002 to educate citizens and students of New Jersey about the African slave trade, slavery in America, its impact and the contributions of African Americans. Hoboken schools celebrate Amistad Commission at Hoboken High School on Wednesday Feb. 16, 2022. Brielle Willis reads "I am Coretta Scott King." The Murphy administration signed a law in 2021 allowing the commission to operate from within the state Department of Education, but as an independent entity with its own budget. The 2021 law also updated the mandate to include uniform standards for schools. Language in the law expanded the scope of the mandate to include a curriculum that de-marginalizes people, Harris said. Were all also kind of piggybacking off each other so that were giving a full offering, she said about New Jersey curricula that are modeled on the Amistad and Holocaust commissions to better represent the state's social fabric the LGBTQ and Hispanic Heritage commissions, and a new law passed in January that requires teaching about Asian American and Pacific Islander contributions in schools. All of them are allowing us to understand the importance of our representation, she said. Hoboken schools celebrate the Amistad Commission at Hoboken High School on Wednesday Feb. 16, 2022. Journey Goodwin receives flowers after her performance of the poem "The Hill We Climb" as Gwen White (right) hands off some papers to Christopher Munoz (left.) Fuller representation that goes beyond Black history is enshrined in language in the Amistad mandate. The law says its purpose is also for New Jerseyans to learn the role their communities and cultures have had in forming the nation by promoting the self-esteem, confidence, and identity of students who previously may not have learned about past and living examples of people of their own cultural identity who have had positive impacts upon the American story. The "More than a Month" event was scheduled for February in honor of Black History Month. Mary Ann Koruth covers education for NorthJersey.com. To get unlimited access to the latest news about New Jersey's schools and how it affects your children, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Email: koruthm@northjersey.com Twitter: @MaryAnnKoruth This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Hoboken NJ schools honor Amistad Commission, NAACP By James Pomfret HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong on Friday postponed an election for a new leader until May to battle a raging COVID outbreak, but unlike previous years, there's still no front-runner for the job, adding to uncertainty about the city's future as Beijing imposes its rule. The former British colony returned to China in 1997, since when there have been four chief executives, all of whom struggled to balance the democratic aspirations of some residents with the vision of China's Communist Party leaders. All of the city's leaders have been backed by Beijing and chosen by a small committee stacked with Beijing loyalists. But unlike previous times, where likely candidates have signalled their intention to run months in advance, there's no clear favourite. Diplomats, government sources and political observers say that's partly because there's no obvious indication of China's favourite in the "chief executive election" that had been due on March 27 but has now been pushed back till May 8 to allow time for the government to battle a deteriorating COVID outbreak. "Suddenly there's a lot of shadow play," one senior Western diplomat said. "The protracted sense of uncertainty surrounding this election cannot be a good thing." Whoever gets the job will be expected to maintain China's hardline stance on dissent, some observers say, and further squeeze remnant liberal pockets of Hong Kong society with more security legislation expected to be drafted this year. Parallel to that, Hong Kong's next leader will have to attempt to re-launch the city internationally after widespread Western criticism over the security squeeze that followed months of at times violent pro-democracy protests in 2019. Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Friday again skirted questions on whether she would seek another term and her office gave no immediate response to a Reuters request for comment. Story continues Among the contenders being discussed in political circles are Lam, financial secretary Paul Chan, former leader Leung Chun-ying, the China-born former head of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Charles Li, and pro-Beijing lawmaker Martin Liao. NEW PAGE? One source with ties to senior Chinese officials said China had not yet made up its mind on whether to allow Lam to stay on for a second term, adding she was under a shadow for her handling of events that led up to the 2019 protests. "I know Beijing feels they made a mistake" in choosing Lam when she got the job in 2017, said the person, who has met leading Chinese officials in charge of Hong Kong affairs. "She's damaged goods in their eyes, but finding a suitable alternative has been difficult." Lam has also been sanctioned by the United States for her role in the crackdown on the protests, which could be a liability, analysts say. "The Chinese government's rational choice would be to change horse and to appoint someone who's not been targeted by the sanctions, to start on a new page," said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a Hong Kong-based professor and China politics expert. The surge of COVID infections after many months of containing the virus with tough restrictions has also re-enforced public perceptions of a government unable to handle crises. This week, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Hong Kong to make COVID containment its "overriding mission" in what some, including Cabestan, saw as a clear rebuke of Lam. Lam on Friday said she'd decided to postpone the election using powers under emergency regulations, and that she'd obtained the "consent" of Beijing. While Lam hoped a new leader would still have time to take office on July 1 after her current term ends, she said she couldn't rule out the possibility of further delays to the poll. "The epidemic situation is changing so rapidly so no one can give any guarantee what will happen the next day," she said. (Additional reporting by Greg Torode; Editing by Nick Macfie) If you're planning to travel abroad, you've probably already spent hours researching the testing requirements for your flight or cruise. But have you thought yet about finding a hotel with coronavirus testing and quarantine facilities at your destination? The rules are pretty simple for traveling back to the U.S. You have to either take an antigen test a day before your return trip or show documentation that you've recovered from COVID-19 in the past 90 days, according to the CDC. Meaning that if you get infected while you're on vacation or can't get a test in time, you'll be extending your stay whether you like it or not. "You have to schedule a test for your return trip as soon as possible," advises Joe Cronin, CEO of International Citizens Insurance, which provides insurance to expats, global travelers and digital nomads. "Testing centers often book up quickly, especially just before the weekend when there are large numbers of people scheduled to check out all at the same time." Despite the recent omicron surge, this summer will be a busy one for international travel. And many Americans will leave without giving much thought to testing or quarantine facilities at their destination. "A common misconception among travelers is that most hotels will offer COVID testing," says Christine Petersen, CEO of smarTours, a tour operator. "While COVID testing is common at resorts, particularly in the Caribbean, it isnt common at a regular hotel. You need to do your homework." TRY OUR TRAVEL NEWSLETTER: Get the latest headlines in your inbox daily How to find a testing center before you go There are online directories of testing facilities worldwide. For example, Borderless, a project of the insurance site SafetyWing, publishes a list of government-approved hotels you can quarantine in, along with coronavirus testing facilities. Working with a knowledgeable travel adviser also helps. Becca Fritz, a marketing manager for Alluring Africa, a travel agency specializing in safaris, says she makes sure her clients are booked in a property that offers rapid tests. Story continues "For all the lodges we work within our key destinations like Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and South Africa, we can easily arrange testing directly at the property," she adds. You can also contact the hotel or tour operator directly. DISNEY PARKS UPDATE MASK RULES: Vaccinated guests will only need to wear face masks in a few places "Travelers shouldnt be afraid to ask questions," says Rajeev Shrivastava, CEO of VisitorsCoverage.com, a global travel insurance marketplace. Specifically, find out the most recent COVID-19 regulations, as well as the cost of a test and quarantine. That's what Alex Beene did when he needed to find testing facilities for a trip to Paris. He called his hotel, the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome, to see if it could help him. A representative offered two options. Although the Park Hyatt didn't have testing facilities, it could arrange an on-site test. Or he could go to a pharmacy. He chose the former. "A nurse quickly administered the test and got back my results in a few hours," says Beene, a community coordinator in Nashville, Tennessee. "It made the whole process vastly easier and significantly less stressful." How to find a quarantine hotel If you book through a site like Hotels.com, you can access information about quarantine hotels. Properties can update their hygiene and cleanliness policies on the site and provide details about vaccine and testing requirements. Its on-site messaging feature, which offers a direct link between hotels and guests, lets you find information about quarantine facilities, if necessary. Travelers can quarantine in single occupancy rooms booked on Hotels.com, adds Melissa Dohmen, a company spokeswoman. Some countries publish directories of their quarantine hotels. For example, Qatar's Ministry of Public Health has a list of approved quarantine hotels on its site. These properties will always offer ready access to testing because of their status as a designated quarantine hotel. Other hotels go out of their way to welcome potential quarantine guests. For example, Baha Mars Travel with Confidence program guarantees that if you test positive for COVID-19 during your stay, the hotel will offer courtesy accommodations and a daily dining credit of $150 per person per day, for up to 14 days in quarantine. Or, if. you need to return sooner it will fly you from Nassau back to South Florida at no extra cost. Ideally, a hotel should offer both testing and quarantine options. In the most popular tourist destinations, resorts will let you stay there and quarantine at a reduced rate. Your travel insurance may cover the additional expense, but check the fine print. You'll need at least $5,000 in trip interruption coverage, and depending on the destination, you may require more. 'IT IS TIME TO ADJUST OUR APPROACH': Canada to ease entry requirements as COVID cases drop Finding a hotel with COVID testing and quarantine facilities is more important than ever Making the proper arrangements is absolutely critical these days. I know because I recently found myself 12 time zones away from home in the United Arab Emirates with an infected son. We'd tested negative when we landed in Dubai. But health regulations in the UAE required us to take another test a few days after arriving, and when we did, my 17-year-old had a positive result. Our hotel, the Anantara Eastern Mangroves Abu Dhabi, helped us arrange on-site tests and a quarantine, which allowed him to focus on recovering and continuing with our trip as soon as possible. It wasn't easy, but booking the right hotel in the right place saved us from a world of trouble. CDC: U.S. travelers should avoid 135-plus destinations due to COVID What if you forgot to make testing arrangements? If you're in a hotel, call the concierge. That's the advice of Maria Tsiomou, a spokeswoman for The St. Regis Abu Dhabi. Her hotel offers on-site testing, but it can get busy during times of high occupancy. "We can also direct guests to the closest express result center for a PCR test or arrange in-room PCR testing," she says. Contact your travel agent. If your travel adviser did a good job choosing the hotel, it should be easy to make arrangements. "We choose hotels based on their ability to arrange for PCR tests for the guests on-site at the hotel," explains Sangeeta Sadarangani, CEO of Crossing, a multinational travel agency headquartered in London. Call your travel insurance company. Try reaching out to your insurance company by phone or app. Allianz, for example, has the TravelSmart app, that offers 24/7 assistance with almost any trip-related problem or question. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Traveling? How to find COVID testing, quarantine facilities at hotels Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he will ask the Illinois Supreme Court to step in after his administration lost an attempt to keep statewide masking and other COVID-19 mitigation measures at schools in place, as about 700 Illinois districts pivot to mask optional policies. The ruling late Thursday dismissing Pritzkers appeal from a midlevel appellate court effectively means Illinois school districts no longer must require students and staff to mask up, though the decision leaves room for school systems to implement their own COVID-19 safety rules. A spokeswoman for Pritzker said Friday the governors office is working with the attorney generals office to request an expedited review of the appellate ruling by the states highest court. In the meantime, the governor urges everyone to continue following the doctors advice to wear masks so students can remain safely learning in classrooms, and is encouraged that the court made it clear that school districts can continue to keep their own mitigations in place, spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said. The anxiously awaited ruling from the 4th District Appellate Court in Springfield came after weeks of chaos and confusion at Illinois schools resulting from a Sangamon County judges ruling that temporarily halted the statewide enforcement of the governors executive orders over rules including mandatory masking. The dismissal of Pritzkers appeal of that ruling arrives just days after a bipartisan panel of Illinois lawmakers voted down a bid from the Illinois Department of Public Health to renew its virus mitigation requirements, including mandatory masking, at schools. The appeals court justices cited that development in Springfield, writing that because the legislative rules committee objected to and suspended the mandates renewal, none of the rules found by the circuit court to be null and void are currently in effect. The justices did not weigh in on whether the governor had properly exercised his authority, or on whether the lower court judge was right to issue the restraining order, but rather found that the failure to renew the health department rules had rendered the appeal moot. Story continues Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement that the appellate courts failure to address the important legal issues in question has added to the confusion resulting from the circuit courts decision prioritizing a relatively small group of plaintiffs who refuse to acknowledge science or the need for public health measures to protect vulnerable Illinois residents. The ruling only addressed the emergency rule that lawmakers blocked, which does not affect the executive orders issued by the governor under the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, including the governors executive order requiring the use of masks in school, the exclusion from school of persons exposed to COVID-19, and testing of unvaccinated school employees working on school premises, Raoul said. The attorney general maintains that Pritzkers executive order continues to apply to all persons not specifically named in the lawsuits before the circuit court. Exactly how the state can or will enforce the governors order, however, remains unclear. Attorney Tom DeVore, who represented Illinois parents in the lawsuit, said the appellate court did a satisfactory job answering the questions that needed to be answered. These cases are not going to go away, and we need to make sure this is not going to happen again, he said. It wasnt immediately clear what impact the ruling would have in districts including Chicago Public Schools, which has kept its mask rule in place, as is set forth in its safety agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union. But in a Friday statement, CPS officials said the district stands by our proven COVID-19 safety mitigation measures and is pleased the Appellate Court has confirmed that the Temporary Restraining Order does not prohibit school districts from independently requiring masks, vaccinations for staff, and requiring individuals who have tested positive or have been exposed to COVID-19 to learn/work from home. We will continue to follow these protocols until such time as our public health partners advise us that restrictions can be safely lifted, officials said. Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey agreed, saying, Nothing changes in Chicago Public Schools, which has a mask mandate and other mitigation in place because of our unions demand for safety. The ruling states the language of the temporary restraining order issued by the lower court in no way restrains school districts from acting independently from the executive orders or the IDPH in creating provisions addressing COVID-19. The Chicago Board of Education, which oversees CPS, is poised to vote on a resolution at Wednesdays monthly board meeting that would ratify district COVID-19 safety measures including universal masking of students and staff; testing for unvaccinated employees; and directing those who test positive or have been exposed to the virus to temporarily stay home. Through the resolution, the board would also reaffirm CPS CEO Pedro Martinezs authority to change district COVID-19 policies in consultation with public health officials and other stakeholders, which presumably include the teachers union. Martinez is due in Sangamon County Court next Friday after two CPS parents who participated in DeVores lawsuit said their children were told this week to wear a mask or leave district property. DeVore argued Martinez and Mount Greenwood Elementary School Principal Catherine Reidy violated the temporary restraining order Grischow issued. The judge ordered Vernon Hills High School Athletic Director Brian McDonald to appear in court after a similar complaint was lodged against Community High School District 128. Grischows Feb. 4 restraining order against nearly 150 school districts found the executive orders on masking and quarantining for schools went beyond the governors authority and deprive students of due process. While some districts immediately dropped their mask mandates, others only exempted students whose families were part of the lawsuit. Brendan Hehir, a CPS parent, and one of plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said his interpretation of the appellate court ruling is that while it allows individual school districts to independently create provisions regarding COVID-19, it strictly prohibits them from universal masking, quarantine, vaccination and testing. CEO Martinez is going to find out how serious of an issue this is next week, when he stands before Judge Grischow and tries to explain why she should not hold him in contempt of court for continuing to break the law, Hehir said. For Naperville resident Gracia Livie, a mother of four and one of the plaintiffs, getting an email from DeVore at 2:30 a.m. Friday morning alerting her of the appellate court decision brought both joy and relief. This decision is a victory for the parents and kids of Illinois, proving that kids have the right to due process and mask choice, said Livie, who has three children who attend Naperville School District 203, including a kindergartner with cerebral palsy who struggled with wearing a mask, which prompted Livie to push back on the governors mandate. While District 203 recently shifted to a mask optional policy, Livie said even before the districts mandate was lifted, her children were allowed to attend classes mask-free following Grischows order. Their week being the only ones unmasked was blessedly unremarkable, in that they were treated just the same as every other child, Livie said. Officials at the Illinois Education Association, the states largest teachers union, said the ruling brings clarity to the unprecedented hardships facing educators in recent weeks. These past few weeks have been tumultuous in schools around the state, IEA President Kathi Griffin said in a Friday statement. They have been described by some as the worst time in our teachers and education employees careers. Schools are supposed to be students safe haven. Thats not what weve been seeing at many of our schools recently. We know school board meetings have been canceled and schools have shut down because of threats and protests. This has to stop, she said. Dan Montgomery, president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, which includes CPS, said in a Friday statement that the appellate court decision makes one thing clear: school districts are free to implement their own safety measures around COVID-19. Since the beginning of this pandemic, we have insisted that proper mitigations are in place to protect students, teachers and staff, and their families, Montgomery said. This was to reduce sickness and death and to keep schools open for in-person learning as much as possible. Todays appellate court ruling does nothing to change that calculus. In the short term, the ruling might add to the confusion that surrounded the issue in recent weeks, with some districts abandoning mask mandates all together and going mask optional, and others keeping masking rules in effect. After the appellate court ruling, IDPH spokeswoman Melaney Arnold said only that schools should follow recommendations made by doctors to keep students and staff safer. Despite CPS staying the course, a soaring number of Illinois school districts are shifting to mask optional a trend unfolding nationwide amid plummeting virus rates, and a public that has grown increasingly weary of the pandemic. That includes Palatine-based Community Consolidated School District 15, which enrolls about 11,500 students at 19 schools. Due to the (legislative panels) decision not to renew the IDPHs emergency rules, our local positivity rates and District-based metrics, and after thoughtful discussion and planning, we have decided to move to a Mask Recommended not Required teaching and learning environment as of Friday, District 15 Superintendent Laurie Heinz said in a Thursday parent letter. Oak Park-River Forest High School Superintendent Greg Johnson said in a Friday parent letter that officials will remove the exclusion requirement for COVID-19 close contacts, but all other COVID-19 safety mitigations, including mandatory masking, will remain in place until the D200 Board of Education has the opportunity to consider updated direction from the districts legal advisors. The rapid shift to mask optional schools statewide is troubling for many parents, including Wheaton resident Erik Hjerpe, who said he is frustrated and concerned that school boards and politicians, rather than public health experts, doctors and scientists, are making these decisions. Given where we are today, many of us just want transparency from our districts, said Hjerpe, who questioned why school districts are easing their virus mitigation efforts despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the IDPH, and the American Academy of Pediatrics continuing to recommend universal masking alongside other COVID-19 protocol for schools. For those who cannot safely be in the schools, what will be done to accommodate them? Hjerpe said. And of importance to all ... what will be done to heal fractured communities and restore civility so that the focus can again be on learning? At the Illinois Association of School Administrators in Springfield, officials were keeping tabs on the quickly shifting policies at schools, and by mid-afternoon, estimated a total of about 700 of the states 850 school districts have moved to mask recommended, but optional. Theres still some uncertainty, but school districts are appreciating the merits of the decision, which confirms they have local discretion, IASA spokeswoman Emily Warnecke said. Three Democrats on the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules panel joined six Republicans in voting earlier this week to quash the IDPH rule on mask mandates in schools while the appellate court case was still pending. On Friday, one of the Democrats, state Rep. Mike Halpin of Rock Island, who is running for a state senate seat in the upcoming election, declined to comment on the appellate court decision. Another Democrat who voted with the Republicans, state Rep. Frances Ann Hurley of Chicago, could not be reached for comment. The third Democrat on the panel, state Rep. Curtis Tarver, said he hasnt yet read the appellate court ruling in its entirety but he voted to halt the IDPH rule because he felt it was only right to respect coequal branches of government and not let an agency enforce a rule that, at the time, was being decided on by the appellate court. I dont vote with, I vote for, and I voted for what I thought was right, said Tarver, a Chicago Democrat. My vote had nothing to do with the arguments (from Republicans). Tarver said he also voted to block the IDPH rule because he felt it would have been improper for the agency to re-institute the same mask guidelines that were already shot down by the Sangamon County judge in the first court opinion. He also noted theres nothing about the courts initial or appellate (opinions that) prevent parents from sending their kids to school without masks on. As a father, he said, his decision is to have his daughter wear a mask to school. State Rep. Keith Wheeler of Oswego, who chairs the panel and was one of the Republican yes votes, said the really appropriate approach wouldve been a mask mandate-related bill brought before the General Assembly, something his GOP colleagues have called for repeatedly. As for the appellate court decision, Wheeler said, I think it means that were getting closer to the finish line ... Whether it goes to the Supreme Court or not, theres a lot of frustration in our state throughout every region of people being just aggravated with a mask mandate. Theres a light at the end of tunnel, he also said. Lets aim at that. GOP candidates running to oust the sitting governor quickly pounced on the ruling as an opportunity to hoist their notion of Pritzkers leadership as tyrannical and egomaniacal. Pritzker is a failure, and I will continue fighting against his tyrannical mandates and empty threats, State Sen. Darren Bailey of Xenia said in a tweeted statement. Its time to restore common sense to Springfield and opportunities to every Illinoisans (sic). Bull Valley businessman Gary Rabine echoed this, tweeting that Pritzker knows better than parents how to raise their kids and better than the courts on how to apply the law. Also taking to Twitter was Petersburg cryptocurrency venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan, who said if he is elected governor, Sullivan will put parents voices first instead of listening to the most extreme voices within the Chicago Teachers Union and in Washington D.C. In an emailed statement, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin called the ruling a win for those who have been victims of Pritzkers unilateral control. A fifth GOP candidate, former state Sen. Paul Schimpf of Waterloo, said he was grateful for the appellate courts ruling because it places the authority for such decisions where it belongs in the hands of parents and local school boards. The appellate decision comes as the omicron variant-driven surge of COVID-19 continues its precipitous decline. As of Thursday night, there were 1,590 COVID-19 patients in Illinois hospitals, down from 2,269 a week earlier and the lowest daily total since Nov. 13. Hospitalizations, the key data point behind Pritzkers decision to lift his mask mandate for most other indoor public places on Feb. 28, reached an all-time high of 7,380 on Jan. 12. Chicago Tribune reporters Tracy Swartz and Rick Pearson contributed. kcullotta@chicagotribune.com By Swati Verma (Reuters) -India's crude oil imports in January slipped from one-year highs hit in the previous month, though fuel demand is expected to recover as several states ease coronavirus restrictions after a decline in cases. Crude oil imports fell about 1.7% to 19.26 million tonnes last month from a year earlier, government data showed on Friday. Lower imports corresponded with the country's oil demand falling 0.2% on an annual basis in January. It's impossible to ignore the impact of the Omicron variant of coronavirus and that along with high oil prices hampered fuel demand in January, said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA. "The price will continue to be a headwind as far as demand is concerned in the near-term but with the country emerging from another COVID wave, I'd expect to see it continue to recover." January crude imports decreased by about 2.6% from the previous month but were 2.9% higher from pre-pandemic levels of December 2019. The International Energy Agency (IEA) in its monthly report said Indian oil demand is projected to increase by 320,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2022, which would surpass the 2019 rate by 40,000 bpd, with LPG/ethane, gasoline and naphtha rising the most. Oil product imports rose 12.4% to 3.43 million tonnes from a year earlier in January, while exports jumped 14.4%. Refiners in Asia are waiting to resume imports from Iran amid hopes of an agreement to revive Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. A refiner from India, Iran's No. 2 customer, is in talks with Iran for sourcing its oil, an Indian refining source said. India's oil imports from Iraq surged to a 29-month high last month, data from shipping and industry sources showed. January oil imports of India's Reliance Industries, owner of the world's biggest refining complex, jumped about 8.3% from December. (Reporting by Seher Dareen and Swati Verma in Bengaluru; editing by Rashmi Aich and Jason Neely) (Corrects typographical error in paragraph 4) By Chavi Mehta and Nivedita Balu (Reuters) - Intel Corp's latest focus on making chips to meet rising demand will give Advanced Micro Devices Inc, its biggest rival in the server and PC market, a chance to build a greater foothold in the segment, analysts said. Intel, which plans large investments in chip technologies in the next four years, said on Thursday it expects revenue from its segment housing PCs to grow in low to mid single digits, and its datacenter and AI business to grow in high teens from 2023 through 2026. The company's shares fell about 6%, while those of AMD slipped 1% on Friday. AMD's market cap briefly breached Intel's earlier this week when it closed its $50 billion Xilinx deal. AMD is now about $1 billion short of Intel's roughly $182 billion market cap, both far from Nvidia's $585 billion. In servers, AMD had less than 5% market share in 2018, but now holds 15%. This could go as high as 25%, WestPark Capital analyst Ruben Roy said. In PCs, he expects AMD market share to reach high 20s from its current 18% to 20% range. "We think share gains will continue as Intel tries to catch up on manufacturing process tech." But Wall Street is less enthused with Intel's latest chip plans, which analysts said lacked "credibility" amid tough competition, and include muted gross margin growth and aggressive spending. Piper Sandler analyst Harsh Kumar said there was no imminent threat to Nvidia and AMD from Intel's ambitious roadmap. "Intel only plans to find its normal cadence but is not really expected to take any meaningful share." Once a market leader in the semiconductor space, Intel gave up its spot to Samsung Electronics in 2021 for the first time since 2018, Gartner data showed, while AMD jumped to the tenth spot from 14. (Corrects typographical error in paragraph 4) (Reporting by Chavi Mehta and Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli) Investors shouldn't 'bottom fish' purely based on how low a stock has tanked, says one veteran strategist. "I wouldn't just try to bottom fish a disaster, simply because a stock has gone down a lot," Liz Ann Sonders, Charles Schwab chief investment strategist told Yahoo Finance Live. "In an environment like this where growth has slowed, we've got negative earnings revisions ratio, you've got the valuation issues that come into much more clarity when you're in a tightening cycle," she added. The divergence in stocks is notable over the last three months, since the Federal Reserve started tapering its balance sheet. Stocks, including Netflix (NFLX), Meta (FB), PayPal (PYPL), Affirm (AFRM), Draftkings (DKNG) and Roku (ROKU), are just some of the stocks which tanked by double digit percentagesin some cases their worst declines everin the aftermath of their latest quarterly results and outlook. Facebook, Meta and TikTok logos are seen in this illustration taken February 15, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration "I don't think any area in the market ... should be viewed with a monolithic lens. I think that's one of the mistakes that investors could make this year," said Sonders. 'The only thing you're using is a drawdown percent. i think what we're seeing is more discernment in terms of investors," said Sonders. "Even among the FAANG-type stocks, the big five, the super seven, the big eight ... huge divergencies in terms of how they're performing. I think that's going to persist," added Sonders. "I think quality value fundamentals matter." Ines is a markets reporter covering stocks. Follow her on Twitter at @ines_ferre Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Flipboard, and LinkedIn By Danielle Kaye NEW YORK (Reuters) - Proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) urged Apple Inc investors to vote for a resolution demanding greater transparency in the iPhone maker's efforts to protect workers in its supply chain from forced labor. Apple will hold its annual shareholder meeting on March 4. Apple and independent third-parties audited the company's global suppliers in 2020 and found no evidence of forced labor, its latest proxy filing said. Apple also releases reports with information on the protection of its supply-chain workers. But independent human rights investigators have reported that some Apple suppliers have participated in the Chinese government's forced labor program in the Xinjiang region, "bringing into question the effectiveness of these policies and procedures," ISS said in a report to investors issued Tuesday. A group of shareholders have asked Apple's board to prepare a report on how the company protects supply-chain workers from forced labor. The request covers the extent to which Apple has identified suppliers and sub-suppliers that are a risk for forced labor, and how many Apple has taken action against. "The big picture dream is that Apple puts in place a much more solid set of policies and procedures, eliminating forced labor from its supply chain and living by its code of conduct which says it has zero tolerance for forced labor," said Vicky Wyatt, campaign director for SumOfUs, a group supporting the shareholder proposal. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in December declined an effort by Apple to skip the shareholder proposal. That same month, American lawmakers passed a bill banning imports from China's Xinjiang region over forced-labor concerns. Apple declined to provide more details, but its proxy said the company rigorously evaluates labor and human rights risks associated with prospective suppliers before signing them up. (Reporting by Danielle Kaye; Editing by Richard Chang) TOKYO (Reuters) - A Japanese health panel approved on Friday a plan for more targeted COVID-19 curbs across much of the nation, as new infections decline but deaths rise to a record level. The government will let limits on mobility and commerce lapse on Sunday in five prefectures where the virus appears to have peaked, but extend curbs until March 6 in 17 more areas where infections are still relatively high. "The priority going forward is to try to hold down serious cases and deaths among the elderly," top health adviser Shigeru Omi told reporters after a meeting of the panel, whose plan was expected to be officially approved later in the day. New deaths rose to a record 271 on Thursday, a tally by national broadcaster NHK showed, exceeding 200 for the third straight day. February's 2,446 deaths make it the second-deadliest month in the two-year pandemic. A panel of health experts said this week that a surge of cases caused by the infectious Omicron variant appeared to have peaked, but hospital admissions and deaths were likely to continue, chiefly among the elderly. Kyoto University professor Hiroshi Nishiura estimated 4,339 deaths in the Omicron wave between January and April 20, with more than 70% in their 80s or older, but added that booster doses of vaccine could help reduce that figure. The BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron, found in several countries such as Britain and Denmark, poses a potentially higher risk to global health than the more common BA.1, researchers in Japan said in a pre-print study https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.14.480335v1.full.pdf this week. It said BA.2 was more resistant to vaccine-induced immunity than BA.1, and more pathogenic in hamsters, though other studies have suggested similar severity. "We don't see any difference in terms of severity between BA.2 and BA.1," Maria Van Kerkhove, a technical lead for the World Health Organization told a briefing this week. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has pledged to accelerate Japan's booster programme, which has covered just 12% of the population. (Reporting by Rocky Swift; Additional reporting by Jennifer Rigby; Editing by Richard Pullin and Clarence Fernandez) Marie-Elena studied creative writing, art, and photography at University of Nebraska at Omaha, graduating with a BA in Studio Art -Visual Media. She moved to California from Nebraska in 2019 and is happy to call Calaveras County her home. Comment Policy Calaveras Enterprise does not actively monitor comments. However, staff does read through to assess reader interest. When abusive or foul language is used or directed toward other commenters, those comments will be deleted. If a commenter continues to use such language, that person will be blocked from commenting. We wish to foster a community of communication and a sharing of ideas, and we truly value readers' input. Jeremy Main is escorted from court Friday after being sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his 17-month-old daughter, Makenzie. TAVARES Jurors Friday rejected the states bid for the death penalty for Jeremy Main, the man who drowned his 17-month-old baby in 2017 when his wife told him she wanted a divorce. They unanimously agreed that the act was heinous, atrocious, and cruel, and agreed with the statutory aggravators that Makenzie was younger than 12 and she was killed by a family member. But they rejected the notion that he had committed the murder in a cold, calculated premeditated way. They also agreed there were at least two mitigating factors in the life of the man marked from birth by a shortage of oxygen, and a life of physical and emotional abuse, deep depression, and borderline personality. But not every juror believed the Main, who declined to be interviewed by the Daily Commercial, should be executed for his crime. Florida statute requires that a 12-member jury reach a unanimous decision for a death sentence. There was no indication of what the vote was. Circuit Judge James Baxley sentenced Main to life in prison without the possibility of parole. This is the last photo of Makenzie Main taken before her her death on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. The child's father, Jeremy Main, was found guilty of killing Makenzie in the bathtub of the family's Lady Lake home. Main was sentenced to life in prison on Feb. 18, 2022. The verdict: Jury finds Jeremy Main guilty of murdering his baby; he could face the death penalty More from the penalty phase: Prosecution experts testify in Jeremy Main death penalty trial Psychologist: Jeremy Main could not 'appreciate the consequences' of drowning his baby 'He was not put in good soil' Assistant State Attorney Ryan Williams said the murder was cruel because, she struggled for air, and to make it stop. Assistant Public Defender Morris Carranza said there was no justification for what Main did, but he talked about Jesus Parable of the Sower in the Bible, where portions of a farmers seeds fall on good soil, while others land among thorns and rocky places. He was not put in good soil, Carranza said. Even the states expert psychologist, Kimberly Brown, said if life was the sea, Main would be in a rowboat. Defense attorneys listed 70 mitigating circumstances, including fear of abandonment. Story continues What does fear of abandonment have to do with it? Williams argued in his closing statement. It was a matter of choice. Defense mental health experts argued during the two-week trial that he could not appreciate the criminality of his conduct, or that he was under the influence of a mental or emotional disturbance. Thats what they all said, Williams said. They stopped short of saying he had no choice. He said the experts are clearly biased, and paid a total of about $100,000 to view cases from a particular perspective. One of those perspectives was in not finding out what Main was thinking on the day he killed Makenzie. One defense psychologist said she was told by the defense team not to ask. Life or death? Penalty phase begins in Lady Lake man's murder trial More trial coverage: Cold: At trial, Lady Lake woman describes ex-husbands tone when he said he killed their child How did Makenzie die? Dueling pathologists testify in Jeremy Main murder trial 'Im relieved' The states expert, Kimberly Brown, asked and he told her it was an accident, that he put her in the bathtub after forgetting to take off her diaper, and left to walk the dog. This statement was made the day after he was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder, so the jury had already rejected that notion. They also dismissed a biomechanical engineers theory that she climbed into the tub and drowned. Main killed Makenzie for one reason, Williams said: To inflict pain and suffering on his wife, Holly Farrington. Jurors were apparently not impressed with the state witness who said Main talked about hurting Holly. That man, a fellow prisoner at the county jail, however, did not say he planned to drown the baby. Williams told Farrington after the trial that he hoped for a death verdict. She thanked him for the job he did. Im relieved, Farrington said after the trial. Im glad this part of its over. I dont know if it makes it any easier to go forward, but this was the outcome I wanted. In her deposition, she said, I personally dont want to wait 14 years for him to die. I think that if he was going to take a plea agreement and just go off to prison for the rest of his life, I think he would be murdered whenever he went to prison, and I would like to see it happen sooner [rather] than later. This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Florida man convicted of murdering his daughter gets life in prison A circuit judge is reviewing a state request to have a former Montgomery police officers bond revoked and order him to begin serving a 14-year sentence for manslaughter. Retired Dale County Circuit Judge Philip McLauchlin held a bond revocation hearing Tuesday morning in Ozark. He did not hand down a decision after the hearing. Aaron Cody Smith, 28, was convicted in November of 2019 in the Feb. 25, 2016 shooting death of Gregory Gunn. Smith, a patrolman, was on duty in the early morning when he approached Gunn for a field interview on McElvy Street. Smith resigned from the force following his conviction. Montgomery police officer A.C. Smith is escorted from the courtroom after a jury convicted him of manslaughter in the death 2016 shooting death of Greg Gunn. Smith shot Gunn seven times during a physical altercation between the two men. He was originally indicted on murder charges, but the convicted him of manslaughter. The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals recently upheld the conviction and sentence for a second time, denying the defenses request for a new hearing, court records show. Smith will be filing an appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court, his attorney. Dwight M. Richardson III, wrote in motion answering the states request to revoke the appeal bond. Richardson argues in the motion that the circuit court doesnt have the authority to revoke the bond until all appeals are exhausted. Montgomery cop AC Smith found guilty of manslaughter in Greg Gunn killing The Montgomery district attorneys office in its motion to revoke bond wrote that Smith was convicted two years ago, and had the conviction upheld on two occasion, and should begin serving his sentence. More: Ex-MPD officer AC Smith sentenced to 14 years in manslaughter shooting death of Greg Gunn The case took more than three years to go to trial after a lengthy process where Montgomery County judges recused themselves from the case. The trial was then moved to Dale County During the four-day trial jurors heard testimony the former officer chased, tased and beat Gunn in a west Montgomery neighborhood before the fatal shooting. Story continues Smith's attorneys at trial argued that Smith feared for his life as a solo, young officer in a "high-crime" area, and that Gunn armed himself with a paint pole from a neighbor's porch, leading Smith to shoot him seven times. Prosecutors argued Smith, with no legal justification, escalated a consensual stop with Gunn to deadly force, shooting and killing the 58-year-old just feet away from the home he lived in with his mother. In January of 2020 McLauchlin, who presided of Smith's trial, sentenced the former officer to 14 years. In March 2020, Smith was released from state custody on the $300,000 appeal bond. He has been out on the appeal bond since. Kirsten Fiscus contributed to this report. Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Judge considers revoking appeal bond in former Montgomery officer's manslaughter conviction CHICAGO After a four-day trial centered largely on Marcus Floyds claims that he could not remember the night Officer Thomas Wortham was killed, a Cook County jury found Thursday that he was, in fact, fit to stand trial for the slaying in 2015. The jurys decision means the case will go back to the appellate court, where the higher court judges can consider any claims of error at this weeks fitness trial or other matters Floyds attorneys have raised in their appeal of his murder conviction. Coming to court and reliving Worthams killing more than a decade after his death was immensely stressful, his family told reporters after the verdict. Every time I hear about someone being killed in Chicago, I think about my son, said Worthams father, Thomas III, a retired Chicago police sergeant. And it bothers me that in this city so many people are killed, every week, every day. So of course I believe that the people who are the offenders should be treated fairly and get a good day in court, but Im asking the city at large, what are we doing about all the killings in Chicago? Worthams sister Sandra told reporters that the wait for a verdict was so tense that she was having a physical reaction. After people get their day in court, weve got to make sure theres a way to sustain justice for families of victims because its unfair to put our physical health at risk, she said. ... Give people a fair day in court and then let victims rest. Theres got to be a way we can fashion laws to do that. In closing arguments Thursday, prosecutors repeatedly stressed that under the law, amnesia about the alleged crime does not necessarily mean someone is unfit for trial. Floyd can understand court proceedings and retain new memories, and his attorneys do not need to rely on his memory to effectively defend him, they argued. If Marcus Floyd has amnesia, his memory is not the only source to defend (against) the crime charged, Assistant States Attorney Mary Jo Murtaugh argued. No evidence of amnesia would impair his ability to defend himself. Hes not handicapped in any way, really, because he claims amnesia. Story continues Floyds attorneys, by contrast, said he would never ever have a fighting chance of assisting his attorneys in these specific circumstances, given that he is the only living witness to anything that might have been said between him, Wortham, and Floyds cousin Brian, who was also killed in the May 2010 shootout. What were they doing that day? Why were you with Brian? Where had you been? Where were you going? Did you know he had a gun? Did you guys have a plan that night? What caused the conversation? Who had what, why did they start shooting, and what was Marcuss state of mind? Assistant Public Defender Brendan Max told jurors. Could Marcus testify about any of this? No. Could he assist his attorney in any of this? No. Jurors began deliberating just before 3 p.m. Thursday and took a little less than four hours to reach a decision. The unusual retrospective fitness trial was ordered by a state appellate court, which determined that there were legal errors during the first proceedings in which Floyd was deemed competent to stand trial. Floyd went on to be convicted of murder at trial in 2015. Prosecutors have alleged that Wortham, 30, was fatally shot as four men tried to rob him of his new motorcycle in front of his parents home in the Chatham neighborhood. Wortham drew his gun, identified himself as a cop and the shootout began, according to prosecutors. Worthams father, Thomas III, testified that he witnessed the encounter and opened fire in his sons defense. Toyious Taylor, driver of the getaway car, and Paris McGee, whom the elder Wortham said fired a shot at him before the two fled, were convicted in 2014 and sentenced to life in prison. Brian Floyd died of injuries suffered in the gunbattle. Marcus Floyd was shot multiple times and was near death. The lack of oxygen to his brain after the shooting led to severe injury with multiple side effects, including amnesia, Floyds attorneys have said. Earlier Thursday, Herschella Conyers, a longtime attorney and law professor at the University of Chicago, testified that Floyds account of what happened that night would be particularly crucial to helping his defense attorney. I can only fully appreciate what my defenses might be if I have as full a range of information as possible about critical pieces of evidence, she said from the witness stand. What a client knows or intended at the time of the offense, and what a client and only a client knows about who can or cannot corroborate that, becomes integral to providing a defense. Conyers does not represent Floyd; rather, she was called to the stand to testify about how Floyds amnesia might affect his ability to assist an attorney. On cross-examination, prosecutors noted that there was copious other evidence available for a defense attorney to examine and investigate as part of preparing a defense. Gov. Laura Kelly's office said this week they believe Kansas can balance a requirement that workers at federally regulated health care facilities be vaccinated against COVID-19 with state laws governing vaccine requirements. Gov. Laura Kelly's office said this week they believe Kansas can balance a requirement that workers at federally regulated health care facilities be vaccinated against COVID-19 with state laws governing vaccine requirements. The issue is particularly acute for workers at state facilities receiving funding from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, including the five state hospitals and two Kansas Department of Veterans Affairs homes in Winfield and Fort Dodge. While a requirement that workers at large businesses be vaccinated or tested weekly for COVID-19 was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, the CMS vaccine mandate withstood legal scrutiny. More: String of worker attacks hit Larned State Hospital, as officials try to address staffing Governor, legislators unconcerned about funding impact In a directive issued earlier this week, Kelly's office instructed the state agencies to consider a law passed during a November special session requiring sweeping medical and religious exemptions for vaccines when complying with the CMS mandate. Also of note, is a provision included in the state budget last year that bars state funds from being expended to implement vaccine passports or vaccine requirements. If Kansas does not institute the CMS requirement in its state facilities, it could lose $46 million in Medicare and Medicaid funding, the governor's office said, though officials are not concerned about losing the funds. "Ive consistently opposed federal COVID-19 vaccine requirements because the responsibility was given to the states from the beginning to make these decisions, Kelly said in a statement. However, in order to protect the millions of dollars in funding Kansas receives and to prevent Kansans tax dollars from going to other states, we must comply with the federal vaccine requirement." It is unclear, however, if the state can implement both its own laws and the federal mandate without running afoul of the CMS requirements. Workers at affected facilities have until March 1 to get their first dose of the vaccine. Story continues A CMS spokesperson said in an email Thursday that states are ultimately responsible for complying with the directives. If they elect not to do so, the federal government can take additional oversight steps and bill the state for the costs, according to an agency memo issued last week. More: Advocates want to end steep electric rate hikes. Kansas regulators, Evergy aren't on board The spokesperson did not say if Kansas' laws would ultimately prevent the state from complying with the CMS mandate, however. Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said legislators were briefed on the matter earlier this week. He believed it to be unlikely that CMS would pull their funding for Kansas' state-run health care facilities. "We're adhering to our state law but also trying to adhere to what the Supreme Court ruled as well," Waymaster said. Some Republicans have pushed the governor to be more active in pushing back against the federal requirements. Attorney General Derek Schmidt, Kelly's main rival in the 2022 governor's race, called on her to follow in the footsteps of Republican officials nationally and requesting CMS waive the vaccine requirement for rural hospital workers. "Already substantially understaffed before the pandemic began, and having lost more vital workers to fatigue because of their dedicated service through the pandemic, many rural facilities face the very real risk of no longer being able to operate or otherwise having to reduce services if even a small number of employees quit or are terminated rather than receive the shot," Schmidt wrote in a letter to Kelly on Tuesday. More: Groups file suit over maps in state court, arguing racial, partisan gerrymandering Kelly nixes mask mandate for state workers Wednesday, Kelly also removed a requirement that state workers wear and visitors to state office buildings wear masks, instead making it a recommendation. A news release from her office said the decision comes as "COVID-19 cases in Kansas continue to decline and the state resumes regular operations." The decision was made easier by the widespread availability of vaccines, the release said. Other parts of the state are reconsidering masking requirements as well. Johnson County commissioners voted 6-1 to end a countywide mask mandate for school children in grades K-6. More: Lawmakers push dozens of voting bills, as GOP's Scott Schwab urges less aggressive path COVID-19 case counts, hospitalizations decline While a surge of infections related to the omicron variant of COVID-19 overwhelmed the state's hospitals and sent case counts skyrocketing, the number of new infections has been on a downward path in recent days. Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Kansas Hospital Association reports from Wednesday show case rates and hospital admissions are declining. Emergency room data indicates the omicron surge peaked statewide during the last full week of January. Despite the improvements, COVID-19 patient counts are still 63% higher than at the same point a year ago. A large number of clusters continue to plague primarily nursing homes, schools, day cares and correctional facilities. "Cases have been certainly going down, but man we still have a lot of patients sick with COVID in our hospital," Nathan Bahr, an infectious disease specialist, said during a Wednesday media briefing from The University of Kansas Health System. Bahr said the pandemic isn't over, despite efforts by politicians to end emergency measures. More: Race is on for a mystery megaproject. Will it doom efforts to eliminate food sales tax? "There are a lot of sick people here," he said. "There are still people dying in our hospital from this. When we talk about moving on ... I think back to my patients that I've seen recently dealing with this disease in the hospital. It's not done for them, it's not done for their families. These levels are high." Patient counts have declined at KU's St. Francis campus in Topeka, said Jackie Hyland, the hospital's chief medical officer. Regardless, she said, people should continue wearing masks and get vaccinated and boosted. "I think wearing a mask does show other people that you care about them and you don't want to get your germs on them," Hyland said. "And what we've seen with the flu and wearing a mask, it proves that it works." The omicron wave is now at the point where hospitals are seeing a surge in deaths. "We are seeing an increase in deaths," Hyland said, adding that the high death rate "is not normal, this is not what we want to expect in health care." Andrew Bahl is a senior statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached at abahl@gannett.com or by phone at 443-979-6100. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas governor on mask mandate, vaccine mandate for state workers Kelly Clarkson is starting a fresh new chapter in her life and she'll be doing it under a different name. The "Piece by Piece" singer, 39, filed a petition Wednesday in the Los Angeles Superior Court to legally change her name to Kelly Brianne. In court documents obtained by NBC, Clarkson, whose middle name is Brianne, said she had the "desire" to change her name for personal reasons. My new name more fully reflects who I am, she explained. The Voice - Season 17 (Art Streiber / NBC) Clarkson's request for a name change comes more than a year and a half after she filed for divorce from husband Brandon Blackstock after nearly seven years of marriage, In her petition for divorce, Clarkson cited "irreconcilable differences" and requested joint custody of the pair's two children: daughter River Rose, 7, and son, Remington, 5. In September 2020, the "Kelly Clarkson Show" host opened up about the pain of divorce to Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist. "I mean, its no secret, she told Geist. My life has been a little bit of a dumpster ... personally, its been a little hard the last couple months. Ive been talking to friends that have been through divorce. I dont know how people go through that without having some kind of outlet because it is the worst thing ever for everyone involved. Two months later, a California judge granted Clarkson primary custody of River Rose and Remington with Blackstock being granted custody a few weekends a month. The Court finds that as this case has proceeded, the level of conflict between the parents has increased, the ruling at the time stated. The parties have a difficult time co-parenting due to issues of trust between them. In July 2021, Clarkson's legal team asked a Los Angeles judge to officially sign off on her divorce, despite the fact that she and Blackstock were still negotiating the divorce's details, including spousal and child support. In her declaration, the Grammy winner said she and Blackstock each deserve the opportunity to build a new life. Story continues Irreconcilable differences have existed and continue to exist between (Blackstock) and me, which have caused our marriage to irretrievably break down, the document read. No counseling or reconciliation effort will be of any value at this time. Meanwhile, the former couple have also been embroiled in another legal battle pertaining to their professional relationship. Blackstocks company filed a lawsuit against Clarkson in September 2020, that alleged Clarkson owed the company $1.4 million in unpaid commissions for her work on The Voice and The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2020. In response, Clarkson countersued, accusing her ex of operating illegally as her manager for years. The Senate on Thursday confirmed President Joe Bidens pick to lead U.S. Central Command as part of a slate of military promotions ahead of the chambers holiday break. Army Lt. Gen. Michael Kurilla, who currently serves as the commander of XVIII Airborne Corps out of Fort Bragg in North Carolina, was approved Thursday evening without objection for the new post leading military operations in the Middle East. He is expected to be sworn into the new post in coming days. Kurilla previously commanded the 82nd Airborne Division and served as CENTCOMs chief of staff. He is best known for his time as a Stryker battalion commander with the 25th Infantry Division in 2005, where he was shot three times during a battle with Iraqi insurgents but continued to fight. The 55-year-old will also be promoted to a four-star general in the move. Hell replace Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, who has led Central Command since March 2019 and is expected to retire in April. CENTCOM needs more resources to counter Afghanistan terror threat: nominee During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month, Kurilla warned lawmakers that theyll need to invest more in intelligence capabilities in the Middle East particularly in Afghanistan if they expect to be able to continue effective counterterrorism operations in the region. He called monitoring of terrorist groups in the region extremely difficult, but not impossible in the wake of the American military exit there last summer. In addition to Kurilla, 780 other non-controversial military promotions were finalized on Thursday by the Senate, including Maj. Gen. Gregg Olson to become director of Marine Corps Staff Headquarters and Maj. Gen. Douglas Sims II to become the Joint Staffs director of operations. Senators also includes Kurillas replacement to command XVIII Airborne Corps, Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue. The corps has about 300 troops in Europe, to support NATO allies amid the ongoing Russia crisis. Story continues Kurilla is currently in Germany with Task Force Dragon, which includes members of the XVIII Airborne Corps deployed to Europe in support of NATO amid growing tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Kurilla flew there immediately after his confirmation hearing ended. Joe Buccino, a spokesman for Kurilla, said in a statement that at this time, Lt. Gen. Kurillas sole focus is on the XVIII Airborne Corps mission in Europe. Reporter Joe Gould contributed to this story. Kyle Walker was sent off during Manchester Citys 2-1 defeat to RB Leipzig in December(DPA/PA) (PA Media) Manchester Citys appeal against Kyle Walkers three-match European ban has failed. The full-back was given his marching orders during the 2-1 defeat to RB Leipzig in the Champions League group stage on December 7, which was a dead rubber for City as they had already secured top spot in Group A. Uefas control, ethics and disciplinary body deemed a foul on Andre Silva as assault which resulted in a three-game suspension being handed to Walker last month instead of the automatic one-match ban for a sending off. While City appealed against the length, it has been rejected by the Appeals Body. The appeal lodged by Manchester City FC is dismissed, a statement from Uefa read. Consequently, the Uefa Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Bodys decision of 25 January 2022 is upheld. The CEDB had decided to suspend Manchester City FC player, Mr. Kyle Andrew Walker, for the next three (3) Uefa club competition matches for which he would be otherwise eligible, for assaulting another player. Walker sat out the first leg of Citys last-16 tie with Sporting Lisbon, which was won 5-0 by Pep Guardiolas side. He will also miss the second leg at the Etihad Stadium on 9 March and, should City progress as expected, the first of a two-legged quarter-final clash which is set to take place in April. MARTIN COUNTY What a top sheriffs official called the largest marijuana-growing operation in at least 20 years in the county burned Thursday at a pole barn structure off Southwest Fox Brown Road. Investigators also found about 150 pounds of marijuana ready for distribution in a home, Sheriffs Chief Deputy John Budensiek said. Between six and eight people we think were living there, and it looks like they left in a hurry, Budensiek said. I think they knew when that fire kicked off that they had to get out. He said a passerby about 3:45 a.m. called in a fire on a 20-acre piece of property. Martin County Sheriff's Office investigates an early-morning fire at a home in western Martin County they say was being used for a large marijuana-growing operation Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, at the 9900 block on Southwest Fox Brown Road. "Around 3:45 this morning, fire rescue received a call of a barn on fire," said Deputy Chief John Budensiek. "It didn't take long based on the amount of the smoke and the smell that this was a marijuana grow that had gone awry. Further investigation shows that this is a significant marijuana grow. It looked like up to 600 plants. We counted 35 stand alone AC units that were powering this operation. It does look like they pirated the power." There were no occupants on the property when fire rescue and deputies arrived at the scene. A smaller operation was also found attached to the main residence. The land is in the 9900 block of Southwest Fox Brown Road, which is between Southwest Martin Highway and State Road 710 in western Martin County. Deputies and firefighters arrived. Quickly into the investigation into fighting the fire based on the smell they realized that they were fighting a fire involving a significant marijuana grow, Budensiek said. 'The only probable suspect': Former deputy named as suspect in 1983 slaying of 11-year-old girl in St. Lucie County Stolen vehicles recovered: Suspected 'chop shop,' stolen vehicles found off Angle Road in St. Lucie County He said the pole barn structure, which is about 5,000 square feet, was fully engulfed and nothing was salvageable. Investigators believe it contained about 600 mature marijuana plants. What was striking to us was just the amount of electricity that this place was generating, he said. About three dozen air conditioning units were there. Air conditioning units are used to keep the interior of the growing area cool because of heat generated by very hot growing lights. He said they got power illegally and were thought to be using stolen transformers. The whole thing was clandestine, even the AC units all 35 of them were either hidden in the trees which kind of looked like a jungle or they were covered in like a dark cloth, kind of like something you use in a nursery where water and a little bit of sunlight would come through but if you flew over in a helicopter or anything you will not see what was there, Budensiek said. Story continues In a Conex container were 50 to 100 baby marijuana plants that didnt burn. He said officials found a house where they believe those responsible lived, but they werent there. In that house was a significant marijuana grow along with north of 150 pounds of finished marijuana that was packaged for distribution, Budensiek said. He said those responsible are thought to have buried discarded items including bottles and chemicals in a hole, and the operation could have been going for years. Martin County Sheriff's Office investigates an early-morning fire at a home in western Martin County they say was being used for a large marijuana-growing operation Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, at the 9900 block on Southwest Fox Brown Road. "Around 3:45 this morning, fire rescue received a call of a barn on fire," said Deputy Chief John Budensiek. "It didn't take long based on the amount of the smoke and the smell that this was a marijuana grow that had gone awry. Further investigation shows that this is a significant marijuana grow. It looked like up to 600 plants. We counted 35 stand alone AC units that were powering this operation. It does look like they pirated the power." There were no occupants on the property when fire rescue and deputies arrived at the scene. A smaller operation was also found attached to the main residence. He said representatives from Florida Power & Light Co. had to shut the power off. The property owner is a woman in Miami, he said. Budensiek said much time was spent collecting evidence, and hes optimistic arrests will be made. Ive been pretty much to every significant (marijuana) grow in Martin County in the last 20 years, he said. This is the largest that I've seen. Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on Twitter @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-692-8936. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com If you're a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest breaking news and crime coverage. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Illegal pot facility and hundreds of marijuana plants burn in fire, MCSO says MUNICH (Reuters) - The West needs to keep talking to Russia to make it more difficult for Moscow to launch an attack on Ukraine, Latvia said on Friday, as two days of increased shelling in eastern Ukraine sparked fears a Russian invasion could be imminent. Diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis must continue, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics told Reuters on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, a three-day gathering of world leaders that looks set to be dominated by the tensions with Russia. "While there are diplomatic efforts going on, it is actually very difficult for Russia to invade (Ukraine) or to do any kind of provocation," Rinkevics said. Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian rebels on Friday reported increased shelling in eastern Ukraine for a second straight day, an escalation that Washington and other Western allies say could form part of a Russian pretext to invade. According to Rinkevics, there are no signs yet that Russia is actually pulling down some of the more than 100,000 troops it has massed on Ukraine's borders, as Moscow had pledged earlier in the week. "We should be really cautious. While we are not seeing the evidence of troops leaving we should presume that actually they are staying," he told Reuters. Rinkevics urged NATO to base troops permanently in the Baltic states should Russia invade Ukraine, giving up the alliance's current principle of deploying troops there on a rotational basis only. "Then I think Russia itself has decided to abandon the NATO Russia founding act (which bans the deployment of major combat units to NATO's eastern flank), and then, yes indeed, I do believe that these troops need to stay for an indefinite period of time or as they sometimes say: permanently," he said. (Reporting by Andreas Rinke, writing by Sabine Siebold; editing by David Evans) After a four-day trial centered largely on Marcus Floyds claims that he could not remember the night Officer Thomas Wortham was killed, a Cook County jury found Thursday that he was, in fact, fit to stand trial for the slaying in 2015. The jurys decision means the case will go back to the appellate court, where the higher court judges can consider any claims of error at this weeks fitness trial or other matters Floyds attorneys have raised in their appeal of his murder conviction. Coming to court and reliving Worthams killing more than a decade after his death was immensely stressful, his family told reporters after the verdict. Every time I hear about someone being killed in Chicago, I think about my son, said Worthams father, Thomas III, a retired Chicago police sergeant. And it bothers me that in this city so many people are killed, every week, every day. So of course I believe that the people who are the offenders should be treated fairly and get a good day in court, but Im asking the city at large, what are we doing about all the killings in Chicago? Worthams sister Sandra told reporters that the wait for a verdict was so tense that she was having a physical reaction. After people get their day in court, weve got to make sure theres a way to sustain justice for families of victims because its unfair to put our physical health at risk, she said. ... Give people a fair day in court and then let victims rest. Theres got to be a way we can fashion laws to do that. In closing arguments Thursday, prosecutors repeatedly stressed that under the law, amnesia about the alleged crime does not necessarily mean someone is unfit for trial. Floyd can understand court proceedings and retain new memories, and his attorneys do not need to rely on his memory to effectively defend him, they argued. If Marcus Floyd has amnesia, his memory is not the only source to defend (against) the crime charged, Assistant States Attorney Mary Jo Murtaugh argued. No evidence of amnesia would impair his ability to defend himself. Hes not handicapped in any way, really, because he claims amnesia. Story continues Floyds attorneys, by contrast, said he would never ever have a fighting chance of assisting his attorneys in these specific circumstances, given that he is the only living witness to anything that might have been said between him, Wortham, and Floyds cousin Brian, who was also killed in the May 2010 shootout. What were they doing that day? Why were you with Brian? Where had you been? Where were you going? Did you know he had a gun? Did you guys have a plan that night? What caused the conversation? Who had what, why did they start shooting, and what was Marcuss state of mind? Assistant Public Defender Brendan Max told jurors. Could Marcus testify about any of this? No. Could he assist his attorney in any of this? No. Jurors began deliberating just before 3 p.m. Thursday and took a little less than four hours to reach a decision. The unusual retrospective fitness trial was ordered by a state appellate court, which determined that there were legal errors during the first proceedings in which Floyd was deemed competent to stand trial. Floyd went on to be convicted of murder at trial in 2015. Prosecutors have alleged that Wortham, 30, was fatally shot as four men tried to rob him of his new motorcycle in front of his parents home in the Chatham neighborhood. Wortham drew his gun, identified himself as a cop and the shootout began, according to prosecutors. Worthams father, Thomas III, testified that he witnessed the encounter and opened fire in his sons defense. Toyious Taylor, driver of the getaway car, and Paris McGee, whom the elder Wortham said fired a shot at him before the two fled, were convicted in 2014 and sentenced to life in prison. Brian Floyd died of injuries suffered in the gunbattle. Marcus Floyd was shot multiple times and was near death. The lack of oxygen to his brain after the shooting led to severe injury with multiple side effects, including amnesia, Floyds attorneys have said. Earlier Thursday, Herschella Conyers, a longtime attorney and law professor at the University of Chicago, testified that Floyds account of what happened that night would be particularly crucial to helping his defense attorney. I can only fully appreciate what my defenses might be if I have as full a range of information as possible about critical pieces of evidence, she said from the witness stand. What a client knows or intended at the time of the offense, and what a client and only a client knows about who can or cannot corroborate that, becomes integral to providing a defense. Conyers does not represent Floyd; rather, she was called to the stand to testify about how Floyds amnesia might affect his ability to assist an attorney. On cross-examination, prosecutors noted that there was copious other evidence available for a defense attorney to examine and investigate as part of preparing a defense. mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com Feb. 18LEWISTON The City Council voted against Mayor Carl Sheline's nomination to the Planning Board this week, but those opposed did not disclose the reason. Sheline nominated Bates College staffer Leigh Albert to the open seat, stating Albert's experience and knowledge of Lewiston would bring a unique perspective. The nomination failed 3-3, with Councilors Larry Pease, Lee Clement and Robert McCarthy opposed. Councilors Rick Lachapelle and Stephanie Gelinas were absent, meaning Sheline was able to vote. Sheline said he's disappointed by the outcome, but plans to keep his nomination as is for now. "We need fresh perspective on city committees and I look forward to working with the council to confirm her appointment at a future council meeting," he said. He added that "it seemed odd those who voted against Leigh's appointment didn't comment." Councilors were also tight-lipped during a previous meeting, when the council postponed the nomination vote. A new clause in the charter stipulates that the mayor's appointments of full members to the Planning Board must be confirmed by a vote of the City Council. The provision was one of nine amendments approved by voters in November. Albert, a Lewiston resident of 14 years, ran for the Ward 6 School Committee seat in November, but lost to Meghan Hird. She's vice president for enrollment and dean of admissions and financial aid at Bates College. Prior to the vote Tuesday, Sheline said Albert is "one of those rare individuals who has the ability to take into account details without losing perspective, and this is very handy on the Planning Board." Councilor Scott Harriman, who also voted to confirm the nomination, said Albert is raising her family in Lewiston and is "committed to the city." He also said Albert's location in Ward 6 would provide more representation for the more rural areas of Lewiston. In her application for the seat, Albert said she's "deeply dedicated to the sustainable development and growth of our community." OLYMPIA, WA Washington will lift the statewide mask mandate for most indoor spaces starting Monday, March 21. That means masking requirements will be lifted at restaurants, grocery stores, bars, restaurants and gyms but also at all of Washington's public schools. 'This is a big moment," said Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal at a press conference announcing the news Thursday. "It means we get a little bit more flexibility now to take that next step." Just last week, Reykdal issued a statement arguing that Washington's schools were ready to lift masking requirements. Now, it seems that other state leaders are in agreement. "The good news is we are approaching a place, fairly shortly, where we will not have to wear a mask generally in these conditions," Gov. Jay Inslee said. "We think this is both good for our health, and [the] education of our children, and the total reopening of our economy." Reykdal promised Thursday that his office would begin offering new masking guidance to local school districts over the coming days. That means the new masking guidance is still probably under development, but there are a few changes we can predict. One, is that students and staff will still be allowed to wear masks in the classroom if they so choose. "While folks will have the opportunity to wear masks if they choose, this takes the state mandate out of the way," Reykdal said. Previously, has Reykdal also suggested that local health jurisdictions may be allowed to reimpose mask mandates if COVID-19 case counts climb again. "Current laws empower local health officials to assess health and safety risks and determine local strategies," Reykdal said. "Given the varied vaccination rates and adherence to other mitigation strategies across the regions in our state, it is time to return decision-making to local health officials. In some cases, local health officials may require temporary returns to masking or other mitigation strategies if cases spike or if a new variant poses elevated risks." Story continues Finally, though mask mandates are on the outs, other COVID-19 safety restrictions will remain, including quarantine and isolation protocols for students who have had close contact with infected patients. "It's important that we keep that responsibility to each other, that we maintain that expectation to look after one another," Reykdal said. "That's what got us to be one of the safest states through this whole pandemic, and that's what'll carry us through." While it may be a few days or even weeks before the state and school districts hammer out their new policies, in the meantime Reykdal asks that parents and students keep up the good work and tough out one last month in masks. "Hang with us here until the 21st, please wear those face coverings, it is the law," Reykdal said. This article originally appeared on the Lakewood-JBLM Patch In this article: Richfield native Josh Bilicki has plans for a partial schedule in each of NASCAR's three top divisions. Wisconsin's 2022 NASCAR drivers with age, hometown or residence, status and team. Cup Series Josh Bilicki, 26, Richfield, about 25 races, Spire Motorsports Motorsports No. 77 Chevrolet Sam Mayer of Franklin moved to the Xfinity Series after turning 18 last summer and will be in JR Motorsports' No. 1 Chevrolet full time this season. Xfinity Series Sam Mayer, 18, Franklin, full time, JR Motorsports No. 1 Chevrolet Dexter Bean, 35, Westby, TBD, DGM Racing Bilicki, six races, Alpha Prime Racing No. 44 Chevrolet; one race, No. 36 DGM Racing Chevrolet Natalie Decker, 24, Eagle River, part time, No. 33 Reaume Brothers Racing Toyota Parker Retzlaff, 18, Rhinelander, 10 races or more, RSS Racing Ford Derek Kraus of Stratford is beginning his third full season in the Camping World Truck Series. Camping World Truck Series Bilicki, limited schedule, TBA Derek Kraus, 20, Stratford, full time, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing No. 19 Chevrolet Ty Majeski, 27, Seymour, full time, ThorSport Racing No. 66 Toyota Johnny Sauter, 43, De Forest, part time, ThorSport Racing No. 13 Toyota and G2G Racing No. 47 Toyota Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin drivers in NASCAR in Cup, Xfinity, truck series in 2022 Gabriel Ramsey and Bradyn Edgell get advice from Coshocton County Auditor Chris Sycks regarding budgeting for a house payment or apartment rental as part of the Real Money, Real World program at River View High School. WARSAW Financial literacy is becoming more important than ever and many community members know it's a skill high school students need as they become adults. Real Money, Real World is a financial literacy program for high school sophomores offered locally by the Ohio State University Extension Office. The program was held this week at River View High School with about 100 students. Upcoming sessions will be at Coshocton High School, Ridgewood High School and the Coshocton County Career Center. The centerpiece of the program is a spending simulation where students go from station to station filling out a monthly budget. They have to consider food, transportation, housing and much more. Students also draw chance cards that could add to their expenses, like unexpected car repairs, or be a surprise windfall, like an inheritance. Also factored in are elements that can affect one's income, such as college degrees and technical training and deductions. Emily Marrison, family and consumer sciences educator at the local extension branch, went into schools for classroom lessons last school year with the simulation on a smaller scale because of the COVID-19 pandemic. "They're finding out what it's really like to budget a paycheck," Marrison said. "It's one thing to talk about a budget and throw out some numbers here and there, but when the students are able to make their own decisions and put on the spot of 'I only have this much money and have to make the decision of what goes where,' it makes it more real to them." Emily Marrison of the Ohio State University of Coshocton County Extension talks with Emma Sampsel about how to plan her budget as part of a financial literacy program. Emma Sampsel was surprised by the cost of living, especially a basic need like food. "Living at home, you don't realize how much your parents spend on you to have nice things. For you to be able to have our own car and a house, it's a lot more than you think it is," she said. Several volunteers from the community assisted at the 12 stations for the spending simulation. This mostly included those with financial backgrounds, such as bank employees and financial consultants. Bob Bigrigg of Park National Bank helped with purchasing a vehicle. Story continues "This is a good program simply from a banking and personal finance aspect, because it teaches them things they need to know in regards to the real world," Bigrigg said. Figuring out car payments was a big sticking point for Jacob Averitt. "Money doesn't go as far as you think it does," he said. Jacob Averitt talks with Lynn Jacobs of Ohio Means Jobs of Coshocton County about considering child care for a monthly budget as part of a spending simulation at River View High School. Coshocton County Auditor Chris Sycks manned the housing station where the biggest question was should one buy or rent. It was the first time she participated in the program. "The kids really need to know, real life, what's going to happen when they get out there. They need to know how to do their checkbook, how to budget and some kind of grasp of what expenses actually are," Sycks said. llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com @llhayhurst 740-295-3417 This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Students learn financial literacy in high school program Waves crash against the sea wall and Porthcawl Lighthouse in Porthcawl, Bridgend, Wales, as Storm Eunice hits the south coast. Jacob King/PA Images via Getty Images Severe winds hit the UK on Friday, forcing airlines to cancel hundreds of flights. British Airways and EasyJet said they've cancelled a number of flights due to Storm Eunice. Many airports have scrubbed flights, including London's Heathrow Airport, which cancelled 100. Airlines cancelled hundreds of flights traveling in and out of the UK as Storm Eunice brought severe winds to the country on Friday. The Meteorological Office, the UK's national weather service, has issued red warnings across some southern coastal areas in the country. Gusts of wind may reach more than 90 miles per hour, which could damage buildings and trees, the agency said. London Heathrow Airport scrapped more than 100 incoming and outbound flights globally on Friday morning. Meanwhile, London City Airport cancelled more than 50, according to flight tracker FlightAware. London City Airport announced that all flights going out of the airport were cancelled until 4:30 p.m. Friday afternoon, The Telegraph reported. At time of publication on Friday, EasyJet had cancelled 44 flights heading in and out of the UK because of the strong winds, an airline spokesperson told Insider. British Airways (BA) has scrapped at least 80 flights in and out of London airports, The Independent reported. BA told Insider in a statement that it's expecting "extreme weather conditions at airports" in the UK because of Storm Eunice, which will trigger "significant disruption." "Safety is our number one priority, and we're cancelling a number of flights," BA said. Aer Lingus has cancelled 11 return flights and expects further disruption to its schedule, a spokesperson for the airline told Insider. Airlines including Ryanair did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, which was made outside of normal US working hours. Many train and ferry services have also been cancelled. The UK's National Rail says on its website that there is major disruption to train journeys across the country and all services in Wales have been cancelled on Friday. Ferries between Dover, UK, and Calais, France have been suspended because of Storm Eunice, according to ferry tracker Direct Ferries. Read the original article on Business Insider By Tiemoko Diallo BAMAKO (Reuters) -Mali's ruling military junta on Friday asked France to withdraw troops from its territory "without delay", calling into question Paris' plan for a four- to six-month departure and highlighting the breakdown in relations between the two countries. Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, a junta spokesman, said France's decision on Thursday to withdraw forces that have been fighting an Islamist insurgency was a unilateral move that violated military accords between Mali and France. "In view of its repeated breaches of the defence agreements, the government invites French authorities to withdraw (French forces) without delay," Maiga said, speaking on national television. Maiga repeated the sentence three times, but did not give a deadline. Announcing the French troop withdrawal on Thursday, President Emmanuel Macron said it would take four to six months. In response to Maiga's comments, Macron told reporters at an EU summit the withdrawal would be "implemented in an orderly manner so we can continue to ensure the security of MINUSMA (the U.N. peacekeeping force in Mali) and the security of our forces." The U.N. force is examining how its military operations will be impacted by the departure of French troops, the force's commander Kees Matthijssen said on Friday, stressing a commitment to continue supporting Mali. Relations between Paris and its former colony have deteriorated in recent weeks after the junta went back on an agreement to organise an election in February and proposed holding power until 2025. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Friday that Mali's capacity to fight against Islamist groups on its territory was now Mali's problem as French and allied forces will move to neighbouring countries to help reinforce national armies. Mali has been the epicentre of a fight against militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State in the region. The departure of the foreign troops could complicate efforts to tackle the groups that have killed thousands and displaced over a million. Story continues Neighbouring Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum said separately on Twitter that his nation had accepted that French and European special forces move across the border from Mali to combat jihadists and try to secure the border area. West African coastal nations have seen increased attacks from the militants in recent weeks and are also expected to host some foreign troops if needed. (Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo, Bate Felix and Ngouda DioneAdditional reporting by Jean-Stephane Brosse in ParisEditing by Mark Heinrich, Angus MacSwan, Frances Kerry and Christina Fincher) UPDATE: A jury found Ali guilty in February 2022 of second-degree assault, possessing a handgun as a convicted felon, two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment and second-degree persistent felony offender. The jury recommended a sentence of 30 years in prison, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for April 11, 2022. The original story from 2019 is below. A 2-year-old girl is expected to survive after she was hit by a stray bullet in the Portland neighborhood Thursday night, according to Louisville police. Ismail Ali, 19, was arrested Friday by the LMPD Major Crimes Unit in connection with the shooting and charged with assault in the first degree, wanton endangerment and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. Louisville Metro Police spokeswoman Alicia Smiley said officers responded about 10:20 p.m. Thursday to a reported shooting in the 2200 block of Rowan Street. Preliminary reports indicated that an unknown person or persons fired shots outside, and a stray round entered a residence and grazed a 2-year-old girl, Smiley said. The girl was taken to Norton Children's Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No one else inside the residence was injured, Smiley said. Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com or 502-582-7030. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville police: 2-year-old girl grazed by bullet in Portland NEWARK, N.J. -- Rutgers University recently conducted a study on marijuana usage to help guide state policy. CBS2's Meg Baker has more on the possible impact of pot retail sales on children. Usage overall in New Jersey is lower than the nationwide average, but a scary statistic shows younger people are using more now than ever. "Marijuana use among those 12-17-year-olds is actually going up, which really ... that resonates in terms of we need to be more proactive. If the rate is already going up, what are we going to do now that recreational marijuana is legalized?" said Charles Menifield, dean of the School of Public Affairs at Rutgers-Newark. Menifield, the study's principal investigator, looked at the impact of legalization and identifying disparities among different communities. "Both in terms of public safety, education, and health, there's no question based on our finding that African-Americans could be disproportionately impacted in a negative way when cannabis retail sales actually begin." He said the likelihood that retail outlets will be in communities of color is high. Data indicates that racial differences in school discipline could be linked to marijuana usage. "Black kids were suspended at a rate that was more than twice that of any other group. Substance abuse was the third-highest reason for suspensions, right behind bullying and intimidation," Menifield said. The report is a baseline of where the state is now, Menifield said annual research is needed to connect the dots between where marijuana usage is highest, and how legalization and the potential for increased usage will affect those communities, especially teens. "We are No. 1 in graduation rates right now, in terms of having a good one. What we're saying is it could affect graduation rates because kids are getting high instead of studying," Menifield said. He said a lot of focus has been on the revenue the marijuana business will make for the state. He suggests a percentage of those funds go into prevention education, and more research like this. Story continues The study also looked at health factors of legalization, such as suicide rates, and he number of people entering treatment facilities for marijuana addiction. Peloton's Robin Arzon on empowering others, facing challenges Teen stuns chess world champion U.S. women's soccer players settle equal pay lawsuit Dakota graduated from Bret Harte in 2013 and went to Davidson College, NC where she earned a bachelor's degree in Arab studies. After spending time studying in the Middle East and Europe, she is happy to be home, writing about the community she loves. Comment Policy Calaveras Enterprise does not actively monitor comments. However, staff does read through to assess reader interest. When abusive or foul language is used or directed toward other commenters, those comments will be deleted. If a commenter continues to use such language, that person will be blocked from commenting. We wish to foster a community of communication and a sharing of ideas, and we truly value readers' input. Faced with an outcry from neighborhood activists, federal civil rights investigations and pressure from the Biden administration, Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Friday blocked a clout-heavy scrap shredder from opening on Chicagos Southeast Side. Lightfoots decision to reject a permit for Reserve Management Group leaves the Ohio-based company with piles of flattened cars, twisted rebar and used appliances surrounding an idled machine it built along the Calumet River under a deal RMG executives thought they had brokered with the mayor. The Chicago Department of Public Health announced the permit denial in a news release that cited the long history of pollution problems at the General Iron scrap shredder RMG purchased and later closed on the citys North Side, and at related operations on the companys Southeast Side property. Concerns about the companys past and potential noncompliance are too significant to ignore, Dr. Allison Arwady, the city health commissioner, said in a statement. City and state agencies had awarded other permits RMG needed, even as neighborhood groups accused the first Black woman to lead Chicago of ignoring concerns about adding another polluter to a low-income, largely Black and Latino neighborhood. Local and national environmental groups hailed the citys reversal after more than two years of community organizing. Neighborhood activists who opposed the shredder protested outside the homes of Lightfoot and Arwady. They petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Housing and Urban Development to launch civil rights investigations. Some staged a hunger strike to draw attention to what they consider environmental racism. Our community is not a sacrifice zone, opponents said Friday in a statement that pledged to continue to fight until the health of Chicago communities like ours can live in a healthy environment. RMG closed General Iron at the end of 2020 following years of complaints about explosions, metallic odors and bits of scrap metal drifting into fast-gentrifying Lincoln Park. Company officials contend a September 2019 agreement should have fast-tracked the Southeast Side operation, but they failed to persuade judges to force the city to do so. Story continues Earlier this week, the company noted, a consultant hired by the city announced that pollution from the Southeast Side shredder would not pose unacceptable cancer risks defined by the EPA as more than one case per million people during a lifetime. Nor would the shredder increase the risk of other health problems, Jeff Harrington, an air quality expert with California-based Tetra Tech, said during an online presentation organized by the city. RMG released a statement vowing to challenge Fridays decision. Politicians and government officials have ignored the facts and instead were cowed by persistent false narratives and misinformation aimed at demonizing our business, the statement read. What should have been an apolitical permitting process was hijacked by a small but vocal opposition that long ago made clear they would unconditionally oppose this facility, facts and science be damned. The citys permitting process for RMG grounded to a halt last year after a top lieutenant to President Joe Biden urged Lightfoot to consider how existing pollution problems on the Southeast Side epitomize the problem of environmental injustice. Three neighborhoods near the RMG shredder East Side, Hegewisch, and South Deering are scarred by 250 contaminated sites left behind when the steel industry abandoned the once-prospering corner of Chicago during the 1980s and 90s, EPA Administrator Michael Regan noted in a letter to Lightfoot. More than 75 polluters in the area have been investigated for Clean Air Act violations since 2014 alone, including companies that contaminated yards and playgrounds with brain-damaging manganese and lung-damaging petroleum coke. Biden and Regan came into office pledging to address the nations long-standing racial disparities, in particular the concentration of dirty industries in poor communities of color. This is what environmental justice looks like: All levels of government working together to protect vulnerable communities from pollution in their backyards, Regan said in a statement about the RMG permit denial. As we did in Chicago, Regan said, EPA stands ready to work hand-in-hand with local and state partners to fix environmental wrongs and achieve shared goals of protecting all people from pollution. Heading into a re-election campaign, Lightfoot has been under fire from activists who contend she has done little other than acknowledging the racial, economic and environmental divide in one of the nations most segregated cities. People living on the Southeast Side breathe some of the citys dirtiest air, monitoring data shows. A study by the Department of Public Health confirmed that neighborhoods near the RMG site are significantly more vulnerable to pollution than the wealthy, largely white North Side neighborhoods where the company operated the now-defunct General Iron shredder. Some of the citys most prominent physicians and public health experts amplified the opposition to RMG with statements directed at Arwady, including a letter organized by Wayne Giles, dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Fighting for racial justice also means committing to building voice and power in the public health system of those who may be most burdened by city decisions in every step, Giles wrote in a January letter noting Lightfoot and Arwady had declared racism a public health crisis. Underlying the shredder dispute are zoning ordinances intended to encourage and protect industry in certain parts of Chicago. General Iron lost those special protections under former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who backed the transformation of properties zoned for industrial use along the North Branch of the Chicago River into the upscale Lincoln Yards development. RMGs shredder on the Calumet River, built amid the ruins of the former Republic Steel mill, is in another Planned Manufacturing District that includes several of the citys dirtiest industries. Attempts to draw other types of development remain difficult, if not impossible. In 2018, Spanish and Irish developers walked away from plans to build as many as 20,000 new homes on the site of the former U.S. Steel South Works, a contaminated 440-acre parcel on Lake Michigan with spectacular views of the Chicago skyline. Project renderings included retail and office space, parks, pedestrian and bike paths and waterfront walkways along boat docks. The site, where steel was made for the U.S. military during World War II and later in the construction of iconic Chicago skyscrapers, remains vacant. Tribunes Gregory Pratt contributed. New Mexico State Aggies logo ST. GEORGE, Utah Thursday's matchup might have been even more entertaining than the three-overtime bout between these two teams one week ago, however, New Mexico State fans would have preferred a different result as Dixie State edged NM State, 72-69. The Aggies were led in scoring by Bigue Sarr who recorded her 10th double-double of the season, totaling 16 points and 10 rebounds. Molly Kaiser and Fama Thiam also pushed their way into double-digits as Kaiser finished with 13 points and Thiam posted 12 points in just 15 minutes of action. Dixie State was led by Emily Isaacson, who finished with 25 points and went 7-of-10 from three-point land, including knocking down the game-winner with under three seconds remaining in the contest. Breaunna Gillen scored 20 points while Shanaijah Davison recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Aggies return home for what is expected to be another close one as they host Grand Canyon on Saturday at 2 p.m. In the first meeting between the two programs this season, GCU needed a last-second shot of its own to earn a win over NM State. This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: New Mexico State women fall in close road game Miamis police union president said Thursday he has been relieved of duty over an anonymous complaint linked to a blog post that alleges he pulled a gun on a man he met on a dating app who tried to shake him down for money. Tommy Reyes, a 15-year sergeant who is openly gay and the head of Miamis Fraternal Order of Police, said the city did not detail the complaint. He believes its over the blog post, an unverified report that claims the incident took place in Jacksonville, but then later says Tallahassee. Reyes declined to address details about the incident, saying only he was the victim of a crime and Ive been victimized again. He has not been charged with any crime related to the allegation. Reyes, 36, is serving his second term as president of the powerful police union, which is currently in negotiations with the city over a new contract for its officers. On Friday morning, Miami Police released a statement saying only that the union president had been relieved of duty pending an investigation from internal affairs. Reyes said he didnt receive a formal letter from the city, hear from Interim Police Chief Manuel Morales or any of his top brass. He added that he was informed about being relieved of duty by internal affairs and wasnt offered an explanation. The blog post alleged Reyes was under investigation over an encounter with a man he met on a dating app a few weeks ago. The blog alleges that the man figured out he was an police officer, threatened to blow his cover and demanded he take him on a shopping spree. The post appears to mix up cities, saying the incident was in both Jacksonville and Tallahassee. Reyes confirmed he is being investigated by Tallahassee police, but said he couldnt discuss what happened because it was an open investigation. Police in Jacksonville and Tallahassee could not immediately be reached for comment. Miami Herald Staff Writer David Ovalle contributed to this report. OLD BRIDGE A 21-year-old Manalapan man has been charged with a Monday night Route 9 hit-and-run in which a 64-year-old Asbury Park man was later found dead on the highways center median. Prince Fitzpatrick was arrested Thursday and charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, a second-degree crime, and endangering an injured victim, a third-degree crime, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Acting Old Bridge Police Chief Joseph Mandola announced. Police said they responded about 6:45 a.m. Tuesday to the area of Route 9 and Ferry Road following the report of a man's body on the center median between the northbound and southbound lanes of Route 9. Arriving officers located Anthony Allen who had been struck by a vehicle and was later pronounced dead at the scene, according to the prosecutor's office. EARLIER: Body found on Route 9 median in Old Bridge, police say An investigation identified Fitzpatrick as the driver of the vehicle who allegedly struck Allen and then fled the scene, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call Old Bridge Police Officer Steven Connolly at 732-721-5600, ext. 3821 or Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Detective Matthew Colonna at 732-745-3317. Email: srussell@gannettnj.com Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Monmouth County man charged in fatal Old Bridge Route 9 hit-and-run MENDHAM, NJ New Jerseys former governor weighed in about its current one, Mendham resident Chris Christie describing Gov. Phil Murphy as a stubborn guy who doesnt want to admit he was wrong to have the masks on for this long. Christie also called Murphy a craven, crass hypocrite, for keeping the school mask mandate in place for such an extended period of time. Christie, who was interviewed on Fox News Radios Guy Benson Show on Feb. 7, discussed Murphys delay in waiting to lift the school mask mandate on March 7. Benson spoke to Christie about the changes in New Jersey a month before the mandate was to be lifted. Starting the segment with a soundbite of Murphy earlier that day discussing the lift of the mask mandate for March 7, Benson questioned Christie why he believed Murphy delayed lifting the mask mandate by another month. The science has not supported masking kids in school for the last year plus, Benson said. Benson felt that cases have plummeted and the mask mandate lift, which Benson called a masking cult, could have happened within a week or even a day of Murphys announcement, rather than a month later. He asked Christie what he made with the timing of Murphys decision and if it was politics rather than science driving it, stating there are kids all over the country without masks, doing fine. Christie said politics have been driving Democratic-led states since the start of the pandemic. However, he described Murphys narrow win in Novembers election against Republican contender Jack Ciattarelli as a near death experience. Murphy was expected to win by 15 to 20 points, but instead squeaked back into the governors seat by three points, Christie said. The legislature also lost seven seats to Republicans in New Jersey's November election, Christie added. He [Murphy] now has much less of a margin for error in the state legislature than he had before, Christie told Benson. Christie pointed out that to Benson that a bill was in motion with the goal of terminating some of Murphys emergency powers. State Senators Declan OScanlon (R-Little Silver) and Vin Gopal (D-Asbury Park) were primary sponsors on the legislation, introduced on Jan. 31. Bill S1200 has remained with the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee, since the day of its introduction. Story continues I think the politics are closing in on Phil Murphy and thats why he did this, Christie said, suggesting Murphy will likely avoid the legislation to end his emergency powers. Murphys delay in lifting the mask mandate in schools is because hes [Murphy's] a stubborn guy, Christie said. He said Murphy doesnt want to appear that he was wrong to keep a mask mandate in place for such an extensive period of time. Christie suggested Murphy was likely waiting until March 7 before lifting the order after announcing it on Feb. 7, to make it appear his decision to do so, was the right one. Christie called it an emblem of Phil Murphys declining political position in the state capital and his stubbornness. Benson credited Murphy with lifting the mandate, though he said he would not give Murphy a half a clap for it, stating Murphy was a year delayed in lifting it. Benson called Murphy's move to hold the mask mandate lift by another month, a political calculation. He suggested to Christie that Murphy was likely influenced by the shift nationwide and worldwide, which he said was more than COVID-19 fatigue. Benson suggested data has supported the unmasking trends in other non-Democratic states, with Americans restless and tired of the mandates. Benson suggested with Murphys near-loss in Novembers election, he might be more attuned to the need to lift mandates, versus other Democratic politicians. Christie said Murphy deserved credit for being a craven, crass hypocrite. Now since that cravenness and crassness serves his political purpose, hell [Murphy] stop torturing children by forcing them to wear masks in school for no reason, Christie said. Christie also criticized several instances of Democratic leaders unmasking, while mandates were still in place. One was Stacey Abrams for unmasking in a photo with a classroom of masked students. Christie also took aim at Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who didnt wear his mask during the Super Bowl, but said he held his breath when posing for a photo with Magic Johnson. Listen to Christies full interview with Benson here. Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com. This article originally appeared on the Mendham-Chester Patch WASHINGTON The National Archives said Friday that documents former President Donald Trump removed from the White House in early 2021 included classified national security information and that it has contacted the Department of Justice about the matter. The agency "has identified items marked as classified national security information within the boxes" that Trump stored at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. Fla., the National Archives and Records Administration said in a letter to Rep, Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. The letter signed by David S. Ferriero, the national archivist also said that "because NARA identified classified information in the boxes, NARA staff has been in communication with the Department of Justice." The Archives did not detail its contacts with Justice Department officials or the nature of the classified documents that Trump stored in Florida. More: Lawmakers ask National Archives to probe whether Donald Trump took White House documents to Mar-a-Lago Maloney, who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, and other lawmakers have asked the National Archives and the Justice Department to investigate whether Trump violated the Presidential Records Act. That law requires chief executives to turn over all official records when they leave office. Related video: Fulton County DA Fani Willis talks Trump election probe After receiving the response from the Archives, Maloney said "these new revelations deepen my concern about former President Trumps flagrant disregard for federal records laws and the potential impact on our historical record." The Justice Department had no comment on the Archives' disclosures. Last month, the National Archives recovered 15 boxes of documents that Trump moved to Mar-a-Lago when he left the White House on Jan. 20, 2021. More: National Archives obtained 15 boxes of presidential records from Mar-a-Lago Trump said the recovery of the boxes followed "collaborative and respectful discussions" with National Archives, and he denied any wrongdoing in retaining some of his records. Story continues "It was viewed as routine and 'no big deal,'" Trump said in a statement last week. "In actuality, I have been told I was under no obligation to give this material based on various legal rulings that have been made over the years." Aides carry boxes to Marine One before President Trump leaves the White House, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. While the letter said the Archives "is in the process of inventorying the contents of the boxes," it also said officials are still trying to recover more Trump administration records. That includes some "non-official electronic messaging accounts" used by some staff members that "were not copied or forwarded into their official electronic messaging accounts. Trump and allies had criticized 2016 election opponent Hillary Clinton for her use of private email during her time as secretary of State. The National Archives also announced that it has "identified certain social media records that were not captured and preserved by the Trump Administration." In its letter to Congress, the Archives confirmed that documents recovered from Trump included papers that had been ripped up by the president and taped back together. The letter added that "a number of other torn-up records that were transferred had not been reconstructed by the White House." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: National Archives: Trump removed classified documents from White House Feb. 18KEYSER, W.Va. After more than 31 minutes resulted in a defensive stalemate between rivals Frankfort and Keyser, it seemed fitting for one Halley Smith runner to be the difference. The top-ranked Tornado had waged a furious comeback, going on a 7-0 run for a 27-all tie in the final minute. Smith had been quiet offensively, but the senior wanted the ball with 33 seconds left, driving to her right for the winning try. Smith's shot caromed into the basket to give Frankfort the edge, and the Falcons held down the Tornado with one final empty trip to topple their Mineral County rivals, 29-27, on Thursday night. "I knew we could beat this team," Frankfort head coach Steve Willison said. "In our win against No. 1 Petersburg at the time, we held them to 37 points. We've been holding teams really low. "We've slowed it down. We were always pressing, always pushing the ball trying to score 50, 60 points a game. We lost a couple of players (and decided) we're just going to slow it down. "It's worked for us, we're undefeated since we did it." One of those players the Falcons lost that facilitated the shift in styles was Larae Grove, who had been out of the line-up since Frankfort's game against Hampshire on Jan. 31. Grove who averages 14.3 points per game came off the bench on Thursday, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers early in the second quarter. In a game that only featured a combined 56 points, Grove's burst was key for the Falcons. The junior guard ended with a game-high eight points to help avenge Frankfort's 55-41 home loss to Keyser on Jan. 29. "I really didn't know if (Grove) could play tonight," Willison said. "She didn't practice for a week-and-a-half, and she comes in. Everything was good." Yet, the player of the game may have been 6-foot-2 Frankfort center Madi Ruble. The sophomore entered for the first time in the second quarter, instantly rejecting a pair of Tornado shots. Story continues More importantly, Frankfort's decision to pull Ruble up into the middle of the lane, pushing the Falcons' defense from a 2-3 zone to a 2-1-2 at times, gave Keyser all sorts of trouble after halftime. "She's a presence inside," Willison said. "She's 6-2, but her arms, I'd say she's probably 6-4. She fills the middle. ... We always knew she has ability." The traffic in the paint was impenetrable, and the Tornado weren't hitting from outside, making just 9 of 38 attempts from the field. "Usually if a team packs in a zone like that, we're going to make a few shots and kind of spread them out and we can attack them inside," Keyser head coach Josh Blowe. "I thought we fought hard in the second half. ... You score 27 points in a game, that's rough." In the decider, which Frankfort entered leading 23-20, Ruble and Arin Lease locked down the interior, and Halley Smith, Emily Smith and Lynsey Zimmerman patrolled the outside to hold the Tornado scoreless for more than five minutes. With 2:56 left, the Falcons were up 27-20. Keyser ramped up the pressure to mount a comeback, using its defense to force a pair of turnovers to get out in transition. Maddy Broadwater hit four free throws, and Summer Reid sunk a 3 to tie it at 27. After Halley Smith's make, Keyser had one final chance to even the score or take the lead, but the Tornado turned it over. "The way they were playing their defense, they were leaving the top of the key wide open," Blowe said. "We got a little passive there the last possession. We also had the wrong personnel at the top of the key on that possession, and that's on me." Keyser's offensive struggles mirrored that of its game on Haystack Mountain last week, in which Allegany implemented a 2-3 zone to win 51-39 and end the Tornado winning streak at nine games. The way Frankfort played its zone Thursday wasn't a coincidence. "I'm going to be honest, (Campers head coach) Jim O'Neal told me about it," Willison said. "That's what he did to beat them. It worked well." Neither team had any scorers reach double figures. Other than Grove's game-high total, Arin Lease and Smith scored six points each, Emily Smith tallied four, Ruble three and Grace Scott two for Frankfort. Keyser was led by Alexa Shoemaker with a team-high seven points. Broadwater and Reid finished with six apiece, Averi Everline added four, and Rebekah Biser and Aly Smith each chipped in two. The Tornado had a 6-4 edge after one thanks to a pair of Shoemaker drives and finishes, and Frankfort nosed in front 16-12 at halftime after Grove's 3-pointers. Up next, Keyser (14-7) heads to Southern (4-14) today at 6 p.m. for one final tune-up before sectional play. The Tornado are the top seed in Class AAA, Region 1, Section II and receive a bye to the title game next Friday against the winner of Hampshire and Berkeley Springs. Frankfort (14-5), meanwhile, has a road test at No. 4 Allegany (11-5) today at 7 p.m. to close out the regular season. The Falcons, the No. 1 seed in Class AA, Region 2, Section I, face the winner of Petersburg and Moorefield next Friday for the sectional crown. "Winning at Allegany is going to be hard, I can tell you right now," Willison said. "If we win it, I feel like we have a viable argument to say we're area champions. We have to do that job. We have to go there and win against a pretty good team. "It's going to be a good game." Alex Rychwalski is a sports reporter at the Cumberland Times-News. Follow him on Twitter @arychwal. The Board of Education of Anne Arundel County approved a $1.6 billion operating budget proposal, which now will be considered by County Executive Steuart Pittman and the County Council. The request is 14% higher than the fiscal 2022 operating budget, an increase prompted by the need to shift grant funding, to cover the cost of pay increases for employees and to meet the requirements of the Blueprint for Marylands Future, a comprehensive state education law approved in 2021. Advertisement The board also approved a $196.4 million capital budget request during a meeting Wednesday night. The capital spending plan includes funding to continue the multi-step process to divide, build and rebuild schools in the Old Mill cluster. Board President Joanna Tobin said the budget, while large, reflects the real cost of education. Supporting student achievement is her top priority, she said, and the board has set critical goals of reducing class sizes and supporting the mental health of students. This budget is a statement of those values, she said. Advertisement When the schools dont run, nothing runs, Tobin said. There is no more essential service, in many ways, than education. Thats what were funding here. Its our future. Melissa Ellis, who represents District 4 on the school board, said the system never gets all of the money it requests, which isnt a reflection on the County Council or county executive but rather the fact that there isnt enough money to cover every program. She said that is why the board cuts money for worthwhile items sometimes, to maintain control over what ultimately gets funded. If we ask for the sun, the moon and the stars, we are putting it in the hands of other entities to decide if we get the sun, the moon or the stars, Ellis said. Money for public schools accounts for about half of Anne Arundel Countys annual budget. Each year, the superintendent of schools writes a proposed budget that accounts for every program and employee in the system. That budget is considered by the Board of Education. The board then sends its proposed budget to the county executive for consideration as part of their overall budget request. The budget is ultimately presented to and approved by the County Council. School board member Michelle Corkadel, who represents District 7, said the proposal is uncharted territory as the state is asking for more than in years past due to the Blueprint for Marylands Future, developed by the Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education, also known as the Kirwan Commission after its chair William Kirwan. One of the transformations of Kirwan will be that we have less control of our budget, Corkadel said. Advertisement Board member Dana Schallheim, who represents District 5, urged the county executive and County Council to approve the budget in full. She asked the county to be mindful of the much-needed programs implemented during the pandemic, such as improved tutoring, and the forthcoming end of federal funding related to the pandemic, like the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund. ESSER funds wont last forever, Schallheim said. Look at this budget with the future in mind, knowing our students are still recovering from last year and they deserve to be the priority. Bunmi Omisore, the student member of the board, said the budget invests in programs that will help build opportunities for students to succeed. Advertisement Board member Corine Frank, of District 3, however, said the $1.6 billion spending plan makes her nervous. She proposed amendments that were cost-neutral or which cut the budget, saying it is the boards job to be as fiscally responsible as possible. I know that as taxpayers we are about to embark on a concerning journey with our funding of this budget, Frank said. What are we going to be able to do to pay for this? The proposed budget was amended Wednesday evening before final passage. Among the changes was $1.9 million added to provide free menstrual products, as required by a new state law. The board also added $355,000 for a teen parenting and education program and $120,000 for a constituent services position. Another amendment. reduced the number of buses being added to the system to reduce crowding, cutting $645,000 from the budget. Seven members voted for the amended budget. Frank cast the dissenting vote. Larry Busacca/Getty Images Kim Kardashian wants a California judge to legally declare her a single woman before the rest of the details of her divorce from Kanye West are finalized. But West is fighting to stop it from happeningand would like to remain on Kims health-care plan for the time beingaccording to court documents obtained by The Daily Beast. A 40-page declaration submitted in Los Angeles County Superior Court by Yes divorce lawyer, Christopher Melcher, lays out a list of reasons why Kims desire to dissolve the marriage ASAP should be rejected. Legally speaking, Kim is requesting a status-only judgment, which is only for the termination of marital or domestic partner status as the couple work to resolve their issues concerning shared property, finances, and custody arrangements. Kanye West Targets Pete Davidson, Kid Cudi, Billie Eilish, and Taylor Swift With Childish Instagram Memes However, Kanye argues that granting Kims wishes to undo the union now creates a risk of adverse consequences. This is especially true, Kanyes motion explains, if Kim were to die or remarry before the case comes to a final conclusion. And although his argument is legally sound, the strategy could end up reflecting poorly on the hip-hop superstar who is already under fire for harassing Kim in person and online. Los Angeles County Superior Court In recent months, Kardashian has been spotted out on the town with comedian and SNL castmember Pete Davidson, and Kanye has gone on the attack. Yesterday, Kim reportedly unfollowed Kanye on Instagram after becoming weary of the unrelenting abuse he was sending Davidsons way. The takeaway for most people about his latest move will be that Kanye is trying, for now, to block Kims right to move forward with her life or remarry, a source close to the couple told The Daily Beast. Yet, in this weeks court filing, Kanye says he simply wants to hold Kim to the rules that are laid out in the law. If a judge were to grant Kim a divorce now, Kanye would be stripped of certain legal protections he now enjoys, the filing states. Story continues To begin with, Kanyes filing says an early divorce will raise issues with any shared retirement accounts the couple maintains, listing two defined benefit plans at UBS and an IRA with Bel Air Securities. Theoretically speaking, if Kim were to remarry before a court has ruled on how any joint accounts will be divided up, then were to die, the funds would go to her new spouse. That would mean a brand-new legal battle between Kanye and Kims new husband, according to a source with knowledge of the case.Because there are no proposed orders regarding these plans, Kims motion must be denied, Kanyes filing says. Another issue raised in Kanyes response to Kims request is that of marital privilege. Under California law, spouses cannot be forced to testify against one another, and any communication between spouses is confidential and doesnt have to be disclosed in court. If something were to happen with the kids, and Kim was remarried before custody conditions had been agreed upon, her new spouse could not be compelled to appear in court as a witness. All of these are fairly technical arguments, and the issues may never even come into play, according to the source. But, they said, Kanye is taking the position that the rules are the rules, and they must be followed whether or not they make a dollars worth of difference. The two are due back in court on March 2. Melcher, Kanyes attorney, declined to comment on the record for this story. Kims lawyers, Laura Wasser and Ashley Montgomery, did not respond to The Daily Beasts request for comment. 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. Police handout showing photos and information about Paislee Shultis and her parents, Kimberly Cooper and Kirk Shultis. Saugerties Police Department New York police have long-suspected that Paislee Shultis was abducted by her biological parents. But it was a "fresh" and "concrete" tip that finally led cops to get a search warrant and discover the girl hidden under a staircase in a New York home. Cops never received a tip "this concrete that we could corroborate," Saugerties, NY Police Chief Joseph Sinagra told Insider. Cops have long-suspected that Paislee Shultis was abducted by her biological parents. But, it was a "fresh" and "concrete" tip by a local that finally led authorities to obtain a search warrant this week and discover the missing youngster hidden under the staircase of her paternal grandfather's New York home. Before this week, authorities never received a tip "this concrete that we could corroborate and that was as fresh as this tip was," Chief Joseph Sinagra of the Saugerties Police Department told Insider on Friday. Little Paislee was 4-years-old when she was reported missing in 2019 from Spencer, NY. Authorities believe that the child, now 6, was taken by her biological parents, Kimberly Cooper and Kirk Shultis Jr., after the couple lost custody of Paislee and her sister. It is unclear why they lost custody. Cooper, Shultis Jr., and Kirk Shultis Sr. were arrested on charges of custodial interference and endangering the welfare of a child after Paislee was found on Monday in a sealed area under the staircase of Shultis Sr.'s upstate New York home. Sinagra told Insider on Friday that though authorities suspected Paislee was being hidden inside the home, they never had the probable cause they needed to obtain a search warrant until Monday. Sinagra, who declined to comment on the specifics of the tip, said a "community member" provided "factual information and information that was timely and ripe" to authorities. "That was the first time in this particular case over the two-year period that we actually had somebody that provided information that was so fresh, that can be corroborated," Sinagra said, explaining, "That's why in the past we weren't able to apply for a search warrant." Story continues Paislee Shultis,6, was found under the staircase of a home in Saugerties, New York. Saugerties Police Department Since Paislee was reported missing, authorities received more than a dozen tips that only amounted to "hearsay," often with stale information, Sinagra said. And over the last two years, cops visited the Saugerties home up to 12 times and were given "limited access" to the residence, he said. Cops would go to the home and confront the parents with the tips they had that Paislee was inside, "And they would say, 'No, they're lying. It's not true. She's not here," Sinagra said. "On very limited occasions, officers would be allowed to walk into the house," Sinagra said, noting that cops were never given access to the basement where police ultimately found a "full apartment" complete with a "kitchen, living room, a master bedroom, Paislee's bedroom." The chief added: "Until we actually had that information that we could definitively say we are 99.9% sure that this girl is in that house, we were unable to get a search warrant." A door that was right off Paislee's bedroom went directly to the staircase where the child was found with her mother, said Sinagra. Paislee was discovered in the dark, cramped space after a detective "felt that there was something odd" about the staircase that showed signs that screws were removed a number of times, Sinagra said. "There's questions as to whether or not [Paislee] was receiving any type of medical attention," he said. "In our interview with Paislee, it was obvious she didn't read or write. So she wasn't being home schooled." The child is now in the custody of her legal guardian, police said. Her parents and grandfather have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. A lawyer for Cooper, Paislee's mother, declined to comment to Insider on Friday. Shultis Jr.'s attorney, Ann Weaver, told Insider that her client "has been fighting for his children for the past two-and-a-half years in family court without a final resolution of the case." "He has never relinquished custody of his children," Weaver said, adding, "It is ludicrous to think he would place his children in harm's way or endanger their welfare in any manner." Weaver continued, "The true facts of this case will be forthcoming and they will reveal that Mr. Shultis is a devoted, dedicated and loving father to his children." A lawyer for Shultis Sr. did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Read the original article on Insider By Laura Sanicola (Reuters) -Oil prices ended the week mixed on Friday as investors weighed a potential supply disruption resulting from the Russia-Ukraine crisis against the prospect of increased Iranian oil exports. Brent crude futures settled 57 cents, or 0.6%, higher at $93.54 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude ended down 69 cents, or 0.5%, at $91.07 a barrel. U.S. markets will be closed on Monday for the Presidents Day holiday. Both benchmarks hit their highest levels since September 2014 on Monday, but growing prospects of easing oil sanctions against Iran has weighed on the market. Brent posted a small 0.9% rise in its ninth weekly gain, while WTI fell 1.7% week, snapping an eight-week rally. Fears over possible supply disruptions resulting from the Russian military presence at Ukraine's borders limited losses this week. The West has threatened Russia, a top oil and gas supplier, with new sanctions if it attacks Ukraine; Russia denies planning any attacks. Any sanctions that may be imposed on Russia by the European Union should not include energy imports, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said. The oil market rose slightly in after-hours trading after U.S. President Joe Biden said that he was convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a decision to invade Ukraine in the coming days. A senior European Union official said that a U.S.-Iranian deal to revive Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers was close but success depended on the political will of those involved. However, the deal taking shape lays out phases of mutual steps to bring both sides back into full compliance, and the first does not include waivers on oil sanctions, diplomats said. Consequently, there is little chance of Iranian crude returning to the market in the immediate future to ease current supply tightness, analysts said. Reflecting the tightness in global oil supplies, the six-month backwardation in Brent hit its widest on record on Wednesday. Backwardation is a market structure occurring when contracts for near-term delivery are priced higher than those for later months. Story continues OPEC+, which comprises the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia, will work to integrate Iran into its oil output pact should Tehran and world powers reach agreement on reviving their nuclear deal, sources close to the group said. Adding pressure onto WTI, U.S. drillers added four oil rigs this week, with the rig count, an indication of future production, rising to 520, its highest since April 2020, energy services firm Baker Hughes said. (Additional reporting by Rowena Edwads in London, Sonali Paul and Mohi Narayan in New Delhi; Editing by Marguerita Choy and David Evans) The Florida House of Representatives There's a single word that can describe the Florida Houses recent vote to financially punish the Sarasota County Schools district and 11 others for imposing mask mandates in defiance of a July 2021 executive order by Gov. Ron DeSantis that banned them: Vindictive. A much harder task, however, is finding any words at all that can justify the woeful decision by four area lawmakers state Reps. Fiona McFarland, Tommy Gregory, Will Robinson and James Buchanan to support the House budget proposal that could possibly cause the Sarasota County schools to lose $12 million in funding. If our area representatives genuinely think its worthwhile to take harsh, punitive retribution against the Sarasota school district for responsibly implementing a temporary mask mandate as COVID spiked and raged across Florida last summer and fall, they possess a level of toxic spitefulness that is pretty alarming. More: Sarasota School Board shows courage in choosing mask mandate And if our area representatives genuinely think that Sarasota County students wont be negatively affected if this House proposal becomes part of the eventual state budget, they possess a level of delusional naivete that is pretty unsettling. Either way, the willingness of our local lawmakers to openly undermine no, make that betray the best interests of Sarasota Countys schoolchildren is yet another sign that as much as DeSantis and his sycophantic enablers in the Legislature insist that its time for Florida to look to the future and move beyond COVID, they are still obsessing over past pandemic scores that must be settled and grudges that must be satisfied. Come to think of it, there's a single word that can accurately describe that, too: Shameful. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota school kids will pay the cost if lawmakers cut district funds Feb. 18Broad talk about expanding broadband throughout all of Hamilton County and much of Tennessee became more than just talk this week. On Wednesday, the Hamilton County Commission unanimously approved a broadband deal that will benefit more than 1,000 county residents who live beyond Chattanooga's decade old Gig City footprint. The effort, funded in part through the American Rescue Plan Act which was passed last year by Democrats in Congress, is and has been "greatly, greatly needed," Commissioner Steve Highlander, R-Ooltewah, said last week as the commission discussed the matter during an agenda session. Highlander said broadband access has been the largest request from the people who live in his district a very Republican district in a very Republican state whose governor and other Republican politicians termed the American Rescue Plan as "unneeded." But good broadband access is a most-requested item with good reason. The availability of high-speed internet connections are increasingly vital for schools, jobs and modern health care. Hamilton County youngsters especially those living in Chattanooga with good internet might not have fallen as behind in school work as did most of the rest of Tennessee students after schools juggled remote learning with in-person classes last year while COVID raged. Instead, our youngsters kept learning and their test scores remained stable or better, while others across the state did not. Volunteer Energy Cooperative, a utility serving all or part of 17 counties east and north of us from Georgia to Kentucky, is seeking a $6.2 million grant through the Tennessee Emergency Broadband Funds, established last August with money from American Rescue Act. In Hamilton County, Volunteer plans to lay 112 miles of fiber-optic lines to reach 1,395 customers in outlying areas. Our county government will put up a 10% match $615,671. But Hamilton County won't be the only local area aided by this outstanding use of our federal, state and local tax dollars. Story continues We are part of more than $125 million in projects that Volunteer Energy Cooperative has outlined in grant requests. Altogether this will bring reliable internet to more than 26,539 customers in eight counties. Tennessee's overall share of President Joe Biden's American Rescue Act, passed and signed into law last March, is $3.72 billion. Gov. Bill Lee's administration last summer announced plans for using half of one of those billions $500 million for broadband expansion. Lee, apparently forgetting his "unneeded" remarks, said other state spending would include $1.35 billion for sewer and water projects across the state. The rest was earmarked for vaccines, healthcare, rent assistance and other individual help. Add on top of this, the fact that Tennessee counties, cities and towns are reaping an additional $2.88 billion as part of their share of the $1.9 trillion federal act. We would be remiss not to wave this reminder: The $1.9 trillion federal act was opposed by congressional Republicans and continues to be bad-mouthed by them at least until they smile in photos beside fiber optics trucks or the like. Not one Republican representative in the House voted for this. Not. One. Specifically, Tennessee GOP Reps. Chuck Fleischmann, Scott DesJarlais, Tim Burchett, Mark Green, Diana Harshbarger, David Kustoff and John Rose voted "nay." They voted against bringing their constituents you something now as essential to our lives as electricity and indoor plumbing. Similarly, in the U.S. Senate, no Republicans voted for it. Not Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty and not Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn. Here's how Blackburn embarrased herself, and all of us, in talking about it. "Here is the truth they certainly didn't pour their time and energy into those 600 pages to provide relief but to shamelessly advance their own agenda and throw aside struggling families and workers. ... They used slick messaging and wordy phrases to sell a bill of goods that treats every pet project they have and every liberal wish list agenda item as essential." Isn't it broadband a "liberal wish list agenda item" that allows Blackburn to stream her wingnut podcasts? Here is the truth: A liberal wish list agenda item would include two new Democratic senators for Tennessee and seven new Democratic House representatives. The beautiful and prosperous city of Munich, Germany, has many claims to notoriety. It was the hotbed of early Nazism, the site of Neville Chamberlains famous meeting to appease Hitler and, later, a hub of German resistance to Hitler. Now, its the venue for one of the most significant security conferences in the world. On Friday, as for the past 58 years, foreign policy leaders will convene at the Munich Security Conference to address challenges to the transatlantic community. The man who will be the single biggest topic of conversation at this years conference wont be in attendance. But 15 years ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin used the gathering to issue a broadside that definitively rejected the European security order many in his audience had spent years trying to build. In February 2007, Putin stood in Munichs Bayerischer Hof for 30 minutes and accused the United States of creating a unipolar world in which there is one master, one sovereign. He added, at the end of the day this is pernicious. It wasnt really Putins excoriation of the United States for hypocrisy after its invasion of Iraq that was notable; this was pretty much mainstream German, French, and much American thinking. The real moment of revelation was his broader conclusion that the U.S.-led liberal order, a.k.a. the Free World, was of no interest or value to Russia. Putins speech came as a shock to those who had invested substantial effort in working with Russia to include it in a post-Cold War global stability system and, at the time, still believed this was possible. A decade and a half later, a massive Russian military build-up in and around Ukraine is capable of striking at any moment. We should not now be surprised or confused. He made clear his intentions already in 2007. What is more surprising is how the U.S. and Europe, despite Putins obvious warning in Munich and Russias many actions over 15 years, have nonetheless clung to the notion that we can somehow work together with Putins Russia on a strategic level. It is finally time for the West to face facts. Whether or not Putin launches a major new invasion of Ukraine, he has rejected the post-Cold War European security architecture and means it. He is on a deliberate and dedicated path to build a greater Russia, an empire where the Soviet Union once stood. Story continues This weekend, at another fateful Munich Security Conference, the challenge will not be understanding Putin for what he is. Rather, its understanding however belatedly how to reorient the transatlantic communitys thinking away from the understandable but failed hopes of broader cooperation with Russia, and toward building a long-term position of strength to stare Putin down. As Putin spoke in Munich 15 years ago, the atmosphere in the ballroom changed palpably. Having initially offered Putin a polite welcome, the audience even those who shared Putins criticism of the Iraq war reacted with shock, concern and even offense. Contrary to the qualified optimism that still prevailed about Russia, it sounded as if Putin was driving toward a new Cold War. U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was in the room, leading a delegation of administration officials (including one of us, Volker), as was a large congressional delegation led by Sen. John McCain, a Munich attendee from its earliest days, when McCain was the US Navy liaison to the Senate. It may be easy to forget today that after Russia emerged from the ruins of the Soviet Union, the U.S. and Europe spent years working to integrate it into a new post-Cold War order. Far from triumphalist vengeance (as the Kremlin would have the world believe) the West provided Russia with substantial financial and technical assistance. All European states, including Russia, as well as the United States and Canada signed multiple agreements pledging to uphold key principles, including refraining from the threat or use of force; renouncing any change of borders by force; and affirming the right of all states to choose their own political and economic systems and security alliances. Notably, Russia signed the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, which guaranteed Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity with the international borders in effect at that time, in exchange for Ukraine giving up the third-largest nuclear stockpile in the world. In 1997, NATO and Russia signed the Founding Act establishing a Permanent Joint Council and identifying a number of areas where the western alliance and Russia would work together to strengthen security -- an alliance with the Alliance, as some of its architects in the Clinton administration put it at the time. Things started to change in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Russia was not happy with the NATO-led war in Kosovo, nor with President George W. Bushs decision to invade Iraq in 2003. Putin became president of Russia in 2000 and declared his intention to restore Russian greatness. At the time, many Russians and international observers including some in the Bush administration welcomed his words. Coming on the heels of a decade of what many saw as wild-west capitalism, corruption, and breakdowns in law and order, Putin seemed poised to make a necessary correction that would strengthen Russian stability and modernization without doing major damage to its democracy. In hindsight, however, we can see that what Putin meant by Russian greatness was not strengthening the rule of law and building up Russias economy and international stature in the world. Upon taking office, he methodically went about rebuilding the Russian military, modernizing and expanding Russias nuclear arsenal, reviving and expanding Russian intelligence services and activities. That in itself was not necessarily a problem, except that Putin also started dismantling the nascent Russian democracy: taking control of media outlets, consolidating state industries and undermining opposition to his United Russia party, including by assassination of political opponents. Putin didnt just tame the oligarchs of the 1990s; he replaced them with his own. He was creating something resembling a Soviet system of Communist Party control, just without the Soviet ideology and a personal structure of rule in place of the old Party nomenklatura. A clue to his thinking came in 2005 when he described the collapse of the Soviet Union as the greatest tragedy of the 20th century. Then, in 2007 at Munich, that shift in rhetoric became unmistakable. Following the speech, Putin matched his words with actions, dismantling the structures designed to keep peace in post-Cold War Europe. Russia formally announced in July 2007 that it would no longer adhere to the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty. It continued to reject the principle of host-nation consent for its troop presence in Georgia and Moldova, and began ignoring Vienna Convention limits on troop concentrations, exercises and transparency. In 2008, Russia invaded Georgia, trading its peacekeepers in the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia for regular military personnel, and driving tanks toward the capital, Tbilisi. Six years later, Russian operatives took over Crimea and rapidly orchestrated its illegal annexation by Russia. Russia followed up with attacks in eastern Ukraine and continues to engage in low-intensity fighting and to occupy parts of Donbas to this day. Later, Russia violated the INF Treaty and began to deny overflights requested under the Open Skies Treaty. When the Munich speech happened, the Bush administration was still trying to find a stable and productive relationship with Russia. Accordingly, Gates chose to respond to Putin with humor, trying to lighten the mood in the room and avoid a public confrontation. He quipped that both he and Putin had both come out of their respective Cold War intelligence organizations, adding that one Cold War was quite enough. The optimism of that era may seem like pure naivete today, and there surely was some of that. But in fact, the feeling that Russia could be integrated was rooted in years of work with Russia after 1991, which most policy leaders in the United States and Europe believed had been productive. And it was surely worth the effort. Still, after Bush left office, an optimism prevailed that was no longer justifiable. President Barack Obama kicked off his presidency with a unilateral reset of Russia policy, as if the U.S. and the West were to blame for Russias transgressions. President Donald Trump pointedly refused to criticize Putin, even as his administration toughened some policies against Russia. President Joe Biden sought a stable and predictable relationship with Russia, and held an early summit with Putin, only to be met with further Russian threats against Ukraine and the European security order. Meanwhile, Putin became even more skilled at shaping a favorable public narrative. Though he lost the staunchly pro-transatlantic audience in the room in Munich, his target audience was somewhere else: European publics who could be made sympathetic to his grievances while blaming their own governments and the United States for allegedly threatening Russia. It was a playbook the Soviet Union had used in countering Pershing missile deployments in Germany in the 1980s. Putin and his propaganda machine are using that same tactic now: emphasizing grievance to support historical revisionism and provide cover for reassertion of Kremlin control over territories it regards as rightfully its own. And now, even more than in 2007, some in Europe and the US accept the Kremlin line that NATO enlargement, an instrument designed to advance a united Europe, is the true source of Russias threats against Ukraine today -- rather than Putins desire to rebuild a greater Russia, authoritarian at home and aggressive abroad. There will be no Russian delegation as this years Munich conference kicks off. The attendees face the possibility that Putin could launch a major war of aggression even as they stand in that same hall a logical culmination of his rhetoric at Munich 2007. Addressing this problem will require more focus, resolve and resources from the United States and NATO than we have been willing to commit in the last 15 years. Diplomacy, such as the arms control and other practical measures offered by the Biden Administration and NATO, can ameliorate some of the tensions but not the underlying problem. The United States and Europe need to draw long-term conclusions and forge a stronger approach. We must be more diplomatically engaged and militarily supportive of those countries in Europes east who are most vulnerable to Russian aggression. We must reduce financial and energy dependency on Russia and thus reduce points of Kremlin leverage. We must better defend against Kremlin aggression using the cyber and disinformation tools at our disposal. We must try to end the flows of corrupt Russian money through our systems; Putin and his circle should not profit from our system while trying to undermine it. We must regard Putins Russia as an authoritarian adversary while simultaneously reaching out to Russian society. Above all, we must understand what Putin has been openly telling us. This requires recognizing that the playbook created in the 1990s, fitting and well-intentioned as it was at the time, needs to be replaced with a new approach that treats Putins Russia as a threat to peace and an adversary. And we must sustain such a new approach for as long as Putin remains in power. Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to the 1997 Founding Act between NATO and Russia as the Final Act. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this report misstated the name of the 1997 Founding Act between NATO and Russia. Police in the Canadian capital city of Ottawa began arresting demonstrators of the "Freedom Convoy" protests on Thursday night, according to The Washington Post. The police move came after warnings earlier in the day to end the protests against vaccine requirements and other COVID-19 mitigation measures, which have disrupted the city for weeks, the Post reports. The Ottawa police blocked off sections of the city, creating 100 checkpoints in downtown Ottawa that could only be accessed by residents. The police also sequestered exits that lead to the city center off of the Trans-Canada Highway, according to The New York Times. "Your time in our city has come to an end and you must leave," said interim Police Chief Steve Bell, according to the Post, noting that the city had given the protesters multiple warnings. Of those arrested was a key protest organizer, Tamara Lich, a spokeswoman for the demonstration confirmed to the Times. The spokeswoman, Dagny Pawlak, told the Times that Linch's arrest was "absolutely baseless and a disgrace to any liberal democracy, although not a surprise." Amid the controversy that has had economic consequences in Canada and the U.S., Ottawa's police chief resigned and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took the atypical stance of declaring a national public order emergency - a first in more than 50 years for the country, according to the Times. Trudeau said Thursday, the Times reported, while speaking in Ottawa at the House of Commons, "It is high time that these illegal and dangerous activities stop, including here in Ottawa." HENDERSON Investigators following up on a Delaware missing person case found suspected human remains in the backyard of a Maryland home, police said. The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit, Caroline County Sheriffs Office and FBI went to a home on Schuyler Road on Wednesday to follow up on the 2020 missing person case, state police said in a news release Thursday. Advertisement During the investigation, police said, suspected human remains were found in the backyard and exhumed. The remains were turned over to the State of Maryland Forensic Science Division for an autopsy. A person of interest in this case is incarcerated in the Maryland Division of Corrections on unrelated criminal charges, police said. A missing 65-year-old man with Alzheimers disease was rescued thanks to a tip received by a preschooler, Arkansas police say. Police in Fayetteville were searching for 65-year-old Tony Joab on Wednesday, Feb. 16, after the man left his home sometime that morning. Officers knocked on doors of nearby homes hoping to find any clues as to where he was. It was rainy and dark when officers were nearly out of options, but a boy named Ezekiel gave them the clue they needed. Ezekiel told officers he saw the missing man in the woods by his school at recess hours earlier. It was the tip that helped save Mr. Joab, police said. Officers expanded their search to those woods, where they found Joab, according to police. Police officers and firefighters visited Ezekiels preschool on Friday, Feb. 18, to thank him for the sole tip that helped them rescue Joab. Ezekiel said the whole situation was a criracle which is a mixture of crazy and a miracle, police said. Photograph: Adrian Wyld/AP Truckers who have blockaded downtown Ottawa for nearly three weeks have defied a growing police presence in the Canadian capital and ignored repeated warnings that they could face steep fines and possible arrest. Officers had warned of an impending crackdown on Thursday, as busloads of police reinforcements arrived in the city and work crews took the rare step of erecting metal fences outside the senate and parliament. Despite heavy rain, supporters flocked to Parliament Hill, while the mood of imminent confrontation receded. I aint going anywhere, said Pat King, one of protest organizers. I havent overstayed my welcome. My taxes paid for me to be here. One of the leaders of the so-called freedom convoy was arrested as the interim police chief warned that action was imminent. Chris Barber was taken into custody on Thursday afternoon and was set to face criminal charges. Hours later, Tamara Lich, another organizer of the convoy, was arrested in downtown Ottawa. Tamara had earlier tearfully told supporters she expected to be arrested. Both of the arrested leaders will face charges of mischief as well as counselling to commit mischief. As snow fell heavily, police also arrested at least two other individuals. A speaker on the stage in front of parliament pleaded for protesters to bring in the human reinforcements amid fears that police could use the inclement weather to begin breaking up the blockade. Earlier in the afternoon, the citys deputy police chief said officers had planned for a number of scenarios after people ignored two formal warnings to leave the area immediately. We want people to peacefully leave, said Steve Bell said, adding: But I can tell you that if they do not peacefully leave, we have plans, strategies and tactics to be able to get them to leave. Police had established 100 checkpoints along a wide-ranging cordon around the citys downtown. Amid growing criticism of police tactics, the deputy police chief had declared his intention to break up the protest and take back Ottawas downtown in the coming days. Story continues In parliament, the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, told MPs that it was high time that these illegal and dangerous activities stop. Related: Ottawa protests: strong ties between some occupiers and far-right extremists, minister says They are a threat to our economy and our relationship with trading partners, he said. They are a threat to public safety. Additional police officers from Quebec were deployed to reinforce Ottawa city police, the Ontario provincial police, and the Royal Canadian Mounted police in the city. With heavy snow expected in the evening, police handed out a second round of written warnings most of which were refused by the protesters or immediately thrown away. Im Romanian, I lived through communism this is a communist country! said Christian Muntean, a trucker from Windsor, Ontario, who said he had no intention of leaving. Other members of the so-called freedom convoy jeered at the officers, with some calling them traitors and others claiming they had no authority to move the vehicles blockading the city centre. Despite the largest show of police numbers in weeks, the strategy for enforcement remained unclear. Police started blocking off key roads to isolate groups of protesters, but officers were often chased off by groups by demonstrators. And despite local bylaws prohibiting the transport of fuel used by protesters to keep heaters and truck engines running officers continued to turn a blind eye as activists towed wagons of fuel towards the protest camp. Ottawa is the convoys last stronghold after weeks of demonstrations and blockades that have spawned a national crisis, shuttering key border crossings and halting hundreds of millions in trade. The protests, which have increasingly large support from prominent US conservatives, have inspired similar convoys in France, New Zealand and the Netherlands. Late on Wednesday prominent organizers had appeared to recognise the occupation was nearing its end, but also attempted to rally the protesters for a final showdown. Its going down, said King in a Facebook video early Thursday morning. Truckers, get up. Get on your radios. Get on your horns. One long blast. Lets go, guys. The warnings from police came days after Trudeau invoked Canadas Emergencies Act, empowering law enforcement authorities to declare the blockades illegal, tow away trucks and punish the drivers by arresting them, freezing their bank accounts and suspending their licenses. Addressing a handful of supporters gathered outside parliament, King claimed that Trudeaus actions were unlawful and that they did not need to comply with police orders to leave. Since late January, protesters in trucks, tractors and motor homes have jammed the streets of Ottawa and obstructed border crossings. The demonstrations initially focused on Canadas vaccine requirement for truckers entering the country but soon morphed into a broad attack on Covid-19 restrictions and Trudeaus government. The protesters are a tiny minority in a country which has, on the whole, embraced the protection against Covid offered by science. Canada has one of the highest rates of full vaccination anywhere in the world, with more than 80% of people covered. The protests around the country have drawn support from rightwing extremists and military veterans, and authorities hesitated for weeks to move against them in part out of fear of violence. But Ottawa police have come under intense criticism for the cautious approach and for failing to prevent or disperse the occupation. The forces commander resigned on Monday, but Ottawa mayor Jim Watson has also come under pressure. Frustration erupted at a chaotic city council meeting on Wednesday night amid tears and recriminations over the handling of the crisis. Related: Carnival of chaos: Ottawa police face growing flak for failure to end protests Mayor Watson, I have lost all confidence in you as mayor of the city of Ottawa, said councillor Catherine McKenney at a council meeting that descended into chaos the night before. Councillor Anne Meehan echoed such calls, and abruptly resigned from the Ottawa Police Services Board, saying: This city is in chaos and it doesnt need to be. As of Tuesday, Ottawa officials said more than 350 vehicles remained with the blockade, down from a high of roughly 4,000. But many of those were large trucks crammed into a handful of downtown streets, presenting a logistical challenge for police hoping to tow them out of the area. The occupation has infuriated many Ottawa residents, who have complained of being harassed, intimidated and forced to endure a constant barrage of truck horns. At a cafe near the protests, one woman said: I dont care what the police do, as long as they end this thing. I work two jobs, and when I get home all I can hear is horns. Im sick of this. I just want it to end. MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin told Ukraine on Friday to sit down for negotiations with Moscow-backed separatists in Ukraine's east, citing rising tensions in the region and calling for the implementation of the Minsk peace process. At a news conference in Moscow, Putin also said Russia was ready to follow a negotiation track with NATO on its security demands, but that the U.S.-led military alliance and Washington were not yet in a mood to engage on Moscow's key concerns. (Reporting by Andrey Ostroukh, Mark Trevelyan, Darya Korsunskaya; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Mark Heinrich) Feb. 18Riding a second four-game losing streak this season, the Ole Miss men's basketball team heads to Athens, Georgia, to face the Bulldogs on Saturday at noon. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network. The Rebels (12-14, 3-10 SEC) are coming off a heartbreaking 77-74 overtime loss at SJB Pavilion to South Carolina. Guard James Reese V hit a halfcourt shot as time expired to give South Carolina the victory. Ole Miss led by as many as eight in the second half. "I thought we had the game in hand, for sure. Our inability with our guard play to handle pressure up in the game with one-and-one, two-shot fouls, just take care of the ball," Ole Miss coach Kermit Davis said. "The last play, I mean, all we were doing is putting a safety in the back, and Matt (Murrell) went for a steal. All we were trying to do was get him to catch it in front, he went for a steal, and the guy got behind him and still made a halfcourt shot." Three of the Rebels' four recent losses have come by six points or less. Prior to Reese's shot, Ole Miss senior Jarkel Joiner was unable to get a shot off before the shot clock expired, leaving the Gamecocks just enough time to hit the dagger. Joiner tied the game late in regulation to send the game to overtime. "We were trying to go with like nine or 10 seconds on the clock, which is plenty of time. He just leveled him off, and (Joiner) couldn't get by him," Davis said. "Clock goes down, he just shoots a rushed shot." Saturday will be Ole Miss' only regular-season meeting with the Bulldogs (6-20, 1-12) this season. Georgia has lost six games in row, the latest a 19-point defeat at LSU. The Bulldogs are among the worst defensive teams in college basketball, ranking 332nd with 77.4 points per game allowed. Georgia is led by guard Kario Oquendo, who is averaging 14.4 points per game. Ole Miss next plays at Auburn on Wednesday. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network. MICHAEL KATZ is the Ole Miss athletics reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact him at michael.katz@djournal.com. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Republican lawmakers in several states are scaling back access to government business, extending pandemic-era rules that restrict when journalists can report from the floors of state legislative chambers and, in effect, making it easier to dodge the press. As the public returns to the corridors of state capitols, new rules approved in Iowa last month and in Utah this week critically limit reporters' access to lawmakers, sparking an outcry from media organizations and press advocates. It is critical that there is some accountability with respect to those who have tremendous power, such as you, Lauren Gustus, the executive editor of The Salt Lake Tribune, told Utah lawmakers in a committee hearing last week, where she testified against such rules. These rule changes limit when journalists can work on the floor of the legislature where lawmakers sit, making it easier for elected officials to avoid interacting with the press, even when they take up high-profile topics like election laws, taxes and abortion. Rules governing where journalists can work vary across the nation's 50 statehouses. Most allow credentialed reporters to observe from the chamber floors; some allow reporters to ask questions before or after proceedings; others require they remain in press boxes or alcoves separated from lawmakers, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In states that are now moving to change their procedures, lawmakers argue that creating formal rules allays security concerns and prevents bad actors from disrupting governance. Press advocates say the proposed rules make it more difficult for journalists to ask questions and impede the reporters' ability to keep tabs on fast-paced statehouse action. In Iowa, Republican leaders this year did not issue credentials to journalists to work at press benches on the state Senate floor as they had previously. They said the policy change addressed confusion because of changing media that now includes blogs and newsletters that identify themselves as the press. Story continues In Utah, reporters are now being required to ask for permission each time theyd like to interview a lawmaker on the Senate floor or in certain adjacent hallways. There and in the Iowa Senate, reporters now work from a gallery high above the chambers, though they can still access the floor in the House of Representatives. Under new rules passed through Utah's Senate and advancing through the House, camera crews will be required to ask for permission to film in certain parts of committee rooms. In a hearing on the rule last week, Utah lawmakers said daily press conferences and efforts to stream all proceedings online demonstrated their commitment to transparency. They said putting a clear rule on the books would help both lawmakers and the press know whats allowed. The barriers of civility and discourse that have been respected in this state and this country for years and for decades are changing and theyre changing rapidly, said Utah GOP Sen. Todd Weiler, who supported the rule change, adding that "if they are pushing the barriers, it is nice to have a rule in place. In Kansas, new rules from leaders in the state Senate relegate newspaper reporters to the chambers gallery, which has made it easier for senators to avoid reporters after sessions. In exceptional circumstances, like when the gallery is filled with other members of the public, journalists are allowed to report from the floor like the rules allowed before. Placing restrictions on journalists in the Senate chamber suggests there is something to hide, or that leadership is taking unwarranted and unnecessary retaliation against reporters, former Kansas lawmaker Steve Morris wrote in an editorial in the Kansas Reflector. Morris, who led Republicans in the Kansas Senate from 2005 to 2013, said that as a politician and a news consumer he saw the benefits of having journalists able to observe and report from a statehouse floor. When discussions draw considerable public interest, he said, people want to know how their lawmakers are reacting, which at times can mean body language like eye rolls or enthusiastic gestures. Reporters are our avenue to see whats going on, he said in an interview with The Associated Press. "Especially when theres something controversial," he added. The session adjourns and members skedaddle out of there rapidly so it's hard for journalists to get to them, unlike when theyre on the floor they can immediately get to them. The new limits come in an environment of increasing attacks on the media and parallel new restrictions placed on journalists covering protests and courtroom proceedings. They also come as states and cities loosen coronavirus restrictions that have returned restaurants, sporting events and offices to pre-pandemic capacity. Parker Higgins, the advocacy director at the Freedom of The Press Foundation, said the ways transparency and access increased during the pandemic for example, when courtrooms allowed members of the public to hear and watch trials remotely were being reversed. After speaking with reporters in Kansas and Iowa, he said most say its not impossible to do their jobs without floor access. But, in terms of doing your job quickly and effectively, you cant get that from the public gallery. ___ AP reporters Andy Tsubasa Field in Topeka, Kansas, and David Pitt in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed reporting. Dr. Carlton Haywood Jr., an assistant professor in the Berman Institute of Bioethics and in the division of hematology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, died Dec. 31 at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The Baltimore resident was 45. A cause of death was unavailable. Advertisement Carlton Haywood Jr., son of Carlton Haywood Sr., a Ford Motor Credit Co. manager, and Harriett Haywood, a homemaker, was born in Atlanta, and due to the nature of his fathers work, was raised in Miami, Southfield, Michigan, Mobile, Alabama, Nashville, Tennessee, and Roanoke, Virginia, where he graduated from William Byrd High School. For the first three years of his life, Dr. Haywood screamed so often and so terribly that his parents, Carlton Sr. and Harriett Haywood, thought they must be doing something wrong, according to a 2013 Baltimore Sun profile of him. By 1979, when his sister Tammy was born, they had moved to Alabama, a state that mandated sickle cell testing for all newborns. She didnt have the disease but carried some traits, so doctors suggested they test their son. Advertisement The results were devastating, his mother told The Sun. The doctors told us Carlton wouldnt live through childhood. It was very, very difficult to deal with. Sickle cell disease affects approximately 100,000 Americans, and is most common among African Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite an unconventional childhood that was shaped by the disease, Dr. Haywood became a straight-A student, and was accepted to the University of Virginia, where he planned to study medicine. But early that first year, he came to realize that he didnt like working in laboratories, and his adviser suggested another field of study. Intro to Bioethics changed my life, Dr. Haywood told The Sun. I loved reading about ethical dilemmas in medicine. It presented a whole new way of asking questions. "Think of the worst pain you've ever had -- a broken bone or a migraine -- and imagine it as a steady rainfall. Then it blossoms into a thunderstorm that lasts for hours," said Hopkins bioethics professor Carlton Haywood Jr., pictured in 2013, on pain caused by sickle cell disease, which he battled since birth. (Kim Hairston, Baltimore Sun) He earned a bachelors degree in 1999 in religious studies and then obtained a masters degree in 2003 from Virginia. He moved to Baltimore and completed a doctorate in health policy and bioethics in 2009 from the department of health policy and management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. As a Ph.D. student, Carlton was awarded a competitive NIH-funded individual NRSA grant, according to a Hopkins profile of Dr. Haywood. He joined the faculty of the Berman Institute and the Department of Hematology with support from the Johns Hopkins Office of the Provost Mosaic Initiative. In recognition of his academic achievements, leadership, and numerous contributions to the field, upon graduation with his doctorate, he was also inducted into the Alpha Chapter of the Delta Omega Public Health Honor Society in 2009. Advertisement Because he suffered throughout his life with sickle cell disease, Mr. Haywood became an advocate and champion for those who also suffered from it and worked diligently to improve their lives. Carlton brought a unique perspective to his health equity research, which was informed by his own experiences living with sickle-cell disease, and fervent desire to address the challenges that he and other patients faced, according to the Hopkins profile. His dissertation focused on patient-centered care and trust in the medical profession among adults with sickle-cell disease. This research was one of the very first studies to rigorously examine the construction of trust among patients with sickle-cell disease. His research was described by Hopkins as groundbreaking. His scholarship highlighted issues of extreme injustice, challenged assumptions, (such as a lack of interest in clinical trial preparation), and paved the way for improving quality of care for the sickle-cell population, said the Hopkins profile. In 2015, he was selected as one of the first recipients of the highly competitive Johns Hopkins University Catalyst Awards to examine how to improve the quality of nursing care for sickle-cell disease patients. Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. > Despite his own health challenges, Dr. Haywood traveled and lectured widely on sickle cell disease. He stressed that although it was an important public health problem, the research was underfunded. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 60 Naomi Judd, the Kentucky-born matriarch of the Grammy-winning duo The Judds and mother of Wynonna and Ashley Judd, has died at the age of 76. Her family announced Judd's death on April 30, 2022. (Josh Anderson/AP) Dr. Haywoods work brought him numerous accolades, and in 2014, Ebony magazine placed him on its Power 100 list, which is an annual celebration of the most influential and inspiring men and women in the African American community. He was also one of three national sickle cell experts who testified before Congress. Advertisement Dr. Haywood served on Marylands Statewide Steering Committee on Services for Adults with Sickle Cell Disease. He was also a member of the National Human Genome Research Institute. The Hopkins profile stated that Dr. Haywood would be remembered by his mentees, family and friends for his brilliance, generosity, kindness, compassion and humility. [ Jean Barlow McHugh, a retired Kennedy Krieger social worker, dies ] Dr. Haywood, who lived at the Park Charles in downtown Baltimore, enjoyed collecting comic books, watching sci-fi and horror movies, and sipping pink lemonade. Funeral services were held Jan. 29 at Gill Creek Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina. Mr. Haywood is survived by his father, Carlton Haywood Sr. of Roanoke, Virginia, and mother, Harriett Haywood of Columbia, South Carolina; a brother, Atu Haywood of Houston; and two sisters, Tamara Haywood and Akiah Haywood, both of Columbia, South Carolina. Ronna McDaniel, the GOP chairwoman, speaks during the Republican National Committee winter meeting Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, in Salt Lake City AP Photo/Rick Bowmer A retired conservative federal judge is slamming the GOP for its censure of Reps. Cheney and Kinzinger. Judge J. Michael Luttig called it "utter madness" and "the definition of failed leadership." Luttig, a highly-respected conservative legal figure, is now forcefully speaking out. A retired conservative federal judge slammed what he called "nonsense" and "utter madness" pervading the Republican Party in the wake of the Republican National Committee's censure of two of its own members of Congress, calling it "the definition of failed leadership" to the Los Angeles Times. Judge J. Michael Luttig, a widely-respected conservative legal figure, clerked for former Supreme Court Justices Warren Burger and Antonin Scalia, served for over a decade on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, and was twice considered for the Supreme Court during the George W. Bush administration. Luttig retired from the federal judiciary in 2006, but continues to be highly influential in the conservative legal world and made a significant splash with a January 5, 2021 Twitter thread of legal analysis laying out why former Vice President Mike Pence couldn't overturn the 2020 election on January 6. Now, Luttig is deeply troubled by the RNC's vote to censure GOP Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for their work on the House committee investigating the insurrection, Trump attacking Pence for arguing that he couldn't have overturned the 2020 election, and Trump continuing to whack Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. "This feels like a seminal moment in America when all of what the country has witnessed and endured for these years seems to be building to volcanic crescendo," he wrote in an email to LA Times columnist Jackie Calmes. "We are in political war to the death with each other." Luttig called the RNC censure and the lack of pushback to it a sign of "failed leadership," but noted that politics isn't his expertise. Story continues "Nobody cares what Judge Luttig thinks about politics, nor should they," Luttig said in a new interview with Politico Playbook's Ryan Lizza. "The only thing that matters to me in my life is the law." Still, Luttig is deeply concerned about the trajectory of the Republican Party and recently spoke to Checks & Balances, an organization of conservative lawyers who believe in principles like "the rule of law" and "the power of truth." "For the past six years, I have watched and listened in disgust that not one single leader of ours with the moral authority, the courage and the will to stand up and say, 'No, this is not who we are, this is not what America is and it's not what we want to be,' has done so,'" he told the group, according to the LA Times. Luttig also detailed the backstory behind his January 5 Twitter thread in the Politico Playbook interview. The thread began with an early-morning phone call from an outside counsel to Pence, Luttig scrambling (and enlisting his son) to help him write the Twitter thread, Luttig "floored" and "honored" to see his tweets showing up in Pence's open letter before presiding over the Joint Session on January 6, and Pence calling Luttig the next day (as Luttig was waiting in line at a UPS store) to thank him. A few weeks later during Trump's second impeachment, Luttig advised several Republican senators on whether a former president could be subject to impeachment and conviction after leaving office (Luttig argued that the Constitution does not provide for impeachment of an ex-president). Luttig has since testified to the House Select Committee on January 6, the LA Times reported, and is one of several top legal minds advising Republicans in a bipartisan group of US Senators looking to reform the Electoral Count Act of 1887. The once-obscure 19th-century law that governs how Congress counts Electoral College votes was in the spotlight on January 6, 2021, as Trump and his allies urged Pence to disregard the law in order to overturn the election. Legal scholars and experts from across the political spectrum argue the law's ambiguities and lack of clarity on key points make it vulnerable to exploitation by bad-faith political actors. Read the original article on Business Insider From marijuana, abortion bans and parole legislation to decisions on teacher pay raises, prohibition and virus relief funds, the Mississippi Legislature did more than just remove and retire the state flag as this photo shows at the state Capitol, July 7, 2020. Despite unprecedented revenue growth, both the House and Senate have put forth state budget proposals for the coming fiscal year that spend less state funds than what was appropriated during the 2021 session. But Senate Appropriations Chair Briggs Hopson, R-Vicksburg, cautioned, We are far from the finish line. This is just the starting line. Last year the Legislature appropriated $7 billion in state support funds for education, health care, law enforcement and for other vital needs that are funded with state general fund tax collections and other state funds. Both the House and Senate have passed budget plans of $6.6 billion. The action taken earlier this week is the opening salvo for the 2022 session in developing a budget for the budget year starting July 1. The final product will be negotiated between House and Senate leaders in late March during the final scheduled days of the 2022 legislative session. Yes, Im sure (spending) is going to increase in negotiations it always does, said House Appropriations Vice Chair Karl Oliver, R-Winona. In developing the budgets, legislators are dealing with unprecedented growth in state tax collections. In the past fiscal year, the state collected $1.1 billion more than was budgeted and is on pace to do about the same for the current fiscal year. Those surpluses are fueling discussions in both chambers of a tax cut. READ MORE: Inside the income tax cut battle between House and Senate leaders While the recent action might be the starting line, the proposals still indicate the conservative approach leaders apparently are taking in developing a budget. Both proposals do little to address the funding shortfall in the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, which provides the basics of operating local school districts. It would take about $360 million in additional money to fully fund MAEP, a funding formula set into law by the Legislature. The budget also does not address the possibility of expanding Medicaid as is allowed under federal law to provide health care coverage to primarily the working poor. House Speaker Philip Gunn has indicated that he would not support expanding Medicaid. Story continues Plus, the two budget plans, as they passed both chambers in their original forms, do little to address the rising costs agencies face from inflation. Hopson conceded that moving forward inflation needed to be factored into the budgets. It is definitely a factor(to) determine how far dollars will go, said Hopson. Oliver said, Everybodys aware of inflation thats a big topic of conversation right now. He said inflation is part of whats driving proposed pay raises for Department of Public Safety law officers and others in the budget. Both Democrats and Republicans expressed concern that pay raises for state employees are needed during the current climate where salaries are being increased in the private sector to attract workers. But Hopson said safeguards are in plan to help ensure agency heads do not exceed their authority to provide pay raises. There seem to be a real concern about employees being overpaid and agencies trying to pay their employees more, said Sen. Hob Bryan, D-Amory. It is very easy to see the cost of a salary. That is a dollar amount. We know the amount. We can deal with it. What we dont see is the real cost of the key people in government, the super competent. When those people go, you incur a lot of other costs that you do not see in the cost of their salaries. The budget plans include $25 million for state employee pay raises. The intent of the funds is to ensure all employees are paid at least the minimum salary that they should receive under a new compensation system developed by the state Personnel Board. About 19,000 of the 24,000 Mississippi state employees who fall under the state Personnel Board guidelines received a raise of up to 3% in January to put their salaries in line with the new compensation plan, entitled SEC2. The $25 million will try to complete that realignment, Hopson said. The largest new expenditure in both the House and Senate proposals is to fund the teacher pay raise plans that passed earlier this session. The Senate plan has about $170 million for its pay raise proposal with the plan to provide another $45 million raise in the 2023 session. The House has about $215 million for its plan. On a separate, but related track, legislators are also working to decide how to spend $1.8 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds. Those funds can be spent on water and sewer improvements throughout the state and for various COVID-19 related items. The final decision on how to spend those funds, like the overall budget, will likely be decided in the final days of the session, which is scheduled to end in early April. This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi Legislature 2022 spending plan MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's ambassador to Britain touted Finland or Geneva as potential hosts for a meeting between Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken next week, Interfax news agency reported. The pair have held a series of meetings and phone calls in the course of the Ukraine crisis, without achieving any diplomatic breakthrough. (Reporting by Andrey Ostroukh; writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Mark Trevelyan) Eteri Tutberidze sat next to a distraught Kamila Valieva after the teen's performance. Jean Catuffe/Getty Images A top Russian official slammed the IOC chief for his remarks on the treatment of Kamila Valieva. "This is frankly inappropriate and wrong," Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko said, Inside the Games reported. IOC's president had said it was "chilling" to see how Valieva was treated by her team after she fell in the free skate event. A top Russian official has slammed the International Olympic Committee's president for his comments criticizing Russian Olympic Committee figure skater Kamila Valieva's entourage for their behavior after the teen failed to medal in the Olympic women's singles skating event on Thursday. Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko told Inside the Games that the remarks made by IOC President Thomas Bach were "inappropriate and wrong." "We are deeply disappointed to see an IOC president weave his own fictional narrative on the feelings of our athletes, and then present these publicly as the voice of the IOC," Chernyshenko said. "Everyone recognizes the Olympics as the pinnacle of professional sport, and every single athlete bears the hopes and dreams of their entire nation for their success," he told Inside the Games. "That is a known pressure, and it is also what drives them forward, with a fighting spirit." "Win or lose we know our athletes are world-beating, and they do too," he added. Bach had told reporters that it was "chilling" to see how Valieva a 15-year-old embroiled in a doping scandal at the Beijing Winter Olympics was treated by her team and coaches on Thursday after she stumbled and fell in the free skate event, falling out of medal contention after leading the pack. "I must say I was very, very disturbed yesterday when I watched the competition on TV," Bach said on Friday. He said that there "appeared to be a tremendous coldness" toward Valieva following her performance. Story continues Valieva burst into tears following Thursday's event and her coach, Eteri Tutberidze, came down on the teen instead of offering her words of encouragement in a scene that was captured on camera. "Why did you stop fighting? Explain it to me why? You let it go after that axel. Why?" Tutberidze asked Valieva as she exited the rink. Meanwhile, Russian Figure Skating Federation President Alexander Gorshkov also blasted Bach's comments. "The latest statement by the head of the IOC regarding the cold towards Valieva by the coaches of the Tutberidze group is extremely perplexing," he told Russia's official state news agency TASS, according to a translation from Inside the Games. "Everyone who was next to Kamila at that moment and her entourage, and our entire team did everything possible to support her in this exceptionally difficult moment," Gorshkov told TASS, according to Inside the Games. Read the original article on Insider A three-judge panel has rejected an appeal from Preston Taylor to reduce his prison sentence for his role in the robbery and murder of Sarah Stern. In the 26-page ruling, the state Superior Courts appellate division did set aside on a procedural quibble a $10,000 fine imposed on Taylor by the trial court on the robbery count of his conviction. Taylor argues the trial court erred by not conducting an ability to pay hearing before imposing the $10,000 discretionary fine on the robbery count. We agree, the appellate court wrote in its decision. Taylor, of Neptune, who is now 24 and wont be eligible for parole until May 20, 2032, is entitled to a court hearing in regard to his ability to pay the fine imposed, as well as to the manner or method of payment, the appellate court ruled citing previous case law on the subject. The judges remanded the matter back to the trial court in Freehold to conduct such a hearing but stated, we have no opinion on the amount of the fine that is appropriate. The appeal was the result of a decision made by Superior Court Judge Richard W. English in Freehold who handed down Taylors sentence in June 2019 to impose a longer sentence than the 15 years prosecutors recommended. That recommendation was based in part on Taylor's substantial cooperation with authorities. However, the appellate court found no issues with the judges discretion to impose the longer sentence. Under the sentencing guidelines, Taylor is required to serve at least 15 of the 18 years of his term. Taylor admitted to conspiring with his friend and roommate Liam McAtasney to rob Stern, of Neptune City, an aspiring artist who was Taylors junior prom date, of money passed onto her by her deceased mother. He also confessed to helping McAtasney throw the 19-year-olds body off the Route 35 bridge between Neptune and Belmar after McAtasney strangled her to death in December 2016. More: Sarah Stern documentary airs on MTV Story continues Taylor agreed to cooperate with authorities following his arrest in February 2017 and ultimately pleaded guilty to robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, desecrating human remains, conspiracy to desecrate human remains and hindering apprehension. He took officers to Stern's house to recount details of the crime and revealed the locations of two safes connected to the case. Related: Sarah Stern murder: Scholarship concert about art and 'healing energy' He also testified against McAtasney at his former roommates murder trial three years ago. A Monmouth County jury ultimately found McAtasney guilty of murder and a slew of other crimes, and he was sentenced to life in prison. Erik Larsen: 732-682-9359 or elarsen@gannettnj.com This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Sarah Stern murder: Preston Taylor loses appeal for reduced sentence Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) is seen during a Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee hearing to discuss security threats 20 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Tuesday, September 21, 2021. The Senate on Thursday night passed a resolution supporting Kyiv and urging President Biden to "impose significant costs" if Russia invaded Ukraine. The resolution, which passed the Senate by a voice vote, comes as senators are leaving town for a one-week break amid growing concern from U.S. officials, including President Biden, that an invasion by Moscow is imminent. "By acting in bipartisan fashion today, the United States Senate sent a strong message to Russia and the world that we stand with Ukraine," Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said in a statement. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who sponsored the resolution with Portman, added that "by overwhelmingly voting in favor of this resolution, today the Senate spoke with one voice." "Democrats and Republicans are united and committed to supporting our Ukrainian partners against the Kremlin's escalating violence and aggression. Putin will make a gross miscalculation and suffer the full weight of the U.S. Congress if he decides to further invade Ukraine," Shaheen said. The Senate's passage of the resolution, which was co-sponsored by roughly 40 senators, comes after Senate leadership and members of top committees released a joint statement saying that if Putin escalated "his ongoing assault on Ukraine's sovereignty, Russia must be made to pay a severe price." "This was a very significant resolution that we passed. It was led by Senators Shaheen and Portman and sends a very strong message to Mr. Putin that the United States Senate, Democrats and Republicans of all different ideologies, are united in defending Ukraine in the ways that the administration sees fit," Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said after the Senate passed the resolution on Thursday night. There's growing concern in Washington that Putin is likely to invade Ukraine. A senior administration official characterized Moscow's claim that it was withdrawing forces as "false" and said Wednesday evening that Russia has added as many as 7,000 troops at its border with the other nation. And Biden said on Thursday that he believed Russia will invade Ukraine in the next several days, noting that Russia has added more troops to the border. Story continues But even as senators touted their ability to unify behind the resolution and the statement, they failed to get a deal on a sweeping sanctions package. Sens. James Risch (R-Idaho) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the top Republican and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, respectively, led a bipartisan group that worked for weeks on a potential piece of legislation. But they warned last week that they had hit a wall with disagreements related to secondary sanctions on Russia's banks, which could have broader impacts across Europe, and what to do about the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. And the fate of the resolution was in limbo earlier Thursday after Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) warned that he would object to quickly passing it without changes. Because senators wanted to fast-track passage of the resolution, they needed buy-in from all 100 senators. Sponsors of the resolution made changes to address Paul's concerns, including adding language specifying that the resolution, which is nonbinding, was not meant to be viewed as authorization for the use of military force against Russia or authorizing U.S. troops for Ukraine. The Senate has passed a bill to fund the government through March 11, averting a partial government shutdown that would otherwise occur after midnight Saturday. The bill now goes to President Biden's desk for his signature. The final vote was 65 to 27, which included a number of Republicans. The bill, which required 60 votes to pass in the Senate, passed the House last week. Republicans who voted against the bill spoke out against what they described as too-large government spending and record-high inflation levels, and three GOP-offered amendments to the continuing resolution failed. Lawmakers are still working on a larger omnibus appropriations bill to fund the government through September, the end of the fiscal year. The Capitol is seen at dawn, one year after the violent Jan. 6 insurrection by supporters of then-President Donald Trump who assaulted police and smashed their way into the Congress to interrupt the Electoral College certification of Democrat Joe Biden's victory, in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022. / Credit: J. Scott Applewhite / AP "I am pleased that Congress has passed a continuing resolution through March 11, ensuring that the government will remain open as we continue our bipartisan, bicameral negotiations on FY22 bills," Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Richard Shelby, a Republican, said in a statement. "We are making progress under our omnibus framework, but there's still a lot of work to be done. This will provide us additional time to complete our work. Chairman Leahy, Chair DeLauro, Ranking Member Granger, and I remain steadfast in our commitment to get the job done and fund the government through the end of this fiscal year." The short-term funding bill allows the government to operate at current funding levels and avoids a partial government shutdown during Mr. Biden's State of the Union address on March 1. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is gauging potential support on Capitol Hill for $30 billion in new federal funding to pay for the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on more money to pay for testing, treatment programs and development of vaccines to fight the virus and future diseases, as CBS News has previously reported. Russian skater Kamila Valieva finishes fourth amid doping scandal Judge rules Trump must testify in New York financial probe An adopted kid uses his mullet to help foster care kids MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine said on Friday they planned to evacuate around 700,000 people to Russia from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). Most DPR residents are Russian speakers and many have already been granted Russian citizenship. Ukraine says the people who run the DPR are not separatists but Russian proxies, something the Kremlin denies. (Reporting by Anton Zverev; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Andrew Osborn) During an empowering speech Wednesday at McDaniel Colleges inaugural Black History Month convocation, the Rev. Nontombi Naomi Tutu continually invoked a phrase her grandmother spoke during apartheid in South Africa: This is not the end of our story. Apartheid legislation institutionalized racial segregation between South Africas white minority and nonwhite majority from 1948 to 1994, sanctioning political and economic discrimination against the Blacks in that country. The challenges of growing up in apartheid South Africa have inspired Tutu to teach and preach against systemic oppression. Advertisement Our story is not going to end with us being an oppressed people in our own land, our story is not going to end with our humanity being questioned, she said. Tutu is the third child of the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, one of South Africas most well-known human rights activists. In 1984, Desmond Tutu was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end apartheid in South Africa. He died at the age of 90 on Dec. 26, 2021. Advertisement On a daily basis, his daughter said, activists were tortured, protests were held and people died in police detention. Throughout those traumatic experiences, she always remembered her grandmothers words. I saw so many courageous people during apartheid, she said. I held onto this is not the end of our story, as we went from state-of-emergency; to state-of-emergency; to state-of-emergency. Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. > Tutu, who has divided her adult life between South Africa and the United States, also explained how systemic racism is woven into the foundation of American culture. She highlighted stories of young Black men shot by police and the fight against teaching critical race theory in American schools. I hold on to that phrase, This is not the end of the story, once again living as a Black woman in [America], she said. Marnice Briscoe, a senior majoring in social work at McDaniel College, attended the speech and said she was moved by Tutus words. Briscoe said she was struck by the similarities of systemic oppression between apartheid South Africa and modern-day America. Richard Smith, McDaniels associate provost for equity and belonging, called the Tutus speech powerful. I was really happy that she was here, and she really kicked off this Black History convocation, Smith said. It was exactly what we needed to hear at this time. Advertisement Smith said the convocation will be a signature event planned annually at McDaniel in recognition of Black History Month. Tutu started her public speaking career as a college student at Berea College in Kentucky in the 1970s and continues to share her story as a human rights activist today. Weve probably all had jobs wed like to forget, but to actually split your mind between work life and personal life so you have literally no recollection of your nine-to-five after you clock out well, that might be taking things a little bit too far. Not so for Lumon Industries, the shady corporation at the heart of Severance, a super-stylised thriller thats pitching itself somewhere in the middle of the Venn diagram between 2004s brainwipe love story Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, George Orwells 1984 and office-set advertising saga Mad Men. Directed in part by Ben Stiller, the 10-part Apple+ series revolves around Lumons mysterious macro data refinement department, where all workers must undergo the severance process. A kind of HR-dictated trepanning, it causes the memories between employees office hours and personal life to be spatially dictated, so that when theyre at work they have no concept of who they are in the outside world, and vice versa. If that all sounds like a Kafkaesque nightmare, its because it is. New Lumon recruit Helly (Britt Lower) is rightfully suspicious of her new job, especially when shes shown video footage of herself agreeing to undergo the severance procedure. As she attempts to rebel against her apparent decision to join the company, her colleague, the morosely brainwashed and checked-out Mark (Parks and Recreations Adam Scott), is battling his own demons. In the outside world hes a troubled, alcoholic widower who has taken the job at Lumon to distract him from his loss. Not that its working. Forgetting about her for eight hours a day isnt the same thing as healing, sagely points out his sister, played by Jen Tullock. Such a sinister premise leads to moments of wonderfully bleak comedy and eerie surrealism, managed deftly by an exemplary cast. Far from her compassionate, Oscar-winning performance in Boyhood, Patricia Arquette is cold and cruel as boss Peggy, and Christopher Walken pops up too, evidently entering the television-regular phase of his career following last years BBC comedy The Outlaws. After his memorable turn in a Waystar Royco team-building exercise with Kieran Culkin in Succession, Zach Cherry plays another wry co-worker, while John Turturros Lumon stooge is a brilliantly observed office stereotype. Both are severed employees who spend their days sifting through unexplained, seemingly meaningless data in what seems to be a knowing take on what the late sociologist David Graeber wrote about in his 2018 book Bulls*** Jobs: A Theory, which picks apart the concept of pointless work that drains the workers notion of self-worth but to which they must commit their lives. Lowers Helly isnt the only one questioning the dodgy-sounding severance process. A former Lumon employee called Petey (Yul Vazquez) has managed to bypass the allegedly irreversible brain implant and tracks down the real-world version of Mark in an attempt to share information about the company. Initially, Mark is confused; hes never met this man. But, of course, theyve actually spent the past three years together at the office. As high concept television goes, Severance is pretty lofty, but its ambition is compelling not least because it might just be the bulls*** jobs backlash weve been waiting for. Feb. 17MITCHELL Three Sioux Falls residents who teamed up to steal over $1,000 worth of items from a construction site in Mitchell have been sentenced to serve time in prison. Robert Fitzler, Jason Walls and Jessica Sansoucie were recently sentenced for the lengthy list of charges that stemmed from the burglary that took place on Nov. 29 at a construction site where crews with Mueller Lumber Company were building a home in west Mitchell. Following the burglary, the suspects stole a debit card from a vehicle parked outside M&H gas Station and attempted to pawn some of the stolen items from the construction site. Police say video evidence confirmed Sansoucie had also used a victim's stolen debit card at various gas stations, though Sansoucie denied knowing the card was stolen. During Tuesday's felony court proceedings, Fitzler was sentenced to serve five years in prison for the third-degree burglary charge, while Sansoucie was sentenced to five years in prison with two years suspended. Sansoucie and Fitzler both had a two-year prison sentence suspended for the grand theft charges. After police brought the three then-suspects in for questioning, Walls allegedly admitted that he and Fitzler committed the burglaries while Sansoucie drove them around Mitchell. Sansoucie claimed she was not aware of what the men were doing, only that they had instructed her where to drive. While the sentences varied for all three defendants, Judge Chris Giles pointed to their stealing habits as a means to fuel their drug addictions as a major reason for imposing prison time for each of them. "That's a line that once you cross it, you deserve punishment," Giles said to Sansoucie, the last person involved in the incident to be sentenced. Among the three, Walls, 48, received the stiffest sentence. Walls was sentenced to serve nine years in prison for all three charges combined, including third-degree burglary, possession of a controlled substance and grand theft. Story continues For the third-degree burglary charge, Walls was sentenced to five years in prison with one year suspended. In addition, he was sentenced to five years in prison with two years suspended for possession of a controlled substance, a Class 5 felony that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. On the grand theft charge, he was sentenced to serve two years in prison. Fitzler, Walls and Sansoucie, each were ordered to pay a little over $1,000 in restitution fees for the items stolen from the residential construction site that was being led by Mitchell-based Mueller Lumber Company. While Fitzler pleaded to enter treatment and avoid prison, Davison County Deputy State's Attorney Robert O'Keefe's noted Fitzler's criminal record is "probably the worst" he's ever seen. "I'm sorry for what I've done. I have some serious mental health issues and drug addiction. I think Stepping Stones and Tim Moon (Mitchell probation officer) would help me the best," Fitzler said during Tuesday's sentencing hearing. Prior to being sentenced, Sansoucie informed the court she is pregnant. Davison County State's Attorney Jim Miksimins recommended Sansoucie receive a five-year prison sentence, noting authorities could help protect the unborn child if Sansoucie remains incarcerated during her pregnancy. MILAN (Reuters) - Italy's biggest bad loan firm doValue is discussing a possible extension of its contract with UniCredit but in the meantime has made prudent estimates on future problem debts the Italian bank will send its way, its CEO said. Verona-based doValue, 28.3% owned by Japan's SoftBank Group, was set up in 2015 when UniCredit spun off its debt servicing arm in a deal with Fortress Investment Group, the U.S. fund that was later bought by SoftBank. UniCredit and doValue signed at the time a debt management agreement which has provided doValue with a steady revenue flow. The company later worked to expand its business, moving into the Spanish and Greek non-performing loan (NPL) markets. Milan-based broker Equita this month flagged potential risks for doValue after Reuters reported that UniCredit was in talks with rival bad debt firm Prelios over a 2 billion euro portfolio of "unlikely to pay" loans. UniCredit late last year invited offers to manage a 1 billion euro UTP portfolio with a view to evaluating how the selected partner performed versus the bank's in-house collections ahead of considering further UTP deals, sources close to the matter have told Reuters. UniCredit declined to comment. The sources said Prelios, which has offered not just to manage the loans but has lined up investors to buy twice the value of the original portfolio, was set to prevail over rivals including doValue. Prelios declined to comment. Asked about the implications of UniCredit's UTP transaction on Friday during a post-results analyst call, doValue CEO Andrea Mangoni downplayed the risks for his group. "First, our current projections in terms of new non-performing loans inflows from UniCredit are extremely conservative," he said. "Second, we're currently discussing with UniCredit the extension of our current contract in terms of size." "So the impact of the UTP disposal process currently under way is definitely negligible on our results." (Reporting by Valentina Za; editing by Agnieszka Flak and Keith Weir) Feb. 18An Anchorage Superior Court judge on Thursday ruled against a handful of Alaska college students who sued the administration of Gov. Mike Dunleavy, challenging a decision that drained Alaska's $410 million higher-education investment fund. The decision from Judge Adolf Zeman, unless reversed on appeal to the Alaska Supreme Court, means the Alaska Performance Scholarship program and WWAMI, the state's equivalent of medical school, do not have a dedicated funding source and must compete with other programs in the state's annual budget process. The scholarship programs remain funded through at least June 30, and state legislators are in charge of setting funding after that date. Dunleavy has requested that the programs stay funded. "The judge's decision today cites the plain language of the Alaska Constitution and judicial precedent, and we appreciate the clarity provided by this expedited decision," said Attorney General Treg Taylor, whose office defended against the lawsuit. In his order, Zeman said the administration correctly classified the higher-education fund as part of the state's general fund in 2019. That made it subject to a clause in the Alaska Constitution that requires leftover general fund money to be automatically swept into the Constitutional Budget Reserve, a special savings account. The Alaska Legislature regularly votes to reverse that sweep, but it failed to do so in 2021 because of opposition by Republican legislators in the state House. That failure, combined with the administration's classification, drained the fund. Attorney Scott Kendall, representing the plaintiffs, said they intend to appeal to the Supreme Court. Zeman noted that this case differs from a 2021 lawsuit in which the Alaska Federation of Natives challenged the draining of the Power Cost Equalization fund, which pays for the state subsidy of rural electrical power. AFN won that case, in part because the law creating the PCE fund said that it was created outside the general fund. The law creating the higher-education fund specifically says that it is part of the general fund, Zeman said. He said his decision doesn't mean that the scholarship programs "become obsolete" with his decision. "If the Legislature believes these programs should be funded, it possesses the power to establish the (higher education fund) as a separate fund outside the general fund or to appropriate money from other sources ... to fund the programs in the future. However, this is not within the court's power. The power of appropriation belongs solely to the legislative branch," he said. Feb. 17The Frederick Police Department officers who reportedly fired upon a man Feb. 11 were found to be justified in their use of deadly force, according to the Frederick County State's Attorney's Office, but residents will have to wait to see the body camera footage. Dominique Lamarr Lewis, 25, of Hampton, Virginia, and FPD officers Kristen Kowalsky, 32, and Bryan Snyder, 43, were shot Feb. 11 while the officers responded to Waverley Drive and Key Parkway Friday for a firearms complaint. Lewis allegedly shot the officers, who fired back, according to charging documents. Lewis remains hospitalized in "good" condition at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center as of Thursday, according to a University of Maryland Medical System spokesperson. The officers were released Feb. 11. Frederick County State's Attorney Charlie Smith said his office will not charge the officers. "The State's Attorney's Office has reviewed the body-worn camera footage, witness statements, and the physical evidence collected from last Friday's police-involved shooting," Smith said in an emailed statement Thursday. "After reviewing all evidence and consulting with the investigators from the Maryland State Police assigned to this incident, my office has concluded that the use of deadly force by Officers Kristen Kowalsky and Bryan Snyder against Dominique Lamar Lewis was necessary and proportional." Both the state's attorney's office and the FPD said they will not release the body camera footage from the shooting at this time, citing the pending prosecution of Lewis. Lewis faces two counts each of attempted first- and second-degree murder, first-degree assault and one count of using a firearm in the commission of a felony in connection to the Feb. 11 shooting. Smith said Lewis would undergo a bail review in Frederick County District Court upon his release from the hospital. A full report on the use of force will be released by the state's attorney's office at the conclusion of the criminal case, according to Smith. Story continues In stating his reasons for not releasing the body camera footage, FPD Chief Jason Lando also suggested releasing the video now would further traumatize those involved. "Having this video aired publicly, over and over, on all major news outlets in the region is not only likely to re-traumatize the individuals involved, but may adversely affect the prosecution of the case. As such, the Frederick Police Department will not be releasing the body camera footage at this time," Lando wrote in an email Thursday. Once the investigation and prosecution is complete, FPD legally would have to release the footage when asked, city of Frederick communications manager Allen Etzler clarified. Lando said the events of the shooting were still very fresh for everyone involved. "I have reviewed many incidents captured by body-worn camera in my time as a police officer and this one was hard even for me to watch," he said. The chief noted it's likely there will be a trial. Lando commended Kowalsky and Snyder for how they handled themselves. "Our officers were placed in a life-threatening situation, and they handled themselves exceptionally well. I am proud of how all of our first responders handled the events of that day, and I believe the community would be proud as well," Lando said. Kowalsky and Snyder are home recovering with their families, Etzler said Thursday. Kowalsky was shot in the arm, Snyder was shot in the clavicle/shoulder area, and Lewis was shot in the lower torso, according to charging documents. Kowalsky and Snyder are on paid administrative leave while the investigation continues, Etzler said. Snyder has been with FPD two years, while Kowalsky has served nine years. Maryland State Police is investigating the shooting, and Frederick County Sheriff's Office correctional officers are guarding Lewis 24/7 while he is in recovery. A court date for Lewis was not set as of Thursday afternoon. Lewis improved to "good" condition Thursday in shock trauma after being in "serious" condition Monday, according to the University of Maryland Medical System spokespeople. The day of the shooting, shock trauma physician in chief Dr. Thomas Scalea said Lewis underwent surgery. Charging documents did not reveal how many shots were fired but stated two live rounds remained in the .45-caliber handgun Lewis allegedly used against police. Responding to a firearms complaint last Friday, Kowalsky and Snyder encountered Lewis and verbally told him to show his hands, charging documents state. Lewis ignored the officers' commands with his back to them, began to walk away, then "abruptly" turned toward the police with a handgun and fired, charging documents allege. The officers returned fire, documents state, striking him in the lower torso. Once he was incapacitated, Lewis was handcuffed. Responding officers rendered medical aid to him, according to charging documents. The officers and Lewis were flown to shock trauma. On scene, police reportedly found multiple shell casings and the handgun Lewis allegedly used. A witness saw the shooting unfold in the parking lot area of an apartment building, according to charging documents, and corroborated police's account of events. The witness told police Lewis continued to ignore commands to show his hands after he fell. Follow Mary Grace Keller on Twitter: @MaryGraceKeller NEWTOWN, PA The Council Rock Board of School Directors approved a separation agreement with Dr. Robert Fraser, the district's superintendent since 2015, in a 6-3 vote Thursday night. The separation agreement detailed that Fraser had been approved for medical leave up until April 30. Now, he will remain on leave, and April 30 will be the final date of his employment with the school district. His contract had previously extended until June 30, 2025. Board president and vice president Ed Salamon and Michael Thorwart announced Wednesday that Fraser's separation agreement would be put to a vote in the Thursday special meeting. They said in their message that the agreement was "amicable," and that the board and Fraser had agreed to explore separation at the start of his leave. But in an email screenshot shared with Patch Thursday, Fraser apparently disputed that timing to Council Rock staff. "I did not agree to explore a separation agreement at the beginning of my leave, nor was there any such conversation between the Board and me at that time," the message reads. Fraser apparently confirmed in that email that he began his leave to deal with health issues, and will continue on leave for that reason. "I did not begin to seek any type of separation from the District until an incident occurred shortly after my leave began," his message continued. "I want you to have this information for you to not misinterpret what has transpired regarding my leave and separation from the District." Fraser's second five-year contract with the district had been unanimously approved by board members in January of 2020. Board member Yota Palli said she found the separation agreement "perplexing" given that the board was apparently satisfied with Fraser's performance at that time. "I believe the majority of this board was not transparent on this intention of separation with Dr. Fraser," she said in a comment prior to Thursday night's vote. Story continues She said she was told board member Kristin Marcell approached Fraser late last year to discuss the possibility of separation but did not give an explicit reason at that time. Then, Palli said she was told Fraser had gotten an attorney to advise him following his performance review and so she voted for the board to retain an attorney, too. But she said she later learned that he had not actually hired an attorney prior to that vote, only obtaining one after the board hired one. Palli said that, to her knowledge, the only time Fraser vocally disagreed with the board majority was in his advocacy for masking and mitigation measures in response to recent COVID-19 surges. Nevertheless, Dr. Fraser did follow the boards direction," she said. "I dont find it prudent and in the best interests of the public and our students to have a costly separation with a very competent superintendent, only because he recommended the advice of the experts. Two public commenters, including recent school board candidate Nicole Khan, also called for greater transparency from the board in its decision-making. Marcell asked solicitor Robert Cox to confirm that discussing personnel matters privately in executive session was based on his advice. He said it was and called the board's executive sessions around separation, and communication to the public, "appropriate" and "lawful." I simply want to say from the bottom of my heart thank you to Dr. Fraser for his dedicated, passionate, wise, and devoted service to our school district," board member Edward Tate said at the meeting. Tate and Palli voted against the separation agreement, as did board member Mariann McKee. After the vote, board member Joseph Hidalgo asked Palli if she would like for Fraser's performance reviews to be made public in the spirit of transparency. Cox clarified that reviews of any employee should be confidential. Marilyn Scarpa, an education advocate who previously worked with Council Rock Aware, said a board member in 2020 told her that some other board members began expressing a desire for Fraser's removal soon after the unanimous contract approval that January. "They claim theyre fiscally responsible, but this is not fiscally responsible," she told Patch in a phone interview Thursday. "If they werent happy with [Fraser], then they should have never awarded him a new contract. That was irresponsible, and now the taxpayers are paying for it." Per the separation agreement, Fraser will receive 24 days of vacation pay totaling $20,916.92, a contribution to his 403 (b) account of $28,463, and a lump sum payment of $238,356. He signed the separation agreement Thursday, and will not participate in district functions between now and April 30 unless agreed upon by himself and Salamon. The school board did not say how and when a search for the new superintendent will proceed, although technology integration specialist Hannah Pressman was promoted to help in the assistant superintendent's office while Susan Elliott fulfills both assistant superintendent and substitute superintendent duties. "I do ask that moving forward, in the search for a new district superintendent, the community is involved and we have transparency in the process," Khan said in her public comment Thursday. In the email screenshot sent to Patch, Fraser thanked staff for the opportunity to serve Council Rock, saying, It has been an honor." The school board members and a spokesperson for the Council Rock School District did not respond to Patch's requests for comment Thursday. The next Council Rock Board of School Directors meeting is scheduled for March 3. Know what's going on in Newtown. Subscribe to Patch. This article originally appeared on the Newtown Patch ST. PETERSBURG A 17-year-old boy has been arrested in connection to a crash that killed an 84-year-old woman last June. St. Petersburg police say Kardell Bernard Brown was behind the wheel of a speeding 2013 Infiniti, driving recklessly on 34th Street S, when Mary E. Rohan drove a 2012 Toyota into his path and the two vehicles collided June 21. Rohan died at the scene, police said. Brown and four other teens in the Infiniti survived. The crash investigation wrapped up Friday and Brown was arrested, the St. Petersburg Police Department said in a news release. He is facing charges of vehicular homicide and operating a motor vehicle without a drivers license, causing death, the release said. Mary Beverly Gallagher, assistant professor in the Division of Nursing and Allied Health Professions at Harford Community College, is a recipient of the fiscal year 2022 Nurse Faculty Annual Recognition Awards announced by the states Nurse Support Program II. Gallagher is one of 23 nursing faculty in Maryland to receive the award this year. Deans and directors of nursing programs nominated full-time nursing faculty who demonstrated excellence, innovation and leadership in their nursing programs. Advertisement Gallagher was nominated because of her contributions to nursing education and her service to her colleges nursing students, according to a statement released by the college. The Nurse Support Program II is administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission and funded through the Health Services Cost Review Commission. There are five categories that deans and directors use when selecting candidates for the award: excellence in teaching, impact on students, engagement in the nursing program and employing institution, innovation in education and technology, and contributions to nursing education. Advertisement Gallagher earned a bachelors degree in nursing from the University of Delaware and a masters degree in nursing education from Towson University. She is a certified nurse educator, a member of the National League for Nursing and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Gallagher has been serving as a full-time faculty member at HCC since 2015 and currently teaches in the classroom, laboratory and clinical settings for the colleges foundational nursing course, Fundamentals of Nursing. As chair of the Nursing Departments Student Affairs Committee, she is responsible for organizing student policy revisions and maintenance of the student handbook, while she plans and oversees the nursing pinning ceremony each semester. Gallagher helped establish the Gamma Upsilon chapter of the Alpha Delta Nu national nursing honor society at Harford Community College and serves as a faculty adviser. She is also the faculty adviser to the Student Nurses Association, a member of the Nursing Scholarship Committee and co-chair of the Nursing Departments testing committee. Her contributions to the college have helped with the success, retention and completion of programs for freshly admitted nursing students, said Sonia Galvan, dean of the Nursing and Allied Health Professions at Harford Community College. Gallagher is known around the college for helping new faculty reach their education goals, Galvan said. She is very approachable and welcoming to new faculty, helping them grow in their educational goals while providing support and guidance, Dean Galvan said. As a recipient of this award, Gallagher will receive $10,000, which can go towards professional development, supplement a fellows salary, expenses to further a nurse facultys career and more. Tom Cruises former manager has claimed the actor suffered from a terrible temper in the early stages of his career. Eileen Berlin, 82, worked with Cruise at the beginning of his career and even let the actor stay at her home. Tommy had a terrible temper, she claimed, in an interview with the Daily Mail. Berlin spoke of one incident in which Cruise was allegedly unhappy with a present she gave him for his 19th birthday. I presented him with an album with all his publicity articles from teen magazines, she said. He screamed, I dont want to be in the teen mags. It was like something was smouldering and it would boil up and explode. I put it down to his insecurity. The Independent has contacted a representative of Cruise for comment. In December 2020, Cruise made headlines after he was recorded yelling at the crew of his forthcoming Mission: Impossible 7. Furious after appearing to spot two crew members failing to observe strict social-distancing rules, Cruise was heard screaming: Theyre back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us. Because they believe in us and what were doing. 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, you motherf******. I dont ever want to see it again. Ever! He later addressed the rant in an interview in May, commenting: There was a lot at stake at that point. But it wasnt my entire crew. I had the crew leave the set and it was just select people. I was thinking about the people I work with, and my industry, he continued. And for the whole crew to know that wed started rolling on a movie was just a huge relief. It was very emotional, I gotta tell you. Berlin mentioned Cruises extreme desire for perfection in her interview, commenting: What I have never seen is a real display of happiness in Tommy. He was always very, very ambitious, very, very determined to be a star. And that made him a perfectionist. Pollution hot spots including toxic dumping grounds that still feed into Lake Michigan are among the sites that stand to benefit from a $1 billion boost in funding for cleaning up the Great Lakes. The additional funds for Great Lakes restoration from the bipartisan infrastructure plan will largely bankroll work at some of the most contaminated sites throughout the region, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday. This investment will be a game-changer in the effort to clean up pollution that has poisoned local drinking water and threatened the health of communities, Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition, said in a statement. The funding will directly support 11 sites listed as areas of concern, including the Grand Calumet River in northwest Indiana. The Grand Calumet, which includes the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal, still hosts sediment containing likely carcinogens, heavy metals and various toxins that threaten humans and wildlife and flows into Lake Michigan. In 1987, the United States and Canada designated 43 sites as areas of concern, with 31 in the United States. Criticism of the slow cleanup pace dates back decades, as years went by after the designations without any of the hot spots officially making it off the list. Six sites have been delisted to date. In the Grand Calumet, work could be complete between 2027 and 2030, according to Thursdays announcement, making the site one of 22 out of the remaining 25 in the United States to reach that milestone by the end of the decade. The Grand Calumet could be officially delisted, at the earliest, in 2031. Waukegan Harbor, Illinois only area of concern, is being monitored following a 30-year, $150 million cleanup effort. The site could be delisted between now and 2026. The additional funds put toward the degraded sites will allow for a major acceleration of progress, according to Thursdays news release. With the midterm elections ahead, President Joe Biden highlighted the Great Lakes funding during a Thursday visit to Lorain, Ohio a state with three areas still listed with EPA Administrator Michael Regan. Story continues The Great Lakes are a vital economic engine and an irreplaceable environmental wonder, supplying drinking water for more than 40 million people, supporting more than 1.3 million jobs, and sustaining life for thousands of species, Regan said in the news release. As part of the bipartisan infrastructure plan, the additional $1 billion in funding across five years was included for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a program implemented in 2010 that has since supported more than 6,000 projects to address problems from industrial pollution and habitat loss to toxic algae blooms and invasive species. More detailed information on project funding is expected in the coming months. The billion-dollar investment can ideally free up funds to tackle more projects on the Great Lakes, said Don Jodrey, director of Federal Government Relations with the nonprofit Alliance for the Great Lakes. Areas of concern have received a share of annual funding, but, Jodrey said, Its expensive to clean up legacy pollution. Were at a point where were nearing the end of the major cleanup, he said. Thats my hope. State and local officials said the investment was an important step toward protecting the Great Lakes and communities affected by environmental injustice. The EPA said the $1 billion will be distributed in line with the Biden administration initiative to deliver at least 40% of benefits from major federal investments to underserved communities. In a statement, Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor said the city is an environmental justice community of nearly 90,000 residents on the shores of Lake Michigan. Delisting will support redevelopment and ensure a future with clean water for the benefit of our community and, ultimately, the entire Great Lakes region, Taylor said. The three hot spots with work remaining past 2030 include the Kalamazoo River and the Saginaw River and Bay in Michigan, and the St. Lawrence River in New York. At Waukegan Harbor, more than 100,000 cubic yards of PCB-laden sediment was dredged up at the site of the former Outboard Marine Corp. PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are linked to cancer, among other serious health effects, and can stick around long after theyre released into the environment. Candace May, Lake County outreach coordinator for Faith in Place, an environmental justice nonprofit that aims to bring together people of diverse faiths, said seeing Waukegan Harbor finally delisted will hopefully mitigate some harm thats been done to neighboring communities of color. And it might give a greater piece of mind when stepping into the water on hot summer days. I think its not going to fix everything but its a step in the right direction, May said. There has to be restoration. There can no longer be, oh, Im sorry, heres a Band-Aid. As for the overall effort, May said anti-racism efforts are becoming part of the national consciousness. Its the right thing to do, May said. It shouldve been done long ago. Officials were expected to gather Friday in Waukegan to mark the investment. For so many years, corporations abused the lake in Waukegan to the detriment of the people who live in Waukegan and the general area, said Illinois U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider. It will be good for the people living there. It will be good for the local businesses. The Grand Calumet River will be a heavier lift. The industrial dumping ground was found to house toxic PCBs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, along with heavy metals including mercury and lead, and oily muck. An Army Corps official deemed the mixture sediments from hell in a 1993 Tribune story on the pollution. A New York State trooper is suing former Governor Andrew Cuomo, claiming discrimination on the basis of sex and retaliation, according to court documents filed on Thursday. The New York State Police and Cuomo's former top aide Melissa DeRosa are also named in the lawsuit, which alleges that the governor sexually harassed the trooper over several years. In the lawsuit, the trooper says Cuomo requested she be a part of the Protective Service Unit his security detail after they had met for just a minute and despite the fact that she was under-qualified for the position. He then allegedly harassed her, commenting on her appearance, steering their conversations towards sex, telling her not to inform her colleagues about the nature of their conversations and, in one instance, "asking her to find him a girlfriend who could 'handle pain.'" The trooper also claims that the former governor inappropriately touched her, running a finger down her spine and saying, "Hey you." Allegations from the trooper were also included in the investigation released in August by New York Attorney General Letitia James, which found that Cuomo "sexually harassed multiple women and in doing so violated federal and state law," James said. Cuomo announced his resignation a week later. Cuomo has repeatedly disputed the findings of James' investigation and denied sexually harassing anyone. "The facts are much different than what has been portrayed," he said in a video message after James' report came out. "I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances." In a statement to CBS News, Rich Azzopardi, a spokesperson for Cuomo, said the trooper's lawsuit relies on James' "fraud of a report" and that the law firm representing the trooper is "widely known to use the press to extort settlements on behalf of 'anonymous claimants.'" Story continues "If kissing someone on the cheek, patting someone on the back or stomach or waving hello at a public event on New Year's Eve is actionable then we are all in trouble," he said, adding that "we look forward to justice in a court of law." In a statement to CBS News, Valdi Licul, a lawyer representing the trooper, said she "made the decision to proceed with this lawsuit anonymously with the hope that she can vindicate her legal rights without further victim shaming." "...We will not be deterred by the ex-Governor's bullying tactics," the statement said. "He is only making his legal problems worse by lashing out at his victim and her counsel with false and defamatory statements intended to further retaliate against her and defame us." According to the trooper's lawsuit, in one instance in 2019, the governor allegedly asked the trooper if he could kiss her while she was working outside of his Mount Kisco residence. The trooper, who claims she did not want to offend him and feared retaliation from him, said yes. Cuomo then allegedly kissed her on the cheek "while acknowledging that it was against the rules for him to do so," the lawsuit says. Later that same year, Cuomo asked the trooper why she wasn't wearing a dress while they were driving to an event. She replied that it would have been difficult to carry her gun while in a dress. The head of Protective Service Unit said she was dressed appropriately, in her business attire. Later, the head of PSU allegedly texted the trooper a message saying "stays in truck," which the lawsuit claims was "a clear order that she not disclose to anyone the Governor's inappropriate comment." The lawsuit points to the investigation conducted by the attorney general, an investigation by the state legislature's Judiciary Committee which resulted in similar findings, and other women's accusations against Cuomo to allege that this was a pattern of behavior. The trooper also accuses DeRosa of helping hide Cuomo's conduct. In 2020, when The Times Union newspaper began to look into the governor's treatment of the trooper, it contacted DeRosa, who "yelled at the editor of The Times Union and accused him of being sexist for even making the inquiry," the lawsuit says. The trooper alleges that this allowed the governor to continue his harassment. Paul Schectman, an attorney for Melissa DeRosa, disputed the allegations against her. "We are only aware of this case from Twitter, but according to the trooper's own testimony Melissa's only interaction with her was to say 'hello and goodbye.' It is not a viable case anywhere in America and is beyond frivolous," he said. According to the lawsuit, instances of harassment continued into 2021. The trooper alleges the governor also hugged her on at least one occasion and gave her "unwanted attention." Several other women have gone public with accusations against Cuomo, which he has also denied. Mayor Adams, Gov. Hochul announce subway safety plan Harana Market: Woodstock's Asian Grocery-Deli Offers Filipino Flavors To The Catskills First Alert Weather: CBS2's 2/18 Friday afternoon update Former President Trump praised both House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) for endorsing Harriet Hageman, who's challenging Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). "Congratulations to Kevin McCarthy and Elise Stefanik on their strong and powerful endorsement of Harriet Hageman of Wyoming. Loser Liz Cheney is a [Republican In Name Only] and warmonger who doesn't deserve to serve in the House of Representatives," Trump, who has also endorsed Hageman, said in a statement issued through his Save America PAC. "Harriet will be an outstanding Representative for the Great State of Wyoming!" On Thursday, McCarthy issued a statement saying that he would be endorsing Hageman, the most high-profile House endorsement she has received yet. "The most successful Representatives in Congress focus on the needs of their constituents, and throughout her career, Harriet has championed America's natural resources and helped the people of Wyoming reject burdensome and onerous government overreach," the House GOP leader said. "I look forward to welcoming Harriet to a Republican majority next Congress, where together, we will hold the Biden Administration accountable and deliver much-needed solutions for the American people," he added. That endorsement was followed by another on Friday from Stefanik, who also announced that she would be supporting Hageman's primary challenge against Cheney. House Republicans voted last May to replace Cheney with Stefanik as their new conference chair. "Harriet is a true America First patriot who has what it takes to restore true representation for Wyoming families," the New York Republican tweeted. Cheney is in for a competitive House race for the upcoming 2022 midterm given that several high-profile Republicans have put their weight behind Hageman. While it is not common for primary challengers to House incumbents to receive endorsements from House Republicans, Cheney has become more and more ostracized from her party, especially in light of the Republican National Committee's vote to censure her and Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) earlier this month for their criticism of Trump and involvement in the House panel investigating the Capitol riot. "Liz Cheney has completely lost the ability to do her job of representing Wyoming as our only member of the House of Representatives," Hageman said in a statement following McCarthy's endorsement. "The Democrats in Washington, D.C. only see her as a temporary but useful tool to achieve their partisan goals, and the Republicans want nothing to do with her," she added. "It is her responsibility to fight for Wyoming and represent our values, and she has completely abandoned that." BARCELONA, Spain (AP) A French woman accused Greek authorities Friday of forcing her and other migrants back across the border into Turkey, violating her rights both as a person fleeing persecution and as a European citizen. In court documents seen by The Associated Press, the 32-year-old woman, who has Turkish as well as French citizenship, claims she and her husband were trying to flee Turkey to escape prison sentences that were politically motivated. They crossed the Evros River by boat into Greece on the way to France, where the woman was born and raised. But she says Greek officials mistreated her and turned her back; she is now in prison in Turkey. From her cell, the woman, who asked to remain anonymous for her safety, filed a lawsuit against Greece on Friday at the European Court of Human Rights. While so-called pushbacks of migrants have become increasingly common despite violating European and international law, experts say the French womans story appears to be the first such case brought to court involving a European citizen. We have moved from allegations to it being a public secret that pushbacks are engaged in by the Greek authorities on a regular basis, said Hanne Beirens, director of Migration Policy Institute Europe. This would be quite a unique caseBecause it would show how indiscriminately the Greek authorities are acting and how it affects people from all backgrounds. For years, journalists, lawyers and human rights organizations have documented pushbacks by Greece of migrants and refugees across sea or land borders, denying them the right to asylum procedures. Under the principle of non-refoulement in European and international human rights law, people cannot be returned to a country where they would face torture, punishment or harm. Greek authorities did not respond to multiple requests for comment sent by the AP to the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, the Ministry of Citizen Protection and the Greek Embassy in Paris. However, Greece released a statement Thursday evening after a joint media investigation alleged a separate pushback involving two asylum-seekers later found dead on the Aegean coast. Story continues Greece protects the external borders of the European Union, in full compliance with international law and in full respect of the charter of fundamental rights, Greek Migration and Asylum Minister Notis Mitarachi said, At least 21 migrants have died on the land border between Turkey and Greece so far this year according to the International Organization for Migration's Missing Migrants Project. The United Nations agency issued a statement Friday saying it was alarmed by mounting migrant deaths and continuous reports of pushbacks at the European Union (EU) border between Greece and Turkey. Such actions are not in line with and oppose States commitments and obligations under international and regional law, such as the violation of the principle of non-refoulement," the IOM statement said. The French womans story is laid out in court statements from her, her husband and her sister, including illustrations she did from prison. The AP also drew on interviews in Paris with the sister and one of the woman's lawyers; documents including her French passport, French national ID and French marriage papers; emails, call logs, and screen shots of texts and GPS data the woman shared in real time with a lawyer. Born in France to Turkish parents, the woman left France in 2013 to pursue undergraduate studies in Turkey. In April 2018, she and her now-husband were among dozens of students rounded up and accused of belonging to the Fethullahist Terror Organization or FETO. The couple deny all accusations. At the time, Turkey had launched a massive crackdown against followers of U.S.-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, after a failed military coup in 2016. The government designated the network as a terrorist organization and sentenced close to 5,000 people to prison, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency. The French woman was detained for 11 days but released on parole. A few months later, she was sentenced to more than six years in prison, which she appealed. In June last year, her prison sentence and her husband's were confirmed by the Supreme Court. They ultimately decided to flee, selling the family jewelry to pay smugglers to get to Greece. The woman's family trusted that once she stepped foot in Greece, a European Union country and part of the Schengen area, Europes visa-free travel zone, she would be safe. As the couple crossed Greeces eastern border on the morning of Oct. 19, 2021, her family anxiously awaited news from their home 90 km outside Paris. They followed the woman's movements on a real-time location tracking app. At 9:38 a.m., the woman sent a text message on WhatsApp: We have passed. Her family proceeded to contact both French and Greek authorities, saying the couple needed help. They are victims of persecution by the current Turkish government, read their email, which they followed up with phone calls. We are VERY VERY worried for them! Shortly after, Greek officials stopped the couple, the lawsuit alleges. After they presented her French ID, a copy of her French passport and the French family booklet that proved their marriage, the officers asked them to kneel. They then took the couples telephones, power bank, clothes and food and cut their shoelaces, according to the statement. The woman says they were taken in the back of a truck to a closed box inside a gated area and kept there for hours with other migrants, some from Afghanistan who were barefoot. She says officers slapped one of them. Meanwhile, in France, her family had lost contact with her and was getting increasingly worried. Her sisters scrambled to call and email both Greek and French authorities. After they shared their concern that their sister would be returned to Turkey, an official at the Greek embassy in Paris sent a text message in French: Since she has a French passport, there is no problem(...)Calm down. There is no danger in Greece. The man confirmed to the AP that he had been in contact with the womans family but said he was not authorized to speak to the press. Requests for comment to the Greek embassy in Paris were not answered. The womans family say they also exchanged several phone calls with the French consulate in Thessaloniki, and sent an email with the woman's last known location and a copy of her passport. After being detained for several hours, the migrants were rounded up onto a truck and taken to the Evros river, the woman says. They were made to board an inflatable boat without life vests. We continued to beg them not to send us back, explaining to them I was French and that we were persecuted in Turkey, she says in her statement. She spoke to officials in French and English, to no avail. They were caught by Turkish soldiers on the other side and taken to a police station, she says. The next day, they were in prison. We are totally disappointed with Greek authorities, her sister told the AP in Paris, asking to remain anonymous to protect her safety. We didnt think they would return a persecuted person back to the persecutor. We are equally disappointed with French authorities because we were abandoned, she said. Since then, she said, her family has written countless letters to French and European Union lawmakers and officials, and even to French President Emmanuel Macron, asking for help. The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs told the AP in a written statement that officials in Paris, Greece and Turkey had maintained a close relationship with (the womans) family from the moment they were alerted to her situation. They said they are also seeking a consular visit to the woman in prison in Turkey. There, she told her sister, she has been stripped naked for searches three times. In the first prison she was taken to, she said, she shared a cell with mice. Catherine Briddick, a lecturer in International Human Rights and Refugee Law at Oxford University, said the womans case shows the absurdity of Fortress Europe. (It) should give pause to European citizens everywhere to think about what these policies are doing to us, as well as to the people were trying to keep out, she said. Omer Shatz, a lawyer representing the French woman along with Violeta Moreno-Lax and Francesco Gatta, argues their client was a victim of increasing racial discrimination at the borders of Europe. She was really begging to them, showing them her (French) IDs and travel documents but was ignored, said Shatz, legal director of Front-Lex, which challenges EU migration policies. Why? Because the way she looks. Probably Muslim, probably looking like a refugee, probably not white. Migration has been brought to the center stage of the French presidential campaign, with both Macron and his opponents on the right and far-right taking ever stronger stances against irregular crossings. European countries have spent billions on surveillance technology at their borders, despite growing accusations of human rights violations. A European Commission spokesperson said it doesn't comment on ongoing legal proceedings but is concerned about any reports of pushbacks and mistreatment....Efficient border management must be firmly rooted in the respect of human dignity and the principle of non-refoulement." The French woman's family says they received a similar response to a letter they sent the commission. The EU, unfortunately, has declared that Greece was the shield of Europeit frees the Greek authorities from many constraints, said Francois Crepeau, a professor at McGill University in Canada and a former UN special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants. While in public many European officials will condemn pushbacks as illegal, he said, "in fact, they're quite happy that Greece is doing the dirty job for everyone else. __ AP journalists Theodora Tongas in Athens, Greece and Elaine Ganley in Paris, contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration St. Louis reporter Kevin Killeen delivered a passionate broadcast in 2016 about the bleakness of the month of February. (Credit: KMOX News) Most people favor certain months of the year, and typically the warmer seasons win us over. But a reporter at KMOX radio station in St. Louis, Missouri, didn't mince words about how he felt during his now-viral broadcast: There's no doubt about it, February is the pits. "February is the worst month of the year, but at least it's honest," reporter Kevin Killeen declares as his video segment opens atop a parking garage in downtown St. Louis. The two-minute segment shows Killeen in a dark trench coat surrounded by dull, dark gray buildings as a low fog blankets the downtown skyline. "The buildings don't even look like they have any lights in them during a workday. Something great happened here, but it's over with, and that's the way February is," he says with a straight-face and deadpan tone. At one point, he describes life as "stripped down to the starkness of February" as the camera pans around to show a number of bare trees on a dismal and dreary weekday. The video then brings the viewer down to the street level, showing how dull and tired the city looks on this particular February day. "Look around downtown on a February workday," Killeen says in an incredibly droll voice-over as the video zooms in on a gray and bleak-looking downtown. "This looks like a place where people who are being punished are sent." February is so bad, Killeen pines, that it's even manifested in the way people walk and how they look. "Nobody is tap dancing or breaking into a Rodgers and Hammerstein song," he said, referring to the famed Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein musical-writing team of the 1940s and '50s. "It's their lunch hour, and they're just barely able to get across the street and hunker over a bowl of chili." Story continues Wrapping up his witty look at February, Killeen passes along some sage advice: "My father used to have a saying: 'If you can live through February, you can live another year.'" Every year since the video report was created in 2016, it resurfaces and circulates around St. Louis. But this year was different. Killeen's funny deadpan report has resonated further, and a national audience picked it up. "Here is a time in our lives when we're sick of politics, we're sick of the pandemic, and along comes this little feature where the enemy is the month of February, and everyone is like, 'Yeah! I hate February, too!' and so they all jumped on board, and there is not one disparaging word," Killeen said in an interview on St. Louis Talks on Feb. 4. CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Many people even took to Twitter to share the video, admiring Killeen's accurate description of the month. "I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry, but this is indeed the best description of February ever," one user wrote on Twitter. Many people wonder how the story was pitched to management at the radio station, but Killeen told St. Louis Talks show that it actually wasn't something he pitched. "[The] program director Steven Moore called me into his office...he said, 'Kevin, you need to get out of your comfort zone. Why don't you do some videos?' and I said, 'Uh, ok.'" That's when Kevin started making videos for a side project called "Whole 'Nother Story," which included his now-famous "February" report According to his bio on KMOX's website, Killeen was always getting in trouble for injecting humor into the news, but this side project was an opportunity for him to showcase a variety of people and ideas. Killeen, noticing the traction his video was getting, took to Twitter on Feb. 4 and tweeted his thanks for "all the kind words." Thanks for all the very kind words about my report on February. I thought it was just me, but apparently a lot of us feel near to flickering out this month. I avoid all major decisions in February-vacuuming, haircuts, swing dance lessons. The right path will emerge by spring. Kevin Killeen (@KMOXKilleen) February 5, 2022 As for this year, Killeen tells St. Louis Talks that he "feels fine this February...but my general feeling is, you do miss the sunlight and after the holidays and you get to the middle of February, and the tank is really low." For the latest weather news, check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform. A rocket launcher system seen during military drills held by Russia and Belarus in Belarus on February 17, 2022. Andrei Stasevich/BelTA/Handout via REUTERS The UK said Thursday that Russia has 50% of its ground combat units at Ukraine's border. The warning came as Biden said there was a "very high" chance Russia will invade Ukraine soon. Western powers are scrambling to secure a diplomatic solution to the crisis, with little success. Russia has positioned 50% of its ground combat units on the Ukrainian border, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) said Thursday. "It is the largest gathering of Russian troops since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991," the MOD said in an information bulletin posted to Twitter. "The scale of this is far beyond that needed for a large scale training exercise." The MOD did not specify which ground combat units had been stationed at the border. The ministry did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Russia has amassed as many as 150,000 troops near Ukraine's border since late November, with President Joe Biden warning Thursday that chances of a full scale invasion were "very high." Russia on Tuesday announced that it was withdrawing some troops from the Ukrainian border following military training. The US, NATO, UK, and Ukraine have disputed that claim, saying Russia was, on the contrary, increasing its military presence. "They have not moved any of their troops out. They have moved more troops in," Biden said Tuesday. Russia's defense also announced plans to hold missile test launches on Saturday. The exact location of the launches is unclear. During a speech at the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he expects Russia to manufacture "a pretext for its attack" before invading Ukraine. This could be a "violent event" Russia blames on Ukraine or an "outrageous accusation" Russia levels against Kyiv, he said. The UK has leapt to Ukraine's defense during the current standoff, sending artillery and aid. Story continues "We are deploying troops and assets on land, sea, and air to bolster European defenses in response to the buildup of Russian military forces on the border of Ukraine," UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said Thursday. "NATO and our allies have been clear that an invasion of Ukraine will be met with severe consequences. De-escalation and diplomacy remain the only path out of this situation." Despite the military buildup, Russia has claimed there is still time for a diplomatic solution to the crisis. The State Department said Thursday that Blinken accepted an invitation to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Europe next week, so long as Russia doesn't invade Ukraine. Biden is scheduled to speak with NATO leaders on Friday to discuss the crisis. Read the original article on Business Insider MOSCOW (Reuters) -Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed rebels in the country's east traded fresh accusations of shelling and other ceasefire violations on Friday, escalating tensions amid fears of a Russian invasion. Kyiv and the rebels blamed each other for the escalation after artillery and mortar attacks on Thursday, prompting fears that Russia, which has massed over 100,000 troops near Ukrane's borders, could get involved. The Kremlin said on Thursday it was "deeply concerned" with the flare-up in Ukraine and was watching the situation closely. The United States said Russia was looking for a pretext for war after its demands that Ukraine drop its bid to join the NATO military alliance were rebuffed. Russia's Interfax news agency reported that the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic said the shelling targeted the Petrivske village in the breakaway region at 5:30 a.m. (0330 GMT). Another self-proclaimed rebel republic, Luhansk, reported several incidents of mortar fire on Friday morning. The Kyiv government said the rebels fired artillery or mortars four times on Friday. Separately, the Ukrainian military said late on Thursday they had no plans to launch an offensive on the rebels' positions. Kyiv and the pro-Russian separatists have been at war for eight years and the ceasefire between the sides is routinely violated, but the intensity of fighting increased notably this week. Russia's lower house of parliament voted this week to ask President Vladimir Putin to recognise the two Russian-backed breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent, while the European Union told Moscow not to follow through. (Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Additional reporting by Pavel Polityuk in Kyiv; Editing by Kim Coghill and Stephen Coates) Commentary: Xi, Macron's conversation signals deepening cooperation, guides relations toward greater development Xinhua) 07:44, February 18, 2022 BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation in a telephone conversation on Wednesday. The consensus they lately reached will steer China-France and China-European Union (EU) relations toward new and greater development. China and France have joined hands and made pioneering efforts in their cooperation in the past year. Bilateral trade exceeded 80 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, hitting a new high, as China's total imports of agricultural products from France increased by 40 percent year-on-year. Additionally, the first China-France seminars on artificial intelligence and agri-tech cooperation were held in succession, and the first guidelines for collecting joint laboratory projects were released as scheduled. The two heads of state are guiding the China-France relationship to advance in the right direction. During their talks, Xi said that in the new year, China and France should keep up with the positive, healthy and upward trajectory, adhere to the principle of mutual respect and equality, strengthen dialogue and exchanges at all levels, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and push for new achievements in bilateral cooperation. For his part, Macron said that as the current international situation is fraught with tension and turbulence, such a backdrop has strengthened France's hope to deepen its comprehensive strategic partnership with China, adding that France is satisfied with the major achievements the two countries have made over recent years in bilateral cooperation in such fields as technology, agriculture, aviation and nuclear energy. Macron noted that France is ready to work with China to explore ways to overcome the impact of COVID-19, strengthen personnel exchanges, enhance friendship and mutual trust, and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation. They have also reached a series of agreements on bilateral cooperation for the next stage, which cover various fields, including agricultural technology, green manufacturing, banking and finance, aviation industry, and third-party market cooperation, among others. In the view of Lyazid Benhami, the vice president of the Paris Association of French-Chinese Friendship, the leaders' candid talks can help realize "a constructive diplomacy based on a frank and sincere relationship," and such interaction will favor more and more mutual benefit and sustaining dialogue in the future. Christine Bierre, an expert at the Schiller France Institute, a French think tank, told Xinhua that the talks of the two leaders are frank and look toward the future, noting that the win-win cooperation between the two countries has allowed for progress in important sectors of France. Their conversation, the first of its kind since France took over the rotating EU presidency last month, will also help push the China-EU relations forward. As Xi has reiterated, China and the EU should uphold a correct understanding of each other, and stick to mutual respect, dialogue and cooperation, and mutual benefit. Talking with Macron, Xi advocated that the two sides should work together to build the greatest common ground and steer China-EU relations towards new development. In response, Macron said that his country will make every effort to advance the positive agenda between the EU and China, and work with China to ensure the success of the EU-China leaders' meeting and push forward the development of EU-China relations. Bertrand Badie, an international relations professor at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, said that strengthening dialogue will not simply facilitate the cooperation between the two countries, but also promote the bloc's positive agenda with China and broaden consensus between the two sides. As both the Chinese people and the French people are far-sighted and value independence and autonomy, the establishment of the China-France diplomatic relations stemmed from the original aspiration of independence, mutual understanding, foresight, mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. As long as the two countries stay true to their original aspiration, uphold the consensus and focus on mutually beneficial cooperation, the bilateral relations will naturally grow at a steady pace and inject confidence and vitality into the world's development. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) As COVID-19 case numbers continue to decline in Howard County, and vaccination rates remain among the highest in the state, the county Board of Education is holding firm in its stance that a mask-wearing mandate in public schools will remain until the countys COVID-19 transmission rates are consistently moderate or low for a 14-day period. The mask mandate in Howard County Public Schools will automatically lift once the county reaches that threshold, according to a decision made during a Feb. 10 Howard County school board meeting. Advertisement The local transmission rate provides a more concrete data point that the system and the community can rely upon to lift the mask mandate, Superintendent Michael Martirano wrote in a statement. The decision is based on the Maryland State Board of Educations off-ramp option three, which allows local superintendents to lift mask requirements if the county has sustained 14 consecutive days of low ( fewer than 10 cases per 100,000) or moderate (between 10 and 49 cases per 100,000) COVID-19 transmission rates, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Advertisement The state board also allows school systems the option to lift the mask mandate if the county where the schools are located has a vaccination rate of at least 80% or if a principal verifies that 80% of staff and students in the school have been fully vaccinated. The Anne Arundel County Board of Education unanimously voted at its Wednesday night meeting to end its mask mandate beginning Friday. Superintendent George Arlotto said at least 80% of eligible Anne Arundel County residents had been inoculated against COVID-19, so he recommended lifting the requirement. Howard County continues to lead the state in vaccination rates with 89.4% of its eligible residents fully vaccinated, according to the CDCs COVID Data Tracker. Transmission rates remain high (more than 100 cases per 100,000 in population) in the county, according to the CDC. As of Thursday, there were 114.83 cases per 100,000 residents in Howard County for a 3.74% transmission rate. Transmission rates in Howard County schools continue to dwindle, with 82 cases reported in the seven-day period ending Feb. 17, according to the HCPSS COVID-19 Dashboard. This number has dropped significantly from a seven-day total of 945 cases reported among students and 108 among staff during the height of the omicron surge in January. Martirano said the school system will continue to seek the guidance of Howard County Health Officer Maura Rossman in regard to lifting the mask mandate. Schools should continue masking policies until community transmission levels decrease to moderate/low levels, Rossman wrote in a statement. I am optimistic that our metrics will continue to decline over the next several weeks, allowing for the relaxation of masking policies. As Russian military forces have deployed at the Ukraine border, U.S. politicians have been weighing new sanctions to deter an invasion. In the face of growing tensions, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has been working to craft a new package of economic measures, with chair Bob Menendez anticipating proposing the mother of all sanctions. Though the package has yet to be agreed on, the goal is to signal the U.S.s commitment to protecting Ukraines sovereignty and to add further costs to any Russian invasion. Whatever happens, the U.S. Senate has switched into crisis response mode over Ukraine. As a result, other longer-running issues with Russia have received less attention. With President Vladimir Putin essentially demanding that the world focus on Ukraine, the first anniversary of the arrest of Russian opposition leader and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny passed with relatively little press attention. As U.S. senators seek a deterrent for future Russian action in Ukraine, a trial is in process, away from public view, that aims to lengthen Navalnys prison sentence to 10 years. It also distracts from another upcoming anniversary, that of U.S. and EU sanctions on the men who used Novichok poison to try to murder Navalny in August 2020. As a scholar of Russian and East European politics, Ive observed how authoritarian leaders use distraction to keep adversaries off balance. It was a tactic used in the Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia against citizen activists and deployed to lethal effect by Slobodan Milosevic to maintain power in Serbia. President Putin has deployed such tactics repeatedly in the past and, I believe, it is what he is doing now: The more he can ratchet up what the U.S. and its allies threaten in retaliation to an invasion of Ukraine, the more concessions he can claim to have won, simply by standing down. He wins credit for averting the crisis he engineered. There is, I believe, an effective way for Congress to regain control of the narrative and force attention back on Putins vulnerability. By reframing the sanctions debate around the Putin regimes treatment of Russian citizens, it can highlight a steadfast commitment to human rights as a central plank to its policy of keeping peace and stability in Eastern Europe. And it already has a mechanism to do this: the Magnitsky Act. Story continues Sanctions with 'scalpel-like precision This legislation honors Sergei Magnitsky, who died in police custody in Moscow in November 2009. A tax expert, Magnitsky had uncovered an elaborate tax refund fraud scheme involving Russian government officials who, using company documents and seals taken in a raid on investment fund Hermitage Capital Management, set up shell companies to steal US$230 million in public funds. For that, supporters say, he was arrested, detained almost a year without trial, and subjected to abuse and neglect that killed him. Magnitskys death shocked Russian civil society activists, along with Hermitage CEO Bill Browder and his lawyer Jamie Firestone, who lobbied the U.S. government to act. It resulted in the 2012 U.S. Magnitsky Act, which allows the U.S. to freeze the assets and ban the entry of alleged human rights offenders. The Kremlins response was swift. Within two weeks, Russian legislators passed the Dima Yakovlev Law. Named for a 21-month-old Russian adoptee who died of heatstroke in a parked car, the law denied visas to a number of U.S. officials it accused of human rights violations. It also terminated all pending and future U.S. adoptions from Russia, impacting hundreds of children and families. The following year, a Russian court found Browder and the dead Magnitsky guilty of the fraud they had uncovered. These heavy-handed measures signaled how seriously the Kremlin took the threat of sanctions against its officials and their wealth. One problem for corrupt government officials everywhere is that they need to be able to safely stash overseas what they steal from their people, and the provisions of the Magnitsky Act take away that option. In 2016, the U.S. Congress passed the Global Magnitsky Act, which extended authorization to the president to impose sanctions on foreign officials of any country found responsible of gross violations of human rights or significant corruption. President Donald Trump invoked the act in December 2017, harnessing what one commentator described as its scalpel-like precision against individual perpetrators. Canada and Australia have passed similar legislation. The U.K. and EU have also adopted new laws inspired by the Magnitsky movement, targeting human rights violators worldwide. The best way to affect Putins decision-making? Although designed to hold regimes accountable for abuses against their own citizens, Magnitsky sanctions may be useful in the current international crisis. The Australian government has said it will look at implementing existing Magnitsky sanctions as a response to the threatened invasion. During a January 2022 visit to Ukraine, U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, who co-sponsored the Global Magnitsky Act, suggested that it could apply to violations of international law, including the cyberattacks already perpetrated against Ukraine. Bill Browder himself has argued it could be the best way to stop Putin. And Alexei Navalny, interviewed in prison, has encouraged U.S. senators to use the tools already at their disposal. Rather than issue soundbites about what they will do should Putin invade, he suggests they simply act now. The source of his wealth is power and corruption, Navalny said. And the basis of his power is lies, propaganda and falsified election results. You want to influence Putin, then influence his personal wealth. Its right under your backside. Navalny sees that in U.S. lawmakers efforts to come up with new sanctions as weapons of war or negotiation, they are doing President Putins work for him. What Navalny and others are advocating is not to put Magnitsky sanctions on the negotiating table but to start imposing them. Researchers from the Free Russia Forum, which serves as a platform for opposition figures, have already identified Putins key allies and enablers, and the Pandora Papers detail the substantial offshore assets in their names. Targeting these individuals would follow through on former proposals made by senators themselves. When he became Senate Foreign Relations Committee chair in January 2021, Sen. Menendez urged the Biden administration to apply Magnitsky sanctions against Putins inner circle. His letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted the state violence directed at Navalny, as well as the corrosive corruption of the Putin regime. Even through the fog of war Putin has conjured, Menendez and his colleagues have the opportunity to remind citizens in Russia, America and beyond of what is at stake. By immediately invoking the Magnitsky Acts financial sanctions against corrupt actors and human rights abusers, the U.S. can demonstrate its commitment to the rule of law. It would send a clear signal that, whatever threats Putin manufactures, the international community will continue to hold him accountable for the crimes of his regime, at home as well as abroad. [The Conversations Politics + Society editors pick need-to-know stories. Sign up for Politics Weekly.] This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Keith Brown, Arizona State University. Read more: Keith Brown is the Director of Arizona State University's Melikian Center for Russian, Eurasian and East European Studies, that receives support from the US Department of State to train US graduate students in less-commonly taught languages of Russia, East Europe and Central Asia. In 2020-21, the Melikian Center collaborated with the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations and the Santa Fe Council for Foreign Relations to host an online speaker series entitled "The Russia Disruption." Our invited speakers included Jamie Firestone, Managing Partner of FD Advisory, and co-founder of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign, who contributed to this report. A car blown up on a parking lot outside a government building in central Donetsk, on February 18, 2022 Photo by Nikolai Trishin\TASS via Getty Images A US official accused Russia of being behind a car bombing in rebel-held eastern Ukraine. Russian media has been using the incident in Donetsk to fan the flames of war. The US and NATO have warned that Russia may try to create a pretext for an armed attack against Ukraine. A US official accused Russia of being behind a car bombing in rebel-held eastern Ukraine that Russian media has been using to stoke concern that Ukrainian forces are targeting separatist leaders. "Announcements like these are further attempts to obscure through lies and disinformation that Russia is the aggressor in this conflict," a US State Department spokesperson told reporters, according to ABC News reporter Conor Finnegan. The spokesperson added: "This type of false flag operation is exactly what Secretary Blinken highlighted in his remarks to the UN Security Council." A false flag is a secretive military operation that seeks to get an adversary, such as Ukraine, blamed for the actions by one's own operatives, a type of misdirection that Russia frequently employs in conflicts. One Russian state-owned news service claimed the car blew up in a parking lot of a government building in Donetsk. The car belonged to the head of the Donetsk separatist police, Financial Times journalist Max Seddon reported. On Russian state-owned television, an anchor asked on-air if war was on the horizon, according to multiple reports. Ukraine's Defense Intelligence service also said on Friday that it believes Russian forces are planting explosives under various infrastructure in Donetsk, and urged residents to stay home. "These measures are aimed at destabilizing the situation in the temporarily occupied territories of our state and creating grounds for accusing Ukraine of terrorist acts," it wrote in a statement. The bombing occurred after Kremlin-backed separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region announced on Friday that civilians in the area will be evacuated to Russia. Story continues It is "cynical and cruel to use human beings as pawns to distract the world from the fact that Russia is building up its forces in preparation for an attack," the State Department spokesperson said. The leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic blamed Ukrainian aggression for the move, which Kyiv has denied. "Allegations that the Ukrainian government intends to launch an offensive operation in Donbas are divorced from reality," Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said in a statement. Nikolenko added: "Ukraine is also NOT conducting or planning any sabotage acts in Donbas. We categorically reject attempts by Russia to aggravate already tense security situation." Both the US and NATO have warned this week that Russia may try to create a pretext for an armed attack against Ukraine. This story is developing. Please check back for updates. Read the original article on Business Insider Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Spencer Platt/Getty Images US stocks were mixed on Friday amid conflicting developments in the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Russia's foreign minister agreed to meet with his US counterpart next week for further discussions. Meanwhile, indications point to Russia increasing the number of troops on the border with Ukraine. US stocks were mixed on Friday after tumbling in the prior session amid conflicting developments on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Major indexes initially rallied in premarket trading after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov agreed to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken next week to discuss the crisis. But Blinken later said more Russian troops are headed to the Ukraine border. Meanwhile, the US ambassador to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe estimated that Russia has 169,000-190,000 personnel near Ukraine, up from 100,000 at the end of January. Russian President Vladimir Putin said he isn't against talks with the US. Here's where US indexes stood at 9:30 a.m. on Friday: US stocks suffered their worst one-day loss of the year on Thursday, when President Biden said a Russian invasion of Ukraine was likely imminent. Moscow had claimed earlier this week that it pulled back some troops. Analysts at RBC Capital Markets warned investors are underestimating the threat of a war in Europe, saying a Russian invasion of Ukraine could hammer stocks in similar fashion to the two Iraq wars or the US-China trade war of 2018. Virgin Galactic stock dipped Friday after the space tourism company announced billionaire investor Chamath Palihapitiya stepped down chairman and board member. Oil prices extended their decline and are headed for their first weekly loss in nine weeks. A potential deal to reboot Tehran's 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers has raised the prospect of increased Iranian crude exports. Story continues On Friday, West Texas Intermediate crude fell 2% to $89.94 per barrel. Brent crude, the international benchmark, dropped 1.8% at $91.25. Gold dipped 0.1% to $1,900.10 per ounce. The 10-year yield fell 3.5 basis points to 1.939%. Bitcoin slipped 1.34% to $40,444.50. Read the original article on Business Insider A farmhand harvesting avocados at an orchard near Ziracuaretiro, Mexico, in 2019. Marco Ugarte/AP Michoacan is at the center of Mexico's booming avocado industry. It produces 5.5 billion pounds of the fruit a year and exports 80% of the avocados bought in the US. Michoacan's farming towns have been threatened by cartels looking to control the lucrative industry. This is Michoacan, a state in western Mexico. Uruapan, the state's second-largest city behind its capital, Morelia, has been called "the avocado capital of the world," per the Yucan Times. A map of Mexico. Google Maps While Michoacan is Mexico's biggest avocado-producing region, it spans an area of only about 60,000 square kilometers, or 23,166 square miles, which makes it smaller than the US state of West Virginia. Almost 5 million people live in Michoacan. The state produces half of all avocados in the world, per the World Economic Forum. An avocado orchard in Zirahuen, in the Mexican state of Michoacan, in 2016. RONALDO SCHEMIDT / Staff / Getty Images The state produces about 5.5 billion pounds a year, per the World Economic Forum. The national industry is worth $3.1 billion, with most of its exports going to the US, per Mexico News Daily. Michoacan is one of the few places in the world where avocados grow all year. A farmhand harvesting avocados at an orchard, near Ziracuaretiro, Mexico, in 2019. Marco Ugarte/AP One reason for Michoacan's massive cultivation of avocados is its climate: Not only does it have rich volcanic soil, but there is also enough sunlight and rainfall throughout the year for the fruit to grow. The region's mountainous landscape has 42,000 avocado orchards (like the one pictured above) located on high elevations from 2,000 to 10,000 feet, per the Avocado Institute of Mexico. Michoacan consists of several small farming towns, including Tancitaro, where some 30,000 people live. Cheran, Mexico, in 2019. Pedro Pardo/AFP/Getty Images In February 2018, a former mayor estimated that the town exported more than $1 million worth avocados a day, per NPR. Michoacan avocados account for 80% of all US consumption of the fruit. It is the only state in Mexico licensed to export avocados to the US. The consumption of avocados in the US skyrocketed during the Super Bowl weekend. About 124 million pounds were expected to be eaten this year, usually in the form of guacamole, Vickie Fite, a representative for the Hass Avocado Board, told the Los Angeles Times. Story continues "We know when it's Super Bowl time," Hugo Naranjo, a manager at a packing plant, told NPR in February 2018. "Our production jumps," he added. Though avocados sold for record prices in the weeks before the Super Bowl on February 13, the US temporarily suspended imports from Mexico on February 11 after a US official received a threatening message on his cellphone. Many of these farming towns are under threat from cartels, which are seeking control of the lucrative avocado industry. Members of the self-defense group Pueblos Unidos carrying out guard duties in protection of avocado plantations, whipped by drug cartels that dominate the area, in Ario de Rosales, Mexico, on July 8. Enrique Castor/AFP/Getty Images These cartels have diversified "their portfolios to include a range of legal economies," which include avocado production, Eduardo Moncada, an assistant political science professor at Barnard College, told WBUR Radio in December 2020. Jalisco New Generation Cartel is the most powerful of these cartels. Despite being one of the youngest cartels in Mexico, the group is regarded as the most violent, per the research institute START. As the national avocado trade continues to grow exponentially, cartels have extorted and kidnapped farmers for money. But some farmers have taken up arms to protect themselves against the cartels. According to one estimate, there are 50 self-defense groups in Mexico, which consist mostly of farmers, per AFP. The groups seek to protect their towns from "kidnapping, extortion and theft of avocados" by the increasingly violent cartels, per the wire. Many residents have fled Michoacan because of the mounting cartel violence. The remnants of campsites where families from Michoacan had been camped out in 2019 in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Paul Ratje/AFP/Getty Images More than 22,000 people have left the state since late 2018, according to Gregorio Lopez, the founder of El Buen Samaritano The Good Samaritan per Mexico News Daily. Half of those people sought asylum in the US, Lopez told the news outlet. Some villages have become ghost towns as residents have fled for safety up north or in neighboring states. El Cajon, a village in Michoacan, once had more than 100 residents. But with the escalating violence, the village had only eight people living there as of October, USA Today reported. About 60 homes were left abandoned in the village after cartel members assaulted residents, per the newspaper. Despite the state's thriving avocado industry, many people still live below the poverty line. Children inside "La Gran Familia" shelter. Hector Guerrero/AFP/Getty Images Though a lot of resources are spent on cultivating avocados including about 9.5 billion liters of water every day from local aquifers almost half of Michoacan residents live below the poverty line, per World Atlas. The state is the 11th-poorest in the country. An April 2020 report by the World Bank Group concluded that living below the poverty line in Mexico meant being an individual with a daily income of less than $1.90 a day. While Michoacan has a robust agricultural and farming industry, the majority of people work in retail and trade services, according to a January 2021 paper by Anker Research Network on the region. Michoacan has a significant Indigenous population. Members of the Purepecha ethnic group taking part in the "Fuego Nuevo" (New Fire) celebration. Enrique Castro/AFP/Getty Images In Cheran, a municipality in the state, about 18,000 Purepecha residents belong to an Indigenous self-determination movement, per Reuters. About 50 Indigenous communities in the state are campaigning for autonomy. "Five hundred years after the invasion of Michoacan, the Indigenous people continue to resist and fight as our grandfathers did," the Supreme Indigenous Council of Michoacan said in a statement in February, per the Associated Press. Read the original article on Insider By Nick Carey LONDON (Reuters) - Volta Trucks said on Friday that it had raised 230 million euros ($260 million) in Series C funding round, which will finance it through the launch of series production of its Volta Zero electric truck in late 2022. Stockholm-based Volta Trucks, which also operates in the UK, said that the funding round was led by hedge fund Luxor Capital, which had previously invested in Volta Trucks. Initial seed investor Byggmastare Anders J Ahlstrom Holding AB also participated in the funding round, which brings the total Volta Trucks has raised to around 300 million euros. Protoypes of the Volta Zero, a 16-tonne fully-electric truck, will be delivered to customers in mid-2022, with series production due to start in late 2022. Startups and traditional automakers are rushing to bring electric models to market as they face looming bans on fossil-fuel vehicles in China and Europe. The latest funding "gives us the financial runway to be able to deliver on all our goals as we transition from a start-up to a manufacturer of full-electric trucks," Volta Trucks Chief Executive Essa Al-Saleh said in a statement. The company said its order book now exceeds 5,000 vehicles with a value of 1.2 billion euros. The funding will also fund the development of 7.5-tonne and 12-tonne electric trucks. Volta Trucks plans to make 5,000 trucks at its plant in Steyr, Austria, in 2023, and annual production should rise to 27,000 by 2025. (Reporting by Nick Carey; Editing by Susan Fenton) By not acting, the governor and state legislature are condoning the failure by Maryland agencies to rein in massive poultry industry pollution. Their failure to enforce critical pollution control regulations condemns the health of thousands of residents living close to industrial-scale chicken operations and the health of Eastern Shore rivers. The Environmental Integrity Projects meticulously researched Blind Eye to Big Chicken report from last October documents how state enforcement agencies have abdicated their responsibilities to enforce poultry regulations. The report terms agency efforts an empty paperwork exercise that totally fails to assure compliance as chicken growers continue to violate state laws with impunity. Advertisement These laws are designed to assure the proper handling and use of 608 million pounds of raw chicken excrement produced annually by 301 million chickens. The excrement is equal in weight to 60,000 Ford F-150 trucks. Most is dumped untreated on farmland or other lands in the region with little oversight. The Environmental Integrity Project report notes that 84% of examined poultry operations failed water pollution inspections, most due to improperly managed excrement. Only 2% paid fines despite half failing follow-up inspections. Fines collected totaled a measly $8,250 over four years. Advertisement Included in this failure is the lack of enforcement of the weakened regulations which Governor Larry Hogan replaced from the stronger regulations of prior governor Martin OMalley and then delayed their implementation for years. Manure placement was prohibited on land already saturated with phosphorus. At least two-thirds of Eastern Shore farmland is phosphorus saturated. Still, 51% of poultry operations reviewed applied manure to their fields in amounts illegally above limits. None were fined. About 90% of the chicken manure generated is shipped off-site to other farms or lands on the Eastern Shore for which there are no public records to show where it is spread or if it is in amounts within legal limits. Inspectors do not sample for nutrients in fields or streams to determine if over-application of manure has occurred. Enforcement staff has been cut; the Maryland Department of Environment has only three inspectors overseeing 503 poultry operations. Some growers produce more than one million chickens a year in airplane hangar-size chicken houses. Poultry farm inspections under Hogans watch have fallen 40% with some sites uninspected for up to seven years. Chicken grower collecting chicken excrement mixed with feathers and wood shavings part of 608 million pounds produced on Marylands E. Shore annually, most deposited on soils with little oversight. 5/29/2008 (Baltimore Sun Media File Photo) The Maryland Department of the Environment refuses to sample for ammonia emissions at chicken operations or at nearby homes despite a Maryland courts March 2021 order to start controlling this pollutant. While appealing the order, the department ignores the threat to public health and the addition of millions of pounds of nitrogen to our waters from chicken waste ammonia. The Maryland Department of Agriculture also has enforcement authority and is equally if not more complacent. Asking the agriculture department to act against an industry it is designed to promote produces predictable results. The results of the states Blind Eye to Big Chicken are egregious but predictable: serious health problems for residents and poor water quality. Nitrogen and phosphorus levels over time have not receded and have increased in many Eastern Shore rivers. This despite billions of dollars spent to reduce these bay-choking nutrients, the major source of degraded waters. This funding included hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to farmers. Agriculture remains the major source of bay pollutants, overwhelming all other sources on the Eastern Shore. Advertisement An analysis of 20 years of data on the Choptank River watershed, which is dominated by agriculture mostly related to poultry production, showed a substantial increase in nutrients despite decreases in air emissions and treated sewage. Federal researchers concluded that the Choptank had the greatest per-acre input of nitrogen of any watershed studied, including heavily developed areas. This excessive nutrient flow is behind the decline of key species of fish, shellfish and bay grasses and leads to dead zones of little to no oxygen. Human infections from water contact, including life-threatening, flesh-eating diseases, also are more prevalent, as are fish kills. Residents living near poultry operations have developed serious health problems. Nitrate contamination of groundwater is common, and ammonia emissions as well as particulate matter from chicken house fans can cause health problems. These include unusually high rates of cancer, gastrointestinal disease, Crohns disease, diarrhea, wheezing, and shortness of breath. These problems are exacerbated by the disposal of 150,000 dead chickens and 10 major slaughterhouses that dot the shore spewing out air and water emissions. Last year, a Delaware court ratified settlement of a case in which a major poultry processor, Mountaire, agreed to pay $65 million to plaintiffs who lived near the companys large chicken slaughtering plant in Millsboro, Delaware. These folks suffered illnesses from contaminated air and drinking water wells. Mountaire agreed in a parallel federal case to spend $145 million to upgrade its slaughtering plant to meet regulatory requirements it had been repeatedly violating for years. How can this be happening? Blame lies at least in part on the environmental community led by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The nonprofit and its followers have repeatedly failed to push for common sense and meaningful reforms in the regulation and enforcement of the poultry industry. The foundation continues to insist that the answer is throwing more money at poultry growers and other farmers to do what is right despite the hundreds of millions already paid out. This includes at least $21 million in federal and other grants to Chesapeake Bay Foundation to pass on to farmers. Advertisement Tom Pelton, who worked for the foundation for six years before joining the Environmental Integrity Project and co-authoring the Blind Eye to Big Chicken report, noted how the Chesapeake Bay Foundation had censored his reporting on poultry pollution. He concluded it went from Save The Bay to Trade the Bay, documenting the acceptance of the $21 million. Hogan has long catered to the poultry industry and sees agribusiness as important to his potential run for president. The Wall Street Journal reported that in the critical final weeks of Hogans underdog campaign for governor in 2014, poultry giant Mountaire contributed $250,000 to the Republican Governors Association after spending $450,000 in ad buys for Hogans campaign. Corporate donors use this loophole to give large sums to avoid contribution limits and disclosure requirements. Mountaire has the most chicken operations in Maryland, accounting for more than one-third of chickens grown. It is still a major donor to the Republican Governors Association. Agribusiness also plies Democratic groups with funds. The Democratic-controlled Maryland legislature also turns a blind eye to big chicken and agribusiness. I have been unable to convince key senators and delegates to sponsor or support necessary legislation to simply treat raw animal excrement when land applied the same as cleansed biosolids from advanced wastewater treatment plants. This is not a new idea and has been supported by top Maryland scientists, including agricultural PhDs. The legislation I have suggested also would regulate ammonia emissions and mandate increased enforcement and transparency. The failure to stimulate meaningful solutions to this onerous problem is both frustrating and depressing. For the first time in 27 years, I wish I was back in the Senate to take on this and other environmental causes and reverse the stasis that has set in. Sadly, bay restoration has reached its nadir, sacrificed on the altar of political expediency. Gerald Winegrad is a former Maryland state senator. He can be reached at gwwabc@comcast.net. Millions more people are set to be pushed into fuel poverty this year. Millions more people are set to be pushed into fuel poverty in the coming months, amid the cost of living crisis. After Ofgem raised the energy price cap by 54% earlier this month, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition warned an additional 1.1 million homes will be plunged into fuel poverty when the increase takes effect in April. People on lower incomes will be hardest hit as they spend a greater percentage of their earnings on fuel bills. Here, Yahoo News UK explains what all this means, and what is being done about it. What is fuel poverty? The UK government defines a household as being in fuel poverty if: "Its fuel efficiency rating is Band D or below and its disposable income - after housing and fuel costs - is below the poverty line (of 60 per cent of the median UK household income)." Overall, 13.4% - or 3.2 million - of households in England are considered to be in fuel poverty. 13.4% of homes in England are considered as being in fuel poverty. (Yahoo News UK) Fuel efficiency has a significant impact on fuel poverty, with average costs three times higher in the least efficient band G properties than the most efficient Band A. Median fuel costs by properties' energy efficiency bands. (gov.uk) The latest government data, which cover 2019, shows a Band D or E property is just as likely to be in fuel poverty (23% of households in England) as a Band F or G property (also 23%). However, those in less efficient homes are likely to have a higher "fuel poverty gap". This is the reduction in required fuel bills that the average fuel poor household needs in order to not be classed as in fuel poverty. It is 1,039 in the least efficient band F and G properties - six times higher than the average gap of 173 in band D and E properties. Broken down by household composition, a single parent household is most likely to be in fuel poverty (28%) while a couple under 60 with no children is least likely (6%). Households in the private rented sector are most likely to be in fuel poverty (27%) compared to 18% in social housing and 8% in owner occupied homes. Which areas are worst affected? Story continues Of the nine English regions, the West Midlands has the highest proportion - 17.5% - of households in fuel poverty, followed by Yorkshire and the Humber (16.8%) and London (15.2%). The least affected region is the South East (7.5%). At a constituency level, the areas with the highest levels of fuel poverty are clustered in London and the West Midlands. The 10 constituencies with the lowest levels of fuel poverty are all the South East. Fuel poverty levels by parliamentary constituency. (Yahoo News UK) Constituencies with the highest proportion of households in fuel poverty Birmingham Hodge Hill (West Midlands): 27.4% Barking (London): 24% Stoke-on-Trent Central (West Midlands): 23.7% Wolverhampton South East (West Midlands): 23.7% Walthamstow (London): 23.7% Birmingham Yardley (West Midlands): 23.5% Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough (Yorkshire and the Humber): 23.2% Warley (West Midlands): 23.2% Birmingham Ladywood (West Midlands): 23.1% Manchester Gorton (North West): 22.8% Constituencies with the lowest proportion of households in fuel poverty Wokingham (South East): 4.8% North East Hampshire (South East): 5% Beaconsfield (South East): 5.1% Windsor (South East): 5.2% Surrey Heath (South East): 5.3% Fareham (South East): 5.5% Esher and Walton (South East): 5.5% Bracknell (South East): 5.5% Chesham and Amersham (South East): 5.6% Maidenhead (South East): 5.7% What help is available? Following Ofgem's lifting of the energy price cap, chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a 9 billion package to help households during the cost of living crisis. This includes a 150 rebate on 80% of the nation's council tax bills in April. A further 144m will be handed to councils for them to also support vulnerable households. Sunak also announced 200 discount off energy bills in October. This has sparked controversy due to the additional levy which will see every household pay pack 200 in 40 instalments over the next five years, whether or not they benefitted from the initial discount. Watch: People to receive 350 of help through energy crisis Campaigners including the End Fuel Poverty Coalition warned the scheme "will do little but offset or defer part of the most recent rise". Labour shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves branded it a buy now, pay later scheme that loads up costs for tomorrow. Sunak himself warned households they will have to adjust to higher energy prices in the future. Read more: Revealed: The 10 food items from your weekly shop increasing fastest in price Why Russia invading Ukraine could increase your energy bills Separate to the chancellor's announcement, help already exists for people struggling to pay their bills. For example, consumers can agree a payment plan with their supplier, which must co-operate under Ofgem rules. This may result in being given more time to pay, or payment reductions. In some cases, energy suppliers and the government also offer grants to help consumers with their bills. For more information about getting help with energy bills, visit Ofgem's website. Theres a growing bipartisan push to prohibit members of Congress from buying or selling stocks. The shift follows news reports that several senators sold stocks shortly after receiving coronavirus briefings in early 2020 and that at least 57 lawmakers have failed to disclose financial transactions since 2012 as required by law. Congress passed that law the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act, also known as the STOCK Act in 2012 to fight insider trading among lawmakers with increased transparency. But a chorus of legislators and governance watchdogs argue that it didnt go far enough and isnt working. All this raises two important questions: What exactly is insider trading and whats the big deal? We are a finance professor and an economics professor who have been studying financial markets and how investors try to take advantage of access to information for their personal gain. Our research shows its very common but difficult to stop. What is insider trading? Insider trading is whenever someone uses market-moving nonpublic information in the act of buying or selling a financial asset. For example, say you work as an executive at a company that plans to make an acquisition. If its not public, that would count as inside information. It becomes a crime if you either tell a friend about it and that person then buys or sells a financial asset using that information or if you make a trade yourself. Punishment, if youre convicted for insider trading, can range from a few months to over a decade behind bars. Insider trading became illegal in the U.S. in 1934 after Congress passed the Securities Exchange Act in the wake of the worst sustained decline in stocks in history. From Black Monday 1929 through the summer of 1932, the stock market lost 89% of its value. The act was meant to prevent a whole litany of abuses from recurring, including insider trading. The issue was dramatized in Oliver Stones 1987 classic movie Wall Street, in which ruthless financier Gordon Gekko makes millions of dollars by trading on inside information on several companies obtained from his protege, Bud Fox. Story continues The most valuable commodity I know of is information, declares Gekko, who by the end of the film is convicted of insider trading and sent to jail. Informed trading While insider trading typically involves trading stocks of individual companies based on information about them, it can involve any kind of information about the economy, a commodity or anything else that moves markets. For instance, the monthly consumer price index figures have a huge impact on financial markets at the moment because of concerns about inflation and how it will affect the pace of Federal Reserve interest rate hikes. That data is collected and then closely guarded, but a small number of people have access to it before its officially released, making the information extremely valuable if any of them wanted to profit off it. Our own research on financial trading ahead of the release of U.S. economic data shows that financial markets tend to move in the correct direction in the minutes before its released. That is, if the new data would be a positive for stocks, we saw patterns of stocks rising before that information becomes publicly available something known as informed trading. We also found this to be the case on data released in China and the U.K.. This suggests that some traders may have advance knowledge of information in economic announcements. Of course, alternative explanations could be that some traders are simply more skilled at collecting and analyzing available data that correctly predicts the economic announcements. For example, online prices collected in real time can be used to predict inflation levels. Also, satellite imagery and analyst forecasts can be used to predict crude oil and natural gas inventory levels. Common, profitable and hard to prove Research shows that insider trading is common and profitable, yet notoriously hard to prove and prevent. A 2020 study estimated that only about 15% of insider trading in the U.S. is detected and prosecuted. One of the more famous and few examples of insider trading being prosecuted was the 2004 conviction of businesswoman and media personality Martha Stewart for selling shares based on an illegal tip from a broker. Another came in 2016, when billionaire Steven Cohen and his now-defunct SAC Capital Advisors hedge fund entered into a US$135 million settlement over insider-trading allegations. The hedge fund also paid a fine of $1.8 billion in 2014 over similar charges. And in 2020, former U.S. Rep. Chris Collins was sentenced to 26 months in prison for passing on a confidential tip to his son and then lying about it to the FBI. More recently, two Fed officials stepped down in September 2021 after disclosures showed they were trading extensively in 2020 at the same time the U.S. central bank was spending trillions saving the economy from the effects of the pandemic. And Sen. Richard Burr and his brother remain under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission over stock trades they made in February 2020 shortly after the North Carolina Republican received closed-door briefings on the pandemic. Why it matters Insider trading is not a victimless crime. By throwing sand in the gears of financial markets, people trading on inside information benefit at the expense of others. A key characteristic of well-functioning financial markets is high liquidity, which means it is easy to make large trades at low transaction costs. Insider trading adversely affects market liquidity and makes transaction costs higher, reducing investor returns. And since a lot of people have a stake in financial markets about half of U.S. families own stocks either directly or indirectly this behavior hurts most Americans. Insider trading also makes it more expensive for companies to issue stocks and bonds. If investors think that insiders might be trading bonds of a company, they will demand a higher return on the bonds to compensate for their disadvantage increasing the cost to the company. As a result, the company has less money to hire more workers or invest in a new factory. There are also broader impacts of insider trading. It undermines public confidence in financial markets and feeds the common view that they odds are stacked in favor of the elite and against everyone else. Furthermore, since inside traders profit from privileged access to information rather than work, this makes people believe that the system is rigged. Curbing insider trading The odds of Congress prohibiting lawmakers from trading stocks got a boost when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently said she may support the idea though shed like to see a ban also apply to the Supreme Court, which currently has no rules governing the practice. At least some Republicans, such as U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy and Sen. Ben Sasse, also say they support a ban. For its part, the Fed reacted to trading by its two former officials by banning bank policymakers and senior staff from buying individual stocks or bonds. There are also less heavy-handed ways to curb insider trading. In recent years, policymakers in the U.S. and the U.K. have tightened procedures governing the release of economic data. In the U.K., for example, dozens of public officials used to get market-moving economic data 24 hours before the public release. After the practice stopped in 2017, we found evidence of significantly less informed trading ahead of the release suggesting it effectively prevented a lot of insider trading. Surveys show widespread bipartisan public support for Congress to ban lawmakers from trading financial securities, with a recent poll showing 75% in favor. While that doesnt mean a law will get passed, it does put pressure on lawmakers of both parties to do something about the problem. [Get the best of The Conversation, every weekend. Sign up for our weekly newsletter.] This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Alexander Kurov, West Virginia University and Marketa Wolfe, Skidmore College. Read more: White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain arrives for a Senate Democratic policy luncheon on Thursday, February 17, 2022. White House chief of staff Ron Klain promised Senate Democrats that President Biden will deliver an uplifting and inspiring State of the Union address that will highlight his efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and respond to rising costs. Klain's goal in addressing the Senate Democratic Caucus in person on Capitol Hill appeared to be to give lawmakers something positive to focus on instead of the president's sagging poll numbers. In fact, senators said there was no discussion of Biden's weak public approval rating in battleground states that will decide in this year's midterm elections which party will control the Senate in 2023. Klain told senators that Biden's speech to a joint session of Congress next month will tout the president's accomplishments from last year, which many Democrats believe are being undersold, and set a clear agenda for the rest of the year. But the conversation, while very positive, was also very general and seemed designed not to make any big news before Biden's moment in the national spotlight on March 1. Some concerned centrists wanted Klain to talk about Biden's weak poll numbers in key states, such as Pennsylvania, where an October Franklin & Marshall poll found that only 32 percent of registered voters their rated his performance as "excellent" or "good." A national Gallup tracking poll conducted last month found that Biden's job approval rating had sunk to 40 percent, the lowest of his presidency and only 2 percentage points higher than where former President Trump stood at the same point in his presidency. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) said before the meeting that he hoped Klain would touch on the worrisome poll numbers, which could signal trouble for Democrats in the midterm elections. Tester said before the meeting "he should bring it up." Yet Klain didn't touch on Biden's poll numbers and instead tried to pump up Democrats about what he predicted would be a glowing and powerful report on the State of the Union in 12 days, according to several senators who attended the meeting. Story continues "I think the president is going to have some clear initiatives, especially in the State of the Union, on COVID, cost of living, crime, the essential challenges looking forward, and they're going to be positive initiatives that really tackle these problems. He's well aware of what's going on and what's on people's minds," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) after the meeting. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said there was "some discussion" of the midterm elections and a general recognition in the room that the State of the Union presents a good opportunity for Biden to communicate with voters and regain some political momentum. "We recognized State of the Union is one of the main opportunities of the year to get the attention of the American people, to set out the record, to look forward. That gives you a chance to get a greater audience and a greater support among the American people," he said. Senate Republicans are growing increasingly optimistic about their chances of winning back control of the Senate and House in November. A GOP net pickup of one seat would be enough to flip the 50-50 Senate. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said Democrats at the meeting discussed the need to focus on the positive and their accomplishments during Biden's first 13 months in office. "It's all about where we've come from in the last year in terms of successes, the economy, all of the things that are causing a strong economy and also all of the challenges related to COVID and successes," she said. "As bad as it is on COVID for everyone, and we're all sick of what's been happening and so on, it's getting safer. Ninety-nine percent of our children are back to school. "It's just very important to look as a baseline where we were a year ago. A year ago when they came into office there were zero home tests," she added. Klain told reporters after meeting with Senate Democrats in the historic Mansfield Room just off the Senate floor that there was "a lot of enthusiasm" at the meeting and that "people are looking forward to the State of the Union." Senators told Klain they appreciated the president's efforts to sell his agenda by traveling around the country to places such as Pittsburg and Culpepper, Va. "We did talk about how we really appreciate the president being out ... and how great that was and how we wanted him just to do more," Stabenow said, adding "there was a lot of energy in the room." One question heading into the meeting was whether there would be any awkwardness between Klain, who has allied himself with the party's progressive wing, and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), the centrist who effectively blew up Biden's Build Back Better package in December by saying he wouldn't vote for it. Manchin lashed out at White House staff in December after it leaked that he opposed a one-year extension of the popular enhanced child tax credit. Klain helped draft a White House statement that slammed Manchin for "a sudden and inexplicable reversal in his position" after he announced on "Fox News Sunday" on Dec. 19 that he couldn't support Build Back Better. Klain appeared to try to appeal to Manchin at Thursday's meeting by highlighting the need to talk about rising costs. "The White House has made that very clear. They made it very clear that inflation and costs is a burden on a lot of people," Manchin told reporters afterward. Appearing careful not to provoke a debate with Manchin, Klain made no mention of trying to revive Build Back Better, which the West Virginia senator has little interest in discussing. Manchin did not speak at the meeting. Klain talked about the provisions of Build Back Better, such as funding for expanded child care, as general goals but did not lay out any specific timeline or plan for getting them passed into law. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and other Democrats told Klain the White House needs to do more to highlight its accomplishments, such as the tax break for children's day care costs, which passed last year as part of the American Rescue Plan. "One of the things we talked about at our caucus was a provision of the American Rescue Plan that Bob Casey was saying, 'Hey, by the way, we passed and it's been signed into law a refundable, expanded day care tax credit.' Families that have day care costs can now get thousands of dollars more as a tax credit off this year's filing and, to be blunt, he was saying the IRS isn't doing anything to make people aware of it," Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) told reporters, highlighting a key moment in the meeting. Jordain Carney contributed. An Annapolis woman admitted in federal court Friday to serving as a lookout for her husband, a Navy nuclear engineer, as he engaged in a scheme to sell military secrets to foreign governments. Diana Toebbe, 46, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble in West Virginia. She changed her plea four days after her husband, Jonathan Toebbe, also pleaded guilty, admitting he shared data and documents with details about nuclear submarines to who he thought were representatives of another country, but were really undercover FBI agents. The couple was arrested in October on espionage charges. In court Friday, Diana Toebbe said she knowingly and voluntarily joined the conspiracy to communicate restricted data, and that she committed overt acts to further it, including acting as a lookout. She said after she became aware he was trying to sell data, she acted as a lookout for three drops. Toebbes plea agreement, according to attorneys in Fridays court hearing, includes a sentence of up to three years in prison. The former teacher at The Key School in Annapolis previously had maintained her innocence, with her attorney arguing in December she should be released from custody because she wasnt a flight risk and that the FBI didnt have evidence to prove she knowingly participated in the scheme to sell secrets. A December court filing quoted from a letter Jonathan Toebbe wrote to his father-in-law that said he had high hopes she would ultimately be exonerated. But her husband told a federal judge in West Virginia on Monday that he conspired with her, and his plea agreement named her as an accomplice. According to an encrypted message from Jonathan Toebbe, cited in court documents, there was only one other person who knew about the special relationship he had with what he thought was a foreign government. Both his and her plea agreements said that person was Diana. He is expected to face a sentence between 12 and 17 years in prison, per an agreement between the government and his attorney. Story continues U.S. authorities say Jonathan Toebbe, who worked on classified nuclear projects and held a top-secret security clearance since 2012, tried to share design information about the propulsion system on the Navys new Virginia-class attack submarines to someone he believed was an agent of a foreign government. The country has not been identified. Toebbe is accused of reaching out to the undisclosed foreign country in spring of 2020 with an offer to sell information, and the country notified the FBI in December of that year, prompting an undercover operation. FBI agents spoke with him for more than a year and set up four dead drops in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Virginia. There, Toebbe dropped SD cards hidden in a sandwich, bubblegum package and Band-Aid wrapper. Diana Toebbe, meanwhile, is accused of serving as a lookout during three of the exchanges. They received payments through cryptocurrency. The Baltimore Sun previously reported the FBI found shredded documents, their childrens passports and $11,300 in cash during a search of their home, along with a go-bag containing a computer, storage drive and gloves. Prosecutors previously said the $100,000 the FBI paid to Toebbe and 5,000 pages of classified documents he claimed to have hadnt been located. Part of both Diana and Jonathan Toebbes plea agreements include language agreeing they will help federal agents find the cryptocurrency and recover outstanding classified documents. They also agreed to forfeit documents and electronic devices seized from their Annapolis home, vehicles and Jonathan Toebbes office. Neither is allowed to communicate with foreign governments or agents, except for international travel. A Maryland woman pleaded guilty on Friday to conspiring with her husband in his attempt to sell U.S. nuclear secrets to a foreign government. Diana Toebbe plea deal comes just days after her husband, Jonathan Toebbe, pleaded guilty to the same espionage-related offense on Monday. Diana Toebbe will be sentenced to a maximum of 36 months, or three years, in federal prison, while her husband will be sentenced to between about 12.5 and 17.5 years in federal prison. From on or about April 1, 2020 through Oct. 9, 2021, in Jefferson County, W.Va., and elsewhere, I conspired with Diana Toebbe to transmit restricted data to a foreign nation in exchange for payment, Jonathan Toebbe told Magistrate Judge Robert Trumble during a hearing on Monday afternoon in Martinsburg, W.Va. Jonathan Toebbe, a nuclear engineer, and his wife, Dianna, a teacher, of Annapolis, Md., were arrested on Oct. 9 after undercover FBI agents exchanged $100,000 in cryptocurrency for highly sensitive nuclear submarine secrets that were stored on memory cards hidden in gum wrappers, peanut butter sandwiches and Band-Aid wrappers and stashed at drop sites in West Virginia, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Diana Toebbe served as a lookout for her husband at multiple dead drop locations, a Justice Department press release said Friday. The Toebbes have been kept in detention since this fall, deemed flight risks by the Justice Department. According to details unveiled during a hearing this October, the Toebbes were prepared to leave the country if their activities were discovered, armed with cash, rubber gloves, a cryptocurrency wallet and their childrens passports. While Jonathan Toebbe waived his right to challenge detention this fall, Diana Toebbes lawyers had pushed for her release, suggesting there was no evidence she had access to the nuclear information her husband had, the cryptocurrency or his discussions with the FBI agent, who he apparently thought was a foreign government. But the FBI and prosecutors maintained there was enough evidence to suggest she was involved with his plan to sell the classified information for a total of $5 million. (Refiles to insert dropped word 'out' from paragraph one) SYDNEY (Reuters) - New Zealand police on Friday ruled out forcefully clearing vehicles blocking roads outside parliament in a protest against coronavirus vaccine mandates, saying that would risk "wider harm". Taking inspiration from truckers' demonstrations in Canada, hundreds of protesters have used vehicles to block several roads around the Beehive, as Wellington's distinctive parliament building is known, for 11 days, and camped out on its front lawn. "Any enforcement action by police runs a serious risk of much wider harm than the protest is presently creating," Police Commissioner Andrew Coster told a media briefing. Coster said negotiations and de-escalation were the only safe ways to resolve the protest and he would continue to talk to the protesters. Police say there are about 800 protesters but numbers could rise over the weekend. Coster said any forceful police action would risk injuries to the public and could turn a largely peaceful protest violent, and could increase the number of protesters. A country of five million people, New Zealand has reported just over 10,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 53 deaths since the pandemic began. Fuelled by the Omicron variant, New Zealand reported 1,929 new local cases on Friday, up from the previous one-day high of 1,573 on Thursday. About 94% of eligible people are vaccinated, with shots mandatory for some staff in front-line jobs. The protest began as a stand against vaccine mandates but were later joined by groups calling for an end to all pandemic restrictions. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had said the demonstrations were an "imported" phenomenon and rejected calls to remove all restrictions. The protest has affected the functioning of some offices and businesses in the vicinity. Chief Justice Helen Winkelmann said judicial proceedings needing the attendance of defendants in custody could not go ahead as the protesters' vehicles were blocking secure access to the court. "The current situation is extremely difficult," Winkelmann said in a statement. (Reporting by Renju Jose; Editing by Robert Birsel) The Academy Center of the Arts hit a significant milestone by receiving a competitive national grant award to help fund its mobile arts outreach program, Academy in Motion. The Academy launched the program last spring with a goal of serving people in Lynchburg and surrounding rural regions who don't have access to the arts and the benefits art can provide. After obtaining and refurbishing a bus, program organizers transformed it into a mobile art studio that has everything from pottery wheels, to painting and crafting supplies, and Academy in Motion got up and running last spring. From May through December of 2021, the program reached a total of 2,308 individuals by setting up at community events such as Art in the Park, and going to such places as Head Start, early learning centers, and coordinating programs with local partners by request, said Michelline Hall, chief programming officer of the Academy. The bus also participated in Lynchburgs Christmas parade, where mini craft kits were handed out to parade-goers. In January, the Academy announced its receipt of a $10,000 Challenge America grant award from the National Endowment for the Arts. The grant money will be dedicated entirely to supporting the Academy in Motion program. Receiving a national grant, especially such a competitive one as provided by the NEA, is a major accomplishment, Hall said. Not only does it put the Academy and its mobile arts outreach mission in a nationwide spotlight, but it shows the NEA recognizes the need a mobile arts outreach program seeks to meet, especially in rural areas. The Academy has applied for NEA grants in the past, Hall added, but this is the first time the organization ever received one. By getting a national-level grant, it not only legitimizes what we do, but it shows nationally, statewide, regionally, that this is important, and that people are willing to partner with us to make sure we're living up to our mission of arts accessibility for everyone, Hall said. Although Academy in Motion is not yet a year old, its impacts have been significant through the number of individuals reached so far, and the future is promising, Hall and Stephen Kissel, Academy in Motion manager, said. The Academy allocated a total of $60,000 in its annual operating budget for this mobile arts program, an amount supplemented by generous sponsors and donors, Hall said. Since Academy in Motion got rolling almost a year ago, Hall and Kissel said the initial focus was mostly on elementary school-aged children. Going forward, the plan is to expand the curriculums to include offerings targeted toward adults, people with disabilities, and senior citizens. This could include visits to senior centers and other specialized facilities. Although the Academy will still set up the art bus at community events and after-school programs or day care in the area, Kissel and Hall said this year the goal is to travel out into more rural areas surrounding Lynchburg. Already, they are working to partner with public libraries in different counties, area YMCAs, and some regional schools to coordinate more programming and a broader reach. What we're trying to do really is just make an impact in lots of different age levels. I mean, especially with the rural areas, there are a lot of kids that are going without any arts education at all, just due to whatever circumstances that they may be going through, Kissel said. All funds from the NEA grant will go toward providing Academy in Motions art supplies and related expenses, Hall said. Additional instructors also can be hired now, which would grow the team and expand the programs impact. Kissel has been the instructor and curriculum developer of Academy in Motions programs thus far, as well as the bus driver. For them to recognize the potential and recognize the need that we're actually filling by having our Academy in Motion program means so much to us, because it just confirms for us that we're doing the right things, and we're doing it with the best resources that we have. And so, just to have that acknowledged on a national level is really humbling, Hall 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. AMHERST An Amherst County man was sentenced to 25 years Thursday for second-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding in the November 2019 shooting death of his neighbor and wounding of a friend. Carson Grey Candler, 20, told Amherst County Circuit Judge Michael Garrett before sentencing the deceased victim, 43-year-old Justin Andrew Samuels, was like a father to him. Candler also pleaded guilty in October to severely wounding Blakeman Bru Norconk during a dispute outside the defendants home on Canodys Store Road. Candler, who according to testimony and evidence was a troubled teen dealing with mental health issues, accompanied Samuels on a hunting trip earlier in the day and was at a get-together with the two victims. Norconk testified Candler, who was showing outrageous behavior that night, was asked to leave the oyster roast, and he and Samuels drove Candler to his house and kept a pistol from him, which angered him. Candler went back into his home, found a hidden handgun and shot the two men when he came back outside, Norconk and Christine Samuels, the widow of Justin Samuels, each testified. Christine Samuels testified she heard gunshots when Candler came out of the house and she frantically called 911; she could be heard sobbing during the call prosecutors played in court. She said her husband was such a big presence who was loved by many in the community and she suffers post-traumatic stress from the incident. She said shes not the same person she was before the night of Nov. 16, 2019, when her husband died from three gunshots. Part of me died that night with Justin and Ill never get that back, Christine Samuels said. Justin Samuels wanted to be there for Candler like a mentor he had had in his own life, she said. Norconk was shot twice and testified to crawling to his truck to call 911 and feared losing his life. He was hospitalized until Christmas Eve of that year, had multiple surgeries and suffers from permanent nerve damage, he testified. As a Marine, he said, hes been trained for such scenarios and described getting shot as a very surreal moment. You never really think its going to happen, nor its going to happen in your best friends yard, a sanctuary, Norconk said. He said he still has a heavy burden from that night and not seeing more clearly the events unfolding that led to Samuels murder and his severe injuries. Austin Candler, the defendants brother, testified their father died in 2018 and Carson Candler was dealing with a range of issues. After the shooting, the defendant called him to apologize, he said. I could tell he was not there. He was mentally out of it, Austin Candler testified of the call. He was not himself that night. He said the Candler family lost someone as well and not a day goes by that I dont miss my brother. Their mother, Kim Candler, broke down in tears at several points testifying Thursday of her younger sons litany of mental health issues. She said the family was in crisis mode and Justin Samuels was a positive role model in her sons life. A few days before the incident, a close friend of Carson Candler died suddenly and it caused him severe emotional distress, Kim Candler testified. She said the two victims did the right thing trying to keep the gun away from her son that night and she never thought he would hurt someone else when he came out and started shooting. I ran because I didnt want to get shot, she testified through tears. She testified her son held the gun to his head and she pleaded with him not to kill himself. She said he told her, Mom, I love you. What happened? He waited at the home for authorities to arrive. Kim Candler said she later moved because she didnt want Christine Samuels to see her every day. She lamented the experiences she had in trying to get mental health treatment for her son and believes with a better response and more affordable avenues the shooting could have been prevented. I do not want another family to go through what we had to, Kim Candler said, adding of the states response to her sons issues: It is ridiculous in Virginia. Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Amber Drumheller, who first met the Samuels family the night of the murder in the course of responding to the scene, said she has grown close to the victims and their loved ones. She criticized sentencing guidelines that called for a high end of nearly 21 years in prison. I thought the guidelines were pretty close to garbage, in my opinion, Drumheller said in court. She argued for the maximum of life in prison plus 43 years. Carson took their hope for a future with Justin, Drumheller said. He stole him from them on the night of Nov. 16, 2019, and he stole Brus life too. Chuck Felmlee, Candlers attorney, said the case is among the saddest he's ever been involved in during 20-plus years as a lawyer, serving as both a Lynchburg prosecutor and as a defense attorney. He said Carson Candler had no previous criminal history except for a speeding ticket and has been remorseful and taken full responsibility. The defendant spoke affectionately of Justin Samuels when immediately questioned by investigators that night, Felmlee said. These are not the words of a stone-cold killer the commonwealth wants you to believe, Felmlee said to Garrett. Quite simply, Carson Candler loved Justin Samuels. Felmlee said his client was at an unbearable low that night after the death of his friend, was extremely depressed and intoxicated from drugs and alcohol. He added if the defendant was sober and taking his medications, the incident likely would not have happened. The shooting was not born out of evil but rather a mental health crisis for his client that wasnt dealt with properly. Commonwealths Attorney Lyle Carver said Carson Candler, by the defenses own evidence, showed no remorse for shooting Norconk. He said positive strides the defendant has made have come since he was incarcerated and argued the public wont be properly protected when he is released. We want the court to not forget either of the victims with this sentence, Carver told Garrett. This was the defendants choice. Our community was changed, a man was murdered and Bru Norconk will never be the same. The judge sentenced Candler to 83 years and suspended 58 years, leaving an active sentence of 25 years. He also ordered restitution of more than $17,500 and ordered credit for time served, or two years and three months. Garrett said the victim impact statements were gut-wrenching; a lot of residents lost a friend and supporter of the community, and no sentence he imposes would change it. This is a devastating case for everybody, Garrett said. Everyone is forever going to be impacted by that horrible night. Before he was sentenced, Carson Candler apologized to the victims and their families and his own loved ones for the immeasurable pain he thinks about each day. He thanked Christine Samuels for the time she let her husband spend with him, teaching him to hunt, use tools and other life skills. He said he failed to be like the man he loves the most and there is no logical explanation for his committing the murder. The defendant added if he had been sober and medicated it would not have happened. Carson Candler said he will strive to treat others the way Justin Samuels treated him. I promise you Ill do everything I can to be like Justin Samuels, he told the judge. 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 Hopewell man who dealt crack cocaine to his addicted mother and became what federal authorities described as a large-scale trafficker of heroin and methamphetamine in the Richmond region at 22 years old, was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Richmond to more than 15 years in prison. When police from Chesterfield and Prince George counties raided a home 11 months ago that Dominiqic Mason, now 23, used for distributing narcotics, they found 212 grams of fentanyl enough to potentially kill thousands of people through drug overdoses. Just three milligrams is enough to kill an average-sized man. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is often mixed with other drugs, such as heroin, to boost the potency of the drug. Police also confiscated 28.35 grams of methamphetamine, 21.6 grams of cocaine base, 26.15 grams of cocaine hydrocloride and $43,000 in cash, along with an assortment of high-powered firearms. "Considering the amount of money and drugs recovered, the defendant ran a significant heroin trafficking operation," Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Simon wrote in a sentencing memorandum filed in U.S. District Court in Richmond, adding, "Inexplicably, the defendant dealt narcotics to his own mother." Despite his young age, authorities said Mason qualifies as a career offender based on two prior drug trafficking convictions that he incurred less than seven months apart. "A review of the defendant's criminal history reveals an individual deeply committed to a life of criminality that has significantly endangered the lives of others," Simon wrote. "And these egregious violations of the law come despite being given countless opportunities to reenter society and comport with the law." U.S. District Court Judge Robert Payne sentenced Mason to 188 months in federal prison on his earlier guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, along with methamphetamine, cocaine base and cocaine hydrochloride. The judge denied a defense motion for a downward variance from what's known as the "career offender" designation under federal sentencing guidelines, which in Mason's case called for a punishment of between 188 and 235 months of incarceration. If he had not been deemed a career offender, Mason would have faced a guideline range of 151 to 188 months. His attorney urged a sentence of 130 months. In accordance with Mason's plea agreement, two additional counts of distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon were dismissed Thursday. According to a statement of facts submitted by federal prosecutors, Mason came to the attention of Prince George and Chesterfield police in February 2021 after authorities received tips from confidential sources that they had been in touch with Mason to discuss the prices and quantities of narcotics he had for sale. Police then arranged for a confidential police source to make controlled buys of 6.93 grams of methamphetamine and 14.9 grams of fentanyl from Mason on Feb. 23 and March 2, 2021, respectively. The exchanges were recorded by the confidential source, who was equipped with audio and visual monitoring devices. Following the drug purchases, police executed a search warrant at 3705 Madison St. in Prince George, a drug "stash house" that Mason maintained for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing drugs. While searching an upstairs bedroom belonging to Mason, investigators recovered 1,340 kilograms of assorted narcotics from a safe. Also recovered from the safe was a receipt tying Mason to the safe, his girlfriend's passport and five firearms, including a Smith & Wesson M&P 15, similar to an AR-15 style semiautomatic rifle. Assistant public defender Amy Austin, Mason's attorney, had asked the court to consider a downward departure from federal sentencing guidelines, arguing his criminal conduct must be viewed in conjunction with his traumatic childhood and his reunion at age 18 with his biological mother and sister. Mason's mother's drug use led to her four children being removed from her custody when Mason was only 5, due to neglect. The children at times had to feed and take care of themselves after being left alone for days at a time, Austin said in a sentencing memorandum. Mason was taken in by an aunt, worked part-time jobs as he got older and did not engage in criminal activity until he began associating with his mother and sister again at 18, "and his life went off the rails," Austin wrote. After Mason was prescribed Percocet following a dental procedure, and his prescription for the drug lapsed, he began using street drugs to achieve the same sense of relief, and eventually turned to fentanyl, Austin said. From age 18 up until the time of his most recent arrest in March 2021, he used fentanyl daily and became addicted. He then began dealing drugs to support his habit. He obtained his first felony drug conviction at 18, his second at 19 and committed the crimes for which he was charged federally at 22. "Mr. Mason's life is complicated, beginning at birth," Austin wrote. "One can take the view that he callously and independently decided to begin dealing drugs at 18, sometimes even providing them to his mother." "But such a myopic view of those circumstances fails to take into account the historical context: the neglect he suffered as a young child, the breaking apart of his family, the hurt he experienced when what he wanted to live with his mom and siblings never happened. Not surprisingly, Mr. Mason was drawn back to his immediate family and this is where it went terribly wrong." On a sunny weekend in spring Glen Burnie residents may stroll down to the town center for a treat at Irinas Crepes Cafe or browse the unique offerings at Twilite Zone Comics, but they probably wont stay long. Residents say the area has a dated look, is inconvenient to reach by foot or bike and that the town center doesnt offer much to do, to look at or even many places to sit. But the Anne Arundel County planning office and some devoted county residents are working to change that. Advertisement Last month the county released the Glen Burnie Town Center Revitalization Plan, a program developed by consultants and the Glen Burnie Revitalization Implementation Task Force. They have been working together since November 2019 to devise a strategy to revitalize the town center and surrounding area in the most cost-effective and efficient way possible. Beth Nowell, chair of the Glen Burnie Revitalization Implementation Task Force, said its rewarding to see the plan come together after working on it for so long. Advertisement The residential and business community cannot silo. If one community is healthy the other can be; this is a win-win, said Nowell, who is also the CEO of the North Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce. Im proud of what weve done this past year and look forward to moving forward. Though the official plan, funded by a $200,000 Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development grant, was only released last month, several of the sub-projects are already underway, including a litter cleanup campaign, replacing old streetlights and beautifying the area. The regions representative on the County Council, Allison Pickard, said she is most excited about a project to redevelop a parcel at 7409 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd., a few blocks from the town centers plaza. The county has issued a request for proposals for more than a dozen acres at the site. It wants developers to pitch their ideas for how to develop the portion of the space that is occupied by government buildings and a salvage yard. Im super excited, said Pickard, a Millersville Democrat. Because its county-owned property it can be a catalyst for the rest of this; the rest is up to the private sector with a nudge from the county. In the town center, Pickard said things are starting to come together with streetlights set to be replaced this fall, upgrades at Rotary Park and Glen Square Housing being renovated. Anne Arundel Community College is getting involved as well. In its capital budget request to the county for fiscal year 2023, the college is asking for $750,000 to renovate its Glen Burnie campus. A project also is being planned to commission the colleges public art students to create pieces for the town center. The plan includes potential opportunities for using the campus culinary program to create more dining offerings or activities like cooking classes for residents. Im super excited seeing the college getting engaged, Pickard said. They have the people there to make the park come alive, the pizza place come alive. Larger plans for Glen Burnie include offering more walking and parking options for residents to allow them to access the area more easily, and attracting more businesses to the center. The plan is expected to come together over approximately 10 years and the cost is yet to be determined. Advertisement Nichole Davenport, a new homeowner in Glen Burnie and mom of three, said she is eager to see the revitalization take shape. I do think it needs some updates. One of the things I felt Glen Burnie lacked was some kind of town center. Then I learned that they had a town center so I went to check it out and realized Id been there before, Davenport said. But it didnt feel like a place a community would want to gather. Having a community spot is important for Davenport, she said. Because of her husbands military career, the family has moved close to a dozen times, she estimates, and she relies on neighborhood centers to get to know new communities. Luis Lucchini, a father of three and three-year resident of Glen Burnie, agreed that the town center has a long way to go to reach its potential. Its sad. Its difficult for anyone to take someone down there and be excited about it. Besides the plaza with a couple of restaurants and the ice rink, everything around it is a little scary, to be honest, Lucchini said. Some of the items residents are most excited about are simple beautification projects like adding more greenery, lighting and outdoor seating. Advertisement I saw in the plan they proposed flowers, benches, garbage cans, fresh paint, art, Davenport said. I think any storefront would benefit from having a nice and welcoming coat of fresh paint, looking like theyre in service. Davenport and Lucchini said there are very few places they can take their kids in the area. Now, were going other places. Were traveling farther, Davenport said, adding that when they have a birthday in the family or want to spend an evening out together, they tend to go to Annapolis. We really enjoy downtown Annapolis but its sad we have to travel that far. Lucchini could only think of one store in the town center that is prospering. Theres a fantastic comic book shop thats still hanging on, thats thriving over there, but its just that. Theres not much more, he said. Twilite Zone Comics has managed to stay in business in the town center for more than 30 years, but even the stores owner, Bumper Moyer, is eager to see some changes. Advertisement I think putting resources there makes total sense. It would revitalize all of North Anne Arundel County if we did it right, Moyer said. Since hes in such a niche market, he doesnt know if the planned renovations would help his business much. But, he said, he would certainly enjoy coming to work in a nicer community with more offerings. Anything that would make the place more safe and lively would benefit the whole community, Moyer said. As a business owner and a property owner in that area, Im 100% behind it. Breaking News Alerts As it happens When big news breaks in our area, be the first to know. > Moyer sees endless potential for the area. It might even become a bedroom community of Washington, D.C., he said. One aspect of the plan thats exciting residents is infrastructure projects designed to make the area more accessible, including more street parking and eliminating right-turn lanes on Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard and Crain Highway to make it safer for pedestrians to cross. The thing that interested me most was the roads, Davenport said. A lot of times I want to go over there but I miss a turn and its just too difficult to get there or park. Advertisement But Lucchini said he wished the plan had focused a little more on creating more walking paths and bike paths. We dont have any new bike lanes being added to Crain Highway, which would help with traffic calming, he said. Ritchie Highway kind of divides the Glen Burnie Town Center into almost a third, so it separates a third of its population away from the town center adding something like a bike lane could help connect those people back to the town center. All in all, Lucchini, who has created two YouTube videos discussing the pros and cons on the plan under the moniker Burnieful, is pleased to see the plan taking shape and is eager to see what changes the town center undergoes next. I can see how it can become a really positive thing for the community, he said. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., says the stakes are high as he travels to Munich for the beginning of an international security conference on Friday to address the military standoff between Russia and Ukraine, and potential cyber-attacks that could spill into neighboring countries and the world economy. Warner, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said cybersecurity is among his greatest concerns because of the potential effect of an attack on countries that are part of NATO and are guaranteed protection by other members of the European security alliance. "If Russia launched a massive cyber-attack - for example trying to shut down Ukrainian power or water systems or other basic infrastructure - because our networks are all intertwined, it's very likely with that kind of attack that once you let that bug out, you can't control it," he said in a press briefing on Wednesday. "It could have huge ramifications, for example, in neighboring Poland, which is a NATO nation." "We're in very dangerous territory," he said. The effect of such an attack also would likely be felt in the United States, especially if the U.S. and its allies impose economic sanctions on Russia over an invasion of Ukraine, Warner said. "There's very high probability that Russia could react with cyber-attacks against our country." Warner is traveling to Germany with a bipartisan delegation from the Senate, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, who is scheduled to meet there with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. Russia is not sending a representative to the Munich Security Conference, held in the Bavarian city since 1963. "This is as much a chance for us to show the flag, that we've got each other's backs and that we're not going to stand idly by while an authoritarian regime like Russia tries to reshuffle the deck of what has been a fairly stable Europe for 70 years," he said. Warner was part of a bipartisan group of senators who issued a statement of solidarity with Ukraine this week to make clear that leaders from both political parties would unite in response to a Russian invasion of the former Soviet republic. "Make no mistake: the United States Senate stands with the people of Ukraine and our NATO allies and partners most threatened by Russian aggression," said the group of eight senators, including Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and the leaders of the chamber's foreign relations, armed services and intelligence committees. Warner's role in Munich will range from public meetings with diplomats to private briefings with European intelligence services about the potential threats from the standoff in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled a drawdown of Russian troops along Ukraine's border, but Warner said, "The challenging thing is we have seen no real de-escalation effort by Putin and Russian forces." The senator said he has been encouraged by the willingness of U.S. and European intelligence services to publicly release information about alleged Russian plans to undermine Ukraine and create a pretext for a possible invasion. "Luckily, that activity, I believe," has "pushed Putin back, at least on a temporary basis," he said. If Russia does invade Ukraine, Warner said he favors "bold, dramatic economic sanctions" against the invading country, which he said must have full support from European allies and give President Joe Biden the ability to waive their enforcement if necessary to de-escalate confrontation. Warner said those sanctions would hurt "the average, everyday Russian" more than Putin and his allies, but exert pressure on them through their citizens. He acknowledged that the American public also likely would feel economic sanctions, primarily in higher energy prices for natural gas and gasoline, but also in disruption to supply chains that are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. His biggest concern, as co-chairman of the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, is the lack of what he called "cyber norms" or "cyber red lines" to prevent cybersecurity attacks from triggering mutual security commitments that could lead to war. "We have not reached that kind of international understanding," he said. Virginia has formally withdrawn from a federal lawsuit that seeks to certify the Equal Rights Amendment into the U.S. constitution, a move driven by the state's new attorney general, Republican Jason Miyares. Miyares' decision comes two years after Virginia became 38th and final state needed to ratify the ERA under Democratic control of both the House and Senate. Virginia's vote - which meant the required four-fifths of states had ratified the ERA - advanced a national effort to include the amendment in the constitution, one now stalled by legal questions about whether ratification by the states came too late, given Congress' 1982 deadline. The amendment says: "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex." Miyares' office on Friday pointed to several legal opinions arguing that Virginia's ratification had come too late, rendering it null. "Any further participation in this lawsuit would undermine the U.S. Constitution and its amendment process," said Victoria LaCivita, a spokesperson for Miyares. Conservatives have mostly opposed the inclusion of the amendment in the constitution, arguing that it could have unintended consequences, like making it easier for women to access abortions with public funds or subjecting women to a military draft. When Virginia took up the measure, Miyares, then representing Virginia Beach in the House, was among the delegates who opposed it. Ten Republicans supported the ratification. The lawsuit Virginia withdrew from on Friday seeks to compel the National Archivist to add the measure to the constitution. Under President Donald Trump's administration, the Department of Justice issued an opinion saying that ratification by the required 38 states had come too late, and that the process needed to begin anew. Then-Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, joined officials in Illinois and Nevada in a lawsuit challenging that opinion, Virginia v. Ferriero. The lawsuit is now the before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia after a lower court ruled to dismiss the lawsuit. Last month, President Joe Biden's Justice Department issued an opinion on the matter arguing that ratification of the ERA is up to Congress or the courts. Efforts to extend the deadline are ongoing in Congress. Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, who helped lead efforts in the Virginia Senate to ratify the amendment, called the Friday filing an "unfortunate political decision" that "flies in the face of Virginias bipartisan vote in support of the Equal Rights Amendment." "The Attorney Generals decision today does not change the history that Virginia made in 2020, becoming the 38th state to ratify the ERA," McClellan said. Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, and former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy also helped lead Virginia's ERA effort. Prince Hisahito, a nephew of Emperor Naruhito and second in line to the throne, has been admitted to a high school attached to the University of Tsukuba, known as a highly competitive state-run educational institution in Tokyo, the Imperial Household Agency said Wednesday. The prince, 15, the only son of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko, is the first member of the imperial family in the postwar era to enroll at a high school not affiliated with Gakushuin University. In April, he will enter Senior High School at Otsuka, University of Tsukuba. Most imperial family members have studied at junior and senior high schools affiliated with Gakushuin University, established in the 19th century as a school for aristocrats. But the prince did not tread the traditional path. The prince is currently a third-year student at Ochanomizu University Junior High School and attended the elementary school attached to the university. Prince Hisahito and his parents thought highly of the senior high school's policy of valuing freedom and autonomy in making the decision, the agency said. The fact that the senior high school at Ochanomizu is a girl's school was another reason the prince sought to move to an outside high school. ...continue reading The Japanese government revoked Friday a construction firm's permit to accept foreign technical trainees after a Vietnamese man suffered serious injuries as a result of assaults by Japanese coworkers for about two years. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang provided the information at a Thursday press conference. She was answering a question about a 41-year-old Vietnamese intern who accused colleagues last month of beating him badly. The Vietnamese intern said he had arrived in Japan under government-to-government program, working at a construction firm in western Japan. Around a month after he began working, his Japanese colleagues began to beat him up, causing severe injuries including broken bones, he added. Early opinions regarding the Tokyo Stock Exchange's biggest revamp in half a century, due to take effect in April, are hardly upbeat, with most market participants barely apathetic about the move. The TSE will distill its current sections -- first, second, Jasdaq and Mothers -- into three: prime, standard and growth. But 56% of 120 officials at securities houses and institutional investors in a recent survey by Tokyo-based market analyst QUICK said "nothing will change, in effect." Only 3% feel that the reform will "make globally viable companies noticeable and contribute to the TSE's internationalization." Hiromi Yamaji, TSE president, stresses that the revamp is a "great step" toward making Tokyo the bourse of choice "by investors all over the world." However, few market players agree. The less-than-enthusiastic reception to the reform lies in the fact that the required market capitalization for entry into the prime section is much lower than expected. Another factor is that the bar for entry by existing first section companies has been set too low: Most companies listed on the first section are automatically assigned to the new prime, while the remainder will temporarily be given a spot on condition they meet new criteria within a given time frame. The TSE estimated that overseas Japan funds require a minimum market cap of 30 billion yen ($259.62 million). The minimum required market capitalization of 10 billion yen in floating shares -- roughly converted into market values in excess of between 10 billion and 28.5 billion yen in outstanding shares -- barely meets the requirements of overseas investors, or so the TSE thinks. But Japan funds are not necessarily seen as the main investors in Japanese stocks these days because these funds have been disappearing. 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 Lisa Johnson will deliver a sermon based on Luke 6:27-38. 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 Alpha and the Omega. 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. Sunday, Feb. 20, will be a traditional service. 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 Joshua 1:1-9, with the sermon title Be Strong and Courageous. Greeters will be Melissa Kinney and Eric Ziph. 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. Pastor Nancy Ross-Hullingers message will be Jesus Says and the scripture is Luke 6:27-38. Liturgist is Vicki Hallberg and the greeters are Bill Muth and Linda Cody. We will have Sunday School class after the Childrens Chat. 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 Show Mercy. Our scriptures for this week are Genesis 45:3-11, 15; Psalm 3:1-11, 39-40; Luke 6:27-38; First Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50. Services will begin at 10:15 a.m., come join us as Marie Ellithorpe 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 traditional worship with Holy Communion at the 9 a.m. Tuesday there is a 9:30 a.m. Bible study that is open to everyone, in the church fellowship hall please enter by the rear door. 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. 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 Good Grief group will meet Thursday, Feb. 24, at 1 p.m. 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 A Story with a Happy Ending. The focus text for Sunday is Psalm 37:1-11 and Luke 6:27-38. 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. Ash Wednesday is on March 2. The Ash Wednesday Mass and the distribution of ashes will be held at Corpus Christi Queen of Apostles as follows: 7 a.m., noon and 6:30 p.m. (bilingual). Parish Mini Lenten Retreat and Eucharistic Adoration led by Rev. Victor Schinstock O.S.B. from Conception Abby on Saturday, March 5, from 9 a.m. until noon at Corpus Christi Queen of Apostles. 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. On Sunday, Feb. 27, we will host our annual Mardi Gras celebration from 4 to 6 p.m. Go to our Facebook page for details. 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 required at 5:30 p.m. Saturday service, and masks are recommended at Sunday morning services. 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: Church Council meets on Tuesday at 7 p.m. and the Caller group meets on Thursday morning. The building is handicap accessible. Please call the church office with any questions, 712-323-7173. 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. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is strengthening the competitiveness of the private manufacturing and service sector in Morocco with a 12 million loan to Morocco Mobility and Automotive Centre (ATC), a Moroccan company involved in automotive testing. EBRD said in a statement that the funds will help ATC acquire equipment to set up the first automotive testing center of its kind in Africa. This large-scale center, which is expected to start operations in 2022, will contribute to the sectors competitiveness and the extension of supply chains in the country by introducing new types of service at different stages of the production process or distribution channels that are currently unavailable on the market, the Bank said. The automotive industry is a key driver of exports and employment in the country, contributing to 25 per cent of exports, involving more than 260 suppliers and supporting over 148,000 jobs, EBRD added. Currently, Morocco has four integrated industrial clusters for the industry, in Casablanca, Kenitra, Rabat, and Tangier, EBRD said, noting that as part of the new collaboration with the Bank, the company will create and conduct a training program for young people in the technical skills of automotive testing in Oued Zem. According to EBRD, the testing center will be certified ISO 9001 for its quality management system for testing, analysis, construction of equipment and prototyping of vehicle powertrains and powertrain components. The loan agreement was signed at the EU-Africa Business Forum in Brussels, co-organized by the European Commission, the African Union Commission, and African and European business organizations. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has approved loans totaling 50 million to two Moroccan banks, namely Credit du Maroc and Societe Generale Maroc (SGMB), destined to boost Moroccos green transition. The loan agreements were signed at the EU-Africa Business Forum in Brussels, co-organized by the European Commission, the African Union Commission, and African and European business organizations. The new financing lines worth 50 million, 25 million to each of the two banking institutions, are meant to accelerate the Kingdoms green transition, according to an EBRD statement. This funding programs are supported by the EU and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and fall within the framework of the Green Economy Finance Facility program (GEEF). The financing line to Credit du Maroc aims to support green investments made by its private corporate clients. This new line offers companies the opportunity, via Credit du Maroc, to benefit from free technical assistance and a subsidy of up to 15% of their investment projects. In February 2020, EBRD had approved a 20 million loan to Credit du Maroc to boost green investment of SMEs and contribute to the development of value chains in the North African Kingdom. The EBRD funds were to be extended as sub-loans to local SMEs planning to invest in energy and resource efficiency measures and develop their participation in regional value chains. Energy efficient solutions will help SMEs to increase their competitiveness and access new markets. The financial package of up to 25 million approved for La SGMB is also meant to boost Moroccos green transition. Societe Generale Maroc will use the funds to extend sub-loans to local citizens, micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and other companies for investment in climate change mitigation and adaptation technologies, EBRD said in a statement. It is the second green facility provided by the EBRD to Societe Generale Maroc, under a program devised to raise responsiveness to climate change and to means and technologies likely to mitigate its impact among retail clients, MSMEs and corporates. The Moroccan bank, as part of the package, will also participate in activities aimed at enhancing gender equality, such as a train-the-trainers program on gender-responsive green finance, to help address gender-specific supply-and-demand obstacles. Morocco is a founding member of the EBRD. To date, the Bank has invested nearly 3.2 billion in the country through some 80 projects. After a working dinner at the Elysee Palace attended by some thirty African and European leaders, France, its European partners and Canada announced on Thursday, February 17, the withdrawal of military forces from Mali after nine years of military intervention against jihadists. Some 2,500 to 3,000 French soldiers will remain deployed in the Sahel after the withdrawal from Mali. The decision was made after a meeting on Wednesday evening at the Elysee between African and European partners to discuss the situation in the Sahel. The Barkhane and Takuba forces will therefore leave Mali in a coordinated withdrawal. Due to multiple obstructions by the Malian transitional authorities, the countries believe that the political, operational and legal conditions are no longer met to effectively continue their current military engagement. We remain committed to supporting Mali and its people in their efforts to achieve lasting peace and stability, the joint statement said. This withdrawal will result in the closure of the Gossi, Menaka and Gao outposts, and will be carried out in an orderly manner, with the Malian armed forces and the United Nations Mission in Mali, said the French head of state, who added that the withdrawal of French troops would take four to six months. About 2,500 to 3,000 French soldiers will remain in the Sahel after the withdrawal, added the spokesman of the General Staff, Colonel Pascal Ianni. Asked by a journalist about this military withdrawal, the French president said he completely rejects the notion of failure in Mali. What would have happened in 2013 if France had not made the choice to intervene? You would have for sure a collapse of the Malian state, he said. Posted by North Africa Post North Africa Post's news desk is composed of journalists and editors, who are constantly working to provide new and accurate stories to NAP readers. The US embassy in Libya Thursday rallied behind U.N. Advisor Stephanie Williams after spokesman of Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh cabinet accused her of being biased towards new designated Premier Fathi Bashagha. This came after Mohamed Hamouda commented on a Wednesday meeting between Williams and Speaker of the House of Representatives Aguila Saleh in the town of Al-Qubba. In a series of tweets the UN official said that Saleh briefed her in detail on the action plan for the two chambers based on Constitutional Amendment 12, including the establishment of the joint 24-member experts committee to review the 2017 draft constitution. Williams support for the positions of some parties wishing to postpone the elections and extend themselves by accepting what happened in the last parliament session completely contradicts her statements and the statements of the international community in support of holding elections, Hamouda complained. Libyans today see her cooperating with the attempts of the dominant political class to disrupt the elections and steal the dream of 2.8 million Libyans who waited for the elections before they were stopped by the same parties that made the extension decision. In response, the US embassy tweeted a series of messages stressing that Williams, a US citizen, used a diplomatic approach that is consistent with the core tenets of UN Security Council resolutions and the outcomes of international meetings on Libya. No international public servant has been more scrupulously even-handed in bringing all Libyan voices to the table in the effort to restore stability to Libya, the embassy said. The United States shares UNSMILs dedicated focus on helping Libyans to establish a credible timeline for elections as soon as possible in line with the aspirations of the Libyan people, it concluded. Posted by North Africa Post North Africa Post's news desk is composed of journalists and editors, who are constantly working to provide new and accurate stories to NAP readers. King Mohammed VI has outlined the challenges facing the partnership between Africa and Europe and the priorities that should be on top of this partnership, such as education, youth employability, and migration. In a speech he addressed Friday to the ongoing 6th European Union-African Union Summit, held in Brussels, King Mohammed VI pointed out that guaranteeing education, accelerating the training and employability of our youth, promoting culture, putting migration and mobility in order are the challenges of the Partnership between the African Union and the European Union. These future-oriented objectives should inspire and inform our approach to the AU-EU Partnership. Neither Africa nor Europe can achieve them on their own. We have a common responsibility, and our interest in this is no less significant, the sovereign underlined in his address that was read out by Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. The King explained that the real accomplishment of the partnership between the African Union and the European Union is not to bring together 81 countries, but rather to make them pledge resolutely to promote peace, stability and shared prosperity; in other words, to make them commit to the future of all citizens African as well as European. It is only natural that, in keeping with history and the requirements of a shared destiny, Morocco should simultaneously address Africa, a continent to which it belongs, and Europe, its neighbor and closest partner. Education, culture, vocational training, mobility and migration are the priorities of my action, whether it is in Morocco, in Africa or in the framework of our partnership with the European Union, he insisted, explaining that the principal reason for this is because these themes essentially concern youth, which is our human capital. It is on them that the Partnership between the two continents should capitalize in order to achieve its full potential. Another reason is that these major sectors have been hard hit by the pandemic, which requires us to take joint action, on a large scale. Focusing on the area of education, King Mohammed VI recalled that at the height of the pandemic, 94% of the student population in the world suffered school closures. We therefore need to ensure the continuity of education, taking into account the new context of digital transformation in this domain. Although global, this requirement is particularly crucial in Africa, a continent where 50% of the population is under 20, he said, adding that our schools, universities, and vocational training institutions need, just like our respective economies, a robust recovery to make up for the 1.8 trillion hours of lost schooling. The Sovereign also stressed the need to re-establish cultural cooperation mechanisms in order to reinvigorate the sector of culture, hard hit by the pandemic, be it in economic terms, or from the standpoint of access, noting that this sector is a real lever for bringing people together in Africa, in Europe and also between the two continents. Tackling the issue of migration, the king pointed out that the pandemic has shown that in terms of mobility, migrants do not have a harmful effect on the economy. On the contrary, they have a positive impact in their host country where they are often essential workers as well as in their country of origin. We should therefore take the question of migration for what it is: it is not so much a challenge as a host of opportunities. As the African Unions Leader on the issue of migration, I have always sought to dispel misunderstandings. And this is, by the way, the purpose of the African Migration Observatory, whose creation I personally encouraged. The Observatorys mission is to provide objective data; to re-establish the truth; to reconcile the interests of Africa and those of Europe when they appear to be contradictory; and to replace the security-first approach with the mobility-development continuum, in keeping with the humanist spirit of the Marrakech Compact, King Mohammed VI said further. Local health officials, citing the recent rapid downtick in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, ended Lancaster County's indoor mask mandate a week ahead of schedule. The mandate, which was reinstated Jan. 14 as the omicron variant wreaked havoc on local hospitals, was to drop at 11:59 p.m. Friday, Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Director Pat Lopez announced Friday morning. In response, the city's major educational systems, including Lincoln Public Schools and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said they would drop mask requirements beginning Saturday. In her announcement, Lopez pointed to the loosening grip the omicron variant seems to have on Lincoln and its hospitals, signaling a turning tide in the local fight against COVID-19. Case numbers in Lancaster County have fallen more than 80% over the past four weeks, dropping to 809 last week, the lowest weekly total in more than two months. This week, the daily average of new cases has fallen below 100. And local COVID-19 hospitalizations, which had been buoyed by the omicron variant, have declined by 47% since Feb. 1. On Friday, 62 people including 45 county residents were hospitalized in Lincoln with the virus. "The strain on our hospitals caused by the omicron surge has decreased significantly," Lopez said. The health department had extended the mandate earlier this month through Feb. 25, but ultimately decided to end the face covering requirement a week earlier than planned. Health officials in Omaha dropped the mask mandate there earlier this week. Lopez said county residents should still expect to wear masks indoors at certain facilities, including doctor's offices, hospitals and airports. And face coverings are still required on public transportation, Lopez said. Shortly after Friday's announcement, Lincoln Public Schools notified parents that it would no longer require masks in its buildings starting Saturday. Masks will still be required on buses per federal guidelines. Cases and quarantine numbers at LPS have leveled off significantly since the unprecedented surge driven by the omicron variant peaked last month. As of Friday afternoon, 110 students and 24 staff members had tested positive this week, with just under 400 students and around 140 staff in quarantine. LPS will also return to allowing visitors and volunteers into schools. Visitors, however, will not be allowed into cafeterias during meal times. At UNL, masks will no longer be broadly required inside campus buildings starting Saturday, Chancellor Ronnie Green announced in an email on Friday. There are some exceptions, however. Face coverings may still be required in classes or other activities where it's necessary for students to work in close proximity for an extended period of time. They may also be required in classes where instructors or students, or their immediate family members, cannot get vaccinated due to a documented health issue. Instructors can also ask -- but not require -- students wear face coverings in their class. Although masks are no longer mandated, UNL plans to continue its random mitigation testing, Green said. Friday's announcement by the health department marks the second time in three months Lincoln has dropped directed health measures aimed at protecting the public against COVID and preventing surges in hospitalizations. Lopez on Friday didn't rule out the potential return of the mask mandate, pointing to the coronavirus's evolving, unpredictable nature. Although not required, the use of masks is still recommended in indoor settings. "It's important that we remain flexible," Lopez said. "If our local situation changes, we will reevaluate the current recommendations and make adjustments as necessary." Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.com. On Twitter @andrewwegley For Mullens Pioneer Memorial Rest Home to stay open, a director of nursing, a night nurse and several certified nursing assistants must be hired. Interim Director of Nursing Nolan Gurnseys last day is March 23. If a new director isnt hired by then, the state will force the rest home to close. The Hospital District Board is hosting a special meeting Tuesday at 7:45 a.m. MT in the upstairs break room of the rest home, at which the facilitys future will be decided. At a public informational meeting Feb. 9 at the Lariat, Gurnsey said, Area community members must step up and work in the facility. Work a day or two a week or month long term, not temporarily. The rest home is struggling to fill three to four nursing shifts every week. Current staff members are working five to seven days a week, 16-hour days. Our team here has stepped up as much as they can, and they are doing a great job, Gurnsey said. The residents here are very well cared for. Past and present administrators and board members have tried to recruit staff every way they can. But more people are leaving the nursing profession daily. Between COVID-19 vaccination mandates, the stress of having to wear personal protective equipment and more, health care workers are tired. Its hard work, but so rewarding, Gurnsey said. If someone is a nursing assistant with an expired certification, the state will renew their license for $50. Currently anyone over the age of 16 can become a temporary CNA with an eight-hour online class, followed by testing and then training at the nursing home. This program may be expanded, but is currently only good through March 31. An online CNA class will begin Monday. Anyone interested in these options can contact the rest home at 308-546-2216. But while staffing is one of the rest homes concerns, so is revenue. And the fact that the rest home building is old and needs updates soon such as a new roof at the price tag of about $90,000. Gurnsey said money through a foundation that once was to be used to build a new facility is no longer available because of the COVID-19 pandemics impact on the investors money. As of last weeks meeting, the rest home had 17 residents, and it is licensed for 30. But while beds are available, the home cannot admit new residents without having a director of nursing. Because of the staffing shortage, the rest home is operating at over 50% agency, which means they are hiring traveling nurses through agencies. Those agencies charge triple what a local nurse would cost. Just like everywhere else, the rest homes costs have increased in the last year too around $100,000 more in both labor and supplies, according to Gurnsey. Administration has applied for grants and continues to seek other grant opportunities, but no grants help with the operations. While the rest home wont say no to financial donations, donors must be aware that the money will not guarantee that the facility remains open, but will be used to take care of the residents for as long as possible. Jo Fuller of Rural Health Development also spoke at the public meeting last week. You are not alone here, she said. I cant paint you a rosy picture tonight. We are all suffering the same problem. Several Nebraska rest homes closed in 2021 and more are looking at closing this year. Gurnsey said the rest home is losing $50,000-$90,000 a month now. If you are looking at closing, sooner rather than later makes us able to give the staff a severance, he said. Gurnsey said the possibility of closure has come up several times over the years. Closure will affect the grocery, the school, families and most of all it will affect the residents, he said. This is not anyones fault, he added. Its not a lack of effort from the board or previous administrators. LONDON (AP) Lawyers for Prince Harry told a court hearing on Friday that the British royal is unwilling to bring his children to his homeland because it is not safe. Harry has launched a legal challenge to the U.K. government's refusal to let him personally pay for police protection when he comes to Britain. His legal team says Harry wants to bring his children Archie, who is almost 3, and 8-month-old Lilibet to visit his home country from the United States but thinks it would be too risky without police protection. Harry, who lives in Santa Barbara, California, with the children and his wife, Megan, did not attend Friday's preliminary hearing. The court considered requests by both sides in the case for parts of some legal documents to be kept private. Senior members of Britain's royal family are given taxpayer-funded police protection, but Harry lost that when he and Meghan stepped down as working royals and moved to the United States in 2020. The couple said their decision was due to what they described as unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. Harry, also known as the Duke of Sussex, wants to be able to pay for the protection, saying his private security team in the U.S. doesn't have adequate jurisdiction abroad or access to U.K. intelligence information. During a hearing at the High Court in London, Harry's lawyer, Shaheed Fatima, said the prince "does not feel safe when he is in the U.K. given the security arrangements applied to him." "It goes without saying that he does want to come back to see family and friends and to continue to support the charities that are so close to his heart," she said. "Most of all, this is and always will be, his home." A lawyer representing the British government, Robert Palmer, called Harry's claim "unarguable and unmeritorious." Palmer said in a written submission that Harry's offer to pay for police security was irrelevant because "personal protective security by the police is not available on a privately financed basis." ReportLinker Major players in the market are Alere, Biomeriux, Qiagen, Becton, Dickinson & Company, Hologica, Lucigen, Quidel Corporation, New England Biolabs, Nugen, Ustar Biotechnologies, Thermo Fisher Scientific, BioHelix, Meridian Bioscience, New England Biolabs Inc. New York, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification Technology (INAAT) Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06229166/?utm_source=GNW , Novartis Diagnostics, Sharp Corp, Sony Corp, Panasonic, Toshiba Corp, Rohm, PhilipsHologic-Gen-Probe, BetaLED, Avago technologies and Grifols. The global isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology (INAAT) market is expected to grow from $2.91 billion in 2021 to $3.20 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.1%. The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $4.76 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 10.4%. The isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology (INAAT) market consists of sales of isothermal nucleic acid amplification technologies and related services.The services include only installation and maintenance services offered by equipment manufacturers. Isothermal nucleic acid amplification technologies are used to amplify DNA sequence from two different nucleic acids segments at the constant temperature. The main product types of isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology are instrument and reagent.A reagent is a material or compound that is added to a system to produce a chemical reaction or to determine whether or not a reaction occurred. The various technology used are NASBA, and HAD that are applied for blood screening, infectious disease diagnostics, and cancer. The various end users include hospital, reference laboratories, and others. The incidence of infectious diseases such as H. influenzae, S. pneumonia (respiratory tract infections), N. gonorrhoeae, C. trachomatis (genital infections), and TB are increasing and require isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology (INAAT) to diagnose them. For instance, according to World Health Organization 17 million people lose their lives to infectious diseases every year. Another report by Centers for Disease Control show that number of diseases from mosquitoes, ticks and fleas like West Nile, Zika, Malaria and Lyme disease increased three times. Similarly, as per a survey done by NCBI, around 50% of the population in the United States (approx. 157 million) was suffering from at least one chronic disease in 2020. Increase in infectious or chronic disease drives the demand for diagnosing through isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology. The market for isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology is strictly regulated by stringent regulatory policies that govern the functioning, approvals and standards set for the manufacturers of this market.These regulations discourage companies to invest in new products for research and development or enter new markets. For example, the administration of US food and drugs (USFDA) requires multi-laboratory validation of a loop-mediating isothermal amplification which takes twice as much time as the Commission for European regulatory to review the process. Long regulatory procedures delay the scope for further study of the safety and efficacy of devices and affects the operating cycle of the vendors thereby adversely affecting the growth of the market. Nanostructures are being incorporated to in vitro diagnostics and in vitro rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) in order to improve existing tests and make them more effective or create innovative diagnostic test approaches that are incorporated in point?of?care applications.Nanostructures/nanotechnology uses nanoparticles to enhance the action of the drug in treatment and nanotechnology is the design, characterization, production, and application of devices, structures and systems by controlled manipulation of size and shape at the nanometer scale. For instance, a range of RDTs have been developed to diagnose syphilis such as AccuBioTech (Accu-Tell Rapid Syphilis Test), Alere, Inc. (Alere Determine), Alere/Standard Diagnostics (SD Syphilis 3.0), The Tulip Group/Qualpro (Syphicheck - WB), Cypress Diagnostics (Syphilis Rapid Test), and Omega Diagnostics (Visitect Syphilis). These RDTs allow patients to be diagnosed at the point-of-care (POC). The isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology market is regulated by government agencies such as European Medicines Agency (EMA), USFDA (the US food and drug ministration), and others.For instance, according to USFDA, each medical device is classified into three groups which is class 1, class 2 & class 3. Class 1 devices require less regulatory control and class 3 requires the most.However, devices which are not been marketed before as in the case of INAAT devices, will fall under class 3 devices as per the medical device amendment. Such devices require approval of a Pre-Market Application (PMA) under the federal law. Premarket approval (PMA) is the scientific and regulatory review process of the FDA to assess the safety and efficacy of medical devices of Class 3. In July 2021, Sapphiros, a KKR-backed platform focused on developing the next generation of diagnostic technologies acquired Biocrucible Ltd for an undisclosed amount.With this acquisition, Sapphiros aimed to develop market-leading consumer molecular diagnostics. Biocrucible Ltd, a biotechnology company based in the UK, is a pioneer in the acceleration and augmentation of biochemical kinetics through the use of their Molten TagsTM technology. The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK and USA. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06229166/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 United Airlines employees who object to the airline putting employees exempt from its COVID-19 vaccine mandate on unpaid leave will have another shot at asking a judge to block the practice. A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that a judge who had initially denied their request must reconsider. The ruling from a divided Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals marks the latest step in an ongoing legal battle over Chicago-based United Airlines COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Advertisement Advertisement A handful of employees who sought religious or medical exemptions filed a lawsuit against United in a Texas federal court in September, alleging the carriers offer of unpaid leave wasnt a reasonable accommodation for workers who received exemptions from the mandate. In November, Judge Mark Pittman denied their request to block United from placing them on unpaid leave while the court considers the case, finding they failed to show they would suffer imminent, irreparable harm. In their ruling Thursday, the majority of the three-member panel found that the employees who remain on unpaid leave are actively being coerced to violate their religious convictions, which is an irreparable harm. They did not rule on whether United could impose a vaccine mandate, and did not determine whether United should be blocked from placing exempt employees on unpaid leave during the ongoing court case. They ruled only that the lower court must reconsider the request. United has presented plaintiffs with two options: violate their religious convictions or lose all pay and benefits indefinitely, the judges wrote. That is an impossible choice for plaintiffs who want to remain faithful but must put food on the table. Judge Jerry Smith disagreed with the majority, saying in a 57-page dissent it twists the record to fit that invention. We should not rush to stop private businesses from shielding their employees and customers during a pandemic, he wrote. United said in a statement it would continue to defend its vaccination policy. Advertisement Theres no doubt our vaccine requirement has saved lives and kept our employees out of the hospital, the company said. And its clear the best way to stay safe is for everyone to get vaccinated, as nearly all United employees have chosen to do. The company has said unvaccinated employees can apply for jobs that dont involve interacting with customers until the airline deems it safe for them to return to their current roles. Those who dont take one go on unpaid leave. Roughly 2,000 employees were granted religious or medical exemptions. Mark Paoletta, a partner at Schaerr-Jaffe representing the employees, said in a statement they were pleased with the courts decision, and he would continue to fight for employees with medical or religious exemptions. No employee should be required to forsake her beliefs or her health in order to continue working, he said. A group of airline employees challenging the vaccine policies also praised the ruling. sfreishtat@chicagotribune.com When Peyton Allison, a 9-year-old Girl Scout, began her cookie sale in January, she knew she wanted to sell thousands of boxes. But she also wanted to use the treats to make a difference. She needed a plan. That is when Peyton and her mother, Danielle Allison, came up with an idea to donate 1,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to the Community Market, an extension of the Food Bank of East Alabama which provides food relief for low-income Lee County residents. They planned to achieve this goal by encouraging people to purchase boxes of cookies online and have them shipped directly to the center. Peyton said her greatest concern was making sure the less fortunate in the area felt included during this Girl Scout cookie season. I didnt want anybody to feel left out, Peyton said. I didnt want people who are poor or didnt have a lot of money to see someone else enjoying the cookies and feel like they didnt have a chance to have some too. I thought it would be a really good idea to share some this year. When we first heard about the idea, we loved it, said Mattie Subba, coordinator of Community Market of East Alabama. We try to make sure that everyone has an enjoyable experience when it comes to providing them with different kinds of desserts, but its not every day that we come across novelty items such as Girl Scout cookies. To have those readily available for our clients without them having to spend the money out of their pocket is a big deal for them right now. Subba said its the first time the market has received a large Girl Scout Cookies donation in its almost 20-year existence. Since the initiative began, Peyton said she is close to reaching her goal at the Community Market. As of early February, the pantry had received about 800 boxes of cookies. Donations have been made by local businesses, churches, and even people from as California, Chicago, Nebraska and Texas. Words cant explain how grateful we are for all the help, Peytons mother said. Though the Girl Scout cookie sale ends in March, Peytons service to the Community Market will not be over. Peyton and her Troop will conduct a community service project at the pantry, using the profits from the cookie sale to purchase toiletry-based items to make personal and baby care bags. I know that people come to the market to get food or canned goods, but some people may also need other things to take care of themselves like toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soap, Peyton said. We wanted to help even more while we had the money. Top Girl Scout cookie sellers stand to win prizes, but Peyton said theres a much bigger reward. If you sell a lot of cookies, you can win stuff animals or earn badges for your uniform, but it feels better knowing that I could help my community in some way, she said. I am glad I could use the cookies to give back. To send cookies to Community Market, go to https://bit.ly/gscookiespa and click on Start Direct Ship Order. The Lee County Circuit Clerks Office is now officially launching a program which will allow individuals with certain traffic violations to resolve their ticket online instead of having to appear in court. Lee County Circuit Clerk Mary Roberson said while testing the program, which is called the Online Traffic Resolution System, they were able to tailor it to suit the specific needs of the community and make sure the program was beneficial. Those who receive a traffic citation from a Lee County Sheriffs deputy or an Alabama State Trooper are eligible to resolve their ticket online, but those who receive a traffic citation from an Auburn or Opelika police officer are not. In those cases, it will go to the city municipal court. Under the program, the sheriffs deputy or state trooper while issuing a citation will also give out a yellow flyer that includes the information about the Online Traffic Resolution System. If for some reason the law enforcement officer does not have this flyer with them, defendants can go on the traffic service center website, traffic.alacourt.gov, or find the link on the Lee County Circuit Clerks Office website, lee.alacourt.gov. This program provides an opportunity for defendants who received basic traffic tickets for things like speeding, equipment violations, running a red light and no insurance to resolve the matter online. Roberson said not all traffic tickets can be resolved through this system. Driving under the influence and other types of reckless driving would not apply. Through this online system individuals would be able to plead guilty, request for an extension time period to pay fines and costs, request defensive driving school, show proof of insurance or drivers license and show that equipment violations, window tint violations and improper tags have been fixed. Whats great about the program is it gives you your options based off of what you think best fits your circumstance, Roberson said. Individuals will be able to make their request through the system and will receive emails that document their actions and that document the courts responses. They will also be notified if their request is granted or denied. Since were in this age of relying on those types of notifications, I think its another great tool for people, Roberson said. It will just help speed the process along and make us more efficient. Roberson said this is a great way for defendants to keep track of their case and prevent them from forgetting a court date. Defendants can also pay their fine online and see if there are any other outstanding traffic tickets against them. The design of the website is wonderful in that its very informative for the defendant, Roberson said. It really does a great job of spelling out the defendants rights, their options for these tickets and how the process works through these options. If the defendants request or traffic violation does not apply to the online program, a notification would be sent that their request was denied and that a court date has been set. Testing the program In the fall of 2021, Lee County agreed to launch a pilot program and was one of 18 counties in Alabama to do so. What I love about Lee County and our judicial community is that we are always trying to look at ways to better serve our community, Roberson said. I love the fact that we have judges that are always open to new things and willing to step out of our comfort zone just to see if things can work better. Roberson said its common for Lee County to have dockets with 200 to 300 defendants on it. In Lee County about 80% of our traffic dockets consist of people that really just want to make a simple request and are good candidates for those requests, Roberson said. This program was prioritized during COVID in an effort to reduce the size of traffic dockets, and Roberson said she believes they will start to see a large impact on current docket sizes, which will allow the judges to focus on other pending cases. Roberson said shes glad that Lee County has always been willing to participate in pilot programs. The great advantage of that is when you agree to test-pilot a program you have the option on the front end to tailor it to suit your needs as opposed to waiting until its launched statewide, in which case youre stuck with whatever someone else wanted, she said. Since the fall, Roberson and her team had a small amount of people use the system so they could monitor and track its effectiveness. Roberson said its going very smoothly and she now believes its time for the community to know about it and the options it provides, so the court can accomplish the intended effect of reducing the docket sizes and save the defendants from spending a day sitting in court. Having large court dockets is part of the job, Roberson said, but shes excited to be able to offer those who would have to take time off work, miss school or arrange for childcare the opportunity to save time and resources. Roberson commends the two traffic court specialists, Amanda Meadows and Alina Meadows, who have helped to tailor the program for Lee County. She said it was easy to work with them as well as the two traffic court judges, Steven Speakman and Russell Bush, and together they were able to make the most of the program. I think this is a phenomenal way for us to continue meeting the needs of our community and recognizing that changes need to be made to make this a better place to live, work and deal with that traffic ticket, Roberson said. After Moses died, God told Joshua he was the new leader of the Israelites. The Bible does not describe how Joshua reacted to this stunning assignment though I can imagine Joshua took a deep breath and said, Oh my goodness! Are you sure about this, Lord? There is reason to believe that Joshua wondered if he could handle the job for God reassures him by saying, As I was with Moses, so I will be with you: I will not fail you, nor forsake you. Then, perceiving that Joshua seemed fearful, God tells him three times, Be strong and courageous. When I read this biblical story, I like to believe that God has been saying the same thing to me all my life: Walter, be strong and courageous and rest assured I will be with you just like I was with Moses and Joshua. But I must admit there are times when I shrink back from being strong and courageous. I get tired of trying to be strong, and I even wonder if God is truly with me. In those moments I feel weak, helpless and alone. And I long for even a small sign of his presence. I thought about this when my dear friend Corine Free sent me a message of encouragement which included the words of one of my favorite songs, Have Thine Own Way, Lord. Corine had no way of knowing that I often walk about the house singing this hymn, especially when I am struggling with an uncertain issue. When I feel like giving up, it helps to start singing, Have Thine own way, Lord! Thou are the Potter; I am the clay! Mold me and make me after Thy will. However, there are moments when I dont feel like saying, I want to be clay in your hands, Lord. I feel more like singing another verse in this song: Wounded and weary, help me, I pray! Power, all power, surely is Thine! Touch me and heal me, Savior divine! Strong and courageous? No, weak and wounded, thats me! I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Adelaide Pollard wrote this song during a time of great disappointment. She had felt God calling her to go to Africa as a missionary, but was unable to raise her financial support. Heartsick, and too weak to be strong and courageous, Adelaide attended a prayer meeting where she heard a woman pray, It doesnt matter what you bring into our lives, Lord. Just have your own way with us. Those words stirred Adelaides heart and before bedtime she had written the song. The final verse tells us how to overcome our moments of weakness and become strong and courageous. When these words become the greatest desire of our hearts, we are on the way toward living as strong and courageous disciples of our Lord: Have Thine own way, Lord, Have Thing own way! Hold oer my being absolute sway! Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see, Christ only, always, living in me! As important as it is to be strong and courageous as we face the trials of life, it is even more important to let Gods Spirit help us live so that others may see Christ living in us. Walter Albritton is a Methodist minister and writes a column for the Opelika-Auburn News. Contact him at walteralbritton7@gmail.com. Washington, PA (15301) Today Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 79F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely. Low near 60F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he will ask the Illinois Supreme Court to step in after his administration lost an attempt to keep statewide masking and other COVID-19 mitigation measures at schools in place, as about 700 Illinois districts pivot to mask optional policies. Advertisement The ruling late Thursday dismissing Pritzkers appeal from a midlevel appellate court effectively means Illinois school districts no longer must require students and staff to mask up, though the decision leaves room for school systems to implement their own COVID-19 safety rules. A spokeswoman for Pritzker said Friday the governors office is working with the attorney generals office to request an expedited review of the appellate ruling by the states highest court. Advertisement In the meantime, the governor urges everyone to continue following the doctors advice to wear masks so students can remain safely learning in classrooms, and is encouraged that the court made it clear that school districts can continue to keep their own mitigations in place, spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said. The anxiously awaited ruling from the 4th District Appellate Court in Springfield came after weeks of chaos and confusion at Illinois schools resulting from a Sangamon County judges ruling that temporarily halted the statewide enforcement of the governors executive orders on rules including mandatory masking. The dismissal of Pritzkers appeal of that ruling arrives just days after a bipartisan panel of Illinois lawmakers voted down a bid from the Illinois Department of Public Health to renew its virus mitigation requirements, including mandatory masking, at schools. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker announces that the state's indoor mask mandate in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will be lifted by the end of February, Feb. 9, 2022. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) The appeals court justices cited that development in Springfield, writing that because the legislative rules committee objected to and suspended the mandates renewal, none of the rules found by the circuit court to be null and void are currently in effect. The justices did not weigh in on whether the governor had properly exercised his authority, or on whether Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischow was right to issue the restraining order, but rather found that the failure to renew the health department rules had rendered the appeal moot. Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement that the appellate courts failure to address the important legal issues in question has added to the confusion resulting from the circuit courts decision prioritizing a relatively small group of plaintiffs who refuse to acknowledge science or the need for public health measures to protect vulnerable Illinois residents. The ruling only addressed the emergency rule that lawmakers blocked, which does not affect the executive orders issued by the governor under the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, including the governors executive order requiring the use of masks in school, the exclusion from school of persons exposed to COVID-19, and testing of unvaccinated school employees working on school premises, Raoul said. The attorney general maintains that Pritzkers executive order continues to apply to all persons not specifically named in the lawsuits before the circuit court. Advertisement Exactly how the state can or will enforce the governors order, however, remains unclear. Attorney Tom DeVore, who represented Illinois parents in the lawsuit, said the appellate court did a satisfactory job answering the questions that needed to be answered. These cases are not going to go away, and we need to make sure this is not going to happen again, he said. It wasnt immediately clear what impact the ruling would have in districts including Chicago Public Schools, which has kept its mask rule in place, as is set forth in its safety agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union. A sign encouraging mask wearing hangs on a fence outside Jensen Elementary School in Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) But in a Friday statement, CPS officials said the district stands by our proven COVID-19 safety mitigation measures and is pleased the Appellate Court has confirmed that the Temporary Restraining Order does not prohibit school districts from independently requiring masks, vaccinations for staff, and requiring individuals who have tested positive or have been exposed to COVID-19 to learn/work from home. We will continue to follow these protocols until such time as our public health partners advise us that restrictions can be safely lifted, officials said. Advertisement Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey agreed, saying, Nothing changes in Chicago Public Schools, which has a mask mandate and other mitigation in place because of our unions demand for safety. The ruling states the language of the temporary restraining order issued by the lower court in no way restrains school districts from acting independently from the executive orders or the IDPH in creating provisions addressing COVID-19. Advertisement The Chicago Board of Education, which oversees CPS, is poised to vote on a resolution at Wednesdays monthly board meeting that would ratify district COVID-19 safety measures including universal masking of students and staff; testing for unvaccinated employees; and directing those who test positive or have been exposed to the virus to temporarily stay home. Through the resolution, the board would also reaffirm CPS CEO Pedro Martinezs authority to change district COVID-19 policies in consultation with public health officials and other stakeholders, which presumably include the teachers union. Martinez is due in Sangamon County Court next Friday after two CPS parents who participated in DeVores lawsuit said their children were told this week to wear a mask or leave district property. DeVore argued Martinez and Mount Greenwood Elementary School Principal Catherine Reidy violated the temporary restraining order Grischow issued. The judge ordered Vernon Hills High School Athletic Director Brian McDonald to appear in court after a similar complaint was lodged against Community High School District 128. Grischows Feb. 4 restraining order against nearly 150 school districts found the executive orders on masking and quarantining for schools went beyond the governors authority and deprive students of due process. While some districts immediately dropped their mask mandates, others only exempted students whose families were part of the lawsuit. Advertisement Brendan Hehir, a CPS parent and one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said his interpretation of the appellate court ruling is that while it allows individual school districts to independently create provisions regarding COVID-19, it strictly prohibits them from universal masking, quarantine, vaccination and testing. CEO Martinez is going to find out how serious of an issue this is next week, when he stands before Judge Grischow and tries to explain why she should not hold him in contempt of court for continuing to break the law, Hehir said. For Naperville resident Gracia Livie, a mother of four and one of the plaintiffs, getting an email from DeVore at 2:30 a.m. Friday alerting her of the appellate court decision brought both joy and relief. This decision is a victory for the parents and kids of Illinois, proving that kids have the right to due process and mask choice, said Livie, who has three children who attend Naperville School District 203, including a kindergartner with cerebral palsy who struggled with wearing a mask, which prompted Livie to push back on the governors mandate. While District 203 recently shifted to a mask optional policy, Livie said even before the districts mandate was lifted, her children were allowed to attend classes mask-free following Grischows order. Their week being the only ones unmasked was blessedly unremarkable, in that they were treated just the same as every other child, Livie said. Advertisement Protesters call for mask optional schools outside of Glenbrook North High School on Feb. 11, 2022, in Northbrook. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Officials at the Illinois Education Association, the states largest teachers union, said the ruling brings clarity to the unprecedented hardships facing educators in recent weeks. These past few weeks have been tumultuous in schools around the state, IEA President Kathi Griffin said in a Friday statement. They have been described by some as the worst time in our teachers and education employees careers. Schools are supposed to be students safe haven. Thats not what weve been seeing at many of our schools recently. We know school board meetings have been canceled and schools have shut down because of threats and protests. This has to stop, she said. Dan Montgomery, president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, which includes CTU, said in a Friday statement that the appellate court decision makes one thing clear: school districts are free to implement their own safety measures around COVID-19. Advertisement In the short term, the ruling might add to the confusion that surrounded the issue in recent weeks, with some districts abandoning mask mandates altogether and going mask optional, and others keeping masking rules in effect. After the appellate court ruling, IDPH spokeswoman Melaney Arnold on Friday said only that schools should follow recommendations made by doctors to keep students and staff safer. Area residents hold signs while listening to speakers during the audience communication portion of a meeting of the Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board of Education at Hinsdale South High School Feb. 10, 2022, in Darien. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune) Despite CPS staying the course, a soaring number of Illinois school districts are shifting to mask optional a trend unfolding nationwide amid plummeting virus rates, and a public that has grown increasingly weary of the pandemic. That includes Palatine-based Community Consolidated School District 15, which enrolls about 11,500 students at 19 schools. Advertisement Due to the (legislative panels) decision not to renew the IDPHs emergency rules, our local positivity rates and District-based metrics, and after thoughtful discussion and planning, we have decided to move to a Mask Recommended not Required teaching and learning environment as of Friday, District 15 Superintendent Laurie Heinz said in a Thursday parent letter. Oak Park-River Forest High School Superintendent Greg Johnson said in a Friday parent letter that officials will remove the exclusion requirement for COVID-19 close contacts, but all other COVID-19 safety mitigations, including mandatory masking, will remain in place until the D200 Board of Education has the opportunity to consider updated direction from the districts legal advisors. The rapid shift to mask optional schools statewide is troubling for many parents, including Wheaton resident Erik Hjerpe, who said he is frustrated and concerned that school boards and politicians, rather than public health experts, doctors and scientists, are making these decisions. Given where we are today, many of us just want transparency from our districts, said Hjerpe, who questioned why school districts are easing their virus mitigation efforts despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the IDPH and the American Academy of Pediatrics continuing to recommend universal masking alongside other COVID-19 protocol for schools. For those who cannot safely be in the schools, what will be done to accommodate them? Hjerpe said. And of importance to all what will be done to heal fractured communities and restore civility so that the focus can again be on learning? Advertisement At the Illinois Association of School Administrators in Springfield, officials were keeping tabs on the quickly shifting policies at schools, and by midafternoon, estimated a total of about 700 of the states 850 school districts had moved to mask recommended, but optional. Theres still some uncertainty, but school districts are appreciating the merits of the decision, which confirms they have local discretion, IASA spokeswoman Emily Warnecke said. Three Democrats on the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules panel joined six Republicans in voting earlier this week to quash the IDPH rule on mask mandates in schools while the appellate court case was still pending. On Friday, one of the Democrats, state Rep. Mike Halpin of Rock Island, who is running for a state senate seat in the upcoming election, declined to comment on the appellate court decision. Another Democrat who voted with the Republicans, state Rep. Frances Ann Hurley of Chicago, could not be reached for comment. The third Democrat on the panel, state Rep. Curtis Tarver, said he hadnt yet read the appellate court ruling in its entirety but he voted to halt the IDPH rule because he felt it was only right to respect coequal branches of government and not let an agency enforce a rule that, at the time, was being decided on by the appellate court. I dont vote with, I vote for, and I voted for what I thought was right, said Tarver, a Chicago Democrat. My vote had nothing to do with the arguments (from Republicans). Advertisement Tarver said he also voted to block the IDPH rule because he felt it would have been improper for the agency to re-institute the same mask guidelines that were already shot down by the Sangamon County judge in the first court opinion. He also noted theres nothing about the courts initial or appellate (opinions that) prevent parents from sending their kids to school without masks on. As a father, he said, his decision is to have his daughter wear a mask to school. State Rep. Keith Wheeler of Oswego, who chairs the panel and was one of the Republican yes votes, said the really appropriate approach wouldve been a mask mandate-related bill brought before the General Assembly, something his GOP colleagues have called for repeatedly. As for the appellate court decision, Wheeler said, I think it means that were getting closer to the finish line ... Whether it goes to the Supreme Court or not, theres a lot of frustration in our state throughout every region of people being just aggravated with a mask mandate. Theres a light at the end of tunnel, he also said. Lets aim at that. The field of Republicans vying to challenge Pritzkers reelection in November each sought to paint the court ruling as a rejection to the governors mitigation efforts that they have called tyrannical and egomaniacal, while they also sought to portray themselves as defenders of parental rights. Advertisement Advertisement The appellate decision comes as the omicron variant-driven surge of COVID-19 continues to rapidly decline. As of Thursday night, there were 1,590 COVID-19 patients in Illinois hospitals, down from 2,269 a week earlier and the lowest daily total since Nov. 13. Hospitalizations, the key data point behind Pritzkers decision to lift his mask mandate for most other indoor public places on Feb. 28, reached an all-time high of 7,380 on Jan. 12. Advertisement Chicago Tribunes Tracy Swartz, Rick Pearson and Olivia Olander contributed. kcullotta@chicagotribune.com Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Article body Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System celebrated the Alabama Farmers Federations recent centennial celebration with the unveiling of a historical marker on Thursday, Feb. 17. The marker was erected at the Alfa Pavilion at Auburns Ag Heritage Park. Alfa President Jimmy Parnell said the marker not only recognizes the organizations centennial but also the men and women who, a century ago, came together to provide a unified voice for rural Alabama in public policy. These farmers partnered with the Extension System and College of Agriculture to create one of Americas most influential farm organizations. We are proud to continue that partnership today as Federation members provide grassroots input and support for agricultural education, research, outreach and advocacy. The historical marker includes recognition of the late Luther Duncan, an early director of Alabama Extension and later Auburn president who was instrumental in founding the Alabama Farm Bureau, now the Alabama Farmers Federation, in 1921. Duncan also was recognized at the Alabama Agriculture Hall of Honor Banquet that night. A century ago, our nation had just emerged from a world war, the Great Depression was looming and life on the farm was rewarding but hard, said Mike Phillips, director of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Our forefathers understood that if their children were to have a bright future, they needed to avail themselves of opportunities to learn and insist that their vision and hard work would make the world a better place. This historical marker is a testament to their commitment to future generations and a challenge to us all to follow in their footsteps. Officials at the marker unveiling stressed the importance of Auburns land-grant mission to serve the citizens of Alabama. Auburns College of Agriculture and the Alabama Farmers Federation have very similar missions in serving the farmers and agricultural communities of our state, so we have been close partners over the past century, said Paul Patterson, dean of Auburns College of Agriculture. Throughout its history, Alfa has been vital to this state through its support, outreach and advocacy for farms, farming families and rural communities. We are proud to celebrate this historic occasion with them. You're not allowed to put margarine on Jorts Reply Thread Link I can't believe its not butter -Jorts Reply Parent Thread Link Still cant believe she buttered Jorts Reply Thread Link We stan Jorts Reply Thread Link My moms obsessed with Jorts lmao. And when I mean obsessed I mean she sends me multiple of their tweets a day lol. Especially the workers rights stuff bc shes v into r/antiwork lol. Edited at 2022-02-17 11:48 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link Can your mom be my mom Reply Parent Thread Link i also would like to have your mom instead of mine Reply Parent Thread Link 'The cats don't know they're famous, but the human thinks Jean senses the fame because now she hides from a camera." Refusing to be exploited for their labor by the (hu)man. Reply Thread Link classic Jean Reply Parent Thread Link I love Jorts I love Jean I love unions! Reply Thread Link At first I thought this was the bones animal and thought I'd finally learn wtf people were talking about... nope, different viral animal. But yeah, now I remember this one, and I am glad he is no longer being menaced!! Reply Thread Link Orange cats are the best. They are all himbos. Reply Thread Link I've always said this about orange cats! Haha. They are adorable. Reply Parent Thread Link Theres a whole corner of tiktok videos on orange cats being stupid. It cracks me up every time because they all really do share a brain cell. Reply Parent Thread Link Orange cats are either stupid or mean. The orange cat who played Data's cat spot on Star Trek: TNG was named Monster for a reason. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Not all orange cats. Mine knows to lick the wings of insects to make the kill easier. He comforts me when I'm sad, too. I think he's sexist to female cats, though. Reply Parent Thread Link I have an female orange cat and she's actually pretty clever! Spayed as a kitten, though, so not sure of her bimbo tendencies. My boyfriend has a male orange cat, who while being very sweet and adorable and round, is also a dumdum. He's perfect. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link My only orange kitty was a girl and she was a violent, loving genius. Reply Parent Thread Link My roommates cat was an orange boi named Juice. He truly was something else. His favorite spot in the house was Amazon boxes, preferably with packing paper still in them. Reply Parent Thread Link My first thought was that you can't butter a cat, but then I remembered my childhood cat used to let me put magnets on him and drag him all over the house without a single complaint. Some cats will just let you do whatever the hell you want with them. Reply Thread Link your move, dogs Reply Thread Link Allergic to most cats and didnt grow up around them. None of my friends had them, just dogs. But twitter has really endeared me to them. Bodega cats and working cats are also cute accounts. Not political, just cute pics lol Reply Thread Link Have any of yall been radicalized during the pandemic in regards to capitalism, wage theft, etc. What has that been like? I def got pulled further left and it's hard staying as hopeful as i want to be, but when I see different workers going on strike, holding elections to unionize, it's exhilarating AF! Reply Thread Link Not really but I was already over there. It's been real fun watching people slowly realize they're being underpaid and overworked in cubicles for jobs don't care about them on places like Twitter and LinkedIn. Better late than never. Reply Parent Thread Link its been so fun. I was already pro-worker, but I def have upped my education #GoJackals but the kellogs strike and the starbucks unions and amazon elections has been so thrilling amidst a really terrible first year of the Biden presidency Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yeah it was like, I already knew it but I felt as if I was discovering it all over again while other ppl did :/ Reply Parent Thread Link My husband graduated from the National Labor College, so that should tell you how we roll in my house. But I've been getting annoyed at some of my friends because they have a lot of really simple, CAPITALISM BAD takes without much understanding at all of worker's rights, economics, or history. It's like carving the anarchy symbol into your desk in high school and thinking you're an iconoclast. I don't even know if they realize that capitalism doesn't look the same across the globe. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I live in Vegas, and for the longest time the Nevadans thoughts and views of Unions were less than stellar and pretty naively prejudiced. But after The Great Resignation movement has happened during the pandemic, alot of views and prejudices against unions has changed. I am hoping and am optimistic that more Casinos and bigger businesses out here gets unionized. Reply Parent Thread Link Power to Jorts and the labor movement but I need a Pot Roast death post!! Reply Thread Link So this is confirming that it's the real Jorts and Jean behind the account? I kinda figured it was just an unauthorized fan account after the story went viral that just used stock photos, but followed because I like cats and unions! Reply Thread Link For fuck's sake, can he just shut up? If it's her share legally, she is allowed to profit off of it no matter how much you whine about her not having "earned" it, you abusive incel. I can't speak about the ethics of who she sells to, but that last paragraph just seems like something out of some MRA subreddit. That he is "claiming he understood" an arrangement makes me suspicious of whether any legal guidelines/agreement actually existed that she violated or if this is just Brad being controlling and shitty again. Edited at 2022-02-18 02:37 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link who would have ever thought brad pitt would be an mra incel piece of shit but his actions sure do show it. Reply Parent Thread Link Normally I would sympathise with someone being forced into a business partnership with a Russian oligarch, but this is Brad Pitt, so suffer in ya jocks, loser. Reply Thread Link How much effort has he given to earn custody of their six children? Reply Thread Link A lot actually. He tried bribing the judge and gaslighting the younger kids into seeing him. Plus paying for a therapist who is now under investigation for promoting reunification camps. It takes a lot of effort to be that much of an asshole. Reply Parent Thread Link Do I want to know what "reunification camps" are?? Is it a sneaky way to get kids to stay with an abusive parent under the guise of like self help cults?? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'm sure he was out there tending the fields and all Reply Thread Link https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/61841445/in-re-ex-parte-application-of-nouvel-llc/ Edited at 2022-02-18 02:45 am (UTC) He's just mad that the new partners are suing him in France for mismanagement.Funny how these docs never leaked Reply Thread Link that's some scalding hot tea right there Reply Parent Thread Link Oooh thank you, added! Reply Parent Thread Link LMAO of course. Reply Parent Thread Link Why does he do shit like this? It reminds me of how he handled his housing development down in NOLA Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I just read that in full and OMG that share transfer dispute is the fucking dumbest thing I've ever seen. Edited at 2022-02-18 06:01 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link "She is seeking a return on an investment she did not make and profits she did not earn." ... that's not how it works Enjoy your next loss Reply Thread Link Not used to see the word "oligarch" on ONTD, but okay. Man, this guy. Reply Thread Link Brad's beef is he claims they always had an understanding that neither of them could sell off their interest without the other's consent. Cry more. It's not like he doesn't know to get everything in writing. This alone makes it obvious that he's full of shit. Reply Thread Link He wants all her assets to be tied up in the house so she has less liquidity and therefore less freedom. Reply Thread Link Unless he had it in writing that she couldn't sell her half without consent, he should go fuck himself straight to the moon. "An understanding" my ass. Reply Thread Link i kinda wonder how much his kids despise him Reply Thread Link when will this abusive pos give up!!!! i thought the same thing as op as i was reading the post. dude is scrambling and desperate to hold onto whatever can allow him to continue controlling her. diaf, bradley Reply Thread Link i would pay money for Stassi to slap him lol Reply Parent Thread Link For a second I thought you meant the German Stasi. Reply Parent Thread Link wait is their divorce finalized yet? you typically cant touch community property until divorce is final Reply Thread Link I mean, that's what her telling the court is for. If the court didn't say anything to her about it (and they likely didn't which is why Brad is trying to use their supposed "understanding"), it probably wasn't the case that she couldn't. Reply Parent Thread Link idk that seems weird. youd have to petition or show some sort of cause to sell a split asset in the middle of a divorce. if the courts didnt say anything then thats definitely not an implicit yes. thats why these things can take forever cuz couples can argue who owns more of what and thats what the judge is deciding idk seeing how careful you have to be with assets during a divorce im just really surprised to see news that sales of assets are going on, i wanna know more Reply Parent Thread Expand Link to be clear, my curiosity on this is on a purely legal standpoint. on an anthropological standpoint, brad can eat shit Reply Parent Thread Link she petitioned the judge to allow the sale Reply Parent Thread Link how very johnny debt of him Reply Thread Link Johnny Debt lmaoooooo Reply Parent Thread Link New Data from NHTSA Found that Utahs .05% Law Improved Road Safety A new study shows that Utahs latest law to drop its impaired driving legal limit reduced fatalities. Could a decrease in legal blood alcohol content improve transportation safety and save lives? The National Highway Traffic Association has released a new study that analyzes data from Utah before and after the state dropped its legal impaired driving limit to .05 percent. Despite the fact that there was an increase in miles travelled, Utahs fatal crash rate dropped by 19.8 percent in 2019, the first year under the lower limit. Utah recorded 225 fatal crashes and 248 fatalities in 2019, which is lower than the 259 crashes and 281 fatalities from 2016, the last full year before Utah voted to lowered the blood alcohol level. NHTSA compared the percentage drops in Utah to those of the rest of the United States, noting that there was only a 5.6 percent fatal crash rate reduction in 2019 for the culmination of states. Utah typically has one of the lowest rates of impaired driving fatalities in the nation, but this study shows that all states have room for improvement, said Dr. Steven Cliff, NHTSAs Deputy Administrator in a press release. As our study shows, changing the law to .05% in Utah saved lives and motivated more drivers to take steps to avoid driving impaired. NHTSA conducts research on the effectiveness of countermeasures to improve safety on the nations roads, and this study will be a useful tool for other States considering a move to .05%. The study also took a look into the driving behaviors of Utahans who choose to drink. In 2019, more than 22 percent of those who drank indicated that they had changed their behaviors once the law went into effect. The most common change was ensuring a sober ride was available when drinking away from home, something NHTSA calls, an encouraging sign. National organizations such as the National Safety Council applauded the new data and said that it was, ecstatic with the new study results. For decades, this country has seen too many lives lost in preventable crashes where impaired driving was at play, Jenny Burke, senior director of impairment practice at NSC, said in a press release. This study shows that the simple act of lowering a state BAC has a direct and immediate impact on saving lives. As Americas leading nonprofit safety advocate, NSC urges all states to follow Utahs lead and prioritize safety. Iran has risen above Russia on the oil market radar due to reports from multiple sources that a new nuclear deal is very close to being agreed upon. Rumors that Russia was about to invade Ukraine sent oil prices soaring earlier in the week, but tensions eased slightly as the week went on. Oilprice Alert: InnerCircle members will receive the next private placement intelligence letter on Wednesday next week. Tap into a secret world of wealth and receive our 50-page whitepaper on Private Placements for free by signing up today. Friday, February 18th, 2022 Oil has been in the doldrums this week as increasingly worrying news from the Russia-Ukraine border was offset by tangible progress in the Iran nuclear talks. Reportedly, the sequence of steps regarding the gradual easing of sanctions has already been ironed out - first Iran has to halt all enrichment above 5% purity and release political prisoners, then JCPOA members will unfreeze its assets that were frozen following the reimposition of sanctions. Should Iran sign up to the deal, we could see free movement of its crude from Q3 2022 onwards, cooling down fears of longer-term supply tightness in the markets. Middle East Expects Iran to Join OPEC+. With the Vienna talks nearing the finish line, members of OPEC+ have started voicing their readiness to integrate Iran, a founding member of OPEC still exempt from the cuts, into the oil groups production curtailment deal. OPEC Downplays Its Own Importance. The Congolese-born president of OPEC, Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, stated that there is no immediate solution to high outright prices, downplaying the role of OPEC+ in the process and arguing that the oil groups members need to invest more in drilling but it takes time to ramp up output. Iraq Picks a New Fight with Kurdistan. Iraqs federal court ruled that Kurdistans oil and gas law is unconstitutional, demanding that Erbil hand over the totality of its crude supplies, paving the way for another period of institutional infighting. South Korea and Iran Prepare for Sanctions Lifting Time. The foreign ministries of Seoul and Teheran have started negotiations on resuming imports of Iranian crude and unfreezing Asian funds held in South Korean banks (some 7 billion), the first such move amidst OECD countries even though the Vienna talks are still yet to end on a positive note. Qatar LNG Exports Down Due to Outage. According to media reports, LNG exports from Qatars Laffan liquefaction plant have been lower than nameplate capacity over the past days as train #6 seems to have been taken down for unplanned maintenance, reportedly until early March 2022. Venezuela Neglects Plentiful Oil Spills. The Venezuelan Academy of Sciences prepared a report on oil spills caused by loading operations of national oil company PDVSA, indicating there had been nine spills over the past two years and called upon the national oil firm to comply with clean-up operations. Singapore to Raise Carbon Tax. In a bid to curb its greenhouse gas emissions, Singapore announced that it would increase its carbon tax fivefold by 2025, bringing it to $25 per metric tonne by then, with only 5% of emissions allowed to be offset by international carbon credits. Macquarie Seeks UK Gas Grid Stake. As gas prices remain historically high in Europe, Australias Macquarie (ASX:MQG) holding is looking to buy a controlling stake in the gas transmission business of the UK National Grid (LON:NG), with the deal assessed to be worth more than $10 billion. Guyana Wants Middle Eastern NOCs in New Auctions. Guyanas government reached out to state-run national oil companies from the Middle East to discover new offshore fields, potentially leading to the banning of ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) from a prospective drilling rights auction. Colombia Fast-Tracks Fracking Pilot Project. Racing against the clock with 6 years of reserves to production and an anti-oil presidential candidate assumed to win this years election, Colombian NOC Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) filed the countrys first fracking environmental study for the Platero pilot project in the Magdalena Basin. Beijing Gas in Talks for 10-Year LNG Deal. Chinas state-owned Beijing Gas is reportedly closing in on a 10-year LNG supply deal with UK major Shell (LON:SHEL) that would see 1.5 million tonnes of LNG delivered starting from 2023, with pricing based on a Brent slope lower than 12%. India Doubles Down on Green Hydrogen. Seeking to reduce its perennial dependence on imported hydrocarbons, India is aiming to produce 5 million tons of green hydrogen by 2030, with the Delhi government promising financial support to set up electrolyte rates across the country. Australia to Close Largest Coal-Fired Power Plant. Australias biggest coal-fired power plant will be closing down seven years early in 2025, operator Origin Energy announced, as renewables have overtaken coal in generation profitability and subdued power prices make it economical to maintain on a long-term basis. US NatGas Futures Rise on Colder Weather. Front-month US gas futures for March 22 delivery rose more than 15% for the week as anticipation of colder weather and record LNG exports ramped up prices to $4.6 per mmBtu. By Josh Owens for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The largest U.S. shale producers have not been tempted to drill aggressively by $90 oil, and they will not be tempted by $150 or even $200 oil to change their conservative production growth plans, executives at the biggest public shale firms said this week. The U.S. shale patch has been vowing capital discipline over the past two years, but the recent rally in oil priceswhich are now 20 percent higher than they were on January 1, 2022has started to pose questions for the market whether or when that discipline will break. Some private producers have boosted spending on more drilling, but the biggest listed independents are holding the line and vow to continue doing so in the medium term. "Whether it's $150 oil, $200 oil, or $100 oil, we're not going to change our growth plans," Pioneer Natural Resources' chief executive Scott Sheffield told Bloomberg Television in an interview. "If the president wants us to grow, I just don't think the industry can grow anyway," Sheffield added. The capital discipline from the public independents in the U.S. shale patch doesn't bode well for U.S. gasoline prices and for President Biden's approval ratings. Yet, companies like Pioneer Natural Resources, Continental Resources, and Devon Energy are keeping discipline and plan to grow production by no more than 5 percent annually. "We project generating flat to 5% annual production growth over the next five years as we have previously noted," Continental Resources CEO Bill Berry said on the Q4 earnings call this week. Sheffield said on Pioneer's call, referring to production growth: "Long term, we're still in that 0% to 5%. It's going to vary. We're not going to change, as I said, at $100 oil, $150 oil, we're not going to change our growth rate. We think it's important to return cash back to the shareholders." "In regard to the industry, it's been interesting watching some of the announcements so far, the public independents are staying in line. I'm confident they will continue to stay in line," Sheffield said. The private independents, those that have announced growth rates in the 15-25 percent per year range, are unlikely to be able to continue to grow at these rates, or "they will significantly reduce their inventory fairly quickly," he added. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Oil prices were down early on Friday, headed for their first weekly decline in nine weeks, as reports intensify that an Iranian nuclear deal could be closer than ever. As of 9:55 a.m. EST, the U.S. benchmark, WTI Crude, had fallen to below $90 a barrel, and traded at $89.85, down by 2.09%. Early this week, WTI Crude hit $95 per barrel, and Brent Crude touched $96 on Monday amid market fears of an imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine and the possibility of disruption of Russian energy supplies to Europe. On Friday at 9:55 a.m., Brent Crude was down 1.76% at $91.33. On Tuesday, oil prices tanked after Russia said some of its troops were returning to bases after finishing drills, but NATO and the United States later said they have not seen troops pulling from the Ukrainian border. Despite the reports of a broken ceasefire with both sides trading accusations, oil moved lower on Thursday and early on Friday on the prospect that an Iranian deal could be imminent. Irans main negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani, tweeted late on Wednesday: After weeks of intensive talks, we are closer than ever to an agreement; nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, though. Our negotiating partners need to be realistic, avoid intransigence and heed lessons of past 4yrs. Time for their serious decisions. In case a deal is reachedand the U.S. has said that the window of reaching an agreement is closing fastIran could return some 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) to the market within several months after the U.S. lifts sanctions on its oil exports. According to diplomats who spoke to Reuters on Thursday, a draft of an agreement being discussed would put the main sanction-lifting stage, including oil exports, at a later stage while releasing Western prisoners held in Iran and unfreezing Iranian funds would come first. The Russia-Ukraine crisis is still a factora bullish onefor the oil market, but the bearish prospect of a return of Iranian oil exports took over market sentiment this week, alongside a general risk-off sentiment on markets. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: If the Iran nuclear talks are successful and the U.S. removes sanctions on Iranian oil exports, the OPEC+ group would look to have the Islamic Republic ultimately join the production supply deal, sources at OPEC+ told Reuters. A potential agreement about the United States and Iran returning to the so-called nuclear deal looks close, according to an OPEC+ source. It is very likely OPEC will adjust Iran into the deal, as there is no other option, the source told Reuters. Over the past few days, there have been hints from diplomats that a deal on reviving the nuclear agreement is indeed close, which pushed oil prices lower. Irans main negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani, tweeted late on Wednesday: After weeks of intensive talks, we are closer than ever to an agreement; nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, though. Our negotiating partners need to be realistic, avoid intransigence and heed lessons of past 4yrs. Time for their serious decisions. In case a deal is reachedand the U.S. has said that the window of reaching an agreement is closing fastIran could return some 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) to the market within several months after the U.S. lifts sanctions on its oil exports. According to diplomats who spoke to Reuters, a draft of an agreement being discussed would put the main sanction-lifting stage, including oil exports, at a later stage, while releasing Western prisoners held in Iran and unfreezing Iranian funds would come first. In the event of an agreement, OPEC+ would look to include Irancurrently exempted from all OPEC+ pact quotasin the deal, Reuters source says. Iran, for its part, will likely seek first to restore its oil production and exports, but it will also likely agree to a quota after talks with OPEC+, a source with knowledge of Irans thinking told Reuters. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: As many as 35 major cyberattacks on energy and oil infrastructure have taken place since 2017, making up one-third of all cyberattack incidents of the past five years, data from the S&P Global Platts Oil Security Sentinel research project showed on Friday. Since 2017, the U.S. has been the most targeted country, followed by the UK and Saudi Arabia, according to S&P Global Platts Oil Security Sentinel. Several high-profile cyberattacks have occurred in the past year alone, including the major ransomware attack on the computer network of the key fuel pipeline for the U.S. East Coast, Colonial Pipeline. That cyberattack in May 2021 forced the pipeline operator to shut it down for five days. The cyberattack and the subsequent shut down of the pipeline resulted in fuel shortages, a run to gas stations, and a spike in U.S. gasoline prices. A month after the Colonial Pipeline attack, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said there were malign cyber actors capable of shutting down the U.S. power grid or parts of it, calling for increased public-private cooperation in fending off cyberattacks. The worlds biggest oil company, Saudi Aramco, also suffered an attack in the summer of 2021. The state oil giant of the worlds largest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, suffered a data breach in which cyber-attackers stole 1 terabyte of proprietary data and were selling it on the dark web. The Aramco data leak was the subject of a ransom demand of $50 million in cryptocurrency, The Associated Press reported at the time, adding that the Saudi oil giant told AP the leak had come from one of the companys contractors. In one of the latest cyberattacks on oil infrastructure, operations at the oil terminals of some of northwest Europes biggest ports were disrupted early this month by a large-scale cyberattack. Antwerp in BelgiumEuropes second-largest port after Rotterdamand the major German port Hamburg were among those targeted in the cyberattack. Company IT systems were also affected at the major oil trading hub Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp, which appeared to be one of the main victims of the cyberattack. By Josh Owens for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Most people wouldnt even know where to begin to create a dessert with black-eyed peas and smoked ham hocks, but that wasnt a problem for Brian Jupiter, chef and owner of Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods (1415 N. Wood St.) and The Frontier (1072 N. Milwaukee Ave.). He beat out three other contestants to win this weeks episode of Chopped on the Food Network. Hosted by Ted Allen, the reality cooking show challenges four chefs to create a series of dishes using mystery ingredients. Advertisement This episode, which aired Tuesday, was a Black History Month Celebration and featured a number of traditionally Southern ingredients ideal for a chef whose Wicker Park restaurant specializes in New Orleans fare. Chef Brian Jupiter at Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods in 2018, in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) Chef Jupiter breezed through the first two rounds, serving Gullah red rice fritters for the appetizer, and a seared pork chop with creamy millet and an okra salad for the entree. Then came dessert. Advertisement One of the mystery ingredients for the dessert course was canned black-eyed peas, Jupiter said. That was definitely the biggest challenge. He created a meringue by whipping the liquid from the can of the black-eyed peas, and combining it with fried ham hocks, sorghum molasses, frozen peaches and pralines. Jupiter filmed the episode in 2021, but had to keep his win a secret until the episode aired Tuesday. Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > Ive known since late October, so its been a little while, Jupiter said Thursday. Though hard to keep the secret, the timing actually worked out. Getting some publicity in February is nice, Jupiter said, noting that this is traditionally the slower time of year for most restaurants. He held a viewing party at Ina Maes to watch the episode, serving one of the winning dishes, the rice fritter made with Gullah red rice. He may add a variation of that dish to the regular menu. But hes mostly gearing up to launch five days of Mardi Gras festivities at Ina Maes, which runs from Friday to Tuesday, March 1. Look out for multiple days of live music, a drag brunch and even a burlesque show, among many other events. Check the restaurants website for full details. Jupiter isnt the only Chicago chef with a recent Chopped appearance. As part of the Casino Royale four-episode tournament saw two local chefs tussle it out in the finale. Chef Zoe Schor, who co-owns Split-Rail and its lower-level bar Dorothy in West Town, and Arlington Heights chef Grace Goudie of Scratchboard Kitchen both won their respective episodes before losing in the finale to Washington-based chef Kaleena Bliss. Chicago chef Corey Rice, who has also appeared on Master Chef, lost out to Goudie in a January episode. Meanwhile, Virtues chef de cuisine Damarr Brown is competing in the 19th season of Top Chef, which premieres on Bravo on March 3. nkindelsperger@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here. Guyana is in talks with Middle Eastern state oil companies to take part in oil and gas exploration, Reuters has reported citing an exclusive interview with Guyanas Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo. Weve had offers from some countries to work with us in this regard. Some from the Middle East, Jagdeo said on the sidelines of Guyanas International Energy Conference, which is taking place this week. Diversification of interest is good for our country. According to Reuters, Saudi Arabia and Qatar were among the attendees of the event. The report also said, quoting the Guyanese official, that depending on how the talks end, Guyana may bar Exxon and Hess from participating in an oil and gas tender currently in the works. Im not sure whether we would want Exxon to participate in the bid, Jagdeo told Reuters. We havent made a decision. But they have a fairly large footprint here already. On the other hand, Guyana also wants the new blocks to be tendered to be developed as quickly as Exxon and Hess are developing their successful strikes in the Stabroek Block. If the supermajor offers the same speed of development, the Guyanese government may reconsider its plans for barring it from the tender. It is important in the context of net zero to have reserves explored, discovered, proven and developed as quickly as possible within the time frame we have, the Vice President said. Exxon and its partner in Guyana Hess Corp. are the only companies producing oil in the tiny South American nation. Since the start of exploration work there, the two have made as many as 28 significant discoveries, unlocking reserves of some 10 billion barrels of crude. The latest update from Exxons Guyanese operations was for a planned threefold increase in production, to 340,000 barrels daily, when a second offshore platform begins operation in the Stabroek Block this month. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The largest gas utility in the United States revealed a proposal on Thursday for what would be the largest green hydrogen network, according to a company press release. SoCalGasa division of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE)has announced its plans for the Angeles Link, a network designed to help California achieve net-zero by 2045. SoCalGas has referred to the green hydrogen network as one of the worlds largest clean energy infrastructure systems. As proposed, the Angeles Link could deliver enough green hydrogen to displace as much as 25% of the natural gas that SoCalGas currently supplies. SoCalGas currently supplies gas to 22 million homes. Part of the project is destined to include a new pipeline to transport the hydrogen from parts of the state that have large renewable energy resources to the Los Angeles area. The notion of green hydrogen has increased in popularityat least in the mediain recent days. Todays reality is, however, that green hydrogen is cost-intensive. But economies of scale could help lower those costs, according to SoCalGas. Green hydrogen is produced through the electrolysis of water in electrolyzers powered by wind, solar, and possibly geothermal. Green hydrogen not only relies on waterand lots of itbut on purified water. And it requires electricity to distill that water, Irina Slav wrote for Oilprice earlier this month. But green hydrogen is seen by many as a critical component of the energy transition. SoCalGas said it is now working to define the scope of the project, the timeline for construction, and the timeline to get the facility operational. The company that will ultimately produce the hydrogen has not yet been named. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will look at the emissions footprint of new natural gas pipeline proposals before approving them, Reuters has reported, citing an interim greenhouse gas emissions policy issued by FERC. In a fact sheet about the policy, the Commission said that "A project's reasonably foreseeable greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will be based on a projection of the amount of capacity that actually will be used, the projected utilization rate and any other factors impacting the quantification of project emissions." "The Commission is establishing a rebuttable presumption that proposed projects with 100,000 metric tons per year of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) emissions will be deemed to have a significant impact on climate change," the regulator also said. The fact sheet also clarified that in measuring the greenhouse gas footprint of any new gas pipeline project, it will take into account "GHG emissions resulting from construction and operation of the project and, in many cases, GHG emissions resulting from the downstream combustion of transported gas." While environmentalists welcomed the news, the business had no reason to rejoice. "Today's actions unnecessarily add barriers to the transport of this reliable and affordable energy resource and will mean higher prices for domestic energy for consumers and businesses," said the vice president of the Global Energy Institute at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Heath Knakmuhs, as quoted by Reuters. "If we were to continue [turning] a blind eye to climate change and greenhouse-gas emissions, it would simply be adding to the legal uncertainty," said the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Richard Glick during a commission meeting. He added that the changes in the pipeline approval policiesthe first since the late 90swill give pipeline project developers more clarity about regulators' procedures to balance the response to demand for affordable natural gas and environmental concerns, the Wall Street Journal reported. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: You've probably heard of Warren Buffett, but you may not appreciate just how impressive an investing record he has. He has been at the helm of his company, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B), for more than 50 years, and in that time the company's value has increased at an average annual rate of about 20%. To put that in perspective, the S&P 500 has averaged around 10% over the same period. Want more perspective? A 20% growth rate will turn a single $1,000 investment into about $9 million over 50 years! Most of us would love to have investing results like that. It's no easy feat to accomplish, but if you want to try to beat -- or even meet -- Buffett's average, here are some ways to go about it, including some advantages you may have over Buffett. You can do quite well even if you fall short. Start young -- very young One important contributing factor to Buffett's longtime ranking among the world's richest people is simply that he has been busy growing his wealth for more than 80 years. He was selling sticks of gum when he was just six years old, for example, and delivering gobs of newspapers as a young teen -- earning thousands of dollars and buying himself a farm. He bought his first shares of stock at age 11. It's probably too late for you to start earning and investing money at such a young age, but take a moment to appreciate the power of time and dedication. You might get your children or grandchildren interested in investing very early, and that can pay off well for them throughout their lives. Live a very long life It also helps to live a long life. Buffett will turn 92 this year -- and he's still working and investing. You might not want to be an active investor or worker into your 90s (not to mention your 80s), but doing so can help your portfolio grow powerfully. A more manageable strategy for many people is simply to work a few years longer than they may have planned to work. Doing so has many advantages. For one thing, you'll have more years in which to save and invest money for your retirement. You may also be able to remain on your employer's health insurance plan, which may save you money. If you're delaying starting to collect Social Security, that will make your checks bigger. And every year that you're still working is one less year in which your nest egg has to support you. That can make it last longer. Win "the ovarian lottery" If you're sensing that it might be much harder than you expected to outperform Buffett, you're right. He credits much of his success to his having won "the ovarian lottery." In other words, he was born at the right time, in the right place, and in the right circumstances to be well positioned to make a lot of money. It also helps that he has a brain and temperament that's particularly well suited to business and investing. It's too late for most of us to be born in Omaha in 1930, but if you're reading this article on a computer or smartphone, you have probably won your own ovarian lottery. After all, more than a billion people on earth are struggling to live on a few dollars per day. And if you're online, that means you are able to tap a host of educational and enlightening information about business and investing -- with a few keystrokes. Take advantage of not being super rich Here's one way that you've got an advantage over Buffett: You're a much smaller investor. He has grown so rich that it's hard for him to make much money investing in small companies. For a stake in a stock to make a meaningful difference in his portfolio, he needs to buy a lot of it, and that can be hard to do without driving up the price. It's -- not surprisingly -- proving hard for Buffett to earn outsized returns when his company is so large. (Its market capitalization was recently around $700 billion.) In Berkshire's first 25 years, there were 13 years in which the company's stock value grew by more than 30%. In its last 25 years, there were four. It's simply harder for huge companies to grow huger at a rapid clip. Still, Berkshire is doing OK -- averaging annual returns of close to 10% over the past 20 years and 15% over the past decade -- both of which still outperform the S&P 500. Another advantage you have over Buffett these days is time: He stands a good chance of reaching the age of 100, if not more, but he probably doesn't have 20 more years of investing in him -- and there's a good chance that you do. See what 20 years (or more, or less) can do: Growing at 8% for $10,000 invested annually $15,000 invested annually $20,000 invested annually 5 years $63,359 $95,039 $126,718 10 years $156,455 $234,683 $312,910 15 years $293,243 $439,865 $586,486 20 years $494,229 $741,344 $988,458 25 years $789,544 $1,184,316 $1,579,088 30 years $1,223,459 $1,835,189 $2,446,918 Follow Buffett's example and lessons It's unlikely that any of us can beat Buffett's long-term record, but if we start now, we may outperform him in the coming decade or two. A promising approach to take to do so is to follow his example -- and the many lessons he's freely shared with the public, in his annual letters to shareholders and in interviews. Some of Buffett's investing principles include staying within your circle of competence, thinking for yourself instead of following the crowd, and buying great companies at good (or better) prices, aiming to hold for many years, if not many decades. Putting such advice into practice means that we shouldn't buy into biotechnology companies if we know nothing about biotechnology, that we shouldn't buy stocks at any price just because we love the companies, and that we shouldn't trade frequently, out of impatience or fickleness. Invest with Buffett Finally, another good strategy for those interested in following Warren Buffett and getting investing results like his is to simply let him (and his investing lieutenants) invest for you -- by becoming a Berkshire Hathaway shareholder. Doing so means you'll have a stake in his business, which encompasses scores of businesses that it owns outright (such as GEICO, Dairy Queen International, Benjamin Moore, and the entire BNSF railroad) along with large stock positions in companies such as Bank of America, Coca-Cola, and Apple. Berkshire isn't likely to average 20% annual growth any more, but it is likely to keep growing over time, due to the many solid businesses it owns. Another strategy: Growth stocks Of course, there are other approaches to investing than those favored by Buffett. You might aim to outperform him by focusing much attention on growth stocks, for example. They're tied to companies that are growing faster than average -- and their stock prices can grow much faster than average. These stocks can be undervalued, but they often trade at steep values. Many never reach their potential, which is why the Motley Fool's investing philosophy recommends spreading your dollars across 25 or more of them while aiming to hang on for at least five years. Whether you follow Buffett or not, you should be aiming to amass a sizable nest egg that can help support you in retirement -- because Social Security is not likely to be sufficient. 10 stocks we like better than Berkshire Hathaway (A shares) When our award-winning analyst team has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* They just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Berkshire Hathaway (A shares) wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. *Stock Advisor returns as of January 20, 2022 Bank of America is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Selena Maranjian owns Apple and Berkshire Hathaway (B shares). The Motley Fool owns and recommends Apple and Berkshire Hathaway (B shares). The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2023 $200 calls on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple, short January 2023 $200 puts on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), short January 2023 $265 calls on Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. PHILADELPHIA On a cold January night two years ago, Regina Cappelli, a single grandmother raising two young grandsons, got the call from her local county child welfare agency. Another grandchild an infant had just been removed from Cappelli's daughter, also the mother of the other boys. Come get the baby, or he would go into foster care, she was told. Overwhelmed and unprepared, Cappelli called Karen Barnes, another single grandmother raising a grandchild. "I was devastated and I was in tears," the Delaware County woman recalled. "When you get these kids, you get the clothes on their back and that's it. I said, 'I don't know what I'm going to do.'" Her friend wasn't just sympathetic. She was outraged. "Karen said, 'That's it! Something's got to be done!'" That night, Barnes got on social media. The next day, when she showed up at Cappelli's home, the grandmother couldn't believe her eyes. "She filled up my living room!" said Cappelli, now raising her three grandsons. "Four contractor bags full of clothes, diapers out the wazoo, formula, a Pack 'n Play, a stroller, blankets galore, wipes. I couldn't imagine something like that from just overnight." Barnes was also amazed by the robust response her posts received. She took it to heart. "I said to myself, 'I have a gift and I am definitely being called,'" Barnes said. "'I can do this.'" And thus, Grands Stepping Up (GSU) was born. A nonprofit organization, GSU provides support to grandparents raising their grandchildren and kinship guardians raising their family members. "Everything I do and try to empower others to do comes from saying yes," said Barnes, 58. For this former volunteer program coordinator who had to stop working due to a chronic gastrointestinal condition, saying yes meant taking emergency custody and eventually adopting her granddaughter, Ellianna, now 9. It came to mean seeing other guardians who needed help, just like she often had, and deciding to do something about it. Grands Stepping Up has come a long way since it started in 2020. The program runs Denis' Pantry, a place where any member of the Delaware County community and grandparents from anywhere can come for food, clothing, and baby goods. GSU estimates the pantry served about 500 families last year. It is located in the basement of Llanerch Hills Chapel in Havertown, Pennsylvania, and named after Barnes' brother, who died of COVID-19. But Grands Stepping Up has expanded in other ways, too. The group has partnered with other organizations like the Main Line Art Center and the Kiwanis of the Main Line to provide free art programs for the grandkids. GSU has also helped provide holiday meals for hundreds of grandfamilies. GSU now has a legal clinic with local family lawyers offering their services on a sliding scale. There are three licensed therapists volunteering their services for trauma-focused counseling for the children and their guardians. The group also has been able to provide some financial assistance. Often, GSU will put out a special request on its Facebook page and get it granted, like the funds raised to pay for a tombstone. Their appeals are seldom ignored, Barnes said. "I can tell you we always have our donors who come through for us," she said. "A lot of people have been touched by so much stuff in their lives, they want to come forward to help." A lot of the grandparents raising grandchildren are living on fixed incomes. Some who do get governmental support say it is meager, but they are reluctant to get more involved with the child welfare system, even though it would mean more aid. Some profess a lack of trust in the foster care system. They say they don't believe the intrusion would be in the best interest of their families. Others feel they're to blame for their offsprings' problems that rendered them unable to care for their own children. "I was so mortified, embarrassed. I was thinking this was my fault," Barnes said. The bottom line, they say, is many of these family caretakers are struggling. "We truly are, as grandparents and most importantly the children, the silent victims of the opioid epidemic and the mental-health crisis in this country," Barnes said. "We are the silent victims that no one was even considering because we're all hiding." But with a group like Grands Stepping Up, they're no longer alone. They are helping each other. "It's like a parenting organization for grandparents," said Mary Eileen Johnston, 62, a Havertown grandmother raising her 4-year-old grandson. "I know they'll always be there for me even if it's just to ring and say, 'I need to talk.'" Johnston discovered GSU on Facebook about two years ago. She stopped by the pantry to check it out, bringing some items to donate, and got to know some of the people active in GSU. A church organist who lost work when many congregations stopped in-person services, Johnston was able to find recreation opportunities for her grandson from GSU's partners. That's included arts supplies and programs through the Kiwanis and the Main Line Art Center and dance lessons donated by Twirl, a Newtown Square dance studio. And Johnston has become a pantry volunteer. Community members have heard about GSU and decided to pitch in, like Amie and Jim Cannon, a Havertown couple who adopted five children from the foster care system. Jim Cannon has extended his Cannon Handyman Services to fix grandparents' heaters. Amie, meanwhile, helped run a project in which the grandchildren grew tomatoes that they presented to the grandparents. "It's kids learning to give back," she said. Kathy Baggio, 68, a retired medical transcriptionist from Secane, Pennsylvania, is also a pantry volunteer and chair of GSU's support group. Raising her grandsons, ages 12 and 17, GSU has helped with desperately needed car repairs, utility bills, and funds toward a housing security deposit. "There's definitely not enough support for the grandparents, and I'm not saying that because I am one," Baggio said. "A lot of grandparents have given up their savings, if they had any. They are on fixed incomes, and things have become so much harder out there." Many of these families also have mental-health needs. Beth Tyson directs GSU's trauma-focused therapeutic services. At present, three licensed therapists offer counseling at no charge, but Tyson hopes to find others who will also volunteer services. Many of the children have experienced trauma and need mental health, but many of the grandparents could use help as well, said Tyson, a child trauma consultant and author. "There are so many unique challenges that come along with raising your grandchild," she said. In the coming year, she is planning on introducing webinars on trauma-informed parenting for these guardians, as well as hopefully yoga and meditation classes. Expanding mental-health help and being able to offer more much-needed financial support are two of the ways Barnes would like to see Grands Stepping Up grow. Last year, the nonprofit got its first grant about $20,000 from the Phillies and Barnes hopes to apply for more. All in all, Grands Stepping Up has done pretty well for a group that got started from a Facebook call for help. As much as it's come along, its roots are still in the family. Chelsea Barnes, one of Barnes' daughters, is her vice president. Randi Kobielnik, her oldest offspring, is her chief operating officer. Ellianna, the granddaughter she adopted, is one of her volunteers. So is Ellianna's mother. In the years since she had the child when she was 17, the young woman, who did not wish to have her name used, said she has turned her life around. "I've been clean for six years, I'm active in my daughter's life, and I've rebuilt my relationship with my mother, my sisters, and my daughter," she said. "A lot of my mom's grandparents and volunteers know I'm Ellianna's mom, and that I was a drug addict and I'm clean. It gives them a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, like, 'Maybe this could be for my family, too.'" Barnes says she was touched by the help she got along the way. It inspired her. It still does. "I appreciate everyone who has ever done anything for me and my granddaughter, but I recognized I had a vision that was greater and bigger. I knew we could help better. I knew we could do more. We could get more people involved to make more of a difference," said Barnes. "It's just the power of saying yes and not giving up." For more information about Grands Stepping Up, visit https://grandssteppingupinfo.com/ or call 610-355-6362. Attorneys offered dueling perspectives of the moments after an Omaha woman gave birth on a sidewalk near 24th and P Streets on Sunday. Prosecutor Michael McInerney said Thursday in court that Trinity Shakespeare delivered her baby boy and then ran away from the infant, hiding in the backyard of a home about a block away. Defense attorney Cathy Saathoff said, however, that Shakespeare had run to call for help and left the child with another person. Douglas County Judge Jeffrey Marcuzzo ordered Shakespeare, 27, to be held on $50,000 bail on one count of intentional child abuse. If convicted, she faces a maximum of three years in prison. Shakespeare gave birth to a baby boy about 10 a.m. Sunday near 24th and P. Someone with her had called 911 about 9:15 a.m. to report that Shakespeare was having pain, a call that was coded as someone with a maternity problem. An ambulance arrived, but Shakespeare refused assistance and didnt answer questions from medics except to deny that she needed care. About 10 a.m., Sheila Allee called 911 to report that a baby had been born. She told The World-Herald the mother left before the ambulance arrived. Other witnesses covered the newborn with warm clothing, but law enforcement said the baby was exposed to the 15-degree weather for five minutes. Both the baby and Shakespeare were taken to Nebraska Medical Center. Officials said the baby will survive. The state has been granted temporary custody of the boy. According to an affidavit, the Omaha police officer who rode in the ambulance with Shakespeare said she had a hard time keeping her eyes open and smelled strongly of alcoholic beverage. The next day, an Omaha police detective interviewed Shakespeare in the hospital. Shakespeare told the detective that she found out in September that she was pregnant. Shakespeare told the detective that she didnt see a doctor or take prenatal medications during her pregnancy. She said she drank alcohol at times because of her painful cramps. Shakespeare also said she smoked marijuana the night before the baby was born and drank vodka on the day she gave birth, according to the affidavit. She told the detective that she was aware of what occurred that day and remembered delivering her baby and walking away. Saathoff said Shakespeare was trying to go back to her infant when she was stopped by police, who prevented her from returning and called an ambulance for her. Saathoff brought up Shakespeares mental health issues and said she has lived in Omaha, residing with her grandparents, for about 10 years. Her sister told the World-Herald on Wednesday that Shakespeare has been homeless for the past four years. Marcuzzo initially set Shakespeares bail at $40,000, meaning she would have to pay 10%, or $4,000, to be released from jail. McInerney requested that bail be increased to $75,000 because of the nature of the alleged crime and Shakespeares numerous prior misdemeanor convictions. Had there not been a witness there to intervene, this could have been a lot worse situation, McInerney said. Saathoff said the bail was sufficient because Shakespeare likely would not be able to afford the $4,000 cost. She also said Shakespeare was not a threat to society. Any threat that she was posing has been removed, Saathoff said. She is no longer pregnant. Marcuzzo then increased bail to $50,000, meaning Shakespeare would have to post $5,000 to be released. 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. It can be hard for a student to share concerning information with school officials without classmates finding out who told. That reality has inspired a growing number of school districts to turn to Safe2Help Nebraska, a reporting system created through a partnership between Boys Town National Hospital and the Nebraska Department of Education. It offers students, staff and community members a way to anonymously report concerning behavior around the clock. Since it was made available last fall to every Nebraska school district that chooses to use it, the number of districts relying on Safe2Help has increased, as has the number of tips coming into the service. Students often dont feel like they can share details about others who are struggling, especially in a smaller school district, said Jolene Palmer, the states school safety and security director. The saying snitches get stitches holds true many times, she said. Safe2Help Nebraska began as a pilot program in Douglas County in January 2020, but expanded statewide in September through Legislative Bill 322, introduced by State Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg. Palmer said anonymity is one of the hotlines greatest assets school districts cant even find out who reports a tip. No one sees (a student) walk out of a principals office after sharing information like this, Palmer said. The only way a student becomes known is if they choose to tell somebody. Anyone can report behavior through Safe2Help online, by phone or mobile app. About 70% of reports come through the app or online. Trained Boys Town crisis counselors receive the tip reports and immediately gather as much information as they can, said Diana Schmidt, Safe2Help manager. A person can submit a tip report under more than 40 diverse event types, including assault, eating disorders, suicide and school threats. Reports about suicide are the most common, followed by bullying and drugs. Schmidt said child abuse tips have also been increasing. The hotline has topped more than 1,000 total reports since January 2020, including 10 tip reports about planned school attacks. Schmidt said that if the report includes a life safety emergency, counselors will collaborate with law enforcement to dispatch help to the person of concern. School districts are also contacted with every tip report, no matter its content. If its an emergency, the district usually has a threat assessment team made up of school officials who respond within minutes along with law enforcement. Chad Denker, superintendent of David City Public Schools, said it was a simple process to create a threat assessment team after the district decided last fall to start using Safe2Help. The team includes himself, an assistant high school principal, school counselors and a Butler County Sheriffs Office deputy. The team has received about eight reports since the hotline was implemented before Thanksgiving. Denker said he was nervous at first that some students were going to submit prank reports, but every tip the district has received thus far warranted attention. Schmidt said schools will notify Boys Town if they need help communicating with the student or coordinating outside services. Boys Towns team of nearly 20 crisis counselors who rotate in shifts are trained to assess a situation and determine next steps. If we can secure safety without law enforcement, then that is a savings to the law enforcement resources, Schmidt said. If we have to send law enforcement for an active rescue, we will. Schmidt said the majority of tip reports are students concerned about their friend. But teachers and community members have also used the hotline. About 23% of Nebraskas school districts are enrolled so far, Schmidt said. The program is optional, and districts that have their own established hotline dont have to switch. Bennington Public Schools has been using the hotline since it began as a pilot program. Superintendent Terry Haack said before the district got involved, it didnt have a way for people to report concerns anonymously. The district has received 56 tip reports since the school year began. Haack said when the district first starting using Safe2Help at Bennington Middle School, some students called in curious about the program. But the hotline has received a steady flow of credible reports since its first month. We didnt think as a small school we would need something like this, he said. I do think it has helped families and individuals from something that could be very harmful and sometimes fatal. Safe2Help is currently in 17 states. Its costing Nebraska about $810,000 a year, Palmer said. The hotline is funded for three years, and the Nebraska Legislature will reassess LB 322 for funding in 2024. Since September, the number of tip reports to the hotline has increased each month, Schmidt said. In January, the hotlines call volume skyrocketed 94% over December. Palmer said shes heard some Nebraska school administrators have apprehension about using Safe2Help because they think their districts could be labeled as a bad school if they receive too many reports. Its a badge of honor for a school to have large numbers of reports (because) the school has done a phenomenal job of teaching students what to report, Palmer said. Denker encouraged every Nebraska school to get involved, saying he was as skeptical as anyone, but now Im one of their biggest advocates. Schools are reluctant to add one more thing to their plate, but this hasnt added anything to our workload, its actually alleviated it, Denker said. We thought, Why would we not become involved with this even if it prevented one tragedy? 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. Fans watch Kanye West during a Donda listening party at Soldier Field, Aug. 26, 2021, in Chicago. The album is named for West's late mother, and West built a replica inside the stadium of the South Side home he shared with her during his boyhood. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) A filmmaker plays fly on the wall to the worlds biggest pop stars. Gathering mountains of footage, some of it revealing, nearly voyeuristic. Advertisement And so, for myriad reasons, it goes unwatched, for many, many years. Thats true of Peter Jacksons The Beatles: Get Back, which debuted in November, assembled from hours of material that director Michael Lindsay-Hogg shot in early 1969, capturing both the recording of Let It Be and the splintering of the group itself. Advertisement But thats also true of jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy, which unfolds over three episodes on Netflix this month. Its constructed of years worth of footage that Chicago filmmaker Clarence Simmons with directing partner Chike Ozah, credited as Coodie & Chike gathered of Kanye West in the nascent days of his career. If Get Back documents a season of unease, dissolution and hurt, jeen-yuhs is a season of promise and hurt. But mostly, these are films about creating. As in, the physical labor. These are not movies about personalities or internal disputes or the cost of fame or hollow claims of greatness, but rather what it takes to sit down and get something made. The grind, the hard part, the day-to-day ups and downs it took to create the music of the Beatles and Kanye West. Both films will be discussed for years, for endless reasons, but their value has less to do with breakups, breakdowns or biographical insights than a forensic patience, a willingness to watch and watch, then watch some more, that most mysterious of qualities creativity. Which means, both films are long. Collectively, theyre about 12 hours, though not because theyre long-winded. But because watching creative people actually make something thats rarely fast, inspiring, pretty, obvious. Or sensical. I had a friend who taught film school. For years, the first thing his freshman had to do was watch Ed Wood, Tim Burtons beautiful 1994 portrait of the Worst Director in History. He did this because it was a reminder that vision and talent are only part of being creative. What if you dont have talent, ideas or even competency? Does creativity only belong to the successful? Should you stop? The truly creative soldier on, and the Ed Wood in that movie (played by Johnny Depp, with boundless optimism) is all headlong momentum, even as everyone working with him sighs and groans and doubts. Kanye West in a scene from the documentary "jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy." (Netflix) In Quincy Joness upcoming memoir, 12 Notes: On Life and Creativity, he remembers his South Side childhood and routinely climbing through the window of a rec center to play its piano. I tried to mimic sounds I had heard at the old Baptist church I attended. ... But when I ran out of tunes that I could remember, I resorted to playing whatever I was feeling. In Bob Odenkirks Comedy, Comedy, Comedy, Drama, another upcoming, locally minded memoir, a former girlfriend recalls, back when he was writing comedy and roving show to show, Chicago to Los Angeles, his single-minded super focus did not help build a relationship. Lets not confuse obsessiveness and drive with creativity, but they do live in the same cul-de-sac. I swear, for the first three hours of jeen-yuhs, Kanye West is never shown relaxed, just sitting back. He is always restless, moving, hunched in chairs, at mixing boards, at home, T-shirts and takeout containers strewed about because he only works, to the eventual (and infamous) detriment of everything in his life. Yet in some of the films most charming moments, before hes even recorded an album, hes shown barreling through record companies, popping CDs onto the nearest trays and rapping for whomever happens to be in the room. Its not just that hes a man in need of a stage, but that, in a more pragmatic sense, hes testing new material on anyone around hes fine tuning. Advertisement I have a thing for this, for art that captures the boring stuff about art. Also known as, making art. Still, I like to see the coming-together, I like to watch the sausage getting made. I love the tedium. So do you. Some of the most popular videos on TikTok and YouTube are basically industrial films assembly-line tourism, a box being constructed, a candy cane being forged. Even the best season of Curb Your Enthusiasm was less about the headaches and arguments that led to a new, improved Seinfeld finale, than about a million little conversations, casting decisions, promises. The salacious, heated stuff usually bundled into showbiz memoirs, Oscar biopics and narrative works about the creation of art and rise of great artists I like that, too. Those ubiquitous documentaries that purport to dig behind the music its fine, its fun. (Yes, I plan to watch Pam & Tommy.) But thats another breed. Im talking about films and books that approach creativity like its Take Your Audience to Work Day. Which, of course, require some degree of renown and hubris to even expect attention. Lillian Rosss Picture, her classic 1952 nonfiction account of the making of The Red Badge of Courage, wouldnt have been possible if John Huston wasnt on a historic roll Maltese Falcon, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Asphalt Jungle, boom, boom, boom begging for documentation. The popular podcast Song Exploder is at its best when exploring the dull, practical decision-making from artists who wallpaper our world Common, U2, Metallica. All That Jazz, Bob Fosses 1979 semi-autobiographical film isnt about inevitable success, but make-up tests, rehearsals, writing, thinking; only after that is it also a dramatization of Fosse editing the film Lenny while staging the play Chicago. Again, theres a degree of hubris in assuming we might care. Get Back takes this to a logical extreme: If you could spend hours in the studio just watching any recording act in history, the Beatles would be a lot of peoples first choice. Which even the Beatles knew when they gave permission for a filmmaker to capture nothing much: songs endlessly retooled, late-day exhaustion, piano plinks that evolve into classics, Paul strolling into work in the morning, everyone wondering whats for lunch and many, many thousand yard stares that (knowing what we know now) look like the earliest glimmers of Band on the Run, Imagine and All Things Must Pass. Like any historical document, Get Back seems to hold both the past and the future at once. Jacksons film may be the most intimate portraits of creativity we have because it is so willing to present us with nothing much at all. Just that boring struggle to create. Advertisement In jeen-yuhs, Kanye West who just had his name legally changed to Ye is so certain of his creative importance, its an ongoing joke among friends that Coodie is following him before anyone knows him. But Kanye has good instincts here. So does Coodie a Chicago stand-up with aspirations of making a music-industry take on Hoop Dreams. He captures dental appointments. He finds Kanye at parties where everyone is socializing but Kanye is off by himself, focused and working on his record. Odds were, Coodie would be gathering material for a Hoop Dreams-like portrait of disappointment. Of course, he got the opposite. About midway through jeen-yuhs, the footage, and story, changes, feels more familiar. Theres success, then, inevitably, the creep of peak Kanye cringe looming, and so we watch, again, the kind of material that will eventually, some day, find its way into an Oscar biopic. George Bush not liking Black people, Taylor Swift, that 2020 presidential run, Donald Trump, all those Kardashians. For nearly three hours, jeen-yuhs avoids the worst of Kanye West by avoiding the downfall that movies about artists eventually turn toward. But then, it also never becomes the cheap flurry of headlines and poetic montage of dramatic creating that tar movies about artists. Even after the craziness takes center stage, Kanye is rarely shown not creating. Hes forever the one leaning in, finishing a song, going over a design for his fashion line, sketching out ideas for artist Takashi Murakami to work onto new album covers. Theres a Fellini-esque swirl late in the documentary, at Kanyes ranch in Wyoming, a large sound studio-like warehouse, not unlike the one in Get Back. Justin Bieber is recording a refrain in the next room. A live band is tinkering on a small stage. A Kurosawa film is being projected behind them. Meanwhile Kanye is on the phone with producer Rick Rubin, discussing a visit to the studio of sculptor Tina Frey. Maybe thats Warhol-esque swirl. Kanye West in a scene from the documentary "jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy." (Netflix) By this point in the film, though, Kanye is so popular and impenetrable, Coodie doesnt have the access he once did. And access is the key to many great works about creating art. Which is why intimate ones are so rare. I often tell friends to read Julie Salamons The Devils Candy, a painstaking 1992 book about the disastrous making of Brian De Palmas Bonfire of the Vanities, but I always add a sad reminder that the access she had to that production was remarkable in the early 90s, too. As much as Hollywood likes to sell the dream factory stuff, a film like Robert Altmans The Player is so blunt about how sausage actually gets made Its Out of Africa meets Pretty Woman! theres a protective urge to stick with the cheap flurry of headlines and poetic montages. Coodie tells us in the narration that as Kanye takes off, he asks Coodie to back off. He tells the filmmaker that hes playing a role now, and all that earlier stuff, thats too real. Ironically, its now a humanizing portrait of an artist who could use some salvation from caricature and persecution self-inflicted and not. You want to know what its like to be an artist? Watch Kanye stand in the street outside a record company, trying to catch a second with an executive. Hear an A&R guy ask, with implied mockery, how Kanyes record is coming. Kanye was not an artist then but a producer, with a reputation for being meticulous, arrogant and self-doubting. Itll never be finished, Kanye said softly. Advertisement Hes not lying. We watch him reworking lines, beats, cadences, phrasing, adjusting, head down, burying himself inside the work for long periods, adjusting again. He describes Jay-Zs recording process as: bunch of rappers come to the studio, a week later the guy leaves with a new record. He says it with a laugh and a hint of jealousy. He cant leave well enough alone. The second of the three films begins with his 2002 car accident in Los Angeles, then finds Kanye, six weeks later, in a hotel room, jaw nearly wired shut, still working, the room a landfill of recording gear, song outlines, half-eaten meals. Among the many things jeen-yuhs is saying about creativity is the need for support, mental and otherwise, and for a long time, his mother leads that charge. She is his perspective. One of the films most touching scenes is a late-night visit to Donda West in her Chicago apartment. She tells her son: Stay on the ground and you can be in the air at the same time. He listens, but as with Get Back, the circle gets progressively too crowded, too loud. Kanye becomes obsessed with whether he is a genius. Some friends push back. Kanye 'Ye' West and Donda West in a scene from the documentary "jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy." (Netflix) Not for you to say, they tell Kanye. To which Kanye says ... nothing, not at first. Why bother responding? He has a studio of his own. There are scenes in jeen-yuhs where more famous rappers grow silent and intimidated by his startling promise. Still, his need for validation remains bottomless. Not a surprise, but one in which Coodie & Chike find room for a more poignant conclusion: Whatever genius is there, whatever work he creates, is inseparable from Kanye, good and bad, arrogant or honest. Speaking of Fellini, its nearly a salute to 8 1/2, itself a portrait of artistic sausage production. Marcello Mastroianni plays a great director whose film is falling apart, until he realizes he is nothing without those who love him. He shuts down production and accepts the failure, because failure, in the end, is part of creation. cborrelli@chicagotribune.com The Nebraska Attorney Generals Office has issued several recommendations for the Bennington Public Schools board after it was found to have violated the Nebraska Open Meetings Act in previous public meetings. The office sent the board its findings report on Feb. 9 after a months-long investigation stemming from multiple complaints from community members. In the report, the office said the school board violated the open meetings act by not providing at least one complete copy of all materials that were under discussion at each meeting. The act, which details requirements a public body must follow when conducting meetings, requires that public bodies provide at least one copy of meeting materials for people to either review or copy themselves. The Attorney Generals Office found that on several occasions the documents the school board discussed at meetings, such as construction change orders or administrative reports, were not available to review at the meeting by community members. In the report, the board said the documents were projected on a screen for the public to view and suggested that, had a member of the public asked, they would have been provided with the opportunity to review the documents. Bennington parent Jeremy Dick, one of the people who filed a complaint, said the Facebook group Bennington School District Transparency was partially created to share school board meeting documents so people could review what members approved or discussed. The group currently has 526 members. Dick said his wife, Jen, has had to, on occasion, drive to the district office the day after board meetings to obtain meeting materials that werent available at the meeting. She would then go home, scan them and upload them to the Facebook page. What would be great is if they put those documents in the posted agenda online, Dick said. Superintendent Terry Haack said the district will follow the recommendations from the Attorney Generals Office. We take pride in how our district conducts business in a transparent way for the community, he said in a statement. The Attorney General has offered some recommendations to further our goal of being as transparent as possible, which we are implementing. Derek Aldridge, the districts legal counsel, said during Mondays board meeting that if people want a copy of a document, they can email Haack and make a records request. The district provides only one public copy of meeting materials at each meeting, Aldridge said. The Attorney Generals Office also offered several suggestions for the board to improve the way it conducts public meetings. In the report, the office said the school board needs to end the confusing practice of holding a public forum for public comment before a meeting is called to order. It says board members incorrectly advised people that the public forum is not part of the public meeting. The office also encouraged the board to be specific about topics discussed in closed session, unless that information needs to be withheld for a valid reason. Dick said he thinks the board will follow the recommendations. They are conducting meetings in a manner that makes it difficult for people to know whats going on, he said. Aldridge said on Monday that the Nebraska Open Meetings Act has never been easy to follow. Theres just a couple of things to work on, he said. Otherwise I think we can move forward from this lesson is learned. 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. The president of Omahas Library Board of Trustees has voiced his opposition to a bill that would make his and every other seat on the board an elected, rather than appointed, position. Library Board President Mike Kennedy told The World-Herald that the proposal in the Nebraska Legislature doesnt represent good public policy. He said it could lead to expensive campaigns and candidates who may want to run, but ultimately are priced out of it. Volunteer board members would have to spend thousands of dollars to run a citywide race to get their message out, Kennedy said. It would cost them thousands of dollars. State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha introduced the bill in response to concerns from constituents frustrated with the citys planned move of the downtown library to make way for a new corporate headquarters. Omaha Library Board members are currently appointed by the mayor and approved by the City Council. Under Legislative Bill 1256, board members instead would be elected to serve four-year terms. The board would be made up of one member from each council district and two at-large members who are registered to vote in the city. The Omaha Public Library Board of Trustees voted Jan. 20 to approve two lease agreements needed for the relocation of the library, with public services shifting from the location at 14th and Douglas Streets to a building at 1401 Jones St. After the Library Boards approval, both lease agreements went before the City Council, which signed off on the agreements Feb. 1 after more than two hours of questions and debate. When its clear to me that the city is prioritizing development over the concerns of the public, to me thats the line you draw in the sand to say: 'No, that process isnt right,' McKinney told the Legislatures General Affairs Committee at a Monday hearing. By December, the city plans to move the services from the W. Dale Clark Library and demolish the 45-year-old building, opening the parcel for a new Mutual of Omaha headquarters. Criticisms voiced to the City Council centered on financial feasibility, accessibility of the new locations and transparency. Those objections were raised at Mondays hearing as well. Kennedy, who has served as a library trustee since his appointment in 2015, said the board as it exists is diverse, nonpartisan, and has worked well for decades. I dont think its good public policy to change how the board is selected because of one policy disagreement, Kennedy said. If the bill is approved, Kennedy said, hes unsure he would run for a board position. I still have the rest of my three-year term, Kennedy said. I love our libraries. All of our library board members do. Kennedy was one of three people to write a letter opposing the bill. Tom Warren, Mayor Jean Stotherts chief of staff, was the only person who testified against McKinneys bill on Monday. Converting the Omaha Public Library Board to an elected board would undermine the authority of the mayor and politicize these voluntary appointments, Warren said. McKinney disagreed. I dont think this would undermine the authority of the mayor or her leadership, he said. I just think it would more so lend a voice for the people of Omaha. 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 underdog is a good position for Channing Tatum. Despite being one of the most beloved himbos of Hollywood, thanks to his affable screen presence, up-for-anything attitude, and obviously, his good looks, it still feels like we, as a population, underestimate Tatum a bit, especially as he makes his directorial debut with Dog. Advertisement Tatum shares the directors chair with frequent producing partner and Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL writer Reid Carolin, who is also making his directorial debut. Carolin penned the script with Brett Rodriguez, about a former Army Ranger, Jackson Briggs (Tatum), who is tasked with delivering another veteran to the funeral of an Army buddy who has died in a car accident. The vet in question happens to be Lulu, a Purple Heart-decorated combat dog, a Belgian Malinois whose handler was Jacksons pal Riley. Like Jackson, shes riddled with bullet scars, emotional triggers and the residual effects of war trauma, and shes no longer a useful asset to the Army. Jackson agrees to drive dog (as he refers to her) from Washington to Arizona in hopes of receiving a recommendation for a private security contractor gig, despite the lingering effects of a traumatic brain injury. Tatum, Carolin and Rodriguez have been collaborating, and grappling with the effects of war, since Kimberly Peirces 2008 film Stop-Loss, in which Tatum co-starred, while Reid produced and Rodriguez served as a military consultant. The trio also produced the 2017 HBO documentary War Dog: A Soldiers Best Friend, and so Dog feels like a natural culmination for this creative partnership. The amount of time that this project has been marinating, plus the informed understanding of PTSD, brain injuries and the role of the combat dog make for a film that effortlessly conveys these complex issues. Advertisement This image released by MGM shows Channing Tatum in a scene from "Dog." (Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures via AP) (Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures via AP/AP) Its a more serious register for the filmmakers than the effervescent celebration of beefcake that is say, Magic Mike XXL, but the fact of the matter is that as filmmakers Tatum and Carolin know what the people want, too, and place Jackson in all manner of ridiculous situations along the way to capitalize on Tatums natural charisma (and abs). We want to see Tatum navigate a potential sexual encounter with two tantric healing practitioners (Emmy Raver-Lampman and Nicole LaLiberte) in Portland, bond with a pot-farming couple (Kevin Nash and Jane Adams) against all odds, and tangle with a San Francisco cop (Bill Burr) after attempting to scam a free hotel room. We also want to see Tatum emoting in a sopping wet T-shirt, and the filmmakers happily deliver that too. The road-trip high jinks add a level of absurdity to the proceedings that keep Dog from ever getting too heavy or maudlin. Typically, movies about dogs are unrelentingly cloying tear-jerkers, but Tatum and Reid resist sentimentality, resulting in a film thats refreshingly frank and surprising when the emotional moments do hit (and do they ever). Newton Thomas Sigels cinematography has a propulsive flow, lingering over the natural beauty along the way: a snowy Montana landscape or Big Sur sunset. Editor Leslie Jones keeps the pace moving at an easy clip, and the film is incredibly watchable thanks to the craft on display. While some storylines could have used more care and attention, Reid and Tatums directorial instincts bring a fresh approach to this type of film. Its a pleasure to say that this is one good Dog. Dog 2.5 stars (out of 4) MPAA rating: PG-13 (for language, thematic elements, drug content and some suggestive material) Running time: 1:41 Where to watch: In theaters Friday What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. Sign up for our Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here. A Grand Island man has been arrested in connection with a homicide that occurred in that city earlier this week. Donald Anthony, 34, was arrested by the Nebraska State Patrol after a standoff in St. Paul. Anthony is accused in the fatal stabbing of Said Abdullahi Farah, 30, also of Grand Island. He was booked on suspicion of first-degree murder, use of a weapon during the commission of a felony and possession of a weapon by a prohibited person. Farah was found dead in the hallway of an apartment complex about 6 a.m. Tuesday, according to Grand Island police. He had a puncture wound to his neck. Police had been called to the apartments to investigate a report of an injured person. The connection between the two was not disclosed, but investigators have said they didnt think the attack was random. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. LINCOLN Nebraskans could make about twice as much money before hitting the top income tax bracket under a bill presented to the Legislatures Revenue Committee on Thursday. Legislative Bill 1180 was heard as debate continued over a plan to leave individual and corporate income tax brackets unchanged while cutting the top tax rate for both. Lawmakers are not expected to vote on the rate-cutting plan, LB 939, until next week. State Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte introduced the bill to change income tax brackets. He said the proposal would target tax relief toward middle-income Nebraskans in a bid to attract more workers to the state. I believe our tax brackets punish the middle class, he said. They pay the same rate as the richest individuals in our state. Groenes plan would leave individual tax rates untouched but would move the line at which people start paying the 6.84% top rate. Groene noted that his bill would give a bigger break to married couples than singles but said he would be willing to negotiate on the numbers. Currently, single filers pay the top rate on any income over $40,676, after personal exemptions and standard deductions are accounted for. Under LB 1180, they would pay the top rate on income of $67,496 or more. Married filers now pay the top rate on any income over $81,352. That line would move to $164,992 or more under the bill. Bryan Slone, president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, backed the proposal as part of an effort to make Nebraska more competitive with neighboring states and to attract young people to fill jobs. On the other side was Tiffany Friesen Milone, editorial director for the OpenSky Policy Institute, a Lincoln-based think tank. She raised concerns that the bulk of the tax benefit would go to higher-income Nebraskans and that the loss of revenue could put the state in a difficult financial position if the economy slows down. State revenue officials estimated that Groenes bill would reduce revenues by $369 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, which would include refunds for the first half of 2022. The reduction would be $276.7 million in the following year. Earlier in the day, Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Bennington had questioned the fiscal impact of LB 939, the proposal to ratchet down the top income tax rate a proposal introduced by Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, the Revenue Committee chairwoman. While LB 939 would not cut revenues as much as Groenes bill initially, it would have a more substantial effect when fully implemented. In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, it would mean nearly $400 million less for state coffers, according to revenue officials. Where does this money come from? DeBoer asked, noting that the total would be more than the state spends on corrections or courts. Linehan responded that the money would come from economic growth in the state. She pointed out that state revenues grew by an average of more than 5% over the last four years. In the last year, revenues increased by 14.6%, in part because the tax filing deadline for the previous year was moved to July and because of the influx of federal COVID relief dollars. Based on current forecasts, revenues are projected to grow another 2.9% for the current fiscal year and 3.2% for next year. The states official forecasting board is expected to increase its revenue projections at a meeting later this month. Sen. John Stinner of Gering said Thursday that he expects there will be a way to accommodate the states budget needs and some amount of tax cuts based on the new forecast. 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. Lawmakers on the Legislatures Natural Resources Committee held a rare closed-door executive session Thursday to discuss legal issues related to Gov. Pete Ricketts proposal to build a canal and reservoir system that would divert water from the South Platte River in Colorado for use in Nebraska. The committee is considering Legislative Bill 1015, which would give the Department of Natural Resources the authority to build and maintain such a system, which is allowed under a nearly 100-year-old compact. The committee didnt vote Thursday on whether to advance the bill. Based on comments from two participants, it is unclear if the discussion needed to take place behind closed doors. Executive sessions are open to the press with rare exceptions. When State Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard, Natural Resources chair, moved to close the meeting Thursday, he cited rare and extraordinary circumstances to discuss potential litigation issues. All six legislators present Bostelman and Sens. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island, John Cavanaugh of Omaha, Dan Hughes of Venango, Mike Moser of Columbus and Justin Wayne of Omaha voted in favor of closing the session. Sens. Tim Gragert of Creighton and Mike Groene of North Platte were absent. After the session was over, Wayne told The World-Herald hed never vote to close an executive session again, in Natural Resources or otherwise. He declined to elaborate. The closed session included Natural Resources Director Tom Riley, Assistant Director Jesse Bradley and Justin Lavene with the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office. Riley declined to share any details about the session afterward. Printed materials from the meeting obtained by The World-Herald include fact sheets on the project that had previously been presented to senators at a public hearing, a presentation from the Platte Valley Water Partnership in Colorado, a Bureau of Reclamation report from the early 1980s that was used to come up with the states cost estimate, and a commissioned analysis of the economic benefits of protecting the South Platte water supply. The Appropriations Committee had planned to host Riley and lawyers from the Attorney Generals Office for a briefing Wednesday, but that was canceled after Appropriations Committee chair Sen. John Stinner declined to close the meeting to the press and public. First of all, I think most of my members would not have voted to close it, thats probably number one, Stinner said. But number two is, everybody thinks we ought to have transparency this is a big deal. And I think it needs to have a fairly good, robust discussion thats open to the public. Suzanne Gage, spokesperson for the Attorney Generals Office, said it was necessary that the office cancel in that case. Historically, when the Attorney Generals Office meets with a Legislative Committee on matters involving interstate water compacts, we have met in closed session because the discussions involve pending or imminent litigation associated with these compacts, Gage said in an email. When the Attorney Generals Office learned for the first time late Tuesday afternoon that the Appropriations Committee had opened up the Wednesday meeting to the media, it was necessary for us to cancel. Stinner said the office didnt want to divulge its legal strategy, but he argued that his committee wouldnt have asked those questions. Even if they did ask them, officials couldve declined to answer them. We will continue to try and educate all members of the Legislature regarding the South Platte Compact and the importance it has with regard to protecting Nebraskas entitlement to water on the South Platte, Gage said. After Thursdays Natural Resources session, Cavanaugh said he didnt think closing the meeting was necessary. Participants mightve been less candid had it not been closed, he said, but he didnt think anything shared required a lack of candor in public or private. He said theres broad recognition that protecting the states interests in water is important, and that the department has done a decent job explaining Colorados efforts to secure more water on the South Platte. The question is whether taking this action would achieve the stated objective, he said. And I am still skeptical on that. The project, aimed at preserving flows on the South Platte River under a 1923 compact, has garnered support from agriculture groups, natural resources districts, the Nebraska Public Power District and others. It has also triggered a flood of questions. The compact currently ensures Nebraska 120 cubic feet per second between April 1 and Oct. 15. The canal would allow the state to claim up to 500 cfs of water for irrigation outside that growing season. Riley, Ricketts and others have pitched the project as key to protecting Nebraskas water resources and, ultimately, its economy and way of life as the population on Colorados Front Range grows. Riley has said the economic impact of losing just a portion of the water would be over $1 billion. He has estimated that construction on the project could start as soon as 2025 and that the state could be using the canal within a decade. Colorado officials have pushed back on Nebraska officials underlying logic for the canal proposal. In a statement Thursday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis press secretary said the governor would continue to aggressively defend our water rights for the Eastern Plains, our farmers and ranchers, and all of Colorado. Colorado will fight for our interests, uphold our obligations in good faith, and oppose attempts to divert Colorados rightful precious water resources, Press Secretary Conor Cahill said, echoing remarks reported by Nebraska Public Media earlier this week. This canal to nowhere would clearly be a huge waste of Nebraska taxpayer money and is unlikely to ever be built. There remains time for thoughtful Nebraskans to avoid this boondoggle and focus on meaningful water policy working with partners like Colorado, and Governor Polis is always ready to engage with anyone to better plan the future. Meanwhile, water law experts who teach at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have pointed out that its uncertain how much water Nebraska could actually get out of such a canal. The same experts who spoke with The World-Herald about the proposal last month briefed lawmakers on the Appropriations Committee earlier this week, according to Nebraska Public Media. Riley previously told The World-Herald that the first step for the project is securing funding LB 1015, the bill currently under consideration in the Natural Resources Committee, doesnt include a means of paying for the costly project. Those sources appear in separate bills. Ricketts proposed budget includes a $400 million transfer from the states Cash Reserve Fund, along with $100 million in COVID-19 relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, to pay for the project. But Stinner said the committee has decided not to include any funding for the canal project in the preliminary budget package its working on. He said he supports studying the idea, but not tying up $500 million in state money during a lengthy permit process. He said he could support putting $2 million or $3 million toward costs such as a feasibility study and design. The idea of taking half a billion dollars off the table thats where I draw the line, Stinner 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. WASHINGTON The Ukrainian parliament thundered with applause as Joe Biden stepped into the wood-paneled chamber a little more than six years ago. Five hundred miles to the south and east, Russian troops and separatists were occupying parts of the country, and President Barack Obama had dispatched his vice president in a show of solidarity with the besieged nation. His voice rising, Biden declared that Ukraine could demonstrate that aggressors cant use coercion, bribery, sending tanks and men across a border to extinguish the dreams and hopes of a people. Advertisement For if you succeed Biden rapped his fist on the podium that message is sent around the world. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden addresses the Ukraine Parliament in Kyiv, Ukraine, Dec. 8, 2015. The Ukrainian parliament thundered with applause as Joe Biden stepped into the wood-paneled chamber a little more than six years ago. (Sergei Chuzavkov/AP) Ukraines government was unable to retake the land it lost, and now the world waits to see what message will be sent as Russia readies what might be another, more expansive invasion that could end the nations short history as an independent republic. Advertisement Such an attack would be the most difficult test yet for a president who has made the defense of democracy a cornerstone of his administration. If Bidens threats of sanctions, shipments of weapons and intelligence operations are not enough to deter war, his next challenge will be holding together a fractious international coalition to punish Russia both economically and diplomatically. Biden planned to speak Friday with allies on both sides of the Atlantic as Western officials estimate that Moscow has between 169,000 and 190,000 troops in and around Ukraine. Until recently, the U.S. presidents long political career has paralleled democracys expansion across Europe. Unlike Russian President Vladimir Putin, a former intelligence officer who views the collapse of the Soviet Union as a cascade of indignities, Biden cheered the so-called color revolutions that swept through former Soviet republics and supported the eastward expansion of NATO. Daniel Fried, a longtime U.S. diplomat in the region, said Biden is someone with a belief in the free world without ironic tones. Its not put on, he said. Its real. Now, decades of progress could be rolled back in dramatic fashion in a country where Biden invested years of work to hold the line against Russian aggression. He represents an older generation of American politicians who grew up in the Cold War and for whom the trans-Atlantic community is the center of gravity, said Charles Kupchan, who served on Obamas National Security Council and traveled with Biden when he spoke to the Ukrainian parliament. Although Biden has tried to focus his foreign policy on countering Chinas expanding influence, a peaceful and democratic Europe remains central to his worldview. Advertisement All of that effort to deal with the rise of China has to be anchored on a group of likeminded liberal democracies, said Kupchan, now a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Thats why hes gone out of his way to build a united front. Although Biden spent decades engaged on foreign affairs as a senator, his focus on Ukraine sharpened as Obamas vice president. Todays crisis began when the countrys Russia-aligned leader rejected an agreement that would have strengthened ties with the European Union, angering a populace that saw a better future looking west than east. A subsequent uprising known as the Revolution of Dignity toppled Ukraines government in 2014, rattling Putin. He responded by seizing Crimea, a peninsula that juts into the Black Sea, and backing separatists in the Donbas, a region along Ukraines eastern edge. Everyone was caught totally off guard, said Max Bergmann, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress who was serving in the U.S. State Department at the time. A stalemate eventually took hold. Russian forces and separatists remained in control of parts of Ukraine, while a democratic government based in Kyiv, the capital, tried to carry on. Advertisement Biden traveled to Ukraine six times as vice president, and his work in the country is one of the major storylines of his 2017 memoir, Promise Me, Dad. He wrote that some warned him the situation would damage him politically because it was bound to be a defeat for the West, but he didnt much care. ( It eventually caused headaches in a different way during the 2020 campaign, when President Donald Trump bludgeoned Biden with unproven allegations of corruption because his son, Hunter, served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company at the same time.) Before his 2015 speech to the Ukrainian parliament, known as the Rada, Biden spent weeks developing his remarks and kept tweaking the text as he flew to the country. He described the government as struggling with twin threats of internal corruption and Russian aggression. Ukraine was at the crossroads of history, Biden wrote, and he wanted to remind the men and women sitting in the Rada that they were on the cusp of something extraordinary and like all the most worthwhile things in life extraordinarily fragile. A tactile politician who believes in the power of his personal relationships, Biden described feeling a connection with his audience. Advertisement One thing I know from working with politicians and national leaders across the world is that they are a lot more like me than unlike me, he wrote. In his last mention of the country in his memoir, Biden wrote that its future remained uncertain It might take a generation or more to know if the Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine had truly succeeded. Putin is trying to ensure that it does not. Hes spent months ratcheting up the pressure on Ukraine, and U.S. officials accuse him of planning false flag operations to create a pretense for an invasion. Timothy Naftali, a historian at New York University who has studied the Soviet Union, said the Russian president is using the same playbook as his Cold War predecessors. You had a series of Soviet leaders who would try to get their way by scaring us, he said. Biden has declined to commit American troops to defend Ukraine, which would raise the possibility of war between the U.S. and Russia, two nuclear-armed powers. Advertisement But hes moved additional forces into Eastern Europe, warning Putin that he would defend every inch of NATO territory, and hes pumped more American-made weapons into Ukraine, which is not a NATO member. U.S. analysts and former officials praise Biden for rallying European nations to oppose any Russian attack, a difficult task when countries have varying political and economic interests. This is what it looks like when its working, said Fried, a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council whose decades-long career in the Foreign Service included a stint as the U.S. ambassador to Poland. The French always have a different style. The Germans are always agonizing. Trans-Atlantic unity has been a priority for Biden since taking office, and Fried said solid relationships would make sanctions on Russia more damaging, If Putin is determined to start a war, he will start a war, Fried said. But if he does, our job is to make sure it ends badly for his regime. Fiona Hill, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who served as senior director for European and Russian affairs on Trumps National Security Council, said an invasion could have ripple effects around the world. Advertisement This is not just about Ukraine, its about a precedent that is set globally, she said. Thats something Biden is anxious to avoid as he watches democracy face threats at home and abroad. He frequently warns that autocrats like Putin, who has claimed that the liberal idea has started eating itself, want to demonstrate that representative governments cant function in the current era. During a December virtual Summit on Democracy, Biden called such threats the defining challenge of our time. By that point, Russia already had tens of thousands of troops on the border with Ukraine. ___ AP s Tracy Brown contributed to this report. Saunders County authorities tired of copper wiring thieves damaging center pivot irrigation systems are hoping cash rewards of up to $1,500 will lead to arrests. Kevin Stukenholtz, the Saunders County sheriff, said Thursday that Crime Stoppers and a number of area farmers are stepping up to offer money for information about the recent thefts. Several farmers near Yutan have reported their irrigation systems have been damaged by thieves, but Stukenholtz said the problem is countywide. Its very frustrating, because some farmers have been victimized more than once, Stukenholtz said. Were just hopeful that some of these (thieves) have associates who may be inclined to give us some leads for cash rewards. The FBI has said that copper thieves threaten critical U.S. infrastructure by targeting electrical substations, cellular phone towers, telephone land lines, railroads, water wells, construction sites and vacant homes. The theft of copper from these targets disrupts the flow of electricity, telecommunications, transportation, water supplies, heating and emergency services. Stukenholtz said copper thieves typically are drug users. Scrap dealers who dont question where the material comes from are another part of the problem, Stukenholtz said. Normally, we find that theres drug use involved, and some of these people are very difficult to catch, Stukenholtz said. They are causing thousands of dollars worth of damage for a couple hundred dollars of copper. We would hope that scrap dealers see these people who dont appear to have a job and question where the copper comes from. Recently, an increase in the theft of copper wiring used for streetlights along Interstate 80 exit ramps in Omaha became cause for concern among city officials. The cost of the work to replace the missing miles of cables will total more than $170,000. Anyone with information about the Saunders County thefts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 402-443-8181 or go to saunderscountycrimestoppers.com and click on Webtips. In Omaha, anyone with information about copper thefts is urged to contact Omaha Crime Stoppers at 402-444-STOP. 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 a society, we expect much of convicted felons. We expect them to suffer the consequences of their crimes in whatever form of punishment is handed down by the courts. We expect them to reflect and atone for their crimes, not only to their victims, but to society as a whole. We expect them to feel their loss of freedoms. When their time of incarceration is completed, we expect them to emerge from prison rehabilitated. We expect them to become better members of society than we perceive they were before their crimes. Sometimes, those expectations can be too high and difficult to achieve. Especially when one takes into account the burdens that ex-felons continue to carry once they are released from the prison system, such as parole restrictions, restitution, and societal prejudices that may hinder their progression to a better life. One of the simplest ways to reintegrate someone back into society is the restoration of the rights they lose upon incarceration. Among those most sacred is the right to vote, a right guaranteed to American citizens by the U.S. Constitution. It is a right as important as any outlined in the document that the foundation of our society rests upon. As of now, the State of Nebraska requires a two-year post-incarceration waiting period for ex-felons before they can legally cast a ballot in an election. In January 2021, Sen. Justin Wayne introduced a bill that would restore voting rights to ex-felons immediately after they have completed their prison sentences eliminating that two-year waiting period. The bill, LB 158, carried over to the current session and is now in the first stage for legislative consideration. Wayne has been working to get this type of legislation passed for several years. In 2020, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed an executive order that restored voting rights to ex-felons, but only once they had completed probation, parole or special sentences. Within a year, 5,000 Iowans who had had their registrations canceled because of previous felony convictions re-registered to vote. This month, the Iowa House restarted to process of amending the states constitution to restore ex-felon voting rights, which, if passed, will make it less likely to be reversed in a political maneuver later. In his argument for change, Wayne has referred to studies that show that allowing former inmates to participate in the civic life of their communities helps them more quickly reintegrate into society and cuts down on recidivism. Past proponents of the two-year requirement have argued that the waiting period encourages ex-felons to become productive members of society. This thinking makes restoration of their voting rights the equivalent of getting a treat for good behavior. But how much extra time should come with Dont do the crime if you cant do the time? After all, isnt part of rehabilitation about making better choices? Participating in an election and being involved as a voter is all about making choices. Sometimes, society does need to set extra post-incarceration requirements, such as a sex offender registry to protect the community from potential danger. But keeping former inmates from participating in democracy isnt a necessary protection for the rest of us. Nor is it right. Someone who has been convicted of a felony and who has served their incarceration time should lawfully be allowed to reintegrate into society. As part of that reintegration, they should be allowed to take part in the civic duties, normal responsibilities and obligations of citizenship without an additional waiting period. Being able to vote should not be a chip in the poker game of politics. It is not a privilege that one must earn. It is a right that should not be subjected to unnecessary benchmarks. Its time to get rid of the two-year waiting period and allow ex-felons their immediate place at the polls. NORMAL Illinois State University buildings, grounds and dining employees will speak out on wages and contract negotiations Friday morning during the school's Board of Trustees meeting. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees represents more than 300 campus employees in Local 1110, according to a news release Thursday afternoon from the organization. The release said eight months have passed since ISU's contract with AFSCME Local 110 expired, and ISU "administrators are still dragging their feet at the bargaining table." "Employees want fair pay that reflects the essential work they do every day to support students and faculty and make the university happen," the release continued. The Board of Trustees meeting is at 9 a.m. Friday in the Bone Student Center, 100 N. University St., Normal. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BLOOMINGTON The McLean County Museum of History will offer free admission in observance of Presidents Day on Monday, Feb. 21. The museum will have self-guided, voting-inspired, family-friendly activities throughout the day. The museum also has records of all the presidents who have passed through McLean County or have called Illinois home in the Stevens-Ives Research Library on the second floor. This is a developing story that will be updated. EL PASO No injuries were reported Thursday after troopers responded to a massive crash scene on southbound Interstate 39 near El Paso in whiteout conditions. Illinois State Police District 8 in a statement said around 100 vehicles were involved around 3:13 p.m. Thursday in a large collision at milepost 9, just south of El Paso. A preliminary investigation by ISP indicates 19 commercial motor vehicles and nine passenger vehicles were involved in the property damage crash, while numerous other vehicles slid off the road in the area but were not damaged. Several of the commercial vehicles' loads spilled on and around the roadways, but no injuries were reported, according to ISP. One ISP squad car was also struck, without injuries. By 6:35 p.m., ISP troopers, with help from local law enforcement, had safely escorted all affected motorists to warming centers. As of 10 p.m. Thursday, 12 tow trucks were assisting with roadway cleanup, which was expected to last throughout the night. All lanes of I-39, from milepost 5 to milepost 22, remain closed, and will likely be closed well into Friday, ISP said. Interstate 74 eastbound near Champaign was completely blocked for a while after a crash involving several semitrailer trucks, police said. The eastbound interstate at milepost 164 reopened at about 5:15 p.m. A portion of Interstate 57 north of Champaign also was closed. Wrecks were also reported in New Berlin. Numerous crashes and whiteout conditions are making travel extremely dangerous if not impossible, Master Sgt. Matt McCormick said. The National Weather Service in a statement said heavy snow is expected until 7 p.m. "Gusty winds and heavy snow have led to significantly reduced visibility and dangerous travel conditions. If you must travel, take it slow!" the National Weather Service said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 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. SPRINGFIELD An appeal by Gov. J.B. Pritzker's administration of a lower court ruling that essentially gutted the state's K-12 school mask mandate was dismissed as "moot" by a three-judge appellate court panel early Friday. The ruling from the Illinois Fourth District Appellate Court allows a temporary restraining order to remain in place against nearly 150 school districts preventing them from enforcing the state's mask mandate. And more broadly, it deals another blow to one of the key mitigation efforts the Pritzker Administration has deployed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in schools and thus keep them open to in-person learning. A Pritzker spokeswoman said that the governor was "disappointed" by the appellate court ruling and would work with Attorney General Kwame Raoul "to request an expedited review of this decision from the Supreme Court." "In the meantime, the Governor urges everyone to continue following the doctors' advice to wear masks so students can remain safely learning in classrooms, and is encouraged that the court made it clear that school districts can continue to keep their own mitigations in place," said Pritzker press secretary Jordan Abudayyeh. The appellate court found that the TRO "in no way restrains school districts from acting independently" of Pritzker's executive orders or the Illinois Department of Public Health in enacting COVID-19 mitigations. But it rendered the appeal "moot" because the IDPH emergency rule voided by the TRO is no longer in effect. That's because state lawmakers on a panel that oversees administrative rules voted Tuesday to block the renewal of IDPH's emergency rule that essentially allowed the agency to carry out Pritzker's executive order mandating masks in schools. "The emergency rules were immediately promulgated and were presumably necessary. As such, the expiration of the rules renders defendants arguments moot. Accordingly, this appeal is dismissed as moot," Justice John Turner wrote in the six-page ruling. Pritzker has claimed that the mask mandate is still in effect for schools not named in the lawsuit, citing the power of his executive order. But Sangamon County Judge Raylene Grischow's initial ruling earlier this month and the decision by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules to block the renewal of the emergency rule have created confusion, something Pritzker acknowledged Wednesday at an unrelated press conference. The executive order requiring masks is still in place," he said. "School districts that aren't part of the lawsuit should follow the executive order. Raoul said Friday that the appellate court ruling "has added to the confusion resulting from the circuit courts decision," but that the suspension of the IDPH rule does not impact Pritzker's executive order mandating masks in schools for those not named in the lawsuit. However, it was not clear if or how the state would enforce the executive order. Several Illinois school districts hundreds, by some counts not named in the lawsuit have subsequently announced plans to go "mask-optional" in recent weeks. Among the latest to make the switch is Decatur Public Schools, which announced Friday that masks would be recommended but, as of Tuesday, no longer required for students, parents and visitors on school grounds. At the same time, some school districts, most notably Chicago Public Schools, have doubled down on mask mandates. In that case and some others, mask mitigation measures, including mask mandates, have been collectively-bargained, which means they are enforceable in spite of any court rulings. Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin said they "appreciate the clarity" of the ruling in that it does not exclude school districts from imposing mask mandates independent of the state. As the weather gets warmer and as hospitalizations continue to decline, we are hopeful that school districts will adhere to their duty to bargain in good faith with local associations over health and safety issues, including mitigation efforts, and remind all that any existing collective bargaining agreements or memoranda of understanding around these issues remain intact," Griffin said. Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery agreed. "Since the beginning of this pandemic, we have insisted that proper mitigations are in place to protect students, teachers and staff, and their families," he said. "This was to reduce sickness and death and to keep schools open for in-person learning as much as possible. Todays appellate court ruling does nothing to change that calculus." But it met near-immediate resistance, with more than 50 school districts across the state being placed on probation by the Illinois State Board of Education in late August for defying the mandate. Most eventually came into compliance. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of parents in 146 school districts in Macoupin County in mid-October last year. It was later moved to Grischow's courtroom in Sangamon County. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 New data from the COVID-19 Business Tracker survey results has revealed that businesses in Ghana are continuing a recovery from the shocks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The third Wave data show varied levels of improvements across sectors in multiple channels such as sales, access to inputs, finance, cash flow among others, compared to the 2020 second round data (Wave II). The key findings from the third round (Wave III) data released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank, also show a considerable decline in the rate of reduction in hours worked, wage reduction and leave without pay over the three data collection periods in 2020-2021 (Waves I-III). Across business establishments, 1.0 percent of the workforce were laid off in Wave III compared to 1.3 percent in Wave I. The findings from the third Wave of the COVID-19 Business Tracker indicate that the government stimulus impacted positively on firms sales with an increase of 11.5 percent. This positive effect was evident among small businesses as their sales increased by 22 percent, noted Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim, the Government Statistician. The Wave III Business Tracker also show rising use of mobile money among firms for sales. Data compared to Waves I and II, reveal almost 7 out of 10 firms are now using mobile money to do business, with mobile money usage increasing from 35.7% and 53.4% (Waves I and II respectively), to 69.6% (Wave III). Similarly, more businesses are adopting the use of internet for sales. We need to reimagine development in the digital age. It is encouraging to see more firms embracing digitalization to improve business. UNDP remains committed to supporting Governments digital agenda and recovery efforts to accelerate the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), stated Angela Lusigi, UNDP Resident Representative in Ghana. Moreover, the Wave III data also show an increase in reopening of previously fully closed firms. Out of the over 30,000 firms that were previously closed in the Wave II results, about half are fully opened (15,179) in Wave 3. But close to half (14,162) are still closed, suggesting more supports to help all businesses fully bounce back. The top three policies support the firms desired to become resilient are loans with subsidized interest, cash transfer and access to new credit. The improvement recorded over the periods is remarkable, but we also need to pay attention to the policy support required by firms. The World Bank will continue to support the Government of Ghana in its efforts towards the countrys economic recovery, noted Pierre Laporte, World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra. The COVID-19 Business Tracker is a collaboration between the Ghana Statistical Service, UNDP, and the World Bank, which aims at providing critical information to help the Government of Ghana, development partners and other organizations monitor the effects of COVID-19 on businesses. The overall objective of the survey is to track the socioeconomic impacts, measures to mitigate the impacts, and efforts to build better recovery for the people of Ghana. Source: Graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The European Union will offer several packages of support at the summit to bolster health, education and stability in Africa, and will pledge half of a new 300 billion euro ($340.9 billion) investment drive launched to rival China's Belt and Road Initiative. But the meeting also takes place just as France and its allies fighting Islamist militants in Mali said on Thursday they would begin their military withdrawal from the country. European and other wealthy nations were heavily criticised for hoarding protective equipment and later vaccines during the pandemic, with some African leaders saying the slow pace of donations could lead to "vaccine apartheid". By the start of February, only 11% of Africans were fully vaccinated against the coronavirus - far fewer than in richer parts of the world. Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio challenged Europeans to remember there are "human beings on the other side" in Africa who have been left behind in the unequal global response to COVID-19, adding this has security implications. There was also dismay over Europe's travel bans on South Africa after the Omicron variant was detected there late last year. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said he and other African leaders would raise the issue of intellectual property rights for COVID vaccines and treatments. Many developing countries want these rights waived, but face opposition from rich nations, including many in the EU. Avoiding thorny issues Tensions run deeper on other issues between two continents with colonial ties, including over migration flows and the erosion of democracy in several African countries, some of which have recently seen coups d'etat including Mali. Frank Mattheis, an expert in regional studies at the United Nations University, said the summit would seek to highlight areas where cooperation is promising and avoid thorny issues. The European Commission announced this week that the EU and the Gates Foundation would invest more than 100 million euros in the next five years to help set up an African medicines regulator to boost the continent's drugs and vaccine production. The race to establish the African Medicines Agency (AMA) comes after the pandemic exposed the region's dependence on imported vaccines. Just over 5% of medicines and 1% of vaccines consumed by Africa's population of 1.2 billion people are produced locally. The EU says it will provide support to help Africa produce 60% of the vaccines it needs by 2040. Part of the funding for the AMA will come from 150 billion euros to be mobilised for Africa over the next seven years under the EU's Global Gateway scheme. Separately, the European Investment Bank announced on Thursday it would make available 500 million euros in cheap loans to African countries to strengthen healthcare systems. That credit line is expected to mobilise a total of 1 billion euros in private and public investments, the bank said. W. Gyude Moore, a senior policy analyst at the Center for Global Development, welcomed the investment pledge and said he hoped it would start a partnership of true equals. "But there is a long history of unfulfilled promises like this when it comes to the EU and Africa, so the African Union, while cautiously optimistic, will remain sceptical until this pledge is converted into projects on the ground. Source: France 24 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 Russia expels U.S. deputy chief of mission in retaliation Xinhua) 07:45, February 18, 2022 The U.S. flag waves in the wind at the U.S. embassy in Moscow, Russia, on April 16, 2021. (Xinhua/Evgeny Sinitsyn) Gorman was ordered to leave in response to the "unjustified" expulsion of the minister-counsellor of the Russian Embassy in Washington. MOSCOW, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Bart Gorman, the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, has been expelled from Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Thursday. Gorman was ordered to leave in response to the "unjustified" expulsion of the minister-counsellor of the Russian Embassy in Washington, the ministry's spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a statement, following media reports earlier in the day. The U.S. Department of State "defiantly" ignored Moscow's request to extend the Russian diplomat's stay at least until the arrival of his successor, she noted. The minister-counsellor's forced departure without a replacement aggravated the already critical shortage of personnel in the Russian diplomatic mission amid a "visa war" initiated by the Americans, Zakharova stressed. She recalled that the United States has demanded the departure of 55 Russian diplomats as well as administrative and technical employees in two stages -- by Jan. 30 and by June 30 this year. "In the understanding of the U.S. administration, the normalization of bilateral relations is a one-way street, where only American interests are ensured and everything else is ignored," Zakharova said. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) KYIV, Ukraine Spiking tensions in eastern Ukraine on Friday aggravated Western fears of a Russian invasion and a new war in Europe, with a humanitarian convoy hit by shelling and pro-Russian rebels evacuating civilians from the conflict zone. A car bombing hit the eastern city of Donetsk, but no casualties were reported. The Kremlin declared massive nuclear drills to flex its military muscle, and President Vladimir Putin pledged to protect Russias national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats. U.S. and European leaders, meanwhile, grasped for ways to keep the peace and Europes post-Cold War security order. Advertisement While Putin held out the possibility of diplomacy, a cascade of developments this week have have further exacerbated East-West tensions and fueled war worries. This weeks actions have fed those concerns: U.S. and European officials, focused on an estimated 150,000 Russian troops posted around Ukraines borders, warn the long-simmering separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine could provide the spark for a broader attack. Vice President Kamala Harris said the U.S. still hopes Russia will de-escalate but is ready to hit it with tough sanctions in case of an attack. U.S. leaders this week issued their most dire warnings yet that Moscow could order an invasion of Ukraine any day. Advertisement We remain, of course, open to and desirous of diplomacy ... but we are also committed, if Russia takes aggressive action, to ensure there will be severe consequence, Harris said at the annual Munich Security Conference. While Russia snubbed this years conference, lines of communication remain open: The U.S. and Russian defense chiefs spoke Friday, and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called for de-escalation, the return of Russian forces surrounding Ukraine to their home bases, and a diplomatic resolution, according to the Pentagon. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov agreed to meet next week. Immediate worries focused on eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have been fighting pro-Russia rebels since 2014 in a conflict that has killed some 14,000 people. In this photo taken from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Feb. 18, 2022, a cannon mounted on a Russian warship fires during a naval exercise in the Black Sea. (AP) A bombing struck a car outside the main government building in the major eastern city of Donetsk, according to an Associated Press journalist there. The head of the separatists forces, Denis Sinenkov, said the car was his, the Interfax news agency reported. There were no reports of casualties and no independent confirmation of the circumstances of the blast. Uniformed men inspected the burned-out car. Broken glass littered the area, Shelling and shooting are common along the line that separates Ukrainian forces and the rebels, but targeted violence is unusual in rebel-held cities like Donetsk. However, the explosion and the announced evacuations were in line with U.S. warnings of so-called false-flag attacks that Russia would use to justify an invasion. Separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions that form Ukraines industrial heartland known as the Donbas said they are evacuating civilians to Russia. The announcement appeared to be part of Moscows efforts to counter Western warnings of a Russian invasion and to paint Ukraine as the aggressor instead. Advertisement Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk rebel government, said women, children and the elderly would go first, and that Russia has prepared facilities for them. Pushilin alleged in a video statement that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was going to order an imminent offensive in the area. Metadata from two videos posted by the separatists announcing the evacuation show that the files were created two days ago, The Associated Press confirmed. U.S. authorities have alleged that Kremlin plans included prerecorded videos as part of a disinformation campaign. Authorities began moving children from an orphanage in Donetsk, and other residents boarded buses for Russia. Long lines formed at gas stations as more people prepared to leave on their own. Putin ordered his emergencies minister to fly to the Rostov region bordering Ukraine to help organize the exodus and ordered the government to offer a payment of 10,000 rubles (about $130) to each evacuee, equivalent to about half of an average monthly salary in the war-ravaged Donbas. Ukraine denied planning any offensive, with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba saying that Ukraine does not conduct or plan any such actions in the Donbas. We are fully committed to diplomatic conflict resolution only, he tweeted. Advertisement Around the volatile line of contact, a UNCHR convoy came under rebel shelling in the Luhansk region, Ukraines military chief said. No casualties were reported. Rebels denied involvement and accused Ukraine of staging a provocation. Separatist authorities reported more shelling by Ukrainian forces along the line. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the situation is potentially very dangerous. A surge of shelling Thursday tore through the walls of a kindergarten, injuring two, and basic communications were disrupted. Both sides accused each other of opening fire. U.S. and European officials have been on high alert for any Russian attempts at a so-called false-flag operation. A Western official familiar with intelligence findings said Ukrainian government officials shared intelligence that suggested the Russians might try to shell the areas in the Luhansk region controlled by separatists, as part of an effort to create a false reason to take military action. The official was not authorized to comment publicly. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the threat to global security is more complex and probably higher than during the Cold War. He told the Munich conference that a small mistake or miscommunication between major powers could have catastrophic consequences. While Russia announced this week it is pulling back forces from vast military exercises that had sparked fears of an invasion, U.S. officials have said they see no sign of a pullback and instead saw more troops moving toward the border with Ukraine. The White House formally accused Russia of being responsible for recent cyberattacks targeting Ukraines defense ministry and major banks. The announcement was the most pointed attribution of responsibility for the cyber intrusions. Advertisement Also Friday, the U.S. government released new estimates of how many military personnel Russia has in and around Ukraine. It said there are between 169,000 and 190,000 personnel, up from about about 100,000 on Jan. 30, according to Michael Carpenter, the permanent U.S. representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The new estimate includes military troops along the border, in Belarus, and in occupied Crimea; Russian National Guard and other internal security units deployed to these areas; and Russian-backed forces in eastern Ukraine. The separatists inside Ukraine, the Russian National Guard and troops in Crimea were not included in the previous U.S. estimate of 150,000. The Kremlin sent a reminder to the world of its nuclear might, announcing drills of its nuclear forces for the weekend. Putin will monitor the sweeping exercise Saturday that will involve multiple practice missile launches. The move overshadowed Russian offers of continued diplomacy to defuse the Ukraine crisis. While the Kremlin insists it has no plans to invade, it has urged the West to keep Ukraine out of NATO and roll back alliance forces from Eastern Europe demands roundly rejected by Western allies. Asked about Western warnings of a possible Russian invasion on Wednesday that didnt materialize, Putin said, There are so many false claims, and constantly reacting to them is more trouble than its worth. Advertisement We are doing what we consider necessary and will keep doing so, he said. We have clear and precise goals conforming to national interests. Putin reaffirmed that Russia was open for dialogue on confidence-building measures with the West on condition that they will be discussed in conjunction with Moscows main security demands. NATO allies are also flexing their might, bolstering military forces around Eastern Europe, but insist the actions are purely defensive and to show unity in the face of Russian threats. The U.S. announced the $6 billion sale of 250 tanks to Poland, a NATO member that has been occupied or attacked by Russia in the past. Biden planned to speak by phone Friday with trans-Atlantic leaders about the crisis and continued efforts at deterrence and diplomacy, and to give a speech about the situation. ___ Advertisement Isachenkov reported from Moscow and Madhani from Munich. Jim Heintz in Moscow, Matthew Lee and Karl Ritter in Munich, Inna Varenytsia in Sieverodonetsk, Ukraine, Mstyslav Chernov in Bakhmut, Ukraine, Jill Lawless in London, Raf Casert in Brussels, Frank Jordans in Berlin, Ellen Knickmeyer and Lolita Baldor in Washington, Vanessa Gera in Warsaw and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed. The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has agreed to call off its strike according to the Ranking Member on the Education Committee in Parliament, Peter Nortsu Kortoe. This comes on the back of a meeting between the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education and UTAG on Thursday, February 17, 2022, to discuss ways to have their grievances resolved. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Peter Nortsu Kortoe, Akatsi North MP said: on our appeal, they have agreed to call off the strike on the condition that government is ready to sit down with them immediately for them to resolve outstanding matters. The minister gave us the assurance that they are going to be committed. Once the Committee has directed, there is no way he as a leader of the government delegation will fail to meet with them even if its 24hours a day; they will meet, he said. The MP who was speaking in an interview on Joy News added that the Committee has asked the Minister of Education to ensure the grievances of UTAG are addressed. As a Committee, we have given them one week after UTAG has called off the strike to conclude negotiations and report back to the Committee. Some of their concerns have been addressed, he stated. The five-week-old strike by UTAG is to demand better conditions of service. 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 Nigeria is seeking to increase its trade volumes and investment in Ghana as the two largest Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) trade regions deepen their relations with a Chief Executive Officers forum. Data provided by ECOWAS indicate that total trade of the region averages $208.1 billion, which Nigeria alone accounts for approximately 76 percent, followed by Ghana with a 9.2 percent. The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) figures also provide that as of 2016, Ghana and Nigeria saw the highest level of trade relations as trade passed $1 billion. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria, in its third-quarter Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics, disclosed that Ghana had become the countrys biggest export destination for the first time after toppling India. Ghana had 17.18 percent of the total export, followed by India, 14.67 percent, Netherlands, 9.82 percent, Spain, 8.60 percent, and the United States of America, 6.28 percent. The country is seeking to further increase trade and investment in Ghana, therefore, the organisation of the two-day CEO forum in Lagos and Abuja, respectively to expose CEOs in Nigeria to opportunities in Ghana. The forum was to provide an avenue for participants to also understand operating laws and compliance requirements in Ghana, address challenges inherent in doing business in the country, and deepen trade and investment ties between the two countries. The forum, first of a kind, engaged about 100 business executives in sectors, including agriculture, Information Technology (IT), music, fashion, and other trade and investment sectors. It was held on Wednesday, February 16 and Thursday, February 17, 2022 by the Ghana Nigeria Business Council (GNBC) and Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) on the theme: Ghana and Nigeria Stronger Together. It was supported by the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Ghana Free Zones Authority, Ghana High Commission to Nigeria and Nigeria-Ghana Business Council. Commenting on the event in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Ms Nadia Takyiwaa-Mensah, Executive Secretary of GNBC, said: The forum will show Nigerians the business opportunities available in Ghana, the GIPC Law and how they can comply with it when setting up business in Ghana. She noted that: The forum is very important to the business environment because it would make businesses invest in Ghana. The economy will boom, and people will have jobs, especially in this time where a lot of tension is going on. Through this forum we will be able to strengthen our relations. 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 Belgium's prime minister has handed over an inventory of tens of thousands of artefacts looted from the former Belgian Congo to his Congolese counterpart. Alexander De Croo gave the catalogue to Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde in a ceremony at the museum where the items are held in Brussels. Mr Sama Lukonde called it a historic moment. Mr De Croo said Belgians should not be afraid to look the colonial past in the face. The Democratic Republic of Congo will be able to lodge requests for restitution of items from the list, which will be examined by an independent group of researchers. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, on Friday commissioned the Parliamentary Press Corps Press Centre. The Facility, which is equipped with computers, would provide a congenial atmosphere for the members of the Parliamentary Press Corps to file their news stories timeously. Mr Bagbin in his address said it was his fervent hope that members of the Parliamentary Press Corps would make optimum use of the facilities in the Press Centre for their utmost benefit; saying, "utilize the computers for timely reportage". He noted that over the years, the press in Parliament had worked tirelessly and creditably to disseminate speedy and accurate information from Parliament as an institution to the public. "It has always been my hope that the Press Corps work under a more conducive atmosphere due to the enormous efforts you put into your work and your critical role as a link between Parliament and the citizenry," he said. He noted that he was persuaded that a good working environment would enhance the Press Corps' professionalism and help them improve upon their effectiveness. "While we as Parliament focus on providing you with the space and logistics that will enhance what you do, I expect that the Public Affairs Department (of Parliament), which we have planned to rechristen, restructure and strengthen soon, working with the various media houses, to ensure that media personnel who are assigned to Parliament have a certain profile of seniority, experience and professionalism." He said there was the need for a match between the calibre of the members of the Press Corps and the facilities placed at their disposal in order for Parliament, the media houses and the citizens to benefit from the work of the Parliament Press Corps. The Speaker said Parliamentary reporting was a highly technical field, which requires a lot of study, knowledge and expertise; adding that reporting from Parliament was best mastered through practice and experience. Mr Bagbin said his personal support to the media in Ghana and the Parliamentary Press Corps in particular was an open book and well known to many people. "I am aware that the executives of the Parliamentary Press Corps, working with the Public Affairs Department, have a way of admitting journalists assigned to Parliament," he said. "I urge the executives to continue to ensure that as much as possible, very qualified and professional journalists with good experience are available to report on proceedings of the House." He urged the editors and gatekeepers in the various media houses to assign very experienced reporters to Parliament and make a conscious effort to keep them here for a considerable amount of time to enable them to learn the ropes so they could produce excellent reports; declaring that "needless to say, this will make the news houses credible sources of information on Parliament". Mr Bagbin urged the Parliamentary Press Corps to look beyond the Chamber in their search for stories from Parliament; saying "There are a lot of human interest stories which do not only make for interesting reading but are also very informative". "I urge you to look for these stories and show Ghanaians that there are very interesting activities undertaken by members and staff of the institution." 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 Governance Lecturer at the Central University, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah has rebuked the journalists and youth of today who have resorted to the use of invectives in addressing national issues or responding to matters relating to the behaviour of the leaders in the country. Recently, the Police Service have turned their security antenna on media practitioners and persons who vituperate entities or other people. An Accra FM's Presenter, Kwabena Bobie Ansah days ago landed himself in trouble after alleging that the First and Second Ladies, Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Samira Bawumia have stolen State lands. He was arrested and charged with offensive conduct. The Police also arrested the leader of the #FixTheCountry demo, Oliver Barker-Vormawor after the latter's comments on social media about plotting a coup and is also charged with treason felony. NPP Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly called 'Abronye DC', was also not spared as the Police apprehended him over his claims that former President John Mahama is involved in a coup plot. He has been charged him with two counts of publication of false news and offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace. Speaking on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah was alarmed by the depravation that has characterized today's generation to the extent that they boldly utter disparaging remarks against people who could pass to be their elders. He wondered how a young person could insult the President with alacrity, and believed ''some children and youth of today have mouth diarrhoea. Some of them have their mouths leaking...The question is how many people will ever get the opportunity to become President in this country?....When you listen to some radio stations and how they are derogating [President] Nana Addo or President Mahama, you ask yourself do these people have elders in their homes?'' He advised the populace to ''watch our tongues. Someone once said freedom of speech I can guarantee but freedom after speech, I may not be, so it's not everything that must come out of your mouth''.He also charged the elderly people in the society to take up the challenge of guiding the youth to become responsible and measured in their utterances. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah, Governance Lecturer at the Central University, has slammed the Peace Council and religious entities over the recent arrests of some persons whose utterances were found to be insulting and defamatory. As part of measures to sanitize the nation, the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare and his officers have been looking out for not just criminals but also media practitioners and persons who make libelous remarks or slander other people. To perhaps set an example to the society, some journalists were arrested by the Police for offensive conduct. A Presenter on Accra FM, Bobie Ansah was on Thursday arrested over his allegations that the First Lady and Second Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Samira Bawumia have acquired some State lands for personal use. He also took to his social media platform to accuse Judges in the country of being corrupt. ''This current judicial system is corrupt and made up of crooks and criminals, led by a corrupt Chief Justice who's struggling to purge himself from a $5m thievery allegations. Facts are sacred," he posted. Other people like the leader of the pressure group #FixTheCountry, Oliver Barker-Vormawor and NPP Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, were also arrested for similar conduct. "If this E-Levy passes . . . I will do the coup myself. Useless Army!", Barker-Vormawor posted on Facebook and has been charged with treason felony. Abronye DC is charged him with two counts of publication of false news and offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace over his claims that former President John Mahama is involved in a coup plot with some Al-Qaeda militants. He was processed for court on Wednesday and granted a Ghc100,000 bail. With all these happening, among the many things that bother Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah is the role of the Peace Council and religious bodies in bringing sanity into the society. Speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Dr. Otchere-Ankrah wondered why these two institutions are silent while people go on insulting spree. ''Peace Council, rise up! Religious bodies, Chief Imam and so forth, rise up!!'', he called on them to wake up. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Samuel Koku Anyidoho, founder and CEO of the Atta-Mills Institute has chastised the Majority Leader in Parliament Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu for being insensitive by displaying an E-Levy cake at his 65th birthday celebration. Speaking on Asaase Radio Thursday (17 February), Anyidoho said: When in the midst of an E-Levy debate, the Majority Leader decides to have a birthday party with an E-Levy cake you must be sensitive to the feelings of the people thats all. So, if somebody pulled a prank, you must stand on that platform and say me, the Majority Leader with all the wahala that is going on in Parliament over E-Levy, I stand before everybody and say no this is a no no, leadership. Once you can level up to the feelings of the people, youve got it. You cant build Rome in a day, maybe you cant even build Rome, but if the people see that there is some measured approach to leadership, they will even vote for you, Anyidoho added. He, however, wants the government to step up education on the controversial E-Levy in order to get a buy in from Ghanaians. Meanwhile, Maxwell Ofosu Boakye, the special aide to the Majority Leader in Parliament, has explained that the E-Levy-designed cake was not the official birthday cake of Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu. Source: asaaseradio.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency, Henry Kwabena Kokofu has slammed Oliver Barker-Vormawor and others whose utterances sound like they yearn for a coup d'etat to happen in Ghana. Oliver Barker-Vormawor, the leader of the #FixTheCountry demo, was arrested by the Police following his comments on social media about plotting a coup. On his Facebook, Mr. Barker-Vormawor posted ''if this E-Levy passes . . . I will do the coup myself. Useless Army!". He has been charged with treason felony. Discussing the issue on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Mr. Kokofu expressed disgust stressing a coup doesn't solve the problems of the citizenry. He reminded Ghanaians of the country's past from the country's First President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah's era when coup d'etats occurred in the nation emphasizing the citizen's living conditions became harder during those times than they are today. He added that Ghana's economy in the worse shape is far better than having a Military takeover. ''Even if NPP, CPP or PPP isn't good, it's not the same as having a Military takeover where there is no law and mercy but we have experience to guide us'', he responded to Mr. Barker-Vormawor's comments. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Kobby Ofori a staunch member of the NPP Manchester Chapter and Aspiring Youth Organiser for the NPP-UK Elections has congratulated the teaming Youth in the UK diaspora for their immense contribution to the development of the NPP and Ghana as a whole. He vibrantly made these remarks at the just ended NPP Manchester @ 10 Anniversary in Manchester Mecure Hotel, in the presence of some remarkable dignitaries like John Boadu -the General Secretary of the NPP, Chairman Alex Dade - Board Chairman for GIPC, His Excellency Paapa Owusu Ankomah - Ghana High Commissioner to UK , Salam Mustapha (Aspiring NPP National Youth Organiser) as a rep from the Vice Presidents Office, NPP- UK Branch Chairman- Kwaku Nkansah, Manchester Chairman- Alex Mensah and Mr Awuah Ababio of Diaspora Affairs Mr Kobby Ofori, an active vibrant youth who aspires to be the next NPP UK BRANCH YOUTH ORGANIZER was also honoured for his immense contributions to the Manchester Chapter over the decade which includes being the Co-founder of Tescon in the United Kingdom and the National Union of Ghanaian Students together with Mr Eric Amofa. According to Mr. Kobby Ofori (Incoming Branch youth Organiser) unity is one ingredient that can sustain the electoral fortunes of the NPP in 2024, he also encouraged the youth in the diaspora not just visit Ghana for fun but to participate fully in national politics and use their skills and talents to support the party and the National Agenda. Mr. John Boadu, the General Secretary of the NPP commended the chapter on their dedication to such a wonderful event and also reiterated how blessed he felt to be a part of this history. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Guemesia ochoai could have looked similar to relatives such as Carnotaurus sastrei (pictured). Credit: Fred Wierum, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons A new dinosaur which formed part of an array of 'unusual' creatures has been discovered in Argentina. The new species, Guemesia ochoai, could be the close relative of the ancestors of an armless group of dinosaurs, which roamed the southern hemisphere over 70 million years ago. A partially complete skull uncovered in Argentina provides new evidence of a unique ecosystem during the Late Cretaceous. Guemesia ochoai was a species of abelisaurid, a clade of carnivores which roamed what is now Africa, South America and India. Dating back around 70 million years, the dinosaur may have been a close relative of the entire group's ancestors. The discovery of Guemesia ochoai's skull offers a valuable insight into an area which has very few abelisaurid fossils, and may go some way to explain why the area gave rise to such unusual animals. Professor Anjali Goswami, Research Leader at the Museum and co-author, says, "This new dinosaur is quite unusual for its kind. It has several key characteristics that suggest that is a new species, providing important new information about an area of the world which we don't know a lot about. "It shows that the dinosaurs that live in this region were quite different from those in other parts of Argentina, supporting the idea of distinct provinces in the Cretaceous of South America. It also shows us that there is lot more to be discovered in these areas that get less attention than some of the more famous fossil sites." The description of the dinosaur, led by Argentinian researchers, was published in the Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology. Armless, but not harmless Hundreds of millions of years ago, all the continents were combined together in a supercontinent known as Pangaea. Over time, as tectonic plates shifted, this landmass began to break into Gondwana and Laurasia. By 180 million years ago, these two massive continents would themselves start to split, with Gondwana breaking apart to form the major continents in the southern hemisphere, as well as India. While the new continents were slowly moving apart, species would still have been able to move between them, leading to some scientists suggesting that the fauna of each landmass would have remained largely the same. One of the groups living in Gondwana at the time were the abelisaurid dinosaurs. These were a group of top predatory theropods which may have fed on large dinosaurs such as titanosaurs. Yet despite this fearsome lifestyle, they were able to take down their massive prey without the use of arms. Many species of abelisaurs had front limbs that were even shorter than those of the more famous Tyrannosaurus rex and effectively useless. This would have left abelisaurid hands unable to grasp, forcing the dinosaurs to rely on their powerful heads and jaws to capture prey. Fossils of these carnivores have been found in rocks across Africa, South America, India and Europe dating to the Late Cretaceous, just before the dinosaurs were wiped out 66 million years ago. Abelisaurs had very reduced forelimbs, shorter even than those of Tyrannosaurus rex. Credit: Kabacchi, licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr. Argentina is well known for abelisaur fossils, with 35 species already described from the country. But nearly all of these are from Patagonia, in the country's south, and comparatively few of the dinosaurs have been found in the north-west. The description of this new species from part of a skull provides vital new knowledge for scientists researching this period of history. Abelisaurid ancestor? The braincase, including the upper and back parts of the skull, was found in the Los Blanquitos Formation near Amblayo, in the north of Argentina, in rocks dated to between 75 and 65 million years old. This means this animal lived just before end-Cretaceous mass extinction that saw the extinction of most dinosaurs. One unique feature of this dinosaur are rows of small holes in the front of its skull known as foramina. The researchers have suggested that these holes could have allowed the animal to cool down, with blood being pumped into the thin skin at the front of the head to release heat. Like many abelisaurids, the skull has a 'remarkably small' braincase, but even then, the new species has a cranium about 70% smaller than any of its relatives. This reduced size may point to it being a juvenile, but there is conflicting evidence on this. A similar lack of clarity extends to its other features, including thin parts of the skull and, unlike other abelisaurids, a lack of horns. It has been suggested that this could mean that the new species is near the bottom of the family tree of abelisaurs or closely related to the ancestors of the rest of the group. While some of the details may still be unclear, there are enough unique features of the dinosaur to convince researchers that is a new genus and species, which they named Guemesia ochoai. It is named after General Martin Miguel de Guemes, a hero of the Argentine War of Independence, and Javier Ochoa, a museum technician who discovered the specimen. While many questions still surround the newly described abelisaurid, it adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting north-western Argentina had a unique set of creatures unlike those found elsewhere in the world at this time. These include podocnemidoidae turtles such as Stupendemys geographicus, one of the largest of the aquatic reptiles to have ever lived. Scientists now hope to uncover more specimens of Guemesia ochoai and its relatives to find out more about life in ancient Argentina. They are particularly focused on the period just before and after the end-Cretaceous mass extinction to understand how this massive event shaped life on Earth. In addition to Guemesia ochoai, the team has already uncovered several other interesting species, from fish to mammals, which they are currently describing. Anjali explains there is still much to be learned from the fossils of northern Argentina. "Understanding huge global events like a mass extinction requires global datasets, but there are lots of parts of the world that have not been studied in detail, and tons of fossils remaining to be discovered," she says. "We left some exciting fossils in the ground on our last trip, not knowing that it would be years before we could get back to our field sites. Now we are hoping that it won't be too much longer before we can finish digging them up and discovering many more species from this unique fauna." More information: Federico L. Agnolin et al, First definitive abelisaurid theropod from the Late Cretaceous of Northwestern Argentina, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (2022). Journal information: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology Federico L. Agnolin et al, First definitive abelisaurid theropod from the Late Cretaceous of Northwestern Argentina,(2022). DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2021.2002348 A Chicago police officer has been charged and stripped of his police powers after allegedly punching a handcuffed suspect who had been shot on Christmas Eve outside a Near West Side police station, prosecutors said Thursday. Officer Christopher Hillas was charged Wednesday with aggravated battery on a public way and official misconduct, both felonies. Advertisement Hillas appeared for a hearing before Cook County Judge Maryam Ahmad, who set bail at $10,000, which Hillas posted. Ahmad restricted him from having any firearms. Hillas, 43 and a Chicago police officer since 2016, surrendered Wednesday night to the bureau of internal affairs, according to a statement from Chicago police. Advertisement Upon learning of the incident, which happened in the 1400 block of South Blue Island Avenue, the department relieved Hillas of his police powers on Dec. 31, and the matter was turned over to the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, the police statement said. In court, Assistant States Attorney Lynn McCarthy said on Dec. 24, police were at the 12th District station when they saw the suspect with a handgun. As officers approached, he fired the weapon at them, McCarthy said. That prompted officers to return fire, McCarthy said, and the man was shot twice. McCarthy said after a brief pursuit, the suspect surrendered and was placed in handcuffs and escorted to a squad car for transport to a hospital. As they approached, Hillas opened the rear door of the squad car and told the suspect: Here, I got you man, according to McCarthy. Hillas then began a search of the man from his waist to his feet, McCarthy said, as hed been told the suspects weapon had not been found yet. Hillas then stood up slightly and punched him four times in the groin area, McCarthy said, adding that the suspect had not made any verbal or physical threats. Several body-worn cameras captured the event, prosecutors said. Charges of attempted murder, aggravated discharge of a firearm, and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon are pending for the suspect Hillas allegedly punched, McCarthy told the judge. Advertisement Hillas grew up in Hoffman Estates, attended Fremd High School and graduated from Illinois State University, his lawyer, Tim Grace, said at the hearing. He volunteered for the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary in Chicago for more than 10 years. Hillas has more than 10 police commendations, Grace said. Grace asserted that Hillas believed the suspect hit him first. Hillas was in a vulnerable position, with his head near the suspects knees, elbow and stomach, Grace said. He rose very quickly thinking the suspect was going to hit him and at that point, he and another officer head-butted each other, but Hillas though it was the suspect. While the search was deliberate and emotion was strong this was not a battery but an effort to remove a gun from an offender who had just attempted to murder two Chicago police officers, Grace said. Advertisement Grace objected to the judges restriction on guns for Hillas, a ruling the judge said she made in an effort to treat Hillas the same as any other defendant. Grace told the judge that Hillas would be declared unfit for duty if he could not have a gun. Hell be in a no-pay status and wont get health care, Grace told the judge. Hillas is due back in court March 10. rsobol@chicagotribune.com Credit: University of Eastern Finland Professor of Educational Sciences Markku Niemivirta is excited. He gives unreserved praise to his MoLeWe research collective, with which he has had the opportunity to explore important current themes from a variety of perspectives. Recently, the multidisciplinary collective has studied perfectionism among upper secondary school and university students and its connection to well-being, as well as the link between students' experiences of the pandemic and remote learning with their well-being. "Study of perfectionism is becoming increasingly important. For example, students today are going through upper secondary school in a situation where performance pressures and coping are affected by both the entrance exam reform and a global pandemic. On their own, both have significantly transformed students' lives." The situation is precarious particularly for students prone to perfectionism, who tire out and feel a sense of inadequacy even in normal study situations. "In Finland, studies on perfectionism in young people are few and far between and to our knowledge, its connection with student well-being has never been studied previously in Finland. In other words, there is clear need for this kind of research." Data obtained from the studies can be used when considering the structural factors that increase stress among students and developing student welfare services. The four perfectionism profiles of students Perfectionists are students who place extremely demanding personal goals on themselves while remaining very dissatisfied with their own performance at the same time. Students who are considered ambitious also set their personal goals high, but they are not characterized by the constant dissatisfaction, concern and sense of inadequacy about their efforts typical of perfectionists. "Ambitious students are also not exhausted by their studies in the same way as perfectionists." In addition to these two groups, studies have also identified concerned and non-perfectionist students. "Concerned students have a more cynical attitude towards their studies than other students and experience as much fatigue and inadequacy as perfectionists, even as their goals are set much lower." A surprisingly large share of upper secondary school students fall into the concerned group. Non-perfectionist students, in turn, are characterized by both low perfectionist aspirations and few concerns. "As many as one in six upper secondary school students may have perfectionist tendencies, while the ambitious and non-perfectionist groups each represent about one in four students and the concerned group as many as one in three," says Niemivirta. Among university students, the distributions were more even in some ways. Compared to upper secondary school students, the proportion of students with perfectionist and ambitious tendencies was higher, while concerned students were less common. "Based on the study, it cannot be said that perfectionism has increased during the pandemic, regardless of any increased stress caused by remote learning. About 60 percent of university students found remote learning and independent study mentally demanding, while just over one in three have not." According to Niemivirta, the share of students affected by the situation reached its peak during the autumn of the pandemic's first year and has since returned to levels at the start of the pandemic. External expectations also often at play Niemivirta tells that while ambitious study goals are not in and of themselves harmful, dissatisfaction and a worry about one's own inadequacy are the factors that cause stress and exhaustion in perfectionists. "It seems that external expectations are also often at play in the background. For example, parents' high expectations are often reflected in the student in the form of ambitious goals and a greater sense of concern. This puts pressure on the student to achieve something great." Sensitivity to punishment can also influence how perfectionist tendencies are formed. Sensitivity to punishment means a person's susceptibility to experience and interpret various threats in their environment. "Sensitivity to positive social feedback, such as praise or other attention, also seems to be linked to dissatisfaction with one's own achievements." In other words, those prone to perfectionism often place great importance on "what others think of me." An encouraging atmosphere permits mistakes Niemivirta considers the results of the study extremely important even though they alone do not offer a ready guide on how schools and universities should deal with students with perfectionist tendencies, for example. "It is essential that teachers understand and encounter the differences between learners. Differences in temperament, motivation and enthusiasm are also strongly linked to learning. Understanding these underlying factors already helps teachers encourage studying and the joy of learning in the classroom." It is also clear from previous studies that the risks of boredom, exhaustion and even depression are higher among performance-focused students. "For this reason, perfectionists in particular are at risk of exhaustion. Our message as researchers to schools and especially upper secondary schools is that the emphasis on performance should take a back seat." Instead of focusing on performance, it should be impressed on students that they can always take joy in their achievements and accept failures without self-blame. "Students are better off in an encouraging learning environment where mistakes are permitted. Naturally, adequate student counseling and welfare services that support the well-being of students are also important." Distance learning not the only reason behind student exhaustion Recently, public debate has revolved around the excessive stress and feelings of exclusion experienced by university students. According to Niemivirta, the discussion has partly veered off on the wrong path. "The debate is pretty heated at the moment, and distance learning is universally considered the main cause of student exhaustion. However, while our study shows that just over 40 percent of university students feel exhausted, more than one in three say they consider distance learning a positive thing." In other words, students' experiences of distance learning are extremely divided. Only a small minority of students has no clear opinion on distance learning. "For this reason, it is unfortunate that public debate is fairly lopsided right now. We are given the impression that as of this moment, all university students are stressed and depressed because of distance learning." Niemivirta points out that in any case, not all exhaustion is due to distance learning, but that certain trends that cause stress were visible already before the pandemic. "Of course, the pandemic has increased stress on top of any existing problems, and it is not my intention to downplay its impacts. Still, I hope that as we gradually return to normal, certain things won't go back to the way they were." Distance learning has been proven to have many positive aspects, and there are students who wish to study remotely at least partly even after the pandemic. "The better we understand the factors behind exhaustion and stress, the better we are able to distinguish between the positives and negatives of distance learning. I hope we will be able to learn from this period of time and retain its positive aspects as an alternative in the future." The fossils were found near to Brown Clee Hill in Shropshire. Credit: USByeti/Shutterstock Minute fossils unearthed in preserved charcoal point to the existence of an entirely unknown group of plants that were among the first to move onto land. The eophytes offer a glimpse of the early evolution of life on land, and may be closely related to the ancestor of many terrestrial plants that followed. Ancient plants measuring just two centimeters long could show what the ancestor of everything from roses to redwoods looked like. Researchers from Cardiff University and the Museum identified a new group of plants, named 'early plants' or eophytes, from delicate remains that have been preserved as charcoal. Their characteristics make it possible they are closely related to the ancestor of all vascular plants, but the fragility of the specimens has made this difficult to confirm. Lead author Professor Dianne Edwards says, "The nature of the first land flora is an enduring mystery where the principal players have never been seen in their entirety, yet much can be inferred about their characteristics from what they have left behind." The scientists hope that their research, published in the journal New Phytologist, will inspire others to hunt for other eophyte fossils and uncover more about the earliest days of terrestrial life. How did plants evolve? When and how the ancestors of modern plants first adapted to life on land remains uncertain. It is thought that the ancestors of modern flora first moved onto land at some point between 450 and 500 million years ago. One way of answering these questions is through cryptospores, which are the enigmatic fossilized remains of plant reproductive structures, although the exact plant they came from remained a mystery. Dr. Paul Kenrick, an expert on fossilized plants at the Museum and co-author of this latest study, explains, "There are several ways that you can look at the fossils of plants. One of them is to look at the spores and pollen plants make because they produce it in vast numbers. "The cryptospores date back to around 470 million years ago before disappearing around 70 million years later. They're called cryptospores because they're very distinct but we didn't know which plant produced them." One of the issues with identifying where these spores came from is the difficulty for early plants to fossilize as they lack robust tissues which can be preserved over time. For delicate plants and tissues, charcoal is an important medium for preservation. "These plants were caught in some of the earliest wildfires," Paul says. "When these plants burned, they didn't burn with enough oxygen to be turned to ash, so their structure is preserved. However, the problem with charcoal is that it is very fragile so we have very fragmentary remains." Previous studies of these fossils have provided some hints to the origin of the cryptospores. Fragments recovered from Oman suggest that they probably formed in sporangia, similar to those found in modern mosses, ferns and liverworts. The specimens were examined under the microscope to reveal structures such as sporangia. Credit: Edwards et al., licensed under CC BY 4.0 via New Phytologist. Subsequent fossils found in Wales, which date towards the end of when cryptospores are found, suggest that the plants that produced them could be a sister group to the vascular plants, the group which includes most plants, such as trees, flowering plants and cacti. But fossils in charcoal from Shropshire dating to between 410 and 419 million years ago have now led researchers to put a name to the enigmatic group of plants which produced these sporesthe eophytes. Excavating the eophytes The eophytes are very different from modern plants. One of their most remarkable features is how small they are, measuring around two centimeters at their maximum length. "Nowadays, around 80% of biomass in terms of carbon is locked up in plants," Paul says. "In this very early period, things were very different. "The eophytes are really, really tiny. We're talking plants that could be millimeters in size, and this could be one of the reasons they have previously been overlooked. "Their closest comparison in the modern world are the mosses, which they share some characteristics with but are not examples of. It tells us that the first plants which came on land were very simple and very small compared with their modern relatives." Their size would probably have made them unable to control water flow in and out of their bodies, so instead they must have been able to tolerate drying out like modern mosses and liverworts. "One of the really important things with modern plants is that they are generally homohydric, in other words that they can regulate their water to a great degree," Paul explains. "However, the eophytes were probably more like mosses in that they were unable to control their water, and so would have been able to dry out completely before rehydrating. "It tells us that plants probably became resistant to drying out on land first before becoming able to control their surroundings, rather than having already been able to regulate water." The eophytes do, however, appear to be able to move nutrients around their body using specialized structures known as food conducting cells (FCCs). Modern mosses have similar structures. The FCCs also share characteristics with the phloem of vascular plants, which moves nutrients around the main structure of the plants. It is suggested that the FCCs were a very early step in the development of a complex vascular system, which would later allow plants to grow much larger and more varied, evolving into the species familiar to us today. The researchers now hope to delve more deeply into how these plants lived, such as identifying aspects of their reproductive phase. To do this, more specimens will be required, which will involve returning to sites which have already been explored. "These plants are forcing us to change what we search for in the fossil record," Paul says. "We now need to focus on a scale that is much smaller than what we normally look for, so we can go back to fossil sites we've already explored and look closer. "There are also other sites where you get exceptional preservation, such as the Rhynie Chert, and it's in this sort of system you might find more information about the lifecycle of these plants." Explore further Fossil study gets to the root of Earth's early plants More information: Dianne Edwards et al, Piecing together the eophytes a new group of ancient plants containing cryptospores, New Phytologist (2021). Journal information: New Phytologist Dianne Edwards et al, Piecing together the eophytes a new group of ancient plants containing cryptospores,(2021). DOI: 10.1111/nph.17703 The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is the largest animal that has ever lived on Earth, yet we still have many unanswered questions about its biology and ecology. New research leverages audio recorded by an underwater microphone on MBARIs cabled observatory to better understand the behavior of these behemoth. Credit: NOAA The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is the largest animal ever to inhabit Earth. Despite its gargantuan size, many aspects of its biology, behavior and ecology still elude us. This magnificent mammal spends most of its time below the ocean's surface, out of sight from scientists seeking to unlock its mysteries. But even when we cannot observe blue whales by sight, we can hear their powerful vocalizations that travel hundreds of kilometers. Using sound recordings from the heart of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, MBARI researchers and their collaborators have discovered new dimensions of blue whales' lives. We have learned how blue whales cooperate to forage and how they tune into the productivity of their ecosystem to decide when to embark on their annual long-distance migration for breeding. An underwater microphone (hydrophone) on MBARI's cabled observatory has been a valuable tool for studying whales that gather seasonally in the fertile waters of Monterey Bay. The microphone records the calls of whalesacoustic data that offer insight into the animals' behavior. "Because whales and other marine mammals use sound in the essential life activities of communicating, foraging, navigating, socializing, and reproducing, there is a wealth of expressed consciousness in the ocean soundscape. We aim to tap that wealth to better understand and protect ocean life," said John Ryan, a biological oceanographer at MBARI. Previous research by Ryan and collaborators at Stanford Universityincluding incoming MBARI Postdoctoral Fellow William Oestreichcoupled the hydrophone's extensive archive of acoustic data with field studies to better understand blue whale behavior. "Our past research efforts with collaborators from around Monterey Bay opened the door to understanding the behavioral context of patterns in the acoustic data collected on blue whales with MBARI's hydrophone. This context has set the stage for a series of studies which leverage the incredible long-term view on behavior that this acoustic record provides," said Oestreich. Now MBARI's acoustic data have contributed to two new research studies about blue whales led by graduate students at Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific Grove, California. A study by David Cade, published in Animal Behaviour in December, examined feeding aggregations of blue whales in Monterey Bay. Cade was recently a postdoctoral researcher in Ari Friedlaender's Bio-Telemetry and Behavioral Ecology Lab at University of California, Santa Cruz, and is now a postdoctoral researcher in Jeremy Goldbogen's lab at Hopkins Marine Station. Leveraging biologging tags, acoustic prey mapping, hydrophone recordings of social cues, and remote sensing of ocean currents, the research team, including Oestreich and Ryan, investigated the ecosystem dynamics underlying unusually dense aggregations of blue whalesup to 40 of the giants within a one-kilometer radius area. "We are only just beginning to study the role of these giant, but ephemeral, krill patches that can feed a super-group of blue whales. These 'hotspots' likely play a critical role overall in a blue whale's ability to find enough food before it swims south for the winter. The MBARI hydrophone is giving us new insights into not only blue whale behavior, but what that behavior can tell us about the prey conditions in Monterey Bay that are critical for the entire ecosystem," said Cade. This spectrogram illustrates the A, B, and C calls of blue whales, paired with audio of these same calls played back at ten times their original speed to make them easier to hear. This audio was recorded from MBARIs hydrophone located in the heart of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The day/night pattern of B calls can be used as an indicator of whether the whales are feeding or migrating. Credit: MBARI The combination of oceanographic conditions and seafloor terrain (bathymetry) concentrated large numbers of shrimp-like crustaceans called krill, which are the primary food of blue whales. The immense size of the krill swarms allowed these "supergroups" of blue whales to forage together without exhausting the food supply. Ryan and Oestreich were studying all types of blue whale vocalizations, including one that is associated with foraging. "In the hours immediately preceding these remarkable aggregations of foraging blue whales, MBARI's hydrophone recorded anomalously dense clusters of a specific blue whale call type. This exciting finding raised a number of questions and hypotheses concerning the role that these vocalizations play in blue whales' foraging and sharing of information," recalled Oestreich. The hydrophone recordings revealed that, counterintuitively, the whales exhibited a social foraging strategy. The research team observed that rather than competing for food, blue whales called to other whales to signal food was present. The blues' bellows invited others to join the feast. Modeling of social interactions indicated that using social information from other whales reduced the time required for individual whales to discover and exploit the dense patches of food that they need to survive. The whales' foraging became more efficient, without any apparent costs to the caller who first found the patch of food. A second study, led by Oestreich and published this month in Functional Ecology, also utilized MBARI's acoustic archive to gain new insight into blue whale behavior. In 2020, Oestreich and a team of researchers from MBARI and Stanford University documented distinct seasonal changes in blue whale vocalizations that reveal when these gentle giants begin their annual migration. During summer and early fall, blue whales sing more during the night. Later in the fall and into winter, the whales begin singing more during the day. This change coincides with the time of year when the whales reduce feeding and begin their annual southward migration. Data from biologging tags confirmed that the acoustic signature detected by the hydrophone reflected changes in the whales' behavior. Now, Oestreich and his collaborators have used MBARI hydrophone data to understand how blue whales change the timing of their migration back to breeding areas from year to year. We have long known that whales time their migratory movements with natural cycles in their marine habitat, especially seasonal changes in productivity. But how populations adjust the timing of their migrations in response to year-to-year environmental variability remained unclear. The data, collected from summer 2015 through spring 2021, recorded the bellowing vocalizations of blue whales in the Monterey Bay region. Sound signaled when whales stopped foraging on the local abundance of krill to begin their southward breeding migration. To the team's surprise, the start of the whales' migration could vary up to four months from year to year. Krill are small shrimp-like crustaceans that are the primary food source of blue whales. Dense aggregations of krill occur seasonally in Monterey Bay, sustaining populations of many marine animals. Credit: MBARI Considering that the blue whale breeding season itself spans only approximately four months, this large variation in the timing of migration was initially puzzling. Here, data about ecosystem changes from year to year offered important clues. Migration timing closely followed conditions within the whales' foraging habitat. Specifically, blue whales lingered longer off central California when the ecosystem provided more opportunity for them to build energy stores. A later transition from foraging to migration occured in years with an earlier onset, later peak, and greater accumulation of biological productivity. These findings suggest that in years of the highest and most persistent biological productivity, blue whales wait to begin their southward migration. Researchers believe the whales do not simply depart toward their southern breeding grounds as soon as sufficient energy reserves are accumulated. Rather, the whales delay their migration when food is plentiful to maximize their energy intake on their foraging grounds. "We previously showed that blue whales use long-term memory to time their arrival on foraging grounds based on when they expect food to be available because they don't have advanced information about what foraging conditions will be like when they arrive. Yet when making the decision of when to depart foraging grounds, they have much more immediate information to rely on to determine whether it's best to stay or leave. This allows these whales to be incredibly flexible in when they initiate their southward migration to return to breeding areas," explained Briana Abrahms, an assistant professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Washington and a coauthor on the study on migration timing. "It's really exciting to learn so much more about how and when these animals decide to make such massive movements in the ocean." The use of flexible cueslikely including foraging conditions and long-distance acoustic signalsin timing a major life history transition may be key to the persistence of this endangered population as it navigates an ecosystem that experiences large natural and anthropogenic changes. "This research indicates that blue whales are more flexible in their foraging and migratory behavior than previously realized. Such flexibility is critical for adaptation to an era of rapid global changewhether this behavioral flexibility allows blue whales to adapt to long-term changes in their foraging habitat remains to be seen," said Oestreich. Open access to scientific data is a fundamental value for MBARI and part of the institute's mission. As part of MBARI's commitment to open collaboration, the original audio recordings for the entire study period are available through the Pacific Ocean Sound Recordings project via the Registry of Open Data on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud. "Scientific discovery and progress require transparency, reproducibility, and extensibility. Toward fulfilling these requirements, we share all of our audio recordings150 terabytes and growingtogether with an analysis toolbox," said Ryan. "Our most recent confirmation of the value of open data occurred last week, when a tenth grader from Canada contacted me to show me how he had extended research from one of our published studies." MBARI also streams live underwater audio to the Soundscape Listening Room to share the wonder and excitement of the ocean soundscape with the public. The live soundscape can be full of ocean "voices"from the complex song compositions of humpback whales to the chatter of dolphin pods. The listening room also includes archived sounds for listening when the live stream is quiet. MBARI technology has proven invaluable to researchers studying the behavior of endangered blue whales. MBARI will expand these efforts in 2022 with the new Blue Whale Observatory. This new projectled by Oestreich and Ryan with marine ecologist Kelly Benoit-Bird and researcher Chad Walukwill examine blue whale ecology in depth by integrating interdisciplinary sensing of the whales, krill, and their ecosystem. The observatory will leverage an array of technologies to bring together the pieces of a complex, important, and beautiful puzzle. Explore further Pattern in whale songs predicts migration More information: David E. Cade et al, Social exploitation of extensive, ephemeral, environmentally controlled prey patches by supergroups of rorqual whales, Animal Behaviour (2021). David E. Cade et al, Social exploitation of extensive, ephemeral, environmentally controlled prey patches by supergroups of rorqual whales,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.09.013 William K. Oestreich et al, Acoustic signature reveals blue whales tune lifehistory transitions to oceanographic conditions, Functional Ecology (2022). DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14013 Journal information: Animal Behaviour , Functional Ecology Credit: CC0 Public Domain A substantial minority of Americans morally opposed to abortion would nonetheless offer help to a friend or close family member who is seeking one, finds a new analysis of both public opinion data and in-depth interviews. Notably, these views are similar to those held by Americans who don't deem abortion immoral or who are ambivalent about it. "Many are willing to or have helped a close friend or family member get a legal abortion, including those who are morally opposed to it," says Sarah Cowan, a professor of sociology at New York University and the lead author of the article, which appears in the journal Science Advances. "At first blush, these people may appear as hypocrites. They are not. They are at a moral crossroads, pulled by their opposition to abortion and by their inclination to support people they care about." The publication of the study, drawn from surveys and interviews conducted in 2018 and 2019, comes after the passage of a Texas law that allows individuals in the U.S. to sue anyone in the state who the plaintiffs believe "aided or abetted" any abortion performed or induced six weeks after pregnancy. The study's researchers, who also included Tricia Bruce and Bridget Ritz at the University of Notre Dame, Brea Perry and Elizabeth Anderson at Indiana University, and Stuart Perrett at NYU, also caution that the types of assistance Americans are willing to provide varies. "Americans are more willing to extend emotional support or to assist with the logistics of a close friend or family member's abortion than they are to help finance the procedure or its related costs," the authors write. "This distinction may reflect the social meaning of money, whereby spending money is a way to enact one's values. Refusing to contribute directly to the procedure may be a strategy people who are morally opposed to abortion use to mitigate their conflicting values, putting acceptable distance between their help and the abortion itself." They developed a term to capture the willingness to provide help when doing so conflicts with personal values: discordant benevolence. More broadly, the question of what we do when a request for help from friends or family members invokes conflicting values is a common onewhether it be helping a friend cheat on an exam or to cover up a sibling's misbehavior. In the Science Advances study, the team sought to better understand how we navigate our desire to help others when doing so may run counter to our values. They focused on abortion because of Americans' strongly held views on this issue, because it's a common procedure, and because its financial and logistical requirements typically require help from loved ones. To do so, the researchers examined both data from the 2018 General Social Survey (GSS), which measures public opinion on a range of concerns, and 74 of 217 in-depth interviews from the National Abortion Attitudes Study. The GSS data showed the following: Overall, 88 percent of Americans said they would provide emotional support and 72 percent would help with arrangements, such as a ride or childcare, while over half would help pay for ancillary costsand around a quarter would help pay for the abortion itself. Of those morally opposed to abortion, 76 percent said they would offer emotional supportcompared to 96 percent of those who are not morally opposed or who say their view depends on the circumstances. However, there were much greater differences among other forms of support. Only 6 percent of those morally opposed would help a friend or relative pay for the procedure, compared to the 54 percent who are not morally opposed. Smaller distinctions were found among attitudes on making arrangements for an abortion (e.g., giving a ride to a clinic). Over 40 percent of those morally opposed said they would help a friend or close relative in this instance, compared to nearly 80 percent who hold an "it depends" view and 91 percent who are not morally opposed. The interviews, conducted in 2019 in different regions around the U.S., show how Americans who engage in discordant benevolence make sense of it for themselves. Three logics dominate: one, a view that friends or family members are worthy of help despite imperfections; two, that friends and family constitute an exception precisely because they are friends/family; and three, that friends or family members make independent moral decisions. All three logicswhich the researchers name "commiseration," "exemption," and "discretion," respectivelyfacilitate discordant benevolence. "When it comes to abortion," says co-author Bruce, "greater levels of help amplify feelings of inner conflict for Americans who are morally opposed. We found that many will still help friends and family, but moderate how much and why." More information: Sarah K. Cowan, Discordant benevolence: How and why people help others in the face of conflicting values, Science Advances (2022). www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abj5851 Journal information: Science Advances Sarah K. Cowan, Discordant benevolence: How and why people help others in the face of conflicting values,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj5851 Graphical abstract of the paper. Credit: Shiji Ulleri/Wise Monkeys Photography A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in the United Arab Emirates and the U.S. has discovered the mechanism that allows lizards to maintain a tail during normal activities and then to release it when they need to avoid predators. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes using different types of microscopy to study lizard tail anatomy. Animangsu Ghatak, with the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, has published a Perspectives piece describing the work by the researchers in the same journal issue. Many species of lizards are able to shed their tail to escape a predator, and prior research has revealed the segmented anatomy of such tails. But until now, the quick release mechanism involved in shedding a tail has not been well understood. In this new effort, the researchers took a very close look at all the parts involved in tail shedding and then created physical models to mimic how the process works. The work began by tugging on lizard tails just hard enough to prompt the lizards to let them go. They then cut the torn edges from the tail ends to examine via microscope. Credit: Shiji Ulleri/Wise Monkeys Photography The researchers found that both ends were covered with micropillars bundled in mushroom shapes. The tip of each micropillar was covered in nanopores, which the researchers described as working like plugs that fit into sockets. When the lizard sheds its tail, they found the plugs are pulled from the sockets. Lizard (Hemidactylus flaviviridis) after tail shedding Credit: Shiji Ulleri/Wise Monkeys Photography The researchers next built a physical model of the tail to learn more about how all the tail parts worked together. They found that the plugs and sockets allowed for strong adhesion, even when stressed. But when the lizard twisted its tail in a certain way, the seal between the plug and socket was broken, allowing the tail to fall away. They suggest their model could prove useful in other endeavors, such as in the creation of robot limbs. Explore further Lizard tail adaptations may reflect predators' color vision capabilities More information: Navajit S Baban et al, Biomimetic fracture model of lizard tail autotomy, Science (2022). Navajit S Baban et al, Biomimetic fracture model of lizard tail autotomy,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.abh1614 Animangsu Ghatak, How does a lizard shed its tail?, Science (2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.abn4949 Journal information: Science 2022 Science X Network Storm Eunice brought warnings for people in southern Britain to stay indoors, and particularly avoid the coasts. Storm Eunice killed at least nine people in Europe on Friday, pummelling Britain with record-breaking winds and forcing millions to take shelter as it disrupted flights, trains and ferries across Western Europe. London was eerily empty after the British capital was placed under its first ever "red" weather warning, meaning there was "danger to life". By nightfall, police there said a woman in her 30s had died after a tree fell on a car she was a passenger in. Meanwhile a man in his 50s was also killed in northwest England after debris struck the windscreen of a vehicle he was travelling in, according to Merseyside Police. Beyond Britain, falling trees killed three people in the Netherlands and a man in his 60s in southeast Ireland, while a Canadian man aged 79 died in Belgium, according to officials in each country. A motorist was killed when their car crashed into a tree that had fallen across a road near Adorp in the Netherlands' northern province of Groningen. And in Germany, a motorist died after his car was hit by a tree near the town of Altenberge. Dozens of homes were evacuated in The Hague amid fears a church steeple could collapse. Footage showed the steeple wobbling and a large piece of debris falling on a car. As well as in London, the highest weather alert level was declared across southern England, South Wales and the Netherlands, with many schools closed and rail travel paralysed, as towering waves breached sea walls along the coasts. Meanwhile Eunice's winds knocked out power to more than 140,000 homes in England, mostly in the southwest, and 80,000 properties in Ireland, utility companies said. Around London, three people were taken to hospital after suffering injuries in the storm, and a large section of the roof on the Millennium Dome was shredded by the gales. Waves crash over the sea wall as a coastguard vehicle keeps watch at Ballygally, Northern Ireland. One wind gust of 122 miles (196 kilometres) per hour was measured on the Isle of Wight off southern England, "provisionally the highest gust ever recorded in England", the Met Office said. At the Tan Hill Inn, Britain's highest pub in Yorkshire, staff were busy preparing even if the winds remained merely blustery in the region of northern England. "But with the snow coming in now, the wind's increasing, we're battening down the hatches, getting ready for a bad day and worse night," pub maintenance worker Angus Leslie told AFP. 'Sting jet' Scientists said the Atlantic storm's tail could pack a "sting jet", a rarely seen meteorological phenomenon that brought havoc to Britain and northern France in the "Great Storm" of 1987. Eunice caused high waves to batter the Brittany coast in northwest France, while Belgium, Denmark and Sweden all issued weather warnings. Long-distance and regional trains were halted in northern Germany. Ferries across the Channel, the world's busiest shipping lane, were suspended, before the English port of Dover reopened in the late afternoon. Hundreds of flights were cancelled or delayed at London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports and Schiphol in Amsterdam. One easyJet flight from Bordeaux endured two aborted landings at Gatwickwhich saw wind gusts peak at 78 miles per hourbefore being forced to return to the French city. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has placed the British army on standby, tweeted: "We should all follow the advice and take precautions to keep safe." Environment Agency official Roy Stokes warned weather watchers and amateur photographers against heading to Britain's southern coastline in search of dramatic footage, calling it "probably the most stupid thing you can do". A fallen tree lies beside damaged vehicles on the side of a canal in Amsterdamtwo people were killed after the storm battered the Netherlands. Climate impact? London's rush-hour streets, where activity has been slowly returning to pre-pandemic levels, were virtually deserted as many heeded government advice to stay at home. Trains into the capital were already running limited services during the morning commute, with speed limits in place, before seven rail operators in England suspended all operations. The London Fire Brigade declared a "major incident" after taking 550 emergency calls in just over two hoursalthough it complained that several were "unhelpful", including one from a resident complaining about a neighbour's garden trampoline blowing around. The RAC breakdown service said it was receiving unusually low numbers of callouts on Britain's main roads, indicating that motorists are "taking the weather warnings seriously and not setting out". The storm forced Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, to postpone a trip to South Wales on Friday "in the interests of public safety", his office said Thursday. Another storm, Dudley, had caused transport disruption and power outages when it hit Britain on Wednesday, although damage was not widespread. Experts said the frequency and intensity of the storms could not be linked necessarily to climate change. But Richard Allan, professor of climate science at the University of Reading, said a heating planet was leading to more intense rainfall and higher sea levels. Therefore, he said, "flooding from coastal storm surges and prolonged deluges will worsen still further when these rare, explosive storms hit us in a warmer world". 2022 AFP Woodwardopterus freemanorum sp. nov., holotype, specimen QMF60312; photograph and drawing; arrow denotes possible postero-lateral corner of carapace; scale for drawing = 50 mm. Credit: DOI: 10.1080/08912963.2021.1998033 A fossil 'cold case' in Queensland Museum's geosciences collection has led to the description of a new species of sea scorpion (eurypterid), Woodwardopterus freemanorum, which is not only the last known one of its kind in the world, but the first fossil evidence of sea scorpions in Queensland. The eurypterid was initially brought to the attention of the museum in 2013, having been discovered in the 1990s by Nick Freeman on his family property near Theodore. At the time, the paleontology team knew it was something special, but weren't quite sure what group of animals it even belonged to. Fast forward several years and COVID-19 related closures allowed the team at the museum to take another look at some of the fossils within the collection. Queensland Museum Principal Curator Geosciences and CQUniversity Adjunct Associate Professor Dr. Andrew Rozefelds said museum closures during the COVID-19 lockdowns during 20202021 allowed him to revisit some 'cold cases.' "When the fragmentary specimen came into our collection, it was initially placed in the "Too-Hard Basket' but the closures provided the opportunity to study and reassess some of our fossil collection and this particular fossil had always intrigued me," Dr. Rozefelds said. "From initial research I concluded it had to be an arthropod of some sort and the size, ornamentation and occurrence made affinities with eurypterids likely." Sea scorpions are an extinct group of invertebrates belonging to the Chelicerae which includes living groups of animals like scorpions and spiders. Some sea scorpions were massive animals growing to nearly two meters in length. Some groups of sea scorpions also made the transition from marine to freshwater. This new animal from Theodore was a massive monster, probably over a meter in length and had lived in freshwater lakes, or rivers, in the Theodore area. Given the very few records of these species in existence, Dr. Rozefelds invited a colleague Dr. Markus Poschmann in Germany, an expert on this group of animals, to assist in studying and describing the specimen. "We needed someone with a broad-based knowledge of this group of animals who could compare the Theodore specimen with other species known from around the world," Dr. Rozefelds said. "Using published dates for volcanic sediments preserved in the coal measures the Theodore sea scorpion has been accurately dated as living 252 million years ago and after extensive research this particular fossil turned out to be the last eurypterid known from anywhere in the world. This is just before the end-Permian extinction event. The eurypterids disappeared, along with other groups of animals, at this time. "This new tantalizing fossil helps fill the gap in our knowledge of this group of animals in Australia, and indeed world-wide." This particular sea scorpion would have been among the largest predators in the lakes and rivers of the Theodore area at this time. Queensland Museum Network CEO Dr. Jim Thompson said this was the type of 'positive' you like to associate with COVID-19. "Our world has changed immensely in the last two years and museums around the world have been impacted by closures and changes related to the pandemic," Dr. Thompson said. "But this is a positive-side of the pandemic that has allowed our researchers to reconnect with our collection in new ways and in this case has led to the discovery of a new species. "We especially thank property owner in Theodore Mr Freeman for making this specimen available for study." Queensland Museum artist and preparator, Alison Douglas, has also created a reconstruction of the animal using information from this specimen and from comparative studies of other related sea scorpions. The new species was recently published in the journal Historical Biology. Explore further New species of mollusk discovered by museum curator More information: Markus J. Poschmann et al, The last eurypterid a southern high-latitude record of sweep-feeding sea scorpion from Australia constrains the timing of their extinction, Historical Biology (2021). Markus J. Poschmann et al, The last eurypterid a southern high-latitude record of sweep-feeding sea scorpion from Australia constrains the timing of their extinction,(2021). DOI: 10.1080/08912963.2021.1998033 Provided by Queensland Museum The Mars 2020 descent stage lowers NASAs Perseverance rover onto the Red Planet on Feb. 18, 2021. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA's Perseverance rover has notched up a slew of firsts since touching down on Mars one year ago, on Feb. 18, 2021, and the six-wheeled scientist has other important accomplishments in store as it speeds toward its new destination and a new science campaign. Weighing roughly 1 ton (1,025 kilograms), Perseverance is the heaviest rover ever to touch down on Mars, returning dramatic video of its landing. The rover collected the first rock core samples from another planet (it's carrying six so far), served as an indispensable base station for Ingenuity, the first helicopter on Mars, and tested MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment), the first prototype oxygen generator on the Red Planet. Perseverance also recently broke a record for the most distance driven by a Mars rover in a single day, traveling almost 1,050 feet (320 meters) on Feb. 14, 2022, the 351st Martian day, or sol, of the mission. And it performed the entire drive using AutoNav, the self-driving software that allows Perseverance to find its own path around rocks and other obstacles. The rover has nearly wrapped up its first science campaign in Jezero Crater, a location that contained a lake billions of years ago and features some of the oldest rocks Mars scientists have been able to study up close. Rocks that have recorded and preserved environments that once hosted water are prime locations to search for signs of ancient microscopic life. NASAs Mars 2020 Perseverance mission captured thrilling footage of the rover landing in Mars Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Using a drill on the end of its robotic arm and a complex sample collection system in its belly, Perseverance is snagging rock cores from the crater floorthe first step in the Mars Sample Return campaign. "The samples Perseverance has been collecting will provide a key chronology for the formation of Jezero Crater," said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. "Each one is carefully considered for its scientific value." Counting the eons Two more samples will be collected in coming weeks from the "Ch'a" rock type (named with the Navajo term for "frog"), a set of dark, rubbly rocks representative of what's seen across much of the crater floor. If samples of these rocks are returned to Earth, scientists think they could provide an age range for Jezero's formation and the lake that once resided there. Perseverance snapped this view of a hill called Santa Cruz on April 29, 2021. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS Scientists can approximate the age of a planet or moon's surface by counting its impact craters. Older surfaces have had more time to accumulate impact craters of various sizes. In the case of the Moon, scientists were able to refine their estimates by analyzing Apollo lunar samples. They've taken those lessons to narrow down the age estimates of surfaces on Mars. But having rock samples from the Red Planet would improve crater-based estimates of how old the surface isand help them find more pieces of the puzzle that is Mars' geological history. "Right now, we take what we know about the age of impact craters on the Moon and extrapolate that to Mars," said Katie Stack Morgan, Perseverance's deputy project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which manages the rover mission. "Bringing back a sample from this heavily cratered surface in Jezero could provide a tie-point to calibrate the Mars crater dating system independently, instead of relying solely on the lunar one." The mission hasn't been without challenges. The rover's first attempt at drilling a rock core came up empty, prompting an extensive testing campaign to better understand fragile rocks. The team also needed to clear out pebbles that had dropped into the part of the sampling system that holds the drill bits. Perseverance's airborne companion, NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, has proven similarly plucky: It was grounded for almost a month following a dust storm before recently resuming its flights. Originally slated to fly five times, the rotorcraft has successfully completed 19 flights now, providing a new perspective of Martian terrain and helping Perseverance's team to plan the path ahead. To the west of "Octavia E. Butler Landing," where Perseverance started its journey, are the remains of a fan-shaped delta formed by an ancient river as it fed the lake in Jezero Crater. Deltas accumulate sediment over time, potentially trapping organic matter and possible biosignaturessigns of lifethat may be in the environment. That makes this destination, which the mission expects to reach this summer, a highlight of the year to come. Credit: Graeme Shannon Traumatic events coupled with the lack of experienced adults in elephant family groups can affect the ecological knowledge of younger animals, and ultimately their ability to make crucial decisions when faced with threatening situations. These findings have implications for the conservation of long-lived social animals, such as elephants, primates and cetaceans. A study led by Dr. Graeme Shannon (Bangor University) and Prof. Karen McComb (University of Sussex) published in Animals (Elephant Communication issue of Animals 2022), explores how elephants from two populations with very different developmental histories reacted to hearing one versus three roaring lions. The elephant population in Amboseli National Park, Kenya, consists of stable family groups, which experience relatively low levels of human disturbance. These elephants were able to differentiate the greater threat level associated with three lions roaring by increasing their defensive bunching behavior and protecting the younger and more vulnerable members of the family. This was not the case with a population of elephants in Pilanesberg, South Africa. The Pilanesberg population was formed in 1979 from young and often unrelated orphan elephants. Having suffered extreme social disruption and with no elders to learn from, the Pilanesberg elephants appeared unable to differentiate between the different numbers of roaring lions. Their defensive bunching responses were not significantly different whether they were presented with playbacks of either one or three roaring lionsdespite the much greater risk associated with larger numbers of predators. "Our findings suggest that profound disruption experienced early in life and the lack of older adults to learn from has significantly impaired the ability of the Pilanesberg elephants to make accurate assessments of predatory threats. The ability to share social and ecological information is vitally important for group living animals, especially among cognitively advanced species such as primates, whales and dolphins and elephants. These animals can acquire detailed knowledge over their long lifetimes," says Dr. Graeme Shannon. Credit: Graeme Shannon Distinct disadvantage Author Prof. Karen McComb, professor of animal behavior and cognition at Sussex University said, "Younger individuals would be at a distinct disadvantage when they are unable to learn from the experience of their elders. Older elephants can act as repositories of information not just about the location of vital food and water supplies, but also about the relative dangers presented by predators or even by different members of their own population. Co-author Line Cordes of Bangor University said, "In addition to considering population size, a growing body of research suggests that conservation practitioners need to consider the crucial role that age structure and knowledge transmission play in long-lived, cognitively advanced social species." Credit: Graeme Shannon Explore further Wise old elephants keep the young calm More information: Graeme Shannon et al, Social Disruption Impairs Predatory Threat Assessment in African Elephants, Animals (2022). Graeme Shannon et al, Social Disruption Impairs Predatory Threat Assessment in African Elephants,(2022). DOI: 10.3390/ani12040495 MIT chemists have discovered how the structure of the EmrE transporter changes as a compound moves through it. At left is the transporter structure at high pH. As the pH drops (right), the helices begin to tilt so that the channel is more open toward the outside of the cell, guiding the compound out. Credit: MIT MIT chemists have discovered the structure of a protein that can pump toxic molecules out of bacterial cells. Proteins similar to this one, which is found in E. coli, are believed to help bacteria become resistant to multiple antibiotics. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, the researchers were able to determine how the structure of this protein changes as a drug-like molecule moves through it. Knowledge of this detailed structure may make it possible to design drugs that could block these transport proteins and help resensitize drug-resistant bacteria to existing antibiotics, says Mei Hong, an MIT professor of chemistry. "Knowing the structure of the drug-binding pocket of this protein, one might try to design competitors to these substrates, so that you could block the binding site and prevent the protein from removing antibiotics from the cell," says Hong, who is the senior author of the paper. MIT graduate student Alexander Shcherbakov is the lead author of the study, which appears today in Nature Communications. The research team also includes MIT graduate student Aurelio Dregni and two researchers from the University of Wisconsin at Madison: graduate student Peyton Spreacker and professor of biochemistry Katherine Henzler-Wildman. Drug-resistance transporters Pumping drugs out through their cell membranes is one of many strategies that bacteria can use to evade antibiotics. For several years, Henzler-Wildman's group at the University of Wisconsin has been studying a membrane-bound protein called EmrE, which can transport many different toxic molecules, including herbicides and antimicrobial compounds. EmrE belongs to a family of proteins called the small multidrug resistance (SMR) transporters. Although EmrE is not directly involved in resistance to antibiotics, other members of the family have been found in drug-resistant forms of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Acinetobacter baumanii. "The SMR transporters have high sequence conservation across key regions of the protein. EmrE is by far the best-studied member of the family, both in vitro and in vivo, which makes it an ideal model system to investigate the structure that supports SMR activity," Henzler-Wildman says. A few years ago, Hong's lab developed a technique that allows researchers to use NMR to measure the distances between fluorine probes and hydrogen atoms in proteins. This makes it possible to determine the structure of a protein as it binds to a molecule that contains fluorine. After Hong gave a talk about the new technique at a conference, Henzler-Wildman suggested that they team up to study EmrE. Her lab has spent many years studying how EmrE transports a drug-like molecule, or ligand, across the phospholipid membrane. This ligand, known as F 4 -TPP+, is a tetrahedral molecule with four fluorine atoms attached to it, one at each corner. Using this ligand with Hong's new NMR technique, the researchers set out to determine an atomic-resolution structure of EmrE. It was already known that each EmrE molecule contains four transmembrane helices that are roughly parallel. Two EmrE molecules assemble into a dimer, so that eight transmembrane helices form inner walls that interact with the ligand as it moves through the channel. Previous studies have revealed the overall topology of the helices, but not of the protein side chains that extend into the channel interior, which are like arms that grab the ligand and help guide it through the channel. EmrE transports toxic molecules from the inside of a bacterial cell, which is at neutral pH, to the outside, which is acidic. This change in pH across the membrane affects the structure of EmrE. In a 2021 paper, Hong and Henzler-Wildman discovered the structure of the protein as it binds to F 4 -TPP+ in an acidic environment. In the new Nature Communications study, they analyzed the structure at a neutral pH, allowing them to determine how the structure of the protein changes as the pH changes. A complete structure At neutral pH, the researchers found in this study, the four helices that make up the channel are relatively parallel to one another, creating an opening that the ligand can easily enter. As the pH drops, moving toward the outside of the membrane, the helices begin to tilt so that the channel is more open toward the outside of the cell. This helps to push the ligand out of the channel. At the same time, several rings found in the protein side chains shift their orientation in a way that also helps to guide the ligand out of the channel. The acidic end of the channel is also more welcoming to protons, which enter the channel and help it to open further, allowing the ligand to exit more easily. "This paper really completes the story," Hong says. "One structure is not enough. You need two, to figure out how a transporter can actually open to both sides of the membrane, because it's supposed to pump the ligand or the antibiotic compound from inside the bacteria out of the bacteria." The EmrE channel is believed to transport many different toxic compounds, so Hong and her colleagues now plan to study how other molecules travel through the channel. Explore further Chemists unveil the structure of an influenza B protein More information: High-pH Structure of EmrE Reveals the Mechanism of Proton- Coupled Substrate Transport, Nature Communications (2022). Journal information: Nature Communications High-pH Structure of EmrE Reveals the Mechanism of Proton- Coupled Substrate Transport,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28556-6 Charges were pending for a man who fired shots at police after jumping out of a stolen car Thursday afternoon in the Edgewater neighborhood, authorities said. No one was shot during the incident, which happened about 1:15 p.m. in the 6300 block of North Glenwood Avenue. Advertisement Police spotted a stolen vehicle and began following it, according to Officer Steve Rusanov, a police spokesman. When the vehicle stopped, a 21-year-old man exited the car and started firing at officers, Rusanov said. Advertisement Police did not return fire and the assailant ran but was taken into custody a short while later. The man was taken to Amita St. Francis Hospital in Evanston for observation and was reported to be in good condition, Rusanov said. Area 3 detectives are investigating. tatturner@chicagotribune.com Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Aaron Bauer has traveled the world in search of lizards, logging more than 2 million miles in his quest to identify new species and determine how they fit into the tree of life. He has made more than 100 trips to southern Africa alone. But when the pandemic restricted his travels, he pivoted to a type of journey he could make while staying in his lab at Villanova University: going back in time. That's how Bauer and an international group of collaborators made a rare find this winter, identifying a new species of lizard that had been trapped in amber 110 million years ago. The scientists were sent CT scans of the chunk of golden mineral, found in a mine in Myanmar. Sitting in front of their computer screens around the world, they could see that the animal within was remarkably well-preserved, its delicate bones and scales still intact. They could even make out its windpipe, some muscles and one eyelid. What's more, the extinct lizard bore an uncanny resemblance to modern reptiles called night lizards, which are found only in the Southwestern United States, Mexico and Cubaa world away from their ancient cousin. The find offers new insight into how continents have drifted over the ages, and how the happenstance of evolution yielded a body plan that has endured a wide range of changing climates. Scientists who were not involved with the research, published in Scientific Reports, are gushing. "A phenomenal find," said Lee Grismer, a herpetologist at La Sierra University in Riverside, California. "Amazing," said Ned Gilmore, vertebrate zoology collection manager at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia. The new lizard is one of more than 230 reptile species Bauer has helped to identify, more than any living scientist, according to an online registry called the Reptile Database. Most are from the modern era, so Bauer's contribution to the new study, led by paleontologist Susan E. Evans at University College London, was outside his usual range. But lizards are lizards, and when this one walked the earth, it had evolved an array of bodily features that remain in its apparent cousins of today. It likely lived inside logs or underneath leaf litter, nimbly hiding from predators as it darted about in search of food, Bauer said. Small and mighty Why lizards? He's glad you asked. While public attention may favor the big dinosaurs of yore and larger animals of today, the story of life is populated mostly by smaller beings. Insects are the most abundant, but also plentiful are crustaceans, birds, fish and the scaly creatures of Bauer's world. "The world is not dominated by elephants and dinosaurs," he said. "It's always been dominated by small animals. This is our view into this world." Growing up on Long Island, Bauer was that rare child who, when asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, actually knew, and made it happen. His grandfather was the caretaker of a big estate, so he could spend countless hours in meadows and ponds, catching snakes, turtles, frogs and salamanders. And his family took him often to the American Museum of Natural History in nearby New York City. He says by age 6, he knew that herpetologythe study of reptiles and amphibianswas his thing. "No one ever said, 'That's not practical' or 'You can't make a living doing that,' and I forged ahead," he recalled. But no lizards are native to Long Island, so he became drawn to that group of reptiles because "you always want what you can't have," he said. He studied biology at Michigan State University and earned a Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, by then embarking on his first trips to find lizards in the Southern Hemisphere. The problem with Geico's gecko Bauer has been at Villanova since 1988, developing a particular expertise in geckos. He has testified as an expert witness when certain rare geckos are smuggled in the illegal pet trade. The Cockney-accented one depicted in the Geico car insurance commercials is wrong on at least two counts, by the way. That type of gecko is not native to England, and unlike the one on TV, it does not blink. "Still bothers me every time I see it," Bauer says. After more than three decades of field trips and publications, he started to notice he was identifying more new reptiles than anyone else. As a joke, someone once taped a sign to the door of his laboratory with the words "lizard king." But the sheer number of species is not the point. Bauer's goal is to characterize the richness of biodiversity. Lizards are the most diverse group of reptiles, and geckos, which account for most of the new species he has identified, are an especially diverse group of lizards. "If you don't have a name on something, you can't protect it," he said. "You can't communicate about it with other scientists." And if you don't identify something, there is no way to know when it's gone. That's what makes the new lizard find such a stroke of luck. The vast majority of life on Earth disappears with no trace in the fossil record. That's especially true of lizards, as their small frames do not preserve well in hard rock. A stroke of luck But 110 million years ago, this lizard became stuck in a glob of sticky tree resin at just the right moment. And apparently few microorganisms were trapped along with it, as the lizard's skin and even some muscle remained intact as the resin hardened into amber. The team of scientists dubbed it Retinosaurus hkamtiensis, meaning "resin lizard from Hkamti," the site of the Myanmar mine where it was found. Some mines in the Southeast Asian country are under the control of the military dictatorship, and the trade in amber from those locations, driven by private collectors, is considered unethical. But the chunk of amber with the lizard came from a mine outside the conflict zone, found by Nyi Nyi Aung, a local geoscientist. Working with the Swiss gemologist Adolph Peretti, he invited Bauer and other lizard experts to see the specimen at an office in Bangkok, Thailand, in November 2019. Peering through the golden mineral, they could tell the fossil inside was a rare find. But the real work came later, after team members subjected the specimen to CT scansincluding an ultra-high-resolution set of images captured with a device called a synchrotron, in Melbourne, Australia. Then came COVID-19. Yet it turned out to be the ideal pandemic project, as team members could share the images and perform the detailed measurements and other analyses required to describe a new species for publication. Analysis of other specimens from the mine is still in progress. Among other team members were two of Bauer's former Villanova lab members, Edward L. Stanley, now at the Florida Museum of Natural History, and Juan Daza, an associate professor of biology at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. Though Myanmar is in the Northern Hemisphere, geologic evidence suggests that when this lizard was alive, the landmass was part of a group of islands that had broken off from a "super continent" in the Southern Hemisphere, called Gondwana, Daza said. (That's where India came from, too, drifting northward toward a slow-motion collision that would create the Himalayas.) The discovery of the lizard will help piece together the story of how reptiles spread across the globe, and why some branches of the family tree died out while otherssuch as this lizard's apparent cousins in Cuba and the U.S. Southwesthave persisted. Those modern creatures are called night lizards because they are mainly active at night or in twilight. There's no telling what time of day the ancient lizard preferred, but it has the same telltale characteristics as its modern relatives: large scales on the head, tiny scales on the body and a wide, distinctively shaped snout. And before anyone gets ideas about Jurassic Park-style extraction of the lizard's DNAsorry, but no. Contrary to what's shown in the movies, genetic material does not preserve well in amber over millions of years. But to Bauer's surprise, one eyelid survived just fine. Modern lizards may dominate his research, yet he saw a clear connection with this creature from the distant past. "It's a cool thing," he said, "to be looking in the eye of something that lived that long ago." Explore further How the lizard tail can remain intact normally but break off when needed 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Research from BYU found that students who participate in multiple field trips during a school year have higher test scores, perform better in class and have increased cultural conscientiousness over time. Credit: Jaren Wilkey/BYU School field trips have been part of the educational experience for children across the nation for decades. While many school administrators believe there's intrinsic value in letting students develop socially with out-of-classroom experiences, quantifying the impact and the value of field trips is difficult. And justifying out-of-class time can be burdensome for teachers tasked with providing a good education amid the pandemic. As such, many art venues, science museums and zoos have reported declines in field trip attendance. Teachers and students have also reported decreasing amounts of school-sponsored trips, particularly for minority students in academically low-performing schools. But thanks to new research from BYU, Johns Hopkins University and the Heritage Foundation, the value of field trips is finally being understood and measured. The study, published in the Journal of Human Resources, found that students who participate in multiple field trips during the school year have higher test scores, perform better in class and have increased cultural conscientiousness over time. "Contrary to practice where schools, facing accountability pressures, trade extracurriculars for increased seat time, we found that there's no harm to academics by taking time out of the classroom," said Heidi Holmes Erickson, assistant professor of educational leadership at BYU and lead author of the study. "It's possible to expose students to a broader world and have culturally enriching curriculum without sacrificing academic outcomes, and it may actually improve academic outcomes." The study used an experimental design and randomly assigned fourth- and fifth-grade students from fifteen elementary schools in the Atlanta, Georgia, area to participate in three culturally enriching field trips during a school year. The field trips included a trip to an art museum, a live theater performance and a symphony concert. Students who attended three different field trips in fourth or fifth grade scored higher on end-of-grade exams, received higher course grades, were absent less often and had fewer behavioral infractions. These benefits were strongest when students entered middle school. "We anticipated that field trips wouldn't harm test scores. However, we started seeing academic improvements and realized that students who participated in these field trips were doing better in class," said Erickson. "One potential reason for this is that field trips expand students' world concepts and expose them to new ideas. Similarly, students might be more engaged in school thanks to field trips. Students find school more exciting and want to try harder in class." In addition to the academic improvements, students who participated in multiple field trips were 12% of a standard deviation more likely to express a desire to consume arts in the future and nearly 14% of a standard deviation more likely to agree with the statement, "I believe people can have different opinions about the same thing." Researchers say this is more evidence that field trips are beneficial not only for academic success but for individual character development as well. "Parents are very interested in the academic quality of their child's school, but they're also interested in the social skills and social engagement habits they develop. Cultural field trips are easy ways to help facilitate both." Erickson says she's hopeful this study will be a resource for policymakers and school principals who are interested in improving children's growth during the children's school experience. When considered in the context of the pandemic, she says this research should be a caution to administrators who are considering eliminating out-of-class opportunities. "Field trips have been non-existent for the last two years, and many cultural institutions like museums and science centers were closed. Schools want to make up learning loss from the pandemic and might feel pressure to sacrifice a well-rounded education for increased seat-time," says Erickson. "Field trips might be the first thing to go. Addressing student learning loss is crucial, but schools should be thoughtful in their approach." Explore further High schoolers who change schools during academic year are 40% more likely to drop out More information: Heidi H. Erickson et al, An Experimental Evaluation of Culturally Enriching Field Trips, Journal of Human Resources (2022). Journal information: Journal of Human Resources Heidi H. Erickson et al, An Experimental Evaluation of Culturally Enriching Field Trips,(2022). DOI: 10.3368/jhr.1020-11242R1 GMI in space helps to evaluate greenhouse gas around Tonga before and after the eruption. Credit: Ye Hanhan The massive underwater volcanic eruption in Tonga has brought heated discussions concerning how it may affect the global climate. A research team led by Prof. Xiong Wei from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has been monitoring and analyzing the greenhouse gas concentrations before and after the volcanic eruption in Tonga with the Greenhouse Gases Monitoring Instrument (GMI). They inverted the greenhouse gas monitoring data over Australia and New Zealand near the volcano in January 2019, January 2020 and January 2022. After the Tonga volcano erupted in January 2022, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations near the volcano soared to around 414 parts per million (ppm), according to researchers. Compared with the estimated 412 ppm had the volcano not erupted, the increased 2ppm equaled a whole year's CO 2 emission on Earth. "Tons of CO 2 was let off into the air during the eruption," said Ye Hanhan, one of the researchers, "the accumulation is caused just by gas overflow and eruption." The inter-annual fluctuation of atmospheric CO 2 concentration over land in the southern hemisphere has been increasing with a relatively stable speed before the eruption. The inter-annual fluctuation of CO 2 was about 2 ppm each year. Prior to the eruption, interannual fluctuations in atmospheric CO 2 concentration over land in the Southern Hemisphere had been increasing at a relatively steady rate. The annual fluctuation of CO 2 was about 2 ppm per year. GMI was equipped on the Hyperspectral Observation Satellite (GF-5B) and the Gaofen-5 Satellite (GF-5) to monitor the global distribution of greenhouse gases (i.e., CO 2 and CH 4 ) from space. In the future, GMI will strengthen the monitoring of atmospheric CO 2 generated by volcanic activity and further assess the impact on the global ecological environment and climate change. Explore further Observational instrument captures produced gas of Tonga eruption Credit: CC0 Public Domain Pollution hot spots including toxic dumping grounds that still feed into Lake Michigan are among the sites that stand to benefit from a $1 billion boost in funding for cleaning up the Great Lakes. The additional funds for Great Lakes restoration from the bipartisan infrastructure plan will largely bankroll work at some of the most contaminated sites throughout the region, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday. "This investment will be a game-changer in the effort to clean up pollution that has poisoned local drinking water and threatened the health of communities," Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition, said in a statement. The funding will directly support 11 sites listed as "areas of concern," including the Grand Calumet River in northwest Indiana. The Grand Calumet, which includes the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal, still hosts sediment containing likely carcinogens, heavy metals and various toxins that threaten humans and wildlifeand flows into Lake Michigan. In 1987, the United States and Canada designated 43 sites as "areas of concern," with 31 in the United States. Criticism of the slow cleanup pace dates back decades, as years went by after the designations without any of the hot spots officially making it off the list. Six sites have been delisted to date. In the Grand Calumet, work could be complete between 2027 and 2030, according to Thursday's announcement, making the site one of 22 out of the remaining 25 in the United States to reach that milestone by the end of the decade. The Grand Calumet could be officially delisted, at the earliest, in 2031. Waukegan Harbor, Illinois' only area of concern, is being monitored following a 30-year, $150 million cleanup effort. The site could be delisted between now and 2026. The additional funds put toward the degraded sites "will allow for a major acceleration of progress," according to Thursday's news release. With the midterm elections ahead, President Joe Biden highlighted the Great Lakes funding during a Thursday visit to Lorain, Ohioa state with three areas still listedwith EPA Administrator Michael Regan. "The Great Lakes are a vital economic engine and an irreplaceable environmental wonder, supplying drinking water for more than 40 million people, supporting more than 1.3 million jobs, and sustaining life for thousands of species," Regan said in the news release. As part of the bipartisan infrastructure plan, the additional $1 billion in funding across five years was included for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a program implemented in 2010 that has since supported more than 6,000 projects to address problems from industrial pollution and habitat loss to toxic algae blooms and invasive species. More detailed information on project funding is expected in the coming months. The billion-dollar investment can ideally free up funds to tackle more projects on the Great Lakes, said Don Jodrey, director of Federal Government Relations with the nonprofit Alliance for the Great Lakes. Areas of concern have received a share of annual funding, but, Jodrey said, "It's expensive to clean up legacy pollution." "We're at a point where we're nearing the end of the major cleanup," he said. "That's my hope." State and local officials said the investment was an important step toward protecting the Great Lakes and communities affected by environmental injustice. The EPA said the $1 billion will be distributed in line with the Biden administration initiative to deliver at least 40% of benefits from major federal investments to underserved communities. In a statement, Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor said the city is "an environmental justice community of nearly 90,000 residents on the shores of Lake Michigan." Delisting will support redevelopment and "ensure a future with clean water for the benefit of our community and, ultimately, the entire Great Lakes region," Taylor said. The three hot spots with work remaining past 2030 include the Kalamazoo River and the Saginaw River and Bay in Michigan, and the St. Lawrence River in New York. At Waukegan Harbor, more than 100,000 cubic yards of PCB-laden sediment was dredged up at the site of the former Outboard Marine Corp. PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are linked to cancer, among other serious health effects, and can stick around long after they're released into the environment. Candace May, Lake County outreach coordinator for Faith in Place, an environmental justice nonprofit that aims to bring together people of diverse faiths, said seeing Waukegan Harbor finally delisted will hopefully mitigate some harm that's been done to neighboring communities of color. And it might give a greater piece of mind when stepping into the water on hot summer days. "I think it's not going to fix everything but it's a step in the right direction," May said. "There has to be restoration. There can no longer be, oh, I'm sorry, here's a Band-Aid." As for the overall effort, May said anti-racism efforts are becoming part of the national consciousness. "It's the right thing to do," May said. "It should've been done long ago." Officials were expected to gather Friday in Waukegan to mark the investment. "For so many years, corporations abused the lake in Waukegan to the detriment of the people who live in Waukegan and the general area," said Illinois U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider. "It will be good for the people living there. It will be good for the local businesses." The Grand Calumet River will be a heavier lift. The industrial dumping ground was found to house toxic PCBs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, along with heavy metals including mercury and lead, and oily muck. An Army Corps official deemed the mixture "sediments from hell" in a 1993 Tribune story on the pollution. Explore further Long-sought Great Lakes projects get funding under new law 2022 Chicago Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The research team finds Atlantic cod in the Arctic Ocean. Credit: UFA Show & Factual, Germany Single individuals of Atlantic cod and squid occur much further north than previously expected. Scientists participating in the international MOSAiC expedition with research icebreaker Polarstern have found fish and squid in deep water in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. The results from Stockholm University, the Alfred Wegener Institute and colleagues in the European Fisheries Inventory in the Central Arctic Ocean (EFICA) Consortium are published today in the scientific journal Science Advances. Small fish occur at very low abundances in the 200-600 m deep Atlantic water layer of the Amundsen Basin as shown by the unique hydroacoustic dataset collected by the EFICA Consortium that showed a "deep scattering layer" (DSL) consisting of zooplanktion and fish along a 3170 km long track of the MOSAiC expedition. Therefore, it was a surprise when four larger fish were caught at 350 to 400 meters of depth. An even bigger surprise to the research team was that three of the fish were Atlantic cod, a predatory species that is not supposed to live this far north and, being a coastal fish, not in an four kilometers deep ocean basin more than 500 kilometers away from any coastline. With a deep-sea camera deployed underneath the sea ice, the scientists also discovered that Atlantic armhook squid and Atlantic lanternfish occur much further north than previously known. The Atlantic cod originated from Norwegian spawning grounds, and had lived in Arctic water temperature (-1 to 2 degrees Celsius) for up to six years laboratory analyses showed. The fish preferred the Atlantic water layer, a slightly warmer water mass (0-2 degrees Celsius) that reaches far into the Arctic basin in-beteen the surface and deeper water layers which are below 0 degrees Celsius. "So even if the Atlantic cod does not have its own central Arctic stock, this research shows that it can survive. A small number of individuals seem to find enough food to stay healthy for a longer time," says Pauline Snoeijs Leijonmalm, coordinator of the EFICA Consortium and professor in marine ecology at Stockholm University. New insights in the functioning of the pelagic food web The study thus adds a new trophic level to the pelagic food web of the central Arctic ecosystemthat of large predatory fish and squid. Together with the smaller fishes in the DSL, continuous immigration of larger Atlantic fish contributes to potential food for mammals since seals and walrus can dive down to the Atlantic water layer. "The availability of small and even some larger fish in the Atlantic water layer could explain why seals, walrus and polar bear can be found even at the North Pole. Both fish and mammals are very few, but they are there," says biologist Dr. Hauke Flores, Alfred Wegener Institute. The new study also found that diel vertical migration of the DSL is absent during the polar night, half a year of continuous darkness (DSL at 100-250 m), and the polar day, half a year of continuous light (DSL at 300-500 m). This implies that the carbon flux from shallower to deeper water through daily vertical migration of the DSL is hampered in the Central Arctic Ocean compared to all other oceans. "During the short productive season of the polar day the DSL will remain in the deeper part of the Atlantic water layer 24 hours per day, even when the sea ice disappears, because this process is regulated by the availability of light," says Pauline Snoeijs Leijonmalm. Armhook squid in the Arctic Ocean spotted by the expedition fish cam. Credit: EFICA Consortium No harvestable fish stocks Based on their scientific results, the authors of the new paper in Science Advances conclude thatat least in the Eurasian Basinthere are no harvestable fish stocks today or in the near future. "This was expected because the Central Arctic Ocean has very low nutrient concentrations and very low biological productivity. Even if more Atlantic fish and their prey would be advected with the water inflow from the Atlantic Ocean, the capacity of the Central Arctic Ocean ecosystem to support larger fish stocks is without doubt rather limited," says Pauline Snoeijs Leijonmalm. Pauline Snoeijs Leijonmalm stresses that it is of great importance that this fragile but fully functional ecosystem will receive robust international protection similar to Antarctica. International agreement prevents commercial fishing Global warming strikes the Artic region harder than the rest of the globe and climate models predict that the opening up of the Central Arctic Ocean for non-ice-breaking vessels is just a matter of decades. Since most of the area consists of high seasinternational waters outside national jurisdictionspossible future human activities here are debated at national and international political levels. "Usually, exploitation of newly accessible natural resources tends to precede scientific research and management measures, and internationally shared fish stocks in high seas are especially prone to overexploitation," says Pauline Snoeijs Leijonmalm. Taking a precautionary approach, Canada, China, Greenland (Kingdom of Denmark), Iceland, Japan, Norway, Russia, South-Korea, the U.S. and the European Union negotiated the Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean (CAO) that entered into force on 25 June 2021. The ten partners of the Agreement will soon be launching a large Joint Scientific Research and Monitoring Program to collect new fish and ecosystem data in the Central Arctic Ocean. The EU has already started this work by financing the EFICA Consortium's ecosystem research on the MOSAiC expedition (2019-2020), and the Synoptic Arctic Survey expedition with the Swedish icebreaker Oden (2021). The new paper in Science Advances is the first scientific paper presenting new field data in the context of the agreement. "This agreement prevents any commercial fishing for at least 16 years to come, and puts "science first," warranting scientific assessments of the status and distribution of possible fish stocks in the Central Arctic Ocean and the ecosystem supporting thema wise political decision and a good start towards full protection," says Pauline Snoeijs Leijonmalm. Explore further Pacific-origin tintinnids have invaded arctic basin More information: Pauline Snoeijs-Leijonmalm, Unexpected fish and squid in the central Arctic deep scattering layer, Science Advances (2022). www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abj7536 Journal information: Science Advances Pauline Snoeijs-Leijonmalm, Unexpected fish and squid in the central Arctic deep scattering layer,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj7536 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. GLENS FALLS The Building and Codes Committee has added language to the proposed lighting law putting a 60-watt cap on all exterior light fixtures. A section detailing how the law will be enforced and what penalties will accompany enforcement was also added. During the Building and Codes Committee workshop discussing the law on Wednesday night, Diana Palmer, the 3rd Ward councilwoman and chair of the committee, said she has had people reach out to her voicing their approval of the law. But she also received an email from a resident of the 3rd Ward who felt that more detail in the law was necessary. They said that they supported the law, but they felt that we needed to be more detailed with our lumens and things like that, Palmer said. Because there have been comments on both sides of the specificity argument, Palmer reached out to the New York Conference of Mayors, an association that represents cities and villages. She told conference officials about the feedback that has been given regarding the law. Their counsel did take a look at it and they said that they felt that is was enforceable as it was. Theres no reason we cant be more detailed if we want to and change it, but they felt that as it was there were enough standards in there, she said. Palmer said that from her perspective there was no reason why the committee couldnt get more specific in the law if members felt it was necessary. Ben Lapham, 4th Ward councilman and committee member, said he believes that getting more specific will benefit the law and bring more understanding to residents. I feel like the way it sits right now there will be a lot of people saying, I dont know if Im in compliance or not, he said. And I think that is a problem that we have that puts people in a bad place. Kris Vanderzee, the citys code enforcement officer and committee member, responded by saying that the law was left intentionally vague. The goal of the vagueness was to allow for open dialogue between the neighbors having a dispute and code enforcement officials. Vanderzee said it would have been impossible to list all of the things that wouldnt be covered under the new law. He made it clear that the new law isnt designed for him to go out looking for problems. If we get too detailed or too specific in lumens, I believe we are going to open ourselves up to a whole new can of worms, he said. Lapham stated that the way that the law was written didnt allow for people to know if they are in compliance. He said that there was no rule of thumb in the language. Vanderzee said he has been dealing with a few complaints regarding lighting issues in the city, and Lapham said he believes that once the law is passed more complaints will come to light. Palmer raised the point that, within the law as currently written, there were no standards for what level of brightness is allowed. Glens Falls Fire Chief James Schrammel, who is also a member of the committee, said a majority of complaints coming in have to do with spotlights or floodlights. He said he feels one way to clear the air is to come up with a wattage limit for bulbs. I believe some specificity can add to this, so we can eliminate a huge portion of questions for people out there, he said. Lapham asked about LED bulbs, which use less wattage than a typical light bulb. Schrammel said LED lights will have the equivalent wattage of other light bulbs indicated. By putting that language in I think we kind of at least give the public that information immediately, Schrammel said. Section 6 of the proposed law detailing how the law will be enforced was also added after the workshop. Vanderzee, or his authorized representative, shall be responsible for conducting inspections regarding compliance with the proposed law. If a violation is found, a written notice, including a reason for the notice and a reasonable time for the violation to be corrected, will be served to the property owner or occupant. Code enforcement officials are authorized to cause the matter to be brought to City Court if, upon re-examination, the violation has not been rectified. After looking at other laws and code within the city with similar enforcement, it was decided that a violation of the law would carry with it a fine not to exceed $250 or a term of imprisonment not to exceed 15 days, or both for each offense. The updated proposed lighting law can be found on the citys website under the latest city news section under the city services tab. Jay Mullen is a reporter for The Post-Star covering the city of Glens Falls, Warren County and crime and courts. You can reach him at (518) 742-3224 or jmullen@poststar.com. Love 1 Funny 4 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 6 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. QUEENSBURY Queensbury High School students participated in mock elections this week during an educational program put on by the Warren County Board of Elections to put teens on a path to vote. Staff from the Board of Elections held two days of mock elections at the high school for the third year in a row, while taking the opportunity to explain the voting and registration processes and having voting machines on hand for students to test out. Board of Elections personnel also brought sample ballots and went over the workings of early voting and military and absentee ballots with students. The program also calls for students to submit voting pre-registration cards, which automatically enroll an individual as a voter when they turn 18 years old. As of Wednesday, 158 students, ages 16 and 17, had returned the pre-registration cards out of 250 to participate in the program, according to a news release. Recently, New York state law changed, allowing 16-year-olds to pre-register to vote. Prior to the change, pre-registration was allowed once a teen turned 17. Beth McLaughlin, Warren County Democratic elections commissioner, said the last three years have been a great opportunity to educate students about the voting process. She said the Board of Elections is working to expand the program to other schools in the county. We provide them forms to pre-register, and we also work with them so they are able to fill out the ballot and cast it, McLaughlin said. The educational program has become an annual tradition at Queensbury High School. Warren County Republican Elections Commissioner William VanNess said the program has resulted in a plethora of great questions from students. He said that the goal is to get them feeling comfortable and prepared for their first election after their 18th birthday. Working with the teachers and the Queensbury staff has been great, he said. We look forward to working with other schools throughout the county. Students cast ballots for the positions of dog catcher, bus driver and a new position titled censeless taker during the mock elections. Some of the races involved the likes of Lou Lake George, Felix T Cat and Roger Rabbit. Kyle Gannon, Queensbury school superintendent, expressed his appreciation for the program and the working relationship with the Warren County Board of Elections. Our students value the process of voting and elections. This process is instrumental in their path to adulthood, he said. Jay Mullen is a reporter for The Post-Star covering the city of Glens Falls, Warren County and crime and courts. You can reach him at (518) 742-3224 or jmullen@poststar.com. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. MAYS LANDING Raymond Royster was raised to celebrate Black history all year, he said recently. Royster is a victim witness coordinator with the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office. As a victim advocate, he said, he can identify with some of the issues Black and other minority victims experience. It has allowed numerous victims, particularly Black male victims, to speak openly about some of their challenges. I have been able to refer these and other victims to adequate services as a result of being able to build a meaningful rapport. It is a pleasure to work in an environment that I can authentically represent my culture and community every day and feel supported by those around me, Royster said. Royster worked as an investigator and adolescent worker for the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency before coming to the Prosecutors Office. He said he was able to learn about the needs of families, individuals and communities in an intimate way, which allowed him to gain a better perspective and respect for some of their struggles and challenges. While working in Newark, I observed that some families lived in areas that were considered high-crime areas. Throughout much of my professional career, Ive worked in social services and assisted thousands of people in need. Ive learned to not judge people by their environments and to look at each individual as a person that deserves respect, he said. Royster grew up in Union and Essex counties and moved to Atlantic County after graduating from Stockton University. The demographics and dynamics of North Jersey were very different from those in Atlantic County, he said. I was used to working and living in an extremely diverse and high-populated area that had a plethora of services and resources for victims. South Jersey offered less services for the victims and clients that I service, which forced me to collaborate more effectively and aggressively to ensure that my clients receive adequate and timely services. I learned to develop strong and lasting relationships with the service providers and community leaders in Atlantic County so that I would be aware of any openings and opportunities for those most in need, Royster said. He works daily to learn as much as possible about the growing needs of individual victims and the community at large in Atlantic County, he said. I believe one of the best methods is to develop and support forums that allow victims and community leaders to share their concerns openly and honestly as often as possible. The best and only way to truly advocate for people is to take time to listen to them and offer sincere assistance in their time of need, he said. The mission of the prosecutors Office of Victim Witness Advocacy is to provide services and support to victims and witnesses of crime that will assist them through the criminal justice system and will help in their recovery from a traumatic event. When you are a victim of a crime or a witness to a traumatic event, it can seem overwhelming and you may be uncertain of who can help you through the crisis and the aftermath, reads a statement from the Prosecutors Office. The advocates employed by the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office are available to provide information, support and advocacy, link you to recovery services, all with the goal of helping you to recover and be supported through the justice system. Services are free and offered in English and Spanish. Access to an interpreter service is also available. The advocates can help answer questions about the criminal justice system, provide witnesses and victims with information about the cases, offer support through the criminal justice system and provide referrals to victim services, according to the Prosecutors Office. 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. Federal prosecutors investigating alleged schemes to influence former House Speaker Michael Madigan are considering filing charges against a subsidiary of AT&T involving a 2017 consulting contract, the phone giant revealed in a federal regulatory filing this week. The Tribune reported in July 2020 that AT&T had been subpoenaed by federal prosecutors amid a widening criminal probe into Madigans political operation. The subpoena from U.S. Attorney John Lauschs office was part of an inquiry into whether companies improperly used a stable of consultants with ties to the longtime House speaker as they pushed for legislation in Springfield. Advertisement This week, AT&T revealed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that Lauschs office had informed the company they are considering filing a charge against Illinois Bell Telephone Company LLC, an AT&T subsidiary. The potential charge involved a single, nine-month consulting contract in 2017 worth $22,500, the filing stated. The filing said Illinois Bell has been cooperating since 2019 in the widely reported investigation of certain elected Illinois politicians and related parties for corruption. Advertisement Based on our own extensive investigation of the facts and our engagement with the U.S. attorneys office, we have concluded that the contract at issue was legal in all respects and that any charge against Illinois Bell or its personnel would be without merit, the filing stated. A spokesman for Lauschs office declined to comment. The revelation comes more than a year and a half after prosecutors subpoenaed Madigans office for any and all documents and communications concerning AT&T, including contracts and correspondence related to the hiring of anyone to provide consulting or lobbying services to the public utility. In a statement to the Tribune in 2020, AT&T said only that, in general, it cooperates with any requests from law enforcement. Like all companies, from time to time we are required by law to provide information to government and law enforcement agencies, the statement read. As always, we cooperate with their fact gathering process. In an email Thursday an AT&T spokesman declined to elaborate on the companys SEC statement or the investigation. The companys SEC filing was first reported by WBEZ. Records show that AT&T has used several of the same former Madigan staffers and ex-Democratic state representatives as Commonwealth Edison, which has admitted in court documents to orchestrating a yearslong bribery scheme involving jobs, contracts and payments to Madigan allies in exchange for favorable action in the state Capitol. Advertisement In 2017, the year the AT&T contract in question was doled out, the phone company had in its army of lobbyists some of Madigans top former political staffers, including Tom Cullen, a longtime strategist with close ties to the Speaker. Cullen could not be reached for comment Thursday. In May of that year, another former Madigan political director, Eileen Mitchell, returned to AT&T after a brief stint as Mayor Rahm Emanuels chief of staff. She is currently the head of AT&T Illinois. Meanwhile, like in the ComEd case, AT&T had a big legislative goal in 2017: passing a controversial bill to end traditional landline telephone service to the remaining 1.2 million customers in Illinois. Critics including the AARP Illinois and the Citizens Utility Board watchdog group were pushing back, saying the legislation would leave behind hundreds of thousands of Illinois residents, particularly seniors, who disproportionately rely on traditional landline telephone service for everything from connecting with family to monitoring life-threatening medical conditions. After a protracted fight, the bill passed during the final hours of the spring legislative session. Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the legislation, but the Democrat-led General Assembly overrode him. Advertisement AT&T and its employees have given heavily to Madigans campaign coffers, racking up more than a quarter of a million dollars in donations to three separate funds the speaker controls since 2016 alone, state election records show. The probe of AT&T was an offshoot of a similar inquiry into ComEd. A 50-page indictment filed in November 2020 alleged that beginning in 2011, Michael McClain, a former legislator and longtime friend of Madigan, and the others arranged for various associates of the Speaker including his political allies and campaign workers to obtain jobs, contracts and monetary payments from ComEd even in instances where they did little or no actual work. Also charged in that case was former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker, and Jay Doherty, a consultant for the utility and one-time head of the City Club of Chicago. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty to the indictment. Another former ComEd executive, Fidel Marquez, pleaded guilty to bribery conspiracy last year and is cooperating with prosecutors in the probe. Madigan, who stepped down from his role as speaker in January 2021 and later resigned his legislative seat, has not been charged and has denied wrongdoing. Advertisement jmeisner@chicagotribune.com rlong@chicagotribune.com GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP Amazon, the company that dominates online retail across the country, could soon be coming to Galloway although some neighbors of the project are apprehensive about the idea. Plans to build an Amazon facility in Galloway were unveiled Thursday night at a township Planning Board meeting. The facility, planned for a lot at Aloe Street and Genoa Avenue, will be an Amazon Last Mile Delivery Station. Amazon drivers will take packages received from larger, central sites and deliver them to customers doorsteps. Representatives from Amazon and Bluewater Property Group, a development company contracted by Amazon for the project, presented the proposal to the Planning Board over the course of a meeting that lasted about three hours. Its going to bring a lot of great jobs, Mayor Anthony Coppola, who is also a member of the Planning Board, said after the meeting ended. Its a great ratable for the township. Dan Fuchs, an Amazon senior manager of entitlements for the East Coast, said the facility would encompass an area of 181,000 square feet a measure he stressed was about five times less than the size of the central Amazon Fulfillment Center. Points within a 45-minute drive would generally be within the centers delivery zone, while the center will be receiving packages from larger Amazon facilities in the southwestern part of the state. Galloway Township woman arrested on child abuse charges Angela Capella, 26, was charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a child. The center will be open 24 hours a day, and there is no in-store customer pickup planned. Amazon will employ 150 to 200 people full time and additional staff part time, paying a minimum wage of $15 per hour and providing benefits packages to all employees, Fuchs told the board. The site will also hire contract drivers, employing another 300 to 500 people. Scott Uher, an architect who spoke as an expert for Amazon and Bluewater, estimated construction would take eight months to a year. Neighbors of the proposed facility expressed their opposition to the project during the public comment section. Patricia Burke took issue with much of the project and the impact she believed it would have on nearby residents. With her property right in front of the Amazon facilitys four planned driveways, Burke expressed concern that the facility would congest nearby roads with shipping traffic. Residents Bruce Egnor and Eileen Seaman echoed Burkes sentiments, and added they are alarmed by the safety implications of the project. They argued the section of Genoa Avenue in question was already too dangerous, and that the added delivery traffic would worsen the situation. Egnor said he is worried about the safety of his octogenarian mother, who lives directly in front of the property. Nathan Mosley, a traffic engineer who testified as an expert for Amazon and Bluewater, said traffic impacts would be minimal because it was not a full-sized fulfillment center. Amazon has also further promised the township it would repave and widen Genova Avenue to ensure the road is more navigable. Casino school gives strong hand to aspiring dealers NORTHFIELD Denise Hillery Angel Jones and her husband, Glenn, rolled the dice on opening This site is not a distribution-warehouse facility, it is not going to have massive truck traffic coming in and out throughout the entire day, Mosley said. Burke also said she was worried about noise and light pollution that would emanate from the property, saying it could disturb residents, and about the impact on wildlife. She said the New Jersey Pinelands Commission had yet to give the full approvals that would be needed for the final construction of the facility. She also questioned the transparency of the project, saying she only caught wind of plans for an Amazon facility one week ago. This is a lot to digest in a weeks period of time, Burke said. Members of the Planning Board noted the facility would be hundreds of feet farther back from the street than required by township ordinance, and would be even substantially farther away than required by the township redevelopment agreement for the property. They said Amazon and Bluewater had similarly exceeded the standards set for buffering on the property, which lessens the effects of noise and light. Coppola said the redevelopment agreement was designed to address residents concerns in advance of the meeting as best as the township could. If the Pinelands Commission later stops the project from going forward without significant changes, then the project could again be brought to the Planning Board. Galloway Township woman arrested on child abuse charges Angela Capella, 26, was charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a child. I just want the public to understand what has already been done to mitigate a lot of these concerns before they even got to this point, Coppola said at the meeting. Coppola added the township worked to provide documentation about the project to concerned residents in advance and had been wholly transparent. Members of council, as well as Bluewater attorney Stephen Nehmad, said Amazon and Bluewater had met their obligations under township ordinance and state law and that the property did not need a variance. Other members of the board noted that if the township had not gone forward with the redevelopment agreement on the property, another development could have been built there by right due to its industrial zoning. Alan Dill, who lives nearby on Odessa Avenue, echoed concerns about traffic and transparency. Nothing said the word Amazon on it, Dill said, frustrated about not having learned who would be developing the property in advance. The taxpayers know what theyre going to have to deal with. I just remember when Pomona (a section of Galloway) was a sleepy little farm town, you know what I mean? Dill added. And thats why I lived there. Contact Chris Doyle cdoyle@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. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. WASHINGTON -- With more than 150,000 Russian soldiers and sailors now surrounding Ukraine on three sides, and Belarusian and Russian forces carrying out large-scale military maneuvers less than 100 miles from Ukraines capital, the danger of full-scale war remains high. RFE/RL offers comprehensive around the clock reporting to audiences in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and in English to audiences around the world. RFE/RL is uniquely positioned to cover and analyze events as they unfold, with four news services its Ukrainian, Belarus, and Russian services and the Current Time digital network fully focused on the crisis. As tensions mount, with a surge in shelling and leaders of the Kremlin-backed separatists that control parts of Ukraine's eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk announcing the evacuation of residents to the southeast of Russia, RFE/RL will be reporting from the line of contact in Donbas and from Russias Rostov region. Stories to follow RFE/RL reporters are documenting the unprecedented concentration of troops and supplies in southwestern Russia, Belarus, and the Black Sea. Our teams covered the military buildup on Russias side of the border, reviewing social video posts with researchers from Conflict Intelligence Team and InformNapalm to analyze the information and cut through the disinformation. In a February 8 interview, leading Russian military expert Pavel Felgengauer observed that the military would be fully prepared for action that week, and the Kremlins decision to start an invasion would come in three days, on February 11 which turned out to be the day that Western countries sounded the alarm to begin evacuations of diplomatic personnel. Reporters also traveled to Ukraines eastern border to meet with elite Ukrainian soldiers defending the line of contact and visit an isolated Ukrainian village on the border, as well as the city of Mariupol, 20 miles from the line of contact, to gauge the mood of locals about the threat of invasion. RFE/RL has also posted several reports that countered Kremlin disinformation, debunking Russian President Vladimir Putins claim that Ukraine "may start an operation in Crimea" and Belarusian media claims that the U.S. was conducting biological experiments on Ukrainian soldiers. Current Times Footage Vs Footage team also posted a comparison of Putins recent statements on the crisis with responses from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, as well as an explainer showing how Kremlin-controlled TV channels in Russia frequently use demeaning and belittling language to describe other former Soviet countries, especially Ukraine and Georgia. RFE/RL remains under incessant attack from Russian authorities. Russian state media-monitoring agency Roskomnadzor continues to issue takedown notices to RFE/RL, threatening to block RFE/RL websites unless content tied to corruption investigations by jailed opposition leader Aleksei Navalny and his Anti-Corruption Fund is removed. Meanwhile, on February 16 a Russian-controlled court in occupied Crimea sentenced RFE/RL freelance correspondent Vladyslav Yesypenko to six years in prison following a closed-door trial. Newsmaker and expert interviews RFE/RL interviewed Ukraines Ambassador to the U.K., Vadym Prystayko, who walked back controversial comments that Ukraine could give up its NATO ambitions, as well as Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte and British Ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons, who questioned whether Russias top officials entirely understand the costs of a potential military invasion, both in terms of loss of life and the economic consequences. Whats Ahead: On February 19, RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service will air an exclusive interview with Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander of Ukraines Territorial Defense Forces Serhiy Sobko. The Russian Service will publish an interview with the Hoover Institutions Michael Bernstam on the potential for economic sanctions to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine as well as analysis of German Chancellor Olaf Scholzs Russia strategy. RFE/RL will also be providing in-depth live coverage of the Munich Security Conference. RFE/RLs News Services RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service, with a monthly average of over 8 million visits and 11 million page views to its websites as well as nearly 600 million video views on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram in 2021, sets a standard in the Ukrainian media market for independence, professionalism, and innovation. Its comprehensive coverage includes the award-winning reporting of its Donbas Realities and Crimea Realities websites and Schemes investigative reporting team. Labeled an "extremist organization" by the Belarus government, RFE/RLs Belarus Service provides independent news and analysis to Belarusian audiences in their own language, relying on social media platforms such as Telegram, Instagram, and YouTube, as well as mirror sites and an updated news app to circumvent pervasive Internet blockages and access disruptions. RFE/RLs Russian Service is a multiplatform alternative to Russian state-controlled media, providing audiences in the Russian Federation with informed and accurate news, analysis, and opinion. Despite being labeled by the Russian government as a foreign agent, The Russian Services websites, including its regional reporting units Siberia.Realities and Northern.Realities, earned a monthly average of 12.7 million visits and 20.6 million page views in 2021, while 297 million Russian Service videos were viewed on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Current Time is a 24/7 Russian-language digital and TV network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. In addition to reporting uncensored news, it is the largest provider of independent, Russian-language films to its audiences. Despite rising pressure on Current Time from the Russian government, which has labeled the network a media foreign agent, Current Time videos were viewed over 1.3 billion times on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram/IGTV in FY2021. About RFE/RL RFE/RL relies on its networks of local reporters to provide accurate news and information to more than 37 million people every week in 27 languages and 23 countries where media freedom is restricted, or where a professional press has not fully developed. Its videos were viewed 7 billion times on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram/IGTV in FY2021. RFE/RL is an editorially independent media company funded by a grant from the U.S. Congress through the U.S. Agency for Global Media. ---- FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Martins Zvaners in Washington (zvanersm@rferl.org, +1.202.457.6948) Karin Maree in Prague (mareek@rferl.org, +420.221.122.074) A 70-year-old Davenport man was arrested Thursday morning on multiple charges of possessing child pornography, Davenport Police said. Anthony Jerome Valle Sr. is charged in Scott County District Court with 15 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Each of the charges is an aggravated misdemeanor under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of two years. According to the arrest affidavits filed by Davenport Police Officer. A. J. Poirier, an investigation was initiated Feb. 8, 2021, into suspected images of child pornography that were transmitted over the internet on Dec. 21, 2020. The investigation determined that Valle was in possession of visual depictions of minors engaged in prohibited sexual acts, child pornography, on a computer that Valle claimed belonged to him. Valle told police he was the primary user of the computer that contained child pornography images. There were 167 images of child pornography identified that included 73 separate minors. The child pornography content recovered equals up to 73 counts of violating Iowa code 728.12(3), Poirier said in his arrest affidavit. Valle was booked into the Scott County Jail at 9:17 a.m. Thursday. During a first appearance Friday in Scott County District Court where Magistrate Jay Sommers scheduled a preliminary hearing in the case for Feb. 25. Valle was being held Friday night in the Scott County Jail an a cash-only bond of $10,000. Love 0 Funny 1 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. Davenport Fire says no one was injured Thursday in a house fire in the 3100 block of West 66th Street. Firefighters were called to the house around 4:55 p.m. for smoke and a fire in the basement. "The first arriving unit reported this was a working fire with heavy smoke conditions in the basement," the department said in a news release. The fire was quickly extinguished, but the home had heavy smoke throughout. People in the home escaped without injury. A family pet was given oxygen by firefighters. Red Cross was called in to assist the displaced family. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Pollution hot spots including toxic dumping grounds that still feed into Lake Michigan are among the sites that stand to benefit from a $1 billion boost in funding for cleaning up the Great Lakes. The additional funds for Great Lakes restoration from the bipartisan infrastructure plan will largely bankroll work at some of the most contaminated sites throughout the region, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday. This investment will be a game-changer in the effort to clean up pollution that has poisoned local drinking water and threatened the health of communities, Laura Rubin, director of the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition, said in a statement. The funding will directly support 11 sites listed as areas of concern, including the Grand Calumet River in northwest Indiana. The Grand Calumet, which includes the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal, still hosts sediment containing likely carcinogens, heavy metals and various toxins that threaten humans and wildlife and flows into Lake Michigan. In 1987, the United States and Canada designated 43 sites as areas of concern, with 31 in the United States. Criticism of the slow cleanup pace dates back decades, as years went by after the designations without any of the hot spots officially making it off the list. Six sites have been delisted to date. In the Grand Calumet, work could be complete between 2027 and 2030, according to Thursdays announcement, making the site one of 22 out of the remaining 25 in the United States to reach that milestone by the end of the decade. The Grand Calumet could be officially delisted, at the earliest, in 2031. Waukegan Harbor, Illinois only area of concern, is being monitored following a 30-year, $150 million cleanup effort. The site could be delisted between now and 2026. The additional funds put toward the degraded sites will allow for a major acceleration of progress, according to Thursdays news release. With the midterm elections ahead, President Joe Biden highlighted the Great Lakes funding during a Thursday visit to Lorain, Ohio a state with three areas still listed with EPA Administrator Michael Regan. The Great Lakes are a vital economic engine and an irreplaceable environmental wonder, supplying drinking water for more than 40 million people, supporting more than 1.3 million jobs, and sustaining life for thousands of species, Regan said in the news release. As part of the bipartisan infrastructure plan, the additional $1 billion in funding across five years was included for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a program implemented in 2010 that has since supported more than 6,000 projects to address problems from industrial pollution and habitat loss to toxic algae blooms and invasive species. More detailed information on project funding is expected in the coming months. The billion-dollar investment can ideally free up funds to tackle more projects on the Great Lakes, said Don Jodrey, director of Federal Government Relations with the nonprofit Alliance for the Great Lakes. Areas of concern have received a share of annual funding, but, Jodrey said, Its expensive to clean up legacy pollution. Were at a point where were nearing the end of the major cleanup, he said. Thats my hope. State and local officials said the investment was an important step toward protecting the Great Lakes and communities affected by environmental injustice. In a statement, Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor said the city is an environmental justice community of nearly 90,000 residents on the shores of Lake Michigan. Delisting will support redevelopment and ensure a future with clean water for the benefit of our community and, ultimately, the entire Great Lakes region, Taylor said. The three hot spots with work remaining past 2030 include the Kalamazoo River and the Saginaw River and Bay in Michigan, and the St. Lawrence River in New York. At Waukegan Harbor, more than 100,000 cubic yards of PCB-laden sediment was dredged up at the site of the former Outboard Marine Corp. PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are linked to cancer, among other serious health effects, and can stick around long after theyre released into the environment. The Grand Calumet River will be a heavier lift. The industrial dumping ground was found to house toxic PCBs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, along with heavy metals including mercury and lead, and oily muck. An Army Corps official deemed the mixture sediments from hell in a 1993 Tribune story on the pollution. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoots controversial plan to fight crime by seizing street gang members assets advanced Thursday despite continued condemnation of the idea from some aldermen and other critics. The ordinance cleared the Public Safety Committee by a 10-4 vote. It heads to the full City Council next week. Advertisement The plan moved forward even as aldermen expressed frustration with city officials inability to provide clear evidence that civil asset forfeiture programs actually lower crime, as well as concerns that its language remains too vague. Lightfoots proposed ordinance could allow judges or court officers to impose fines as high as $10,000 for each street gang-related offense and seize any property that is directly or indirectly used or intended for use in any manner to facilitate street gang-related activity. Advertisement Mayor Lori Lightfoot's gang asset seizure proposal has been criticized by some who say it would mainly harm poor young gang members and their families. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune) It also calls for the seizure of any property that gangs obtained through illegal means such as drug dealing or other crimes. And it allows the city to seek fines up to $30,000 against people convicted of illegal gun possession. The mayor introduced the ordinance last fall and received criticism from aldermen, attorneys and others who said it would mainly harm poor young gang members and their families. The mayor responded in January by bringing forward a retooled ordinance that seeks to more narrowly target adult gang leaders for forfeiture. We are not talking ... about low-level drug dealers on the street, John OMalley, Lightfoots deputy mayor for public safety, said Thursday. The Lightfoot administrations latest plan also gives families of people who get cars or other assets seized a way to appeal on the grounds that other family members need the vehicles for legitimate purposes. Ernest Cato, chief of the bureau of counterterrorism for the Chicago Police Department, said the aim of the ordinance isnt to take cars away from family members. The goal is to deter families from getting involved with that, Cato said. Advertisement Still, aldermen continue to have reservations. South Side Ald. Roderick Sawyer, 6th, said the measure seems aimed only at minorities who form gangs with people they know, rather than wealthier high-level drug dealers who arent affiliated with a street organization. If were going to do something, I hope that it would be equally applied across the board, Sawyer said. North Side Ald. Maria Hadden, 49th, said the mayors plan falls short in failing to define explicitly whose assets the city can go after. Im really uncomfortable with the loose definitions, Hadden said. She said it seems likely the amount of time city lawyers will have to spend going after gang members relatively modest assets makes it likely the actions will be completely financially worthless to the city. Advertisement And North Side Ald. Matt Martin, 47th, said city lawyers would be better served pursuing cases against gun traffickers than trying to seize gang members cars. The committee also discussed but didnt vote Thursday on an ordinance allowing the Civilian Office of Police Accountability to redact the names of officers killed in the line of duty from its published reports. The move is an attempt by COPA interim administrator Andrea Kersten to address the criticism she received when COPA included the name of slain Officer Ella French in a report published on the wrongful Anjanette Young police raid after French was shot during a traffic stop. Some aldermen and transparency advocates, among them the Better Government Association, pushed back against the redaction proposal. The BGA said it would be a clear danger to the reliability of public records, and would contradict the state Freedom of Information Act. Kersten on Thursday said the ordinance wouldnt break state law because the names would only be redacted in published reports, not copies of reports requested through FOIA. But she welcomed more discussion on potential unintended consequences of the change. jebyrne@chicagotribune.com Walking into the Figge Art Museum Katz Gallery, it's not the photos lining the walls or the unique instruments displayed on white pedestals that instantly grab your attention it's the music. Sounds of tapping, plucking and resonant beats fill the air, creating an atmosphere that feels vast and ageless, transporting you far away from Iowa's dreary winter. Paired with larger-than-life photos of stark desert landscapes and evidence of many human's trek across its surface, the exhibit tells the complicated story of the Mexican-American border region. "Border Cantos | Sonic Border," a traveling exhibit created by photographer Richard Misrach and composer and artist Guillermo Galindo, opens in the Figge Art Museum, 225 W. 2nd St., Davenport, Saturday and will run through June 5. "It's going to be an amazing immersive experience for our audience and it will help allow our visitors to look, listen and learn about these complicated issues surrounding the border," said Figge Art Museum Executive Director and CEO Michelle Hargrave. Galindo recorded the music played in the exhibit a four hour-long piece on instruments he created using materials found at the border, which are on display in the exhibit. Misrach's photos show different scenes around the border, from abandoned sections of fencing to a lone barrel filled with water for those crossing the desert. In addition to the main exhibit, the Figge has coordinated programming to encourage visitors to engage with the exhibit and their own feelings surrounding immigration and humanity. People will get to tell their own migration story on a large world map in the Learn to Look gallery, as well as read the stories of students who attend Black Hawk College. Students in the Creative Arts Academy have also taken inspiration from the exhibit to create their own pieces of art, which are displayed in an adjacent room. A wall made with foam bricks, each inscribed with a message of strength and connection, will sit in the lobby where people can add bricks. It will be constantly changing, said Figge Director of Education Melissa Mohr. This exhibit has allowed for many partnerships, Mohr said, from student visits to educational programming to artist presentations. Visit the Figge's website to learn more about events. "At the heart of everything we do is partnership and collaboration," Mohr said. With the exhibit and the programming developed alongside it, Mohr said the Figge education team identified some themes they wanted to convey, Mohr said: migration, immigration, humanitarianism, empathy and storytelling. These are ideas that can bring people together, and in talking about them, they can make both the Figge and the community a safer and more inclusive space. "We all often face barriers in our lives, whether they're things that are set for us or they're difficult choices, or barriers based on our demographics or nationality," Hargrave said. "This is really an opportunity to reflect on those barriers, what barriers we have encountered, which ones are real, which ones were imagined and how might we dismantle them." 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. Moline-based Deere and Co.s first-quarter profits dipped as supply-chain problems and labor shortages compounded and a five-week strike of about 10,000 employees heightened production costs. Deeres net income totaled $903 million between Oct. 1 and Jan. 30, or $2.92 a share, falling below the companys $1.224 billion in net income in the same time last year. The company told investors Friday that it expected to make between $6.7 and $7.1 billion in fiscal 2022 in profits. During the first fiscal quarter, supply-chain disruptions, especially surrounding semi-conductors, raised material and production prices. The union strike affected 12 locations in Iowa, Illinois, and Kansas and ended after Deere agreed to raise wages. In its earnings call, Deere executives said the company paid $90 million in ratification bonuses. Deeres performance in the first quarter was impressive given production issues surrounding the delayed ratification of our UAW contract in late November as well as persistent challenges posed by the supply chain and pandemic, said John C. May, chairman and chief executive officer. These factors led to higher production costs in the quarter. We continue to work closely with key suppliers to manage the situation, enabling our customers to deliver food production and critical infrastructure. We are proud of the extraordinary efforts being taken by our dealers and employees to get products to our customers as soon possible in todays challenging environment. Dave Swenson, an economist with Iowa State University, isn't surprised to see the strike affected Deere's performance. The big issue with regard to the John Deere strike was the duration of that strike, Swenson said. It interfered significantly with the production of very high-valued tractors and farm implements for a relatively long period of time. And so productivity went down, amount of sales went down, the amount of parts distributed went down, so everything associated with John Deere normal operations over that period of time was either constrained or stopped. So, it's not surprising at all that they would have reported a decline in their quarterly earnings. Many advanced manufacturers, Swenson said, are struggling to get more computer chips to operate the equipments systems. The bulk of semi-conductors are produced overseas. China, Korea, and Japan are three big producers, Swenson said, so as the world grows dependent on them, a disruption like the pandemic can mean shortages everywhere. "The function of the U.S. having for one reason or another outsource chip production to non domestic producers, those non domestic producers really being able to capture an ever-larger fraction of the worldwide market, therefore, the world is ever increasingly dependent on that. So, when there's a disruption, like what we had with the pandemic, it just simply ripples not just in the United States, it ripples across all of the countries where we have advanced manufacturing." On Friday, May said the company set a goal to increase its margins to 20% by 2030 at the equipment operations level, which makes up the bulk of the companys revenue. In this quarter, equipment operations operated on an 11% margin, according to May. The CEO said those plans included autonomous vehicles and subscription-based software. May said the company already has customers paying for autonomy this spring, but are still rolling it out on a limited basis. Deere presented a fully autonomous tractor in January at a Las Vegas convention, and by 2026 the company aims to deliver an autonomous battery powered tractor. Deere executives said the company would aim to reach 10% recurring revenue. Now, it is less than 1%. Progressing our capabilities in digitalization, autonomy, automation, and electrification are key to creating both value for our customers and revenue growth per year, May said. Executives also announced sustainability goals, including reducing CO2 operating emissions by 50% and reducing green house gas emissions for all levels of the supply chain by 30% by 2030. May thanked the company's workers and dealers and pointed to Association of Equipment Manufacturers data that showed Deere outpaced competitors in retail sales in most categories for the quarter. "The credit for this impressive performance goes first to factory employees who did an outstanding job, post ratification of our labor agreement," May said. "And next to our dealers, who have managed through delays due to both supply chain challenges and work stoppages at our factories." 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. A Davenport man on federal supervised release for a gun crime is now charged in connection with a Davenport shooting that occurred in the early morning of Jan. 29 in the 1300 block of Washington Street. Leonard Fisher Jr., 31, who has been living at 605 Main St., Davenport, which is a residential correctional facility for the Iowa Department of Corrections, is charged with one count each of intimidation with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon. Each of the charges is a Class D felony under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of five years. According to the arrest affidavit filed by Davenport Police Officer Joel Griffin, at 5:12 a.m. Jan. 29, Davenport police were sent to the 1300 block of Washington Street after receiving multiple calls of shots fired. During the investigation, officers determined that Fisher fired a Springfield Hellcat 9mm handgun at another person. The gun was located at the scene along with six spent shell casings. Fisher was captured on video firing the handgun. It also was discovered the handgun Fisher used was stolen May 29, 2021, during a residential burglary in Whiteside County, Ill. Fisher was taken into custody Thursday. He was booked into the Scott County Jail at 2:33 p.m. During a first appearance Friday in Scott County District Court, Magistrate Jay Sommers set a preliminary hearing date on the charges for Feb. 25. Fisher's bond was set at $5,000, cash only. Federal authorities also have placed a detainer on Fisher to begin the process of revoking his supervised release and possibly level federal weapons charges against him for the Davenport shooting. Fishers criminal history includes felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, drugs and possessing contraband in a correctional facility. On Jan. 14, 2016, Fisher was sentenced to serve eight years and four months in federal prison after pleading guilty Sept. 25, 2015, to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court, Davenport, the case against Fisher began Nov. 29, 2014, when officers were dispatched to the Knights of Pythias that at that time was located at 1116 W. 3rd St. That building has since been razed. Officers approaching the area saw a car speed out of a nearby alley. The officers gave chase. During the chase, one of the occupants threw an object from the car that struck a parked car. The chase ended at Genesis Medical Center East, Davenport. Officers approached the vehicle with guns drawn. The front-seat passenger was identified as Fisher, who told officers that the back-seat passenger, who was identified as Kevin West, now 33, had been shot. Officers assisted getting West into the hospital. West had suffered life-threatening gunshot wounds to the lower abdomen. While the officers were getting West out of the car, they saw in plain view a gun in the passenger back map pocket. Officers seized a loaded Lorcin .380 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number in the car along with two bags of marijuana and a scale. Cell phones were taken off Fisher and the driver. A video on Fishers cell phone showed him with a gun in his pocket, just before the shooting and police chase. The gun depicted in the video is the same one found in the car. Fisher admitted to police that the gun was his and that it was not manufactured in the state of Iowa. The man convicted in Scott County District Court for the shooting at the club is Cameron Cortez Howard, now 34. On March 27, 2015, Howard was sentenced to concurrent 10-year prison terms after pleading guilty to one count each of intimidation with a dangerous weapon and willful injury, both Class C felonies. He was sentenced to a consecutive term of five years in prison after also pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Howard is currently awaiting trial in Scott County District Court on charges in connection with the Nov. 28, 2021, shooting incident that occurred in the 6500 block of North Harrison Street. Howard was arrested in January on the charges of intimidation with a dangerous weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be arraigned in that case Feb. 24 in Scott County District Court. West, the man who was wounded, is awaiting trial in Scott County District Court on a charge of assault causing injury, a Class D felony, and domestic abuse-first offense, a serious misdemeanor. He was arrested Sept. 21, 2021, on the charges. A trial date has been scheduled for May 2. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. An Illinois law requires prosecutors to notify crime victims when their case may result in a plea, but one victim in the shooting case involving a retired police captain said she received no such notification. Jerome "Jerry" Patrick, who retired from the Moline Police Department in 2016, was accused of following two people home from a Moline tavern in September 2019 and shooting at them from his convertible. 2 years and 145 days after former Moline cop Jerry Patrick was arrested, his case ends with a plea deal A former Moline Police officer was charged with shooting a gun at two people in an alley. Two years and 145 days later, he was sentenced to 150 days in prison. Since the shooting took place in Moline, the Illinois State Police was asked to take over the investigation to avoid a possible conflict of interest. A special prosecutor was not assigned to the case. Patrick took a plea with the Rock Island County State's Attorney on Feb. 4. He pleaded guilty to a reduced single felony charge of reckless discharge of a firearm. Two felony charges of aggravated discharge of a firearm and two felony charges of aggravated assault with a firearm were dismissed. The case took nearly 2 1/2 years to resolve, and attorneys for Patrick were granted 14 continuances. He was sentenced to 150 days in the county jail, though the sentence will be cut in half with the standard day-for-day credit. Court records indicate he is not to report to the county jail until March 1, and he has not spent a day in jail since his arrest 29 months ago. Motion to continue trial denied in case against former Moline police captain A Rock Island County Circuit Judge on Thursday denied a motion to delay the trial of a former Moline police captain accused of shooting at two people from his car in 2019. Assistant State's Attorney Matt Schutte said he was assigned the case after the plea deal had been reached. "... I know the plea negotiations were influenced by the fact that the victims approved of the offer," Schutte wrote in a recent email. One of the two victims in the shooting said she never was made aware negotiations were underway and never would have endorsed the terms of the agreement. As a victim, she is not being identified by name. The second victim did not respond to requests for comment. The woman described what happened the night of the shooting: The two victims were at a Moline tavern that was among the places they were distributing flyers about a fundraiser. They encountered a woman she knew who pointed out Patrick and said, "This guy won't leave us alone." Family and friends of the second woman arrived and a fight broke out, which the victim described as "brawling on the floor." Those involved in the fight, including Patrick, left the tavern. When the victims also left the bar a short time later, they noticed someone following them. "I think he was mistaken and thought we were the ones he'd been fighting with," the woman said. "In my alley, I saw him in the car and saw he had a gun. He turned around; I think to get a better shot. "We parked and ran. I'd just turned the corner of the garage when he started to shoot, and I'm lucky the bullets didn't go through the garage." Her young children were asleep in the house in a bedroom that faces the alley from which the shots were fired. Patrick had declared at the bar that he was a Moline police officer, she said, and she was reluctant at first to call 911. "I come from a law-enforcement family," she said. "Cops protect cops; that's just how it is, so I was hesitant to even call." The next morning, she saw the damage where the bullets struck her truck and called police. She spoke with investigators and someone from the state's attorney's office in the weeks following the shooting, but she did not learn of the plea until it had been accepted by a judge, she said. According to Illinois' Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act: "If the State's Attorney has not consulted with the victim prior to making an offer or entering into plea negotiations with the defendant, the Office of the State's Attorney shall notify the victim of the offer or the negotiations within 2 business days and confer with the victim." The victim received a letter that was dated the day the plea was entered into the court record and Patrick was sentenced. It indicates he was to serve 24 months' probation but contains no reference to jail time. "They didn't ask me anything about it," she said. "I was followed home, and I was shot at with my kids in the house behind me. How was I not asked about this?" State's Attorney Dora Villarreal said in an email Thursday that she spoke with "the victim in the case" about the plea offer made by her office. She was asked why she was using the singular "victim," given that two people were fired upon, but Villarreal did not respond. She later wrote in an email that her office spoke with the male victim and tried to reach the female. "Our office and I take our duty to victims very seriously, and we attempted contact to (the second victim) via phone and mail, to no avail," Villarreal wrote. "This includes nine different letters, regarding the status of this case and/or plea negotiations." The victim said she initially received letters from the state's attorney's office, but she never was notified about a possible or pending plea, never was asked to respond and was not contacted by phone. "The letters just state the court dates and that I didnt have to show up," she said Thursday. "I dont have any voicemails from them, and they called me at the start of it (the case) and we spoke. They havent tried calling me since." Villarreal said her office maintained records and assured that efforts were made to call the victim. "There's a lot of people that switch phones," she said. The victim said she had not changed phones. The only person-to-person contact the victim has had since the weeks immediately following the shooting, she said, was with a private investigator who came to her house and said he was working for Patrick. "I was never asked to discuss a plea deal," she said. "I would not have agreed to it. The only mention of a plea was when I got a letter saying they were revoking any offers." Villarreal also was asked why one of her assistants said, "the victims approved the offer." She said it was possible that Schutte misunderstood when she told him her office was ready to take the plea to court. She could not confirm that the male victim "approved of the offer," either. "He was notified. He was aware," she said. "I'm not going to get into a confidential conversation. To my knowledge, that plea was agreeable, according to my notes and recollections." Patrick's delayed incarceration is not unusual, Villarreal pointed out. In another recent case, for instance, a female defendant also was furloughed, because of jail overcrowding. Regarding the notification that was sent to the female victim on the day Patrick was sentenced, the prosecutor said she doesn't know why the letter said nothing of jail time. "Our victims' assistant is the one who keeps those records," she said. "That could have been an oversight." 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. Rock Island County Board members on Tuesday approved a spending plan for the $27.5 million it is receiving in American Rescue Plan Act funds, placing an emphasis on building maintenance, replacing equipment and addressing staffing shortages in critical departments. The county has already spent $5.3 million of its allocation and approved a framework for the remaining $22.2 million. More than $36,000 in interest has been earned on the money to date. Some of the spending includes $2.2 million to replace elevators in the county office building; nearly $1.4 million to purchase new sheriff's department vehicles in the next two years; $1.2 million to hire staff in the clerk's office; more than $1 million to hire staff in the state's attorney's office; and $800,000 for staffing in the public defender's office. "We are looking at one year at a time," Interim County Administrator Jim Grafton said. "There are going to be some unknowns. One of our priorities needs to be putting some investment back into the county office building. That's a priority, and it's a unknown until we know those numbers. "With the funds, we are reigning it in and getting a better handle on it." Board members also recently approved the hiring of Ryan Burger as temporary ARPA manager, budgeting $82,000 annually for the position. Burger will manage the allocation of funds and handle the bidding process for projects related to ARPA spending. Grafton said he was working with Burger in managing the funds. "With the board meeting once a month, there is a lot of work that has to be done," Grafton said. "The board wants to make sure the funds are invested into the county, not just to commit those funds for the next three years, but for many years to come. "This is really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so we are trying to be smart with how those funds are allocated." Grafton said the court backlog created as a result of the pandemic had directly affected the state's attorney, public defender and circuit clerk's offices. County board members approved spending $410,000 on technology for the circuit clerk's office and $220,400 for technology and software for the state's attorney's office. "I don't know how long the backlog is going to take," he said. "There's been an emphasis on reimbursing departments affected by COVID." Grafton said the county already purchased 10 vehicles for the sheriff's department and another vehicle for the coroner's office. "There's a lot of ways to get this wrong," board member Kai Swanson said. "But under Chairman Richard Brunks' leadership, we are so far doing a good job of avoiding the trap of using the funds to commit to future expenditures for which we don't have a funding source." Swanson said the county had a considerable backlog of differed maintenance projects and capital improvements to tackle. "This will provide a great vehicle for playing catch up," he said. "For example, in the county office building, I will always be grateful we prioritized an effective communication system for our sheriff's department over elevators in our county office building, but it's time to fix the elevators and HVAC (system) and other issues that have plagued us for years. "I applaud the county board; we've gotten a lot better at not ignoring the future implications of what we are spending," Swanson said. "That's what has hurt Rock Island County in the past. You may have money now, but you may not in the future." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Chicago man who exchanged gunfire with police a year ago in the parking lot of a Davenport Walgreens is headed to federal prison. Clarence Washington, 31, fired on Davenport police attempting to apprehend him on Feb. 18, 2021, at the Walgreens at Kimberly Road and Division Street. Officers fired back. He was a suspect in a robbery earlier that day and was on the run from federal authorities, police said. Suspect named in officer-involved shooting in Davenport A man shot by a police officer Thursday night was identified Friday. Washington was sentenced this week to 440 months more than 36 years on several charges related to firearm and drug offenses, federal authorities announced Friday. There is no parole in the federal system. After the incident last year in Davenport, Scott County prosecutors announced that a Davenport police officer was justified in using potentially lethal force against Washington. Washington originally was charged in federal court in 2018. In February of 2019, while his trial was pending, Washington cut off his GPS ankle monitor and absconded from federal supervision, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa. He was taken back into custody following the Davenport shooting. Washington then was federally indicted on additional charges relating to his failure to appear for trial, and his continued trafficking of drugs and unlawful possession of firearms, to include the discharge of a firearm at police, federal authorities said Friday. "At sentencing, the court also considered evidence that, prior to the shooting (in Davenport), Washington had threatened another individual while displaying a firearm and stated he was going to shoot it out with the police," according to the statement. Davenport Police and the Scott County Sheriff's Department partnered with others in the investigation. Davenport's assistant chief, Jeff Bladel, said in Friday's news release: We are thankful our officers were not seriously injured during the arrest of Washington when he opened fire as they attempted to take him into custody. "Additionally, we are very proud of the bravery and hard work that our officers do each and every day to keep our community safe. We appreciate the continued partnerships we have with our prosecutors from the United States Attorneys Office and our area law enforcement agencies. With these partnerships, we will continue to collaborate to keep violent offenders off the streets in our communities. Scott County Sheriff Tim Lane added, This case sends a clear message that if you wish to do violence in our community, it will not be tolerated. 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. Michael Kehl is expecting quite a large crowd to stop by The Iconic Event & Reception Venue to support his wife, Cassie. Family, friends and customers at their restaurant have reached out often over the past year to offer help and words of comfort. "We're probably going have a little over 100 people there, maybe more," Michael said. "Cassie knows everybody." "Yeah, because I like to talk," Cassie responded with a laugh. The couple, who owns Rudy's Tacos at 3944 Elmore Ave. in Davenport, has been grateful for the support, as the past year has not been easy. The Kehl's are holding a fundraiser 1-5 p.m. Feb. 20 at The Iconic Event & Reception Venue, 1725 2nd Ave., Rock Island, to help offset medical costs related to a tumor Cassie is having treated. A taco meal will be served for $10, and people can play bingo for $10 a card. There will also be a basket raffle. In January 2021, Cassie found out that she had a 6-centimeter tumor behind her right eye. Surgery to remove the tumor was scheduled for March, but she had a stroke an hour into the operation, which left her paralyzed on her left side. Michael wasn't able to bring Cassie home until August, after months of more surgeries and rehabilitation. One month later, their restaurant burned down. They plan to reopen in March, Michael said. While she is working on regaining her ability to walk, Cassie will never be able to work again. She's starting radiation treatment in March to shrink the remaining tumor, which means traveling back and forth from Iowa City. Funds from the event will go toward the radiation treatment and travel costs. Tina Tharp Noe, a close friend of the Kehl's, said the couple had done a lot for the community over the years, like hosting events to raise money for the Children's Therapy Center of the Quad-Cities. They've been involved with Rudy's Tacos, a local restaurant chain, since 1984. "There are just so many people who love and care about [Michael and Cassie]," Noe said. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 9 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. More than 400 union employees of Eaton-Cobham Mission Systems in Davenport went on strike at 12:01 a.m. Friday after those workers voted not to ratify the company's contract offer, said John Herrig, directing business representative for District 6 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Herrig said more than 98% of about 350 union members voting Thursday cast their ballots against the three-year contract offer. Employees represented by IAMAW Local 388 and Machinist Union Local 1191 met Thursday afternoon at the Elks Lodge 298 located at 4400 W. Central Park Ave., Davenport, for the vote. The five-year contract the union had signed with Cobham expired at midnight. In a news release issued Saturday, Herrig said the union members voted to turn down the three-year contract offer and strike, "after management made a contract offer with sub-standard wages, reduced health care benefits and decreased 401(k) retirement matching contributions." The membership feels there were a substantial amount of takeaways and not enough gains to make up the difference, Herrig said. Nobodys in business to do worse. IAM Local 388 and IAM Local 1191 members are fighting for a contract that will make life better for themselves and their families," Herrig said in the news release. "The past two years have been tough during the pandemic, especially as essential manufacturing workers," he added. "All we are asking for is a fair share produced from the blood, sweat and tears of work that makes Eaton Mission Systems Division of Davenport successful. We hope that the company will hear our call for respect and dignity from the picket line. Workers hit the picket line in front of Eaton-Cobham Mission Systems at 12:01 a.m. Friday. The company is located at 2734 Hickory Grove Road. Herrig added that while the last contract was negotiated with Cobham, this contract is being negotiated with Eaton. Katie Kennedy, senior manager, communications and marketing communications for Aerospace Group, Eaton, said in an email interview Friday that Eaton and the union were very close to a deal at the time the Union chose to strike. "The parties reached tentative agreements to provide more vacation, greater scheduling certainty and flexibility, additional leave, and an agreement on retirement and health care plans," Kennedy said. "While the parties did not reach an agreement on wages, the parties were only marginally apart at the time the union went on strike," she added. "We are surprised and disappointed that some of our employees chose to strike, but we will continue to seek a resolution with the union," Kennedy said. "Meanwhile, we are confident we have the capability to continue serving our customers and our community." Eaton, a multinational power management company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, announced June 1, 2021, that it had completed its purchase of Cobham Mission Systems, described as a leading manufacturer of air-to-air refueling systems, environmental systems and actuation, primarily for defense markets. Cobham has a workforce of approximately 2,000 people and manufacturing facilities in the United States and United Kingdom. Eaton purchased Cobham for $2.83 billion, including $130 in tax benefits. Eaton had been domiciled in Cleveland before purchasing Irelands Cooper Industries in 2012, for $13 billion. Eaton has a secondary administrative center in Beachwood, Ohio. Eatons net income attributed to ordinary shareholders for 2021 came to $2.144 billion, a jump of 52% over the companys net income attributed to ordinary shareholders for 2020, which came to $1.41 billion. Eatons net sales for 2020 totaled $17.858 billion, while net sales for 2021 reached $19.628 billion. According to the Quad-City Chamber of Commerce, the Eaton-Cobham plant is Davenport is tied with MercyOne in Clinton, Iowa, for being the 12th-largest employer in the Quad-City region with 950 employees. Not all of the employees at the Davenport Eaton-Cobham plant are union members. This is the second major strike of a company in the Quad-Cities in three months. Deere & Co. workers represented by the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America were on strike from Oct. 14 when their contract ended, until Nov. 17 when the new contract was ratified. The strike affected 10,100 Deere employees in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas. Love 3 Funny 6 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 4 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. DES MOINES In a rare move, the House Judiciary Committee voted to issue subpoenas as part of an investigation its chairman is launching of a state court judge accused of trying to rig a judicial nomination to get his preferred candidate appointed. Chairman Steven Holt, R-Denison, expects the subpoenas to be issued early next week as part of the investigation into conduct that led Gov. Kim Reynolds to reject two nominees for an open judgeship. The committee is seeking documents and testimony from people involved the judicial nominating process. His target is Judge Kurt Stoebe, who chaired the Judicial Nominating Commission for several counties in north-central Iowa. Some commission members accused Stoebe of making inappropriate and unprofessional comments about certain applicants, of falsely claiming that one applicant had withdrawn from consideration, and of unfairly favoring one applicant over others during discussions and interviews. His actions tainted the process, Reynolds said, so she rejected the nominees and ordered the commission to start over for only the second time in history. The commission recommended the same two finalists Humboldt County Attorney Jonathan Beaty and District Associate Judge Derek Johnson. In December, Reynolds appointed Johnson. It appears this would be the first time in decades that a legislative committee has issued subpoenas to exercise its oversight authority to investigate the judiciary. Theres a reason for that, Rep. Mary Wolfe, D-Clinton, told the committee. Issuing subpoenas implies that committee members believe they have a legal right to the material the subpoenas compel. She doubted lawmakers have the authority to break the confidentiality of the Judicial Nominating Commission, which, Wolfe noted, is required by laws the Legislature approved. Issuing subpoenas should not be taken lightly, Wolfe said. The penalties available for anyone who refuses to comply with a subpoena are a contempt citation, a fine and jail. The Judiciary Committee voted 12-8 along party lines to seek the subpoenas, with Democrats following Wolfes advice on not seeking documents protected by law. Holt believes the subpoenas are needed because although Stoebe agreed to step down as chairman of future nominating commissions, it isnt clear if any further disciplinary action was taken. The judicial branch said the Iowa Supreme Court can't discipline a judge without first receiving a public report from the Iowa Judicial Qualifications Commission after an investigation. That process is confidential, a spokesman said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday for An Officer and a Gentleman, a new musical based on the Oscar-winning film and original screenplay by Douglas Day Stewart. Tickets are $64 to $74; go to themonument.live/events/detail/officergentleman22 to purchase tickets and for more information. Work Light Productions will present An Officer and a Gentleman at 7:30 p.m. April 19 and 20 at The Monument in Rapid City. The live musical features 1980s hits from Springfield, Styx, Debbie Gibson, Richard Marx, Wilson Phillips, Pat Benatar and more, as well the Grammy-winning single from the movie, Up Where We Belong. An Officer and a Gentleman follows Zack Mayo, a graduate of the U.S. Navys elite Officer Training School, in a tale about friendship, commitment, honor, courage and winning the heart of the woman he loves. A great movie can imbed itself into the cultural memory of a generation. Our goal was to build on that memory, finding new ways into the story through the lens of musical theater, said producer Stephen Gabriel of Work Light Productions. Like all great stories, its themes are universal: love, valor and the ways in which our reasons for pursuing a dream determine whether or not well achieve it, director Dick Scanlan said. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Joe and Rika Mansueto Library at the University of Chicago is seen as a dusting of snow falls on Chicago, Feb. 24, 2022. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune) A blanket of snow and low temperatures Thursday brought traffic collisions, high waters along the Kankakee River, and an ongoing potential for drifting snow into the weekend, officials said. The snow from Thursdays storm totaled 2.9 inches at OHare International Airport, 3.8 inches at Midway Airport and 4.1 inches in the southwest suburbs. Most places in the Chicago area saw 2 to 5 inches of snow, and areas south of Interstate 80 experienced up to 9 inches, National Weather Service meteorologist Brett Borchardt said. Advertisement Illinois State Police District Chicago responded to three car crashes causing injuries and more than 30 crashes involving property damage, Trooper Jason Wilson said. They did not respond to any fatal crashes, he said. Nineteen commercial vehicles and nine passenger vehicles were damaged in a massive crash Thursday near El Paso, north of the Bloomington-Normal area, state police said. Numerous other vehicles slid off the road but werent damaged, state police said, and several truck loads were spilled on and around the roadways. State police had previously said more than 100 vehicles were involved in the crash. . Advertisement There were no injuries reported in the crash, according to state police. Southbound lanes in the area did not reopen until about 1:30 p.m. Friday, and northbound lanes opened around noon, state police said. Roads remained slick in some areas, but the bigger concern heading into the Friday afternoon commute was wind, Borchardt said, which could blow snow back onto once-clear roads. Gusts up to 45 mph were possible, particularly in the northern part of Illinois, according to the National Weather Service. Anticipate blowing and drifting snow today with gusty winds building into the afternoon. Otherwise, sunny skies will lead us into the weekend with 40's back in the forecast for Sunday. #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/IDyJATlQym NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) February 18, 2022 Rapid changes in temperatures led to an ice jam on the Kankakee River west of Wilmington Thursday, elevating the water level and pushing water to the doorsteps of some homes, said Harold Damron, director of the Will County Emergency Management Agency. Ice jams are created when rain and melting snow cause layers of ice on the river to rise, break and jam the water like a dam, Damron said. Thursdays jam, which started about 6 or 7 a.m. and broke about 5 p.m., elevated the water level to 10 feet, almost three times its typical summer level, he added. The chunks of ice that accumulated on the river were about 8 to 10 inches thick, with some slabs of ice that are half as big as a house, but there was no known property damage or actual flooding, Damron said. Previous ice jams have been miles-long or stayed in place for weeks, so homeowners dodged what could have been a worse situation, he added. What happened is, we had that roller coaster in temperatures that led to the jam, Borchardt said, referring to the high temperatures in the 50s on Wednesday at OHare, followed by plummeting temperatures Thursday. Weekend weather is expected to be milder on paper, with highs in the 20s on Saturday and 40s on Sunday, according to the weather service. But Borchardt warned it may not actually feel that nice out there due to all the expected wind. Last summer, about 10 people and 1,600 tons or so of harvest spearheaded the inaugural season of legal hemp farming in South Dakota. Tuesday, almost twice as many farmers showed up at 9 a.m. to a fluorescent-lit, steel-chaired meeting at an American Legion in Tea to learn about the new crop. John Peterson, of Dakota Hemp, is a fifth-generation farmer from Wakonda who hopes to offer presentations like Tuesday's for farmers. He and three other men helped explain the crop and its potential for profit, especially if there's opportunity to help cutting down travel all the way to Kansas or Montana just for farmers to process their crops. Its a hearty crop. And it can see 2-4 tons an acre yield, but theres also getting it to a place to process," Peterson said. "Theres driving hundreds of miles to Kansas now with a CDL truck. Thats where South Dakota can step in." Peterson wants to get into the processing business to help farmers with their harvest. He urged the farmers at the meeting to not be overwhelmed by stigma or by learning a new crop, because there are opportunities early in an industry. Derrick Dohmann, of Horizon Hemp Seed in Willow Lake, took time to explain seeds. Peterson and Ken Meyer, of A. H. Meyer and Sons Inc., both want to get into the hemp processing business to help farmers break it down into fiber or grain. The two new processors set to come to Winfred by Meyer and Wakonda by Peterson, would be some of just a handful in all of the Midwest. But they'd be the first in South Dakota. "There's at least twice the number of people as last year getting into this," Meyer said of the amount of farmers planning the crop. If Meyer and Peterson can set up before the Labor Day harvest and the two men predicted in their presentations that they will hemp can go from seed to sale all in South Dakota. But it comes at a price. Meyer is buying hemp bales at an estimated $210 a ton from farmers, because of all the fees and startup costs. On top of that, there's stigma. Legalization is brand-new, and the state Legislature just introduced Senate Bil 201, which would ensure no single person may purchase, receive, or obtain industrial hemp without a license if the bill passes. Still, Industrial Hemp Growers Meetings are taking place all over the state, sometimes gathering upward of 30 farmers per meeting. And, the crop is easy to learn as you go. I cant tell you how many hours I spent on YouTube last summer, Peterson said. Theres a million questions, and people whove done it can answer them. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 PIERRE | State lawmakers for the second time this winter have put the kibosh on plans to expand government's share of the camping industry in South Dakota. Earlier this month, a Legislative committee resoundingly rejected a proposal from Gov. Kristi Noem to add a new campground at Custer State Park in the Black Hills after private campground owners rallied enough opposition to kill the $10 million project. "A campground in Rapid City, Trent, Mitchell or Aberdeen is equally as important to its business owner and employees as is that of its counterpart in the area of Custer," said Steve Saint, a Black Hills area campground owner. The measure in their crosshairs this time was Senate Bill 187, a bill that would have modified a decades-old law that requires local governments get the blessing of nearby campgrounds before expanding public-owned campgrounds. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Al Novstrup, R-Aberdeen, brought the bill after a municipal campground in his district established plans to expand but was unable to obtain approval from a privately owned campground located within the 15-mile radius spelled out in the law his bill targeted. The municipal campground, called the Wylie Park Campground, is located in the same city park where Novstrup operates the Thunder Road amusement park. And some of them were back at the Capitol in full force this week when they successfully got another committee to kill a bill that would have made it easier for cities and towns to grow their municipal campgrounds. Novstrup said his motivation for bringing the bill does not center on personal gain and is for the broader benefit of the city of Aberdeen and its visitor industry, as well as other cities that might be struggling to expand municipal campgrounds. And the existing law that requires approval from the private campgrounds is limiting communities' ability to capitalize on growing demand for camping in South Dakota, he said. "Anybody can move to town, buy a piece of land, pay $50 and go through a one-page form that I can fill out in five minutes and now tell the citizens of Wylie Park that they cannot expand, you can't make it better, you have to stop," Novstrup said. "That's a terrible situation." While Novstrup was able to get his bill through the Senate, the House Local Government Committee took a different approach, voting 10-3 in a vote seen as a symbol of support for the private sector over the public sector. "If this teaches everyone a bit of a lesson, it's that if there's a community in need of expanding campsites, that's why we have economic development, that's why we have chambers of commerce," Sen. Julie Frye-Mueller said. "Let the private sector handle it." You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 PIERRE | Some customers of South Dakota's only medical marijuana dispensary are being arrested across the state, despite having tribal-issued cannabis cards. Officials with the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe told the Argus Leader this week that more than 100 people who've been issued tribal medical marijuana identification cards have been arrested since the tribe opened South Dakota's first-ever cannabis store last year. "They're taking the cards and handing out fines," Tribal chairman Tony Reider said. "But most we don't know about, because most people are just paying the fines." Since starting up its medical marijuana program on July 1, 2021, the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe has issued about 8,000 medical marijuana cards to tribal and non-tribal members. And although several county- and city-level law enforcement agencies and state's attorneys have eased up on arrests and prosecutions for possession of small amounts of marijuana all together, others, like the Flandreau Police Department, are not honoring some tribal-issued medical cards. And that's based on a directive from the South Dakota Department of Public Safety and the Attorney General's Office, which have taken the position tribal cards aren't valid for non-tribal members. "If they have a tribally-issued card and they are non-Native American, we seize the card and any of the marijuana products that they would have," Flandreau Police Chief Zach Weber said, noting that 24 marijuana arrests have been made by his agency since the tribe opened its dispensary. While the majority of those arrests have involved the seizure of products sold at the tribe's dispensary, Weber noted some involved marijuana not purchased at a store. Reider said the Highway Patrol is also arresting non-tribal card holders and in a couple circumstances, tribal members have also been arrested. And for those being arrested who choose to fight the charge, the tribe is honoring a promise made last summer to aid in the defense of their cardholders. The tribe's attorney general, Seth Pearman, told lawmakers this week his office is currently engaged in at least 10 active marijuana cases involving non-tribal members. And that the cards are also being seized along with the marijuana products is a concern, he said. "I don't think the state has the authority to revoke a license issued by another jurisdiction," he said. Neither the Moody County State's Attorney's Office or DPS immediately responded to requests for comment. The tribal medical marijuana program operates independently of the state medical marijuana program. The Department of Health began issuing state medical cards last fall, though no state-licensed dispensaries, grow facilities or testing sites are in operation. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 7 Police are investigating two unattended deaths in north Rapid City. According to Rapid City Police spokesperson Brendyn Medina, at about 6:15 a.m. Wednesday police were called to the intersection of Anamosa Street and N. Lacrosse Street for a report of an unconscious man. Medina said officers located the man lying near a bus stop to the south of 1200 N. Lacrosse Street. The man was unresponsive and police attempted emergency first-aid measures until a medical unit arrived. The medical unit transported the man to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. He has been identified as 48-year-old Cecil Red Eyes of Rapid City. An autopsy was performed and located no trauma or other signs of foul play. Police are currently awaiting toxicology results to make a final determination about Red Eyes cause of death. About a week prior at 2 a.m. Feb. 10, police were dispatched to the 300 block of North Fifth Street for a report of an unconscious individual under the Sixth Street bridge, Medina said. On arrival, officers located the man and began emergency life-saving measures until a medical unit arrived. The medical unit transported the man to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The victim was identified as 38-year-old Marcus Big Crow of Rapid City. An autopsy was later performed and shows a contributing factor to his death to be blunt force trauma to the head. Police are still currently investigating whether the nature of the injury was accidental or criminal. Medina said if anyone has any information about Big Crows death, they are encouraged to contact Detective Dan Trainer at 605-394-4134. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 0 Stevensville Mayor Steven Gibson has served in his new job for a month and a half and said hes proud of what has been accomplished. Gibson said there was a mass exodus of town staff and he and City Clerk Jenelle Berthoud held the front office together for January. Basically, other than public works and the police it was Jenelle and I, he said. So, that was a little hectic. It was hard to find information. There wasnt much of a transition, not to my choosing. But the people that stayed here the chief of police and the public works director and the ones weve hired are excellent. We are fortunate to have almost everything filled now. He reports that the town staff is happy, welcoming and eager to work for the citizens of Stevensville. They dont work for me, I may be their supervisor, but they work for the citizens, Gibson said. The way I see this local government working is that I manage the budget, I make recommendations, but the council makes decisions. The Town Council has two new members appointed by council members. The full council will meet for the first time at 7 p.m. on Feb. 24 at North Valley Public Library. The meeting will be live-streamed on the towns Facebook page. Stacie Barker (elected) and Marilyn Wolfe (appointed) will serve Ward 1 and Cindy Brown (elected) and former council member Bob Michaelson (appointed) will serve Ward 2. Usually, the council meets on the second and fourth Thursday of each month but it has held a few special meetings to get the town up and running. Gibson said streaming was disrupted for a bit as some of the equipment was missing. As for the future of Stevensville, Gibson sees that water, sewer, zoning, growth and traffic issues will be the main points of focus. They have applied for grants to help with water storage issues. Weve been leaking 9 to 15 million gallons of treated water a month, he said. This has been going on for some time and costs the town money. He said the biggest issue is growth and described it as being out of control. Right now, were just being overrun by requests from developers, Gibson said. There is going to be growth, but it has got to be responsible growth that doesnt put a burden on the current taxpayers. He hopes the Town Council will work together at their next meeting to fill the boards that help make decisions. We have the planning and zoning board, the airport board, the park board, the TIFF board, there are a lot of open positions, he said. On each board is a council representative and until we had a full council, we couldnt fill it all. Gibson said he has lived in Montana for 47 years and in Stevensville for four years. He is a former state legislator, a correction officer of Pine Hills correctional facility, director of Montana Juvenile Corrections and Stevensville council president. He and his wife have lived in Miles City, Helena, Missoula and chose to retire in Stevensville. I was never planning on being mayor, he said. A lot of people encouraged me to run. I feel comfortable in that I dont have to do politics because Im not planning to run again. Stevensville has been controversial, but I dont pay attention to the two camps of Facebook pages. I just want to help the town work with the people. Getting to know the citizens is a key portion of his job and he has started Coffee with the Mayor at 9 a.m. at CJs Den (family-friendly restaurant, 324 Main St.) the first Tuesday of each month. Its an informal setting so people can ask what they want, Gibson said. I think we just need to be really open. Well bring in different town officials. The other thing Im not going to do unless it is an emergency is to vote to break a tie, he said. The mayor can break a tie vote but if the council votes two to two, its like the legislature and it fails. Town Clerk Jenelle Berthoud said her goal is to remain positive and keep moving forward. We have a strong workforce in this front office now and all three of us have that one goal which is to move forward, she said. Pam Sosa, Stevensvilles new finance officer, said she has a big job. Its a lot to learn and Im getting there, she said. It is a good challenge. Her background is in law enforcement. I stopped a lot of financial crimes and have done MBA coursework, so I bring that, she said. It is a really good environment. The ladies are great, and the mayor is very welcoming. He just wants whats best for the town. Shelly Block is the new utility billing clerk for Stevensville. I was just reassured by the Black Mountain person that Im catching right on, she said. Its complicated, theres a lot to learn but it is going well, and we work really well together. Love 2 Funny 2 Wow 1 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. A nonprofit group that studies energy issues said Thursday that a project in Utah using small nuclear reactor technology also being considered in Montana was not feasible and that renewable energy should be considered instead. Too late, too expensive and too uncertain were words used by two members of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) to describe the small nuclear reactors (SMRs) proposed by NuScale Power for the Utah Associated Municipal Power System. David Schlissel, director of planning and analysis for the Lakewood, Ohio-based group, when asked about Montana considering SMRs to be fitted for Colstrips coal-fired power plant someday, warned against it. I hope the Legislature goes slowly, cautiously and wisely, he said. Schlissel, along with IEEFA energy analyst Dennis Wamsted, held a news conference discussing their 39-page report that states rising costs, likely delays and more competition cast doubt on the Utah project, which they said would begin operations in 2029. They noted there were risks involved in going with SMRs, and said promises of smarter, cleaner, safer and cost competitive technologies have been made and broken throughout the history of the nuclear power industry. Diane Hughes, vice president of marketing and communication for NuScale, criticized the claims. Its unfortunate when a report is entered into the public discourse when it is factually inaccurate and inherently flawed in its assumptions and conclusions, she said in an email, adding it was a wholly uninformed view of the value of advanced nuclear energy technology in meeting our energy needs and climate goals. The NuScale design is the only small-scale reactor to win safety approval so far from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the agency is poised to issue a rule this summer that would fully certify it, the Associated Press reported. LaVarr Webb, spokesperson for the Utah energy cooperative, told the AP the IEEFA report omitted important facts, including the federal government's strong support for the project. The Energy Department approved a cost-sharing arrangement in 2020 that could provide up to $1.4 billion. The plans called for 12 reactors, but the cooperative said last year that it needs only six. NuScale signed an agreement this week to explore bringing its small modular reactor technology to Poland. The company says it has 20 tentative agreements with customers in 11 countries. The analysts warned of seven considerable risks for communities considering long-term agreements with NuScale SMRs. They warned the NuScale modular reactor project is the first of its kind and is untested. They said it was estimated the cost would be $3,000 per kilowatt, which is an extremely low cost that no reactor has achieved for decades. They also said its construction time of 54 months was optimistic and that it would cost more than projected and be more expensive to operate than initially estimated. They also challenged claims the SMR would run at 95% capacity over its lifetime, which is better than any of the 93 reactors now operating in the United States. Hughes said the IEEFA report also mischaracterizes NuScales costs, does not accurately reflect or examine schedule timeframes and even fails to understand the output of a NuScale VOYGRTM facility. While we did not have an opportunity to provide feedback on this flawed analysis prior to publication, we remain committed to having an informed discussion with any organization that is focused on providing a reliable, safe, affordable, and operationally flexible carbon-free energy future, she stated. Schlissel and Wamsted said growth in renewable solar and wind resources will reduce carbon dioxide emissions and eliminate a need for the NuScale reactor. Wamsted said the price for nuclear energy will go up and the renewable world have a price that will continue to go down. We are not anti-nuclear Schlisser said. We just want the cost going forward to be as low as possible. We also believe time is of the essence. He asked: Why wait for a nuclear project that takes 10 years to be built when more money could be spent now investing in renewable energy? The Montana Legislatures Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee is looking at the use of small modular reactors in Montana through Senate Joint Resolution 3, sponsored by Sen. Terry Gauthier, R-Helena, to study over the legislative interim. SJ-3 says the expected closure of Colstrip's coal-fired power plants will result in negative impacts on the community and coal-fired boilers could be replaced by an SMR that would provide clean energy and good-paying jobs. Gauthier has mentioned SMRs made by NuScale as a possibility. He could not be reached for comment. Anne Hedges, director of policy and legislative affairs for the Montana Environmental Information Center, listened in on the Zoom meeting. If something sounds too good to be true it usually is, she said afterward, adding that Montana already has high power costs and if you want to see costs climb higher then nuclear is for you. Hedges said nuclear may be the solution to the climate crisis, but you cannot ignore the cost. I just dont see it as a viable solution for Montana, she said, adding renewable energy is the way to go. Why spend three times more for something that is a decade away? Hedges asked. I love unicorns too. I really do, and I wish nuclear could be that unicorn. However, she complimented Gauthier, who she said has good intentions and is thinking of new solutions. I applaud him for that, Hedges said. Read the report at https://ieefa.org/smr/. Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 I was dumbstruck when President Biden, stopped oil production in Louisiana and fracking in New Mexico along with imposing new regulations on our oil and natural gas industry. We now buy more oil from Russia, resulting in the coffers of Vladimir Putin to overflow with dollars. The Energy Information Agency, EIA, reported that November 2021, we purchased 17.8 million barrels from Putin. In August 2021 Russia became the second largest importer to us. All in the name of climate change? All Montanans know about Lake Missoula, and it's appearance five times over the eons. In 45K years we will arrive at the halfway point to the next ice age. It's ludicrous to think the U.S. will effect climate by cutting out the blood of our economy. Red China and India are still building coal fired power plants. Maybe Senator Tester, can tell us the property taxes now missing from the XL pipeline will come from the federal government. Oil production fell in the spring of 2020 due to COVID. It fell by 3 million barrels a day. Demand is now back and we have recovered 1.5 million a day in production. We are still short one million a day. Biden asked OPEC to increase production. Saudi Arabia said no as they have an agreement with Russia. Some friends they are. Maybe Senator Tester can tell us just where we will make up the badly needed gas and diesel fuel in order to transport goods, travel, fly, farm and commute with. What? Huh? You mean there is no replacement ready to go for gas and diesel fuel due to climate change policies? The geniuses in DC have not prepared everything for a seamless transition to an economy with no fossil fuels? I have to ask POTUS and our Senator Tester, what should we do? Suck it up? Share our precious resources with millions of illegals arriving yearly now? I don't think so. Richard J. Hardy Jr, Corvallis Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Auto parts retail giant AutoZone plans to invest $185.2 million to build an East Coast distribution center and warehouse in New Kent County. The Memphis, Tenn.-based chain, the nations largest retailer of aftermarket automotive parts and accessories, plans to construct an 800,000-square-foot distribution center and direct import facility in the New Kent City Center. The distribution center is planned for 140 acres at the southeast quadrant of Interstate 64 at the state Route 106 exit. The land fronts along I-64, east of the Talleysville exit. The project is expected to create 352 new jobs, according to a release from Gov. Glenn Youngkins office. Construction is slated to begin sometime midyear and be operational in the first quarter of 2025. The distribution center will enable AutoZone to access about half of U.S. consumers within a one-day drive. The chain has more than 145 stores in Virginia about 18 in the Richmond region and more than 735 stores in neighboring states along the East Coast. During our rigorous and competitive search process to identify our next distribution center location, Virginia and New Kent County leadership were tremendous and instrumental in us deciding to join this wonderful community, said Bill Rhodes, AutoZones chairman, president and CEO, in a statement. We are very excited to be a part of the New Kent community and Greater Richmond region. Our large-scale investment in New Kent County is an important part of our strategy for accelerated growth and represents our commitment to always put customers first, Rhodes said. The chain has 12 distribution centers and warehouses in 10 states and two in Mexico. Its distribution centers are located in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Washington. The closest is in Hazleton, Pa., and in Lavonia, Ga., according to the companys website. The planned AutoZone distribution center and warehouse in New Kent is the largest the chain has built, said Matt Smolnik, the countys economic development director. Its also the largest single economic development investment made in New Kents history, he said, after Colonial Downs racetrack. This just shows the magnitude of this project for the county, he said. It is going to be the start of something big. The distribution center will be the first major tenant within the New Kent City Center project, a 1,600-acre industrial development. It is east of state Route 106, behind the Pilot Travel Center and across the street from a Loves Travel Stop. AutoZones decision to locate there will initially open up about 300 acres of industrial property that will have water, sewer and natural gas for development. It opens up property thats already zoned industrial. So its going to be a lot more marketable, Smolnik said. New Kent City Center is situated between the two MSAs of the Richmond region and Hampton Roads, which is nice because now we get to draw that labor workforce from both of them. Were right in the middle of everything. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with New Kent and the Port of Virginia to secure the project for Virginia. Former Gov. Ralph Northam approved a $2.512 million grant from the Commonwealths Opportunity Fund to assist New Kent with the project. Most of the money would go to AutoZone as a performance-based grant when the chain meets certain hiring thresholds, Smolnik said. Another part of the funding, he said, goes to help pay for a road from state Route 106 into the New Kent City Center project. The company is also eligible to receive benefits from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program. Funding and services to support AutoZones employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program. Dominion Energy Virginia will also assist with the project. AutoZone and its representatives have proven to be premier business partners to the New Kent County team, and we are especially thankful for the 352 full-time employment positions that will be created within the county, said Thomas Evelyn, chairman of the New Kent Board of Supervisors, in a statement. The addition of a Fortune 500 company to our community is a game changer and we look forward to a robust future as New Kent County continues to grow. The executives of a Richmond-based credit card provider say they are on a mission. The company called Mission Lane has been growing by building a customer base of more than 1.7 million Americans who have trouble accessing credit because they either have not established a credit profile or have difficulty maintaining good credit scores. Our mission is to serve the half of America that has largely been left behind and ignored by traditional financial service companies, CEO Shane Holdaway said. We all want to make progress, but a little over 100 million Americans about half of the adult population of the U.S. struggle to make progress in their financial life either because of lower credit scores, or they dont have a credit file at all, so they struggle to get into the mainstream financial system, Holdaway said. Mission Lane offers credit and debit cards to customers with the goal of giving them an opportunity to build up their creditworthiness, thus what the lane part of the companys moniker refers to. It is about the road of progress, Holdaway said. Mission Lane was spun off as a standalone credit card business from San Francisco-based LendUp Global Inc., a fintech company that had opened its first East Coast office in Chesterfield County in late 2015 and hired more than 50 people in the Richmond area by 2018. Since the spinoff, Mission Lane has moved to a new office in a renovated former warehouse in the Scotts Addition area of Richmond and built its staff to about 450 people nationwide, including about 300 in the Richmond area. Holdaway joined the company as CEO in August 2019, a few months after the spin-off. He had previously worked as CEO of Barclays U.S. consumer bank and before that for about 14-plus years for Capital One Financial Corp., including a stint in the Richmond area and then nearly five years as CEO of Capital Ones credit card business in Canada. ****** Mission Lanes main customer targets are those underserved or underbanked people. The company identifies those customers, prices its products and manages risk mainly through data analytics, which enable it to identify customers whose creditworthiness may be higher than their FICO scores indicate, Holdaway said. On the other hand, the company also can identify people whose creditworthiness may be riskier than their scores indicate. If you really want to boil it down it is about data, data, data, Holdaway said. That is the key. The bad news is most financial institutions and even fintechs are not serving this population, for various reasons, Holdaway said. Some of it is because it is technically difficult, because there is higher risk in lending money to populations that do not have a credit score. You have to be really thoughtful about how to do it. The data and the algorithms and machine learning modes we use are really sophisticated. Mission Lane wants to be the company to give consumers a first or even second chance when others wont, he said. Those can be distinct populations. Someone who is just coming out of high school or college may be viewed as risky just because a traditional lender does not have any data on them. So how can we serve them better? he said. You may have someone who just went though a rocky divorce or a health challenge and their credit score may have taken a step back, but they are good hard-working people and they just need another chance. The company serves a pretty broad range, Holdaway said. We also serve prime customers, but much of our focus is on those first-chance or second-chance customers. There is more demand from customers for quality financial services than there is supply of quality financial services, he said. Mike Lempner, the companys head of engineering and technology who was part of the LendUp staff before the spinoff of Mission Lane, said one of the biggest challenges for the underserved customer segment is the credit risk. It is about how we understand the credit risk so that we can come up with a product and a credit line that works for our customers. So we pride ourselves on leveraging third-party data and internal data that we have. We run through a variety of different machine-learning models to assess whether we think somebody is worthy of credit and also secondarily how much credit we are able to give, Lempner said. We can apply machine learning over time, and we constantly are making those machine learning models better over time, said Lempner, a University of Richmond graduate who previously also worked in consulting helping clients build financial management software systems. We constantly are revisiting those models, refining them and enhancing them. Income volatility is a common characteristic, said Chris Cox, who leads customer operations for Mission Lane. There are folks who have lived largely a cash-centric kind of lifestyle and dont have a credit score. Lots of different pockets of folks are coming to us with either damaged credit or trying to build their credit, Cox said. We also see with our customers a desire to get better and have control, and to reduce their anxiety and angst about financial stability, he said. Every day we make decisions that are right for the customer, even it its not right for our bottom line in the short term, he said. ****** In May 2020, Mission Lane moved its headquarters into a 20,000-square-foot, renovated former warehouse space at 1504 Belleville St. in Scotts Addition. The company also has opened a 4,500-square-foot annex office building next door to its main offices. The companys revenue has grown more than 100% each of the past two years, Holdaway said. This year, if we meet our goals, we will more than double, he said. As of the end of 2021, Mission Lane serviced more than $670 million in credit card receivables. The company has raised more than $425 million in investments. Holdaway said the company is expecting to hire employees across the board this year, in engineering, marketing, operations and customer service. About 90 people work for the company in technology and engineering in Richmond and in San Francisco, and remotely from other locations. Even with the new headquarters, the COVID-19 pandemic meant the company had to change how its operations worked. It has gone to a mostly remote workforce, with attendance at the office being optional. The company also has shifted its hiring to bring on more remote workers. While its offices are in Richmond and San Francisco, it now has employees working in 32 states. The vast majority of even our front-line staff is virtual, Cox said. That includes a call center staff and customer service staff of about 120 people working in the Richmond area. We have started hiring call center staff across the entire country, Cox said. We just hired someone in Hawaii a couple of weeks ago. Cox joined the company two years ago after a career that included consulting work and management roles for such companies as Capital One and Genworth Financial Inc. The mission of serving our customers and this customer base really put a fire in my belly, Cox said. It was something different from what I had been seeing at different financial institutions in my career. On Feb. 10, Ambassador Qin Gang sent a congratulatory letter to the online Spring Festival reception hosted by US-Asia Institute. Minister Jing Quan attended the reception and read out Ambassador Qins congratulatory letter. In the letter, Ambassador Qin expressed high appreciation to USAI for its long-term dedication to the dialogue and exchanges between the US and Asian countries, including China. Ambassador Qin said, Spring Festival is the most important festival for Chinese people and has become widely celebrated by people of various countries, including the United States. I hope that no matter who you are, government officials, members of Congress, or people on the street, celebrating the Spring Festival will give you a better understanding of China, with its time-honored, splendid culture and its rapid development towards rejuvenation, and you will lend greater support to the friendship and win-win cooperation between our two countries. Ambassador Qin said, mutual learning between civilizations will make our world a better place. A healthy and stable China-US relationship is in the interests of both countries and the whole world. Mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation meet the aspirations of both peoples. Ambassador Qin said, the Beijing Winter Olympic Games are in full swing. The Olympic spirit of "higher, faster, stronger together" is blooming in Beijing. I hope you will be able to take some time to watch the fierce competitions, cheer for the athletes, and go "together for a shared future", as the slogan of Beijing Winter Olympics says! U.S. Senior government officials, Members of Congress and Ambassadors of some Asia Pacific countries to the United States attended the event and delivered remarks respectively. Growing tension between the Chesterfield County Commonwealths Attorneys Office and Circuit Judge Lynn Brice has led chief prosecutor Stacey Davenport to ask Brice to recuse herself from presiding over a high-profile murder case after clashes occurred between the judge and Davenports chief deputy, who will co-prosecute the case. In a motion filed last week, Davenport cites contentious encounters between Brice and Chief Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Jennifer Nesbitt in the courtroom on Nov. 17 and in the judges chambers the following day, the latter of which Davenport attended. A third incident occurred on Feb. 11, Davenport said, when Nesbitt appeared before Brice for the first time since Nov. 17. The judge displayed public disdain for Nesbitt, Davenport wrote without elaborating about the incident. On Dec. 15, five days after Brices judicial interview for reappointment before two General Assembly committees, Nesbitt, at the request of state Sen. Joe Morrissey, D-Richmond, provided a five-page summary of her recollections of the incidents with Brice on Nov. 17 and Nov. 18. Nesbitts version of the encounters was then distributed to other legislators and became public. The Richmond Times-Dispatch was provided with a copy. The statements of [Brice] during the reappointment interview and the statements of Nesbitt in the public-disseminated statement as they relate to the incidents of Nov. 17, 2021, and Nov. 18, 2021, directly conflict with one another, Davenport wrote in her motion. Members of the Virginia General Assembly appear to be considering these now public conflicting statements in connection with the reappointment of [Brice]. During Brices judicial reappointment interview, Morrissey asked Brice about the encounters, which involved Nesbitts wearing of a mask in court. The judge insisted the prosecutor remove it so she could be heard, and a meeting in the judges chambers the next day to discuss the matter devolved into a yelling match, Morrissey said at the time. Brice denied arguing with or yelling at Nesbitt, but details of what occurred both in the courtroom and in the judges chambers remain in dispute. At the time, the prosecutor had a child who recently had been hospitalized with a respiratory illness and she kept her mask on for her childs safety. Brice apparently was unaware, at least initially, of Nesbitts reason for keeping her mask on. A few individuals reached out to me afterward to ask if I was okay after the encounter [on Nov. 17], Nesbitt wrote in her summary. Some were people who had been personally present, and others were people who evidently had heard about the incident from those present. They uniformly expressed outrage at Judge Brices behavior and support for me for standing up to her, citing her reputation for abusive behavior. Judges are prohibited from speaking publicly about cases before them under Virginias Canons of Judicial Conduct. Brice previously declined to comment about her reappointment bid. Members of the Senate Judiciary and House Courts of Justice committees were informed of the clashes over the mask, as well as information compiled by Morrissey that showed Brice had not consistently been appearing in Colonial Heights Circuit Court to preside over the citys criminal docket, as she was assigned to do. In late January, the Senate Judiciary Committee removed Brice from a list of judges up for re-election and did not certify her to the full Senate for its consideration. Brices name was on a list of judges certified for approval by the House of Delegates, but a judge cannot be elected without a majority of both bodies voting in their favor. Half of the 10-member state delegation that serves Chesterfield and Colonial Heights declined to support Brice after questions arose about her professionalism. Brice will lose her seat when her term expires in December, unless a legislator tries to resurrect her reappointment bid before the current session ends March 12. She has served as a judge since 2001, when she was elected to the bench in Chesterfield Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. She served two six-year terms before being elevated to circuit court in 2014. As it stands now, Brice will be the presiding judge in the scheduled two-week jury trial of John Harvey Howard, 62, who was indicted in the 1996 disappearance and presumed murder of his then-girlfriend, Linda Lunsford, a 38-year-old mother of five. She vanished the day after Christmas, after she and Howard finished their shifts at the Walmart just off Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield. She was never heard from or seen again. The case presents significant challenges, since Lunsfords body was never recovered and her cause of death is unknown. Despite the rarity of bringing homicide cases to trial in Virginia without the body of the victim, Chesterfield has succeeded twice in prosecuting two men for killing their girlfriends in separate cases in 2016 and 2017. In her motion, Davenport wrote that the Howard case has been the subject of extensive media coverage, and that Brice has also received news coverage involving her reappointment bid. Lunsfords children have closely followed all media coverage and have expressed concerns to the Commonwealth about the impartiality of he judge in this matter, Davenport wrote. The motion asks Brice to remove herself from the case so that another judge can be assigned in her place, and any appearance of bias or prejudice against the Commonwealth is avoided. Defense attorney Greg Sheldon, who is representing Howard, has not yet filed a motion in response to Davenports request, and a hearing date has not been set. As part of a tandem who desegregated the citys public schools in 1960, you might call Carol Irene Swann and Gloria Jean Mead the Ruby Bridgeses of Richmond. The 6-year-old Bridges would become a civil rights icon, in part because of the Norman Rockwell painting of her accompanied by U.S. marshals to her previously all-white elementary school in New Orleans. But Swann, 12, and Mead, 13, had begun experiencing racial trauma at Richmonds Chandler Junior High School two months earlier, on Sept. 6, 1960. The first day of school there I was obviously terrified, Carol Swann-Daniels recalled in a 2018 video. Arriving at North Sides Chandler Junior High trailed by detectives a half-hour after the opening bell, as advised by the principal they were confronted by a group of reporters she likened to a herd of marauding buffalo. The detectives stuck around the school for about two weeks to maintain order. And once they were gone, people felt free to torture us. And they did. A ring of empty seats surrounded Swann and Mead at assemblies. Fellow students assaulted them with hurled milk cartons that splattered liquid on them. During a field trip, the owners of a roadside store refused to let them in for soft drinks and to use the bathroom. White classmates would not sit in a seat theyd occupied for fear of contamination. But despite all that happened around her, Carol Swann-Daniels never stopped wanting to make the world a better place, her husband, Jeffrey Daniels, said Thursday. Carol always looks for the best in everybody. Mrs. Swann-Daniels, a retired educator in North Brunswick, N.J., died Monday after a period of failing health. She was 73. Her legacy, and that of Gloria Jean Mead Jinadu, who died in 1997, remain undercelebrated in Richmond. We need to change that. Children need to know not only about Ruby Bridges and the childrens march in Birmingham; they need to know who Carol Swann and Gloria Jean Mead are. Because they are heroes, too, said Carmen Foster of Richmond, whose doctoral dissertation at the University of Virginia focused on the girls. Mrs. Swann-Daniels experience at Chandler was a profile in courage and an example of how young Black children were used as foot soldiers in the civil rights movement, with psychological burdens as heavy as any backpack. Swann and Mead lived three and five blocks from the Chandler school building on Brookland Park Boulevard, which now houses Richmond Community High. So it was really easy walking distance, although honestly, my parents were so afraid we never walked, she recalled on the video. Or as Jeffrey Daniels said Thursday: It was traumatic for her but she knew, as we said back then, The Black race is depending on you. And thats how she took it, her and Gloria Mead. The abuse continued throughout the school year, largely ignored by their teachers. When they met with the principal, he told them that if they ignored the perpetrators, the mistreatment would stop. That was not the case, Mrs. Swann-Daniels recalled. When she and Mead moved on to John Marshall High, they endured it all over again. It was a nightmare. Mrs. Swann-Daniels left Virginia for college, determined to put as much distance between herself and the South as her parents would allow. She landed at Colby College in Maine. This proximity to Canada helped create a love for Nova Scotia, where she and husband purchased several acres on the water. Her wish was to be cremated, with her ashes scattered along the Nova Scotia seaside. Anne Holton, a former Virginia education secretary, recalled sitting on a panel with Swann commemorating the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Courts 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling, which declared school segregation by race unconstitutional. She absolutely was a trailblazer, Holton said Thursday. Holton and Mrs. Swann-Daniels were part of a continuum in pushing back against Virginias resistance to the Brown decision. In 1970, Holtons father, then-Gov. Linwood Holton, enrolled his children in Richmonds predominantly Black school system when federal courts ordered desegregation. Recalling Mrs. Swann-Daniels poignant recollections, such as being given bright pink bowling shoes in physical education class so that white students would know not to wear them, The overwhelming sense was of pain and challenge, Holton said. This work remains unfinished, Mrs. Swann-Daniels acknowledged. It is a failed social experiment in the sense that there was so much hope, certainly, in the Black community that this was going to bring a sense of equality, a sense of fairness, that things would be more equal. And it didnt happen. Genevieve Siegel-Hawley, an associate professor at Virginia Commonwealth Universitys Department of Educational Leadership, called Mrs. Swann-Daniels a Richmond hero who demonstrated incredible bravery against overt white hostility. To honor her legacy, we have to keep courageously pressing for racial justice in public schools, striving to make them engines of opportunity for all and places where future citizens learn to participate in a multiracial democracy. This is complex, intergenerational work and it is much farther along for her example. Daniels said that every time they visited Virginia, his wife wanted to see the Chandler building. But shes never stepped back up on those stairs, he recalled. Shes proud of what shes done, but I think its just too much. Its important for us to make sure this is never forgotten. Its important for youth to know the reason theyre in that school is because of what happened during that time. Foster said it would be lovely if the photograph that has [Mead and Swann] walking up those steps was appropriately blown up inside the school to recognize them. We should do that, and more. At least two elementary schools in California and Washington are named for Bridges. As RPS builds new schools or renames old ones, it would do well to remember the two brave young girls who endured so much. A series of new voting district maps are now up for consideration by the Richmond City Council following three map-drawing sessions this week. The different maps are largely similar but with various adjustments concentrated throughout North Side with Rosedale, Sherwood Park, Laburnum Park and part of Southern Barton Heights shifting into the 3rd District. Officials are also evaluating potential changes to the 2nd, 5th, 6th and 7th districts, which could alter voting district lines in Manchester, the Fan, Carver and Monroe Ward. After an evaluation and legal analysis of the so-called demonstration maps, the City Council later this month will decide which map or maps will advance to an official public comment period through the spring. I dont want people to be under the impression that these are the maps that council adopts, said Gerry Hebert, a voting rights lawyer who the city has hired to assist with the redistricting process. They may [be maps that council adopts for public consideration] ... after these three sessions and after theyve had an opportunity to hear what people said. Richmond election officials also discussed the possibility of new voter precincts in Manchester and the Carver neighborhood, specifically at Maggie L. Walker Governors School, in order to prevent excessively long lines on Election Day and avoid the need for multiple ballots at polls because of overlapping congressional and state legislative districts. Redistricting is legally required every 10 years after the latest census data is released to ensure localities districts are evenly sized by population so that each residents vote carries a similar weight. The city started the process last fall, after the federal government was late in delivering census data because of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The City Council chose to start the process at the start of the year in order to wait for state officials to adopt new maps for congressional and state legislative districts, which also ran longer than expected. The citys population over the past decade increased by 11%, from 204,000 to 226,600, according to last years census data, so each district needs about 25,000 residents to make them equal. Based on the national head count, the city needs to adjust four of its nine council districts: the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th. Those changes are specifically needed because populations in the 2nd, 6th and 7th districts exceed the ideal population size by more than 5%, while the 3rd District falls below it by 11%. City officials initially said only three districts deviated too much from the ideal population size, but later found that the 7th District exceeded it when census data was updated to include residents who are currently incarcerated. As part of the process, the City Council in December adopted legislation with the following criteria: complying with all relevant federal and state laws with regard to the protection of voting rights; to the extent feasible, avoiding splits of voting precincts between council, School Board, state legislative and congressional election districts; to the extent feasible, maximizing voter convenience and the effective administration of elections; wherever possible, preserving communities of interest, defined by state law as a neighborhood or area where people share similar social, cultural and economic interests (political affiliation, loyalty to candidates or political officials excluded); and if possible, consolidating smaller voting precincts so that the number of registered voters in each precinct is at least the statewide average. While the meetings this past week proceeded with no apparent controversy, at least one School Board member who attended the Wednesday session was alarmed when officials discussed the possibility of redrawing the boundaries of the 2nd and 3rd districts near her home in the Carver neighborhood. I have a common interest in my community and schools in the 2nd District, not moving into the 3rd District to run for office there, said School Board member Mariah White. While the redistricting process will impact School Board districts, it does not affect individual school zone boundaries that determine where students attend school. None of the proposals moves White out of her district, but she and others from the Carver neighborhood argued against splitting their community, calling it a community of interest where many residents are accustomed to walking to their precinct at Carver Elementary School. In Fridays session, Hebert said he has not considered incumbents throughout the process, but noted that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that it is not prohibited. I cant speak to what other council members or School Board members are doing with respect to looking at numbers, but that hasnt guided any of this map-drawing process from the beginning, he said. The only time it came up, I believe, was when Ms. White brought it up earlier in the week. If any incumbents are drawn into new districts, they will still be allowed to serve the remainder of their terms through 2024, said Andrew McRoberts, an attorney who specializes in local government law with the firm Sands Anderson. Although redistricting takes effect immediately, current officials serving in districts maintain their seats by statute until the end of their terms, he said. At the end of his or her term, the official would have to step down or move to the newly drawn district to continue serving. The City Council will meet on Wednesday to review the map proposals. The council remains scheduled to complete the redistricting process later this spring, with final adoption of new voting district maps slated for April 25. The 2014 email to Donna Pace Foster telling her shed have more duties at the Department of Corrections without more pay was blunt. A supervisor passed down the verdict from a deputy director: You dont have a choice whether to do them or not. Foster was 57 years old and earning about $38,000 as a full-time executive secretary at the agency that runs Virginias prisons. Someone had moved to another agency, so Fosters new duties would be to provide administrative support to a board of people appointed by the governor that oversees jails in Virginia, and the boards committees. No extra money was available because of budget slashes, the supervisor wrote to Foster, saying she would try to get her extra pay in the future. She wasnt yet aware that she was earning at least $10,000 a year less than the last two people who held the job. I hope you understand my hands are tied and I have to do what my boss instructs me to do if I want to keep my job, the supervisor wrote. Foster was beside herself, even visiting a doctor because she was so anxious. She hadnt applied for the job, had no training for it, and was stressed because she feared she was being set up to fail. But over the next six years, she did everything she needed to do. Every year, she asked for extra pay for the extra work she was doing and, every year, the Department of Corrections told her no. In 2020, she filed an internal grievance over her salary. For more than 25 years, shed had a spotless disciplinary record at DOC without so much as a verbal warning. But while her salary grievance was pending, she was written up for two petty infractions. Combined, she was told, they could lead to her termination. And she said a high-level DOC official berated her in a phone call, accusing her of failing to monitor an email account she said she never knew was her responsibility. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reviewed records provided by Foster and records obtained independently about her situation. At nearly every level, the records show, powerful DOC officials sided with each other in denying Fosters requests for a comparison of her salary to similar positions outside of DOC. They defended the official who she said berated her. And they denied that the write-ups which ended up all but dismissed came in retaliation for her salary grievance. Foster retired on Jan. 1, saying she wanted to protect her retirement benefits and salvage her reputation. In an interview, she said the workload at DOC became so tremendous that she was overloaded with deadlines and at times struggled to complete all the work. She said she wants the public, and elected officials, to know that DOC leadership is tolerating abuses in the agency. I did not take the time to go to medical appointments, she said. I tried my best to do as perfect as I possibly could, and Im not the kind of person who does anything to be spiteful. Citing a state policy that does not allow release of personal information about government employees without their permission, top DOC officials, including Director Harold Clarke, declined through a spokesman to be interviewed for this story. *** The governors board that Foster began supporting in 2014 was called the Board of Corrections and has since been renamed the Board of Local and Regional Jails. By 2020, she had advised board members on policy, parliamentary procedure, codes, standards and legislation; became the key contact for FOIA requests to the board; worked with an attorney general counsel and a death investigator to respond to FOIA requests; became the only point of contact for updating the boards website; and updated the Virginia Town Hall website with documents. Someone in the Secretary of the Commonwealths office told Foster she was, by far, the lowest paid classified position of all support staff for state boards and commissions. She spoke to DOC human resources about her pay in 2020, and her direct supervisor supported her request for the states umbrella human resources agency the Department of Human Resource Management to do a comparison of her salary and duties to officials at other agencies doing similar work, not just others within the DOC. Her supervisor asked a top DOC official named Dean Ricks, the director of administrative compliance, for the review, but Ricks didnt address it, Foster wrote in grievance documents. And DOC human resources told her she was at the correct pay band. On Sept. 18, 2020, Foster filed a grievance over her salary. The DOC closed it, arguing that it was similar to one she filed in 2014 and wasnt timely. But the state personnel agency ruled that the grievance should go forward. Her direct supervisor addressed the grievance the next month and supported her request. But DOC human resources in December 2020 overturned his finding. On Dec. 17, 2020, an information officer in the department notified Ricks that a Board of Local and Regional Jails email account had more than 100 unread messages in it and some appeared to be FOIA requests. He told Ricks that Foster had primary access to the account. Ricks called her a few days later. She described his call as berating her, later writing in grievance documents that he accused her of being derelict at her job. She said she tried to explain several times that she had no idea she was supposed to be monitoring the account, but he talked over her. Also that month, someone with an outfit in Kentucky called Appalshop a social justice collective that runs a radio station and filmmaking institute called the board, and Foster answered the phone. The person asked questions about the Department of Corrections and the board. Foster chatted with the person, offering some opinions that she felt were widely available, but declined to be interviewed, saying questions would need to come in writing for the board. Foster declined an interview with that person on a second phone call, and reported the calls to her supervisor and the attorney general counsel assigned to the board. Seven days after her phone call with Ricks over the email account, Foster sat down with her husband and DOC human resources for the second phase of her salary grievance. The man hearing the case was Ricks. He wrote in a report that no adjustment in her salary was warranted. And then in January, just two weeks later, Foster received a notice from the DOC. She was being written up for two violations that she spoke with a reporter against department policy, and that she failed to monitor the email account. Her failure to monitor the account could have caused legal liability for the board, the write-up said. As a result of the unauthorized comments you made to the reporter, which could still be published, the Department had to report the incident to the DOC Communications Director, the Agency Head, and Chairman Francis to minimize potential damage to the relationship with the Virginia Board of Local and Regional Jails, members of the General Assembly, and the operations of the Department. The reference to Francis is former Southampton County Sheriff Vernie Francis Jr., the chairman of the jail board. The DOC wrote to Foster that the two infractions combined could result in her termination. With her salary grievance still pending, Foster filed a second grievance against the department, this one alleging retaliation for what she saw as bogus charges, and alleging a hostile work environment because of her call with Ricks. Six days later, a more senior DOC official, Joe Walters, closed the third step of her salary grievance by concurring that more pay wasnt warranted. Her direct supervisor now needed to handle her grievance alleging retaliation and a hostile work environment. To do that, he needed to investigate and potentially find fault in his own supervisor Ricks. Ricks told him he was courteous and respectful at all times during the phone call with Foster. The supervisor wrote to Foster that he found no evidence of a hostile work environment or retaliation. Foster responded in writing: Not only was he not courteous or respectful, I told him at minimum three times that I was never told to check the emails and he was so preoccupied with berating me that he never once acknowledged my words. Mr. Ricks was furiously reprimanding me, blaming me for dereliction of duty and falsely claiming that I caused the department problems. And she wrote that it wouldnt make sense for her to intentionally ignore an account she knew was her duty to monitor. I am a person who does what I am told out of fear of being reprimanded and humiliated. I take pride in doing my job well, even when forced. I reiterate, I was NOT told to check the emails. The two charges, she wrote, as a 25-year employee with no disciplinary record, were intended to strike fear in her and terminate her. Foster said she then received a call from Ricks to set up an interview for the next step of her grievance against him. She was appalled that the department would allow him to hear her grievance that alleged retaliation by him, and convinced the department that the DOC human resources office should handle that next step instead. In March 2021, the DOCs human resources officer sided with Ricks: While your description of the phone call with Mr. Ricks, if accurate, might have been perceived as curt, there is no evidence to suggest he berated or harassed you during the phone call. It appears he was carrying out his duties as a manager to investigate what he perceived as a serious issue. And later that month, Walters, the more senior DOC official, concurred, finding no evidence of retaliation or a hostile work environment. (Walters, who earns $179,025, declined to be interviewed for this story.) Foster wrote to Clarke, the DOC director, the next month, saying Ricks actions reek of retaliation. She noted that no one seemed to notice or care that an email account was not monitored for 2 years until she had a pending salary grievance and it was blamed on her. Clarke ruled that month that her allegations did not merit a hearing. On the day she retired, Foster wrote to the executive director of the Board of Local and Regional Jails that she did so to salvage her reputation and retirement benefits. The disciplinary write-up alleging she neglected her job duties had been reduced to a written violation, and the allegation that she spoke to the media had been dropped. And Foster provided some new details in her letter. Through a Freedom of Information Act request, she found the salaries of the two people who supported the jail board before she did. One was earning $10,000 a year more than her, and the other was earning $12,000 a year more. And she wrote that she had more duties than the previous two. She mailed a copy of her letter to the Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares, writing that she hoped they would investigate the abuse and corruption that has been warmly embraced by Department of Corrections leadership. *** After Foster got in trouble over the email account, she was able to clean up the account and respond to any emails within two days. The Department of Corrections did not get into any legal trouble. But Ricks, the official who pinned the responsibility on Foster, was found by a judge earlier in 2020 to have violated the letter and spirit of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act by withholding public records related to DOC strip-searching visitors to people in prisons. The Times-Dispatch reported last year on how Ricks, who earns $132,488, and other officials made a power grab at the Board of Local and Regional Jails that resulted in obstruction of a jail death investigator. The newspaper emailed Ricks on Feb. 10 asking if he would like to be interviewed for this story. He didnt, but six days later, the DOC issued a press release on its website lashing out at The Times-Dispatch over a news story published two weeks earlier about the lack of independent oversight of the DOC. Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta is used to receiving calls from politicians running for office, but he said most of them want to say what they think about everything, not listen to what you think about. So Porta said he was impressed when he got a call late last year from Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, who had just seen a draft redistricting plan that included the town and the rest of Prince William County in a new congressional district that would be uprooted from its current base in the Richmond suburbs. She started right off by asking about the issues, he said. She reached out very quickly to folks. Spanberger, 42, has wasted no time in getting to know people in the new district that includes eastern Prince William and all or part of 10 other localities, including Fredericksburg, as she seeks re-election for a third term in Congress But shes still wrestling with a threshold question in what promises to be a bruising, nationally watched campaign: Where is she going to live? Spanberger lives with her husband, Adam, and three daughters in western Henrico County, where she grew up. But her home lies a couple of counties south of the new congressional district approved by the Virginia Supreme Court in late December as perhaps the biggest surprise in a messy redistricting process. She said her priority will be serving constituents in her current, 10-county district until January, when she hopes to be sworn in as congresswoman for a new district that includes just three of the localities she represents now Spotsylvania, Orange and Culpeper counties. While my husband and I are having ever-consistent conversations about what we do next, were not ready to make a final decision, Spanberger said in a recent interview at her congressional office next to the U.S. Capitol. But I think its important to tell people I will not be moving my family before January because at this point Im focused on representing my current district and campaigning in the new one. My kids are in three different schools, she explained. My husband has a job. Weve got a lot of moving pieces. But that explanation might not be good enough for voters in the new district, said Stephen Farnsworth, director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg. Everybody in the workforce knows people have to move for jobs, he said. Shes probably going to have to move for this one. Farnsworth said her statement stops short of her committing to move into the new 7th if shes elected, which he expects would be weaponized against her by her Republican opponent in the general election for a crucial seat in midterm elections to determine control of the House. Voters would be somewhat indulgent if she has a commitment to move by the summer of 2023, after the end of the school year, he said. Democrats in the new district say theyre not concerned about Spanbergers plans for moving her home, at least not now. I know the rules provide you dont have to live in the district you represent, but the people will want that and I think she very much understands that, said Matt Rowe, who was elected on Saturday as the chairman of the Democratic committee for the new 7th District. Most people establish themselves in a new job before bringing their family with them, said Rowe, who lives in Fredericksburg. Running the campaign is getting herself established, he said. Spanberger isnt alone in scrambling to react to the new map of Virginias 11 congressional districts. Both parties are reshuffling their organizations to reflect the new composition of the districts. Rowe, who lost a 2016 race to Rep. Rob Wittman, R-1st, was simultaneously organizing meetings of the 1st District Democratic committee on Saturday while attending the meeting of the new 7th District committee to elect officers and representatives to the party central committee. Both districts are dramatically different under the map approved by the court, but none more than the 7th, now anchored in Prince William and the Fredericksburg area instead of Chesterfield and Henrico counties. I cant recall this happening with a congressional district before, said Rowe, who has been involved in state Democratic politics for 30 years. Republicans have named an interim chairman for the new 7th Jeff Sili, a member of the Caroline County Board of Supervisors and chairman of the countys GOP committee. The party will hold a convention on April 9 to elect a chairman, said Rich Anderson, chairman of the Virginia Republican Party. The GOP will choose its nominee to oppose Spanberger in a June primary. Nine Republicans have declared their candidacy for the nomination, although Del. John McGuire, R-Goochland, hasnt said yet whether he will run in the new district. The Republican field includes elected officials from the three most populous localities in the new 7th Prince William, Stafford and Spotsylvania counties as well as state Sen. Bryce Reeves, R-Spotsylvania, whose Senate district includes parts of five localities in the new district. All of the contenders are either military veterans or spouses in a district with a heavy population of federal workers, contractors and military, but Farnsworth said Spanberger will benefit from a career that includes drug enforcement along the U.S. southern border with the U.S. Postal Service and working as a case officer in the CIA. Her resume will be favorably received in parts of the district between A.P. Hill [the U.S. Army base in Caroline] and the Pentagon [in Arlington County], he predicted. Spanberger dodged a potentially difficult path to the Democratic nomination when the court approved a final redistricting plan that split Prince William instead of including the entire county. The initial draft map that the court released in early December sparked strong interest among high-profile Democrats in Prince William, including former Dels. Jennifer Carroll Foy and Hala Ayala, Del. Elizabeth Guzman, Del. Luke Torian, Sen. Jeremy McPike and School Board Chairman Babur Lateef. When Spanberger first saw the draft map, she said, I think I laughed out loud. Her supporters in the Richmond area were crying, not laughing. For all of us, its really sad and hard, said Abbi Easter, chair of the current 7th District Democratic Committee who lives in the new 1st District, represented by Wittman. It wasnt a remote relationship, Easter said. It was a real relationship, and it was wrested from us. After the court approved the final map, Spanbergers potential opponents for the Democratic nomination all dropped out of consideration. I think everybody was pretty surprised by the ultimate map, the congresswoman said. Porta, the mayor of Occoquan, a port town on the watery line between Prince William and Fairfax counties, said a primary under the draft map would have been gobs and gobs of people. I think its actually a testament to the job shes done that all the people who were interested at one point have stepped aside and are now backing her, he said. Spanberger has some advantages in a district that leans Democratic. She has $3 million in the bank. She already represents parts of the district that are heavily Republican Spotsylvania, Orange and Culpeper counties where she hasnt won but has kept down the vote margins against her. She does well in the Spotsy suburbs, Farnsworth said. Spanberger also isnt afraid to show up in Republican territory. She recently appeared in Culpeper with President Joe Biden to push for a congressional deal on legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs prompting derision from the national Republicans who have targeted her since she won re-election in 2020. Culpeper Mayor Frank Reaves Jr. said he was thrilled to meet Biden at the local airport for the event. I never had something like that happen before, said Reaves, who works as a private investigator. The mayor says he doesnt involve himself in party politics, but hes impressed by Spanberger. Shes a real smart person and she believes in helping, Reaves said. Shes a worker, I can tell you that. She works for everybody. Spanberger has been working every Saturday and Sunday since mid-January to meet people in the new district, starting with people she already knows in Orange and Culpeper. Shes visited two Black churches in Prince William and one in Stafford, and a mosque in Manassas. She has attended meet-and-greet rallies in Prince William, Stafford, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania, but also in Madison and Greene counties, where she emphasized her role as the only Virginian on the House Agriculture Committee, representing the interests of the states largest private industry. Shes definitely approaching it differently than a lot of candidates in the past, said Tonya James, chair of the Prince William Democratic Committee. Shes doing the work from day one, and I appreciate that. Part of her challenge is explaining to voters the changes caused by redistricting and, for many Prince William voters, that they will no longer be represented by Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-11th. But Spanberger said the new district has many similarities to the current 7th. Once again, its the rural, suburban mix, she said. She acknowledged the challenge of juggling her job in Congress, her family in Henrico and her campaign in the new district, but said, I work nonstop anyway. A skull discovered in Stafford County more than 31 years ago was identified as having belonged to a former Norfolk resident. Stafford Sheriff's Maj. Shawn Kimmitz said police identified the victim as Timothy Alan Mangum. The skull was found Sept. 28, 1990, lying under a fence line by a farmer who was bush hogging his field in the area of Joshua and Mountain View roads. During the ensuing investigation, authorities were able to determine that the skull appeared to belong to a Caucasian male between the ages of 15 and 18. They estimated that there had been at least one to three years between the victim's death and the recovery of the skull. Mangum was born in September 1968. No additional body parts were found during a search following the discovery of the skull, Kimmitz said. Police don't know why Mangum would have been in Stafford and know of no connection he had with the area. A medical examiner at the time was unable to determine the cause of death, but a "violent or unnatural" manner of death was suspected in part because of the estimated age of the victim and the location where the skull was found. Stafford Detective David Wood headed the investigation, which has included a number of outside agencies. Starting in 2011, Kimmitz said, DNA testing was performed by DNA International and the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification that resulted in a full DNA profile. The profile was uploaded into a national database, but no match was found at that time. In May 2020, Kimmitz said, various agencies began exploring the idea of using genealogy databases in an effort to identify potential relatives of the unknown victim. In November, the Sheriff's Office received the possible names and location of Mangum's father and brother in the Norfolk area. Wood contacted the pair and was provided Mangum's name. The family told police they had not been in contact with Mangum for a number of years prior to the discovery of the skull in 1990. Kimmitz said police were able to positively identify the victim as Mangum after obtaining DNA from both the father and brother and comparing it to the teen's profile. Kimmitz said that as far as he knows, no one ever reported Mangum missing. Mangum attended Lake Taylor High School in Norfolk in April 1983 after withdrawing from the Chesapeake school system a few months earlier. At one point, he moved to Chattanooga, Tenn., to live with his mother, but later returned to the Tidewater area. He was at Lake Taylor for his sophomore year. Kimmitz said police believe that Mangum died in 1983 or 1984, but little is known about his disappearance or the circumstances surrounding his death. Detectives are attempting to contact anyone who may have had contact with Mangum or can provide any information regarding why he might have been in Stafford. Ibn Khaldun, a 14th-century Arab historian and philosopher, developed in his seminal book Muqaddimah (Introduction) a paradigm that explains the rise and fall of empires. He postulated that empires, just like humans, have a limited lifespan; they rise and fall within a limited time frame. No empire can last forever as the predominant world hegemonic power. Khaldun further argued that the most important element sustaining any social organism from a clan to an empire is asabiyyah social cohesion, a bond based on shared values and vision that keeps the group together. Once asabiyyah begins to break down, a process starts in which the organism loses its dominant position. Americas asabiyyah emerged in the post-World War II period. The American dream became a model both as a fantasy as well as a reality of envy around the globe. Prosperity, freedom and opposition to communism all catapulted the American empire to greatness. Indeed, the 20th century was the American century. Today, American asabiyyah is waning. Prosperity has declined, politicians are viewed with disdain and the Cold Wars anti-communist solidarity is over. The countrys internal divisions and lack of cohesion are more visible today than ever before thanks to the media. Political, cultural, deep social cleavages and stark economic inequality now characterize the United States. According to a recent Axios-Momentive poll, more than 40% of Americans believe President Joe Biden is illegitimate. In another poll conducted by NPR/Ipsos, 64% of Americans believe American democracy is in crisis and at risk of failing. Author Stephen Marche, for example, predicts in his new book The Next Civil War that internecine violence is inevitable. A recent survey carried out by the University of Virginia Center for Politics found that about 50% of Republican voters and 40% of Democratic voters agreed the U.S. should be divided into two countries: red and blue. Whats more, Biden is perceived as too old, indecisive and unfit to lead the nation at this moment of a grave crisis, both at home and abroad. Ironically, motivated by their hatred toward Biden, ultra-conservatives now support Russian President Vladimir Putins right to control Ukraine. Observing Americas domestic turmoil from afar, Putin and Chinas leaders see that the old empire is declining and a new global leadership vacuum is emerging, as predicted seven centuries ago by Khaldun. In the 19th century, it was the Ottoman Empire that was characterized as the sick man of Europe. Today the United States is perceived as the sick man of the 21st century. A house divided against itself is exactly the image that China and Russia believe signals the beginning of the end of Americas tenure as the most prominent global power. This is the moment that Putin a shrewd and ruthless dictator has been waiting for. He knows very well that America and its Western allies are likely to bark very loudly but will not dare to bite. Whether Russia launches a war or not, the United States and the NATO alliance are unable to deter Russia or deliver a resolution of the crisis short of a complete capitulation. Placing a squadron of F-16s in Romania or sending a few thousand troops to the Baltics and Poland are symbolic gestures at best. The threat of severe sanctions against Russia does not seem to be effective. This crisis is bound to be Americas humiliation. Putin is a farsighted leader. He intends to align Russias national interests of securing a Greater Russia with the upcoming global power. Despite their past differences, both countries are determined to unseat the U.S. from its global premiership role, and this forms the basis of the current Russo-Chinese de-facto alliance. Moreover, a close relationship with China will enable Russia, despite its weak economy, to tolerate the painful economic sanctions threatened by the U.S. in case of an invasion. NATOs cold war asabiyyah or solidarity is a relic of the past. Germany, a key member of the alliance, has been reluctant to stand up to Russia during this crisis. While the United Kingdom has been supplying Ukraine with significant military hardware, Germany sent a few thousand helmets and blocked Estonia from shipping German-made Howitzers to Kyiv. Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Ukraines capital, reacted to the German offer of helmets: Whats next, pillows? Berlins hesitancy to stand up to Moscow is rooted in history as well as economic pragmatism. The legacy of WWII with the memory of close to 800,000 German soldiers who died in the war against the Soviet Union still resonates today. Moreover, the Russian-owned Nord Stream 2, an $11 billion energy pipeline to Germany, underlies new Chancellor Olaf Scholzs soft approach toward Putin. Hungary represents another crack in the NATO alliance. Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close ally of Putin, recently signed a 15-year agreement to obtain cheap Russian natural gas. Orbans refusal to condemn Russias military buildup on Ukraines borders is not just a function of pragmatic economics and political electioneering. It also represents an ideological affinity with authoritarian, illiberal leaders like him, such as Putin and Chinas Xi Jinping. In many ways, Putin is acting as Chinas subcontractor in this crisis. Both countries share the same goal: Bring the United States and Europe to their knees, and begin to transform the 21st century as Chinas century. In return, he expects China to respect Russias spheres of influence in Central Asia and Eastern Europe, which naturally includes Ukraine. Although authoritarian, while several ethnic groups inside China are crushed by the regime with brute force, Chinas asabiyyah nonetheless is flourishing. Its social cohesion, sense of grandeur and thirst for global domination are undeniably visible. Above all, the Chinese have patience knowing their moment in the sun is arriving soon. It is plausible the current crisis might end should Ukraine withdraw its intention to join NATO. However, by challenging the United States, Putin is not only laying the groundwork for the revival of Greater Russia, but also for China to emerge as the undisputed superpower. Indeed, the Peoples Republic of China the global power in waiting, currently enjoying asabiyyah is bound to be the real winner in this great game of nations, without firing even a single bullet. ROCKY MOUNT In the opening day of his trial for a 2019 killing that captured national attention, Michael Alexander Browns attorney said her client had been in the grips of a disorder that left him unable to understand his actions and should be found not guilty by reason of insanity. Brown, 24, whos charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of his mothers live-in boyfriend, told two court-appointed evaluators that he had bouts of lost time or blackouts during which he couldnt remember what would happen, according to court testimony. A Marine at the time of the shooting, Brown made headlines in 2019 when an 18-day manhunt spanning multiple states for him unfolded. Prior to the incident that led to his arrest, he went AWOL from Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, where he was a combat engineer with the 8th Engineer Support Battalion. An initial search paralyzed part of Southwest Roanoke early one morning in November 2019 when a shelter in place order was issued after Brown attempted to visit his grandmothers house in the neighborhood. Then an RV he had been traveling in was discovered in a Carlton Road church parking lot. Authorities ripped open one side of the RV with tactical equipment before searching it and, hours later, towing it away. The vehicle carried seven handguns, two rifles and an assortment of ammunition, according to an inventory filed by investigators. Brown would ultimately be arrested after emerging from attic at the same house in Hardy where the shooting occurred. He told doctors that he sought shelter there after his RV was seized by police. The episodes started as he fell into depression after his marriage ended in divorce earlier that same year, he told them. He described growing fearful of what he would find each time a blackout ended, and he would emerge from it in a hazy, dream-like fog. In one instance, he reported, he was aghast to discover that he apparently shot a dog. In another, he awoke to find himself standing in front of a mirror with a gun to his own head. These episodes were detailed only by Brown. He said he hid the signs of his psychiatric crisis from others for fear of being committed to a facility as his mother, whos been treated for schizoaffective disorder, had been for long periods while he was growing up. Franklin County prosecutors suggested Brown, in actuality, could be just a savvy manipulator fabricating a narrative to evade punishment. Defense attorney Deborah Caldwell-Bono countered the claims were reinforced by accounts from Browns mother, who previously testified to his erratic behavior before and after the shooting, and by his ex-wife who described Brown to investigators as a psychopath who could snap into a violent persona that he referred to as his alter ego. He made no sense. He said he wasnt Michael Brown anymore, Caldwell-Bono said, citing a description of Brown given by his mother when he surprised her with a visit, popping out of her closet, one week before the shooting. Commonwealths Attorney A.J. Dudley noted Brown claimed not to be able to remember the shooting or to remember pointing a gun at his mother afterward. He told doctors he did remember coming out of a blackout and asking his mother what had happened. He recalled them crying and hugging as she just said: Hes dead. Hes dead. Does it sound convenient that the things he cant remember are the things that would be the most incriminating to him, Dudley asked. Or is Michael always explaining things in the way that is best for Michael? Dudley said at an earlier hearing that Rodney Brown, 54, died from three gunshot wounds to the head and five to the torso, adding that forensic examination of the slugs removed from the victims skull showed that at least two different firearms had been used in the attack a .22-caliber pistol and a rifle. Browns account was deemed credible by a clinic with the University of Virginias Institute of Law, Psychiatry, and Public Policy. The institute diagnosed him with dissociative amnesia that would leave him unable to remember what had happened during an episode. He was physically present, but not conscious, Sharon Kelley, a clinical psychologist, testified. The institute, which spent about 15 hours examining Brown, said its approach included a series of tests designed to evaluate if Brown was feigning or exaggerating his symptoms. The conclusion was that he was genuine. In a 42-page report, evaluators wrote that Browns case is complex as there is clear evidence that he intentionally shot Rodney Brown, who was described by the family as abusive, outside of their Hardy home on the morning of Nov. 9, 2019. But, it continued, there was also evidence that he wouldnt have been aware of what he was doing in the moment and that his psychiatric state would have prevented him from comprehending the nature, character and consequences of his actions one of the criteria for an insanity plea. The final ruling on the insanity defense will be up to the court. Brown opted for a bench trial instead of a jury proceeding. Judge Stacey Moreau is presiding over the case. In addition to the UVA clinics assessment, Moreau also heard Thursday from a psychiatrist with Western State Hospital in Staunton. Dr. Eugene Simpoulous said he initially concluded that Browns case could meet the threshold for an insanity defense but was reconsidering that Thursday morning as additional information was presented to him. That included, in part, the detail about Brown reportedly pointing a gun at his mother as well as his ex-wifes description of him as a manipulative person with a violent side. Those were not among the records provided to Simpoulous for his assessment. He said a new analysis might come to the same conclusion as his original report or might change his evaluation of Browns mindset. But he testified he couldnt, in that moment, say with confidence that Brown met the criteria for an insanity plea. Simpoulous evaluation included interviewing Brown for about four hours in January and February. Kelley said the information discussed in Simpoulous testimony had been considered in the UVA institutes analysis and didnt alter their report. Thursdays trial kicked off by diving straight into the testimony of the mental health experts. Opening statements were waived in order to begin calling them to the stand. The trial is set to resume Wednesday afternoon. In the interim, Moureau plans to review a four-hour recording of Browns interview with law enforcement after his arrest and consider other exhibits that will be filed by the attorneys. 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 Roanoke man accused of shooting his girlfriend will serve five years for a gun crime under a plea agreement struck last week. Percy Johnson IV, 28, pleaded guilty to a count of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Other charges filed, most significantly attempted murder, were withdrawn. In explaining the move, prosecutors said the case faced complications as the victim of the shooting did not want to cooperate in pursuing the matter further. She has always been in support of the defendant, Courtney Turner, an assistant prosecutor, said in a recording of the Feb. 10 plea hearing. The shooting, reported at the couples home on the night of Aug. 11, 2021, left the woman hospitalized for several days with gunshots to her face, shoulder and leg. She identified Johnson as her assailant to police officers at the time, authorities said, including pointing to a tattoo of his name when asked who shot her. The couple, who have an infant child together, had a history of domestic violence disputes, prosecutors said during an earlier bond hearing convened in October. The bond request last fall was supported by the woman who testified that she wasnt afraid of Johnson and wanted him to come home. I just need him home please, she said in a recording of the hearing. If there is any possible way that he could get a bond. The Roanoke Times does not identify peopled named as victims in domestic violence cases without their consent. The October bond motion was denied. Johnson has been held in custody since his arrest after the shooting last summer. The police were called to the house that night by a friend who had been on the phone with Johnsons girlfriend while heading over to the couples house, according to an account outlined in court by prosecutors. The friend heard the couple argue and Johnsons girlfriend told her to call 911, officials said. The friend couldnt be reached by authorities again later in the investigation, Turner said, another factor in the decision to present a plea agreement. Under the agreement submitted to Circuit Court Judge Onzlee Ware last week, Johnson pleaded guilty to possessing a gun as a convicted felon and was sentenced to the mandatory term of five years for that charge. Hell be on supervised probation after his release. Johnson did not make a statement during the hearing. The defense joined in asking that the agreement be accepted. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The first major phase of the William Byrd High School renovation project is set to be completed next month. School officials took a tour of the school this week to check out the progress, which includes the expected completion of the renovated math and English classrooms at the Vinton school built in 1969. Byrd Principal Tammy Newcomb said the completion of the first phase of the project will allow most students taking classes in the temporary modular units to return to the main building, with the exception of some business classes. The school will be opening in phases over the next 16 months until renovations are finished, she said. Project managers from Avis Construction Co. said the school will basically be brand new with plenty of up-to-date features, including outfitting the entire building with a sprinkler system, a new HVAC system and the use of natural light wherever possible. Not only does the light save the school money when it comes to energy costs, but it has also been shown to improve test scores, and has been standard in most school renovation projects for the last several years, according to Avis employees. The project is taking place on the schools first and second floors and entails more than 100,000 square feet of renovations and roughly 13,500 square feet of additions, according to the schools website. In addition to renovating regular classrooms and the schools hallways, the science labs, band room, weight room, media center, guidance offices, library and the main gym front lobby will also be receiving much-needed improvements, according to school officials. Additions to the school will include choir and art rooms, a dedicated wrestling and cheer practice facility and a front entrance portico. Roanoke County Public Schools spokesman Chuck Lionberger said the project is expected to be completed in August 2023, just in time for the start of that school year. He said the timeline on the $30.7 million project has been moved back due to supply chain issues that have resulted in the delay of some items like steel as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our timetable moved back some from where it originally was, but we fully expect to be finished with the renovations in time for the start of the [2023-2024] school year, he said following a tour of the high school Wednesday afternoon. 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. Bangladesh's largest annual book fair kicked off in the capital Dhaka on Tuesday though belatedly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The book fair, with the theme of "We want a COVID-free Bangladesh," brought together many readers and writers to celebrate the event for literature. A total of 800 stalls were allocated to about 500 organizations this year, Jalal Ahmed, member secretary of the book fair management committee and director of Bangla Academy, told journalists earlier. According to him, the book fair is held in compliance with COVID-19 health guidelines and none will be allowed into the fair without wearing a face mask and sanitizing hands. The book fair used to begin on the first day of February but this year it was postponed to Feb. 15 due to the COVID-19 situation in the Asian country. Calls for extending the duration of the fair have grown as publishers are afraid of facing losses if the month-long book fair is reduced to 14 days. "As this time we've started the fair belatedly, Feb. 15, I think we can continue it for a month," Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said when virtually inaugurated the event. ROCKY MOUNT The Franklin County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution supporting volunteerism, but left out any recognition of the countys militia. Members of the Franklin County Militia have attended meetings for months asking supervisors give a vote of support. Last month supervisors agreed to pass a resolution on volunteerism, but stopped short of saying if support for militia would be included. Boone District representative and Chairman Ronnie Thompson read the resolution on Tuesday which expressed how Franklin County benefits from volunteerism among its citizens. The final paragraph of the resolution stated: the Board of Supervisors of Franklin County this day thanks, commends and lauds citizens for their spirit of volunteerism in the past and encourages future volunteerism in Franklin County by recognizing the great and essential benefit received by the county and its citizens from the efforts of volunteers. There was no mention of the militia in the resolution. During the countys public comment period that evening, members of the militia in attendance expressed frustration with the decision as well as how they had been categorized by some in the county. A dozen militia members and supporters spoke in support of the group with several more in attendance at the meeting. To say Im disappointed would be an understatement, said Simon Winch, a supporter of the militia, on the boards decision not to recognize the militia. Jerry Conner, another militia supporter, said supervisors have refused to provide a resolution or even a public hearing on the militia after six months of requests. He said several supervisors had expressed support for the militia in separate meetings with the group. This board is not willing to affirm our rights, Conner said. Shame on you. Several speakers praised supervisors for not recognizing the militia in the resolution. Eric Ansfall thanked the board for its decision. I especially want to thank you for a resolution that I heard read this evening; a resolution that is far different that the one that was presented to this board of supervisors at its last meeting, Ansfall said in reference to a resolution provided to the board by the Franklin County Militia in January. The resolution included recognition of the militia. Other speakers questioned why support for a militia would even be considered. Benny Hopkins questioned how members of the militia are chosen or vetted. He also said the militia could add even more friction between some communities in the county. Ed Saunders called the militia a terrorist group. He described serving the country fighting terrorism oversees and now seeing it at home. He said some of the militia members are also veterans like himself, which he called concerning. I have anger issues. I have PTSD. I have a lot of the issues that a lot of the people in the militia have, Saunders said. Because of that, I know the last thing anybody would want me doing is walking around in public with an armed weapon. Andrew Whiting took offense to being labeled a terrorist and a racist as a member of the militia in charge of recruitment. He said the militia is not about hate, its about protecting the community from any incursion upon Franklin County. Im upset and hurt deeply at the same time because of individuals calling out racism. You know me not, Whiting said. You dont know anybody else in this room because you didnt take the time to have a conversation. Brian Wood, chairman of the Franklin County Militia, said the group had garnered more than 1,000 signatures of support. He expected to be granted a public hearing on the resolution affirming the militia. Despite our speeches, petitions and grievance, it is apparent that some of the members of this board do not understand or are politically opposed to that right, Wood said. Wood accused some board members of working to suppress the militias efforts to be recognized in a public vote. For those that have the fortitude to stand and support, thank you. We will remember you, he said. For those among you who have chosen to violate your oath of office, your previous support of a feel good resolution will not support you come Election Day. Beyond the reading of the resolution just before the start of the public comment period, supervisors did not discuss the issue any further. 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. During his 42 years as a reporter and business editor, George Kegley amassed an array of government studies, corporate reports, files and other documents that he stacked both precisely and precariously high on his desk in a corner of The Roanoke Times newsroom. The piles of paper made it hard to tell, from a distance, whether Kegley was at his desk. In the days before voice mail, editorial assistants who were tasked with taking telephone messages for reporters had a circular, convex mirror installed above the work space to help determine his whereabouts. A Kegley-less desk could mean he was out on an assignment. Or he could have been delivering Meals on Wheels to the elderly, helping refugees or at-risk children, working at a homeless shelter, attending a meeting of one of his historical and preservation groups, or donating yet another pint of blood at the American Red Cross. You could fill a book with the things hes done, former Roanoke Times reporter JoAnne Poindexter said. Kegley, who retired from journalism in 1993 but never quit his lifelong dedication to volunteerism and philanthropy, died Wednesday night. He was 93. George was sort of this walking encyclopedia of everything that was going on in Roanoke, former managing editor Rich Martin said. He was just a great resource for the newsroom to have. His desk, Martin recalled, looked messier than it was. Because he could always put his hands on something right away when asked by a reporter or editor. When he wasnt working for the newspaper, Kegley immersed himself with volunteer activities that he likened to quicksand: The more you do, the more involved you get with the people you are working with, and the more interested you are. He helped establish the Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation, was a leader with the Historical Society of Western Virginia, and served as director of the Virginia History Federation. I kind of feel like its the passing of an era, because he has been the go-to person for things about history for so long, said Alison Blanton, who serves on the board of the preservation foundation. No matter how busy Kegley might have been, he was always willing to do more. I think the lesson we could all learn from George is to never say no, Blanton said. Kegley was also a longtime volunteer with Meals on Wheels and the RAM House. He organized summer camps and excursions for inner city children, and was involved with helping refugees and inmates and their families. He was a religious donor at the American Red Cross, where he became the first person in the region to contribute 50 gallons of blood, one pint at a time. Conservation was another one of his passions; Kegley served as a board member of the Western Virginia Land Trust. A native of Wythe County, Kegley grew up on a family farm and formulated a tremendous work ethic early in life, his son Andy said. Kegley worked for student newspapers in high school and at Roanoke College, from which he graduated in 1949. He took a job with The Roanoke Times at a time when it competed with a second afternoon daily, The Roanoke World-News. He always liked reading good words, so I think he decided to make a livelihood out of it, Andy Kegley said. But there was much more to his life than newspapering. Well never know the number of families and individuals that he touched in one way or another through volunteer work, his son said. At The Roanoke Times, Kegley was not known for the kind of journalism projects that consumed months and led to multi-part series. He kept his head down and worked hard, often cranking out two or three stories for the next days edition. My wife would say, What time are you coming home for dinner? Kegley said in a 2011 story about the newspapers 125th anniversary. And Id say, It depends on things that havent happened yet. Kegley was married to Louise F. Kegley for more than 59 years. His wife, a former journalist and well-known advocate for local history, educational and environmental groups, died in 2018 at age 85. She was a granddaughter of Junius Blair Fishburn, a longtime former owner of The Roanoke Times. George Kegleys all-business approach to covering business, combined with a regular coat-and-tie attire, led some of his younger colleagues to assume the worse from his gruff exterior. But once approached, in the newsroom or elsewhere, he quickly opened up to show what the pastor of his church called a soft, squishy inside. He really poured a lot of compassion and grace into the work we do in the community, said James Armentrout of St. Marks Lutheran Church, where Kegley taught Sunday school and chaired the Social Ministry Committee. Despite acquiring a wealth of knowledge that transcended the many organizations he was involved with, Kegley was not one to talk about his accomplishments. He was the embodiment of humility in a lot of ways, Armentrout said. After mixing work for the newspaper with service to the community for more than four decades, Kegley saw retirement as an opportunity to become a full-time volunteer a commitment that he kept to the end. Last year, when his health began to fail, Kegley gave up driving for the most part and began to rely on a home health care worker. Mary Bishop, a retired Roanoke Times reporter who kept up with her former colleague, said that he quickly recruited the heath aide to drive him on his delivery route for Meals on Wheels. He said: Lets go. We dont want to just sit around here, Bishop recalled. Although he held a day job that can make journalists skeptical of many things, Kegley kept a quietly positive outlook. He wasnt a cynic. He probably had some cynicism in him, but he saw a lot of good, Martin said. And he did a lot of good. 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 16 million people traveled along the Blue Ridge Parkway last year, again putting the scenic highway at the top of the list of the most-visited national parks. The parkway, which runs for 469 miles through the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina, had 15,948,148 recreational visits, according to estimates from the National Park Service. That was up nearly 2 million from 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused park closures and restrictions across the country. While overall use of the parkway has remained relatively stable over the past five to 10 years, some of the more popular sites are feeling the impacts of heavy visitation. Overcrowding at popular locations can lead to diminished visitor experience and damage to park resources, parkway superintendent Tracy Swartout said in a news release Thursday. Parkway officials are encouraging people to find alternatives and make plans in advance. Details can be found at https://go.nps.gov/parkway-plan-ahead. A 15-mile section of the parkway from U.S. 220 in Roanoke to the top of Bent Mountain has been closed since May 2020, when heavy rains caused a landslide that washed out a section of the road. Traffic has been detoured through Roanoke and Roanoke County. Repairs are expected to begin this spring and be completed by fall. Visitation numbers, which are based in part on traffic counters installed in the pavement, are compiled annually by the National Park Service. Among the findings in the 2021 report: Last years visitation represents an approximate 13% increase from 2020. The parkway most recently saw similar levels of visitation in 2017 with an estimated 16.1 million visitors. In 2021, there was a 12% increase in camping use over 2019, which was the most recent high-occupancy year. Tent camping was up 10% and RV use up 16% over 2019. There were 362 motor vehicle wrecks on the parkway last year, 102 of which involved injuries. Eight of the incidents, five of them involving motorcycles, led to fatalities. 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. Virginia reported 19,994 new COVID-19 infections over the past week, bringing the cumulative total during the pandemic to 1,622,685, the Virginia Department of Health reported Friday. New infections continue to slow as the state experiences a rapid decline after the omicron surge in January. Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts Director Cynthia Morrow said the numbers dont account for all the infections due to at-home testing, but the trend is very encouraging. We knew this was coming as we saw a dramatic decrease in testing demands, she said. It is a great sign that the omicron surge is well behind us. Morrow said the region is still in high community transmission but she is hopeful that will decrease by next week. Hospitalization numbers are coming down along with case counts. The state reported 47,140 total hospitalizations since the pandemic began, although the VDH website notes that hospitalizations are underrepresented. Virginias near southwest region, which includes hospitals from Lynchburg to the Roanoke Valley, had 282 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of Friday, including 62 in intensive care. Last Friday, there had been 353 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the region, including 79 in ICUs. Deaths have continued to trend upward, which is typical after large surges in case numbers. Virginia reported 534 new virus-related deaths over the past seven days, for a total of 18,016 since the start of the pandemic. Last week the state had 779 virus-related deaths As of Friday, 81.7 % of Virginias adult population had been fully vaccinated. Everyone aged 5 or older has been approved to receive a vaccine, which are available at the community vaccination center in the former Sears store at Valley View Mall, located at 4812 Valley View Blvd. People can make appointments at vaccinate.virgina.gov or by calling 877-829-4682. Walk-ins are also open for adults and children. The health department has closed its testing center at Valley View Mall after a dramatic decline in demand. Instead, a van with testing staff will travel around the region to expand free testing opportunities, particularly in areas with low access. The van will offer PCR tests, which delivers results within a few days and are very effective in detecting an active coronavirus infection, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The mobile testing sites will be announced each week. They can be found by calling 877-ASK-VDH3 or 540-613-6597 or online at vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/protect-yourself/covid-19-testing. The Roanoke Times contributed to this report. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. " " NASA Flight Engineer Jessica U. Meir took her alto sax out for a jam session on the International Space Station before she returned to Earth in April 2020. NASA Johnson Space Center When you're an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS), every part of your daily routine automatically becomes interesting, whether it's going to the bathroom or just watching TV. That same logic applies to one of mankind's oldest passions: music. Retired Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut and ISS veteran Chris Hadfield has said that when you break into song in the Final Frontier, it can sound "a little bit nasal." "It's a little weird because you're congested, your sinuses never drain properly," he told Great Britain's 5 News in a 2013 interview. Not that he let that stop him. Hadfield caused a musical sensation in 2013 by covering David Bowie's "Space Oddity" on the ISS. Collaborating with his Earth-bound son, Hatfield put together a music video, filming the entire performance. The late Bowie himself described it as "possibly the most poignant version of the song ever created." You can't do "Space Oddity" justice without instrumentation. Fortunately, Hatfield had a Larrivee acoustic guitar at his disposal. The instrument had been a fixture on the Space Station since 2001, when NASA sent it there. " " The band AstroHawaii came together on the ISS. Seen here performing (clockwise from left) is Drew Feustel, Oleg Artemyev, Ricky Arnold, Anton Shkaplerov and Scott Tingle. NASA Johnson Space Center Advertisement 2001: A Space Overture To give you some context, the first ISS segment was launched into orbit Nov. 20, 1998. For almost as long as there's been an International Space Station, there have been astronauts playing music onboard. There was historical precedent. Gemini astronauts Walter Schirra and Thomas Stafford famously played "Jingle Bells" in space Dec. 15, 1965, using some bells and a harmonica they'd taken along for the trip. Musical instruments have, from the very beginning, served as ISS morale-boosters as well. Before NASA's Carl Walz made his debut on the station in 2001, he said it'd be nice to take a keyboard up there. He got his wish, but certain adjustments had to be made. Whenever Walz played his keys, he kept himself grounded with foot restraints. Also, he'd wind a bungee cord around his legs to hold the instrument in place. " " Mikhail V. Tyurin (left) is seen jamming on guitar with Carl Walz on keyboard in the Zvezda module during the STS-108 mission in 2002. NASA Johnson Space Center Advertisement Floating With Flautists Fellow ISS alum Cady Coleman arrived on the vessel for a 2011 mission with a penny whistle and three flutes in tow. One was temporarily lost when an alarm sounded, forcing Coleman to release the instrument midsong. (Don't worry, she had an easy time finding it later.) "I very much like to play music with other people and I didn't happen to get assigned to a crew where anybody else really played music," Coleman told MIT in 2014. However, she got to join Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson for a "Space-Earth Duet" during the spring of 2011. Each musician played a segment of Bach's "Bourree in E Minor." Anderson recorded his performance in Russia; Coleman filmed hers in low-Earth orbit. Footage from both was later combined and posted online. Besides the instruments we've already mentioned, ISS astronauts have made music with saxophones, bagpipes and even a didgeridoo during their flights. " " Cady Coleman took four flutes with her to the International Space Station. NASA Johnson Space Center Advertisement Cleaning Up the Act Of course, safety is a top priority at NASA and aboard the International Space Station. Beneficial as they are from a mental health perspective, instruments can't be allowed to put a crew's well-being at risk. "We test some of them by putting a piece of the material into a closed chamber and heating it to as much as 120 degrees [49 degrees Celsius] for three days," NASA space station manager Mike Pedley said in a 2003 interview. Such tests can reveal a lot about potential safety hazards. One component that has to be examined is the alcohol instrument manufacturers often use as a cleaning solvent. "Something like benzene... is relatively toxic, and it would only take a small amount to make the hardware unacceptable," Pedley noted. That's why the guitar Hatfield played was built with nonflammable material and lacked benzene altogether. Now we're just guessing here, but since nobody likes floating debris in their workspace, Pete Townshend-style guitar smashing is probably a big no-no on the ISS. Save that stuff for Earth. NOW THAT'S INTERESTING Houston, Texas, is the home of Max Q, an all-astronaut band that's been rocking out since 1987. And here you thought your city had a pretty cool music scene. Dirty tricks was a term used to describe the behavior of operatives within the Nixon administration to smear the reputations of opponents and undermine the appeal of certain politicians. Fifty years ago, these dirty tricks included a false allegation that Sen. Henry Scoop Jackson (D-WA.) had fathered an illegitimate child with a 17-year-old girl and the break-in at Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., when Nixon aides and operatives attempted to find materials the Nixon team could use against his perceived enemies. Dirty tricks are not to be confused with negative campaigning, which at least has some component of truth, but a filing by special counsel John Durham that alleges the 2016 presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton paid a technology company to infiltrate or spy the word Donald Trump uses on his presidential campaign and later while he was president, goes beyond dirty tricks into the illegal. In a court filing, Durham alleges the purpose behind Russian collusion allegations was to establish a narrative between then-Republican presidential candidate Trump and Russia. Trump denied it at the time and many times since, including during an interview with Lesley Stahl on 60 Minutes. Stahl said there was no evidence for Trumps claim. Trump said there was and her job was to investigate and find it. Now that there is at least a credible allegation, will Stahl deliver a correction? Not likely and neither is it likely other major media, which flogged the Russian collusion story, will acknowledge error. These include The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, MSNBC, and NPR, as well as numerous liberal websites. They seem to have their own narrative and it is based on a visceral hatred of Donald Trump. Consider this: Donald Trump was being effectively slandered as a Russian agent, or minimally a Russian asset. On Tuesday, The New York Times published a story about the Durham report on its website, but seemed to dismiss it as old news, a familiar tactic often used when it reported on the various Clinton scandals. The Times and Washington Post won Pulitzer Prizes for basically repeating Democrat talking points. The prizes should be returned and the newspapers penalized by not allowing them to apply for another one for at least 10 years. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), did not cover himself in glory as he chaired a House panel investigation into all things Trump and repeatedly accused Trump of violating laws. Dont expect an apology from him, either. And then there were the four FISA warrants obtained because of allegations by then-FBI Director James Comey and others that proved to be untrue. The Justice Department later admitted that two of the warrants lacked probable cause and said information from all four warrants would not be used. A New York Post editorial summed up the matter: A candidate for president (Hillary Clinton) weaponized the nations Justice Department to pursue an investigation into their political opponent based on what they knew were lies. Americans were wiretapped! Some were entrapped for flimsy claims of perjury. The director of the FBI (Comey) went into the Oval Office to tell the president that there was a sexual rumor floating around, so that it could be promptly leaked to the media. Outrageous doesnt cover it. Durham has only scraped the surface of what could, if proven, be the biggest scandal in American political history and thats saying something, given past political behavior by members of both parties. Will the grand jury that is being presented this information issue indictments of higher-ups? Will the powerful and connected finally be held accountable when so many have escaped accountability in the past? News consumers may have to search for their information in other places than the major media because so far they are engaging in a cover-up that resembles what Richard Nixon did. Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors @tribpub.com. Group of elected prosecutors pledge to work toward elimination of the death penalty nationwide | Main | Federal prison population dips down a bit and is now reported at 153,053 As detailed in this local article, "Oklahoma on Thursday executed convicted murderer Gilbert Ray Postelle without any of the issues that led to condemnation of the state's lethal injection procedure in the past." Here is more: "He didn't seem to be struggling at all with his breath," said one media witness, Dylan Goforth of The Frontier, an online news site. "It happened really quick. ... It didn't seem like he was having any trouble." Postelle was declared dead at 10:14 a.m. at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. He was 35. He apologized at his clemency hearing in December for killing four people but made no final statement Thursday. The execution was the fourth since the state resumed lethal injections in October after a hiatus of more than six years. It came just days before the start of a federal trial that will determine whether any more executions will be carried out this year. Attorney General John O'Connor, whose assistants will represent the state at the trial, said the execution was carried out "with zero complications."... Postelle was convicted of murdering four people on Memorial Day 2005 outside a trailer in Del City. He was sentenced to death for two of the murders and to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the other two. He was 19 at the time of the murders. He acted along with his older brother and their father in a blitz attack involving assault rifles. Shot the most was the trailer's resident, Donnie Swindle. Postelle's father had accused Swindle of causing his motorcycle accident the year before. Also killed were Amy Wright, James Alderson and Terry Smith.... Swindle's sister, Shelli Milner, called Postelle a monster who stole four innocent people's lives. "To know that he will never walk this Earth again does give me a little more peace than I had yesterday, but I will never have peace knowing what he did to my brother Donnie, to Amy, to James and to Terry," she told reporters after the execution. "He got what he deserved today." Ancient coloring craft in good hands as it attracts new generation. Ni Shenjian was so devoted to his craft that he became immersed, literally, in it. He can still easily recall the time when he started to learn the craft of making blue calico (untreated cotton, often used for wrapping, tablecloths and bedsheets) about a decade ago. When Ni, about 180 centimeters tall, stood in front of a large dye vat, about 50 cm deep, trying to lift a piece of 12-meter wet cloth from it, he lost his footing. Next thing he knew he had fallen into the vat and emerged resembling a member of the Na'vi-the blue-skinned protagonists of the movie Avatar. Ten years later, the dye on his skin has long since disappeared, but his skills have grown deeper and more prominent. He has become a city-level inheritor of the craft, following the steps of his father-in-law Wu Yuanxin and his wife Wu Lingshu, after closing the account on his former job as a bank clerk. The craft of dyeing and treating calico originated during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), and reached its heyday during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Blue calico was used by people across China. The blue cloth has patterns in white and the white cloth has patterns in blue. After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, more colorful cloth, introduced from foreign countries, gradually replaced the traditional blue, and most dyehouses dedicated to the craft closed. But, crucially, not all. Many in Nantong city, Jiangsu province, didn't halt production, since the blue calico made in factories there continued to be exported to Japan. In the 1970s, Ni's future father-in-law, then 17, whose family income came from dyeing and selling cloth, was recruited by a factory. After years of working and researching, he opened a blue calico museum in Nantong to promote the craft. In 2006, Nantong blue calico dyeing craft was listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage, and Wu Yuanxin became a national-level inheritor of the craft. "Blue calico features various patterns," says Ni. "The sophisticated combination of dots, lines and space can form auspicious patterns, and thus create a happy atmosphere." Born in Nantong in 1987, Ni obtained a master's degree in finance at Hohai University in 2012 and then worked in a bank. Later, he met and fell in love with Wu Lingshu, who had just graduated from the Chinese National Academy of Arts and had returned home to Nantong to inherit the craft. According to Ni, at that time, many of Wu Yuanxin's apprentices turned to other jobs instead of inheriting the craft, which was poorly paid. When Ni saw the dedication and hard work of his father-in-law and wife, he decided to gamble on making a living in the sector and quit his job. "Inheriting and passing on crafts in a family is relatively stable. Other people often give up halfway since it's difficult to make much money in a short time," says Ni. He received encouragement from eminent artist Han Meilin. He met Han when the artist visited the museum in 2018. Numerous people do work related to finance in China, but there are not many working as traditional craft inheritors, Han told Ni. "Your change of job is very important, and I hope you can pass it on to the next generation," Han said to Ni. At first, Ni tried to learn the basic skills. "In the old days, apprentices needed to learn the craft for five years to basically grasp it," says Ni. "When I started, I realized the learning is endless. You must continue to spend time improving, so that you can master the core techniques and become skillful." Ni took advantage of his educational background, and innovatively analyzed the craft in a different way from the older craftsmen. "In the past, craftsmen made their works mainly based on their experience," Ni explains. "I try to consider reasons for their experience, analyze such experience in the form of data, and make some comparisons to better understand it." Patterns are an important part of blue calico. "The patterns on the cloth are formed by small dots and short lines," Masa Kubo, a Japanese woman who opened a blue calico museum in Shanghai in 1990, once wrote in an article. "The dots and lines are different in shape, size and thickness, and their combination forms patterns like lions, peonies and cranes. "Although it's a single-color dyeing, it seems to contain rich colors." But patterns we see today are reducing in number. "Those who still keep blue calico are mostly old people, who used it when they were younger," Ni says. "But tradition means that when they pass away their relatives will burn the clothes they used. That is why many old patterns are disappearing." As a result, Ni and his family members have traveled to the main producing areas of blue calico to collect such patterns. Several years ago, they went to a town in Rugao city, Jiangsu province, and visited the home of a 103-year-old woman. When they asked her if she had blue calico, she didn't understand. But when they showed her a photo on the cellphone, she nodded, opened a box, and drew out a very old piece from the bottom. To Ni's delight, thanks to such people as this elderly woman, their collection became larger. "After hearing news about our search for old blue calico patterns, some old people visited our museum. They donated their blue calico to us, or asked their children to send it to us," says Ni. Over the years, they have collected tens of thousands of works, categorizing them into different groups, and published a book on patterns of blue calico. Wu Yuanxin paid special attention to researching the craft, and established an institute dedicated to it under the auspices of Nantong University. With that platform, they have undertaken a number of academic projects studying topics like the development of the craft, and its link with other crafts. In 2012, Ni opened a selective course of blue calico craft at Nantong University and Nantong Open University, and gave lectures. Ni also launched experiential activities in a number of universities, middle and primary schools. "When students tried to cut the meticulous patterns on a board, as one of the steps of making blue calico, they said 'it's too tiring'. But when they finally finished their pieces, they cherished them so much that they wanted to keep them and didn't want to hand them in as homework," says Ni. Some of Ni's students, as fashion design majors, later used blue calico elements in their designs. Others who became teachers also used what they learned at Ni's lessons in their own classes. To give blue calico a more modern context, Ni and his family have been trying to innovate the craft. For example, old blue calico was entirely cotton, but they changed the material used to create silk, woolen and linen examples. Some young people thought the blue color was too dark, so they changed the proportion of dyestuff and developed gradient blue calico. Over the years, Ni has found his life busy but meaningful. "Some jobs can reward you with both fame and wealth, and people flock to do them. But for some others, if you don't do them, maybe nobody else will do so in the future," Ni says. Our family are trying to keep the craft alive, he adds. FILE PHOTO - A student learns how to drive in a Tesla learns at the Emirates Driving Institute which offers students to learn how to drive on luxury cars, in Dubai By Tina Bellon, Hyunjoo Jin and David Shepardson (Reuters) - Tesla Inc's ability to quickly issue safety patches via remote software updates is an approach other automakers eye enviously, but that also carries risk as cars become more like rolling computers. Investors have awarded Tesla's leadership on in-car software with a market value of $905 billion that dwarfs traditional carmakers, many of which are now scrambling to roll out their own ability to offer over-the-air software updates. However, Tesla's risk-friendly culture and its desire to quickly release cutting-edge technology has also put it on collision course with U.S. safety regulators, which have launched a string of recalls and investigations into the carmaker in recent months. The latest included the opening of a formal probe on Thursday into reports of unexpected brake activation. "There's definitely the mindset that you can fix fast so you can take a higher risk," Florian Rohde, a former Tesla validation manager who is now a consultant, said about the electric carmaker's ability to issue remote updates. That behavior was illustrated earlier this month when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ordered Tesla to issue a recall to prevent some of its vehicles from making "rolling stops" instead of coming to a complete halt at some intersections. That feature violated state laws and was a safety risk, the agency said. Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk, who has a long history of clashing with U.S. safety officials, denied there was a safety issue with the function. "The car simply slowed to ~2 mph & continued forward if clear view with no cars or pedestrians," Musk wrote on Twitter. But the carmaker nevertheless issued a software update to disable the function. NHTSA officials on Thursday said they would push for recalls if they feel safety risks may exist in any vehicles. Tesla has said it develops almost all its software to allow for regular over-the-air updates. The carmaker has issued software updates that control vehicle performance, braking, battery charging and infotainment functions. Story continues Tesla has led the auto industry in over-the-air recall updates. While nearly all recalls issued by NHTSA since 2020 required physical fixes, seven of Tesla's 19 recalls since January 2020, or 37%, were addressed with over-the-air software updates, an analysis of public data showed. Tesla handles majority of industry remote software recalls - https://graphics.reuters.com/TESLA-RECALLS/lgpdwxdobvo/chart.png Graphic on NHTSA recalls: https://graphics.reuters.com/TESLA-RECALLS/byprjxgqnpe/index.html Unlike traditional recalls that require a trip to the dealership, remote updates are cheaper and can ensure that all vehicles receive the required fix. Traditional recalls have shown an average compliance rate of around 70%, with that rate falling to less than 50% for older cars, according to NHTSA data. With other automakers racing to offer the same upgrades as Tesla, safety experts are concerned wider over-the-air updates could open the door to carmakers lowering their safety thresholds by rushing out immature updates. "Over-the-air software updates come with promise and they come with peril," said William Wallace, manager of safety policy at Consumer Reports. "Companies need to be really responsible." The dispute over Tesla recalls comes as the automaker faces increasing scrutiny by several U.S. agencies over its conduct and CEO Elon Musk's personal behavior. Musk's attorney on Thursday accused the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of an "endless" investigation to punish him for criticism of the U.S. government. 'SILICON VALLEY MINDSET' Tesla did not respond to a request for comment, but it has criticized the agency for "anachronistic regulations". Analysts wonder whether the company's fast-moving, technology-centered culture could lead to issues. "The problem is, when you try to apply the Silicon Valley mindset to automobiles, it's a very different situation," said Guidehouse Insights analyst Sam Abuelsamid, a former automotive software engineer. He added Tesla should do more internal testing before releasing updates. But the software shift also raises new challenges for regulators, with some experts questioning whether NHTSA has the expertise to validate modern technology. "I haven't seen any evidence that NHTSA has people with the experience and expertise to deal with software issues right now," said Don Slavik, a Colorado-based lawyer who has served as a consultant in automotive technology lawsuits, including many against Tesla. NHTSA's recent investigations into Tesla have centered around the carmaker's driver assistance system Autopilot and what Tesla calls its Full Self-Driving (Beta) software - technology that allows about 60,000 Tesla users in the United States to test the company's autonomous technology on public roads. While the aggressive approach allows Tesla to deploy software updates faster than the competition, "it puts untrained drivers in the position of having to compensate for potential software defects," said Philip Koopman, a Carnegie Mellon University professor working on autonomous vehicle safety. Safety advocates warn Tesla vehicles potentially affect everyone on public roads. "A two-ton vehicle is not the same as a desktop computer or your laptop crashing," Consumer Reports' Wallace said. "Automakers and their suppliers need to treat software that relates to safety like it's a life-and-death issue." (Reporting by Tina Bellon in Austin, Texas, Hyunjoo Jin in San Francisco and David Shepardson in Washington, additional reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit; editing by Ben Klayman, Peter Henderson and Stephen Coates) LSI's Welcome the World Week Lutheran Services of Iowa (LSI) is hosting a Welcome the World Week to teach about resettlement efforts and other services in the community. LSI Open House will be held Feb. 22, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the new LSI office, 1308 S. Cleveland St. Lunches to-go will be provided. Visitors can meet the staff from Refugee and Immigrant Services, Foster Care and Adoption, and Early Childhood Services, and learn what programs are offered in the area. Masks required. LSI Educate and Empower Panel will be held Feb. 23, at 5:30 p.m. at the Sioux City Public Museum, 607 Fourth St. Attendees will learn about refugees and resettlement in Iowa and ways to get involved. LSI Donation Drop Off will be held Feb. 24, at the LSI office, 1308 S. Cleveland St. Donations can be dropped off any time between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Furniture and clothing cannot be accepted at this time. Breakfast, including bagels, pastries, and coffee will be provided! For information on what household items will be needed, visit LSIowa.org/resettlement under "In-Kind Donation Options" Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Theres an entire fashion industry that exists around what people wear. Well, more precisely its about what the people who are in charge think we should wear. New styles, trends, fads. A poster copy of one of my favorite paintings hangs in my kitchen. Its A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat. I had the delight of seeing it in person years ago at The Art Institute of Chicago. It was painted from 1884-1886. A woman in the foreground is wearing a long dress with a bustle. She has on a smart black hat with a flower and is carrying a parasol. Its hard to miss the bustle. Its pretty extreme. Yet, at the time Im sure it was considered high fashion. I grew up at a time when little girls wore dresses to school. We were not allowed to wear slacks with the exception of under our dresses as we walked to school in the winter. But we had to take them off once we arrived. When I was in high school, bell bottom jeans and Peter Max designs took over. We all thought that we were so unique in our fashion choices while we all looked the same. We had no idea that the colors and designs of that time would end up being the Halloween costumes of today. Fashion choices come and go. But we can clothe ourselves with character that will never go out of style or wear out. How do we do that? As Gods chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity (Colossians 3:12-14). In the first part of this chapter, apostle Paul is speaking to the people of Colosse. Hes writing to them from a prison in Rome. Hes heard that false teachings are being mixed in with Gods truth. Not so unlike today when people want to add their own beliefs to the Bible. Mix in a little mysticism. A little New Age belief. Some Buddhism and other eastern philosophies. Many years ago I was sitting at my kitchen table with my mother-in-law, Joan, and my brother-in-law, Don. Don was an extremely smart guy. He was a university professor who was well respected and loved. We were talking when he said, God helps those who help themselves. Its in the Bible. I said, Thats not in the Bible. He insisted it was. I asked him to show me the chapter and verse. He looked at his mom, who simply shook her head No. He dropped the subject. He knew that Joan knew the Bible as well as most pastors. Its easy to add our own opinions to the Bible without even realizing it. But thats not our job. After all, the Bible is the very Word of God. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). Paul wanted the Colossians to know and embrace the fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and is fully God. He wanted them to live a life worthy of being His followers. To learn the truths of the Bible and to walk in those truths. Hes telling them and us how to live a Christian life. The amplified version says in verse 12, So as Gods own chosen people, who are holy (set apart, sanctified for His purpose) and well-beloved (by God Himself), put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (which has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper). Compassion is more than distant sympathy. Compassion means to see someone hurting and to try to help them. Jesus showed great compassion throughout His life on earth. In John 11:1-44, his friend Lazarus has died. Jesus knows that Hes going to raise Lazarus from the dead. Even though Jesus knows this, He weeps. He sees the sadness all around Him and is deeply moved. Another time Jesus and His disciples are exhausted. Theyre looking for a place to rest. But the crowds follow Jesus and are waiting as he steps out of the boat. When he went ashore He saw a great crowd, and He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things (Mark 6:34). Jesus served the poor, the sick, the troubled, the down and out, the rejected. Healing them. Comforting them. Should we be any different? Not if we clothe ourselves in compassion that looks like the compassion that Jesus wears. Some dear people have shared with me their stories of being bullied as children. Each time I hear a story, I want to take that little child and hug him or her and make everything better. Only Jesus can do that, but that doesnt mean theres nothing we can do. We can show compassion. We can feel their suffering and offer encouragement. We can pray for them. We can clothe ourselves in Jesus compassion and His love. In fact we are called to love one another, just as Jesus loves us. This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you (John 15:12). May we all forget about high fashion and put on the highest fashion of all, the character of Christ. Kathy Yoder is a devotional writer. She may be reached at Kathyyoder4@gmail.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SIOUX CITY -- Two men charged with a Sioux City robbery in which one of them was stabbed with a sword have pleaded not guilty. Bumatet Duop, 23, of Omaha, and Kuyien Kang, 24, of Sioux City, both entered written pleas in Woodbury County District Court to charges of first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, going armed with intent and intimidation with a dangerous weapon. Kang faces an additional charge of felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Jan. 17, Kang and Duop entered an apartment at 1716 Nebraska St., where Kang pulled out a gun and said "this is a robbery" and hit a man inside the apartment in the head with the gun before Duop took $80 in cash from the man's pockets. A second man in the apartment grabbed his sword and pointed it at Kang, who then fired at least one shot. The man stabbed Kang in the abdomen before Duop ripped it from the man's hands and fled with Kang, who collapsed outside his own apartment building in the 500 block of 17th Street. Footage from a surveillance camera showed Kang give the gun and an ammunition magazine to Duop, who left around the side of the building, court documents said. Kang was found bleeding by a Sioux City police officer and transported to a hospital for treatment. 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. You are here: Business China's commerce ministry on Thursday expressed serious concerns over India's crackdowns on Chinese companies and related apps, saying the behaviors have damaged legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies. "We noticed that foreign investors, including Chinese companies, are increasingly worried about the investment environment in India," said Gao Feng, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), at a press conference when answering questions regarding the ban of Chinese apps by India. "We hope India will improve its business climate and treat all foreign investors, including Chinese companies, equally, transparently and without discrimination," he said. Noting that China and India are important economic partners, Gao said he hoped that India would take concrete measures to maintain a good momentum for bilateral economic and trade cooperation. In 2021, bilateral trade surged 43 percent year on year to hit 125.7 billion U.S. dollars, according to the MOC. An 18-year-old Lincoln man who is already incarcerated at the state's Youth Correctional Facility was charged last week for allegedly sex-trafficking a teenage girl when he was a minor himself. The new charge against Alessandro Mendez is the result of a Lincoln Police Department investigation that started more than 14 months ago, when Mendez was 17, according to the affidavit for his arrest. A 15-year-old girl, who was found to be riding in an SUV with Mendez and two other men in December 2020, told investigators she had met Mendez on a chance encounter at a gas station before he brought her to an apartment near 56th and Holdrege streets, according to the affidavit. The girl said adult men paid Mendez so they could have sex with her at the apartment as well as in Grand Island and elsewhere in Lincoln. Investigators also found videos on Mendez's phone of the girl performing sexual acts with adult men, along with text conversations where Mendez negotiated payments for the act. Mendez, who in September was convicted of second-degree assault and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony for his role in a November 2020 robbery, was charged Jan. 10 with sex-trafficking of a minor. He remains at the Nebraska Youth Correctional Facility. Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.com. On Twitter @andrewwegley Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Xi sends congratulatory letter on 65th anniversary of China-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations Xinhua) 07:47, February 18, 2022 BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Thursday sent a congratulatory letter to the China-Sri Lanka political parties conference commemorating the 65th anniversary of China-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations and the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Rubber-Rice Pact. Xi said that China and Sri Lanka overcame numerous obstacles and signed the historic Rubber-Rice Pact 70 years ago, opening the door to friendly exchanges between the two countries. Xi said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations 65 years ago, the two countries have always maintained mutual respect and solidarity, and supported each other on issues concerning their respective core interests. "China-Sri Lanka relations are a good example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between countries different in size," Xi said, lauding the mutual support shown between the two countries since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. The CPC has maintained friendly exchanges and promoted practical cooperation with major political parties in Sri Lanka, playing an important role in the sound and stable development of bilateral relations and benefitting the two peoples, Xi stressed. The CPC is willing to work with various political parties in Sri Lanka, taking the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as a new starting point, to carry forward the traditional friendship between the two countries, strengthen political guidance for bilateral relations, and make greater contributions to the steady progress of bilateral relations and regional peace, stability, development and prosperity, Xi said. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) File photo shows a staff member displaying the banknotes and coins included in the 2019 edition of the fifth series of the renminbi at an Industial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) branch in Beijing, capital of China. [Photo/Xinhua] The renminbi saw its share of global payments by value hit a record high of 3.2 percent in January, up from 2.7 percent in December. This helped the Chinese currency to retain fourth place in the global list, behind the US dollar, the euro and the British pound. The data were disclosed by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, known as SWIFT, a global financial messaging services provider, on Thursday. Experts attributed the renminbi's strong performance in global payments to China's rising value of exports and the international community's increasing willingness to use the Chinese currency. In December, the renminbi had risen one position to become the fourth most active currency for global payments by value, dislodging the Japanese yen. The last time it was in fourth place was in September 2015. Measured by payment value, renminbi payments in January rose by almost 11 percent from a month earlier, while that of all the other currencies contracted by 6.48 percent during the same period, SWIFT said. Wang Youxin, a senior researcher at Bank of China, said that the renminbi's bigger share is largely associated with China's rising role in international trade. The global supply chain has met with many difficulties, especially due to the COVID-19, with trade and logistics services disrupted in overseas markets. But orders have been pouring in to China thanks to its resilient supply chain. As China's imports and exports grow, renminbi-denominated settlements have been more frequently used in international trade. Against the US dollar's rising volatility, the renminbi's stable foreign exchange rate has strengthened international investors' confidence in using the Chinese currency for cross-border trade, investment and financing, Wang said. Data provided by the General Administration of Customs earlier this month showed that the total value of China's goods imports and exports in 2021 expanded more than 21 percent year-on-year to top 39 trillion yuan. Zhou Maohua, an analyst from China Everbright Bank, said the renminbi's position as a reserve currency worldwide has also been rising steadily over the past few years, showing the world's central banks' increasing confidence in the Chinese currency. As the renminbi's foreign exchange rate is expected to remain steady, yuan-denominated assets will be more favored, given their rising safety. Also, they are used to hedge risks. In this sense, there is more room for growth for the renminbi as a reserve currency, he said. Morgan Stanley predicted that the renminbi will become the world's third-largest reserve currency in 2030. The currency already ranks fifth in the International Monetary Fund's latest data. However, the renminbi's international position at present does not match the size of China's economy, said Zhang Chun, a professor at the Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance. The US accounted for the largest share of 24.4 percent of the world's GDP in 2021, while China came in second with 17.9 percent. But the US dollar accounted for nearly 40 percent of global payments in January, according to SWIFT, in contrast to the renminbi's 3.2 percent. Such mismatches may exert negative impact on Chinese companies and institutions' global operations and resource allocation. Chinese individuals may encounter certain difficulties when they plan to invest globally, said Zhang. Addressing a forum in early December, Zhu Jun, head of the international department of the People's Bank of China, the central bank, said the offshore renminbi market should play a bigger role so that the Chinese currency can be better accepted globally. To that end, Hong Kong, where over 70 percent of the offshore renminbi payments are completed every year, should enrich the offshore renminbi product portfolio and explore the issuance and trading mechanism of yuan-denominated stocks, Zhu said at the forum. The Virginia election of Republican Glenn Youngkin and Winsome Sears as governor and lieutenant governor, respectively, provides a great opportunity for the GOP if they will seize the moment and expand on it. Youngkin and Sears exploited the legitimate fear many parents have in Virginia and nationally over what their children are taught and not taught in public schools subsidized by their taxes. The opportunity given to Republicans is for the party to focus not only on the bad and hope to eradicate it, but on the good that is taught in charter and private schools, allowing tax dollars to follow their children to the school of their choice. Teachers unions, politicians and bureaucrats should not dictate to parents. It should be the other way around. The benefit of school choice was again underscored for me when I received a Valentines Day thank you card from a woman whose daughters are recipients of Childrens Scholarship Fund (CSF) tuition in New York City. I am a contributor to the fund, which allows children from low-income families to escape their underperforming public schools. The fund is available in 19 states. Nissa wrote: Both my daughters and myself have promised to work hard and support one another towards reaching their goals so that they can continue to be the best students they can be. This has brought great joy and gratitude, as well as inspiration to continue to be bright lights during what some may consider a dark time. Its truly a blessing and we cannot thank you enough. There was also this note from Alexander Guzman, a fourth grader at Incarnation School in Washington Heights, N.Y.: I love math. That is my specialty. Thank you for giving me a scholarship. I am so happy for the opportunity to continue being in my school. CSF President Darla Romfo says the on-time graduation rate for kids who receive scholarships is 98.8 percent. While public high school graduation rates in New York City ticked up 1.5 percent to 78.8 percent in 2020, Christine Veija writes on the website Chalkbeat New York, Though more students are earning diplomas, its not clear whether that means they are learning more while in high school. Given the introduction of so many non-academic subjects designed to track with political correctness, Im betting theyre not. According to CSF, 71.7 percent of graduates who received tuition aid enrolled in a two-, or four-year college for the 2020-2021 semesters. Evidence that the public-school model has been failing students and the country can be found in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which every three years measures the reading ability, math, science literacy and other critical skills among 15-year-olds in dozens of developed and developing countries. The most recent results, from 2015, placed the U.S. an unimpressive 38th out of 71 countries in math and 24th in science. Guess which country ranks first in math, science and reading? According to PISA its China. In addition to improving education through national school choice, there are other opportunities for Republicans to regain the political initiative that can lead to renewal. These would include rebuilding the military so dictators conclude they no longer have carte blanche to invade other countries and a buy American campaign to encourage and shame if necessary corporations into bringing back production of items they have farmed out to China and other countries whose practices are in opposition to our values and national interests. Make this a patriotic duty. Then, instead of just bashing Democrats for their failed policies, Republicans should put on a happy face and borrow from John F. Kennedy, who said about Republicans, we can do better. A positive agenda and outlook overcomes a negative one as light dispels darkness. We can do better. Will Republicans say so and show the way? Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A well-meaning but problematic bill has made considerable progress in the South Dakota Legislature, but the matter needs to be examined more closely. House Bill 1300 would require all municipal and school board elections to be held either on the day of the South Dakota primary (the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June) or on the day of the general election in November. Last week, HB 1300 was approved by the House 47-19 and is headed to the Senate. Right now, city and school elections are generally held at various times, depending on the locale, but many of them are scheduled in the spring. Like numerous other communities, Yankton holds these elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in April. As was noted in Saturdays District 18 cracker barrel, one purpose of this measure is to increase participation in city and school elections, which have a habit of seeing scant participation. By merging them with other election dates, they could in theory get more people participating (arguably, by accident). Also, there would likely be a modest cost savings by consolidating these elections onto one ballot. However, this may be a hindrance to execute unless one huge change is made. A big reason why many city and school elections are held in the spring is because it better fits their respective budgeting work and scheduling. As Rep. Ryan Cwach noted Saturday, many city governments begin doing their budget work in the summer months, which would give very little time for a new city commissioner/councilor elected in June to get up to speed on the issue. (New officials elected in November would have to operate an entire year with a budget into which they had no input or background.) Cwach also mentioned that working on budget details may be the most important thing local elected officials do in performing their jobs. Meanwhile, many school districts generally start their new budget years on July 1, due to how the school year is configured. Budgetary work cranks up in the spring especially after school officials know how much funding they are getting from the Legislature. Inserting new school board members into the middle or very end of the process (and without the valuable time for the orientation needed to get up to speed) would seem impractical. As far as getting more voters participating in these elections, Rep. Mike Stevens of Yankton pointed out that this is a choice that voters themselves are making. It costs them nothing to participate in this democratic right. Contorting the budgeting process to lure more people to participate would seem impractical. Stevens also noted Saturday that those who drafted the bill have said it wouldnt go into effect for a few years until other details are hammered out, which suggests the proposal isnt ready, or even completely thought through, for implementation. However, there is that one way mentioned above that could make all this work. If South Dakota wants to align the elections to get more people participating, move the states primary date from June to April or early May. It might (arguably) be easier to reconfigure that process than it would be for cities and school districts to accommodate the cumbersome June or November dates. However, since that primary switch will probably never happen, its hoped that the Senate instead considers the drawbacks carefully and rejects this idea, which would probably create more problems than it solves. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Tonight's weather conditions in Sioux City: Partly cloudy skies. Gusty winds early. Low 7F. N winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. It will be a cold day in Sioux City Saturday, with temperatures in the 30s. The forecast calls for it to be a bitter 39 degrees. Tomorrow's forecasted low temperature is 31 degrees. Sioux City could see periods of brisk winds tomorrow, with forecast models showing 23 mph wind conditions coming up from the south. This report is created automatically with weather data provided by TownNews.com. Stay in the know. Visit siouxcityjournal.com for local news and weather. What do we talk about when we talk about the housing crisis? As Noah Kim observed in a recent article in Mother Jones, that term has meant so many things to so many different people that it sometimes seems to have no fixed meaning at all. Just in the past 10 or so years, housing crisis has referred to the fact that home prices have plummetedand more recently, the fact that they have skyrocketed. Confusing, isnt it? Better to say that the American housing market is broken in many different ways, across different kinds of places, that require different and sometimes contradictory solutions. Fortunately, the economist Jenny Schuetz, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, has some of the answers. In a recent interview, which has been condensed and edited for clarity, we discussed the contents of her new book, Fixer-Upper: How to Repair Americas Broken Housing Systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Henry Grabar: One of the things that you mention at the beginning of the book is this idea that housing markets vary so much from place to place. Its hard to find a national consensus about issues as simple as whether prices are too low or too high. Where do you think we could find agreement? Jenny Schuetz: Two of the obvious areas are subsidies for low-income households because those really need to come from the federal government to cover everybody and to be financially feasible. And the other is how homeownership should fit into our picture of household wealth-building, because a lot of the homeownership subsidies are built into the federal tax code. Those are two areas where we need both federal resources and federal policy that supports household decisions. On housing vouchers, we already have a model that works. We just need more money in order to cover everybody whos eligible. Advertisement Advertisement On the ownership and wealth-building side, we really have chosen not to provide subsidies for people to build wealth outside of homeownership. And we could be doing a bunch of things, including making it easier for people to save money through their employers for short-term purposes, providing child-development accountsbaby bonds, right? These are things that you would need a federal subsidy for them to work adequately. Advertisement Cities seem to have such different problems based on whether their populations are increasing, decreasing, whether theyre building or not, whether incomes are going up or going down. But you show these graphs of housing costs in metro areas with very different profilesthese sort of humped, long-tail curves for Dallas and Detroit and Los Angeles. Those are such different places, but the fact that these curves are pretty similara lot of cities near the median rent, and few much highersuggests that there is a kind of universality to some of the problems involved in housing in the American city.* Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What that graph was trying to show is that there are expensive, exclusive neighborhoods in every metro area, and there are relatively more affordable neighborhoods in every metro area. We think of Detroit, for instance, as being a low-cost city, right? The core urban area is not that expensive. Thats a city thats been losing population for 50 years, but even within the Detroit metro area, there are places like Bloomfield Hills that are very expensive. Dallas also has its exclusive neighborhoods. Within each metro, there are places that are really out of reach for typical families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So in other words, the exclusionary zoning is not exclusively a problem in high-cost cities. Its a bigger problem in the really expensive metros. In places like Boston, New York, most of California, more communities have more restrictions on housing. So at the regional level, we dont have enough housing. Thats not the same problem in Dallas and Detroit, regions that basically have enough homes for everybody. But there are high-opportunity communities within the region that are out of limits and unaffordable, particularly for low- and moderate-income families. Advertisement Advertisement I guess one potential upside of that is that if you have really tight zoning and exclusionary policies in some of the absolute wealthiest neighborhoods, you encourage people who cant afford those places to help revitalize a neighborhood that could use, say, a little investment or another kid in public school. Advertisement Its a little bit less clear to me how that happens within a metro like Detroit or St. Louis. Its not obvious that having a couple of exclusionary suburbs has produced urban renewal and extra resources in the core cities. Theres been some of that, but not enough to really turn the needle. I think actually the bigger change has been across metro areas. The fact that there are a lot of people who would like to live in the Bay Area or in Los Angeles or Boston and cant afford to has definitely caused spillover into places like Austin and Nashville and Denver. The fact that weve seen stronger growth in the second-tier, midsize metros is very much because theres a lot of exclusionary zoning in the places with the strong job markets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the things you talk about in your book is who should make decisions about when places should be zoned for more housing. You talk about some of the state fair share ruleswhich require wealthy jurisdictions to permit or build workforce housingand seem to have very different reputations. I often see Californias Regional Housing Needs Allocation as the butt of jokes, whereas New Jersey seems to have a similar program that is much praised. Why do some of these programs work and some of them dont? Advertisement Its not surprising that there are restrictive zoning rules in lots and lots of localities because thats what current voters want. And their elected officials are essentially providing policies that respond to their voters. Moving things up to the state level offers some opportunities to make things better because the state sees the larger picture, particularly for things like regional labor markets. Massachusetts suffers as a whole if greater Bostons exclusionary suburbs arent building enough housing. And so the state has an incentive to step in and try to make the regional labor market more functional. There are a bunch of different ways that states can go about this. And there are only a handful that have really done a statewide housing policy. Advertisement California is one, and youre right: They have this regional housing needs assessment that has essentially not been enforced. So its on the books but has been very ineffective. New Jerseys fair share law has been in existence for a long time, has almost certainly produced more low-cost housing and inexpensive places than would exist in the absence of Mount Laurel. But it hasnt fixed the underlying problem, which is that you still have an awful lot of really expensive suburbs that essentially dont build multifamily rental housing and dont let poor people move in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Have you just given up totally on the prospect of these fragmented metro areas figuring out this problem themselves, given the way the governance is divided up between so many different jurisdictions? Advertisement As long as local governments are the primary entities that are responsible for development, land use regulation, approving housing production, and for paying for most of public services, were going to wind up with too little housing in the right places and enormous variation in the quality of public services across jurisdictions. Thats just baked into the system of localism. I think you could get more cooperation from local governments within a metro if we had different financial incentives that were channeled from the state and federal government. So one option is the federal government gives a ton of transportation money to regional metropolitan planning organizations, MPOs, and they have to come up with a coordinated plan to spend the transportation dollars. Theres no equivalent on the housing side, right? So what if we took all of the [Community Development Block Grant] money and tax credit funds and all of the other federal money that goes to localities and gave it to an MPO, and the MPO and its member organizations had to figure out a way to spend it thats appropriate for the region? Advertisement Advertisement One of the things you notice is that theres surprisingly few outspoken allies for zoning for housing growth, even on the side of the builders. Why do you think it might be that we havent seen some of the big builders really throw their weight behind loosening some of these restrictions? Because of the way the building industry itself is structured. The really massive companies tend to be the single-family homebuilders who do subdivisions. They figured out how to work with the existing system and how to make money, so they dont really have an incentive to rock the boat too much. Among the bigger infill apartment developers, youve got sort of this interesting tension that again, some of them have figured out how to work with the current system. Its really uncertain. It takes 10 years to get approval, to build an apartment building. On the other hand, you dont have that many competitors. Nobody else can break into the system either. Advertisement Advertisement So its a risky business, but if you have figured out how to do this, and you have the right political connections and savvy and deep pockets to last for a long project, you can earn returns on that. And, you know, you dont have a lot of competition. So on the builder side, the people who would actually benefit most from widespread zoning reform, making it legal to build, you know, eight-unit buildings everywhere, the people who would really benefit from that are small local development companies, mom-and-pop businesses who could build three or four projects a year within one metro area. They either dont exist yet because theres no competitive niche for them, or theyre much too small to really have a footprint on the lobbying side. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right. And those firms were once the backbone of urban housing construction, but they basically disappeared in a lot of places. Shifting gears a little bit: When is the market going to nudge people and houses out of wildfire or flood risk zones? Its starting to happen in a couple of places where its just financially not feasible for, particularly, private insurance companies to stay in the business. So California, their private insurance in areas with high wildfire risk is essentially on the verge of dissolving because private companies have just realized the high likelihood of properties burning down in the same places over and over again, and that its just not worth offering coverage. And the state has to figure out whether it steps in and serves as the insurer of essentially first resort. Advertisement We have such a complicated system on both the housing finance side and the insurance side that up til now, nobody has really absorbed all of the losses. So if a house gets destroyed by a hurricane, the homeowner bears some of the losses, but the mortgage lender probably doesnt even hold the mortgage on the books. So its the investor in the mortgage-backed security who will bear the loss. And for them, thats a tiny part of their overall portfolio. Theyre backed by the federal government- sponsored enterprises, and then youve got public insurance and private insurance. So as long as nobody bears most of the financial risk from climate, nobody really has an incentive to make better decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You talk about the idea that Washington could potentially, via Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac or in another way, put a premium on, say, sprawl or climate risk. We require homes in flood-prone areas to carry federal flood insurance. Climate-based risk in mortgage pricing seems to me like something we could do if we wanted to. Theres some technical issues about the quality of the data, particularly how granular the data is on climate risk and how that gets updated. But those are things that I think the market could figure out if it wanted to. The bigger obstacle is that Fannie and Freddie cant make these decisions on their own. They have to get Congress to authorize them to do this. And Congress isnt exactly leaning in. Advertisement I think you will probably see more activity from the banking regulators because some amount of this stuff is held on portfolio by the banks. The Federal Reserve, FDIC, could at some point start requiring banks to take better account of where theyre investing in properties and either maintain higher reserves or rethink their underwriting criteria for loans. The other part of this, when we talk about the places we dont really want housing to be built, is sprawl. Its another place where the externalities arent properly accounted for in the price of the homes. You mentioned that one way we could have people bear the externalities of sprawl is higher gas taxes. But the politics of a gas tax currently suggest that that might be a tough sell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At some point, we probably need to stop thinking about gas taxes, because as the cars switch over to electric vehicles, the gas tax is going to become essentially irrelevant. The politics around a carbon tax are really, really hard. And in part because of these equity implicationsa lot of the people who live on the outskirts of major metros who drive very long distances to get to work are not wealthy people. Theyre sort of lower- to moderate-income households who are living there because housing is relatively inexpensive. So passing a gas tax or a carbon tax, if those people cant afford to live closer to their jobs, is incredibly regressive. And some of the political pushback comes from that. Advertisement Advertisement You cant really ask those people to pay a premium for the long commutes that they didnt even want in the first place. Exactly. If were going to put a carbon tax or gas tax on people who have limited incomes, we have to find a way to offset that either by essentially giving them a credit, giving them more money to pay for this, or better yet, improve the amount of housing close to jobs and improve noncar transit. So ideally youd have a carbon tax that discourages driving and the proceeds get invested into things like more frequent bus service, which we could implement pretty quickly and cheaply if we wanted to do it. Run rapid bus transit down all the existing highways and major roads, run them at frequent enough intervals that people can actually use them to get to work. And then you have a feasible alternative to driving really long distances. Advertisement Advertisement The equity thing comes up also in the climate risk. Theres almost a U-shaped relationship with incomethese climate-risky places tend to be popular both with people who are super-rich and want a house in some beautiful California wine valley or along the Jersey Shore, and also with people who are very poor and who might live in places like Paradise, California, Norfolk, Virginia, or Houston, Texas. That makes it challenging to try and put a premium on housing in these places. We probably have to think about the solution in a couple of pieces. If we made it harder or more expensive to get mortgages in climate-risky places, you could stop not just people buying those homes but new development in those areas. You shouldnt be able to get a construction loan to build homes in places that are going to be underwater or catch fire. Advertisement Advertisement For the people already there, theres going to have to be some kind of a gradual phase-out. So you cant just jack up the price of insurance and borrowing without giving people an option to move away. The federal government does have small-scale programs that will buy out homeowners who live in places that are at, say, persistently high flood risk. Advertisement Advertisement Scaling up relocation, particularly for low- and medium-income households who want to move away from risky places paired with mortgages that are more expensive and discourage people from moving intogether, those things would work much better. Lets talk about renters. When it comes to getting aid to low-income renters, you talk about two different ideas. One is making housing vouchers entitlement programs so that everybody who needs one can get one. And the other one is just giving poor people money. Which do you think is a better fit? Advertisement As an economist? I would just give people cash as directly as you can, and something like the expanded child tax credit is pretty close to an attempt to do that. Just send people a check every month and let them spend it on what they want. Some of that moneys going to go to rent. Some of its going to go to child care. Some of its going to go to food. All of those are things we want people to consume more of. Giving people cash gets around some of the problems with the voucher program, particularly that not all landlords will accept a voucher. And there are good reasons why landlords dont want to go through the extra paperwork and deal with HUD. Advertisement Advertisement Are you concerned at all that in a lot of these cities where supply is limited, giving low-income renters a bunch of money to spend on housing just winds up bidding up the cost of housing? Advertisement Yes. Expanded vouchers has to be paired with zoning reforms. Otherwise you bid up the price of homes, and a lot of people are no better off than they were before. That seems like an argument for protections for renters that dont involve giving them more moneynamely something closer to rent control, which economists usually hate. But theres been some recent scholarship that I think complicates the picture a little bit. Where do you fall on that issue? Rent control is not a solution to any of the underlying problems. It doesnt give people more money to spend, its really poorly targeted in terms of who gets assistance from it. Theres a new paper from some economists at Hopkins looking at New York data that finds that an awful lot of the benefits go to nonpoor households in pretty expensive neighborhoods. Its not well-targeted, and there arent going to be enough rent-controlled apartments to cover all of the poor people who need places to live. And it doesnt fix the underlying shortage of housing and can even make that worse depending on how its implemented. So I dont love rent control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I understand why its popular with local governments, because it doesnt cost them much money out of pocket. They have really limited financial resources. So this is one of the tools that local governments can adopt without help from the federal government. And it does provide some short-term relief for people who are able to get into rent-controlled units. Its not great for all the people who dont get those units. Its like winning the lottery, which doesnt seem to me like a particularly fair policy. Over the last few years, the lower federal courts have rendered increasingly extreme decisions under the influence of Donald Trumps 234 judges. Thursday brought one of the most dramatic examples of this trend so far: Two federal courts issued radical decisions blowing up decades of precedent to reach results that are not just conservative but dangerous and absurd. First, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that judges can block a private companys vaccine mandate on the grounds of religious discriminationa decision that even one hard-right judge condemned as an orgy of jurisprudential violence. A few hours later, U.S. District Judge Lee Rudofsky issued a stunning decision barring anyone but the U.S. attorney general from suing under the Voting Rights Act, jeopardizing voters ability to protect their own rights and undoing decades of precedent. Taken together, these decisions illustrate both the radicalism of Donald Trumps nominees as well as a stark generational divide over the pace and propriety of overtly results-oriented judging. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Start, as usual, with the 5th Circuit. The Trumpiest appeals court in the country, the 5th Circuit regularly shreds all the rules to pursue an ideological agenda. It is stacked with so many Trump judges and Federalist Society myrmidons that its key dividing line shouldnt be viewed as conservatives vs. liberals but conservatives vs. far-right nihilists. Thursdays decision in Sambrano v. United Airlines illustrates this distinction. The case involves several employees of United Airlines, including a pilot and flight attendant, who challenged the companys COVID-19 vaccine mandate. These plaintiffs allege that the mandate illegally discriminates against their religious beliefs under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. They requested a preliminary injunction to block the policy while they pursue their claims. Advertisement It is clear that these plaintiffs will lose on the merits, because United already gave them a reasonable accommodation (unpaid leave) and demonstrated that suspending the mandate would impose an undue hardship (by facilitating the spread of COVID). But thats not the biggest flaw in this suit. The main problem is that, as a rule, Title VII does not authorize courts to issue preliminary injunctions. Instead, plaintiffs receive relief after theyve prevailed, typically in the form of damages (like back pay) and reinstatement. Advertisement And yet, in Sambrano, the 5th Circuit reached the opposite conclusion: In a narrow set of cases, it declared in a 21 decision, courts can grant preliminary injunctions to block an allegedly discriminatory workplace policy. Which cases? Those involving vaccine mandates. The majorityJudges Jennifer Walker Elrod and Andy Oldhamcreated, out of whole cloth, a new category of discrimination: ongoing coercion. These plaintiffs are forced to choose either to contravene their religious convictions or to lose pay indefinitely, they wrote. The unique harm of vaccine mandates therefore justifies preliminary injunctions to protect religious employees from a crisis of conscience. Elrod and Oldham returned the case to the district court with the strong suggestion that it should issue an injunction immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All this was too much for Judge Jerry Smith, a very conservative Ronald Reagan nominee, who responded with one of the angriest dissents of his career. In a 60-page burst of fury, Smith wrote that nothing, especially not the law, will thwart this majoritys plans. While flouting blackletter law, the record, and even the Supreme Court, Elrod and Oldhams orgy of jurisprudential violence junks facts, text, history, and precedent, resulting in a one-off change in the law that alters the result for these parties. Smith even suggested that these judges lied, inventing and distorting facts to suit their incoherent reasoning while ignoring facts that would get in the way of a good story. Advertisement Advertisement If I ever wrote an opinion so egregious, Smith wrote, I would hide my head in a bag. Advertisement Advertisement Worse, the majority chose to shrink behind an unsigned and unpublished opinion, which Smith decried as a clever way of avoiding, or at least trying to avoid, en banc review. Nonetheless, Smith urged the rest of his colleagues to vacate Elrod and Oldhams decision. By todays ruling, the Good Ship Fifth Circuit is afire, he announced. We need all hands on deck. The most revealing line in Smiths dissent provides a peek into the influence that clerks have over their judges. Bemoaning the many ways that Sambrano could be exploited, he wrote: Its difficult to imagine what creative lawyersnot to mention federal judges spurred on by zealous law clerkswill do with these new tools. Advertisement Zealous law clerks? With this aside, Smith may be warning us about the impact of todays conservative clerks on the law. Federalist Society judges tend to hire Federalist Society clerks, and the conservative legal movements radicalization machine produces an endless line of young lawyers even more extreme than their predecessors. Over the past half-century, each generation of conservative attorneys, particularly those with judicial ambition, has been more radical than the last. The latest batch of Federalist Society law school graduates has already flooded the 5th Circuits clerkships. Smith appears to be unnerved at the fanaticism of these clerks and their impact on their bosses work. (Sambrano may be Exhibit A.) When he, of all people, is ringing the alarm, we should all share his distress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turn next to Arkansas State Conference NAACP v. Arkansas Board of Apportionment, handed down by Rudofsky, a Trump judge in Arkansas, shortly after Sambrano. The plaintiffs in this case, both civil rights groups, filed a lawsuit alleging that Arkansas has diluted Black residents votes through a racial gerrymander. This tactic violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, and Rudofsky agreed that Arkansas map is probably illegal. But he refused to strike it down because, he asserted, only the U.S. attorney general may file VRA claims, and he did not join this case. If Rudofsky were correct, the VRA would be largely unenforceable: The attorney general brings few claims, instead relying on private plaintiffs to vindicate their own rights under the law. Trumps Justice Department filed zero VRA claims, yet myriad citizens filled the void with lawsuits of their own. Rudofsky would have thrown out every single one of these suits. His theory is a recipe for gutting what remains of the VRA. Advertisement Whats most bizarre about Rudofskys argument is that both the Supreme Court and the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals have already rejected it. A majority of the Supreme Court has held that private plaintiffs, not just the attorney general, may sue under the VRAs Section 2. So has the 8th Circuit. Those rulings, among others, have led hundreds of other courts to hear VRA cases brought by individuals, not the attorney general. And both rulings are binding on Rudofsky. Yet he claimed that they have been undermined by more recent decisions, freeing him from the obligation to follow them. Advertisement Advertisement The Supreme Court has expressly forbidden this kind of overruling from below, reminding judges: It is this Courts prerogative alone to overrule one of its precedents. Rudofsky didnt care. Instead, he latched on to a concurrence from Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas suggesting that citizens cant bring VRA suits. It is as if, recognizing the Arkansas plaintiffs would win on the merits, Rudofsky constructed a new barricade just to keep them from crossing the finish line. In the process, he teed up a vehicle for the Supreme Courts ultraconservatives to formally overturn the precedent he despises and lop off all vestiges of federal voting rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Look at Sambrano and Arkansas Board of Apportionment together and you see an emerging trend: Lower-court judges are empowered by the Supreme Courts reckless assault on progressive precedent. Taking a page from SCOTUSs book, these judges are rashly overthrowing decades of case law in pursuit of maximally reactionary and partisan outcomes. Old-guard judges like Smith recognize the perils of this approach, the unintended consequences that may flow from motivated reasoning. But the new guard is confident it can simply change the law if its sloppy decisions lead to conservative-favored outcomes. Thats what the Supreme Court keeps doing, after all, and Democrats have largely abandoned the possibility of expanding either SCOTUS or the lower courts. If the justices dont face any consequences for going rogue, emboldened judges on the lower courts have good reason to doubt that they will, either. Welcome to State of Mind, a new section from Slate and Arizona State University dedicated to exploring mental health. Follow us on Twitter. In 1965, Kenneth Clarks book Dark Ghetto: Dilemmas of Social Power drew attention to the psychological impacts of living conditions on the communities in Americas poorest neighborhoods. Clark wrote about how derelict properties, the failures of governments to maintain streets and publicly managed facilities, and other common features of impoverished community hurt the psychology of those who lived there, leading them to internalize the views that society more broadly did not care for the poor. Clark noted that this phenomenon took place across the country, from the urban neighborhoods of Harlem to the rural South. Advertisement The one observation most difficult for many of Clarks colleagues to swallow was that he framed this in terms of racial dynamics, pointing out that the ghettos in major cities and the areas of the rural South were consistent when it came to their occupants: Black people. Further, there had been explicit, often legally binding efforts to keep Black people in those communities, through housing policies that limited where Black people could buy or rent, start businesses, and the like. Housing discrimination kept Black people in the ghettos, which damaged their mental health, among other injustices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clark was the first Black person to get a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University. He was a pioneer of psychology for Black people in America; he was involved in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and the Kerner Commission, a national advisory board created by President Lyndon Johnson to investigate increasing incidents of race riots throughout the mid-60s, including those in Watts in Los Angeles, Division Street in Chicago, Newark, and Detroit. The Kerner Commission report was a major historical document on race relations in America, chronicling the increasing unrest brought on by segregation. Our society is moving toward two societies, one black, one whiteseparate and unequal, it read. Advertisement Advertisement Among his many notable achievements, Clark was also the first Black president of the American Psychological Association. Clark and his wife, Mamie (herself a massively influential psychologist), designed the doll studies, which illustrated the effects of segregation on the psychological well-being and perception of racial difference in Black children; these studies contributed significantly to the findings of the harms of segregation in Brown v. Board of Education. However, much of the field of psychology ignored his work and his explicit articulations of its public policy implications. Advertisement Clark died in 2005, Mamie in 1983. Since then, the field of psychology has changed significantly, as demonstrated by something that happened on Oct. 29: The American Psychological Association adopted an apology resolution, noting that it was complicit in contributing to systemic inequities, and hurt many through racism, racial discrimination, and denigration of people of color, thereby falling short of its own mission to benefit society and improve lives. The APA was in good company: A range of professional organizations have adopted resolutions or policy changes over the past few years. The American Medical Association put out such a resolution in 2020; the American Planning Association and the American Institute of Certified Planners did, too. So have the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and other bodies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Twitter, as usual, saw some mild reactionary takes from both sides of the aisle criticizing the APAs resolution, dismissing it as either as some sort of gesture at being woke or a trivial statement without substantial depth. Its true that superficial reading of an apology resolution can produce a sort of strange feeling, the idea that this is all broad and nebulous. But the resolution comes with explicit acknowledgement of the concrete impacts of the APAs moral failures and the lessons to draw from them. The APA notes that its failure to acknowledge the impacts of social environments, economic inequality, and even the representations used in teaching on the psychology of Black children meant that education policy was not informed about these consequences for decades. The deleterious psychological effects explored and documented by Kenneth and Mamie Clark, and the programs in social and developmental psychology that came afterward, continued for generations when they could have been addressed as early as Brown v. Board of Education itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The APA resolution recognizes the institutions failure to take work by the Clarks and many others with the moral seriousness it deserved, and offers a promise to do better. This is not an attempt to erase the past; its an effort to create a better future. The resolution explicitly notes that existing work by psychologists can play a role in addressing racism in education, the carceral system, health care, and other areas. It also acknowledges that historically, the APA has often failed to address racist implications of its policies. For instance, through the late 20th century, the APA was especially active in setting education policy. The APA apology statement notes that it failed to take concerted action in response to calls from Black psychologists for an end to the misuse of testing and assessment practices (including standardized assessments) and interventions in education and the workplace developed by psychologists and others that perpetuated racial equality. This statement comes with five citations, several of which are recently published retrospective criticisms. Advertisement Advertisement One is, importantly, not. Its an article published in 1978 by Robert Williams and Horace Mitchell. Williams and Mitchell were writing about the fact that it had been 10 years since the Association of Black Psychologists, which they led, had called for a moratorium on standardized testing in 68 because of serious worries that such assessments had bias against Black students. The contemporary retrospective APA pieces published alongside the apology note that the association completely ignored Williams and Mitchell and advocated for standardized assessments in work and education for decades (including through the period of No Child Left Behind policy in the 2000s). Further, it turns out Williams and Mitchell were right about the racial bias and the serious deleterious impact on Black children. Advertisement Advertisement Thats notable. While politicians may steer the policy at a very high level, the details of implementation are often built out of the recommendations of experts. Policies like No Child Left Behind were closely informed in their implementation by experts. This is where the policy positions of the APA matter, and where the APA reforms will hopefully have some positive results. Perhaps the most notable part of the apology is that the APA also rolled out a resolution calling for a range of policy changes and reviews. These include serious changes in standardized test scores and assessment metrics in elementary and secondary education (the focus of Williams and Mitchell) and resource allocation to schools in impoverished, disproportionately Black communities (the focus of Clark). The scope of these changes go wider (including, for instance, discussion of the impact of model minority myths on Asian and Pacific Islander children), informed by a broader range of psychological research. Advertisement The measures that the APA is implementing are extensive; they include expanding research into the potential applications of psychology to improving outcomes in public policy (explicitly citing education criminal justice reforms). Interestingly, though, they also include an increased explicit emphasis on particular changes in social scientific methodology in addressing race. These changes note, for example, that Black children with developmental disabilities are often misdiagnosed (or not diagnosed at all) as a result of a combination of racial bias in diagnostic mechanisms, the biases of diagnosing medical practitioners, and/or kids limited access to appropriate medical information and resources. This results in many Black children with developmental disabilities being subjected to disciplinary action in school when they should instead be given access to certain resources (resources that are much more often made available to white students). These failures stem from shortcomings in the community of professional psychologists. That community did not change its professional standards in light of the best available evidence; it did not change diagnostic tools that failed to catch developmental disabilities in Black kids or provide practical tools to educators and school administrators to address those disabilities. These failures have downstream impacts: Black children are disciplined more often and more harshly; they are subjected to harsher evaluations and therefore receive less access to even publicly available resources over the long term; they are more likely to be subjected to the carceral system, and at a much earlier age, rather than being given the accommodation appropriate for children with developmental disabilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The APAs apology resolution, and other professional associations resolutions, are not empty gestures but rather attempts to grapple with the moral responsibilities of those associations to get their policy recommendations right, and to improve the lots of those who are socially vulnerable, those whom public policy either (at best) fails to attend to or (at worst) outright harms. Black people have worse health outcomes across the board; to the extent that the failures of the psychological profession create and exacerbate such conditions, the APA is looking to change them. Mental health is not the only problem; there are failures to address disturbing mortality rates among Black women at childbirth and the higher rates of diabetes and heart disease among Black people. Advertisement Thanks to Ken and Mamie Clark and many other pioneers in psychology, we have a very good understanding of the deleterious impacts of racism on the mental health of Black people. With this good understanding, it is morally incumbent that professional psychology make meaningful changes. Whether the APA follows through on the plans that it has laid out in resolutions issued over the past several years will have to be seen; sometimes people make commitments and dont follow through. Still, an instrumental step to solving these problems is acknowledging them, and showing understanding of how things can be handled differently; this is a step in the right direction. State of Mind is a partnership of Slate and Arizona State University that offers a practical look at our mental health systemand how to make it better. In November 2017, Marcus Vaughn, a former assembly worker, filed a lawsuit against Tesla, calling the plant a hotbed of racist behavior. He alleged that Black workers were repeatedly abused and harassed. This past week, the state of California filed its own suit. The Department of Fair Employment and Housing has sued Tesla for racial discrimination and harassment, after a three-year investigation. The complaint says that swastikas and KKK were written on bathroom walls, that the N-word and other slurs were repeatedly used, that Black workers were retaliated against for complaining and that they were given more physically demanding jobs and paid less than their white counterparts. It says that when confronted with these cases, Tesla turned a blind eye and tried to evade responsibility. Advertisement On Fridays episode of What Next: TBD, I spoke with Dana Hull, a reporter at Bloomberg News who covers Tesla, about the history behind the case against the companys Fremont, California, plant. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lizzie OLeary: Teslas facility in Fremont is the largest auto manufacturing plant on the West Coast, and the plant has a long history. It made cars for General Motors from the 1960s to the 80s. Later, it was the home of a joint venture between GM and Toyota. That fell apart during the recession and the facility closed in 2010. What happened then? Dana Hull: It was briefly just this empty carcass. And then during the midst of the recession, Tesla was able to buy it for like $42 million. It was a huge coup for California that this empty plant was going to be revived as an electric vehicle plant. Advertisement Advertisement Tesla immediately went in there and repainted everything white. They added the red Tesla colors and the logos, and they turned this old facility into this gleaming beacon of the future. Who works at Fremont? What kind of peopleand how many jobsare we talking about? Easily over 10,000 direct Tesla employees work at the Fremont plant. And then there are 1,000 more who are contractors or subcontractors. It is a very diverse workforce. We dont have exact data because Tesla has never publicly released the data that they filed at the EEOC, but you have white, Black, Latino, Asian American. It is an incredibly diverse workforce, which mirrors the demographics of California as a whole. Advertisement Advertisement Even before the California lawsuit, the Fremont plant has had a rocky history. CEO Elon Musk defied county health officials in May 2020 during the initial COVID shutdown and restarted production. Then, the plant was the focus of a sexual harassment lawsuit. But what really stands out is the sheer number of complaints about racism at the Fremont plant. Long before the state of California suit, a Black worker named DeWitt Lambert sued Tesla. Lambert, who grew up in Alabama, came to work at Tesla in 2015 on the production line. And almost immediately, he says he was subject to racist taunts and threats from co-workers and supervisors. What is the significance of that suit? Advertisement Advertisement DeWitt Lamberts story is a really important one, and I hope that everyone who reads about Tesla and every journalist who writes about Tesla remembers DeWitt Lambert. He is the first person who really complained about the treatment at Tesla. And his case was one of the first cases that was brought forward. Advertisement Advertisement This is a man who grew up in the South, right after the civil rights movement. When I interviewed him, the most striking thing that he told me was that he had never heard the N-word directed at him until he moved to California. The word was widespread at the factory, and he complained about it. But DeWitt Lambert was a contract worker, so he had signed an arbitration agreement with Tesla, and his case never got to court. He went to arbitration, and he lost. One of the key issues here is that a lot of these workers who are alleging discrimination are covered by arbitration rules, so they cant sue Tesla in open court. Can you explain that wrinkle, and how it fits into this complicated picture? Arbitration is very common in Silicon Valley. When you are hired and you get your new employee paperwork, you sign all kinds of documents. Typically, one of those documents is an arbitration agreement where you agree to solve any dispute in arbitration. An arbitration is a different process where your complaint is heard not before a jury of peers, but before one arbitration judge, who is typically a retired judge. And its the companies themselves that pay for the process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several other Black workers sued Tesla. Two, Melvin Berry and Owen Diaz, won their cases. Berry won a million dollars at arbitration, but Diazwho was hired by a staffing agency, not Teslawasnt subject to arbitration rules and sued in open court. Last year, a federal court ordered the company to pay him $137 million. Diaz told an NBC News reporter about the abuse he endured: There were N-words scratched into the bathroom stalls. They were calling me a perched monkey and a Spanish version of the N-word. This other guy who was getting on the elevator with me and he was telling me, N, hurry up and push the buttons. You Ns are lazy. Now, California has stepped in, filing a lawsuit against Tesla that echoes what Diaz said. Advertisement Advertisement If you are not from California, you may not be familiar with the DFEH, and I guess an analogue nationally is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC has a reputation for not bringing cases, unless it feels like its got a lot. Is that similar in California or not? I think its similar in that I dont think any state agency wants to sue an employer. If you look at the DFEHs website, they make it very clear that suing is the last regard. The process here was they have been looking at this for almost three years. They informed Tesla that they felt like they had just cause to sue on Jan. 3. They invited Tesla to mediation. Tesla declined until the last minute, and then this lawsuit is a result of the failed mediation. To sue a very large employer is a big deal, and I have to believe that they only did it because they felt there was no other recourse. Advertisement Advertisement Theres some other interesting things in the complaint, where the state alleges that Tesla ignored this stuff. One human resources investigator concluded that, Banana boy was simply a nickname, not a racial slur. It sounds like the state is saying this is a culture problem and that the company doesnt care. I think the state complaint also makes it clear that the company grew quite quickly and did not have enough HR people. They werent trained to investigate racial complaints. Teslas only public comment to date has been a blog post that they put out preemptively before the lawsuit was even filed, taking issue with certain things, cherry-picking parts of it, and making it very clear that they were going to fight the lawsuit. In that same blog, the company mentions that over the past five years, the DFEH has been asked on almost 50 occasions by individuals who believe they were discriminated against or harassed to investigate Tesla. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company italicizes this part and says, On every single occasion when the DFEH closed an investigation, it did not find misconduct against Tesla. Does that hold water, or is that a spinning of the facts? Advertisement Advertisement Thats a cherry-picked statistic because there have been several complaints and yes, some of them are closed without a finding, but others are given rights to sue letters. When they say over the past five years, are they talking 2016 through 2021, or 2015 through 2020? And are these only the closed cases? What is the numerator of how many cases overall? Its interesting that they are choosing that one line. In 2017, when Marcus Vaughns accusations were first surfacing, Tesla CEO Elon Musk sent an email to employees. It said, Part of not being a huge jerk is considering how someone might feel whos from an historically underrepresented group. But he also added, In fairness, if someone is a jerk to you, but sincerely apologizes, it is important to be thick-skinned and accept that apology. How is this email indicative of the companys approach to harassment? Advertisement The culture is set from the top. If you had an all-hands meeting where the CEO says, Racism will not be tolerated and we are going to fully support our HR partners in investigating any allegation, I think you would see a real culture change. But thats not the impression that were given. Were given the impression that HR officials actually gave heads up to harassers before harassment complaints were investigated. The complaint makes it clear that Black workers would be baited into responding, and then they would get written up for being aggressive. The lawsuit paints a picture of a very toxic environment that has been going on for 10 years. Advertisement Advertisement One thing Im interested in is what Elon Musk does or doesnt do publicly as this is happening. Obviously, he has a reputation for being extremely outspoken. Is he going to hold his tongue, or is he going to be himself here? Advertisement He hasnt said anything publicly yet. I think this blog post clearly has his imprint. But I think one thing to watch is that shareholders in the company do have a voice here. At the last shareholder meeting in the fall, there were two resolutions that were brought forward. One was the Calvert Group asked the company to publicly release its EEO-1 data, and that shareholder resolution passed. Tesla has not yet released the data, but they are now at least being asked to by their shareholders. There was another resolution about employee arbitration that failed but got a fairly significant chunk of support. Now, unless you get really big shareholders all on board with these efforts, its hard to imagine them making a big imprint. Sometimes even if a resolution passes, its not binding. But we are seeing some of the smaller, more activist shareholders at least raising flags and being like, Hey, we do care about this, and we want you to take this seriously. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youve been following these cases for a long time now. Are there things that youre watching that you think are probably flying below most peoples radar? Companies get sued all the time, but the racial discrimination cases are singularly horrific. And there does seem to be a pattern where the person complained, HR didnt really do anything, and they just stretch back for years. But theres also complaints about ageism, disability, being discriminated against because you are on maternity leave or pregnant. Were at this reckoning time where two years into the pandemic, people are really taking stock of what it means to be a worker and what kind of life you want to have, and how you want to be treated. Weve come through the MeToo movement and Black Lives Matter, and you have a generation of workers that is we not willing to put up with this behavior. Yet, it persists at so many levels of our society, and it is still a struggle. I think that all of the lawsuits that you read, whether theyre for Tesla or someone else, point to that. Listen to the complete episode below: Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. China's Zhejiang Province Thursday pledged a slew of measures to expand its middle-income group, aiming to spearhead the country's pursuit of common prosperity. "The goal is to form an olive-shaped social structure with the middle-income group as the mainstay," Xie Xiaobo, deputy chief of Zhejiang Provincial Development and Reform Commission, told a press conference. By 2025, 80 percent of households in the eastern province will see their annual disposable income reach 100,000 yuan (about 15,793 U.S. dollars) to 500,000 yuan. The proportion of households with an annual disposable income of 200,000 yuan to 600,000 yuan will reach 45 percent, Xie said. Special attention will be given to nine key groups such as technical workers, research personnel, college graduates, and migrant workers, said Xie. For instance, Zhejiang now provides preferential employment policies for college graduates, including lifting most restrictions on household registration, offering living and housing subsidies, and providing loans for entrepreneurial activities. Having long been high on the government agenda, common prosperity has gained particular attention since 2021 from both home and abroad as the leadership has put it in a more prominent position. An essential requirement of socialism and a key feature of Chinese-style modernization, common prosperity refers to affluence shared by everyone both in material and cultural terms. China also rolled out a guideline in 2021 to build Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving this prosperity, making it an example for efforts in this regard. Looking forward, China will work on an implementation plan to expand its middle-income group, Chang Tiewei, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission, said during the same press conference. Efforts will be made to unveil measures tailored for primary groups, increase the incomes of both urban and rural residents, and help more low-income people join the middle-income group, said Chang. ARCHIVED - Spring temperatures come to an end: Spain weather outlook February 18-20 Weak rainfall is forecast for most of Spain over the course of the weekend The current anticyclone will continue to bring settled weather over the weekend for the most part, but Meteored has forecast that the arrival of storm Eunice should trigger the arrival of a polar air trough, at least in some regions. The skies remained mostly clear and bright throughout Thursday and while Friday morning, February 18, will dawn in a similar way, an Atlantic front approaching the peninsular northwest as the day progresses will cause rainfall in Galicia before spreading to other Cantabrian regions. During the day, temperatures will drop in western regions and in the Canary Islands, but the mercury will rise slightly in the rest of the country. Greater instability is expected on Saturday with the arrival of the low pressure front; very cloudy skies will prevail throughout Spain and rain is expected in many areas, though it will be weak for the most part and will almost certainly not be enough to refill the depleted reservoirs. It will snow in some parts of Castilla y Leon while heavier showers are forecast in northern parts of the Canary Islands, and there will be an overall decrease in temperature, more pronounced in the eastern part of the country. Sunday will be largely cloudy throughout, with the possibility of weak rain in the north of Galicia, Cantabria and the Pyrenees. There is a chance of cloud in the southern half of Spain and the Balearic Islands, which will also register another slight drop in day-time temperatures. See also: Ghost village emerges in Spain as drought empties reservoir Image: Aemet 2018 was a ground-breaking year for Slovakia, but politicians who received people's trust to make a change did not use it well. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled On February 21, Slovakia will mark four years since the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova. After the murder, tens of thousands went out to protest, resulting in a governmental reshuffle, which saw then-PM Robert Fico leave the cabinet chair to be replaced by Peter Pellegrini. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Since then, the 2020 general elections led to the defeat of Smer and arrival of Igor Matovic and his OLaNO. But half-way through the government's election term, polls indicate the coalition would no longer win elections, while Smer is on the rise and is not shying away from extremist rhetoric. The Slovak Spectator spoke to Peter Bardy, editor-in-chief of Aktuality.sk, the newsroom Jan Kuciak used to work for. Bardy opined that the politicians who won the 2020 election failed to use the emotion in society and put out the fire burning in the Slovak people after the murder. Related article Related article Four years after Kuciaks death, police struggle with related investigations Read more The trial of the murder of Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova is returning to the Specialised Criminal Court by the end of February. What are your expectations of the trial? I have no estimations. I cannot really tell whether it will have a positive or a negative impact. I'm afraid that joining the two cases, the murder of Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova and the attempted murder of prosecutors, into one trial, may prolong the proceedings. I wouldn't be happy about that. Kuciak case: Court overturned the acquittal of Kocner. What happens next? Read more How is life in your newsroom now, four years since the murder? I would lie if I did not say that Jano [as the colleagues used to call Kuciak] is still a part of the newsroom. We sometimes talk about him, we say that if he was here, he would help us with some issues, when we return to the cases Jano was working on and we revive them, especially on the occasion of the anniversary of the murder. https://sputniknews.com/20220217/blue-origin-to-build-more-rockets-amid-expectations-to-easily-double-space-tourist-flights-1093127814.html Blue Origin to Build More Rockets Amid Expectations to Easily Double Space Tourist Flights Blue Origin to Build More Rockets Amid Expectations to Easily Double Space Tourist Flights Jeff Bezos Blue Origin space company says it will have to build more of its New Shepard rockets in order to meet the very robust demand for space tourism... 17.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-17T23:50+0000 2022-02-17T23:50+0000 2022-02-17T23:50+0000 blue origin space tourism new shepard us space flight /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/09/18/1080554996_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_b8d99ae735d558af021b47950d042425.jpg At the FAA Commercial Space Transportation Conference in Washington, DC, on Thursday, Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith said the company had thousands of people in the auction process for tickets, indicating very robust demand for more New Shepard flights, according to CNBC.Smith told the conference attendees the company could easily double that this year. Each capsule can carry up to six passengers.Manned flights, which began in July 2021, carried only auction winners, close associates of the program, including Bezos himself, or celebrities, such as William Shatner, who portrayed the 23rd century captain of the fictional starship USS Enterprise on the original Star Trek TV series. Seats have been auctioned for as much as $28 million each.In August 2021, Blue Origin brought an ultimately-doomed lawsuit challenging NASAs awarding of a massive $2.9 billion contract to build a manned lunar lander to another of the companys competitors, SpaceX. The company also has a planned heavy-lift rocket, New Glenn, that has been repeatedly delayed and is now expected to fly for the first time no sooner than the end of 2022. us Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg blue origin, space tourism, new shepard, us, space flight https://sputniknews.com/20220217/elon-musk-deletes-hitler-comparison-meme-after-facing-backlash-1093127435.html Elon Musk Deletes Hitler Comparison Meme After Facing Backlash Elon Musk Deletes Hitler Comparison Meme After Facing Backlash Elon Musk Deletes Tweet That Compared Trudeau to Hitler 2022-02-17T23:55+0000 2022-02-17T23:55+0000 2022-02-17T23:55+0000 us elon musk protest canada twitter adolf hitler viral justin trudeau /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/0b/1089846050_0:0:2941:1654_1920x0_80_0_0_013bd1334d2f01efb7c4a08bdcc069c3.jpg In one of his latest tweets, Elon Musk compared the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, but removed it some 12 hours later following criticism from users and especially the American Jewish Committee.The tweet was posted as a reaction to a CoinDesk report saying that the Canadian authorities have banned all financial institutions from conducting transactions on 34 crypto wallets that received donations for the truckers.Musk posted a photo of the Nazi dictator, saying: "Stop comparing me to Justin Trudeau. I had a budget, according to a screenshot of the removed post.The post added to a series of tweets by Musk regarding the tense situation in Canada. On Sunday, Musk responded to a tweet by attaching a video of protesters in Ottawa, writing: It would appear that the so-called fringe minority' is actually the government.The comment was referring to an earlier statement by Trudeau in which the prime minister said that the protesters constitute a "small fringe minority" with "unacceptable views."In another tweet on Sunday, apparently regarding the protest, Musk posted another picture of Hitler, commenting: "So many Hitlers!" His meme was a photoshopped book cover with the title "Everyone I don't like is Hitler." https://sputniknews.com/20220217/tesla-and-musk-accuse-us-securities-and-exchange-commission-of-endless-unrelenting-harassment-1093120862.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Alexandra Kashirina Alexandra Kashirina 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 Alexandra Kashirina us, elon musk, protest, canada, twitter, adolf hitler, viral, justin trudeau https://sputniknews.com/20220217/new-york-judge-orders-trump-adult-children-to-be-questioned-over-businesses-1093124929.html New York Judge Orders Trump, Adult Children to Be Questioned Over Businesses New York Judge Orders Trump, Adult Children to Be Questioned Over Businesses NEW YORK (Sputnik) - Former US President Donald Trump and his adult daughter and son must answer questions by the New York attorney general and her office over... 17.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-17T20:34+0000 2022-02-17T20:34+0000 2022-02-17T20:34+0000 ivanka trump donald trump jr donald trump judge subpoena us letitia james new york probe /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/07/01/1083283109_0:0:1889:1063_1920x0_80_0_0_427e1fe81aa14863bdd3f53ddd7969a1.jpg "Upon the foregoing documents, it is hereby ordered that the motion by respondents Donald J. Trump, Ivanka and Donald Trump, Jr. to quash subpoenas issued by the petitioner is denied, and petitioners cross-motion to compel is granted," Judge Arthur Engoron wrote in his ruling.New York Attorney General Letitia James and her office have subpoenaed to question Trump and his two adult children following investigations into whether the Trump Organization, which represents the familys business interests, had illegally inflated the value of its assets to obtain loans beyond merit.James earlier said that she had uncovered "significant evidence" indicating that the Trump Organization engaged in fraud to obtain economic benefits, "including loans, insurance coverage, and tax deductions." Trump has sought to remove James from the investigation, accusing her of a "politically motivated attack." https://sputniknews.com/20220214/us-accounting-firm-will-not-back-trump-organizations-financials-amid-probe-1093037883.html 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 ivanka trump, donald trump jr, donald trump, judge, subpoena, us, letitia james, new york, probe https://sputniknews.com/20220218/backdoor-influence-fears-cited-as-private-firms-channel-over-13-million-into-mps-interest-groups-1093133010.html Backdoor Influence Fears Cited as Private Firms Channel Over 13 Million Into MPs Interest Groups Backdoor Influence Fears Cited as Private Firms Channel Over 13 Million Into MPs Interest Groups The UK Commons Committee on Standards launched an investigation into the All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) in late 2020. The Committee chair, Chris... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T08:03+0000 2022-02-18T08:03+0000 2022-02-18T08:03+0000 uk lobbying /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/0e/1092261187_0:0:3062:1722_1920x0_80_0_0_fd2d9ca215885ea97a25d944367104e3.jpg The chair of the UK Commons standards committee, Chris Bryant, has suggested that it may be time to allow parliamentary authorities to ban commercial operators from funding and running All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) amid concerns over the potential for backdoor influence. All-Party Parliamentary Groups are informal groups of MPs and Members of the House of Lords who share a particular interest in a subject. These cross-party groups have no official status within the UK Parliament, but can play a key role in drawing the attention of the countrys primary legislative body to specific topics by hosting roundtables, producing reports and lobbying for change. The matters in question can range from certain countries to issues like Health, Agriculture, Yoga, or even the Jazz Appreciation Group. However, according to Bryant, the number of APPGs has risen dramatically in the last few years, reaching 755 groups from the 560 registered five years ago. Furthermore, more than half the total 25 million in funding for APPGs since 2018 - over 13m - has come from private firms, ranging from healthcare bodies to arms and tech companies, revealed an analysis by the Guardian and openDemocracy political website. Charities and trade unions provided other funding. The APPGs have declared 5m in cash funding and 18.3m-20.2m of benefits in kind support (secretarial work, trips, hospitality.) According to Chris Bryant, some industries have ensured that every part of the supply chain and every trade body has received its own group. While APPGs must be chaired by MPs, they are often run or funded by lobbyists and corporate donors. Chris Bryant, whose standards committee launched an inquiry into the APPG system in 2020 seeking to look into their transparency and propriety, underscored that a number of the groups are sponsored by companies with vested interests in the policy areas the groups seek to influence. While emphasising that nobody should be touting access or influence on behalf of an APPG, Chris Bryant lamented the fact that the Commons authorities have neither the powers nor resources to investigate every APPG. While all APPGs must be registered and provide funding details via a simple template for income and expenditure statement, most do not offer any specific details. Furthermore, half of 190 APPGs failed to provide accounts on request something they are obliged to do- when asked by openDemocracy.Even in situations where there is no conflict of interest, added The Guardian, concerns may be triggered by the mere perception of one. For example, the obesity APPG, promoting medical interventions to tackle the issue, received 178,500 to 183,000 between 2019 and 2021 from three private healthcare companies that make or tout gastric bands or drugs used in obesity surgery and treatment: Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic and Novo Nordisk. The funds paid lobbyist, HealthComms Consulting, to run the APPGs secretariat, with the group promoting calls for a shift away from the move more, eat less mentality prevalent in obesity thinking and better utilisation of treatment for obesity and access to services. Accordingly, the APPG had direct input into the governments obesity strategy published in July 2020 through meeting with No 10 officials and the development of a top 10 policy wishlist. The Parliamentary Internet, Communications and Technology Forum (PICTFOR) - the largest and most active All-Party Parliamentary Group - is cited as having received more than 125,000 worth of benefits-in-kind support in 2021 from firms like Google, Facebook, TikTok, BT, Amazon and Huawei. The group, according to the outlet, runs a tiered membership, where rates for benefits such as access to events range from 500 for charities to 5,000 for large corporations. Arms companies are also said to be actively involved in the system, with firms such as BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon supporting the armed forces APPG with 256,000 across a span of four years. The Commons Committee on Standards launched an investigation into the APPGs in late 2020, with Bryant calling for greater transparency into the funding aspects and saying that many now seem to have become the parliamentary arm of lobbying and PR companies. https://sputniknews.com/20220210/russian-federal-antimonopoly-service-says-google-violated-antitrust-laws-1092909983.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko 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 Svetlana Ekimenko uk, lobbying https://sputniknews.com/20220218/biden-says-hes-convinced-putin-has-made-the-decision-to-invade-ukraine-in-coming-days-1093158848.html Biden Says He's 'Convinced' Putin Has 'Made the Decision to Invade Ukraine' in Coming Days Biden Says He's 'Convinced' Putin Has 'Made the Decision to Invade Ukraine' in Coming Days The self-declared people's republics of Lugansk and Donetsk announced on Friday plans to evacuate more than 700,000 civilians to western Russia amid a... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T22:06+0000 2022-02-18T22:06+0000 2022-02-18T23:37+0000 joe biden vladimir putin invasion ukraine russia-nato row on european security /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/12/1093159733_0:0:3069:1726_1920x0_80_0_0_f597671c4a916f12cd0c6aca752a65ff.jpg US President Joe Biden said on Friday that he was "convinced" Russian President Vladimir Putin had made the decision to launch an invasion of Ukraine "in the coming days."As of this moment Im convinced hes made the decision," Biden told reporters at the White House. He confirmed his position when a reporter asked him to do so. He said the attack will focus on the capital of Kiev.The US has claimed for months that a Russian invasion of Ukraine was "imminent," and numerous predictions have come through the media alleging to pinpoint the exact date and even the time the attack would begin. Moscow denies it has plans to attack Ukraine and even the Ukrainian government says the Russian forces deployed near its borders are insufficient to pose a threat to them.Biden renewed that accusation as well on Friday, claiming that information coming out of the Donbass about a significant increase in artillery and mortar shelling by Ukrainian forces, as well as other explosions of an unknown origin, were just the kind of staged Russian provocations his administration had been "warning about for weeks."He said that a Ukrainian offensive against the Donbass republics now "defies basic logic" and that Ukrainian forces had shown "restraint" by refusing to be "baited" by Russian forces. He did not elaborate as to what incidents amounted to baiting.However, Biden said he did not believe the pre-scheduled nuclear drills being observed by Putin this weekend are an indicator the Russian president intends to use nuclear weapons in the allegedly forthcoming invasion.The US president said "Russia can still choose diplomacy, it is not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table." Indeed, both Moscow and Kiev have made clear their intention to continue negotiations, and NATO has, to a certain degree, considered parts of the security guarantees first proposed by Moscow in December. However, Washington has remained intransigent, and NATO has refused to reconsider its policy of eastward expansion that could one day lead to Ukrainian membership in the alliance."We hope that negotiations on them will continue. We will insist on NATO stopping its provocative expansion policy, refusing to deploy strike weapons that threaten us near our borders, and returning the configuration of the alliance's forces to the positions of 1997," she added. ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg joe biden, vladimir putin, invasion, ukraine https://sputniknews.com/20220218/canadian-police-lack-mandate-to-probe-sinking-spanish-trawler-off-newfoundland-reports-say-1093137651.html Canadian Police Lack Mandate to Probe Sinking Spanish Trawler Off Newfoundland, Reports Say Canadian Police Lack Mandate to Probe Sinking Spanish Trawler Off Newfoundland, Reports Say MADRID (Sputnik) - The Royal Canadian Mounted Police will not investigate the shipwreck of the Spanish trawler Villa de Pitanxo off Newfoundland's coast as the... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T10:17+0000 2022-02-18T10:17+0000 2022-02-18T10:17+0000 canada police newfoundland probe /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/12/1093137624_0:122:2000:1247_1920x0_80_0_0_30b174e84b2455b4a7c256b1f62502dd.jpg The mandate to investigate the shipwreck belongs to the country where the trawler was registered - Spain, the police said.The Canadian law enforcement agencies expressed their readiness to assist Spain in taking in the victims, and helping in identifying and repatriating the remains to their countries of origin, according to the media.The Spanish-flagged fishing vessel Villa de Pitanxo sank off the coast of Canada on Monday. There were 22 people on board, including 12 Spaniards, as well as citizens of Peru and Ghana. At the time of the crash, the ship was 250 miles away from the coast.On Tuesday, the Spanish maritime rescue service said that at least four people died in the shipwreck, and their bodies were found in the area. canada newfoundland 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 canada, police, newfoundland, probe https://sputniknews.com/20220218/dpr-accuses-kiev-forces-of-firing-18-rounds-from-120-mm-mortars-on-outskirts-of-frontline-village-1093151924.html DPR Says Kiev Forces Fired 18 Rounds From 120-mm Mortars on Outskirts of Frontline Village DPR Says Kiev Forces Fired 18 Rounds From 120-mm Mortars on Outskirts of Frontline Village Donbass militia leaders ordered an evacuation of civilians from the breakaway Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics on Friday, citing the threat of Ukrainian... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T17:30+0000 2022-02-18T17:30+0000 2022-02-18T19:25+0000 donbass /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/102047/22/1020472226_0:195:3501:2164_1920x0_80_0_0_7f6f70904d709ea6276204beb7bb2567.jpg Ukrainian forces have fired 18 120-mm mortar rounds at the village of Zaitsevo, a Donetsk People's Republic-controlled settlement situated on the outskirts of the town of Gorlovka, a DPR representative at the Joint Center on Control and Coordination has told journalists.The deployment of 120-mm mortar systems in the Donbass conflict zone is prohibited under the Minsk Agreements - the peace deal hammered out in early 2015 aimed at enforcing a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and ultimately bringing the civil conflict to a close.The mortar fire comes amid a major escalation of mortar, artillery and small-arms fire along the line of contact between Kiev forces and Donbass militia in the past two days, with both sides reporting dozens of violations of the ceasefire and blaming the other for the violence.Lugansk People's Republic the Trilateral Contact Group representative Rodion Miroshnik warned Friday that the Ukrainian army's deployment of a large amount of tubed artillery on the line of contact would lead to massive casualties if a major military conflagration was started.Miroshnik warned that the Donbass was being pushed toward renewed fighting, since Kiev has shown its lack of readiness to negotiate with the breakaway republics.The leaders of Donetsk and Lugansk ordered an evacuation of their civilian population on Friday, citing the danger of an all-out Ukrainian assault.Speaking to reporters after meeting with his Belarusian counterpart on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated that Kiev must sit down for talks with the Donbass breakaways, and do so as soon as possible. Putin also stressed that the Minsk Agreements were the only way to restore peace and relieve tension in the region.The war in the Donbass began in the spring of 2014, when Kiev sent the military to crush fledgling independence movements created by local residents refusing to accept the authority of new political leaders who came to power on the back of a Western-backed coup d'etat. Between May 2014 and early 2015, up to 13,000 Ukrainian troops, Donbass militiamen and civilians were killed in bloody fighting in the cities, towns, villages and plains of eastern Ukraine. In February 2015, the leaders of Ukraine and three nations acting as guarantors - Russia, Germany and France met in Minsk, Belarus to sign the Minsk peace deal. The comprehensive agreement called for an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line, plus local elections in the Donbass and constitutional reform in Kiev granting the self-proclaimed republics broad autonomy. Until now, the ceasefire has generally held, albeit with regularly reported violations, but the Ukrainian government has refused to honour the political portion of the Minsk Agreements, turning the conflict into a frozen civil war. https://sputniknews.com/20220218/heading-towards-war-dpr-head-warns-kiev-could-attack-donbass-at-any-time-1093152465.html donbass 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 donbass https://sputniknews.com/20220218/fire-breaks-out-on-cruise-ship-with-237-people-on-board-near-greek-coast---police-1093129933.html Fire Breaks Out on Cruise Ship With 237 Passengers on Board Near Greek Coast Fire Breaks Out on Cruise Ship With 237 Passengers on Board Near Greek Coast Three patrol boats and three coast guard tugs were sent to the vessel on fire in the Ionian Sea. 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T04:27+0000 2022-02-18T04:27+0000 2022-02-18T08:15+0000 europe greece vessel fire /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/12/1093131381_0:133:1319:875_1920x0_80_0_0_9e8a9f34965ed1a55a7146ee3585c278.jpg An Italian cruise ship carrying 237 passengers and more than 50 crew members is on fire off the coast of Greece in the Ionian Sea, AFP reports, citing port authorities. The Euroferry Olympia sailed between Igoumenitsa in Greece and Brindisi in Italy.According to media reports, all the passengers of Euroferry Olympia have already evacuated the vessel in lifeboats.The cause of the fire remains unknown. No casualties have been reported. greece 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 europe, greece, vessel, fire The Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines has described the recent decision of U.S. President Joe Biden on Afghanistan's frozen assets as unjust, and called for the return of the assets. "On behalf of 5,000 factories and hundreds of mine extracting companies, I today describe the recent decision of President Biden as unjust and stealing our national assets and we denounce it," acting chairman of the association Al-Hajj Sakhi Ahmad Paiman told reporters. Paiman said some 400,000 people directly and around 1.5 million others indirectly are working for the factories, mines and businesses run by the Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines. The United States, following its completion of forces evacuation in August last year, has frozen more than 9 billion U.S. dollars assets of Afghanistan's central bank, which led to economic crisis and poverty in the war-torn country. Biden reportedly in a decree issued on Friday allocated 3.5 billion of the sum to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. "America claims itself as a defender of human rights and freedom. The claim would be undermined at home and abroad if it continues to hold or steal Afghanistan's assets under any pretext," Paiman said. On Tuesday, thousands of Afghans staged demonstrations, denouncing Biden's decision and demanding the return of the frozen assets to the war-torn country. https://sputniknews.com/20220218/germany-ready-to-pay-high-price-if-russia-invades-ukraine-including-end-to-nord-stream-2-fm-says-1093155153.html Germany Ready to Pay High Price if Russia Invades Ukraine, Including End to Nord Stream 2, FM Says Germany Ready to Pay High Price if Russia Invades Ukraine, Including End to Nord Stream 2, FM Says Nord Stream 2, an energy mega-infrastructure project designed to deliver up to 55 billion cubic meters in additional gas from Russia to Germany via twin... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T19:08+0000 2022-02-18T19:08+0000 2022-02-18T20:19+0000 ukraine nord stream 2 sanctions russia germany /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/06/1089711168_0:0:1200:675_1920x0_80_0_0_b9e9b4c17b7bcd7adeaf5627ff155096.jpg Germany is willing to pay a financial penalty, including costs resulting from the mothballing of Nord Stream 2, to punish Moscow with sanctions if Russia attacks Ukraine, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has announced.The German top diplomat warned that Western powers were united in their readiness to use unprecedented sanctions pressure against Moscow. We show solidarity because we are committed to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, and Im being very clear here, she said.Baerbocks Green Party is part of the German coalition government of Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholtz that was put together following elections last year. While in opposition during Angela Merkels chancellorship, the Greens consistently attacked Nord Stream 2, and supported the import of more gas from the United States and other countries instead. Baerbock has also called publicly for NATOs continued eastward expansion and rejected closer economic cooperation with China.US Senate lawmakers have also threatened to target Nord Stream 2, notwithstanding a recent report from S&P Global that any reductions in Russian gas deliveries to Europe would be difficult if not impossible to replace.Last week, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire suggested that the launch of Nord Stream 2 could actually ease tensions over Ukraine.The US and its NATO allies have spent months claiming that Russia is on the brink of invading its Ukrainian neighbour, even setting a concrete date of 16 February for the incursion. The date came and went without incident, prompting media to speculate on a new invasion timetable "shortly after February 20." Moscow has rejected the invasion claims and accused Washington, its allies and the media of stoking tensions artificially to justify the beefing up of NATOs footprint near Russian borders.On Friday, instead of a Russian escalation, the region is facing a security crisis of a different sort in the form of renewed fighting in the civil war in eastern Ukraine, where local independence militias have reported on the threat of a full-out assault by Kiev forces, and have ordered the evacuation of the civilian population to Russia. https://sputniknews.com/20220213/austria-to-continue-favouring-launch-of-nord-stream-2-economy-minister-says-1092994328.html https://sputniknews.com/20220218/heading-towards-war-dpr-head-warns-kiev-could-attack-donbass-at-any-time-1093152465.html ukraine germany 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, nord stream 2, sanctions, russia, germany https://sputniknews.com/20220218/israeli-military-launches-missile-interceptors-after-uav-from-lebanon-enters-israeli-airspace-1093137863.html Israeli Military Launches Missile Interceptors After 'UAV From Lebanon Enters Israeli Airspace' Israeli Military Launches Missile Interceptors After 'UAV From Lebanon Enters Israeli Airspace' On 17 February, the Israeli military shot down a Hezbollah drone that allegedly entered from Lebanon and had violated Israeli airspace. 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T10:26+0000 2022-02-18T10:26+0000 2022-02-18T11:19+0000 middle east israel uav lebanon israel defence forces (idf) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/12/1093138793_0:53:800:503_1920x0_80_0_0_0d62b6ccde2d61f90cf9acd17391ab6d.jpg The IDF said on Friday that an unmanned aircraft had crossed into Israeli air space from Lebanon.According to the military, the incursion set off air raid sirens in northern Israel. No further details were reported.The incident comes a day after Israel shot down an alleged Hezbollah drone. Neither Lebanon nor Hezbollah have commented on the incident.Israel often uses drones both for aerial reconnaissance in neighbouring countries and to target opponents of the Jewish state, including Hezbollah.Hezbollah, formed in 1982 promotes the idea of building a state in Lebanon based on the Islamic Shiite principles of governance. The organization is recognized as a terrorist group in a number of countries, including Canada, Israel, Germany and the United States. israel lebanon 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 middle east, israel, uav, lebanon, israel defence forces (idf) https://sputniknews.com/20220218/live-from-donetsk-as-mass-evacuation-starts-amid-shelling-by-ukrainian-forces-1093148493.html Live From Donetsk as Mass Evacuation Starts Amid Shelling by Ukrainian Forces Live From Donetsk as Mass Evacuation Starts Amid Shelling by Ukrainian Forces Earlier in the day, the heads of the DPR and LPR urged civilians to evacuate to Russia amid an escalation of tensions on the frontline in the Donbass region. 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T17:26+0000 2022-02-18T17:26+0000 2022-02-18T17:30+0000 ukraine donetsk lugansk evacuation /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/12/1093151776_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_d0a631a396e263c8a774e3b9c4a5ef04.jpg Sputnik goes live from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine where the emergency evacuation of civilians has started. This comes after the republics head Denis Pushilin called on local residents to evacuate to Russia, claiming that Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky was going to order an invasion of the breakaway republic. The head of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic, Leonid Pasechnik, also urged local residents to prepare to flee to Russia. The situation on the contact line between Ukraine and the DPR and LPR has worsened in the past 24 hours after Kiev intensified shelling of the territories of the self-proclaimed republics.*Follow Sputnik's live feed to find out more. ukraine donetsk lugansk 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 Live from Donetsk after emergency evacuation announced Live from Donetsk after emergency evacuation announced 2022-02-18T17:26+0000 true PT1S 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, donetsk, lugansk, evacuation, Key Pumping Station in DPR Damaged in Shelling by Ukrainian Forces The Vasilyevsky pumping station, which provides water to almost two million Donbass residents on both sides of the line of contact, has been damaged as a result of shelling by Ukrainian forces, DPR has announced. The village of Vasilyevka, where the pumping station is located, has been left without water, according to a DPR representative. Earlier, the DPR representative office in the Joint Center for Control and Coordination on ceasefire (JCCC) said that Ukrainian forces had shelled the village of Vasilyevka in the self-proclaimed Donetsk republic, firing four 82-millimeter mortars. DPR Ready for Contact Group Meeting Provided There Are Concrete Proposals, and Kiev is Prepared for Dialogue "We are ready to meet with Ukrainian representatives at an extraordinary meeting, but only if there are clear and specific proposals with the possibility of their implementation in practice and the readiness of official Kiev for a substantive dialogue," Vladislav Moskovsky, a spokesman for the DPR delegation in the contact group, said in a statement, of which the Ukrainian delegation was notified. After specific proposals were requested from the Ukrainian side to resolve the situation, "the Ukrainians immediately canceled the meeting," the statement says. "We are not ready to meet solely for the sake of a meeting, for some kind of imitation of negotiations," Moskovsky stressed. https://sputniknews.com/20220218/majority-of-germans-oppose-ukraines-accession-to-nato-poll-shows-1093144851.html Majority of Germans Oppose Ukraine's Accession to NATO, Poll Shows Majority of Germans Oppose Ukraine's Accession to NATO, Poll Shows BERLIN (Sputnik) - Up to 53% of German citizens are opposed to Ukraine's accession to NATO, while less than a third or 28% are of the contrary opinion... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T13:56+0000 2022-02-18T13:56+0000 2022-02-18T13:58+0000 germany nato ukraine poll russia-nato row on european security /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/103522/88/1035228815_0:183:3073:1911_1920x0_80_0_0_bba404c3b49d85917275ccaed70d505a.jpg According to the poll, 31% of respondents spoke out against Ukraine's entry into the alliance in the coming years, another 22% completely excluded the admission of the country to NATO. Less than a third, or 28% of Germans expressed a strong belief that Kiev should not be denied membership in the alliance. Another 19% of the respondents were undecided.The poll was conducted from February 15-16 both by phone and in an online format, with 1,202 Germans participating. The statistical margin of error was 2-3 percentage points.In the European security proposals which Russia made to NATO and the United States in December, 2021, Moscow specifically asked for guarantees that NATO would not expand eastward to include Ukraine and Georgia. However, Washington vows to continue supporting NATO's open door policy.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 those accusations and warned its Western counterparts supplying lethal weaponry to Kiev that the latter could use it against the breakaway parts of the Donbas region. germany 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 germany, nato, ukraine, poll https://sputniknews.com/20220218/moscow-may-deploy-forces-to-latin-american-bases-if-security-talks-with-us-fail-duma-lawmaker-says-1093157403.html Moscow May Deploy Forces to Latin American Bases if Security Talks With US Fail, Duma Lawmaker Says Moscow May Deploy Forces to Latin American Bases if Security Talks With US Fail, Duma Lawmaker Says A senior Russian lawmaker has revived discussion about how Russia might turn the corner strategically in its negotiations with NATO on security guarantees... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T21:12+0000 2022-02-18T21:12+0000 2022-02-18T21:12+0000 russia-nato row on european security latin america russian military bases ukraine tu-160 russia russian duma /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/104616/75/1046167563_0:0:2985:1680_1920x0_80_0_0_3f3a105da6a3ed5b5fb9f54fcc5ac515.jpg We have enough military-technical measures that will force the United States to take care of its own security, and not Ukraine, which is too far away from them. For example, the deployment of military bases in Latin America may be part of the answer, United Russia MP Yuri Shvytkin, who is Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee, told Russian online news outlet Gazeta.Ru on Friday.The MP was echoing comments by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov last month, who suggested in an interview with RTVI television network that Moscow might deploy Russian military infrastructure to Cuba or Venezuela.I dont want to confirm anything, I wont exclude anything It depends on the actions of [our] American colleagues, Ryabkov told RTVIs Tina Kandelaki on January 13.Several days earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it was unacceptable for Moscow to expect NATO to respect its sphere of influence by pledging not to expand further eastward or to station certain weapons in Eastern Europe.We cant go back to a world of spheres of influence, the US chief diplomat told CNN.Soviet deployments to Cuba were common during the Cold War, most notoriously the R-12 and R-14 nuclear-armed ballistic missiles and Il-28 bombers that triggered the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. However, after the missiles were withdrawn Soviet ship and aircraft stopovers in Cuba were common, including Tu-95 and Tu-142 reconnaissance aircraft on patrol.More recently, Russian Tu-160 White Swan bombers made several trips to Venezuela, including in 2018 amid another tense situation with Ukraine and NATO. Caracas and Moscow reportedly agreed on the principle of establishing a Russian military base on La Orchila Island in the Caribbean Sea at the time.NATO has accused Russia of planning an invasion of Ukraine by deploying large numbers of troops near its western borders, although Moscow denies any plans for attacking Ukraine and says its troops are performing military maneuvers and drills with Belarusian forces. Moscow has said the crisis stems from a lack of guarantees of its security by NATO, which has continued to expand eastward and incorporate many former Soviet allies and even former Soviet republics.So far, NATO has refused to significantly alter its stance on membership, including writing off Ukraine as a potential future member of the alliance. ukraine russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg latin america, russian military bases, ukraine, tu-160, russia, russian duma https://sputniknews.com/20220218/plurality-of-finns-would-support-nato-accession-with-both-yes-and-no-sides-citing-russia-1093130450.html Over 40% of Finns Would Support NATO Accession, With Both 'Yes' and 'No' Sides Citing Russia Over 40% of Finns Would Support NATO Accession, With Both 'Yes' and 'No' Sides Citing Russia The debate about NATO accession in historically non-aligned Finland has been fuelled by both Prime Minister Sanna Marin and President Sauli Niinisto... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T05:26+0000 2022-02-18T05:26+0000 2022-02-18T05:33+0000 russia-nato row on european security finland news europe military & intelligence nato /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/106807/49/1068074914_0:92:2748:1638_1920x0_80_0_0_599cce39356fb6fd3eaefe8fb34aa6df.jpg Wholly 43 percent of the Finnish public would support NATO membership, if the country's political leadership declared it was in the best interests of the country, a survey has revealed.In a poll commissioned by the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, more than a quarter (27 percent) of the respondents said they would oppose it and another 30 percent said they were uncertain about joining the alliance.The results suggest a high level of trust in the authorities, particularly in the president and prime minister, whose stance apparently has a significant impact on public views. For the sake of comparison, last month, in a similar poll, yet where the position of the political leadership was unspecified, 28 percent were in favour of joining the alliance which is still the highest level in decades.Sakari Nurmela, research director at pollster Kantar TNS, said it was completely natural for the public to align themselves with political decision-makers.In more detailed questions, almost half (46 percent) of those in favour of NATO accession identified the collective defence principle and deterrent effect as key arguments. Over a third (35 percent) said that the membership would secure Finland's international stance and 27 percent that the membership would consolidate the countrys position relative to Russia.Remarkably, the imminent deterioration of relations with the eastern neighbour was the listed as most common argument against joining NATO (57 percent of respondents). Nearly a half (47 percent) were alarmed by the possibility of Finnish troops being sent overseas in NATO missions.Nurmela argued that concerns about Russia's reaction are natural, too.While formally non-aligned as a vestige of the Cold War-era, Finland has been inching closer to the alliance through various joint drills and training activities, broadening acquisition of US-made equipment and permits to NATO to use its land, airspace and territorial waters. Alongside neighbouring Sweden, it enjoys the status of special partner with multiple benefits.The seething debate about NATO accession, which tends to flare up occasionally, has been fuelled by both Prime Minister Sanna Marin and President Sauli Niinisto emphasising in their respective New Year's messages that it was Finland's right to apply for NATO membership at will. Subsequently, though, both stressed that Finland had no plans to seek membership as of now.Several Finnish parties, including the liberal-conservative National Coalition, are in favour of joining NATO. finland Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Igor Kuznetsov Igor Kuznetsov 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 Igor Kuznetsov finland, news, europe, military & intelligence, nato https://sputniknews.com/20220218/prince-andrew-reportedly-pledges-not-to-deny-having-sex-with-giuffre-as-part-of-settlement-1093129752.html Prince Andrew Reportedly Pledges Not to Deny Having Sex With Giuffre As Part of Settlement Prince Andrew Reportedly Pledges Not to Deny Having Sex With Giuffre As Part of Settlement Prince Andrew Reportedly Pledges Not to Deny Having Sex With Giuffre As Part of Settlement 2022-02-18T03:42+0000 2022-02-18T03:42+0000 2022-02-18T03:42+0000 uk prince andrew settlement virginia roberts giuffre queen elizabeth ii /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/1d/1092601104_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_bc8089d9157fd34f37823cdd37776e7a.jpg Prince Andrew has agreed not to dismiss from now on accusations that he had an intimate relationship with Virginia Giuffre, who, in turn, is obliged to remain silent, according to their settlement, The Telegraph reported on Thursday.The restrictions were said to be secured amid the upcoming celebration of Queen Elizabeths platinum jubilee in the summer.Media also speculated that he will disappear from public life and his last official appearance is expected to be a visit to the memorial ceremony of his father, Prince Philip, in March. After that, he reportedly will not attend public events, including the Royal Ascot races.On Tuesday, Prince Andrew reached a court settlement with Giuffre after 10 days of negotiations. According to its terms, he will pay 12 million to his accuser and make a donation to a charity working with victims of abuse. Part of the sum was said to be donated by the Queen.The settlement was announced just a few weeks before Andrew was due to testify under oath and be questioned by Giuffre's lawyers. The court still may resume consideration of the case if one of the parties withdraws from the agreement before the 17th of March.Prince Andrew has yet to admit to any of the allegations Giuffre made against him in a lawsuit filed in the New York District court in August. https://sputniknews.com/20220217/mp-concerned-public-money-could-have-been-used-in-prince-andrews-payout-to-virginia-giuffre-1093115317.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Alexandra Kashirina Alexandra Kashirina 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 Alexandra Kashirina uk, prince andrew, settlement, virginia roberts giuffre, queen elizabeth ii https://sputniknews.com/20220218/putin-all-kiev-needs-to-do-is-sit-down-to-talks-with-donbass-republics-and-agree-steps-to-end-war-1093144230.html Putin: Kiev Needs to Sit Down for Talks With Donbass Republics and Agree Measures to End War Putin: Kiev Needs to Sit Down for Talks With Donbass Republics and Agree Measures to End War As one of three guarantors to the 2015 Minsk Agreements on Ukrainian peace, Russia has regularly called on Kiev to implement the agreed upon measures in the... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T13:42+0000 2022-02-18T13:42+0000 2022-02-18T17:47+0000 ukraine /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/12/1093146016_0:120:3009:1813_1920x0_80_0_0_56db066542a9a7d8feab887af59835c6.jpg Kiev needs to sit down at the negotiating table with leaders of the self-proclaimed Donbass republics and agree the measures needed to resolve the conflict, and the sooner it does so, the better, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said."All Kiev needs to do is sit down at the negotiating table with representatives of the Donbass and agree on political, military, economic and humanitarian measures to end this conflict. The sooner this happens, the better," Putin added.The Russian president lamented that unfortunately, at the moment, "we are witnessing, on the contrary, an aggravation of the situation in the Donbass.""The settlement process is still stalled. Despite all our efforts and contacts at the level of advisors to the leaders of the Normandy format countries [Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France], our consultations on this issue with partners have not helped," Putin said. Kiev, the Russian president suggested, is refusing to comply with the Minsk agreements and categorically rejecting direct dialogue with the self-proclaimed republics."Kiev is essentially sabotaging the implementation of the agreements to amend the constitution, regarding the special status of the Donbass, local elections and amnesty," Putin said.Commenting on the growing tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine, Alexander Lukashenko accused Western politicians of behaving in a "stupid" and dangerous manner.Donbass EscalationFriday's meeting between Putin and Lukashenko comes at the conclusion of a tension-filled week, with the prediction by Western officials and media that Moscow would begin an "invasion" of Ukraine on Wednesday proven false, and the Biden administration and the outlets whose stories were debunked adjusting their claims to suggest that an incursion will actually start after the 20th of February. Moscow has repeatedly dismissed the invasion claims as a pretext for NATO to beef up its military footprint in countries surrounding Russia.The past 48 hours have also seen a dramatic escalation in back-and-forth claims by Kiev and the Donbass breakaways accusing one another of sniper fire and shelling using artillery, mortars and anti-tank weapons systems, with the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics and the Ukrainian Army reporting dozens of incidents on a daily basis.On Friday, Donetsk People's Republics chief Denis Pushilin urged residents to begin evacuating to Russia, citing the threat of a Ukrainian invasion and constant shelling by Ukrainian forces. Leonid Pasechnik, the head of the Lugansk People's Republic, similarly called on people not involved in maintaining critical social and civilian infrastructure to leave, and asked all men of fighting age to remain behind and take up arms to defend the republic.In addition to Ukrainian regular armed forces formations, the Donbass is known to be filled with neo-Nazi volunteer militias, as well as foreign mercenaries from countries including Poland and Britain. Last week, Donbass militias spotted Ukrainian S-300s, heavy artillery and foreign mercenaries operating near the front line and warned of the dangers of an imminent provocation.Signed in February 2015 after months of bloody fighting between Kiev forces and Donbass militias, the Minsk Agreements instituted a ceasefire in the region and compelled both sides to pull heavy weaponry back from the front lines. The peace deal, which provides Kiev with a means to return Donetsk and Lugansk to its jurisdiction in exchange for broad constitutionally guaranteed autonomy, succeeded in stopping mass bloodshed but has been stalled amid accusations of violations of the ceasefire, and by Ukrainian leaders' refusal to implement its political portion.The war in the Donbass began in the spring of 2014 after Kiev sent troops to try to crush fledgling independence movements which sprang up in the aftermath of the February 2014 coup in Kiev, which replaced the country's democratically elected president with a pro-US, pro-EU and pro-NATO junta. https://sputniknews.com/20220218/dpr-head-announces-start-of-mass-evacuation-to-russia-amid-shelling-by-ukrainian-forces-1093144799.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 You are here: China Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng Thursday called for the application of new technologies including big data to ensure food safety. Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the food safety commission of the State Council, made the remarks while presiding over a meeting of the commission. A unified national food-safety information platform should be established, and the application of big data should be strengthened, he said. Han stressed strengthening regulation on pesticides and veterinary drugs and purifying the environment of food-producing areas to prevent contaminated food from entering the market. Food safety standards should be upgraded, and international experience should be learned, Han said. All related departments and local authorities should enhance coordination and ensure the implementation of all tasks, the vice premier said. https://sputniknews.com/20220218/putin-and-lukashenko-hold-press-conference-after-talks-in-moscow-1093141867.html Putin and Lukashenko Hold Press Conference After Talks in Moscow Putin and Lukashenko Hold Press Conference After Talks in Moscow Earlier this week, the two countries' militaries held joint drills in Belarus and since then the Russian troops and vehicles that took part in the exercises... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T13:31+0000 2022-02-18T13:31+0000 2022-02-18T13:35+0000 vladimir putin alexander lukashenko russia belarus ukraine /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/12/1093143682_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_2b78c3f6399ee0417ea61d9ad26fdf41.jpg Watch a live broadcast from Moscow where Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarussian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko are holding a press conference on Friday, 18 February, following their tet-a-tete talks earlier in the day. The two presidents were expected to discuss a wide range of issues, including bilateral strategic partnership, as well as ongoing tensions on the Ukrainian-Russian border and security situation in Eastern Europe. *Follow Sputnik's live feed to find out more. belarus 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 Putin and Lukashenko hold news conference following meeting in Moscow Putin and Lukashenko hold news conference following meeting in Moscow 2022-02-18T13:31+0000 true PT1S 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 vladimir putin, alexander lukashenko, russia, belarus, ukraine, https://sputniknews.com/20220218/russian-fm-accuses-nato-of-escalation-for-sake-of-escalation-amid-troop-accumulation-claims-1093152064.html Russian FM Accuses NATO of 'Escalation for Sake of Escalation' Amid Troop Accumulation Claims Russian FM Accuses NATO of 'Escalation for Sake of Escalation' Amid Troop Accumulation Claims Even though Russia has provided evidence of pulling back some troops from Crimea and Belarus following the completion of drills, the North Atlantic alliance... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T17:35+0000 2022-02-18T17:35+0000 2022-02-18T18:33+0000 russia-nato row on european security russian foreign ministry nato escalation ukraine /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/0f/1082641627_0:0:3058:1720_1920x0_80_0_0_c49c244b79d00158b3811109048b2173.jpg The Russian Foreign Ministry accused NATO on Friday of "escalation for the sake of escalation" in the ongoing crisis in Eastern Europe, where the alliance has accused Moscow of planning an invasion of Ukraine."We hope that negotiations on them will continue. We will insist on NATO stopping its provocative expansion policy, refusing to deploy strike weapons that threaten us near our borders, and returning the configuration of the alliance's forces to the positions of 1997," she added.Moscow has denied any intent to invade Ukraine, and the Ukrainian government has likewise said that Russian troops near its borders are insufficient to constitute an invasion threat. Nonetheless, the US government and Western media have continued to claim that such an attack could happen "at any time," and even that Moscow might try and use a "false flag" incident to create a casus belli.The US State Department levied just such an accusation on Friday, telling Sputnik that it regards news from the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) of explosions and artillery shelling by Ukrainian forces as a "false flag operation.""It is also cynical and cruel to use human beings as pawns to distract the world from the fact that Russia is building up its forces in preparation for an attack. Russia is the sole instigator of these tensions and is threatening the people of Ukraine. It has put its troops on Ukraine's borders, and routinely abuses and violates the rights of the people of Donbas and Crimea," they added.The DPR and its sister republic, the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR), are breakaway states in the Russophone Donbass region, which declared independence from Kiev in 2014 after a nationalist government came to power and attempted to reduce the status the Russian language as a national language in Ukraine. The eight-year war between them and Kiev has killed at least 14,000 people.Earlier this week, the Russian State Duma passed a resolution calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognize the two Donbass republics as independent states, but he has so far declined to do so. Ukraine and NATO have accused Moscow of secretly supporting the rebels, but they have denied any interference in Ukrainian affairs. However, Moscow helped to negotiate the Minsk Protocol peace settlement process with Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Morgan Artyukhina https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/17/1082703728_0:0:800:800_100x100_80_0_0_0b6ce8daa7411284d60c8a0b6d84186d.jpg russian foreign ministry, nato, escalation, ukraine https://sputniknews.com/20220218/the-export-potential-of-meetings-at-gulfoods-2022-exceeds-27-million-1093150567.html Export Potential of Meetings at Gulfood 2022 in Dubai Exceeds $27 Million Export Potential of Meetings at Gulfood 2022 in Dubai Exceeds $27 Million Moscow (Sputnik) Russian exporters, with the support of the Russian Export Centre JSC (part of VEB.RF Group), held more than 450 business meetings at the... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T16:56+0000 2022-02-18T16:56+0000 2022-02-18T17:27+0000 russian export center jsc (rec) dubai /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/0f/1083155303_0:90:3083:1824_1920x0_80_0_0_2a1beeb85f83d9d674ca608fe34d46fb.jpg "Taking stock of the domestic exposition on Gulfood 2022 organised by the REC, I can confirm its effectiveness, which is evidenced by the export potential of the meetings between Russian producers and potential foreign buyers which amounted to $ 27.5 million. I am sure that in these five days we have laid a good foundation for future exports," Veronika Nikishina, REC's chief executive said.She also noted that Russian food products have been in great demand on international markets over the past few years.At the Gulfood 2022 International Food Exhibition, more than 60 leading Russian companies including producers of grain, meat, dairy, confectionery, butter, drinks, and caviar presented their products with the support of the REC.Russian products continue to gain the confidence of foreign consumers, including residents of the Persian Gulf, as shown by the increased interest in Russian business at the exhibition. dubai 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 russian export center jsc (rec), dubai https://sputniknews.com/20220218/trump-slams-crooked-hillary-clinton-as-one-of-the-most-corrupt-politicians-to-run-for-president-1093139280.html Trump Slams Crooked Hillary Clinton As 'One of the Most Corrupt Politicians to Run for President Trump Slams Crooked Hillary Clinton As 'One of the Most Corrupt Politicians to Run for President Addressing the New York State Democratic Party Convention on Thursday, Hillary Clinton called Special Counsel John Durham's court filing alleging she paid... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T11:38+0000 2022-02-18T11:38+0000 2022-02-18T11:38+0000 donald trump jr donald trump ivanka trump letitia james hillary clinton /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/11/1092307790_0:0:2939:1654_1920x0_80_0_0_51398c469c90b944a545708f733310ee.jpg Former President Donald Trump slammed crooked Hillary Clinton while also targeting New York State Attorney Letitia James in a statement on Thursday. Speaking in the wake of the New York Democratic Convention in Manhattan, where the former Senator and Secretary of State was a keynote speaker, Trump accused Clinton of spying on him as a candidate. Earlier, Hillary Clinton had lashed out at Trump when addressing the New York State Democratic Committee Convention in Midtown Manhattan. Referring to the court filing by Trump-appointed special counsel John Durham that accused her 2016 presidential campaign of paying for research to link Trump, then a GOP candidate running against Clinton, to Russia, Clinton said: On Wednesday, the former US Secretary of State responded to the 11 February court filing submitted by Special Counsel John Durham, alleging that Hillary Clintons campaign lawyer had enlisted a tech executive to help "mine" internet data from locations that included Trump Tower and the White House, "to establish an inference and narrative linking then-candidate Trump to Russia". Trump argued that Durham's findings provided "indisputable evidence" that his 2016 campaign and presidency "were spied on by operatives paid by the Hillary Clinton campaign in an effort to develop a completely fabricated connection to Russia". The ex-first lady tweeted on Wednesday that "Trump & Fox are desperately spinning up a fake scandal to distract from his real ones". Greatest Witch Hunt in History Donald Trump, in his press release, also lashed out at the New York attorney general, Letitia James, investigating the Trump Organizations business dealings. After a New York judge ruled earlier that Trump and two of his adult children - Donald Trump Jr and Ivanka - must comply with subpoenas issued in December by James, requiring them to answer questions under oath and turn over evidence, Trump insisted that, There is no case. James' probe centers on allegations that Trump, as well as his children Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr., misstated the value of certain assets on financial statements, loan applications and tax submissions to obtain financial benefits. Trump accused failed Gubernatorial candidate Letitia James of saying absolutely horrendous and false things about Donald Trump, a man she doesnt know and has never met to get elected, and then selectively prosecute him and his family. New Yorks Attorney General had campaigned for two months late last year to be governor, yet in December 2021 aborted the campaign, opting instead to run for reelection as Attorney General. Donald Trump insisted that James was trying to interfere with my business relationships, and with the political process. Letitia James earlier said that she had uncovered "significant evidence" indicating that the Trump Organization engaged in fraud to obtain economic benefits, "including loans, insurance coverage, and tax deductions." https://sputniknews.com/20220217/hillary-clinton-accuses-trump-of-spinning-up-fake-scandal-amid-the-durham-investigation-1093106173.html https://sputniknews.com/20220217/new-york-judge-orders-trump-adult-children-to-be-questioned-over-businesses-1093124929.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko 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 Svetlana Ekimenko donald trump jr, donald trump, ivanka trump, letitia james, hillary clinton https://sputniknews.com/20220218/ukraines-prospects-of-joining-nato-were-never-strong-ex-mi6-chief-reveals-1093137936.html Ukraine's Prospects of Joining NATO Were Never Strong, Ex-MI6 Chief Reveals Ukraine's Prospects of Joining NATO Were Never Strong, Ex-MI6 Chief Reveals Ukraine switched from a policy of bloc neutrality toward aspiring to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 2014, after a US and EU-backed coup... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T10:29+0000 2022-02-18T10:29+0000 2022-02-18T10:29+0000 nato ukraine /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/0c/1092193700_66:0:3707:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_bff7716b0c9ccaa2e046bb2f54e2a3b8.jpg Kievs prospects for joining NATO were never very good, and they have become even poorer amid the current security crisis between NATO and Russia, former MI6 chief Sir John Sawers has said.The prospect of Ukraine joining NATO has never been very strong, and after this crisis is probably even less strong than it was before, Sawers said, speaking at a virtual event hosted by the Atlantic Council, a DC-based think tank.The former spy suggested that Kiev could instead opt for "some form of neutral status between Russia and NATO," like Austria did after World War II.Sawers believes that getting to a pro-neutrality policy would be difficult for Kiev, and claims that Russia might try to meddle in its neighbours affairs. I think more likely well find [Vladimir] Putin going ahead with continued meddling inside Ukraine, he said.Sawers is the latest former Western official to mention a neutrality status for Kiev as a means for defusing the Russia-NATO security crisis. Last month, retired US Army Lt. Gen. Dell Dailey called on Washington to take on a strategy of equilibrium, rather than the traditional containment, toward Russia, and urged for NATO to keep Ukraine and Georgia out of the bloc.On Wednesday, Moscow called on Kiev to proclaim neutral, non-bloc status if NATO refuses to publicly reject the countrys membership bid.Ukraine's Back and Forth on Relations With NATOThe idea of a bloc-neutral Ukraine is not new, and constituted the de facto foreign policy of Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s. Kuchmas multivector strategy, ostensibly designed to balance eastern and western interests, was supported by Russian Presidents Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin. This balance was upset with the victory of the Orange Revolution, a Western-backed soft coup in Kiev, which brought pro-NATO and pro-EU president Viktor Yushchenko to power in 2005. Yushchenko lost the 2010 election, and was succeeded by Viktor Yanukovych, a centrist who, like Kuchma, sought a non-bloc status for Ukraine. Yanukovych was overthrown in a second Western-backed colour revolution in 2014 after attempting to back out of an EU association agreement in favour of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union.The US and its allies have spent decades and billions of dollars seeking to pull Ukraine into the Wests orbit. In 2014, then-Obama-era assistant secretary of state Victoria Nuland (who now serves as undersecretary of state in the Biden administration) openly bragged about how the US had spent $5 billion to promote democracy in Ukraine since 1991 and the Soviet collapse.It remains unclear whether Ukraine even could join the Western bloc under existing membership rules, which state that nations which have ethnic disputes or external territorial disputes, including irredentist claims, or internal jurisdictional disputes must settle those disputes by peaceful means. Eastern Ukraine remains bogged down in years-long civil conflict between the Kiev government and separatist forces refusing to accept the outcome of the 2014 coup. Kiev also continues to lay claim to Crimea the Black Sea peninsula which held a referendum in March 2014 to break off from Ukraine and rejoin Russia.Russia has expressed grave concerns regarding the prospects of Ukraine's membership in NATO, calling on the West to halt the bloc's continued push east, and recalling Washington's broken promises from 1990 not to expand the alliance beyond the eastern borders of a reunified Germany after the end of the Cold War. https://sputniknews.com/20220216/russia-if-nato-refuses-to-publicly-reject-ukraine-as-member-kiev-should-declare-itself-non-aligned-1093081350.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 nato, ukraine https://sputniknews.com/20220218/us-cynically-rejecting-fact-of-genocide-of-russians-in-donbas-russian-embassy-to-us-says-1093129176.html Slogans About Human Rights 'Not Worth a Penny' as US Rejects Fact of Genocide in Donbas, Russia Says Slogans About Human Rights 'Not Worth a Penny' as US Rejects Fact of Genocide in Donbas, Russia Says WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US Administration is cynically rejecting the fact of the genocide of the Russian population in the eastern Ukrainian region of... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T01:57+0000 2022-02-18T01:57+0000 2022-02-18T04:49+0000 genocide donbas conflict russian embassy ukraine us crisis vladimir putin /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/09/1092123779_0:0:3178:1788_1920x0_80_0_0_0a6c85f567dc8d6c82f26668969a59b1.jpg A reporter asked Antonov how he could comment on the US statements that doubt the genocide of the Russians in Donbas."This causes outrage and indignation. How else can one interpret the shelling of residential areas by Ukrainian Armed Forces using multiple rocket launchers or the discovered mass grave sites of almost 300 civilians near #Lugansk, who were killed only because they considered Russian as their native language?" the Russian ambassador said on late Thursday."Here are not only double standards from the US side, but very primitive and rude cynicism. It turns out that Washington's beautiful slogans about the highest value of human rights are not worth a penny. The main geopolitical goal of the United States is to take Russia as far east as possible. And so, a line should be drawn to squeeze [the] Russian-speaking population from their current places of residence. That is why Americans prefer not only to ignore the attempts of violent assimilation of Russians in Ukraine, but also in any way they are subdued by political and military support," the ambassador added.Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the atrocities against civilians in Ukraine as genocide. The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly warned its Western partners against supporting Kiev's attempts to sabotage the Minsk agreements on Donbas and resolve the crisis in Eastern Ukraine by force. In a recent phone conversation with US President Joe Biden, President Putin mentioned the supply of weapons to Ukraine, which might encourage potential provocations by the Ukrainian armed forces in Donbas and Crimea.Kiev claims it is not planning any offensive operations in Donbas and that it relies exclusively on diplomatic tools.However, in violation of the Minsk agreements, the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) and Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) were shelled by the Ukrainian army on Thursday in the most intense shelling since April 2021. Local officials have urged international observers to record the attack and take measures to prevent aggression by Ukraine, but in vain.State Department spokesman Ned Price has accused Moscow of making "false" claims about genocide in eastern Ukraine as a pretext for an "invasion" a narrative Western states have been actively spreading for the past few months, despite Russia dismissing such allegations as nonsense.The self-proclaimed LPR and DPR declared independence in early 2014 after a right-wing nationalist government seized power in Kiev in a US-backed coup and launched an offensive against the Russian-speaking citizens in Donbas, which gets little or no coverage in Western media. https://sputniknews.com/20220216/russia-opens-criminal-case-after-discovery-of-mass-graves-of-civilians-in-donbass-1093089542.html ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Asya Geydarova https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/0b/1088970360_0:0:1003:1003_100x100_80_0_0_14c2d6564e4700bfb043d8338b3ba245.jpg Asya Geydarova https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/0b/1088970360_0:0:1003:1003_100x100_80_0_0_14c2d6564e4700bfb043d8338b3ba245.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 Asya Geydarova https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/0b/1088970360_0:0:1003:1003_100x100_80_0_0_14c2d6564e4700bfb043d8338b3ba245.jpg genocide, donbas conflict, russian embassy, ukraine, us, crisis, vladimir putin https://sputniknews.com/20220218/what-happens-to-sharks-after-they-attack-someone-1093128619.html What Happens to Sharks After They Attack Someone? What Happens to Sharks After They Attack Someone? Although shark attacks are rare, they do happen. Off the coast of Sydney, Australia on Wednesday, a man was mauled to death by a great white shark in Sydneys... 18.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-18T01:30+0000 2022-02-18T01:30+0000 2022-02-18T01:30+0000 shark shark attack studies australia ocean environment /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/12/1093128592_0:168:3000:1856_1920x0_80_0_0_eccf8c2ae7c40cfae515d5f173eacae1.jpg But how does one catch a beast when it decides to go rogue? And even if they can, should they?In east Sydney, where British diving instructor Simon Nellist was mauled to death by a great white shark, the protective measures which had been put in place, such as nets and other deterrents in the water, failed to prevent the attack. Although its the citys first fatal shark attack since 1963, that hasnt stopped people from taking to social media to express their outrage over Nellists death. Many are calling for the shark to be culled.Shark culling, or just culling in general, is when a state or government deliberately captures and kills an animal after it has killed a person. For instance, bears almost always pay the price after they are caught mauling a human. Yellowstone Park officials are often put in a difficult position when they have to choose between the protection of wildlife and the protection of park visitors.In 1986, a committee of wildlife biologists set guidelines on how to manage bears. They decided that unless the bear could be deemed a nuisance, conflicts between bears and humans would have to favor the bear.A nuisance bear would fit any of these three indicators: they raid livestock or food stores despite security and protection, becoming comfortable enough to seek out food from humans; they act aggressively, foreshadowing a more lethal threat to park-goers; or they cause significant injury or kill humans during an unprovoked, non-defensive encounter. Officials are also able to track bear DNA back to their murder suspect, ensuring that the bear they euthanize is the correct one.That may be so on land, but great whites live off the coast of various continents and can swim up to 120 km in a day. And even if a great white is caught by officials, theres difficulty in being able to tell if its the one responsible for the attack.In Western Australia, sharks can be killed if they pose a threat to humans, as part of WAs 2015 serious threat policy, which is a variation on a policy that was first introduced in 2014. Under this policy, the WA Department of Fisheries is allowed to use mobile drumlines as a way to catch sharks deemed a threat to humans. If the shark they are targeting is a great white, WA is first required to apply for an exemption to kill the vulnerable species.However, in 2016 a great white shark attacked and killed a woman off the coast of WA. The WA Fisheries then attempted to track down the shark, dropping large steel hooks, and hauling up drumlines, but they didnt catch anything. Their chances of success had been low, anyway.Since the introduction of the controversial shark culling policy, the use of drumlines against sharks has proved inefficient, and was abandoned in March of 2017. Under former Western Australia Premier Colin Barnetts government, $1.8 million was put towards shark hazard mitigation projects from 2013 to 2017.McPhee then points to electronic shark deterrents, which he suggests show substantial promise. Australian scientists are investigating a technology that would use the acoustic sounds of an orca call, or something similar, to deter sharks. However, the deterrent does not work on all shark species and could be disruptive to other marine life.While nonlethal shark attack deterrents are still in the making, McPhee suggests in the meantime, that the public should be educated on how to be safe at the beach. Avoid swimming or surfing in low light levels, avoid beaches near estuaries after heavy rain and flooding, and avoid places where stranded marine mammals are present - as the sites may attract sharks, he writes.Its important to remember too that shark bites are a rarity. Dr. Vanessa Pirotta, who commented on the attack in Sydney on Wednesday, says she understands the communitys shock, but urges people to remember the important ecological role sharks have in Australias marine environment.The likelihood of being killed by a shark in Australia is similar to that of being killed by a kangaroo: one in 8 million. Although shark-related incidents in Australia have doubled since the 1990s, officials say that increase is linked to a growth in Australias human population, not sharks themselves, whose population has significantly declined in the past 50 years.A study published in 2021 by an international team of scientists in the journal Nature, revealed that since 1970, the population of oceanic sharks plummeted more than 70%. And according to a 2018 study, the great white shark community suffered a loss of 92% in their population.In some incidents, conservation can actually lead to an increase in shark attacks. Seal populations in New England have bounced back from a near-extinct population after the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act was instituted. Currently, its estimated that there are as many as 50,000 grey seals in New England waters, which many have blamed for the death of a New York woman who was swimming in Harpswell, Maine in July 2020.Julie Dimperio Holowach, the 63-year-old retired fashion industry executive, was swimming with her daughter when, experts believe, she was mistaken for an injured seal because she was wearing a wetsuit. The great white shark attacked and killed the mother.Dr. Leonardo Guida, a shark scientist at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, commented on the incident in Sydney on Wednesday. First of all, we want to extend our sympathies to the friends and family of the swimmer who died in this tragedy, first responders and to those who witnessed it, he said.But, Guida went on to condemn the use of drumlines and/or using shark nets in order to catch and kill sharks. He, like McPhee, advocates for the non-lethal use of other shark deterrents like drones and warning systems.Both Humane Society International and the Australian Marine Conservation Society, organizations that work to protect the shark and ray populations in Australia, have spoken out against shark culling and net use, which have killed 910 sharks in Australia since 2017.They argue that shark nets and drumlines not only hurt and injure sharks but have killed other species whose populations are fragile. The organizations say that a total of 290 marine animals have been killed as a result of nets and drumlines, including 27 turtles, 26 dolphins, and 193 rays.Sharks have existed on Earth for around 450 million years, having survived five major extinctions which were responsible for destroying over 75% of other life forms. But in the past 100 years, sharks have just started to face extinction. When it comes to these rare shark attacks, perhaps its time to change points of view when asking whos really in danger, anyway? https://sputniknews.com/20220217/new-study-sheds-light-on-why-sharks-attack-humans-1093123140.html australia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Mary Manley https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/0b/1092187887_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_0c2cc4c84f89aff034cc55bb01fb6697.jpg Mary Manley https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/0b/1092187887_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_0c2cc4c84f89aff034cc55bb01fb6697.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 Mary Manley https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/0b/1092187887_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_0c2cc4c84f89aff034cc55bb01fb6697.jpg shark, shark attack, studies, australia, ocean, environment Next weekend, dignitaries will dedicate a state historical marker in Culpeper to the first African American soldiers serving in the Unions Army of the Potomac during the Overland Campaign of 1864. These men in United States Colored Troops regiments entered Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lees Central Virginia turf via Culpeper County, after crossing the Rappahannock River. Many had been enslaved, some in Culpeper and nearby counties, before joining the armys ranks and returning south. Culpeper researcher Zann Nelson has identified at least 120 USCTs who were born in Culpeper. On May 5, 1864, thousands of African American soldiers marched into Culpeper County at Kellys Ford as part of the Army of the Potomac, the Unions primary fighting force in the wars Eastern Theater, for the first time. The public is invited to the dedication ceremony for the marker Saturday, Feb. 26, starting at 11 a.m. at the Brandy Station fire hall at 19601 Church Road, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources said Thursday. For Saturdays ceremony, on-site parking will be available. Afterward, lunch will be served in the fire hall. Attendees are asked to register for the lunch by Monday, Feb. 21, at Info@Freedomfoundationva.org. Culpeper County native Howard Lambert, founder and president of The Freedom Foundation of Virginia, will deliver opening remarks. Ed Gantt, president of the U.S. Colored Troops, 23rd Regiment re-enactor group, will serve as master of ceremony. Other speakers will include David Ruth, a member of the Virginia Board of Historic Resources who is a former superintendent of Richmond National Battlefield Park, and Steward Henderson, a Civil War living historian and 23rd Regiment USCT re-enactor. The keynote speeches will be given by the Rev. Eugene Triplett, associate pastor of Rising Zion Baptist Church in Winston, and Dr. James K. Bryant II, a historian, author and educator who is an expert on U.S. Colored Troops. Triplett, a Brandy Station resident, is a descendant of a soldier in the 27th Regiment USCT. Bryant, a former professor of history at Shenandoah University in Winchester, worked for many years as a National Park Service historian at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. He has written several books, including The 36th Infantry United States Colored Troops in the Civil War: A History and Roster. Launched by Union Gens. Ulysses S. Grant and George Gordon Mead, the Overland Campaign was a game-changing series of battles in Central Virginia that helped win victory for the Union in the American Civil War. Eleven months after it began, Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House. During Grants Overland Campaign, some 3,600 members of USCT regiments served under Union Gen. Edward Ferrero in his 4th Division of the IX Corps. These men served in the 19th, 23rd, 27th, 30th, 39th and 43rd USCT, as well as in the 30th Connecticut Colored Infantry. When these troops were in Culpeper County, Confederates captured and executed at least three Black soldiers. Under the Confederate governments policy, rebel soldiers were free to execute Black soldiers on the spot. Also, the Confederate Congress in Richmond declared the colored regiments white officers to be contributing to servile insurrection and also fair game for death or punishment. The Black soldiers marched south across the Rapidan River to join Lt. Gen. Grants campaign, and helped neutralize Lees army before the Unions siege of Petersburg. In April 1865, Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox. The USCT regiments were disbanded in the fall of 1865, shortly after the wars end. The Virginia Board of Historic Resources approved the Culpeper marker in 2021. The manufacturing costs for the black-and-silver marker were covered by its sponsor, The Freedom Foundation, a nonprofit group. VDHR says its markers are erected not to honor their subjects, but to educate and inform the public about a person, place or event of regional, state or national importance. The markers are not memorials, which are governed by state law. Last November, more than 150 people helped dedicate the Maddensville Historic Site near Lignum in Culpeper County, which includes a monument to three USCT soldiers who were executed nearby on May 8, 1864. They were members of the USCT regiments that marched into Culpeper for the Overland Campaign. What happened at Maddensville speaks to how the United States chose liberty over slavery for the first time in its four-score and five years of history, Civil War author and historian John J. Hennessy, said in that events keynote address. Of the USCTs, Hennessy said, Their presence here reflected a momentous change in this nations relationship with the institution of slavery. In many ways, enslaved people fleeing bondage helped force that change. In 1862, months before the Emancipation Proclamation, thousands fled farms and plantations in Culpeper, Orange, Spotsylvania and a half-dozen other counties, emancipating themselves, flooding into the camps of any part of the U.S. army they could find: By presenting themselves, they challenged the nation: What are you going to do with us now? The Maddensville monument is the first of its kind in Culpeper County, and one of few to Black troops in Virginia. Virginia began its historical highway marker program in 1927 by installing metal signs along U.S. 1. At least one of those early markers, to Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart, survives at Four-Mile Fork in Spotsylvania County, south of Fredericksburg. Virginias marker effort is considered the oldest such program in the nation. Today, there are more than 2,600 official state markers, most maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation, as well as local partners in jurisdictions not under VDOTs authority. 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. SCOTTSBLUFF The Oregon Trail Community Foundations (OTCF) biannual Ag Recognition and Awards Banquet will be held Sat., March 5 at the Weborg Center in Gering. The event honors area ag producers, farmers, and ranchers. In support of the event, Mike Moravec and the Gering Booster Club recently presented a $1,000 donation to the foundations Agribusiness Scholarship fund to set the pace for a MATCH CHALLENGE to the community and area school Booster Clubs. All funds raised by this challenge will fund the OTCF Agribusiness Scholarship, as well as ag-related grants to benefit students in the Nebraska panhandle. This year, ag banquet sponsors will treat sixty local farmers to attend the event. The night will include special recognition of an area ag family, and a young woman who embodies the spirit of agriculture. In addition, a youth award will be presented for leadership in FFA. All proceeds from the 2022 banquet will be used to fund the OTCF Agribusiness Scholarship and various ag-related grants. Two panhandle students are awarded $2,000 agribusiness scholarships annually. Last years winners were Aleena Wagner of Broadwater and Allison Carpenter of Scottsbluff. Since the last Ag Banquet, the OTCF Grant Committee awarded the Bayard Public Schools $5,000 for its Greenhouse Project. This greenhouse provides new opportunities to learn about agriculture and greenhouse production technology. This greenhouse is something that our school has wanted for a long time. This will give real hands-on experience and further expand the Ag education program at Bayard Public Schools. We appreciate the foundations contribution and their willingness to support local education, Bayard FFA advisor and agriculture education teacher, Justin Rafferty said. Corporate tables for the event are sold out but you can still make a difference. OTCF is currently in search of monetary donations, live auction items and reverse raffle prizes. If you would like to help, you can make an impact with a tax-deductible donation today. Contact OTCF at (308) 635-3393. Fifth grade students buzzed around the Community Christian School gym Tuesday afternoon carrying trays upon trays of enchiladas while fourth graders stacked tortillas and adult volunteers scooped the sauce and rolled the popular Mexican foods to perfection. CCSs enchilada factory fundraiser was well underway. The two-day fundraiser will result in roughly 2,100 dozen, or 25,200 individual, enchiladas prepared and sold by the end of Wednesday. In past years weve made over 3,000 dozen, Deanna Goranson, CCS director of development, said. By about 9:30 this morning, we already had 100 dozen made Its incredible how many we can pump out in such a short amount of time. The enchilada factory began over 20 years ago in 1999 and has since become a staple throughout the community. Its kind of become an expected tradition in our community every year, Goranson said. Right after the first of the year, people start calling the office asking if we started selling enchiladas yet, so it is definitely become annual and very well liked. Its not just popular with those who eat the enchiladas, but also with those who help make them. CCS fifth grader Jessica Gurnsey said she cant pick a favorite part of the event. I like it all, she said. I always look forward to making them. While most CCS students dont get to help out with the enchilada factory until fourth and fifth grade, Gurnsey was a little bit different, having started as early as second grade. Jessicas dad is one of our main volunteers, Goranson said. Hes here pretty much all day every day, so Jess is one of the few students that got to help out early on, not have to wait for fourth and fifth grade. Currently, fourth and fifth graders mainly get to help out with running plates of enchiladas to where they need to go and separating tortillas. Gurnsey said she is looking forward to when she grows up and can help with some of the other things like rolling the enchiladas and sprinkling on the sauce and cheese. When I get to make them, Im going to know how to do it because of watching so many people, she said. One of those persons she watched was Goranson, who has been helping with the fundraiser as a teacher at CCS for eight years. However, this year was her first year being the main person in charge. Its been fun for me this year kind of having a leadership role, watching how the pieces come together and watching just the way the kids get involved, she said. Our students love it. Theyve been talking about it for weeks and how excited they are, so its been fun to watch them get excited and then actually follow through and be big helpers. While most of the enchiladas were pre-orders, Goranson said there will be 600 dozen made for walk-in sales. Community members who havent pre-ordered can come to the back of CCS anytime Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. to purchase enchiladas. They cost $20 a dozen. Emily Krzyzanowski and Sophia McAndrew contributed reporting to this story. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form 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. A Chinese court on Thursday sentenced Ma Ming, a former senior political advisor in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, to life in prison for bribery. Ma Ming, former vice chairman of the Inner Mongolia regional committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, was deprived of political rights for life, according to the intermediate people's court of the city of Zibo in east China's Shandong province. The court found that Ma took advantage of various positions in Jilin province and Inner Mongolia from 2000 to 2019 to seek benefits for others regarding business operations, job promotions and case handling. Ma was convicted of taking bribes amounting to over 157.85 million yuan (about 24.93 million U.S. dollars) in both money and valuables. All of Ma's personal property was confiscated and the illegal gains from bribery were recovered and turned over to the state treasury, said the court. It said Ma's case involved a particularly large amount of bribes and numerous instances over a long period of time, but he was given a lenient sentence because he confessed his offenses, showed remorse, provided additional information about his and others' offenses, and returned all his illegal gains. On Thursday morning in the John N. Harms Center at Western Nebraska Community College, seven individuals came together to paint. Instructor Rachelle Eversole had provided each participant with a canvas, the design already sketched on in order to save time. She taught them how to emulate an acrylic painting of a flowerpot. She showed them when to use crisscross strokes or straight lines, and how to add black or white to bring shadow or light to their compositions. Some of the painters had been learning from Eversole for years, while for others, it was only their first or second class. I was here last summer with each of my grandchildren individually for their birthday gifts ... and I have painted a couple times by myself, too, participant Laurie Zitterkopf said. She also took her daughter to a class taught by Eversole years ago. She said she particularly likes how the instructor teaches her students to paint flowers. As far as Im concerned, I didnt have an artistic bone in my body, but Ive actually gotten so that I can draw and paint things and recognize them, and Im starting to make my own cards, Zitterkopf said. This acrylic painting class was just one such opportunity the WNCC provides for people in the area to learn how to paint. Eversole teaches one of these classes, in addition to a Bob Ross-inspired painting session, monthly. There are also summer opportunities for kids and regular arts courses for WNCC students during the semester. Eversole has been a painting instructor since 2000 and has hosted classes at the college for nearly as long. I do create my own paintings for the acrylics. I do follow some of the Bob Ross paintings when I am teaching his technique. I also try to do local scenery in classes which are my own creations, Eversole told the Star-Herald in an email. ... I try to pick paintings that will teach students how to use the different brushes and the strokes you can create with them. I also teach values of color. A little about composition, how to mix colors. I pick subjects so the students learn to paint landscapes and florals. Like Zitterkopf, some participants bring along family members to the classes. Sometimes they bring children or grandchildren, or other times they bring along their parents. Its just a nice bonding time and they have fun doing it, Eversole said. I have had students that have painted with me for over 20 years. They just keep coming back because its fun, its social, and its therapeutic. Some people put their paintings ... in the fair and stuff like that. Ive had people come up and do private lessons. On this occasion, the participants were all older, though this isnt always the case. Eversole said she likes it when young children join in her classes so long as they can pay attention and follow along. Sometimes, they can even out-paint all their older classmates. Today, we are really lacking some of those individuals with creativity, people who are able to think outside the box. Thats one of the beginning pieces, starting when theyre very, very young, said Patsy Yager, an early childhood education instructor at the college. Yager teaches WNCC students how to teach young children a variety of subjects, including art. She also teaches children directly during summer classes at the Harms Center. Among these classes are watercolor and acrylic painting sessions. Yager said its important to help children express their creativity at every age. We dont have as much art in elementary school, and especially junior high and high school, as we really should ... but I think its really important, and the age we can do that well is the very beginning, Yager said. 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. JEFFERSON CITY Attorney General Eric Schmitt said Wednesday Id have to look at dress code issues when asked if schools may require pupils to wear shoes. Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis, posed the question Can school districts require shoes? during a House Budget Committee hearing. The attorney general, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, has sued dozens of school districts over their masking rules and faced questioning about those efforts during the hearing on his budget request. Merideth said school districts are trying to make tough decisions at the local level as people continue to die from COVID-19. Im not questioning the intentions, Schmitt said. Im saying that under the law, they dont have the ability to do it (require masks). My question for you is, under the law then, do they have the ability to require shoes? Merideth asked. Id have to look at dress code issues, Schmitt said. Its not anything Ive looked at. Merideth asked if shoes could be part of a dress code, couldnt masks? Masks play a very different role than a dress code, Schmitt said. After the hearing, Schmitts spokesman didnt say whether the attorney general believed local school districts could force students to wear shoes. The attorney general very clearly addressed that ridiculous line of questioning during the hearing, said Chris Nuelle, Schmitts spokesman. Asked yes or no on shoes? Nuelle said Im not dignifying that question with a response. Youre trying to create a narrative from a ridiculous comparison, Nuelle said before claiming masks are harming children. I think he dodged the question, Merideth said after the hearing. Merideth also asked about Schmitts cease-and-desist letter to local health departments after a Cole County Circuit Court ruling last year striking state health regulations. After the letter, the Laclede County Health Department said it would stop all COVID-19 work, including contact tracing and public announcements of COVID-19 statistics, the Springfield News-Leader reported. Have you followed up with any of them to give them more specific guidance? Merideth asked. I would have to check, Schmitt said. You give opinions, Merideth said. If youre sending them a letter telling them they have to cease something, and then they cease entirely out of caution, is it not your responsibility to also follow up and say, Well to be very clear here are the only things Im telling you that you need to stop. You need to give them the full picture of what youre saying is and isnt (legal), Merideth said. Merideth asked how the attorney generals office handled the Cole County case, in which the attorney generals office was representing the Department of Health and Senior Services, which sought to affirm the regulations the court struck. We had a line attorney that worked on that unencumbered, Schmitt said. As a lawyer, your job is to represent your client, Merideth said. You have publicly opposed the states position on that case and yet your office represented the state on that case. Was there any conflict of interest? Merideth asked. No, Schmitt said. The lawyer represented the state to the best of her ability. Schmitt said he decided not to appeal the decision when the state lost. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Attorneys offered dueling perspectives of the moments after an Omaha woman gave birth on a sidewalk near 24th and P streets on Sunday. Prosecutor Michael McInerney said Thursday in court that Trinity Shakespeare delivered her baby boy and then ran away from the infant, hiding in the backyard of a home about a block away. Defense attorney Cathy Saathoff said, however, that Shakespeare had run to call for help and left the child with another person. Douglas County Judge Jeffrey Marcuzzo ordered Shakespeare, 27, to be held on $50,000 bail on one count of intentional child abuse. If convicted, she faces a maximum of three years in prison. Shakespeare gave birth to a baby boy about 10 a.m. Sunday near 24th and P. Someone with her had called 911 about 9:15 a.m. to report that Shakespeare was having pain, a call that was coded as someone with a maternity problem. An ambulance arrived, but Shakespeare refused assistance and didnt answer questions from medics except to deny that she needed care. About 10 a.m., Sheila Allee called 911 to report that a baby had been born. She told The World-Herald the mother left before the ambulance arrived. Other witnesses covered the newborn with warm clothing, but law enforcement said the baby was exposed to the 15-degree weather for five minutes. Both the baby and Shakespeare were taken to Nebraska Medical Center. Officials said the baby will survive. The state has been granted temporary custody of the boy. According to an affidavit, the Omaha police officer who rode in the ambulance with Shakespeare said she had a hard time keeping her eyes open and smelled strongly of alcoholic beverage. The next day, an Omaha police detective interviewed Shakespeare in the hospital. Shakespeare told the detective that she found out in September that she was pregnant. Shakespeare told the detective that she didnt see a doctor or take prenatal medications during her pregnancy. She said she drank alcohol at times because of her painful cramps. Shakespeare also said she smoked marijuana the night before the baby was born and drank vodka on the day she gave birth, according to the affidavit. She told the detective that she was aware of what occurred that day and remembered delivering her baby and walking away. Saathoff said Shakespeare was trying to go back to her infant when she was stopped by police, who prevented her from returning and called an ambulance for her. Saathoff brought up Shakespeares mental health issues and said she has lived in Omaha, residing with her grandparents, for about 10 years. Her sister told the World-Herald on Wednesday that Shakespeare has been homeless for the past four years. Marcuzzo initially set Shakespeares bail at $40,000, meaning she would have to pay 10%, or $4,000, to be released from jail. McInerney requested that bail be increased to $75,000 because of the nature of the alleged crime and Shakespeares numerous prior misdemeanor convictions. Had there not been a witness there to intervene, this could have been a lot worse situation, McInerney said. Saathoff said the bail was sufficient because Shakespeare likely would not be able to afford the $4,000 cost. She also said Shakespeare was not a threat to society. Any threat that she was posing has been removed, Saathoff said. She is no longer pregnant. Marcuzzo then increased bail to $50,000, meaning Shakespeare would have to post $5,000 to be released. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! 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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 The show must go on, even it is delayed a few months. Thats been the story for Statesville Theatre as it prepared for Next to Normal, the first major production since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It feels a little surreal that we can really get back to it. I imagine this is how people on Broadway felt when they finally got to go back to work. Sharron Sigler, the artistic director of Theatre Statesville said. Finally, we can do this again. We were a bit lost without being able to produce art. Is she nervous for opening night? Yes, always, and Im not even on the stage, Sigler said with a laugh. When youre a director, youre worried about everything ... yYoure like the mom to everybody. The play opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Cornerstone Christian Academy, 650 Glover St., with six more performances before it closes Feb. 28. Next to Normal is a drama that tells the story of a suburban household that copes with crisis and how far the two parents will go to keep themselves sane and their familys world intact, Theatre Statesvilles website says. Themes of mental health and suicide explored within the play have the director and actors seeing parallels with life during the pandemic, as mental health issues have been highlighted over the past couple of years. I do work as a medical social worker, so this is very close to my heart, mental illness, Amy MyKay, who plays Diana, the familys mother, said. Isolation, depression, anger, frustration all fall into this. With the heavy themes, Sigler said the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will have a table at the show in case anyone needs to speak to someone after seeing the play. The actors have been trying to get into different headspaces to play the characters experiencing those struggles. While the material is serious, getting into character can still be a rewarding experience for actors. For Kaylyn Hall, she is playing a role that is much different from her own personality. She said its allowed her to explore her range as an actor. Most of the time I play sweet, innocent characters because thats my personality, Hall said. In this show, I get to be a lot more angsty, bring out a different side of acting Ive not been able to before, with being sad, crying and angry more. Its been a challenge because Ive not had the big opportunities to do so. Even without the subject matter, the work of learning dozens of songs in a rock musical isnt easy. With 38 songs of the score, 16 or 17 of which I have to sing with, is its own challenge, said Paul David Kurts, who plays the father, Dan. Coleson Berlin, who plays Gabe, one of the familys two children, said when he began performing as a child he never had the confidence to do musicals. Even in recent years, he approached roles with singing with trepidation. However, he has gotten into his character and shaken off most of his doubts about his singing parts. Gabe, my character, is not like that at all, Berlin said. He knows he can do whatever he wants and controls Dianas mind a little bit. So I have to throw all that away and go full force into Gabe. And he doesnt care what anybody thinks. It hasnt been easy for those involved. Different productions with different outfits have been postponed or canceled in the past couple of years, including some for Theatre Statesville. While some said the timing ended up working out for them, it wasnt without difficulties. It was a little jarring at first, Xander Bauder, who plays Henry, Natalies love interest, said. He explained how the delayed production of this one allowed him to put his energy and efforts toward his previous performance with another organization before taking on this one. It sucked for me emotionally, but I got to focus on one show at a time, which helped in the long run, he said. He said that was best for both shows, and that he is glad to have his focus on this one as the material, as while as his castmates, excites him. This is the most electrified Ive been by any cast in a long time, Bauder said. Now with the opening night upon the cast and rehearsals out of the way, its time for the show, finally, to go on. Tickets can be purchased online at theatrestatesville.com for $20. Follow Ben Gibson on Facebook and Twitter at @BenGibsonSRL 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. Flash Russia should "do what it says" and withdraw its forces from the borders of Ukraine, Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), said on Thursday. The withdrawal "will be an important first step towards a peaceful political solution," he said after a meeting of the NATO member states' defense ministers. On Tuesday, Russia said part of its armed forces participating in joint drills with Belarus would be pulled back. According to the country's defense ministry, when the combat training activities are completed, the Russian troops, as always, will return to their locations of permanent deployment. However, Stoltenberg said that no significant withdrawal of troops or equipment took place. "Despite Moscow's claims, we have seen no sign of withdrawal or de-escalation so far," he said. "On the contrary, Russia's build-up appears to continue. We continue to monitor developments very closely." NATO has called for dialogue to continue with Russia through the NATO-Russia Council, established in 2002 with the aim of "reducing misunderstanding and increasing predictability." "In times of tension, dialogue is even more important. NATO remains open to engaging with Russia in good faith," Stoltenberg said. Russia sent a draft security treaty to NATO in December 2021, which was followed by discussions within the NATO-Russia Council. NATO then sent Russia its own proposal and is now awaiting response. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continue, with visits by the French and German heads of state to Moscow. During German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit on Tuesday, Russia's President Vladimir Putin said that his country did not want war. February 18, 2022: In the south, across the Sulu Sea, Malaysia, especially its Sabah province has become a new refuge for Filipino Abu Sayyaf Islamic terrorists seeking an alternative base to their native Sulu province. Currently Abu Sayyaf only has a few hundred 400 active members and are short of cash, local support and new recruits. Kidnapping used to be a good source of cash, especially if foreigners could be taken. That has become more difficult and riskier because the military has increased the number and effectiveness of its land and naval patrols. Thats one reason for the move across the Sulu Sea, where Malaysian security forces stay in contact with their Filipino counterparts to locate and eliminate remaining Abu Sayyaf groups. Those now in Malaysia are not very active at all. They have few local supporters and consider Malaysia a refuge rather than an operating base for local attacks. February 15, 2022: National police revealed that they had uncovered and disrupted a foreign Islamic terrorist plot to carry out attacks in the Philippines. This effort has been underway since 2017 by Hamas, a Palestinian Islamic terror group that is backed by and often works for Iran. The police heard rumors of this plot and eventually found a Filipino who had detained information about the Hamas operation, but had backed away from it because Hamas seemed more interested in killing Filipino or foreign Jews in the Philippines as well as instigating some local support for Iran and Hamas by offering to pay local Moslems to do it. The few Filipino Islamic terrorists consider this sort of thing foreign interference, not assistance. Hamas was seeking local mercenaries while pretending to support Filipino Islamic radicals. February 14, 2022: The United States completed and turned over to the government a $5 million assault boat facility for the Filipino marine corps to dock these special boats. The facility includes fully equipped workshops for maintaining and repairing the boats. February 12, 2022: In the south (Maguindanao province) one of the few BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters) leaders still active was killed, along with eight of his followers, when their vehicles were ambushed by men from another BIFF faction. There have been few violent encounters with BIFF forces in the six months and it is rare for two BIFF factions to attack each other. Since 2021 most of the BIFF losses have been from BIFF gunmen surrendering. BIFF personnel who surrender or turn themselves in with their weapons and tell interrogators what they know can get amnesty. There are less than a hundred BIFF members left and most are veterans, which explains how they have remained active for so long. Because of their small numbers, BIFF has not been able to carry out any attacks lately. Just surviving has become a full-time BIFF activity. The two BIFF factions involved in todays clash are from different clans and violent feuds between clans has been common in the Moslem south for centuries. The commanders of the two clans are not only from different clans but also have grudges against each other. February 10, 2022: In the south (Surigao del Sur province) several dozen NPA gunmen set up a roadblock on a main road at about 7 AM and maintained it for 20 minutes until a vehicle came along. They stopped the truck and made sure he knew who they were and then let it go and abandoned the roadblock. A little later another group of NPA entered and ransacked a local politicians home. This was near where the roadblock appeared and apparently part of a less-violent (than usual) NPA effort to influence the May elections. In the north (Cavite Naval Base), the U.S. turned over four Cessna 172 single-engine trainer aircraft to the Filipino navy. These aircraft will be used to train new navy pilots as well as provide inexpensive flights for existing pilots seeking to maintain their skill. Also provided were spare parts and maintenance equipment as well as training in the U.S. for 24 Filipino sailors who maintain aircraft. February 2, 2022: In the south ( Lanao del Sur province) soldiers encountered a group of armed Islamic terrorist rebels and killed two of them. The dead were identified as members of the Maute Group, which now prefers to be called DITG (Dawlah Islamiyah Torayfie Group). Members of this group tend to fight to the death rather than surrender. Remnants of several ISIL factions have been trying to survive in this area since 2017. DITG has few personnel left and there have been a few DITG bombings since 2019, usually against military convoys or camps. In mid-2021 one the last known DITG bomb-builders was killed and the army found evidence that there were more armed DITG members around than previously believed. On the plus side all or most of them had coalesced into one group led by a known DITG leader. This faction was first identified and encountered in 2021 and several times since then. The troops are trying to force the Islamic terrorists into a fight, or a surrender. DITG survived four years of constant army patrols and civilians who phone in tips as well as those who provide just terrorists have been here messages. While there is cell phone coverage in 95 percent of the populated areas there are still many rural areas where people own cell phones but have to travel to a town or city to use them. Desperate Islamic terrorists will destroy existing cell towers in areas where they are being pursued. What has hurt the Islamic terrorists most is that more rural Moslems openly provide information and the security forces have lists of towns and villages where there are informants. The names of informants are often not provided but local soldiers and police know that just asking local leaders or merchants will get them to someone who has timely information to share. DITG has been trying to regroup, rebuild and move forward with more devastating attacks. Their attacks since 2019 caused little damage and few casualties. DITG was never officially acknowledged by ISIL and is composed of the survivors of the Maute Group, which was largely wiped out in 2017 when they tried to take over the nearby city of Marawi. That failed in a spectacular fashion, which is one reason ISIL does not want to be associated with this group. While the Islamic terrorists dont surrender much, the communist NPA rebels do and over twenty have done so this year. February 1, 2022: In the south (Sulu province) solders encountered some Abu Sayyaf Islamic terrorists and one of the Abu Sayyaf men was killed along with one soldier. Two other soldiers were wounded. Several other Abu Sayyaf men fled. January 31, 2022 : In the south (South Cotabato province) soldiers encountered two armed members of DITG and killed them. January 25, 2022: In the south (Bukidnon province) troops encountered and killed a second senior NPA (New Peoples Army) leader, the first was killed in a similar incident four days ago. NPA has been losing a lot of senior leaders in the last year, some of them with over fifty years NPA experience. Some are located because of tips from local civilians. Bukidnon province has been one of the few remaining NPA strongholds because of the veteran NPA leaders present and many of those veterans are getting killed, captured or even surrendering. Most of the political violence in the Philippines since World War II has come from communists, who had been around but not very active before World War II. The communists became a major part of the armed opposition fighting the brutal 1942-45 Japanese occupation. After independence in 1946 leftist rebels continued fighting, trying to establish a communist dictatorship. That proved difficult to do. A major reorganization took place in the 1960s, resulting in the creation of the NPA in 1969. The new communist rebel organization adopted the Chinese Maoist long term strategy. That was not very successful despite lots of economic and social problems they could promise to fix if they were in charge. Enthusiasm for a "communist solution" went sharply downhill after the collapse of the Soviet Union and its East European communist allies between 1989 and 1991. That massive failure of communist states left the NPA much weaker ideologically and vulnerable to subsequent amnesty programs. A decade ago, NPA leaders admitted that they had only a small fraction of their peak (in the 1980s) strength of 26,000 armed members. There were some serious attempts to reverse the decline in popularity. NPA gunmen were instructed to behave better around civilians and the NPA were found giving some civilians, especially health or aid workers, cash compensation of a few hundred dollars each for wounds received during NPA attacks on soldiers or police. The government increased its efforts to provide medical care for such victims of NPA violence, the NPA tried to compete and found they couldnt afford it. Information on the location of NPA camps, weapons storage sites or covert supporters is increasingly obtained from local civilians or NPA members that surrendered. Because of that more NPA camps are being attacked, weapons storage sites seized and key supporters arrested or killed, even in Bukidnon province. January 24, 2022: The Philippines have discovered that there are other Chinese threats in the region. Commercial satellite photos show Chinese dredging ships at work in a Cambodian port that is apparently going to be a naval base for China. In November 2021 Chinese leader Xi Jinping clashed with several other national leaders at a special virtual (teleconference) China-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) meeting. This event was to commemorate three decades of Chinese relationships with the association members. The Philippines accused China of using intimidation to conquer and take control of the South China Sea. Specifically, the Filipino leader accused Chinese coast guard vessels of using water cannons to prevent Filipino ships from resupplying the small military garrison on a grounded LST at Second Thomas Reef. Xi responded that the coast guard vessels were protecting Chinese territory. Xi ignored international treaties and a 2016 ruling by an international tribunal that the Chinese claims were false. Most ASEAN members agree with the Philippines and the 2016 court ruling but China responded by demanding that outsiders (like the United States) do not interfere with a local issue. China has put a lot of economic and diplomatic pressure on ASEAN members to either back China or not openly oppose Chinese efforts to take possession of the South China Sea. Founded in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, ASEAN has since then expanded to include Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Most of these nations oppose China's claims in the South China Sea. China long had a staunch (and paid for) Cambodian ally in ASEAN. Cambodia blocks attempts to unify and oppose China. XI also clashed with other ASEAN leaders over the absence of Myanmar at this meeting. That was because China and ASEAN disagree over the legitimacy of the new Myanmar military government, which forced out elected leaders in early 2021 because those officials wanted to reduce the power of the military and Chinese interests inside Myanmar. Cambodia is not as staunch ally as China would like and the failure to get ASEAN to support the new Myanmar government was a very public rebuke of China for its use of outlaw tactics. January 20, 2022: The navy announced that it would receive a second South Korean Pohang-class corvette by the end of the year. The first one was delivered in 2019 and both were an incentive for the Philippines to order more new corvettes and frigates from South Korea. The 1,200-ton Pohangs are small ships, with 24 built in the 1980s. They are old ships but well-armed and can stay at sea for about ten days at a time. The Philippines recently ordered two 3,200-ton corvettes from South Korea. Each will cost $227 million and both will be delivered by 2026. Each corvette has better electronics and weapons than two frigates now in service with the navy. Because of the threat from China, the Philippines has been seeking to obtain six new frigates/corvettes and so far, has ordered four of them from South Korea. The first two were ordered in 2016. These were 2,600-ton Jose Rizal class ships. Endurance is 30 day and the Rizals spend most of their time patrolling coastal waters and the Filipino EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) which extends 360 kilometers from the coastline. Given that the Philippines consists of 7,600 islands, there is plenty of coastline. Some of those islands are in the South China Sea and claimed by China. The two new corvettes are 600 tons heavier and are better armed and equipped than the Rizals. The new ships have the same power-plant as the Rizal, which means they are slower. This puts them in the corvette class. Centuries ago, in the age of sail, frigates were the smallest type of ocean-going warship. Corvettes were smaller and generally used for coastal and offshore patrol. By the late 19th century sail had been replaced by steam and the frigate and corvette categories remained. The U.S. Navy called its corvettes cutters and these served with the coast guard. In wartime, coast guard ships serve with the navy. During World War II the U.S. Navy used some British designed corvettes that were considered patrol boats and similar to American designed ocean-going ships called destroyer escorts. Since World War II the terms frigate and corvette have often been used interchangeably. Such is the case with the new warships purchased from South Korea, which has long been one of largest commercial ship builders in the world and since the 1980s became a major warship builder, for the South Korean Navy as well as a growing list of export customers. January 16, 2022: The Philippines received another gift of military equipment from China, the recent donation is for construction and transportation equipment. In the past there have some donations of weapons and ammo for defeating leftist rebels and Islamic terrorists. Most of the $21 million in donations over the last decade have been non-combat gear. China sees this as a sales tactic to generate sales of vehicles and construction equipment and that has produced more sales of Chinese equipment to the Philippines. Update This story was updated at 10:20 a.m. on Feb. 18, 2022. A portion of downtown Marion's Main Street was blocked off Thursday night as the Smyth County Sheriff's Office executed a narcotics search warrant at an apartment in one of the buildings. According to a sheriff's office press release, the 212 East Main Street apartment was occupied by 40-year-old Joshua Lee Kogod and 20-year-old Alexis Leigh Harris. A substantial amount of methamphetamine and a firearm was seized during the investigation, the release said. Both Kogod and Harris were arrested. The release went on to say that there was no danger to the public at the time. Kogod is charged with possessing 100 grams or more of methamphetamine, possessing a firearm while distributing drugs and possessing a firearm by a felon. He is being held without bond at the regional jail in Abingdon. Harris, who was charged with possession of methamphetamine, was released on an unsecured bond. The sheriff's office expressed appreciation to the Virginia State Police Tactical Team and the Marion Police Department for their assistance in the execution of the warrant. A decision on whether a Longview drug trafficker could have accessed his seized cars and bank accounts was released this month almost a year after he died and nine years after his conviction. Sidney Albert Potts, 70, died Jan. 6, 2021, while serving a roughly 34-year prison sentence for his 2013 convictions of six felonies, including organized crime. His death came almost a year after he filed his last appeal in this case against a Cowlitz County Superior Court decision that approved the loss of his property, including vehicles at his Longview business Potts Family Motors, which detectives say he used as a front to sell drugs. Washington State Court of Appeals, Division II Judge Bernard F. Veljacic denied Potts request to access the property in a Feb. 1 unpublished opinion. Potts was found guilty on four counts of delivery of methamphetamines and one count of methamphetamine possession in 2013 in Cowlitz County Superior Court. Authorities said they seized $10,000 worth of methamphetamines, 25 vehicles and more than $33,000 in cash when they searched his car lot, a warehouse and home in 2012, following undercover drug purchases made by the police. Veljac wrote in a Feb. 1 opinion that Potts had the required legal notice to attend the hearing on the possible forfeit of his property, which Potts had countered. The court also did not agree with Potts stance that Superior Court hadnt addressed his claims that Longview police lacked probable cause to search his business or that a forfeiture hearing was not held for his business. Veljac wrote Potts did not provide enough documentation to rule whether his bank accounts were seized illegally. Love 1 Funny 3 Wow 2 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. Editors note: Information is provided by the Cowlitz County Corrections Department and local law enforcement agencies. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Theft, forgery Longview officers Wednesday arrested Taunya Renae Kennen, 48, of Vancouver, on suspicion of second-degree theft and forgery. Robbery, theft Longview officers Wednesday arrested Eugene Burt Kornoely, 42, of an unknown location on suspicion of second-degree robbery and attempted theft of a motor vehicle. Robbery, theft, vehicle prowl Kelso officers Wednesday arrested Blake Logan Silsbee, 28, of Kelso on suspicion of second-degree robbery, second-degree vehicle prowl, second-degree theft and first-degree trafficking stolen property. Assault Longview officers Wednesday arrested Annetta Marie Wools, 43, of Longview on suspicion of second-degree assault. Assault Longview officers Thursday arrested Eddie Saraphanh, 48, of Longview on suspicion of second-degree assault. Burglary 2600 block of 48th Avenue, Longview. Wednesday. Theft report of power tools at a residential remodel. Stolen vehicle 600 block of First Avenue, Kelso. Wednesday. Black 1999 Eagle Utility Trailer. WA 0130ZH. 12th Avenue and Hudson Street, Longview. Wednesday. Copper and brown 1987 Chevrolet truck with white and blue canopy on the back. Thefts 200 block of Boardwalk Way, Kelso. Wednesday. Theft report of irrigation control box outside school. 400 block of Three Rivers Drive, Kelso. Wednesday. A woman in her 80s reported her wallet was stolen from her purse while shopping at a store. 200 block of Pacific Avenue, Kelso. Wednesday. Report of mailboxes broken into. 3100 block of Ocean Beach Highway, Longview. Wednesday. Report of purse with phone and wallet stolen. 200 block of 28th Avenue, Longview. Wednesday. Report of Taurus .38 special firearm missing. 2700 block of Fir Street, Longview. Wednesday. Report of child's scooter stolen. Vandalism/malicious mischief 4500 block of Ocean Beach Highway, Longview. Wednesday. 2500 block of Allen Street, Kelso. Wednesday. 800 block of Ocean Beach Highway, Longview. Wednesday. Report of car windshield broken. 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. Kelso officials plan to sell the closed Beacon Hill Elementary School, as well as temporarily move Rose Valley Elementary School students to Catlin Elementary for one school year while crews upgrade the 83-year-old building. Temporary move The Kelso School District announced the Rose Valley decision Wednesday after reviewing whether students and staff should remain in the building during the construction in the 2022-23 school year, or move to a different site or into temporary classrooms that are similar to mobile homes. School officials say moving students to Catlin Elementary School roughly 15 minutes away is the best choice. The move wont cost money and will provide similar classrooms as those at the southeast Kelso Rose Valley school. Officials say purchasing a new temporary classroom and moving the districts existing temporary classrooms to Rose Valley would cost $550,000, and offer less security in a noisy setting with no playground. The construction of the upgrades also cannot be done in phases, says the district, so classes cannot be held in the building while work is done, like the recent Butler Acres Elementary remodels. Catlin Elementary School has been used as a transitionary school, said Kelso School District Spokeswoman Michele Nerland, since the school was closed at the end of the last school year. Huntington Middle School students are housed at Catlin this school year, but will return to their building in the 2022-23 school year, making room for Rose Valley students. Officials plan for Rose Valley construction to start this fall and end in August 2023. Planned upgrades to the building include major renovations such as replacing plumbing, electrical systems, windows, heaters and boilers, as well as upgrading the roof, siding and floors. Technology upgrades like security cameras, intercoms and a new phone system also will be installed. The district is asking for feedback on the temporary move in an online survey at surveymonkey.com/r/rosevalley and the results will be shared in the spring. The $5.5 million upgrades to Rose Valley are part of a $98.6 million bond approved by voters in 2018. The bond is a loan voters approve to pay back, including interest. Officials say $35.5 million of the bond was used for the construction of Lexington Elementary School, $30 million for Huntington Middle School upgrades and $13 million to remodel Butler Acres Elementary School. Beacon Hill sale After a public hearing, the Kelso School District Board approved placing Beacon Hill Elementary up for sale at Tuesdays meeting. The approved resolution says the terms of the sale will be discussed in private, executive session, and the board will approve the final decision. The resolution says the Beacon Hill site was unsuitable and inconvenient to be used by the district. Beacon Hill and Catlin elementary classrooms closed at the end of the 2020-21 school year, when the new, three-story Lexington Elementary opened further north in fall 2021. The 10-acre Beacon Hill site includes a roughly 44,000 square-foot building, constructed in 1976, according to Cowlitz County Assessor reports. The sites total assessed value was about $2.78 million in 2021, roughly $230,000 less than in 2015. Love 2 Funny 2 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. The Washington Department of Ecology fined Weyerhaeuser $40,000 Thursday for stormwater quality violations at its Longview mill. According to a penalty notice issued to Weyerhaeuser on Monday, the department found 30 occasions where the mills stormwater discharge broke the state limits on certain water quality parameters between October 2020 and November 2021. The discharge violations largely had to do with the waters five-day biochemical oxygen limit and its turbidity, or relative clarity. The same stormwater outfall locations reported 30 monitoring issues in the penalty notice. The citation said the flow rate through the outfall had not been continually tracked for a four-week stretch between Aug. 14, 2021, and Sept. 10, 2021. DOEs penalty also included a one-time failure in September 2021 to sample and analyze its wastewater before it was sent to a nearby treatment facility. The monitoring is a special condition in place for the mill because of the complex infrastructure connections among NORPAC, Nippon Dynawave and Weyerhaeuser in the Longview facility. We believe strongly in permit compliance and invest significant time and resources to ensure we are meeting all environmental standards, Weyerhaeuser Spokeswoman Mary McAleer wrote in an email statement Thursday. McAleers statement added the two adjoining paper mills may have contributed to or caused exceedances of the Weyerhaeuser stormwater limits and they were cooperating with the Department of Ecology to address concerns. A DOE spokesman said the issues that led to Weyerhaeusers fine were separate from the $68,000 fine announced Wednesday for water quality violations at Longviews NORPAC mill. The Weyerhaeuser fine will go into the Coastal Protection Fund, a grant pool for water quality projects that is overseen by the DOE. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 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. NASA says Earth to Mars journey may be as long as 500 days, but some scientists say the time it takes to reach the planet can be slashed NASA says that the period it takes humans to travel between Earth and Mars is some 500 days. However, some scientists suggest that it can be slashed hugely. In fact, they have devised a laser-thermal propulsion system that can make it happen. Shockingly, they say the Earth to Mars trip could take just 45 days. According to the predictions by NASA, the time taken to reach Mars is around 500 days currently, but these scientists based in Canada say it could be reduced manifold. Engineers from McGill University, based in Montreal, Canada, say they have developed a new laser-thermal propulsion system, using lasers to heat the hydrogen fuel. Termed as directed-energy propulsion, it uses enormous laser shots fired from Earth to power the photovoltaic panels present on the spacecraft, reported the Daily Mail. Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here. Also read: Emmanuel Duplay, a McGill graduate and MSc Aerospace Engineering student at TU Delft, published a paper suggesting this could be used in a trip to Mars. Speaking to Universe Today, he said, The ultimate application of directed-energy propulsion would be to propel a lightsail to the stars for true interstellar travel, a possibility that motivated our team that did this study. Notably, NASA has plans to send humans to Mars in the 2030s. However, the spacecraft required for such travel do not exist as of yet. They would require a 32ft diameter, 100-megawatt array of lasers, to be built. These will be Earth-based. For this application, lasers will be used to deliver power to photovoltaic arrays on a spacecraft, which is converted to electricity to power an engine. This idea is similar to a nuclear-electric propulsion (NEP) system, where a laser array takes the place of a nuclear reactor. According to Duplay, his concept is related but different. Our approach ... permits the spacecraft to accelerate rapidly while it is still near earth, so the laser does not need to focus as far into space," he said. "Our spacecraft is like a dragster that accelerates very quickly while still near Earth. We believe we can even use the same laser-powered rocket engine to bring the booster back into Earth orbit, after it has thrown the main vehicle to Mars, he added. The research paper says, "The application of directed energy to spacecraft mission design is explored using rapid transit to Mars as the design objective. An Earth-based laser array of unprecedented size (10 m diameter) and power (100 MW) is assumed to be enabled by ongoing developments in photonic laser technology. A phased-array laser of this size and incorporating atmospheric compensation would be able to deliver laser power to spacecraft in cislunar space, where the incident laser is focused into a hydrogen heating chamber via an inflatable reflector. The hydrogen propellant is then exhausted through a nozzle to realize specific impulses of 3000 s. The architecture is shown to be immediately reusable via a burn-back maneuver to return the propulsion unit while still within range of the Earth-based laser." The findings from this research have been published on Arxiv.org Recently, our TechNave Chinese team collaborated with Samsung Malaysia to host a Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: Lover's Mountain Hiking Love Diary fan event. We invited five couples to try not just the phone but also the Galaxy Watch4 smartwatch! So how did the devices perform during the outing? Read on below! Galaxy S21 FE 5G - Great battery performance and IP68 rating Nowadays, consumers generally want high-quality performance, especially in battery endurance. In the Galaxy S21 FE 5G's, you get the Exynos 2100 chipset, a lightweight body, and a 4500mAh battery. According to one of the couples, the phone lasted had 50% remaining even after a long hike while taking photos. As a reminder, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G supports 25W fast charging. It's capable of restoring more than 50% of the battery within 30 minutes. So if you have forgotten to charge the phone last night, a quick 30-minute fast charging session while preparing yourself in the morning can be a lifesaver. Took many photos the whole morning, yet the battery is still running strong Rainy day? No problem! That's not all, as our hiking event was met with an unexpected guest - rain. Our writer who was there said it was raining cats and dogs. Luckily, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G features IP68 water and dust resistance rating, protecting it from the heavy downpour that morning. It's also worth mentioning that the phone uses the latest Corning Gorilla Glass Victus to resist scratches, perfect for outdoor activities such as this. Galaxy Watch4 - A smart fitness smart assistant The Galaxy Watch4 is Samsung's first wearable to use WearOS operating system. Compatible with a wide array of Galaxy devices, it gives users access to their favourite apps on the watch. It also allows users to view and control the settings of the Galaxy Buds2. The Galaxy Watch4 is also Samsung's first wearable that lets you measure your body composition. This includes data like body fat percentage, skeletal muscle, body water, and other data that could be monitored during our hike that day. Checking out the data from the hike! The Galaxy Watch4 Smartwatches can be fashionable as well. With the Galaxy Watch4, you can personalise it with different straps for work, lifestyle, exercise, and other scenarios. Of course, the bands can also endure the rain and can be used when swimming (up to 50 metres). The smartwatch's aluminium body is also quite resistant to scratches. Hiking up the mountain was great, and despite the strong wind and rain, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G and Galaxy Watch4 survived. But what do you think of this combination? If it's what you're looking for, wait no more and don't miss out on the current promotion! Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (8+128GB) - RM2899 Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (8+256GB) - RM3099 Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Bluetooth - RM899 Samsung Galaxy Watch4 LTE - RM1199 Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic Bluetooth - RM1299 Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic LTE - RM1599 If you want to read about our outdoor experience, you can visit this link to learn more. Stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com. The trainfrequently referred to as the dream super-express by the Japanese presswas completed in 1964 and made it possible to move more people faster. Credit: Kenny Kuo on Unsplash In the lead-up to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Japan was abuzz with anticipation. But it wasn't just the upcoming games that was generating excitement. People across Japan, and the globe, were also eagerly waiting for the launch of "Tokaido Shinkansen"the world's very first bullet train. But in an era of luxury jet travel and a race to be the first country to land on the moon, how did a train capture the imaginations of people across the globe? A new booktitled "Dream Super-Express: A Cultural History of the World's First Bullet Train" by Jessamyn Abel, associate professor of Asian studies at Penn Stateexamines the stories of the people affected by the technological advancement, to help find the answer. And the answer, Abel found, was complicated. "The train ended up meaning different things to different people," Abel said. "This was a time when Japan was in the process of recovering from World War II, about to host the Olympics, and trying to show how well the country was doing. And this train was something they could show to the world and prove that they were making a comeback." The trainfrequently referred to as the "dream super-express" by the Japanese presswas completed in 1964. It ran from Tokyo to Osaka, shortening the travel time between the two biggest cities in Japan from seven hours to three. This made it possible to move more people faster, helping to relieve a transportation bottleneck that had been building on the main industrial transportation route. According to Abel, the bullet train's track is located on the most densely populated and densely industrialized strip of Japan. While there was already a railroad running between the cities, it wasn't enough to move people and goods to their destinations. The new bullet train helped alleviate this pressure and ended up changing the way people thought about their country at the same time. "The new ability to visit one of these cities and return home all on the same day helped change the way people thought about space," Abel said, "both the geographical space between Tokyo and Osaka and the relationship and position of those cities to each other and within the nation of Japan." But in her research, Abel also found the new railroad wasn't a blessing for everyone. In order to build the new tracks and corresponding stations, construction crews had to forge a path through the landscape, including land that was already occupied. Houses, businesses and whole communities were destroyed in the effort to build the new track. While the original planned route didn't go through Kyoto, Abel said city leaders lobbied to have the train go through and make a stop there to help add a "global sheen of modernity" to the ancient city's reputation. But, Abel wrote, that was probably "cold comfort for those whose communities were destroyed, families evicted, or businesses ruined" by the newly forged tracks. Abel said one of the things that surprised her while researching the book was how much the train inspired not just dreams about the future, but memories of the past. In 1931, the Japanese empire invaded and eventually created a puppet state in the Chinese province of Manchuria, lasting until the end of the war in 1945. Under Japanese control, the South Manchurian Railway began running a luxury express train that was the third-fastest in the world and superior to any in Japan. "Having the fastest train in the world made people think back to a previous moment of railroad glory: of the super express in Japanese-occupied Manchuria," Abel said. "The bullet train seemed to trigger two very different kinds of nostalgia. Some people thought back in a rosy way of what they saw as the successes of the empire. But others were thinking back to the pain and misery of wartime." Abel said that while she was excited to learn about the experiences of people who were directly impacted by the train, she was also interested in exploring the significance and impact of infrastructure on society. By the time the bullet train was built, Abel explained, the airline industry was booming and Japan was even beginning to develop a space program. Railroads, even at that time, were seen as an old, declining form of infrastructure. Still, the "dream super-express" enchanted the public. "The bullet train was built to move people at high speeds from one city to another, but it also moved people's hearts and minds in more subtle ways," Abel wrote. "It conveyed meanings, instilled feelings, and evoked emotional responses. Those intangible and malleable historical, social, and cultural functions are the subject of this book." Explore further Japan tests next-generation Shinkansen bullet train Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee speaks during a presentation on the planned factory to build electric F-Series trucks and the batteries to power future electric Ford and Lincoln vehicles on, Sept. 28, 2021, in Memphis, Tenn. Ford Motor Co. and a South Korean company would have to create more than 5,000 full-time jobs at a planned electric pickup truck factory and battery manufacturing plant in Tennessee or pay back at least part of a $500 million state grant for the project, according to a lease approved Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, by a regional board.Credit: AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File Ford Motor Co. and a South Korean company would have to create more than 5,000 full-time jobs at a planned electric pickup truck factory and battery manufacturing plant in Tennessee or pay back at least part of a $500 million state grant for the project, according to a lease approved Thursday by a regional board. The Megasite Authority of West Tennessee's board of directors voted to approve the lease during a meeting to discuss the $5.6 billion project to build electric F-Series pickups and batteries at a 3,600-acre (1,460-hectare) parcel of land in rural Stanton, northeast of Memphis. Ford, battery maker SK Innovation and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced the project in September. A joint venture called BlueOvalSK will also construct twin battery plants in Glendale, Kentucky, in an estimated $5.8 billion investment. The projects are expected to create an estimated 10,800 jobs and shift the automaker's future manufacturing footprint toward the South while putting an emphasis on green energy. Construction on the Tennessee site, named BlueOval City, is expected to begin later this year. Ford has said it plans to start production by 2025. "The approval of the site lease for BlueOval City is another important step in keeping the project moving forward," Ford said in a statement. In October, Tennessee lawmakers committed to spending nearly $900 million on state incentives, infrastructure upgrades and more as part of a sweeping plan with Ford. The agreement included $500 million in capital grant funds. The lease approved by the board essentially grants the land to Ford through December 2051. The rent is $1 for the entire lease term. Under conditions in the lease, an accountability agreement requires the creation of 90% of the committed 5,760 jobs in connection with the $500 million grant, according to details presented during the meeting by attorney Chris Bowles. If less than 5,184 jobs are created within 10 years, Ford and SK will have to repay a portion of the grant plus $175 million, which represents the value of the land, according to the lease presentation. A truck drives down a rural road near a water tower marking the location of the Memphis Regional Megasite on Sept. 24, 2021, in Stanton, Tenn. Ford Motor Co. and a South Korean company would have to create more than 5,000 full-time jobs at a planned electric pickup truck factory and battery manufacturing plant in Stanton or pay back at least part of a $500 million state grant for the project, according to a lease approved Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, by a regional board. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File "We thought to ourselves, 'What protections does the state have if ... either the joint venture or Ford default on the obligation?'" Bowles said, adding: "That's not what we expect to happen." The deal includes only full-time workers at the plant, not the estimated 30,000 jobs tied to the construction of the facility. Bob Rolfe, Tennessee's economic development commissioner, noted Swedish appliance maker Electrolux's decision in 2019 to shut down its Memphis factory after receiving a large incentive package. The state's 2010 agreement with Electrolux didn't include clawback provisions to recover $100 million in state incentives if job thresholds weren't met. Electrolux later agreed to pay local taxes on the factory. "Basically, Electrolux took $100 million from the state and lot of money from the city and the county, and then just woke up in year six and said ... we're going to shut the plant down and we own everything, and there were no repercussions," Rolfe said. Rolfe added that the Ford payback provisions are "almost the opposite" of the Electrolux deal. "There's an enormous amount of capital at risk here," Rolfe said. Before landing the Ford project, Tennessee had invested more than $174 million in the Memphis megasite but struggled to lure the big tenant it wanted. With an economy based largely on farming, Haywood County saw its population shrink by 4.9% to 17,864 people from 2010 to 2020, one of 14 counties to lose population as Tennessee grew as a whole by 8.9%, according to census data. The meeting was held in Brownsville and livestreamed on the Internet. Explore further Electric vehicle charging company to build Tennessee factory 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: Emine Kamaci, Shutterstock For centuries, people have been trying to divine freshwater from the ocean. Ships in the 16th century carried small distilleries that could be used in the event of an emergency to boil seawater. But trying to do this on a large scale cooks up equally large-scale problems. "It's an energy question," says Frank Rogalla. "To desalinate water takes 10 times more energy than for any other water source." The carbon footprint of desalinating water is sizeable: industrial-sized desalination plants like Saudi Arabia's huge Ras al-Khair typically need their own power stations. Although early desalination plants were based on boiling salt water, an energy crisis in the 1970s accelerated the rise of reverse osmosis plants, which use high pressures to push salt water through a membrane that leaves the salt trapped on one side. This uses about half as much energy as boiling the water, but still demands around 4 kWh to produce a cubic meter of potable water. That makes other strategies for drought-stricken communities, such as water conservation and reuse, much more pragmatic. "Desalinated water is too expensive for most use cases," adds Rogalla. "It is expensive in infrastructure and energy costs, so it's a last resort." He says that desalination plants constructed in Spain fell into disuse when farmers refused to pay the high cost of the water they produced. However, there are some tricks that might make salt water more palatable. The first is to avoid the oceans. "Rather that seawater, desalination typically uses brackish water as a starting point," explains Rogalla. This might come from aquifers that are considered too salty to use untreated, or estuarine sources. This is less salty than seawater, so requires less energy to desalinate. In the EU-funded MIDES project, Rogalla led efforts to make the process even more efficient with the help of bacteria. These microbes were used to help carry salt molecules across a membrane, further reducing the energy needed to create drinkable water. Rogalla says: "The energy required for desalination is directly proportional to salt concentration, so if we can kick-start the process with microbial energy, we reduce the electricity needed." For every liter of fresh water desalination plants produce, there is a leftover liter of water that is now twice as salty. Rogalla sees this as an opportunity: "There are nice salts in the water, like calcium and magnesium, ones that normally cost a lot to obtain." His team is exploring ways to extract the various minerals dissolved in this waste brine for commercial use. So with increasing water scarcity, does Rogalla see desalination as the future? "It's an emergency measure, and only one part of a solution," he remarks. "First you should minimize use, and then reuse water when you can. Desalination is only for the highest need. Without these other actions, it is simply not sustainable." 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. An effort to create a business improvement district for Grand Islands Fourth Street has support from local business owners and city leaders alike. An informational meeting was held Wednesday evening at Central Community Colleges newly opened Entrepreneurship Center at 407 W. Third St. The meeting was presented in both English and Spanish by Assistant Regional Planner Rashad Moxey and Carlos Barcenas, a Fourth Street BID Committee member. The whole idea of meeting with Fourth Street business and building owners is we know BID has some opportunities for growth, Barcenas said. We want to highlight how the community has grown, and if youve been in Grand Island for a few years we know the history of Fourth Street and that many things have happened. He added, The common denominator is: We love Grand Island, we love our community and we want to see what we can do together. The proposed BID would extend from Eddy Street to Sycamore Street. Moxey explained that 30% of recorded owners or users of space have to submit a petition to City Council. A BID would allow business owners to pursue funding and facilitate projects for improvement and growth of the corridor, including infrastructure needs. It is a public/private partnership, where BID can partner with local government to do specific projects, Moxey told The Independent. The other benefit is, owners in the area can take things in their own hands and there are times when they can do projects collectively, rather than on an individual basis. Nancy Fernandez, owner of La Flor Market & Restaurant at 210 W. Fourth St, said the prospect of forming a Fourth Street BID is exciting. I feel good because I know Fourth Street has been in bad reputation before, and now that we are growing, with businesses, we need to improve it, she said. I feel this is going to help a lot, so we can get more businesses in Grand Island. Forming a BID would be the best thing that can happen to us, said Alma Rollins, owner of TA Latino Check Cashing at 402 W. Fourth St. Ive been in business for 20 years, my husband has been 29 years there, and we think we can improve and create, and bring along more people from every ethnicity, like Somalians and Vietnamese. Thats the goal, Rollins said. We can bring everybody along and say, we are here and we can improve. She added, We can give it a face and say, This is us. Mayor Roger Steele, attending Wednesdays meeting, is supportive of the effort. I hope it happens, he said. Im excited for the possibilities that organization can bring to the Fourth Street Business District. I think this can turn into a wonderful successful venture, but of course, these people have to decide if they want to do it, but I hope they do it. Railside Business Improvement District President Amos Anson also voiced his support, calling the effort amazing. Railside has offered over the years to help be a part, and Im glad to see that theres an effort by the business and building owners on Fourth Street to take an interest, he said. I think we can complement each other very well. Like someone said tonight, theres opportunities if theres representation from both BIDs to come together. The effort to create a Fourth Street BID is being headed by a group of five, including University of Nebraska Extension Educator Sandra Barrera, Norma Hernandez and Rashad Moxey, City of Grand Island Planning Department, Carlos Barcenas, iChoosePurple Consulting, and community member Herson Casteneda. For more information about the effort, visit https://4thstreetgi.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. Former Omaha state senator and 2022 gubernatorial candidate Theresa Thibodeau visited Grand Island Thursday as part of her statewide campaign. Thibodeau visited The Independent ahead of a meet-and-greet at The Saddle Club. For Thibodeau, this years election is about the parents, she said. Our children are so important to us and their education, and focusing on math, reading, English and science, and the fact that we have a whole generation of children who are quite far behind right now, she said. As I speak to parents across the state, theyre going, hey, we have a lot to address in this state, but if we lose our children, nothing else matters. Crime is also a key concern for Thibodeau. Were looking at crime that is coming into our state in the ways of illegal drugs, and we have some people who want to get soft on crime, she said. They want to make some drugs into a misdemeanor, for instance, heroin. And parents are scared for their childrens safety. They dont want them subjected to that. Our freedoms are being chipped away at each day, Thibodeau said. I want to stand up and be the governor of Nebraska who can stand strong and say, you will not indoctrinate, as opposed to educate, our children, she said, and you will not come into our state and commit a crime and be allowed out. She added, I will work with all of the law enforcement to make sure everyone knows Nebraska is a no-crime state. Like her fellow conservative candidate in the 2022 governors face, Thibodeau is an advocate for family values and local control. She distinguishes herself, though, as a female Republican candidate, as a parent, and as the owner of a private preschool, she would speak with hundreds of parents every day. Ive been able to have those one-on-one conversations, she said, and being a mom I know what other families are going through, and what youre doing to juggle your work-life balance, the stresses it puts on families when schools shut down and parents are trying to homeschool children or find child care, and still make a living and provide for a family. She added, People opened up to me, and I could really listen to and hear what everyday Nebraskans are going through. Though from Omaha, Thibodeau said she is attentive to rural Nebraska, saying she knows where my food comes from. Rural Nebraska is the backbone of our state, and I will never forget that. In fact, we taught it in our preschool, how food gets to our table, she said. Rural Nebraska has been overlooked in the past for things to grow in agriculture and economic development. Im inspired because Ive seen some great things going on in our state. She added, Its amazing the opportunities the entire state has, but it needs to come within the community because communities know whats best for them. Competing with seven other candidates in this years Republican primary, Thibodeau remains optimistic from actively meeting with community leaders one-on-one. I believe, and I think Nebraskans still believe, that every single vote has to be earned, she said. Im out driving well over 1,000 miles a week earning every single vote, and each person I talk to whose vote I earn tells me, I think youre going to be our next governor. That gives me great hope because I would love to serve this great state because of our great people, and because I think our state can be the example for the rest of the country. Nebraskas primary election will take place May 10. For more information, visit theresaforgovernor.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. CURTIS A college scholarship in honor of a longtime Sandhills ranch couple is helping a Burwell student achieve career goals. Jaylee Lynn DeGroff received the Jim and Helen Gran Scholarship to the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture through the Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation in 2021. The $1,200 scholarship from NCF and the Grans, who had ranched near Gordon, helped DeGroff with tuition and college expenses last fall during her third and last semester at NCTA. In December, with her Associate of Applied Science degree in animal science, DeGroff and the balance of her scholarship transferred into a four-year degree program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In January, the Aggie alumna started classes in meat science at UNLs College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. I was out looking for scholarships to apply for while at NCTA and came across this one given by Jim and Helen Gran, as it was directly to attend NCTA, said DeGroff, who had attended Burwell Junior and Senior High School. While an NCTA Aggie, DeGroff stuck to academic studies. I enjoyed getting to know everyone in my class because of having small classes. She did take time to enjoy intramural team sports of flag football, volleyball and softball. Her career goal: Become a USDA meat inspector. I enjoy working at my cousins meat business, Ord Locker, and spending time with family and friends. Jim Gran, who is retired and now resides in Lincoln, said the scholarship is meaningful as his late wife, Helen, was a longtime champion of the beef cattle industry. Both were active in Nebraska Stockgrowers (Nebraska Cattlemen) and Helen in the Nebraska Cow-belles (Nebraska CattleWomen). I am glad to hear that we could help support Jaylee as she continues in the industry, said Jim Gran. Scholarship information at NCTA is available at https://ncta.unl.edu/financial-aid-programs. Many scholarships are from memorials and specific donations to NCTA through the University of Nebraska Foundation while others are from organizations or donors outside of the University. Applications to Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation Youth Scholarships are submitted to NCF. One $10,000 Beef State scholarship application for current college students is due Tuesday, Feb. 15. Others are due March 15. Forms and details are at https://nebraskacattlemen.org/about/foundation/. A Grand Island man has been arrested in connection to Tuesdays stabbing death of a man in a Grand Island apartment complex. Donald Anthony, 34, of Grand Island was arrested at 7:52 p.m. Thursday in St. Paul following a standoff with police from several agencies. GIPD obtained a search warrant for a residence at 1019 Seventh St. where Anthony was believed to be, according to a Nebraska State Patrol news release. The NSP SWAT team was activated, and after initial attempts to communicate with Anthony, the SWAT determined that Anthony was the only individual inside the residence. After approximately 90 minutes, SWAT team members entered the house and found Anthony barricaded inside an attic crawlspace. He was taken into custody and arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder of Said Abdullahi Farah, use of a weapon to commit a felony and possession of a weapon by a prohibited person, based on GIPD information. Farahs body was found shortly after 6 a.m. Tuesday after GIPD received a report of an injured person in a Grand Island apartment complex at 303 Pine. St. When GIPD arrived they found Farah, 30, dead from an apparent puncture wound in a hallway of the building. Thursday nights release said Farah was stabbed in his neck. An autopsy was completed Wednesday. Lawmakers on the Legislatures Natural Resources Committee held a rare closed-door executive session Thursday to discuss legal issues related to Gov. Pete Ricketts' proposal to build a canal and reservoir system that would divert water from the South Platte River in Colorado for use in Nebraska. The committee is considering LB1015, which would give the states Department of Natural Resources the authority to build and maintain such a system, which is allowed under a nearly 100-year-old compact. The committee didn't vote Thursday on whether to advance the bill. But based on comments from two participants, it is unclear if the discussion needed to take place behind closed doors. Executive sessions are open to the media with rare exceptions. When Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard, Natural Resources chair, moved to close the meeting, he cited rare and extraordinary circumstances to discuss potential litigation issues. All six senators present Bostelman, Ray Aguilar of Grand Island, John Cavanaugh of Omaha, Dan Hughes of Venango, Mike Moser of Columbus and Justin Wayne of Omaha voted in favor of closing the session. Sens. Tim Gragert of Creighton and Mike Groene of North Platte were absent. After the session was over, Wayne told the Omaha World-Herald hed never vote to close an executive session again, in Natural Resources or otherwise. He declined to elaborate. The closed-door session included Natural Resources Department Director Tom Riley, Assistant Director Jesse Bradley and Justin Lavene with the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office. Riley declined to share any details related to the session. Printed materials from the meeting obtained by the World-Herald include fact sheets on the project that had previously been presented to senators at a public hearing, a presentation from the Platte Valley Water Partnership in Colorado, a Bureau of Reclamation report from the early 1980s used to come up with the state's cost estimate, and a commissioned analysis of the economic benefits of protecting the South Platte River water supply. The Appropriations Committee had planned to host Riley and lawyers from the Attorney Generals Office for a briefing Wednesday, but that was canceled after chair John Stinner declined to close the meeting to the media and public. "First of all, I think most of my members would not have voted to close it, that's probably No. 1," Stinner said. "But No. 2 is, everybody thinks we ought to have transparency this is a big deal. And I think it needs to have a fairly good, robust discussion that's open to the public." Suzanne Gage, spokesperson for the Attorney General's Office, said it was "necessary" that the office cancel appearing in front of the committee in that case. Historically, when the Attorney Generals Office meets with a Legislative Committee on matters involving interstate water compacts, we have met in closed session because the discussions involve pending or imminent litigation associated with these compacts, Gage said in an email. When the Attorney Generals Office learned for the first time late Tuesday afternoon that the Appropriations Committee had opened up the Wednesday meeting to the media, it was necessary for us to cancel. Stinner said the office didn't want to divulge its legal strategy, but he argued that his committee wouldn't have asked those questions. Even if it did ask them, officials could've declined to answer them. We will continue to try and educate all members of the Legislature regarding the South Platte Compact and the importance it has with regard to protecting Nebraskas entitlement to water on the South Platte, Gage said. After Thursday's meeting, Cavanaugh said he didnt think closing the meeting was necessary. Participants mightve been less candid had it not been closed, he said, but he didnt think anything shared required a lack of candor in public or private. He said theres broad recognition that protecting the states interests in water is important, and that the department has done a decent job explaining Colorados efforts to secure more water on the South Platte. The question is whether taking this action would achieve the stated objective, he said. And I am still skeptical on that. The project, aimed at preserving flows on the South Platte River under a 1923 compact, has garnered support from agriculture groups, natural resources districts, Nebraska Public Power District and others. It has also triggered a flood of questions. The compact currently ensures Nebraska 120 cubic feet per second between April 1 and Oct. 15. The canal would allow the state to claim up to 500 cfs of water for irrigation outside that growing season. Riley, Ricketts and others have pitched the project as key to protecting Nebraska's water resources and, ultimately, its economy and way of life as the population on Colorado's Front Range grows. Riley has said the economic impact of losing "just a portion" of the water would be over $1 billion. He has estimated that construction on the project could start as soon as 2025 and that the state could be using the canal within a decade. Colorado officials have pushed back on Nebraska officials underlying logic for the canal proposal. In a statement Thursday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis' press secretary said the governor would "continue to aggressively defend our water rights for the Eastern Plains, our farmers and ranchers, and all of Colorado." "Colorado will fight for our interests, uphold our obligations in good faith, and oppose attempts to divert Colorados rightful precious water resources," Press Secretary Conor Cahill said, echoing remarks reported by Nebraska Public Media earlier this week. "This canal to nowhere would clearly be a huge waste of Nebraska taxpayer money and is unlikely to ever be built. There remains time for thoughtful Nebraskans to avoid this boondoggle and focus on meaningful water policy working with partners like Colorado, and Governor Polis is always ready to engage with anyone to better plan the future." Meanwhile, water law experts who teach at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have pointed out that its uncertain how much water Nebraska could actually get out of such a canal. The same experts who spoke with the World-Herald about the proposal last month briefed lawmakers on the Appropriations Committee earlier this week, according to Nebraska Public Media. Riley previously told the World-Herald that the first step for the project is securing funding LB1015, the bill currently under consideration in the Natural Resources Committee, doesn't include a means of paying for the project's hefty price tag. Those sources appear in separate bills. Ricketts proposed budget includes a $400 million transfer from the states Cash Reserve Fund, along with $100 million in COVID-19 relief funds from the American Recovery Plan Act, to pay for the project. But Stinner said the committee has decided not to include any funding for the canal project in the preliminary budget package its working on. He said he supports studying the idea, but not tying up $500 million in state money during a lengthy permitting process. He said he could support putting $2 million or $3 million toward costs such as a feasibility study and design. The idea of taking half a billion dollars off the table thats where I draw the line, Stinner said. Police arrested a Wyoming school bus driver taking high school students to an activity in South Dakota on suspicion of driving under the influence and having an open container of alcohol. The Wyoming Highway Patrol got a report that the bus wasn't keeping within its lane on U.S. 85 around 5 p.m. Wednesday, patrol spokesman Sgt. Jeremy Beck said Thursday. A trooper pulled the Laramie County School District No. 1 bus over near Hawk Springs, about 60 miles northeast of Cheyenne, and arrested driver David Williams, according to Beck. Williams was booked into the Goshen County jail but was no longer there Thursday morning, according to a person at the jail who said they couldn't provide more information. It wasn't clear if Williams had an attorney who could speak on his behalf. Information about Williams' case could not be provided remotely, according to a person who answered the phone at Goshen County Circuit Court. School officials sent another driver to the bus and activity sponsors made sure the South High School and East High School students from Cheyenne remained safe and warm, Superintendent Margaret Crespo said in a statement Thursday. School officials didn't immediately respond to a request for more information Thursday including whether the students went ahead to the unspecified activity in Spearfish or returned home. We will be readdressing the importance of student safety with all of our transportation personnel, Crespo said in the statement. Student Mental Health Crisis Two Senators Unveil Bipartisan Bill to Open SAMHSA Mental Health Funds to K12 School Districts Two U.S. senators have announced proposed legislation that would allow K12 school districts to seek direct federal funding for comprehensive student mental health and suicide prevent programs from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Under current law, SAMHSA may only provide direct financial support for mental health services to colleges and universities, but not to K12 schools. Late Thursday, Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Ala.) unveiled their bill, titled Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Act. Both are members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. The bill had not yet been enrolled as of 8 p.m. EST on Thursday. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have worsened student mental health challenges that existed before the pandemic, leading to higher rates of student depression, anxiety, and suicide. These challenges have now reached a crisis point, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recently declared a national state of emergency in childrens mental health, the senators said in a news release. As we work together to recover from COVID-19, we must prioritize supporting our students and their mental health needs, Rosen said. My bipartisan legislation would allow the federal government to fund comprehensive, equitable, and evidence-based resources and programs in K-12 schools to further promote our students mental health, and help prevent student suicides. By allowing funding to go directly to schools to enhance and expand mental and behavioral health services offered to students, those experiencing mental health struggles will have greater access to culturally-relevant services and prevention programs, Murkowski said. As we address the current mental health crisis, our children should know their wellbeing and safety is always a priority and that its okay to ask for the help you need. SAMHSA grant funding authorized by the Rosen-Murkowski bill would support a wide range of mental health evaluation, planning, programming, and suicide prevention strategies in K-12 schools, including: Conducting training programs for students and school staff to promote effective responses to student mental health issues and suicide attempts Providing mental health services to school-age youth through telehealth or other applications, and to conduct suicide risk and mental health screenings Educational awareness campaign materials for school-age youth, families of school-age youth, and school staff to increase the awareness of potential mental and behavioral health issues of school- age youth Peer-to-peer program support Programs that assist schools in adopting a public health approach to mental health Providing culturally-specific mental health and substance use education and prevention programs for school-age youth The bill is similar to one introduced last March in the U.S. House of Reprentatives by Reps. Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.) and Lori Trahan (D-Mass.). HR 1803 was referred to the House Subcommittee on Health a day later, and no action has been taken on it since, according to U.S. Congress records. The primary difference between the new proposal from Murkowski and Rosen and HR 1803 is matching funds: HR 1803 requires non-federal matching funds in order for school districts to receive grant assistance, while the new proposal does not. Lens sample kindly provided by LensRentals, who do not demand that we mention them or link to them in return. I want to point out that LensRentals has a "Keeper" program, whereby you can buy the equipment you've just rented. You can try a lens and, if you like it, keep that exact lens. Roger Cicala of LensRentals has made it abundantly clear why this is a useful service...because there is sample variation in lenses. (Especially zooms.) After testing lenses and writing about them for many years, I can name many instances in which one lens I used had that little something extra that I was unable to find again when buying another copy of the same lens. With my current Sigma 30mm, the opposite was the casethe review sample had slight decentering, and the one I bought for myself doesn't. (Although I keep looking for it, slightly neurotically.) Anyway, the Keeper program gives you some nice flexibility that way. If you rent a lens that you think is particularly spot-on, you don't have to worry about finding another one that's every bit as good; that very one can be yours. Getting to the point Anyway, I won't be reviewing the Zeiss Loxia 25mm /2.4, because it's due back today and I wasn't able to complete all the trials that give me a seat-of-the-pants idea of how the lens performs. Two reasons: 1.) bad weather, 1.) more bad weather, and 2.) because the Leica M10-P Reporter got here and (can you blame me?) diverted my attention. I'm not very good at keeping my attention undiverted, if you haven't noticed. But the manual-focus Zeiss lens gave me its gifts anyway. I learned a few important things from it. The obvious one is that I personally (your mileage really might vary here) would not be happy with a full-time manual-focus lens on this particular digital camera, meaning the Sony A6600. I could be happy on most days in most situations, but I've been using autofocus pretty much since the Nikon N8008 (a.k.a. F-801) came out in 1988. I'm kinda used to it, afterhow long has it been since then? Twenty years? Whatever. Also, I turn 65 seven days from nowmeaning, my close-in eyesight isn't what it used to be. It's good for my age, and I'm not complainingI don't wear glasses except for reading and at the computerbut what weaknesses I do have tend to be brought out by the demands of mucking about with a variety of camera viewfinders. So there are just going to be situations where I would want AF, and it's no use pretending that wouldn't be true. I've always considered that one good way to deal with the complexity of modern hobbyist and professional cameras is to make a list of the core features that actually do matter to you personallyand "excellent low-light center-spot AF aquisition" is one of the items on my list. (As an aside, I've found over the years that this is one of the reasons why up-to-date technology is so seductive: it's that there's usually just one or two things it provides that you want. With most tech items, it might be true that you could use an older model and might even be happiest with it, except that there will be just one or two new features that you really like and consider valuable. I first learned this when I photographed with a beautiful old Nikkormat FT-3 (1977) in the '90s. I could deal with everything about it, except that the old-fashioned groundglass viewfinder was just so dark. I really preferred the brightness of then-current viewfinders. A similar example in cars is that most modern electronic frippery doesn't appeal to mebut a backup camera is a useful and sensible safety feature that I would want on any car I own. And so forth. With most tech stuff, there's always something.) So what the Loxia did for me was get me to try the AF on my Sigma 30mm...and, it turns out, it's better than I thought it was. The focus-by-wire ring is very smooth and well-damped and pleasant to use; plus, the ability to switch quickly back and forth from AF to manual focus using the AF/MF/AEL switch is actually very nice. You getting this? Trying the dedicated manual-focus lens was what made me realize I'm satisfied with the manual focus of the AF lens. So, that's a thing I learned. I was curious about a manual-focus lens, and now I don't have to be any more. Thank you, Loxia. Beautiful sharpness, wake unto me* Very quick/rough take on the pictures from the 25mm Loxia, its visual qualities: it's a highly pleasing lens. The two things you will obviously need to make up your mind about are the bokeh and the "sun stars." Bokeh rendering is a matter of taste, but, to my taste, the Loxia is a bit below average. It's coherent enough, without obvious flaws, but I don't care for it. Of course, if you're using this full-frame lens on full frame, it'll be quite wide, and bokeh isn't going to be very apparent in most shots. Maybe a little more so as a 37.5mm angle-of-view equivalent on APS-C. (Note to Millennials and Gen Z's: stop shooting everything wide open. Just stop. You need to stop.) The other thing you'll notice right away are the pronounced ten-point sun-stars, which seem to peak at /4. (See this published example, although this is at /11. This one is actually faintly doubled, probably from refraction through the "aperture" of the spaces between the tree branches.) Again, this is entirely a matter of personal tasteI don't like sun-stars. But maybe you do. Beyond that, the imaging of the lens seems beyond reproach from what I can tell from having not reviewed it (smile). Smooth, high contrast, high resolution, and very good with highlights. I'm going to go out on a limb and say this lens would be one to try for yourself if you're looking for outstanding IQ in an ultra wide angle on a higher-megapixel (I mean like 45 MP or higher) full-frame camera. Especially if you like your tripod and especially if you shoot in color. While I'm out here on this limb, let me come around full circle and mention that traditionally, one of the reasons to buy a high-end lens from a high-end maker such as Leica or Zeiss was that they had higher standards for the specs of the lenses they'd let out of the shop. That is, less sample variation. Uncle Arthur Kramer, long-ago lens guru of the old Modern Photography magazine of sainted memory, used to say the cost of a lens reflected how many lenses in a production run the manufacturer was willing to throw away. So one of the things driving the relatively high cost of the Zeiss Loxia 25mm (list price $1,349) might be higher quality control. I don't know that and I'm not saying it's true. But it might be. The thing we missed here? A proper showdown (at high noon) between the Loxia and the much cheaper Sigma. Ah well, life is fulla mightabeens and couldabeens, aina? Mike (Thanks again to LensRentals) *Stephen Foster reference. Where else you gonna get that? See what TOP does for you? Book o' the Week Ara Guler's Istanbul, one of the more amazing books in my collection. I'm also amazed it's still in print. Not only does it culminate a longtime habit and a vast body of work for the Turkish photographer of Armenian descent, one of the few world-famous photographers from Turkeya labor of lovebut it's a unique and wonderful example of photographic bookmaking. If you don't buy this, at least see one sometime. This book link is a portal to Amazon. Today at B&H Photo Original contents copyright 2020 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. (To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.) Featured Comments from: MURPHYSBORO The General John A. Logan Museum is hosting the Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street exhibit "Voices and Votes: Democracy in America" through March 16. The museum also is hosting a companion exhibit focused on womens suffrage in Southern Illinois. Mike Jones, director of the Logan Museum, said the exhibit has many things many American adults do not know about. We study history in high school and junior high, but I dont think any of us study history after that, Jones said. We take voting for granted. Voices and Votes looks at the questions stemming from the American revolutionaries entrusting the power of the nation to its citizens rather than to a monarch and that is done through our voting. The exhibit uses historical and contemporary photographs, videos, multimedia components and artifacts to explore five themes. The Great Leaps is based on the origins of Americas democratic system. A Voice, A Voice looks at the expansion of the right to vote and challenges related to it, past and present. Then Machinery of Democracy explores the institutions and systems that facilitate participation in the electoral process. Beyond the Ballot talks about civic participation, advocacy and activism beyond the electoral process. Creating Citizens gives perspectives on rights and responsibilities of citizens and their influences on our complex national identity. The Logan Museum is one of six organizations selected by Illinois Humanities to host the Smithsonian exhibit. It began in Illinois in Edwardsville in July 2021 and has visited Salem, Savanna, Jacksonville and Clinton. Illinois Humanities is partially funding the exhibit, according to Jones. The Logan Museum has created an exhibit on womens suffrage in Southern Illinois, although Jones said the history is hard to find. In 1910 and 1911, a group of women from Chicago came to Southern Illinois to promote suffrage. Jones said they took a month each year and visited literally every county in Southern Illinois. The passion these women had for the vote was remarkable. I dont think we are that passionate about voting, and we should be, Jones said. The exhibit also looks at the things Mary Logan said about women voting. According to her writing and newspaper reports, she seemed to go back and forth on the idea. Its been fun. We had to use a lot of national information because there is so little local information, Jones said. Newspaper reports on the tour are interesting, too. Docent Joy Grim said her adult daughters are amazed when certain topics come up. Grim could not open an account without a husband. When she entered nursing school in 1967, they had set curfews and study hours. Those things are strange to her daughters. "You've got to know history to say these people achieved something," she said. As part of the exhibits, the museum is offering four programs at 4 p.m. on Saturdays at the Liberty Theater. They are: The movie 1776 this Saturday, Feb. 19; Mr. Smith Goes to Washington on Feb. 26; Mrs. Logan will speak March 5; and a play written by Betsy Brown, Reminiscing, features women looking back on the struggle for womens suffrage on March 12. The Logan Museum, at 1613 Edith St., is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. 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 2021 survey by by the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools (IARSS) and its educational and research partners shows what many people already know: The Illinois educator shortage is worse than ever. Statewide, 88% of the districts responding to the survey said they have a teacher shortage. When it comes to substitute teachers, 96 percent of the districts have a shortage of substitutes. CARBONDALE Concerns about the lack of community and elder care have resulted in a new group for aging LGBTQ individuals in Southern Illinois. GRIS - Golden Rainbows of Illinois South is a group hosted by Rainbow Cafe for those 60 years or older. Despite the group forming only in February of 2021, its already grown to be the centers largest with nearly 146 members. Group Co-Founders Billy Rogers, 66, and Carrie Vine started the group because they were both interested in LGBTQ elders and those living with HIV, Vine said. My interest is because I'm living it. I am an elder LGBTQ (member), Rogers said. Socialization After one of the groups first meetings, Rogers and Vine surveyed the members to see what issues were most important to the members. At the top of the list was socialization. Dennis Gauger, from Galatia, spoke to The Southern at one of GRIS' social outings to the Varsity Theater in Carbondale last week. Gauger said socialization is the reason he joined the group. He said he hopes to find friendship and camaraderie in the group. It is difficult to meet other LGBTQ individuals his age, he said. A lot of people down here in Southern Illinois are not out, Gauger said. I think groups like this helps to make it easier for people in the whole community to come out. Healthcare, social supports Vine said elder LGBTQ individuals don't often have the same social supports that heterosexual couples do such as children to support them or help them navigate health care as they age. GRIS is working on creating a health advocacy group because it can be complicated to navigate the medical system, Rogers said. Rogers pointed out that as many hospitals transition to automated call systems, navigating healthcare becomes even more difficult to those who are aging. Rogers said his spouse is 87 and to understand the system, leave call back numbers and to communicate via text with offices and billing departments is increasingly difficult especially for those without a spouse or child as an advocate. GRIS will be hosting a power of attorney clinic for wills, healthcare and finances, in conjunction with the SIU OUTLAWS an organization within SIUs law school that promotes LGBTQ rights. They are in the early stages of planning for this event and a date will be announced at a later time. For more than 30 years, Rogers has carried the medical POA for him and his husband in his backpack wherever they go, and recently, he had to use it this summer at a local hospital. Hal had to have stitches and so I took him to the local hospital here. And his hand, you would think he just had major surgery, after they do a stitch or two, they bandaged his hand up. He couldnt write, Rogers said. Rogers said two women from the billing department came in and asked his husband to sign forms, but he was unable to because of the bandages. He said his spouse Rogers could sign for him. The two women attempted to refuse that as an option, so Rogers pulled out his POA forms. Other barriers LGBTQ elders face include not being able to access their spouses social security benefits and the fear of having to go back into the closet when seeking health and senior care. A report by the AARP of Illinois detailing these challenges found 34% of older LGBTQ adults and 54% of transgender and gender-nonconforming older adults fear they will have to re-closet themselves when seeking senior living. Vine said the challenges are worsened by the stigma still surrounding HIV/AIDS. She said some long term care facilities would refuse patients who were HIV positive. As of 2018, more than half of people living with HIV were over the age of 50, according to the AARP report. Older LGBTQ adults with HIV are more likely than HIV-negative peers to report discrimination, poorer overall social support, a higher likelihood of living alone, and an increased likelihood of mental health issues, the report said. The report found economic disparities worsened by a lifetime of employment discrimination within the community. Older LGBTQ adults have fewer financial resources and are more likely to be low-income relative to non-LGBTQ older adults, the report said. Nearly one-third of LGBTQ older adults live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, compared to a quarter of non-LGBTQ people. Poverty rates are even higher for LGBTQ older adults of color, those aged 80 and older, bisexual older adults, and transgender older adults. Older LGBTQ adults who wed before gay marriage was legalized face additional challenges and are often unable to access their spouse's social security benefits after they die, the report said. As a result, 44% of LGBTQ older adults report being concerned about having to work well beyond retirement age compared to 26% of non-LGBTQ people, according to the report. Legislation GRIS is also concerned with legislation that impacts the LGBTQ community. Vine said two bills that recently passed committee in Illinois, HB4650 and SB3490, are a good start to positive changes. The legislation aims to create an Illinois Commission on LGBTQ Aging to investigate and study the health, housing, financial, psychosocial, home-and-community based services, assisted living and long-term care needs of LGBTQ older adults and their caregivers, according to its synopsis. Rogers said while there are legislation efforts in Illinois that relates to aging LGBTQ populations, there is a lack of downstate support for it. We have a strong, proud, and active LGBTQ population in Southern Illinois in part because of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Rogers said. Living in the red part of the blue state is tough and it is long past due for our downstate legislatures to show up, listen, and stop hiding behind the notion that its the will of their constituents. 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. Free income tax preparation services will soon be available at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, courtesy of a group of specially trained students. Beta Alpha Psi, a College of Business and Analytics honors accounting student organization, is again sponsoring the popular free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program in 2022 for low- and moderate-income community members. VITA is a great hands-on learning experience that benefits SIU students by putting their skills and knowledge to good use as they provide a service to our community, said Jaiden Sanders, a senior accounting major from Vienna, Illinois. I am excited to be a part of this awesome opportunity, and I hope individuals who qualify will take advantage of our free services. Sanders and Loralei Glueck, a junior accounting major from Tremont, Illinois, are the 2022 VITA program coordinators. Program kicks off Feb. 26 The program begins Feb. 26 and continues each Saturday through April 2 (no services during spring break, March 5 and 12). Students will offer the free tax preparation services from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the computer lab on the lower level of Rehn Hall, 1025 Lincoln Drive. SIU is committed to protecting the community, so all those participating in VITA program must follow current campus and state pandemic safety protocols and wear masks. SIU students have offered the free tax preparation for nearly a quarter of a century, according to Benna Williams, a School of Accountancy lecturer and former tax practitioner who serves as the Beta Alpha Psi adviser. It brings me great joy to know our students are having such an impact on the community, said Williams, who has been part of the program for the past five years. We have taxpayers who return every year, and they are so very thankful to receive our service for free when they might otherwise have to pay hundreds of dollars. We are so happy and thankful we can continue to provide this wonderful service for the local community, and the taxpayers are really grateful and enjoy getting to know the SIU students too. Students are very prepared Glueck and Sanders participated in advanced training to prepare for their leadership roles in the VITA program. They will lead a team of about two dozen accounting students who are donating their time and energy to prepare tax returns at no cost for community members and students who meet the qualifications. Each of the tax preparers is an IRS-certified volunteer who has completed mandatory ethics and tax examination courses. Glueck or Sanders will review returns and assist with questions as will Williams and other SIU faculty members. VITA is a valuable learning experience for students and a wonderful leadership opportunity for Jaiden and me, Glueck said. I am so proud to be a part of this event in which I am able to both give back to the community and get experience providing tax assistance. Who qualifies? The free tax preparation services are available to any U.S. citizen, whether single or married, as long as their income does not exceed $58,000, and they take the standard federal deduction. The students will prepare tax returns that involve: Wages/salaries. Interest income. Dividends received. State tax refunds. Unemployment benefits. IRA distributions. Pension income. Social Security benefits. Simple capital gains or losses. Self-employment income. Gambling winnings. Education credits. Earned income credit. Child tax credit. Limited itemized deductions. Unfortunately, the VITA students will not be able to prepare tax returns for people who are not U.S. citizens or tax returns that involve: Schedule C with losses. Complicated capital gains and losses (Schedule D). Nondeductible IRA (Form 8606). Minors investment income (Form 8615). Determination of worker status for purposes of federal employment taxes and income tax withholding (Form SS-8). Premium tax credits (Parts 4 and 5 of Form 8962). Foreign returns. Things to bring In order to take advantage of the free tax preparation, people should bring all of the necessary documents. That includes legal identification, such as a drivers license, passport or state ID, along with Social Security cards and birth dates (for spouse and dependents, if applicable as well). In addition, bring all necessary tax documents including all official wage, earning, interest and dividend statements and copies of the previous years state and federal tax returns, if available. Those claiming child care credits will need to bring the day care providers tax identification number (either Social Security number or business employer identification number) and amount paid for child care. Participants should also bring Letter 6419, which provides information about any Advance Child Tax Credit payments they may have received, if applicable. Williams also noted that people should check to ensure they received the third Economic Impact Payment (commonly referred to as a stimulus check) that was issued beginning in March 2021. Failure to provide all of this information could result in the VITA students being unable to complete and file the return on-site and/or the payment of any income tax refund being delayed or hindered, Williams said. In addition, bring a blank check or other proof of bank account routing and account numbers for direct deposit if you anticipate receiving a tax refund. Fast service, filing included The VITA services are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who arrive late in the morning or at exceptionally busy times may be asked to return later or the following week if necessary to allow sufficient time for the tax preparation and to ensure the public safety. Free e-filing is included with the tax preparation. Note that when married couples are filing a joint return, both must be present to sign the required forms. For more information, email vita@business.siu.edu or call 618-453-1407. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CHICAGO - University of Illinois at Chicago law professor Jason Kilborn said he never could have imagined that a final exam that contained a racial insult to an imaginary woman of color in a pretend civil case would create a campus firestorm that would divide colleagues, lead to his ouster and placement on leave for more than a year. The tenured professors exam question on the December 2020 quiz involved a hypothetical scenario where a Black female manager filed a work discrimination lawsuit after a meeting where colleagues called her a "n____" and "b____," shorthand versions of a slur and an insult. Students in his Civil Procedures II course were asked to analyze the account of an imaginary former manager who made the profane statements. Days after the exam, Kilborns boss reached out for a Zoom meeting to discuss the use of the question. The professor offered to send a note of regret to his class and had another Zoom meeting, this time with the local Black student association to discuss concerns. Nearly a year later, Black law students held a rally and were joined by the Rev. Jesse Jackson in demanding administrators fire Kilborn. Kilborn said his professional reputation took a steep tumble into a thorny political thicket that led him to file suit late last month in U.S. District Court in Chicago. His fall included anonymous claims that he previously referred to racial minorities as cockroaches, an investigation by UICs Office for Access and Equity that found fault with his quiz language, and a public call for his termination. While school officials disregarded the cockroach rumor, the schools OAE office found that Kilborns quiz question had violated school policy and was harassing based on race. The university responded by canceling all of Kilborns classes for that entire semester. He was barred from going to UICs campus, having any informal meetings with colleagues and students or participating in university events. The rumors came as a shock to the 49-year-old native of northern Iowa. He said hes never had tension in his classroom in 20 years as an educator. Before being allowed to return to law classes by fall 2022, Kilborn had to agree to satisfactory completion of a battery of required training courses that included an eight-week diversity course and weekly 90-minute sessions with a diversity trainer, according to his federal lawsuit. The multicount suit also claims that five school officials denied him due process to face his accusations and improperly removed him from work, violating his First, Fifth and 14th Amendment rights. A UIC spokeswoman declined to comment, saying the university doesnt comment on pending litigation. In addition to returning to his regular academic course load, Kilborn said he hopes his suit could help forge a firm framework of procedures to resolve sensitive matters in academic settings thats fair to both instructors and students. We have to come up with a policy that allows us professors to do what we need to do and yet recognizes the students need to have some degree of comfort, but acknowledging that its going to be uncomfortable sometimes, Kilborn said. Lets find a better way to react to that. A university, of all places, has very clear obligations to the First Amendment and academic freedom and due process and they have just run roughshod over all of these things here. Kilborns 14-month journey has drawn national attention from legal scholars, supporters of academic freedom, bloggers and pundits during a time of heightened scrutiny of public education and college curriculums regarding topics of race, history and revisionism. The recent firing of longtime Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School social studies teacher Mary DeVoto for repeatedly using the N-word during a class discussion involving team mascots is a recent example of discipline against an educator for word choice. Pundits have also decried UICs response as an attempt to appease overly sensitive students. In a scathing recent Washington Post Op-Ed, columnist George Will derided UICs response as campus cowardice and compared Kilborns compulsory sensitivity training to citizen reeducation campaigns by socialist regimes like the Khmer Rouge and Maoist China. Kilborn has defended himself in the press during his leave, saying his fight didnt involve ideology. This is not a left versus right issue. The issue is extremism ... and Im perfectly willing to stand up against extremism on either side and say both have to leave us alone in the middle, Kilborn said. Our job is to educate people and the First Amendment and due process stands to protect our attempts to do that. Some in education and legal scholars criticized UICs actions, calling it an overreaction and a witch hunt that could create a chill that would impede their ability to teach. Last November, Northwestern Universitys Pritzker School of Law professor Andrew Koppelman wrote a commentary in the Chronicle for Higher Education criticizing UIC for improperly punishing Kilborn partially on debunked rumors against him. The following month, the nonprofit Academic Freedom Alliance sent a letter supporting Kilborn to interim UIC law school dean Julie Spanbauer one of the suits five defendants claiming the university committed a grave violation of academic freedom in retaliating against him. Among Kilborns supporters is Brian Leiter, a University of Chicago law professor and director of the schools Center For Law, who has posted blogs in support of Kilborns ordeal and who said he hopes Kilborns lawsuit will force UIC administrators to apologize and reinstate him. If (Kilborn) is successful, as I hope he will be, this will make clear that university administrators cannot pretend to care about diversity by terrorizing their faculty when a student mob congregates, virtually or in reality, Leiter told the Tribune by email. Kilborns exam question, which started all this, was wholly appropriate as any competent law professor in America could tell you. All the later allegations, which Professor Koppelman has shown are bogus, resulted because of the fake controversy about the exam question, Leiter wrote. The subject has nonetheless created a political divide within Kilborns insular legal academic world and, he said, tarnished his image in an industry where reputation among peers is of the utmost importance. He said some colleagues have come out against him, joining calls for his termination, something he said he never expected. The dejection he felt was amplified by a familiar sense of malaise and melancholy brought about by the pandemic, isolation and troubling current events. Its been absolute hell, Kilborn said. The biggest part of the hell for me has been being a pariah in my community. Really the only thing that a law professor has ... is your reputation and my reputation has been completely devastated. The isolation of COVID, all of the things that were seeing on TV, Ive been feeling all of that, also. And then to be ripped out of my ordinary environment where Ive lived for the last 20 years as a law professor ... with no explanation as to why this is happening ... has just been totally debilitating emotionally. Kilborn said hes hopeful that his suit will return him to class and set a framework on how to resolve such future entanglements but worried whether his reputation was beyond repair. If you disagree with something one of us said, lets have a conversation about it, because the appropriate reaction to speech which you disagree with is more speech. You dont get to just summarily yank us out of class. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 There is a dog-eared little blue book on my shelf titled Civility George Washington's Rules for Today by Steven Michael Selzer. As we celebrate Presidents' Day on Monday, let's look to the father of our nation for some lessons in simple, everyday elegance. According to the author, when George Washington was just 14, he copied 110 principles for personal conduct from a manual composed by French-Jesuits in 1595. Washington titled his list, "Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation" and carried it with him throughout his life. America's first president understood civil behavior is not just desirable but essential to a successful democratic nation. In a letter written to the people of Baltimore in 1789, Washington wrote what could easily be applied to us today. "It appears to me that little more than common sense and common honesty, in the transactions of the community at large, would be necessary to make us a great and happy nation." Most of Washington's rules are as apropos in 2022 as they were 250 years ago, though a few have become less relevant. One such rule states, "Kill no vermin, as fleas, lice, ticks, etc., in the sight of others. If you see any filth or thick spittle, put your foot dexterously upon it." Ew, George. Out of Washington's 110 rules, and in keeping his original language, I'm focusing on just 10 that could start a revolution of civility. 1. Every action done in company ought to be done with some sign of respect to those that are present. This was Washington's rule number one, and if we truly followed it, the others might be unnecessary. Everyone deserves kindness and respect, and though the rules are apolitical, it does pair nicely with a nation founded upon principles of democracy. 2. In the presence of others, sing not to yourself with a humming noise, nor drum with your fingers or feet. This rule makes me think Washington may have spent time, as I have, as an eighth grade teacher. We should all keep in mind that our music, talking, fidgeting, pencil tapping, phone use, and other behaviors might be disturbing to others. 3. Strive not with your superiors in argument, but always submit your judgment to others with modesty. I've heard it said we Americans often know our rights better than our wrongs. We are gloriously endowed with freedom of speech, but we should do so carefully, respectfully, and wisely. 4. Use no reproachful language against anyone. Neither curse nor revile. Demeaning, undisciplined, rude, and crude language routinely flies out the mouths of those who should be setting an example for others. While such talk may be commonplace in today's society, civil it is not. There is only one person's words over which we have control. 5. Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation, for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company. In business, politics, and our personal life, we should be careful of the company we keep. It was Washington's pal Benjamin Franklin who said, "He that lies down with dogs, shall rise up with fleas." 6. Be not hasty to believe flying reports to the disparagement of any. I'm not sure Washington could have foreseen the abounding dishonesty paraded as truth in our society. Now more than ever, we have the responsibility to get our information from trustworthy sources and share it judiciously. 7. Think before you speak, pronounce not imperfectly nor bring out your words too hastily, but orderly and distinctly. In the words of another great president, Abraham Lincoln, "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt." 8. Be not curious to know the affairs of others, neither approach those that speak in private. In an age when many over-share details of their personal lives, it's still important to respect people's privacy. It takes a certain amount of maturity and discretion to stay out of the rumor mill. 9. Put not another bite into your mouth till the former be swallowed. Let not your morsels be too big for the jowls. Though poor table manners may not be immoral, they can be unpleasant. A revival of basic etiquette would go far in increasing our respect towards one another. 10. Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience. This delightful quote is Washington's 110th and final rule. Deep down we understand civil from uncivil, courteous from discourteous, polite from impolite. Imagine if we all endeavored to keep that heavenly flame of our conscience burning bright. Alicia Woodward is a retired language arts teacher and empty-nester. She and her husband recently moved back to their hometown of Mt. Vernon. She writes a weekly blog called The Simple Swan. Visit her blog at www.thesimpleswan.com. Email her at Alicia@thesimpleswan.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A late-night drug run turned into a quadruple homicide, according to murder suspect Derrick Warren Coleman. Coleman testified on day seven of the trial for his three co-defendants: Robert Pockets Bailey, Antly Jermaine Jackie Man Scott and Luther Joseph Smith. Coleman is not being tried with his co-defendants. The men are each facing four counts of murder and one count each of first-degree burglary, attempted murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Coleman testified that Scott allegedly confessed to the crime shortly after it happened. The four Eutawville men are accused of shooting 8-year-old Dreamzz Nelson and killing Tamara Alexia Perry, 14; Shamekia Tyjuana Sanders, 17; Krystal Hutto, 28; and Jerome Butler, 50 at Huttos home. Her residence was at 7050 Old State Road, just outside of Holly Hill. Coleman claimed he had $500 cash in his pocket when he drove Smith and Scott in his Toyota Tacoma truck to go buy dope sometime between 11 p.m. and midnight on July 14, 2015. This wasnt unusual, the trio made similar runs 30 to 40 times before, according to Coleman. Coleman said he first drove Smith and Scott to Baileys home in Eutawville. He alleged Scott hopped out of the truck at Baileys residence, on Old Number Six Highway in Eutawville, to see if they could purchase drugs there. Less than five minutes later, Scott returned to the truck and allegedly said to Coleman, Theres no drugs here, but I know where I can get some. Scott didnt say if he spoke with anyone at the house, Coleman said. Coleman said he didnt stop that often at Baileys house for drugs because its kind of a last resort. Coleman alleged Scott gave him turn-by-turn directions to the next stop, Huttos home. Coleman said hed driven into Huttos driveway, for the first time, the day before when he gave Christopher Dean Wright a ride from Baileys house after Wright procured a motorcycle from Bailey. Wright is the father of the children who were shot. Wright was also engaged to Hutto and had another fiancee in Summerton. Coleman didnt get out of his truck when he dropped off Wright the day before, he said. When Scott allegedly gave Coleman directions to the house, he didnt recognize it because it was a night. The house sits back off the road, just under 200 feet, behind tall pines. Coleman testified that Scott instructed him to park in a grassy area, near the highway, several yards from the mailbox. Smith and Scott got out of the truck, he testified. Coleman offered money to them in case they needed it to buy drugs. Coleman alleged Scott said, No, we got this. Coleman said he had the drivers window down a little because he was smoking cigarettes. Hed turned the engine and lights off on the truck and waited for Smith and Scott to return. Coleman listened to music on the stereo and played games on his phone while he waited, he said. The waiting turned into 30 to 45 minutes, he testified, and that was unusually long. He testified that he didnt go into the house. He never saw Bailey that night either, he said. There wasnt any traffic on the highway, Coleman said. No one was driving behind them on the way there and no vehicle passed by as he was parked in the grass by the road. Coleman said Scott and Smith ran back to the truck. He alleged Scott yelled, Go! Go! Go! I was freaking out and panicking, Coleman said. Coleman drove the men west on Old State Road, toward Wells Crossroads, just a few miles from Huttos residence. Coleman said he was in a panic, so Smith volunteered to drive. Coleman got in the front passenger seat, Smith got in the drivers seat and Scott was in the back seat. He alleged Smith drove them to Indian Bluff Landing, often just referred to as Red Bank by some of the Eutawville locals. Coleman said when they got there, Smith allegedly got out of the truck and went to a wooded area. I saw like a flame, a flicker of light, like he was burning something, Coleman said. Coleman testified that Scott allegedly went by the water. It looked like he threw two objects into the water, Coleman said. He couldnt tell what they were. He heard splash, he said. Scott returned to the truck. What the hell is going on! Coleman said. I just killed five f - - - - - - people! Quit giving me s - - -! Scott said, according to Coleman. Smith drove them to a little cul-de-sac area near the entrance to the landing, Coleman said. Coleman and Scott smoked some marijuana to relax their nerves. Smith allegedly drove them to his half-brothers trailer on Gaillard Street in Eutawville. Once they got there, Scott pulled drugs out of his pocket, Coleman said. It was a quantity of crystal methamphetamine and cocaine. First Circuit Assistant Solicitor David Osborne asked Coleman about the quantity of the drugs. Coleman first testified there was about a quarter ounce of each. Under cross-examination by one of Smiths attorneys, Aimee Zmroczek, Coleman later stated the total weight of the drugs was a quarter ounce. At the trailer, Coleman claimed he got high with Smith, Scott, Smiths half-brother and Samantha Buxton. Coleman explained he got a call from an Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office investigator just hours after the drug run. They wanted to come talk to me. I was pretty freaked, he said, They told me if I didnt have a ride to get to them, theyd come pick me up. Coleman testified that Smith drove him to the sheriffs office in Orangeburg. Investigators spoke with him briefly about the motorcycle transaction that took place at Baileys house the day before. Coleman told investigators the truth about motorcycle swamp, but didnt volunteer information about the killings. He didnt hear from investigators again until July 19, 2016, just over a year later. By that point, Scott had moved in with Coleman on St. Julien Drive on Lake Marion in Eutawville. He said investigators asked him questions about what happened on the early morning hours of July 15, 2015. Coleman testified he lied to law enforcement at that time. Investigators ended up arresting Coleman and Scott on drug charges after discovering quantities of marijuana. Coleman said once he bonded out, he helped a friend and his family move from North Carolina to Alabama. Coleman returned to check on things at his Eutawville home, then decided to return to Alabama taking Scott with him to Foley, near the coast. By Sept. 26, 2016, the law caught up with him and Scott. He was at friends house when the friends sister asked him to go outside. Coleman said the front of his friends yard was surrounded by officers with their guns drawn. Officers took him to a small interview room where he was interviewed by two Orangeburg County deputies, including Lt. James Shumpert. Shumpert interviewed Coleman for one hour and 18 minutes that day. The next day, according to Zmroczek, Shumpert interviewed Coleman again for 48 minutes and 35 seconds but there wasnt any audio recorded. Shumpert, according to Zmroczek, attempted a do-over interview with the audio recorder working. That interview lasted 16 minutes, she said. During those interviews, Coleman told Shumpert that hed driven Scott and Bailey to Huttos house on the night of the murders. In court, Coleman testified that he lied to Shumpert initially. Zmroczek questioned Coleman for the most of the afternoon during Thursdays trial testimony. Coleman testified numerous times that prosecutors had not made any plea deal with him to testify, but he is hoping for a shorter sentence for his cooperation. If convicted, each of the men face up to life in prison. The trial will resume Friday morning at the Orangeburg County Courthouse. Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 6 Sad 12 Angry 5 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Orangeburg City Councilwoman Liz Zimmerman Keitt received a national civic award for her volunteerism in the community. Keitt was chosen as a Top 100 national winner of the 2021 Small Town America Civic Volunteer Award. The award was presented at Tuesday's City Council meeting. "It is a great thing for Orangeburg to receive this award. Because of what I have done, we will be the model for South Carolina," Keitt said. "We are just happy to have the award. I will continue to volunteer and bring more to Orangeburg, South Carolina." Keitt was selected from nearly 700 nominations from 49 states in recognition of her volunteer efforts. The award was presented by Kansas-based CivicPlus, a private web-development firm that advocates for volunteership among public servants. Keitt is founder of Project Life Positeen, an after-school group that provides tutoring and mentoring to students from K-5 to 12th grade, as well as summer programs and college aid with the Kiwanis Club. Project Life Positeen will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in August 2022. "Ms. Keitt, you are an inspiration to all of us," Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler said in presenting the award. STACVA is an annual program that honors 100 public service volunteers in localities under 25,000. It aims to spotlight the urgent need for citizens to fill critical civic volunteer roles, including local government boards and councils, volunteer firefighters, EMTs, and the many advisory committees that support key local government functions. CivicPlus cites the purpose of the recognition on its website. "Research shows that the percent of people volunteering in small communities and rural counties has dropped substantially over the last 12 years," the business states. "Civic volunteerism is the lifeblood of small town and rural America. STACVA is intended to help address this critical shortage by recognizing and supporting 'hometown heroes,' and by promoting best practices designed to spur a cadre of new civic volunteers to fill these vital roles." City Administrator Sidney Evering thanked Keitt for her work. "Thank you for your service and volunteerism," Evering said. In other matters, Merle and George Buck provided council an overview of the improvements done at the area of Riverbank Drive in front of their property. The Bucks came before council in January expressing concerns about the number of accidents that have occurred in front of their property, with speed and distracted drivers being the main reasons. The Bucks' property is near a curve in the road. Since the couple's January appearance, the South Carolina Department of Transportation has placed reflective signage at the curve and has used speed radar devices in the area. "It appears the traffic has slowed a bit," Merle Buck said. The Bucks' request Tuesday is for the city Department of Public Safety to continue to monitor and enforce the speed limit in the area. The posted speed limit around the curve is 30 mph. In other business: Councilman Jerry Hannah requested at the start of the meeting to amend the agenda to add the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety as an item. City attorney Michael Kozlarek said the matter could not be added to the agenda at the time because a city ordinance requires the city administrator to be informed of any changes to the agenda no less than six days in advance of a council meeting. Kozlarek also said that the addition of the item would be at odds with the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, which requires giving 24-hour public notice. Council members agreed to abide by the existing city ordinance and not add the item to the agenda. Council recognized the February community of character trait of self-discipline. Council entered into closed session to discuss contractual matters related to finances regarding the new city hall and downtown buildings. Council also entered into closed session to discuss the performance evaluation of Evering and to receive a legal briefing from the city's attorney. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. South Carolina State University has a new police chief and campus safety director. Chief Timothy Taylor joined the universitys force as a captain and principal investigator in October 2021. He assumed the role of acting chief on Dec. 28, succeeding Joseph Nelson, and recently was named to the position on an ongoing basis. We are extremely happy to have Chief Taylor join our team as we continue to provide a safe and secure campus for faculty, staff, students and guests, said Dr. Tamara Jeffries-Jackson, SC State vice president for student affairs. He brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and leadership to the position, coupled with a commitment to community policing and professionalism. As chief at SC State, Taylor is responsible for maintaining and ensuring a safe environment for students, faculty, staff, alumni and visitors on and around the college campus. His role includes developing and implementing safety policies, policies and upgrades. He also oversees the universitys campus safety officers and fosters relationships with surrounding law enforcement agencies. Prior to joining SC State, Taylor was chief of police in Perry, South Carolina. Taylor began his law enforcement career with the Lake City, South Carolina, Police Department in 2008, obtained the rank of sergeant and was named the citys officer of the year in 2009. In 2011, he joined the Andrews, South Carolina, force where he was a narcotics investigator, lieutenant over criminal investigations and assistant police chief before serving as acting chief. He was Andrews office of the year in 2012. At age 28, Taylor in 2014 was named chief of police in Atlantic Beach, South Carolina. He also served the Fairfield County Sheriffs Office awhile as a school resource officer (SRO). His certifications, certificates and professional development coursework include FBI South Carolina Command College, determining time of death investigations, SRO training. gangs training, narcotics criminal investigations, Cartel Mexican drug investigation training, internal affairs investigations, hostage negotiation training, and supervisor training levels 1, 2 and 3. Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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 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. A novel expansion of Wyomings mine reclamation bonding program sailed through the House Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee the bills sponsor on Wednesday and its first reading in the House on Thursday. Reclamation bonding is meant to hold companies responsible for restoring mined land after operations cease. In theory, it ensures that the state has funds to complete cleanup if a company fails to do so. Many of the states coal producers have historically relied on self-bonding, but after a series of high-profile bankruptcies several years ago undermined that arrangement, the state turned primarily to surety bonds financed through insurers. Surety bonds, however, havent been ideal either. Though more secure than self-bonding, they dont necessarily guarantee full cleanup funding. And many insurance companies, seeing coal as a risky investment, charge high premiums and require collateral for surety bonds. Sureties are getting more and more expensive for operators to pay for, said Travis Deti, executive director of the Wyoming Mining Association. We have significant concerns with the direction that banks and insurance companies are going with regards to servicing fossil fuel companies. House Bill 45 aims to ease the burden on the coal industry. It would allow companies mining coal, bentonite, trona and uranium to skip the third party and put part or all of their bonding money into individual assigned trusts managed by the state treasurers office. The bill passed unanimously Wednesday in the Minerals Committee and received a resounding chorus of ayes on the House floor the following day. This bill, quite frankly, its one I wish this body had passed 20 years ago, because it would be bearing considerable fruit now, Rep. Cyrus Western, R-Sheridan County, said in the House ahead of Thursday's vote. Under the bill, companies opting into the voluntary program would be required to pay at least 5% of their total bonding obligations in cash to the state each year, until their assigned trust was fully funded. When you look at the surety rates, and they include both premium and collateral assignment, the 5% is less than what you would see as the total obligation the company is currently paying, Kyle Wendtland, land quality administrator for the Department of Environmental Quality, told the Minerals Committee. Any bonding obligations not held by the state would still need to be covered by another type of bond. According to Shannon Anderson, staff attorney for the Powder River Basin Resource Council, cash is the states most reliable source of reclamation bonding. The challenge you have with a cash bond, she said, particularly for a surface coal mine, is when you have a $100 million bond, coal companies just don't have $100 million to throw into the fund for reclamation. Thats why self-bonding and surety bonding have won out. And thats why mining companies, conservation groups and the state all hope House Bill 45 can provide a cheaper, safer solution. Several coal states have adopted their own bonding alternatives, but House Bill 45 is unique. The bill, Anderson said, is essentially bankruptcy-proof. Wyoming wouldnt be dealing with coal companies assets, like it would with self-bonds, nor would it have to work with insurance companies. Coal reclamation money would be in cash and largely within the states control. It's a good bill, Deti said. And it's a good concept. Our goal is to get the program stood up. Once we get it stood up, once we get the rules and regs developed, we'll just go from there. There's a reason, Western told the House, the bill has attracted such broad support. It maximizes the mining companies money and the money theyre paying for these bonds, he said. Its a benefit for the environment because the reclamation happens on schedule. And its a win for the state because it generates revenue on behalf of the trusts. The rare agreement across interest groups wasnt lost on Rep. Mike Greear, R-Big Horn and Washakie Counties, chair of the House Minerals Committee and one of the legislators behind the bill. Industry wants this, likes it, he said Wednesday. Regulators like it. Our folks that are looking out for the environment, those groups like it. Wow. It can happen. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Almost simultaneously, one critical race theory bill died in the Wyoming Legislature on Thursday, while a second moved forward. A bill that would have explicitly banned critical race theory being taught in Wyoming classrooms failed introduction in the House, while a similar, but vaguer, measure passed in the Senate. The House bill was five votes short; the Senate cleared its version by five votes. Critical race theory is an academic framework for examining how racism is embedded in U.S. institutions and society, and keeping it out of schools has become a right-wing focus in the past year. It is not currently taught in Wyoming classrooms. The proposed bans have drawn criticism from the Wyoming Education Association, which has questioned their legality and argued that schools should not shy away from difficult subjects. The House Bill was sponsored by Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper. Broadly, Grays bill sought to prohibit 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. It clarified that historical lessons on race should still be taught. Specifically, the bill sought to block educators from teaching 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. It would have also blocked schools from teaching 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 his administration banned federal contractors from teaching that the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist. The Senate draft is far more vague than its House counterpart on what can and can not be taught. As used in this section, American institution and ideals shall not include divisive tenets often described as critical race theory or a social philosophy of critical theory that inflames divisions on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, national origin or other criteria in ways contrary to the unity of the nation and the wellbeing of the state of Wyoming and its residents, the Senate bill reads. The prime sponsor of the bill, Sen. Troy McKeown, R-Gillette, said he believes theyll have to add language that explicitly states that historical lessons can still be taught. I need to re-look at it, he added. The bill will be heard by the Senate Education Committee today. The Wyoming Education Association is adamantly against the Senate legislation and is concerned about its legality. The association is concerned that it violates article 7 section 11 of the Wyoming Constitution by determining what teachers can and can not teach in Wyoming classrooms. That said, section 11 only references textbooks. Neither the legislature nor the superintendent of public instruction shall have power to prescribe text books to be used in the public schools, the law reads. The association argues that it violates the judicial intent of that section, as education materials are not the purview of the Legislature. The association further contends that it could violates a provision set by the historic Wyoming Supreme Court case Campbell County School District vs. the State of Wyoming, which states in part that quality education under our state constitution is a fundamental right. Sometimes learning history is difficult and uncomfortable but we should not shy away from honesty in education, said Tate Mullen, a lobbyist for the education association. There is another bill in the Senate that is related to critical race theory, although not as explicitly. Senate File 62 requires school districts to create an online directory listing all teaching materials and curriculum used in each school by grade level and subject. The former Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow appeared with the lawmakers at that fall press conference and directly linked the legislation to critical race theory. 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. The main sponsors of the bill maintain that it is not a critical race theory bill. That bill has yet to be introduced, but it has until Friday. At least 35 states have introduced anti-critical race theory legislation so far, according to ABC News. Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis 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. The Wyoming Legislature convened Monday for the start of its budget session, which takes place every two years. Along with adopting a new budget, lawmakers this year must decide how to spend a half billion dollars in relief aid. They're also required to redraw the state's legislative districts in light of population changes. Here's the latest from the Star-Tribune's team of reporters: Redistricting bill clears House 3:53 p.m. The main redistricting bill passed the House with minor amendments and will now go to the Senate. Only a couple members voted against the bill, including Rep. Clark Stith, R-Rock Springs, who tried to switch the plan back to a 90-member Legislature. The current bill that is going to the Senate includes 93 lawmakers, an increase from past years. The passage was met with a standing ovation from the floor. MedEx dies in drawer 12 p.m. This year's Medicaid expansion bill did not get introduced in the House, thereby failing. Lawmakers in favor of expansion are now thinking up different ways to expand via a budget amendment which will likely come next week. Advocates were working behind the scenes to get enough votes for the bill to pass the two-thirds introductory vote. Mid-week, they only could account for 36 when the bill needed 40. Speaker of the House Eric Barlow, R-Gillette, who has voted in favor of expansion in the past, said he would introduce it if he was told by proponents that the votes were there. Transgender athlete ban passes introduction 10:59 a.m. A bill that would bar transgender women and girls in Wyoming from participating in high school and collegiate sports that match their gender identity passed its introductory vote Friday in the Wyoming Senate. The measure faced a super-majority requirement for introduction because it does not relate to the state's budget, but still cleared easily with a vote of 25-4. I'm just an advocate for women and girls athletes in Wyoming, said Sen. Wendy Schuler, R-Evanston, the prime sponsor of the bill. The Wyoming High School Activities Association already has a policy on gender identity participation in athletics that its top official says has been quietly working across the state for the past eight years. Schueler acknowledged the policy (which she did not know existed before drafting this bill), but said it could still open the door to unfair competition" because a student could decide that they want to participate in the other genders league one day. The association has previously said that the policy and procedures it has in place does not allow for that. As the bill is written, if a student receives backlash for reporting a violation, they shall have a private cause of action for injunctive relief, damages and any other relief available under law against the school, institution or athletic association or organization. The bill would also open the door to legal action on behalf of students who are deprived of an athletic opportunity due to a violation of the ban. The measure was referred to the Senate Education Committee. It has a tough road ahead in that committee, as three of the five people on the committee voted against introduction. Civics transparency 10:38 a.m. The second bill of the day related to critical race theory, but which never mentions the actual phrase, passed its latest Senate hurdle. The Civics Transparency Act passed the two-thirds introduction vote 24 to five. One member was excused. The bill would require Wyoming school districts to publish online an annual list of material and activities organized by school, grade and subject area, in addition to policies employed to approve those learning materials. If the bill is passed in its current form, the online materials will have to be updated on an ongoing basis over the course of the school year. The main backers of the bill see it as a critical race theory bill to varying degrees. The prime sponsor, Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, denies that it has anything to do with the fraught topic. He stands by the idea that its a very simple bill because all it does is create increased transparency. Controversial materials are a good thing for our students to see, Driskill said on the floor. But they need to be balanced. His co-sponsor and Senate President Dan Dockstader, R-Afton, said Friday morning that its somewhat related to critical race theory, then attempted to backtrack slightly a couple minutes later At a press conference held for the bill last fall, former Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow directly linked it to critical race theory. 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 to take the same job in Virginia. Her temporary replacement, Brian Schroeder, testified in favor of a bill that more explicitly bans critical race theory earlier Friday morning. Critical race theory bill advances 9:57 a.m. The main critical race theory bill in the Wyoming Legislature cleared its latest hurdle, but only after all references to critical race theory and critical theory were removed -- except for the title. The bill is still titled Education-limitations on teaching critical race history. Senate File 103 passed the Senate Education Committee unanimously. It will move on to be debated on the Senate floor next. Critical race theory is an academic framework for examining how racism is immovable from U.S. institutions and society, and keeping it out of schools has become a right-wing focus in the past year. It is not currently taught in Wyoming classrooms. Debate in committee went on for over an hour and a half. The bill draft drew criticism from the Wyoming Education Association and the Wyoming School Board Association. The education association has continually questioned the legality of the bill and argued that schools should not shy away from difficult subjects. Before the bill was amended, the School Board Association harped on the vague language of the draft. Im not speaking on the philosophical argument, but to the specific text of the bill, said Brain Farmer, lobbyist for the association. It has vague language that has to be operationalized by a school district. Those lawsuits that are brought are brought against the district and the district will have to defend whether they acted in accordance with the vague language. The bulk of the bill reads, As used in this section, American institution and ideals shall not include tenets that promote divisions or hatred on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, national origin. That language was the result of debate and amendments. Prior to amendments, the bill said, As used in this section, "American institution and ideals" shall not include divisive tenets often described as "critical race theory" or a social philosophy of "critical theory" that inflames divisions on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, national origin or other criteria in ways contrary to the unity of the nation and the wellbeing of the state of Wyoming and its residents. Before it was amended, Farmer took particular issue with the vagueness of the language that read divisive tenets often described as critical race theory. The proponents of the bill were mainly concerned that teachers would be teaching opinion as opposed to fact, namely in the form of critical race theory. Backers also say Wyoming school districts should not teach that people or groups are inherently racist because of their identity. Despite the heavy amendments that changed the nature of the bill, the title remains the same. Zane Rothfuss, a 10th grader at Laramie High School and son of a member of the education committee, spoke in opposition to the bill as well. He expressed concern that many important classes would not be taught because theyre inflammatory." It would rob me and my peers of a lot of higher learning opportunities that we have in our school right now, Rothfuss said. What's at stake? For a detailed analysis of this year's legislative session, including the major bills and issues, click here. What's being discussed? For a full list of bills, click here. Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The University of Wyoming will officially lift its indoor mask requirement for most buildings on Monday. The rule, which requires students and employees to mask inside when social distancing isnt possible, has been in place since the school year started in August. UWs board of trustees voted to ditch the mandate it in its monthly meeting Wednesday. Masks are still required in the schools Early Care and Education Center, as well as places on campus dedicated to medical care like health clinics and on the universitys public buses. Anyone who has an office on campus can still require visitors to wear masks, too, the school said in a news release Wednesday. We continue to recommend masks as a way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community but, by action of the board, we are moving to a new phase in the pandemic that will not include a mask requirement in most indoor spaces, including classrooms, university President Ed Seidel said in the release. The decision came after several other colleges and universities around the country relaxed their own masking protocols. In a February report to UWs administration, the schools COVID-19 advisory group supported easing the mandate, citing falling infections among community members. It wanted students and employees to stay masked in the classroom, however. The exposure risk is greatest there because of the duration. Youre sitting in class from anywhere from 50 minutes to an hour-and-a-half, said David Jones, who leads the committee. Jones is dean of UWs College of Health Sciences. A vote by board members Wednesday to keep masks on in the classroom failed 5-6. A subsequent vote limiting the rule to just the childhood center, medical settings and public transit passed 9-11. Since the start of the school year, theres been a growing push to repeal the mandate at UW. Hunter Swilling, head of the schools associated students group, said a recent survey showed 63% of students supported lifting restrictions. In that survey, about 74% of students reported being either partially or fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The board of the trustees considered relaxing the mandate in December. But that was back when the omicron variant, a new strain of COVID-19, had just started spreading in the United States. Seeing another potential spike on the horizon, the board elected to keep the rule in place until February. Early research suggests the omicron variant is more transmissible than other known strains of the virus, but tends to cause less serious infections. Since early January, omicrons been the leading cause for new COVID-19 infections in Wyoming, according to the state Department of Health. It was causing so many infections, in fact, that the school decided against mass-testing its students and staff after when they returned from winter break. Theres already good reason to believe that the virus, particularly the Omicron variant, is widespread in our community, Seidel said in a Jan. 7 news release. The university is staying the course with surveillance testing. For now, 3% of the school community is tested for COVID-19 every week. As of Monday, there were 14 known active cases of the coronavirus at UW. That included five employees, six on-campus students on campus and three off-campus students. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. EXPLANATION: Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales, right, looks on as T&TEC general manager Kelvin Ramsook gives an update to members of the media about Wednesdays blackout during a news conference at the Ministry of National Security yesterday. Also seated is Chief of Defence Staff Darryl Daniel. Photo: JERMAINE CRUICKSHANK Settlement of Ukraine issue must return to implementation of Minsk Agreements: Chinese envoy Xinhua) 07:49, February 18, 2022 Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks at a Security Council high-level open debate on climate and security at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) In the current context, all parties concerned should let reason prevail, adhere to the general direction of political solution, and refrain from any act that may provoke tensions or hype up the crisis, a Chinese UN envoy said. UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy said Thursday that the settlement of the Ukraine issue must return to the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. The 2015 Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements is recognized by all as a fundamental and binding political document for the settlement of the Ukraine issue, and was endorsed by Security Council Resolution 2202. Therefore, the package deserves complete and effective implementation by all parties concerned, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations. Regrettably, the majority of the provisions have yet to be truly implemented. New cease-fire violations have reportedly occurred on the contact line, he said. To solve the Ukraine issue, it is imperative to return to the implementation of the package. China hopes that all parties concerned will take a constructive attitude, resolve through dialogue and consultation whatever differences that may arise in the implementation of the package, and draw up a roadmap and timetable for implementation without delay, so as to pave the way for a political solution to the Ukraine crisis, he told the Security Council. In the current context, all parties concerned should let reason prevail, adhere to the general direction of political solution, and refrain from any act that may provoke tensions or hype up the crisis. The parties should fully consider each other's legitimate security concerns, and show mutual respect, and on such a basis, properly resolve their differences through consultations on equal footing, he said. An honor guard marches to the Ukrainian government office building during a Day of Unity celebration in Kiev, Ukraine, Feb. 16, 2022. (Photo by Sergey Starostenko/Xinhua) "China supports all efforts conducive to easing the tensions, and notes the recent diplomatic engagement between Russia and France, Germany and other European countries at the leaders' level. A negotiated, balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism will serve as a solid foundation for lasting peace and stability across Europe. We trust that European countries will take decisions with strategic autonomy in line with their own interests," said Zhang. China also supports the UN secretary-general's good offices aimed at reducing tensions, he added. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Many people are struggling during this Covid-19 pandemic as prices increase, while many are Report of the Committee Appointed to Investigate the Factors Contributing to Clinical Outcomes of COVID-19 Patients in Trinidad and Tobago There may not be many cowboys in Arizona anymore, but you wouldnt know it from a pair of recent campaign ads by Republican candidates for Congress. Cowboy-hatted QAnon congressional candidate Ron Watkins kicked things off in early February with a grainy, spaghetti Western web spot, complete with whip-crack sound effect, announcing the launch of a nonviolent, volunteer, grassroots political organization to support his bid in Congressional District 2. Thats the new congressional district that covers most of Northern and Eastern Arizona, down to Pinal County. Then Senate hopeful Jim Lamon upped the ante with a slick Super Bowl ad that has him slapping on six-shooters and a 10-gallon hat to square off in the street against The D.C. Gang, played here by masked-stand-ins for Joe Biden, Mark Kelly and Nancy Pelosi. Lamon isnt the only one wearing an Old West marshals badge, either. His posse at the just-OK Corral includes a pair real-life lawmen: Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb and National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd. Though Lamon only shoots the weapons from the bad guys hands, the ad sparked outrage and, reportedly, a ban on Facebook for its violent content. A number of critics pointed out that former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Kellys wife, is a still-recovering victim of the 2011 mass shooting in Tucson. Lamons response on Twitter: I think I might single handedly solve the Arizona drought with all the snow flakes that are melting over my Super Bowl ad. Coincidentally, or not, both Watkins and Lamon are relative newcomers to Arizona. Course, it wont much matter what the pundits and politicians think of all this cowboy cosplay. Though both Lamon and Watkins support overturning the results of the 2020 presidential election, ultimately itll be up to the primary voters to decide if these two fellers are all hat and no cattle. Henry Brean Cunningham blasts Avis Tucson City Councilman Paul Cunningham called out Avis Car Rental in a profanity-laced Facebook post on Sunday night, criticizing the company for unsavory business practices and charging him a $50 cancellation fee when he tried to alter a reservation. Cunningham said he had accidentally booked a car for an extra day and immediately canceled the reservation, but was told the fee would not be refunded. He explained that this was one of many such incidents hes had with the company over the past 10 years and he was pissed. The post mentioned having the companys Tucson branch removed from the airport and launching an inquiry into when its sales taxes had last been audited. Cunningham wrote in the same message that he would never actually take those actions, however. I should use my influence to kick your a**** out of Tucson international airport because I dont need any of my constituents subjugated to companies with unsavory business practices that exploit people and swindle their money, he wrote. But I actually believe in integrity and would never stoop to your level. Cunningham removed the post within about 15 minutes and replaced it with a new post saying he shouldnt get so worked up over a messed up car rental reservation. He added that we have local folks who work for this company and I should be collaborating with them to make it better, not sending off incendiary open letters. The Ward 2 councilman told the Star he regrets venting the way he did, but that its unlikely I will book with Avis or any company affiliated with them again. He also said the company later agreed to give him a full refund after he filed a report with the Better Business Bureau. Avis Budget Group representatives did not comment on the situation. Sam Kmack Seems like a simple fix ... The Legislature has already budgeted the money for the schools, but now they need to give the schools permission to spend it. If they dont do it by March 1, Arizona schools will be forced to cut $1.1 billion in spending quickly. Its a simple problem that would seem to call for the simple solution of a bill that would permit the spending the Legislature approved. HCR 2039 is that bill. But it isnt working out so simply, thanks in part to some Southern Arizona legislators. The Arizona House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 45-14 to lift the cap on school spending and avoid catastrophic cuts, exceeding the needed two-thirds majority. The three Southern Arizona representatives who voted no were Republicans Mark Finchem of Oro Valley, Lupe Diaz of Benson and Gail Griffin of Hereford. But Senate President Karen Fann is having a harder time getting the votes for the resolution in the Senate. With all the Democrats supporting it, along with a handful of Republicans, she needs just a couple more to reach the two-thirds threshold. Among those who still have not committed to vote yes are two Southern Arizona senators: Republicans Vince Leach of SaddleBrooke and David Gowan of Sierra Vista. Patty Machelor and Tim Steller Finchem says he lacks signatures Rep. Mark Finchem has been making a big name for himself lately. He submitted a doomed resolution to decertify the 2020 election results from Yuma, Pima and Maricopa counties. He also was subpoenaed by the committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. And CNN reported Wednesday how Finchem, who is running for secretary of state, has engaged in extreme denial of the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming that scientists cant prove COVID exists and that the vaccines are a crime against humanity. His high profile has yielded strong fundraising. Hes reported $662,910 in donations, second only to fellow GOP candidate Edward Beau Lane with $716,226. What he hasnt got yet, though, is enough signatures to be a candidate. I am also short 2,000 signatures to get on the ballot, Finchem said via Twitter on Monday. Without your signature, I will not be able to even run. He can probably do it, though. He and other GOP candidates for secretary of state have until April 4 to gather a minimum of 7,378 valid signatures from Republicans and independents registered to vote in Arizona. Tim Steller Trump dumps on governor Talk has been circulating in D.C. about Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell recruiting Gov. Doug Ducey to run for U.S. Senate in Arizonas GOP primary. The idea, according to national news reports, is that Donald Trump is losing his hold on the GOP, which gives Ducey a good shot to win the nomination and face Sen. Mark Kelly in the general election. Trump is trying to stop such talk. On Monday, he sent out an email proclaiming, MAGA will never accept RINO Governor Doug Ducey of Arizona running for the U.S. SenateSo save your time, money, and energy, Mitch! Tim Steller 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. Tim Steller Columnist Tim Steller is the Stars metro columnist. A 20-plus year veteran of reporting and editing, he digs into issues and stories that matter in the Tucson area, reports the results and tells you his opinion on it all. Henry Brean Reporter Henry joined the Star in 2019 after 25 years at Nevada newspapers. A Tucson native, he graduated from Amphi and earned a journalism degree from the University of Missouri. He wrote about the environment for the Las Vegas Review-Journal for 16 years. Patty Machelor Reporter Patty covers issues pertaining to children and families as well as people living with disabilities. She previously reported on court cases, with an emphasis on juvenile court. She has worked for the Arizona Daily Star since 2001. Christian Hirwa came with his family to Tucson nearly a decade ago all as Rwanda refugees who fled to Kenya in 1997 because of ongoing death threats stemming from the genocide killings in his motherland. Hirwa was a young boy living in the city of Kigali, Rwanda, and he remembers seeing bloody bodies, and he experienced flashbacks of the horrific slayings ordered by Hutu officials with governmental power. Death squads shot or used machetes to kill Tutsi tribal members in their neighborhoods. Even though his family and relatives have mixed-blood of Tutsi and Hutu, they were suspected to be Tutsi, said Hirwa, explaining that Tutsi were the victims of the genocide bloodbath carried out by Hutu. I grew up in the midst of the conflict, and in 1994, after the killing of the president, the genocide began, said Hirwa of the shooting down of a plane carrying President Maj. Gen. Juvenal Habyarimana, a moderate Hutu. The plane was shot down over the capital city of Kigali, and there were no survivors. It is not known who is responsible for the killing. Some say Hutu extremists were responsible, and others say leaders of the Rwandese Patriotic Front, consisting mostly of Tutsi refugees, were behind the assassination, according to History.com Hirwa, 35, has lived the hell of refugees, and that is the reason he works giving back to those fleeing war-torn countries seeking safety in the United States. For seven years, he worked at Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest as a case manager for its refugee resettlement programs. In November, Hirwa was hired by Jewish Family & Childrens Services of Southern Arizona as a refugee resettlement services program manager to supervise case managers who will be working with up to 150 Afghanistan and other refugees coming to Tucson. Thus far, the agency has resettled nearly 40 people. Jewish Family & Childrens Services relaunched its refugee work, services it offered from 1989 to 2007 when it welcomed mostly Russian Jews fleeing antisemitism in the former Soviet Union. The JFCS board of directors saw the need to help refugees fleeing Afghanistan after the United States completed its withdrawal of troops in August, ending a 20-year war. The Taliban took over the country in days. The Afghanistan evacuees are part of Operation Allies Refuge, a military operation that airlifted certain at-risk Afghan civilians, interpreters, U.S. embassy employees and other prospective Special Immigrant Visa and humanitarian parolee applicants. In an earlier interview, Aaron Rippenkroeger, executive director for International Rescue Committee in Arizona, said roughly 100,000 refugees are out of Afghanistan, and most are coming to the United States. JFCS is now one of four Tucson agencies offering refugee resettlement services. The other three are Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest and International Rescue Committee. A total of 800 refugees are anticipated to be aided by the local agencies through federal funding and community donations. For JFCS, Hirwa will make sure the families are welcomed and work to become a part of the Tucson community. The agency will help with housing, education, transportation, medical services, employment, cultural and community services. Those who have challenging needs, such as the elderly, single parents with children or those who have experienced extreme trauma will have access to intensive case management for one year. JFCS also will work in partnership with the Global Jewish Organization for Refugees in providing services. It is difficult for refugees to enter a foreign world and start anew, trying to fit in and learn English, get a job and learn the customs and everyday life in America, said Hirwa. He was age 25 when he and his mother and five siblings left Kenya after their case was approved by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The family was interviewed by U.S. government officials and went through background checks, applying for refugee status because of the Rwanda genocide that slaughtered hundreds of thousands. Hirwa said he was 6 years old when he witnessed the bloody bodies in his neighborhood left by military militia. His family fled to the Republic of Congo in 1994 and then returned to Kigali months later when the situation was better. However, their stay was short because Hirwa said his family was threatened by government officials alleging they had ties to the Hutu government. This led them to flee to Nairobi, Kenya, where they carved out a life with much hardship because as refugees they were not allowed to have work permits. They labored in what they could find. He ran errands for people, and his mother worked on her own as a hairdresser. When it is happening, you just dont think about it. You just want to escape and be safe, said Hirwa. You process everything later, and it is difficult. You get flashbacks and wonder why all this happened to you. Hirwa said his Christian faith has helped him deal with the trauma. He finds refuge in his church Grace to the Nations. In 2012, Hirwa and his family took a flight from Nairobi, Kenya, to the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and then continued to Dallas and Tucson. They were greeted by refugee resettlement workers with Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest. The family began their journey to assimilate into the Tucson community. Hirwa took classes to improve his English at Pima Community College and graduated with an associate of arts degree majoring in political science. He transferred to the University of Arizona and received a bachelors degree in human services from the College of Applied Science & Technology last year. One sister is a nurse and the other is a case manager with International Rescue Committee. A brother works for a retail outlet, another brother served four years in the Army and was recently discharged, and the youngest brother, who is autistic, attends a special needs school. Hirwas mother stays home and cares for her youngest son. Through all the challenges in his new adopted country, said Hirwa, the most difficult is mastering English. For those who arrive and do not speak English, many are thinking how will they find jobs and survive. This is very challenging, but they figure out what they need to do and learn to navigate through life, said Hirwa, who will help and guide Tucsons new arrivals. Contact reporter Carmen Duarte at cduarte@tucson.com or on Twitter: @cduartestar How to donate To learn more about Jewish Family & Children's Services of Southern Arizona go to jfcstucson.org or call 520-795-0300. The nonprofit agency does need monetary donations for its refugee resettlement programs to help with housing, rents and other necessities. The agency also is accepting furniture, gently used items and gift cards. 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. Tucson won national praise in 2008 for passing a law requiring new commercial developments to get at least half of their water for landscaping from rain, rather than from drinking water. It was believed to be the first of its kind in the U.S. But the city has not adequately enforced the law no citations have been issued to violators and many developments are not complying. A city-commissioned report studied a representative sample of 12 developments in 2018. Nine used Tucson drinking water for more than half and in most cases well over half of the water put on landscaping. The report, by two private experts, was not publicly released by city officials for nearly three years. Its findings about outdoor water use were echoed in a broader investigation by city staff. They examined 41 commercial projects from 2016 to 2020 and found the vast majority were again exceeding the 50% threshold. Nearly half were grossly out of compliance with the ordinance, said a memo last month to the City Council by Tim Thomure, an assistant city manager. Thomure says the citys enforcement has significantly improved since 2018, and thats one reason the first report was not released until recently. But the City Council voted unanimously Jan. 25, directing staff to produce a plan in 60 days to further improve how the ordinance is administered and enforced. Its imperative to do that because were in a climate crisis, said Councilman Kevin Dahl, who introduced the successful motion. When the ordinance works as intended, rainwater harvesting can play a huge role in reducing dependence on drinking water for landscaping, Dahl said. About 30% of the citys drinking water supply is used outdoors, Tucson Water officials have said. Its frustrating for residents and experts alike to see water wasted as it runs onto pavement instead of landscaping, noted Brad Lancaster, a longtime local advocate of rainwater harvesting who co-authored the 2018 city report. Design failures Palo verdes, mesquites and a wide variety of native and non-native, low-water use shrubs adorn the QuikTrip convenience store on Alvernon Way just south of 22nd Street. But on its west side, most of the landscaping is elevated above the level of surrounding concrete parking areas. That means rainfall runoff cant flow into the landscaped areas. So the vast majority of the water nourishing plant life at the site comes from Tucsons drinking supplies, while the majority of runoff flows into streets and storm drains, the 2018 report found. This site failed miserably, said Lancaster, as he walked around the QuikTrip property in late January. While the rest of the sites design for collecting stormwater largely got it, the west side, Id say, missed the boat. Each new commercial site is required to draw up an outdoor watering budget, incorporating projected demand and supplies, to show how the project would meet the 50% rainwater harvesting requirement and to get city approval. But Lancasters study found the QuikTrip on Alvernon used 547% more city water outdoors in 2017 than its budget said. That made QuikTrip the second-highest user of drinkable water compared to its budget of the 12 projects studied, the report found. But he said the convenience store franchise was not at fault. He blamed the sites developers for designing, and the city for approving, landscaping, grading and water harvesting plans that did not match. Theres no way to easily and inexpensively let gravity send water to the landscape, Lancaster said. As a result, the landscaping is draining stormwater to the pavement. A QuikTrip spokeswoman told the Star that plans for the store were reviewed and approved by the city before construction, and the basins were properly constructed per approved plans when the store opened in 2012. We have no information on current rainwater usage and will need to look into the numbers provided in the study before we can provide further comment on that issue, said Aisha Jefferson-Smith, QuikTrips corporate communications manager. Climate change mitigation At the time the city ordinance was passed, rainwater harvesting was seen by many as a fringe practice. But its usage among Tucson homeowners has since grown widely, fueled in part by city rebates to pay for water storage cisterns and rainfall-friendly landscape designs. Its now seen by many environmentalists and other supporters not only as an alternative to city water use, but as a way to help Tucson adapt to global warming by nourishing the growth of cooling shrubs and trees. Water harvesting is an integral part of our climate change adaptation and mitigation strategy, said Dahl. But as far as commercial water use is concerned, Lancasters report outlined these problems with enforcement of the 2008 law: Failures by city Planning and Development Services staff to insure water harvesting plans submitted by developers matched grading plans, and that construction work matched harvesting plans. The city has not cited any violators. The law says violators can be required to submit to the city a landscape irrigation audit. Projects falling under the law generally failed to submit required annual reports showing water use and metering data. The only reports ever written about companies covered by the ordinance were seven that Tucson Water prepared back in 2013. Thomure said in his memo to the council that city staff already took several steps to improve administration of the ordinance. He recommended a page-long list of other possible actions. One reason the city did not publicly release the report when submitted is that staff improved its design review process starting in 2018 after conducting an initial evaluation of the ordinance, including Lancasters review, Thomure said in an email to the Star. The council was not part of that process, so the report was distributed only to staff, he said. Since that time, we have continuously worked to improve our processes and performance, as we do in all of our efforts as a city, he said. The current staff performing the plan reviews are doing an excellent job. The city released the report after the City Council decided last fall to review it at the request of its Citizens Water Advisory Committee, Thomure said. Lancaster responded that I would assume enforcement would have improved sooner and more completely had the report been released sooner. He learned only in a December 2021 meeting with Development Services staff that a key change returning a projects plans to its developer when they dont match was instituted last year, he said. The changes that were made in 2021 could have been made in 2019, it seems to me. I did ask a number of times, Is this (report) coming out? Whats going on? And I never got a hard answer, Lancaster said. Site managers unaware Lancaster and Ann Audrey, an independent hydrologist, visited the 12 projects in 2018 and pored through plans their developers submitted to the city covering water harvesting, landscaping, irrigation and grading. Ten projects were businesses, one was a city Park and Ride facility, and one was an El Rio Community Health Center. The researchers submitted a draft report, for which they were paid $15,000, to Tucson Water in December 2018. The sites were chosen to be representative of some 300 commercial projects permitted and built since the harvesting ordinance passed, Lancaster said. At nine of the 12 sites, water harvesting plans did not match designs shown on grading plans. About 70% of the time, the water harvesting basins were shallower than designed for, the study found. At some sites, no basins were built. Of the inlets created to allow rainwater to flowing from parking areas into the basins for landscaping, 44% were not fully functional. When Lancaster interviewed site managers for these projects, none were aware of the rainfall harvesting requirement, he said. Particularly frustrating, he said, was seeing many locations where very easy opportunities to collect significant amounts of rainwater were missed. Like the QuikTrip site, many landscaped areas were higher than the pavement that was supposed to direct rainwater to them. Curb cuts allowing the water into landscape islands often were not placed properly, he said. The way the majority of these commercial sites were built dehydrates the community, he said. It drains the rain right off the site. It increases downstream flooding. It also increases (ambient) temperatures, while rainwater harvesting reduces them. The more moist your soil, the cooler the soil and the more vegetation you can support. Drinking water usage The Cadence apartment complex at 350 E. Congress St. had the biggest gap between outdoor water use and its budgeted water use 1,047% of the 12 sites, Lancasters report said. Five sites used 184% to 481% more than budgeted. The city staffs follow-up analysis concluded that annual outdoor use of city water over five years for 11 of 41 properties it reviewed topped 500% of budgeted annual use. Eight went 250% to 500% over budget. Eight more ran 125% to 250% over budget. The 41 properties total use in five years was roughly equivalent to what would have been used before the ordinances passage, when drinkable water supplied 100% of irrigation demands, Thomure wrote. Only one-third of the properties met ordinance requirements. Overall for these 41 sites, usage was 289% higher than expected, with a total annual average use of 10.6 million gallons, he wrote. Disappointing outcome The reasons for non-compliance are complex. The water harvesting plan for QuikTrip on Alvernon, for example, showed 10 basins would be designed to capture stormwater. Its grading plan showed four basins, Lancaster said. But only two such basins were actually built to function properly, and two others were filled in with gravel and rock. For that reason, Lancaster disputed QuikTrip spokeswoman Jefferson-Smiths statement that the sites water harvesting basins were built per the citys approved plans. Gary Grizzle, a landscape architect involved in designing the stores water harvesting system, called the stores high water use disappointing. Grizzle is landscape architecture manager for WLB Group, which designed grading and other plans for the QuikTrip. I wonder if its the timer. Theres an irrigation controller that is set, and it needs to be adjusted. They usually have weather sensing information on it, Grizzle said. It could be a maintenance thing. Usually, obviously, a company would hire a landscape maintenance company to come clean up and check everything. I assume part of that was part of their task. He added: We design it per the ordinance, and it goes through the city review. We usually go back and forth a couple of times for the review, and it gets approved. Thats how its supposed to be built. I dont know how it gets built. We typically dont monitor it while its under construction. Water leaks The Cadence had definite signs of water leaks, Lancaster said. You would see a whole area of really moist soil in an area where theres no vegetation, at least on the day of inspection. The water use was much bigger than the site was designed to use. We did our site inspection when there had not been any rain. So theres no way it was rain that wetted the soils, he added. In addition, Cadences water harvesting plans called for 18 basins, but those at the site were so shallow it was hard to tell how many were built, he said. They need to be 4 to 6 inches deep for there to be stormwater capture, but that wasnt there. Rosie Pina, regional manager for AMC Development Co., the Vancouver, B.C.-based company that manages Cadence, said the company only took over the site in April 2021. So its officials have no knowledge about water use under the prior owner and operator, Coastal Ridge Real Estate, of Columbus, Ohio. Leaks and/or water line breaks were also likely issues at the city Park and Ride site studied, at 9017 E. Old Vail Road, Lancaster said. Water use spiked there during normally low-water-use months annually from 2016 to 2018. That caused the site to use 234% more drinking water on landscaping in 2017 than budgeted. Best-rated site The studys best-rated site was a Dollar General at 945 E. 22nd St. Native blue palo verdes and mesquites and native and non-native, low-water use shrubs surrounding its parking lot thrived throughout the study period and still do. And city records show the site used no city water from 2014 to 2018, Lancaster said. Dollar Generals success shows the ordinance can work if administered and enforced properly, he said. The landscaping was irrigated by city water during the stores first three years, through 2013, Lancaster said. Then after that, they stopped irrigating. They ceased their maintenance contract with the landscape company, and the vast majority of vegetation survived and looked good. It surpassed the goals of the ordinance. List of problems In his Jan. 25 memo, Thomure said smart irrigation controllers are required by the law but are not always installed and often are not programmed correctly. Maintenance was also an obvious issue, he wrote. Problems included basins that had been filled in with sediment and other debris, lack of mulch, missing trees and shrubs, overpruning, plugged irrigation emitters and emitters watering bare earth. His memo noted other issues: Technical standards the city adopted years ago to put the ordinance into effect led to some ambiguity in how the city reviewed projects. At the beginning, there was not an awareness of need to coordinate the grading and landscape plans with the rainwater harvesting plans. The law requires regulated businesses to buy a city irrigation meter, for about $6,500, or a private sub-meter costing no more than $1,000. Having its own irrigation meters is the citys only way to track a propertys water use because businesses do not report their meter readings to the city. But a city meter is not cost effective for many small properties with less water demand. Identifying property owners and managers responsible for bills and water management is also a challenge, since corporate headquarters, not local property managers, typically pay national chain stores bills. Working on fixes Improvements Thomure said the city has made include: Planning and Development Services Department staff now have better practices for reviewing plans and inspecting sites to match a developers grading, landscaping and water harvesting plans. When landscaping, grading and hydrology plans dont match rainwater harvesting plans, they are returned to developers for corrections. Tracking of developments for compliance will improve once Tucson completes a system upgrade later this year to handle permits issued by five city departments. In January 2021, the city adopted new stormwater detention design standards for flood control purposes, requiring commercial projects to capture the first half-inch of rain falling on a site. Now, city officials are conducting an analysis to see how much water is captured this way compared to whats required under the rainwater law. Its really important to remind everybody, we are never going to be taken seriously as a community unless our water future is secure, Councilman Paul Cunningham said at the meeting where the vote was taken to fix enforcement. Contact Tony Davis at 520-349-0350 or tdavis@tucson.com. Follow Davis on Twitter@tonydavis987. 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. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) U.S. President Joe Biden said Friday he's "convinced" that Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to launch a further invasion in Ukraine, including an assault on its capital, Kyiv, as tensions spiked along the militarized border with attacks that the West called "false-flag" operations meant to establish a pretext for invasion. On Friday, a humanitarian convoy was hit by shelling and pro-Russian rebels evacuated civilians from the conflict zone. A car bombing hit the eastern city of Donetsk, but no casualties were reported. After weeks of saying the U.S. wasn't sure if Putin had made the final decision to launch a widespread invasion, Biden said that assessment had changed, citing the Americans' "significant intelligence capability." "As of this moment I'm convinced he's made the decision," Biden said. "We have reason to believe that." He reiterated that it could occur in the "coming days." Meanwhile, the Kremlin announced massive nuclear drills to flex its military muscle, and Putin pledged to protect Russia's national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats. Biden reiterated his threat of massive economic and diplomatic sanctions against Russia if it does invade, and pressed Putin to rethink his course of action. He said the U.S. and its Western allies were more united than ever to ensure Russia pays a price for the invasion. While Putin held out the possibility of diplomacy, a cascade of developments this week have have further exacerbated East-West tensions and fueled war worries. This week's actions have fed those concerns: U.S. and European officials, focused on an estimated 150,000 Russian troops posted around Ukraine's borders, warn the long-simmering separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine could provide the spark for a broader attack. As a further indication that the Russians continue preparations for a potential invasion, a U.S. defense official said an estimated 40% to 50% of the ground forces deployed in the vicinity of the Ukrainian border have moved into attack positions nearer the border. That shift has been under way for about a week, other officials have said, and does not necessarily mean Putin has decided to begin an invasion. The defense official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal U.S. military assessments. The official also said the number of Russian ground units known as battalion tactical groups deployed in the border area had grown to between 120 and 125, up from 83 two weeks ago. Each battalion tactical group has between 750 and 1,000 soldiers. Vice President Kamala Harris said the U.S. still hopes Russia will de-escalate but is ready to hit it with tough sanctions in case of an attack. U.S. leaders this week issued their most dire warnings yet that Moscow could order an invasion of Ukraine any day. "We remain, of course, open to and desirous of diplomacy ... but we are also committed, if Russia takes aggressive action, to ensure there will be severe consequence," Harris said at the annual Munich Security Conference. While Russia snubbed this year's conference, lines of communication remain open: The U.S. and Russian defense chiefs spoke Friday, and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called for de-escalation, the return of Russian forces surrounding Ukraine to their home bases, and a diplomatic resolution, according to the Pentagon. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov agreed to meet next week. Immediate worries focused on eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have been fighting pro-Russia rebels since 2014 in a conflict that has killed some 14,000 people. A bombing struck a car outside the main government building in the major eastern city of Donetsk, according to an Associated Press journalist there. The head of the separatists' forces, Denis Sinenkov, said the car was his, the Interfax news agency reported. There were no reports of casualties and no independent confirmation of the circumstances of the blast. Uniformed men inspected the burned-out car. Broken glass littered the area, Shelling and shooting are common along the line that separates Ukrainian forces and the rebels, but targeted violence is unusual in rebel-held cities like Donetsk. However, the explosion and the announced evacuations were in line with U.S. warnings of so-called false-flag attacks that Russia would use to justify an invasion. Separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions that form Ukraine's industrial heartland known as the Donbas said they are evacuating civilians to Russia. The announcement appeared to be part of Moscow's efforts to counter Western warnings of a Russian invasion and to paint Ukraine as the aggressor instead. Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk rebel government, said women, children and the elderly would go first, and that Russia has prepared facilities for them. Pushilin alleged in a video statement that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was going to order an imminent offensive in the area. Metadata from two videos posted by the separatists announcing the evacuation show that the files were created two days ago, The Associated Press confirmed. U.S. authorities have alleged that Kremlin plans included prerecorded videos as part of a disinformation campaign. Authorities began moving children from an orphanage in Donetsk, and other residents boarded buses for Russia. Long lines formed at gas stations as more people prepared to leave on their own. Putin ordered his emergencies minister to fly to the Rostov region bordering Ukraine to help organize the exodus and ordered the government to offer a payment of 10,000 rubles (about $130) to each evacuee, equivalent to about half of an average monthly salary in the war-ravaged Donbas. Ukraine denied planning any offensive, with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba saying that "Ukraine does not conduct or plan any such actions in the Donbas." "We are fully committed to diplomatic conflict resolution only," he tweeted. U.S. and European officials have been on high alert for any Russian attempts at a so-called false-flag operation. A Western official familiar with intelligence findings said Ukrainian government officials shared intelligence that suggested the Russians might try to shell the areas in the Luhansk region controlled by separatists, as part of an effort to create a false reason to take military action. Also Friday, the U.S. government released new estimates of how many military personnel Russia has in and around Ukraine. It said there are between 169,000 and 190,000 personnel, up from about about 100,000 on Jan. 30, according to Michael Carpenter, the permanent U.S. representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The new estimate includes military troops along the border, in Belarus, and in occupied Crimea; Russian National Guard and other internal security units deployed to these areas; and Russian-backed forces in eastern Ukraine. The separatists inside Ukraine, the Russian National Guard and troops in Crimea were not included in the previous U.S. estimate of 150,000. The Kremlin sent a reminder to the world of its nuclear might, announcing drills of its nuclear forces for the weekend. Putin will monitor the sweeping exercise Saturday that will involve multiple practice missile launches. The move overshadowed Russian offers of continued diplomacy to defuse the Ukraine crisis. While the Kremlin insists it has no plans to invade, it has urged the West to keep Ukraine out of NATO and roll back alliance forces from Eastern Europe demands roundly rejected by Western allies. Photos: Satellite images show bird's-eye view of Ukraine crisis Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. WASHINGTON (AP) The 15 boxes of White House records that were stored at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence contained items marked as classified national security information, the National Archives and Records Administration said Friday. The agency said the matter has been referred to the Justice Department. In a response to a Feb. 9 letter to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, the National Archives confirmed reports that Trump took government records with him down to Florida after he left office in January 2021. House lawmakers had opened an investigation, and the National Archives has reportedly asked the Justice Department to look into the matter. The Justice Department and the FBI have not yet said what, if anything, they'll do. The letter from the archivists also stated that certain social media records were not captured and preserved by the Trump administration and that the agency learned that White House staff frequently conducted official business using unofficial messaging accounts and personal phones. Those staff did not copy or forward their official messaging counts, as required by the Presidential Records Act. The letter also goes on to reveal that after Trump left the White House, the National Archives learned that additional paper records that had been torn up by the former president had been transferred to the agency. "Although White House staff during the Trump Administration recovered and taped together some of the torn-up records, a number of other torn-up records that were transferred had not been reconstructed by the White House," the letter continued. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., the chair of the House Oversight Committee, said in a statement last week announcing the investigation that Trump was required under the law to turn over the documents to the National Archives before leaving office, and that lawmakers are seeking information about the contents of the boxes recovered from Mar-a-Lago. In response to her request about the contents of the boxes, the agency cited the records act as holding them back from divulging. The Washington Post first reported two weeks ago that the archivist asked the Justice Department to investigate the discovery of 15 boxes of White House records recovered from Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, and that the former president had a habit in office of tearing up records both "sensitive and mundane." Investigators will be looking to see if Trump's actions, both during his presidency and after, violated the Presidential Records Act, which was enacted in 1978 after former President Richard Nixon wanted to destroy documents related to the Watergate scandal. The law mandates that presidential records are the property of the U.S. government, rather than belonging to the president himself. Another statute, punishable by up to three years in prison, makes it a crime to conceal or intentionally destroy government records. Photos: Donald Trump through the years Talking politics With Melania 'How to Get Rich' On the course At Doral Sarazen Cup With Serena USS Iowa Debating Jeb Bush Las Vegas debate In Biloxi Campaign rally Winning South Carolina She's with him Signing autographs Another debate Waving to supporters In Arizona The Trump family At the convention The nominee The ticket Showing her support In Mexico Debating Clinton Casting his vote Election Night In the Oval Office Mitt Romney The inauguration Thumbs up Taking the oath Waving goodbye Armed Forces Ball James Comey Trump to lay out his agenda to Congress Thanking school children Medal of Honor recipients Justice Anthony Kennedy swears in Neil Gorsuch Easter Egg Roll Super Bowl champs Little Sisters of the Poor Russian foreign minister, ambassador At the Western Wall Meeting the pope Wreath-laying ceremony in Arlington National champs Congressional shooting At the White House Congressional Picnic Go, Cubs, go Departing the White House USS Gerald R. Ford joins the Navy The eclipse 9/11 anniversary Trump addresses world leaders at U.N. General Assembly Las Vegas shooting Trump visits Puerto Rico Trump meets Kissinger With Trudeau Medal of Honor Happy Halloween National Christmas Tree Lighting Celebrating GOP tax plan March for Life State of the Union School shootings State dinner With Olympians Greeting a guest Freed Americans Historic summit With Kim Kardashian West In Washington Trump North Carolina Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer: The beauty of history is not the tale itself, rather it is the inspiration that comes from understanding our complex world better. For when opportunities come to make our Arizona better, we must be prepared to revise how we, as our current society, can be part of changing history. SCR 1044, proposition number pending, wants to resurrect the American dream for undocumented youth in Arizona by allowing in-state tuition and college financial aid for these students. As a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) immigrant and a homeowner, I have paid taxes since I started earning an income in Arizona, 10 years ago. Nonetheless, I am barred from a pathway to citizenship, in-state tuition for colleges, and voting for who can best represent me in our state Legislature and in Congress. If I could vote, I would support SCR 1044 not because it is what most Arizonans want, but because being critical of our states history will allow us to make better, balanced and fearless decisions. In an attempt to excite my fifth grade students for the days history lesson, Id shout no taxation without representation! My students would always say how pointless it seemed to dump tea in the harbor, as well as harmful to the environment. As educators, we do our best to allow students to understand history through the lenses of critical context. We want our students to understand that the colonists were fighting against injustices carried out by Great Britain. It is vital to know the injustices of the past to recognize the ones of today. United States Studies is the current fifth grade standard for Arizona history and social sciences. Through the Arizona Department of Education website, teachers across the state, city to rural, access this site for lesson planning and standard tracking. This same site is accessible to public servants, parents and readers like you. For such a reason, it is harsh to see how educators are being framed as instigators or guilt-trippers by legislators through House Bill 2112, which was approved by Arizonas state House Education Committee. Such initiatives are being moved forward on the notion of fear over what students might learn. I believe lawmakers and Arizonans should be courageous enough to make laws grounded in reality and not fear. Rather, we should learn from the fear which lead to the passing of Prop. 300 and Prop. 103, which prohibited undocumented folks from any state aid and established English as Arizonas official language. This targeted fear is not harmless. All In Educations MAPA report (21-22) highlights many of the disparities Arizona families are facing in education every day. It is evident from the report that Latino students live in a different reality than their white counterparts. For example, Arizonas Latino third grade reading proficiency stands at a mere 23%. Statistics found in this report demonstrate that Latino students will be less civically engaged, feel less healthy and access less wealth-building potential. This should be alarming in itself, but more distressing is how effective fear can be at putting others down. To be brave, one needs to first experience fear. It is time to be brave, Arizona. Oscar Hernandez Ortiz is the Community Strategy Specialist at the Arizona Bar Foundation, an Arizona Department of Education Latinx Advisory Board member, a DACA recipient and a former Arizona public school teacher. He lives in Phoenix. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Sen. J.J. Dossett, D-Owasso, and Rep. Jay Steagall, R-Yukon, Senate and House chairs of the Oklahoma Legislative Veterans Caucus, on Thursday applauded the efforts of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. The ODVA, along with numerous other veteran service organizations, worked to make Oklahoma No. 1 among the 50 states for veterans, per capita, in receipt of federal, service-connected disability benefits. According to the ODVA, there are about 100,000 veterans out of approximately 300,000 in Oklahoma with some level of service-connected disability a compensable injury or medical condition resulting from military service. This represents $2.4 billion provided directly to individual veterans. These numbers reflect Oklahomas commitment to working with and for our veterans and service members to ensure that their transition from service to civilian life is made as seamless as possible, Dossett said. While these numbers are exciting and should be celebrated, our work is never done when it comes to supporting our veterans. I am committed to working with ODVA and our veteran service organizations on policies that continue to support both the physical and mental health of veterans so that these impressive numbers can continue to grow in the future. Steagall added, Often times disabled veterans either dont know what resources are available to them, or choose not to ask for help. Here in Oklahoma, the ODVA, along with our many excellent veteran service organizations, have done a great job supporting our disabled veterans and breaking down the stigma that is attached to asking for help. We are not only the No. 1 state for veterans who are receiving disability benefits, but in my opinion we are the most veteran-friendly state in the nation. It is my hope that our nations veterans continue to make Oklahoma their home once their time in the service has ended. The ODVA estimates that nearly half of the Oklahoma veterans who are eligible for compensation for injuries and/or medical conditions arising from military service have not yet applied. Oklahoma veterans who need assistance with filing a claim for service-connected disability are invited to call (405) 523-4000 or visit oklahoma.gov/veterans. Bass Reeves, according to lore, once walked more than 20 miles in pursuit of two outlaws. He disguised himself as a hobo being chased by a posse and he shot three holes in his hat to add authenticity to the masquerade. The mother of the outlaws welcomed the hungry hobo into her home and proposed he join forces with her good-for-nothing sons. Surprise! The sons woke up the next morning with handcuffs for bracelets. Reeves walked them more than 20 miles back to his camp. The outlaws mommy followed for a few miles, cursing Reeves all the while. Reeves wasnt a character in a western movie. He was a real-life badge-holder the first African-American deputy marshal west of the Mississippi and he helped bring law and order to the territory that became Oklahoma. He arrested more than 3,000 bad guys and killed 14, successfully arguing he was in the right to put those fellers on the other side of a tombstone. Reeves was buried more than 100 years ago. No way is a little thing like death going to prevent him from having additional adventures. HBO is developing a miniseries based on Reeves life. Morgan Freeman is among executive producers. This is a black man in Americas legendary Western history who has been totally overlooked, Freeman told Deadline last year. Any chance I get to revisit historical moments of our country is important to me. While HBO handles Reeves old exploits, authors are giving him new ones. Bass Reeves: Frontier Marshal is a new anthology book from Airship 27 Productions. Four writers (including Oklahoman Mel Odom) penned fictional stories starring you-know-who. Ron Fortier, managing editor of Airship 27 Productions, grew up in the 1950s, when TV viewers watched fictionalized adventures of historical figures like Wyatt Earp and Annie Oakley. So if Bass Reeves was the best lawman of all time, clearly surpassing Earp or any of the others, then why shouldnt todays Western readers get to enjoy imaginative stories about him, as well? Fortier said. Reeves life would seem to be fertile for elaboration. A former slave who grew up on a ranch in Paris, Texas, he crossed the Red River to live in Indian Territory and learned to speak tribal languages. Physically imposing for that era (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) and equipped with intel about Indian Territory, Reeves was recruited to be a deputy marshal. He was among 200 deputies hired by hanging judge Isaac Parker to scour the landscape for outlaws. Reeves couldnt read or write, so he memorized information from arrest warrants. He once took on the responsibility of tracking down one of his own sons. When statehood arrived in 1907, he got out of the marshal business and became a police officer in Muskogee. Reeves contributions to history were acknowledged by the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City in 1992. But Fortier, a student of history, wonders why it took him so long to learn of Reeves existence. How was it possible I could have gone so long in my life without ever having heard of this man? Fortier wrote in the introduction to the book. The answer is simple. Bass Reeves accomplishments were swept under the rug of history by prejudicial white teachers who purposely chose to ignore the contributions of blacks in the settling of the western frontier. Fortier said he sought any morsel of data he could find on Reeves, which led him to a wonderful biography written by Art T. Burton. He was the greatest manhunter in American Western history, Burton told the Tulsa World in 1992. You did not want to mess with Bass Reeves. Fortier partnered with an artist and tried to get publishers interested in a graphic novel about Reeves. No dice. For whatever reasons, blatant racism or obvious stupidity, the people we approached simply didnt see the importance of Reeves life in the opening of the frontier, Fortier said. So, over the years, not having done anything with this idea wore at me like a toothache that wouldnt go away. Then Fortier saw the HBO news. His Facebook page got peppered with comments from friends and colleagues who knew about his interest in the neglected lawman. California-based author Gary Phillips said he wanted in if Fortier chose to do anything Reeves-related. Fortier would have been content to let Hollywood shine a spotlight on Reeves, but Phillips inquiry spurred Fortier into launching a project of his own. Airship 27 Productions, operated by Fortier and Rob Davis, produces new pulp novels and anthology books in the vein of old pulp magazines from the 1930s and 1940s. We had done westerns before, a la the Masked Rider, a Lone Ranger clone from the 30s, Fortier said. So why not a collection of Bass Reeves adventures? That means Reeves, who began hunting scoundrels in the 19th century, is still hunting them in the 21st century. History tried to forget him. But history should have known better than to mess with Bass Reeves. Jimmie Tramel 918 581-8389 jimmie.tramel@tulsaworld.com 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. Want to indulge your love of chocolate while supporting chocolate producers with sustainable practices? Check out these seven companies offering delicious, eco-friendly and ethically produced treats. Two-time recipient of best-in-world recognition at the Cocoa of Excellence Awards in Paris, France, Lydgate Farms is not only producing some of the nations most delicious chocolate, but theyre doing it in an environmentally-focused and socioeconomically-conscientious way. Fifth-generation farmers hailing on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, the brother and sister duo uses organic fertilizers and regenerative practices to grow sustainable cacao trees. Chocolove makes organic and Fair Trade-certified chocolates with cocoa beans sourced from Rainforest Alliance-certified farmers. The Colorado-based companys products are also made with GMO-free, kosher and gluten-free ingredients. A member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), Chocolove is also dedicated to minimizing palm oil cultivation. Theos bean-to-bar business model includes annual third-party verifications, stable pricing and business-impact transparency. Founded in 2005, Theo was the first organic, Fair for Life-certified chocolate maker in North America and continues to advocate for the use of sustainable and healthy ingredients. Redefining quality and sustainability standards in the chocolate industry, bean-to-bar chocolate maker Beyond Good works directly with cacao farmers, cutting out the middlemen. This approach provides 100% transparency in the chocolate-making process and allows farmers to earn significantly more money. The company sources and produces chocolate in Madagascar and has started developing a supply chain in Uganda. Beyond Goods products are Direct Trade-certified, USDA Organic, kosher, non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free and soy-free. A Fairtrade-certified company, Endangered Species supports independent cacao farmers and their families in West Africa by paying Fairtrade premiums for cacao harvests. And with a commitment to supporting conservation efforts around the world, the company donates 10% of their annual net profits to organizations like the National Forest Foundation and Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. All of Endangered Species products are certified gluten-free, Non-GMO, kosher and Green-e made, and the majority are also vegan-certified. Stone-ground organic cacao beans are at the heart of Tazas unrefined, minimally processed, organic products. The company maintains in-person relationships with growers and adheres to environmental and fair labor practices. Taza Chocolates is a Direct Trade business and publishes an annual transparency report. Honeymoon Chocolates was founded in 2016 and specializes in bean-to-bar craft chocolate sweetened solely with raw honey. The brand was started because the founders, Cam and Haley, wanted to help stop the decline of honeybees in America and address the decreasing supply of cacao nationwide. (Cam and Haley also wanted to help consumers to remove refined sugar from their favorite foods. You gotta love that!) Not only does Honeymoon give a portion of its proceeds to support honeybee research, it also purchases directly from beekeepers, which allows it to support apiarists and local economies. Another reason we love Honeymoon? Its packaging is 100% compostable which includes sugar cane labels and sustainable paper stock wrappers. Get Honeymoon Chocolates in the Feast and Field Shop: Hundreds of vintage collectors and antique dealers will flock to the Exchange Center at Expo Square this weekend for the 13th Vintage Tulsa Show. The event, which runs from Friday, Feb. 18 through Sunday, Feb. 20, gives attendees the chance to shop rare items such as antique furniture, vintage clothing and jewelry, artwork and more from over 200 dealers from around the country. In good times and bad times, people gravitate toward antique shows, said Shari King, antique collector and owner of Pink Palm Palm, a vintage store that will appear at the Vintage Tulsa Show. Its a therapeutic thing its good for the soul. Pink Palm Palm King was born in Ada but has spent most of her life in Plano, Texas. She began collecting vintage items at a young age, inspired and guided by her father. My father was an antique dealer, and I used to go with him to this exact same spot here in Tulsa, and thats where I started collecting and I love it, King said. Its a very addicting business. Kings collection contains a variety of items including everything from vintage Christmas decorations to antique stuffed bears and everything in between, at a variety of price points. Her favorite item shes bringing to the Vintage Tulsa Show? A 1960s beauty pageant rhinestone crown. Im very eclectic, King said. I have a little bit of everything, from low-end to high-end. I love anything pink, vintage toys, antique miniatures, estate jewelry, costume pieces, antique kitchen linens, and I always have crowns because my last name is King. An important part of her role as an antique dealer is to price each item fairly and try to save her customers money, King said. You might buy something at an estate sale for $10, then do some research and realize it was actually worth $100, King said. So, I always try to pass my savings on to the customer. I try not to overprice my items, and I always want people to feel like theyre getting a good deal for what theyre buying. After devastating Texas snowstorms prevented King from selling her items at the show last year, she said shes elated to be able to return. The antique show here is the best show I do I just love it, King said. The people in Oklahoma and the Tulsa area are just wonderful. Theyre there to have a good time and try to find something that might make them a little bit happier. And the dealers even though were all from different states were like one big family. Churnfolks Antiques Joining the Vintage Tulsa Show all the way from Sparta, Missouri, is Churnfolks Antiques, run by Jana and Dallas Stafford. Specializing in antique and primitive furniture and home decor items, many of which are over 100 years old, the Staffords have been in the antique business for over 20 years. Jana Stafford said the name Churnfolks comes from her and her husbands shared passion for collecting antique butter churns. I had a butter churn I inherited from my family, and he had one that was a different size, Jana Stafford said. We started researching all the different sizes and brands, and the search was on to finish our set. Back in the day, when people had really large families, they would have huge churns where they made a gallon of butter at a time, and put them in molds and stamped cute designs on them, so we started collecting that stuff, too. After building a reputation as antique collectors, Jana and Dallas Stafford grew their collection mostly via word of mouth. People from all over would reach out to them when the estate of a friend or loved one went up for sale, and the Staffords collection continuously grew. Jana Stafford her love for antiques comes from the fact that pieces made in the late 19th and early 20th century were made to last and are more dependable than modern furniture items. My main thing is the durability compared to modern furniture, Stafford said. It was made to last and was made out of substantial wood and was manufactured well my grandkids could stand on my coffee table and its not going to hurt it. Primitive items do have wear on them, scratches and dents, but that makes each piece unique. David McIntosh Antiques David McIntosh, a primitive furniture and vintage art dealer from Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been curating and selling antique items for over 34 years. McIntosh said his love and appreciation for antiques comes from his grandmother, who helped raise him on a farm in Kansas. My grandmother was really an extraordinary woman, McIntosh said. She and my grandfather had all of their kids during the Dust Bowl era, and they were not wealthy by any means, so they were very consistent in reusing things and making things work with very little money. When I was a kid, my grandmother taught us about everything that was in the house as far as where it came from and what it was used for. She really instilled in me a respect for items and reusing them. McIntoshs time as a teacher also informed his affinity for antique items, specifically the restoration process. When I was a teacher, I would spend my Saturdays going around to garage sales thats how I outfitted my classroom as well as my home, McIntosh said. Thats when I taught myself how to refinish. When me and my business partner started our business, our goal was restoration taking something back to how it was intended to be in the beginning. Because Colorado Springs is largely a military community, McIntosh said it can be an interesting place to source antique and vintage items. Colorado Springs is kind of a unique city because we have five military bases here, McIntosh said. People travel all over the world in the military, and then come back here or pass through here. So, all in all, theres a real broad variety of things available here, specifically a lot of European and Asian pieces. McIntosh said what draws him to antique items the most is the stories attached to each piece. I love the things that I find I love the story behind them and if I know there is a connection to history, because thats what really intrigues me McIntosh said. Sometimes its just the glory of the wood thats used, sometimes its the way that someone has constructed something I look at some pieces and I cant fathom that someone made them by hand. And I especially like being able to impart to someone that when theyre buying a table from me, theyre not just buying something to use in the kitchen, theyre buying something that has meaning and purpose behind it. For more information about the Vintage Tulsa Show, visit heritageeventcompany.com/vintage-tulsa-show Make your house a home For the holidays: Get inspiring home and gift ideas sign up now! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Attorneys for a man who could face execution in the slaying of a Tulsa police officer are seeking an injunction against prosecutors pursuit of the death penalty until Oklahoma statutes that they say are unconstitutional are corrected. Kevin Adams and Robert Gifford, lead and co-counsel respectively for David Ware, filed a federal lawsuit Thursday in the Northern District of Oklahoma against Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler in his official capacity. The action seeks declaratory relief that Oklahoma statutes setting compensation caps on attorneys appointed to defend indigent clients from the death penalty are unconstitutional. It also seeks an injunction against a capital trial against Ware until such constitutional infirmities are remedied. Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said Friday he is aware of the action but will not allow it to distract his office from preparations for the death-penalty trial. The Oklahoma Attorney Generals Office has been contacted regarding the federal lawsuit, and I expect they will be defending that action on my behalf, Kunzweiler said. However, I remain confident that the case in the Tulsa County District Court where Mr. Ware is charged with the murder of Sgt. Craig Johnson and the shooting of Officer Auresh Zarkeshan will proceed forward in April. A spokeswoman for the attorney general said the office is not yet involved in the action and would not comment at this time. The suit alleges that the states law directly contradicts what has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court as the minimum prevailing national standards in defending death-penalty cases: the American Bar Association Guidelines for the Appointment and Performance of Defense Counsel in Death Penalty Cases. Oklahomas Indigent Defense Act caps payment for appointed lead counsel in capital cases at $20,000 and co-counsel at $5,000. The ABA Guidelines cite caps on compensation as improper in death-penalty cases and provide that attorneys hourly rates should be commensurate with that of similar retained counsel. In a Tuesday stateside motion to dismiss the pursuit of the death penalty against Ware on the same grounds, Adams called the rates the statutes set forth an obscene embarrassment to the American justice system. The federal indigent defense system in which Adams and Gifford both serve compensates attorneys at $155 per hour, the motion states. In Wares case at the states rate, lead counsel will average something less than $20.00 per hour, Adams wrote. He argued that the two highly experienced and qualified attorneys are in actuality losing tens of thousands of dollars based on the capped rate and inability to accept other court appointments or private-pay cases. Adams wrote that he has been appointed to the case since July 2020 and has not yet taken a single payment so that he will be able to financially survive the trial, for which District Judge Bill Musseman has advised counsel to block out a months time. Oklahomas statutory scheme for limiting compensation of conflict counsel in death penalty cases creates a conflict of interest between appointed counsel and their clients facing the death penalty, because private defense counsel are forced to endure severe financial hardship in an attempt to meet as much of their obligations as they can as outlined by the ABA Guidelines, the suit alleges. Either through intention or neglect Oklahoma has created a system of compensation for conflict death penalty counsel that does not pass constitutional muster and as a result Oklahoma has a death penalty system where it is remarkable that defendants represented by conflict counsel ever escape its deadly grasp. In the state motion, Adams pointed to a 2017 recommendation from a bipartisan Oklahoma Death Penalty Review Commission: That adequate compensation should be provided to conflict counsel in capital cases, and the existing compensation (cap) should be lifted. He argued that the courts must act in the failure of the Oklahoma Legislature. In support of federal intervention due to a lack of an adequate state forum, the suit cited a civil rights lawsuit D. Gregory Bledsoe filed against the judges of the Tulsa County District Court in 2004 over the funding of death-penalty counsel for defendant Jeremy Williams. The lawsuit was settled and dismissed, but the practice of limiting compensation for death penalty counsel continued. Williams was 21 when he and Alvin Jordan robbed a midtown bank and caught 26-year-old teller Amber Rogers in their crossfire, killing her. Williams and Jordan were using different caliber weapons, but the bullet that struck Rogers passed through her, and state medical examiners could not determine the caliber of gun that fired it. Jordan, represented by Adams, avoided the death penalty with a guilty plea and is currently serving a life sentence without parole. Williams was convicted in a jury trial tried by then-prosecutors Doug Drummond and Musseman and sentenced to execution. He hanged himself on death row after exhausting his appeals in 2018. He was 35. Adams also cited a motion and response in the 2014 Darren Price death-penalty case in which Musseman, on request, increased co-counsels pay. The attorneys illustrated that their pay averaged $10 an hour on the two-year case, but the judge denied that their compensation should exceed the statutory cap. Although finding that Price fulfilled the aggravating circumstances necessary for execution, a jury chose not to exercise the option. Following the jurys recommendation, Musseman sentenced Price to two consecutive life terms without parole for the execution-style shooting deaths of Carissa Horton, 18, and Ethan Nichols, 21, at Hicks Park in 2011. Price was 19 at the time of the murders. Musseman has scheduled a ruling on all pretrial motions in Wares case for Feb. 25. 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 Tulsa man who made news during his murder trial when he bashed a plastic water pitcher into a prosecutors head admitted Thursday to his part in a 2018 deadly robbery after his original state conviction and life without parole prison sentence were overturned. In exchange for an 18-year prison term, Dameon Lamar Leathers, 40, pleaded guilty in Tulsa federal court to a three-count felony information linked to the robbery and killing of Howard Thompson, 50. After his state conviction and sentence were overturned, a federal grand jury indicted Leathers in April on one count of first-degree murder in Indian Country. Federal prosecutors filed a felony information Feb. 11 charging Leathers with first-degree burglary in Indian Country, conspiracy to commit first-degree burglary in Indian Country and assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country. The latter charge is linked to the water-pitcher assault. A judge will decide at Leathers June 14 sentencing hearing whether to accept the plea agreement. Prosecutors indicated they will drop the initial indictment and a superseding indictment at that hearing, according to court documents. Thompson was shot to death April 7, 2018, at his home in the 5400 block of North Hartford Place. Police arrested Leathers in Wichita about a month after the shooting. Lloyd Christopher Clemons was also arrested earlier in connection with Thompsons robbery and death, but he testified against Leathers at trial. Tulsa police said at the time that Clemons and Leathers both planned to rob Thompson of his casino winnings. A Tulsa County jury convicted Leathers of first-degree murder Nov. 22, 2019. Leathers challenged his 2019 conviction and sentence of life without parole plus 45 years following the 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the Muscogee Nation reservation had never been disestablished. The ruling left the state of Oklahoma without jurisdiction to try criminal cases that involve an American Indian and occur within one of six tribal reservations in eastern Oklahoma. Leathers is a member of the Muscogee Nation, and the death and robbery occurred within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation reservation. After the jurys verdict was announced in his Tulsa County District Court prosecution, Leathers grabbed a plastic pitcher full of water and slammed it into the head of Tulsa County Assistant District Attorney Kevin Gray before deputies grabbed and used a Taser on him. Gray was treated at a hospital and released the same day. 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 an adult who depends on a wheelchair to get around, Temur Kakabadze has enjoyed the public accessibility hes experienced this week in Tulsa. To me, America is really about freedom, because the way I am able to move about freely here in the United States is something that was unheard of to me until now, he said. In my hometown I cannot move about so freely. But thankfully, he added, progress is being made in his country of Georgia in how disabled people are treated. And hes proud to be a part of those continuing efforts. Kakabadze, who spoke to the North Tulsa Rotary Club on Thursday, is one of a handful of visitors from the eastern European republic of Georgia who are in Tulsa this week. Hosted and organized by the Tulsa Global Alliance, the theme of the visit is diversity, equality and inclusion. Its the first government-funded international delegation the alliance has hosted in over two years due to the pandemic. The groups visit with the North Tulsa Rotary at Oklahoma State University-Tulsa is one of many cultural exchanges its doing during its week stay in Tulsa. On Tuesday it addressed members of the Will Rogers Rotary Club. Kakabadze, who works for an organization in his country that advocates for those with disabilities, said inclusion in Georgia, a former member state of the Soviet Union, has been an ongoing challenge. Context for our situation is that in the Soviet Union people with disabilities lived in a way that can only be described as segregated, said Kakabadze, who spoke via a translator. Progress has been made through various new laws, he said, including one that has made education more inclusive for children with disabilities. But accessibility remains a problem overall. It is the biggest issue faced by disabled citizens, Kakabadze said. Promisingly, he said, the government adopted a national standard of accessibility in 2020 that will help. It has pledged over the next 15 years to adapt all government buildings for the disabled, he said. That also includes all streets and sidewalks, parking, elevators. Kakabadze was joined Thursday by fellow Georgian Gulia Nabieva. She talked briefly about efforts to better integrate Georgias diverse ethnic minority groups, including a higher education program that she herself is benefiting from. The members of the group, who leave on Saturday, have been staying with host families. Among their stop-offs while in Tulsa were Greenwood Rising, the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation, the Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges, the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice, the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center, the Euchee Language Project and the Little Light House. Bob Lieser, the alliances vice president of programs, said hes glad to once again be able to host international visitors in person. We hosted a couple of firefighters from our sister city last year, but this is the first government-funded delegation, he said. He said the group is visiting as part of the Open World Program, which is funded by the Congressional Office of International Leadership. One of the things were encouraged to do when we host groups like this is arrange opportunities for them to share and give back and present to the community and help us learn about where theyre from, he said. Video: Five things to do this weekend 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. One year ago today, on May 1, 2021, a memorial service was held in honor of the 41 Tulsa Police Officers who have died in the line of duty at A process for moving the city forward to repair damage from the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre appears promising in its inclusiveness and intention. A framework for discussing how to make amends stems from a nonbinding resolution passed by the Tulsa City Council last June to establish such a community-led initiative. Rightly, a priority is placed on the opinions of survivors and descendants of victims. The council heard from former mayoral candidate and community organizer Greg Robinson on the initial idea for how this would work. He stressed that nothing has been determined. About $51,000 in private funding has been raised for the effort, which is being administered by the community development and engagement firm World Won Development. The preliminary proposal includes a series of community meetings in different parts of the city over nine to 12 months. It starts by providing the survivors and descendants a place to talk about their thoughts on restorative justice. From there, the engagement would bring in an education component based on experiences with these types of community traumas in other cities. Tulsa doesnt have to reinvent the wheel on this. Experts who could be involved come from groups such as Human Rights Watch, the National African American Reparations Commission, the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America and First Repair, Robinson told the council. The council resolution and this process make no guarantee of reparations or any specific remedy. Robinson and some other Black leaders support reparations, but he said those personal feelings would not dictate this process. Complexity exists around what reparations mean to different stakeholders. Opinions on the remedies for healing these traumas range from cash compensation to business loan programs to youth scholarships. Its why an agreed-upon process for holding these discussions is important. Tulsans dont need to fight or sow divisions over this. We need more listening, understanding and then action rooted in good faith to make things right and better for everyone. We support the councils commitment to provide groundwork for honest conversations. The city remains obligated to fix what happened a century ago and its lingering damage. The effort to continue finding solutions is appreciated, and we look forward to the process. Featured video: Subscribe to Daily Headlines Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Authorities in the northern Vietnamese province of Thai Nguyen on Wednesday handed over a license to Samsung Electro-Mechanics Vietnam Co. Ltd. (SEMV) that allows the company to invest an additional US$920 million in its project at Yen Binh Industrial Park in Pho Yen Town. The added amount raised the plants total capital to around $2.27 billion. SEMV was launched in 2013 with an initial registered outlay of $1.2 billion, which then grew to $1.35 billion in May 2020 after a significant capital adjustment. The plant came into operation in February 2015. Its 6,580 workers manufacture HDI printed circuit boards, telecommunication components, high-tech mobile equipment, and other electronics. SEMV made the request for an investment adjustment in late December 2021 in order to expand its plants production. Choi Joo Ho, general director of Samsung, told the Vietnam News Agency that Samsung was going to allocate $220 million for a center of research and development in Hanoi in order to transform Vietnam into a strategic R&D hub. The center is expected to be launched in late 2022 and its research focus will be on global tech trends including artificial intelligence, big data, and the Internet of Things. In late 2021, Samsungs total accumulated investment in Vietnam reached $18 billion, equaling 102 percent of the accumulated figure of $17.7 billion in 2020, according to the state-run national daily. The additional $920 million investment has pushed the figure up to $18.92 billion, allowing Samsung to maintain its position as the largest foreign investor in Vietnam. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The United States plan to impose an anti-dumping tariff of up to 400 percent against imported Vietnamese raw honey products would create very negative impacts on Vietnams beekeeping industry, of which the U.S. has been the prime import market, said spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang. Answering reporters questions on Vietnams reaction to the plan at a regular press briefing on Thursday, Hang said it would adversely influence the Southeast Asian countrys agriculture and cultivation as a whole, as artificially kept bees also contribute to the pollination of crops. This will certainly have a direct impact on the livelihoods and employment of many beekeeping and farming families in Vietnam, particularly those in the southern region and the Central Highlands, Hang stressed. She said that Vietnam always looks forward to promoting the comprehensive partnership with the U.S., especially in terms of trade and business, which should be geared more toward greater balance, mutual benefits, and sustainability. The spokeswoman added that Vietnam is ready to have discussions with the U.S. through existing mechanisms such as the trade and investment framework agreement (TIFA) in order to further promote economic interests as well as trade and bilateral investment relations, and to address any issues that may arise. The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam are actively working with U.S. counterparts at different levels to address the matter," Hang underlined. "We call upon the U.S. to make sure that any measure they impose in this matter must be based on the spirit of objectivity, fairness, and in line with the World Trade Organization (WTO)s regulations, and avoid causing undue damage to Vietnamese beekeepers and beekeeping businesses." The U.S. Department of Commerce announced the preliminary anti-dumping tax rate for Vietnamese honey exports to the U.S. at the end of November 2021. Accordingly, the general tax rate applicable to all Vietnamese honey exporters is 412.49 percent, more than double the rate of 207 percent that the American Honey Producers Association originally proposed. Along with Vietnam, four other countries, namely Brazil, India, Ukraine, and Argentina, are also subject to the U.S. honey export tax, with the tariff announced for Vietnamese honey being the heftiest. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! At least 94 people died in the historic Brazilian mountain town of Petropolis, local government officials said on Wednesday, after heavy rains caused mudslides that buried homes, flooded the streets and washed away cars and buses. Located in the hills above Rio de Janeiro, Petropolis, or the "Imperial City," was the summer getaway of Brazil's monarchs in the 19th century. On Wednesday, there was scant evidence of its regal charms, after the floods ravaged its elegant streets and destroyed its Germanic buildings. Rainfall on Tuesday exceeded the average for the entire month of February. Hilda, a resident who declined to give her full name, was distraught as she waited in the street near the remains of her house that she shared with eight people. A man observes damaged public buses at a river after pouring rains in Petropolis, Brazil, February 16, 2022. Photo: Reuters "I lost my niece and her five-year-old daughter, who we still haven't found," she said. "We did not expect this tragedy. Our city is over." In the Morro da Oficina neighborhood, up to 80 houses were hit by landslides, according to authorities who expect the death toll to rise. Fire department and local civil defense teams were working at the site. "The situation is almost like war ... Cars hanging from poles, cars overturned, lots of mud and water still," Rio de Janeiro Governor Claudio Castro told reporters onsite. A doll is pictured at a damaged house after pouring rains in Petropolis, Brazil, February 16, 2022. Photo: Reuters Petropolis' city hall declared three days of mourning. Displaced people were being taken to schools and shelters. More than 300 people had to leave their homes. "The water came very fast and with great force. My loss was 100%. Our life was already tough with the pandemic and less movement, and this tragedy still comes," said shopkeeper Henrique Pereira. President Jair Bolsonaro, who is traveling to Russia, said on Twitter he had asked ministers to help Petropolis and storm victims. Men carry a body at a mudslide at Morro da Oficina after pouring rains in Petropolis, Brazil February 16, 2022. Photo: Reuters "We intend to already offer to the mayor what we can," Bolsonaro told reporters in Moscow, adding that he would release federal funds to help "restore traffic in the region." Since December, heavy rains have triggered deadly floods and landslides in northeast Brazil and Sao Paulo state, threatened to delay harvests in the nation's central western region and briefly forced the suspension of mining operations in the state of Minas Gerais. Men carry a body at a mudslide at Morro da Oficina after pouring rains in Petropolis, Brazil February 16, 2022. Photo: Reuters PETROPOLIS, Brazil -- The death toll from mudslides and floods in Brazil's colonial-era city of Petropolis rose to 117 on Thursday and was expected to increase further as the region reels from the heaviest rains in almost a century. Heavy downpours in the afternoon, when the city recorded some 6 cm (2.36 inches) of rain, caused even more soil instability and disrupted efforts to find survivors and clean up the debris. Up to 4 cm of rain is expected overnight in the region, according to meteorologists. "There are at least six children here and there may be more from the neighbors," said Fabio Alves, a resident, who noted rescuers were not searching that area. "We are estimating more than 10 people buried here and we need help," he said. More than 700 people had to leave their homes and take shelter in local schools and other makeshift accommodation. Rio de Janeiro Governor Claudio Castro on Wednesday compared the damage to a war zone. An aerial view of a mudslide site at Morro da Oficina after pouring rains in Petropolis, Brazil February 17, 2022 in this picture taken with a drone. Photo: Reuters "I am here hoping to find my wife. I'm sure she's here. The downstairs neighbor said she was on the balcony when the mudslide hit," said Marcelo Barbosa, another resident. There is conflicting information regarding the number of victims of the tragedy. The police said more than 100 people are missing while the prosecutor's office said at least 35 people are missing. During the day, the local morgue was forced to use a refrigerated truck as a back-up as more victims were being brought in while other bodies still awaited to be identified by their families. Aerial view of a mudslide site at Morro da Oficina after pouring rains in Petropolis, Brazil February 17, 2022. Photo: Reuters Rio de Janeiro's civil defense head Leandro Monteiro worked overnight, with poor lighting on soggy ground to find survivors. He is among the more than 500 rescue workers, along with neighbors and relatives of the victims who are still searching for loved ones. "I've been living here for 44 years and never saw anything like that... All my friends are gone, they are all dead, all buried," resident Maria Jose Dante de Araujo said. The downpours, which on Tuesday alone exceeded the average for the entire month of February, caused mudslides that flooded streets, destroyed houses, washed away cars and buses, and left gashes hundreds of meters (yards) wide on the region's mountainsides. It was the heaviest rainfall registered since 1932 in Petropolis, a tourist destination in the hills of Rio de Janeiro state, popularly known as the "Imperial City" as it was the summer getaway of Brazilian royalty in the 19th century. Relatives and friends react as a coffin is lowered during the burial of Debora Listenberg, 22 and her kids Heloise, 2 and Gustavo, 5 after pouring rains caused flooding in Petropolis, Brazil February 17, 2022. Photo: Reuters "I don't even have words. I'm devastated. We are all devastated for what we have lost, for our neighbors, for our friends, our homes. And we are still alive, what about those who are gone?" said resident Luci Vieira dos Santos. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who has promised to visit the region upon his return from an official trip to Russia and Hungary, has pledged federal assistance to help the population and start rebuilding the area. In light of the disaster, Brazil's Economy Ministry responded by approving tax breaks for both Rio de Janeiro and Espirito Santo, where the downpours also caused damage. Since December, heavy rains have triggered deadly floods and landslides across much of Brazil, threatening to delay harvests and briefly forcing the suspension of mining operations in the state of Minas Gerais, just north of Rio. Relatives and friends attend as coffins are carried for the burial of Debora Listenberg, 22 and her kids Heloise, 2 and Gustavo, 5 after pouring rains caused flooding in Petropolis, Brazil February 17, 2022. Photo: Reuters CAPE TOWN -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that six African countries - Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia - would be the first on the continent to receive the technology needed to produce mRNA vaccines. The technology transfer project, launched last year, aims to help low- and middle-income countries manufacture mRNA vaccines at scale and according to international standards. mRNA is the advanced technology used by companies like Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna for their COVID-19 shots. The WHO established its global mRNA technology transfer hub after vaccine hoarding by wealthy countries and companies prioritising sales to governments that could pay the highest price meant low- and middle-income countries were pushed to the back of the queue for COVID-19 vaccines. Dense fog forced several flights en route airports in northern Vietnam to reroute on Thursday evening. The fog blanketed airports in many northern localities from 7:30 pm on Thursday, preventing airports in these areas from receiving planes, director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) Dinh Viet Thang told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper at 10:40 pm the same night. At 10:20 pm, visibility measured at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi was only 700-800 meters, the cloud ceiling was 50-60 meters, and northeast wind speed was 1-2 meters per second. The cloud ceiling is too low, Thang said. "It is below landing standards, so only aircraft taking off from Noi Bai Airport are allowed and planes scheduled to land are prohibited because it is not safe. About 30 domestic and international flights to northern airports had to be diverted to Van Don and Da Nang International Airports [in northern Quang Ninh Province and central Da Nang City, respectively]. Van Don Airport was also affected by the fog at times and unable to receive aircraft, but weather conditions at the Quang Ninh-based airport improved later, with strong winds blowing the fog away, permitting it to receive a number of coming flights on Thursday evening. In addition to Noi Bai, the fog and low cloud ceiling prevented Cat Bi Airport in northern Hai Phong City and Vinh Airport in north-central Nghe An Province from receiving incoming aircraft. Some flights to these two airports had to change their destination to Da Nang International Airport. Fog and low clouds, which are dangerous weather conditions in aviation, often occur during winter in the northern region, according to Thang. Many passengers often think airlines use bad weather as an excuse for flight delay or cancellation, Thang said. In fact, bad weather really did affect northern airports, the CAAV director explained. Although it might be possible for airplanes to take off, it is not safe for them to make land. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A man from Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam has been accused of murdering his five-year-old daughter by throwing her into a river after having a heated argument with his wife over an alleged affair. Nguyen Tan Hung, vice-chairman of the Peoples Committee in Tam Hai Commune, Nui Thanh District, confirmed early on Thursday morning that local police had apprehended 30-year-old Tran Van Vien following the incident. Preliminary information showed that Vien had an argument with his wife at around 7:30 pm on Wednesday. The wife had visited Nui Thanh Town to run her small business but did not return home during the Lunar New Year holiday, which took place in early February. Vien suspected his wife to have an affair while she was away. Tran Van Vien reenacts his crime in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam, February 17, 2022. Photo: L.T. / Tuoi Tre Following their argument, the man carried his daughter five-year-old T.L.Y.V. to the nearby Truong Giang River where he threw the girl into the water. About 20 people and several boats were mobilized to search for the young girl, according to Le Van Sinh, chairman of Nui Thanh Districts administration. Her body was found early Thursday morning, Sinh added. Five-year-old T.L.Y.V. in this photo provided by her family Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Police in Chiba Prefecture, Japan have arrested a 17-year-old boy who allegedly threatened to shoot down a Vietnam Airlines passenger plane that departed from Narita International Airport for Vietnam last month, Japan Today reported this week. Chiba prefectural police detained the young man on Tuesday after tracking the phone number that the teenager used to make a threat that he would shoot down a Vietnam Airlines aircraft on January 5, the news site said on Wednesday. Employees at a Vietnam Airlines office in Japan received a threatening phone call at 10:55 am on January 5 from a male who claimed he was going to shoot down Flight VN 5311, so the pilots should turn the plane around. The threat was made in Japanese, but the anonymous caller claimed to be American. At that time, the plane had been in the air for about 40 minutes and was about to fly over Tokyo Bay en route to Hanoi, Vietnam. The pilot then made an emergency landing at Japan's Fukuoka Airport to conduct a safety check, Japan Today said. The incident caused the flight to be delayed for about three hours and 40 minutes. Police later traced the call to the boys home in Yamagata Prefecture where the arrest was made. The minor has a mental disability, Japan Today cited police as saying. According to a statement made to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Thursday, a leader of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) said that it had not received any information from Japanese authorities regarding the suspects arrest. Vietnam Airlines made a public announcement similar to the CAAV statement, but added that its office in Japan had previously received a notice from Japanese police saying that they had identified a suspect of the case. The carrier promptly reported the incident to Japanese authorities, the CAAV, and Vietnams Ministry of Public Security immediately after the threat was made on January 5. The airline also convened an urgent meeting with its emergency committee and steering sub-committee for counter-terrorism. After receiving approval from Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, who also chairs the National Civil Aviation Security Committee, and Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The, the CAAV directed Vietnam Airlines to seek permission from Japanese authorities to divert the flight to the Fukuoka Airport. The flight had been carrying 15 crew members and 47 passengers, according to the CAAV. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on Wednesday delivered new tuberculosis (TB) detection tools and treatment medications valued at roughly US$3 million to the National Lung Hospital of Vietnam in support of Vietnams goal to end TB by 2030, the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi said in a press release the same day. USAID Vietnam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock and National Lung Hospital Director Dr. Nguyen Viet Nhung marked the occasion in a ceremony held at the institution. The donation consists of 38 rapid diagnostic machines with 90,000 compatible test kits and 10 digital X-ray devices to be distributed to district-level health facilities across the country, including those in Nghe An, Lai Chau, An Giang, and Dong Thap Provinces, which have a high burden of TB and multidrug-resistant TB. Both the rapid diagnostic machines and the X-ray devices are designed to operate in hard-to-reach areas. The rapid diagnostic machines, called Truenat, can perform on-the-spot detection of TB and drug-resistant TB in less than two hours and are battery powered. The digital X-ray devices are ultra-portable, with computer-aided TB detection software to assist in areas where radiologists may not be present. The donation also includes drugs to treat 15,000 patients with latent TB infection for three months, to be distributed nationwide. In addition, USAID is funding a tailored package of training curricula and technical support to the National Tuberculosis Program, health facility staff, and local partners. This will help ensure greater sustainability of efforts to enhance Vietnams active case detection, ensure accurate and timely diagnosis, and support linkages to treatment of active and latent TB. USAID Vietnam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock speaks at the ceremony to hand over new TB detection tools and treatment medications to the National Lung Hospital of Vietnam in Hanoi, February 16, 2022. Photo: Vietnams National Tuberculosis Control Program In Vietnam, approximately 40 percent of new TB cases go undetected and untreated every year, according to USAID. While TB is preventable and curable, 172,000 people develop TB and more than 10,000 people die from the disease every year in Vietnam, placing the Southeast Asian country among the top 30 nations with the highest TB burden in the world. The impacts of COVID-19 have severely reduced TB care and services, with TB detection in Vietnam decreasing 23.5 percent in the first ten months of 2021. To address this, USAID is also supporting the integration of TB screening within the government of Vietnams COVID-19 vaccination campaigns. Since 2018, USAID has provided Vietnam with over $16 million in TB health assistance. In continued partnership with the Vietnamese government, as well as in order to achieve the End TB goals by 2030, USAID pledges to continue to support the introduction of the latest high impact TB technologies and treatment medications as part of the ongoing partnership and solidarity between the United States and Vietnam. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A man from Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam was sentenced to two years in prison after authorities discovered a frozen tiger corpse in his home last year. The Peoples Committee in Huong Son District, Ha Tinh Province conducted the trial of Nguyen Van Chung, 43, on Thursday. Chung was handed a two-year jail term for violating regulations on the protection of endangered and rare animals. The indictment showed that Chung became acquainted with a man named Viet in December 2020. Viet asked Chung to help him store a freezer containing wildlife corpses at the latters house. In return, Viet offered to pay. About 10 days later, Viet and another man used a car to transport a freezer to Chungs house. A tiger corpse in the freezer at Nguyen Minh Chungs house in September 16, 2021. Photo: Le Minh / Tuoi Tre The freezer contained one dead tiger and several bags of animal bones. Chung kept the freezer in his bathroom and received VND5 million (US$219) from Viet. Between February and April 2021, Viet paid Chung another VND4 million ($175) so that the latter would continue to store the freezer at his house. Environmental police officers in Ha Tinh inspected Chungs house on September 16 that year and discovered the freezer and tiger corpse. Chung was later arrested for the offense. He was unable to provide much information about Viet. Aside from the prison term, Chung was required to pay a fine worth VND50 million ($2,190) as well as handing in all the payments he had received from Viet. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! On 60 Minutes the settlement of the Prince Andrew / Virginia Giuffre case, plus more on the missing MH370 flight. $ettled Not all pictures tell a thousand words. The now infamous photo of Prince Andrew with his arm around the waist of then 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre tells many thousands more. And its a photo that could also now be worth more than twenty million dollars, because thats the reported amount Prince Andrew will pay Virginia Giuffre to settle the legal case she brought against him. She says that back in 2001 she was trafficked to the Prince by the paedophile businessman Jeffrey Epstein, ably assisted by his sex-offender partner, Ghislaine Maxwell. Despite the existence of the photograph, Andrew has always denied ever meeting, let alone having sex with Ms Giuffre. On 60 Minutes, Tara Brown investigates the circumstances surrounding this latest scandal, which has caused so much embarrassment and damage to the entire Royal Family that experts warn it could be irreparable. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Thea Dikeos, Sammi Taylor Finding MH370 Is the biggest aviation mystery of all time, the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, about to be solved? Well yes, if you believe Richard Godfrey. Hes a respected British aerospace engineer and physicist who says he has found the location of the doomed airliner. If hes right, and an increasing number of experts now believe he is, he will provide desperately needed answers for the families of the 239 passengers and crew who were aboard the Boeing 777 when it vanished eight years ago. But knowing where in the Indian Ocean the plane crashed isnt the end of the story. As Godfrey tells Sarah Abo, he also has to convince the authorities to resume the search that has already cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Reporter: Sarah Abo Producers: Laura Sparkes, Sammi Taylor 8:40pm Sunday on Nine. BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand has promoted Chrissie Carras as Head of Branded Services, following Tim Christliebs return to the UK. Carras, who has been Head of Programming and Advertising Sales, will oversee BBC Studios branded channels programming, presentation, media planning, advertising and brand partnerships. She will also be responsible for the branded services marketing team. Fiona Lang, General Manager BBC Studios ANZ, said: Im delighted that Chrissie will step-up to lead our branded services division as we say a fond farewell to Tim and wish him all the best. In Chrissie we have someone with an unparalleled knowledge and passion for the best British tv content and an astute understanding of what works for our audiences, advertisers and platform partners. She has been an integral part of BBC Studios team for over 10 years and is perfectly placed to lead our enhanced team to make the most of opportunities as the business evolves Chrissie Carras said: Im excited to get started in this new role. The BBC is a brand that resonates around the world as producing and broadcasting the best of British television and I look forward to continuing to drive our local network of channels, on-demand offerings, brand propositions and advertising and sponsorship opportunities in a rapidly changing environment. Chrissie joined BBC Studios in 2010 and has held various roles in Branded Services working across marketing, programming, presentation and advertising sales, most recently as Head of Programming and Advertising Sales. Chrissie has been responsible for the launch of BBC Earth in Australia and New Zealand; BBC Brit, BBC Living and BBC Kids on Fetch and CBeebies on Sky TV in New Zealand, together with various pop-up channels. The new structure will see Calum Hemphill promoted to Head of Network Planning leading a new unit responsible for all network media inventory including advertising and brand partnership opportunities. Calum will report in to Chrissie Carras. Chrissie will continue to work closely with Lottie Wilson, Head of Acquisitions. Both Chrissie and Lottie become part of Fiona Langs senior leadership team. Other recent changes have seen Kate OConnor promoted to Head of Licensing and Brands, BBC Studios ANZ, overseeing all aspects of brand expansion for Bluey and other BBC Studios IP including BBC Earth, Doctor Who and Top Gear in the territory. Martin Clunes has returned to Cornwall to film Doc Martin for the final time. Clunes returns as Dr. Martin Ellingham, the GP with a brusque bedside manner and a phobia of blood, in eight new episodes set in the idyllic hamlet of Portwenn in Cornwall. Buffalo Pictures will also be making a Christmas special to bid a final farewell to Doc Martin. A documentary, provisionally titled Doc Martin A Celebration will also highlight the longevity and impact both locally and around the world, as well as giving the audience a glimpse behind the scenes of the final series with the cast and crew. Regular cast reprising their roles are: Caroline Catz plays Doc Martins wife, Louisa Ellingham, who resigned from her job as headmistress at the local school to pursue a new career in child counselling. Also returning for the finale are Dame Eileen Atkins who plays Doc Martins formidable Aunt Ruth. Ian McNeice is back to play Bert Large, with Joe Absolom as his son Al. John Marquez is PC Joe Penhale, Jessica Ransom is the doctors receptionist Morwenna Newcross and Selina Cadell is pharmacist Mrs Tishell. At the end of the last series the Doc decided, after having his medical career scrutinised by the General Medical Council because of his blood phobia, that he would resign from being Portwenns GP. This final series sees the Doc making efforts to overcome his phobia, and beginning to question whether he made the right decision about resigning. He and Louisa have also welcomed a baby daughter, Mary Elizabeth, a sister for four-year-old James Henry. With Louisa pursuing her new career as a child counsellor in his old surgery, the Doc is left literally holding the baby, and indulging his hobby of repairing clocks on the kitchen table. But does he really want his old job back? Martin Clunes said, I have loved going to Cornwall to make Doc Martin over the last 18 years, and I have looked forward to returning to this beautiful county this year for the tenth and final series. The people of Cornwall, and Port Isaac in particular, have always been so helpful to us when we are making the series. We have some great story lines for the new series, and for the Christmas special, which I hope Doc Martin fans will love. I shall miss Cornwall, and all the lovely people we have worked with. But it is the right time to say farewell to the Doc, and Portwenn. Doc Martin screens in Australia on ABC and UKTV. Tyler, TX (75702) Today Cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 75F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. U.S. President Joe Biden is organizing a meeting with the heads of EU and NATO countries to discuss the situation around Ukraine, the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada reports. "The Prime Minister will participate in a meeting hosted by the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and NATO, to discuss Ukraine," a message posted on the website of the Canadian premier reads. In recent weeks, the United States, other NATO countries and Kyiv have repeatedly stated the threat of a "Russian invasion". Russia has consistently denied these allegations. On February 15, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that units of the Western and Southern Military Districts were beginning to return from exercises to their bases, but the military remained in the same positions. The Novelists Film, which Wednesday earned Korean director Hong Sang-soo the Grand Jury Prize in Berlin, has scored multiple rights deals. With Seoul-based Finecut handling the rights sales, the film was licensed to Ama Films for Greece and Cyprus, Mimosa Films for Japan, Atalante Cinema for Spain, Arizona Films Distribution for France and to The Cinema Guild for the U.S. More from Variety Finecut also did European Film Market business with Contorted, an unorthodox horror about a family tragedy. It pre-sold the title to Thailands Sahamongkol Films and to Indonesias PT. Prima Cinema Multimedia). Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness, was licensed by Finecut to Little Monster Films for Australia and, New Zealand, to Twin for Japan, Viva Networks for The Philippines, and to Long Shong for Taiwan. The film is directed by Im Sang-soo and was part of the official selection for Cannes in 2020, when the festival did not take place, and was also the opening film of the 2021 Busan festival. Hong Sangsoo is one of the most acclaimed filmmakers [..] The Novelists Film revisits some of his usual themes, although this time they are treated differentlyfrom the point of view of the female protagonists. The result is magical, and we are very excited about it, said Ramiro Ledo, CEO of Atalante Cinema. The director has appeared in three successive editions of the Berlin Film Festival, with The Woman Who Ran in 2020 and Introduction in 2021. Contorted is based on the novel The Contorted House which won the .Safehouse Horror Competition Prize. The film adaptation stars Seo Young-hee (Bedevilled) and Kim Min-jae (Peninsula). Story continues Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum says French and European special forces can cross into its territory from neighbouring Mali to combat jihadists and boost security near the border with the West African state. Bazoum's comments came a day after France announced it would begin withdrawing troops from Mali, along with its military allies Bazoum said the forces would be able to respond to threats from jihadist militant groups in the area. "Our goal is for our border with Mali to be secure," Bazoum said on Twitter on Friday, adding that he expected threats from the militant groups to rise in the area following the departure of the troops. "This area will be even more infested and the terrorist groups will strengthen. We know that they are destined to extend their influence," Bazoum said. Some 2,400 French troops that were part of the forces deployed in Mali to combat groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State, and around 900 special forces in the French-led Takuba task force, are expected to leave Mali in the next six months. Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have struggled to contain the armed groups that have killed hundreds, displaced millions and made swathes of territory in the tri-border West African Sahel area ungovernable. Maikol Zodi, a leader of a movement that has been leading protests against foreign troops in Niger, said on Thursday that their presence was illegal. "It is unacceptable and intolerable to accept this redeployment on our territory. If they do, we will treat them as an occupying force," Zodi said. New threats Bazoum said countries, including those in the coastal areas that participated in discussions on Wednesday in Paris, were unanimous in their decision which would lead to the presence of foreign troops in a number of countries who request it. Benin and other coastal states have seen increased attacks in recent weeks from militants along the border area with the Sahel countries. Story continues "In view of recent developments in Benin, it is clear that these countries have needs. It is foreseeable that a certain number of these forces will be deployed in these regions in the face of these new threats, as well as in Niger," he said. On Friday, French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Mali's capacity to fight against armed groups on its territory is now a Malian issue. "This is a Malian problem, no longer a French problem", he told LCI television. (with Reuters) Stealth Omicron - also known as BA.2 subvariant - could cause more severe disease than the original version of the strain, according to a new study. New lab experiments in Japan found BA.2 may also be more capable of escaping the immunity conferred by vaccination. Scientists at the University of Tokyo carried out the research on animals and the study has not yet been peer-reviewed - so its quality and validity has not been independently assessed. However, it suggests that BA.2s pathogenicity is higher than that of Omicron and it is more resistant to immunity from vaccination or previous infection. BA.2 has been rapidly spreading in Denmark and South Africa in the past few weeks - though neither have seen a substantial rise in hospitalisations. The study found BA.2s severity is similar to that of an ancestral B.1.1 - otherwise known as the Alpha variant which caused a significant wave of infections in the UK in December 2020. The authors of the study wrote: In summary, our data suggest the possibility that BA.2 would be the most concerned variant to global health. Currently, both BA.2 and BA.1 are recognised together as Omicron and these are almost undistinguishable. Based on our findings, we propose that BA.2 should be recognised as a unique variant of concern, and this SARS-CoV-2 variant should be monitored in depth. For their study, researchers infected hamsters with the original Omicron variant and its subvariant. They found those infected with BA.2 were worse off. Kei Sato, a researcher at the University of Tokyo who conducted the study, told CNN the subvariant should be examined independently of Omicron. He said countries needed to establish a specific method of detecting BA.2 due to its ability to evade detection on PCR tests. Maria Van Kerkhove, Covid-19 technical lead at the WHO, on Thursday said the world was seeing an increasing in proportion of sequences of BA.2. She added: We are still seeing significant numbers of hospitaliations of Omicron. We are seeing significant numbers of deaths. It is not the common cold, it is not influenza. We just have to be really careful right now. Scientists in Denmark last month found in a study those infected with BA.2 were roughly 33 per cent more likely to infect others than BA.1. It didn't take long for Jaden-Ann Fraser to start adding her own contributions to the University of North Georgia (UNG) rifle team's strong resume of success. She earned Co-Air Rifle Athlete of the Year honors her freshman season in 2020-21 as the university earned its third overall Southern Conference (SoCon) title in five seasons in the league. UNG also won the conference in the air rifle discipline. The Surgoinsville, Tennessee, native said keeping a positive mindset was pivotal in her accomplishments as a freshman, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "You can create any experience you want for your team with leadership," Fraser said. "You can still make it a very fun environment if you bring positivity." A winner of multiple state and national rifle titles on the high school level before arriving at UNG, Fraser has gained an appreciation for authenticity from leaders. "They can tell you all the right things, but if they don't do them, there is no weight to their words," she said. "If people see you doing the thing you're saying, whether you're in a leadership position or not, they are going to listen." As a freshman at UNG, Fraser learned to share her ideas when she had important insight, even though she was one of the younger team members. "Being genuine is very important," Fraser said. "If you feel like there is something the team can benefit from, be willing to share it." Fraser's fervor for her studies equals the passion she brings to competition. She plans to graduate in May 2024 with a degree in political science with a pre-law concentration. "I've always been told I'm really good at arguing. I thought I could make a career of it," Fraser said. "Being able to defend someone in court has always been appealing to me." ADDL Showcased at Indiana State Poultry Association Annual Banquet The ISPA Annual Banquet was held February 8 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in downtown Indianapolis. An Evening Under the Stars with the Indiana State Poultry Association was the theme for the associations Annual Banquet last week at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis, where a special display showcased the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. The more than 200 attendees at the event on Tuesday, February 8, represented poultry producers, allied industry, Indianas Congressional delegation, the Indiana General Assembly, and the State of Indiana executive branch and agencies, as well as the USDA and Purdue University. Kelly Dold, marketing and communications manager for the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, attended the event to share about new testing available at the ADDL as well as the pre-Thanksgiving testing the ADDL did for Peanut Butter and Jelly so they could meet the requirements for traveling to receive their Thanksgiving pardon at the White House. Throughout the evening, attendees had the chance to make new contacts and renew connections with old friends, as well as to share with the representatives of Indianas Congressional delegation and the General Assembly how Indianas poultry industry strengthens our communities and the state. Gourmet recipes such as Duck Wontons, Turkey Wellington, Buttermilk Crusted Chicken in a waffle cup, and made-to-order omelets were just a few of the delectable items on the evenings menu. The ISPA Annual Banquet also provided an opportunity to say thank you to the many dedicated elected officials and public servants whose ongoing support is essential to nurturing Indianas poultry producers and helping the industry thrive and grow in the future. Purdue University, including the ADDL and the College of Agriculture, was well represented during the evening with display tables and features in the program highlighting, in particular, the National Thanksgiving Turkeys, Peanut Butter and Jelly, and their journey last Thanksgiving. Thats when they traveled from the Welp Farms in Indiana to the White House and finally to Purdue University to live at Purdues Animal Science Research and Education Center. Kelly Dold, marketing and communications manager for the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, attended the event to share about new testing available at the ADDL as well as the pre-Thanksgiving testing the ADDL did for Peanut Butter and Jelly so they could meet the requirements for traveling to the White House to receive their Thanksgiving pardon by President Biden. Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu PVM Alumni Receive Awards at Annual Indiana Veterinary Medical Association Conference Dr. Audriana Ballard received the IVMAs Achievement Award. The Indiana Veterinary Medical Associations (IVMA) 2022 Crossroads Veterinary Conference featured an awards program at which several Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumni were recognized. The conference, held February 3-5 in Noblesville, Indiana, served as an appropriate venue for the IVMA to present its Achievement Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, Presidents Award, and Volunteer Award. Dr. Audriana Ballard (PU DVM 2019) of Goshen, Indiana, received the Achievement Award, which recognizes an IVMA member who has graduated within the last five years and displayed outstanding accomplishments in veterinary research, civic activities, academia, and/or organized veterinary medicine. Originally from Connecticut, Dr. Ballard, who earned her Purdue DVM degree in 2019, practices at the Animal Aid Clinic South in Elkhart. She got involved in organized veterinary medicine right away in her veterinary career, participating as an IVMA representative on a veterinary technician site visit. IVMAs outgoing president, Dr. Hilary Christner, with the recipient of the IVMA Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr. Steve Sunbury. The IVMAs Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Dr. Steve Sunbury (PU DVM 96) of Seymour, Indiana. This award honors an IVMA member for cumulative service and accomplishments benefiting the profession, organized veterinary medicine, and the community. After earning his Purdue DVM degree in 1996, Dr. Sunbury joined the Seymour Animal Hospital to work with his father, Dr. Larry Sunbury, and became a partner in the expanding practice. Today, he continues working at the practice where he is co-owner. Dr. Sunbury has a history of being involved with organized veterinary medicine, serving as secretary/treasurer, vice-president, and president of the 9th District IVMA. He also has served the IVMA Board of Directors in a variety of positions, including as committee chairman and board chairman, in addition to holding each of the elected officer positions of the IVMA, including a term as IVMA president in 2010. Dr. Sunbury also has served the veterinary medical profession in other roles, including as a member of the PVM Admissions Committee, the PVM Veterinary Nursing Advisory Committee, and the PVM 60th Anniversary Planning Committee. He now sits on the Indiana Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners and the Purdue Veterinary Alumni Board. A lifelong member of the IVMA and the AVMA, Dr. Sunbury has been actively involved in his local community as well. Dr. Rob Bollinger received the IVMA Presidents Award from his daughter, Dr. Hilary Christner, as she finished her term as president of the association. Dr. Rob Bollinger (PU DVM 75) of LaGrange, Indiana, received the IVMA Presidents Award, which was presented by his daughter, Dr. Hilary Christner, who was completing her term as president of the association. The Presidents Award is given by the IVMA president to recognize an Indiana veterinarian or citizen who has made exceptional contributions to the association. Dr. Bollinger earned his Purdue DVM degree in 1975 and is the owner of the LaGrange Veterinary Clinic. He was recognized for having served as an advocate for involvement in organized veterinary medicine during his career. IVMA President Hilary Christner with the recipient of the IVMA Volunteer Award, Dr. Katelyn Macy. Dr. Katelyn Macy (PU DVM 2015), of Lawrenceburg, Indiana, received the IVMA Volunteer Award, which is presented to an IVMA member who has provided leadership or service to a particular project or program of the association. A 2015 DVM graduate of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Macy has been an active member of the IVMA, participating in the Power of 10 and Power of You leadership programs. She also has been a member of the IVMA Health and Wellness Working Group for the last three years. In 2021, she took over as chair of the group and reenergized the wellness efforts of the IVMA, leading to the development of the Member Assistance Program for all IVMA members. Congratulations to each of these IVMA award recipients! Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu 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 Thang Long Imperial Citadel, a popular tourist destination in Ha Noi prepared logistics to welcome back visitors from Wednesday. VNA/VNS Photo HA NOI To minimise deaths from COVID-19 and severe cases, Ha Noi is to focus on high-risk groups, offering them regular health checks, with less of a focus on the caseload number. Nguyen Thi Hue, an elderly resident living in ong Tam Ward of Hai Ba Trung District, has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 but lives on her own. The health officials of the commune visit her every week to test and check her health indicators like blood pressure. I am worried about the pandemic but prevention is better than cure. Though I am fully vaccinated, I wear a face mask when going out, she said. To reduce severe cases and deaths of COVID-19, Hai Ba Trung District has ordered its 18 communes to have a list of elderly people and those with underlying conditions to offer regular health checks and examinations. Each commune has about 300-500 people belonging to high-risk groups. Most of the infected cases here are mild and are treated at home. But in some families, infected people live with the elderly and some of the elderly havent been vaccinated, Nguyen Bich Phuong, a health officer in ong Tam Ward said. Case counting not necessary in Ha Noi The city has about 105,000 infected people being treated at home, accounting for 95 per cent of its total infections and nearly 4,000 in hospitals. The city has reported about 900 deaths with most of them being elderly people with underlying conditions and the unvaccinated. The rate of fully vaccinated people above 12 in the city is 99.5 per cent and the rate for booster vaccinations is 55 per cent. The city aims to finish the booster doses for its residents in the first quarter of this year. Officials said the cases count does not now reflect the whole story of COVID-19 in Ha Noi. Tran Thi Nhi Ha, director of the citys Health Department, said the city had ordered all districts to create a list of high-risk groups and ramp up the booster vaccination campaign for local people. This is important in reducing deaths and severe cases as well as the increase in number of cases. It is time to change the COVID-19 strategy in Ha Noi. She said the city would not necessarily announce the case count as the number in the community is now high. It is important to focus on the number of hospitalisations, progressions and deaths. These are important indicators, she said. Nguyen Trong Khoa, deputy head of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment, said: Cases counting is still mandatory according to the health ministrys regulation. The aim of this is to monitor the infected cases and have authorities monitor their situation. These cases can infect other people, including high-risk groups, which need close monitor and management, he said. He also emphasised the need to keep an eye on the high-risk groups, especially the elderly and those with underlying conditions who havent been fully vaccinated. VNS People gather at an event marking the 11th anniversary of the Libyan uprising in Tripoli, Libya, on Feb. 17, 2022. Eleven years have passed since the 2011 Libyan uprising, yet the country is still suffering from insecurity, chaos and instability. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua) TRIPOLI, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Mohamed al-Magtouf, a 31-year-old Libyan man from the western city of Zawiya, took part in the toppling of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Now, he only counts on new elections to end the "endless" transitional stages and instability. Eleven years have passed since the 2011 Libyan uprising, yet the country is still suffering from insecurity, chaos and instability. This has upset many Libyans like al-Magtouf, who used to think that Gaddafi's downfall would bring about a better life. "When my brothers and I took to the streets and called for the overthrow of the regime (in 2011), the goal was to achieve a change for the better and build a civil state that believes in the peaceful transition of power. Every year, things get worse and we, the Libyans, are victims of the conflict between politicians that hold on to power," al-Magtouf said. Al-Magtouf graduated from university five years ago and obtained a degree in dentistry. However, he is now unemployed in the oil-rich country that is suffering poor economic conditions and plagued by escalating violence. "Like many young people, I am unemployed. As long as the fight for power continues, there will be no real sustainable peace and economic growth. Therefore, the people become poorer," he said. "We only want general elections that make the country united and strong, make the conflict history, and do not push us into regret over what happened to our country," al-Magtouf added. But, to al-Magtouf's disappointment, the Libyan general elections originally scheduled in later last year were indefinitely postponed due to the deep differences among political factions that have long divided the country. Nuzha al-Abdali, an architect from the eastern city of Benghazi, shared al-Magtouf's opinion. "All the politicians do not want elections because this would eliminate them from power. Therefore, they always come up with illogical proposals, the goal of which is to keep them in power as long as possible," she said. "After we were so close to electing a new authority, they (politicians) destroyed the dream and sabotaged a historic opportunity that perhaps will not come again," al-Abdali added. The Libyan elections are part of a roadmap adopted by the UN-sponsored Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, which aimed at restoring peace to the country after years of political turmoil and violence. The House of Representatives, or the parliament, recently voted to appoint Fathi Bashagha, the former interior minister, as the new prime minister to replace the incumbent Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah. However, Dbeibah vowed that his government will remain in office until the elections are held and will only hand over power to an elected government. Khairi al-Madhouni, a Libyan teacher from the western city of Sabratha, said he and his children would got out to celebrate the 11th anniversary of the 2011 revolution, while demanding "all the current political bodies leave and not deprive us of electing those who we consider able to fix what they broke in the past years." "When nearly 3 million Libyans registered to vote for the elections, they showed their desire for change, and that they will not allow the most important goals of the revolution to be stolen. Those goals are the peaceful transition of power and resorting to elections to solve conflicts," al-Madhouni said. Security personnel are seen during an event marking the 11th anniversary of the Libyan uprising in Tripoli, Libya, on Feb. 17, 2022. Eleven years have passed since the 2011 Libyan uprising, yet the country is still suffering from insecurity, chaos and instability. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua) People gather at an event marking the 11th anniversary of the Libyan uprising in Tripoli, Libya, on Feb. 17, 2022. Eleven years have passed since the 2011 Libyan uprising, yet the country is still suffering from insecurity, chaos and instability. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua) Read more A man who police say robbed and shot a 22-year-old Waco man after luring him to South Waco with a fraudulent social media account was indicted Thursday. A McLennan County grand jury indicted Justin Angel Hernandez, 19, on a capital murder charge in the Sept. 19 shooting death of Israel Martinez. Three juveniles, ages 14, 15 and 16, also have been detained in Martinezs death. Waco police say the teens used Facebook Messenger to lure Martinez, an insulation company worker and the father of a toddler, to his death. According to an affidavit filed in Hernandezs arrest, Martinez was shot multiple times in the street in front of a home in the 2200 block of Gurley Avenue. A vacant home there had been broken into through a back window, and police found spent shell casings from various calibers of firearms at the scene. Witnesses saw multiple people flee the area after the shooting and officers recovered Martinezs wallet, cellphone and other items near his body, the affidavit states. After reviewing Martinezs cellphone, officers learned that his Facebook account was logged into, and it appeared he had been communicating with a woman named Kaelani Moore on Facebook Messenger and arranging to meet at 2212 Gurley Ave. Investigators were able to review the Moore account, which had been deleted, and determined it had previously been used to scam several males for money, according to the affidavit. They also were able to connect the fraudulent account to Hernandez, police reported. After Hernandez was arrested, he said he had used the account in scams and that he had witnessed Martinezs death after using his cellphone to lure Martinez to the scene and conspiring with others to rob him, according to the document. Martinezs mother, Luz Martinez, told the Tribune-Herald in September, before any arrest in his death, that her son left their home near the Texas State Technical College campus at about 10 p.m. Sept. 19 and told his grandmother he would be home soon. Luz Martinez said then that she does not think Israel Martinez, who had an 18-month-old son, had any friends in South Waco and said her family does not know anyone there. She speculated that he might have been set up since he left the house around 10 p.m. and was found dead less than 30 minutes later. Mother tries to cope with violent deaths of her two children Luz Martinez grapples for words to convey her feelings. There are no ready answers, few comforting thoughts to help her endure the loss of a s Israel Martinez is the brother of 24-year-old Valarie Martinez, who was found shot to death at Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir park along with her 1-year-old daughter, Azariah, in November 2017. Christopher Paul Weiss, 30, remains in the McLennan County Jail, charged with capital murder in their deaths. Aggravated robbery The grand jury also named Phillip Dewayne Nichols Jr., 26, in five aggravated robbery indictments in a Jan. 19, 2021, incident in which three employees and two customers were robbed at gunpoint at Richard Karr Motors, 900 W. Loop 340. According to arrest affidavits, three masked men carrying pistols entered Richard Karr Motors and demanded a manager open the safe. The suspects stole cellphones and cash from desks and stole cellphones from two dealership employees. The gunmen stole purses from two customers and threatened another customer with the gun, the affidavit states. The suspects fled the dealership in a white Ford F-250 that police learned was stolen in Nolanville. They crashed the truck in a field near the auto dealership and fled on foot, according to the affidavit. Police recovered a cellphone from the stolen truck and tracked it to two juveniles, who authorities said are members of a criminal street gang and known associates of Nichols. A witness told police Nichols and one of the juveniles told him that they robbed the auto dealership, the affidavit states. According to the records, Nichols has since been arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, on an unrelated charge and remains jailed there. He will be returned to McLennan County to face the robbery charges here, officials said. 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. Cameron Park Zoo Director Chris Vanskike is stepping down to move back to San Antonio a little more than two years after being appointed to the position, which will now be held by a 48-year Waco zoo veteran. Johnny Binder, the zoo's deputy director, will replace Vanskike after he steps down March 4. Vanskike worked for the San Antonio Zoo for 21 years before taking the director role in Waco, becoming the first person to hold the position after the city reorganized the zoo's leadership structure following the resignation of Jim Fleshman in 2018. Binder served as interim director after Fleshman resigned and became deputy director under Vanskike. Johnny and I have worked very closely together over these past few years and his expertise in our industry has made him a great asset to our institution, Vanskike said. Vanskike started just after McLennan County passed a $14.5 million bond for new veterinary, educational and exhibit facilities, including a black-footed South African penguin exhibit. The City of Waco thanks Chris for his dedication to the Cameron Park Zoo, Waco City Manager Bradley Ford said in a press release. In the past two years, Chris successfully navigated the Zoo through a global pandemic, various weather events including Winter Storm Uri, and sustained quality educational and conservation efforts maintaining a world-renowned institution. Vanskike attended the University of Missouri, moved to Texas in 1993 and worked in human resources before joining the San Antonio Zoo, where he worked his way up to vice president of operations, facilities and capital construction. Meanwhile, Binder has 48 years of zookeeping experience, including at the Central Texas Zoo near Waco Regional Airport and its successor, Cameron Park Zoo, which opened in 1993. He oversaw the creation of the herpetarium at Cameron Park Zoo and has traveled to Borneo to assist in orangutan conservation efforts. Binder had served as the zoo's interim director three times before being appointed by city officials to replace Vanskike. "I'm very, very excited to see the next phase of our zoo become a reality, and that's because of a lot of support from our countywide bond, the city of Waco, of course, and the zoological society," Binder said. The Cameron Park Zoological and Botanical Society ran the city-owned zoo until 2018, when the director it appointed, Jim Fleshman, was asked to step down after an audit of cash-handling procedures at the zoo found lapses in financial security and policies. After those problems came to light, the city reorganized its relationship with the zoo society, placing day-to-day operations under a director hired by the city and shifting most employees to the city payroll while allowing the zoo society to employ its own director to oversee fundraising efforts. The society chose longtime zoo official Terri Cox for that role in 2019. 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. Anthony Weiners message is clear: Dont call it a comeback. Well, dont worry, I wont. But if its quite alright with the man formerly known as Carlos Danger, I will call it gross. Disturbing. Pathetic. Revolting. How else to describe the unwelcome news that the former Democratic congressman who disgraced his office, his family, his political party and the city of New York with a lurid indeed criminal sex scandal is now co-hosting a new radio show with ex-mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa on WABC-AM radio? Addressing what he referred to as the elephant in the room, he assured us, No, this isnt some kind of a comeback a radio show about New York is sometimes just a radio show about New York. I suppose its some consolation to know Weiner wont be asking New Yorkers for their votes anytime soon, or embarrassing them with another scandal-ridden run for office, but its little relief to know hell still be foisting himself upon them as a reinvented radio personality. If you buried the memory of Weiners sordid transgressions in the deepest recesses of your brain and who could blame you? Ill unhappily refresh. Weiner had been representing a New York City district in the U.S. House for nearly 12 years when in 2011 he used his public Twitter account to send a link of an explicit photo an erect penis inside gray briefs to a woman who followed him on the social media platform. Weiner spent days indignantly denying the photo was of him or sent by him, blaming the media, claiming he must have been hacked, and even joking that his kitchen blender might be the next machine to attack him. Then, he admitted the image was his and that hed exchanged similar messages and photos with about six women over three years. As photos kept surfacing, mounting pressure from Democrats led him to finally resign with a brief statement to the press. That was all bad enough for Democrats to weather not to mention the humiliation it brought to his wife, a longtime aide to Hillary Clinton, Huma Abedin. With the saga sorted, New Yorkers breathed a collective sigh of relief and thought he was done. However, Weiner the consummate narcissist just couldnt help himself. In 2013 he was back, looking for redemption, running for mayor, Abedin by his side. In the midst of that campaign, it surfaced that hed been texting inappropriately with a new woman, 23-year-old Sydney Leathers. He once again apologized to his humiliated wife and voters. On primary day, finishing with just 5% of the vote, he conceded, but not without flipping off a reporter. Completely fitting his sociopathic ego, all of this indignity happened on camera, thanks to the documentary film crew Weiner had allowed to follow his ill-fated campaign. Lest you think our awful tale ends here, Weiner wasnt done. In 2016, new photos and text messages, including racy language and one half-naked pic cradling his newborn son (pause to vomit) popped up, finally leading Abedin to announce she was separating from Weiner. But the final, revolting blow was yet to come. Less than a month later, reports that hed sexted with a 15-year-old girl surfaced. In 2017, Weiner surrendered to the FBI and pleaded guilty to one charge of transferring obscene material to a minor. He was sentenced to 21 months in prison with three years supervised probation, and has to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. So, the obvious question is: In what twisted, upside-down, bizarro and unjust universe would a terrible person and convicted predator like Anthony Weiner be given a public platform to lecture New Yorkers about anything? Apparently, John Catsimatidis universe. The grocery store mogul and conservative donor bought WABC-AM in 2019. One of his first new talent hires was disgraced Fox News personality Bill OReilly, the guy who, along with Fox News, paid five women approximately $13 million to settle various sexual misconduct lawsuits. For Catsimatidis who also hosts his own show folks like Weiner and OReilly are exactly who New Yorkers deserve to hear from on his radio network. I guess I shouldnt be surprised. It seems like its just the American way. Misogynists and sexists, abusers and harassers will eventually find protection and comfort somewhere. Bill Clinton, accused by multiple women of harassment and by one of rape, is still beloved in the Democratic Party. Donald Trump, accused by multiple women of harassment and assault, is a cult leader of the Republican Party. Several #MeToo violators have attempted comebacks to varying degrees of success. Others are looking to. So, why wouldnt a convicted sex offender who embarrassed his party and ruined his family get a radio show? But dont feel bad for Abedin or Weiners teenage victim, because remember, Weiner insists its not a comeback. Just a radio show with a friend of mine. How nice for him. S.E. Cupp is the host of S.E. Cupp Unfiltered on CNN. A political commentator and longtime conservative, she is author of Losing Our Religion: The Liberal Medias Attack on Christianity and co-author of Why Youre Wrong About the Right: Behind the Myths. Drop NATO push Things were relatively quiet around the world until President Biden decided to bring Ukraine into NATO. It had been a buffer zone between Western Europe and Russia for years. What did he think Russia would do? Now everyone is telling what Russia should not do. Why have I not heard anyone say what Biden should do? Why not tell him to back off and see if this would quiet things down? In the meantime, North Korea is firing missiles toward Japan and China is poised to attack Taiwan. WWIII? Jack Munson, Woodway Defending stamps Where have all the Christmas stamps gone? I mean the ones with the Bethlehem stable scene, or the wise men on camels, or a shining star in the midnight sky. Last year, the Madonna was the last Christmas one. This year, the post offices had only red and white stamps with Santa, reindeer, snowmen, snowflakes, shooting stars, etc. I want to recognize this as a negative change in America and write to those same citizens who think you are safe. Reita Rea Hawthorne, Woodway Facts speaking With regard to Russia and Ukraine, I keep thinking of the time before Mount St. Helens erupted in Washington. There were several stories about one elderly man who kept sitting on his front porch, denying the situation, not considering leaving despite warnings from everywhere it was going to erupt. It did erupt and he could not be found afterwards amid the layers of dust and miles of destruction. Then I think of the time before Winston Churchill became prime minister in England during World War II. The then-current prime minister downplayed warnings about Hitler and stressed compromises with him. Hitler was not dissuaded, and look what happened? Millions of people killed, countries devastated and millions of dollars wasted then and during recovery. We all seem to have the need to think things will not be as bad as they could be even as we see and know the facts. I surely do pray we wont have a need to say told ya so. Nancy Marquis, Waco Black, nor white I find it disturbing that Baylor University, founded on Baptist principles, would entertain a notion that any church is a white church or a Black church. Yes, there are churches where the congregations may be mostly composed of one race or another, but that should not and does not make those churches exclusive of any race or nationality. Every church has an open-door policy to all races. Do We Want to be Healed? Racism in the White Church [a 3-day conference currently being held at Baylor] seems based on a false premise that a church, any church, is a white church or a Black church. Hopefully the discussions at the event will focus on solutions to racism wherever it exists. William Smith, China Spring SMETHPORT, Pa. (AP) Some Democrats here in rural Pennsylvania are afraid to tell you they're Democrats. The party's brand is so toxic in the small towns 100 miles northeast of Pittsburgh that some liberals have removed bumper stickers and yard signs and refuse to acknowledge their party affiliation publicly. These Democrats are used to being outnumbered by the local Republican majority, but as their numbers continue to dwindle, the few that remain are feeling increasingly isolated and unwelcome in their own communities. "The hatred for Democrats is just unbelievable," said Tim Holohan, an accountant based in rural McKean County who recently encouraged his daughter to get rid of a pro-Joe Biden bumper sticker. "I feel like we're on the run." The climate across rural Pennsylvania is symptomatic of a larger political problem threatening the Democratic Party ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. Beyond losing votes in virtually every election since 2008, Democrats have been effectively ostracized from many parts of rural America, leaving party leaders with few options to reverse a cultural trend that is redefining the nation's political landscape. The shifting climate helped Republicans limit Democratic gains in 2020 the GOP actually gained House seats despite former President Donald Trump's loss and a year later, surging Republican rural support enabled Republicans to claim the Virginia governorship. A small but vocal group of party officials now fears the same trends will undermine Democratic candidates in Ohio, Wisconsin, Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, states that will help decide the Senate majority in November, and the White House two years after that. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party continues to devote the vast majority of its energy, messaging and resources to voters in more populated urban and suburban areas. In Pennsylvania, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a leading candidate in the state's high-stakes Senate contest, insists his party can no longer afford to ignore rural voters. The former small-town mayor drove his black Dodge Ram pickup truck across five rural counties last weekend to face voters who almost never see statewide Democratic candidates. Fetterman, wearing his signature hooded sweatshirt and gym shorts despite the freezing temperatures, described himself as a champion for "the forgotten, the marginalized and the left-behind places" as he addressed roughly 100 people inside a bingo hall in McKean County, a place Trump carried with 72% of the vote in 2020. "These are the kind of places that matter just as much as any other place," Fetterman said as the crowd cheered. The Democratic Party's struggle in rural America has been building for years. And it's getting worse. Barack Obama won 875 counties nationwide in his overwhelming 2008 victory. Twelve years later, Biden won only 527. The vast majority of those losses 260 of the 348 counties took place in rural counties, according to data compiled by The Associated Press. The worst losses were concentrated in the Midwest: 21 rural counties in Michigan flipped from Obama in 2008 to Trump in 2020; Democrats lost 28 rural counties in Minnesota, 32 in Wisconsin and a whopping 45 in Iowa. At the same time, recent Republican voter registration gains in swing states like Florida and North Carolina were fueled disproportionately by rural voters. Biden overcame rural losses to beat Trump in 2020 because of gains in more populous Democratic counties. Perhaps because of his victory, some Democratic officials worry that party leaders do not appreciate the severity of the threat. Democratic Rep. Jim Cooper of Tennessee, who recently announced he would not seek reelection to Congress this fall, warns that the party is facing extinction in small-town America. "It's hard to sink lower than we are right now. You're almost automatically a pariah in rural areas if you have a D after your name," Cooper told The Associated Press. Even if Democrats continue to eke out victories by piling up urban and suburban votes, former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota fears her party will have "unstable majorities" if they cannot stop the bleeding in rural areas. "Democrats have the House, they have the Senate, the presidency, but it's an unstable majority. By that, I mean, the narrowest kind, making it difficult to advance ideas and build coalitions," said Heitkamp, who now heads the One Country Project, which is focused on engaging rural voters. She criticized her party's go-to strategy for reaching rural voters: focusing on farmers and vowing to improve high-speed internet. At the same time, she said Democrats are hurting themselves by not speaking out more forcefully against far-left positions that alienate rural voters, such as the push to "defund the police." While only a handful of Democrats in Congress support stripping such money from police departments, for example, conservative media popular in rural communities particularly Fox News amplifies such positions. "We're letting Republicans use the language of the far left to define the Democratic Party, and we can't do that," Heitkamp said. "The trend lines in rural America are very, very bad. ... Now, the brand is so toxic that people who are Democrats, the ones left, aren't fighting for the party." To help win back rural voters, the Democratic National Committee has tapped Kylie Oversen, a former North Dakota state legislator, to work with rural organizers and state party rural caucuses as the chair of the national committee's rural council. The DNC also says it's sharing resources with people on the ground in rural areas to help improve training, recruiting and organizing. So far, at least, those resources are not making life any easier for Democrats in northwestern Pennsylvania. At one of Fetterman's weekend stops in rural Clarion, a group of voters said they've been effectively ostracized by their community and even family members, in some cases for being Democrats. One woman brings her political signs inside at night so they aren't vandalized or stolen. "You have to be careful around here," said Barbara Speer, 68, a retired sixth grade teacher. Nearby, Michelle's Cafe on Clarion's main street is one of the few gathering points for local Democrats. A sign on the door proclaims support for Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ rights and other progressive priorities. But the cafe owner, 33-year-old Kaitlyn Nevel, isn't comfortable sharing her political affiliation when asked. "I would rather not say, just because it's a small town," she said. One patron, 22-year-old college student Eugenia Barboza, said the cafe is one of the few places in town she feels safe as a Latina immigrant. Just down the road, she said, a caravan of Trump supporters met up to drive to the deadly protests in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. Barboza said she's grateful that Democrats like Fetterman are willing to come to rural areas, but she isn't hopeful that it'll change much. "It would take a lot more than just him," she said. "It would take years and years and years." *** Russia has announced nuclear drills as tensions with Ukraine remain high. The missile tests are conducted annually, but with tensions rising along Ukraine's border, the White House notes the timing. Russian President Vladimir Putin will personally oversee the country's nuclear preparation drills. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans to test nuclear-capable missiles and conduct war games near NATO's border in Belarus. At the same time, the United States said more Russian forces continued to take positions threatening Ukraine in a crisis that could erupt into the largest conflict in Europe in decades, according to the United Nations. According to U.S. sources, as President Biden prepared to address NATO members on Friday, up to 190,000 Russian forces were stationed in and around Ukraine. This figure includes Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Additionally, the officials reiterated their fears that Moscow would attempt to fabricate Ukraine's provocation to justify an invasion of their smaller neighbor. According to a statement, according to the government, Mr. Biden will speak publicly on the troop buildup and the United States' diplomatic efforts on Friday afternoon, following his meeting with NATO leaders. After a commander of those separatists said in a video message on Friday that a Ukrainian military offensive was imminent and called for people of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic to flee to Russia, the worries of a "false flag" incident increased even further. Immediately, the Ukrainian defense and foreign ministers rejected the allegations of an impending Ukrainian invasion as fabrications intended to inflame tensions and provide a pretext for Russian military intervention in the region. Separatist leader Ramzan Kadyrov's message came after increased shelling along the front line between Ukraine and the Russia-backed rebels. It underscored worrying indicators that a conflict simmering for years could erupt into a bigger conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia was prepared for further diplomacy, consistent with his country's contradictory messaging throughout the crisis. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken accepted an invitation to meet with Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov next week, which President Biden extended. The announcement of the meeting helped to calm nervous markets and signaled that there was still hope for the crisis to be handled peacefully rather than through military means. Mr. Putin, on the other hand, stressed that Russia would continue to insist on far-reaching demands for "security guarantees" in Eastern Europe that the West has rejected such as a halt to NATO's eastward expansion and the withdrawal of the alliance's forces from the region despite the opposition of the West. According to Mr. Putin, who spoke at a news conference alongside his close ally President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko of Belarus, who was in Moscow for a visit, "we are ready to go on the negotiating track under the condition that all questions will be considered together, without being separated from Russia's main proposals." According to their estimates, the Biden administration has stated that Russia is set to invade Ukraine within days. Despite Moscow's denials that it has such preparations, the Russian government has pledged to wage "a severe response" if the United States and its NATO allies do not withdraw its forces from Eastern Europe. Russia will undertake significant drills this weekend, according to the country's military ministry, which will include the launch of ballistic and cruise missiles, according to the Interfax news agency. The drills are being held as a show of force. The drills will put Russia's strategic nuclear capabilities to the test, which will comprise land-based launchers, bombers, and warships capable of delivering nuclear warheads. The Black Sea Fleet, which has been engaged in large-scale maneuvers in the region bordering Ukraine, will participate in these exercises. President Putin would preside over them from a "situation center," according to the Kremlin's announcement. The Defense Ministry stated that the drills were scheduled ahead of time, and Mr. Peskov disputed that they were designed to inflame tensions between the two countries. The announcements, however, will come at an important juncture in the ongoing confrontation over Ukraine. After a night punctuated by explosions and bursts of gunfire in as many as 30 villages and towns along a 250-mile stretch of terrain separating Ukrainian and Russia-backed forces, an eerie calm crept over eastern Ukraine on Friday. Even though frequent exchanges of gunfire were not unusual during the tedious eight-year trench battle, the scope of the violence was unprecedented. As the events unfold, authorities in Russia, the United States, and Ukraine attempt to control the narrative in their own countries. According to senior administration officials in Washington, Americans are "watching intently" because they are concerned that Russia may exploit the violence in eastern Ukraine as a pretext to attack Ukraine. Blinken warned the United Nations Security Council on Thursday that Russia intended to "create a pretext for its strike," which might include a "so-called terrorist bombing" or "a phony, even a real attack" using chemical weapons among other possibilities. Russia Announces Nuclear Drills As Tensions With Ukraine Intensify Avocados, known in some Mexican regions as "oro verde," or green gold, may soon become a fruit so scarce in the United States that it could be worth its weight in gold, if you can find it at all. After the U.S. recently put a halt on the import of Mexican avocados because a U.S. official was threatened by organized crime in Michoacan the biggest avocado-producing state in Mexico thousands of tons of the fruit have stopped entering the country. Merchants are already preparing for this shortage and for a price increase, which will directly impact consumers and restaurants, some of which are already thinking about removing guacamole from their menus. Alfredo Duarte, general director at Taxco Produce, a fruit and vegetable distribution company that supplies fresh food to more than 1,000 restaurants in North Texas, said he was concerned about the situation. "I still have inventory for the next two weeks," Duarte said. "I would hope that this is resolved in a few days because avocado is a huge business, it represents too much money, so the two governments must do their part to resolve this." In 2020, the U.S. imported more than 2.1 billion pounds of avocado from Mexico (just over 1 million tons), according to the Mexican data system Sistema de Informacion Agroalimentaria y Pesquera de Mexico. It is estimated that each person in the country consumes about 8 pounds of avocado every year, according to Avocados from Mexico, based in Irving, Texas. Although it is possible to get avocados from California, Peru or Colombia, the amount traded and imported is very small compared to what comes from Mexico. Some merchants even refuse to sell avocado not coming from Mexico because they say it is of lower quality. Lucy Briones, a spokesperson for ITAMP Food Distributors, which sells fresh produce to restaurants and taquerias in Dallas, said that the company is waiting before investing in a more expensive product because it could represent great losses for the company. "The boxes that we used to buy for $30 are now being sold to us for $70, and the larger ones are already selling for more than $100, we would have to sell for at least $120," said Briones. "They're the last avocados that managed to enter the country before the border closed, and right now they are already being sold like gold." The company has already taken some steps, such as not selling avocados to noncustomers or only partially fulfilling orders so more people have access to the last of their inventory, which they expect to last a week. The distributor will send a letter to its more than 30 clients to explain the situation. "We are not going to buy avocados from somewhere else, because they don't have the same quality as Mexican avocados, and our customers don't deserve a bad product," Briones said. An avocado has an average life of four weeks after it is harvested in Mexico, Briones said. By the time it crosses the border and reaches its end customers, the fruit lasts about two more weeks. If the situation is not resolved, there will be a shortage at the end of February. Although guacamole is one of the most popular dishes at restaurants and cantinas, some restaurateurs are ready to remove it from their menus if it becomes impossible to acquire avocados or if prices rise exponentially. "If the cost of avocados becomes absurd, it's best to take it off the menu," said Pedro Rojas, owner of Pepe's & Mito's, a restaurant in the Deep Ellum neighborhood of Dallas. "We can't afford it if it's too expensive because if we raise the price, customers won't order it." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 PHNOM PENH, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade pact and bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) are one of the key factors attracting foreign direct investments to Cambodia in the post-COVID-19 era, a senior official said here on Friday. Cambodia has bilateral FTAs with China and South Korea as well as the RCEP free trade agreement, and "these pacts are a factor for the attraction of investments to our country," Economy and Finance Ministry's permanent secretary of state Vongsey Vissoth said in a press conference on the country's macroeconomic management for 2022. RCEP is a mega trade pact between 10 ASEAN member states and the bloc's five major trade partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. RCEP and the Cambodia-China FTA entered into force on Jan. 1, 2022, while the FTA between Cambodia and South Korea is expected to take effect in the near future. Vissoth said that these free trade pacts are crucial to boost Cambodia's economic growth in the long run. Cambodia's national economy is forecast to grow by 5.6 percent in 2022, up from 3 percent in 2021, he said, adding that the growth is expected at a higher rate of 6.5 percent in 2023 and up to 7 percent in 2024. The economy is mainly supported by garment, footwear and travel goods exports, tourism, real estate and construction, and agriculture. Vissoth said all these sectors will enjoy positive growth this year. He said the government had prepared a stimulus package of more than 1 billion U.S. dollars for 2022 to boost the economy and to mitigate the impacts caused by the pandemic. Meanwhile, the official noted that Cambodia's high vaccination rates have allowed the country to fully resume its socio-economic activities in all areas since November last year. According to the health ministry, the southeast Asian nation has so far administered at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines to 14.39 million people, or 89.9 percent of its 16 million population. Of them, 13.8 million, or 86.3 percent, have been fully vaccinated with two required shots, 6.23 million, or 38.9 percent, have taken a third dose or booster shot, and 739,201, or 4.6 percent, have got a fourth dose, the ministry said. Most of the vaccines used in the country's immunization drive are China's Sinovac and Sinopharm. As the world approaches the second anniversary of the declaration of the Covid-19 pandemic by the World Health Organization, on March 11, more nations are rolling out -- or are discussing the possibility of -- fourth doses of coronavirus vaccine for their most vulnerable. In the United States, leading public health officials say they are "very carefully" monitoring if or when fourth doses might be needed. Israel was the first nation to roll out fourth doses, announcing in December that adults 60 and older, medical workers and people with suppressed immune systems were eligible to receive the extra shot if at least four months have passed since their third dose. More recently, the Public Health Agency of Sweden announced last week that second booster doses are recommended for everyone 80 and older in the country. The United Kingdom's Department of Health and Social Care announced Monday that an extra booster dose of coronavirus vaccine will be offered in the spring to adults 75 and older, residents in care homes for older adults and immunosuppressed people 12 and older. In the United States, health officials emphasized late last year that fourth doses were not yet needed and said it was too premature to be discussing a potential fourth dose of coronavirus vaccine for most people. Now, the US Food and Drug Administration "is indeed continually looking at the emerging data on the pandemic and variants in the United States and overseas in order to evaluate the potential utility and composition of booster doses," FDA spokesperson Alison Hunt wrote in an email to CNN on Friday. She confirmed that although Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, has noted that there is still much uncertainty as to how the pandemic may further evolve, he also has said it is possible that a fourth dose might be recommended as we move into fall. A fall timeline coincides with the administration of flu shots, which could be convenient for people and makes sense scientifically because respiratory viruses -- like the coronavirus and influenza -- tend to peak in the winter months that follow. "As more data become available about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, including the use of a booster dose, we will continue to evaluate the rapidly changing science and keep the public informed," Hunt wrote. "Any determination that additional booster doses are needed will be based on data available to the agency." If or when the FDA authorizes a fourth dose for the public, the next step would be for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to review the data before making a recommendation for use, as the agency has done for other coronavirus vaccine recommendations. 'Vaccination and boosting will be critical' The United States has seen significant improvements recently in Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths. As of Friday, cases were down 44% from the prior week, hospitalizations dropped 26%, and deaths were 13% lower, according to Johns Hopkins University data. "Vaccination and boosting will be critical in maintaining that downward trajectory, particularly when you're talking about the red curve of severe disease leading to hospitalization," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a White House Covid-19 Task Force briefing Wednesday. The "potential future requirement" for an additional boost or a fourth shot of the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna mRNA vaccines or a third dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine "is being very carefully monitored in real time," Fauci said. "And recommendations, if needed, will be updated according to the data as it evolves." The CDC has no recommendation of fourth doses of coronavirus vaccine for the general public, but the agency updated its guidelines in October to note that certain people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may receive a fourth dose of the Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines. "For the immunocompetent people, a single booster shot continues to provide high levels of protection against severe disease caused by Omicron," Fauci said Wednesday. "This should not be confused with the fact that for many immunocompromised people, already a second booster shot -- namely a fourth dose of an mRNA -- is recommended because of what we know about their poor response to the initial regimen." Meanwhile, vaccine makers continue to study fourth doses in broader populations. 'We recognize the need to be prepared' Pfizer announced in January that it has been studying the safety and efficacy of a fourth dose as part of its ongoing study of an Omicron-specific coronavirus vaccine among healthy adults ages 18 to 55. For that study, participants have been separated into three cohorts. One includes 600 people who got three doses of the current Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine before enrolling in the study. As part of the research, they will receive either a fourth dose of the current vaccine or a dose of the Omicron-based vaccine. "While current research and real-world data show that boosters continue to provide a high level of protection against severe disease and hospitalization with Omicron, we recognize the need to be prepared in the event this protection wanes over time and to potentially help address Omicron and new variants in the future," Kathrin Jansen, senior vice president and head of vaccine research and development at Pfizer, said in the company's announcement of the study. A study published by the CDC last week showed that protection against Covid-19 hospitalization and emergency department or urgent care visits is much higher after a third vaccine dose than a second dose but that protection wanes with time. With the Omicron variant dominant in the United States, vaccine effectiveness was 87% against Covid-19 emergency department or urgent care visits and 91% against hospitalizations in the two months after a third dose. Effectiveness fell to 66% and 78%, respectively, by the fourth month, the data showed. "Nonetheless, the level of 78 is still a good protective area," Fauci said Wednesday. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, told CNN on Friday that he thinks having a fourth dose "makes very little sense" right now -- but possibly makes more sense this upcoming fall or winter. "Because Omicron is going away," he said, "third dose immunity wanes, and so fourth dose will probably wane as well. So we would want to time a fourth-dose push for when either there's a new variant or for next winter. So I think right now, unless you're immunocompromised or you're older, unless you have some personal risk, it doesn't make a lot of sense." The research showing some waning immunity after a third dose has led to more discussion around if or when fourth doses could be needed. "Just like with everything else, the health departments look at this data that's coming out and wait for guidance from the CDC and from the drug manufacturers. The drug manufacturers have been monitoring vaccine effectiveness," Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive officer of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, told CNN on Friday. The timing for fourth doses not only depends on waning immunity "but also depends on whether we see any more variants emerge and what we discover in terms of additional vaccine effectiveness for any emerging new infections," Freeman said. If fourth doses are needed, "health departments would go into the mode of preparing to administer the fourth dose in the way they have done previous doses," Freeman said. However, of greater concern among local public health officers is the slow -- and declining -- pace of people completing their third doses, she said. About 65% of the US population is fully vaccinated with at least their initial series, and about 28% of the population has received a booster dose, according to the CDC, as of Friday. But the pace of booster doses being administered has dropped to one of the slowest rates yet. "As time goes on, if there is the necessity of a fourth dose, we're already behind with people getting the third dose," Freeman said. "So all of a sudden, we could have a fairly large segment of the population that is not up to date on vaccines because they're behind by two doses, potentially, and more people could get sick." The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. CNN's Katherine Dillinger contributed to this report. WATERLOO They came from different parts of the state, lamenting different state laws that recently have passed as well as legislation working its way through the Legislature this year. But the refrain both metaphorically and literally was the same: Iowa is better than this. That was the suggested audience response after each speaker during Wednesday nights Iowa Is Better Than This event, a statewide Iowa lament over what organizers called the Republican majoritys discriminatory legislation against transgender children in schools, voting rights, accessibility to guns, housing, protesting and more. As Iowans, it is our dubious distinction to have a front-row seat to the dismantling of American democracy, said Rabbi Henry Karp, co-founder of One Human Family QCA, a Quad-Cities organization that put on the event. In addition to the original event in Davenport, satellite locations were also live-streamed, including one at the Waterloo Public Library, where around 20 people attended in person. Rather than being overwhelmed by the damage that has been and continues to be done, we tonight are banding together to fight these attempts to say that any Iowan is less than, or entitled to less protections and rights than, any other Iowan, said the Rev. Richard Hendricks, another co-founder of One Human Family. Waterloos lone speaker was the Rev. Belinda Creighton-Smith, who spoke on Iowa House File 802. The bill, which specifies what teachers can and cannot teach related to race and gender, was signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds last June, and Creighton-Smith called it particularly egregious. The law defines divisive concepts that cannot be included in curriculum or training at Iowas schools or governmental agencies as those that make participants feel uncomfortable, she said. The law hinders the ability of Iowa teachers to provide thoughtful and accurate lessons on the legacy of racism and sexism that are a part of our nations history. After she spoke, she tore a piece of fabric provided to participants, who tore their own along with her. We tear this cloth as a symbol of how the moral fabric of our Iowa society has been torn by such actions, Creighton-Smith said. Speakers and organizers several of them pastors said they were concerned by legislation introduced or passed in the last two years in the state, and said it doesnt represent Iowa they knew. The actions taken by the Iowa Legislature and then signed into law by the governor do not represent what so many of us in the state believe in or want in our communities, Karp said. It is time to stand up and say enough is enough. Organizers encouraged participants to fill out a Google Form after the event with their information and an action item, which Karp said they would follow up on. The American Association of University Women of Iowa, the League of Women Voters of Iowa, Progress Iowa and the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa also partnered on the event. Love 1 Funny 5 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CEDAR FALLS On Thursday, Jan Spivey Gilchrist, an African-American illustrator, artist and childrens author, read the late Eloise Greenfields book, Honey, I Love to local first-graders. She then fielded a barrage of questions. She joined fellow authors Crystal Swain-Bates and Janelle Jennings-Alexander, who led sessions of literacy, learning and fun. It was all part of the University of Northern Iowas 16th African American Read-In, which gives students the opportunity to learn more about the successes of Black Americans. It was held in conjunction with classrooms across America who are participating in the National African American Read-In during Black History Month. The pandemic has disrupted the learning of so many children, and we know first grade is a huge stepping stone in learning to read. This years read-in takes on added significance as an opportunity to draw children toward reading while also introducing them to the wonderful contributions of leading African-American authors and illustrators, said Gloria Kirkland Holmes, UNI College of Education professor emeritus and coordinator of the annual event, in a news release. This years event was held virtually, meaning many classrooms broadcasted Gilchrist, who was in Naples, Florida, and the books colorful pages on the screens as she read. Gilchrist, 73, is a UNI alum, who completed her masters degree in painting there, and spent time living in Cedar Falls. She dedicated the afternoon read to her dear friends who had recently passed away authors Greenfield and Ashley Bryan. She first told the students about how she became an artist. I was a little girl who loved to draw, and my father said the word for that is artist, so I became an artist. My father was a pastor, and my father had lots and lots of books, and in those Bibles, books and religious books were all these paintings, she said. When he would tell stories on Sunday morning in church, I could see those stories in my head, and then I would go home and want to draw the stories. Following the reading of Greenfields book, which Gilchrist illustrated, teachers typed their first-graders questions into the Zoom chat box. The topics ranged from wonderment about how many books she helped create and the tools she used to create her illustrations, to her favorite painting, color and food. Some students shared their art with the special guest, and upon finding out she had recently celebrated a birthday, the classrooms joined together to sing Happy Birthday. University of Northern Iowa spokesperson Steve Schmadeke said more than 2,300 students participated in the event from Waterloo, Hudson, Oelwein Parkside, St. Patricks (Cedar Falls), Findley Elementary School in Des Moines, Union, Jesup, Independence, Dike-New Hartford, Waverly-Shell Rock, Gladbrook-Reinbeck, Oelwein (Sacred Heart), North Butler, Janesville, Denver and Dunkerton elementary schools. All the children also received a free book thanks to Green State Credit Union and Veridian Credit Union. Love 0 Funny 1 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. Kaushik Velendra cements ambitions with new Mayfair headquarters; unveils flagship plans By Erin Floyd Published Feb 17, 2022 Kaushik Velendra is on the move. The South Indian-born designer this week inaugurated his eponymous labels new headquarters in Mayfair, in a grand Georgian location on Upper Brook Street. Nestled amongst upscale art galleries and a stones throw from Michelin-starred dining destination Le Gavroche, its a monumental milestone for a label that staged its first show just two years ago, in 2019. Velendra, left, with guests at the inauguration - Photo: Courtesy of Kaushik Velendra Its a huge expansion for my label, enthuses the 31-year-old designer, who was a 2020 semi-finalist for the LVMH Prize. His voluminous rounded power shoulders and romantic draping make for a distinct silhouette, and in an enviable two years for a fledgling label, it has dressed stars from Hollywood actress -Jonas to socialite heiress Daphne Guiness (The clothes may look like menswear but they can be worn by women or non-binary people too, Velendra insists). During the pandemic, the designer was also quick to embrace a new channel, kicking off an online made-to-order service in January 2021. Our website allowed people across the world to continue to place orders. However, most of our products require a physical presence, so a lot of our bespoke garments were impacted, Velendra concedes. This is mainly when I decided to expand our brand into ready-to-wear affordable and accessible garments. We are predominantly a couture power dressing brand, but due to circumstances, this is a new venture for us as well. And one which is all the more critical, as the label remains self-funded. Ahead of his Fall 2022 collection, which will be presented on Friday 18 February during the womens , Velendra also revealed his ambitious expansion plans to . With offices currently only in London, the label hopes to expand to Mumbai, LA and Dubai in the next two years, gaining a foothold in the Indian market, and in key cities for its global objectives. The labels first London flagship is expected to open as soon as next month, where its ready-to-wear segment will be available to browse and purchase. The Mayfair headquarters interior - Photo: Courtesy of Kaushik Velendra Until then, the Mayfair headquarters boast an airy and elegant retail point for VIP clients. Retaining the buildings historic cornices, the interiors are fitted out with furnishings in soft alabaster shades and with minimal decoration, all the better to emphasise the collections arresting contours and gentle andrognyous allure. The building is also home to the labels offices; a VIP lounge, gym, and a courtyard with a folly gazebo housing a dramatic black spiral staircase down to the labels discreet atelier. Its here that the designer hopes to realise some grand ideas, and not just in design. We want to be able to create a community where we give out the space to them to host, along with us, any of their launches, Velendra explains. Its not an events pitch: his first atelier at 51 Hoxton Square, the former studio of , was also a venue made freely available to postgraduate students of Indian origin from his alma mater, . See catwalk Kaushik Velendra - Spring-Summer2022 - Womenswear - Londres - PixelFormula Its a creative safe space, the designer adds, revealing that the label has plans to hold monthly events to educate students on comprehensive brand operations; and to run mentorship programmes with the involvement of celebrity clients, who will be invited to speak. Velendra is celebrating the move as a milestone both for his brand and for Indian and other ethnic minority designers. Most importantly what [the headquarters opening] means is positioning my country in a place that it hasnt had a force, and to create a safe space, a mark for India as a whole and to be one of the first Indian menswear labels in Mayfair, the Bengaluru-born designer says enthusiastically. I dont make clothes that you might expect from an Indian designer, he adds, lightly shrugging off any expectations of traditional national fashion. I bring India through hospitality thats what you feel when you spend time with the brand. Its the same energy and environment that we bring of love, taking care of one another. Were creating a holistic moment for the brand and for what we do. Watch this space. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Gov. Steve Sisolak says the state of the state is "resilient and getting stronger every day." During an off-year State of the State speech, he pointed out that Nevada's economy is growing at one of the fastest rates in the country. Nevada added 94,000 jobs in 2021 which is the highest percentage in the country. During Wednesday's speech, he mentioned that more than 100 startup companies launched in Reno during the past two years and that tourism and hotel revenue is back. The governor gave his address at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. "This stadium is an example of just that," Sisolak, D-Nevada said. "Its created thousands of new jobs from construction to transportation, from small business suppliers to technical staff, from the tax dollars it generates, to the hotel rooms it fills." Sisolak announced the creation of the Nevada Small Business Accelerator Program to help startup companies to expand and encourage new technologies. He is also creating a bipartisan task force to reduce red tape for occupational licensing. "Here in Nevada, we license everyone from barbers to private investigators and the system needs to change," Sisolak said. The state has approximately $1.9 billion to use from the American Rescue Plan. The governor laid out his priorities for the funding, including the "Home Means Nevada" initiative. It provides $500 million for affordable housing developments, preservation of affordable housing, an increase in home ownership opportunities and land acquisition for future affordable developments. The governor's office says this is the largest single investment in housing in state history. "The plan boosts housing construction and homeownership opportunities," Sisolak said. "It will help seniors retrofit their homes, to lower their costs, improve their property, and stay where they want to be." Sisolak says inflation is a national problem that is affecting people here at home. Wages are increasing but so are costs. "Nevada families are getting squeezed at the pump and at the grocery store," Sisolak said."Childcare, housing, and healthcare costs are eating too much of a familys income. Its hard to keep ahead of bills and save for things like college or retirement." The governor also announced an investment of $160 million to help lower childcare costs and to keep childcare workers on the job. "This investment will double the number of families we support because I believe every family from West Wendover to North Las Vegas should have access to great childcare," Sisolak said. He says Nevada will join the Northwest Prescription Drug Consortium, along with Oregon and Washington. He says joining the group will allow the states to negotiate prescription drug prices together, hold drug companies accountable and lower costs. Another priority is on the education front, including teacher recruitment. His plan is to provide stipends and tuition assistance to nearly 4,000 future educators. Nevada will also use some of its federal dollars for school districts to provide meals to their students. "We all know that you cant learn on an empty stomach, so Im announcing that we're investing federal dollars to ensure that our schools can provide free lunch for all students across the state for the next school year," Sisolak said. The governor is directing his Workforce Development Committee to look for ways to make community college or apprenticeship and training programs free by 2025. Congress recently passed an infrastructure law that will provide additional funding to the states. Nevada will use $4 billion to upgrade roads, bridges and water systems - $8 million will go towards wildfire prevention. The state will invest an additional $500 million for new broadband infrastructure throughout the state, while $12 million will go towards cybersecurity upgrades and $40 million to expand electric vehicle charging stations, along with new improvements to public transportation and airport infrastructure. "These investments, overwhelmingly supported by Democrats, Republicans and Independents, will create thousands of new union jobs, the building blocks of an even stronger economy," Sisolak said. Climate change is another focus for the governor. He wants half of Nevada's energy to come from clean sources by 2030 and have net-zero greenhouse gasses by 2050. Sisolak says he will get his Cabinet, scientists and climate leaders to create a strategy to deal with extreme heat. "We will continue leading the fight against climate change and creating good jobs in the process because a resilient, clean energy economy is a part of a strong, diversified economy," Sisolak said. The governor pointed out that Nevada State Police Officers have not had a significant pay raise since 2006. He is proposing a salary increase to the state legislature ahead of the 2023 Legislative Session. "I have always supported increases in funding for our police to make sure they have the resources and training to protect and respect the communities they serve," Sisolak said. Sen. James Settelmeyer, R-Minden gave the Republican response to the governor's speech. The minority leader focused a lot of his rebuttal on the fallout of the pandemic. "Our families are facing escalating inflation and skyrocketing increases in the cost of living with no end in site and our children have navigated the unthinkable as their schools shut down overnight," Settelmeyer said. Nevada received $4.42 billion in American Rescue Plan funding. Some of it went to local governments but $3.6 billion is allocated to the state. The governor's agenda includes the remaining $1.9 billion. Settelmeyer criticized the governor's use of the federal pandemic relief funds. "Spending money is not leadership," Settelmeyer said. "Leadership is about making our government more efficient and effective for the people. This money will be spent to grow the government's size but with no thought of how to fund that growth when the money is gone." Nevada State Democratic Party Chair Judith Whitmer released the following statement: Its with pride and gratitude that we support Governor Sisolak in bringing millions of dollars in federal investment to Nevada. Democrats have worked tirelessly to ensure that the working people of our state receive the relief they deserve and the support they need. As our state recovers from the devastation of the Covid-19 pandemic, these funds wont only help us rebuild Nevada but will lay the foundation for a stronger, more resilient, and more prosperous future. Time and time again, Nevadans have responded to uncertainty with determination and to hardship with hope. Thanks to the resilience of our communities, the leadership of Governor Sisolak, and the advocacy of our elected Democrats, our beautiful state is once again welcoming visitors from across the country and around the world. In this critical moment, we cannot afford to slip backward. While Republicans are planning to raise taxes on millions of Americans, Democrats continue to fight for the safety and wellbeing of our nations working people. We call on all Nevadans to stand with our governor as we work towards completing Nevadas recovery. Nevada State Senate Republican Leader James Settelmeyer released the following statement for the Nevada GOP: Nevada Police Union released this statement on Gov. Sisolaks State of the State Address: During todays address, Governor Sisolak stated a need for salary increases for Nevada's state police. If the Governor is serious about this critical need, a first step would be voting to approve and fund the category I peace officers Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) at his March 8 Board of Examiners meeting. The CBA improves pay, working conditions and training for state police. This small step should be just the beginning, as the pay disparity between state and local police is upwards of 50 percent, which has caused record-high turnover and vacancy rates for state police. Supporting the police would be a 180-degree change for Gov. Sisolak, as his administration fought the Nevada Police Union at every level of the CBA negotiation process. Adding insult to injury, the state increased the state police Public Employees' Retirement System and health insurance cost, reduced uniform allowance, and mandated salary cuts and furlough days. Its because of this and more, that the state police are drastically understaffed and Nevadans underserved. We hope Gov. Sisolak will deliver on what he stated today by adequately funding state police and directing his administration to start bargaining in good faith in an effort to improve working conditions for their public-safety workers. The former police chief has said that Kim Potter intended to use her Taser on Daunte Wright but fired her handgun instead. Shcherbakova wins as ROC duo finish 1-2 in women's singles figure skating at Beijing 2022 Xinhua) 08:23, February 18, 2022 Gold medalist Anna Shcherbakova (C) of ROC , silver medalist Alexandra Trusova (L) of ROC and bronze medalist Sakamoto Kaori of Japan attend the flower ceremony after the figure skating women single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Ma Ning) BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Reigning world champion Anna Shcherbakova skated a clean segment to win the women's singles figure skating at the Beijing Olympic Winter Games, holding off a strong challenge from compatriot Alexandra Trusova here on Thursday evening. It has been the third straight gold in the women's singles for the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) after the ROC taking one-two at PyeongChang 2018 through Alina Zagitova and Yevgenia Medvedeva, and Adelina Sotnikova winning gold on home ice in Sochi. Performing to "Ruska, The Master and Margarita, Lacrimosa," Shcherbakova produced a quad Flip-triple Toeloop combination and a quad Flip, as well as level-four spins and footwork to post a season best of 175.75 points, bringing her score to a winning total of 255.95. Another ROC figure skater Trusova came up with the highest free skate score of 177.13 on Thursday after the 17-year-old featured five quads of four different rotations, bringing her total score to 251.73 for the silver. The ROC, however, was stopped from making a clean sweep on podium as otherwise hot favorite Kamila Valieva who won the short program, failed to survive the huge pressure and fell in free skate to drop to the fourth. Japan's Kaori Sakamoto took the bronze medal on 233.13 overall with 153.29 in free skate. Trusova was the first women skater to have landed a quad Lutz in 2018 and quad Flip in 2019 in competition, while Valieva made history in the women's free skate of the team event as the first woman to land a quadruple jump at the Olympics. The 15-year-old Valieva, who was just cleared to compete on Monday, committed the major error at a quad toeloop in the middle of her routine where she also delivered an under-rotated triple Axel and had her hands on ice while landing an earlier quad toe. Also the new European champion, Valieva, who helped the ROC to win the team event 10 days ago, thus scored just 141.93 points in free skate, near 37 points less than her score of the same segment in the team event and a bigger margin of 43.36 to her season best. Valieva had been provisionally banned on February 8 when a sample taken in December last year returned a positive result for banned substance trimetazidine, before the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) lifted it the next day. Following a hearing of the Ad Hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the CAS declined to impose a provisional suspension on her on Monday, but the International Olympic Committee said there would be neither flower nor medal ceremony if Valieva finished in the women's top three and the team event's medal ceremony will only be organized once the case of Valieva has been concluded. Anna Shcherbakova of ROC performs during the figure skating women single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) Gold medalist Anna Shcherbakova of ROC greets the audience after the figure skating women single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Yuguo) Alexandra Trusova of ROC performs during the figure skating women single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Yibo) Sakamoto Kaori of Japan performs during the figure skating women single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) You Young of South Korea performs during the figure skating women single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) Kamila Valieva of ROC performs during the figure skating women single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Ma Ning) Kamila Valieva of ROC performs during the figure skating women single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) Karen Chen of the United States performs during the figure skating women single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Yibo) Sakamoto Kaori of Japan performs during the figure skating women single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Jianli) Anna Shcherbakova of ROC performs during the figure skating women single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Jianli) Anna Shcherbakova of ROC performs during the figure skating women single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Jianli) Anna Shcherbakova of ROC performs during the figure skating women single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Can) (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) TOKYO, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Friday it will publish a report in April detailing the findings of its mission to review the Japanese government's plan to release the contaminated radioactive water into the sea from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant. A task force of the IAEA conducted the five-day safety review in Japan, which the agency pledged, would be carried out on an objective and scientific basis. Neighboring China and South Korea, as well as the fishery industry in Japan, have expressed strong opposition against Japan's plan to dump the radioactive water into the sea from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant damaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. China has expressed serious concerns, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian saying that China urged the Japanese side to take a responsible attitude and treat the issue of nuclear waste disposal with caution. Zhao stressed that proper disposal of nuclear waste is related to international public interests and the vital interests of neighboring countries. It should be handled carefully and properly to avoid further damaging the marine environment, food safety and human health. South Korea has also voiced its "grave concerns," with Foreign Ministry spokesman Choi Young-sam saying "it will be difficult to accept if the Japanese side decides to release the contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant without sufficient consultations." The IAEA task force, established last year and consisting of experts from various countries including China and South Korea, went to Fukushima Prefecture in northeastern Japan earlier in the week to review the situation. The IAEA team observed sampling of treated water in tanks by the plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. (TEPCO), among other things, on Tuesday. About 50 liters of the water will be analyzed separately by the agency's laboratories, according to the IAEA. "This is a significant step forward in the task force's work aimed at assessing their adherence to the IAEA safety standards which contribute to high levels of safety worldwide," said Lydie Evrard, head of the IAEA's Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, during a virtual press conference on Friday. Water samples collected before, during and after the discharge will be analyzed at laboratories in Austria and Monaco to detect the levels of radioactivity in the water stored in tanks as well as in the ocean, said Gustavo Caruso, chair of the task force. During the team's stay in Japan, they also inspected a site where the facilities to discharge treated water will be built, and heard details of the plan from TEPCO and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. At least 6.7 million children are at risk of losing their coverage and going uninsured for a period once the emergency expires. Throughout her work community over the years with various organizations, Nichole Rogers started to notice something. There were gaps in assistance for teens and young adults, a reality that hit Black youth and other youths of color particularly hard. To help solve the problem, she established the Welstand Foundation in 2019. Welstand is Afrikaans for well-being so the name was fitting she said. The overall health of these youth is super important, she said. We focus on all things well being for these kids. We have a holistic approach. Rogers vision is to purchase multiple houses around Albuquerque that will serve as homes for youth in the community experiencing homelessness. They will provide residents of these homes with all the services they need, including therapy and help completing their schooling. Rogers said the pandemic and rising home costs temporarily derailed her plans. She has joined forces with Marble Brewery, Hollow Spirits Distillery and Nexus Brewery to usher her dream further along its path. In honor of Black History Month, the three businesses have brewed up a 15-barrel batch of Red Beers & Rice Lager and $1 from every pint sold will benefit Welstand. According to a statement released by Hollow, Marble and Nexus, the beers name honors the classic Southern dish of red beans and rice which reflects the deep and complex history of food and tradition from which American cuisine has grown. Mirroring that complexity, Red Beers & Rice is a rich lager with a strong base of rice to balance the robust flavors of earthy hops and dark malts, which create the red hue. The beer can only be found on draft and has a 6.1% ABV. Rogers, who is currently the African American community liaison for the city, said many older children and young adults struggle to get on their feet and transition to adulthood. Often times when they age out of the system at 18, they are left floundering and sometimes homeless. The pandemic has exacerbated that completely. The main service we have provided so far is plugging people into resources, she said. If they call us and need internet we connect them to broadband assistance. The same with rental assistance. If they need food, we connect them to local pantries. One of the first projects Welstand took on was helping the African American community in New Mexico complete the Census. Rogers said Black people are historically undercounted. This is the second year Hollow, Marble and Nexus have teamed up to help the Welstand Foundation. So many children are left behind and forgotten, Hollow Spirits Owner Frank Holloway said. Thank you Welstand, Nexus, and Marble for letting us help fight for our forgotten youth. Snoopy and Charlie Brown are trailblazers in the race for space. Just before the first man on the moon landed, the beloved Peanuts characters soared through space with NASAs Apollo 10 mission in May 1969. New Mexicans will get a chance to see some of the history with the exhibit To the Moon: Snoopy Soars with NASA, which is currently on display at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. The exhibit examines the history of Apollo 10 and the Peanuts characters role in that flight and in the NASA Manned Flight Awareness safety program. New Mexico has a history with the space program, says Jennifer Hayden, National Museum of Nuclear Science & History deputy director. Weve added artifacts locally and our exhibit team has made it flow in the space that we have. Hayden says space exploration is very relevant as far as nuclear science. Anything that is space is nuclear driven, she says. The traveling exhibit is curated by the Charles M. Schulz Museum. The exhibit will be up through May 15. According to the Charles M. Schulz Museum, as the 1960s was coming to a close, the world was watching to see if NASA could achieve President John F. Kennedys challenge of putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Consequently, it was a very great honor, indeed, when the crew of Apollo 10 chose to nickname their command and lunar modules Charlie Brown and Snoopy, respectively, says officials at the museum. The flight of Apollo 10 in May 1969 was the dress rehearsal for the lunar landing that was scheduled for July 1969. Astronauts Thomas Stafford and Eugene Cernan piloted Snoopy within 50,000 feet of the lunar surface as they scouted the landing area for Apollo 11 while John Young orbited the moon in the command module Charlie Brown. Hayden says Schulzs involvement with NASA began a year earlier than the 1969 flight of Apollo 10 when he was approached by NASA with a request to use Snoopy as their safety mascot. The Silver Snoopy Award program was instituted to improve the safety record of NASA employees and contractors. This is part of Americas history and our team thought that this exhibit gives a glimpse of this historic moment, Hayden says. This is something that we know our community will embrace. KABUL, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- A suspected man was arrested and a large number of bullets were seized by intelligence officers in Afghanistan's western Nimroz province, the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) confirmed on Friday. "Personnel of Nimroz GDI Directorate seized 8,000 rounds of AK-47 gun bullets following a special operation in Nimroz recently," the country's national intelligence agency said in a statement. The operation was launched based on a reliable intelligence information, according to the statement. On Thursday, a large amount of weapons and ammunition were also confiscated by the GDI in Behsud district in the eastern Wardak province. The statement said that the Taliban-led caretaker government will continue to crack down on criminals including drug and weapon traffickers, thieves, armed robbers and kidnappers. Cameron Barclay takes his time preparing for his upcoming tour with The Ten Tenors. Living in New Zealand, hes having to pack winter clothes for the travel to the United States. Throw in a pandemic and hes developing new rituals. Its been a strange time, he says. But its nice to be traveling the world again performing. Weve missed it for so long. Barclay is one of the members of The Ten Tenors, which will perform in Albuquerque at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19 at Popejoy Hall. The Ten Tenors formed in Australia in 1995 and have toured the world. Theyve headlined more than 2,000 concerts during that time and performed in 29 countries to date. The group returns to Albuquerque after a three-year hiatus with the show Love Is in the Air! Barclay says the concert celebrates the glory of love and features many of the best amorous pop songs, ballads and arias of all time including songs such as Perfect, God Only Knows and Shallow. He says the show started in 2018 when one of the members got married and asked the group to sing the first dance. We ended up doing an album of love songs or first dance songs, Barclay says. There are some great pop and rock stuff, as well as some classical songs. The Ten Tenors toured the show through 2019 and were off tour for nearly two years. In June, the group got back together for the tour and took about a week to rehearse. I was so nervous, he says. I do the choreography for the group. We came back with a lot of confidence. Barclay says it was strange to sit at home and not tour through most of 2020. Though in Australia, the coronavirus was kept under control and he performed there. We still managed to get 40 shows done through Australia, he says. Its our 25th anniversary shows. But there is nothing like going to America. Its such a wildly cool experience. Barclay and the group were on tour in the United States in February 2020 and in Brazil in March 2020, before the world shut down. Everybody began to scramble to get home, he says. It felt like half of the boys had to get home via the moon. We all came home and waited it out. New Zealand was in a unique situation because of the isolation. Luckily, I still got to sing. At last, Albuquerque Public Schools, New Mexicos largest school district, will have a log to track incoming public records requests. And it will have to implement rigorous new policies that set out a detailed process by which APS must handle public records requests, including creating a log with the date of the request, responses to deadlines and other information to keep records requests on track. The district will also have to employ a sufficient number of records custodians, software and hardware to comply with IPRA timelines and staff training for responding to public records requests. Three decades after the adoption of the Inspection of Public Records Act, this is an important step forward for the 73,000-student district, which has a long history of skirting or ignoring the law. Just last year, the state attorney general determined APS has repeatedly and flagrantly violated IPRA, and in a separate case a judge ordered APS to pay the Journal and KOB-TV $615,000 in a public records case. The tipping point came Tuesday when APS reached the judge-approved settlement agreement requiring it to respond to a series of public records requests made by a Rio Rancho woman and to pay $54,000 in damages, attorney fees and costs. APS had ignored her requests for records for a year and a half. Newsflash: Complying with IPRA is not just the legal and right thing to do; it is less expensive than paying penalties for repeatedly and flagrantly violating the public records law thats imperative for open government. Since District Judge Lisa Chavez Ortega approved the deal between APS and Rio Rancho parent Michelle Jenson on Tuesday as a stipulated agreement, it has some real teeth. The judge placed the settlement under the direct authority of the court, meaning APS could face contempt of court proceedings if it fails to follow the order. We hope this marks a turning point at APS and establishes a model for other large public agencies subject to IPRA. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. Controversy over whether an overhaul of the states social studies curriculum promotes liberal ideologies (it doesnt, the states public education director has said) obscures one change that all New Mexicans should support an injection of financial literacy into public schools. On Wednesday, state education officials announced the new social studies standards following a 17-month period of proposed changes and public input. The announcement included a timeline for training classroom personnel to implement the new standards. Among them is a focus on age-appropriate economics and financial literacy instruction. The policy think tank Think New Mexico had pushed for lawmakers to consider a bill that folded financial literacy into a high school economics curriculum required for graduation. Since the Legislature didnt take up that bill during this budget-oriented session, adding financial literacy to the social studies overhaul is a great first step, said Abenicio Baldonado, Think N.M.s education reform director. Since 2008, financial literacy has been available as an elective course for high school students in some of New Mexicos public schools. Yet, only about 11% of N.M.s high school students completed one of these classes during the 2019-20 school year, according to data compiled by the group. Amending the social studies curriculum will help promote financial literacy, but teaching to a standard falls short of statutorily mandating financial literacy as a graduation requirement as Texas, Utah and Arizona have done. Financial literacy courses teach students critical life skills like budgeting, saving, investing, credit scores and the costs of borrowing. A lack of familiarity with basic money management concepts arguably locks many New Mexicans into cycles of generational poverty. We urge the Legislature to build on the momentum by making financial literacy a graduation requirement during next years session. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal The man who was fatally shot by two Albuquerque police officers earlier this month had unholstered a gun and was running toward the street and a bystander when he was struck in the back. And officials said the officers bullets came very close to hitting the bystander, who then ducked into a doorway. Devin Morris, 31, died at the scene the Court John Motel on Fourth NW north of Menaul. Police were not able to find and interview the bystander. In a news conference Thursday afternoon, the Albuquerque Police Department released lapel camera and helicopter videos of the Feb. 1 shooting. It was the first shooting by APD of the year. Deputy Cmdr. Kyle Hartsock, with the Criminal Investigations Division, said the incident started on Carlisle NE, near Montgomery, when a man called 911 to say that he had spotted his neighbors stolen truck and there was a man inside passed out. Hartsock said officers began to gather in the area but then the truck drove off, so a helicopter followed it around Northeast Albuquerque instead. Eventually, the driver drove the wrong way in traffic and turned on to a street next to the Court John Motel. A male exited the drivers door and ran into the Court John Motel, Hartsock said. Uniformed and marked unit officers then drove into the parking lot as the male tried to get onto a motorcycle. A foot chase started and as the male was attempted to be physically controlled, he pulled a firearm out of his pocket and an officer involved shooting occurred. The officers who shot Morris were Ramiro Garza of the Valley Area Command and Charles Miller of the Traffic Unit. Both have been with APD since 2008 and neither has been involved in any other shootings. They have both returned to duty. APD released lapel camera videos from the two officers and another who used a Taser but didnt fire his gun. (The Journal is only posting the one taken from the officer who didnt shoot his gun since it shows the clearest view of the incident.) Hartsock said the origin of the gun is still under investigation. He said drugs possibly fentanyl were found on Morris as well. As for the stolen truck, an APD spokesman said there were a number of narcotics in the truck and when told about that, the owner doesnt appear to want the truck back. The Journal could not reach Morris family. A motel manager said Morris was not staying at the motel but had been keeping his motorcycle there. Court records show he has a history of property crimes and misdemeanors. Almost exactly two years before the shooting, he had been charged with criminal trespass after a convenience store on East Central asked officers for assistance. According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court, an officer found Morris with several tourniquets and hypodermic needles around him and he admitted he was addicted to heroin. The officer asked if he wanted to participate in the LEAD program an initiative that offers some low-level offenders drug addiction treatment instead of jail time. Morris told the officer he was interested in the program and was taken there but then failed to complete the intake, according to the complaint. At the news conference, APD Chief Harold Medina referenced the fact that the shooting is the latest of several that involved a suspect in a stolen vehicle who armed himself. There are a lot of different ways that crime could be addressed, Medina said. But I go back to what Ive always said: There has to be that line in the sand where an individual who chooses to arm themselves is choosing to arm themselves for a reason. And that reason could be deadly, whether its to an officer or a citizen. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Rio Arriba County Undersheriff Martin Ray Trujillo has agreed to retire at the end of the month in exchange for a prosecutor dropping the felony charge he was facing. Trujillo had been charged with aggravated assault on a peace officer for a May 21, 2020, incident in which he was accused of ordering deputies to draw their firearms against officers from the Espanola Police Department and Taos County Sheriffs Office who were attempting to execute a search warrant on Trujillos then boss, Sheriff James Lujan. A notice of dismissal was filed Monday and the case was dismissed without prejudice, meaning the single fourth-degree felony count could be refiled if Trujillo does not retire, special prosecutor Andrea Reeb confirmed Thursday. The defendant is retiring from law enforcement, the notice states. A judge assigned Reeb, district attorney in the 9th Judicial District in Clovis, as a special prosecutor in the case. After consulting with law enforcement officials in Espanola and Taos we decided that would be a good way to resolve it, Reeb told the Journal. Sheriff Lujan was bringing him (Trujillo) into the situation. Everybody thought it was time to let it rest. Neither Trujillo nor his Los Alamos attorney could be reached for comment. The officers from the other agencies were trying to confiscate Lujans cellphone at the Rio Arriba County Sheriffs Office headquarters in Espanola after charges were filed against him. The 2020 incident stemmed from Lujans attempts to assist former Espanola City Councilor Phillip Chacon when he took over a crime scene at Chacons home in 2020 and helped Chacon in avoiding police by leading them on a high speed chase in 2017. Lujan was convicted in a December jury trial of felony counts of aiding a felon and intimidating a witness. He was sentenced to three years in prison and 1 years of probation. Lujan resigned after his conviction. Trujillos certification as a law enforcement officer is in the hands of the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy, Reeb said. Reeb said the situation with Rio Arriba County law enforcement agencies is better. They are backing each other up again, she said. Its a situation thats definitely improved. Three young women in Albuquerque are celebrating a major achievement during the month of love. After hitting some road blocks during the pandemic, Girl Scouts Lauren Anderson, Loreli Telles and Jayda Latone of Troop 11680 were finally able to complete their Bronze Award, the highest achievement available for a Junior Girl Scout. The story will air Friday on KKOB Radio as part of the Good News File series. The girls, now in sixth grade, began working toward their goal more than a year ago. They partnered with the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department in the Duke City to create Teen Love Care Packages for kids who were forced to leave home because of family circumstances. The Girl Scouts approached members of their own families, schools, churches and the Zuni Pueblo to collect donations. They raised enough money and supplies to fill 38 backpacks with toiletries, games, handmade blankets, notebooks and earbuds. Each backpack has a note of encouragement inside to remind the teen who receives it that someone somewhere is thinking about them and cares for them. Achieving a Bronze Award is a way for young women to discover their strengths, learn about entrepreneurialism, work as a team and make a lasting impact on their community. The girls had so much fun working together that theyre planning to do their next two project levels, silver and gold, as a team. They say the experience has taught them that giving back to their community feels good, not just because they know theyre doing the right thing, but also because theyre helping people who never asked for help in the first place, making an impact on peoples lives simply by showing them love from afar. The Journal continues The Good News File, a series of uplifting stories in partnership with KOAT-TV and KKOB Radio. The Journal will publish a Good News feature the first Friday of the month, KOAT-TV will present its feature each second Friday and KKOB each third Friday. AUSTIN, Texas A Texas grand jury indicted 19 Austin police officers on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for their actions during 2020 protests over racial injustice that spread nationwide following the killing of George Floyd, according to people familiar with the matter. Multiple people spoke to The Associated Press Thursday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly. Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday confirmed 19 officers are facing charges but did not have details. It ranks among the most indictments on a single police department in the U.S. over tactics used by officers during the widespread protests methods that led to the resignation or ouster of several police chiefs across the country. Word of the indictments came hours after Austin city leaders approved paying $10 million to two people injured by members of the 1,640-officer department in the protests, including a college student who suffered brain damage after an officer shot him with a beanbag round. Combined, the charges and settlements amounted to conservative Texas liberal capital of 960,000 people taking some of its biggest actions as criticism still simmers over its handling of the protests, which intensified pressure on then-Police Chief Brian Manley to eventually step down. Jose Garza, the district attorney for Travis County, which includes Austin, spoke to journalists Thursday afternoon about the grand jury investigation but gave no specifics about it, including how many officers are facing charges, and for what crimes. Our community is safer when our community trusts enforcement. When it believes law enforcement follows that law and protects the people who live here, Garza said. There cannot be trust if there is no accountability when law enforcement breaks the law. A spokesperson for the Travis County District Attorneys office, Ismael Martinez, declined to comment on the number of officers charged and referred reporters to Garzas comments. Prosecutors have not identified any of the officers facing charges. Texas law requires that an indictment remain secret until an officer has been arrested. Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, when committed by a public servant, could carry a sentence of up to life prison. Casaday, the president of the Austin Police Association, called the move devastating for law enforcement in the city, but also said hes confident that no officer will be convicted. He criticized Garza, calling the investigation politically motivated. DA Garza ran on a platform to indict police officers and has not missed the opportunity to ruin lives and careers simply to fulfill a campaign promise, Casaday said. Garza said his office prosecutes anybody who causes harm regardless of who causes it. Austin Chief of Police Joseph Chacon, who took the job after Manley left, said he respects the grand jury process but was extremely disappointed to hear the district attorney announce anticipated indictments of his officers. Chacon stressed that his command staff had prepared officers to face hundreds of people when thousands actually showed up to protests that he said were at times riotous and violent. I am not aware of any conduct, that given the circumstances that the officers were working under, would rise to the level of a criminal violation by these officers, Chacon said. But beanbag rounds fired by officers did not always perform in the manner anticipated, Chacon said, and his agency now prohibits the use of less lethal munitions in crowd-control situations. The settlements approved Thursday are among the largest paid to people who were injured by police across the U.S. during massive protests that followed Floyds death. The largest of the Austin settlements gives $8 million to Justin Howell, who was 20 years old when police shot him with a beanbag round. Family members told the AP following the incident that Howell suffered a cracked skull and brain damage, leaving him in critical condition for multiple days. The city will also pay $2 million to Anthony Evans, who was 26 when an Austin police officer shot him with a beanbag round in a separate incident, which resulted in extensive medical treatment in his jaw. Austin Mayor Steve Adler said the settlements remind us of a real difficult and painful moment in our city. A representative for the Howell family did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It is the latest reflection of how, two years after the protests that swept across the country, cities are still addressing the injuries and tactics used by police. Earlier this month, prosecutors announced charges against two Dallas police officers accused of injuring demonstrators after firing less lethal munitions. After the protests in Austin, then-police Chief Manley later said Howell was not the intended target after an altercation in a crowd, which he said involved people who threw objects at a line of officers. Authorities have said that led to the officers firing at the mass of protestors from above. David Frost, who captured on video the moments after Howell was shot, told the AP that he saw protesters throwing fist-sized rocks and water bottles at the line of police on an overpass. Then he saw Howell fall. He was bleeding heavily and went into a seizure, Frost said at the time. The settlements are the second and third payments awarded among a dozen lawsuits filed in Austin that have claimed injuries from the protests. Earlier this month, The Austin American-Statesman reported that a $150,000 settlement was approved for a woman named Ariana Chavez, who was shot in the head with less lethal munition resulting in a concussion. At least 19 people were hospitalized in Austin following the protests. Eleven officers were disciplined for their actions in the early summer protests, with seven additional officers placed on administrative duty. ___ This story has been updated to correct the spelling of the Austin Police Association presidents name to Ken Casaday. It also corrects Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon calling the protests at time riotous. ___ Bleiberg reported from Dallas. Associated Press writer Terry Wallace contributed to this report from Dallas. ___ Coronado is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. KYIV, Ukraine U.S. President Joe Biden said Friday that he is convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine, including an assault on the capital, as tensions spiked along the countrys militarized line with attacks that the West said could be false-flag operations meant to establish a pretext for invasion. A humanitarian convoy was hit by shelling, and pro-Russian rebels evacuated civilians from the conflict zone. A car bombing hit the eastern city of Donetsk, but no casualties were reported. After weeks of saying the U.S. wasnt sure if Putin had made the final decision to invade, Biden said that assessment had changed, citing American intelligence. As of this moment Im convinced hes made the decision, Biden said. We have reason to believe that. He reiterated that the assault could occur in the coming days. Meanwhile, the Kremlin announced massive nuclear drills to flex its military muscle, and Putin pledged to protect Russias national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats. Biden reiterated his threat of massive economic and diplomatic sanctions against Russia if it does invade, and pressed Putin to rethink his course of action. He said the U.S. and its Western allies were more united than ever to ensure Russia pays a price for the invasion. With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops posted around Ukraines borders, U.S. and European officials warn that the long-simmering separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine could provide the spark for a broader attack. As further indication that the Russians are preparing for a potential invasion, a U.S. defense official said an estimated 40% to 50% of the ground forces deployed in the vicinity of the Ukrainian border have moved into attack positions nearer the border. That shift has been under way for about a week, other officials have said, and does not necessarily mean Putin has decided to begin an invasion. The defense official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal U.S. military assessments. The official also said the number of Russian ground units known as battalion tactical groups deployed in the border area had grown to as many as 125, up from 83 two weeks ago. Each battalion tactical group has 750 to 1,000 soldiers. Lines of communication remain open: The U.S. and Russian defense chiefs spoke Friday, and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called for de-escalation, the return of Russian forces surrounding Ukraine to their home bases and a diplomatic resolution, according to the Pentagon. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov agreed to meet next week. Immediate worries focused on eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have been fighting pro-Russia rebels since 2014 in a conflict that has killed some 14,000 people. A bombing struck a car outside the main government building in the major eastern city of Donetsk, according to an Associated Press journalist there. The head of the separatist forces, Denis Sinenkov, said the car was his, the Interfax news agency reported. There were no reports of casualties and no independent confirmation of the circumstances of the blast. Uniformed men inspected the burned-out car. Shelling and shooting are common along the line that separates Ukrainian forces and the rebels, but targeted violence is unusual in rebel-held cities like Donetsk. However, the explosion and the announced evacuations were in line with U.S. warnings of so-called false-flag attacks that Russia would use to justify an invasion. Adding to the tensions, two explosions shook the rebel-controlled city of Luhansk early Saturday. The Luhansk Information Center said one of the blasts was in a natural gas main and cited witnesses as saying the other was at a vehicle service station. There was no immediate word on injuries or a cause. Luhansk officials blamed a gas main explosion earlier in the week on sabotage. Separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions that form Ukraines industrial heartland known as the Donbas said they are evacuating civilians to Russia. The announcement appeared to be part of Moscows efforts to counter Western warnings of a Russian invasion and to paint Ukraine as the aggressor instead. Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk rebel government, said women, children and the elderly would go first, and that Russia has prepared facilities for them. Pushilin alleged in a video statement that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was going to order an imminent offensive in the area. Metadata from two videos posted by the separatists announcing the evacuation show that the files were created two days ago, The Associated Press confirmed. U.S. authorities have alleged that the Kremlins disinformation campaign could include prerecorded videos. Authorities began moving children from an orphanage in Donetsk, and other residents boarded buses for Russia. Long lines formed at gas stations as more people prepared to leave on their own. Putin ordered his emergencies minister to fly to the Rostov region bordering Ukraine to help organize the exodus and ordered the government to offer a payment of 10,000 rubles (about $130) to each evacuee, equivalent to about half of an average monthly salary in the war-ravaged Donbas. Ukraine denied planning any offensive. We are fully committed to diplomatic conflict resolution only, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted. Around the volatile line of contact, a United Nations humanitarian convoy came under rebel shelling in the Luhansk region, Ukraines military chief said. No casualties were reported. Rebels denied involvement and accused Ukraine of staging a provocation. Separatist authorities reported more shelling by Ukrainian forces along the line. A surge of shelling Thursday tore through the walls of a kindergarten, injuring two, and basic communications were disrupted. Both sides accused each other of opening fire. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the threat to global security is more complex and probably higher than during the Cold War. He told the Munich conference that a small mistake or miscommunication between major powers could have catastrophic consequences. Russia announced this week that it was pulling back forces from vast military exercises, but U.S. officials said they saw no sign of a pullback and instead saw more troops moving toward the border with Ukraine. Meanwhile, the White House and the U.K. formally accused Russia of being responsible for recent cyberattacks targeting Ukraines defense ministry and major banks. The announcement was the most pointed attribution of responsibility for the cyber intrusions. Also Friday, the U.S. government released new estimates of how many military personnel Russia has in and around Ukraine. It said there are between 169,000 and 190,000 personnel, up from about about 100,000 on Jan. 30, according to Michael Carpenter, the permanent U.S. representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The new estimate includes military troops along the border, in Belarus and in occupied Crimea, as well as Russian National Guard and other internal security units, and Russian-backed forces in eastern Ukraine. The separatists inside Ukraine, the National Guard and troops in Crimea were not included in the previous U.S. estimate of 150,000. The Kremlin sent a reminder to the world of its nuclear might, announcing drills of its nuclear forces for the weekend. Putin will monitor the sweeping exercise Saturday that will involve multiple practice missile launches. Asked about Western warnings of a possible Russian invasion on Wednesday that didnt materialize, Putin said: There are so many false claims, and constantly reacting to them is more trouble than its worth. We are doing what we consider necessary and will keep doing so, he said. We have clear and precise goals conforming to national interests. ___ Isachenkov reported from Moscow, Madhani from Munich and Miller from Washington. Jim Heintz in Moscow, Matthew Lee and Karl Ritter in Munich, Inna Varenytsia in Sieverodonetsk, Ukraine, Mstyslav Chernov in Bakhmut, Ukraine, Jill Lawless in London, Raf Casert in Brussels, Frank Jordans in Berlin, Ellen Knickmeyer, Josh Boak, Robert Burns and Lolita Baldor in Washington, Vanessa Gera in Warsaw and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed. ___ More AP coverage of the Ukraine crisis: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine MINNEAPOLIS Kim Potter, the former suburban Minneapolis police officer who said she confused her handgun for her Taser when she fatally shot Daunte Wright, was sentenced Friday to two years in prison. Wrights family denounced the sentence as too lenient and accused the judge of giving more consideration to the white officer than the Black victim. Potter was convicted in December of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April 11 killing of Wright, a 20-year-old Black motorist. She was sentenced only on the more serious charge in accordance with state law. Wrights mother, Katie Wright, said after the sentencing that Potter murdered my son, adding: Today the justice system murdered him all over again. She also accused the judge of being taken in by white woman tears after Potter cried during her pre-sentencing statement. Speaking before the sentence was imposed, a tearful Wright said she could never forgive Potter and that she would refer to her only as the defendant because Potter only referred to her son as the driver at trial. She never once said his name. And for that Ill never be able to forgive you. And Ill never be able to forgive you for what youve stolen from us, said Wright, who also sometimes uses the last name Bryant. Daunte Demetrius Wright, I will continue to fight in your name until driving while Black is no longer a death sentence, she said. Potter offered an apology to Wrights family, then spoke directly to his mother: Katie, I understand a mothers love. Im sorry I broke your heart my heart is broken and devastated for all of you. The judge, who imposed a sentence below state guidelines, called it one of the saddest cases Ive had on my 20 years on the bench. Judge Regina Chu said she received hundreds and hundreds of letters in support of Potter. On the one hand, a young man was killed and on the other, a respected 26-year veteran police officer made a tragic error by pulling her handgun instead of her Taser. Chu said the lesser sentence was warranted because Potter was in the line of duty and doing her job in attempting to lawfully arrest Daunte Wright, and Potter was trying to protect another officer who could have been dragged and seriously injured if Wright drove away. The judge said Potter will serve the standard two-thirds of her sentence, or 16 months in prison, with the rest on parole. She has earned credit for 58 days that she has been in the states womens prison in Shakopee since the guilty verdict. Wrights mother later joined a small group of protesters chanting and shouting outside a downtown building where they believed the judge lived. Wright was killed after Brooklyn Center officers pulled him over for having expired license tags and an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror. Civil rights advocates complain that laws against hanging objects from rearview mirrors have been used as a pretext for stopping Black motorists. The shooting, which happened as Derek Chauvin was on trial in Minneapolis on murder charges in George Floyds killing, sparked several days of demonstrations outside the Brooklyn Center police station marked by tear gas and clashes between protesters and police. Potter and Chauvin were convicted in the same courtroom. Wright family attorney Ben Crump said the family was stunned by the sentence, saying they didnt understand why such consideration was given to a white officer in the killing of a young Black man when a Black officer, Mohamed Noor, got a longer sentence for the 2017 killing of a white woman, Justine Ruszczyk Damond. What we see today is the legal system in Black and white. But the judge said the case was not the same as other high-profile killings by police. This is not a cop found guilty of murder for using his knee to pin down a person for 9 1/2 minutes as he gasped for air. This is not a cop found guilty of manslaughter for intentionally drawing his firearm and shooting across his partner and killing an unarmed woman who approached his squad, said Chu, referring to Chauvin and Noor. This is a cop who made a tragic mistake. For someone with no criminal history, such as Potter, the state guidelines on first-degree manslaughter range from slightly more than six years to about 8 1/2 years in prison, with the presumptive sentence being just over seven years. Prosecutors initially argued that aggravating factors warranted a sentence above the guideline range, saying Potter abused her authority as an officer and that her actions caused a greater-than-normal danger to others. But on Friday, Prosecutor Matt Frank said the presumptive sentence was proper. His life mattered, and that life was taken, Frank said before sentencing. His name is Daunte Wright. We have to say his name. He was not just a driver. He was a living human being. A life. Defense attorney Paul Engh asked for a sentence below the guidelines, including probation only, arguing that Wright was the aggressor. He said the testimony of other officers on the scene showed it was a dangerous situation because Wright was attempting to drive away and Potter had the right to defend other officers. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, whose office prosecuted the case, said he accepts the sentence and urged others to do the same. People should remember Daunte Wright and know that no number of years in prison could ever capture the wonder of this young mans life, Ellison said in a statement. But, he said, the sentence doesnt take away from the truth of the jurys verdict. Engh told the judge that Wrights death was beyond tragic for everybody involved. But, he added: This was an unintentional crime. It was an accident. It was a mistake. Engh said if Potter were to receive probation, she would be willing to meet with Wrights family and to speak to police officers about Taser mix-ups, as suggested by prosecutors. Engh also held up a box displaying what he said were among thousands of letters and cards of support for Potter. People took the time to write her, Engh said. This is unheard of for a defendant. I dare say no one in this room has ever seen anything like this. Evidence at Potters trial showed officers learned he had an outstanding warrant for a weapons possession charge and they tried to arrest him when he pulled away. Video showed Potter shouted several times that she was going to use her Taser on Wright, but she had her gun in her hand and fired one shot into his chest. Wrights father and siblings also addressed the court to speak of their loss. The mother of Wrights son, Chyna Whitaker, said Friday that Wright would never have a chance to play ball with his son, or see him go to school. My son shouldnt have to wear a rest in peace shirt of his dad, Whitaker said. ___ The story been corrected to show Potter faced sentencing for first-degree manslaughter, not first-degree murder. It has also corrected a quote to white woman tears instead of white womans tears. ___ Webber contributed from Fenton, Michigan. Associated Press writer Mohamed Ibrahim contributed from Minneapolis. ___ Find the APs full coverage of the Daunte Wright case: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-daunte-wright DALLAS A man accused of driving his son to and from a Dallas-area gas station convenience store where the 14-year-old is accused of fatally shooting three teens and wounding a fourth has been indicted on a capital murder charge. A Dallas County grand jury on Thursday indicted Richard Acosta Jr., 33, on a charge of capital murder of multiple people. He remained jailed Friday on $3 million bond. Acostas son, Abel Elias Acosta, has been on the run since the Dec. 26 shooting in Garland. Police have charged the teen with capital murder and warned that he is armed and dangerous. Garland police Lt. Pedro Barineau said Friday that authorities dont have any specific information telling us where he is. Richard Acosta surrendered to police a day after the shooting. His lawyer, Heath Harris, has said his client didnt know his son was going into the store to shoot anyone nor that he had a gun. Killed in the shooting were 14-year-old Xavier Gonzalez, 16-year-old Ivan Noyala and 17-year-old Rafael Garcia. A 15-year-old cook who was new on the job was also injured. Barineau said Friday that the injured teen has since been released from the hospital and is doing well. KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's exports rose by 23.5 percent year on year to 110.73 billion ringgit in January, official data showed Friday. Export expansion was underpinned by higher global demand primarily for electrical and electronic (E&E) products as well as palm oil and palm oil-based agriculture products, according to the country's International Trade and Industry Ministry. Exports to major trading partners notably the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, the United States, the European Union (EU) and Japan also recorded double-digit growth. Meanwhile, imports in January increased by 26.4 percent to 92.32 billion ringgit and trade surplus grew by 10.9 percent to 18.4 billion ringgit. Trade expanded by 24.8 percent to 203.05 billion ringgit compared to January 2021. In January 2022, trade with China which absorbed 19.7 percent of Malaysia's total trade rose by 33.7 percent year on year to 39.99 billion ringgit, the 14th consecutive month of double-digit growth. Exports to China rose by 28.7 percent to 16.88 billion ringgit, the fifth consecutive month of double-digit expansion since September 2021. This was driven by strong exports of E&E products and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Imports from China for the month also increased by 37.6 percent to 23.12 billion ringgit. (1 ringgit equals 0.24 U.S. dollar) WASHINGTON The White House blamed Russia on Friday for this weeks cyberattacks targeting Ukraines defense ministry and major banks and warned of the potential for more significant disruptions in the days ahead. Anne Neuberger, the Biden administrations deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, said the U.S. had rapidly linked Tuesdays attacks to Russian military intelligence officers. Britain joined the U.S. in blaming the GRU military intelligence agency for the distributed denial-of-service attacks that unfolded as tensions escalate between Russia and Ukraine. The attacks, which knocked government websites and a couple of major banks offline for much of the day, were of limited impact since Ukrainian officials were able to quickly get their systems back up and running, Neuberger said. But she said the Russians could also be laying the groundwork for more disruptive activities that could accompany an invasion of Ukraine. We do expect that should Russia decide to proceed with a further invasion of Ukraine, we may see further destabilizing or destructive cyber activity, and weve been working closely with allies and partners to ensure were prepared to call out that behavior and respond, Neuberger said. She said the U.S. was publicly blaming the Kremlin because of a need to call out the behavior quickly. The global community must be prepared to shine a light on malicious cyber activity and hold actors accountable for any and all disruptive or destructive cyber activity, Neuberger said. The British Foreign Office said the attack showed a continued disregard for Ukrainian sovereignty. This activity is yet another example of Russias aggressive acts against Ukraine. Neuberger said there was no intelligence indicating that the U.S. would be targeted by a cyberattack, but that remained a concern, giving that the banking system does not have the cyber resilience that it should. Ukrainian officials called Tuesdays denial-of-service attacks the worst in the countrys history. But while they definitely disrupted online banking, impeded some government-to-public communications and were clearly intended to cause panic, they were not particularly serious by global or historic standards, said Roland Dobbins, the top engineer for DDoS at the cybersecurity firm Netscout. Most DDoS attacks succeed due to the lack of preparation on the part of the defenders, said Dobbins, adding that most commercial mitigation services designed to counter such attacks would likely have been able to fend off Tuesdays attacks. ___ Frank Bajak in Boston contributed. WENN Celebrity The 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' actor files a lawsuit against his ex-wife over an unlawful sale of her interests in Chateau Miraval to a Russian oligarch. Feb 18, 2022 AceShowbiz - Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's legal battle doesn't see a sign of coming to an end anytime soon. As they continue to battle over their assets and the custody of their children, it has been revealed that the actor is suing his ex-wife over the sale of her winery stake. In court documents, the 58-year-old actor accuses Angie of selling her interests in Chateau Miraval, which they purchased together in 2008, without his knowledge or consent. He reportedly only found out in October 2021 that she sold her interests to a Russian oligarch. According to the docs, Brad agreed in September to allow Angelina to pursue the sale. He made it clear that he was not consenting to the sale, but rather would give thumbs up or down to the proposed buyer. Brad says in October he was shocked to learn a company called Tenute del Mondo, a subsidiary of Stoli Group (the vodka co.), controlled by Russian oligarch, Yuri Shefler, bought her interest in the winery. He says Angelina never sought his consent and intentionally kept the terms of the deal from him. Brad, who claims that he invested his time and money over the years in the winery, says the new co-owner has wreaked havoc on his ability to run the winery. The "Ad Astra" star claims that though Angie plunked down 40% of the $28.4 million purchase price, he alone made the winery successful because by 2013 she wasn't involved that much in the business. According to The Blast, Brad "claims that she sold her interest with the knowledge that the new owners would seek to control the business and undermine his own investment in the company that he helped develop." He goes on stating in the lawsuit "that the sale deprives him of the right to use the residence as his private home and also robs him of the ability to oversee the company that he helped create." He says that he has continued to invest millions of dollars in Miraval even after Angie stopped. A source close Brad slams Angie over the business deal. "Unfortunately, this is another example of the same person disregarding her legal and ethical obligations," the source tells TMZ. "In doing so, she has violated the rights of the only person who poured money and sweat equity into the success of the business by purporting to sell both the business and family home to a third-party competitor." The source adds, "She is seeking a return on an investment she did not make and profits she did not earn." Brad is now seeking for an unspecified amount of damages and asking for the courts to declare that her sale of Nouvel, the company that owned her shares of Miraval, is null and void. Instagram Music Justin's 'Justice World Tour', which is slated to kick off on Friday, February 18, will help raise awareness about criminal justice reform, climate action and voter registration. Feb 18, 2022 AceShowbiz - Justin Bieber will not stop doing good deeds through music. The "Love Yourself" hitmaker announced on Thursday, February 17 that his upcoming "Justice World Tour" will bring "Justin's personal credo of 'Justice in Action' to every corner of the globe." According to a statement, the 90-date global run, which is slated to kick off on Friday, February 18, will help raise awareness about criminal justice reform, climate action and voter registration on the massive outing that will hit 20 countries on five continents. For "Justice in Action", Justin pairs with a number of social justice organizations while encouraging Beliebers to do their part. Each night is set to feature local action opportunities curated by Live Free in support of criminal justice reform at the local level. Meanwhile, fans will be given a chance to win free concert tickets by participating in live trainings in select cities. Justin also encourages fans to follow impactful organizations on social media, volunteer and donate through Generosity Foundation. Additionally, the pop star provides information each night on transforming criminal justice with help from the REFORM Alliance and fighting climate change via the National Resources Defense Council. "Justin's goal by the end of the Justice World Tour is to inspire millions of individual actions, help connect his fans to important causes, and provide participating groups with a new foundation of supporters, all while registering voters and raising awareness and funds for critical local and national justice efforts," the statement continued. The more actions a fan completes, the higher their chances of winning tickets. Active Minds Alexandria House Anti-Recidivism Coalition Backline Fund for Guaranteed Income Hollaback! Impact Justice Last Prisoner Project LIFT Communities LIVE FREE NRDC Poor People's Campaign REFORM Alliance Stop AAPI Hate The King Center This Is About Humanity Turbovote https://www.oscars.org/ Movie Nominees and guests at the forthcoming next month's Academy Awards have to show proof of vaccination and two negative PCR tests, but the Academy will rely on testing alone for presenters and performers. Feb 18, 2022 AceShowbiz - The Oscars has decided on its COVID-19 policy. Roughly a month before the 94th annual Academy Awards, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday, February 17 that it will apply stricter rules to attendees at the upcoming ceremony. As first reported by the New York Times, all nominees and invited guests at next month's event must show proof of vaccination and two negative PCR tests. Performers and presenters, on the other hand, will not be required to show proof of vaccination, but will be tested rigorously, adhering to COVID safety protocols set by L.A. County's Department of Health. According to a source close to the situation, the decision to not require proof of vaccination for presenters and performers falls under the COVID-19 return-to-work agreement between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and unions. The agreement gives production companies the option to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for Zone A - the production's cast and the crew working closest with the actors - but it is not a requirement. Moreover, this year's Oscars will only invite 2,500 people or 75% of the venue's normal capacity, which is 3,317 people at maximum. Those seated in the orchestra and parterre sections of the theater will not be required to wear face masks, but will be seating farther apart from one another than usual. Those in the mezzanine, however, must wear a face covering as they will be more tightly situated. Prior to this, there were reports that the Academy was not planning to require proof of vaccinations or masks for those attending the event. Though the Academy never confirmed or denied the policy, it prompted swift backlash from former Oscars host Seth MacFarlane and many others. The 2022 Oscars will be held on March 27 with a trio of hosts, Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes. "I'm not sure who thought this was a good idea, but, I am hosting the Oscars along with my good friends Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall. I better go watch some movies," Schumer said when the news was officially announced on "Good Morning America" on Tuesday. Hall added in a joint statement, "We want people to get ready to have a good time. It's been a while." Oscars producer Will Packer called the team "three of the most dynamic, hilarious women with very different comedic styles" who will bring a distinct flair to the program. Instagram/WENN/Avalon Celebrity The 'White Boy Summer' rapper faces swift backlash after seemingly blaming his famous father for his shortcomings as he claims that he 'didn't have a strong male role model' growing up. Feb 18, 2022 AceShowbiz - Chet Hanks has been dragged online over his candid confession of what it's like to grow up as the son of Tom Hanks. The actor/rapper has caught the heat after seemingly blaming his shortcomings on his famous dad instead of taking responsibility for his own actions. After Chet opened up about his childhood in a YouTube video, Tom's fans didn't mince their words in criticizing Chet. One person took to Twitter to slam the 31-year-old, "Chet Hanks is reaching Kanye-levels of unlikeability. Dissing America's dad by saying you didn't have a strong male role growing up is QUITE SOMETHING." A fan of Tom noted, "His dad has literally been one of the most beloved people on the entire planet for the last 35 years and seems like a genuinely nice man. What more could you ask for?" Another claimed, "Sounds like Chet wanted a father who would lie to him and tell him to keep doing whatever he wanted." A fourth fan defended the Oscar-winning actor, "I'm all for a white boy summer but don't you dare throw Forrest Gump under the bus like this, Chet." A fifth added, "What a creep he seems to be. I can see why he wasn't well-liked. Throwing your Dad under the bus is a case in point." Some others brought up Tom's three other children when sharing their skepticism over Chet's claims that his father wasn't a role model to him. "What is Chet's definition of a 'strong male role model,' " one person asked. 'Because @tomhanks does have 3 other children, all of whom seem to be gainfully employed." Another referenced Tom's eldest son Colin Hanks as saying, "Tom Hanks has another son from his first marriage, he's fine and well adjusted. Wonder what this one's problem is considering parents are still together and not divorced. Just a spoiled and entitled brat." In the video titled "The Truth About Growing Up as a Hanks" which was uploaded on Tuesday, February 15, Chet detailed how growing up as the son of Tom Hanks was like a double-edged sword. While his privileged background allowed him to "travel the world, stay in nice hotels, fly in private planes" which he would not change, he said, "It's a lot more complicated" than people realize. He went on elaborating, "Everybody wants to be famous. It creates a lot of jealousy, a lot of envy. Everyone is doing whatever they can to become famous." He shared that he's often perceived as "really arrogant, entitled, spoiled brat," but at the time "I didn't have a strong male role model to tell me 'Bro, f**k these people. They are just jealous of you.' " Instagram Celebrity The 24-year-old Florida hip-hop star, whose real name is Bill Kahan Kapri, finds himself being likened to Boosie Badazz after showing off his new fresh haircut. Feb 18, 2022 AceShowbiz - Kodak Black has gotten a new haircut. After the "Wake Up in the Sky" rapper showed off his current hairstyle sans the infamous dreadlocks, fans took the moment to praise his new look. The 24-year-old, whose real name is Bill Kahan Kapri, debuted his new hairdo by sharing a video on Instagram on Wednesday, February 16. In the clip, he was seen chatting with Ktb Rico as they flaunted bundles of dollar bills. The Florida native believes that his new look has a strong effect on some of his female fans. He boasted in the footage, "This girl say that haircut gon' get you pregnant by me. Like, she gon' get me pregnant." Many have since gushed over Kodak's appearance. "He looks cleaner for sure !! Lol," one user in particular raved, while another added, "so happy he cut them off omg." A third joined in, "He looks good with his hair cut." Others, however, likened Kodak to Boosie Badazz (Lil Boosie). "He look like lil boosie lowkey," one person opined. Another echoed similar sentiment, "He look like boosie now." That aside, Kodak recently got shot during a scary fight outside Justin Bieber's afterparty in Los Angeles, California. The "Tunnel Vision" spitter was one among four people who were injured during the incident, which took place at The Nice Guy restaurant in West Hollywood early Saturday. Just hours after getting shot, Kodak took to his Twitter account to tell his online devotees that he would attend the 2022 Super Bowl with Drake. "Drake Say Box Seats Wit 'Em @ Da SuperBowl. I Like Da Bengals BTW," he tweeted along with two orange and two black heart emojis. However, Kodak apparently didn't come to Sunday's big game at SoFi stadium in Inglewood as he was discharged from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Monday afternoon. There's also no sign of his presence near the "Certified Lover Boy" artist, who came with his OVO team. Paramount Television TV Forrie J. Smith, who is nominated for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series at the 2022 SAG Awards alongside his 'Yellowstone' castmates, says, 'I'm not vaccinated, I will not get vaccinated.' Feb 18, 2022 AceShowbiz - "Yellowstone" actor Forrie J. Smith will not attend the upcoming Screen Actors Guild Award due to COVID-19 rules. For this year's event, all attendees are required to be vaccinated against the virus, but Smith makes it clear that he won't get vaccinated. "I want to apologize to y'all for not being at the Screen Actors Guild Awards," Smith told his Instagram followers in a now-deleted post. "I mean no offense to anyone. I'm not vaccinated, and it's a requirement to be vaccinated." The 62-year-old, who is nominated for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series alongside his "Yellowstone" castmates, added, "I'm not vaccinated, I will not get vaccinated." He continued, "I haven't been vaccinated since I was a little kid. I don't vaccinate my dogs, I don't vaccinate my horses. I've never had a flu shot. I never will. I believe they compromise your immunities It's just my beliefs. I just don't believe in that stuff. Whatever." On the Paramount Network series, Smith plays senior ranch hand, Lloyd Pierce. He was upped as a series regular in season 3 after having a recurring role for the first two seasons. The nomination marks the show's first nod after being on the air for four seasons. The show is up against "Succession, "Squid Game", "The Morning Show" and "The Handmaid's Tale". In addition to Smith, other actors who are listed as nominees as part of the "Yellowstone" SAG Award ensemble nomination are Kelsey Asbille, Wes Bentley, Ryan Bingham, Gil Birmingham, Ian Bohen, Eden Brolin, Kevin Costner, Hugh Dillon, Luke Grimes, Hassie Harrison, Cole Hauser, Jen Landon, Finn Little, Brecken Merrill, Will Patton, Piper Perabo, Kelly Reilly, Denim Richards, Taylor Sheridan and Jefferson White. Winners of the 2022 SAG Awards will be announced on February 27 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. Vanity Fair Celebrity The fans of the 'Big Little Lies' actress accuse the magazine of highly editing the stunning star's appearance on the cover of the publication's annual Hollywood issue. Feb 18, 2022 AceShowbiz - Nicole Kidman's latest photoshoot for Vanity Fair has raised some eyebrows. Many social media critics accused the magazine of terribly photoshopping the "Big Little Lies" actress' snapshot. In the said cover for the publication's annual Hollywood issue, the "Aquaman" star bares her toned torso. The Oscar-nominated actress, clad in a black crop top and tiny mini skirt for the shoot, fiercely poses alongside some yellow gates and a backdrop of the famous Hollywood sign. While Nicole looks stunning in the photo, some online critics accused Vanity Fair of using photoshop for the picture of the mom of four. "Nicole has a great body, and that's not her body. Her shape is not like that at all. Why they have to Photoshop?" one Instagram user asked in the comment section of the magazine's post. "The way they photoshopped her body literally feeling triggered," another commented, with a third adding, "Why Vanity Fair decided to ruin Nicole Kidman and Penelope Cruz with all this terrible photoshop job?" In the meantime, many Twitter users took issue with Nicole's styling and outfit choices for the shoot. "We on Twitter need to stop what we are doing, come together, and kill whoever styled Nicole Kidman like this," read one tweet. Someone else said, "Whoever approved this cover should be ashamed. Straight to jail." There were also some fans who praised Nicole. "Nicole Kidman looks awesome I love the cover and the same like she did when she played Joanna in 'The Stepford Wives' but more beautiful," penned one loyal supporter. Another agreed, saying, "You guys let nicole kidman's stepford wives flop and now look at her vanity fair shoot... she truly was ahead of her time." Nicole joins fellow actresses Penelope, Kristen Stewart and Michaela Jae Rodriguez for the magazine's annual celebration of stars who have been recognized for breaking boundaries in Hollywood. In addition to the stunning actresses, actors Idris Elba, Benedict Cumberbatch, Simu Liu and Andrew Garfield are featured on the publication's special edition. In the accompanying interview for the controversial cover, Nicole revealed she ended up battling an illness after fooling her immune system into channeling one of her critically-acclaimed roles. "Parts of the body don't know, a lot of the time, what the difference is between a role and real life," she explained. "I've started to understand a bit more to take care of yourself." TV 'The First Lady' is described by FX as 'a revelatory reframing of American leadership, told through the lens of the women at the heart of the White House.' Feb 18, 2022 AceShowbiz - "The First Lady" has unveiled the first trailer for viewing pleasure. Released on Thursday, February 17, the footage features Viola Davis transforming into former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama. "In four years, I want to look back and think, 'What did I become living in that house?' " Michelle says. Meanwhile, O-T Fagbenle's Barack Obama adds, "I can't have you backseat driving." Viola is doing a great job nailing Michelle's mannerisms as she wears Michelle's iconic Michelle Smith portrait dress, showing off uncanny resemblance to Michelle. The trailer also features Michelle Pfeiffer's Betty Ford and Gillian Anderson's Eleanor Roosevelt. "I'll be here for you," Betty tells her husband in the video. "But I'm going to be myself." "They can kick me out, but they can't make me somebody I'm not," she adds later on. Also starring on the 10-episode drama are supporting actors Kiefer Sutherland as Franklin D. Roosevelt and Aaron Eckhart as Gerald Ford. Guest stars also include Dakota Fanning, Judy Greer, Ellen Burstyn and Kate Mulgrew as they will fill the shoes of some of U.S. history's major players. "The First Lady" is described as "a revelatory reframing of American leadership, told through the lens of the women at the heart of the White House." Showtime also adds, "The series will peel back the curtain on the personal and political lives of three unique, enigmatic women and their families, tracing their journeys to Washington, dipping into their pasts and following them beyond the White House into their greatest moments." Produced for Showtime by Lionsgate Television, the series is created by Aaron Cooley. by Oscar winner Cathy Schulman ("Crash") executive produces while also serving as showrunner. Oscar and Emmy winner Susanne Bier ("The Undoing") executive produces and directs all of season 1. "The First Lady" is set to premiere on Showtime beginning on April 17. WENN/Brian To/Avalon Celebrity The 'Black Madonna' raptress tells the 'Uncut Gems' star to stop threatening her or she will end up 'getting shoved, paralyzed, bruising your face or losing a tooth.' Feb 18, 2022 AceShowbiz - Azealia Banks isn't done launching her verbal attack at Julia Fox. Following their online back-and-forth that started several days ago, the raptress has responded to the actress' alleged threat of physical violence with some warning shots of her own. On Thursday, February 17, Azealia took to her Instagram Story to tell Julia to stop threatening her. "You should really stop the physical threats. Me thinking your son isnt huggies commercial material doesn't warrant these public threats of violence," she wrote. "You should know that actual celebrities are surrounded by brolic male security guards who will do what they've been hired to do, even it that includes brutally injuring fanatic female fans (like you)," so the 30-year-old femcee claimed, "well within their legal right to do." The New York City native went on warning the 32-year-old actress that the latter could end up getting hurt herself should she try to come close to her. "I don't condone violence against women," she noted, before adding, "but you really should be more worried about losing work due to getting shoved, paralyzed, bruising your face or losing a tooth. They have the license to protect me by any means necessary AND put you in jail. They're collecting each count of evidence already sis. This is #3." Azealia Banks responded to Julia Fox's alleged threat with some warning shots. The social media war between Azealia and Julia began after the former mocked the latter following the end of her romance with Kanye West. Bringing up the Gotham Award winner's past drug addiction, the "212" hitmaker called it liability in his custody war with Kim Kardashian. Julia then hit back by sharing screenshots of her old text messages with Azealia that insinuated the hip-hop star herself was a drug addict. "I'm open about my issues with addiction because I want to destigmatize it," Julia wrote. "Not all addicts are 'junkies.' That is so horrible to say. It's a real f***ing disease. And I've also been open about my recovery journey!!! But nobody wants to mention that." Azealia then responded by leaking a shocking picture of the actress in which she appeared to be injecting something into her arm with a syringe. She further taunted her foe, writing, "Okay, your son is a crackbaby. what next?" WELLINGTON, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- One-way quarantine-free travel to New Zealand will be extended to include Nauru, Tuvalu and American Samoa, a senior official said on Friday. From 11:59 p.m. local time (1059 GMT) Feb. 27, eligible travelers from Nauru, Tuvalu and American Samoa will be able to enter New Zealand without entering managed isolation and quarantine facilities or self-isolation on arrival. This is in recognition that these countries have no COVID-19 community cases, Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Aupito William Sio said in a statement. "Initially travel will be open to people who have a right to reside in New Zealand and those covered by border exceptions. There will be no pre-departure test required, but non-New Zealand citizens must be vaccinated," Sio said. If travelers transit another quarantine-free travel country (like Samoa or Vanuatu) they will still enter New Zealand with no isolation or quarantine required. If travelers transit a non-quarantine-free travel country (like Australia or Fiji), they will be subject to the same entry and testing requirements as other travelers from that country, he said. The New Zealand government has announced its plan for the staged opening of the borders, which will make it easier for many more people to reconnect and travel to New Zealand from other parts of the world, Sio said. Opening up to travelers from parts of the Pacific where COVID-19 risks are low is part of this plan. New Zealand currently has quarantine-free travel for travelers coming to New Zealand from the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau and Vanuatu. "Extending this to Nauru, Tuvalu and American Samoa is an important step in further reconnecting with our Pacific whanau (communities), bringing significant social and economic benefits and reflecting the importance of links across the region," he said. The rapper/fashion designer also announces that he will hold a live concert at the LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida to celebrate the release of the new album. Feb 18, 2022 AceShowbiz - Kanye West's upcoming album "Donda 2" won't be hitting any streaming services. The rapper recently announced that he will exclusively release the record on his own platform, Stem Player. The 44-year-old made the announcement via Instagram on Thursday night, February 17. "Donda 2 will only be available on my own platform, the Stem Player. Not on Apple Amazon Spotify or YouTube," he declared. "Today artists get just 12 [percent] of the money the industry makes. It's time to free music from this oppressive system," the estranged husband of Kim Kardashian added. "It's time to take control and build our own." The post has since been deleted. Hoours later, Ye announced that he will hold a live concert in Miami. "KANYE WEST Live Concert 2 22 22 Loan Depot Park Miami, FL get tickets now at Livenation.com," he penned. The "Famous" spitter then unleashed a teaser of his new music. Alongside the audio clip, he wrote, "You can download new music from stemplayer.com. You can play 4 different elements of the track: vocals, drums, bass and music. It also has a MP3 player available. We currently have 67,000 available and are making 3,000 a day." The announcement arrived after Ye announced on Saturday that Kid Cudi won't appear on "Donda 2" because "he's friends" with Pete Davidson, who is currently dating Kim. It prompted the two musicians to trade shots at each other online. However, on Wednesday, Ye extended an olive branch to Cudi. He shared a note posted by the latter one day prior that read, "Godplease watch over me and keep my mind sane. I could use it right now. To anyone who feels alone, I'm with you and I love you," Alongside the snap, the G.O.O.D Music founder simply wrote, "Love you family," while tagging Cudi. Instagram Celebrity Brandon, who had a big fight with DaBaby on February 10, is suing the North California recording artist for assault, battery, emotional distress and negligence. Feb 19, 2022 AceShowbiz - DaBaby's lawyer has reacted to a lawsuit filed by DaniLeigh's brother against the rapper. He accused Brandon Bills of trying to make easy money by suing the "SUGE" rapper over their recent fight. When speaking to TMZ, Drew Findling claimed that it was Brandon who first threatened DaBaby. "It is offensive that this alleged victim threatened and instigated violence and has now used this incident to make a quick money grab," the attorney, who previously represented Gucci Mane and Offset, said. Drew addressed the matter further in a statement to Complex. He said, "There is absolutely no question that any investigation regarding the February 10, 2022 Los Angeles Bowling Alley incident should immediately end upon the recent filing of a civil lawsuit against Jonathan Kirk." "Any experienced investigator or prosecutor who looks at this situation, where the alleged victim has, for months, taken to social media and other outlets threatening and challenging Mr. Kirk to physical violence and now has immediately filed a lawsuit, would see that any criminal charges would be impossible to sustain," he added. "It is offensive that this alleged victim threatened and instigated violence and has now used this incident to make a quick money grab." "The criminal justice system has a current massive buildup of cases due to the pandemic," the attorney continued elaborating. "Garbage like this has no place adding to the backlog and wasting law enforcement time and energy." Brandon is suing DaBaby for assault, battery, emotional distress and negligence. He claimed that he was walking by the "ROCKSTAR" emcee in the bowling alley of Tarzana's Corbin Bowl when the rapper suddenly attacked him. Brandon stated that he didn't fight back. He additionally claimed that he suffered severe injury and pain and that the assault resulted in physical and psychological damage, plus medical bills and sustained disability. Footage from the altercation showed DaBaby seemingly initiating the fight, throwing the first punch which caused Brandon to fall onto the slippery lanes. DaBaby's team then jumped him. One man was seen grabbing Brandon by his hair and body slamming him. Sharing his side of the story, DaBaby told TMZ that he acted in "self defense" because he was threatened at that time. "Self defense. Shouldn't run around threatening people," he said on Friday night. Celebrity Although the former Minnesota police officer apologizes to Daunte's family, his mom Katie declares that she will 'never be able to forgive you for what you've stolen from us.' Feb 19, 2022 AceShowbiz - JT is furious upon learning of Kim Potter's sentencing. After the former Minnesota police officer was sentenced to two years in prison in the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright, the one-half of City Girls offered her two cents on social media. The female emcee weighed in on the matter via Twitter on Friday, February 17. "Kim potter got the same time I got for fraud for MURDER!" she fumed in the tweet. Kim has been found guilty of first-degree and second-degree manslaughter for fatally shooting Daunte Wright during a traffic stop. While prosecutors had requested seven years and two months, Judge Regina Chu handed down a 16-month prison sentence followed by eight months of supervised release. "She never intended to hurt anyone," said Judge Regina Chu as she fought back tears. "Her conduct cries out for a sentence significantly below the guidelines." Following the sentencing, Kim tearfully apologized to Daunte's family. "To the family of Daunte Wright, I am so sorry that I brought the death of your son, father, brother, uncle, grandson, nephew," the 49-year-old said while sobbing. Kim then told Daunte's mom, "Katie, I understand a mother's love, and I am sorry I broke your heart. My heart is broken for all of you." Katie, however, made it clear that she would never be able to forgive Kim for what she did. "She never once said his name [in the trial]. And for that I'll never be able to forgive you. And I'll never be able to forgive you for what you've stolen from us," the grieving mom argued. The incident took place back in April in the Minneapolis- Saint Paul metropolitan area. Kim previously claimed that she meant to use her Taser instead of her handgun when Daunte allegedly resisted arrest after being pulled over. Two days after the shooting, she and Brooklyn Center police chief Tim Gannon resigned from their positions. Vinay Subramanyam, the former Vice-President of Marketing for Britannia, is all set to join Pidilite, according to media reports. He joined Britannia in 2007 as a product manager and left as the trade marketing manager in 2011. He then joined Kellogg Company as national sales development manager and got promoted to associated director marketing corn flakes and masterbrand. As general manager, Britchip foods, he led the joint venture between Britannia Industries and Chipita SA from Greece. Subramanyams career spans well over 15 years with stints at places like Kellog Company, General Mills, and VIP Industries Honasa Consumer Pvt. Ltd. (HCPL), the parent company of Mamaearth, and The Derma Co., and the fastest-growing House of Brands for personal care, launches a new skincare brand AYUGA, a brand crafted with the perfect balance of traditional, authentic & honest ayurvedic recipes and face yoga rituals for modern millennial skincare. The brand has collaborated with yoga and wellness ambassador, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, to craft the brand ideology. Indias rich cultural heritage especially around wellness and spirituality is not hidden from the world. Two of our Vedas have given life to sciences which are now seeing more than ever relevance & are being adopted globally. Rigveda gave birth to Yoga and Atharva Veda to Ayurveda, both of these being represented as a way of life than just processes or products. Our culture has always believed that a balanced life is a key to satisfaction and happiness. Millennials lately have been experiencing a hectic imbalanced lifestyle that eventually takes a toll on their physical and mental health. Hence, it is imperative to prioritize and focus on what is important in their lives and restore balance as otherwise, it starts reflecting on ones external features, too, like skin discoloration, hair fall, early aging, and more. Ayuga was founded to restore balance in the lives of millennials through recipes and rituals. With the deep knowledge of 5000 years of Ayurveda & yoga to solve these concerns and provide a new sense of balance to the world. The product has been crafted to ensure a perfect balance of our trusted, authentic & honest Ayurvedic recipes and Face Yoga rituals to take care of skin & hair concerns, in collaboration with the help of Indias best Ayurveda & Face Yoga experts. The brand has launched its first skincare range with Kumkumadi an authentic formulation taken from the text of Astanga Hridyam and has reimagined it in modern skincare formats for millennials. The brand partnered with the wellness icon of India, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, to propagate the brand ideology of Restoring balance in life with rituals and recipes. She is not only an icon but has made yoga synonymous with holistic wellness. She believes that yoga, not only, has helped her stay fit but has also helped her restore the balance between her inner and outer self. She has been strongly advocating making yoga a way of life. Commenting on the brand launch, Varun Alagh, Co-founder and CEO, Honasa Consumer was founded with the vision of building a House of Brands that identify and solve millennials concerns with a digital-first approach. We actively research trends, understand consumer sentiments and create brands that serve our consumers best. For the last 2 years, we have been trying to understand the mystery of why Ayurveda has not been able to capture the fancy of Millennials the way Yoga has. Thats when we envisioned Ayuga which will bring the best of both worlds. At Ayuga we believe millennials need to discover these amazing effective sciences in a manner that makes them relevant. Crafted on the philosophy of restoring balance to life, we have collaborated with Shilpa Shetty Kundra as she redefined yoga and wellness in India, and inspired millions of people to make yoga a way of their life. With a unique and innovative brand and product proposition and expertise in direct-to-consumer and crafting playbooks for launching and scaling brands, we are confident that our consumers will find relevance and connect with the brand. Commenting on the brand launch, Ghazal Alagh, Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Honasa Consumer Pvt. Ltd., said, We are an organization built on strong consumer centricity and direct-to-consumer format. We are constantly speaking to consumers to get real-time feedback and information on their requirements and the kind of solutions they want. Hence, we constantly research millennials concerns to create brands and products that serve them. Ayuga stands for the marriage of rituals of yoga and recipes of Ayurveda to deliver true secrets of skin, hair, and health to the world. We partnered with Ayurveda and Face Yoga experts to consult on the product line and face yoga rituals and reimagined them in modern formats for millennials for maximum efficacy. Our products are all inspired by Ayurveda formulations which have been existing for thousands of years and have been perfected by our Vaidyas. Our application rituals are perfected by Yogis strong understanding of the science of yoga and its ability to open and tighten skin pores where and when required. A combination of these leads to correct absorption and impact of the product leading to a multiplier effect on your body. Partnering with Shilpa Shetty Kundra for Ayuga extended the brands thought of restoring balance in life. We are confident that the partnership with Shilpa will help propagate our brand proposition across millennials. Commenting on the brand launch, Shilpa Shetty Kundra said, I strongly believe in the ancient sciences and have incorporated a lot of the recipes and rituals in my life and have benefited from it. When I heard about Ayuga and the ideology behind the brand, it immediately resonated with me. The thought of using traditional Ayurveda recipes and creating modern formats of skincare like serums and gels, without compromising on the authenticity of the ingredients is unique. I am sure the consumers would love the brand and its products; hence I urge them to restore balance in their lives through Ayuga recipes and rituals. Interpublic Group has announced promotions for top global roles at FCB. FCB Global Chief Creative Officer Susan Credle, who will continue to lead the companys global creative product as Global Chief Creative Officer, expands her remit to now include leadership across all aspects of the agency as Global Chair. Tyler Turnbull, currently CEO of FCB North America, will partner with Credle in the role of Global CEO. Credle and Turnbull, both reporting directly into IPG CEO Philippe Krakowsky, will take on their new duties through a planned transition phase that allows current Global CEO Carter Murray to pursue his next challenge outside of IPG as of the end of March 2022. Led by this management team, FCB has become one of the most recognized creative agencies in the world, commented Krakowsky. We are committed to keeping creativity at the heart of FCB and IPG, as evident in the new role that we are asking Susan to take on. Were thrilled to have her expand her responsibilities as she continues to build powerful connections between brands and consumers. Krakowsky added, Tyler is a skilled executive who helped transform FCB North America into a growth driver for the network and successfully launched FCB/SIX, the agencys award-winning creative data specialty practice. Together, Susan and Tyler can help FCB and its clients grow and thrive in a digital economy. We thank Carter for his leadership, passion and vision in shaping FCB into the dynamic offering that it is today, and building a leadership team that can seamlessly carry that culture and momentum forward. When Carter called me in 2015 and asked me to join and play a part in the ambition to reclaim FCBs creative reputation, my gut said it was a special and timely challenge, stated Credle. My belief is that we are not only in a service business, but that we also make a product. And that our product, and the ideas we create, must be an economic multiplier. Creativity that does not activate business short term and build brand value long term becomes an undervalued commodity I never want to see creativity undervalued. While I will miss Carters partnership, I know that his advertising DNA will always be a part of FCBs #NVRFNSHD story. Murray joined FCB in 2013 to lead the agency following its merger with Draft. In 2016, he was joined by Credle, whose legacy included a 24-year run at BBDO, where she led creative for M&MS and AT&T. Credle went on to help launch the Mayhem campaign for Allstate as Chief Creative Officer of Leo Burnett. Together at FCB, Murray and Credle secured global assignments from Clorox, Kimberly-Clark and GSK, and assembled a roster of top new talent to revitalize FCBs offices around the world in markets like India, New Zealand, the United States and Canada. The network earned #1 Global Creative Network at Cannes Lions in 2020/2021, Adweek 2020 Global Agency of the Year and Ad Ages Best Places to Work in 2020. Turnbull, recruited to lead FCB Canada in 2014, went on to lead that agency to five Agency of the Year awards. In 2019, he was promoted to lead all of the networks North American operations, helping add new clients like Walmart and HOKA ONE ONE and earning significant honors, such as Cannes Lions #1 North American Creative Network three years in a row. After seven years of working closely with Carter and Susan, I feel grateful and humbled by the opportunity to partner with Susan going forward to lead our next chapter, said Turnbull. Our mission will always be to put creativity at the core of what we do and prove that it is truly an economic multiplier for our clients and their businesses. I want to thank Carter for convincing me to join FCB, for all his support and leadership since that time and most of all for being a great person and friend. Philippe and Michael gave me a life-changing opportunity when they asked me to take on FCBs top job eight years ago, shared Carter Murray. Asking Susan to join me as my creative partner and Tyler to help lead our turnaround in North America were two of the best decisions I have made in my career. When I look back at what we have accomplished together, with all the many incredible people across the network, I cant help but feel grateful, proud and confident that the agency is in the best shape of its history and will now be in the hands of two incredibly talented, proven and remarkable leaders. Though Digital is expected to overtake TV to become the largest medium in 2022 in India, TV will continue recording positive growth and is estimated to grow by 15% in 2022 vs 2021. According to GroupM futures report, This Year, Next Year (TYNY) 2022, TV will garner a 39% share of the total India ad spends of Rs 107,987 crore in 2022. TV ad spends in 2022 are estimated to be Rs 42,388 crore, as compared to Rs 36,929 crore in 2021. Giving a break-up of the television universe in India, the GroupM TYNY report reveals that the TV homes in the country comprise 210 million homes comprising 892 million TV viewers. There are 101 million cable homes, while pay DTH homes number at 67 million. There are 40 million DD Freedish homes. Connected TV homes have also been showing a steady rise in the last few years, but are estimated to show a sharp leap in 2022 to reach 17-20 million, from 12 million connected TV homes in 2021. The report further states that there are 50 million SVOD subscribers in India; 4 in 5 homes that subscribe to SVOD, also consume pay TV. Addressable TV becomes mainstream According to the GroupM TYNY report, with Smart TV, TV Advertising will become smart. From smartphones to smart TVs, the Indian market is seeing a massive shift in how households are replacing their living room colour TV box with Internet-enabled Smart TV. Now, its time for TV advertising to become smart. A sizeable NCCS A household has completely cut the cord, or swap between on-demand viewing and linear feed, hybrid viewing in the new normal. By end of 2022, GroupM expects 12% of Indian TV households to have a smart TV, truly connected to broadband and watching on-demand broadcast-quality content either freemium, AVOD or subscription-based. Marketers and agencies will demand the best combinations of TV and Connected TV plans depending on the targeting. Connected TV advertising plays a big role in ad experience, where 1 or 2 ads are stitched in the steam, unlike Linear that has a longer ad break; which has the risk of losing viewers attention and engagement. Connected TV is the first step in making even linear TV feeds addressable. There is a huge impetus by distributor economy, middleware and tech companies to make linear TV addressable. With the success of Connected TV, broadcasters will have to embrace the tech that offers household targeting on linear feed too. General Secretariat FDHA Bern, 18.02.2022 - Federal Councillor Alain Berset and Delina Ibrahimaj, the Albanian Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs met in Tirana today to sign a social security agreement between the two countries. The ministers took the opportunity to discuss the social protection during the Covid pandemic, as well as the challenges facing their national pension systems. Federal Councillor Berset also met with the Albanian health minister Ogerta Manastirliu. Discussions centred on efforts to tackle the pandemic and vaccination roll-out. The bilateral agreement governs social security relations between Switzerland and Albania. It covers old-age, survivors' and invalidity insurance and complies with international standards on the coordination of social security systems. The agreement ensures that Swiss and Albanian nationals receive equal treatment in respect of their social security entitlements, facilitates their access to these benefits, and allows pensions to be paid abroad. It also lays the foundations for bilateral cooperation to tackle social security fraud and abuses. Finally, the agreement facilitates the mobility of Swiss and Albanian nationals and protects them against double social security contributions. It will enter into force as soon as the parliaments of both countries approve it. Meeting with the Albanian Finance Minister Federal Councillor Berset and the Albanian Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Delina Ibrahimaj discussed the special support measures that their governments have taken to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, and the lessons learned from the crisis. They also spoke about the challenges facing their national pension systems and efforts to reform them. Meeting with with Deputy Prime Minister and with the Health Minister During his visit to Tirana, Federal Councillor Berset also met with Albania's Health Minister Ogerta Manastirliu. Discussions centred around their experiences of handling the crisis. Another topic was Switzerland's support for the Albanian health system. Switzerland is Albania's most important bilateral partner in the health sector. During his courtesy visit with Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj, Federal Councillor Berset was maintaining the excellent relations which exist between the two countries. Address for enquiries Christian Favre, Deputy Head of Communications, FDHA +41 58 485 62 61 +41 79 897 61 91 Social security agreement enquiries: Stephanie Koch, International Affairs Federal Social Insurance Office +41 58 462 58 90 stephanie.koch@bsv.admin.ch Publisher General Secretariat FDHA http://www.edi.admin.ch Federal Social Insurance Office http://www.bsv.admin.ch Federal Office of Public Health http://www.bag.admin.ch You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close SINGAPORE, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Singapore Airshow wrapped up here Friday, with participants focusing on recovery and sustained development of the aviation industry. More than 13,000 trade visitors and some 600 companies from 39 countries and regions attended the biennial aerospace and defense exhibition at the Changi Exhibition Center from Feb. 15 to 18. Airbus' A350-1000 and Boeing's wide-bodied B777-9 made their debut in Asia at the airshow. Key participating exhibitors this year include Airbus, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Singapore's ST Engineering. In line with the global agenda on climate change, this edition of the Singapore Airshow has presented the inaugural Sustainable Aviation Forum on Feb. 16 and 17. Experts from the public and private sectors discussed challenges and opportunities within sustainable aviation, including the roles of regulators, innovations in engine technology, sustainable aviation fuel, and maintenance, repair and overhaul. In another development, executives from some airlines talked about the pace of market recovery, business resilience and sustainable aviation solutions at the Aviation CEO Forum. "Because right now when we're starting to see green shoots in the industry ... We can see and sense the optimism, so I think it's even more important that we set the platform to allow all these decision-makers and industry players to have discussions and navigate our way out of this pandemic," said Leck Chet Lam, managing director of organiser Experia Events at a media conference on Feb. 13. A little thing like retirement doesnt make a trusted source less valuable. Mike Hutjens, who retired from the University of Illinois Animal Science department in 2010, has used his extra time over the past decade learning, writing, going on speaking engagements and interacting with farmers. The professor emeritus attends at least one webinar every week on the latest research and information and still makes presentations, often getting feedback from producers to stay current. He also regularly talks with vets and feed and animal experts in his quest to stay on the cutting edge of dairy nutrition issues, he said. Earlier this month, he spoke to dairy farmers about maintaining profitability in 2022 with a focus on feed at the virtual Illinois Dairy Summit. He had been looking forward to attending in person in Freeport, but the event, sponsored by the Illinois Milk Producers Association, pivoted to become entirely virtual because of a snow storm Feb. 2. It wasnt the pandemics fault this time. Hutjens has been involved with the Dairy Summit since the program started. His experience at the University of Illinois as Extension dairy specialist has been a driving force in bringing content and information to dairy producers, said Tasha Bunting, Illinois Milk Producers Association manager. He also helped recruit the panel of producers, she said. Hutjens estimates that he still attends at least 25 to 30 meetings a year. Last year, feed costs was a popular topic as well as the pandemics impact on milk prices. So far this year, new guidelines on dairy feed have been a popular topic as people catch up on the changes, he said. Hutjens, who grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin and earned his bachelors, masters and Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin, remains a top expert in dairy nutrition and environment management and travels the world to talk about these issues, when there isnt a pandemic. He has traveled to 19 countries and has been to every state in the U.S. except Montana and Wyoming. He has spoken in 46 U.S. states and in nine Canadian provinces. He worked in Extension for 33 years before retiring almost 12 years ago. After he retired, Hutjens, 77, helped create a 54-module online Dairy Cattle and Feed Management program used in Brazil and here. Others know his work from reading his articles in the Hoards Dairyman National Dairy Farm Magazine and other publications. It has been tremendous for me to have 50 years of exposure to the U.S. and the world, he said of his writing. We still do dairy research at the University of Illinois even though Illinois isnt one of the largest dairy states. And that research goes around the world, he said. During his career he has seen a lot of changes. In Illinois alone, he has seen the size of dairy herds grow and the number of herds decrease. In his early years here, there were 2,600 dairy herds in the state. Now there are 400. That includes goats, he said. The audience at many meetings has changed over the years as well. It used to be the owner attending, but now the larger operations often send a herdsman or nutritionist to get the latest info on feed for their farms, he said. 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. News featured popular urgent Cuthbert lawmaker proposes major highway expansions for southwest Georgia Alan Mauldin / Staff Photo: Alan Mauldin Highway 300, which links Albany to Cordele, is one of two roads being proposed for improvements by state Rep. Gerald Greene. File Photo Gerald Greene ALBANY Online business was booming before COVID-19 sent people home to work, and often do their shopping, but those products still have to be moved by 20th-century internal combustion vehicles on roadways. To improve southwest Georgias roadways and boost business in the region, state Rep. Gerald Greene is looking to improve two major traffic corridors. One initiative would extend Interstate 185, which ends near Columbus, as an interstate highway to the Florida line along the route of U.S. Highway 27. That route currently is a four-lane highway the length of the route Greene has proposed. The second would expand Georgia Highway 300, which links Albany to I-75 and is known locally as Cordele Road, to four or more lanes using interstate highway standards to Florida. The House Transportation Committee has passed a resolution introduced by the Cuthbert Republican requesting the state Department of Transportation to consider the potential costs and benefits of the two projects. The resolution has the support of a number of area lawmakers, Greene said during a telephone interview. He also has discussed the proposal with local elected officials, including Albany Mayor Bo Dorough and City Commissioner Chad Warbington, and Dougherty County Commissioner Clinton Johnson, who also is a member of the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission. Greene represents a portion of Dougherty County, but the new District 154 created during recent redistricting based on population gives him a larger portion of the county and also places him in the same district with another incumbent, Democrat Winfred Dukes of Albany. Its urging our DOT to do something with those two corridors, Greene said. Alabama is just eating us up with their (road) building up. Florida is interested in us doing some connecting, and I am too. For Greene, the projects would be a way to rev up the economies of rural communities along the two highways, promoting large industry as well as small businesses. I think it would be amazing for economic growth in our area, he said. We have got to stop the (population) flight from Albany. I think if we do that, we can accomplish some things that will bring people back to our downtown areas to live. The way the legislator sees it, if there are more jobs, then more people will want to remain in their hometowns to work and will also invest in housing. The proposed expansion also would have a big impact on east Albany, which often feels neglected when it comes to development. I want to make sure Albany has growth, not just low-income housing that the government does, he said. Until we do this, we cant do anything, were going to continue to have high crime in Albany. They (local officials) are all saying its a thing that needs to happen. Transportation is a major consideration for companies looking to expand or locate, so the improved highways would be an incentive for them to look closer at the region. People are not going to come, Greene said. Everything moves by truck. They want more lanes and more connectivity. We are sincere about this; we are serious about this, and weve just got to create something that will be a benefit to our citizens. Johnson, the Dougherty County commissioner and EDC member, said he is definitely on board and that the EDC has discussed the proposal. The enhanced highways also would give better connectivity between military bases, including Fort Benning in Columbus and Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany, as well as other military installations in the region, he said. Its something we believe is going to increase our ability to attract more business, he said. We think that would be good for trucking. The north Florida area is growing. We need to benefit from that. Cordele Highway is a heavily industrialized area, including such major companies as the Molson Coors Brewery. I can see warehouses popping up on that route, the commissioner said. I can see refrigeration. All of these things, I think, can work together. Outdoor Network, I think it will strengthen their transportation network. Webstaurant is doing great there. Well attract more businesses like that, more great businesses like Wesbstaurant. I applaud him (Greene). The decision of Olympic gold medalist Eileen Gu to join the Chinese national team, though born and raised in the U.S., had drawn criticism even before Nikki Haley called her out. The former governor of South Carolina declared, Youve got to pick a side because you're either American or you're Chinese, and they are two very different countries. Gu is reportedly worth $15 million from lucrative deals with capitalist enterprises like Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, and Victorias Secret, as well as Chinese firms that are celebrating her shift of allegiance from the U.S. to the PRC. Gu, however, still prefers to live in America, where she attended an expensive private school in San Francisco and is set to start college at Stanford. Her mother immigrated from China for the benefits of American life but did not transfer her loyalty. She is thought to be the driving force behind her daughters choices, though Eileen Gu has also dabbled in radical left-wing politics by embracing Black Lives Matter, another vehicle for asserting the primacy of race over national identity. In noble contrast is Nathan Chen, a gold medal U.S. skater who was proud to receive his awards under the American flag. His criticism came from Chinese fans and social media posts who proclaimed him a traitor to China who insulted his heritage by being too white and Americanized. He played for the country in which he lives, which makes him a nationalist, not a racist. Part of Beijings strategy is calling home the Chinese diaspora that fled harsh communist rule. Haley pointed out that the choice is still about freedom and that Beijing is still a dictatorship, although a wealthy despotism that can back its racist propaganda with money. President Xi Jinping combines his campaign of common prosperity with the glorification of Chinas imperial past when it dominated East Asia as the worlds most advanced civilization before the spectacular rise of the West half a millennium ago. Xis Make China Great Again appeal to Chinese pride can resonate globally. China has not just recruited athletes by stressing racial identity over national loyalty, but also men of science and business. These "talent plans" may be legal, yet at the same time undoubtedly subversive. According to the FBI, Chinas talent plans have successfully recruited participants around the world to work on key programs like military technologies, nuclear energy, wind tunnel design, and advanced lasers and Talent plan participants are offered multiple financial, personal, and professional benefits in exchange for their efforts. Though recruitment is not limited to those of Chinese heritage, it is a factor that can add to the appeal. It does not feel like treason if you think you are working within your chosen identity to further a higher cause. We have run into this kind of problem before. We interned a great many Japanese after Pearl Harbor. Yet, this was an overreaction that exaggerated the racialist threat. We were able to enlist Japanese-American combat troops and intelligence officers who fought with valor for the country they lived in. Before both world wars, Berlin tried to appeal to the German-American community, then the second largest in the U.S. behind the Anglo-Americans. But the man who led our forces against the Third Reich was named Eisenhower (German for iron worker). We are an "empire" of people from all over the world who have formed a nation because our "melting pot" philosophy used identity politics in a positive way. The problem is that process has been weakened and a divisive form of identity politics has arisen. On the Left, nationalism is anathema to their core theme of class warfare which thinks of society as being in constant strife of all against all, a truly dystopian vision. There is no national interest in growth and opportunity, only special interests grabbing and exploiting each other to redistribute wealth. Unfortunately, some Establishment Republicans think in the same terms, accepting the left-wing vision, only choosing different groups to champion. Haley assailed this in regard to those business firms that have become global in outlook and are eager to follow Gu to Beijing for a fast buck. For too long, the GOP listened to such voices in Corporate America and turned their backs on the U.S. as an integrated society that needed to protect its economic base as well as its traditional values and security. The Lefts inherently divisive program has initiated a dangerous revival of racism in its pursuit of power. It has been fifty years since the Lefts last reign of ruin which inflicted defeat overseas and chaos as home. The reaction that brought in President Ronald Reagan to put things right gave the country a long run of economic growth, innovation, and victory in the Cold War. From 1980 to 2019, the countrys real GDP nearly tripled, and technology exploded. All sectors of American society benefitted from this stellar performance, which posed a grave problem for the Left. The continued rise of black and Hispanic middle classes in a prosperous capitalist economy made a hash of the Lefts claim that socialism was the way forward. The Left had to find a way to dismiss the nations actual progress. Appeals to race took precedence over class. The argument has become: even if you benefit from Republican-conservative-capitalist policies, you cant vote for them because they are racists. This demagoguery hit its peak regarding Donald Trump, whose avowed nationalism posed an existential threat to the entire leftist program. His economic reforms on taxes and regulation pumped prosperity into minority communities which have since been decimated by the crime-ridden lockdowns imposed by Democrat mayors and governors. The only counter is to charge racism to discredit both President Trump and his record. Yet, there is no basis for this charge against a leader who in his Inaugural Address proclaimed an explicitly anti-racist definition of America. "A new national pride will stir our souls, lift our sights, and heal our divisions. It is time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget: that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots, we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American Flag. And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath of life by the same almighty Creator." This last recalls the Declaration of Independence's principle that "all men are created equal." No wonder the Left went insane with a hatred that is poisoning the land. Identity politics based on race or any other subdivision of society that tears us apart rather than provides building blocks upward does more than just open the door for foreign subversion. It cripples us at home as well. In the world of Great Power competition, the battle of ideas over what constitutes identity and engenders loyalty will determine who holds the high ground. Beijing may be able to use race to build unity, but it is a deadly notion in a United States whose motto is from many, one. Martin Luther King said it best. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. This is the key to the fusion of individualism and nationalism at the core of conservatism. The former is developed and rewarded for serving the higher and wider advancement of the latter. And we will all be better for it. William R. Hawkins is President of the Hamilton Center for National Strategy. A former economics professor, he has written widely on defense and foreign policy issues for a variety of scholarly and popular publications. He has also served on the staff on the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee. Image: Anna Frodesiak In the December 22, 2021, Washington Post, an article appeared titled: Thousands who followed the rules are about to get Covid. Despite following all the local and federal protocols, the author believed she engaged in some wrongdoing by becoming infected by COVID-19. Many fellow citizens truly believed that if they followed the government prescribed requirements, they would avoid infection. The dutiful allegiance to technocrats edicts is the act of true believers and becoming infected is sin. Christian Churches need to help us realize that acts that have become irrational, divisive, and coercive are signs of a cultish belief in idolized experts. Christians are uniquely suited to help others recognize that their behavior is becoming cultish. In 2020, people agreed to draconian measures to stop the spread of COVID. By late summer, however, it became clear that this virus was not even close to the mortality of smallpox, ebola, or polio. The case fatality rate has changed little since that time -- around 99.8% for those who are not elderly or at-risk. Using months of media conditioning, promoting fear of serious complications or death, experts blamed non-adherents to their arrogant vaccination plan as the reason the virus was not yet defeated. The scapegoat arrived. The technocratic tyrants needed a group to blame when it became obvious these mRNA vaccines would not stop transmission or infection. Coercion and punishment have been openly espoused for the unclean, namely, the unvaccinated. Exiting a cult can be difficult. Church leaders should reorient to help their flocks free themselves from the untruths to which they cling. The Church should provide a path of mercy and truth for those who recognize that their technocratic leaders were more interested in control than in safety. The Church has a duty to help people recognize age-old methods of manipulation and their own role in ignoring virtue in favor of vice. The technocratic experts have yet to identify metrics of success on how this pandemic becomes endemic. Fear is their currency. And social conditioning, to determine how much tyranny the population will tolerate, is their deliverable. We have come to believe that avoiding death from this virus at all costs is our goal, and these tyrants promises of safety will return us to comfort. Christians have fought tyrants before, using persuasion, courage, and mercy. Saint John Paul II, no stranger to tyrannical governments, reminded all people of goodwill that the dignity of the human person was a bedrock principle of Christianity. Protecting conscience rights, identifying idols or cults which might supplant Christs kingship, and demanding the right to worship freely, all protect the dignity of the human person. A well-formed conscience is a cornerstone of our faith and our Constitution. One can dissent from being vaccinated for COVID-19 and still have a well-formed conscience. The National Catholic Bioethics Center stated: There is no universal moral obligation to accept or refuse [the vaccine], and it should be a voluntary decision of the individual. Natural immunity and serious safety signals are prudent reasons to eschew vaccination. The Omicron variants ability to infect nearly everyone, vaccinated or not, has caused several European countries to consider this an endemic, and stop their vaccination mandates. Clergy must make it clear that the scapegoating of the unvaccinated ignores conscience rights. Pandemic recovery is an excellent opportunity for the Church to remind us to place our hope not in earthly princes, but in Christs kingship and mercy. Public health technocrats and power-hungry officials relied upon an ambiguous definition of safety to demand that churches be closed, funerals eliminated, small businesses be closed, and promoted the vaccination of every person. Churches were shuttered for long periods, based upon the governments edicts. When big-box stores and liquor stores were allowed to reopen as essential, but churches were not, the clergy should have pushed back. Some did. Many did not. The U.S. Supreme Court had to alert the State of New York that they could not arbitrarily keep big box stores open while shuttering churches. This was a time when people truly needed access to services and sacraments, but they were not there. The technocrats' obsession with control even has them demanding vaccination of our youngest children, who face a minuscule risk from infection. We need reminders that virtues combat vice. Pride and greed can explain why public health experts demand compliance with a pandemic response that enriches pharmaceutical companies and enables government officials to engage in crushing mandates, lockdowns, and diktats. Despite their methods being proven ineffective, again and again, these experts continue to spew forth draconian mandates and advice to defeat the coronavirus. Marxism demands compliance, even when their demands became irrational. The Church has been a bulwark against Marxist ideologies before. One of the most certain ways to protect the dignity of the faithful is for the Church to demand that the faithful have access to services and the sacraments, regardless of whether they are unclean. As of this writing, Canadian provinces and their dioceses require a vaccine passport to enter the church. Austria has mandated all adults be vaccinated. The clergy must not participate in any vaccine passport system. Silence from the Church about a mandatory digital passport is not a way to gain, or even retain, those who normally look to the Church as a beacon of hope, and a bulwark against godless tyranny. The American Church, clergy as well as laity, must take back its moral authority and proclaim the dignity of human life. The Church is to be the guardian of conscience rights. Protecting the religious liberty and dignity of the faithful can be accomplished by protecting its clergy, sacraments, and the right to worship freely, without limitation. Both clergy and laity must work to help others recognize that Caesar asks too much by demanding even children be vaccinated, that the ill be isolated in hospitals, and that our safety requires the elimination of sacraments and worship, including a Christian burial. The Church must restore the practice of adults withstanding short-term struggles for the protection of the children. Doing every act our idols demand for our safety, no matter how irrational, must be opposed, and be identified as a science-based cult. The Church must proclaim the spiritual purification that occurs in suffering for the defense of Gods truth. Believing our technocratic elites are capable of controlling Gods creation is a dangerous spiritual path. The Church needs to remember that it is in the business of saving souls. The Catholic Church, specifically, has been through these types of battles throughout its history. We are now at a time in history where future generations will hear of the courageous actions of faithful people that were effective in the protection of the Church and its teachings. Image: Pixabay ZAGREB, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Croatian President Zoran Milanovic said on Friday that NATO should not expand to include Ukraine because that threatens Croatia's interests and that the West will face the consequences if it groundlessly stirs up panic about a Russian attack on that country. "While I am president, I will be against NATO expanding anywhere," Milanovic was quoted as saying by the Croatian News Agency. Those who advocate the expansion of NATO to Ukraine endangers the interests of Croatia, a member of NATO, and "because we are in NATO, someone could send our people there tomorrow," Milanovic said, referring to the tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Milanovic has expressed similar viewpoints when he said on Jan. 25 that Ukraine does not belong in NATO, and the situation along the Ukraine-Russia border is a serious crisis behind which stands primarily the dynamics of U.S. internal affairs. Ukraine has voiced "deep disappointment" over his remarks. Is COVID truly a threat to life on Earth, comparable to the bubonic plague? Are school closures and lockdowns really necessary? Will vaccines protect us, and what about side effects? If this is a "pandemic of the unvaccinated," how are vaccinated people spreading COVID? Boosters? Really? What is the truth? Why is COVID so confusing? First, there are ever-changing messages. No mask, yes mask, two masks, avoid cloth masks. Vaccination will stop COVID, except maybe not we need boosters, several. There is no natural immunity...well, maybe there is, but it won't protect you. Except that real physicians say it will. No wonder people don't trust Fauci or Biden. Words are critical when seeking truth. Since the outbreak of COVID, the meaning of common words has been spun and distorted. Positive COVID tests are reported as "cases," implying symptomatic patients. The vast majority of positive tests are people not sick at all. More than 918,000 Americans are listed as "COVID deaths," even though only 12 percent to 23 percent of COVID deaths were actually due to the virus. Uncovering truth requires the scientific method. One idea is tested against other opposing ideas. Truth is revealed through mental trial by combat. Censorship suppresses information unacceptable to the censor. It imposes a single perspective and prevents the dissemination of differing ideas. Censorship is mandatory one-idea-fits-all groupthink. Censorship is the enemy of truth. To advance Washington's COVID "truth," people and ideas are censored by unelected third parties: bureaucrat M.D.s, viz., Fauci and Walensky; agencies like the FDA and OHSA; complicit news media such as the New York Times and the Washington Post; social media like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube; and search engines, viz., Google. Questioning Fauci's pronouncements or Washington's actions is punishable by loss of status, character assassination, loss of federal funding, and loss of employment. The Great Barrington Declaration (GBD) was written on Oct. 4, 2020, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and signed by three medical faculty members at Oxford, Stanford, and Harvard. It countered Washington's draconian measures lockdowns, PPE, mandatory vaccination, and suspension of the Bill of Rights with a true science-based plan called "focused protection." This approach would have minimized the devastating social, medical, and economic effects of Biden's mandates. The GBD had to be censored! No one should be allowed to question federal policy! So, on Oct. 8, 2020, thenNIH director Francis Collins wrote to NIAID director Anthony Fauci the following. "This proposal [the GBD] from the three fringe [Oxford, Stanford, and Harvard?!] epidemiologists who met with the Secretary seems to be getting a lot of attention and even a co-signature from Nobel Prize winner Mike Leavitt at Stanford. There needs to be a quick and devastating published take down of its premises. I don't see anything like that on line yet is it underway?" A campaign commenced delegitimizing the GBD. For months, Google searches for the GBD produced, "This site cannot be found." A host of hit pieces were placed online and in academic journals claiming to discredit the not-searchable GBD. The dire consequences the GBD warned against did, in fact, occur. Experience proved we should have been using focused protection all along. Too bad the GBD was censored. Robert Malone, M.D. is a virologist and immunologist instrumental in developing mRNA technology, the experimental gene therapy used in mandated vaccines and boosters. When Malone tried to raise concerns about the effectiveness, safety, and necessity of mRNA vaccination, he was demeaned, canceled, and censored. The Atlantic described Dr. Malone as "The Vaccine Scientist Spreading Vaccine Misinformation." Wikipedia played the same tune: "Malone has promoted misinformation about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines." The definition of misinformation is that which doesn't agree with Washington. Dr. Angelique Coetzee, the South African physician who first identified the omicron variant, says she was pressured by government censors to suppress (censor) how mild the illness is caused by omicron. In January 2022, I experienced censorship when interviewed for the podcast Tipping Point. Based on research data, I proved that public service announcements assuring parents that vaccination was "safe, effective, and doctor-approved" were false. Like Dr. Malone, I advised parents, "Do not vaccinate your children" using mRNA technology. Until that interview, Tipping Point had been viewable on YouTube. My interview was banned because I was "spreading misinformation, with statements inconsistent with WHO (World Health Organization) recommendations." The podcast is available on Rumble. Washington claims to have a monopoly on the truth, and Fauci speaks it. If you disagree or even question the federal narrative, you are wrong, dangerous, spreading "misinformation," and you must be stopped, canceled, censored. In 1789, Thomas Jefferson wrote, "Wherever the people are well informed they can be trusted with their own government." Well-informed means an electorate that hears all the facts and all sides of an issue, not limited to one side, false facts, and denied access to censored "misinformation." The saga of Jessica Rose epitomizes how Biden's enforced orthodoxy stifles a search for truth. With her brand-new Ph.D. in computational biology, Dr. Rose looked for a project to test her skills and decided to study the VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) database. She had no medical preconceptions or political agenda. Rose found that reports of adverse events had increased from 40,000 per year to more than one million after mRNA vaccination became mandatory. Deaths also increased from a few hundred per year to more than 21,000 following mandatory mRNA vaccination. Dr. Rose submitted a paper with her statistical analysis to an academic journal. The publisher, Elsevier, withdrew the paper. It was rejected not by peer reviewers, but by the publisher, with no explanation. As someone who has published more than 150 academic research papers over 45 years, including in Elsevier publications, I have never had a paper rejected by a publisher or even heard of this happening. For a truly frightening insider view of Washington groupthink, enforced orthodoxy, and strict censorship, read Scott Atlas's book, A Plague Upon Our House: My Fight at the Trump White House to Stop COVID from Destroying America. The reason for COVID censorship is obvious: to justify a federal power-grab. If the public knew the truth about COVID rather than the greatly exaggerated threat touted by Washington, Americans would never tolerate Biden's nullifying the Bill of Rights. The solution is equally obvious: Americans should deploy their ballots and their dollars. Vote only for politicians who follow the Constitution and who appoint judges who do the same. Elect only those officials who defend personal freedom, especially medical autonomy. We the People demand the freedom to decide for ourselves; we reject tyranny by those to whom we elect to (temporary) power. Americans should cease financial support of censors such as YouTube, Twitter, Google, CNN, and the New York Times. They need to feel pain in the pocket nerve. Transfer attention, content, and dollars to platforms, news venues, and social media that encourage open discussion of differing opinions and data, and who eschew censorship. The only people who should decide what is COVID truth and what is misinformation are We the People. Deane Waldman, M.D., MBA is professor emeritus of pediatrics, pathology, and decision science; former director of the Center for Healthcare Policy at Texas Public Policy Foundation; and author of the multi-award-winning book Curing the Cancer in U.S. Healthcare: StatesCare and Market-Based Medicine. Image: geralt via Pixabay, Pixabay License. As we have been dealing with the COVID-19 virus for more than two years, we are now seeing the beginning of its worldwide decline. One fact remains clear: that in spite of the continued exhortation to "follow the science," many in positions of leadership have done nothing of the sort. They ignored the science and chose to use politics to govern and justify their actions. From the very beginning, when COVID-19, a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2, was discovered in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, politicians utilized "science" for political gain. From the onset, President Trump was derided by many in the Democrat party for imposing a travel ban from China. Both science and common sense would dictate that if a contagious disease were discovered, the initial action is to isolate it to prevent further contagion. We will never know the impact of this measure, but I suspect that his prudent and common-sense actions saved thousands of lives. Once COVID gained a foothold in the United States anyway, we were constantly bombarded by conflicting information by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and our own Anthony Stephen Fauci, serving as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the chief medical adviser to the president. "Guidance" was often conflicted and changed from day to day e.g., from no requirement to wear a mask to the more masks you wear, the better! No requirement for social distance, as evidenced by Speaker Pelosi parading through the street of Chinatown, to strict lockdowns and closure of public facilities to include schools. Then lots of social distancing. It is important to note that individuals such as Dr. Fauci are epidemiologists by trade and are focused only on preventing the spread of disease and not the severe psychological and social impacts brought on by lockdowns. They are merely advisers to our leaders and not risk managers considering the impact of a nationwide lockdown on both the economy and the psyche of the nation. We have approximately 50,000 traffic deaths a year, yet we still allow people to drive motor vehicles because we have determined that in spite of the fact that people are killed every day on the highways, the risk outweighs the impact of shutting down the nation's highways. Once our national lockdown was in full force and our schools closed, all in the name of "science," it soon became apparent that our leadership relished the idea of having this power over our everyday lives, yet many of them were often caught maskless or violating the mandate on social distancing that they imposed on everyday Americans. Good enough for thee, but not required by me when in the eyes of the public was a clear indication of the hypocrisy and callousness of those in power. In addition, vital first responders such as doctors, nurses, and members of our military were summarily dismissed for failing to get vaccinated in spite of the fact that many already had natural immunity from previously contracting COVID. These were the very people who risked their lives day in and day out to protect and save earlier in the pandemic. Mandatory vaccines and boosters became the order of the day by those in power with little emphasis on treating COVID once it was contracted. A mere coincidence in exercising power over our individual freedoms? I think not. As it appears we may be finally turning the corner on COVID, it should come as no surprise that a Johns Hopkins University study concluded that "lockdowns have done little to reduce COVID deaths but have had devastating effects on economies and numerous social ills." The study, titled "A Literature Review and Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Lockdowns on COVID-19 Mortality," said lockdowns in Europe and the U.S. reduced COVID-19 deaths by 0.2 percent. Shelter-in-place orders were also ineffective, reducing COVID-19 mortality by 2.9%. The bottom line: "We find no evidence that lockdowns, school closures, border closures, and limiting gatherings have had a noticeable effect on COVID-19 mortality." It is also no surprise that as the midterm elections are fast approaching and the poll numbers of the Biden-Harris administration continue to plummet, many of the draconian measures put into place by those in power have now been rescinded. Following the science? No. More likely, an insatiable appetite for those in power to stay in power and to continue to control the lives of everyday Americans. Image: Pixabay, Pixabay License. Drew Magary is a San Francisco columnist who comes at politics from a place far, far along the leftist spectrum. He is the radical base that drives the modern Democrat party. On the Venn diagram mapping out my political views and Magary's, however, there is one point of intersection: we both think of Biden as a failed president. That's good for my side of the aisle and very, very bad for Magary's. Margary's essay is entitled "Joe Biden is a lousy president." In it, you'll find phrases such as this: "Joe Biden is out of excuses." "In many ways, it feels as if Biden's presidency is already over." "All this begs the question: Does Joe Biden even know he's president ? Does he give a s---?" "He's uninterested..." "He's shown no ambition..." "I am sick to death of this..." "It's not merely that Biden has been a lousy president; it's that I've seen nothing to suggest that he'll STOP being lousy." "I briefly had high hopes for Joe Biden, and that's on me." I think we conservatives can agree with every one of those statements. Where the opinion piece starts having that funhouse mirror feel is learning that, aside from being as disgusted as conservatives about Biden's Afghanistan pullout fiasco, every one of Magary's complaints comes about because he feels that Biden has failed as a leftist. Thus, stripped to its essentials, Margary's article complains that Biden: Wasn't sufficiently proactive about distributing "free" COVID tests. (Of course, they're not "free" at all. You and I paid for them.) Failed to increase the federal minimum wage. Failed to override Manchin, who then dealt the death blow to Build Back Better. Failed to override Sinema, who killed the effort to federalize elections. Failed to continue COVID unemployment benefits. Failed to come down hard on the side of quarantining and mask-wearing. Failed to campaign vigorously to the Supreme Court to force it to preserve Roe v. Wade. Failed to use his bully pulpit to get foreign oil producers to keep prices down. Failed to use vaccine mandates to socialize America's health care system. (So, you were right all along about the larger plan the left had for COVID.) Failed to pack the Supreme Court. As far as Magary is concerned, Biden is a weak leader who blew every important item on the leftist wish list. Image: Joe Biden. YouTube screen grab. Indeed, when Magary looks back on Biden's presidency, the best Magary can say about him is that "he wasn't Donald Trump." Additionally, Magary remains thrilled that Biden did sign off on that first "nearly $2 trillion stimulus fund," even while he complains that Biden didn't do anything to stop inflation. Apparently being a columnist at SF Gate does not require even the vaguest understanding of basic economics. The reason I was caught by Magary's attack on Biden is that it showed something interesting about the man in the Oval Office: he is so extraordinarily bad that even his base hates him. He's managed to repulse most Americans. What this means is that Democrat turnout in November 2022 will almost certainly be lackluster. More than that, it may mean that Biden is driving a stake through the heart of the Democrat party. One of the benefits to society from imprisoning criminals is that, while they're imprisoned, they cease committing crimes. However, when it comes to the government's failure to take good care of taxpayer money, two men's stints in California's prisons gave them the time to engage in a massive fraud netting them $5 million in both state and federal unemployment funds. Think about that: our governments are so inefficient that they hand out COVID unemployment funds to nonexistent people created by prisoners. The story has been out for a few days, but I really didn't want to ignore it. According to the AP, Daryol Richmond is imprisoned in Kern Valley State Prison serving an almost 25-year prison sentence as a repeat offender in robbery and attempted robbery. Telvin Breaux is in the California Correction Institution, serving a 15-year sentence for, among other things, robbery with a firearm. These two men, despite being locked away, ran a crime ring filing false claims that they and others on the outside had been working at low-level, cash-based jobs until COVID left them unemployed. They created email accounts for these fake people more than 400 of them and then used street addresses across Southern California so the government could mail them debit cards. This scam highlights everything wrong with massive government handout programs. Government bureaucrats have no idea to whom they're sending money and no incentive to find out. Theoretically, in this hyper-computerized age, the bureaucrats could have matched names to addresses but they didn't. (Computer data are used to harass conservatives, not to prevent fraud.) And of course, debit cards are fungible. A check must be deposited or cashed somewhere specific, but debit cards can be used anywhere in a nicely untraceable way. Image: Daryol Richmond mugshot. Ultimately, Richmond and Breaux filed $25 million in claims and managed to get $5 million for their efforts. They then spent the money on vehicles, furniture, jewelry, and handbags. (Thieves' and crooks' desire for handbags always mystifies me. Those things must have a massive street value.) The really depressing part is that, according to the AP, "the $5 million actual loss remains a fraction of the more than $20 billion in unemployment benefits that authorities believe has been stolen since March 2020 as the state approved fraudulent payments in the names of death row inmates and even U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein." Again, the system is set up to make crime easy and that $20 billion is your money. Milton Friedman famously looked at the four ways in which money is spent and the level of care allocated to that spending. When you spend your own money on yourself, you focus intently on both quality and price. When you spend your own money on someone else, you may be a bit less careful about the actual quality but you'll be careful about the price. When you spend other people's money on yourself, you have no incentive to economize and focus solely on the quality of what you're getting. But when you spend other people's money on someone else, you have no incentive to focus on either quality or price. That last scenario describes the bureaucrats given the responsibility to hand out taxpayer money to whoever files a claim that looks right. They just don't care. They meet their job metrics, fill out the correct paperwork, and just grind through to get their paychecks and pensions. Americans are a generous people. If the government would take less of their money, they'd be more likely to contribute it to charities that are close to the people whom they help and have a good sense about when they're being ripped off. As it is, the defendants have agreed to pay back a little bit of the money, but for the most part, it's gone with the handbags. On Sept. 2, 1945, General Douglas MacArthur accepted the formal surrender of Japan aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, ending World War II. MacArthur was an enigma. He was a soldier who came from a military family. He possessed an exceptional ability to understand military tactics, and he was a great leader who led American forces to glory in war. Yet he was a man who abhorred the brutality of war. The general spoke after the surrender ceremony itself the title of his speech was "Today the Guns Are Silent." In the following excerpt from that speech (emphasis added) I believe he spoke a truth that mankind does not grasp even to this day: Men since the beginning of time have sought peace. Various methods through the ages have attempted to devise an international process to prevent or settle disputes between nations. From the very start workable methods were found insofar as individual citizens were concerned, but the mechanics of an instrumentality of larger international scope have never been successful. Military advances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn failed, leaving the only path to be by way of the crucible of war. We have had our last chance. If we do not now devise some greater and more equitable system, Armageddon will be at our door. The problem basically is theological and involves a spiritual recrudescence and improvement of human character that will synchronize with our almost matchless advances in science, art, literature and all material and cultural developments of the past two thousand years. It must be of the spirit if we are to save the flesh. I do not know this for a fact, but from this speech, I believe that General MacArthur had a good command of the contents of the Holy Bible. He well understood that the only savior of mankind who could keep mankind from destroying itself was the omnipotent power that created us. Earlier in his address to the public by radio, he noted this: Even the lesson of victory itself brings with it profound concern, both for our future security and the survival of civilization. The destructiveness of the war potential, through progressive advances in scientific discovery, has in fact now reached a point which revises the traditional concepts of war. In the Bible, we find a number of passages that speak of a time when the world will go through a period of war on a level never seen before. Christ spoke of this "great tribulation" himself: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days be shortened, there should no flesh be saved. (Matt. 24:21-22) MacArthur realized the truth of these words. When Christ spoke the words in the passage above, mankind did not have the means to destroy itself, but, on August 6 and 9 of 1945, all that was changed by the bombs that fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. MacArthur was removed from his high position over the military in 1951 by then-president Harry Truman. It wasn't because of MacArthur's failure to lead it was about the chain of command and, ultimately, about politics. And it is politics and politicians who are taking America and the rest of the world down the rabbit hole of destruction. It is time to put our faith where it belongs not in men and politics, for they cannot be trusted. MacArthur nailed it when he stated: It must be of the spirit if we are to save the flesh. Image: U.S. National Archives, no known restrictions. There are different ways to identify an enemy within, but one is quite simple. Anybody who'd cancel George Washington should be considered a fifth-column member fit only for scorn and ostracism. We've seen attacks upon Washington take many forms, with San Francisco's 2021 decision to rename a school bearing our first president's name a prime example. It's a red flag because it reflects hatred of America's very foundation, of everything she truly represents. George Washington is unlike any other American figure. His archrival, King George III, knew this well. Responding to news that with the Revolutionary War's conclusion, Washington would relinquish power and return to his farm, the monarch exclaimed, "If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world." But Washington did do that twice. Though the story about him being offered the kingship of America is exaggerated, that sentiment did exist and Washington rejected the proposal unreservedly. He also not only resigned his military commission after the war, but also resisted entreaties to seek a third term as his second one as president was concluding. Moreover, his noble conduct during the Newburgh affair in 1783 inspired Major General David Cobb, who served as aide-de-camp to General Washington, to say in 1825 that he believed that these "United States are indebted for their republican form of government solely to the firm and determined republicanism of George Washington." This "greatest man in the world" was a giant, figuratively and literally. Standing about six feet tall, he exceeded his day's average height significantly and must've been an imposing figure. Yet this paled in comparison to his moral stature. Just consider Washington's "Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour IN COMPANY AND CONVERSATION"; 110 in number, he copied them into the last 10 pages of a book of his personal notes before he was 16 years old. This reflects how Washington really did try to cultivate virtue in himself ("virtue" being that "set of objectively good moral habits"). It's an example people certainly need today, too, in our age of moral laxity, where "if it feels good, do it" has become a common creed and we've lost sight of how virtue in the people is a prerequisite for enjoying liberty. Speaking of morality, I won't even address the politically correct charges incessantly leveled against Washington (though an interesting video that does so follows this article). This is for two reasons. First, our modern compulsion to issue disclaimers about how "our country" or this or that historical figure "wasn't perfect" is tiresome. Would you feel compelled to precede a tribute to your mother with a little speech about how she "wasn't perfect," followed by an enumeration of her supposed sins? It's stupid, to be frank. Perfection is not a thing of this world. It's a thing of Heaven. It also is not a prerequisite for admiration or hero status. Additionally, such disclaimers are often self-serving. The subtle message sometimes is, "I want to signal that I'm a good person, too good to praise my country or its historical figures without pointing out how it or they paled in comparison to our enlightened beneficence." Second, leftists are notorious for claiming that everything is relative, and they certainly don't spew venom at the Aztecs for having engaged in wide-scale human sacrifice or at the 19th-century Papua New Guinea tribes that embraced cannibalism. But when at issue are the Founders, these relativists become quite absolutist in their condemnation of people who existed within an entirely different cultural context. This double-standard reflects bigotry. We also should ask: who are these leftists these depraved, child-corrupting, angry, uncharitable, lying, often violent, baby-killing, civilization-destroying, illiberal miscreants to look down their crooked noses morally on anybody? Here's some advice: learn what boys and girls are before preaching to others about rectitude, chief. Unfortunately, George Orwell certainly wasn't far off when stating that the "most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history." This obliteration is largely complete in the United States, as evidenced by how many "Americans" will condemn the father of our nation and how many others feel no desire to defend him. For those interested, one man who did defend Washington, and the other Founders, is Professor Thomas Sowell. His defense is presented in the video below. Contact Selwyn Duke; follow him on MeWe, Spreely or Parler; or log on to SelwynDuke.com. The problem with becoming a dictator is that madness often quickly follows. Caligula is an example from the past, for he was genuinely insane and died as a result of that. Closer to our time, so obsessive was Hitler's effort to exterminate Europe's Jews, he diverted resources from the Russian front, essentially assuring Germany's military defeat. And in Canada today, we have a ruling party that's equally obsessive, this time in its determination to destroy all political opposition. To that end, Canada's ruling class is willing to bring down its entire banking system. Canada's truckers, who are more vaccinated than the average Canadian, nevertheless felt that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had gone too far when he required them to show a vaccine passport to enter their own country. They launched a convoy that traveled across Canada's frozen wastes to get to Ottawa to present their case to the government. In a perfect world, the government, in the form of Justin Trudeau, would have met with them, heard their grievances, promised to work with them, and sent them home. Had he done so, it's likely that the truckers would meekly have departed, feeling that their voices had been heard. That's how things work when a true statesman occupies the top position in government. But Trudeau is no statesman. He promptly hid himself away and embarked upon a campaign of baselessly defaming the truckers as Nazis. Because they were not being heard, the truckers stayed in Ottawa, honking their horns, shutting down traffic in the city center, and engaging cheerfully and peacefully with supporters. As a reminder, because of his and other Canadian leaders' insane COVID policies for a virus with an average mortality rate of less than 1% the entire Canadian economy was blighted, religious worship ended, international travel stopped, and the governments made every effort to coerce Canadian citizens to inject an experimental therapy into their bodies. Slandering the truckers wasn't enough. Being called a "Nazi" didn't make them go away. Trudeau, therefore, declared martial law via Canada's Emergencies Act. In addition to the usual police powers to arrest people who offended Trudeau, Trudeau's government announced that it would shut down all crowdfunding platforms, attack cryptocurrencies, and unilaterally seize the bank accounts of anyone protesting Trudeau's COVID policies or supporting the protesters. In the Brave New World that is Fortress Canada, you and your family will starve if you offend Trudeau. You'll also lose your children, and even your dogs and cats will be seized and, possibly, destroyed. The Trudeau-ites are so lost in the madness of their suddenly unfettered power that the justice minister, David Lametti, says any Canadian who supports Trump must have his bank accounts seized. Sundance makes an interesting point: Notice how no one in Canadian government is even talking about the COVID restrictions and mandates? No one is even talking about the virus as a problem or any issues with the pandemic as a justification for continued COVID mitigation efforts. The only focus of the Canadian government is addressing the protests against them. But why did I say Canada is on the verge of destroying its banking system? Everything I've just described shows Canada destroying its opposition. In some ways, doesn't that strengthen Trudeau's hand and make Canada a more stable place? In a word, no. Trudeau may feel that his throne is a bit more stable, but investors around the world are thinking there is no way they will entrust their money to a Canadian bank. Image: ATM (edited) by fanjianhua. Freepik license. The financial world functions only if there is some element of trust. I must believe that if I deposit my money with Bank X, that Bank X will return those funds to me when I demand them. Moreover, I must believe that if the bank fails to do so because it doesn't like me or my politics, the government will side with me, not the bank. And if neither the bank nor the government likes me, I must have the minimal assurance that there is a neutral process to determine whether their dislike trumps my rights in my own money. Without that trust, I'm going to keep my money under a mattress rather than deposit it with an arbitrary and capricious banking system. Trudeau has just turned Canada's entire banking system into one that utterly lacks due process. It is, instead, arbitrary and capricious, depending entirely on the tyrant's whims. Even the money-launderers (and it turns out that Canada has been a money-laundering haven) will have no incentive to trust their ill-gotten gains to Canada's banks. What Trudeau and Co. are doing is complete madness. Like many tyrants before them, their fanatical, unhinged efforts to protect their status and punish their enemies mean they are engaging in self-destructive acts that, sadly, will also destroy their country. One of the biggest fears about China has been that it will monopolize an industry, technical expertise, capital, or mineral wealth and then extort concessions from other countries in the world. China tried to dominate the steel industry with cheap prices and low-quality steel and failed after the United States imposed tariffs on steel of 23% in 2021 to protect the steel manufacturers from Chinese steel imports. Huawei, a global leader in telecom, had its cell phones banned in the United States and other parts of the world after it attempted worldwide dominance with cheap cell phone prices and data-gathering technology on its users. Google apps are now not permitted on Huawei cell phones. The Port of Quingdao. China used to have a 99% almost total monopoly on rare earth metals, but that has fallen to less than 60% today. In 2010, China tried to stop shipments of rare earth metals to Japan because it claimed ownership of contested Japanese islands. This blackmail attempt failed. Since then, rare earth metals have been mined in other parts of the world like Central Asia, the United States, India, Australia, South Africa, Chile, Vietnam, Mongolia, and Brazil. China no longer has a stranglehold on rare earth metals and can no longer extort countries into bending to its political will. China used to have a near-monopoly on new foreign offshoring investment as companies flocked to China in anticipation of cheap wages and a 1.4 billionstrong consumer market. Today, India and Vietnam have cheaper labor and relatively good infrastructure. China's clampdown on businesses, censoring of wealthy capitalists, food shortages, gross centralized government corruption and mismanagement, stagflation, and a plunging birth rate have all resulted in investment and companies fleeing the country, with China now having a diminished future economic and political outlook. China used to have good public relations with the world as a relatively harmless, non-aggressive, economically fast-growing country to be imitated by other developing countries in the world. With its building of artificial islands in the contested South China Sea, its takeover of Hong Kong, its threatening military flights over Taiwan's security zone, its fishing in the coastal waters of foreign countries, its non-transparency with the Wuhan lab and COVID, its theft of intellectual property, its genocidal treatment of the Uyghurs, and its predatory Belt and Road contractual agreements, China has made enemies worldwide. With cheap manufacturing and knockoffs, China tried to dominate consumer goods markets worldwide, but in the United States, Walmart now is selling goods made in other third-world nations, such as pens made in Indonesia and Mexico. So cheap manufactured consumer goods are no longer going to be a Chinese near-monopoly, and if there is a monopoly, then it will not last very long. China tried to economically hamper and extort South Korea in 2017 for installing the THAAD anti-missile system and failed. China tried to economically hamper and extort Australia in 2020 for asking for an independent investigation of the origin of the COVID virus, and that failed. China tried to economically hamper and extort Lithuania for recognizing Taiwan, and that failed, too. So these economic strong-arm tactics not only made three new country enemies for China but also sullied its reputation as a peaceful trading nation to be trusted and respected worldwide. China, because of corrupt CCP leadership, no longer has a trusting relationship with most nations, and its reputation on the world scene has been tarnished. China may be feared by some but there is strength in unity, and it is just a matter of time before mutual defense agreements are made throughout Asia. China may try to gain strategic monopolies in the future, but those too are doomed to fail because, frankly, the world is just too big a place for China to monopolize anything, economically or militarily. Photo credit: Scebn, CC BY-SA 4.0 license. So Kamala Harris is going to resolve the border crisis. That would be Ukraine's, not the U.S.'s Southern border, to somehow resolve Ukraine's border crisis instead of ours. According to the New York Post: Vice President Kamala Harris set off Thursday on a peace mission to Europe as Russia appeared to accelerate preparations for an invasion of Ukraine undeterred by her failure to resolve the ongoing US-Mexico border crisis as President Bidens point person on illegal immigration. About two hours after Harris departed DC to attend the Munich Security Conference, Biden emerged from the White House and said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin will launch an invasion of Ukraine within the next several days. As Harris flew east to Germany, Biden traveled west to Lorain, Ohio, to talk about fixing Great Lakes pollution through his three-month-old bipartisan infrastructure law prompting his aides to insist the jaunt wouldnt distract him from the potential outbreak of the largest and deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. I doubt [Putins] sitting back at the Kremlin right now shaking because Kamala Harris is over there, Rep Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in an interview with Newsmax TV Wednesday. She couldnt pour something out of a boot if there were instructions written on the heel, Burchett added. She cant even find our southern border, much less the Ukrainian border. This is a joke, this is a travesty. That would be the same Ukraine Biden ordered Americans to evacuate from as it was supposedly too dangerous. We know that Democrats have been trying to find a way to get rid of Kamala, seeking a "process" as Jill Biden put it, or plotting with Congress, so they can replace her with someone more palatable as Joe heads off to the dog tracks, perhaps a kick upstairs to the Supreme Court or a takedown from a financial scandal, but we had forgotten about Ron Brown. More likely, they're beating the war drums to get Joe's poll numbers up in a 'wag the dog' maneuver, and in sending Kamala instead of Joe, they know there's no danger, and get her out of the way, as well as create the appearance of "doing something." Most of the diplomatic activity, after all, is being done by Europe's heavyweights with Russia, and in an emerging alliance between the U.K., Poland, and Ukraine. Putting Kamala there seems to be little more than letting her get underfoot as they panic over the polls. What's bad here about this Harris visit is the message sent to the Kremlin, which has amassed tens of thousands of troops on the Ukraine border, and Kiev, which is trying its best to keep from conflict which can only lead to its being gobbled down by its larger neighbor: The U.S. is, to paraphrase former President Trump, "not sending their best." Harris is notorious for her failure to secure the U.S. border, making it a free-for-all for unvetted nationals of more than 100 countries to come on in, and securing a bonanza for global human smuggling syndicates and Mexican cartels, both of which have reaped billions on the Biden-Harris open-borders policy. Harris is the 'border czar' for three Central American countries, and she can't even dissuade them from shipping illegals. In fact, her big border plan, which is to secure corporate millions for 'investment in those countries -- Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala -- is pretty much an illegal alien encouragement plan if you look at the devils in the details. How do investments from banks and remittance services, translation software, and small business formation advice in countries that stamp out small business do anything but encourage illegal immigration? Virtually all of those 'investments' are geared to make a life of illegal residence in the U.S. easier, not a life in Central America easier, other than through the receipt of remittances, which the IMF has noted, tends to 'underdevelop' a country as people shun building their own countries in favor of collecting checks from abroad. Everything Harris does to secure a border turns out to be a failure. She's failed in America, and now she's taking her show on the road. Biden has dispatched her with that record to the big leagues, the Ukraine and Russia showdown, as if she's ever cared a whit about those places in her party-girl past, and now she's there to look 'serious' and 'important' for the cameras. Let's just say she'll be treated about as importantly as she was when she went to Paris a few months ago to 'repair' U.S.-France relations after the matter had already been taken care of and was reduced to buying cookware for the cameras. By and large, she was ignored as a curiosity in Paris. It was the same when she was ignored during a meeting of the Biden cabinet bigs in Mexico City that was held last fall, and she was out in the hinterlands of the U.S. doing a first lady-type task such as visiting a daycare while the big boys played ball. It appears she wasn't invited. Whatever is going on, don't expect substance for this. All that will come of it is a reminder that Harris has failed to solve the U.S. border crisis, which last year saw a record 2 million 'encounters' from illegals rolling on into the U.S. Now she's going to solve Ukraine? Given her record, one can safely expect that she will leave Europe, and the Ukraine border, less safe than she found it. Image: Screen shot from CBS News video, via YouTube A year ago, America lost one of its foremost thinkers and broadcasters of the 20th and early 21st centuries. The man was Rush Hudson Limbaugh. Rush was truly a pioneer of this time. When he started his radio show, there was no Fox News, there were none of the right-leaning portals, and there were no YouTube channels. All "conservatives" in the media were of the vanilla variety i.e., they were apologetic, embarrassed, defensive, and awkwardly giggling when mocked by liberals. These "conservatives" were allowed a place in the media only to be made to look like what you do not want to be i.e., the "uncool" ones. But it took one sole step to begin a great journey, and that is exactly what Limbaugh did during the late '80s. The rest, as they say, is history. Rush's audience grew, and soon he was the Emperor of Radio. It has to be remembered that unlike other radio shows that had a team of cheerleaders and contrived characters on the air to keep matters engaging, Rush's show was only him talking to the audience. This wasn't a radio show host broadcasting; it almost was like a friend talking to you. It was rip-roaringly hilarious and entertaining to begin, and once you were connected, there was a great deal to learn. Rush didn't spoon-feed you he taught you how to think. Rush managed to convey what conservatism is about to a mass audience much better than any teacher ever could. Rush was among the few to remind the people that being conservative is a natural human choice. Rush was one of those who very early on saw through the phoniness and the pretentiousness of self-righteous liberals. He understood perfectly that issues such as global warming and climate change were mere excuses for government to grow bigger and to interfere in the lives of others. He saw, much before anybody did, how the left was going to use identity politics to divide and conquer, and the deleterious effects it would have on the nation. He also warned about educational institutions being hijacked by the left to indoctrinate impressionable young minds. Despite his larger-than-life reputation, Rush also had a sensitive side. That sensitivity was most evident when, during his final days of broadcasting, he spoke about the heartbreak he felt when he saw many establishments forcibly closed by the government due to COVID-19. He often spoke about the myriad dreams that may have been destroyed as a result of this. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he dealt with it with a great sense of humor. He confided with his audience about the facts but never wallowed in self-pity. There was a lot to learn from those poignant moments. Any other individual would have given up and chosen to lead his last few months in leisurely fashion. But not Rush. For him, being on the radio wasn't a job; it was a passion, and he did it as long as he had the energy to do it. It could be argued that Rush functioned as the opposition to the Democrats when the likes of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were in office and Washington Republicans were often too scared to take on the establishment. Quite often, when the GOP, as they always do, began to feel this urge to "reach across the aisle," which is a euphemism for giving up their principles, Rush would step in to remind them and the viewers of what conservatism stands for. Because Rush was the first among the contrarian voices to cause an impact and challenge the groupthink, he was perhaps the first to be targeted as a racist, sexist, xenophobe, and myriad other varieties of bigot. Those pejorative epithets may have been rendered meaningless in current times owing to their gratuitous use. Back then, though, they meant something. It must be remembered that Rush was all by himself, usually, as he battled his haters. It goes without saying that Rush Limbaugh laid the foundation upon which Donald J. Trump stood and became president. Rush was among the few to totally understand all that Trump stood for and Trump's brilliant sense of humor. He understood the bond that Trump had with his supporters. It was Rush who understood that the Democrats would continue their unprecedented and unhinged campaign against Trump even after he had entered the White House. It was Rush who comprehended that there was not much difference between establishment Republicans and Democrats in Washington. It was Rush who knew that there was no difference between the Democrats in the media and the Democrats in politics. Rush had also predicted Biden ending up a puppet in the White House. There were occasions where Rush served as a guide to the Trump presidency, being a great explainer of how Trump approached issues. There was nothing better than to hear Rush laugh as they played sound bites of Trump mocking his opponents and for Rush to add to the hilarity. We are living in the age of overstatement. Words such as pioneer, trailblazer, irreplaceable, and unique are tossed around without much thought. But in Rush's case, he was all that and so much more. He was one of the foremost conservative thinkers. He was quite easily the finest broadcaster around who could merely by his voice cause theatre of the mind. What he could do with his words and his voice was the equivalent of the greatest epic films. He was also one of the finest entertainers the U.S. has ever produced and a fine mimic. There are few who captured the essence of Bill Clinton the way Rush did. In fact, the vast library of thought he has left can be referred to and will provide insight into current madness. There is so much he achieved that cannot be covered in just a few paragraphs. Rush should have received all the awards for his talent, which he always said was on loan from God, but the self-appointed liberal custodians of taste and ability would never allow that. It was therefore heartwarming to see Rush Limbaugh receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, conferred upon him by President Trump. Being ignored by the establishment and its awards no longer mattered. It is one of his country's highest honors, and he deserved it. Sadly, it was among his last public appearances. When someone as impactful and brilliant as Rush Limbaugh passes away, one is left in disbelief. How could death forever silence a voice that enthralled and educated us for decades? One cannot help wonder about the possibilities that never happened. His already huge audience would have grown astronomically larger. Perhaps he would have written more books. Perhaps he would have collaborated in media beyond the radio. Perhaps there would have been a President Limbaugh? While Rush Limbaugh's passing still causes unspeakable sadness among his listeners, we must remember to celebrate his life and legacy. We must keep fighting the good fight against the tyranny of the left. Rush would have wanted nothing less. Image: Screen shot from PBS video via shareable YouTube. DUBLIN, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Irish government will continue to support the financial services sector, Prime Minister Micheal Martin said here Thursday. Ireland is a global center for financial services, the fifth largest exporter of financial services in Europe and the eighth largest in the world, Martin told a financial forum. Over 1,000 people from across the world, including international and Irish industry executives, policy makers, regulators and thought leaders, attended the half-day European Financial Forum 2022 which was held virtually. The financial services sector is an important pillar of the Irish economy, directly employing over 50,000 people in Ireland, said Martin. This means nearly one in every hundred people in Ireland is working in the financial services sector. The prime minister said Ireland has been home to 14 of the top 15 global banks, 11 of the top 15 global insurers and 14 of the top 15 global aircraft leaders. Justin Trudeau has ordered the seizure of all assets, the freezing of bank accounts, and the cancelation of credit cards for all persons identified by the government to be either directly or indirectly participating in, or supporting, the truckers who are protesting his vaccine mandate. In short, those Canadians exercising their right to assemble and speak freely in opposition to their government's policies will no longer be allowed to even buy food, pay rent, or otherwise provide for their families. And all this is in addition to their being arrested and forfeiting their trucks to the Crown. Their crime? Nothing more than their disagreeing with certain policies of Trudeau. Apparently, they feel strongly that it is their right to be able to make their own health care decisions independent of any coercion from their government. From one perspective, one could say this impasse is about a vaccine. But is it really? If this were all about the health of people, why would Trudeau want to risk some of his citizens being injured and perhaps even shot if they resist...all in order to protect their health? Hardly is this a political strategy easily explained from a public health perspective. Thus, perhaps a more accurate perspective would hold that the protest sanctions are truly being imposed to punish the truckers for their refusal to obey Trudeau. Their protests, in essence, challenge his power, and that power is to inviolate at least, in the mind of elitists like Trudeau. Meanwhile, the people in charge in New Zealand have warned vaccine mandate protesters in that country that if they don't obey, the military will soon be called in to enforce the government's totalitarian edict. Imagine...if they don't let their government protect their health, their government is willing to shoot them, provided that starving them and their families to death doesn't work first. Given these human rights atrocities in the works, the question now before the eyes of the world is not whether this is tyranny. It is, how will the protesters in these countries respond to the tyranny now being displayed before the world? Will they stand firm and resist the theft of their liberties, come what may? Or will they bend their knees and submit to the tyrants who are now staring them in the face? If they choose the latter course in the hope that things will eventually get better with the passage of time, they will do well to remind themselves of one inescapable historical fact: tyrannies that go unchallenged rarely if ever voluntarily choose to change course and gratuitously improve the lot of those they have been allowed to oppress. If the option were available to protesters, it would no doubt facilitate the making of this decision were they able to ask the survivors of the Holocaust how it worked out for their friends and families who at one time thought their compliance and submission to the edicts of Hitler would gain them some favor by his regime. Indeed, submissive compliance was the thought of many in Germany prior to World War II, and it supplanted their desire to resist the evils descending upon them. In fact, even in the early years of the war, it was a thought many clung to...right up to the point when they disembarked from the trains that delivered them to places like Auschwitz. Whatever people like the Canadian truckers decide to do, one can only hope they are aware that people like them in countries around the whole world are watching...and, while holding their breath, are awaiting their decision. The prayers of many are being lifted up around the world! May the truckers be afforded the wisdom to choose wisely perhaps like the one courageous Canadian trucker who today responded to Trudeau by saying: Come, take my truck. Do whatever you gotta do. The truck is just a material possession. Freedom is something so much more than that. So, take my possessions, put me in jail, sue me ... do whatever you gotta do. Would that courage such as his be contagious. Clifford C. Nichols is an attorney and the author of A Barrister's Tales and The Declaration of Liberty (2021 A.D.) and a contributing editor at The Declaration Report. A former research associate at The Heritage Foundation, he is a graduate of UCLA and Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law. Image via Pxhere. Many personal disputes in the past have been settled by one-to-one combat. When a crime was committed, or a complainant accused a person of a crime and there were no witnesses or a confession, the court allowed the two parties to legally settle their difference with a duel. The winner of the fight was proclaimed to be right. This archaic law remained in use throughout the European Middle Ages, gradually falling out of favor in the course of the 16th century. The medieval method of trial by battle was almost forgotten, until Abraham Thornton, who was accused of rape and murder, tried to invoke it more than two hundreds years after the last judicial battle took place. A trial by combat taking place in Augsburg in 1409, between Marshal Wilhelm von Dornsberg and Theodor Haschenacker. The Ashford v Thornton became a landmark case and a topic of discussion not only in the cottage, but in the drawing room, among companies consisting of both sexes, wrote Revered Luke Booker. There has probably been no case in criminal records of this country, during the present century, that has attracted so universally the public attention, claimed a British historian. The details of the case are as follows: On 26 May 1817, Mary Ashford, a 20-year-old general servant and housekeeper, attended a dance at the Tyburn House in Warwickshire. Also in attendance was 24 years old Abraham Thornton, the son of a builder from Castle Bromwich. During his trial, various witness described him as a well-looking young fellow. Others found him to be of repulsive appearance. Throughout the evening, Thornton showered Mary with attention, and she also appeared to enjoy his company. During this time, someone overheard Thornton using gross and obscene language, and boasting that he had been intimate with her sister many times, and would also be intimate with Mary. Around midnight, Mary was seen leaving with Thornton, accompanied by her friend Hannah Cox, who walked behind them. Instead of returning to Erdington, where she lived, Mary announced that she would go to her grandfather's house, which was closer to work, and Hannah and Mary parted ways. Just before 4 AM, Hannah was awakened by Mary who had come to collect her work clothes. Mary changed and hurried off, stating she needed to be home before her uncle left for market. She was last seen alive, walking towards her home, by a reveler returning from Tyburn House. At around 6 AM in the morning, her body was discovered in a water-filled pit. Police found a series of footprints on showing that a man and a woman had travelled together almost up to the pit, and that the man returned alone. Examination of the cadaver revealed that Mary had been violated. Thornton was immediately arrested, but he denied the accusation. The footprint of his shoes was taken and they matched those in the crime scene. Searching about his body revealed bloodstains in his underclothing. Mary was menstruating at the time of her rape and death. Thornton admitted having sex with Mary, but that it was consensual. Although the local opinion was heavily against Thornton, the prosecution was unable to build up a strong case against him, and Thornton was let free on account of insufficient evidence. Marys brother William Ashford was enraged at the verdict. In fact, the entire town was outraged at Thorntons acquittal. Newspapers across the country published letters from citizens being openly hostile towards Thornton. Soon funds were raised and William Ashford filed an appeal for retrial. Appearing at the Kings Bench, when asked to plead, Thornton threw down a leather glove before the accuser and responded, "Not guilty, and I am ready to defend the same with my body. William refused to accept the challenge. William's council stated that Ashford was young and lacked bodily strength to wage a battle against a better-built man such as Thornton, and that the court shouldnt entertain Thorntons call for a trial by battle, to which the Lord Chief Justice Lord Ellenborough replied, It is the law of England. At subsequent hearings the judges decided that the evidence against Thornton wasnt strong enough to oust his right to battle. Lord Ellenborough admitted that however obnoxious I am myself to the trial by battle, it is the mode of trial which we, in our judicial character, are bound to award. Lord Ellenborough concluded: The general law of this land is in favour of the wager of battle, and it is our duty to pronounce the law as it is, and not as we may wish it to be. Whatever prejudices may exist therefore against this mode of trial, still as it is the law of the land, the Court must pronounce judgment for it. Because William Ashford refused to fight, Thornton was a ruled a winner and the case was dismissed, and Thornton was freed. The following year, Lord Eldon, the Lord Chancellor introduced a bill to abolish private appeals following acquittals and to abolish trial by battle. The bill was passed by the parliament in haste. Abraham Thornton tried to return back to life, but found the general dislike in which he was held unbearable. He moved to the United States, got married, had children and died an obscure death sometime around 1860. William Ashford died in 1867 at the age of seventy. (Image source from: Thehansindia.com) Karnataka Hijab Issue Enters Into Andhra Pradesh:- The Hijab issue has been creating tremors in Karnataka and the educational institutions are shut till the situations calm down. The issue is in the High Court of Karnataka. After Karnataka, the issue now reached Andhra Pradesh after some of the students of the Andhra Loyola College have been denied entry into the premises of the college for wearing a hijab. The students were left in shock as they revealed that they were going to college in hijab or burqa from the past one year. The students were also allocated ID cards with burqa. Father Kishore, the Principal of the Andhra Loyola College found some Muslim girls wearing burqa and he objected the students from entering into the college. The elders of the family members of the girls who came to know about the issue reached the college premises and initiate talks with the management. The issue was closed after the talks ended up on a positive note. The District Collector issued the orders to the College Principal. Soon, the college students were allowed to enter into the classroom. After Karnataka, the issue reached Madhya Pradesh and Puducherry. Agrani Government Autonomous PG College in Datia district of Madhya Pradesh released a circular about wearing burqa. In Puducherry, the incident took place in a government school in Ariyankuppam. (Video Source: Hmtv News) Samsung is rapidly seeding the February 2022 Android security patch to its US-bound Galaxy smartphones. The Galaxy Note 10 series was the first to receive the new security update in the US. The rollout for the 2019 S Pen-wielding flagships began in the first week of this month. Several more devices are now picking up the latest SMR (security maintenance release). Namely, the Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S21 FE, Galaxy S20 FE, Galaxy Z Fold 2, and the Galaxy Z Flip 5G. Starting with the Galaxy Note 9, the four-year-old Samsung flagship is receiving the new SMR on both unlocked and carrier-locked variants. The updated firmware versions for the two variants are N960U1UES9FVB1 and N960USQS9FVB2 respectively. The OTA (over the air) update is available on all major wireless carriers in the US. The Galaxy S21 FE, which went official last month after multiple delays, is also now receiving the February security update stateside. The new patch is currently available to the carrier-locked variants of the phone (SM-G990U) and comes with firmware version G990USQS2BVA4. The unlocked variants of the new affordable Galaxy flagship should also soon pick up the latest SMR. Advertisement For the Galaxy S20 FE, the new update is currently rolling out to users of unlocked variants. The update bumps the firmware version of the phone to G781U1UES6EVB1. The rollout has already hit almost all US carriers, SamMobile has confirmed. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is also receiving the February update on unlocked variants. The new firmware version for the 2020 Samsung foldable is F916U1UEU2FVAB. Users on all wireless carriers in the country should be able to download the OTA update over the next few days. Lastly, the latest security update is rolling out to the carrier-locked variants of Samsungs Galaxy Z Flip 5G. Currently available to users on Sprint and T-Mobiles networks, the update comes with firmware version F707USQS2EVB1. Unlocked variants should also soon join the party. Advertisement Samsung releases February update to a bunch of US-bound Galaxy smartphones Samsung has significantly improved its software game in recent years. Not only is the company promising longer software support for its devices up to four years of Android OS updates and five years of security updates but it also now releases new updates much faster than it did a few years ago. An improved pace means the US-bound units, which are usually late to the software update party, are now receiving the latest updates faster. At times, ahead of their international counterparts. Samsung deserves some praise for this. If youre rocking any of the aforementioned Galaxy smartphones in the US, the latest update should be available to you anytime now if it hasnt already. Be on the lookout for a notification for the OTA update. You can also manually check for the update from the Settings app on your phone. Scroll down to the Software update menu and tap Download and install. Robotics expert obode just announced the launch of P8, a next-generation smart robot vacuum & mopping for automated floor cleaning for the entire home. Featuring mop pads self-cleaning with the cleaning agent, LDS intelligent navigation, smart automatic water replenishment and customizable app. The P8 is available now. P8 is a vacuum mop combo robot with the ability to self-clean its mopping pads to prevent mold and bad smells. As the ultimate all-in-one floor cleaning solution with 3 modes for sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, and combination cleaning. P8 is equipped with double-spin mops and a heavy-duty vacuum motor with 2000pa of suction power, and the smart lifting roller brush can be raised to 7mm during its mopping motion. The system easily picks up debris and hair from both hard floors and carpets. P8 uses an advanced ultrasonic sensor to determine surface types and apply the proper vacuuming, mopping, edge cleaning, and full mapping as needed. It moves seamlessly across the room, and intelligently switches between sweeping and mopping for safe, effective cleaning of any floor type. Many people have made the move to robotic vacuum cleaners for home convenience. However, over the past few years, technologies such as robotic navigation and surface sensors have greatly advanced. For P8, we applied these next-gen technologies to create the ultimate robot vacuum cleaner with mopping functions. The result is the most advanced multi-surface floor cleaning device with superior mapping, intelligent surface identification and multi-mode cleaning for all household floors. P8 intelligently cleans and features programmable functions that take the hassle out of household chores. It efficiently and thoroughly keeps your floors clean so that you dont have to. Its the perfect addition to the modern home. Yuan Chen, founder of obode. Advertisement P8 uses the sixth-generation navigation algorithm is combined with ToF Lidar and more than 30 sets of navigation sensors to achieve centimeter-level high-speed mapping to avoid obstacles and barriers as it determines the most efficient and effective cleaning route through the home. With a 6200mAh battery built-in, P8 is capable of up to 2.5 hours of continuous cleaning, enough to do the entire house, before it automatically returns to base for recharging. P8 is also equipped with 4.6L and 4.7L water tanks. One for dirty, one for freshwater. For superior cleaning, P8 has a backwashing mopping cloth with the cleaning agent to prevent secondary smudging and automatically returns to the base to clean and hot dry the mop to disinfect it after each cleaning session. Convenient control of the P8 is achieved with voice commands via Alexa or Google Home and the system has the obode Life app for scheduling, customized cleaning, setting virtual no-go zones, and Do-not-disturb modes. P8 is available now for sale with special deals and pricing for early adopters, just click the link below: Advertisement https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/obodep8/obode-p8-2-in-1-smart-self-cleaning-cleaner About obode Obode is an AIoT technology eco-brand that brings the future to busy, trendy working-age people to give them more freedom and a positive living environment. At home, in the world around them, with smart, stylish, easy to use AIoT products. We aim to help people reclaim their time, using smart technology that cares for their world and enhances their lifestyle. Advertisement https://obodetech.com/ About Midea Robozone Technology Robozone is a high-tech company focusing on Artificial Intelligence, Smart Robot products, and Smart Solutions. Based in Suzhou, with R&D centers in the US and China, Robozone has a multi-brand portfolio including Midea and obode covering 100+ global markets. Robozone Technology is a subsidiary of Midea Group. 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* ATHENS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- An Italian-flagged ferry with 288 people on board caught fire Friday while sailing through the Mediterranean's Ionian Sea, said the Greek port police. The cruise ship was carrying 237 passengers and 51 crew members, said the Greek coastguard. One person got respiratory problems and was transferred to a local hospital, reported the Greek national broadcaster ERT. Police said three tug boats and three patrol boats have been sent to help passengers. All passengers aboard the ship, Euroferry Olympia, heading to Italy from Greece, have been rescued, according to the Greek radio station Skai. They were being transported to the nearby Greek island of Corfu, said the Greek coastguard. The cause of the fire is under investigation. (ANSA) - ROME, FEB 18 - A 24-year-old Umbrian man set out Friday to cycle the world's longest road from the southern tip of Africa to the easternmost point in Asia. Lorenzo Barone, from San Gemini near Terni, flew his bike and 15kg of material from Fiumicino to South Africa, where he will set out from Agulhas on the 29,000 km trek to Dezhnev in Russia. He will rise through Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, where he will sail to Turkey, cross Georgia and arrive in Russia. The tour will touch three continents, 12 countries and as many time zones for a total duration of around one year and two months, involving a thermal excursion of around 110 degrees C, from +50 in Africa to -60 in Russia. "Technically I'm sure it is a feasible journey, because I have already experienced all the conditions that I will find," Barone told ANSA. "My main concern is what I will find, also at a political level, in Africa, a continent I don't know very well. "But that's the beauty of the adventure, putting yourself to the test and facing what you don't know. "Furthermore, I'll have to see if my head will be able to last such a long time travelling, far from my home and my wife Aygul, whom I met in Russia". So far in his career Barone has ridden across 43 countries. Between 2020 and 2021 he travelled across the freezing wastes of Siberia at the coldest time of the year, and then the world's most northern road, still in Siberia". (ANSA). Bashagha's appointment as PM 'dubious', says ECFR analyst 'Only president can appoint PM, speaker Saleh pushed it through' (ANSAmed) - CAIRO, FEB 18 - Tarek Megerisi, an expert on Libyan affairs, wrote in a piece for the European Council of Foreign Relations (ECFR) detailing problems with the appointment of Fathi Bashagha as prime minister of Libya. "On 10 February, almost 50 days after Libya was scheduled to hold a general election, a new 'prime minister' held a press conference upon his arrival in Tripoli. There was only one problem: he had not actually been elected, as the vote never happened," Megerisi noted. He added that "the process was fraught with improprieties. The idea was fundamentally flawed given that, legally, it is the president who appoints the prime minister. And potential candidates for the role were forcibly prevented from travelling to Tobruk (where the parliament is based) to submit their applications. Saleh announced just minutes before the vote that Khaled Bibas, Bashagha's sole competitor, was withdrawing from the race - a claim Bibas denied. Finally, the vote itself was over in seconds, with Saleh arguing that there had been unanimous support for Bashagha. The votes were never counted. And there was no guarantee of a quorum, as MPs reportedly left the session as the vote was called." (ANSAmed). ROME - Nine agencies specialised in environmentally friendly issues from Italy, France, Greece, Spain, Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan, and Lebanon have teamed up to find innovative solutions and tools to reduce energy consumption in public buildings. This is the driving idea behind the SEACAP 4 SDG project, which focuses on energy efficiency in the buildings of the Mediterranean basin, including associations from European, African, and Middle Eastern countries. For Italy, the Neapolitan Energy and Environment Agency (ANEA) is taking part. It is the only Italian partner of the EU-funded SEACAP 4 SDG, which has officially begun in recent days. The nine countries are trying to share economically advantageous approaches for energy use, integrating access to sustainable energy, climate action plans, and innovative support mechanisms for cities. The SEACAP 4 SDG project will work on the results of 14 already financed projects, identifying the characteristics to transfer and the acquired knowledge to maximise the effectiveness of energy refurbishment strategies adapted to local Mediterranean specificities. "These outputs and outcomes will be implemented in 9 cities around the Mediterranean, selected using an approach developed under of the European City Facility initiative. Considering the Covid-19 pandemic and the global economic downturn, the project will focus primarily on education and health buildings," the ENI CBC Med website states. The 18-month project has a budget of 1 million euros and is coordinated by France's Euromed Cities Network/Nice Cote d'Azur Metropolis. The team consists of: Euromed Cities Network / Nice Cote d'Azur Metropolis - France, Mediterranean Renewable Energy Centre (MEDREC) - Tunisia, University of Patras - Greece, Naples Agency for Energy and Environment (ANEA) - Italy, Institut Valencia de l'Edificacio (IVE)- Spain, Institut de Recerca en Energia de Catalunya (IREC) - Spain, Royal Scientific Society (National Energy Research Center (NERC) - Jordan, Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC) - Lebanon, and Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) - Egypt. ROME - "There were very high flames and panic onboard," passengers from Grimaldi's Euroferry Olympia ferry told Italian Financial Police (GdF) after the latter rescued them. "The commander of the ferry, when the fire broke out, went around the cabins and gathered the passengers on a single deck," GdF patrol boat commander Felice Lodovico Simone Cicchetti told ANSA. "Then they left the ferry, but the evacuation was difficult." Greek authorities were the ones to request assistance from the GdF patrol boat, at around 4 AM on Friday morning, to evacuate those trapped onboard the Grimaldi ship in flames. The patrol boat was at that time around 11 miles from Corfu and was assisting another vessel experiencing difficulty sailing towards Milos. Once at the location, the GdF used two boats to evacuate those onboard: 243, including both crew members and passengers. Another 34 people were instead recovered by a Greek Coast Guard patrol boat. The fire was fully extinguished and all the passengers and crew members were on Friday morning on the Greek island of Corfu. One of the people who had been onboard fell slightly ill. Three injured in blaze on Italian ferry off Greece 14 missing, 5 of them located says Grimaldi line (ANSAmed) - ROME, FEB 18 - Greek officials said Friday that at least three people had been injured after a blaze broke out on an Italian ferry, the Grimaldi Lines Euroferry Olympia, close to the island of Corfu. Close to 300 people who were on board the ship were evacuated. Leonidas Roumbatis, the director of Corfu hospital, told Greek public television ERT that two passengers had been hospitalized as a precautionary measure with minor injuries and a 42-year-old crew member was suffering respiratory problems. Two Bulgarian drivers who were not evacuated and had been reported missing have been located, sources said. Grimaldi is organizing their evacuation. The company was checking its passenger and crew list after a Greek TV channel, Skai, reported that 14 people were unaccounted for. Grimaldi confirmed that 14 people were missing, but said that five of them have been located and were in the process of being rescued. Gruppo Grimald said "rescue and evacuation operations started immediately with all means available at the scene". The blaze is thought to have started in the hold of the ship, which was carrying lorries and their drivers. Most of the people on board, 242, were rescued by an Italian Finance Police vessel that was in the area for a separate operation. President Sergio Mattarella on Friday called Finance Police Commander Giuseppe Zafarana to thank the force for the rescue. Finance police officers reported that the rescued passengers said was there was panic aboard the ship because "the flames were really high". "When the fire broke out, the ship's commander went around the cabins and brought the passengers together on a single deck," Felice Lodovico Simone Cicchetti, the commander of the finance police vessel, told ANSA. "Then he gave the order to abandon ship, but the evacuation wasn't a stroll in the park". Grimaldi said the fire had not caused fuel to pour into the sea. (ANSAmed). (ANSAmed) - ATHENS, 18 FEB - Greece has once again moved quickly to reject claims that the government has been involved in alleged so-called "pushbacks", of migrants in the Aegean Sea. According to reports in The Guardian and Der Spiegel the deaths of two African migrants, from Cameroon and Ivory Coast, last September was a result of pushbacks taking place.The reports claimed that the two migrants arrived in the eastern Aegean island of Samos last September from Kusadasi in Turkey but instead of being given the chance to apply for asylum, they were arrested by people who said they were police. They were then allegedly transported, along with another person, out to the open sea by a speedboat and thrown into the water. While one of the men managed to swim to the Turkish shores, the other two men were found dead, drowned, off the coast of Aydin province. But Greece's Minister of Migration and Asylum released a strongly-worded media statement in response to the claims. "Turkish-driven propaganda about illegal migration means that false stories frequently appear in the media. Greece protects the external borders of the European Union, in full compliance with international law and in full respect of the charter of fundamental rights," said Mitarakis. He added: "Obviously national independent authorities investigate all claims to the contrary, but when these authorities request further information and evidence from the authors of such reports they refuse to provide it. In the absence of action by the Turkish authorities, the Hellenic Coastguard continues to save the lives of thousands of men, women and children at sea every year. Between 2015 and 2021 the Hellenic Coastguard came to the rescue of more than 230,000 third country nationals who were in danger at sea. Greece is not against legal migration; we are against the traffickers and all those who exploit human suffering either for profit or for political purposes." The media statement also said that in the last seven years alone, "Greece has provided safe harbour for over one million people''. Putting that into context, that figure is over 10% of the country's entire population. This is hardly the first time that Greece has been prompted to react to claims in the media about pushbacks. It continues to be an extremely thorny issue, especially for Greek-Turkish relations. Only last week, the two countries were embroiled in a war of words over the deaths of 12 migrants at the northern land border near Ipsala. Greece's government vehemently denied the claims made by Turkey that the deaths at the border area between the two countries was a result of alleged illegal pushbacks made by Greek border guards. Then Mitarakis had dismissed the accusations made by Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, who via a post on Twitter said the 12 people who died froze to death, and that they were part of a larger group of 22 people who were stripped of their shoes and clothing by Greek border security. While he did not specify the nationality of the migrants, Soylu shared blurred out photographs of eight of the recovered bodies, including three men who were in shorts and T-shirts. "The death of 12 migrants on the Turkish border near Ipsala is a tragedy. But the truth behind this incident bears no resemblance to the false propaganda pushed out by my counterpart Minister, Mr. Soylu," Mitarakis said last week. He added: "These migrants never made it to the border. Any suggestion they did, or indeed were pushed back into Turkey is utter nonsense. Rather than pushing out unfounded claims Turkey needs to live up to its obligations and work to prevent these dangerous journeys at source. And, instead of blaming others, Turkey must accept their responsibilities if we are to prevent such tragedies from happening again." In the past year, the Turkish government has repeatedly accused Greece of pushing back asylum seekers, which would be in clear violation of international law and human rights. Several NGOs have also made statements claiming that Greece, with help from the EU, is trying to keep migrants away from entering Greek waters, and even of returning migrants to Turkish waters. However, there have also been counterclaims, saying Turkey moves migrants it intercepts in its own waters to Greek waters. The EU has also voiced concern over allegations of such pushbacks at sea, but in a series of investigations, Brussels has exonerated its Frontex agency from any complicity in the alleged pushbacks. Both the Greek and the Turkish government have repeatedly denied conducting such pushback tactics. (ANSAmed). TUNIS - "Africa belongs to Africans" and "the money and assets stolen must be returned to the continent's populations, who are suffering from difficult economic, social and political conditions", Tunisian president Kais Saied told state news agency TAP on the sidelines of his participation in Brussels in the 6th European Union-African Union summit. Saied stressed the need to build relations between the AU and EU countries on the basis of new criteria based on equality, openness, and transparency, starting from the will to know the truth and obtain fair justice. Saied also raised doubts about the "reasons for the concerns of some countries when we are dealing with the truth", noting that some "dare to interfere in the affairs of others and speak about fair justice and independence of the judiciary while they cover up the crimes and looting of people's assets". The Tunisian president then underscored the need to deal with the true causes of the deterioration of living conditions in Africa. The sixth EU-AU summit began Thursday in Brussels and will continue Friday, with the participation of about 50 heads of state and government of both continents. ROME, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- A copy of the famed Mona Lisa portrait that has been part of the collection of the lower house of Italy's parliament since 1927, is being held up as a possible product from the workshop of Renaissance Maestro Leonardo Da Vinci -- possibly even bearing the brushstrokes of Leonardo himself. Leonardo's Mona Lisa, the iconic masterwork that is one of the centerpieces of the Louvre Museum in Paris, is among the world's most famous paintings. Many copies of the painting exist, but in recent days speculation has begun to arise that Leonardo may have had a hand in this specific copy. "This is a copy of the painting that is in the Louvre," Member of parliament Francesco D'Uva told Italian reporters this week. "It was made by Leonardo's workshop, perhaps even with Leonardo's collaboration." Meanwhile, Claudio Strinati, an author and art historian, called the theory that the painting could have been produced by Leonardo's studio "plausible." Other observers quoted in the Italian media were less certain of the painting's origins, arguing it is too unrefined to be the work of Leonardo. A parliamentary press official told Xinhua Friday that the painting would be submitted for a more detailed analysis by art experts in order to shed more light on its origins over the coming months. The Chamber of Deputies has owned the painting for nearly a century. The provable ownership lineage of the painting can be traced back to the 16th century, which could line up with the lifetime of Leonardo, who died in France in 1519. However much of a longshot, if it is proven that the painting does indeed come from Leonardo's workshop including possible input from Leonardo, it would be an extraordinary development, analysts say. Motorists who bought a new car between 2005 and 2015 could soon be entitled to automatically receive a payout from five of the worlds biggest shipping companies in a 150 million legal case. The Competition Appeal Tribunal in London has ruled that a collective proceedings order (CPO) can be launched on behalf of UK consumers and businesses, which would see payouts on about 17 million vehicles. Mark McLaren, formerly of consumer group Which?, argued successfully that a class action suit should proceed, which means anyone who bought an affected car will be automatically entitled to compensation. A judgment was handed down on Friday afternoon. The companies are accused of setting up cartels to inflate charges for shipping during nine years. If found in breach of competition laws, they could have to pay out 150 million to thousands of car buyers. Bosses have already admitted to officials at the European Commission that the cartels existed, leading to a fine of nearly 400 million euros (340 million), but now they face payouts to motorists in the UK. Mr McLaren said: The CPO is a crucial step in our case, and we are delighted at the CATs decision to authorise our claim to move forward. We look forward to securing compensation for the millions of UK consumers impacted by the cartelists illegal behaviour Law firm Scott+Scott UK has been instructed with funding from Woodsford Litigation Funding, a leading litigation funder. David Scott, of Scott+Scott UK, said: This is an important judgment for class members, but also for the UK collective actions regime as a whole. When granting the collective proceedings order, the Tribunal correctly noted that collective proceedings such as this claim are important for ensuring that wrongdoers like the shipping companies modify their behaviour. The five companies are MOL, K Line, NYK, WWL/EUKOR and CSAV. If the next stage in the legal process is successful, motorists could be due a refund of around 60 per vehicle leased or bought, and it affects 80% of all new car and van sales in the UK. Investigations and hearings over the cartels have already taken place in Australia, China, Japan, the US, Brazil and South Africa, among others with fines handed out in excess of 755 million dollars (591 million). Customers affected include those who bought from Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Peugeot, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota, Citroen and Renault between October 2006 and September 2015. Robert Pattinson has revealed he originally tried doing a different voice when playing Batman but was told to stop because it was absolutely atrocious. The 35-year-old actor, who stars in the new film directed by Matt Reeves, said he had wanted to do the opposite of the caped crusaders famous gruff, gravelly tones. The highly anticipated film, The Batman, is due to be released next month and also stars Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman and Paul Dano as mysterious villain the Riddler. The highly anticipated film is due to be released next month and also stars Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman (Matt Crossick/PA) Speaking to American talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, Pattinson said that while wearing the famous suit it was necessary to speak in a certain way. Everyone does this kind of gruff, gravelly thing, and Im like, Im going to do the opposite, Im gonna go really whispery, he said. I tried to do it for the first two weeks, and it just looked absolutely atrocious, and they told me to stop doing it. He added that he was not the first actor in the role to attempt to change from the vocal tradition. Thats what Christian Bale did on Batman Begins as well, he said If you listen to the first Batman Begins teaser trailer, you can hear the original voice. I only found this out a couple of weeks ago. Pattinson, who rose to fame as vampiric heart-throb Edward Cullen in the Twilight films saga, said he had received practical advice from his predecessor. The one piece of advice Christian Bale gave Robert Pattinson #TheBatman pic.twitter.com/sFFtNFHwpB Jimmy Kimmel Live (@JimmyKimmelLive) February 17, 2022 He told Kimmel: I bumped into Christian Bale next door at a urinal and I guess that kind of inspired him to say the first thing you need to do in the batsuit is figure out a way to pee. So I went into the costume department and was like First things first I need a patch, I need a flap on the back. As well as Bale, Pattinson follows in footsteps of George Clooney and Ben Affleck, who have all portrayed the famous character over the years, and was given the opportunity to try on the previous actors batsuits prior to filming. He added that the film brought his girlfriend, Suki Waterhouse, to tears. The Batman will be released in UK cinemas on March 4. The British embassy in Kyiv has been temporarily relocated as international anxiety about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to fester. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has announced that UK officials will temporarily relocate from the Ukraine capital to Lviv in the west of the country. It comes amid growing concern that Russia could invade Ukraine, with reports of 150,000 of Moscows troops situated at the border and warnings from the US that an attack could be only days away. President Joe Biden said on Friday that the White House has reason to believe Russian forces intend to attack Ukraine in the coming days, including targeting Kyiv. Mr Biden said he was convinced Russian president Vladimir Putin had made the decision to move troops across the border. #Ukraine Temporary relocation of British Embassy and updated travel information (Summary and Returning to the UK pages). https://t.co/BnntcqOyc9 pic.twitter.com/qi1YrvMlr9 FCDO Travel Advice (@FCDOtravelGovUK) February 18, 2022 The UK Foreign Office, announcing the decision to move Ukraine-based diplomats to Lviv, near the border with Poland, said in a statement posted on Gov.uk: The British embassy office in Kyiv is temporarily relocating. Embassy staff are operating from the British embassy office in Lviv. The Foreign Office is also advising against all but essential travel to Belarus a close ally of Russia and the Transnistria region, an unrecognised breakaway state within Moldova, which both neighbour Ukraine. British nationals in Ukraine continue to be urged to leave while commercial routes out are still available. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will head to Germany on Saturday to join world leaders at the Munich Security Conference, where he is expected to push for unity among western nations in their approach to punishing the Kremlin should it order Russian forces into Ukraine. The summit will take place against the backdrop of Mr Putin continuing to parade Russias military might. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to fly to Germany to take part in the Munich Security Conference on Saturday (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The Russian defence ministry has announced it will be carrying out fresh exercises on Saturday involving its strategic nuclear forces. Mr Putin will observe the drills involving multiple practice launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in a demonstration that Russia remains a nuclear superpower. The Russian leader has insisted that the large-scale military exercises with Belarusian forces close to the Ukrainian border are purely defensive and do not represent a threat to any other country. Andrei Kelin, the Russian ambassador to the UK, also looked to downplay talk of a conflict breaking out in an interview on Friday, saying he was sure that the war will not happen. Ambassador #Kelin to @TimesRadio: When Joe Biden says that Russia is about to invade Ukraine, he is absolutely wrong. He is trying to instigate Ukraine by supplying weapons. Of course, this backing by US and UK makes them more aggressive. pic.twitter.com/2MnrTosuHU Russian Embassy, UK (@RussianEmbassy) February 18, 2022 He told Times Radio: We are totally sure that absolutely 100% this will not happen. But Mr Kelin hinted that the planned wrap-up of military drills by Sunday was not assured if there were provocations, although he did not state what they could be. However, he said such tensions could be resolved by negotiations rather than fighting. There are concerns among western allies that the Kremlin could use disinformation to justify an offensive, particularly with growing activity in separatist-held areas of Ukraine. UK Security Minister Damian Hinds said allies must be steeled for Moscow to produce some sort of spurious justification for an attack as he told broadcasters there is no sign of Russia withdrawing its armed forces. Intelligence has exposed Russian plans to engineer a pretext for the invasion of Ukraine. We know the Russian Government's playbook. Do not be deceived. We call on Russia to de-escalate, and to engage in meaningful talks.#StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/qrxMKTkANT Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) February 18, 2022 It comes as the UK Government said it had concluded the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) the countrys spy agency had been involved in a cyber attack on the Ukrainian banking sector this week. An FCDO spokesman said the attempts to disrupt Kyivs financial services on February 15 and 16 was yet another example of Russias aggressive acts against Ukraine and called the behaviour unacceptable. In a further sign of escalating tensions within Ukraine, Russian-backed separatist rebels in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions said they were evacuating civilians to Russia. Denish Pushilin, the head of the separatist government in the Donetsk region, said women, children and the elderly will be evacuated first, and that Russia has prepared facilities to accommodate them. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the situation was potentially very dangerous. A strong explosion was also reported on Friday in the centre of the city of Donetsk. There were no immediate details on casualties or where it took place. The conflict between Ukrainian government forces and the separatists erupted in 2014 following the ousting of the pro-Moscow government in Kyiv and has killed more than 14,000 people. A DUP MP has compared the EUs handling of Northern Ireland in the Brexit process to Vladimir Putins annexation of Crimea in Ukraine. Sammy Wilson accused Brussels of annexing the region through the Irish Sea trading arrangements required under the Northern Ireland Protocol. Mr Wilson said UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson should oppose the EUs stance on Northern Ireland as much he is opposing the Russian presidents tactics in Ukraine. Russia annexed Crimea in southern Ukraine in 2014 and has amassed tens of thousands of troops on the Ukraine border in recent weeks amid international concerns that Mr Putin is poised to launch a full-scale military invasion. East Antrim MP Mr Wilson addressed a loyalist demonstration against the protocol in Markethill, Co Armagh, on Friday evening. Despite the blizzard conditions, people from across Northern Ireland attended the rally, with dozens of bands taking part. A loyalist demonstration against the Northern Ireland Protocol in Markethill, Co Armagh (Cate McCurry/PA) The Irish Sea border imposes the will of nationalists on unionists, Mr Wilson said. It trashes the principle of cross-community consent, undermines the Acts of Union and breaches the constitutional settlement in Northern Ireland. Through the Northern Ireland Protocol, the EU in effect is annexing Northern Ireland just as much as President Putin has already annexed part of Ukraine and is seeking to undermine that countrys independence further. The protocol has created new economic barriers on trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. Sammy Wilson (left) and TUV leader Jim Allister (right) at the rally (Cate McCurry/PA) Agreed by the UK and EU to ensure no hardening of the Irish land border post-Brexit, it has instead moved regulatory and customs checks to the Irish Sea, with Northern Ireland remaining in the EU single market for goods. The region also applies the EU customs code at its ports. Unionists and loyalists claim the arrangements have undermined the sovereignty of the UK, but a majority of Assembly members at Stormont support the protocol, claiming it offers Northern Ireland a degree of protection from negative economic consequences of Brexit. The EU and UK continue to negotiate in a bid to agree a way to reduce the bureaucracy associated with the protocol. There has been increased focus on whether any deal would retain the element of the protocol that allows Northern Ireland traders to sell freely within the UK internal market and the EU single market the so-called best of both worlds dual market access. Mr Wilson added: Boris Johnson has rightly led the campaign to stop Putin undermining the democratic wishes of the people of Ukraine, and he has an even greater responsibility as the PM of the UK to prevent the annexation of Northern Ireland by Brussels by revoking the NI Protocol. Make no doubt about it, whilst the protocol damages the economy of Northern Ireland, even more fundamentally it divides us from the country to which we belong, it undermines democracy and imposes foreign rules in this part of the UK. Jim Allister (Cate McCurry/PA) Mr Wilson also called for co-operation between unionists in the campaign against the protocol. His remarks came after Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister raised concerns that the DUP was softening its line on the protocol and was willing to accept arrangements that still treated Northern Ireland differently to the rest of the UK. Mr Wilson said: The threat is so grave it leaves no room for unionists to point-score against each other, to undermine the morale of the unionist population by divisive tactics and words, and it would be the worst disservice any unionist politician could do to make political capital out of this constitutional danger. The interests of our cause will not be served by pointing the finger at each other. This will simply let the rigorous implementers off the hook. We will not remove the border within our own country by putting up barricades within the unionist family. Mr Allister also addressed the rally, saying the protocol issue cannot be fudged. Foreign sovereignty over any part of the UK is incompatible with being an integral part of that kingdom, he said. Thus, any landing ground that leaves us annexed into the EUs single market is not the best of both worlds, but keeps us firmly in the EUs world, with Great Britain designated as a third country, while we are subjected to European Union laws and jurisdiction. Such is a non-starter. Any woolly thinking that you can be part of the EU single market and subject to its customs code while at the same time not be subject to its sovereignty is a dangerous delusion. Thus, any acceptable way forward requires the EU to give up its ill-gotten sovereignty over Northern Ireland. There can be no compromise on this constitutional imperative. This is not a matter to fudge or equivocate over and those who do forfeit the right to expect transfers from anti-protocol unionists (in the Assembly election). FILE PHOTO: EU flags are seen outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels By Francesco Guarascio BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Union is considering new restrictive measures to close loopholes on existing sanctions against Belarus, EU officials and diplomats said, noting the bloc was also working on sanctions if Minsk participated in an invasion of Ukraine. The discussion comes amid concern in Western countries over a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, which could include Russian troops stationed in Belarus. Moscow denies that it is planning an invasion. Amid the growing tensions, the EU last week told non-essential staff to relocate abroad from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, one EU diplomat said, while Ukraine is urging the EU to provide emergency support and military training. Sanctions on Belarus were initially imposed after the President Alexander Lukashenko crushed protests following elections in August 2020, and have been tightened several times since then. The diplomats said new measures could be aimed at closing loopholes that Baltic diplomats said are being exploited by Minsk to circumvent existing sanctions. The EU has banned Belarus' exports of potash, a fertilizer made of potassium, and oil products. But diplomats said Belarus is still exporting potassium to the EU via Ukraine, and has also boosted its export to the EU of oil products obtained from coal. Later on Friday an EU official confirmed in a media briefing that work was under way for possible new economic sanctions against Minsk, including on potash. The official added that the bloc was also considering sanctions against Belarus if it participated in any attack against Ukraine. Baltic country officials are expected to raise these issues at Monday's meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers, even if Belarus is not on the meeting agenda. No decision on the matter is expected on Monday. A spokesperson for the EU diplomatic service declined to comment on discussions over sanctions. UKRAINE EU ministers are also expected to consider new support to Ukraine. Kyiv made a request this week to the EU for emergency assistance that could include medical supplies, electricity generators and other first-aid equipment needed in case of attack from Russia, one EU official said. EU countries, which have so far avoided sending weapons to Ukraine, are considering heeding these requests using the EU civil protection mechanism, the official said. A spokesperson for the EU Commission, which coordinates civil protection support, later confirmed that Ukraine made a request for help on Feb. 15 and that the EU was coordinating offers from EU countries. Ukraine has also requested EU support against hybrid and cyberattacks. That could be discussed at Monday's meeting together with plans for a possible EU military training mission in Ukraine, diplomats said. The EU did not announce explicitly the withdrawal of some staff from its Kyiv delegation, but has said that the presence of personnel there could be adjusted. The EU delegation remains operational. "This was not an evacuation but an adjustment of the presence at the workplace in Kyiv taking into account security circumstances," the EU diplomatic service spokesperson told Reuters. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, Additional reporting by John Chalmers and Robin Emmott; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Frances Kerry) WASHINGTON (AP) House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy on Thursday endorsed a primary challenger to GOP Rep. Liz Cheney, a remarkable step for a party leader that effectively lends his weight to the effort to purge a chief critic of former President Donald Trump's from Congress. McCarthy's backing of Harriet Hageman for the at-large seat in Wyoming is certain to please Trump, who wants to rid the party of Cheney and others critical of his tenure. Cheney is the vice chair of the congressional panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol. The GOP House leader is determined to win back control of the chamber in this falls midterm elections, and he sees that mission as running through Trump, who remains the undisputed leader of the party. Trump's endorsement of candidates running in conservative House districts is crucial because of the hold he has over the Republican Party faithful, who tend to dominate voting in primary contests. A Cheney spokesperson was dismissive of the importance of McCarthy's endorsement of Hageman. "Wow, she must be really desperate, Jeremy Adler said. The high-profile move from McCarthy, R-Calif., is an early sign of the tumultuous midterm elections that lie ahead for the GOP. It's all the more stunning because Cheney was the No. 3 House Republican and a member of McCarthy's leadership team until just last year. Cheney broke sharply from the GOP leader, and most of her Republican colleagues, as they continued to embrace Trump after the Jan. 6 insurrection, when a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol to prevent Congress from affirming Joe Biden's election victory. She was among 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump over the insurrection and increasingly spoke out against him and the attack. House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy. (AP) As McCarthy weighs in, the GOP leader's fundraising skills are perhaps an even bigger draw than his name, an ability to lend the kind of hefty campaign support to Hageman that will be needed to counter Cheney's own political strength as a nationally known political figure. Trump's influence can be seen across the race one of his former top aides, Tim Murtaugh, is handling communications for Hageman, a Cheyenne attorney, and Trump supports changes to state election laws that could help his preferred candidate and hurt Cheney. Wyoming lawmakers voted narrowly Thursday to consider a bill that would, in theory, make it harder for Democrats to change their voter registration to Republican to boost Cheney in this summers primary. Wyoming is heavily Republican, meaning it would be unlikely that a Democrat could beat the winner of the GOP primary in a general election. Under the bill, voters would not be allowed to change their party affiliation in the 96 days leading up to the Republican and Democratic primaries, which are set for Aug. 16. It makes total sense that only Democrats vote in the Democrat primary and only Republicans vote in the Republican primary, Trump said in a statement Thursday endorsing the proposed change. Trump endorsed Hageman last year. Hageman had been an early supporter of Cheney's earlier campaigns but announced her bid to unseat the congresswoman largely for her vote to impeach Trump over his role in inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection. Rep. Liz Cheney. (AP) In a statement expressing appreciation for McCarthy's support, Hageman said Cheney was actively damaging the Republican Party. The Democrats in Washington, D.C. only see her as a temporary but useful tool to achieve their partisan goals, and the Republicans want nothing to do with her, Hageman said. It's unclear what, if any, weight McCarthys support would carry in Wyoming. In July, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi chose Cheney and another Trump critic, GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, to sit on the Democratic-led panel investigating the insurrection. McCarthy said he was shocked that Cheney would join the committee and later called her a Pelosi Republican. Cheney said that at every opportunity, the minority leader has attempted to prevent the American people from understanding what happened to block this investigation. This year, the committee asked McCarthy to provide information about his conversations with Trump and White House officials before, during and after the riot. He declined, saying the investigation was not legitimate and accusing the panel of abuse of power. HOUSTON, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- A grand jury in Austin, Texas, had indicted multiple police officers for using excessive force during racial justice protests in 2020, local authorities said on Thursday. Speaking at a press conference, Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza said that "multiple indictments will be forthcoming in the days ahead" for police officers suspected of criminal conduct during the May 2020 protests, spurred by the murder of African American George Floyd by a white police officer. Garza said a special grand jury had completed its work, without revealing how many police officers would be indicted. According to local media reports, which quoted anonymous sources, 19 Austin police officers would be indicted on aggravated assault charges over the protests. According to Garza, the facts discovered through his office's investigations were "disturbing," and the investigators believed that many protesters injured by police during those protests were "innocent bystanders." The protesters suffered "significant and serious injuries to the head, face and body," and some may never recover, said the district attorney. Meanwhile, Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon said on Thursday that he was "extremely disappointed" in the announcement of indictments. Chacon argued that police officers had "to work under the most chaotic of circumstances" during the protests, facing rocks, frozen bottles of water, bottles containing bodily fluids, commercial-grade fireworks and other objects being hurled at them. According to Garza, his office had also prosecuted 33 cases against civilians who engaged in criminal conduct at the time. Also on Thursday, Austin City Council reportedly approved 10 million U.S. dollars in settlements for two people hurt by Austin police officers during the protests. Floyd, a 46-year-old African American, died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota in May 2020. His death sparked weeks-long protests and social unrest across the United States. BRUSSELS (Reuters) -A senior European Union official said on Friday that a U.S.-Iranian deal to revive Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement was close but success depended on the political will of those involved. "I expect an agreement in the coming week, the coming two weeks or so," the EU official said. "I think we have now on the table text that are very, very close to what is going to be the final agreement," the official said. Reuters reported on Feb. 17 details of a possible deal negotiated by envoys from Iran, Russia, China, Britain, France, Germany, the European Union and United States. "Most of the issues are already agreed. But as a principle in this kind of negotiations, nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. So we still have...some questions, some of them rather political and difficult to agree," the official said. The official said a deal was necessary as Iran's sensitive uranium enrichment programme was moving ahead quickly. Iran has always denied it is seeking nuclear weapons. "On the ground they are advancing very much at a speed that is not compatible with the long-term survival of the JCPOA," the official said, referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, as the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers is formally titled. (Reporting by Robin EmmottEditing by Mark Heinrich) FILE - A Reserved for Media sign sits on a table in the Iowa Senate gallery during the opening day of the Iowa Legislature on Jan. 10, 2022, at the Statehouse in Des Moines, Iowa. Utah's state Senate passed rules this week limiting where the press can go to report in statehouses, marking the latest move by Republican state lawmakers departing from centuries-old traditions to make pandemic-era limits on access to chambers permanent. Rules governing where journalists can work vary across the nation's 50 statehouses. But in states such as Utah, Kansas and Iowa, reporters accustomed to reporting from the floor of legislative chambers are being restricted to public galleries. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File) SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Republican lawmakers in several states are scaling back access to government business, extending pandemic-era rules that restrict when journalists can report from the floors of state legislative chambers and, in effect, making it easier to dodge the press. As the public returns to the corridors of state capitols, new rules approved in Iowa last month and in Utah this week critically limit reporters' access to lawmakers, sparking an outcry from media organizations and press advocates. It is critical that there is some accountability with respect to those who have tremendous power, such as you, Lauren Gustus, the executive editor of The Salt Lake Tribune, told Utah lawmakers in a committee hearing last week, where she testified against such rules. These rule changes limit when journalists can work on the floor of the legislature where lawmakers sit, making it easier for elected officials to avoid interacting with the press, even when they take up high-profile topics like election laws, taxes and abortion. Rules governing where journalists can work vary across the nation's 50 statehouses. Most allow credentialed reporters to observe from the chamber floors; some allow reporters to ask questions before or after proceedings; others require they remain in press boxes or alcoves separated from lawmakers, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In states that are now moving to change their procedures, lawmakers argue that creating formal rules allays security concerns and prevents bad actors from disrupting governance. Press advocates say the proposed rules make it more difficult for journalists to ask questions and impede the reporters' ability to keep tabs on fast-paced statehouse action. In Iowa, Republican leaders this year did not issue credentials to journalists to work at press benches on the state Senate floor as they had previously. They said the policy change addressed confusion because of changing media that now includes blogs and newsletters that identify themselves as the press. In Utah, reporters are now being required to ask for permission each time theyd like to interview a lawmaker on the Senate floor or in certain adjacent hallways. There and in the Iowa Senate, reporters now work from a gallery high above the chambers, though they can still access the floor in the House of Representatives. Under new rules passed through Utah's Senate and advancing through the House, camera crews will be required to ask for permission to film in certain parts of committee rooms. In a hearing on the rule last week, Utah lawmakers said daily press conferences and efforts to stream all proceedings online demonstrated their commitment to transparency. They said putting a clear rule on the books would help both lawmakers and the press know whats allowed. The barriers of civility and discourse that have been respected in this state and this country for years and for decades are changing and theyre changing rapidly, said Utah GOP Sen. Todd Weiler, who supported the rule change, adding that "if they are pushing the barriers, it is nice to have a rule in place. In Kansas, new rules from leaders in the state Senate relegate newspaper reporters to the chambers gallery, which has made it easier for senators to avoid reporters after sessions. In exceptional circumstances, like when the gallery is filled with other members of the public, journalists are allowed to report from the floor like the rules allowed before. Placing restrictions on journalists in the Senate chamber suggests there is something to hide, or that leadership is taking unwarranted and unnecessary retaliation against reporters, former Kansas lawmaker Steve Morris wrote in an editorial in the Kansas Reflector. Morris, who led Republicans in the Kansas Senate from 2005 to 2013, said that as a politician and a news consumer he saw the benefits of having journalists able to observe and report from a statehouse floor. When discussions draw considerable public interest, he said, people want to know how their lawmakers are reacting, which at times can mean body language like eye rolls or enthusiastic gestures. Reporters are our avenue to see whats going on, he said in an interview with The Associated Press. "Especially when theres something controversial," he added. The session adjourns and members skedaddle out of there rapidly so it's hard for journalists to get to them, unlike when theyre on the floor they can immediately get to them. The new limits come in an environment of increasing attacks on the media and parallel new restrictions placed on journalists covering protests and courtroom proceedings. They also come as states and cities loosen coronavirus restrictions that have returned restaurants, sporting events and offices to pre-pandemic capacity. Parker Higgins, the advocacy director at the Freedom of The Press Foundation, said the ways transparency and access increased during the pandemic for example, when courtrooms allowed members of the public to hear and watch trials remotely were being reversed. After speaking with reporters in Kansas and Iowa, he said most say its not impossible to do their jobs without floor access. But, in terms of doing your job quickly and effectively, you cant get that from the public gallery. ___ AP reporters Andy Tsubasa Field in Topeka, Kansas, and David Pitt in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed reporting. A Royal Air Force aircraft travelled hundreds of miles from a base in Scotland ahead of a photoshoot with the Prime Minister, before flying straight back. Photos of Boris Johnson with two RAF aircraft made newspaper front pages on Friday after his visit to RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire on Thursday. An RAF P-8A Poseidon, which Mr Johnson was pictured standing in front of, was flown a distance of more than 330 miles from its base in Lossiemouth, Moray. The plane, a maritime patrol aircraft designed for anti-submarine warfare, departed from its base shortly before 9am on Wednesday. The flight path of the Royal Air Force P-8A Poseidon, flying more than 330 miles ahead of the Prime Ministers visit (Flightradar24.com/PA) It then flew back on Thursday, leaving at approximately 6.20pm, after the Prime Minister completed his visit to the base. Having been manufactured in Seattle, the aircraft arrived in the UK in November 2021, and has flown just six times since, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24.com, including the trip to Waddington where it was pictured with the Prime Minister, and its return journey. It had never previously visited the Waddington base. Mr Johnson was also pictured with his thumbs up sitting in an RAF fast jet, which was flown from its home base of RAF Coningsby, which is 15 miles away from RAF Waddington. The Prime Minister posing in an RAF Typhoon during his visit to RAF Waddington (Carl Recine/PA) Speaking to reporters at the base, the Prime Minister said he was visiting to talk to some of our crew, the officers who are involved in very, very important intelligence-gathering and surveillance. He added: Some of the planes here today are going to be used very shortly over the border in Belarus, in Poland, and elsewhere over Ukraine, to see whats going on and to allow us to have even finer detail evaluation of the military dispositions there. Both the Typhoon Mr Johnson was pictured sitting in, and the P-8A Poseidon were flown back to their respective bases after his visit. The Prime Minister inspecting an RAF Typhoon jet (Carl Recine/PA) The Ministry of Defence announced on Wednesday that four additional Typhoon jets had been deployed to Cyprus to patrol the skies over eastern Europe. HMS Diamond, a Type 45 destroyer, is also preparing to deploy to the eastern Mediterranean alongside other Nato vessels. The UK has also doubled the number of personnel deployed in Estonia as part of Natos Enhanced Forward Presence mission. The PA news agency has approached Downing Street and the Ministry of Defence for comment. Councillors in York have said they are taking steps to remove the Duke of Yorks freedom of the city. Andrew was given the Honorary Freedom of the City of York in 1987 but Liberal Democrats, who form the largest group on City of York Council, said a motion to begin the process of removing the honour will be submitted at the next full council meeting on March 24. The motion will also call for the prince to relinquish his title as Duke of York in the wake of the settlement of his legal battle with Virginia Giuffre. Andrew had faced widespread calls for him to give up the dukedom, which is one of his last remaining major titles after the Queen stripped him of his honorary military roles and he gave up his HRH style. York Central Labour MP Rachael Maskell has said Andrew should give up his association with the city (Danny Lawson/PA) Labour MP Rachael Maskell, who represents York Central, has repeatedly said Andrew should give up his association with the city out of respect. The honorary freedom of the city is bestowed to recognise notable service by local residents, to distinguished people, and to royalty, the council has said. Other recipients of the honour include the Duke of Wellington, Sir Winston Churchill, film composer John Barry, and actress Dame Judi Dench. Darryl Smalley, City of York Councils executive member for culture, leisure and communities said: Having been stripped of his military roles and royal patronages by the Queen, we are seeking to end Price Andrews links with our great city, including removing his Honorary Freedom. Yorks unique connection to the Crown and the monarch is an important part of our citys legacy and history. However, as a council and city, we stand with victims of sexual abuse and are doing all we can to end violence against woman and girls locally. As such, it is inappropriate that Prince Andrew retains his ambassadorial title that is intrinsically linked to our city. Mr Smalley went on: The allegations and his associations with convicted abusers are incredibly serious and we are determined to explore all options available to ensure that his links to our city are severed. I hope councillors across all parties will support the motion to remove Prince Andrews Honorary Freedom of the City of York. The councillor added: Buckingham Palace and the Government must then act to remove his Duke of York title. We will be reaching out to MPs to raise our concerns and discuss any possible ways of ending Prince Andrews connection to York. The Queens second son regrets his association with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, a letter submitted to the United States District Court stated. Andrew has agreed to make a substantial donation to Ms Giuffres charity after the pair agreed an undisclosed out-of-court settlement in her civil sex claim against him. No detail has been disclosed with regard to the settlement and costs, but it has been reported he has agreed to pay an eight-figure sum. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Express your opinion! Fill out this form to submit a Letter to the Editor. Submit From left: Kelley Cody-Grimm, Dan Mitrovich, Pete Brown, Johns Creek Economic Development Director Randall Toussaint and Sindy Marvin discuss their businesses at a Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce networking event Feb. 16. 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. Putin: Russia 'ready to work' with West on de-escalating tensions over Ukraine By REN QI in Moscow (China Daily) 08:24, February 18, 2022 Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) meets with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Moscow on Feb 15, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua] Russian President Vladimir Putin told visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Moscow on Tuesday that he is "ready to work" with the West on de-escalating tensions, the latest signal that the prospect of war with Ukraine could be receding. The first face-to-face meeting of the two leaders since Scholz took office lasted slightly over three hours and received high marks from both leaders. Putin noted its businesslike atmosphere, while Scholz said not a single subject was omitted by them. The meeting came hours after Russia announced it was beginning to pull back some of its 160,000 troops from the border with Ukraine following the end of military drills. Days earlier, the United States and its allies raised the alarm over concerns that Russia might invade Ukraine at any moment, with several countries ordering their citizens to leave and evacuating their embassies in Kyiv. Putin said at a news conference following his meeting with Scholz that Russia does not want war, and that is why it submitted proposals on security guarantees in Europe and hopes that their key points will be taken into account during negotiations. "We are ready to work further together. We are ready to go down the negotiations track," he said. Putin emphasized that Russia "cannot turn a blind eye" to how Washington and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization "freely interpret" the principle of indivisibility of securitythat no country should strengthen its security at the expense of others. In response to a question about Moscow's further steps in the Ukraine situation, Putin said the steps will "follow a plan". He said the plan will be shaped based on "the actual situation on the ground", and that will depend not only on Russia. Speaking of the prospects to continue the dialogue between Russia and the West, Scholz told reporters the West was very concerned over the accumulation of Russian troops near Ukraine's border, but "I expressly agree that the diplomatic options are far from exhausted". He added that Russia's withdrawal of some troops is "a good sign," saying "we hope that more follow". Scholz's meeting with Putin came after he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv the previous day. "For Europeans, it is clear that lasting security cannot be achieved against Russia but only with Russia," the German chancellor told reporters. United States President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that there was still time to resolve the Ukraine crisis through diplomacy, but he warned that sanctions are "ready to go" if Russian troops invade the country. In addition, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a phone conversation on Tuesday. According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov emphasized the necessity of continuing efforts, as agreed upon by Putin and Biden, to cooperate on the security proposals submitted by Russia to the US and NATO. Lavrov underlined the unacceptability of the aggressive rhetoric by Washington and its allies, and called for a pragmatic dialogue on the entire range of issues raised by Russia, particularly the indivisibility of security. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) The topic of encryption and law enforcement has been back in the new cycle with the EARN IT Act being reintroduced to congress this year. Part of this act resurfaces the idea that there should be a way for law enforcement to eavesdrop on communicationseven when theyre encrypted. How does this relate to christians? If you are in a country which persecutes christians or have friends in a country which does, then strong encryption is vital for your safety. For example, in 2011 Iran partially succeeded at monitoring Google searches made in their country. This year Iran ranked 9th in Open Doors world watch list which reports on persecution of christians around the world. This attempt was thwarted because the cryptographic techniques used in modern browsers could detect that something wasnt right and warn the people that the connection was not secure. Without these sorts of protection, many people can be put at risk for simply searching the internet for John 3:16. The good the bad and the vulnerable Much of the language used to support the EARN IT Act presents the problem of access to encrypted data as the good guys, being law enforcement, versus the bad guys. Simple put, the good guys need a golden key to be able to open up encrypted messages. There are three major issues I see with this framing. What happens if the good guys abuse this golden key? Can the bad guys prevent the golden key from working in the first place or could the bad guys steal the golden key? What happens when a country like Iran, or any other on the world watch list, starts using these tools to spy on christians? Bad Apples Whether its bad intentions or incompetence, everyday people can be hurt when law enforcement abuses their power or fails to proetect people. Unfortunately this isnt a hypothetical question. A news story in 2020 reported that a victim of domestic violence was planning to flee but her plans were leaked to her abuser by members of the victorian police, who were his colleagues. It seems unrealistic to expect that we can weed out all the bad apples, which raises the risk presented in creating a golden key which could access peoples private information. A lesson from the Clipper chip In 1994 the clipper chip was developed and released in the USA to encrypt communications like phone calls but give law enforcement agencies a golden key to access the information with a warrant. The reason why this idea was abandoned after a few years was the realisation that the bad guys could simply make their own encrypted phones, or even more embarrassingly, they could easily modify a phone with a clipper chip to prevent the golden key from working. The idea of being able to wiretap the bad guys was a resounding failure, because the bad guys just moved on to something that law enforcement could wiretap. Summary The promise of catching the bad guys, by mandating companies to create these golden keys, appears to be misguided and may in fact undermine technology which provides safety and free flow of information to people in persecuted countries. Unfortunately Australia already has legislation which undermines these protections. By encouraging companies to create tools with strong encryption, it provides more tools for vulnerable people to communicate safely. But, if we continue to legislate a need for the good guys we normalise this practice for governments and groups which actively persecute fellow believers. Sources and further reading https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EARN_IT_Act https://opendoors.org.au/world-watch-list/ https://ministrywatch.com/balancing-security-and-transparency-in-the-work-of-christian-aid-and-missions/ https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-17/victoria-police-officers-domestic-violence-lisa-neville/12332238 https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/08/iranian-man-middle-attack-against-google https://www.wired.com/1994/06/nsa-clipper/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipper_chip Online Access for Print Subscribers. Do you have a print subscription with the Argus-Press? If yes, then click here to enjoy complimentary access to our Online Content! YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17, ARMENPRESS. A smoking ban will take effect March 15 in Armenia. The smoking ban will be enforced in both indoor and outdoor restaurants, cafes, bars and other similar venues, as well as other public spaces. The smoking ban is part of a law aimed at preventing and reducing the harmful effects of smoking and other tobacco products. The main provisions of the law took effect starting March 2020, while other provisions are gradually taking effect to enable the public and businesses to adapt. Speaking to ARMENPRESS, Ministry of Healthcare Department of Public Health Chief Organizer Mariam Mnatsakanyan reminded that the recent ban that took effect prohibits retailers from publicly displaying tobacco products to customers. Tobacco products were frequently displayed next to sweets or childrens products, on the visual level of children, which was creating a false impression for them that tobacco products are harmless everyday items. Studies show that the ban on displaying tobacco products reduced the tobacco advertisement effect on teenagers by up to 83%, Mnatsakanyan said. In addition to restaurants and other eateries, the smoking ban will also be enforced in some outdoor public spaces, for example parks for children and bus stops: spaces were the risk of secondhand smoke exists. Those violating the smoking ban will face 50,000 drams, while administrations of eateries will face from 150,000 to 200,000 drams. Mnatsakanyan said businesses should call the police in the event of patrons refusing to adhere to the law. The police will carry out the functions of inspecting the restrictions. All businesses have been notified about the smoking ban as early as 2020, giving them enough time to prepare for the changes, Mnatsakanyan said. Citing international experience, Mnatsakanyan said the restrictions dont lead to decline of visitors to public eateries, but on the contrary the numbers increase. Asked about hookah bars and pubs, Mnatsakanyan noted that the hookah bars are also classified as public food facilities and thus the smoking ban will be enforced there as well. Our goal isnt only to make smokers quit smoking, but so that non-smokers dont start smoking, and that our children dont become smokers and face health hazards. This is a healthcare measure and the full implementation of this law will contribute to the decrease of the number of smokers. The number of nicotine-addicts will drop, the number of numerous diseases that are caused from smoking will decrease, Mnatsakanyan said. Vanik Gabrielyan, the director of the Yeremyan Projects Seasons, Renommee, Casa Nostra and Smoking Chef restaurants of Yerevan, noted that initially the smoking ban could be controversial for restaurant customers, especially those who are used to smoking while dining. I believe that some time later they will get used to this change because this is a common practice around the world. Indeed, due to national mentality this process could take a bit longer. The changes will cause a bit of inconveniences for us and our guests, but, I think there wont be any issues a few months later, Gabrielyan said. Gabrielyan said that even without the smoking ban people mostly started preferring non-smoking areas in restaurants. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. A Civil Center providing 110 services opened in Armenias Vanadzor town. The Center is located in the office of HayPost postal service. It will provide the locals with an opportunity to get multiple services in one place. The Center offers services provided by the Civil Acts Registration Agency at the Ministry of Justice, the Agency of State Registry of Legal Entities, the State Revenue Committee, the Cadastre Committee, etc. The opening of the Center was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, Minister of Justice Karen Andreasyan and representatives of other agencies. Imagine when a citizen has dozens of problems with the state, he/she visits just the HayPost branch, closest to his/her place of residence, and is able to solve all the problems with the state, the Justice Minister said, adding that the citizen must understand that communication with the state is easy and comfortable. The Minister said they plan to increase the services, raising their number to 450, in other words to gather all types of services in one office. Unfortunately, we havent managed to gather all the services in one office. Therefore, citizens still have to visit other places for some services, such as passport department, road police, etc. And the purpose of this whole initiative is for the citizen to know only one place, one office, Karen Andreasyan said. Chief Executive Officer of HayPost CJSC Hayk Karapetyan said they want to establish a digital platform through which the remaining 850 offices of HayPost will be able to provide the same number of services. Earlier similar Civil Centers have opened in Yerevan, Ijevan and Gyumri. STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. The Parliament of Artsakh adopted the bill on the Occupied Territories of the Republic of Artsakh at the second reading, State Minister Artak Beglaryan said on social media. The National Assembly has just adopted the bill on the Occupied Territories of the Republic of Artsakh. The works on developing the bill have started months before in the government. We understand very well that we have limited legal mechanisms to fulfill the functions mentioned in the law and achieve the goals, but we ought to maximally use the existing legal and political mechanisms on that direction. The territories of the Republic of Artsakh must be de-occupied, and our citizens must return to their homes, he said. All factions represented in the parliament of Artsakh recently put into circulation a draft law on the Occupied Territories of Artsakh, according to which there will be a ban on those foreign companies which will want to carry out activity in the territories of Artsakh occupied by Azerbaijan, without the permission of the Artsakh government. The bill also states that the territories of the Republic of Artsakh which have been captured by the Azeri forces during the conflict are considered as "occupied territories". YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. The Parliament of Artsakh released a statement on the occasion of Revival Day. The statement was presented by MP Gegham Stepanyan and was adopted with 30 votes in favor. Particularly, the statement says that the developments in Artsakh which took place in February of 1988 fundamentally changed the future annals of not only the indigenous Armenian people living there, but also of the peoples of the former Soviet Union. Tens of thousands of people, using the liberal and democratic ideas declared in the USSR were seeking through peaceful referenda in Stepanakert and other cities to restore historic justice: the unrealized dream of several generations to re-unite the Armenian province with Armenia. From the very beginning, the growing pan-national movement adopted a conduct of solving the issue peacefully through legal and political ways, which received an irreversible confirmation on February 20, during the 20th extraordinary session of the former provinces supreme representative body, the Regional Council of Peoples Deputies. The historic decision to withdraw the NKAO from the Azerbaijani SSR and re-unite it with the Armenian SSR signaled the new stage of the Artsakh national liberation struggle: the decisiveness of the people of Artsakhs to advance the Karabakh movement through a civilized and legal path. Regrettably, the leadership of the Azerbaijani SSR was incapable of using the exclusive chance of correctly resolving the issue and as a result the region appeared in a chain of lasting instability and Azerbaijans temptations to solve the issue militarily. As a result of the February 20 decision which expressed the will and desire of the absolute majority of the regions population, Artsakh rightly became the symbol of pride and national awakening for all Armenians. The wave of the Karabakh movement spread worldwide and as a result of the struggle organized by all segments of Armenians the two Armenian republics formed in the beginning of the 90s of the previous century. The Republic of Artsakh, proclaimed on September 2 of 1991 in line with international law and the requirements of national legislation, was a conscious milestone on the path towards a united Armenian state. Our people paid an immeasurably high price in the fight for Artsakhs freedom and independence. Thousands of our sons sacrificed their lives during the wars of 1991-1994, 2016 and 2020. Today, the Republic of Artsakh exists and continues its struggle to achieve international recognition thanks to the sacrifices of our brave heroes. We bow before their eternal memory, reads the statement. The statement says that during the last 34 years Artsakh passed a long path of establishment and development, victories and failures, and during this period the idea that the Armenian Artsakhs future is guaranteed only in the prospects of living free and independent was strengthened. Expressing the collective will and opinion of the people of Artsakh, the National Assembly of the Republic of Artsakh is reaffirming its dedication to the 1988 February 20 historic decision and decisiveness to protect its right to live freely on its native land. The National Assembly of Artsakh is drawing the attention of international organizations and first of all the parliaments of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairing countries on the fact that the Armenian people of Artsakh for centuries struggled to preserve their identity, created material and cultural values which today are endangered as a result of the Azerbaijani occupation of several territories of the Republic of Artsakh. We call on the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to take immediate steps to re-launch the negotiations process in the direction of resolving the Karabakh conflict in line with the mandate received from the OSCE. Lasting peace and stability in the region can only be achieved through respecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people of the Republic of Artsakh. For this very goal the Armenians of Artsakh began their liberation struggle in 1988 and stand ready to continue it with decisiveness to reach the final goal, the statement said. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Earlier on February 8, a Gujarat court convicted 49 accused and acquitted 28 others This file photo taken on July 27, 2008 shows Indian forensic experts collecting evidence from a blast site outside the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad following a series of bombings the day before which killed dozens. (Photo: AFP) Ahmedabad: A special court here on Friday awarded death sentence to 38 convicts in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case, which claimed 56 lives and left over 200 injured. The court sentenced 38 of the 49 convicts to death under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. The 11 others were sentenced to life in jail till death. Judge A R Patel also awarded compensation of Rs one lakh each to those killed in the blasts, and Rs 50,000 for each victim with serious injuries and Rs 25,000 each for those with minor ones. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2.85 lakh each on the 48 convicts. Patel had on February 8 declared 49 of the total 78 accused as guilty under various offences of the Indian Penal Code, including for murder, sedition and waging war against the state, as well as under offences of the UAPA and Explosive Substances Act. Bombs went off in Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008, at various spots including the state government-run civil hospital, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation-run LG Hospital, on buses, parked bicycles, in cars and other places, killing 56 persons. by Vladimir Rozanskij President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov is ready to cede power to his son Serdar. Mock elections announced for 12th March. The transfer of power is most likely due to the current leader's health problems. The move is also aimed at preventing protest scenarios like those in Kazakhstan. Moscow (AsiaNews) - The announcement of the resignation of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, with immediate elections for his successor on March 12, is not just one of the many extravagances of a regime more akin to movie parodies than to governing a country hard hit by the economic crisis. In some ways, it is also the declaration of the failure of a model, the post-Soviet one, which in Central Asia (and elsewhere) had staked everything on the sacredness of the figures in power. The elections themselves have all teh appearances of a farce organised by the arkadag, the current president's title of "protector of the homeland", to transfer power to his only son Serdar, already deputy premier and holder of high offices and chairs, whose succession had already been promised and announced in many ways. Serdar has just turned 40, the 'age of majority', and his father has reached 65, the 'age of the prophet', so the transition is ripe. Teachers at all levels of schools have already been instructed to explain Serdar's merits to the students. In order to give the elections a democratic appearance, it was decided - again from above - to present an "alternative" candidacy, that of Agadzhan Bekmyradov, another 40-year-old member of the Agrarian Party and deputy "khokim" (governor) of the Mari region. The choice was solemnly approved during the fourth extraordinary Congress of the political formation, by acclamation. The participants "underlined the importance of the idea proposed by the president to the Khalk Maslakhat (the senate) to give space to a new generation of leaders in the country. A former political prisoner, Gelda Kjarizov, also decided to take part in the elections, releasing a video through the humanitarian organisation 'Right and Freedom of Citizens of Turkmenistan'. According to his own words, he decided to take the field when Serdar Berdymukhamedov's candidacy was announced, to give a voice to those in the country who do not accept the 'family dictatorship'. However, the plebiscite victory of the president's son is not in doubt. The ruling Democratic Party also held an extraordinary congress on 14 February to open the popular debate on the title that will be given to the arkadag's successor. The first post-Soviet president, Samarmurat Niyazov, was called the turmenbash, 'leader of all Turkmen'. He died in 2006 after 15 years of rule, as does his successor today. As always in the most delicate moments of the country's life, citizens are practically prevented from accessing any source of information other than official ones, with the internet almost completely blocked. The transition is therefore taking place in an atmosphere of mystery, which also conceals news about the president's health, which could be one of the reasons for his resignation. Gurbanguly has always built up a very dynamic image of his personality: he loves motor racing, horse riding, he composes songs and poems, even in rap style, he loves hunting and fishing, and shooting. He writes books on tea, dog breeds and cooking, which the whole country is obliged to read. He also dabbles a lot in astrology, and has made it known that he is "a bit tired" and has had confirmation from the stars that he needs to fulfil his destiny. The fatigue is also conditioned by the events in Kazakhstan at the beginning of the year, as Berdymukhamedov confessed on 11 February at the celebrations for his 15 years as president. The inglorious end of the 'eternal president' Nursultan Nazarbaev, the progenitor and model of all former Soviet satraps, has created no small amount of apprehension. In Kazakhstan, the entire family that has been in power for 30 years has been purged, and it is therefore vital to hurry up and hand over Turkmenistan to his son, before the people realise that something could change: the news of the change at the top has already pushed up the prices of basic necessities, which are almost inaccessible to most families. by Alessandra De Poli More than 200 languages have disappeared in India in the past 50 years and another 197 are considered at risk. The languages of Adivasi groups are mostly spoken. Little room is available online and in official documents for those languages with a script. Yet something has changed in recent years, as more grassroots initiatives try to preserve the cultural heritage of indigenous tribes. New Delhi (AsiaNews) The link between a script and any one language is not self-evident. India has hundreds of languages and many of them are likely to disappear in the coming decades since they are only spoken by small numbers of people, in most cases tribal groups. Some languages are used only with kin or fellow tribal members, and are not used in official documents or social media. But something is changing. Ganesh Birua, 23, discovered only in 2014 that his language, Ho, a Munda language, had an alphabet, called warang citi. After he learnt it self-faught, he began to use social media to encourage others to learn it as well. Eventually some linguists and researchers contacted him to include the warang citi script in the international Unicode system, which assigns a unique code to every character, so that language scripts look the same on all keyboards and digital devices. In 2008 Malati Murmu, tired of reading news only in English, Hindi and a few other languages, founded a newspaper, the Fagun, in the Santali language, with an initial circulation of only 500 copies. The script used, Ol Chiki, was invented in 1925 by writer Ragunath Murmu. For Malati, the main goal of the newspaper is to protect the Santali language and literature and to promote tribal culture. Its circulation now averages around 5,000 printed copies. In 2001, when he was only 17, Banwang Losu began to think about a writing system for Wancho, his mother tongue, spoken mainly in Arunachal Pradesh, in lieu of the Latin letters. In 2019 the alphabet he developed in almost 20 years of research was included in the international Unicode system. In 1971 India carried out a linguistic census, but excluded all languages with less than 10,000 speakers, the threshold at which a language is the risk of extinction according to the United Nations. In the last 50 years, at least 220 languages in India have disappeared and another 197 are considered endangered. Of these, only two fall under the Eighth Schedule of the Indian constitution, which recognises 22 official languages. However, according to some estimates, more than 19,500 native dialects are spoken in the Indian subcontinent. In addition to Ho and Santali, only three other tribal languages Soura, Munda and Kui have a script. Adivasis are the indigenous peoples of the Indian subcontinent, a mosaic of tribal groups that live mostly on the margins of society, poor, with little access to education, and are mostly animists or Christians. Losing a language means losing the cultural heritage that goes with it. For Ayesha Kidwai of the Centre for Linguistics, School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Tribal languages are a treasure trove of knowledge about a regions flora, fauna and medicinal plants. Usually, this information is passed from generation to generation. However, when a language declines, that knowledge system is completely gone. Being able to speak and write in one's native language has become more pressing with the rise of the Internet. According to 2017 statistics, 70 per cent of Indian online users trust more content in their native language than in English. Not having content available in one's native language is a huge handicap in terms of access to knowledge and impoverishes the cultural debate. This is worse in India, with 658 million Internet users (less than half of the population), where social media disinformation is rampant. The most immediate way to document a language at risk without a script is to collect audio-visual material with recordings of people who speak their mother tongue. This however carries the risk of creating a large archive while keeping tribal communities isolated. In 2014 journalist Shubhranshu Choudhary created CGNet Swara, an online platform dedicated to issues related to the central region of Gondwana, with stories and news in the Gondi language. Anyone, anywhere in India, can report stories on this platform by making a phone call to a number linked to it. The stories are available for playback online (which is not obvious in rural areas) and over the phone. This is another way to interact like any other social media, but one that respects the Gondi oral tradition. The Gondi language is spoken by two million people, but only 100 can write it. Thurs, providing a language with its own script is not always the best solution to the issue of language survival. However, lack of a script has its own problems Last year the Ho alphabet was excluded from the Unicode system because of the absence of a modern native user community that would be able to use these scripts for useful mnemonic identifiers in a familiar language and the problematic and little understood nature of these scripts. In other words, it is necessary for the target community to be able to read and write, not just to speak their own language. Other speakers have managed to create keyboards and applications in the Ho. Hercules Munda, for example, created a language game application for Munda languages. A member of the Munda tribal group, he found out that many of its users were Adivasi youth whose parents had left their villages to raise their children in urban centres All these initiatives are the work of individuals because the Indian state does little or nothing to preserve tribal languages and cultures. Still, in 2013, Indias Education Ministry established the Scheme for Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages (SPPEL) to document and archive the countrys languages that have become endangered or likely to be endangered in the near future. Another positive note came last year from the eastern state of Odisha, where most Indian Adivasis live. State authorities decided that elementary school textbooks would be published in 21 tribal languages using the Oriya alphabet except for Santali, which can continue to use Ol Chiki. However, the project, called Samhati, is not easy to implement. In addition to the challenge of standardising the dialects of Odishas 62 tribal groups (to educate at least 2,000,000 tribal children), a thousand teachers need to acquire language skills in tribal languages. INDIAN MANDALA IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO INDIA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE IT EVERY FRIDAY IN YOUR E-MAIL? TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE. Wow. What a week. Only a few days ago I was sitting at my desk in Lausanne, Switzerland, wondering how I should approach my mooting assignment on human rights and international law. Now I am 11889 metres above sea level and under four hours away from Brisbane International Airport. Something came up When choosing where to complete my exchange semester, I imagined that choosing Switzerland would mean peacefully living in a country that discussed international relations yet avoided all of the effects of real-world issues. To say that things have been taking unexpected turns lately would be an understatement. I didnt particularly want to add to the discussion of COVID-19, but the precautions that countries all over the world are taking has completely interfered with my expectation of the next few months. As a result of packing up and traveling home with such short notice and not enough sleep, this is my first chance to really process what is going on. For the last two years, I have had this abroad study in mind. After completing several trees worth of paperwork, I was finally there; at university in Switzerland, meeting new people, travelling to new places and using my French day-to-day. Everything was living up to my expectation of how this semester would go; until the coronavirus made news. I dont want my focus to be on the coronavirus, but I am really thankful that through this situation, I am able to see how God is in control, whether our expectation matches reality, or not. Even good plans can change Often when I think about God stepping in and taking our plans in a different direction, I assume that it is because the plans were not pleasing or honouring to Him. At first, I was a little bit confused when the idea of returning to Australia early came about. As a result of putting so much prayer and thought into living overseas for six months, I knew that it was where God wanted me to be. Despite this confidence, I questioned if I had come to Switzerland out of my own will and was ignoring Gods intentions for me. My other thought was, perhaps I should stay in Switzerland and endure the tests and trials that come along. All of these thoughts spun around in my head as I tried to articulate them to my parents over the phone. I stumbled across Romans chapter 8, verses 31-39. It speaks of how we, through Christ, are more than conquerors and that nothing is able to separate us from His love. A pastor at my church once said something about this passage that opened my eyes to reality a little bit more. He said, how can we be conquerors if there is nothing to conquer? These thoughts helped me realise that this coronavirus situation is not righting my wrongdoing; it is actually just part of the reality that Jesus told us about. As followers of Christ, we were never promised a perfectly blissful life. In fact, Jesus tells us that we will face difficulties during our time on earth. I have told you these things, so that in me may you have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (James 16:33) Sometimes, even good plans change. Why? Because that is the reality of life on this side of heaven. But with God, we can be comforted by the reality that God is in full control during these times. Our reality as children of God The general connotation of the saying expectation versus reality presents reality as the negative aspect. Admittedly, I have written from this same perspective thus far. However, I believe that as children of God, the reality that we are presented with far exceeds any expectation that we could imagine. Steven Furtick, founder and lead pastor of Elevation Church, has a series of short motivational podcasts that speak truth derived from the Word. One of my favourites is titled I can handle it. This podcast gives us a reality check of what we are promised as followers of Christ. Considering the current situation of COVID-19 and how it is affecting the lives of people throughout the world, I think it is important to remind ourselves of the following points that Steven makes: Today is a new day. It will bring brand new blessings and brand new battles. But within every uncertainty, there is hidden possibility. And my confidence is not in my circumstances. The Spirit of God is my supply. Im steady under pressure and ready for whatever cause whatever comes my way today, the outcome is; I overcome. Christ is in me. I am enough. I can handle it. And He who called me is faithful. His strength in me is greater than any pain I feel or enemy I face. The promise of God is mine for the taking. Every plan He has made is guaranteed to come to pass. So bring the battle. Im ready now. Ive got something for Goliath. I can handle it. Im not nervous about whats next cause my eyes are on the throne. I trust the One whos in complete control. And whatever happens, I can handle it. by Vladimir Rozanskij Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov's latest literary effort exalts the country's independence. In reality the population is obliged to buy and read it. Officially, proceeds from "recommended" sales are destined to Islamic charities. Moscow (AsiaNews) - Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has presented his new book in Parliamentd, dedicated to the thirtieth anniversary of the country's independence. The book is titled "Independence is our happiness", and will be distributed among the population with a pressing campaign, starting with civil servants and students who will in fact be obliged to buy it, read it and propose it in turn to their fellow citizens. The leaders of the various regions are in turn charged with organizing book launches and events to promote "state happiness" and motivate the population, which at the moment, in the grip of an increasingly unstoppable economic crisis, would appear insufficiently aligned with the presidential message. Radio Azatlyk correspondents report that in the velayat (province) of Lebap, cultural representatives have announced a competition to compose a musical work celebrating Berdymuhamedov's new endeavor. The winners will be awarded a medal, to be presented next year on the next Independence Day anniversary. Also in Lebap, high school students have promised to learn the new book by heart. To support the meritorious effort, those who can demonstrate perfect knowledge of "happiness" have been promised a reward of 100 manat (about 25 euros). According to the official press, the president's book has been released in three languages: Turkmen, English and Russian. The text is dedicated to the many achievements of the country in this thirty-year post-Soviet period. It is the second book signed by Berdymuhamedov in 2021; in May, "The White City of Ashgabat" was published, a text dedicated to the 140th anniversary of the capital's foundation. In 15 years of his presidency, the Turkmen leader has penned more than 60 volumes, on various topics, whose editions follow each other with systematic deadlines, especially in connection with state holidays and major events of national life. For example, in December 2020, the nation celebrated the quarter-century anniversary of political neutrality with the book "Turkmenistan, Homeland of Neutrality," which followed the 2015 book (20th anniversary) entitled "Neutral Turkmenistan." Last year Berdymuhamedov presented and "proposed" for everyone's reading the text "The Spiritual World of Turkmen". Many presidential books are dedicated to the breeding of dogs and horses, to the many Turkmen folk and cultural traditions, such as carpets, tea and medicinal plants, the latter considered by the president as decisive to preserve the country from Covid-19. The strong man of Ashgabat does not tire of reiterating that all proceeds from "recommended" sales (with compulsory levies on civil servants) are committed to Islamic ritual sacrifices (sadaka), in which it is planned to feed the poorest with the third part of the food and goods of the family. Along with books, charitable sacrifices are also supported by the retail sale of presidential images (paintings, banners, postcards, T-shirts), which are renewed several times a year. Precisely in the worst phases of the food crisis of these months (and also of the officially denied spread of the coronavirus), the images of the president are added to the products on sale, in order to promote their diffusion and alleviate their economic burden. 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. PHEV If only virtually. So, logically, the focus is on Alfa Romeos first brand-new product in years. It recently arrived officially with up to 275 horsepower and a sustainable (hybrid and) ethos. However, the new Tonale design language clearly also gave automotive virtual artists a few ideas We have no idea if the pixel master better known as j.b.cars on social media has also cooked up a very appealing Tonale-to-Giulia transformation, just like someone did with an unofficial 2024 Giulia GTAm upgrade. After all, this CGI project only has the rear three-quarters POV, so we really cannot be sure what occurred at the front.However, we can still presume this digital content creator is not obsessed with making everything about Tonale across the Stellantis family. Instead, the CGI expert opted to play with Giulia conventions by giving it a stunning, digital station wagon body. This is not something entirely out of the ordinary for anyone watching our rendering reel, as we have always relished such sporty family-oriented transformations Even better, this Alfa Romeo Giulia Wagon has been imagined to stand one limited-edition level above the ubiquitous Quadrifoglio. So, instead of a normal Giulia, the base inspiration came from the GTA/GTAm series. Naturally, since we are dealing with a special model produced in a mere 500 units, a Giulia GTA Wagon is more than impossible.Alas, that has not stopped the virtual artist from imagining one. Presumably with the 533-horsepower twin-turbo V6 engine. And looking entirely capable of melting away any supermarket ice cream as the owner seemingly forgot all about the groceries. Because he/she decided that a quick visit to the local track was a way better alternative than simply getting home... Aston Martin and Red Bull, along with a slew of other high-ranking automotive forces, have set on a quest to bring us the coolest supercars packed with F1-derived technology. Thus, they created both the Valkyrie track-focused gem, as well as the slightly more daily-usable PHEV Valhalla Naturally, we can all imagine these low-production superstars will get to see extraordinarily little action during their lifetime. Perhaps we are going to be allowed some glimpses of them on social media by influencer collectors, but thats probably it. The rest is investment history.However, there is at least one person on the planet who would gladly take out Valhalla for a spin. And also allow a look by the awe-struck audience at its DIY-looking bolt-on widebody aerodynamic kit. It certainly looks like something that can be tinkered within the garage. All before a quick track session, or a rad night of canyon carving.Unfortunately, this is merely wishful thinking on behalf of Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation-based Behance virtual artist Aksyonov Nikita. He is a traditional preparator of outrageous takes on exotic supercars, given his prior idea from 2022 that involves bagging a Bugatti Divo! Just in case you think that one is just as surreal, here is the lime-infused look in the gallery.Anyway, back to the widebody Valhalla. With almost 1,000 horsepower under its belt, the Aston Martin is easily ready to stand out in any crowd. Alas, we feel that adding a DIY bolt-on widebody kit as well as a spectacular orange paintjob might be a little too much for some British supercar purists... Oh, well, such are the ways of the virtual realm! SUV Rallye Aicha des Gazelles du Maroc is a car-centered race that takes place in Morocco. Its a nine-day off-road adventure that starts in the city of Erfoud and ends in Essaouira. It begins on March 18 and ends on the April 2, 2022. The competitors are named gazelles because they must find the shortest possible routes between checkpoints without destroying the car or endangering themselves. First to arrive unscathed wins.The competition doesnt allow the use of modern navigation technology. Crews can only make use of maps and compasses.The Duster is registered in the Crossover category and will have three crews made from two women each. The Dacia Duster Gazelles already have a reputation in the competition. The C-has helped drivers win every year since 2017. The all-female crew is coming from Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, France and Morocco. Dacia will provide support again for the three Dusters thatll find themselves on the starting line. One crew is pushing in 2022 for their second win.Psychiatrist, Marie Dumas, and financial executive director, Juliette Crepin, will join the Rallye for the first time ever as crew 301. Cousins, they are embarking on the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles to test their mettle and courage, to push themselves, and to experience something entirely new that is as exciting as it is fulfilling. Marie and Juliette support ASF, a Moroccan-based NGO that has been helping single mothers over the past 30 years seek stable employment, says Dacia in a press release.The carmaker says the three participating cars wont need any special preparation. The Duster will have to face the desert yet again.Dacia's owner Renault has a plant in Tangier, Morocco. The French automaker also sends fully electric vehicles like the Zoe to participate. DRL ABS One division of the company, aptly called Interiors in Motion, is in charge with making leather interiors for cars (mostly for Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Fiat, but also Audi, Land Rover, Porsche or Volkswagen), airplanes, yachts, and even trains.As of this week, the name Poltrona Frau will to a degree be associated with motorcycle making as well, after Ducati asked it to help design a special (and limited) version of the XDiavel called Nera.Nera is the Italian word for black, and that is made extremely obvious by the black-on-black (gloss and matte) appearance of the two-wheeler. Sure, it has no actual interior the Poltrona Frau division could work its magic on, but the bike does have a seat, and thats where work was focused.The seat is made in something called Pelle Frau, a soft natural leather, and is offered in five color choices, namely Siam Red, Steel Blue, Cemento, India and Selva. No matter the choice, it comes with a series of engraved Xs, to remind one of what theyre riding.No mechanical modifications were made to the base XDiavel , and we still get the Testastretta 1262 engine in the frame, rated at 160 hp. We also get a 240 mm wide tire at the rear, full-LED withlights, and the usual complement of safety features, includingand Brembo brakes.Ducati will make just 500 units of the XDiavel Nera, and theyll become available in March for prices that have not been disclosed. Each bike will be shipped with a key ring and a matching document holder, and optionally with a dedicated jet helmet. kW Folks, before you is a mobile habitat simply known as Mammoth, the flagship of a crew from right here in the U.S., Mammoth Overland (MO). If you've never heard of this crew from Washington, it's time to see just what can be achieved the moment an aerospace company applies the knowledge they have to the RV industry.MO is a company started by an American aircraft manufacturer, Vashon Aircraft. This team was founded in 2012 to disrupt "the aviation status quo." This led to the presence of Vashon's Ranger R7, an aircraft meant as a solution to expensive air travel.Now, take all that aircraft know-how and cram it into a mobile habitat meant to be all you need when living off-grid. If you haven't seen the images in the gallery, I recommend you do so as it'll help you better understand the habitat as a whole.First of all, a standard Mammoth starts off with a price of 27,500 USD (24,234 EUR at current exchange rates), and it's what you'll be receiving for that price that really counts; everything else will be extra. One of the important aspects of Mammoth is how it's built.As mentioned, aerospace techniques and materials are used to put together what you see. This means that one of the most common building materials for the shell would have to be aluminum. Looking closely at how all that aluminum is held together, I can't help but be reminded of the way space-destined vehicles look, with rivets everywhere While the exact composition and layout of the habitat aren't mentioned on the manufacturer's website, trade secrets and all, we can still tell that composite paneling is used inside the habitat.One system MO does take time to define is the suspension system. Standard, your Mammoth will feature a Timbren 3500HD independent suspension and is equipped with 31 in BFG KO2 tires on 15 in steel wheels. Electric brakes ensure you can stop safely. Overall, you're looking at 19 in (48 cm) of ground clearance.Inside the habitat, not much is spotted. However, that's just an illusion. There's a drop-down bunk that can be lowered and used as a worktable, too. Cupboards to store personnel are also in place. Aside from a mattress, that's about it for a standard interior. If you do want some other goodies, feel free to let MO know as they look like the sort of team that's up for hearing how you'd like to spend some more cash building your dream home Now, as bare and minimal as the interior may appear, back outside, the rest of the habitat really shows off what aerospace engineering can achieve. A few other features include a 100 Ah AGM battery, 1inverter, solar hookup, LED lighting, and rock lights. Beyond that, Mammoth is equipped with 21 gallons (95 liters) of freshwater, on-demand hot water, and in particular, a "lavatory" with a privacy shelter and portable toilet.Finally, in true teardrop style, the galley is found at the rear. However, one difference that you may find in comparison to other habitats of this sort is that the galley is set up on a swinging mechanism and unfolds to the right when you need to cook It's here you'll find things like a two-burner stovetop, sink and faucet, and an electric cooler/fridge. Your countertop is the entire rear of the camper where the galley was initially nestled into. For everything else, there's VISA, Mastercard, AMEX, and probably even cryptocurrency, so do let MO know what else you need.At the end of the day, after I added some optional features, I was still looking at a mobile habitat well under 35,000 USD. That's something to consider if you're looking for an accessible and able travel trailer for your 2022 summer. EV Mark Reuss says he has a lot of respect for startups that just go and make a car. In his opinion, this kind of business is not an easy one. Being heavily regulated, you must be stubborn to succeed. His belief stands with General Motors being able to deliver on its promises, even though the company started to implement preorders and online shopping just like its smaller competitors. Looking at stock market value, GM is standing at a little under $71 billion, while Tesla is facing a downward momentum and still is above the $905 billion threshold.While asked by Jason Stein what he thinks of Musks opinion on old carmakers like GM, Reuss answers by pointing out Musk has done a remarkable job and overcame the manufacturing hell from previous years. He declares himself an admirer. But Reuss also underlines that at some point everyone will stop buying credits from Tesla.These regulatory credits mentioned by the GM President were introduced as a mean for supporting automakers in shifting toward making EVs. Theyre not optional. You either have enough, or your company will pay hefty fines. Musks company builds only fully electric cars, so it gets them for free. Having too many and other automakers not having enough meant Tesla could just make huge profits from selling their share of not polluting the world. This is rapidly changing now, as almost any manufacturer is slowly but surely switching to EVs.Dont forget. Youre going to have to compete with legacy vehicle makers from the industry that were buying credits. This is changing rapidly, I think. Youre going to have to compete on a lower price point, with a lower margin, high volume, high scale vehicle if youre going to be a full-service automaker to get that advantage. Thats what you see us doing with our purpose-built EVs. And I think this is a huge advantage over a long period of time, said Mark Reuss.GM President also says he ignored the "shade" thrown by Musk on legacy carmakers by pointing out he believes in deeds, not words school.Mark Reuss leads the companys regional operations, including North America, South America, China and General Motors International. GMs Global Product Development, Global Design, Global Quality and Operational Excellence teams also report to Reuss. Elon Musk recently accused the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of improperly targeting Tesla with an "unrelenting" investigation just to punish Musk for being a critic of the government. On top of that, it took Joe Biden more than a year to publicly acknowledge Tesla. This doesnt look good for the Americancar company, especially when you consider its CEOs involvement in crypto related activities that are not at all easily indulged by the SEC.Established carmakers wont wait a second more before getting Teslas market share, if Musk doesnt adapt fast enough to the current business picture. For example, people living in Hanford (UK) are now blaming Google Maps for sending large trucks to their narrow residential streets simply because the app believes this is a route to reach Radial Park in Stoke.In theory, this is exactly how navigation apps work in the first place. They search for faster routes to a user-defined destination and then provide the instructions to follow them. In this case, however, there are two main problems that made Google Maps fail to serve its purpose.First and foremost, Google Maps lacks a dedicated truck mode. In other words, the app doesnt know users are driving a lorry, so it always provides routes with roads where a regular passenger car would normally fit.And second of all, it looks like the suggested route is actually broken, as using Church Lane doesnt allow you to reach Radial Park.In all cases, truck drivers just have to turn on the narrow streets and then head back to A34. Local media cites people as saying that Google Maps has therefore created quite a problem in their neighborhood, with one councilor explaining he has already reached out to navigation app companies to inform them about the error.Until an update is provided (and until people stop using navigation apps wrong), theres a chance that truck drivers would continue to end up on roads where their vehicles wouldnt normally fit, therefore creating a major discomfort not only for them but also for people living in the area.At the time of writing, Google Maps is still said to provide the broken route to people looking for a way to reach Radial Park. SUV According to Mercedes-Benz, the issue is caused by insufficient sealing in the electric drive module. A manufacturing deviation is the root of the problem, making coolant seep into the electric motor. The German automaker informs that the affected units were produced between November 30, 2018, and December 15, 2021.In the report that the company sent to SAMR (China's State Administration for Market Regulation) , Mercedes-Benz explained that this leak reduces the insulation resistance value of the high-voltage system after long-term use. The practical effect is that the vehicle may not start or lose output power. Thats a euphemism to avoid saying that the electricmay stop in the middle of the road, as some owners reported, thankfully without more serious consequences so far.Mercedes-Benz told autoevolution this about the recall:Mercedes-Benz AG has determined that on certain EQC (293 platform) vehicles the tightness of the cooling system of the electric drivetrain might be impaired. In this case, coolant from the cooling system might ingress into the electric motor, or the electric drivetrain might lose coolant. In both cases, accordingly warning messages would be shown in the instrument cluster. In case of a coolant ingress into the electric motor, the insulation resistance of the high-voltage system might be reduced. This would be detected by the monitoring software of the high-voltage system. In this condition, it would not be possible to start the vehicle.This recall is for Chinese customers only. As a precautionary measure, Mercedes-Benz AG, via its Mercedes-Benz service partners, will replace the electric drivetrains on the affected vehicles. The expected workshop visit for the replacement of the electric drivetrains will take up to 18 hours.The automaker committed to replacing all defective drive module assembly among the affected vehicles. However, theres a catch: EQC owners will have to wait until August 22, 2022. This is the company's explanation for that:"The relevant electric drive module involved in the recall is produced in overseas plants by the relevant supplier. Affected by various uncertainties in overseas markets including the pandemic situation, the current supply of the parts cannot meet the storage requirements for the immediate recall implementation. Therefore, we are actively coordinating the parts supply with the relevant supplier to ensure an efficient and high-quality recall that will all start on August 15th."Mercedes-Benz ensures that its parts storage can handle "relevant warranty requirements." In other words, if any EQC fails before the recall starts, it has "the capability to replace the electric drive module in a timely manner to ensure a worry-free driving experience."Apparently, Mercedes-Benz did not encounter similar issues in units sold in other markets, which is strange. Unless Chinese units had other specifications, it would be improbable that the manufacturing deviation would only affect them. However, no EQC owners got in touch with us, and we did not find any complaint so far about similar problems elsewhere.Although this is good news for the involved customers, the six-month wait for the repair may make things more difficult for the German automaker in the Chinese market. Customers there may start preferring vehicles produced locally to avoid similar waiting periods for safety repairs. One of the key objectives for Perseverance on Mars is searching for signs of ancient microbial life. To that end, the rover has been busy exploring the layers of exposed bedrock in the Jezero Crater, a region believed to have once been filled with liquid water.To investigate this intriguing area, the rover is loaded with scientific instruments. In its belly is located the equipment it needs to collect samples from Mars, and it includes a rotating drill carousel, which is a wheel with different drill bits, and 43 sample tubes.So far, Perseverance has successfully filled six samples tubes with fragments of the Red Planet. The rover will continue to collect pieces of the alien world and store them in its belly until it deposits them on the Martian surface to be retrieved by a future mission.By the end of the decade, NASA, together with European Space Agency (ESA), plans to launch the Mars Sample Return mission. The effort involves several spacecraft and robotic systems that will all work together to bring back to Earth the samples left by Perseverance.Once they reach terrestrial laboratories, scientists will be able to finally analyze the alien fragments with powerful, complex laboratory equipment that would be just too big to transport to Mars.But that's not the only thing that the rover will be doing on the Red Planet. Perseverance will also continue to study the planet's geology and past climate using its other instruments onboard. With MEDA (Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer), it will measure the weather and monitor dust.On its head, it has the Mastcam-Z camera that it uses to take stunning images of its surroundings. Right next to it is the Supercam (which resembles a big eye), which can identify the chemical composition of rocks from more than 20 feet (7 meters) away. Supercam is also helped by the SHERLOC instrument and the X-ray fluorescence spectrometer PIXL.And the rover is not capable of only analyzing Mars' composition. It can also create oxygen with MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment) from the carbon dioxide found in the atmosphere.The rover will continue to search for signs of ancient microbial life and test technologies for future human exploration of the red, cold planet. And it won't be alone Ingenuity will be there and will explore how future rovers and aircraft can work together on Mars. Our FCEV will launch with range of 500+mi In general FCEVs can offer: - longer range at lower weights than BEVs - quicker re-charge : ~75mi/min fueling std HD Trucks have a wide use case. Some benefit BEV others FCEV. Hauling a lowboy from AZ to TX - thats a FCEV use case! https://t.co/RPHEJKWvan Jason Roycht (@JasonRoycht) February 18, 2022 We plan to launch several public and private fueling stations across southern CA. Initial locations will be tied to our partners logistic needs. Not yet ready to announce specifics but soon. If anyone wants to add trucks to the mix, DM me- Ill see what we can do for a station ???? https://t.co/BAdlnGxFXQ Jason Roycht (@JasonRoycht) February 18, 2022 The global head of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles at Nikola said that after being asked by a Twitter follower about the advantages of an FCEV truck. In fact, it seems Honza Sochor was asking about the Two : he mentions an FCEV truck compared to the Tre, probably unaware that the Tre has a fuel cell version.According to Roycht, FCEVs can offer longer range at lower weights than BEVs. They also have a quicker re-charge advantage. The executive mentioned that the Tre FCEV and the Two FCEV, when it is available will be able to add around 75 miles/minute. In other words, it would take close to seven minutes to fill the hydrogen tanks and keep traveling.In another discussion, the Nikola executive mentions that the truck can get 10 kilograms of hydrogen per minute and that these trucks can run around 7.5 miles/kg. That allows us to calculate how much hydrogen the truck will use to run more than 500 miles: about 70 kg of gas.As usual, the big question is: where will these trucks get the hydrogen to keep traveling? Roycht has an answer for that as well. According to the executive, the company plans to launch several public and private fueling stations across southern California.The initial locations will be tied to our partners logistic needs. Roycht said he cannot get into more details at this point but that Nikola is open to add trucks to the mix. In other words, Nikola can provide public or private hydrogen stations depending on their clients needs. Well share more details about that as soon as we have them. As the entry-level offering in the Tesla lineup, the Model 3 lacked the convenience features found in its bigger brothers. Among them, we count the power tailgate that even Model Y featured right from the factory. This led many Model 3 owners to buy aftermarket solutions that were later installed at third-party garages, which was not an ideal solution. Right now, you can buy on Amazon the kits to convert the tailgate and even the frunk lid to open automatically or at the touch of a button.Tesla-China stepped in to close this loop and offer a factory service to retrofit the desired power tailgate to Model 3 cars that did not come with this feature. The move was announced on Sina Weibo by Tesla China customer support, and CEO Allan Wang shared a video detailing the whole retrofitting process. The retrofit is as good as the factory-fitted power tailgate on the newer Model 3 , including the UI display feature additions. After the job is done, the tailgate can be open and closed via the button on the back, the Tesla app, or the infotainment system.Tesla electric tailgate upgrade service. Official service, genuine parts, professional technician installation. The long-awaited electric tailgate upgrade is here. Your voice, we are all listening carefully, reads the Google-translated Tesla Customer Support post on Weibo At the equivalent of $630, the power tailgate retrofit is a tad more expensive than aftermarket solutions, which hover around $500. But the price includes the installation and this is significant. Also, the power tailgate functions are properly integrated with the Model 3 platform, not to mention the retrofit is backed up by the carmakers three-year warranty.Although the service is for the moment only available in China, we expect this to be made available in other markets soon, including in the U.S. At least that was the case with other features Tesla introduced, all of them originating from its China operations. It will probably be a lot more expensive in western countries than it is in China, like all other products and services. Its not a secret anymore, the VW Group has been eyeing Formula 1, and it seems they want a piece of that action soon. Key officials from Porsche and Red Bull have been holding serious talks and are about to close a deal for power units scheduled for 2026. An announcement of the outcome of these high-stakes meetings could come as early as March. 6 photos AMG Aside from the new looks, courtesy of a new set of regulations, Mercedes went on to change more parts for the 2022 power unit than on any previous iterations since the introduction of the V6 Turbos in 2014.Other highlights include the new chassis and a livery that has reverted to silver, a color that has always been within Mercedes racing DNA, so to speak.As far as the front wing height is concerned, while we dont have any exact numbers, we can tell that its not quite as high as on the new Ferrari F1-75 or Aston Martin AMR22 cars, but perhaps still a little higher than on some of the other new cars, such as the Red Bull RB18 Ever since work on W13 began, I have seen an excited enthusiasm in our team members like never before, thanks to the scale of opportunity that these technical regulations provide, said team principal and CEO, Toto Wolff.We did pretty well during the last big regulatory change into the hybrid era and performed well when we went from the narrow to the wide cars in 2017. While we have a good track record, my message is clear: we cant rely on past success for this years performance, but we can rely on our people, our culture, our structure, and our mindset to do the best possible job for 2022.Getting behind the wheel of the Mercedes-F1 W13 will be Lewis Hamilton and George Russell , the latter being a graduate of the Mercedes Young Driver Program and one of the sports brightest young stars. Lewis meanwhile enters the 2022 championship with 103 wins under his belt, to go with 182 podiums. Hell certainly be aiming for his eighth Drivers Title.Both drivers have experienced the F1 W13 extensively in the simulator thus far and, as you can imagine, are chomping at the bit to get this thing out on the track in real life. ABS Chevrolet introduced a mild facelift for the Chevelle in 1969, which brought a chromed horizontal slat between the quad-headlights from the newplastic grille. Most of the two-door vehicles were either El Camino or Hardtop coupe, such as this vehicle. At the same time, fewer 300 Deluxe versions were ordered with the SS option. This was priced at $347.60 (2,662.62 USD in today's money), and this orange beauty has it.The car was ordered by the seller's father back in 1969, and, with all the options installed, he paid 3,939.40 (30,176 USD in today's money) for it. Maybe it wasn't that bad, after all, considering that the average price for a home in the U.S. back then was $25,600 (196,096 USD in 2022 money). In 1992, the car went through a restoration process, and the Hugger Orange paint was refreshed. Along the process, the fenders and the quarter panels were replaced.Inside, the black vinyl upholstery covers the front bucket seats and the rear bench, like it was when the car was new. And if you wonder, yes, the headrests are original and were among the options added to the vehicle when it was built by Chevrolet. The car features an AM/FM cassette stereo for the audio system, which was added during the restoration process. Although the original push-button AM radio is included in the sale.But the most essential part of the SS package was the 396 (6.5-liter) Big-Block V8 under the hood. It is paired with a three-speed TMH400 automatic gearbox and sends the power to the rear wheels via a 3.31:1 Positraction differential. To stop the 325 hp Chevelle SS, the carmaker installed front discs and rear drums, while a power-steering was responsible for following directions. For those who want a more aggressive rear end, the Cwebs396 seller includes a 4.10:1 rear gear set. The same gearing was used by Chevrolet on the Camaro SS . Also, a set of Cragar wheels and tires will come with the car. The UK-based Joint European Torus (JET) Laboratory in Oxfordshire has been at the forefront of nuclear fusion research and innovation since 1984. The first priority of JET, and its scientists, is reaching a nuclear fusion advancement stage known as scientific breakeven. Where in, an artificially generated nuclear fusion reaction, usually of hydrogen into helium, bears the same level of energy output as it does the production of radiant heat.After experiments conducted in December of last year, personnel on-site have reason to suspect they're on the precipice of something genuinely history-changing. The origins of the JET project have roots stretching back to the 1960s. It was the result of decades of planning and cooperation between the United Kingdom and other European scientists in the pursuit of clean, efficient fusion power.JET achieved its first plasma generation in June 1983, before being formally opened in April of the following year by Queen Elizabeth II. Such was the enormity of the achievements the staff there wished to achieve.Research at the institute has been slow but sure over the last four decades. Blood, sweat, and tears of unimaginable proportions have gone into every decimal towards scientific breakeven. Progress rates may have been painfully slow at times. But sure enough, the British laboratory had gathered some of the smartest minds in nuclear science in their ranks.Further breakthroughs came in November 1991. When JET performed the world's first deuterium-tritium experiment, beating the American's equivalent attempt by machine by nearly 24 months. Until just a few short months ago, the absolute highest figure JET scientists were able to achieve was 16 MW of fusion energy while radiating 24 MW of thermal power to heat the fuel.Enough to carry a couple of small homes or a couple of dozen microwaves unevenly heating a TV dinner all at once. This works out to a figure of Q=0.67, nearly three quarters to the target. We bet the green beans were still half-frozen in the middle, just for the added authentic touch.Just before Christmas last year, JET scientists fired up their magnetically confined fusion reactor once again. This time, it managed to produce 59 megajoules of pure energy. The final data figures for the percentage to scientific breakeven are still being figured as of February 2022. But chances look promising that the results of the experiment will be a great leap forward.Regardless of the numbers, the visible spectrum camera footage of long rings of superhot plasma will awe inspire us for many days to come. The bright ring of superheated material appeared like something out of your favorite sci-fi movie. So much so it has some of us cheesing out hardcore.Be it the Death Star firing up planet-destroying laser cannon, the Borg Cube tractor beam, etc. It was a sustained jolt of fusion energy no longer than a few seconds. But it was long enough to make visuals that transcend hum-drum figures and data. Shiny objects have always been the key to humanity's collective heart, after all.And to think it all could have never happened at all. But this scenario was all too possible during the immediate aftermath of the successful UK movement to formally separate from the European Union in nearly every official capacity outside of normal diplomacy.There was genuine worry that the many German , French, Italian, Romanian, and other nationals working on the project would be in danger of being expelled from the country if dominoes fell in a particular direction. It was a fear that couldn't be entirely guaranteed to be invalid at certain points after the decisive split. It must have felt like the wheels were truly starting to come apart.Happily, Prime Minister Theresa May and her government agreed to a contract extension to keep European scientists within the program until 2024. This motion was sustained by May's successor, Boris Johnson. The agreement's stood firm ever since.What does this agreement prove to the world, exactly? Well, you could argue it proves even in times of great political peril, the advancement in science can and should be given a higher priority. kW kWh WLTP Offered in the e-up! Style Plus trim level, the zero-emission model , which is the brands most affordable battery-electric vehicle, kicks off from 26,895 in Germany, including tax, which equals to $30,566 at the current exchange rates. Add the 9,570 ($10,876) environmental and innovation premium, though, and the pricing will drop to at least 17,145 ($19,485).This variant features a decent amount of standard gear for a car in this class that includes, among others, 15-inch alloy wheels, multi-function steering wheel wrapped in leather, and automatic climate control. The CCS charging plug is offered at no extra cost too, for what Volkswagen claims to be rapid charging, together with the lane departure warning system.In terms of power, you are looking at a small electric motor that pushes out 82 hp (83 ps / 61) and 155 lb-ft (210 Nm) of torque. It is backed up by a 32.2(net) battery that can be charged to 80% in one hour, via a DC connection, and in a little over four hours at 7.2 kW. Once juiced up, the battery enables a maximum range of 160 miles (258 km) in thecycle, depending on the outside temperature, driving style, use of comfort features and auxiliary equipment, and the number of passengers.Now that it has returned to the companys portfolio in Germany, the 2022 Volkswagen e-up! electric hatchback will gradually roll out in other European markets as well, with pricing varying depending on the country, and local government incentives. Audi Philippines currently offers the e-tron in two variants e-tron 50 Quattro and e-tron 55 Quattro. Both variants use a dual electric-motor setup (one on each axle), giving it all-wheel drive. Theres a new challenger in the Philippine electric vehicle market. After its global debut in Europe, Audis first EV, the e-tron, is now available in the country. For the entry-level e-tron 50, the total power output is rated at 230 kW or 313 PS with 540 Nm torque and is paired with a 71.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. This variant can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds and reach an electronically limited top speed of 190 km/h. The maximum range is rated at 341 km. The range-topping e-tron 55 comes with a larger 95 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, giving it more range at 441 km. Aside from the longer range, the e-tron 55 also comes with a more powerful punch. Power output is rated at 265 kW or 360 PS and 561 Nm torque. With boost mode, those figures go up to 300 kW or 408 PS and 664 Nm torque, allowing it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. As with most models in this category, Audi Philippines did not release an official price for the EV crossover. However, were told its priced around the same as a Q7. If thats the case, it should be around the PHP 5 to 6 million mark. But will it be a hot selling model in the Philippines? EVs arent the most popular vehicles in the country. However, it seems there are already buyers even before the models arrived. The company says that 10 units have been pre-sold, with some units already delivered to customers. We wonder how well the e-tron will stack up against the current competition, which includes the Taycan. More importantly, we wonder how much the more-stylish e-tron GT will cost once it's officially launched. Tesla and the company's chief executive Elon Musk made a stunning accusation against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Thursday, February 17, saying that the federal agency has been targeting them with an "unrelenting" investigation to punish the billionaire owner for being an outspoken critic of the U.S. government. Tesla and Musk's accusation of the SEC curtailing his free speech came via a letter addressed to U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan in Manhattan. He was the judge who presided over Tesla's 2018 settlement with the SEC, which stemmed from Musk's tweet regarding a potential buyout of the auto giant. The Tesla CEO was charged before the settlement with making false and misleading statements because of that tweet. As part of the agreement with the SEC, Musk was ordered to pay a massive $20 million fine and was forced to relinquish his post as chairman of Tesla for three years. Tesla, for that matter, was also required to pay a separate $20 million fine, and was ordered to monitor its chief executive's statements about the carmaker on social media platforms such as Twitter. Tesla accuses SEC of breaking its promises As per The Verge, Musk's attorneys alleged that the SEC broke its promises in that previously agreed-upon settlement. In Thursday's letter, lawyer Alex Spiro accused the SEC of ignoring its commitment to distribute the US$40 million in fines the agency collected from Tesla and Musk to shareholders. Spiro added that the SEC is devoting instead its "formidable resources to endless, unfounded investigations" into Tesla and Musk. Spiro wrote that the SEC's outsized efforts seem calculated to chill Musk's exercise of his First Amendment rights. Judge Nathan has ordered the SEC to respond to Musk and Tesla's allegations by February 24. Also Read: Mercedes-AMG Unveils 2 New EQE Models; Electric Sedan Can Produce 677 HP Musk's letter is the latest chapter in the Tesla vs SEC wars The SEC has tussled with Musk multiple times since that settlement was agreed in 2018. The agency asked a federal judge to hold the Tesla CEO in contempt in February 2019 for posting a tweet that claimed the company would make "around" 500,000 electric vehicles that year. Musk's statement contradicted Tesla's official guidance that the automaker would deliver between 360,000 and 400,000 total vehicles in 2019. The SEC said that Musk was in "blatant violation" of the 2018 settlement, while Musk countered by saying the federal agency was trying to make an "unconstitutional power grab." Nathan ordered the two sides to work things out, telling Tesla and SEC to come back with their reasonableness pants on. The SEC then issued a new subpoena on November 2021, this time taking issue with Musk's tweet where he asked his followers via a poll whether he should sell 10 percent of his stake at Tesla. The company's shares dropped 16 percent in the trading days following Musk's post on Twitter. Related Articles: Gadkari Calls Tesla's Plans To Build EVs in China and Sell Them in India 'Not a Digestible Concept' California Sues Tesla Over Allegations of Racial Discrimination and Harassment of Black Workers Felicity Ace, a cargo ship packed with Porsche, Audi, Volkswagen, and Bentley vehicles, has been abandoned in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean after a fire rapidly spread on board. The Portuguese Navy has safely rescued the ship's 22 crew members, but the fate of its prized cargo is still up in the air, with Felicity Ace still burning over a thousand miles off the coast of Portugal. Felicity Ace's ill-fated journey started on February 10 when the cargo ship departed from the port in Emden, Germany. It was initially expected to arrive in the United States on the morning of February 23, with the ship set to dock at Davisville, Rhode Island. Unfortunately, the 656 foot-long roll-on/roll-off ship suffered a mishap in the middle of its voyage, with the car carrier catching fire in the North Atlantic on Wednesday, February 16. According to a statement released by the Portuguese Navy, Felicity Ace was sailing 90 nautical miles southwest of Portugal's Azores when the fire's outbreak started. Can authorities salvage the vehicles on board Felicity Ace? The fire, which started in the ship's cargo hold, spread so quickly, forcing the 22-man crew of Felicity Ace to abandon the vessel. They were safely picked up and taken to a local hotel, with Ponta Delgada Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center the ones coordinating the rescue. However, time is fast running out to salvage the vehicles on board Felicity Ace. Business Insider obtained a statement from Volkswagen Group regarding the incident. The German automaker said that approximately 4,000 vehicles were on board the Felicity Ace at the time of the fire. The spokesperson for Volkswagen Group did not break down the specific brands affected by the blaze. The automaker sells vehicles under the Volkswagen, Porsche, Bentley, Bugatti, Audi, and Lamborghini brands in the United States. Also Read: BMW Named Top Car Exporter in the U.S. for 8th Straight Year; BMW X Models Boost U.S. Exports 1,100 Porsche and 189 Bentley units affected in blaze Porsche spokesperson Luke Vandezande confirmed to Autoblog that approximately 1,100 Porsche models are among Felicity Ace's cargo. He said that they are already in contact with the shipping company, and the details of the cars onboard the Felicity Ace are now known. Vandezande added that "customers affected by the incident are being contacted by their dealer." One of those expectant Porsche customers is journalist and host Matt Farah, who said he had a 2022 Boxster Spyder awaiting delivery on board the ship. Farah said that the dealer confirmed that his car, along with at least a dozen other vehicles they were expecting, is on Felicity Ace. The Drive also got word from a Bentley spokesperson that 189 of its vehicles are on board the cargo ship. Those luxury cars have an estimated total retail value of at least $30 million. Audi also confirmed the presence of its vehicles aboard the stricken cargo ship, but the German automaker declined to provide an estimate on the number of cars on board. Related Articles: Volkswagen Cuts Production and Night Shifts as Global Chip Shortage Continues To Hit Automakers Audi and Faw Group Get Approval From China for $3.3 Billion EV Joint Venture Facility in Changchun Copyright 2020 by Mountain Times Publications. Digital or printed dissemination of this content without prior written consent is a violation of federal law and may be subject to legal action. Senior U.S. officials pivoted Thursday from warning of the threat that Russia could soon invade Ukraine to the firm expectation the invasion is about to begin. What they're saying: If Russia doesnt invade, we will be relieved that Russia changed course and proved our predictions wrong," Secretary of State Tony Blinken said today. But both he and President Biden made quite clear that they believe Vladimir Putin has chosen war, and Blinken went so far as to present the playbook the U.S. expects Putin to follow. First, Blinken told the UN Security Council, Putin will need a pretext. That could involve a "violent event" precipitated by Russia or "an outrageous accusation" against Ukraine, Blinken said. He cited the possibility of a fabricated terrorist bombing, drone strike against civilians or chemical weapons attack. Blinken also said Russia could falsely claim that "ethnic cleansing or a genocide" is taking place in Eastern Ukraine, or stage the discovery of a mass grave. The latest: Such claims are already being shared by Russian state media and Kremlin officials, including Putin himself. Second, Blinken warned "the highest levels of the Russian government may theatrically convene emergency meetings to address the so-called crisis" and proclaim the need to rise up and defend Russian citizens or ethnic Russians in Ukraine. The latest: Russian media reported today that Putin is holding meetings in preparation for a major address to the federal assembly. Third, the attack will begin with Russian missiles and bombs across Ukraine, jammed communications and cyberattacks designed to shut down "key Ukrainian institutions," Blinken said. The latest: The websites of Ukraine's Defense Ministry and two major banks were knocked offline temporarily on Tuesday by a cyberattack, though no sensitive systems appear to have been affected. Fourth, "Russian tanks and soldiers will advance on to targets that have already been identified and mapped out in detailed plans," including Kyiv. The latest: U.S. officials now estimate the troop count near Ukraine's borders at 150,000. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said today that Russian troops were "inching closer" to Ukraine's border and "stocking up their blood supplies." Satellite images have also shown a new military pontoon bridge in Belarus, less than 4 miles from the Ukraine border. U.S. officials now estimate the troop count near Ukraine's borders at 150,000. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said today that Russian troops were "inching closer" to Ukraine's border and "stocking up their blood supplies." Satellite images have also shown a new military pontoon bridge in Belarus, less than 4 miles from the Ukraine border. "Every indication that we have is that they are prepared to go into Ukraine," Biden told reporters today. He said he expects an invasion "in the next several days," but there is still a "path to diplomacy." Data: Mapbox/OSCE as of Feb. 14, 2022; Map: Will Chase/Axios That path appears to be growing shorter. Russia formally replied today to the security proposals the U.S. and NATO presented last month, saying they "ignored" Russia's core concerns, such as NATO expansion, and that Russia would be forced to take "military-technical" steps in response. Moscow has also expelled a senior U.S. diplomat. At today's UN hearing on the Minsk accords, which were signed in 2014 and 2015 as part of the effort to resolve the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine, Blinken's remarks were preceded by a combative address from Russia's deputy foreign minister. He argued that Ukraine was trampling on the agreements which call for a special status for the separatist-claimed areas of eastern Ukraine, but which Ukraine argues were signed under military duress with the acquiescence of the West. While in Moscow this week, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hinted at two potential off-ramps: making clear that Ukraine will not join NATO anytime soon, and pressuring Kyiv to move forward on Minsk. It remains unclear whether Western leaders could engineer a diplomatic off-ramp that satisfies Putin, or how long they might have to try. Meanwhile, Russian officials and state media have been jeering the Biden administration over the fact that the date it pinpointed for a potential invasion came and went on Wednesday. The Kremlin continues to insist it has no plans to invade Ukraine, though Blinken noted that it hasn't explicitly ruled out such a scenario or followed through in any meaningful way on the announcement that troops would move back from the border. State of play: The low-grade war that's already underway in Ukraine threatened to escalate today as international monitors reported shelling across the line of contact in the east. The aftermath of the reported shelling of a kindergarten in Stanytsia Luhanska. Photo: Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty The big picture: Ukraine has since 2014 been battling pro-Russian separatists who've declared independent "republics" in Donetsk and Luhansk (see map). Around 1,400 people have been killed in the fighting. Driving the news: A kindergarten in the Ukrainian-controlled town of Stanytsia Luhanska was struck, though the children had been evacuated and no one was killed. President Volodymyr Zelensky called that a "big provocation." Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov accused Ukrainian government forces of preparing a major offensive against the separatist-controlled territory, which Kyiv has denied. At the UN, Russia is circulating what it describes as an investigation into war crimes committed by Ukrainian forces during the war. A senior U.S. official called those allegations "categorically false," but warned they could be used to further build a pretext for war. The Russian state Duma passed a resolution this week calling on Putin to recognize the separatist republics. That would suggest a Russian withdrawal from the Minsk accords and could foreshadow military intervention from Moscow because the separatists do not control all of the territory they claim. Blinken said Russia would face "a swift and firm response" if Putin acts on the resolution, in a statement that was echoed by several European allies. "The Duma provides Putin with possibilities," Alexander Baunov of Carnegie Moscow tells Axios, but that doesn't mean he intends to take them. What to watch: The U.S. has consistently attempted to call out the plays it expects Putin to run ahead of time, hoping to deny him the narrative that the war was forced upon Russia. While the U.S. and U.K. appear convinced that war is coming, some analysts believe Putin is still keeping his options open. Baunov says a full-scale invasion of Ukraine would not be an easy sell for Putin domestically, in part because so many Russian citizens have relatives in Ukraine. "It's not such an easy decision," Baunov says. "It maybe doesn't look this way from the outside, but from inside [Russia], to start a large-scale invasion of Ukraine without being provoked by something convincing you can threaten it, but to move is a different thing." The bottom line: The Biden administration made clear today that it expects Putin to move from threats to action very soon. A Democratic state senator in California introduced a bill Thursday that would require employers to disclose salary ranges for open positions, and publicly report employee and contractor pay data. Why it matters: Pay transparency laws are increasingly seen by equal pay advocates as the next key policy in closing racial and gender pay gaps. It means the next time you go looking for a job you might know how much it pays for real ahead of time. A similar law went into effect in Colorado last year, and is about to take effect in New York City in May. California already requires employers to disclose salary ranges, but only if asked by a prospective candidate. "I think the tide is turning in terms of support for stronger pay equity laws," said Jessica Stender, a policy director for Equal Rights Advocates, one of four advocacy groups that worked on this bill, introduced by Monique Limon (D) in the Senate and coauthored by Sen. Nancy Skinner and Assemblymember Cristina Garcia. In the UK employers have had to disclose pay disparity data and it has helped narrow gaps, Stender said. The big picture: The rise of remote work means that local laws, particularly coming from places like NYC and California, can have national implications. After Colorado's transparency law went into affect, companies who posted remote jobs simply said residents of Colorado could not apply. But large employers like ones based in NY and Calif. likely won't be able to do this due to the millions of in-demand workers in these two states. State of play: While these laws are still new, there is evidence that pay transparency does narrow wage gaps from the public sector. The gender pay gap for federal workers, who can tap publicly available salary information, was 93%, according to a GAO report from 2017. For U.S. workers overall, it's 82%. Black, hispanic and Native American women face wider gaps. Laws banning employers from asking job candidates for salary history have already changed the hiring process for many women, in complicated ways. The other side: Companies have argued it's burdensome and complicated to post pay ranges. What's next: It's likely that business groups will oppose this new bill, as they opposed previous pay equity laws in the state. The hard-left politics of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and the so-called "Squad," once a dominant theme for vast numbers of elected Democrats, is backfiring big-time on the party in power, top Democrats tell us. Why it matters: The push to defund the police, rename schools and tear down statues has created a significant obstacle to Democrats keeping control of the House, the Senate and the partys overall image. "It's what we've been screaming about for a year," said Matt Bennett, c0-founder of center-left Third Way, which launched Shield PAC to defend moderate Democrats. "It's a huge problem." The latest sign of the backlash was the landslide (70%+) recall this week of three San Francisco school board members, who were criticized for prioritizing issues like the renaming of 44 public schools including ones honoring George Washington and Abraham Lincoln over a return to in-person classes. Other factors like an abrupt admissions change to a prestigious high school were at play (all politics is local). like an abrupt admissions change to a prestigious high school were at play (all politics is local). But the most liberal city in the most liberal state decided that liberal activists had gone too far. It's part of a barrage of evidence that the progressive activism of the Squad pushed the party's image way left of where most voters are even most Democratic voters. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, told Axios: "What I'm hearing at home and what I'm focused on are commonsense, bipartisan solutions from tackling grocery and gas prices, to cutting taxes and fixing our infrastructure, to investing in law enforcement and fighting crime." co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, told Axios: "What I'm hearing at home and what I'm focused on are commonsense, bipartisan solutions from tackling grocery and gas prices, to cutting taxes and fixing our infrastructure, to investing in law enforcement and fighting crime." Aides to several Squad members declined immediate comment. This is a seismic shift from just a year ago. The signs have built steadily throughout President Biden's 13 months in office that Squad politics are problematic when you control everything: 30 House Democrats the most in decades have announced they'll retire instead of running in November's midterms. They see little hope of keeping the majority in this environment. the most in decades have announced they'll retire instead of running in November's midterms. They see little hope of keeping the majority in this environment. Democrats lose poll after poll of generic House matchups, which ask voters if they'd prefer an R or a D if the election were held today. Republicans' decisive sweep of statewide offices in Virginia was powered in part by Democrats' failure to appreciate parents' skepticism about public schools' mask mandates, policies on transgender rights and approach to teaching about race. Also in November, voters in liberal Minneapolis rejected a proposal designed to radically constrain police. Zoom out: House Democrats' own polling and focus groups show many swing voters think the party is too "preachy," "judgmental" and "focused on culture wars," according to documents obtained by Politico. An Axios-Ipsos Latino Poll found crime and gun violence are leading worries for Hispanics, whose once-reliable support for Democrats has cooled in part because of "fears of Democrats embracing socialist policies," The New York Times reported. found crime and gun violence are leading worries for Hispanics, whose once-reliable support for Democrats has cooled in part because of "fears of Democrats embracing socialist policies," The New York Times reported. Already in midterm races, Democrats in swing districts are scrambling to distance themselves from far-left movements to "defund the police" and "abolish ICE," The Washington Post found. Former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota says her fellow Democrats are hurting themselves by not speaking out more forcefully against liberal positions that alienate rural America. Commercial satellite images have become ubiquitous in U.S. media as geopolitical tensions rise over a potential invasion of Ukraine. Why it matters: The images are showcasing the abilities of Earth observing satellites that are often marketed as climate intelligence platforms, but in reality are also used for less advertised national security purposes. Many satellite companies share their imagery with the little known National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, an intelligence agency that has been expanding its connections with the private sector in recent years. Other Defense Department agencies are also in the mix, such as the National Reconnaissance Office. The big picture: The rapidly growing commercial space sector is giving rise to companies that can keep tabs on our planet in new ways, tracking everything from the acreage of a single wildfire to soil moisture and even the emissions of greenhouse gases, such as methane and carbon dioxide. The intrigue: Companies like Maxar, which makes imagery available during and after major disasters, can find a reliable funding stream in the form of government contracts. "The primary source of funding for nearly all of these, all of the commercial satellite imagery sector at the moment is the national security community," said Brian Weeden of the Secure World Foundation. "Now the hope has always been that other sources of funding would materialize, but I think that's still a work in progress." Driving the news: Commercial imagery that does not require declassification, thereby allowing for rapid releases, has been key to the Biden administration's effort to seize the narrative in the ongoing conflict. For example, on Wednesday evening, the Biden administration accused Russia of failing to withdraw some forces as advertised, saying Russia was merely redeploying and even bolstering them. These claims were backed up by imagery of Russian military activity that Maxar had sent to media outlets. The pictures showed the recent construction of a bridge near the border between Belarus and Ukraine, and newly-arrived attack helicopters at various bases. "It's great advertising, but also probably a good public service" on Maxar's part, Weeden said. What they're saying: Maxars imaging satellite constellation has been closely monitoring the build-up of Russian military forces along the Ukrainian border," said Dan Jablonsky, Maxar CEO, in a statement to Axios. "This high-resolution, unclassified imagery has allowed many customers including the U.S. Government and international allies to have an accurate, up-to-date view of conditions on the ground." "Through our News Bureau initiative, and of our own volition, Maxar has made much of this imagery available to news organizations to support global transparency and combat the spread of disinformation," he said. Context: The companies that sell visible imagery as well as remote sensing using synthetic aperture radar which can see through clouds have already spawned a growing movement at think tanks, newsrooms and academia, known as open-source intelligence. Researchers have used Planet's imagery extensively to monitor North Korea and Iran's nuclear programs, for example. Now they are setting their sights on Ukraine's borders, sharing and analyzing images via social media. The bottom line: The tensions in eastern Europe illustrate that the commercial satellite sector writ large has multiple use cases, from climate studies to national security applications. A federal judge said Friday that people charged in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot should receive more lenient sentences for assisting the Congressional investigations surrounding the attack, Politico reports. Driving the news: "I think that that kind of cooperation is helpful to this country and is helpful to making amends for what occurred on Jan. 6," said Beryl Howell, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. Howell seeks to encourage defendants to talk to the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. State of play: Howells remarks come after a public defender representing Robert Schornak, who was charged on Friday with breaching the Capitol on Jan. 6, said that the Department of Justice should give credit to defendants who accept responsibility for their role in the attack. A Justice Department prosecutor, however, said that Schornak's cooperation with the House committee should not influence his sentencing. "I dont think its something that should be given great weight," Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Eve said. "We are not treating that in the same way that someone would be treated if they cooperated in a federal investigation." Go deeper: Judge: DOJ's low-level charges "fostering confusion" about Jan. 6 House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy endorsed GOP Rep. Liz Cheney's opponent for Wyomings congressional seat on Thursday, a move former President Donald Trump applauded on Friday. Why it matters: "Congressional leaders rarely involve themselves in primary races against sitting members," the N.Y. Times reports. Details: McCarthy backed Harriet Hageman, a Republican candidate who has repeated Trump's false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. "Wyoming deserves to have a representative who will deliver the accountability against this Biden administration. Not a representative that they have today that works closer with Nancy Pelosi, going after Republicans instead of stopping these radical Democrats from what they're doing to this country," McCarthy said on Fox News. Cheney is currently serving on the Jan. 6 special panel alongside Republican Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.). They were censured earlier this month by the RNC. What they're saying: Trump in a statement insulted Cheney and said she "doesn't deserve to serve in the House of Representatives." The president of George Washington University in D.C. has reversed his earlier decision to remove campus posters protesting the Beijing Olympics, which Chinese student groups had said "incited racial hatred and ethnic tensions." The big picture: Universities in the U.S., Australia and elsewhere are navigating how to protect Chinese students from rising anti-Asian hate crimes, while protecting speech and art that criticizes Chinese government oppression from censorship by some Chinese students on campus who view that criticism as racist. Chinese international student groups sometimes use the language of social justice to silence criticism of the Chinese government's human rights record. The incident also highlights the fears among Uyghur, Tibetan, Hong Kong and pro-democracy Chinese students in the U.S. that they can't exercise their right to free speech. "Some Chinese students in the U.S. often don't realize that it's possible to be both victim and oppressor at the same time," Maya Wang, senior China analyst at Human Rights Watch, told Axios. Details: In early February, posters protesting the Beijing Olympics were posted in several locations on the George Washington University campus, according to a student group statement and photos posted to Twitter. The posters show athletes wearing uniforms bearing the Chinese flag pointing a rifle at a bound and gagged Uyghur; pinning down a Tibetan; skating over a Hong Kong flag; riding atop a surveillance camera doubling as a snowboard; and pushing a virus across the ice. The identity of the person who put the posters around GWU's campus isn't known. Chinese Australian artist and political cartoonist Badiucao created the posters before the Olympics began and made them available for free download online. "My art is always targeting the Chinese Communist Party, never the Chinese suffering from this regime," Badiucao, who lives in Australia, told Axios. What they're saying: In a Feb. 6 statement posted to WeChat, the GWU Chinese Cultural Association said students had reported the posters to the police and the "unauthorized" posters had been removed. The posters "pose a potential risk to the personal safety of all Chinese and Asian students at George Washington University, including verbal and physical violence," the group said. "The ideas expressed are not based on indisputable facts but rather on highly controversial political disputes," the statement read. "This series of posters incites not only intra-ethnic hatred in China but also inter-ethnic hostility and inter-cultural contempt." The Chinese Cultural Association did not respond to a request for comment. The posters were subsequently removed, but in a Feb. 7 message posted to the university website, GWU President Mark Wrighton said this was a mistaken measure taken in haste. "Upon full understanding, I do not view these posters as racist; they are political statements. There is no university investigation underway, and the university will not take any action against the students who displayed the posters," Wrighton said. Background: In recent years, Chinese student associations in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. have intimidated students and visiting speakers who support Uyghurs, Tibetans and the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement, according to a recent ProPublica investigation. Official Chinese students associations abroad often have close ties to China's embassies and consulates, which often provide funding to the groups and sometimes ask them to hold pro-Chinese Communist Party political activities. The Chinese government also uses the language of anti-racism and inclusion to discredit discussion of its repressive policies. Uyghurs who criticize the Chinese government's repressive policies, such as putting people who pray frequently into mass internment camps, have been imprisoned on charges of "inciting ethnic hatred." Between the lines: "This student group seems to be exporting Chinese government oppression and conflating a number of issues while referencing Black Lives Matter," Wang of Human Rights Watch told Axios. "Racism and discrimination against people of Chinese origin is definitely real," said Wang. "But some are exploiting this legitimate grievance and twisting it to say that any criticism of China is racism against Chinese people and should not be raised in any form. It is quite disingenuous of them to raise the oppression of African Americans, while completing dismissing the oppression of Uyghurs, Tibetans and Hong Kongers." The university's initial response was also "disappointing," Wang said, because it seemed to take official Chinese student associations on campus as representative of all Chinese students. "I know of many Chinese students in the U.S. who are afraid of these Chinese student associations," Wang said. "They dont think these groups represent their views, they dont want to participate in their activities because they feel they are being bullied," she added, but students with different views don't feel it is safe to form their own independent associations for fear of reprisal back in China. Go deeper: Russian financial authorities added oppositional leader Alexei Navalny and several of his allies to the countrys registry of terrorists and extremists, freezing their bank accounts, according to AP. Why it matters: Navalny and his allies' additions to the list, and several other recent actions against human rights organizations and independent media, are the latest displays of the Kremlin cracking down on political dissent. They are a sign that those who advocate for reforms in Russia risk being labeled as terrorists. Russia's Federal Financial Monitoring Service added Navalny to the list roughly a year after he was sentenced to serve about 2.5 years in prison for violating parole. He was charged with violating his parole for staying in Germany while he recovered from the attempted poisoning by Russian security forces in 2020. Navalny and Western nations have condemned the charge and his prison sentence as being politically motivated. A Russian court labeled Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, a group created to expose corruption within the Kremlin, "extremist" in June, meaning that anyone associated with the group could face prison sentences of up to 10 years. A new criminal case was opened against Navalny in September, and he stands accused of founding and leading an extremist group. If convicted, he could have a decade added to his prison sentence. The big picture: In a major blow to the country's civil society, a Russian court ordered two prominent human rights groups to shut down in December after they were charged with violating Russia's "foreign agent" law and "justifying terrorism and extremism." The Russian government has repeatedly used foreign agent and terrorist designations to suppress opposition figures, activists, journalists and human rights lawyers. Go deeper: Navalny aides vow to keep up the fight from exile An Indiana public school has become embroiled in controversy after a school counselor reportedly sent a letter to parents giving them the option to opt their children out of Black History Month lessons. Why it matters: The Indiana case comes as some states impose new restrictions on diversity education under the guise of banning the teaching of critical race theory. Critics say these broadly written laws and proposals allow state officials to punish schools and educators for discussing racism and the history of people of color. How it happened: In the letter posted to Twitter, Sprunica Elementary School counselor Benjamin White wrote that he will be teaching lessons related to "equity, caring, and understanding differences" in the next two weeks. "Studies show that students who have a greater understanding of diversity in the classroom and outside world will demonstrate improved learning outcomes such as improved grades, better peer relationships, and greater career success later on." "If you would like to opt your child out for receiving these lessons, then sign the form below and have your child return it to the school," the letter states at the bottom. 97% of the school's 237 students are white, per data from the state's Department of Education. The latest: Brown County Schools Superintendent Emily Tracy acknowledged the letter in a message to students, families and staff on Wednesday. The district is gathering more information on what happened, Tracy said, adding that "we support teaching about the facts in our history including historical injustices." In an email to IndyStar, Tracy said district policy does not allow an opt-out option for required curriculum, including social studies and history. "Any decision related to parental consent and curriculum determinations are made in accordance with the law," she wrote. White and Tracy did not immediately return requests for comment. Worth noting: The Indiana House has already passed a bill to restrict what teachers are allowed to say about race, politics and history in the classroom, IndyStar reports. The legislation is now with the state Senate. The big picture: Since last year, 14 states have imposed such restrictions through legislation, executive actions or commission votes, an Education Week analysis found. In addition, 35 states have introduced bills or taken other steps to restrict teaching critical race theory a concept that focuses on the legacy of systemic racism or limit how teachers can discuss racism and sexism. What they're saying: "Its so anti-intellectual. Its so rigidly closed. Its almost an effort to keep people walled off from the past," Yale historian David Blight told Axios after hearing about the Indiana opt-out controversy. Diplomatic efforts with the West to end the crisis over Ukraine "are far from exhausted" and should be continued, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told President Vladimir Putin during a televised meeting in Moscow on Monday. Why it matters: The U.S. has repeatedly said that, based on its intelligence, a Russia invasion of Ukraine could happen "at any time." What they're saying: During Monday's meeting, which appeared carefully scripted, Putin questioned Lavrov on whether negotiations with the West over Russia's security concerns were nearing an agreement or were being dragged out to no end. "We have already warned more than once that we will not allow endless negotiations on questions that demand a solution today," Lavrov responded, per Reuters. But, he said, "I must say there are always chances." I believe that our possibilities are far from exhausted, Lavrov said, referring to negotiations with the West. I would propose continuing and intensifying them. The big picture: Among its demands, Russia has requested that NATO guarantee that Ukraine will never be allowed to join the defensive alliance. U.S. and NATO rejected that demand, saying that countries should be allowed to determine their own security arrangements, but they made concessions on other issues, such as arms control and increased transparency around military exercises. The Kremlin has yet to formally respond to those answers, though it did say Russia's primary concerns were "ignored." Though Russia has denied that it has plans to invade Ukraine, it has continued to amass troops and military equipment near Ukraine's borders. The U.S. now estimates Russia currently has around 130,000 troops near Ukraine's borders. Russia and Belarus last week launched massive joint military exercises, while at least six Russian warships headed to the Black Sea for naval drills. President Biden spoke to Putin on Saturday and warned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would have "severe economic costs" for the Kremlin and "irrevocable reputational damage caused by taking innocent lives for a bloody war." Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba by phone Monday that "although the United States immediate priority is to support efforts to de-escalate the situation, any further military aggression by Russia against Ukraine will be met with a swift, coordinated, and forceful response," according to State Department spokesperson Ned Price. Go deeper: New U.S. intelligence on Ukraine led Israel to evacuate its citizens The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations expressed solidarity on Saturday with a South Korean diplomat assaulted in an unprovoked attack in New York City earlier in the week. Details: The diplomat, whose name has been withheld by officials, worked for the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations. An unknown assailant punched the diplomat in the face on Wednesday evening in Midtown in what police told reporters was an unprovoked attack. The investigation remains ongoing. Driving the news: Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield wrote on Saturday that she and the U.S. Permanent Mission to the United Nations stand with the diplomat. "We will support efforts to bring justice for this terrible crime, and to make our vibrant, diverse city safe and welcoming for the diplomatic community and everyone who calls New York home." The big picture: Reports of hate crimes skyrocketed in 2021 in more than a dozen of Americas largest cities, with a record number of Asian Americans saying they were targeted, according to a study by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism. Go deeper: NYPD: Anti-Asian hate crimes in NYC jumped by 361% this year Organizers of a signature campaign that seeks to institute term limits for the Kern County Board of Supervisors dropped off petitions at the l Bluefield, WV (24701) Today Thunderstorms likely, especially this evening. Low 61F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely, especially this evening. Low 61F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Congressman Randy Weber, R-Friendswood, came to Tuesdays Commissioners Court meeting and commended the Jefferson County Emergency Operations Center on exceptional service during the pandemic. It is an extreme pleasure to be here. Thank you for allowing me that honor, Weber said. We have a lot of certificates of recognition for those who have participated and been stalwarts of this county. Bedford, PA (15522) Today Rain. Low 58F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight Rain. Low 58F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a half an inch. Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhon said Thursday that he would travel to Myanmar next month and attempt to meet with the countrys shadow government in a bid to resolve the political crisis there. Prak Sokhon plans to visit Myanmar in his capacity as special envoy for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in early March but said he could not guarantee that he would meet with the National Unity Government (NUG). He made the comments at the end of an ASEAN Foreign Ministers Retreat in Phnom Penh that was dominated by talk about the situation in Myanmar, where authorities have cracked down on anti-junta protests since the military seized power just over a year ago. I will meet with relevant parties but not all, Prak Sokhon said, referring to one of the conditions of an agreement known as the Five-Point Consensus that the junta made with ASEAN in April 2021. This is my first trip; we cant be greedy, he said. We will do what we can. Prak Sokhons comments followed a statement from Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, who said that he had called during the ministers meeting for the special envoy to meet with the NUG representatives when he visits Myanmar. This solution must be one that respects the will and aspiration of the people of Myanmar, the statement said. Malaysia reiterates its full support for the Five-Point Consensus. The consensus requires that the junta allow the ASEAN special envoy to visit Myanmar and hold unimpeded talks with the countrys political stakeholders, in addition to undertaking other steps to end violence. But the military regime has yet to implement any of the measures it signed on to last year. Prak Sokhon said as much Thursday, confirming that the reason junta representatives had not been invited to the ASEAN retreat was because there had been no improvement in Myanmars political situation. However, he vowed not to let the crisis impede community development. The ASEAN special envoy, who assumed the role at the start of the year when Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen was rotated into the blocs chair, said he was scheduled to distribute aid to a hospital and hold meetings with foreign diplomats during his visit. He told reporters that he had not reached out to NUG representatives yet because the junta has labeled the shadow government a terrorist group. But he said he was trying to convince the military regime to allow him to meet with all relevant parties during his stay. Malaysian pressure Saifuddin Abdullah, Malaysias top diplomat, said he was moved to call for the meeting after watching a video prepared by NUG Foreign Minister Zin Mar Aung for the ASEAN gathering. Zin Mar Aungs video detailed issues in Myanmar that she said the junta must immediately address to resolve the crisis. These include an end to airstrikes and offensives in areas controlled by armed ethnic groups and prodemocracy Peoples Defense Force (PDF) militias, and support for an independent probe into reports of war crimes, such as the militarys targeting of civilians with campaigns of arson and killings. Speaking to the Myanmar Service of Radio Free Asia, Zin Mar Aung said that Abdullah was right to call on Prak Sokhon to meet with the NUG because it is one of the conditions of the Five-Point Consensus. [The Prak Sokhon delegation has] to meet NUG officials anyway, if [the junta is to] implement the Five-Point Consensus, she said, adding that the shadow government is still considering who would represent it in talks with the special envoy. In addition to requirements that Prak Sokhon meet with all stakeholders during a visit to Myanmar, the agreement also calls for an end to violence and dialogue between the junta and the deposed National League for Democracy (NLD). The remains of homes burned by the military are seen in Maukkadaw, a village in the Mingin township of Myanmars Sagaing region, Feb. 10, 2022. [RFA] An important step Myanmar marked the first anniversary of its Feb. 1, 2021, coup with no progress on those issues, while in the past year security forces have arrested nearly 9,160 civilians and killed more than 1,550. Military conflict has engulfed large swathes of the country of 54 million, displacing more than 400,000 people. The junta has been at odds with ASEAN amid its failure to deliver on its promises. After assuming his role as head of the bloc, Hun Sen embarked on a Jan. 7-8 trip to Myanmar the first by a foreign leader since the military coup that drew widespread criticism for conferring legitimacy on the regime. He did not meet with members of the opposition, including deposed NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The visit came barely two weeks after Hun Sen, during a video conference, urged junta chief Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing to uphold the Five-Point Consensus. However, on Wednesday, only a month and a half into the job, Hun Sen admitted that Myanmars military regime had made no progress in resolving the situation in the country and said it was unlikely to do so during the remainder of his year as chair. Instead, he suggested that the next chair of ASEAN take care of the issue because of its difficulty. Speaking to RFA on Thursday, political analyst Than Soe Naing said that Abdullahs pressure on Prak Sokhon to meet with the NUG indicates that there is still hope for the situation in Myanmar. We people of Myanmar should welcome this step, he said. What is most important is that this call is that ASEAN is recognizing the NUG government. ASEAN is taking an important step in resolving Myanmar crisis. This report was produced by Radio Free Asia (RFA), the parent company of BenarNews. Muzliza Mustafa of BenarNews contributed to this report from Kuala Lumpur. Police escort a man arrested in in East Java province for alleged ties to the Islamic State extremist group, upon his arrival at Jakartas Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, March 18, 2021. Suspected members of the group behind the 2002 Bali bombings have infiltrated political parties so they can spread their radical beliefs, an anti-terrorism official said Friday, three months after authorities revealed that alleged Jemaah Islamiyah operatives had penetrated state institutions. Irfan Idris, head of de-radicalization at the National Counter-Terrorism Agency, came out with this days after police arrested a member of a newly established party on suspicion of being involved with Jemaah Islamiyah. Authorities here blamed JI, the Southeast Asian affiliate of al-Qaeda, for carrying out Indonesias deadliest-ever terror attack 20 years ago. This was the second such arrest since November. Theres is a shift in their strategy, Irfan told reporters. No political party is founded to groom terrorists, but please be aware that [members] will join through certain people who in the end will undermine the institutions, the organization, and the religion, he said. Irfan said the suspects had joined state institutions, political parties or socio-religious organizations not to launch terror attacks in the worlds largest Muslim-majority nation, but to slowly instill their ideologies in colleagues. Earlier this week, national police chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo said the government planned to double the number of personnel at the Densus 88 anti-terror unit to deal with these new challenges, and strengthen the fight against terrorism, including prevention and law enforcement. In line with the increasing complex challenges, the government has agreed to the proposal to expand the structure of the Densus 88, Listyo said on Wednesday. Terror activities are against religion The suspect arrested last week who is a political party member was one of three alleged JI members nabbed at the time in Bengkulu, a province on Sumatra Island. The person, whom police identified only by the initial R., is a member of the Ummah Party, officials said. The party was founded last year by veteran politician Amien Rais, a former speaker of the Peoples Consultative Assembly. Ummah Party spokesman Mustofa Nahrawardaya said the suspect had joined the party only three weeks before his arrest. The man was a well-known preacher in Bengkulu and a member of several Islamic organizations, Mustofa told local media. In November, police similarly arrested Farid Ahmad Okbah, chairman of the little-known Indonesian Peoples Calling Party, on suspicion that he headed JIs council of advisors. Ahsin Sakho Muhammad, a member of the fatwa commission at the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), a semi-official group of Muslim scholars, insisted that no mainstream Islamic groups supported terror activities. The council had issued a fatwa against terrorism back in 2004, he noted. Ahsin made the remarks after reports emerged that two of the three JI suspects arrested in Bengkulu were MUI members. BNPT is welcome to investigate, Ahsin told CNN Indonesia, MUI does not condone [terrorism] in any way. Terror activities are against religion. Meanwhile, a legislator for the Islamic Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) challenged the counter-terrorism agency to prove its claims. Just give us facts. If they joined [a party], find out the motives, whether they are repentant or just masquerading, Mardani Ali Sera said, according to CNN Indonesia. In November, senior BNPT official Ahmad Nurwakhid said JI militants had tried to infiltrate the Indonesian military, police and government ministries for more than a decade. Police have arrested 876 members of the group since the 2002 Bali bombings, which killed 202 people, police said in October. But the number of JI members and sympathizers is estimated to be 10 times as many, with 67 JI-affiliated religious schools suspected to be breeding grounds for militants, they warned. JI, which was outlawed in 2008, has not staged a major attack since 2011. And yet, police said they arrested 339 suspected militants in 2021, an increase of 56 percent from the previous year. Police also killed 18 militant suspects last year. Bennington, VT (05201) Today A few showers early becoming a steady rain overnight. Low around 50F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight A few showers early becoming a steady rain overnight. Low around 50F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. 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. The sweatshirt was local; the rioter wasnt. Federal authorities Friday arrested the man pictured at the U.S. Capitol riot in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, who was wearing a sweatshirt of a Pittsfield gym and health club. Vincent J. Gillespie, 60, of Athol, was among the throng of rioters in the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol who engaged in pushing, shoving, yelling, and fighting with law enforcement officers, according to a statement from the Department of Justice. Authorities say Gillespie struggled his way through the crowd and up to the front line of police officers who were defending an exterior door. He then took a police shield and used it to ram officers while shouting traitor and treason, according to prosecutors. As officers fought to hold off the rioters, Gillespie grabbed onto an officers arm and tried to pull him into the violent crowd. In September, the FBI publicized images of the then-unidentified Gillespie in an attempt to put a name to his face, with the special agent in charge of the agencys Boston outpost saying no amount of information is too small or irrelevant. As he fought with police in the mob that day, Gillespie wore a sweatshirt printed with the logo of Berkshire Nautilus, a local gym and health club. The clubs owner had said he had no clue who the man was, and neither did his members, but derided the suspects actions, which he said did not represent his business. Gillespie was arrested in Athol and is being charged in Washington with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, civil disorder, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds and related offenses. His initial court appearance was set for Friday. The case was investigated by the FBI Boston Divisions Western Massachusetts Joint Terrorism Task Force and the FBIs Washington Field Office. The agency said the Athol Police Department provided valuable assistance. PITTSFIELD Four National Guard members and 13 additional health care workers from the state arrived Thursday at a city nursing home where reports of neglect have accelerated in recent weeks amid a coronavirus outbreak. Quote I want families to know that we are well aware of their concerns and we are actively engaged on their behalf and raising the alarm." Linda Tyer, Pittsfield mayor An inspector from the state Department of Public Health also arrived unannounced Thursday morning at Springside Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center, in response to reports of more new COVID-19 cases, according to the agency. Also, the DPHs Rapid Response Team returned Thursday, two days after having spent several days at the facility to help with nursing care and infection control. Springside owner Kevin Morris, president of BaneCare, emphasized that inspectors had arrived for an infection-control inspection, not a complaint-based inspection arising from reports of neglect, which we wholeheartedly deny. And he noted that the Rapid Response Team is required to report instances of abuse or neglect, which, he said, it has not done. The Rapid Response Team has been a godsend with assisting the facility to care for our patients and residents while our employees recover from COVID, Morris said. They are reporting back to us that they have no issues. The team also reported no serious infection-control issues but isolated instances of staff not properly wearing protective equipment, according to the agency. Local officials and lawmakers say they are turning their attention to the Lebanon Road facility in the wake of the reports of neglect, including an incident last week in which a woman concerned for her mothers safety called police to help get her out. Mayor Linda Tyer said she is working with the DPH and has spoken directly with state Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mary Lou Sudders. I want families to know that we are well aware of their concerns and we are actively engaged on their behalf and raising the alarm, Tyer said, noting that she sensed urgency from Sudders and the DPH. State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, said that At this point, I have more questions than answers, but we need to demand answers. Im alarmed, along with my constituents, about the conditions being reported out of Springside nursing home, and I will work closely with the Department of Public Health to ensure that they are addressed, she added. Troubles at the facility began mounting late last month, when the number of COVID-19 cases grew among residents and staffers. Springside reported at least 42 resident cases and 18 staff cases since Jan. 25, according to information on the facilitys website. Workers familiar with the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said an already-strapped nursing staff was reduced to dire numbers because of quarantines, with ratios, at times, of one aide to 53 residents. Since reporting on the case last week of police being called to get the womans mother out, The Eagle has received numerous reports from those whose relatives have stayed in the facility, and from health care workers familiar with the situation. Call for help If a resident, their representative, or their family members have complaints or concerns about the care they receive while in a long-term care facility, they can contact the facilitys long-term care ombudsman, at 413-499-0524, to provide assistance. Or they can file a complaint with the state Department of Public Health by calling 800-462-5540. They allege neglect that includes call bells going unanswered for hours, and staffers scolding people who continue to press them. Other common allegations include abrupt weight loss, medication that is late or never arrives, double-diapering and, in the most extreme circumstances, people lying in their waste for up to 10 hours. Many say administrator and receptionist phones mostly go unanswered, and patients, residents and their families often are met with dismissiveness and sometimes hostility when concerns are brought to administrators and most caregivers. One man, calling the situation a humanitarian crisis at the local level, raced to Pittsfield from another state to remove his father about an hour after police were there last week to help the woman transfer her mother. Understaffing at the 135-bed Springside, and most nursing homes, is nothing new, though the coronavirus pandemic has exposed the problem by creating a new layer of staffing shortages because of quarantines. Nursing home operators say they also are having difficulty finding people to work. An Eagle analysis of federal staffing data shows that the facility, like most, long has had staffing levels below what federal regulators consider safe. Springsides most recent staffing level reports to regulators show levels below state and national averages, and for RN care, significantly lower than what is considered safe and adequate. LENOX If we find ourselves involved in a fender-bender or perish the thought a more severe auto accident, wouldnt we want the other motorist to be properly licensed and to be driving an insured vehicle? Certainly, you say. In that case, we could applaud this weeks approval by the state House of Representatives of a long-overdue bill allowing residents lacking legal immigration status to get drivers licenses. Currently in Massachusetts, without a valid Social Security ID, one cant apply for a license. Co-sponsored by state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, the measure now goes to the state Senate, where prospects for approval are favorable, and then to Gov. Charlie Bakers desk. Perhaps Baker can be persuaded to back the bill. Even if not, the margin in the House in favor was 120-36, indicating lawmakers could override a veto by the governor. If the Work and Family Mobility Act becomes law, Massachusetts would join 16 other states, including New York, Connecticut and Vermont, plus the District of Columbia, that allow undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers licenses. Here are 10 compelling reasons why its common sense for the states estimated 200,000 undocumented immigrants of driving age to be licensed: 1) This is about public safety for all drivers, pedestrians, law enforcement officers and everyone else, for that matter. Thats why Pittsfield Police Chief Michael Wynn supports it, as does Attorney General Maura Healey, the statewide Massachusetts Major Cities Association of Police Chiefs, a majority of sheriffs and district attorneys and other groups. 2) Addressing Bakers objection that there would be no way to verify the identity of an applicant for a license, the legislation requires the drivers to present extensive paperwork. 3) Applicants would need two documents proving their identity, date of birth and state residency. One document could be a valid, unexpired foreign passport or consular identification. The other could be a valid, unexpired drivers license from any U.S. state or territory, an original or certified copy of a birth certificate, a valid, unexpired foreign national identification card, an unexpired foreign drivers license, or a marriage certificate or divorce decree issued in Massachusetts. 4) In states that have allowed undocumented immigrants to get a license, the number of hit-and-run crashes has decreased and insurance premiums have declined. 5) The bill states that people without legal immigration status could apply for a standard drivers license, not a Real ID version. They would not be registered to vote automatically, a key point that widened support among lawmakers. 6) In most of the state, public transit is inadequate, and the ability to drive is crucial to prospects for employment. As Senate President Karen Spilka pointed out, As the granddaughter of immigrants, I have been a longtime supporter of the idea behind the Work and Family Mobility Act. Individuals and families deserve to feel safe, and drivers licenses for all qualified state residents is good for our economy and public safety. And, as the Lowell Sun editorialized, With or without a license, thousands of unauthorized foreigners have no choice but to drive. Like millions of their fellow Massachusetts residents, many of them need to get to work, drop off their kids at school, or shop for groceries. 7) As the Berkshire Immigrant Center has explained, in addition to getting to and from work, access to medical appointments and shopping without a car is highly challenging in this county. That means some undocumented immigrants drive without licenses, insurance and vehicle registrations. 8) This is not another example of a blue state/red state partisan divide. As conservative Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby wrote, No rational person thinks that residents who entered the country without a visa should be barred for that reason from applying for a debit card, signing up for Netflix, or getting a COVID vaccine. Why the endless furor over authorizing them to take a road test and obtain a drivers license? Getting a drivers license is as irrelevant to citizenship as going to a doctor or getting $50 from an ATM. For most adults in this country, driving is a necessity. Nothing is gained, and a good deal is lost, by preventing unauthorized immigrants from doing so legally. 9) Critics of the bill can rest assured that theres no shortcut to legal citizenship. Making it possible for unauthorized immigrants to acquire a drivers license isnt going to add legitimacy to their immigration status, Jacoby stated. It isnt going to have any effect on their immigration status at all. What it will do is ensure that they can be identified and that theyve passed a driving test. It will make them considerably less likely to drive without insurance or to flee from the scene of an accident. Whatever you think of people who live in America without proper immigration papers, do you want them operating motor vehicles without proper driving papers as well? 10) A pathway to citizenship for desperate immigrants seeking a safe harbor in the U.S. is essential, though open to debate. But, a drivers license is a separate matter. Its public safety that benefits all of us. Full stop. Military helicopters fly over the Osipovichi training ground Thursday during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills near Osipovichi, Belarus. Russia has deployed troops to its ally Belarus for sweeping joint military drills that run through Sunday, fueling Western concerns that Moscow could use the exercise to attack Ukraine from the north. Xi, Macron pledge deeper cooperation, closer China-EU ties Xinhua) 08:24, February 18, 2022 BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, on Wednesday agreed in a telephone conversation to deepen cooperation between China and France, as well as to advance China-European Union (EU) relations. The talk marked the eighth phone conversation between the two heads of state since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, and also an important exchange between the two presidents since France took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU. The phone call also took place in the first month of the Year of the Tiger and coincided with the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The "New Year" call between the Chinese and French leaders is of great significance, which steers the relations between the two countries and China-EU relations, experts say. CHARTING COURSE FOR BILATERAL TIES In their conversation, Xi recalled that in 2021 he and Macron talked over phone twice, attended two China-France-Germany video summits, and actively promoted the development of bilateral ties. Macron said that as the current international situation is fraught with tension and turbulence, such a backdrop has strengthened France's hope to deepen its comprehensive strategic partnership with China. Feng Zhongping, the director of the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that during the phone conversation, Xi and Macron identified new key areas of cooperation, which is conducive to the steady development of China-France and China-EU relations. The phone conversation between the two leaders has set the general direction for China-France and China-EU relations for some time to come, he added. Lyazid Benhami, vice president of the Paris Association of French-Chinese Friendship, called the promotion of the bilateral relationship "a priority for the two presidents" amid the ravaging pandemic. He pointed to bilateral support for such concrete projects as aerospace and aeronautics, noting that this was an opportunity to deepen the strategic and global partnership between France and China. Christine Bierre, an expert at the Schiller France Institute, described the tone of conversation on both sides as frank and forward-looking, adding that the multiple agreements reached by the two sides focus on win-win cooperation and will continue to allow for progress in important sectors. PROMOTING CHINA-FRANCE COOPERATION In the new year, Xi said, China and France should keep up with the positive, healthy and upward trajectory, adhere to the principle of mutual respect and equality, strengthen dialogue and exchanges at all levels, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and push for new achievements in bilateral cooperation. For his part, Macron said that France is satisfied with the major achievements the two countries have made over recent years in bilateral cooperation in such fields as technology, agriculture, aviation and nuclear energy. He said his country is ready to work with China to explore ways to overcome the impact of COVID-19, strengthen personnel exchanges, enhance friendship and mutual trust, and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation. Zhang Bei, assistant research fellow with the China Institute of International Studies, noted that during the phone conversation, the two heads of state announced multiple important agreements covering agricultural products, green cooperation, finance and third-party markets, among other areas. These cooperation agreements fully demonstrate that as China deepens reform and opening-up and the Chinese economy continues to achieve high-quality development, the sky is the limit for China-EU cooperation, which will bring tangible development opportunities for French and other European companies and strengthen the internal driving force of Europe's cooperation with China, she said. BOOSTING CHINA-EU TIES Xi said he has repeatedly stressed that China and the EU should uphold a correct understanding of each other, and stick to mutual respect, dialogue and cooperation, and mutual benefit. The two sides should work together to build the greatest common ground and steer China-EU relations towards new development, he added. China, he said, stands ready to work with France to make a success of the China-EU leaders' meeting and the new round of high-level dialogues on strategic, economic and trade, green, digital and people-to-people affairs, and advance the ratification and implementation of the China-EU investment agreement, so as to bring tangible benefits to the people on both sides. During its EU presidency in the first half of this year, Macron said, France will make every effort to advance the positive agenda between the EU and China, and work with China to ensure the success of the EU-China leaders' meeting and push forward the development of EU-China relations. As France assumed the rotating presidency of the EU in the first half of this year, strengthening China-France relations will give a stronger boost to China-EU relations, Feng said. Noting that the phone conversation also covered European security issues, changes in the international landscape, he said that in-depth communication between the two leaders will play a positive role in strengthening bilateral economic and trade cooperation and promoting global peace and stability. BUILDING PEACEFUL WORLD Xi pointed out that the fact that the Beijing Winter Olympics has unfolded smoothly as scheduled demonstrates that the international community yearns for peace, unity and progress. Noting that it is a quite demanding task for China to host the event as scheduled under the current circumstances, Macron said the French side has always supported and will continue to fully support the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Maximilian Krah, a member of the European Parliament, said that the Olympic Games are an event which brings people from around the world together and stands for peace and cooperation, adding that cooperation is possible and feasible insofar as the Beijing Winter Olympics is being held successfully. Jian Junbo, an associate professor at the Center for China-EU Relations of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University, described the Olympic Games as an event for peace. The fact that France and other countries support the Beijing Winter Olympics under the guidance of the Olympic spirit is conducive to creating a peaceful atmosphere in the international community together with other participating countries and is of positive significance to easing international tensions, Jian said. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Join Edith Salas of Salas Properties & host Jenn Barlow as they visit the Coronado Shores community. The towers have amazing views including the world famous Hotel del Coronado, downtown San Diego, San Diego Bay, the City of Coronado, Point Loma, and the Pacific Ocean. Spearfish, SD (57783) Today Partly cloudy and windy. High near 65F. Winds ESE at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 41F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%. There is a beautiful concept found in the life of Moses. God gives Moses a staff when he goes before Pharaoh with his brother Aaron. Moses was instructed to use what was in his hand to reveal the existence and glory of Yahweh. When we ponder this concept, we can begin to reflect on our own lives and what the Lord has entrusted to us. We can learn from the life of Moses. Whats in your hand? Moses was a miracle baby. During the time of his birth, the Pharaoh was killing off the Hebrew baby boys. Moses parents kept him safe and then at three months his mother put him in a basket. His sister Miriam watched at a distance while he happened to be picked up by the daughter of Pharaoh. Then Miriam told the daughter of Pharaoh that she would get a woman to nurse the baby (Moses actual mom) and Moses was able to learn of God and the Hebrew culture through his birth mom. Years later, Moses ended up doing a terrible thing and killing a man who was hurting the Hebrew people. He fled for his life and landed in Midian where he met his wife. They had children and Egypt was all in his past. However, the Lord was not done with him there. After 40 years in Midian, God appeared to Moses in a burning bush. We think of the irony, whats the fastest way to eliminate a tree made from wood? Fire. Well, this is the God who is over all and works miracles. Moses was not only witnessing a miracle, he was about to be personally involved in them. Exodus 3:10-11 says, So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt. But Moses said to God, 'Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? Maybe you do not have the confidence to use the gift or talent which the Lord has given to you. Let this be a reminder that even if you ask like Moses, Who am I? That God can mightily use you for His names sake. The Lord gives us opportunities, but we have to say yes to them if we want to be a part of what He is doing. I love that Moses asked Who am I? But God answered later I Am who I Am (Exodus 3:14). We do not have to be confident in ourselves, we just need to be confident in who the Lord is and has been and always will be. Exodus 4:1-2 says, Moses answered, What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, The Lord did not appear to you? Then the Lord said to him, What is that in your hand? A staff, he replied. In the midst of Moses insecurities and doubts, Yahweh asked, What is that in your hand? Moses responded, A staff. The Lord already sovereignly placed a staff in this shepherds hand and Moses was about to see God work in amazing ways to free His people from slavery and oppression. The Lord provided the staff, but it was Moses who had to use it. Whats in your hand? What has God given you? Is it a paint brush? An instrument? A confident voice? Great strength? Amazing patience? An ability to think through problems? Whatever the Lord has entrusted to you, give it back to Him. He is your Creator and you are His creation who is modeling and pointing the world to His existence and His sacrifice for all sins. Dont waste your talents by setting them aside. Allow Christ to work through you for the benefit of the church body, the blessing of those around you, and to meet needs that come into your path. We can examine our own lives and see the strength and the passion which the Lord has given to us. We each have at least one staff that we too are carrying. Whatever it is that God has given to us, we can give it back to Him by the ways that we use our giftings. Whether we are in a Christian atmosphere or a secular setting, we can point to the Saviors love in our work, our hobbies, and in our homes. It was this staff that God used by Moses to plague Egypt ten times. It was this staff that would later divide the Red Sea, to give the final steps towards freedom from the Hebrews oppressors. At the moment of a sudden pause in their escape, the people of God came to the Red Sea and thought that they were going to be captured by the Egyptians. However, the Lord made a way through the sea. Exodus 14:16 says, Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. God used Moses staff to make a way for those in need of freedom. This causes us to ponder that just like the Lord used Moses staff to bring people from slavery to freedom, that God can still use what is in our hands today to point people to Jesus, Who can free them from the slavery of sin and death and provide salvation and eternal life in Heaven. You have a greater purpose in your giftings and skills. Do not waste what is in your hand. If we can humbly lay our skillsets before the Lord and ask Him to use them for His kingdom work, we can be confident that He will. Galatians 5:1 says it best, It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. More from this author Why Are Trumpets So Important Throughout the Bible? 4 Bible Verses to Get You through a Long Winter How 3 Biblical Trees Reveal the Wonder of Salvation Photo credit: Getty Images/Ryan McVay Emma Danzeys mission in life stems from Ephesians 3:20-21, inspiring young women to embrace the extraordinary. One of her greatest joys is to journey with the Lord in His Scriptures. She is wife to Drew and they have been married for over a year. Drew and Emma serve with Upstate CRU college ministry in South Carolina. Emma is an avid writer for Salem Web Network and provides articles on the Bible, life questions, and on the Christian lifestyle. Her article on Interracial Marriage was the number 1 viewed article on Crosswalk for the year 2021. All the glory to the Lord! She has the joy of being the host of Her Many Hats podcast where she explores the many roles that women play while serving One God. Better Together So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another (Romans 12:5). It's time for us as a church to return to a biblical commitment to the house of God. Together, we are the Body of Christ, and we must be connected together, and be connected to the head, Jesus, to be effective in our mission on earth. Being connected to others is good for us as individuals, and helps us through disappointment, opposition, and health challenges. But connection is also good for others, and can help strengthen their faith during trials. Like the paralyzed man brought to Jesus by his four friends, we need connection to each other in a local congregation to experience all God has for us in life. When Jesus came back to Capernaum a few days later, it was heard that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer space, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. And some people came, bringing to Him a man who was paralyzed, carried by four men (Mark 2:1-3). The paralyzed man had all of the physical and mental components necessary to walk. He had two legs, two feet, both kneecaps, both ankles, he could think and talk, yet he could not walk. When his brain sent out a signal to his feet to move, they would not respond because there was a disconnect between his head and his body, which resulted in malfunction. The Body of Christ operates in similar fashion. If you want to experience a victorious Christian walk, if you want to become what God has designed for you to be, if you want to have an uninterrupted connection with our head, Jesus, you must get fully connected to the body of Christ. Connected where? Connected to the local church. As the Scripture admonishes us, it's Christs church and He expects us to be connected to others, not just an occasional attender, and not just a 1.7 times a month, average church attender. Not just when its convenient and when nothing else conflicts with our weekend schedule. So I want to share with you that there are at least four compelling reasons to renew your commitment and return to in-person church attendance today. Photo credit: Getty Images/Rawpixel 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... LAPWAI - According to the Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office, deputies served a search warrant on a residence in the Lapwai area on Wednesday afternoon after reports of animal neglect. The service resulted in several dogs being removed and taken to a vet or a shelter depending on their care needs. The Idaho Animal Rescue Network later shared that one of the dogs seized, a 9-12 month old pup named Chloe, is suffering from a severely fractured femoral head. Veterinarians believe the fracture is 1-2 weeks old. Chloe will have surgery next Wednesday at Southway Animal Clinic to remove the femoral head completely. In addition to her fracture, shes showing symptoms of kennel cough, and shes possibly pregnant. Expected costs of the surgery is over $1,600. If you would like to help by donating, you can do so via any of the options listed below. PayPal: PayPal.me/IdahoPetRescue PayPal.me/IdahoPetRescue Venmo: IdahoPetRescue (4 digit code is 9751) IdahoPetRescue (4 digit code is 9751) Mailing Address: Idaho Animal Rescue Network, 2021 Ripon Ave., Lewiston ID 83501 No other details were made immediately available as this remains an open investigation. The Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office says they encourage residents to report suspected animal neglect. MISSOULA, MT - On Thursday, a jury convicted a Washington woman of cyberstalking a Montana man she met online and public officials by hacking the mans email and sending harassing and threatening communications, according to U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson. After a three-day trial, the jury found 60-year-old Kathy Ann Hendrickson, also known as Kathy Thorberg, of Walla Walla, Washington, guilty of cyberstalking as charged in an indictment. Hendrickson faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The trial began on February 14. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy has set sentencing for May 26. Hendrickson stole the victims personal information, hacked into his email account and then used her cell phone as a weapon to threaten and harass not only the victim but also public officials," U.S. Attorney Johnson said. "Predators who try to hide their true identity on the internet to stalk innocent victims will be held fully accountable. I want to thank Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot and the FBI for investigating and prosecuting this case." In court documents and at trial, the government presented evidence that Hendrickson met the victim, identified as John Doe, on a dating website sometime in 2015 or 2016. The two communicated online and eventually met in person on several occasions at John Does residence in Trout Creek. John Doe ended the relationship. John Doe strongly suspected Hendrickson of stealing his wallet. Hendrickson started harassing John Doe as early as May 2018 when, using an anonymous email account, sent John Doe an email stating, Im going to bring you down. Hendrickson also called the Sanders County Sheriffs Office and claimed John Doe was threatening her. The government further alleged that Hendrickson obtained John Does email password, hacked into his account and sent nasty messages to his friends and threatening messages to herself. Henderson forwarded the alleged threatening messages to the Sanders County Sheriffs Office and asked for protection from John Doe. Hendrickson also used John Does email account to send threatening messages to two Sanders County commissioners and a receptionist. The subject of the messages was Death, and contained messages including, Your (sic) going to die. The harassment continued, the government alleged, and in January 2019, Hendrickson hacked John Does email address and sent a threat to Montanas then-Gov. Steve Bullock. The message read, You are the worst Governor for our state. Do us all a favor and leave. Maybe best if you were terminated permantly (sic). A gun, which I have many will do the job. Be aware of your surroundings. Investigators identified Hendrickson as the suspect, executed a search warrant at her residence and seized her cell phone. A forensic examination of the phone found evidence relevant to Hendricksons stalking of John Doe, including an app that allows users to place calls that appear to be from numbers other than the number assigned to the phone. John Doe and his friends received dozens of prank calls during 2018 from numbers they did not recognize. Investigators also suspected Hendrickson was using a burner cell phone to send menacing emails from John Does account. Hendrickson used the burner phone to call the U.S. Attorneys Office in Yakima and the FBI office in Richland within days of the search of her residence and seizure of her actual phone and asked when her phone might be returned. The pandemic has entered yet another phase, with the Omicron variant wreaking havoc across the globe. The high infection rate of this new cause for concern, in India, has also triggered a war of medical opinions between the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). Pharma majors are churning out viable treatment options at a feverish pace, in a bid to become the most widely accepted drug listed in COVID-19 treatment protocols. Mercks Molnupiravir is one such drug that is embroiled in a safety vs efficacy contest. Lets investigate further. Molnupiravir, the oral antiviral drug developed by Merck and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, that received DCGI approval for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in India, is being opposed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) due to safety concerns. Priced at Rs 1,399 for the full five-day course, the drug is claimed to be one of the cheapest antiviral coronavirus therapies during the pandemic. A repurposed COVID-19 drug, originally developed to treat influenza, it is meant for mild or moderately ill COVID-19 patients who are at risk of developing a serious illness. The pill, if administered during the first five days after contracting the infection, has the potential to prevent serious illnesses. A host of pharma companies including Hetero, Sun Pharma, Natco and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories have rolled out the oral therapy. Approved by the UK's drug regulator and recently by the US Food and Drug Administration, the pills are projected to be a game-changer in COVID-19 treatment. Even the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) granted permission for restricted use of molnupiravir for treatment of adult patients with SpO2 93 per cent, and who have a high risk of progression of the disease. However, ICMR has come up with a word of caution and has flagged certain side effects. The question remains - are these drugs required for the Indian market when on the one hand a sizable population has been vaccinated while on the other, the new variants are losing steam, according to the latest trends. The ICMR gave a thumbs down to Merck's Molnupiravir, the antiviral drug that received approval for emergency use by the DCGI. Prof. Balram Bhargava, ICMR Director General, has been voicing safety concerns of Molnupiravir. The drug, according to Dr Bhargava, could trigger abnormalities in foetus development apart from other side effects such as damage to muscles and cartilages. All for the drug Leading health experts treating coronavirus patients across the country believe that the COVID antiviral drug molnupiravir is reducing hospitalisation by 30-50 per cent, as well as the severity of the disease. Countering what Dr Bhargava said, some sections of the experts said the benefits of the drug outweigh potential risks. According to Dr Deepak Talwar, Senior Consultant & Chairman, Metro Respiratory Centre, Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine, physicians have to keep in mind the patient profiles while prescribing any drug. He says, We have to use the available therapy rather than counting its side-effects, that too which are potential, but not known. Agreeing with Dr Talwar, Dr Dhruva Chaudhry, President-Elect ISCCM, Editor in Chief, Critical Care Communications, a Nodal Officer for COVID-19 at PGIMS Rohtak and Head of the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine opines, While approving, the FDA, as well as DCGI, have gone through the safety data of the drug. Only once satisfied this drug has been approved. Even in the phase-3 clinical trials Molnupiravir, which demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of hospitalisation or death with no observed safety concerns when compared to the placebo group." Dr Vasant Nagvekar, an infectious diseases consultant at Lilavati Hospital and member of the COVID task force, has prescribed it to 30 patients since its availability in the market. Molnupiravir, according to him, should be administered as soon as possible after a diagnosis of COVID-19 has been made within five days of symptom onset. Dr S K Jindal, Medical Director and Sr Consultant Pulmonology at Jindal Clinics Chandigarh; Former HOD, Pulmonology Medicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh opines, Side-effects of mutagenicity does not matter, if the drug is indicated for certain patient profiles, for a treatment course of five days. As new variants of the virus continue to emerge, it is crucial to expand the countrys arsenal of COVID-19 therapies using emergency use authorisation, while continuing to generate additional data on their safety and effectiveness. According to Patrizia Cavazzoni, Director of the FDAs Centre for Drug Evaluation and Research, Molnupiravir is restricted to situations where other FDA-authorised treatments for COVID-19 are inaccessible or arent clinically appropriate and will be a useful treatment option for some patients with COVID-19 at high risk of hospitalisation or death. Click here to read the full story... As has been stated one of the major achievements during this pandemic has been the building of a robust innovation and translation ecosystem for biopharma products specially diagnostics, vaccines and other affordable healthcare interventions. During the initial days of the outbreak, it was unimaginable that in less than 12 months we would be on the verge of having a vaccine ready for use. However, Indias scientific community rose to the occasion and delivered. In conversation with BioSpectrum, Dr Renu Swarup, Former Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, New Delhi shares more on this development. Edited excerpts; What have been some of the unique achievements or highlights during the pandemic within the biotech sector? 2020 was marked by challenges posed by COVID-19. In a year that tested our resilience, we witnessed how science and technology took giant strides to help India as well as the global community to mitigate the impact of the virus. India has been at the forefront of the global fight against COVID-19 to deliver innovative solutions at scale not just for itself, but also the world. The learnings and successes from the year, such as ramping up indigenous testing capacities and collaborating across sectors and communities for innovation and development of vaccines and other interventions for healthcare, have helped us build a stronger ecosystem to fight health crises in the future. S&T interventions to fight the pandemic have been successfully developed and deployed during the two years of this pandemic. The COVID-19 vaccines have clearly been the major success story which has not only been responsible for saving lives but has also put the country on the Global map. India was one of the few countries to have supported a basket of vaccine candidates - we had different platforms with involvement of different research institutes and industries at different stages of development. Mission COVID Suraksha was announced by the Government as a part of AtmaNirbhar Bharat. What was delivered is a story every citizen of the country is proud of 3 Made in India Vaccines, the worlds largest Immunisation programme with over 150 crore vaccine doses delivered, the worlds first DNA Vaccine. We have another 4-5 vaccines moving rapidly towards approval - the mRNA, Nasal and thermostable vaccine candidates. This has given us a level of confidence that not only is India the worlds largest Vaccine Manufacturer, but also a global research player. Another significant success story was in the diagnostic development. In March 2020, when widespread testing began, India was completely reliant on imported kits. With supply chain disruptions and a global demand for diagnostic kits, it was important for us to develop indigenous capacity for their production. The challenge was taken up by startups and researchers across the country and within 60 days RT-PCR kits were developed. Today we have over 100 indigenously manufactured antibodies, antigen and other novel technology based diagnostics in the market. Not only are we self-reliant but also ready to export. The key innovation was on the development of raw material for this indigenous kit development As part of the effort to address the shortage of critical healthcare technologies in India and move towards self-sufficiency, the DBT-AMTZ COMManD (COVID Medtech Manufacturing Development) Consortia was set up. Among its successful initiatives was the building of Indias first I-Lab (Infectious disease diagnostic lab), a mobile testing facility to conduct COVID-19 testing across The vibrant startup ecosystem also responded with over 200 solutions. From PPEs to Sanitisers to Ventilators and Patient Monitoring systems, Vaccine carriers, there were a range of such innovations which have been deployed. The year 2020-21 was a challenge but a huge opportunity for startups and for promoting innovation Amidst the major developments, what are the bottle-necks that are still hindering the process of bio-innovation in India, as compared to the global counterparts? Innovation is a dynamically evolving process, which requires a continuous development of enabling policies. The last few years have seen a number of policies being brought out which have helped to build a robust innovation ecosystem in the country. We are moving towards becoming a global leader and the pandemic has clearly put India in the spotlight. The effort, now, is to ensure not just scale up of this ecosystem but also sustainability of this ecosystem. The way we have moved from Start up India to Make in India, it is now imperative that we focus on exponential growth and not just incremental changes. Key areas which need special attention are Innovation policies focussing on Innovation Investment Innovation capacity building both human resource and infrastructure Innovation scale up and validation for deployment Innovation through disruptive cutting edge technology. How do you foresee the growth of the biotech industry in 2022 and beyond? There is an Ambitious target laid out by the National Biotech Development Strategy 2021 a $150 billion Biotech Industry by 2025. We are well poised to achieve this. From Human Resource to Infrastructure there is now a need to map the domestic and global needs, identify gaps, and strengthen the existing framework of Research Institutions, Universities, Incubators and Industries. Knowledge translational clusters and Technology clusters will facilitate seamless movement of ideas from proof of concept to product. Technology management is crucial and critical to enable academic research to move out of laboratories. To fuel the innovation pipeline continuously, it is imperative that we do not move our focus away from knowledge generation. Innovation in disruptive and emerging technologies is important to build new affordable products. Recent examples in Healthcare of Cell and regenerative medicine, organ culture, genomic markers for precision medicine have been very successful. Similarly, areas of Agriculture technology, climate change and clean energy also need special continued focus for both domestic and global challenges. Indias Bio-Economy is on its way to achieve a $150-billion target from the current $70 billion by 2025'. What are your views on the strategies in place to achieve this target? Our target of the Indian Biotech Sector becoming a $150 billion Bioeconomy by 2025 and a Global biomanufacturing Hub seems achievable but the COVID actually gives us the confidence that. This may be underestimated. The National Biotech Development Strategy 2021 has a set of key recommendations to achieve this. Primarily the focus has to be on capacity building both Human Resource and Infrastructure .and also on strengthening the robust translational ecosystem. We have to now focus on Prioritising the target products which would help reduce import substitution and enhance export potential. It is also important to create biomanufacturing zones which not only connect technical resource centres with translational centres but provide a complete ecosystem for process optimisation and scale up with both forward and backward integration. The National Biopharma Mission of the Department of Biotechnology with World Bank implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is one such successful model which needs to be replicated for other areas .The success of our Biopharma sector in its response to the pandemic is also because we had a well laid out foundation and we quickly built on it to meet our needs. Our systems are in place, our targets have been set, we now have to ensure timely implementation in a collaborative, cohesive manner with complete coordination and collaboration of all stakeholders. -------------- Dr Manbeena Chawla (manbeena.chawla@mmactiv.com) Novo Nordisk has launched the worlds first and only GLP-1 receptor analogue (GLP-1 RA)- Oral Semaglutide in India. With Semaglutide, indicated for the management of type 2 diabetes being developed in an oral formulation for the first time, it is expected to be a game-changer for people with type 2 diabetes who prefer oral medications over injections. To find out more about this innovative solution, BioSpectrum spoke to Vikrant Shrotriya, Corporate Vice President and Managing Director, Novo Nordisk India in detail. Edited excerpts; What are the unique advantages being offered by this pill? Oral semaglutide is a co-formulation of GLP-1RA semaglutide with an absorption enhancer SNAC which protects semaglutide from undergoing degradation in the stomach like other peptides and enhances its absorption. Novo Nordisk invested 15 years of continuous research, innovation, and development to make oral formulation of semaglutide into a reality. Due to this scientific breakthrough, it received the Prix Galien Award in 2020, a prestigious award in the industry, for the best biotech innovation. It has undergone 10 rigorous Phase 3a clinical trials called PIONEER, across several countries including India. The completed and ongoing global trials with oral semaglutide includes more than 10,000 patients of which more than 1,000 participants are from India. In addition to the unprecedented glycemic control, oral semaglutide demonstrated unsurpassed weight loss and consistent cardiovascular safety in clinical trials. Oral semaglutide has been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) in 2020. What changes are you expecting with this new launch in the Indian market? India is the sixth country, after the US and European region, where the semaglutide pill has been commercially launched. With a strong clinical profile, we believe, it has the potential to revolutionise the treatment of type 2 diabetes, given that millions of people do not achieve the targeted blood sugar levels with currently available oral antidiabetic medications. Its launch coincides with our hundred-year centenary of insulin discovery, which changed the life of people with diabetes needing insulin. How cost-effective is it when compared to injection-based treatment? The oral semaglutide will cost Rs 315 per pill or around Rs 10000 for a full month treatment. We have brought in India-based pricing to ensure access of oral semaglutide to every person living with diabetes who needs it. The cost is currently equivalent to other GLP-1 injectables available in the market. Another key important factor we have looked at is that the pricing of higher doses of oral semaglutide doesnt increase more than 8-10 per cent. This in fact makes the cost of treatment with oral semaglutide much lesser than many other injectables. Interestingly, the cost of oral semaglutide is much lesser as compared to the current price in the US. What marketing strategies are in place for rapid availability of this product across India? How do you plan to increase more awareness around it? We already have a very robust distribution mechanism in place owing to our 80+ years of uninterrupted supply of insulins in India. We are leveraging this existing distribution channel to ensure the availability of oral semaglutide across every nook and corner of the country. We are committed to ensuring that oral semaglutide is available to every person with diabetes who needs it. Oral semaglutide is already available in the nearest pharmacies, and by the end of January, it will also be available in the farthest corners of the country. Lack of awareness and education on diabetes has always been our biggest competitor. We believe awareness and early initiation of treatment can go a long way in ensuring better management of diabetes and further reducing diabetes related complications. We will continue our CME (continued medical education) programmes with healthcare professionals and disease awareness programmes for people living with diabetes to address this need. ------------- Dr Manbeena Chawla (manbeena.chawla@mmactiv.com) Edmond Huot is a creative director and airline livery designer and shares more about developing the Northern Pacific brand. Edmond Huot As a creative director, can you share how you seek inspiration? While developing the Northern Pacific brand, can you share any challenges you encountered? And describe how you solved them? How do you turn a conceptual design into a final product? This isnt the first time youve designed a livery. Share your learnings from a past project that have contributed to the success of Northern Pacifics brand Whats it like being a leader in the design industry? Do you have any advice for those who are interested in a position like yours? How can they enter the design industry? Being in the business for more than 30 years exposes you to a lot. I remain curious and open to the world - travelling, meeting people, and always framing and curating my experiences.Growing up on a rural farm in Canada, devoid of cable TV and city-living, I was extremely bored and, hence, was forced to use my imagination. As an early av-geek and disaster movie fan, I would lose myself in thought - creating entire story plots and visual scenes with model airplanes that Id build, play with outside, and ultimately crash in some snowbank.I spent countless hours drawing planes on discarded paper bags and would act out scenes from Arthur Haileysin my bedroom. For me, creativity started with storytelling and creating entire fantasy worlds in my head. Years later, my talent for drawing and sense of theatrics led me to advertising, where those same core passions drive my professional pursuits to this day.A hurdle early on for me was understanding who the customer would be. Unlike larger, full-service multinational firms with the ability to cover more ground in terms of research and analysis, our agency is a smaller, more boutique company. We had to move fast, be resourceful, and quickly prioritise the core issues.I worked closely with the client to better understand Asian cultural significance and hot points. At the same time, I was also speaking with the local team in Anchorage to highlight any concerns around misrepresenting their local indigenous communities.Additionally, I developed a range of target profiling decks broken down into general categories such as leisure, business, and regulatory audiences. From there, I weaved all of those gathered quantitative insights into more contextualized thematic storytelling that gave a greater, more compelling meaning and purpose to the customer.I titled the story: We Are All Navigators. So much of the subsequent design, including colours, typography, and positioning came from these valuable insights. By turning those data points into a greater story, I was able to elevate the brand in a more consumer-centric manner.Another challenge that is often faced by startup airlines involves maximizing relatively small resources. How do I make the most out of a budget? Both the investors as well as the operators are extremely sensitive to how we go about spending time and money. Youve got to get it right the first time.The process itself requires the ability to both understand and also separate abstract thinking (i.e. concepts and inspiration) from more linear thinking and action (i.e. design and production). When youre in the conceptual phase you work with instinct and point of view but in the research or design phase, you work collaboratively with analysis and objectivity.I often find myself wearing different hats at different times. It can be a bit draining but Ive gotten used to it. Turning ideas into a physical deliverable also requires that you demonstrate to the client an understanding of their business challenges, that you are well-versed in the category, and that you ask a lot of questions and do a lot of listening. In order to perform, you need to learn.An airline livery project is different from the advertising and graphic design world because (A) these projects are often referral based and dont come along as often, and (B) the level of risk mitigation when it comes to getting it right on an aircraft that costs upwards of $75m is so crucial.I worked on a branding assignment involving a new livery design for Island Air - a small inter-island carrier based in Honolulu. The airline was being groomed for sale to Oracle founder Larry Elison. I remember getting a call on a Friday asking if Id be interested and was told the client would require the initial concepts and design directions by the Wednesday of the following week.Looking back, I realised that part of the projects success depended on my team working quickly and efficiently. I faced a range of issues including creative resourcing, time management, and the politics of getting to yes when it came to the decision-making process.Once the client approved the initial designs, our firm was propelled into an arduous schedule of commuting. I was flying every second week to Hawaii from New York, often with other creatives, such as designers, photographers, and videographers, in tow.Because the airline business is a 24/7 concern, a huge strain was placed on my team as time zones became the real enemy. Just as our workday in Canada was coming to an end, the clients day in Hawaii was just beginning. Anyone who ever thought that working on an airline account was glamorous quickly changed their tune! Still, some of my best experiences and relationships were made during this time. I still see that hectic chapter in my life as both formative and endearing.Also of note, airline marketing is really akin to tourism campaigns. Because airlines are often such an important touch point for customers, the tone and messaging often speak to a broader idea. We werent just designing a brand or a livery, we were designing an experience- one that had to speak authentically to locals, not tourists.Interestingly, similar to Northern Pacific Airways, Island Air was also an airline that catered in part to serving a more local, more indigenous audience. The carrier added value to the daily lives of its island inhabitants by serving as a mode of transportation for work, or to visit friends and family. We had to understand the cultural importance of family and the intense pride and association local communities had for their islands.Also, similar to Northern Pacific Airways hub of Alaska, Island Airs hub of Honolulu is somewhat remote and isolated geographically. This creates a cultural dynamic among the locals that must be understood and respected. There are so many interesting and valuable parallels between these two projects.Leadership comes from understanding what makes creative people tick. Working with artists, you need to appeal to their artistic capabilities. At heart, Im an artist, and Im fond of finding individuals who share that passion. You need mutual respect and trust to relate to people and inspire them to do great work.The other part of leadership is understanding the clients goals and having the confidence and fortitude to deliver. Ultimately, from a creative perspective, I believe my clients are looking for me to lead with an original point of view. Everything else is somewhat of a commodity.The trick for me from a leadership perspective is navigating that path forward. How does one balance the day-to-day hurdles involving deadlines, budgets, and the myriad of unforeseen challenges that come your way with a creative perspective that ultimately makes your work special or distinctive. How can I compel those who see their business as an operator to understand and appreciate a stylistic nuance or category-breaking concept. A good leader doesnt shy away from being honest and forthright.The team at Northern Pacific Airways, starting with their CEO, has afforded me the rare opportunity to do good work. This level of autonomy for me is rather sacred since it requires a greater level of trust and respect. In my experience, you cant put a price on that.Those looking to enter this business need to be open to the world around them. They need to make themselves known - reach out and let people like me know who they are. Since we are not a big company, I bring on board a small number of creatives.I am looking for a mix of ideation and craftsmanship - 21st-century artisans who are comfortable learning and experimenting with new technologies. Most likely the candidates who do well with me are people who also have a more entrepreneurial outlook. They are more comfortable with risk and can see beyond any immediate limitations. I am constantly looking for exceptional individuals.You dont have to be seasoned, but rather fresh, passionate, smart, and outspoken, or innately curious. If youre that person, reach out - Id love to meet you. The Lorenzo Natali Media Prize has announced that it is open for applications. The European Union's journalism award is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and awards journalists reporting on themes such as inequality, poverty, climate, education, migration, employment, digital, healthcare, peace, democracy, and human rights. Conditions for applications Grand Prize; for reporting published by a media outlet based in one of the European Union's partner countries. Europe Prize; for reporting published by a media outlet based in the European Union. Best Emerging Journalist Prize; for reporting by a journalist below the age of 30, published in a media outlet based in the European Union or in one of its partner countries. Previous winners Selection of winners Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, said, The Lorenzo Natali Media Prize celebrates its 30th anniversary. Democratic backsliding that we have witnessed during the pandemic, hybrid threats, disinformation and shrinking space for civil society are all worryingphenomena, which brave journalists tackle. As showcased at the Summit for Democracy in December, the EU is a firm supporter of fundamental freedoms and those who defend them, often with high personal risk. The Lorenzo Natali Media Prize is a symbol of our support to those who give voice to the voiceless and bring truth to light.Reporters may submit their work in written, audio and video formats in one of these three categories:The submission should be made online in one of the five accepted languages (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, or German). Applications can be submitted from today until 31 March 2022 at 11.59pm Central European Time (CET). Submissions can be entered online here In 2021, the three winners were Pari Saikia, Maria Altimira Lazaro and Srishti Jaswal.Saika won the Grand Prize for her story Rohingya Brides Thought They Were Fleeing Violence. Then They Met Their Grooms. This story explored the exploitation of Rohingya refugee women, and exposed the drivers and the methods used in trafficking women in the region.Lazaro won the Europe Prize for her story Abusos en los campos de fresas. This story explored labour and sexual abuse suffered by farm workers, and the attempts to hold oversight agencies accountable for abuses that were happening under their watch.Jaswal won the Best Emerging Journalist Prize for her story The Global Hunger Index Reveals India's Ignored Hunger Crisis. This story explored Indias hidden hunger crisis and the under-reporting of deaths due to starvation.A Grand Jury of international renowned journalists and specialists in international development from around the world will choose the winners in each category. Each winner will receive 10,000. The winner of the Best Emerging Journalist category will also be offered work experience with a media partner.The winners will be announced at the Lorenzo Natali Media Prize Award Ceremony during the 2022 European Development Days between 14 - 15 June 2022. Julie-Anne Walsh, chief marketing officer of Takealot The brand must originally have been created in South Africa and be owned by an enterprise listed on JSE or a credible stock exchange. For private brands originated in South Africa, their complete financial statements must be available in the public domain. No brand shows the global trend towards tech-enablement brands better than local ecommerce giant Takealot. High on the Kantar BrandZ radar for many years as one of the most different brands outside the ranking, Takealot grew its meaningfulness massively in the past year, with people finding the brand fulfils their new needs in a way that increases both trust and relevance. After all, Takealot was integral to South Africans rapid adoption of ecommerce, helping them become increasingly comfortable with and even dependent on ecommerce for shopping. Ensuring contactless deliveries during the pandemic therefore saw the brand enter the ranking at #23 in 2021 as the years only newcomer with a value of $446m.This growth streak is set to continue as the Potential Index from the Kantar BrandZ equity study shows that among retailers, Takealot has a high likelihood of increasing share in the next year.Julie-Anne Walsh, chief marketing officer of Takealot, commented at the Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable South African launch that its an honour to have a voice among local champion brands that Takealot has always looked up to. Takealot is the ultimate South African brand story, and we love to talk from a point of where we began, to appreciate where we are now and what our lofty goals are for 5 to 10 years time: We started out at a little rented house in Goodwood in Cape Town, with 25 staff members and a couple of hundred delivery drivers that delivered directly to the door. Everyone was doing everything. Over time, weve grown into a solid business trusted by 2.5m happy customers, with strong executive leadership that has a defined vision and mission that hasnt changed over time.That vision is to provide the most customer-centric online shopping experience in Africa, with the mission to offer the widest range of products and best prices, while serving customers, enabling business partners to prosper, and employees to thrive. Its a true South African disruptor brand, especially when it comes to customer experience.South Africans now live in an age of experience, looking for something beyond value-for-money. Smart brands are therefore putting their customers at the centre of what they do and trying to understand them better. Thats the starting point to create the memorable moments that ultimately lead to loyalty and growth. But successful brands do more than get more people to actively desire them. Its also about exposing them to ideas, impressions, and feelings that influence how they shop in a category.Takealot is a great example of a brand getting this right. While still small compared with some of South Africas more traditional retailers, Amazon started out even smaller, so its little surprise then that Takealot was also largely responsible for driving category growth in retail, with revenue soaring 65% last year to R8.7bn.Retailers were therefore among the best-performing brands in terms of value in the most recent Kantar BrandZ ranking of the most valuable South African brands, growing 16% overall. Much of the growth of this category was indeed driven by the inclusion of Takealot in the rankings, which highlights a broader trend towards the digitisation of shopping in the country.But as South Africa warms to online buying, with not only the number of people buying groceries online but also their basket size increasing, customer experience has become more important than ever before.Only 31% of consumers say that buying groceries and household products online is a preferred way to shop, with just 39% of consumers reporting mostly good experiences buying groceries online. If retailers want to keep this new class of consumers, they obviously need to improve the experience they are delivering. The category can learn from Takealot.Charlie Stewart, CEO of Rogerwilco, comments in the Digital Customer Experience Report, based on the annual OvaToYou study among 2,000 online South Africans: The opportunity cost is pretty clear: consumers expect a higher level of experience from brands that they buy online from. This could in part be because they have become used to the CX of an Amazon or Takealot. These brands have set a high bar and local etailers need to up their online game if they are to convert the huge appetite among consumers for online shopping into rands and cents.Stewart adds that this heightened expectation of digital customer experience means online brands in particular need to focus on building and maintaining trust, because while it is an intangible, it can make or break a sale. He notes experience is the first factor of building that trust, with large stores like Amazon and Takealot having gotten this journey right.Kantars own CX+ 2020 retail ranking study backs this finding, offering an understanding of the new customer landscape across different retail sectors, both in COVID-19 times and into recovery.The only sector-specific study to analyse customer-centricity holistically across general and fashion retail, it pinpoints how to bridge the gap between customer experience and brand promise by revealing brand pressure points. Informed by research in 17 countries including South Africa, across over 1,300 brands with feedback from more than 140,000 people, Takealot stood out as one of South Africas top three CX+ 2020 general retailers.Walsh confirms, We wouldnt be here if it wasnt for you, our customers. You are our inspiration, our focus, our obsession, and we do everything we do just to make sure that you get what you need, to your door when you need it. So, every decision we make around how we spend our budget for marketing and every call we make around what we do with technology and where we put our focus and effort, is based on our strategy of driving brand growth by better satisfying our customers needs. That moment of joy when you get a Takealot delivery is one of the fun things I am so super-excited about. Our steely focus, understanding our customers and putting our money into brand building, will yield long-term brand awareness, while keeping the lights on with performance marketing, being quintessentially South African in our make-up and every story we tell, will drive our brand growth over time.New Takealot group CEO Mamongae Mahlare comments on that focus: The opportunity to lead a technology-centric, innovative, South African champion that has created thousands of jobs and enabled so many SMMEs over the past 10 years is both exciting and humbling. I look forward to working with the teams to take this great company to even greater heights. Learn more from South Africas most valuable brands, with a focus on how to build strong brands and engineer for growth in 2022 and beyond. Also reflect on SAs most valuable brands from 2018 to date and what the top brands have been up to in the last year. Download our comprehensive guide to brand equity and growth.Kantar BrandZ is the global currency when assessing brand value, quantifying the contribution of brands to business financial performance. Kantars annual global and local brand valuation rankings combine rigorously analysed financial data, with extensive brand equity research. Since 1998, BrandZ has shared brand-building insights with business leaders based on interviews with 4 million consumers, for 18,000 brands in 51 markets, including opinions from 31,335 South African consumers on 660 brands in 47 categories.The ability of any brand to power business growth relies on how it is perceived by customers. Grounded in consumer opinion, Kantar BrandZ analysis enables businesses to identify their brands strength in the market and provides clear strategic guidance on how to boost value for the long-term. The eligibility criteria are: Fetola in partnership with FNB aim to address the challenges facing 100 first-time entrepreneurs through mentorship, training, networks and funding. Image supplied The Youth Startup Accelerator Programme Programme structure Practical, inclusive, ongoing support Are between the ages of 18 and 35 Have a business that is at least 51% black-owned, younger than six months, and with an annual turnover not exceeding R1m, OR you are an individual with a unique idea for a business Are passionate, resilient, and driven The highest unemployment rate in South Africa is amongst 1524-year-olds. According to Statistics South Africa, only one in every four of these young people have a job. This is a crisis, and there is no quick fix. The economy, and by extension established businesses, are not growing fast enough to absorb the unemployed in significant numbers, and as technology continues to advance, more workers are made redundant.One possible solution would be a committed, multisectoral focus on supporting entrepreneurship and the growth of SMMEs. SMMEs have long been heralded as the future of job creation in SA, but they remain constrained by structural inequities and bureaucratic restrictions. In particular, hurdles facing those at the bottom range of entrepreneurial activity are often insurmountable.The Youth Startup Accelerator Programme, delivered by Fetola in partnership with FNB, aims to address the challenges facing first-time or nascent entrepreneurs by providing an innovative mix of mentorship, training, networks and funding.Heather Lowe, FNBs Head of Enterprise Development, explains: Unemployment, and youth unemployment, remains a major challenge. We dont pretend to be able to solve the problem, but we are looking to be pivotal in implementing models that can hopefully be scaled, from which we can learn, and which will provide a cohort of entrants with tangible support and resources that will hopefully empower them as entrepreneurs and eventually as job creators. Even those who do not progress to that stage will learn valuable skills that will serve them whether they continue as entrepreneurs or enter the job market.The Youth Startup Accelerator Programme is distinct from FNBs other enterprise development initiatives (including FNB Business Accelerator, SEIL and Vumela) in that it doesnt focus on a particular industry or entrepreneurial approach and supports the very start of the entrepreneurs journey. Many of the youth involved in the programme are expected to be unemployed, and youth from rural and peri-urban areas will be specifically targeted.The Youth Startup Accelerator Programme will be managed by enterprise-development specialists Fetola, with whom FNB has worked closely for several years. The programme will comprise two six-month phases. In the first phase training will be rolled out through online workshops, and 100 successful entrants will be taken through a process of leadership and confidence building, identifying and refining opportunities, and developing a practical understanding of how to grow a business. Participants will be guided through the process of market research and small grants will be provided to support costs incurred.After the completion of the first phase, 50 programme participants whose businesses have shown the most promise will be selected to continue to phase two. This phase will involve mentorship of participants and work shadowing opportunities with Fetolas alumni businesses, connecting entrepreneurs to discuss learnings, challenges, and the requirements of scaling a start-up. Phase two participants will also be given an opportunity to pitch for additional funding.Phase two will also focus on the importance of a resilient, healthy mindset and acceptance of failure as a valuable and important part of the entrepreneurial process, as Busisiwe Bebeza programme manager at Fetola, explains. South Africas poor long-term economic performance and the stresses associated with widespread unemployment and COVID-19 have taken a real toll on young peoples mental health. If you dont have a healthy entrepreneur who is ready not just to try but to fail and try again, often repeatedly, you dont have a potential business. We need to begin to see failure as productive.The programme is designed to offer inclusive support. Fetola will work closely with ecosystem partners so that options and resources are made available to all, even those who do not progress beyond phase one. The materials developed through this programme will be distributed through a platform called BIZLY, via which entrepreneurs can access tools, resources and self-assessments.Since the programme is national in scope, a large proportion of it will be rolled out online. A provision will be made to cover data connectivity costs. Programme partners will look at opportunities to convene regional workshops so that participants can meet one another, and mentors, in person.Were looking for this programme to be inspirational and a beacon of hope, concludes Busisiwe. We want our youth to see entrepreneurship as a genuine avenue to pursue instead of looking for a job. We hope to spark something that could change the trajectory of not just individuals, but families and communities. As a country, we are desperately in need of hope, and this need is most acutely felt amongst the youth. We want them to begin to feel a bit of control over their futures.If you are a young, passionate entrepreneur with a new business or simply a great idea for a business that you would like to take further, then the Youth Startup Accelerator Programme might be for you.If you:Preference will be given to applicants living in townships, rural or peri-urban areas, as well as those between the ages of 18 and 25.Applications close on 18 March 2022.For more, go to https://fetola.co.za/youth-start-up-accelerator/ The World Out of Home Organisation (WOO) has announced that registration for the in-person Global Congress in Toronto is now open. It will take place from 25 May to 27 May. It is the first time WOO has held a congress in-person since Dubai 2019. This year's congress will be held at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.Registration and additional information are available on The WOO's website A pedestrian bridge that connects Travelers Cos. buildings in downtown Hartford is decorated with the insurer's signature umbrellas. Travelers is one of three major employers planning a broad-based return to the office now that infections from the coronavirus omicron variant are subsiding. (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant) Hartford Thousands of office workers will be returning to downtown Hartford in the next six weeks many, for at least part of the work week as three major corporate employers prepare a broad-based reopening of their offices in the city. The decisions come as the wave of the coronavirus omicron variant and resulting infections appear to be subsiding in Connecticut and across the country. Advertisement Each of the three companies Travelers Cos., Aetna Inc., and The Hartford Financial Services Group, all with a major presence in and around downtown had delayed a return of workers at least twice. Travelers now has set March 14, while Aetna expects that move to be a day later, on March 15. The Hartford has targeted April 4. Advertisement Downtown Hartford's iconic Travelers Cos. tower will welcome employees back on a large-scale basis on March 14. (John Woike/Hartford Courant) A return is good news for downtown businesses and shops that depend on workers and corporate functions for a major chunk of their business. The reopening of offices also will add street-level vibrancy that has been sorely lacking throughout the pandemic. Were excited to see it, and the whole world is hoping that this time it sticks, said David Griggs, president and chief executive of the MetroHartford Alliance, the regional chamber of commerce. [ Thomas Hooker Live among Hartford venues and restaurants desperate for return of corporate clientele ] Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said the city is thrilled to have the employees of some of Hartfords biggest companies return to their offices, and we look forward to an active spring and summer as activity of all kinds comes back to the capital city. Most of our major employers have been eager to bring their employees back for quite some time. And because of the series of variants that hit us, there were some delays and false starts, but I think, in general, theres an overwhelming sense that its time to recover a great deal of normality. The Hartford Financial Services Group employs thousands at its headquarters in Hartford's Asylum Hill. (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant) The reopening comes as the city seeks to jumpstart revitalization dealt a serious setback in the pandemic. The city has partnered with the alliance in selecting the first recipients of a grant program seeking to fill vacant storefronts. The Hart Lift program draws on the citys pandemic relief funds aimed at spurring economic recovery. Many of first grants were for restaurants. To the restaurateurs that are in the process of investing in our downtown core, its the promise of their investment, Griggs said. It means everything to them. The alliance said it would be working with large employers to again make them familiar the dining and entertainment options. Advertisement [ City of Hartfords vacant storefront revitalization program draws flurry of applications, both downtown and in the neighborhoods ] So, we will we be working with them to do everything we can to make these new restaurants known to not only the leadership but to the thousands of people who work for them that might not have been downtown in two years, Griggs said. Griggs also praised the downtown businesses that have slogged through two very tough years. The reopening of offices is tempered somewhat by how the pandemic has changed the workplace from primarily five days a week in the office to work weeks spent partly in the office and partly at home. Hartford-based Aetna Inc., owned by pharmacy giant CVS Health Corp., says workers will return to the office in a "hybrid" work schedule. (The Associated Press) Hartford-based health insurer Aetna, owned by pharmacy giant CVS Health Corp., employs about 5,000 in Connecticut, the majority of them in Hartford, and said most of its employees would work on a partly remote schedule. Most corporate employees will spend two to three days a week at one of our office locations and work virtually on the other days as part of our new hybrid work format, a CVS spokeswoman said in a statement. At The Hartford, which employs thousands at its headquarters campus in Hartfords Asylum Hill, senior leaders will report to office March 21. Advertisement The property-casualty insurer has said it would expand the hybrid working arrangement that was in place before the pandemic. Employees at The Hartford who worked remotely before the pandemic will continue that arrangement. Those who worked in the office full-time will move to a hybrid model, splitting time between home and office. Employee health and safety continues to guide our decisions as we work through this dynamic situation, The Hartford said in a statement Friday. As we have said all along, we will continue to make decisions and take action based on guidance from public-health experts. Travelers, which employs 7,000 in and around downtown Hartford, said some employees already have come into the office on a voluntary basis. But when a more broad-based return begins next month, there will be the option of a hybrid work arrangement. News @3 Daily Catch up on the days top headlines sent directly to your inbox weekdays at 3 p.m > Well also be continuing to take into account the guidance from federal and state health officials to ensure the safety of our employees, a Travelers spokeswoman said in a statement. The changes in the workplace in the aftermath of the pandemic also continue to raise questions about how much office space will be needed in the future in an increasing hybrid workplace. Griggs said residential development is more than likely to play an increasingly bigger role in downtowns like Hartford that were once largely the domain of offices. Advertisement Hartford has added 2,000 apartments in and around the downtown area in the last decade, many in the conversion of old office buildings But still more residential units are needed, Griggs said, to offset fewer employees being in the office a full work week. The shrinking office footprint continues all around America, Griggs said. Kenneth R. Gosselin can be reached at kgosselin@courant.com. Middletown Middletown police recently launched a crisis intervention team, part of a statewide effort to calm volatile scenes and connect mentally ill and addicted people to the help they need. Police Chief Erik Costa and Mayor Ben Florsheim said the state-funded team, now in its second week, already has paid dividends. Advertisement Having this expertise in the police department is priceless, Costa said Thursday. Its making a difference for my officers. It makes them more confident in their duties, more positive and forward-facing toward the community that needs them most people in crisis. Advertisement An estimated 20% of police calls for service nationwide involve a mental health or substance use crisis, and for many departments, the demand is growing, according to the American Psychological Association. In a nationwide survey of more than 2,400 senior law enforcement officials, about 84% said mental healthrelated calls have increased during their careers and 63% said time spent on mental illness calls also has increased. More than half of the respondents cited an inability to refer people to needed treatment, according to the APA. References and follow-ups take time and resources that already strained police departments often lack. In Middletown, two licensed clinical social workers are embedded in the department and respond to certain scenes along with officers. The workers are state employees with River Valley Services, part of DMHAS. They have a broad knowledge of available services and can, with relative speed, assess suffering people and guide them to the right places, River Valley Chief Executive Officer Celeste Cremin-Endes said. Theyre going to have a deeper understanding of a persons psycho-social needs, Cremin-Endes said. Costa said he would like to expand the Middletown team, which now works Monday through Friday on the day shift, to 24-hour service. The teams value is not only in service referrals, but also in de-escalating situations to avoid use of force, Costa said. The social workers are dispatched to scenes after officers are sent and then work with officers to identify the needs of those involved. The team is able to divert people from both hospital emergency rooms and the judicial system, Costa, a former state trooper, said. At the same time, officers who work with the social workers gain valuable experience in crisis intervention, the chief said. Practically speaking, this means that our local providers can more easily tap into a statewide network of resources, Florsheim said, while state providers will have access to the local knowledge and partnership they need to be effective in meeting local needs. Many departments do not have embedded crisis workers, but most police officers in the state have received some training in crisis intervention. The Connecticut Alliance to Benefit Law Enforcement (CABLE), a nonprofit organization, has provided training to 83 of the states 94 municipal police departments, along with university and state police and federal agencies, organization founder and CEO Louise Pyers said. Advertisement The state partially subsidizes the 40-hour training, Pyers said. Each department pays $175 per person. The demand for the training, she said, is extremely high. Each class is filled to capacity, often with waiting lists. About 85% of South Windsor police officers have received training from CABLE and the goal is to have all officers trained by the end of the year, department spokesman Sgt. Mark Cleverdon said. It allows our officers to gain some perspective on what others may be going through, Cleverdon said. This program has allowed our personnel to handle crisis-related calls for service with compassion and empathy towards others. In response to high-profile deaths of people with mental health issues in police custody, lawmakers in at least eight states have introduced legislation to change how law enforcement agencies respond to those in crisis. The proposals lean heavily on additional training for officers on how to interact with people with mental health problems, the Associated Press reported. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed legislation last year to standardize training for police crisis intervention teams statewide. The move was, in part, a response to the shooting and wounding of a 13-year-old boy whose mother called police, saying she needed help from a crisis intervention officer. Salt Lake City police ended up shooting the autistic boy multiple times as he ran away because they believed he made threats involving a weapon, the AP reported. Advertisement We need him to go to the hospital, the mother of Linden Cameron had told an officer. I need him to go to a hospital. I cant get him to get there on my own. And I cannot do this every night. He was hospitalized, and no weapon was found. The officers were not crisis intervention specialists, but had some mental health training. At least 34 states already require officers to have training or other education on interacting with people who have physical or mental health conditions. But law enforcement experts say updated training is needed and agencies are far behind. The training that police have received for the past Id say 25 years has not changed significantly, and its out of date, and it doesnt meet todays realities, Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington-based think tank, told the AP last year. The Treatment Advocacy Center, a nonprofit dedicated to getting treatment for the mentally ill, concluded in a 2015 report that people with untreated mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed during a police encounter than others. The solution that would have the most impact on the problem is to prevent people with mental illness from encountering law enforcement in the first place, said Elizabeth Sinclair Hancq, co-author of the report. Advertisement Some cities, like New Haven and Hartford, have been preparing standalone crisis response teams that respond instead of police. News @3 Daily Catch up on the days top headlines sent directly to your inbox weekdays at 3 p.m > The City of New Haven is developing a community crisis response team as an additional first response unit specializing in de-escalation, harm reduction, and providing rapid access to social services during moments of crisis, says New Havens Community Crisis Response Team website. Often, the police are the first line of response in addressing social problems, which may lead to the criminalization of vulnerable groups and escalation of non-violent situations, disproportionately affecting communities of color. That team, still in the planning stage, would be dispatched to respond to 911 calls. The city of Hartford had been in talks with two local agencies about running a new civilian crisis intervention team to complement the police department. In addition to de-escalation, risk assessments and case management, the team also was to administer Narcan to people overdosing on opioids, help people with basic needs such as clothes, food and shelter and transport people to clinics, shelters and other service providers, according to the citys request for proposals. Advertisement The city budgeted $5 million in surplus funds to create the corps of professional responders and scale it up over four years. Mayor Luke Bronin introduced the idea in June 2020, amid local and national protests against racism and police violence. In 2020, Hartford police were sent to more than 11,000 calls for people in emotional distress. City officials estimated that half of those calls could be handled by a professional civilian, such as a social worker trained in de-escalation, risk assessments and case management. The state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, which now has 18 adult mobile crisis teams statewide, is expanding deployment of crisis clinicians 24/7 to offer these potentially lifesaving services in the community, the agencys interim commissioner, Nancy Navarretta, said. Those teams can be reached by calling 211. Jesse Leavenworth can be reached at jleavenworth@courant.com I spoke this week to Halyna Yanchenko, a member of parliament in Ukraine, about what continues to be an extremely bizarre situation. As youre likely aware, the US Government and its media proxies have been incessantly warning that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is imminent that it could happen literally at any moment. Some recent reports even claimed the invasion would commence on todays exact date, February 16. (The clock is still ticking as of this writing.) But herein lies the bizarreness. While this frenzy unfurls in the US, actual Ukrainians including those who have the most to lose should an invasion really occur keep adamantly rejecting these US-generated warnings. What made Yanchenkos comments to me all the more striking is that shes manifestly not in any way pro-Russia in fact she accuses Russia of employing blackmail tactics to extract concessions from Ukraine, and greatly resents Russias role in the ongoing Donbas conflict. She has no conceivable incentive to excuse or defend Russias present actions. Nonetheless, Yanchenko describes the conduct of US media as crazy, and forecasts that $10 billion in cash infusions will be required stabilize the country as a result of these alarmist foreign provocations. Its this dynamic that is most likely to cause the destruction of the Ukrainian state, she told me not a purported Russian invasion. In our opinion, all these crazy things going on in American media and world media all these appeals to diplomats and business to pack their bags and leave Ukraine immediately it really harms Ukrainian economy, she said. Im stopping myself from starting using curse words, because all these panics are costing us a lot of money. A lot of money to actually keep, you know, business and services circulating in Ukraine. Because thats the worst that can happen now. Its true that Yanchenko largely stresses the economic ramifications of the foreign-driven hysteria; she has jurisdiction over various financial committees in parliament, the Rada. This may lead some to question her potential motive to deliberately downplay the risk of Russian invasion like its somehow just a ploy to salvage the economy. But the economic consequences of the kind of invasion being prophesied by the US, in which Kiev is occupied and the Ukrainian government is overthrown, would surely be astronomically greater in scope. So if these Ukrainian officials genuinely believed US reports were accurate even if all they cared about was the economy wouldnt they be screaming from the hilltops right now to warn about the economically devastating consequences of a forthcoming invasion? Instead, theyre doing the opposite to the point that Zelensky declared today, February 16, a national holiday to counter any US-derived suggestion that it would be the date of the elusive invasion. Yanchenko on a recent Sky News segment Yanchenko pointed to the US shuttering its embassy and demanding American citizens flee Ukraine as particularly unnecessary, and particularly damaging. In my opinion, this appeal to diplomats to just send away their families and stuff it actually raises panic attitudes, or panic feelings in Ukraine. And people are thinking that this situation, well, maybe Americans know something. Maybe the situation is such that we should send our family somewhere else, she said. It actually caused a big, huge panic in Ukraine, and it had a negative effect on economics. According to Yanchenko, the risk of Russian invasion is minimal its not that much. Whereas the economy cratering thanks in large part to US agitation is observably happening, right now. So if we are talking about military situation, she said, we are talking only about possible risks it might happen or it might not happen but if we are talking about economic consequences, the worst thing already happened. And now we have to react to this and do something in order to keep the state alive. The financial inputs that we need to do in Ukrainian economy to actually balance the situation not to let the state fall down our estimation is now about up to $10 billion dollars, Yanchenko said. We need to actually stop the worsening of economic situation because of all this, you know diplomats moving out and all these messages in the media. The national currency, which is hryvna, has lost its position. People are withdrawing the money from bank deposits. Our investors, both internal and external, are losing their international contracts and their contracts for purchasing equipment is worsening. Ukraine has allocated $592 million to underwrite the continuation of commercial flights, many of which have been canceled or re-rerouted. It will be quite difficult to fix the economic damages that we already face that are not theoretical, but are real and are already there, Yanchenko told me. Interviewed briefly on a recent Sky News segment, she pleaded with the correspondent: We are not moving. The aggression will not happen. Again, it has to be stressed that theres no rational reason Yanchenko, Zelensky, or anyone else aligned with their political dispensation in Ukraine would be trying to dispel claims of a Russian invasion if they seriously thought one was as imminent as the US contends. Other things being equal, they are generally antagonistic toward Russia and support further integration with the US and Europe. But given the US constantly worsening the situation by circulating the panic in Ukraine, as Yanchenko put it, theyve been put in a position where theyre compelled to issue these rebukes. This harm is not theoretical, she told me. This harm is already there. We, as a state, already feel it. If you have a high tolerance for asinine nonsense, watch this segment today from CBS News, entitled Ukraine braces for possible Russian invasion. See for yourself if the perspective offered by Yanchenko is remotely represented in the coverage. (Hint: its not.) You cant help but conclude that the primary effect of the US Government and media throughout this entire affair has been to 1) sow panic that wouldnt have otherwise existed, and 2) inflict massive economic damage on Ukraine all from the comfort of thousands of miles away. But dont take my word for it; ask a Ukrainian whose life would be completely upended if what the US is warning about actually came to fruition. So one thing that we are now doing is in the parliamentary majority, we started a flash mob publishing pictures with our families from our homes, saying that I am in Ukraine, we are at home with our families, we dont worry, we are not threatened, Yanchenko told me. Everything is fine. KIEV, UKRAINE Amid soaring tensions with Russia, the United States is spending a fortune on foreign interference campaigns in Ukraine. Washingtons regime-change arm, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), has spent $22.4 million on operations inside the country since 2014, when democratically-elected President Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown and replaced by a successor government handpicked by the U.S. Those operations included propping up and training pro-Western political parties, funding pliant media organizations, and subsidizing massive privatization drives that benefit foreign multinational corporations, all in an effort to secure U.S. control over the country that NED President Carl Gershman called the biggest prize in Europe. Demwashing the CIA The National Endowment for Democracy was set up in 1983 by the Reagan administration after a series of public scandals had seriously undermined both the credibility and the public image of the CIA. That the organization was established and continues to function as a cutout group doing much of the agencys dirtiest work is not in question. It would be terrible for democratic groups around the world to be seen as subsidized by the CIA, Gershman himself said, explaining its creation. A lot of what we do today was done covertly 25 years ago by the CIA, NED cofounder Allen Weinstein told The Washington Post in 1991. Since its inception, NED has been a driving force behind many of the most prominent uprisings and coups around the world. The organization currently has 40 active projects in Belarus, all with the goal of removing President Alexander Lukashenko from office. Last year, the country was engulfed by nationwide protests that made worldwide headlines. NED senior Europe Program officer, Nina Ognianova, boasted that her agency was involved in the uprising. We dont think that this movement that is so impressive and so inspiring came out of nowhere that it just happened overnight, she said, noting that NED had made a modest but significant contribution to the protests. The 2021 protest movement in Cuba was also led by NED-financed operatives, with the organizations own documents showing how it had for years been infiltrating the Cuban art and music scene in an attempt to turn popular culture against the communist government. Ultimately, the movement failed. However, NED continues to prop up anti-government Cuban artists, media outlets, politicians and public figures. NED was also funneling money to the leaders of the 2019 Hong Kong protests in an attempt to prolong the movement. The organization and its partner will leverage their extensive existing networks to support exiled activists and to sustain and grow activist communities remaining in Hong Kong, one NED grant explains, adding that a secondary goal was to strengthen regional and international support for the pro-democracy movement, by carrying out a worldwide PR campaign promoting it, something that might help explain why the events dominated the news cycle for months. Meanwhile, NED has also channeled millions to right-wing opposition groups in Nicaragua and even organized rock concerts in Venezuela in an effort to undermine support for its socialist government. While NED is careful to couch all of its activities in the language of democracy promotion, the fact that it has never carried out a single project in the U.S.-backed Gulf dictatorships of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, or the United Arab Emirates some of the least democratic nations in the world underlines that the organization exists to antagonize enemy governments. NED is almost entirely funded by Congress and is staffed largely by ex-national security state leaders. Its current president is Damon Wilson, former special assistant to President George W. Bush and senior director for European affairs at the National Security Council. Other top officials pepper NEDs board of directors, including current CIA Director William J. Burns, current Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and 2014 Ukrainian Maidan revolution mastermind Victoria Nuland, as well as veteran national security official Elliott Abrams, infamous for his role in supplying weapons to far-right death squads in Central America and his attempts to overthrow the government of Venezuela. Despite this, NED still insists that it is a private, non-profit, non-governmental organization. One key reason for this designation is that its private nature means that its affairs do not fall under the same legal scrutiny as those of government organizations like the CIA. It is harder to acquire documents under the Freedom of Information Act, for example, meaning that the groups actions remain shrouded in secrecy. Economic and political capture, NED-style Studying the NED grants database reveals that the organization has approved 334 separate grants to Ukraine, a country the groups 2019 annual report identified as its top priority, owing to its size and importance for the Europe region. The report notes that NED is focused on counter[ing] foreign [i.e., Russian] malign influence, particularly disinformation and corrosive capital. Of the European nations, only Russia itself has been the target of more NED money ($37.7 million to Ukraines $22.4 million). NED is rather hazy about where its money is going, with the only clues being brief, one-paragraph descriptions (rarely longer than 75 words) full of boilerplate rhetoric. Yet scrutinizing even the vague project outlines, it becomes clear that NED has two major objectives in Ukraine: Pushing through a mass privatization of the countrys state-owned businesses. Building up political parties that will represent elite U.S. interests. Of the $22.4 million, over $2.9 million has been awarded to the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), an offshoot of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, for the purpose of sparking economic transformation in Ukraine. What sort of transformation the CIPE wants to see is made clear on its website, which states categorically that Free market capitalism and global trade have resulted in the greatest economic gains in human history, and that the centers role is to further free market penetration around the world. For instance, one NED grant to the CIPE worth $500,000 and entitled Developing [a] Market Economy described the projects goal as enhanc[ing] the role of leading business associations and the private sector in public policy decision-making, and improv[ing] the capacity of the private sector and officials to cooperate to develop and implement economic reforms. In other words, to hand over government decision-making to big business, something many might argue is the antithesis of democracy. The post-2014 government, installed after the Maidan Revolution, has already implemented a course of economic shock therapy, selling off many of the countrys state-owned assets, in the process turning Ukraine into, by quite some margin, the poorest nation in Europe (although it has also helped create many new billionaires). Nevertheless, the U.S. wants to see further privatizations, along the lines of what it helped implement in Russia in the 1990s. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, right, shakes hands with IMF Director Kristalina Georgieva in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 22, 2020. Photo | AP NED has also been key in building up pro-U.S. political forces in Ukraine, notably awarding the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) nearly $2.2 million towards this endeavor. Congress established NDI in tandem with NED; and NDI, like its sister organization, claims to be a non-governmental organization, despite being affiliated with the Democratic Party. Its chairperson is Madeline Albright, secretary of state under the Clinton administration. One $595,000 grant describes how NDI will help political parties develop into inclusive, national movements, and will assist parties in the development of inclusive, internal communication and decision making procedures and conduct public opinion research and trainings to help parties better understand and respond to citizens, including those outside of their traditional geographical bases of support. A less charitable interpretation of the grant would be that the U.S. government is taking over the political direction and organization of Ukrainian political parties, molding them as they see fit. In tandem with the support of political blocs also comes the grooming of young political and social activists who NED hopes will become the leaders of tomorrow. To this end, it has given at least $385,000 to the European Institute for Democracy in Warsaw, in order to, in its words, support a new generation of political leaders in Ukraine, by conducting training courses for their handpicked proteges, flying them out of the country to provide lessons in election campaigning, women empowerment, effective governing, and crisis management, among other skills. The point, of course, is to develop a cadre of pro-Western neoliberal thought leaders who will ally themselves to the United States and its vision for Ukraine. Left unstated in all this is that the U.S. is deciding who exactly this new generation of leaders comprises. And for all the nods towards diversity and liberalism, the U.S. record in Eastern Europe shows they are happy to support fascists and other highly anti-democratic forces. Those who do not share Washingtons goals for Ukraine need not apply. Thus, by using its financial muscle to support only one side in this debate, NED hopes to engineer a future in which pro-Russia, anti-privatization political figures and movements are sidelined and marginalized. Media capture, NED-style Another key focus for NED is to establish and support pro-Western media outlets and NGOs that backed both the 2014 overthrow of Yanukovych and the new governments privatization agenda. This is all couched as promoting independent media. But in reality, it is creating a network largely dependent on and answerable to Washington. One example of this is the Ukraine Crisis Media Center, which consistently publishes studies about Russias efforts to distort facts and scare stories about an impending Russian invasion, while inviting the British ambassador to give talks at its headquarters. Ukraine Crisis describes its vision of Ukraine as an outpost of freedom and democratic development in Eastern Europe, and an integral part of the West. Ukraine Crisis is directly funded by a number of different U.S. governmental organizations, as well as by NATO and the governments of Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Finland and the Netherlands. Most of the media organizations NED funds also maintain English-language versions of their websites. This is because many of these groups are used to influence Western audiences as well as individuals inside the target country, Ukraine. The Center for Civil Liberties (CCL), for example, has been supported financially since 2016 and has received at least $204,000 from NED. It plays an important role in injecting U.S. government narratives into American media reporting, having been presented simply as a human rights group in a wide range of outlets, including The Washington Post, USA Today and The New York Post. None of these articles inform readers that CCL is directly in the pay of a CIA front group, precisely because it would undermine their credibility. Media networks directly owned and operated by the U.S. state, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America, also frequently use CCL as an expert source. This gives the impression that there is a sizable groundswell of individuals all focusing on the same issue when, in reality, it is simply operatives from the same source (the U.S. government) all interacting with each other. Target: Donbas Before his overthrow, President Yanukovych maintained cordial relations with Russia. However, that changed drastically after the Maidan Revolution, with the new government not only attempting to tie itself to the West, but also aggressively suppressing any pro-Russian sentiment. Since 2014, the government has shut down Russian-language media and jailed pro-Russian voices. It has also banned the Russian language from schools and in public places such as in stores and restaurants. Any business caught violating the law is subject to a fine. This has caused significant consternation inside the country, not least because almost one-third of Ukrainian citizens speak Russian as their first language, and significant minorities do not speak Ukrainian at all. This is particularly true in the Donbas, the large industrial area of Eastern Ukraine, and in the Crimean peninsula, which Russia controversially annexed in 2014. In both regions, Russian is far-and-away the majority language, spoken by nearly three-quarters of the population. Support for Yanukovych and language preference are closely correlated. Since 2014, the Ukrainian government has also been engaged in a low-level civil war in the Donbas against Russian-speaking militias. The Donbas is a target for not only the Ukrainian government but for NED as well. The word Donbas is referenced 52 times in the 334 one-paragraph grants noted above, while eastern Ukraine is mentioned 108 times and Crimea 22 times. The projects are full of coded references to expanding outreach of media outlets into the Donbas, or, even more alarmingly, to assisting civil groups working in the front line territories of the Donbas a statement so vague that it could mean anything from health workshops to funneling weapons. Selective anti-corruption agenda Another focus of NED projects is anti-corruption drives. The words corrupt or corruption appear 83 times in the NED grants to Ukraine, and the endowment has funded a wide range of NGOs dealing with the subject. For instance, it has awarded $106,000 to the Kharkiv Anti-Corruption Center (KhAC) and $225,000 to the Anti-Corruption Action Center in Kiev. NED describes KhACs work as non-partisan and concerned with promot[ing] government transparency and accountability in eastern Ukraine, by monitor[ing] the financial performance of Kharkiv-based municipal enterprises, expos[ing] corrupt practices, and launch[ing] legal proceedings to prevent them. Certainly, corruption is endemic in Ukraine. Yet there is good reason to question the intentions of these groups and suspect that they are selectively pursuing opponents of American policy. KhAC was actually established by leaders of the Maidan Revolution. Furthermore, the board of the Anti-Corruption Action Center is littered with Western government officials, including the director general of the European Anti-Fraud Office (a department of the European Commission), a former FBI special agent, as well as controversial neoconservative intellectual Francis Fukuyama. In an article in the elite American journal Foreign Policy, executives at the Anti-Corruption Action Center frame corruption and Russian as virtually synonymous. [Ukraines] democratization and ongoing efforts to fight entrenched graft and cronyism are a threat to [President Vladimir] Putins model of governance, they explain, adding that Russia uses strategic corruption to undermine Ukraines sovereignty. The country is a battlefield between Ukrainian democracy and Russian autocracy, they write, calling for the U.S. to flood Ukraine with arms and to sanction Moscow. In this sense, then, NEDs incessant focus on corruption appears to look far more like a witch hunt to bring down political forces that it opposes. This is reminiscent of the tactics of advanced lawfare using legal means to destroy political enemies that Washington used to overthrow Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff in 2016 and imprison her predecessor, Lula da Silva, paving the way for far-right pro-U.S. Jair Bolsonaro to become president. Unbeknownst at the time, the U.S. government was secretly aiding an anti-corruption operation known in Brazilian as Lava Jato. A combination of corrupt judges and extremely flimsy evidence led to the persecution of the leaders of the Workers Party. Both the FBI and CIA were crucial to the operation. As one prosecutor involved in the persecution quipped, Lulas arrest was a gift from the CIA. Send in the Neo-Nazis At the same time as NED has been training political leaders, other arms of the U.S. government have been training military units, almost certainly including the notorious Neo-Nazi group, the Azov Battalion. A Yahoo! News report noted that, since 2015, the CIA has been training insurgent leaders while Congress rubber-stamped hundreds of millions of dollars worth of military aid to Ukraine. The congressional aid bill originally included text explicitly barring assistance to Azov but, under pressure from the Pentagon, the language was removed. Given all this, wrote Jacobins Branko Marcetic, it would be more of a surprise that the neo-Nazis of Azov havent been trained in the CIAs clandestine make-an-insurgency program. A photo posted to social media shows the Azov Battalion a regiment of the National Guard of Ukraine, with a NATO flag, an Azov flag and a Nazi flag In their drive to stoke hostilities between the West and Russia, corporate media have overwhelmingly ignored the fact that the U.S. and NATO forces have been supporting openly Neo-Nazi paramilitaries for many years. A MintPress study of the op-ed pages of The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal found that only one of 91 articles published in January mentioned this connection at all, with far more asserting that Vladimir Putin himself is Hitler incarnate. Around 90% of opinion columns pushed a get tough on Russia message, with anti-war voices few and far between. People who take at face value the Western media coverage would have a very distorted perception of the Ukraine conflict and its origin, Ivan Katchanovski, Professor of Political Studies at the University of Ottawa, told MintPress, adding: They omit or deny that there is a civil war in Donbas even though the majority of scholars who [have] published or presented concerning this conflict in Western academic venues classify it as a civil war with Russian military intervention. The Western media also omitted that recent unity marches in Kharkiv and Kyiv and a staged training of civilians, including a grandmother, were organized and led by the far right, in particular, the Neo-Nazi Azov [Battalion]. The Azov publicity stunt involving a grandmother, to which Katchanovski is referring, was a particularly noteworthy incident. Conducting a civilian training operation in the middle of the Donbas city of Mariupol while a crowd of Western journalists looked on, Azov units showed locals how to use rifles. The extraordinary image of a silver-haired, 79-year-old babushka staring down the sights of an AK-47 went viral around the world, allowing the media to construct an everyone in brave Ukraine is doing their part to oppose an imminent Russian invasion narrative. The story was covered by a host of outlets, including ABC News, MSNBC, Newsweek, the BBC, The Guardian and The Financial Times, as well as by media in Ireland, Australia, Israel, Denmark, Thailand and Indonesia. Images from the training day featured on the front cover of six national British newspapers on February 14. This was all despite the fact that the Wolfsangel insignia of the many Azov soldiers instructing the grandmother is clearly visible in a number of the images. The Wolfsangel was the crest of the infamous SS brigades, Hitlers elite paramilitary units that carried out the extermination of millions of people (including countless Ukrainians) in Nazi death camps across Europe. The image is widely used by Neo-Nazi groups in the U.S. and is considered a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League. Azovs original commander, politician Andriy Biletsky, has stated that he sees Ukraines mission as to lead the white races of the world in a final crusade against Semite-led subhumans. None of the outlets above mentioned the fact that they were profiling Neo-Nazis. Judging by other pro-Nazi coverage, this was far from an honest oversight. Earlier this month, a number of prominent Western media outlets, including The Daily Mail, ran puff pieces on Olena Bilozerska, a Ukrainian sniper with at least ten confirmed kills. Bilozerska was presented as a quintessential girlboss who was defending her land from foreign aggression. The Sun Britains best selling newspaper called her a hero in its headline. Both outlets even included a video of her killing Russian-speaking Ukrainian citizens for readers pleasure. This enjoyment might have been tempered somewhat if the Mail, Sun or other outlets revealed to their readers that Bilozerska is a fascist from the Right Sector group, a Neo-Nazi paramilitary. This information is far from difficult to find, as Bilozerska is a well-known public figure inside Ukraine, keeping a popular blog and YouTube channel where she shares her thoughts. These reportedly include that the Holocaust did not happen, that homosexuals should not be allowed to eat at the same table as heterosexuals, and that monuments to Hitlers greatness should be erected in Berlin. In 2013, German state-owned media outlet Deutsche Welle was forced to rescind an award for which it had nominated her after activists highlighted her pro-Hitler writings. In 2019, she was invited to NATO headquarters in Brussels to give a speech. A broken promise and an existential threat In 1990, the U.S. government promised Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev that NATO would stray not one inch eastward from its current position in exchange for Soviet support for German reunification. However, it later reneged on this promise, and between 1999 and 2004 NATO galloped eastward, even admitting three former Soviet republics, all of which share a land border with Russia. In 2008, NATO also invited Ukraine and Georgia to join. For Moscow, this was an existential threat. Russia as a country draws its origins from the Kievan Rus Federation, a medieval state whose capital was Kiev and from where the word Russia derives. In the 13th century, the Rus people fled north towards Moscow to avoid the Mongol invasion, helping to establish the Grand Duchy of Muscovy, which later became the Russian empire, the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation today. Putin himself has said that he considers Russians and Ukrainians to be one people; Ukraine literally means borderland in Russian. Yet White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki recently described Ukraine as our eastern flank an assertion that is significantly less credible than Russias claim. The U.S.-Russian relationship fundamentally deteriorated during the 2014 Maidan Revolution. President Yanukovych had been playing the European Union and Russia off against each other, negotiating economic deals with both. Unsurprisingly, given Ukraines importance to Moscow, Russia offered a more lucrative deal, which he accepted. This turned out to be Yanukovychs political death warrant, as the United States immediately began supporting a nationwide protest movement. Senior U.S. officials like Senator John McCain and Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland flew to Kiev, famously handing out cookies to protestors in Independence Square. Victoria Nuland, right, offers cookies to protesters in Independence Square in Kiev, Dec. 11, 2013. Andrew Kravchenko | AP In February 2014, leaked audio of Nuland speaking with U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt showed that the United States was pulling the strings and crowning the kings. I dont think Klitch should go into the government. I dont think it is necessary. I dont think it is a good idea, Nuland can be heard saying, referring to the boxer-turned-politician Vitali Klitschko. I think Yats [Arseniy Yatsenyuk] is the guy who has got the economic experience, the governing experience, she added. Less than one month after the audio leaked, Yatsenyuk became the next prime minister. Less than two weeks after the phone call, snipers massacred almost 100 people protesting. Although the U.S. immediately blamed the Yanukovych administration, another leaked audio call, this time between the E.U.s foreign affairs chief and the Estonian foreign minister, revealed that they believed pro-U.S. forces had staged a false-flag attack as a pretext to remove Yanukovych and stage a coup. In the end, far-right militias like Azov and Right Sector provided the muscle to force Yanukovych out of office. However, as Katchanovski noted, very little of this context is given in the press, leaving audiences fundamentally ignorant of the basic facts. In Katchanovskis opinion: The Western media coverage of the escalating Ukraine conflict is highly inaccurate and selective. The Maidan massacre, which led to the current conflict, is either omitted or misrepresented even though overwhelming evidence shows that this crucial mass-killing of the protesters and the police was perpetrated by the elements of the Maidan opposition; in particular, the far-right. Such evidence includes videos of snipers in the Maidan-controlled buildings shooting the protesters and the police, testimonies of the absolute majority of wounded protesters at the Maidan massacre trial and investigation, several hundred witnesses, and 14 self-admitted members of Maidan snipers groups. Since the end of the 2nd World War the US empire has crept closer and closer to Russia's doorstep, will this be the last straw? pic.twitter.com/CBlT7G9ES5 MintPress News (@MintPressNews) February 15, 2022 All over the world, the National Endowment for Democracy is training groups of people who can function as the leaders of another color revolution. In the process, it helps squash genuine grassroots movements by co-opting them and using its financial clout to push activism down pro-U.S. avenues. Spending more than $22 million on the country, NED has made Ukraine one of its top priorities. Yet an analysis of the groups receiving money reveals that the whole operation is an attempt to shore up support for the U.S.-backed Zelensky administration, and to carry out a foreign interference operation, the extent of which blows anything Russia is accused of out of the water. The National Endowment for Democracy can claim it is in the business of democracy promotion. In reality, it does anything but that, unless democracy is entirely synonymous with elite U.S. interests. Feature photo | Ukrainians attend a rally in central Kiev, Ukraine, Feb. 12, 2022, during a protest against the potential escalation of the tension between Russia and Ukraine. Efrem Lukatsky | AP Alan MacLeod is Senior Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent, as well as a number of academic articles. He has also contributed to FAIR.org, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, and Common Dreams. Following a massive backlash, a university in the UK has walked back advice to staff to start using made up pronouns, termed neopronouns, as well as emojiself terms for people who identify by using emojis and even catgender terms for people who choose to identify as cats. Yes, really. Bristol University in England really did this. The London Telegraph reported that the university provided staff guidance on how to properly use pronouns, and included links to totally insane material aimed at people who want to be cats. Bristol University has been ridiculed for encouraging staff to use a gender pronoun guide which included catgender for people who identify as cats, and emojiself for people who identify with emojis.#gripthttps://t.co/vvrUzTKMCD gript (@griptmedia) February 14, 2022 The cat people even have their own flag, according to the material the university pointed to on LGBTA Wiki. Of course they do. Here it is. The neopronouns go beyond the usual they/them woke stuff and into the territory of made up words such as xe/xem/xyr, ze/hir/hirs, and ey/em/eir. Because for those people, actual words that exist are too restrictive and not reflective enough of their identities. The pronouns for cat people are apparently nya or nyan, which is Japanese for meow. The university also linked to material outlining how for some people the use of letters and even made up words is too restrictive. Those people like to identify by using emojis. They refer to their emojiself to reflect their gender. Newsweek reported that the university removed the links to the material after sane people complained it was fucking nuts. The University issued a statement clarifying, but claiming that it is misinformation to suggest that the material was ever official guidance. We have a guide on our website which is designed to help people understand the different variations and nuances that this covers. This linked to an external LGBTA Wiki page with further information, which in turn links to a separate page on catgender. These external links are not official university guidance and we are disappointed that it has been reported as such. With this in mind, we have now removed this link and apologise sic] for the confusion caused. Right, so the fact that an institute of higher education linked to a page on catgender in total seriousness, encouraging mental health that is causing real world fallout, isnt the real problem here? Were done. The internet, take over please. If I had a student who told me they identified as a cat Id point them in the direction of a good psychiatrist. Male, female, feline Bristol University guide lectures staff about neopronouns https://t.co/fjLi9deUST Joanna Williams (@jowilliams293) February 6, 2022 Aaaaaand a degree from Bristol just became worthless. Male, female, feline Bristol University guide lectures staff about neopronouns https://t.co/RzWlWBYopU River Maven (@maven_river) February 6, 2022 Universities should be promoting academic excellence not cat-gender fantasies. Our once-great British Universities should stop acting like primary schools for special needs. https://t.co/zA9fyGjwEI David Kurten (@davidkurten) February 10, 2022 No, Bristol University has not issued guidelines on the correct pronouns to use when addressing catgender colleagues. The 100% cat-free guidance contains a link to an extremely comprehensive article about historical and contemporary pronoun use. But bigots will believe anything pic.twitter.com/OBHCiHOO4A Tabitha McIntosh (@TabitaSurge) February 8, 2022 Peak bollocks. Bristol University, has issued guidelines to staff on the correct pronouns to use when addressing those who define as catgender. *sigh^ pic.twitter.com/9NwhOhMwsh Bernie's Tweets (@BernieSpofforth) February 8, 2022 Anyone who's paid a load of money to Bristol University in tuition fees: Did you realise you were financing overpaid and pretentious uni-establishment idiots who think humans can be cats? Find a lawyer, sue for a refund. Good luck! https://t.co/K0oqYywG13 Neil F Liversidge (@NeilFLiversidge) February 17, 2022 Follow on Twitter: Follow @PrisonPlanet Brand new merch now available! Get it at https://www.pjwshop.com/ ALERT! In the age of mass Silicon Valley censorship It is crucial that we stay in touch. We need you to sign up for our free newsletter here. Support our sponsor Turbo Force a supercharged boost of clean energy without the comedown. Also, we urgently need your financial support here. According to Kara Frederick, a former Facebook intel analyst and a research associate at the conservative Heritage Foundation, Big Tech corporations seem to be doing the governments bidding in creating a China like Social Credit System in US , and Americans must notice this and act quickly. Frederick recently published a Heritage Foundation article titled Combating Big Techs Totalitarianism: A Road Map, wherein he explains how Big Tech has used its influence to restrict Americans. The research suggests a number of steps that Americans might do to combat the crisis. Its that integration of the government and big tech companies to police speech that I think is troubling and very evocative of the coming totalitarianism, Frederick said on EpochTVs American Thought Leaders program. She calls it a symbiosis between the government and tech companies. She listed a few cases, including earlier this month, where White House press secretary Jen Psaki pushed Spotify and other large tech companies to take additional steps to combat what the Biden government referred to as COVID-19 misinformation at a media briefing. Frederick pointed out that this isnt the first occasion Psaki has advised huge tech corporations how to go about it. At a press conference in July 2021, Psaki and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy asked social media companies to battle what the Biden administration referred to as health misinformation. Psaki pointed out 12 individuals at the period for producing 65 percent of anti-vaccine misinformation on social media platforms, according to her. All of [the 12 people] remain active on Facebook, despite some even being banned on other platforms, including Facebookones that Facebook owns, Psaki said at the time. A day later, Psaki said, You shouldnt be banned from one platform and not others for providing misinformation out there. All of the individuals and profiles were removed from the Facebook platform inside a month, according to Frederick. President Joe Biden made a special appeal to social media companies and the mainstream press in January to deal with misinformation and disinformation, and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas released a terrorism advisory in early February, Frederick noted, not only in the setting of so-called COVID-19 misinformation, but also for the context of election credibility and election safety. This is becoming pervasive and big tech companies are the willing agents for the government to have really a heavy hand on the American people, Frederick said. So absolutely, this is a coming totalitarianism, these practices are, frankly, mirroring that of what China does in the social credit system, she continued. You have to remember that [it] started with private companies as well and specific provinces in the financial sector. So I think its extremely important for Americans to get their guards up and recognize whats happening as its happening today. QuashIng Dissenting Views Frederick discusses how internet companies have converted instruments that were designed to battle national safety concerns to now suppress alternative opinions, or what the US administration refers to as misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information. I believe that there are genuine problems on these platforms, right? Human trafficking, advertisements for drug cartels child sexual abuse, material, child exploitation and pornography, and real foreign Islamic terrorist content. Those are real issues, not to mention state-linked influence operations, where you have bots that are farmed out to patriotic citizens by the CCP, the Chinese Communist Party, to spew bile all over the internet or cheerlead for the CCP. So its very important that we do have people within these companies working on that. Frederick was a key contributor to the formation and leadership of Facebooks Global Security Counterterrorism Analysis Program. She previously worked for the Department of Defense for six years as a counterterrorism specialist at the start of her employment. She highlighted that somehow there seems to be a very troubling trend on social media sites where even more funds are now being committed to policing right-leaning and opposing information. We have failed to agree on a definition of misinformation and disinformation, and what actual, organic sort of influence operations are, versus state-linked influence operations from nefarious actors, she said. Right now, disinformationit seems to be a catch-all for views that the left doesnt like that the Biden regime doesnt like. No more demonstrative examples exist other than the Hunter Biden laptop story [and] the lab leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virologythese two things were considered misinformation at the time and you would be censored, suspended or banned from Facebook and Twitter and other social media. Whats even more concerning, Frederick added, is an obvious attempt to tie disinformation with terrorism, as seen by the latest Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alert as well as the Justice Departments creation of a new division to counter domestic terrorism. These institutions have definitions for a reason, she said. They call things terrorism for a reason. Because you can, once you label something terrorism, you can then mobilize the robustness of the entire U.S. national security apparatus developed in the wake of the September 11 attacks. And you can mobilize them against anyone that youre accusing of terrorism. And when you link disinformation, mal-information, [and] misinformation with terrorism, that gives them license to do a variety of things under a variety of specialized authorities and visit them against the purveyor of this disinformation or misinformation. Frederick invites Americans to look into new entrants venues. I wont name them specifically. But I think were starting to see these competitors come up as they recognize the challenge as they try to take on [the] monopolistic practices of these big tech companies, she said. Make sure that your privacy is first and foremost as wellso using companies that are actually devoted to privacy, she added. According to Frederick, indiscriminate censoring is not confined to social media businesses. its important for people to understand that its not just social media companies or your right to be on Twitter, your right to be on Facebook, she said. Its everything: email delivery services, online fundraising platforms, your ability to get a creative project going, the regular persons ability to have a business on Instagram, your ability to sell merchandise that you create on Shopify, your ability to bank online. We know that 17 digital platforms mobilized within two weeks in early January to suspend or ban President Trump from their platforms. It can happen to the everyday user as well, she said. So I think its critical that we realize its not just social media companies, but its every aspect of your digital life, which is life into perpetuity. Deny CCP Links, Recover Sense of Duty to America Big internet corporations are encroaching on Americans constitutional rights, such as freedom of expression, especially when [Big Tech] is working with the government, according to Americans, such as members of Congress. Instead of saying theyre private companies, they can do whatever they want, recognize that thats a problem, she said. Also, huge tech companies must re-acquaint themselves with American ideals and re-establish a feeling of patriotism, and US policymakers may help initiate this process by being brave, calling out [Big Tech], recognizing that this is a problem and taking measures to rectify it, she said. Frederick was struck at how major internet companies like Facebook exhibited a lack of both gratitude and cognition of how they thrived and flourished under an American system. Because of America, [these big tech platforms] were able to amass all of this largess, and innovate and build all these really interesting things for the people of the world, she noted. I recognize that theyre global companies, but when it comes to the reason why theyve been so successful, its because of America and our unique system. I think companies need to recover a sense of being American again. Recovering that sense of a duty to America, and a gratitude for what its been able to do and create for these executives and the people who work under them. She feels that Big Techs connections to the CCP are a big impediment towards this endeavor, and that Congress should intervene to bring the corporations into line. You hear an argument these days that big tech companies are, the bulwark against Chinese aggression, theyre gonna help us win the race against China,not if [Amazon founder] Jeff Bezos is working with a CCP propaganda arm, not if [Apple CEO] Tim Cook is paying China with $275 billion to contribute to their development; not if Zoom is acquiescing to the directives from the CCP to get a human rights activist off of one of their calls. The list goes on and on and on. To prevent firms from operating undermining American principles, Frederick asserted that Congress must be brave and say absolutely not. Companies need to recover what it means to be American companies again, Frederick continued. Congress can help them do it. Civil society can help them do it. State legislators and attorney generals can help them do it. We all have responsibilities here, but it really starts in here with all of us. Project Lifesaver kit materials and information on display at the Newington Police Department. (Det. Shannon LaChance/Newington Police) Newington Newington police have adopted tracking technology designed to find people with dementia and other cognitive ailments who may wander and get lost. Project Lifesaver, a nationwide nonprofit organization, pairs radio technology with trained police officers to get a fix on a lost person. Clients wear a battery operated transmitter bracelet that emits a tracking signal every second, 24 hours a day. Transmitters are about the size of a quarter and each has its own frequency. Advertisement Newington police have kits for 10 people, thanks in part to donations from local businesses, Det. Shannon LaChance said Friday. No one has been outfitted with a bracelet yet, LaChance said. When a caregiver notifies police that a client has wandered, officers start tracking the persons individual frequency. Police can follow a signal on the ground or in the air from distances of up to several miles. Advertisement Project Lifesaver (projectlifesaver.org) reports that 3,873 people have been found using the technology. Average recovery time is 30 minutes. The organization lists 13 Connecticut police departments as participants, including Simsbury, New Haven, Bridgeport and Guilford. LaChance noted that departments can share information, and help track lost people across town lines. The more towns that get this tool, the better, she said. Interested caregivers in Newington may contact LaChance at 860-594-6217, on her cellphone at 860-549-7268 or by email at slachance@newingtonct.gov. LaChance said she also plans to coordinate with local schools to see if any children might benefit from the program. Jesse Leavenworth can be reached at jleavenworth@courant.com Vitos Pizza is Rob Maffuccis new restaurant, the first since closing Vs Trattoria in downtown Hartford as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. (Susan Dunne) Rob Maffucci is a happy man. Hes cooking every day at his new takeout-only Vitos Pizza in Berlin. He smiles and laughs as he prepares his mothers traditional Italian recipes in the compact kitchen. Memories of his earlier life can be seen in the cafe. Newspaper and magazine clippings tell of his 25-year status as one of the most beloved restaurateurs in downtown Hartford. A three-hour video loop shows clips of his gigs on Food Network shows, TV news cooking segments and other high-profile appearances. Advertisement Maffucci recalls those days fondly, and has let them go. Vs Trattoria which he opened in 2017 after Bushnell Park construction forced him out of Vitos by the Park is gone now, too. Its location in the Prudential building made the 100-seat restaurant, as well as its catering and grab-and-go functions, an early victim of the coronavirus pandemic. That building had 3,000 occupants. Then it didnt have any occupants. We were across the street from Hartford Stage. Then there were no shows, Maffucci said. For three years we were buzzing. We were doing just great. When winter came into 2020, we were setting records. Advertisement Then, nothing. Hartford was like a large building that people worked in. Now its like a large building with no one in it, with a security guard on the bottom floor, he said. Vitos Pizza is Rob Maffuccis new restaurant, the first since closing Vs Trattoria in downtown Hartford as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. (Susan Dunne) The grab-and-go closed right away. Vs held on for a while, then Maffucci closed it in December 2020. I took a COVID sabbatical and watched the world go by, he said. Then he thought when life grinds you into flour, you gotta make more dough. (Maffuccis sisters run the familys original location, in Wethersfield, but he no longer has a connection with that restaurant.) He began to study what was not working, and what was, during the devastating era in the restaurant industry. He observed quick-service, to-go eateries thriving. He saw full-service restaurants that relied heavily on manpower suffering. He noticed that the cost of supplies were skyrocketing out of control. He zeroed in on the spot once occupied by Pure Pizza at 1863 Berlin Turnpike. The location is small, precluding a big staff. It has no seating, unless you count the 12 barstools where customers wait for their orders. Maffucci didnt need to buy tableware. Everything is takeout. Service would have to be fast. The parking lot is too tiny to accommodate anything else. I decided to go to my roots. Im falling back on the tried and true, simple gourmet food made with passion, he said. What really stands the test of time is good brick-oven pizza and pasta dishes. Everybody loves chicken parmesan. Its comfort food. People can come and pick up a chef-made dinner and eat it in their homes. Advertisement He opened Vitos Pizza in mid-January and was an immediate success. Berlin residents seem to be bubbling over with delight that the acclaimed chef is theirs now. Food & Drink Weekly Keep up with news from the Connecticut food scene, delicious recipes, and restaurant and bar reviews > The first Friday we were open we had to take the phone off the hook. We were getting so many orders we couldnt do any more, he said. At Vito's Pizza, Rob Maffucci makes pasta bolognese, right, caprese salad, left and other classic Italian dishes. (Susan Dunne) Among the dishes on the menu are spaghetti pomodoro, pasta alla Roberto, pasta alla vodka, fettucine alfredo, pasta Bolognese which he points out on the menu made famous on the Food Network lasagna, eggplant parmesan, chicken parmesan, grinders, calzones, stromboli, pasta fagioli, broccoli rabe, sausage and peppers and a variety of pizzas and salads. Vitos does catering, too. I feel fantastic, he said. I feel like Im 30 years old again. As happy as he is with his new spot, Maffucci is a veteran businessman, so the wheels never stop turning in his head. When warm weather comes, he will launch a food truck, Rolling Stone, at a permanent spot on the Connecticut riverfront, at Yankee Boat Yard & Marina at 54 Riverview St. in Portland. Im having a great time. I miss Vs but not really. I always love the next thing I am doing. Things happen and you move on, he said. Advertisement Vitos Pizza is open Tuesday to Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday noon to 9 p.m. and Sunday noon to 8 p.m. A ribbon cutting will be Feb. 23 at 10:30 a.m. Susan Dunne can be reached at sdunne@courant.com. 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. While the province is expected to eradicate mask and vaccine mandates next month, Assiniboine Community College will maintain its current COVID-19 restrictions until at least the spring. Advertisement Advertise With Us FILE Assiniboine Community College culinary students prepare entrees at the school's Farewell to Fall event, which took place last December. ACC announced on Thursday that staff and students will be required to wear masks on campus until at least June 6. While the province is expected to eradicate mask and vaccine mandates next month, Assiniboine Community College will maintain its current COVID-19 restrictions until at least the spring. This means the schools campus access policy which requires staff and students to be fully vaccinated or comply with the testing protocol to attend in-person activities will remain in place until May 2, according to an email that was sent out by ACC Thursday morning. Masks will be required on campus until June 6, as well. "The college will be taking a cautious approach to change that will allow us to monitor both the larger community health environment and that of our college community," the email read. "This approach is designed to balance the elimination of extraordinary measures with the need to manage the current public health environment while remaining prepared to adjust if conditions do not improve in the way that health officials anticipate." The announcement was circulated five days after Brandon University officials announced their school would also maintain current pandemic restrictions concerning masks and vaccines for the remainder of the winter semester. ACC and BU kicked off their 2021-22 academic year by establishing a vaccine mandate and a variety of other health protocols that would allow a return of in-class learning to a certain degree. Despite temporarily dropping back into remote learning at the beginning of this semester, due to the rise of the omicron variant, both institutions have been reluctant to stray dramatically from these guidelines over the last six months. Moving ahead into the spring and summer, ACC officials said in Thursdays email they need to remain "flexible" in terms of how they respond to the ongoing pandemic. Elsewhere in the province, Red River College Polytechnic officials indicated on Feb. 8 that on-campus masking and vaccine requirements will be a part of the spring 2022 term. The University of Winnipeg announced in January that most of its courses will be conducted online throughout the winter term. Meanwhile, the University of Manitoba will resume partial in-person teaching on Feb. 28. kdarbyson@brandonsun.com Twitter:@KyleDarbyson Advertisement Advertise With Us Updated Feb. 21, 2022: Susannah Lamirande and Isaiah Poitra have been safely located. 29-year-old Susannah Lamirande and her five-year-old son Isaiah Poitra are being sought by Dauphin RCMP after they were reported missing on Wednesday. (Submitted) Police in Dauphin are searching for a woman and her child after they were reported missing Wednesday. According to a release issued by the RCMP, Susannah Lamirande, 29, and Isaiah Poitra, 5, were last seen entering a vehicle at Dauphin Regional Health Centre. It is believed that the pair, who come from The Pas, may be heading toward Ebb and Flow First Nation, but police have been unable to contact them. They may have made contact with someone from Dauphin by phone on Feb. 17. Lamirande is Indigenous and has blond hair and blue highlights. When last seen, she was wearing black pants and a grey hoodie. Her son was wearing a winter snowsuit. Anyone with information is asked to call Dauphin RCMP at 204-622-5020 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 to make an anonymous report. Secure tips can also be submitted online at manitobacrimestoppers.com. The Brandon Sun Aroma Joes, a Portland, Maine-based coffee and pastry chain, is beginning an aggressive expansion into Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, starting this spring in Bristol. (Courtesy Mark MacGregor ) Aroma Joes, a Portland, Maine-based coffee and pastry chain that targets the same morning crowd as Dunkin and Starbucks, is beginning an aggressive expansion into Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, starting this spring in Bristol, one of the regional development agents said. Mark MacGregor of Bristol said the Bristol location, at 1235 Farmington Ave., should be up and running within about a month. Advertisement Were still in the construction phase. Weve had a little bit of delays with supply-chain issues, but it should open in spring 2022, MacGregor said. A location in Waterbury should open a few months later, he said. Additional locations in Connecticut have not been picked out yet, but he said within 10 years, Aroma Joes hopes to open 60 locations in Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. Advertisement Its an aggressive plan to reach that goal for ourselves. We want to make Aroma Joes a household name in Connecticut, like it is in Maine and New Hampshire, he said. MacGregor is co-owner of the Bristol franchise with Clayton Prugh and Henry Laughlin, who are also his fellow development agents in the region. Food & Drink Weekly Keep up with news from the Connecticut food scene, delicious recipes, and restaurant and bar reviews > The chain currently has locations in Maine, New Hampshire, eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Florida. MacGregor is a native of Rochester, New Hampshire, where the first Aroma Joes was built. By the time I was getting into high school, it was ramping up into a popular household name, he said. I loved the product and the atmosphere. About two years ago, he approached the headquarters about expanding into Connecticut. I feel very passionate about this product, he said. Aroma Joes is known for its variety of coffee drinks, breakfast sandwiches and pastries, and its rushes, an energy drink in a variety of flavors. The Bristol Aroma Joes will begin hiring in a few weeks. Those interested can visit aromajoes.com. The shop probably would be open 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week, MacGregor said. Advertisement Susan Dunne can be reached at sdune@courant.com. OTTAWA - Police officers descended on anti-government protesters in Ottawa on Friday, arresting at least 100 people and towing more than 20 vehicles in a push to end a three-week occupation that has reverberated across Canada and around the world. Advertisement Advertise With Us OTTAWA - Police officers descended on anti-government protesters in Ottawa on Friday, arresting at least 100 people and towing more than 20 vehicles in a push to end a three-week occupation that has reverberated across Canada and around the world. Dozens of officers who had gathered in the bitterly cold downtown core following an overnight snowstorm started to move mid-morning under a bright sun, pushing the protesters back and making arrests along the way. Supported by officers on horseback and on rooftops, lines of police slowly advanced on an intersection just east of Parliament Hill, isolating one group of protesters. Police blasted warnings over a loudspeaker before officers advanced intermittently, forcing back dozens of demonstrators, some of whom linked arms or laid down in resistance while others hurled insults or tried to flee. Officers in military green, some with gas masks and what appeared to be tear-gas guns, converged on the protesters from another direction in an apparent pincer movement before a third group of police boxed them in. Protesters react as Toronto Police mounted unit charge to disperse as police take action to put an end to a protest, which started in opposition to mandatory COVID-19 vaccine mandates and grew into a broader anti-government demonstration and occupation, in Ottawa, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang As officers closed on that group, other protesters watched from their main camp further west on Wellington Street near the National War Memorial and Parliament Hill, urging their embattled comrades to "hold the line" and hurling their own invective. By evening, the situation grew more heated. A group of mounted police suddenly charged a large group of protesters facing police lines near the Senate in an apparent effort to move the crowd up toward Wellington Street. Many in the shocked crowd ran, some yelling, "You are trampling us!" Ottawa police said on Twitter that protesters had continued "assaultive behaviour" with the police line and to prevent an escalation or further injury, mounted officers were sent in to create a safe distance between officers and protesters. As this was happening, police said, a bicycle was thrown at the feet of one of the horses in an attempt to injure it. One person was arrested for allegedly intentionally harming a police service animal. "Protesters are assaulting officers, have attempted to remove officers' weapons. All means of de-escalation have been used to move forward in our goal of returning Ottawa to its normalcy," the police service tweeted. "We implore all the parents who have kids in there: Get kids out of there. They do not need to be in the middle of this. It is not a safe place for them." Ottawa police interim chief Steve Bell The police action, which included the RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police, local officers and units from other cities, followed an initial round of arrests Thursday against key organizers. A tow operator wears a ski mask to protect their identity as they drive a tow truck with its company name concealed as they assist police in towing vehicles as they aim to end an ongoing protest against COVID-19 measures that has grown into a broader anti-government protest, on its 22nd day, in Ottawa, on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang It also came after repeated warnings and signals in the past two days that police were preparing for a crackdown following weeks of accommodating the demonstration, which had left many Ottawa residents angry, frazzled and critical of the citys police force. Ottawa police interim chief Steve Bell told a news conference Friday that clearing the area will take time, but the operation is "deliberate and methodical" and police are in control on the ground. Those arrested have been charged with various offences including mischief, he said, adding police are still urging demonstrators to leave peacefully. He said there has been no need to interact with the Children's Aid Society of Ottawa, but it still "shocks and surprises" him that children are being put in harm's way in the middle of a demonstration where a police operation was unfolding. "We will continue to look after their safety and security. But we implore all the parents who have kids in there get kids out of there," Bell said. "They do not need to be in the middle of this. It is not a safe place for them." Ottawa police have accused some protesters of putting children between themselves and advancing officers. The allegation was not independently verified. Police push against a protester who attempted to kneel in front of them as they take action to put an end to a protest, which started in opposition to mandatory COVID-19 vaccine mandates and grew into a broader anti-government demonstration and occupation, in Ottawa, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang As police pushed back the protesters, tow trucks moved in to remove some of the dozens of big rigs and other vehicles that have been used to essentially blockade the streets around Parliament Hill since late last month. Police were also staffing dozens of checkpoints around the downtown core designed to prevent any new protesters from arriving to reinforce those inside the perimeter. Rows of officers moved in on truckers who were parked at a major intersection near the Parliament buildings, where those inside such as Dale Sherstobitoff were ordered out of their cabs and onto the street. "I'm embarrassed of our prime minister. I'm embarrassed of these cops," she said. "This shouldn't be happening in Canada." While some protesters on the outer edges of the downtown protest were starting to pack their bags and rolling suitcases into the back of their pickups ahead of leaving, others said they were unperturbed by the threat of arrest and planned to stay. Some continued to gather in the street in front of Parliament Hill, delivering speeches from a makeshift stage. Protestors and supporters walk amongst trucks as they gather during a protest against COVID-19 measures that has grown into a broader anti-government protest continues to occupy downtown Ottawa on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston Yet even as some were digging in, key organizers and figures within the protest such as Pat King were bowing out. King initially urged demonstrators to walk to Parliament Hill and jackknife rigs in front of tow trucks to prevent them from moving vehicles. But he later reversed course, telling protesters on a Facebook livestream to retreat from downtown Ottawa and regroup at a nearby truck stop. He later posted a video of police arresting him in his vehicle. Two other protest organizers Chris Barber and Tamara Lich were arrested Thursday. Barber has also been charged with counselling to disobey a court order and to obstruct police. A judge with the Ontario Court of Justice granted bail to Barber. Justice Julie Bourgeois released him on a $100,000 bond and on the conditions he leave Ontario by Feb. 23, not publicly endorse the convoy or have any contact with the other major protest organizers. Lich is to appear in Ottawa courtroom on Saturday morning and was to spend the night in jail awaiting her bail hearing. King, Lich and other organizers of the so-called Freedom 2022 protests also saw a temporary freeze to their bank accounts including Bitcoin and cryptocurrency funds following an Ontario Superior Court ruling on Thursday. A protester shovels snow from Wellington Street in front of a blockade of trucks as a winter storm warning is in effect, on the 22nd day of a protest against COVID-19 measures that has grown into a broader anti-government protest, in Ottawa, on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang In addition, a class-action lawsuit on behalf of thousands of downtown Ottawa residents seeks millions of dollars in damages for the noise and serious disruptions caused by the protest. Some protesters have said they came to Ottawa simply to demand that COVID-19 measures be lifted. But others, including those who claim to be leading the convoy, have demanded the Liberal government be ousted. The protest in Ottawa quickly spread to other parts of the country, disrupting business and trade amid concerns far-right extremists and hate groups were trying to use the demonstrations to advance their ideological agendas. Police started to clear the protesters in southern Ontario, Alberta and elsewhere earlier this week. The Ottawa force's chief resigned Wednesday amid intense criticism over the state of lawlessness downtown. While police were clearing the streets outside, members of Parliament were forced to cool their heels on a divisive debate around the Liberal governments decision this week to invoke the Emergencies Act in response to the protests. Late Friday, Government House leader Mark Holland said the House of Commons will resume debate Saturday on the use of the Emergencies Act to respond to the illegal blockades. Police officers gather near the site of a trucker blockade in Ottawa, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld Earlier in the day the Speaker and House leaders from all parties agreed to cancel Friday's sitting on the advice of parliamentary security. Holland said on Twitter that the safety of MPs and all employees on Parliament Hill is paramount. The House began debating the government's decision to invoke the Emergencies Act on Thursday. Holland said the pause would not affect the outcome and MPs who want to speak will do so. He said MPs will vote early next week on the Emergencies Act motion. The new powers include the ability to freeze bank accounts of protest participants and bar people from assembling in specific places or joining protests that threaten trade, critical infrastructure, individuals or property. It is also now illegal to bring children to within 500 metres of the blockades or provide supplies or property to participants. The measures are facing legal challenges including from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. However, they are expected to receive House of Commons approval with support of the Liberals and NDP and opposition from the Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois. The Senate was also expected to begin debate Friday but issued a notice saying it would remain adjourned until Monday at 2 p.m. ET. with files from Stephanie Taylor and Mike Blanchfield This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 18, 2022. The countrys worst performing default superannuation fund has been forced to exit the industry, after mounting pressure from the prudential regulator over chronic underperformance. Maritime Super will merge with Hostplus into a single fund with around $80 billion by early 2023. Hostplus chief executive David Elia. Credit:Jesse Marlow As part of the deal, Hostplus chief executive David Elia said the Maritime Super board would be fully dissolved although there was scope to retain separate branding and industry-specific insurance products. No directors will be joining, Mr Elia told The Age and Herald. Its almost like the Maritime brand powered by Hostplus. A mammoth cargo ship believed to be carrying thousands of vehicles including 1,100 Porsches was on fire and drifting off the coast of the Azores on Thursday after its 22 crew members were rescued from the vessel. The fire broke out on Wednesday morning in the cargo hold of the ship, called the Felicity Ace, which had departed from Emden, Germany, on February 10 and was scheduled to arrive in Davisville, Rhode Island, on Wednesday, according to a ship tracking website. The ship was about 322 kilometres from Terceira Island in the Azores, the Portuguese island territory, when Portuguese forces moved on Wednesday to evacuate the crew. The 200-metre-long Felicity Ace car carrier caught fire and was abandoned of the coast of the Azores. Credit:Marinha Portuguesa No rescuers or crew members were injured in the highly skilled and physically demanding operation, which included a helicopter that whisked the crew members to the nearby Portuguese island of Faial, according to authorities. It was unclear how much of the 650-foot (200 metre), 60,000-tonne cargo ships inventory was lost in the fire and how authorities would tend to the stricken ship. The shipping company could not immediately be reached. Mr Cher, a Russian emigre who has run a string of companies in Queensland and NSW, was charged last week by detectives and released on bail after a short court appearance. He must not leave Australia and must report to authorities twice a week. When called for comment on Friday morning, Mr Cher said : I cant talk now. Call me later, before hanging up. According to business and property records, Mr Chers first venture in Australia was an agriculture company he founded in Bronte in 1996. In the late 1990s, he moved to Queensland, shortened his name from Alexander Tcherkezov to Alex Cher and launched a string of companies in the property, construction and maritime sector part-financed by businessmen from Russia and Ukraine. Mr Cher also worked as a federal government-licensed migration agent, running a business called Nita International that helped Russians get visas or residency in Australia. Alexander Cher outside court on Friday. Credit:Cloe Read According to court documents, Mr Lee was released last week on bail in connection to the alleged military equipment smuggling plot. In a statement, the federal police confirmed that a 64-year-old Gold Coast man and a 63-year-old Brisbane man have been charged with arranging to supply [military] goods. The AFP statement didnt name Mr Chen, but referred instead to an unnamed 59-year-old Chinese national, currently believed to be residing overseas and who was the subject of an arrest warrant. This masthead has confirmed that the case against the pair and Mr Chen grew out of a much broader probe by ASIO into Chinese intelligence operations and Chinese organised crime activities in Australia. That broader probe does not involve Mr Cher or Mr Lee. Multiple federal and state sources with knowledge of the intelligence investigations said that by 2019, ASIO had begun mapping an overlapping and opaque network of Chinese Communist Party linked businessmen, money launderers and intelligence operatives. Ming Chai was of particular interest to ASIO due to his family ties with the Chinese president and involvement with Chinese crime figures and Chinese Communist Party operatives in Melbourne. Mr Chai previously worked for a Chinese public security agency and telecommunications company ZTE, a firm with documented ties to the Chinese military-industrial complex. The Australian Federal Polices initial interest in the 2016 private jet flight was linked to allegations that Tom Zhou was a major money launderer, however subsequent ASIO investigations determined that at least two men on the flight (not Mr Chai) were linked to Chinese intelligence agencies. A key aim of such agencies is often to acquire defence materiel and secrets. Mr Chen was not on the flight. He became the subject of intense ASIO interest in 2019. Prior to this, he was living in Melbourne and running several businesses. He was also listed as a director and shareholder in several Hong Kong and mainland Chinese companies with deep ties to the Chinese military procurement industry. He was the first suspected Chinese intelligence operative to be unmasked in Australia and was named as part of an investigation by The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and 60 Minutes in late 2019 and which aired allegations Mr Chen had sought to infiltrate Australias parliament. The reports detailed how an ASIO informant had claimed Mr Chen had sought to plant an operative in Federal Parliament via the Victorian Liberal Party member Nick Zhao. In response to these revelations, ASIO director general Mike Burgess released a public statement saying his agency took the allegations involving a suspected interference plot seriously. Mr Zhao died unexpectedly in March 2019, after telling ASIO officers that Mr Chen had allegedly offered him $1 million if he ran for a seat in Federal Parliament. There is no suggestion that Mr Chen was involved in Mr Zhaos death, and the Victorian Coroner ruled the death did not involve foul play. In an interview with this masthead in 2019, Mr Chen denied any links to Chinese military intelligence, insisting he was merely a businessman. Analysis by officials of Mr Chens communications devices, travel and immigration records by authorities revealed he adopted multiple identities, including as a paint brush manufacturing manager, military vehicle manufacturer and Hong Kong journalist. Business records from Hong Kong and mainland China show Mr Chen also formed joint ventures with a subsidiary of Chinese military manufacturer Norinco. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing before the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics. Credit:AP Mr Chen also tried to buy laboratory space at Australias science agency, the CSIRO, and he has connections to figures involved in Chinas acquisition of an aircraft carrier from Ukraine. Among his collection of photos are pictures of him on Chinese naval vessels and, according to Mr Chen himself, meeting the Hong Kong businessman Xu Zengping who aligned with the Chinese military to acquire Chinas first aircraft carrier from Ukraine. The arms and defence technology trade in China has for years been controlled by the Chinese military, either via state-owned companies or ostensibly private firms controlled by defence officials. A similar dynamic exists in Russia, with estimates more than two thirds of the countrys arms trade is controlled by the state and is used as a tool of foreign policy. More broadly, Russia has been forging far closer ties with China as the West has ramped up sanctions and other diplomatic pressure over Russias aggression towards Ukraine. This was during a period of COVID-19 restrictions where you couldnt get flights back to Australia, Justice Jackson said. It was only once the Saudis took action because of his unlawful visa status that he was then returned to this country. Do you suggest that those that might go on the Crusades to protect and advance Christianity by saying well go for lands, wherever they may be, were saying they were going to attack the people in their villages in England? Justice David Jackson His overstaying his visa came about because he was unable to travel or get an exemption on his visa because this country had cancelled his visa and at that time banned him returning to the country. How does this government do that to its citizens? Justice Jackson also said parts of the Crowns case were exaggerated, and raised concerns over how police had dealt with the religious aspect of the matter. Do you have an interest in history, Mr Whitmore? Do you know anything about the Crusades? Mr Jackson asked. Do you suggest that those that might go on the Crusades to protect and advance Christianity by saying well go for lands, wherever they may be, were saying they were going to attack the people in their villages in England? Do you see the absurdity and the possible inference of religious prejudice that is carried with an unsupported submission of that kind? Again, exercising the powers of the office you represent. This is not just saying anything you can to advance your position. I urged on Monday for it to stop but this is yet another component from this group of police officers whove done it. So, what inference should the court draw about how police officers in this group are viewing their responsibilities? Justice Jacksons reference to Mondays proceedings was in relation to a case regarding another alleged terrorism-related offence. Ahmed Luqman Talib, a father of eight, from Doncaster East in Melbournes north-east, was extradited from Victoria last year and accused of helping a terrorist arrange to travel to Syria to fight against government forces in 2013. Ahmed Luqman Talib was arrested in March and extradited to Queensland. Credit:AFP On Friday, Justice Jackson handed down his judgment on Mr Talibs bail application. While critical of the prosecution, Justice Jackson denied bail, finding Mr Talib would be an unacceptable risk of failing to appear and surrendering into custody when required to do so. Mr Talib was arrested as part of a counter-terrorism sting last year, alongside Gabriel Crazzi, from Brisbanes south. ... In my view, it should be refused, notwithstanding the disquieting features of the delay in the prosecution of the offence and the conditions under which the applicant is detained, Justice Jackson said. Justice Jackson said Mr Talibs single offence of assisting Witness One the same witness who provided the AFP with information regarding Mr Saghir was to enter Syria for the purpose of engaging in armed hostilities against the Syrian government, allegedly between 2012 and 2013. Ahmed Luqman Talib Mr Talib left Australia and appears to have returned to Turkey, Justice Jackson said. It was alleged he met Witness One, who stayed with him in July 2013 during which time he allegedly helped Witness One in his preparations to enter Syria to fight with a group described as Khattab Jamaat against the Syrian government. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Im really quite confused about this what does it mean, that hes cheated on her? The woman asking the question lifts her head from the phone screen and looks troubled. Weve handed the phone around the dinner table, from one middle-aged person to the next, and none of us understands what it means a 19-second TikTok video in which a girl surprises her long-distance boyfriend with a visit. We cant work out whats so interesting about it, so funny, that it has been viewed more than 65 million times on the video-sharing platform, been discussed on talk shows and news bulletins around the world and become a cultural moment for the TikTok generation. The girl who answers the womans question, Lulu, is 14 years old. Its just funny because everybody is just like, Girl, somethings up. Lulu is breathy, going at a million miles an hour, excited to explain what it all means to her parents visitors. Please, Lulu says, examine the body language of the guy Couch Guy, as he and the video are now known as his girlfriend comes into a room where he sits with three young women (soundtrack: Ellie Gouldings Still Falling for You). Since the video was posted on September 21, tens of millions of people have examined the body language and facial expression of Couch Guy, of the women sitting on the couch with him, of Couch Guys friends in the room. The girls look sus [sic], the boys look amused, the boyfriend looks scared. Sis ... please ask questions, is one of the 135,000 or so comments on the video. Couch Guy, Lulu says, took his phone back from the girl sitting next to him in a quick sneaky move when his girlfriend walked in. Couch Guy might have had his arm around the back of the girl next to him. Couch Guy didnt look so happy to see his girlfriend. Couch Guy took forever to stand up and hug his girlfriend. The Gen-Xers at the table exchange looks and shake our heads in the manner of old people. But why did she even bother to put it up on her TikTok account, I ask Lulu. Like, shes probably just putting it up for friends but it went viral, Lulu replies. Her father adds dryly: Normally you surprise your boyfriend without a friend filming it. Lulus response is withering: Normally your boyfriend isnt on the couch with three other girls. Loading Lulus mother starts to describe how her daughter and 16-year-old son gabble in memes, a foreign language, the parental bewilderment Im in the ghetto, ratatata, ratatata was a recent chant (drawn from another viral TikTok) accompanied by a gun-pointing hand gesture, the ratatata a staccato burst indicating gunshots but Lulu, eye-rolling, hunches back over her phone. OK Boomer. Did she use that catchphrase? Perhaps I only imagine she did: after all, just as Couch Guy is so last-year, the expression OK Boomer is so 2019, so clearly cheugy. Advertisement Try to navigate this strange, exhausting, frenetic new planet we find ourselves inhabiting, try to understand the fickle TikTok generation, and youll quickly realise we are all cheugy. The Gen Z neologism (pronounced choog-ee), outed in a viral TikTok posted in March 2021 by @webkinzwhore143, describes, according to Rolling Stone, an aesthetic that is somewhere between basicness and cheesiness, or anything that seems hopelessly out-of-touch or trying too hard. Simply by using the word I am revealing myself to be hopelessly cheugy. I think it came and went as a term pretty fast, says American online culture observer Ryan Broderick via a Zoom call from Sao Paulo. I think, in a broader sense, were just at a moment where Millennials are no longer in the drivers seat and the younger generation is coming up with new and funny ways of articulating that. (Millennials, or Gen Y, were born between the early 1980s and the mid- to late-1990s; those born from about 1997 onwards are considered Gen Z, or Zoomers.) Were at a moment where Millennials are no longer in the drivers seat and the younger generation is coming up with new and funny ways of articulating that. Certainly by May 2021, the lifestyle website Refinery29 had declared the word cheugy is already cheugy. I wont attempt to explain the socio-political nuances of the word, nor the reasons it has been cancelled (they go beyond the madly accelerated trend cycle) we just have to keep moving along on this anthropological study tour. Stay with me: its all about keeping up. But can you? Can anyone? Sorry Lulu, but Im not sure that even you can. The green dress. God forbid youd even think about wearing it now. Julian, a 20-year-old politics and international relations student who lives in inner Sydney and whose carefully curated social media feeds reflect his enthusiasm for fashion, tells me about the green dress, a neat allegory of the kinetic TikTok generation. No one would be caught out wearing that today, like, nobody. But there was a time, gosh, lost in the mists of time in mid-2020, when the $200 Hockney dress, created by the UK brand House of Sunny, reached the fashion stratosphere at hypersonic speed after uber-influencer Kendall Jenner posted a shot of herself on Instagram wearing it. With spherical cut-outs on the back and an abstract palm green lilypad pattern, the dress became a cult item, the subject of a bazillion fashion hauls (TikToks showing off someones latest purchases). It was just like, Oh my god, everyone, like, I need this dress, says Julian. But the green dress was cheugy, over, almost before it had even started. It just shot up and then shot straight back down. Advertisement Uber-influencer Kendall Jenner in the Hockney dress which became a cult item in TikTok fashion hauls. Credit:@kendalljenner/Instagram In the olden days, trend cycles were positively plodding. A celebrity might wear something fetching and it might be weeks before a photo of it appeared in a magazine and ladies started to think about going out to the shops to look for it. But in this golden age of garment virality, an influencer might wear something in a TikTok or Instagram post and, in a triumph of commerce, within an hour, millions of young women have seen it, gone to the creators website or an online fashion retailer and clicked buy. The original sells out each time it drops and fast-fashion companies start pumping out dupes, cheap lookalikes destined for landfill. The mega Chinese online fashion retailer Shein, for example, adds up to 1000 new items a day to its website (say, an $11.95 Hockney dress dupe) and spreads a trends spores further by saturating the social media feeds of millions of young women around the world with advertising. Loading Quick, keep up. If you dont, you might find yourself walking down the street in a palm-green micro-trend thats been cancelled. (Youre likely already too late to catch the retro twee TikTok trend which emerged lateish last year: berets, oversized pilgrim collars, little dresses, cardigans.) When the zeitgeist seemingly shifts with each new TikTok video (and we, humans, are producing an infinite number of new ones every day, contributing to an endlessly unfurling feed), keeping cool is a relentless, full-time job. Never mind the kids trying to keep up. Pity, instead, say, the poor filmmaker, trying to come up with storylines and scripts for the TikTok generation that arent cheugy even before the cameras roll; an acquaintances teenage daughter regularly points out the flaws in young characters dialogue in shows set in the present day. They wouldnt say that, she scoffs. Pity the hapless Gen-Xer throwing emojis around like hundreds and thousands on fairy bread. Sad to say, there are cheugy emojis: use the laughing-crying/LMAO (laughing my arse off) face at your peril. In early 2020, a Gen-Z consensus emerged on TikTok about uncool elements of Millennial culture, including skinny jeans and the laughing-crying emoji. (Hint: try instead the skull emoji to represent the idea of Im dead, as in, dying of laughter.) And if you still use GIFs, those animated images used to express emotions and reactions, well, grandpa, youre showing your age. Loading Advertisement Pity the Baby Boomers (and anyone else) hanging on Facebook. My brothers like, Why the f... do you have Facebook?, says Julians friend Bella, 20, a journalism student also from Sydneys inner-west, who only keeps it for work-related groups such as one that posts bar-tending jobs. Facebook is kind of known as an older persons app; its like, Oh, my aunty uses it, my grandma uses it, Bella says. Cheugy. And pity the brand manager or marketing executive or trend forecaster trying to keep track of the shifting sands for professional purposes. The open tabs multiply, constant Google detours are required to translate bizarre and unfamiliar references, the brain explodes. Take this example from the web culture newsletter Garbage Day: What I think is interesting about ... lucid dreaming resurfacing on TikTok is that, unlike the other kin headmate mod drama of Tumblr or the brony tulpa psychosis of 4chan, younger internet users now are adapting these ideas to fit a platform that is much more closely tied to who you are irl. Oh my giddy aunt. I cant even. Ryan Broderick, a Millennial with half a beard, is the creator of Garbage Day and the man who wrote that sentence. He laughs when I tell him it made my brain hurt. So, thats a lot of internet references at once, Broderick says. The simple version is that weird stuff on the internet has always existed, but nowadays that weird stuff or those strange subcultures are created to fit huge platforms, as opposed to bubbling up organically from online communities. (Im still none the wiser.) Teenagers have been able to survive a lot of new technologies. The first generation that had distorted guitars were considered the devil ... every generation has their TikTok. I quiz Broderick about this strange new planet, about Gen-Z and its online life and TikTok, and try not to sound elderly. The speed at which culture is generated by TikTok is just unprecedented, he says. People who arent tapped in ... even myself, Im having trouble keeping up. I think were very quickly reaching a point where people just accept that they cant keep up with all of it any more. Then he tries to calm my nerves. So, when I was a teenager, MySpace launched, and a lot of the same things that were said about MySpace are being said about TikTok now. I always sort of take them with a grain of salt. So far, teenagers have been able to survive a lot of new technologies. The first generation that had distorted guitars were considered the devil ... every generation has their TikTok. We have to figure out whats good and whats bad, what we keep, what we dont. Advertisement Do we want to keep the guy smoking weed out of a pickle on YouTube (spoiler alert: after smoking the weed, he eats the pickle, smokes a bong using pickle juice, then drinks the bong water)? What about the TikTok account with more than 260,000 followers called incometwetrust which posts videos of disembodied hands mixing great volumes of cleaning chemicals in a toilet to create oddly satisfying colours and sounds? A video does not necessarily have to be interesting to go viral, Bella tells me. A friend last year got I think two million views on TikTok of her and her friends throwing plates against a wall. The only conclusion I can reach is that, after centuries of humankinds (sort of) steady-ish progression towards enlightenment, weve been sucked into a black hole of vapidity where the main cultural institutions are content dollar shops. I talk with Maine-based web developer Rusty Foster, a Gen-Xer with Millennial inclinations who writes a newsletter called Today in Tabs to describe what everyone is talking about. He calls the era in which we find ourselves the after times but still, is not so worried about any human descent into vapidity. Like, you give people a camera and say, Put whatever you want on here, we dont care, and theyll, like, do something goofy for the camera. And thats kind of cool, right? Like, it absolutely is just someones everyday life. Ryan Broderick adds additional layers of thought: TikTok is an insatiable sorting algorithm that will eventually turn all human behaviour into trending content. Since its 2017 launch, the app has upended the social media and streaming landscape. In September, its owner, the Chinese company ByteDance, announced it had reached a billion active global users a 45 per cent increase in monthly activity since June 2020. (By comparison, Facebook has nearly three billion global users but, as reported earlier this month, saw a drop in daily active users in the final quarter of 2021.) Any teenager can download this free app, shoot some footage with their phone, edit it together and theyve made a mini-movie, theyve made something that has never been this easy to make, Broderick says. Loading But that explanation doesnt even begin to illuminate TikToks complex workings. For a start, lift the hood on this highly engineered machine to see its well-oiled algorithm (almost every kid I speak to about TikTok talks about the algorithm). The apps recommendation algorithm is incredibly powerful with its central feed, the For You page, updating in near-real-time to what youre looking at, Broderick told Garbage Day readers recently. Your friend sends you a TikTok of a dog, you click over to your For You page, suddenly its all videos of dogs. Advertisement I owned one suit. It was brown. Nylon. A safari suit. I wore it to my job interview. Id applied for a journalism cadetship at The Sydney Morning Herald and 40 years ago this month I started work. If Id known the intensity of the competition from more talented and experienced people, I would have been too intimidated to apply. I dont know what the editors saw in that artless 18-year-old, but V.J. Carroll was too formidable and Alan Peterson too irascible for anyone to question them. I owe them my start in the craft. Fairfaxs cadet intake (including for the Herald) for 1982. From left (back row). Paul Loudon, Peter Hartcher, David Monaghan, Stephen Rice, Peter Denton, Andrew Keenan, Belinda Chayko, John Hill and Jenna Price. From left (front row), Amanda Buckley, Anne Hayward, Samantha Harrison, Patricia Sheahan and Stephen Hutcheon. Credit:Sydney Morning Herald Jenna Price, a member of that cadet intake and now an academic and Herald columnist, wrote recently that she remembered me as so freaking confident as the junior most member of that group. My bristling confidence was, of course, merely a useful mechanism for managing my desperate inadequacy and sweaty-palmed insecurity. My parents never told me how disappointed they were that Id taken up so disreputable a trade. They didnt have to. I could see it in their faces when I told them the news. City of Melbourne councillors are calling for greater transparency on how and where $300 million in pandemic recovery funds are being spent. The Victorian government and the City of Melbourne established a $100 million Melbourne City Recovery Fund in September 2020 to reactivate the central city following Melbournes lockdowns, however, $21.4 million of the funds have not been spent. A further $200 million Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund was launched in May last year with a tranche of $44 million released and only $10 million spent. Melbourne has been getting back to normal in recent weeks, but there are questions over how money is being spent in the CBD. Credit:Chris Hopkins At a meeting of the councils Future Melbourne Committee this week, councillors voted to bring forward the reporting timetable for the funds from August to April. Critics questioned the lack of transparency around spending, delay in deploying the funding and the allocation of $1.5 million of the initial fund to a real estate advertising campaign. Councillor Roshena Campell said the funding was vital but called for the accelerated reporting timetable and said the spending of the funds needed to be done as quickly and effectively as possible. Hartford Public Schools will keep its mask requirement in place until at least April 1, Superintendent Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez announced Thursday evening. Masks are currently required for all students, staff, parents and other visitors while inside district buildings. Advertisement On Tuesday, the state Department of Public Health and Department of Education said they would soon issue updated guidance on how schools should manage COVID-19 safely in the absence of a statewide mask mandate, which is set to expire Feb. 28. Extending the mandate in Hartford will give us enough time to, once we get the guidance, really think about ... any shifts that we might need to make for a smooth transition for students, families and for staff, Torres-Rodriguez said at a virtual town hall. Advertisement In the next six weeks, as we have done since the beginning of the pandemic, we will continue to partner with local and state health experts as we monitor the local health conditions. Hartford joins Bridgeport and New Haven among cities that have indicated that their mask mandates for schools will remain in place beyond Feb. 28. Bridgeports requirement was extended through March 31, while New Havens indoor mask mandate also applies to schools. Dr. Juan Salazar, physician-in-chief at Connecticut Childrens, said it makes sense to extend the mandate in Hartford schools given low vaccination rates in the younger population, still-high transmission rates, high positivity rates. Nationwide, vaccination rates among children between the ages of 5 and 11 lag behind other age groups. As of Feb. 11, just 19% of Hartford students in that cohort have received at least one dose compared to 45% of students 12 and up, Torres-Rodriguez said. Though younger children face lower risk of severe illness or death, Torres-Rodriguez noted the number of students who live in multigenerational homes and could transmit the virus to someone who is at risk. There have been 2,290 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Hartford schools so far this school year, according to district data, the bulk of which occurred between the end of December and mid-January as the highly transmissibly omicron variant tore through communities around the country. New cases in Hartford schools, as across the state, are now in decline. Salazar said there are currently an estimated 5,700 new cases statewide each day, but modeling projects new estimated cases to drop to just over 1,000 each day by the end of May (estimated new cases include those not tested). Five Things You Need To Know Daily We're providing the latest coronavirus coverage in Connecticut each weekday morning. > In the U.S., there were about 299,000 new child COVID-19 cases added in the past week, according to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics down from more than a million at one point in January, but still more than last spring. Advertisement What this tells me is that, while were going in the right direction, children are still getting infected at a large number, and this should guide your policies, Salazar said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to recommend universal indoor masking for students; the World Health Organization recommends masks for students 12 and older, and in select cases for younger children. Hartford Public Schools is continuing with its other mitigation strategies, including 3-foot distancing in classrooms, a five-day quarantine period for positive students and staff and air filtration upgrades in school buildings. Visits to school buildings are no longer by appointment only, so long as visitors complete a health screening and follow health protocols. Unvaccinated staff no longer must submit to weekly testing, so long as they complete a daily health screening before coming to work. Seamus McAvoy may be reached at smcavoy@courant.com. A university researcher trying to assemble one of the most comprehensive DNA databases of Australias koalas wants people to drop one thing in his mailbox: poo. Carney Matheson is a forensic scientist at Griffith University, which does not immediately suggest he would be running a major koala study. Toohey MP Peter Russo, Associate Professor Carney Matheson, Brad Lambert from the Toohey Forest Environment Education Centre and Queensland Science Minister Meaghan Scanlon in Toohey Forest. But Professor Matheson said he wanted to bring principles of forensic science to bear on the subject. Despite being an iconic animal, its actually amazing how much we dont know about koalas behaviour, he said. The Aboriginal teenager killed in a police shooting in the remote Northern Territory desert had anatomical use of his right arm which held a 10-centimetre pair of scissors when Constable Zachary Rolfe made the decision to fire a second round from point-blank range, a court has heard. Dr Keith Towsey, a Queensland-based trauma surgeon with medic experience in the Defence forces, said it was this second shot that ended Kumanjayi Walkers life. Constable Zachary Rolfes defence team, led by David Edwardson, QC. Credit:Zach Hope The officer, now 30, shot Mr Walker three times 2.6 and 0.53 seconds apart after the Warlpiri 19-year-old stabbed him with the scissors during an attempted arrest at Yuendumu, about 300 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs. Dr Kerrie Sutherland, who treated Constable Rolfe in Alice Springs after the incident, said nurses told her the officer left via a back exit to avoid the crowd gathering outside the hospital. In the moments before parliament dissolved on Wednesday into another miserable spectacle - a desperate prime minister trying to railroad the opposition with a fabrication that it seeks to appease Communist China - there was a blessed interlude. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese took time to stand and remember the 22 Australian nurses and one British woman who, caught in a real war 80 years ago, were herded into the sea off an Indonesian beach and machine-gunned by Japanese soldiers. Vivian Bullwinkel testifies at the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal in 1946. Only one nurse, the redoubtable Vivian Bullwinkel, survived her wounds to tell the world of the Bangka Island massacre of February 16, 1942. Another 60 Australian and British soldiers and crew members who had survived the sinking of the SS Vyner Brooke, on which they had escaped the fall of Singapore, were bayoneted and shot on the beach that day. Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe, who is overseeing the multimillion-dollar Cooloola Great Walk ecotourism bid, worked previously as a paid lobbyist for a Cooloola beach resort development. Mr Hinchliffe, a former political adviser and property analyst, was a lobbyist for the failed $1.5 billion Rainbow Shores stage two development at Inskip Point near Cooloola before he entered politics in 2006. Stirling Hinchliffe said he reported a potential conflict of interest in 2006 to then-premier Anna Bligh Credit:Glen Hunt The project would have involved a land swap - rejected by the state government - to allow up to 6500 extra people to live near Inskip Point, but outside Great Sandy National Park. Mr Hinchliffe said he worked for the owners of the Rainbow Shores development from 2005 to 2006 and finished before the 2006 Queensland election campaign, when he was elected the Labor member for Stafford. Until last year, South Korea had never had more than 7849 new cases a day. But as Omicron dominates, the daily caseload soared to 109,831 on Friday, a 25-fold increase from the levels seen in mid-January. The government expects up to 170,000 new cases a day later this month. That is simply too many patients to provide all of them with the same time and attention that it once did. Loading Fortunately, Omicron has proved less dangerous than the Delta variant. Even as it has surged, the number of COVID-19 fatalities dropped from the daily record of 109 on December 23 to 36 on Thursday. The number of seriously ill patients in hospitals fell from around 1000 in mid-December to 389 on Thursday. People in their 60s and older accounted for 93 per cent of all fatalities. We must use our limited resources more effectively, focusing on preventing high-risk patients from getting seriously ill or dying, said Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol. Under its new strategy, the government will dedicate its monitoring efforts to high-risk patients who are staying at home those in their 60s and older and people with preexisting medical conditions supplying them with at-home treatment kits and calling twice a day to check on their condition. Other patients who test positive must monitor their own symptoms at home and seek help only when their condition worsens. Health workers will no longer call them once a day or supply food and other daily necessities, as they did until last week. Instead, the patients family members are now free to go out for essential supplies if they are vaccinated. Loading Critics have said the governments new approach disadvantages underprivileged classes, like poor people who lack access to medical care or other social services. Its tantamount to letting the virus spread, rather than doing everything possible to contain its spread, said Woo Seoc-kyun, a representative of the Association of Physicians for Humanism, a nationwide doctors group. It threatens to reverse what we have achieved so far through a tight management of the pandemic, like keeping the number of fatalities low. The government said that even if the daily caseload soared, it would still consider lifting restrictions further so that South Korea could switch to a life with COVID-19, treating the disease like seasonal flu, provided that the number of seriously ill patients was kept under control. On Friday it said it would extend restaurant dining hours from 9pm to 10pm but maintain a six-person limit on private social gatherings, AP reported. Whether the government can keep up with the Omicron surge well enough to make such a shift is still up for debate. This week, the United States put South Korea on its do-not-travel list. The number of people being treated at home surged from 150,000 last week to 314,000 on Thursday and is expected to grow. And so, too, could the number of seriously ill. Jung Jae-hun, a professor of preventive medicine at Gachon University in South Korea, estimated that the daily caseload would peak at more than 200,000 and stay at that level throughout March. Another estimate, by the governments National Institute for Mathematical Sciences, predicted as many as 360,000 new patients a day by early next month. Authorities are preparing more hospital beds for the seriously ill as a precaution. They are also asking neighbourhood clinics to pitch in to treat at-home patients remotely. Nearly half of the workers at government-run health clinics in Gyeonggi province, which surrounds Seoul, called for an immediate relief from the extreme stress caused by a crushing workload, according to a recent survey. Last week, South Korea retired its GPS monitoring tool used to enforce quarantines a smartphone app that alerted health workers when patients left home without permission. Many of the 60,000 workers who monitored those movements on the app will be now redeployed to assist vulnerable patients at home, delivering medicine and manning hotlines. There has been a bottleneck in putting calls through, as we were trying to handle a sudden spike in patients, said Lee Ki-il, a senior disease-control coordinator. The governments changing attitude was not solely influenced by data. An increasingly impatient public has also become more vocal about the need for a new approach. The South Korean parliament passes a bill to arrange a special time for COVID-19 patients to vote during the March 9 presidential election. Credit:Yonhap/AP Since South Korea began banning unvaccinated people from entering restaurants, cafes, shopping malls and other crowded places, a flurry of lawsuits has followed. The litigants claimed that the restrictions discriminated against the unvaccinated and violated the freedom of citizens, as well as the rights of business owners. The government is infringing upon our constitutionally guaranteed right to education, said Yang Dae-rim, a high-school senior who joined a lawsuit against the governments plan to ban unvaccinated teenagers from the after-school cramming programs known as hagwon, and from study cafes. Loading Yang and others separately sued President Moon Jae-in for abuse of official power. The government later removed hagwon and study cafes from the list of places that required proof of vaccination. After two years of battling the virus, South Korea has learnt that the cost of maintaining its vigorous pandemic protocols is unsustainable in the long term, Jung said. More than 86 per cent of the population has received at least two doses of a vaccine. Pressed on his latest assessment which comes after weeks of saying he wasnt certain Putin had made a call Biden cited significant intelligence capability for his shifting view, but did not elaborate further. Australias Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was completely unacceptable that a nation would threaten anothers sovereignty on the pretext that its being done in their own security interests. Speaking in Darwin at an event to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Darwin, Morrison echoed Biden saying it appeared an invasion of Ukraine by Russia was imminent. We cannot have a situation where a nation such as Russia can threaten and bully those countries that border its borders. We cannot have it that they can intimidate and threaten in this way, he said. This is not something we can allow to stand. Asked what type of support Australia could provide in the event of an invasion, he said Australia has not been asked and nor would we be providing support through troops or anything of that nature. We work with our allies and partners in many other ways. Su-25 ground attack aircraft (total of 32), helicopters, an S-400 air defence unit, ground force equipment and a UAV/drone unit are seen at Luninets airfield approximately 50 kilometres north of the border with Ukraine. on Friday. Credit:Maxar Technologies/AP Bidens comments came after Western leaders including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President of Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson met over the phone on Friday (Saturday AEDT) to discuss efforts to boost the defence and security of NATOs eastern flank. During an almost one-hour call, the leaders expressed deep concern over Russias continued build-up of forces, reiterated their strong support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, and discussed the importance of further economic assistance to Ukraine. Of particular concern, Biden said, was the uptick in ceasefire violations such as the shelling of a Ukrainian kindergarten and more disinformation by Russia about Ukraine seeking to launch a major offensive. The aftermath of shelling on a kindergarten in the Russian-separatist settlement of Stanytsia Luhanska, Ukraine, on Thursday. The US says the shelling was staged by Russia as a pretext for invasion. Credit:AP Tensions had escalated further overnight when Russia-backed separatists called for an evacuation of every woman and child in east Ukraine, claiming the Ukrainian military was about to launch a large-scale attack. The leader of the pro-Moscow Donetsk Peoples Republic, Denis Pushilin, posted videos online, claiming that Very soon, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will order the military to go on an offensive, to implement a plan to invade the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk peoples republics. Women, children, and the elderly will need to be evacuated first. We urge you to listen and make the right decision. Metadata from the two videos posted by the separatists announcing the evacuation show that the files were created two days ago, The Associated Press confirmed. On Saturday afternoon AEDT, Pushilin released a statement announcing a full troop mobilisation and urging reservists to show up at military enlistment offices. Such moves are in line with US warnings of so-called false-flag attacks. The Ukrainian government denied allegations it was planning an offensive and said it was not targeting civilians in any way. Biden said that it defies basic logic to believe the Ukrainians would choose this moment, with over 150,000 troops arrayed on his border, to escalate the year-long conflict. Two women sit inside a bus waiting to be evacuated to Russia from Donetsk. Credit:AP Despite growing concern of an imminent invasion by Russia, there are still efforts to resolve the crisis through diplomacy. Loading Putin has said that his country was prepared to discuss the matter further but would continue to insist on a range of demands already rejected by the West, such as pulling back NATOs forces from the region and ceasing the eastward expansion of NATO. Bidens National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also spent the day in Brussels as talks among NATO allies ramped up, and Vice-President Kamala Harris led the American delegation to the Munich Security Conference in Germany, along with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, addresses the Munich Security Conference. Since 1963 security experts and politicians from across the globe have met annually to discuss the most pressing international security concerns and policy. Credit:Getty Images Blinken is scheduled to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on February 24, Moscow time, in what Biden said would be a critical juncture for Putin. If Russia takes military action before that date, it will be clear that they have slammed the door shut on diplomacy. They will have chosen a war, and they will pay a steep price for doing so, the President said. On Saturday before he departed for Munich, Johnson said there was still a chance to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Allies need to speak with one voice to stress to President Putin the high price he will pay for any further Russian invasion of Ukraine. Diplomacy can still prevail, the British Prime Minister said. Russia, meanwhile, has repeatedly claimed it has no plans to attack, and dismissed the US warnings about a possible invasion as hysteria and propaganda. Nonetheless, earlier on Saturday, Germany announced it would put its troops in NATOs quick-reaction force on higher alert, enabling them to deploy more quickly to protect eastern European allies in case of an escalation of tensions with Russia, the Defence Ministry in Berlin said. A Ukrainian National guard soldier, left, holds his weapon ready as he guards the mobile checkpoint with the Ukrainian Security Service agents and police officers in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Credit:AP Warning sirens blared in Donetsk after it and the other self-proclaimed Peoples Republic, Luhansk, announced the evacuation from the regions held by Russian-backed separatists. Loading Hours later, a jeep exploded outside the rebel government building in the city of Donetsk, capital of the region of the same name. There were no reports of casualties and no independent confirmation of the circumstances of the blast. Shelling and shooting are common along the line that separates Ukrainian forces and the rebels, but targeted violence is unusual in rebel-held cities like Donetsk. Russia had said it had started withdrawing troops from the border near Ukraine this week. But the United States said it had instead ramped up the force menacing its neighbour to between 169,000-190,000 troops, from 100,000 at the end of January. Satellite imagery shows su25 aircraft deployments at Millerovo Airfield, Russia, on Friday February 18. Credit:Maxar Technologies/AP We see additional forces going to the border including leading edge forces, Blinken told the Munich conference. The West has threatened severe economic sanctions on Russia if it invades Ukraine. London: The second major storm in three days smashed through northern Europe on Friday, killing at least eight people as high winds felled trees, cancelled train services and ripped off sections of the roof of Londons O2 Arena. The UK weather service said a gust provisionally measured at 196km/h thought to be the strongest ever in England was recorded on the Isle of Wight as Storm Eunice swept across the countrys south. Winds ripped the roof off Londons O2 Arena, formerly known as the Millennium Dome. Credit:Getty Images The weather system, known as Storm Zeynep in Germany, then pushed into the European mainland, prompting high wind warnings in Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. The storm caused mayhem with travel in Britain, shutting the English Channel port of Dover, closing bridges linking England and Wales and halting most trains in and out of London. Bryan, OH (43506) Today Chance of an isolated thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with more showers at times. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 47F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Chance of an isolated thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with more showers at times. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 47F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. 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. 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 Gov. Ned Lamont announced to the state in his Feb. 9 budget address that he will tolerate no deviation from the highest standards of ethical conduct. If you see something amiss, say something. The Greenwich Democrat invited anyone who received an inadequate response when reporting bad acts to call him. At the same time, Lamont included a lethal provision in his budget. He wants to eliminate the enforcement powers of essential State Contracting Standards Board Its an independent oversight agency that has saved the state hundreds of millions of dollars by scrutinizing contracts before agencies can enter into them. State bureaucrats hate the SCSB. Advertisement Instead of hobbling the SCSB, Lamont should expand its authority to the school construction program and the State Pier project in New London. Those two programs are under federal criminal investigation. Pity the two projects did not fall under the jurisdiction of the SCSB. Theres more Lamont can do now. Disappointed competitive bidders should be allowed to raise concerns about the states bidding process to the SCSB. The scandal engulfing Lamonts administration has reached the painful Joey Tribbiani phase. Joey was the likable but often befuddled aspiring actor in the popular comedy Friends. Actor Matt LeBlanc mastered the look of blissful ignorance as the plot advanced around him. It was comedy gold for 10 seasons, but it is no way to run a government in distress. Advertisement Actor Matt LeBlanc, as Joey Tribbiani in the long-running TV comedy "Friends," mastered the look of blissful ignorance. Blissful ignorance is no way to run a government in distress, writes columnist Kevin Rennie. (David Hume Kennerly // Getty Images) Lamont appears befuddled by the credible allegations of corruption in his administration. Their common thread so far is a former top Lamont adviser, Konstantinos Diamantis. The former Democratic state legislator was the head of the states school construction grants program when Lamont allowed him to add deputy budget director to his portfolio. Diamantis appears to be at the center of the corruption investigation, according to a grand jurys subpoena. He denies any wrongdoing. Opinion Weekly Perspective on the week's biggest stories from the Courant's Opinion page > The governor has made no meaningful acknowledgement of the fear factory powerful operatives are said to have run in his administration. Walter Willett, superintendent of Tolland schools, was allegedly financially threatened by Diamantis while the town replaced the Birch Grove Primary School. Willett revealed to this column last week that Diamantis routinely emphasized there would be detrimental effects to the project if Tolland chose contractors or consultants other than two of Diamantiss favorites for the $46 million project. One of them, Construction Advocacy Professionals, employed Diamantiss daughter Anastasia at the time. [ Hartford fired consultant now at the center of state school construction scandal; cost a key factor, mayor says ] Stories continue to emerge of businesses that met insurmountable obstacles in the states construction, demolition and hazardous material abatement program. On Wednesday, the CT Mirror revealed the hurdles a Stamford demolition company has faced by challenging the alleged abuse of a 2016 list of contractors for no-bid contracts to be used only for emergencies. The company, according to the Mirror, appealed to Attorney General William Tong for assistance more than a year ago. Tongs office would say only that it had referred the complaint to the proper officials. Fear of retribution from state bureaucrats emanates from these stories. Lamont ought to deploy his legal counsel, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Nora Dannehy, to meet with the victims of this ongoing enterprise, listen to their jarring experiences and end the alleged abuses. Lamont needs to become more conversant in the details of a scandal born of his complacency and neglect. On Monday, Lamont told News 12s John Craven that hed released the entire investigation report into the hiring of Diamantiss daughter by soon-to-be-former Chief States Attorney Richard Colangelo. Craven pointed out to Lamont that he had not. The conclusions and recommendations were presented to the governor in private. Its among dramatic last sentences in the report. A governor ought to know that. Release the secret conclusions. With his reelection at stake in November, Lamont must be tempted to downplay lethal events. A shrug is not action. In addition to strengthening the states sharp-eyed contracting board, Lamont should make public every document his administration has provided to criminal investigators. A governor confident that all bad actors are gone has nothing to fear from showing us what hes provided investigators in response to their subpoenas. Lamonts hostility to the Freedom of Information Act infects more than his office. His administration must stop blocking the disinfectant of sunlight. Lamont believes no one in his administration has been contacted by criminal investigators. The governor should pledge to fire any member of his administration who declines to cooperate with criminal investigators. When Lamont knows something, he must not do nothing. Kevin Rennie of South Windsor is a lawyer and a former Republican state senator and representative. Divestment-bound (BPCL) is in talks with two original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the electric two-wheeler segment to set up charging stations at their retail outlets across the country. ALSO READ: Oil PSUs to set up 22,000 EV charging stations in the next 3-5 years The company is also planning to invest around Rs 1,400 crore to add four-wheeler EV charging facilities at around 7,000 or 36 per cent of its retail outlets by 2024, a top company official told Business Standard. On Thursday, the company launched India's first EV fast-charging corridor on Chennai Trichy Madurai highway, with the rollout of DC fast chargers at 10 fuel stations along the 900 Km route on both sides of the highway. "We are planning to add 1000 more retail outlets with charging facilities for four-wheelers by the end of this year and increase it to 7,000 by 2024 with an investment of around Rs 1,400 crore. In two-wheelers, we are in talks with at least two OEMs to set up their charging centers at our company-owned-dealer-operated (Codo) outlets,"said P S Ravi, executive director in-charge (Retail), BPCL, after the launch of the corridor in Chennai. The model will be such that the revenue generated by OEMs using the outlets will be shared between the company and the dealers. Based on data available with the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC), has around 19,668 retail outlets across the country and out of this, only around 500 are company-owned-company-operated (Coco), rest are majorly Codos. "For four wheelers, you have a standardised charging protocol. For two-wheelers, each player will have a separate protocol. Hence, a tie up with us will be advantageous for them," he said. has set a target of becoming a net zero company by 2040. It already has set up battery swapping centers at Cochin and Hyderabad, he said. The three oil marketing -- Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) and -- have already lined up plans to come up with at least around 22,000 charging stations in the next few years, with IOCs share at around 10,000 and HPCL at 5,000. When it comes to diversity, Covid laid everything bare and showed that organisations/businesses do not support women not only in executive positions but also in areas like essential workers, nursing or caregivers, said former chairperson and CEO of . Nooyi who was in a conversation with Rishad Premji, chairman Wipro at the 30th session of Nasscom Technology and Leadership Forum 2022, said: We should stop talking about hybrid, flexible workplaces because after all that applies to all offices goers, but 70 per cent of the workers are essentially hourly workers, caregivers, and others and they have no flexibility. We have to think of better childcare options, said Nooyi. Nooyi said that before the industry is ready to talk about hybrid workplaces, organisations must talk about the broad infrastructure support that are available. She warned that Indias GDP will suffer if it does not give sufficient attention to care infrastructure for kids and senior citizens. The India-born Nooyi also said that the country has phenomenal systems like that of Anganwadis, but the same are not a great place right now and need a revival. She said talent is the most prized resource for a company and a country, and the race for the same is going to get more competitive, due to taking good care of them by ensuring the right ecosystem exists. India has strengths like a demographic dividend, English speaking population and technologically oriented people and the big question is how does the country keep them engaged at work and at the same ensure that the population is renewed as the young people start families, Nooyi said, speaking at the annual NTLF event. Meanwhile, Infosys co-founder and chairman Nandan Nilekani, who also spoke at the same event, when asked what is on the unveil when it comes to the digital stack that has been created. Nilekani said the account aggregator framework that has been launched by the RBI and the open network for digital commerce (ONDC) will be as big game changers as the Aadhar project or the UPI. After years of dispute between the promoters, co-founder Rakesh Gangwal has stepped down from the airlines board. While announcing his decision to reduce stake in the company over the next five years, Gangwal has hinted at a return to the board sometime in future. Gangwal controls 36.6 per cent stake in InterGlobe Aviation, which owns and operates . His stake is valued at over Rs 29,895 crore as per the closing share price on Friday. The other promoter Rahul Bhatia owns 38.18 per cent in the company. A former president of US Airways, Gangwal had teamed up with Bhatia of InterGlobe Enterprises to launch in 2005. The two promoters fell apart in 2019 on allegations of governance lapses resulting in an inquiry by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) and an arbitration. Gangwals announcement comes barely two weeks after the board's unanimous decision to appoint Bhatia as the managing director of the company. "I have been a long-term shareholder in the company for more than 15 years and it's only natural to someday think about diversifying one's holdings. Accordingly, my current intention is to slowly reduce my equity stake in the company over the next five plus years. While new investors should benefit from the potential future growth in the company's share price, a gradual reduction of my stake should also allow me to benefit from some of the upside, Gangwal wrote in his letter to the board. He said he was stepping down immediately as he did not want to hold access to unpublished price sensitive information while reducing his stake in the company. ALSO READ: IndiGo's co-founder Rakesh Gangwal resigns from board with immediate effect After considerable thought, I see only one clear path to address the issue. Regrettably and effective immediately I am stepping off the boardSometime in future, I shall consider participating again as a board member, Gangwal wrote. The promoters modified the articles of association to scrap the clause which gave them the right of first refusal over each others shares. The amendment was made following an order from the London Court of International Arbitration and passed in a shareholders meeting last December. This move was expected and should bring the feud between the promoters to an end. It is likely that Rakesh Gangwal will seek declassification as a promoter. His large shareholding will have to be sold through bulk deals over a period of time, said Shriram Subramanian, managing director and founder of InGovern Research. As per current regulations, however, a promoter can seek a reclassification as a public shareholder if his/her equity is below 10 per cent. Also under the Act, shareholders who hold 10 per cent of company stock can requisition an extra-ordinary general meeting. In any case, Gangwal would require Bhatias support in case he wishes to rejoin the board. Stock analysts said Gangwals announcement will keep the companys stock price under pressure. If the market is aware that such a bulk dilution will happen over a mid-term period, the share price will be under pressure as there will always be opportunity to accumulate stock, an analyst said. Gangwal was instrumental in negotiating the initial 100 aircraft order from Airbus and laying the foundation of cost discipline in the airline. After their 2019 dispute, Bhatia managed to appoint all senior positions in the airline and he himself will be in control as managing director, said Captain Shakti Lumba, former head of operations of IndiGo. He added, I just hope he refrains from micromanaging the airline as that will be the beginning of the end. IT company has extended its relationship with The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) with a multi-year agreement to provide Integration-as-a-Service offering. The company did not divulge the size of the contract. As a motoring club, RACV is a member-driven organisation that provides a range of products and services in motoring and mobility, home, leisure, financial services and general insurance. HCL has helped ramp RACV's digital platform by enabling a backbone that promotes self-service, an increased digital footprint and a seamless experience for 2.1 million RACV members across Victoria. The 'Integration-as-a-Service' platform bundles various accelerators around code automation and monitoring, which contributes toward a more stable IT environment and notably improves the performance and resilience of RACV's member-facing services. "As part of the renewed relationship, HCL's API-led (application programming interface) architecture will reduce complexity within RACV's technology environment and help RACV accelerate deployment of new features and fixes," HCL Tech said in a statement. Real-time advance monitoring, automated outage recovery and an accelerated development approach will further lead to an enhanced experience for the members, the statement added. "RACV is a key strategic partner for us and our engagement with them is a testament to our continued growth in the region," Michael Horton, Executive Vice President, HCL Technologies, said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israel-based chipmaker Tower Semiconductor, which was recently acquired by for $5.4 billion, is in active discussions with the government to set up a manufacturing facility in India, according to a source close to the development. Since the government announced the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme on December 15, our plan to set up a facility in India is back on the table, said the source who is close to the company. The government knows our recommendations, position, and advice. We have been discussing and consulting with the government for over 10 years now. I hope the process is faster this time. The company did not respond to Business Standards queries on the timeline for its entry into India and the amount of investment being planned. In September last year, the company had threatened to pull the plug on its plan to set up a facility in India as it wrote a letter to the Centre complaining about the lack of clarity on the governments policy for chipmakers. This was after a consortium of Abu Dhabi-based Next Orbit Ventures, with Tower as its technology partner, had pitched for a $3-billion fabrication unit in Gujarat's Dholera. In the letter, Tower Semiconductor had reportedly called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to fast-track a government proposal for chip manufacturing. It also wrote to the government six months after the latter started inviting chipmakers to India. The company had also stated that any delay on the government's part would mean that it would be unable to "stay active in the project in the near future". Tower serves high-growth markets such as mobile, automotive and power, and operates a geographically complementary foundry presence with facilities in the US and Asia. It caters to fabless (a company that designs and markets hardware while outsourcing the manufacturing of that hardware to a third-party partner) as well as IDMs (integrated device manufacturers) and offers more than 2 million wafer starts per year of capacity. Fab plan The government expects investments of around Rs 1.7 trillion and 135,000 jobs to be created in the next four years under the for semiconductors, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had earlier said. The programme aims to provide attractive incentive support to companies/consortia that are engaged in Silicon Semiconductor Fabs, Display Fabs, Compound Semiconductors / Silicon Photonics / Sensors (including MEMS) Fabs, Semiconductor Packaging (ATMP / OSAT), Semiconductor Design. company said on Friday that it has raised $150 million from Alpha Wave Global, bringing its total fundraise in the last seven months to around $870 million. The company declined to reveal the valuation at which it has raised the money. However, an ET report said that the funding round was done at a valuation of more than $5 billion. The company said earlier that it plans to go for an IPO this year or early next year. Alpha Wave Venture has invested $150 million in . We are happy to bring a marquee investor on board. Our omni-channel strategy is showing strong revenue growth. We are also seeing strong growth in international markets, said CEO Amrish Rau. This round of funding comes a month after the company had received a $20 million investment from State Bank of India. Pine Labs, which is backed by Sequoia Capital, Temasek Holdings, Actis, PayPal and Mastercard among other leading global investors, competes with other such as BharatPe, Mswipe, Paytm and Razorpay. In July last year, Pine Labs had raised a round of $600 million from a marquee set of new investors at a $3 billion valuation and later followed it up with a $100-million fundraise from US-based Invesco Developing Markets Fund. In addition to augmenting its merchant commerce offerings at the offline point-of-sale, Pine Labs is now looking to invest in scaling Plural, its newly launched brand of online payment products and emerge as an omnichannel partner of choice for merchants. It is also expanding its Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) business across India and Southeast Asia. The company has entered the consumer payment space with its April 2021 acquisition of Fave, a SE Asian consumer platform, and has acquired a sizable presence in the Gift, Prepaid and Stored Value segment through its 2019 acquisition of Qwikcilver. Indian conglomerate has earmarked USD 15 billion for foray into the electronic chip and display manufacturing space, and plans to scale up the investment to as much as USD 20 billion (about Rs 1.5 lakh crore), a senior company official said. It expects to roll out display units, for use in mobile phones and electronics devices, by 2024 and electronic chips from Indian manufacturing plants by 2025, Group's Global Managing Director of Display and Semiconductor Business Akarsh Hebbar told PTI on Friday. "Semiconductor is a long-term business. We are looking at about USD 10 billion on display. Right now we are looking at USD 7 billion in semiconductors that may also go up by another USD 3 billion to further extend it. First 10 year we have engaged to invest up to USD 15 billion. We will evaluate further investment at a later stage," Hebbar said. He is also managing director of Avanstrate, which handles the display manufacturing business of the Anil Agarwal-led Group. Vedanta Group has applied for setting up a semiconductor plant and a display manufacturing unit under the government's incentive scheme for the sector. Hebbar said that the company expects to start commercial supply of display units by 2024 and electronic chips in the 28 nanometre category by 2025. "Display is less complicated than semiconductor fab. It would come out by the end of 2024. Mass production will begin within 6-8 months of setting up of our factory within 2024. Semiconductor will be at the end of 2025 and may be spilling over to 2026. "Our aim is to do display by the end of 2024 and semiconductors by the end of 2025. We will focus on local demand but 25-30 per cent may also go for export," he said. Hebbar further said electronic components import in the country is about USD 100 billion, out of which semiconductors account for USD 25 billion. The group has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn to form a joint venture company that will manufacture semiconductors in India while Avanstrate will handle the display business. Vedanta is the first company to make an announcement to invest in semiconductor manufacturing after the government unveiled a USD 10 billion (Rs 76,000 crore) program to boost electronic chip and display ecosystem in the country. "There are very strong PLI schemes from the government. They have given us 45-50 per cent of the project cost upfront. That has attracted a lot of people. "We have started with an MoU. It is non-binding. We have an initial understanding with Foxconn. We are working now towards a definitive agreement. That will also come out very soon," he said. He said the government is providing support of 45-50 per cent of the project cost and response from some of the state governments has also been very good, based on which the Vedanta and Foxconn will work on equity and debt structure of their semiconductor joint venture. "The equity structure will get firmed up in the next 2-3 months," Hebbar said. Vedanta had earlier too made an attempt to set-up a display unit with an investment of USD 10 billion but it could not take off. Hebbar said the MoU with Foxconn brings a lot of confidence in the project as the Taiwanese electronics manufacturing company has the technology and there are many entities in Taiwan who have shown their interest in the project. "Taiwan entered into technology in 1962 and we have very powerful people there who want to tie-up. Foxconn has been very forefront in saying that we understand how this works, there is technology that we have and we will make sure (to implement that) as long as India gives us the way forward, gives us a site to put up the plant," Hebbar said. The project cost of semiconductors will be in the range of USD 6-8 billion and that of display fabrication will be to the tune of USD 4-5 billion in the first phase. "We are looking at this project not just as a business venture but something that will lead to 10-fold benefit for employment, that are coming in. You will see local entrepreneurs talk about making their own mobile phones. "We are looking at a USD 25 billion market only in semiconductors which is going to grow for mobile phones, consumer electronics and going forward even for automotive. The market needs IC (integrated circuit) chips, wafer chips," Hebbar said. He also pointed out that the government has been very active and is committed to address any issue that the semiconductor ecosystem faces. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Friday said it will operate three flights to next week. The flights will be operated on February 22, 24 and 26, it added. has positioned around 1 lakh troops near its border with Ukraine, besides sending warships to the Black Sea for naval exercises, triggering concerns among the NATO countries about a potential Russian invasion of . has been denying that it plans to invade . The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) set up a control room on Wednesday to provide information and assistance to the Indian nationals in Ukraine. In addition, the Indian embassy in Ukraine has also set up a 24-hour helpline for Indians in the eastern European nation. The Tata Group-owned said on Twitter that it will operate three flights between India and the Boryspil International Airport in Ukraine on February 22, 24 and 26. "Booking open through booking offices, website, call centre and authorised travel agents," it added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In light to the cases detected in Shahapur, District Collector Rajesh Narvekar on Friday assured that there was no cause for concern in other parts of the district in . cases have been detected in Shahapur, following the death of around 100 birds at a poultry farm in Vehloli village in the tehsil recently. Samples collected from the dead birds were sent to a Pune-based laboratory for testing and the results confirmed that they had died due to H5N1 avian influenza, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Zilla Parishad, Dr Bhausaheb Dangde had earlier said. Speaking to reporters, Narvekar said the district administration has issued a notification for culling of birds in the farms within one-km radius of the affected farm. Apart from cases reported from Shahapur, no cases have been detected in any other part of the district, he said, assuring people there was no cause for panic. Meanwhile, at least 15,600 broiler birds had been culled in Shahapur in compliance with the standard operating procedure till Friday morning, the PRO of the Zilla Parishad Pankaj Chavan said. Apart from this, 7,962 layer birds, 20 ducks, 980 eggs, litter feed etc have also been culled, he said, adding that the process of culling is underway. The district administration is monitoring the situation closely to prevent the spread to other locations, the official said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid the ongoing Shiv Sena-BJP war of words, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a notice to a bungalow owned by Union minister for conducting inspection and taking measurements of the premises located in the upscale Juhu area. The 'Adish' bungalow falls under the K-west civic ward located in western suburbs of Mumbai. The notice was issued to the bungalow's owner by the assistant engineer (building and factories) on Thursday. The notice, however, did not bear the owner's name. Sources said the civic body issues such notices to verify complaints of illegal constructions. The notice, which is in possession of PTI, said the designated civic official will "enter with assistants or workmen into or upon the premises of Adhish Bungalow located on CTS no. 997 and 997-A of Juhu" on February 18 or thereafter anytime. The notice further stated that the civic team will visit "to inspect the said premises and to take measurements and photographs of the same" and also asked the "owner" to be present for the same along with the last approved plan or authentic documents of the structure. Meanwhile, a team of the BMC, contorolled by the Shiv Sena, on Friday evening visited the spot, but returned without any action as no one from the Rane family was present at the bungalow, the sources said. Senior officials from the K-west civic ward were not available for comment on the issue despite repeated attempts. Kishori Pednekar, the mayor of Mumbai, said she will comment on the issue only after obtaining all relevant information. Pednekar, a leader, however, said the civic body takes action wherever government rules are violated. Leaders of the and the BJP have been sparring over the last few days and trading charges against each other. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State lawmakers are weighing legislation that would bar public and private colleges from considering legacy status as part of the application process. The practice, which gives the children of alumni an admissions boost, has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years. Critics say legacy admissions perpetrate inequality by providing a powerful advantage to high-income white applicants. Advertisement It really only serves to give a leg up to students who already have a substantial leg up in the admissions process, Logan Roberts, a junior at Yale University, told members of the legislatures higher-education committee Wednesday. Roberts, whose father is a mail carrier and whose mother is a hairdresser, said legacy admissions discriminate against low-income and first-generation students. The practice took hold in the 1920s at Ivy League institutions looking to restrict Jewish applicants. Advertisement When we look at the history of legacy preference we see its one thats rooted in anti-Semitism and anti-immigrant sentiment, he said. In response to the national racial-justice movement following the killing of George Floyd in 2020, several universities no longer consider legacy, including Johns Hopkins and Amherst College. And a bill pending in Congress would ban institutions from using legacy preferences if they participate in federal student-aid programs. This practice is both unfair and a relic of a past from which we must move on, said Amy Dowell, state director of Education Reform Now CT, which backs the measure. By its very definition it disadvantages first-generation college applicants. Furthermore, research shows that legacy students are more likely to be wealthy and white than their peers. Last year Colorado became the first state to ban public institutions from considering legacy status. The ban was largely symbolic as most state universities do not give legacy applicants an admissions advantage. Connecticuts House Bill 5034 would apply to both public and private universities. Nathan Fuerst, vice president for enrollment, planning and management at the University of Connecticut, said UConn does not take legacy into consideration as part of its admissions process. But Fuerst and representatives from several private institutions said the bill signifies an incursion into the academic affairs of Connecticuts colleges and universities. Fairfield University strongly opposes this bill on the premise that it is not appropriate for the state to be dictating admissions policies at private entities, university President Mark R. Nemic told the committee. The university promotes access and opportunity but feels strongly that the complex admissions policies are best left to individual institutions. Advertisement Several lawmakers agreed. I dont think we should be micromanaging private institutions in their admissions practices, said Rep. Kurt Vail, a Republican from Stafford. The committee could schedule a vote on the bill at a later date. Daniela Altimari can be reached at daltimari@courant.com RSS-affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) on Friday urged the government to ensure an effective and useful outcome of the patent waiver discussions at the WTO, saying India should not agree to any text until it has been fully vetted and endorsed by technical experts. In a letter to Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, SJM co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan said it is "unprecedented" that the (WTO) secretariat is having textual discussions at the ministerial level without the involvement of technical advisors. "In any case, we understand, that India is standing up to the pressure of the EU, the US and the WTO secretariat. We call on you to continue the same, to ensure that any outcome of the discussions should result in an effective and useful outcome for access and should expand the flexibilities provided by the TRIPS Agreement," he added. In October 2020, India and South Africa had submitted the first proposal, suggesting a waiver for all WTO members on the implementation of certain provisions of the Trade-Related Aspects of Rights (TRIPS) Agreement in relation to the prevention and containment or treatment of Covid. A revised proposal was submitted by them in May 2021. More than 100 member countries of the WTO have supported the TRIPS waiver proposal by India and South Africa. Both India and South Africa are pushing for a decision on their proposal for a temporary waiver of certain provisions of a WTO agreement on rights to deal with the pandemic. "Scope of the TRIPS waiver decision should not only include vaccines but also therapeutics and diagnostics," Mahajan said in his letter to the minister. The waiver outcome should go beyond the compulsory license (CL) mechanism and also include trade secret protection, which is very essential for the generic production of vaccines and Covid monoclonal antibodies, he said. It should cover both patented productions and products with pending patent applications, Mahajan added. "The WTO secretariat, the US and the EU may stress on secrecy and confidentiality. However, we should also stress the importance for each country to ensure that it is properly advised and supported," he suggested. Stressing that secrecy should not impact the national decision-making process of a country, the SJM co-convenor suggested that the government may seek advice of experts, including those of the Centre of WTO Studies, key civil society organisations and the academia in the matter. "Given that world over people are waiting for a good outcome, it is absolutely crucial to ensure that the outcome is sound and credible before it is agreed to. India should ensure that the South African minister shares the same view," he said. "India should not agree to any text until it has been fully vetted and endorsed by India's technical experts," Mahajan said. It is also important for both India and South Africa to inform other key co-sponsors (member countries) on the state of play and take them in confidence before agreeing to anything, he said. "That will enhance the confidence in India and support future alliances in the WTO. Additionally, where there is disagreement from the EU and US, the support of other developing countries will be invaluable," Mahajan said. In his letter, Mahajan noted that there are "disturbing news" coming from a section of media that a small group of WTO members deliberating on the TRIPS waiver are discussing suggestions to limit the geographical scope of the implementation of the waiver-plans that seek to exclude India and China. "It is understood that the US and the EU have, in their own ways favoured a limited application of such a waiver. Some suggestions include restricting the waiver only to African countries, or to exclude India and China among other possibilities. Its obvious that India will not accept any such proposal. However, we have to defeat these proposals," he said. He said India's fight for TRIPS waiver is not for Indians only but for the people across the world, especially developing and least developed countries. "We need to fulfil our responsibility towards humanity to get rid of this pandemic and TRIPS waiver assumes significant importance for the same," he said. "We at the Swadeshi Jagran Manch humbly request you to take note of the developments in this regard, and take the proposal forward in the interest of India and humanity globally," Mahajan said in his letter to the Union minister. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government on Friday contended before the High Court that the is not an essential religious practice of Islam and preventing its use did not violate Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees religious freedom. "We have taken a stand that wearing is not an essential religious part of Islam," Advocate General of Prabhuling Navadgi told the full bench of the High Court comprising Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice J M Khazi and Justice Krishna M Dixit. The AG also rejected the charge of some Muslim girls, who challenged the government's order on February 5 that barred students from wearing or saffron scarves saying that it violated Article 25 of the Constitution. Article 25 gives freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion to the citizens of India. The government order also does not violate Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, Navadgi argued. Article 19(1)(a) guarantees to all its citizens the right to freedom of speech and expression. The Advocate General also contended that the February 5 order of the state government was in accordance with the law and there was nothing to object in it. The High Court, in its interim order pending consideration of all petitions related to the hijab row, last week restrained all the students from wearing saffron shawls, scarves, hijab and any religious flag within the classroom. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister for Commerce and Industry on Friday held a bilateral meeting with the delegation led by Minister of Economy, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri and Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi. He said that both the countries are entering a golden era of economic and trade cooperation with the signing of India- Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). "Held a bilateral meeting with the delegation led by Minister of Economy, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri & Minister of State for Foreign Trade, @ThaniAlZeyoudi. Both nations are entering a golden era of economic and trade cooperation with the signing of CEPA," Goyal said in a tweet. India and UAE have collaborated closely during the COVID-19 pandemic in critical areas of healthcare and food security. Bilateral trade, investment and energy relations have remained robust. The two sides are also strengthening their cooperation in new areas of renewable energy, start-ups, fintech, India is participating with one of the largest pavilions in the Dubai Expo 2020. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and the UAE will stand shoulder to shoulder against terrorism, Prime Minister said on Friday at a virtual summit with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. In his remarks, Modi also referred to the recent terror attacks in the Gulf nation even as he delved into various facets of the expanding ties between the two countries. "We strongly condemn the recent terrorist attacks in the UAE. India and the UAE will stand shoulder to shoulder against terrorism," he said. The prime minister also complimented the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for showing interest in investing in Jammu and Kashmir. "Following the successful visit of the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir to the UAE last month, several Emirati companies have shown interest in investing in Jammu and Kashmir," he said. "We welcome investment by UAE in all sectors, including logistics, healthcare, hospitality, in Jammu and Kashmir," Modi added. In a significant development, the two sides also inked a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to further boost trade and investment ties. In his remarks, Modi said the agreement reflects the deep friendship, the shared vision and the trust between the two countries. "I am sure this will usher in a new era in our economic relations. And our business will grow from USD 60 billion to USD 100 billion in the next five years," he said. The prime minister said both sides can encourage startups through joint-incubation and joint-financing, adding that there is scope for cooperation in the skill development of people as well. At the summit, the two sides also firmed up a vision statement that lays out the contours of the future course of bilateral relations and highlights the areas of focus. In the vision statement, the two sides agreed to enhance maritime cooperation with an aim to contribute to the maintenance of peace and security in the region. The two sides also reaffirmed their joint commitment to fight against extremism and terrorism in all forms, including cross-border terrorism, at both regional and international levels. It also refers to working on a dedicated investment zone for the UAE companies and joint ventures with a focus on setting up a food corridor and the establishment of a dedicated India Mart in the Jebel Ali Free Zone. It also seeks to create investment opportunities for Indian investors in establishing specialised industrial advanced technology zones in Abu Dhabi, with a specific focus in the areas of logistics and services, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, agriculture, agri-tech, steel and aluminium. On energy partnership, the vision statement said collaboration will be forged to support India's energy requirements, including new energies, and ensure the provision of affordable and secure energy supplies to India's growing 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.) BJP president Chandrakant Patil on Friday targeted leader and sought to known why he recently raked up the months-old issue of "bungalows" allegedly owned by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's wife in a village in Raigad district. Patil said question arises whether Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP, did so at someone's behest to weaken the foundation of Matoshree, the private residence of Thackeray in Mumbai's suburb of Bandra. Sanjay Raut's motive behind raking up the months-old issue of 19 bungalows (in Korlai village in Raigad district) looks doubtful. By raking up the issue, the question remains whether he is trying to weaken Matoshree. It seems all this is being done at someone's direction," said the former state minister. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya had on Wednesday alleged that Raut, during a recent press conference, deliberately referred to the old controversy over "bungalows" in Korlai village as he bore a "grudge" against the Chief Minister and his family members for not backing him when certain allegations were raised against him. The Sena MP has questioned the very existence of "bungalows" repeatedly mentioned by Somaiya. On Tuesday, Raut had launched a personal attack against Somaiya, who has been raising a slew of allegations against leaders of the and those of other parties in the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance in the state. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister on Friday reappointed her nephew as national general secretary as she constituted the new office bearers' team, packing it mainly with old-timers loyal to her. The party brought back Yashwant Sinha as its national vice-president. Two other senior leaders, Subrata Bakshi and Chandrima Bhattacharya, have also been given the vice-president's post in the organisation. Banerjee's trusted lieutenant and housing minister Firhad Hakim has been given the charge of coordination between her and the national working committee, while state minister Aroop Biswas has been appointed as the national treasurer. Rajya Sabha chief whip Sukhendu Shekhar Ray and Lok Sabha MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar are the new party spokespersons of Parliament's upper and lower houses respectively. Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra has been assigned the job of interacting with the media. TMC's Rajya Sabha party leader Derek O' Brien, who had been serving as the party's chief national spokesperson, did not feature in the list. Political observers feel Abhishek's return as national general secretary, the de-facto number two in the organisation, has sent out a message indicating that he would remain the heir apparent, amid the internal strife between the old guard and the next-generation leadership. The boss also seems to have mollified some of the old-timers by giving them plum posts in the committee, and thus stifling the growing clamour for 'one party, one post' by some of the younger leaders in the party. Three defectors from the Congress, Sushmita Dev and Subal Bhowmik and Mukul Sangma, have been made TMC's in-charge of the northeast. Banerjee has assigned the job of preparing the party's draft policy on economic and external affairs to her principal chief adviser Amit Mitra and Yashwant Sinha. Two others leaders have been given the task of managing TMC's affairs in northern states -- Rajeshpati Tripathi in UP and Ashok Tanwar in Haryana. At a meeting held here prior to the announcement, Banerjee asked everybody in the party to work together, a leader said. The TMC supremo, during his 25-minute long speech, underlined that the party needs both the experience of old leaders and the energy of the new leaders to further its growth. "Our party supremo during the meeting clearly said that everybody has to work together as one team. Although the party needs new faces, old leaders are always invaluable assets. No one should forget old is gold," a senior TMC leader. During the meet, Banerjee also maintained that social media platforms should be used to propagate the party's policies and programmes and not to further personal agenda, he said. "She has also said that TMC is a party of poor people, so everybody has to be humble and shun pomp and luxury," the leader added. Banerjee had last week dissolved the erstwhile national office bearers' committee and the portfolios that came with it, amid a growing internal strife between the old guard and the young leaders. She then formed a 20-member working committee, packed with party veterans. Meanwhile, Krishna Chakraborty, Ram Chakraborty and Bidhan Upadhyay have been selected as the next mayor of Bidhannagar, Chandernagore and Asansol towns respectively. Gautam Deb's name as Siliguri mayor was announced earlier in the week. Sabyasachi Dutta, the former mayor of Bidhannagar who made his back to TMC from BJP after assembly polls, has been made the chairman of Bidhannangar municipal corporation. Polls to these municipal corporations were held on February 12. The TMC bagged all four civic bodies with overwhelming majority. (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 standing committee of the north corporation on Friday approved a proposal on regularisation of workers engaged from April 1998 to March 2003, officials said. The move comes ahead of the civic polls in Delhi due in April. The proposal will now await the nod of the House of the BJP-led North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC). The panel in its meeting held at the Civic Centre approved the proposal on regularisation of workers who were engaged from April 1998 to March 2003, officials said. The erstwhile unified Muncipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was trifurcated into North, South and East corporations or NDMC, SDMC and EDMC in 2012. The proposal says that the erstwhile MCD had in 1978 approved regularisation of daily-wage employees in a phased manner. The had in 2021 approved regularisation of substitute or daily-wage workers, who were engaged from April 1, 1998 to March 31, 2003, with effect from April 1, 2006, after converting them into daily wager employees with effect from March 31, 2006 in the pay scale of Rs 2,550-3,200, against the vacant posts lying in zones concerned in a phase-wise manner, it says. Now, the matter has been discussed with higher authorities and it was decided to "place a fresh preamble" for seeking approval of the corporation for regularisation in next phase, it added. Out of 2,673 vacant posts in the six zones of the NDMC, 500 of these are proposed to be filled in the first phase, it said. In addition, the remaining substitute sanitation workers, engaged up to March 31, 2003, would also be regularised as and when vacant posts are available, the proposal says. Besides, a proposal to install solar power panels on rooftops of various municipal buildings or lands in partnership with an agency with a revenue sharing model was also approved, officials said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A four-member delegation headed by Rear Admiral Saif bin Nasser bin Mohsin Al Rahbi, Commander, Royal Navy of Oman (CRNO), visited the Western Naval Command here on February 16-17 and interacted with senior officials, the said in a statement. During the visit, Rear Admiral Al Rahbi called on Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command and discussed matters of mutual interest. A four-member delegation headed by Rear Admiral Saif bin Nasser bin Mohsin Al Rahbi, Commander, Royal Navy of Oman (CRNO), visited Headquarters, Western Naval Command, Mumbai on February 16 and 17 2022, the Navy said. The two sides also examined ways of enhancing cooperation in the maritime domain between the two navies, it said. The delegation visited Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. Age-old socio-economic linkages and the strong defence relationship between India and Oman have been foundational to the strong bonds of mutual cooperation between the two navies, the Navy said. Prior to arriving at Mumbai, the Royal Navy of Oman delegation visited New Delhi and interacted with senior authorities and officials related to defence and international security, it added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will require attendees of the 94th Oscars ceremony in March to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination and at least two negative results from PCR tests, a person with knowledge of the matter said on Thursday. Performers and presenters at the film industry's highest honors also must undergo polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, but will not need to show proof of vaccination, the source said. Face covering requirements will vary at the event on March 27 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, according to the source. Nominees and their guests in lower sections of the theater will not be required to wear masks. They will be seated with more distance than usual between groups, the source said. The Dolby seats 3,317 people and 2,500 people will be invited. Those seated in the mezzanine may be required to wear masks, as they will sit shoulder-to-shoulder. COVID-19 cases are declining in Los Angeles County and organizers are consulting with government officials and infectious disease experts. The vaccination policies were first reported by the New York Times. Comic actor Amy Schumer, actress Regina Hall and fellow comedian Wanda Sykes, will host the awards, the first time three women will emcee the Oscars. (Reporting by Juby Babu in Bengaluru and Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Christian Schmollinger) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kenya's pension industry eyes partnership with Chinese firms to spur investment returns Xinhua) 08:26, February 18, 2022 NAIROBI, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's pension industry said Thursday it plans to partner with Chinese firms in order to boost returns on investments. Sundeep Raichura, chairman of Kenya Pension Fund Investment Consortium (KEPFIC), told Xinhua in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, that they are keen to collaborate with foreign firms that have the expertise to undertake viable infrastructure projects such as roads, rail and energy plants. "As the Kenyan pension industry, we cannot compromise on the returns of our investments and therefore we are keen to partner with global partners including Chinese infrastructure financiers and developers," Raichura said on the sidelines of a conference on the opportunities and experiences in infrastructure and alternative investments for Kenya's pension industry. KEPFIC is a consortium that has 24 pension schemes with a portfolio of approximately 500 billion shillings (about 4.4 billion U.S. dollars) in aggregate. Recent provisions in investment guidelines of Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA), the pensions regulator, allow pension funds to invest up to 10 percent of their assets into infrastructure. Nzomo Mutuku, the chief executive officer of the RBA, said that pension schemes are required to undertake due diligence before investing their funds in any assets. While stressing that pension funds should ensure that they partner with firms that have demonstrated the capacity and track record of doing infrastructure projects in other jurisdictions, Mutuku believed that investments in infrastructure will help pension funds diversify from traditional assets classes such as government securities and equities markets. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, center, and his wife, Suzanne, right, pose for photos with school children and parents after signing a bill that bans mask mandates in public schools in Virginia on the steps of the Capitol Wednesday Feb. 16, 2022, in Richmond. (Steve Helber/AP) RICHMOND Virginias Senate Democrats have voted down about 20 of Gov. Glenn Youngkins priorities so far in this years General Assembly session, but the newly inaugurated Republican remains optimistic about the entirety of his hefty agenda. Youngkin scored a major victory this week with bipartisan legislation to end school mask requirements, and in an interview with The Associated Press, he emphasized that since bills on education, tax cuts and labor law cleared the GOP-controlled House by a legislative midpoint deadline, theres still time to find compromises. Advertisement I think weve got a ton of momentum across our agenda, he said. A political newcomer and former private equity executive who took office just over a month ago, Youngkin has reached out to lawmakers from both parties through phone calls, dinners, receptions and other meetings while rolling out a highly specific legislative agenda that encompassed his key campaign promises. Advertisement Youngkin scored one of his biggest wins thus far when a few Senate Democrats joined Republicans to allow students to opt out of school mask mandates beginning March 1. The legislation gathered momentum after Youngkins effort to end the mandates by executive order became bogged down in legal challenges. The measure reached final passage Wednesday, at a time when cases of COVID-19 are declining but the federal government continues to recommend universal masking in schools. Weve been working on this for a year and empowering parents to make decisions for their children. And this is a big win for Virginia, said Youngkin, whose victory has been widely attributed to his ability to harness parental frustration over curriculums and school closures. The Senate has looked less favorably upon other key pieces of his agenda, including an effort to root out what Republicans have labeled critical race theory from public schools. A Senate committee killed legislation that would have codified a ban on inherently divisive concepts that portray one race, sex or religious faith as inherently superior, or teach that an individual is inherently racist as a result of his skin color. Youngkin issued an executive order directing the Department of Education to examine critical race theory at an administrative level, and a House version of the CRT legislation is still alive. But it faces poor prospects upon its return to the Senate, where Democratic leaders indicated they arent much interested in reconsidering any of the governors priorities that theyve already defeated this session. Sen. Louise Lucas, who chairs the education committee thats voted down many of Youngkins schools bills and often throws jabs at the governor on Twitter, told AP: Were going to do the same thing when the bills come up from the House. Thats par for the course. Theyre going to get voted down over here, Caucus Chair Mamie Locke agreed. In a news release Tuesday, the Senate highlighted its defeats of Youngkin priorities, including an effort to create more charter schools. But the chamber has passed compromise legislation on a related concept a proposal by Youngkin for lab schools in which colleges and universities partner with K-12 school systems. Advertisement The chamber also went along with requiring schools to develop plans to notify parents if students are assigned sexually explicit materials. Similar legislation has also passed the House. On other topics, the Senate rejected legislation that would have required law enforcement officers to be deployed at every school. Another Youngkin priority ending collective bargaining for certain public sector workers was defeated by one committee, while another defeated a 20-week abortion ban. That measure was not on the governors official list of priorities, but GOP Sen. Amanda Chase its sponsor said the administration told her Youngkin would sign it if passed. Youngkin also wants a broad array of tax cuts he says will benefit working people. Senators have so far agreed on a bipartisan basis to a more limited set, including a partial repeal of the sales tax on groceries. A committee also opted not to advance his proposal to double the standard deduction, instead sending it to be further studied. Youngkin also appears to have lost a fight with the Senate to get Andrew Wheeler, a former Trump administration U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator, confirmed to a Cabinet post. Democrats asked Youngkin to move on after the chamber rejected Wheeler, whose appointment provoked a backlash from environmental groups and former EPA employees, on a party-line vote. Fallout, meanwhile, has spread to other appointments. Advertisement Youngkin didnt name names, but said in the interview that some Democrats told him they cant vote for Wheeler for political reasons, even though hes qualified. This political divide where people feel like they cant do whats right is why I think I was elected, Youngkin said. The governor, who could ask Wheeler to serve in his administration in a different role that doesnt require legislative approval, said he remains hopeful the Senate will reconsider. Daywatch Weekdays Start your morning with today's local news > The regular session of Virginias part-time legislature runs through March 12 this year. Members will reconvene in April to consider any amendments Youngkin proposes. With the time that remains, Youngkin who also wields the power of the veto pen said his administration would sit down with House and Senate leadership to see what we can get done together. This legislative process is one that I find incredibly encouraging, he said. Im inspired by it. Advertisement Locke, who has served in the Senate since 2004, laughed as she welcomed the governors sunny outlook. Im glad hes optimistic, she said. ___ Associated Press writer Denise Lavoie contributed to this report from Richmond. Prime Minister on Friday pushed for early completion of the Mumbai- high-speed rail project and said his government's focus is on creating infrastructure for the 21st century in the financial capital. He said the ambitious project (also called bullet train) is the need of the hour as it will strength infrastructure capacity building and reinforce Mumbai's identity as "the city of dreams". The Prime Minister was speaking after virtually inaugurating two additional railway lines (5th and 6th) connecting Thane and Diva in the metropolitan region. He also flagged off two suburban trains. He said completing the Mumbai- high-speed rail project should be priority for all. The estimated cost of the 508km high-speed corridor is Rs 1,10,000 crore and the project, being executed with Japanese assistance, is facing land acquisition issues. He said Mumbai's contribution in development of the country post-independence was very important. "The effort now is to upgrade Mumbai's capacity for creating an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Hence, our focus is on creating infrastructure development of the 21st century in Mumbai,'' Modi said. He said the new railway lines between Thane and Diva would improve the ''ease of living'' for Mumbaikars and give speed to life in the city which never stops. The PM said most of the 36 new suburban trains starting from Friday on the Central Railway line were air-conditioned. ''The central government was committed to modernization of the suburban railway network (called Mumbai's lifeline),'' the Prime Minister said. He said the foundation stone for the 5th and 6th lines was laid in 2008 and they were to be completed by 2015, but they faced some challenges. Hurdles in expediting their construction were removed by overcoming all challenges, Modi said. "Our government is committed to make railways secure and modern,'' he said. Infrastructure projects used to drag on earlier due to lack of coordination in planning and execution but we have changed that approach, Modi said. Modi said after commission of the 5th and 6th lines, there will be no delays in passage of mail and express trains going in and out of and the additional tracks will also facilitate smooth running of suburban services. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who attended the event virtually, said infrastructure served as the vein in development of a country and it needs to be strengthened. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister on Friday hailed as a "mahan mahanayak" or a great hero and pride of India as he paid glowing tributes to the Maratha warrior king on the eve of his 392nd birth anniversary. He was speaking after virtually inaugurating two additional railway lines (5th and 6th) on the Thane-Diva section of the Central Railway and flagging off new suburban trains. "Tomorrow (Feb 19) is jayanti of . I salute India's pride, India's identity and protector of her culture who was a great hero (mahan mahanayak)," he said. The Congress in Maharashtra has demanded that Modi apologise and seek forgiveness on Shiv Jayanti for his alleged anti-Maharashtra remarks made in context of the coronavirus pandemic. Congress workers have been told to send letters to Leader of Opposition in the assembly Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP to press their demand. The party, a constituent of the ruling MVA alliance, has accused the PM of "insulting" Maharashtra in Parliament by calling its people "spreaders of COVID-19". (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister has urged Prime Minister to order a probe into former AAP leader Kumar Vishwas' allegations that is supporting separatists during the campaign for the assembly elections. leader Raghav Chadha had already described the allegations as "malicious, unfounded and fabricated." In a tweet, Channi said, As CM of Punjab, I request Hon'ble PM @narendramodi Ji to order an impartial enquiry in the matter of @DrKumarVishwas Ji's video". "Politics aside, people of have paid a heavy price while fighting separatism. Hon'ble PM needs to address the worry of every Punjabi, Channi said in a tweet. On Thursday at a rally in Abohar, Modi, who did not name Vishwas in his speech, had said that the accusation the poet, once a close friend of Kejriwal, had made was very dangerous and that it explained his (Kejriwal) character. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at a rally in Bassi Pathana had even questioned the silence of the Delhi chief minister over the accusation. Some Congress leaders including Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu had sought clarification from Kejriwal over the allegations of supporting separatists. Chadha had asked Vishwas, If he had any such information, then why he remained silent from 2017 till today. Why did he suddenly remember these things a day before the election? If he had any evidence related to terrorism against Kejriwal, why didn't he inform the security and investigative agencies? Was he also involved in this, which is why he remained silent for so long, Chadha had asked. Why was he in the party till 2018, why did not he leave the party? Actually Kumar Vishwas did not get a Rajya Sabha seat that is why he is spreading such fake news against Kejriwal at the time of elections, Chadha had said. Punjab goes to polls on February 20. (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 class 12 student from Jaipur, who was a addict, committed suicide after his parents refused to gift him a phone on his birthday, police officials said on Friday. The teen, identified as Aaditya Kumar, celebrated his birthday on February 13 and demanded a mobile phone as gift. His parents assured him of buying it after he cleared his 12th board exam with good marks. However, they were in for a shock when they saw him hanging from a ceiling fan with his mother's saree. Investigation officer Rajkumar, handling the case at Sodala Police station in Jaipur, told IANS: "On Wednesday, on seeing light in Aaditya's room, his father Vijay Singh and mother checked inside only to see their son hanging. They broke open the door and rushed the boy to SMS hospital where he was brought dead." A post-mortem was conducted and the body handed over to his family members. Rajkumar further said that Aaditya was a addict who used to attend his online classes on his grandfather's phone and play for hours. His family members stopped him but he did not pay heed to it. On his birthday five days back, he demanded a phone from his father who promised to get him one after he passes his class XII with decent score. He was good in his studies too, said the officer, adding that the boy went silent after his father's assurance. On Wednesday, he went silently to his room to sleep after his dinner. At midnight hung himself from a fan, said police official. (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.) Defence Minister on Friday reviewed the preparations for the 12th edition of DefExpo-2022 which is scheduled to be held in Gandhinagar, in March this year, informed the (MoD). " appreciated the arrangements made by in collaboration with the Government of and exuded confidence of a safe and successful DefExpo-2022," said the press release issued by the ministry. As per the ministry, Singh also used the occasion to launch the DefExpo-2022 Mobile app. The app provides information on the exhibitors, schedule, speakers, venue maps, driving directions, publications as well as notifications to visitors and exhibitors. DefExpo-2022 will now be held between March 10-14,2022 and will be held in a hybrid format featuring both physical and virtual stalls, said the ministry. "The exhibition is being planned in a three-venue format - exhibition at the Helipad Exhibition Center (HEC); Events and Seminars at the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Center (MCEC) and live demonstration for the public at Sabarmati Riverfront. Safety protocols such as the compulsory wearing of facemask, non-contact interactions, respiratory hygiene, etc will be implemented at all venues in line with the prevailing health protocols," read the press release. DefExpo is Asia's largest exhibition on land, naval, and homeland security systems. 930 exhibitors have registered for the event so far, with significant attendance of Foreign Defence Ministers as well. The press release said, "To instill a sense of pride, the theme of the event has been christened, 'Path to Pride'. In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the event will showcase India's resolve to be first amongst firsts". It further said, "With indigenous technological and logistic prowess at the forefront, the event will invigorate the defense industry, start-ups, and MSMEs to cement solid partnerships with attending foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The DefExpo-2022 is symbolic of India's resolve to further its business interests and take global initiatives towards furthering peace and security in the region." Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt, Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar, Vice Chief of the Army Staff Lt Gen Manoj Pande, Financial Advisor (Defence Services) Sanjiv Mittal and other senior civil and military officials of MoD were present on the occasion. The last edition of the event was held in Lucknow in February 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Friday welcomed India's position on the crisis, amid spike in tensions between the NATO countries and Moscow over the situation in the eastern European nation. The reaction came a day after said at the UN Security Council that "quiet and constructive diplomacy" is the need of the hour and that any step that could escalate the tension should be avoided "We welcome #India's balanced, principled and independent approach," the Russian embassy in tweeted. At a meeting of the UN Security Council on the situation, India's Permanent Representative to the UN T S Tirumurti on Thursday pitched for immediate de-escalation of the situation. In Delhi, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi too said that has been supportive of an immediate de-escalation of tensions and resolution of the situation through sustained diplomatic dialogue. The (MEA) on Wednesday set up a control room to provide information and assistance to Indian nationals in . In addition, the Indian embassy in Ukraine has also set up a 24-hour helpline for Indians in the eastern European nation. has positioned around 100,000 troops near its border with Ukraine besides sending warships to the Black Sea for naval exercises, triggering concerns among the NATO countries about a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine. has been denying that it plans to invade Ukraine. (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 Friday said that a sale pursuant to the public cannot be set aside unless there is concrete material that there was any fraud or collusion. A bench comprising Justices M R Shah and B V Nagarathna made the observation while setting aside an order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. The sale pursuant to the public can be set aside in an eventuality where it is found on the basis of material on record that the property had been sold away at a throwaway price and/or on a wholly inadequate consideration because of the fraud and/or collusion and/or after any material irregularity and/or illegality is found in conducing/holding the public . After the public auction is held and the highest bid is received and the property is sold in a public auction in favour of the highest bidder, such a sale cannot be set aside on the basis of some offer made by third parties subsequently and that too when they did not participate in the auction proceedings and made any offer and/or the offer is made only for the sake of making it and without any serious intent, the bench said. The Executive Officer of a Temple Trust in Andhra Pradesh's Eluru issued tender/public notice to sell a piece of land by way of an open auction in 1997. Thereafter the auction took place on June 24, 1998, in which 45 people participated. The appellant was declared as the highest bidder quoting the price of Rs.13,01,000 per acre as per the bid submitted by hun. On the representation that the land in question has the potential of getting more money, the auction came to be cancelled . A PIL was also moved to stop the execution of the sale deed of land. The high court had directed the authorities concerned to conduct a re-auction of the entire properties by fixing the upset price higher than what has been fixed earlier. The auction purchaser, who purchased the property in question in the year 1998, moved the top court against the high court order. The apex court said the high court should not have ordered re-auction of the land in question after a period of 23 years of confirmation of the sale and execution of the sale deed in favour of the auction purchaser by observing that the value of the property might have been much more. The top court further said the High Court ought to have appreciated that the man who objected to the auction and filed a PIL regarding the same did not participate in the auction proceedings and submit any bid can be said to be a fence-sitter. The apex court said the courts must encourage genuine and bona fide PIL and effectively discourage and curb the PIL filed for extraneous considerations. It also said that the Courts should prima facie verify the credentials of the petitioner before entertaining a PIL and the Courts should be prima facie satisfied regarding the correctness of the contents of the petition before entertaining a PIL. The Courts should be fully satisfied that substantial public interest is involved before entertaining the petition. The Courts before entertaining the PIL should ensure that the PIL is aimed at redressal of genuine public harm or public injury. The Court should also ensure that there is no personal gain, private motive, or oblique motive behind filing the public interest litigation, the bench said. It also said that the Courts should also ensure that the petitions filed for extraneous and ulterior motives must be discouraged by imposing exemplary costs or by adopting similar novel methods to curb frivolous petitions and the petitions filed for extraneous considerations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Friday sought response from the and the Maharashtra government on bail plea of Indrani Mukerjea who is the prime accused in the . A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and P S Narasimha issued notice to the and the state government Mukerjea's appeal challenging the Bombay High Court order of November 16, 2021, denying her bail. Issue notice. Returnable in two weeks, the bench said. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for Mukerjea, currently lodged at the Byculla women's prison in Mumbai following her arrest in August 2015. She had been denied bail on multiple occasions by a special court, which is conducting the trial in the murder case. Mukerjea is facing trial for allegedly killing her daughter Sheena Bora. Bora (24) was allegedly strangled to death in a car by Mukerjea, her then driver Shyamvar Rai and former husband Sanjeev Khanna in April 2012. The body was burnt in a forest in neighbouring Raigad district. Bora was born out of Mukerjea's previous relationship. Former media baron Peter Mukerjea was also arrested for allegedly being part of the conspiracy. He was granted bail by the high court in February 2020. His marriage to Indrani Mukerjea ended during the period of incarceration. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government has withdrawn notice sent to the anti-CAA protesters seeking to recover damages. The move to seize properties of people involved in the December 2019 protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) comes after the pointed out last week that the state may have overreached itself. "The state government has withdrawn the notices for the recovery of damages," said a senior officer. According to the officials, additional district magistrates (ADMs), who headed the recovery claims tribunals in different districts, issued 274 notices for recovery of damages. including 95 issued to protesters in Lucknow. On February 11, the observed that the state government had not followed due process. "You have become complainant; you have become witness; you have become prosecutor... and then you attach properties of people. Is it permissible under any law?" a bench of Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and Justice Surya Kant had asked the state government's law officer. In an earlier case, the apex court observed in 2009 that the power to compute damages and investigate liability for destruction of public property is to be exercised either by a serving or retired high court judge or a retired district judge as a claims' commissioner. The anti-CAA protests turned violent at some places in December 2019. Some protestors allegedly vandalised and torched public property in many cities, including Lucknow. The state government issued notices to recover the cost of properties damaged, relying on the Allahabad high court's 2011 judgment in Mohammad Shujauddin versus State of UP case. It, however, ignored the guidelines issued in 2009 and subsequently in 2018. "If the state government has decided to withdraw notices, it's a welcome move. But the government has done so under the pressure of Supreme Court," said SR Darapuri, a former IPS officer, who too was given a notice. --IANS amita/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.) As scientists raise an alarm over the fast rise in Omicron's sibling called BA.2 in certain parts of the world, early studies suggest that the BA.2 lineage might prolong the wave but won't necessarily cause a fresh surge of Covid-infections. The BA.2 variant has spread rapidly in countries including Denmark, the Philippines, and South Africa in the past few weeks. It now accounts for roughly one in five new cases recorded across the world, according to the WHO. According to the Nature journal, a laboratory study of BA.2 suggests that its rapid ascent is probably the result of it being more transmissible than BA.1. "Other preliminary studies suggest that BA.2 can readily overcome immunity from vaccination and previous infection with earlier variants, although it is not much better than BA.1 at doing so," according to the report. If real-world epidemiological studies support these conclusions, scientists think that BA.2 will be unlikely to spark a second major wave of infections, hospitalisations and deaths after Omicron's initial onslaught. "It might prolong the surge. But our data would suggest that it would not lead to a brand-new additional surge," said Dan Barouch, an immunologist and virologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, who led the study of BA.2. The virus is evolving and Omicron has several sub-lineages that are being tracked. "We have BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2 and BA.3. It's really quite incredible how Omicron, the latest variant of concern has overtaken Delta around the world," Maria Van Kerkhove, Covid-19 technical lead at the WHO, said at a briefing on Thursday. "Most of the sequences are this sub-lineage BA.1. We are also seeing an increase in the proportion of sequences of BA.2," she added. According to Mads Albertsen, a bioinformatician at Aalborg University in Denmark, BA.2's steady rise in prevalence in multiple countries suggests that it has a growth advantage over other circulating variants. That includes other forms of Omicron, such as a less-prevalent lineage called BA.3. "From a scientific perspective, the question is why," said Barouch. Researchers think that a large part of the reason Omicron quickly replaced the Delta variant is its ability to infect and spread among people who had been immune to Delta. So one possibility for BA.2's rise is that it's even better than BA.1 at overcoming immunity - potentially including the protection gained from a BA.1 infection, the Nature report mentioned. "BA.2 has a whole mess of new mutations that no one has tested," said Jeremy Luban, a virologist at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in Worcester. According to news reports, researchers in Israel have identified a handful of cases in which people who had recovered from BA.1 became infected with BA.2. Meanwhile, Danish researchers have begun a study to determine how frequently such re-infections occur. "That unvaccinated people are also at heightened risk of BA.2 infection suggests that properties of the virus other than immune evasion are at least partly behind its enhanced transmissibility," said Troels Lillebaek, a molecular epidemiologist at the State Serum Institute in Copenhagen. There are also hints that BA.2 could limit treatment options. Over the past two weeks, cases of Covid-19 have more than doubled in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine, WHO's Europe Regional Director Hans Kluge said in a statement. --IANS na/vd (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hampton Romeo G. Lumaban Jr. worked for years as a Hampton prosecutor before crossing over to criminal defense and family law cases. He was a family man, a leader on several local community boards, a substitute district court judge, and active at his Norfolk church. Advertisement But Lumaban, 52, who died unexpectedly of a heart attack the day after Christmas, is recalled most fondly for his easy smile, quick laugh and warm presence to those he encountered in the Hampton Roads legal community. I know when people pass, people tend to speak only good, but I cant think of one bad thing to say about him, I truly cant, said Hampton General District Court Judge Corry Smith. This will leave a huge void in a lot of peoples lives, and in the legal community. Advertisement Smith left her family law practice including many divorce cases to Lumaban when she ascended to the bench in 2017, and he took well to that line of work. He was an excellent lawyer, she said, but it was his friendly demeanor that most put people at ease. It was genuine, Smith said. He wasnt a fake person at all. Youre not going to find somebody who didnt like him, even on the opposing side of his case, said Hampton attorney Michele Cavanaugh, a friend of Lumabans for two decades who said shed call him at all hours when she needed help or advice. He was just a good attorney and a fair person. And its just a loss to all of us. Lumaban was born in San Diego, the son of Filipino immigrants, his father a U.S. Navy sailor. The family moved to Hampton Roads in 1976 when his father was stationed in Norfolk. He graduated from Green Run High School in Virginia Beach, then earned a bachelors degree at Virginia Tech and a law degree from Widener University in Pennsylvania. He returned to Hampton Roads in 1995, landing the prosecutors job at the Hampton Commonwealths Attorneys Office. He held that job for 13 years, including as a deputy leading a team of prosecutors. Lumaban met his wife, Mary Celeste Lumaban, a Hampton probation officer, during his time as a prosecutor. Probation officers are kind of low on the totem pole when it comes to the legal community, and he never, ever treated us like that, she said. He was always just very, very respectful. Advertisement The couple married in 2012, with his wife saying his kindness and natural optimism carried into their marriage. He was definitely a glass half-full kind of guy, Mary Lumaban said. Since she was the opposite, that was cause for ribbing between the couple. I would say, Im not negative. Im just a realist. she said. And I always said, You live in a world of butterflies and rainbows. But its not a bad thing. If Lumaban did get disappointed, she said, it was only when he tried to see the best in people and obviously not everybody is. She said he treated his two stepchildren Cade and Cara, now teenagers as his own, taking them to school, helping Cara with her dance practice, and enjoying their company. Lumaban was in court the week before Christmas, with nothing seemingly amiss about his health. He posted a picture of the familys two cats, Echo and Neo, under the tree on Christmas Day, with the line, Meowy Christmas to all of you! Advertisement The next day, he was going about his normal Sunday routine: Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ghent, followed by lunch with his 83-year-old mother, Amparo Garcia Lumaban, at her Virginia Beach home. He told his wife that hed set up his new rowing machine her Christmas gift to him when he returned that afternoon. But he didnt feel well when he arrived at his mothers house sweating, dizzy, with numbness in his left arm. Lumabans father died of a heart attack in his 50s also the day after Christmas and Romeo Jr. dealt with high blood pressure in recent years, so he had his sister drive him to Sentara Princess Anne Hospital in Virginia Beach. Sweetie, I dont want you to worry, but Im at the ER, he texted his wife. She immediately called, and he said he was being checked out but that all would be fine. And in the middle of our conversation, he just stopped talking, Mary Lumaban said. I wasnt sure what happened. I was screaming for his name. And I was like, Romeo, Romeo! He didnt answer me. Daywatch Weekdays Start your morning with today's local news > It turned out that he had a massive heart attack and collapsed. Doctors spent 45 minutes trying to revive him, to no avail. Advertisement Over the years, Lumaban served as president of the Hampton Bar Association and the Hampton Rotary Club; on the boards for the Bacon Street Youth and Family Services and the Newport News Center for Sexual Assault Survivors; and taught at Thomas Nelson Community College. Hampton defense lawyer Ron Smith said that when he faced Lumaban in the courtroom, he always walked away impressed that his opponent wasnt about the wins and losses. The two became law partners in 2008, when Lumaban joined Smith at his firm in downtown Hampton. He was just the same all the time, man big smile, lots of energy, Smith said. He was just a genuinely good person. Not talking about people (behind their back) or nothing, just a good person. One of Lumabans sisters, Gina Lumaban Marpuri of Virginia Beach, said though her brother was accomplished, there was no pretension about him. He had a moral compass, said Marpuri, 57. And he really did try to help people. Hes one of the people that even though he passed away early, he did a lot with his life. So theres really no regrets. Peter Dujardin, 757-247-4749, pdujardin@dailypress.com As the (PMFBY) enters the seventh year of implementation with the upcoming Kharif season, the government on Friday said it will launch a doorstep distribution drive to deliver policies to farmers. The doorstep campaign 'Meri Policy Mere Hath' aims to ensure all farmers are well aware and equipped with all information on their policies, land records, the process of claim and grievance redressal under the PMFBY, the Agriculture Ministry said. The doorstep campaign will be launched in all implementing states in the upcoming Kharif season beginning June, the ministry said in a statement. PMFBY, launched in February 2016, aims to provide financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/damage arising out of natural calamities. According to the ministry, over 36 crore farmer applications have been insured under the PMFBY, with over Rs 1,07,059 crores of claims have already been paid under the scheme as of February 4, this year. The scheme has been able to provide financial assistance to the most vulnerable farmers as around 85 per cent of the farmers enrolled with the scheme are small and marginal farmers. PMFBY, however, was revamped in 2020 enabling voluntary participation of farmers. It has also been made convenient for the farmer to report crop loss within 72 hours of the occurrence of any event - through App, CSC Centre or the nearest agriculture officer, with claim benefit transferred electronically into the bank accounts of the eligible farmer. Integration of land records with the PMFBY's National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP), Crop Insurance mobile app for easy enrollment of farmers, remittance of farmer premium through NCIP, a subsidy release module and a claim release module through NCIP are some of the key features of the scheme. The recent announcement by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her 2022-23 budget speech on the use of drones for crop insurance will further strengthen the integration of technology for smooth implementation of the scheme on the ground, it added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A global supply crunch of electrolysers needed to produce green and a lack of domestic manufacturers to make them pose a major challenge to India's ambitious targets to use the zero-carbon fuel, a government official told Reuters. India, which unveiled the first phase of its policy on Thursday, plans to manufacture 5 million tonnes of green per year by 2030, half of the European Union's 2030 target of 10 million tonnes. Green hydrogen has the best environmental credentials of the various categories of the clean-burning fuel because it is produced using renewable energy. For India, it is critical to its plans to cut carbon emissions, but its green hydrogen target would require at least 10 gigawatts (GW) of electrolyser capacity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. "The kind of electrolyser capacity that will be required to realise all these ambitious programmes, they are not available right now in the country," S. S. V. Ramakumar, a director at the country's top refiner Indian Oil who helped to frame the country's hydrogen policy, told Reuters. "All the production capacity and order books of big global players are booked and overflowing till 2025," he said. will initially import electrolysers, he said adding that state-run refiners planned to form joint ventures with foreign companies manufacturing the equipment. Power Minister R K Singh said in September would need at least 10 GW of electrolyser capacity. Global electrolyser capacity was 0.3 GW in 2020, and is expected to reach nearly 17 GW by 2026, an International Energy Agency (IEA) report found in December 2021. Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries has said it plans to build an electrolyser unit in western Gujarat state, but it is unclear when the unit will start commercial production. expects initial demand to mainly come from refiners and fertiliser firms, followed by the steel industry and transport. India's refineries are expected to produce 38,000 tonnes of green hydrogen by 2025, Ramakumar said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and the on Friday inked a landmark Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and unveiled a roadmap for expansion of overall ties at a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. In his remarks, Modi delved into various facets of ties between India-and United Arab Emirates and said both the nations will stand "shoulder-to-shoulder" against terrorism while referring to the recent terrorist attacks in the Gulf country. On CEPA, Modi noted that both sides could conclude the negotiations on such an important agreement in less than three months though it takes years for this type of pact to conclude. The government said the agreement will provide significant benefits to businesses from both sides including enhanced market access and reduced tariffs and the pact is expected to increase bilateral trade from the current USD 60 billion to USD 100 billion in the next five years. The trade pact was signed by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and the UAE's Economy Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri. Another highlight of the virtual summit was the unveiling of a joint vision statement titled "Advancing India and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: New Frontiers, New Milestone" that seeks to significantly enhance overall cooperation. "The statement establishes a roadmap for a future-oriented partnership between India and the and identifies focus areas and outcomes," an official statement said. "The shared objective is to promote new trade, investment and innovation dynamic in diverse sectors, including economy, energy, climate action, emerging technologies, skills and education, food security, healthcare and defence and security," it said. Asserting that the trade pact reflects the deep friendship, shared vision and trust between the two countries, Modi said, "I am sure this will usher in a new era in our economic relations. And our business will grow from USD 60 billion to USD 100 billion in the next five years." Modi also said that both countries can encourage start-ups through joint-incubation and joint-financing, adding there was scope for cooperation in the skill development of people as well. "We strongly condemn the recent terrorist attacks in the UAE. India and UAE will stand shoulder to shoulder against terrorism," he said. The Prime Minister also complimented the UAE for showing interest in investing in Jammu and Kashmir. "Following the successful visit of the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir to the UAE last month, several Emirati companies have shown interest in investing in Jammu and Kashmir," he said. "We welcome investment by UAE in all sectors including logistics, healthcare, hospitality in J&K," he added. Both leaders also expressed deep satisfaction at the continuous growth in bilateral relations in all sectors, the statement said. "Two MoUs signed between Indian and the UAE entities were also announced during the summit. These are, MoU between APEDA and DP World and Al Dahra on Food Security Corridor Initiative and MoU between India's Gift City and Abu Dhabi Global Market on cooperation in financial projects and services," it said. "Two other MoUs -- one on cooperation in climate action and the other on education have also been agreed between the two sides," it added. The two leaders also released a joint commemorative stamp on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of India's independence and the 50th year of the UAE's foundation. (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.) BJP president JP Nadda accused Samajwadi Party (SP) chief on Friday of shielding terrorists. Addressing an election meeting here, he said, "On November 23, 2007, there were bomb blasts in three court complexes in Uttar Pradesh. Fifteen people were killed and 50 injured. The Indian Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the blasts. It took the responsibility for the bomb blasts at the Dashaswamedh Ghat, in a Shramjeevi train, and at Sarojini Nagar, Govindpuri and Paharganj in Delhi. It also took the responsibility for the Sankatmochan Varanasi blasts and the Mumbai local train bomb blasts." Nadda said the investigating agencies had nabbed one accused from Azamgarh and another from Jaunpur. "They faced trial, but Akhilesh withdrew the cases against them when he was the chief minister (of Uttar Pradesh) in 2012. Later, the high court had asked whether it was the government's job to protect terrorists. This is the real face of the SP," he added. "Akhilesh shielded terrorists. I allege that as the chief minister, he gave shelter to terrorists. The saviour became the attacker. He has misled the innocent people of Uttar Pradesh," the BJP chief claimed. Referring to SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav's visit to Karhal to address a poll meeting on Wednesday, he said, "Akhilesh took his father to the constituency from where he is contesting the polls. This gives a message that he is not fighting the Uttar Pradesh polls, but only focussing on one constituency. Netaji's (Mulayam) visit means that the ground of the SP has slipped from under its feet." Speaking on the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the BJP chief said, "The work on the temple is going on at a fast pace. Our centuries-old wish is going to be fulfilled. There was an ideology behind our hopes for a Ram mandir. There was a political party carrying that ideology, with which crores of people stood."He told the gathering that when SP leaders come for campaigning, they should ask them on what grounds are they seeking votes. "It was you (SP) and your government that had fired bullets on the devotees of Lord Ram," he added. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader also accused the Congress of "delaying" the construction of the Ram temple. "Those who did not know how to take charnamrit are delivering speeches after applying sandalwood paste on their foreheads," he said. Slamming the Congress, Nadda said, "The Indian National Congress is no more Indian nor a national party. It has become a party of a brother-sister duo. The BJP is the only party that has an ideology." Hitting out at the SP, he said, "From one family itself, someone is an MP, someone is an MLA, someone is a zila panchayat chairman or a member. The SP is a dynastic party and the BJP does development. This is the difference between the two parties." The BJP president also offered prayers at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As elections in move into the third phase, the battle becomes increasingly crucial for the BJP as well as . Polling in the third phase will be held on February 20 on 59 seats spread across 16 districts. These include five districts from western UP -- Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etah, Kasganj and Hathras. Six districts of the Avadh region, namely Kanpur, Kanpur Dehat, Aurraiya, Kannauj, Etawah and Farrukhabad, will go to polls along with five districts from Bundelkhand region-Jhansi, Jalaun, Lalitpur, Hamirpur and Mahoba. The region, known as Yadav belt, was once a stronghold of the but majority of the Yadav votes went with BJP in 2017. The BJP won 49 out of 59 seats while SP only had to settle with 9. Congress got one while BSP drew a blank from here. Even the Yadav stronghold, which includes Firozabad, Kasganj, Etah, Mainpuri, Farrukhabad, Kannauj and Aurraiya did not vote for SP which got only six seats in these districts. Political observers feel that the family feud between Akhilesh and Shivpal was a major factor for this shift. The biggest came from Kannauj in 2019 when Akhilesh's wife and sitting MP Dimple Yadav lost the Lok Sabha contest to the BJP even though SP was in alliance with BSP. However, now Akhilesh has mended fences with his uncle Shivpal and is contesting the Karhal Assembly seat in Mainpuri to reassure his Yadav voters. Karhal has been a SP stronghold and was retained by the party even in 2017. The BJP has fielded Union Minister Satya Pal Singh Baghel. who is also an OBC face in the party. This is being pitched as one of the big battles of this year's election. The third phase is also crucial for the BJP, which is seeking to retain the 49 seats it won in 2017. This phase has the Hathras constituency where a gang-rape tore UP apart in September 2020. has kept the Hathras issue alive in his campaign. He has been observing 'Hathras ki Beti Smriti Divas' every month. Then there is Kasganj where the custodial death of one Altaf in November last year had become a major embarrassment for the government. The police claimed that Altaf has been called for questioning in a case and he ended his life by hanging from a water tap. The matter is now in court. Kanpur is also going to polls in this phase and the murder of a city businessman Manish Gupta during a police raid in Gorakhpur last year, is being raised at every opposition meeting. The phase also has five districts Bundelkhand that was once a stronghold of the BSP but it was swept by the BJP in 2017. While the BJP is claiming massive development in this region while seeking votes, the is exposing areas that have remained untouched by development. --IANS amita/dpb (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) chief ministerial candidate and Punjab Congress president have "brighter future" in comedy, leader and Union minister said on Friday in a swipe at them ahead of the February 20 assembly polls. Puri, who has been canvassing for his party's candidates across Punjab, also claimed that national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was forced to declare the party's chief ministerial candidate as Mann was "a millstone around his neck". "They (AAP) announced as their chief ministerial face as he was a millstone around Kejriwal's neck. If you pull aside Kejriwal he will tell you how uncomfortable he is...he has shared his assessment of with me. Pre-poll announcement of chief ministerial candidates can work both as advantage and disadvantage. And in case of both the Congress and the AAP, it is going to be disadvantage," Puri told PTI in an interview. The Congress has announced Charanjit Singh Channi, the incumbent, as its chief ministerial candidate. The BJP, which is contesting the polls in an alliance with former chief minister Amarinder Singh's Punjab Lok Congress and the Akali Dal faction headed by Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, is going all out to put up a strong performance. Referring to Mann's habit of consuming alcohol, Puri questioned the AAP's choice of chief ministerial candidate. "For a state which is reeling under the problem of toxication, to have somebody who is popularly perceived as 'piyakkad' (drunkard)...is a slap in the face of the state. I don't think he is serious chief ministerial face," he said. The Congress is a divided house in Punjab and its leaders are busy in settling scores with each other rather than working for the overall welfare of people, he charged. Taking a dig at both Sidhu and Mann, Puri said, "I think they have brighter future in comedy where money is readily available.... If you put people like that here, then there will be a problem." Referring to recent remarks of poet and former leader Kumar Vishwas, Puri said Kejriwal harbours the desire of being the chief minister of Punjab. "Kejriwal deep within him harbours the desire of becoming chief minister of Punjab. If you are serious of becoming chief minister of Punjab, why are you in cohort with people who have no hesitation in undermining the state of Punjab and who are perceived to be Khalistanis," Puri said, while talking about pro-Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice head Gurpatwant Singh Pannu. A fake letter that surfaced ahead of the polls claimed that the Sikhs For Justice extended support to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Describing Pannu as a paid agent of Pakistani spy agency ISI, Puri said he claims to espouse Sikhism but has no visible manifestation of Sikhism. "His (Kejriwal's) goose is cooked. Punjab is in no mood to vote for him as survival of the state is at stake," the leader said. Puri virtually ruled out any post-poll alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) with which the had a tie-up for decades. "Our party is founded on some core values. Akali Dal has some very bad habits and I don't think we can cater to that," he said. Puri said Punjab is witnessing a multi-cornered contest and the BJP will win many seats as its committed voters are not moving away. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Days after Punjab Chief Minister kicked up a controversy with his "bhaiya" remark, his Congress party colleague on Friday said it is reflective of a social bias against migrants and likened it to the issue of Black Americans. Such thinking should have no place in the secular ethos of Punjab and has to be rooted out, said Tewari, a former union minister and a part of the group of 23 Congress leaders who had called for organisational reforms and was critical of the party leadership. With party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra by his side during an election roadshow in Rupnagar on Tuesday, Channi had asked people not to let the bhaiyas from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi enter the state. The remark was apparently aimed at Aam Aadmi Party leaders, but bhaiya is considered a derogatory term for migrants from UP and Bihar who work in Punjab. Ahead of the February 20 assembly polls, Tewari tweeted, "De-Horse Politics - The Bhaiya controversy is like the Black issue in the US. It is reflective of an unfortunate systemic and institutionalised social bias against migrants stretching back to the inception of the Green Revolution." At a personal level, he said, "despite my mother being a Jat Sikh and my father being the foremost exponent of Punjab-Punjabi-Punjabiyat who laid down his life for Hindu-Sikh amity because of my surname it is said behind my back 'Eh Bhaiya Kithon Agha' peppered with the choicest expletives in Punjabi - We have to root it out." "Such thinking should have no place in the secular ethos of Punjab grounded in the idiom 'Manas Ki Jaat Sabhe Ek Pechan'," Tewari said. The BJP and the AAP have flayed Channi for his remarks. The Punjab chief minister said his comment was directed at a few individuals causing disruption in the state and that it has been twisted. "My statement is being twisted since yesterday. The migrants have taken Punjab to the path of development with their hard work. They have always contributed towards development, he said in a video message on Twitter on Thursday. Our love for them is in our heart and nobody can take it out, he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All bulldozers in the state have been sent for repair and would resume work after March 10, Chief Minister said on Friday referring to his government's action against criminals. Chief Minister Aditynatha told an election meeting here in Mainpuri that he made this remark in response to a query by a leader who asked him if the bulldozers would be operated even during the UP assembly polls. The UP government has been deploying bulldozers to demolish illegal properties of criminals. "A senior SP leader asked me if bulldozers will be operated during the polls too. I told him not to worry as sometimes these bulldozers also need some rest, said the chief minister. Hence, during the polls, all the bulldozers have been sent for repairing, he added. People who had been hiding in their holes for the past four-and-half years, are crawling out after the announcement of the polls. They have been identified and after March 10, the bulldozers will resume their work. After March 10, their crawling will come to an end," Adityanath further said. Mainpuri goes to the polls on February 20 during the third phase of the seven-phase UP with March 10 having been scheduled to count the votes. Of the four assembly constituencies in Mainpuri, three -- Kishani, Mainpuri and Karhal had been won by the SP and one, Bhongaon, by the BJP in the 2017 elections. The chief minister also said unless there is a fear in the minds of criminals, the system cannot run properly. The message that if they commit a crime, they will have to pay for the damages has gone clearly to professional rioters and criminals, posing a security threat to daughters and traders in the state, the CM said. "Owing to the zero-tolerance policy against crime and corruption, there have been neither curfew nor bombing in the state, he said, adding the Kanwar Yatra is held peacefully today in the state amid the chants Har-Har, Bum-Bum" slogans. The chief minister also said the situation today is quite different from the earlier one when every work used to become "disputed" and the court had to stay them. Talking of employment opportunities in the state, the chief minister said his government has given 5 lakh jobs to youths. "Owing to the good law and order, there has been investment in UP," he said, adding the state successfully organised divine and grand Kumbh in Prayagraj, Deepotsav in Ayodhya and Rangotsav in Barsana (Mathura). Intensifying his attack on the SP, the chief minister also accused the BJP's key rival party of lacking sensitivity towards common people and sympathising with terrorists. "The SP government came to power in 2012 and the first thing they did was to withdraw cases against terrorists. They were not sensitive towards farmers, youths or women and the development, he said. The SP sympathised with terrorists who had made terror attacks in Ayodhya, at Sankatmochan Temple in Varanasi, Lucknow court premises and in Rampur, the chief minister said. But after the BJP government came to power in UP, we waived loans amounting to Rs 36,000 crore of 86 lakh farmers. We gave tubewells in areas which had been declared dark zones by the SP and BSP governments," Adityanath said. He also said the number of youths getting tablets and smartphones from the government free of cost along with internet links will reach two crores after March 10. This will enable youths of Etawah and Mainpuri as well to become smart. Smartness should not remain confined to one family and every child should become smart," he said. Addressing another election meeting in Karhal in favour of BJP candidate SP Singh Baghel, who is fighting against SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Adityanath said during the tenure of four earlier governments of the SP, development meant building of bungalows only by ministers. The formed governments in the state four times but took no action against criminals. They, however, did not mind opening fire at Lord Ram devotees in Ayodhya," he said. Targeting SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav's family, Adityanath said, "For the Saifai clan (Yadav family), their clan itself was the state, but for me, the entire state is my family. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) leader on Friday termed as "laughable" allegations by a former party leader that he has made separatist comments, saying he must be the "world's sweetest terrorist" who builds schools and hospitals. Kejriwal has been under attack from both the Congress and the BJP who have questioned him over former leader and poet Kumar Vishwas's accusations of supporting separatists in Punjab. The Delhi chief minister's party has emerged as a key challenger to the ruling Congress in the state. The leader said that even Britishers had called Bhagat Singh a terrorist, but the country knows there was no bigger patriot than him. "A hundred years ago, Britishers had called Bhagat Singh a terrorist and 100 years later, history is repeating when all these parties want to prove Bhagat Singh's follower (Kejriwal) as a terrorist, but people know the reality," he said. Kejriwal said leaders of the BJP and the Congress as well as their allies have joined hands to target him over Vishwas's accusations which he dubbed as "laughable". "Narendra Modi, Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Charanjit Channi, Sukhbir Badal, Amarinder Singh, Navjot Singh Sidhu, all are now levelling allegations that for the last ten years, Kejriwal is hatching a plan to break the country into two parts and wants to become the prime minister of one part," Kejriwal told reporters in Bathinda. "If one goes by their claims, that means I am a big terrorist. If one goes by their logic, then what were their agencies doing, why did they not arrest me? Earlier Congress was ruling and now for last over seven years the BJP is in power (at the Centre). Were all of them sleeping"," he said. The AAP leader dubbed the allegations levelled by Vishwas and other leaders as "a comedy". "This is laughable. Is this possible," he asked. Kejriwal said he has learnt that "last evening, Channi (Punjab CM) receieved a call from the Centre saying that the matter (accusations of supporting separatists) should be investigated." "One officer told me that over the next one or two days, an FIR will be registered against me by the NIA. All such FIRs are welcome, but if the Centre deals with national security in this manner, then it is a matter of concern." Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha had already described Vishwas's allegations as "malicious, unfounded and fabricated."Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi took to Twitter and demanded from Prime Minister Narendra Modi an impartial inquiry into the allegations levelled by . Kejriwal pointed out that all his rivals have joined hands as he was talking about undertaking development and building schools and hospitals if his party comes to power in Punjab in the February 20 polls. Two national parties and their top leaders are making a joke of national security, he said. "Perhaps I am the world's sweetest terrorist who builds schools, hospitals, builds roads, improves road and power infrastructure, and sends elderly on pilgrimages. Such a terrorist would never have been born," Kejriwal said in a lighter vein. "See the sequence of the whole thing. Rahul Gandhi was the first to level accusations (after Vishwas' statement), then the prime minister, then Priyanka and Sukhbir Badal used the same language against me," he said. Kejriwal said people used to say when Rahul Gandhi says something people don't believe him. "But I never thought the PM too would toe Rahul's line and the PM would also become Rahul Gandhi," he said, referring to Modi targeting the Delhi CM on the issue at his poll rallies. Targeting the Centre, Kejriwal said, "Earlier the Delhi Police, ED and the IT conducted raids at my offices, in my house, but none of the agencies found anything. "Then one day, one poet (Vishwas) recited a poetry in which he said seven years ago, Kejriwal had told him they will break the country into two parts after which I will become the PM of one and he (the former AAP leader) would become the PM of the other". He said, "After this, Rahul Gandhi repeated this (allegations), Modi saw Rahul's speech and then realisation dawned on him that there is a big terrorist here in the country. Thanks to that poet who caught this terrorist..," he said, mocking the senior leaders of rival parties. "...I think terrorists are of two types -- one who spreads terror among people and second who spread terror among the corrupt. Now, all of them have got together (the rivals). In a way, I am a terrorist for them, they cannot sleep at night, I appear in their dreams. However, for the people, I build schools, hospitals, undertake development," he said. Replying to a question, Kejriwal said while one hand, the rival parties "are dubbing me an RSS, Congress and BJP agent, then does this mean all these are also terrorists (going by the allegations)". "My concern is that they have made national security a comedy," he added. Meanwhile, Kejriwal targeted the Congress in Punjab, saying it did not do any work for the last five years. "Time has come to bring a change and bring an honest government," he said, appealing people to bring AAP to power in Punjab. (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.) Terming allegations levelled against him by former party leader 'Comedy', Delhi Chief Minister on Friday described himself as "world's sweetest terrorist who builds roads, hospitals and sends elderly people to pilgrimage. Former leader had alleged that Kejriwal had spoken about becoming PM of a separate state. In a video, Kumar is seen saying, "One day, he (Kejriwal) told me he would either become CM (of Punjab) or first PM of an independent nation.. he wants power at any cost." They have all teamed up against me and they are calling me a terrorist. It is comedy. If that is the case, then why doesn't (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji have me arrested?" asked Kejriwal in a press conference on Friday. Addressing the press conference, Kejriwal asked what were the Centre's security agencies doing until now. "What were agencies during the Congress and BJP's tenure doing till now? Why did they not arrest me? This is such a humorous matter," he added. He said: "I must be the world's sweetest terrorist, a terrorist who provides schools, hospitals, electricity, roads, water..". He added further that 100 years back, Bhagat Singh was called a terrorist by the British and I'm his staunch follower. Today, history is repeating itself. These all corrupt people have teamed up to brand the disciple of Bhagat Singh a terrorist, but people know the truth, said the Delhi CM. PM Modi and Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were among those who attacked Kejriwal over Kumar Vishwas's video wherein he accused Kejriwal of making separatist comments. --IANS avr/shb/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy serves food after launching Akshayapatra foundation centralized Kitchen run by ISKCON at Atmakuru, near Managalagiri in Guntur District on Friday. (Photo:DC) VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Jagan inaugurated the state-of-the-art centralised kitchen, Akshaya Patra, set up by Iskcon at Atmakur in Mangalagiri mandal here on Friday. Jagan performed bhoomi puja for construction of the Hare Krishna Gokula Kshetram being constructed by Iskcon at Kolanukonda in Tadepalli mandal of Guntur district at a cost of Rs 70 crore. The CM, who had taken special interest in his favourite Goru Muddha (Mid-day meal scheme), walked along the lines and served food to schoolchildren, much to the delight of the viewers at the Akshayapatra centralized kitchen. The 30-odd girl students of ZPHS, Atmakur, were in for a pleasant surprise as the CM walked up to the serving side of the tables and filled their plates with vegetable biryani and sweets. Jagan has always taken special interest in promoting the mid-day meal programme and made it a point to check the menu details during his review meetings on the subject. The organisers had a major spread of menu for the special occasion with three sweets -- halwa, kova and kala jamun-- and two starters, namely gobi manchurian and masala vada. The main course had a traditional flavor spiced up to match the occasion with vegetable biryani, kaju tomato curry, raita, rice, stuffed brinjal curry, potato fry, mango dal, gongura chutney, sambar, curd and kulfi for dessert. The chief minister took a round of the centralized kitchen. The organisers explained to him about its functioning. At the dining hall, the CM posed with the students before the mid-day meal. The chief minister flagged off the delivery vehicles donated to the Akshayapatra for delivering food to the schools. The centralized kitchen has the capacity to cook for 50,000 children. Freshly cooked meals would be delivered to schools through three delivery vehicles. Later, Jagan performed the bhoomi puja for construction of the Hare Krishna Gokula Kshetram being constructed by Iskcon at Kolanukonda in Tadepalli mandal of Guntur district at a cost of Rs 70 crore. Ministers Sriranganadharaju, Suresh and Srinivas, MPs, MLCs, MLAs, and Iskcon representatives were present. The BJP believes that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's interaction with prominent Sikhs from across the country might help the party in the Punjab assembly polls. Two days before the polling for the Punjab Assembly, Modi on Friday hosted them at his official residence here. The BJP claimed the Prime Minister hosting the prominent Sikhs will help the party by sending a message to the people of Punjab that he is deeply connected with the community and understands their concerns and issues. "First of all let me make it clear that it was an 'apolitical' meeting and it has nothing to do with the Punjab assembly polls. But meeting prominent citizens of any community helps the government and the party to reach out to them. A Prime Minister hosting prominent Sikhs from across the country would most probably help the BJP to win the support of the community and might help in the assembly polls. But the political benefit of the interaction will only be known after the declaration of results," a BJP leader said. Another party leader aware of Punjab politics said that the interaction will help the BJP to dispel the anti-Sikh misconception built around it. "Some people with vested political interests created a perception that the BJP is anti-Sikh. We hope that meetings of prominent Sikhs from across the country will help in clearing the misconception. It might also help the party in the Punjab assembly polls," he said. Some in the BJP, however, doubt any major political benefits from the meeting. "We don't really know what will be the political benefits of meeting prominent Sikh citizens just two days before the polling," another BJP leader said. In a series of tweets after the interaction, Prime Minister Modi said, "This morning, I met a wide range of people from the Sant Samaj and Sikh community. These are distinguished individuals who are at the forefront of popularising Sikh culture and serving society. I was humbled by the kind words from the distinguished members of the Sikh community on various efforts of the Central Government. I consider it my honour that the respected Sikh Gurus have taken Seva from me and their blessings have enabled me to work for society," the Prime Minister said. In the morning the Prime Minister hosted the president of the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee Harmeet Singh Kalka, Padma Shri Baba Balbir Singh ji Sichewal, Mahant Karamjit Singh, President Sewapanthi from Yamuna Nagar, Baba Joga Singh from Dera Baba Jang Singh (Nanaksar) Karnal, Sant Baba Major Singh Waa from Mukhi Dera Baba Tara Singh Waa, Amritsar. The other prominent Sikhs were Jathedar Baba Sahib Singh (Kar Sewa Anandpur Sahib), Surinder Singh Namdhari Darbar (Bheni Sahib), Baba Jassa Singh Shiromani Akali Budha Dal, Panjwa Takht, Dr Harbhajan Singh, Damdami Taksal, Chowk Mehta and Singh Sahib Giani Ranjit Singh, Jathedar Takht Sri Patna Sahib (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 less than two days to go for the polling in Punjab, the state's ruling Congress on Friday released its manifesto, promising one lakh government jobs and Rs 1,100 per month to women with eight free cooking gas cylinders per year. The party also promised to end the mafia raj by creating corporations for the sale of liquor and sand mining. State party chief said the party's government would procure oilseed, pulses and corn from farmers. Sidhu said the party's 13-point agenda reflects Rahul Gandhi's vision. "Anybody can be the pilot when the sea is calm, but when there's a storm, we should be able to convert adversity into opportunity. That's the aim of this manifesto," Sidhu told the media here. The manifesto also talks about free education for all needy students and bringing 170 services online for the people of the state. The manifesto has many promises which Sidhu had listed under his model with focus on the youth, skilling and entrepreneurship. "The youth, skilling and rntrepreneurship program can change the face of the state. It's time to be a part of this change and create the future we want the next generation to live in," he added. The campaign for the Assembly election ended Friday evening and will go to the polls for 117-member Assembly on February 20 and the counting of ballots on March 10. --IANS vg/vd A (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.) Defence Minister on Friday said while the BJP proclaims of forming the Uttar Pradesh government amid drum beats, the thinks of forming it on the strength of communal riots. The Lucknow MP also lauded UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for changing the face of the state in the past five years through developmental work. Lauding the law and order situation in the state, Singh said Uttar Pradesh witnessed not a single riot during the Adityanath government. "We say our government will be formed on 'danke ki chot pe' (amid drum beats) but the says their government will be formed on 'dangey ki chot pe' (on the basis of riots), said the Union minister, asserting that no one can dare now to instigate riots in UP. Addressing an election meeting in Lucknow Cantt assembly constituency in favour of BJP candidate Brijesh Pathak, Singh said, "On the whole, our state is progressing at a fast pace and when I look at it, I say our chief minister has done a charismatic job. The size of our economy which used to be of Rs 11 lakh crore earlier has increased to Rs 21 lakh crore within five years," he added. On the occasion, Singh also praised sitting BJP MLA Suresh Tiwari of Lucknow Cantt area who has been denied ticket this time and described him as a good worker who has contributed to the party's strength as MLA many times". "I can say about Suresh Tiwari that no one can raise a finger at him. He never had any stain of corruption on his forehead," he said. In the 2019 byelection, Suresh Tiwari was elected on a BJP ticket from the Cantt assembly constituency, which he had represented earlier as well. Brajesh Pathak, who won the 2017 election from Lucknow Central constituency, was nominated this time by the party as Cantt candidate in Tiwari's place. Referring to this, said the BJP is a party in India where all political decisions taken by it are accepted by its workers. "I am happy that Suresh Tiwari also accepted the decision and is standing with the BJP and Brajesh Pathak with full strength," he said. "This character of BJP workers is unmatched and not seen in any other political parties. I am saying this because if look at other parties, each party has been divided once, twice, four times in its life, the Union minister said. But the BJP is the only national party in India which never had any such problem. We are workers of such a BJP. I want to give the credit for this to all our workers all over the country and not to any leader," he said. Many prominent leaders including Union Minister Ramdas Athawale also addressed the public meeting. (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.) AIMIM chief on Saturday said the time has come for the people of to say "talaq, talaq, talaq" to both the and the SP in the ongoing state Assembly polls. Addressing a poll meeting in the Madhogarh Assembly constituency of Jalaun district, the Hyderabad MP sought to equate the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the (SP), saying SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are like brothers, who had got separated. "The SP and the are two sides of the same coin and it seems that Yogi-Akhilesh are brothers who had got separated. The mentality of both is the same. Both are cruel and arrogant. They do not consider themselves as leaders, but as emperors," he said. Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the (AIMIM) chief said, "Modi talks about . But this time, people should say talaq, talaq, talaq to both the and the SP, and this will end their story (in Uttar Pradesh)." Campaigning for the candidate of the Bhagidari Parivartan Morcha, of which the AIMIM is a part, Owaisi said, "The chief minister thinks of himself as the wazir (prime minister) of the sultan (king) sitting in Delhi. A person who becomes an emperor in politics has to be removed." He said the time has come for people to make Adityanath and Yadav sit at home. "One (Yadav) has to be sent to Saifai, while another has to be sent to Gorakhpur. Dalits, backwards, minorities and the poor will be benefitted only if they are made to sit at home," Owaisi said. He said both Adityanath and Yadav are speaking in the same tone, adding, "They do not give any importance to the Constitution. They want to gain power for themselves." Sharpening his attack on the saffron party, Owaisi said, "The BJP talks about defeating the Mughals for winning elections. The Mughals have died and their bones have melt. Only at the time of elections, they are brought back. Akhilesh talks about (Muhammad Ali) Jinnah. Hence, either of these parties coming to power will not be in the interest of Dalits, backwards and minorities." He said the BJP bagged the votes of the backward classes in the name of Hindutva, but gave the reins of power to "baba" (Adityanath), who spread "Thakurvad" (promoting Thakurs). Hitting out at the SP, the Hyderabad MP said it only ensures the development of one family when it is in power. The only development that was done during the SP regime in Uttar Pradesh was of "chacha, nati and pota", he added. Owaisi also accused the Lok Sabha MP from Jalaun, Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma, who is the Union minister of state for MSMEs, of not establishing any industry here. Jalaun will go to polls on February 20. (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.) companies have sought priority sector lending status for the money they get from banks to give loans for buying two wheelers (TW). This would help them get cheaper funds from banks and increase lending, especially in rural areas, according to the Industry Development Council (FIDC). The industry lobby group said in a plea to the Reserve Bank of India that two-wheelers play a crucial role in the rural economy as they help improve the standard of living, and bring about convenient and safer movement at affordable price. They also help increase earnings. Considering the value and usage, we request the respected authority to consider the financial assistance to purchase two-wheeers in the rural economy as priority sector lending, as this will enable lenders to provide timely funds at cheaper cost, FIDC said. Priority sector refers to those sectors that the Government and RBI deem as important for the development of the basic needs of the country and are to be given precedence over other sectors. Banks are mandated to encourage the growth of such sectors with adequate and timely credit, it said. The use of two-wheelers in the rural economy is not limited to self-riding but also for carrying and delivering milk, vegetables and other merchandise of day-to-day use. The penetration of two-wheelers is lower in India than in other developing countries. For 1,000 people, only 102 people have two-wheelers in India, compared to 166 in Malaysia, 281 in Indonesia and 291 in Thailand. The Indian rural market has a strong consumer base of about 740 million people, of which around 30 per cent only possess two-wheelers in the rural segment, FIDC added. The Chamber of Industries and Mines has described the recent decision of US President to split the frozen assets of the war-torn nation as unjust. "On behalf of 5,000 factories and hundreds of mine extracting companies, I today describe the recent decision of President Biden as unjust and stealing our national assets and we denounce it," acting chairman of the association Al-Hajj Sakhi Ahmad Paiman told reporters here on Thursday. Paiman said some 400,000 people directly and around 1.5 million others indirectly are working for the factories, mines and businesses run by the Chamber of Industries and Mines, reports Xinhua news agency. "America claims itself as a defender of human rights and freedom. The claim would be undermined at home and abroad if it continues to hold or steal Afghanistan's assets under any pretext," Paiman said. On Tuesday, thousands of Afghans staged demonstrations, denouncing Biden's decision and demanding the return of the frozen assets to the war-torn country. Biden on February 11 signed an Executive Order allowing some of the frozen assets from the country's central bank, the Da Bank (DAB), to be distributed as assistance and to victims of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. According to the White House, while "the administration will seek to facilitate access to $3.5 billion of those assets for the benefit of the Afghan people", "more than $3.5 billion in DAB assets would remain in the US and are subject to ongoing litigation by American victims of terrorism". When Kabul fell to the in August 2021, Afghanistan had over $9 billion in reserves held in the name of DAB outside of the country. This included $7 billion in reserves held in the US, with the rest of the reserves largely being in Germany, the UAE, Switzerland, and a couple of other states. --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.) Prime Minister admitted on Friday that allowing former premier to go abroad for treatment was the "biggest mistake" of the Tehreek-e-Insaf government. Sharif, 72, is currently based in London, where he is receiving medical treatment since November 2019. The former prime minister and the principal opposition party Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo's health has evoked considerable interest in . Sharif suffered from cardiac problems, apart from multiple health issues, according to media reports. Addressing a public gathering in Mandi Bahauddin in Pakistan's Punjab province, Khan while referring to Sharif's health condition before he was allowed to leave Pakistan said that his government felt that he might not survive even for a single day. I admit today that we made the biggest mistake by allowing him [Nawaz] to go abroad, Imran admitted. In 2019, the Lahore High Court lifted a travel ban on Sharif. Initially, Khan was reluctant to let him go because Sharif had not even served 12 months of the 7-year prison sentence that was slapped on him owing to charges of corruption. Prime Minister Khan had wanted him to sign a bond worth PKR 7.7 billion before allowing him to travel, but the High Court intervened and allowed him to leave the country. Khan's mass public rally on Friday was launched to counter the concerted efforts from opposition parties like PML-N and the Pakistan Peoples Party, among others who were trying to table a no-trust motion in Parliament and oust Khan from power. Khan's salvo at his political adversary comes at a time when his popularity ratings have taken a hit across several regions in the country. Sharif has a popularity rate of 58 per cent in Punjab, 46 per cent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 51 per cent in Sindh provinces respectively, compared to the incumbent Prime Minister, who could only muster 44 per cent in Punjab and 33 per cent each in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces respectively. These results were part of the findings of a Gallup Pakistan opinion survey that was conducted from December 22 to January 31, 2022, to test the popularity of Khan, Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. (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.) Asian refiners, traditionally big buyers of Iranian oil, are keen to resume imports from if there is an agreement to revive a 2015 nuclear deal, which could pave the way for more supply on global markets and soften prices. Most Asian buyers halted Iranian oil imports in 2019 after former U.S. President Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal with and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran's oil exports. Indirect talks between and the United States on the nuclear deal resumed last week. Western diplomats have indicated they hoped to have a breakthrough by now, but tough issues remain unresolved. Oil prices are at their highest in more than seven years as fears of disruption in Russian energy supplies have boosted Brent and U.S. crude futures. Refiners are also paying record spot premiums for crude produced in Europe and the Middle East as producers struggle to meet a robust recovery in demand after the pandemic. With the prospect of a new Iran deal, South Korea, previously one of Tehran's leading oil customers in Asia, said on Wednesday it had held working-level talks on resuming imports of Iranian crude oil and unfreezing Iranian funds. A major South Korean refinery is watching the developments at the nuclear talks, a company source said, as Iranian crude oil is cost-competitive and easy to process compared with other grades such as Mexican oil. "As long as the two countries decide to resume oil trade, we can purchase crude from Iran," this source said. "Since we've previously used crude oil from Iran, we don't need to test the oil at our facilities," he added. Japan's top refiner Eneos Holdings Inc will consider resuming oil imports from Iran if an agreement to revive a 2015 nuclear deal is reached, its chairman said on Thursday. "We have not begun such preparations yet, but we will consider resuming imports of crude oil from Iran as one of our procurement option if an agreement over the nuclear deal is reached," Eneos Chairman Tsutomu Sugimori told reporters. It will take about two-to-three months to resume oil imports from Iran if and after such an agreement on the nuclear deal is made as the refiner will need to make various arrangements such as insurance and shipping, Sugimori said. A refiner from India, Iran's No. 2 customer, is in talks with Iran for sourcing its oil, an Indian refining source said, adding that it was also waiting for more clarity on the nuclear deal. The sources declined to be identified due to sensitivity of the matter. Iran has kept some exports flowing despite sanctions as intermediaries find ways to disguise the origins of the imports and China, Iran's biggest customer, has been a big destination. Last month, China's customs reported the first import of Iranian crude in a year. Russia-Ukraine tensions have raised volatility in global oil prices, but positive developments in the U.S.-Iran negotiations have raised hopes of Iranian oil returning to markets, helping to calm oil prices, Claudio Galimberti, senior vice president at Rystad Energy said in a research note. "Although not a done deal yet, prices are sliding on news of progress and broad consensus in the talks as it could ultimately see up to 900,000 barrels per day of crude added to the market by December this year," he said. (Reporting by Yuka Obayashi in TOKYO, Heekyong Yang in SEOUL and Nidhi Verma in NEW DELHI; Editing by Florence Tan and Jane Merriman) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) is now dealing with a bigger Covid crisis than the outbreak in Wuhan that heralded the start of the pandemic, throwing into doubt whether Chinas Covid Zero playbook of mass testing, isolation and quarantine can stamp it out. Daily cases in the city have surged to more than 6,000 from a little over 100 in less than a month, topping anything seen in Chinas initial wave centered around Wuhan save for Feb. 12, 2020, when a backlog of reporting saw daily cases spike above 15,000. That, and subsequent outbreaks in China, were brought under control by lockdowns that Chief Executive Carrie Lam said are off the table. Instead, authorities are planning to test each of the citys 7.5 million residents while turning hotels into isolation centers. However, the testing blitz wont start until next month, raising concerns the virus will run rampant in the meantime, further straining an already overwhelmed health system. Lining up and gathering for testing presents a huge infection risk, said Jin Dong-Yan, a virologist at the University of . If the case load reaches tens of thousands as predicted, mass testing will only make things go from bad to worse. What you need to do is to avoid contact as much as possible. The thousands of daily infections means the opportunity to deploy mainland Chinas strategy of mass testing to disrupt transmission has already been lost, Jin said. In they are only able to do this because infections are so low so they can shoot mosquitoes with cannon balls. he said, referring to the outsized response mainland authorities mount at the detection of just a handful of cases. While more is now known about the virus and how to treat it than when it first appeared in Wuhan, Hong Kong is also dealing with the more-infectious omicron variant. And while more than 10 billion vaccine doses have been administered worldwide, about 40% of Hong Kong residents aged 80 or above have received a first dose, leaving them particularly vulnerable. Hong Kong announced 3,629 confirmed Covid-19 cases Friday, as well as 7,600 preliminary infections. The latter figure reflects specimens that are awaiting a second, confirmatory test and the gap between the two numbers is an indicator of a bottleneck in testing. There are at least 10 patients in critical condition, and health authorities said Friday theyre aiming to move all positive patients waiting outside hospitals to indoor areas before the end of the day amid forecasts for cold weather. Authorities should now aim to mitigate the spread of Covid, rather than seeking to bring cases back to zero, said Ben Cowling, an epidemiologist at the University of Hong Kong. That means home isolation, home quarantine, and rapid testing to inform peoples behavior, Cowling said in an interview on Bloomberg Television. At the moment were still seeing every case is supposed to be admitted to hospital. This cant continue. Hong Kong is struggling to increase its testing capacity from the current level of just 20,000 a day. Hospitals have also filled up due to the rigid policy of admitting all confirmed infections, even if people are symptom-free. The Hong Kong government is also scrambling to convert hotel rooms into isolation centers while waiting for the mainland to help build a giant isolation facility. I wouldnt rule out hundreds of thousands of infections that could be detected by this mass testing exercise, Cowling said. Where would all these cases be put. because we simply dont have the isolation facility for that many people. Lawmaker Michael Tien described the lack of ample isolation facilities as the main obstacle to applying the mainlands Covid Zero playbook. Mass testing can only be possible after theres 20,000 to 30,000 isolation units available, he said. This is actually more about damage control, I think, at this point, Tien said. US Secretary of State on Thursday met Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Eva-Maria Liimets and called on to de-escalate the situation in . "Met with Foreign Minister @ELiimets to discuss our strong partnership and regional security issues. We are united in calling on to de-escalate and engage in diplomacy with @NATO and Ukraine," tweeted Blinken. Earlier, Blinken while speaking on Russia's threat to peace and security at the UN Security Council (UNSC), said, "I did not address the @UN Security Council today to start a war but to prevent a war. The information I presented is validated by what has been unfolding in plain sight before our eyes for months." Over the past months, has amassed more than 150,000 troops around Ukraine's borders. "Russia says it's drawing down those forces. We do not see that happening on the ground. Our information indicates clearly that these forces - including ground troops, aircraft, ships - are preparing to launch an attack against in the coming days," said Blinken. "We don't know precisely how things will play out, but here's what the world can expect to see unfold. In fact, it's unfolding right now, today, as Russia takes steps down the path to war and reissued the threat of military action," added the US State Secretary. Blinken also said that Russia was planning to manufacture a pretext for its attack through a violent event that Russia will blame on or an outrageous accusation that Russia will level against the Ukrainian Government. "If Russia has no plans to invade Ukraine, then it can clearly demonstrate that by sending its troops, tanks, and planes back to their barracks and hangars and send its diplomats to the negotiating table," said Blinken. He also said that Russia can make a choice and solve the issue in a diplomatic way. "There is another choice Russia can still make - the diplomatic path is the only responsible way to resolve this crisis. We are presenting every opportunity for Russia to demonstrate that commitment," said Blinken. However, Blinken said that Russia has "repeatedly derided our warnings and alarms as melodrama and nonsense" while steadily amassing more than "150,000 troops on Ukraine's borders, as well as the capabilities to conduct a massive military operation. (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 senior HMDA official requesting anonymity said that the government had instructed the authority to prepare proposals for the north-west connectivity programme. DC file image Hyderabad: After completing construction of the Balanagar flyover, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has proposed to construct a 1.3-km flyover from Miyapur crossroads to Bachupally crossroads with an estimated cost of Rs 70 crore. Besides, the municipal authority has decided to lay a four-lane road from Mallampet to Gourampet via Shambipur costing Rs 130 crore apart from widening the road from Bahadurpally to Kompally. The Balanagar flyover was inaugurated by minister K.T. Rama Rao in July last. The six-lane flyover is 24 metres wide with a central median, and 1.13 km long. The road was widened to 45 metres, after acquisition of 357 properties. The flyover has not only decongested the area but also connected the north parts of the city with the west. Officials said that the government was keen on building infrastructure projects which connect the northern and western parts of the city. A senior HMDA official requesting anonymity said that the government had instructed the authority to prepare proposals for the north-west connectivity programme. He said following the instruction, the HMDA has prepared proposals for construction of the six-lane 1.3-km flyover from Miyapur crossroads to Bachupally crossroads apart from a 100-feet road connecting Mallampet and Gourampet via Shambipur. The official said that the lion's share of the project cost was kept aside for the land acquisition, since the present two roads have to be converted into four lanes. This apart, he said, the HMDA was preparing proposals for laying a 100-feet road connecting Bahadurpally and Kompally. The official said that under the GRID policy, the state government was planning to develop IT industries in different locations in the city. He said the state had approved the construction of IT parks in Uppal, Nagole and LB Nagar apart from setting up IT towers in Tier 2 towns like Karimnagar, Khammam and Warangal, among others. The official said that as part of the infrastructure development, the HMDA would take up multiple projects connecting the north western and northeastern parts of the city. He said that the proposals were sent to the government for approval. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has proposed dates for holding a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, late next week, who accepted it if does not invade Ukraine, local media reported. Taking to Twitter, State Department's Spokesperson Ned Price said that the Russians have responded with proposed dates for late next week, which we are accepting, provided there is no further Russian invasion of . He stated that if does invade in the coming days, it will make clear they were never serious about diplomacy. "We will continue to coordinate with our Allies and partners and push for further engagements with through the @NATO-Russia Council and @OSCE.", he added. US Secretary of State, noted in his remarks at the United Nations Security Council earlier today that, because the US believes the only responsible way to resolve this crisis is through diplomacy and dialogue, he had proposed to meet Foreign Minister Lavrov in Europe next week, as per Price. Tensions over have increased in recent months, with Russia and NATO accusing each other of amassing troops on the Russian-Ukrainian border. The United States and accuse Russia of preparing to invade. Meanwhile, Moscow denies the claims and maintains that it has no intention of attacking any country. The conflict in Donbas between Ukraine's government and the breakaway of Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics has been going on since 2014. The Minsk Agreements, designed to find a political resolution to the conflict, was negotiated by the leaders of France, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine -- the Normandy group -- in February 2015. However, the agreement has so far not been observed and sporadic clashes continue. (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.) Canadian police are poised to clear out on Friday hundreds of truck drivers from Ottawa who have staged a three-week-long protest against pandemic restrictions that has crippled the capital and prompted Prime Minister to assume emergency powers for the first time in more than 50 years. The drivers, joined by thousands of demonstrators and some 400 vehicles, turned the streets around Parliament into a noisy party zone since first arriving on Jan. 28, in what has become one of the worst crises to hit Trudeau since he took power in 2015. Police made a handful of arrests Thursday evening, including of Chris Barber, one of the main fundraisers and organizers, after authorities said action was imminent. Barber went without resistance after police told him he was being arrested for mischief. "We absolutely are committed to end this unlawful demonstration. We have the plan, we have the commitment, we have the resources," interim police chief Steve Bell told reporters on Thursday. Police will set up a perimeter with 100 checkpoints around downtown to stop people without legitimate reason from entering, he said. "This weekend will look very different than the past three weekends," he added. Previous chief Peter Sloly quit this week amid residents' fury about what they saw as police inaction. The truckers' protests started against vaccine mandates for cross-border drivers, a measure in place in the United States, too. But slowly it spread across and morphed into an anti-government movement. Protesters blocked several land crossings with the United States, including the busiest, the Ambassador Bridge which connects to Detroit, for six days, hurting both economies. Calling the blockades a threat to democracy, Trudeau invoked emergency measures on Monday giving his government temporary powers to end the unrest. Government officials said they were worried about extremists causing violence. Many protesters on Parliament Hill said they would not leave until their demands were met. "End the mandates, give us our rights and this is over," said Chris Dacey on Thursday. "We'll all go back to our families." The border blockades turned the pressure on Trudeau to act swiftly, and U.S. President Joe Biden asked him to use federal powers. "The illegal blockades and occupations have to stop and the borders have to remain open," Trudeau told legislators on Thursday as Parliament started debate on the Emergencies Act, which needs to be passed within seven days of an announcement. But the official opposition Conservative Party says there was no need for the Emergencies Act, especially since the border blockades are over. Conservative Parliamentarian Jeremy Patzer told the House of Commons on Thursday that people around the world were alarmed to see Trudeau "come down on peaceful protesters with a sledgehammer." "It is absolutely shameful," he added. (Reporting by David Ljunggren, Steve Scherer and Julie Gordon Editing by Leslie Adler) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China's birth rate has dropped to a record low, with experts questioning Beijing's "one-child" policy, enforced with an iron hand, which is being blamed for the conundrum visible in a rapidly ageing and a shrinking workforce. China's working-age is fast declining. The number of people too old to work, comparatively, is rising. This will severely impact the country's ability to care for its elderly population. Furthermore, this could all lead to labour shortages, hampered economic growth, and reduced tax revenue, and could even deepen China's economic growth concerns, reported Inside Over, a news portal. "For the Chinese history, 2021 will go down as the year when last saw population growth in a long time," said Wang Feng, a sociology professor at the University of California. Now the Chinese government is leaving no stone unturned to encourage more births and its tune has completely changed. Now it is offering common incentives, including cash handouts, and real estate subsidies, but many Chinese women are not convinced to take long maternity leaves from their workplaces. They say this will make their candidature for work in companies weak as establishments may not want to give their employees so many leaves. In 2021, 267 million people were aged 60 and above in as compared to 264 million in 2020. On the other hand, as per some demographers, the working-age population might fall to half by 2050. Zhiwei Zhang, the chief economist at Pinpoint Asset management, said, "The demographic challenge is well known but the speed of population ageing is clearly faster than expected. This suggests China's total population may have reached its peak in 2021. It also indicates China's potential growth is likely slowing faster than expected." implemented the "one-child policy" from 1980 to 2015 harshly with a view to limit population growth and conserve resources. The government was faced with a challenge when the working-age population, after peaking at 925 million, started dropping sharply. Following this sharp downfall of the workforce, the Chinese government relaxed the policy, allowing couples to have three children, reported Inside Over. To further combat the issue, China, the country now facing an acute workforce shortage, is offering incentives to people. As per the National Bureau of Statistics data, the birth rate in China dropped to a record low of 7.52 per 1,000 people in 2021 and 8.52 per 1000 people in 2020. As the working population shrinks in China, the Chinese government has ramped up its efforts to encourage people to have more children. In 2021, the number of births was just about enough to outnumber the 10.1 million deaths. Compared with 12 million in 2020, only 10.62 million births were reported in 2021. The population grew by a meagre 480,000 to rise to 1.4 billion. In fact, the natural growth rate fell to 0.034%, lesser than even in 1961 when the economic policy by the Communist Party's supreme leader and Chairman Mao Zedong had led to widespread famine and tens of millions of starvation deaths took place, reported Inside Over. The birth rate was the lowest since 1949 when Communist China was founded and the statistics bureau began collecting the data. (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.) China's top finance minister vowed to cut corporate tax rates more forcefully, strengthen targeted fiscal spending, and tighten fiscal discipline this year as part of efforts to stabilise the macro ahead of the Communist Party's 20th party congress. China's finance department must raise its political standing and shoulder responsibility for the sustainable and healthy development of the economy, as well as maintaining social stability, Liu Kun, head of China's Ministry of Finance said in an article published by the People's Daily on Friday. The key once-in-five-years party congress will be held in autumn this year, when Chinese President Xi Jinping is widely expected to be confirmed for a third five-year term. should allocate the proceeds from special-purchase local government bond sales to ensure the construction of key projects, Liu said. He also called on party and government agencies to tighten their belts, so that more fiscal resources can be directed toward improving people's livelihood and invigorating the . should also make fiscal spending early during the year, so as to bolster support to market entities, while stimulating consumption, Liu said in the article, adding the government will continue to control debt risks. (Reporting by Samuel Shen and Andrew Galbraith; editing by Richard Pullin) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) has termed America's COMPETES Act as Washington yet another information war against Beijing. Earlier this month, the US House of Representatives passed the America COMPETES Act, a bill focusing on US semiconductor production and supply chains, reported Beijing News.Net. The Chinese publication claimed that the "industrial" act includes actions to hold "accountable" for genocide and slave labour, according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and specifically allocates 500 million US dollars for media outlets to smear . China claims that this bill echoes the US Innovation and Competition Act of 2021, another hawkish bill against China passed by the US Senate in June 2021, which authorized 300 million dollars to be appropriated for each fiscal year through 2026 to counter China's influence globally. The Chinese publication said that Washington has been implementing intricate plans to boost the so-called "China threat" narratives and "combat Chinese disinformation" via the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour, and the Agency for Global Media, its state-run foreign media service. In September 2021, the largest Zimbabwean daily newspaper The Harald claimed that the is funding and training local reporters to produce anti-China stories and discredit Chinese investments. As per the Beijing News.Net report, some private media journalists were told to portray Chinese companies investing in Zimbabwe as "causing harm to communities, environment and workers," receiving payment of 1,000 dollars per story from the US embassy through its proxy. (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 eastern Chinese city of Heze is allowing some home buyers to pay lower down-payments for their purchases, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said, in the first reported case of a city easing the borrowing rule. Regulatory curbs on borrowing have driven China's property sector -- a major economic growth driver -- into a sharp downturn, squeezing the cash-flow of many developers and chilling buyer sentiment. Financial markets are waiting to see if restrictions will be eased soon to revive activity. For buyers with no mortgage history, the minimum down-payment ratio has been cut to 20% from 30%, while the ratio for buyers with one home has been lowered to 25%, with bank loans accounting for the rest of the payment, the sources said late on Thursday. Local media reported that some banks had agreed to extend more loans in view of the lower down-payment ratio, in a move to help bolster demand. "As far as I know, this is the first city cutting the down-payment ratio for mortgage loans," said Zhiwei Zhang, chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management. "It signals policy easing in the property sector may have entered a new phase." The housing regulator of Heze, a city of 8.79 million people in eastern Shandong province, has not officially announced the move. It did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Since late 2021, several cities have taken measures to bolster local property markets such as increasing mortgage loans, lowering mortgage rates and providing subsidies for home purchases. Earlier this month, also moved to give real estate firms easier access to presale proceeds from residential projects in escrow accounts, to alleviate their funding stress. The easing measures came ahead of China's annual parliamentary meeting as well as the gathering of the largely ceremonial advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, in March. "After the Two Sessions in early March, we think more local governments (especially higher-tier cities) will roll out demand-side easing," said JP Morgan in a note. (Reporting by Shuyan Wang, Liangping Gao and Ryan Woo; editing by Richard Pullin) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Finance Ministers and central bank governors of the nations are seeking sustainable financing scheme to build global resilience in facing potential future pandemics and reduce gaps in health systems among countries. The financial leaders addressed the issues on Thursday, either in person or virtually, during a two-day Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting held in Jakarta, with Indonesia serving as the host country, reports Xinhua news agency. Indonesia's Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati told the participants in a panel discussion that the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed that the global health system is not ready enough to face the pandemic and the global financing system is still inadequate. "Therefore, the G20 member countries should collaborate to build a more resilient global health system which will, indeed, require greater investment and financial resource mobilisation," she said. World Bank Group President David Malpass suggested that the G20 countries build multilateral platforms that could help developing and low-income countries move forwards out of the crisis. Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pointed out that low and middle-income countries do not have enough resources to deal with the pandemic and need global support. Thus, she encouraged the G20 member countries to ensure "expeditious and equitable distributions of vaccines" as one of the simple ways to bridge the gaps in global pandemic preparedness. Norwegian Development Minister Anne Beathe Tvinnereim said that besides vaccines, the countries must also coordinate in building stronger infrastructures by increasing investment in health security. "We must avoid fragmentation and push for inclusiveness. We need the voices from low-income countries as well. They should be considered legitimate," Tvinnereim said. Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen proposed a new separate global health fund, directly controlled by donors, as a global investment for pandemic prevention and preparedness. Under her proposal, the fund will be used for delivering emergency funds, vaccines, and other medical needs. Yellen said the fund would also help the developing and low-income countries improve the surveillance systems to prepare for future crises and help strengthen the countries' workforces. Responding to the proposal, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that "any efforts to enhance the governance, systems and financing of global health security can only succeed if they also enhance the WHO's role". He said that the WHO, with its unique mandate, technical expertise and global legitimacy, should be made stronger and sustainably financed because the organisation played a central role in strengthening the global health architecture. Indrawati said that it would not be an easy and simple process to build trust among countries. "That is why we are here to provide a platform to build trust together. We cannot do it alone. We should be open-minded to what challenges we are facing and what responsibility we can take." Indrawati noted that the G20 meeting should be the momentum for parties concerned to start mobilising health financing for the importance of public goods. --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.) As tensions rose feverishly around Ukraine, while the US and clashed at the UN Security Council, India has said that that is in contact with the parties in the Kiev crisis and reiterated its call for a diplomatic dialogue to de-escalate the situation. "India's interest is in finding a solution that can provide for immediate de-escalation of tensions taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long-term peace and stability in the region and beyond," India's Permanent Representative T.S. Tirumurti told the Council on Thursday. "India has been in touch with all concerned parties. It is our considered view that the issue can only be resolved through diplomatic dialogue." Tirumurti spoke after Washington and Moscow brought high-level representations - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin - to the meeting reflecting the heightening tensions. Blinken asserted that was preparing to launch an attack in the coming days and even sketched out in detail what he claimed was Moscow's battle plan starting with false flag events that will be used to carry out missile attacks and bombings across with communications jammed and cyberattacks shutting down institutions to be followed by a march on the capital Kiev. Vershinin, who also presided over the Council as session heads the Council this month, called Blinken's scenario "baseless insinuations" that "are dangerous because they add tension to the already tense atmosphere". He added that some after military exercises Russian units have started to move back to their permanent bases. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who was away in Germany for the Munich Security Conference, has discounted the threat of an imminent war. He "continues to think that this conflict will not happen", his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric reiterated at his daily briefing. "His message is one of increased diplomacy, of lowering tensions, of de-escalation, and that's the message he will continue to deliver." At the Council, underlining India's interest in a peaceful solution amid heated rhetoric, Tirumurti noted that there were more than 20,000 Indians living and studying in various parts of . "Any steps that increase tension may best be avoided by all sides in the larger interest of securing peace and security. Quiet and constructive is the need of the hour." Earlier this week, India asked its citizens to leave . Unlike at the last meeting of the Council on Ukraine, there was no procedural vote that would have required India to take a stand. India abstained from voting on the US-backed proposal to discuss Ukraine at the January meeting. But India kept its neutral stance by not criticising the Russian troop build-up and with the clause that de-escalation takes "into account the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long-term peace". Russia has asserted that Ukraine not joining NATO was in its security interests, a factor underlying the tensions, and maintained the centrality of the Minsk accords in de-escalating the situation, which Moscow said had not been adhered to. Ukraine and the US, as well as other Western countries, find that the Russian troop build-up near the Ukraine border, the takeover of Crimea and the resolution by the Duma, the top Russian legislative body, to recognise two breakaway regions, Donetsk and Luhansk, as independent nations are threats to Ukraine. Tirumurti expressed India's support for the Minsk Agreements and the Normandy format of for finding a solution to the Ukraine situation. "We believe that the Minsk Agreements provide a basis for a negotiated and peaceful settlement of the situation in Eastern Ukraine. Accordingly, we urge all parties to continue to engage through all possible diplomatic channels and keep working towards the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements." The Minsk Agreements were reached in 2014 ad 2015 among representatives of Russia, Ukraine, Ukrainian separatists, and the multinational Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe for de-escalating the situation in Ukraine. The Normandy Format is a process of with the participation of Russia, Ukraine, Germany, and France to deal with the situation. (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.) The in on Friday slammed Congress MP for retweeting what it said was an "anti-India tweet" by a "Pakistani agent", and asserted that such anti-India elements should not be encouraged. The sharp response from the in came after Tharoor retweeted a tweet which claimed that a group of "powerful" Kuwaiti parliamentarians have demanded from the government of to put an immediate ban on the entry of any member of the ruling BJP of India into Kuwait. The tweet further said, "We can't sit back and watch Muslim girls being publicly persecuted they said. Time for the Ummah to unite." Referring to the tweet, Tharoor said on Twitter, "Domestic actions have repercussions. I hear from friends across the Gulf of their dismay at rising Islamophobia in India & the PM's unwillingness to condemn it, let alone act decisively against it. 'We like India. But don't make it so hard for us to be your friends'." Hitting out at Tharoor, the in Kuwait, from its official Twitter handle, said, "Sad to see an Hon'ble Member of Indian Parliament retweeting an anti-India tweet by a Pakistani agent who was recipient of a Pakistani Award 'Ambassador of Peace' for his anti-India activities. We should not encourage such anti-India elements."Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also retweeted the Indian Embassy tweet. Some posts from unverified Twitter handles also claimed that protests were held outside Indian Embassy in Kuwait. The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday reiterated its stand on criticism by some countries over the simmering dress code row in Karnataka, saying comments by outsiders on internal issues will not be acceptable. (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.) Outgoing Iranian President said that the country is capable of producing enriched of 90 per cent purity. In pursuing the peaceful use of nuclear technology, the Atomic Energy Organization of has shown its capability and power to produce enriched at higher degrees (of purity), Xinhua news agency quoted Rouhani as saying in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. "If one day 90 per cent (enriched uranium) is needed for a reactor, we have no problem in doing so in a peaceful way," he added. Even the pressure from former US President Donald Trump could not halt the progress of Iran's peaceful nuclear program, Rouhani noted. After a blackout struck the Natanz enrichment facility in April, accused Israel of sabotaging the nuclear site and announced that it began to produce enriched at 60 per cent purity. --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.) Hyderabad: TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao's 68th birthday was celebrated on a grand note across Telangana while wishes poured in from across the nation. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Tamil Nadu counterpart M.K. Stalin personally called Rao on phone and extended their birthday wishes. Vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu, Chief Justice of India Justice NV Ramana, Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, several chief ministers, governors, prominent personalities and celebrities sent letters while some posted messages on social media platforms to convey their greetings. Several leaders heaped praise on Rao for being an ideal administrator and a role model for development and welfare, a leader who led the statehood movement and realised the dream of Telangana state. Many people expressed their appreciation of Raos progressive administration by way of songs, dances and other cultural forms. His supporters in the state and elsewhere, leaders, and party activists gave a festive touch to the celebrations. They organised blood donation camps, health camps, and distributed food to poor, visually-impaired and aged persons. Several documentaries came out on the life and times of Rao while several poets and writers penned their admiration for the birthday boy. Several songs commemorating the birthday reverberated across the state. Prominent personalities who conveyed their wishes included Haryana governor Bandaru Dattatreya, union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Nirmala Sitaraman, chief ministers Pinarayi, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Mamata Banerjee, and Himanta Biswa Sarma, Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan, actor Chiranjeevi, former Telangana governor ESL Narasimhan, former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and BJP Telangana president Bandi Sanjay Kumar. on Thursday formally announced it would not cooperate with a special commission formed by the United Nations' top human rights body to investigate alleged abuses against Palestinians, saying the probe and its chairwoman were unfairly biased against . The decision, delivered in a scathing letter to the commission's head, Navi Pillay, further strained what already is a tense relationship between and the UN-backed Human Rights Council in Geneva. "It is obvious to my country, as it should be to any fair-minded observer, that there is simply no reason to believe that Israel will receive reasonable, equitable and non-discriminatory treatment from the Council, or from this Commission of Inquiry," said the letter, signed by Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israel's ambassador to the UN and organizations in Geneva. The council established the three-person investigative commission last May, days after an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. Over 260 Palestinians, including scores of women and children, were killed in the fighting. Fourteen people died in Israel. At the time, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, said that Israeli actions, including airstrikes in civilian areas, might have constituted war crimes. Since then, a number of rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have said Israeli attacks appear to have constituted war crimes. Both Bachelet and HRW have also said that indiscriminate Hamas rocket fire at Israeli cities also violated the laws of war. Israel blames Hamas for civilian casualties, saying the group uses residential areas for cover while carrying out military activities. Many rockets were fired from neighborhoods. But the commission's responsibilities go well beyond the Gaza war. A "Commission of Inquiry" is the most potent tool of scrutiny of rights violations and abuse at the council's disposal. The assigned mandate of this one is to monitor alleged rights violations in Israel, Gaza and the occupied West Bank. It is the first such commission to have an "ongoing" mandate. Israel has long accused the United Nations, and particularly the Human Rights Council, of bias. Israel is the only country in the world whose rights record comes up for discussion at every council session. Israel has also raised concerns about the council's makeup, saying it includes countries with poor rights records or open hostility toward Israel. China, Cuba, Eritrea, Pakistan, Venezuela and a number of Arab countries sit on the 47-member council. Israel also has repeatedly rejected international calls for investigations into its wartime conduct and treatment of the Palestinians. The International Criminal Court in the Hague has opened an investigation into possible Israeli war crimes -- a probe that Israel says is motivated by antisemitism and part of an international campaign to "delegitimize" it. "This COI is sure to be yet another sorry chapter in the efforts to demonize the State of Israel," Eilon Shahar said. Her letter took personal aim at Pillay, who is a predecessor of Bachelet as UN human rights chief. It said Pillay, a former South African judge, has endorsed the shameful libel" branding Israel an apartheid nation and backed the international Palestinian-led boycott movement against Israel. The ambassador was responding to a Dec. 29 letter from Pillay to Israel's government, obtained by The Associated Press, asking Israel to reconsider its position of non-cooperation expressed after the commission was created. Pillay wrote that the commission would need to visit Israel and occupied Palestinian areas and requested a visit in the last week of March. She said the commission sought to travel along with six to eight staffers. The ambassador's letter all but ensures the commission will not obtain such access or Israeli government cooperation. Opponents of Pillay have highlighted what they allege is an anti-Israel bias shown by her. That included, for example, comments she made in 2017 to an interviewer about the definition of apartheid as a crime against humanity under the International Criminal Court's Rome Statute. She said that it means the enforced segregation of people on racial lines, and that is happening in Israel. Pillay also had said: The government of Israel really resents a comparison between apartheid South Africa and Israel. She has not responded publicly to allegations of anti-Israel bias that emerged since her appointment. The commission said in an e-mail to the AP on Thursday that its members do not intend to make public statements nor publicize their communications between the concerned parties so as to preserve the integrity of the work they are carrying out. The council president, Ambassador Federico Villegas of Argentina, defended the selection of the commission members which also include Chris Sidoti of Australia and Miloon Kothari of India saying the president places the utmost importance on examining the independence and impartiality of each member in order to ensure the objectivity of the body and considers their skills and experience in appointing its members. A growing number of rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and local Israeli groups, have said that Israeli treatment of Palestinians, including its own Arab minority, amounts to apartheid. Israel vociferously rejects the label as antisemitic. (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.) will ease Covid-19 border controls starting from March by raising the daily entry cap and reducing the quarantine period from seven days to three for both Japanese and foreign nationals, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said. will adjust its ban on new entrants from the current 3,500 to 5,000 per day starting next month and foreign nationals will also be allowed to enter the country for purposes other than tourism, reports Xinhua news agency. The decision came as the country's entry ban on non-resident foreigners, imposed from November 2021 to the end of February 2022, has sparked strong criticism for being too strict and not based on science. Upon arrival in Japan, travellers will be asked to quarantine for three days and the period will end after they test negative for Covid-19. The easing of the entry curbs was approved after the head of an expert panel of the health ministry said on Wednesday that the recent surge in Covid-19 cases has likely "peaked" in early February. The country decided to impose border controls at the end of November in an effort to curb the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the . Only a fraction of non-resident foreigners wishing to enter have received visas as exceptions. Students, businesspeople, academics and even lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party have been strongly urging the Japanese government to ease the restrictions. --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.) Meta Platforms Inc.s stark warning of a retreat from Europe may just be the start, as one of the regions top privacy watchdogs prepares a decision that could paralyze transatlantic data flows and risk billions in revenue for tech giants. The Irish data protection authority, which polices the tech giants that have flocked to the nation, is soon to weigh in on the legality of so-called standard contractual clauses used by Meta, Alphabet Inc.s and to legally transfer swathes of user data to the U.S. for processing. Privacy experts say the imminent decision could eliminate one of the only remaining options for Meta and potentially thousands of other companies that rely on shipping vast amounts of commercial data across the Atlantic. The Irish authority already cast doubt on the legality of the SCCs in an interim opinion, saying they failed a key test of protecting European citizens from the prying eyes of U.S. agencies. Such is the tension around the ruling, that Meta warned in its latest annual report that it will likely be unable to offer services including and Instagram in the EU if its unable to use SCCs. produced $8.2 billion in revenue in Europe over the last quarter of 2021, about a quarter of global revenue. While the U.K. will count for a significant portion of that and will not be impacted by the ruling on SCCs, the region is a serious money maker for Meta, beaten only by its home market of the U.S. and Canada. There is no easy work-around. Storing data in Europe may not be feasible for any service based on customer interactions across the world, from gaming to video streaming, because European data rules follow a persons information, no matter where it is. Metas business model, like that of Alphabets Google, relies on collecting enough data to discern what users might be interested in or want to purchase, and to serve them relevant ads. The company is already hampered by Europes privacy rules and a ban on SCCs would likely make its business model more expensive and less effective to run. Whats at stake here are the entire data transfers to the U.S. and the services that depend on them, said Johannes Caspar, an academic who recently stepped down as one of Germanys top data protection regulators. Despite its latest comments in its annual report that it would likely be unable to offer and Instagram in Europe if regulators ruled that SCCs were unfeasible, Meta has also stated -- most recently in a blog post that its absolutely not threatening to leave Europe, a plea that Nick Clegg, now Metas leading policy executive, originally made in Sept. 2020. Ongoing uncertainty over data transfers is impacting a large number of businesses and organizations in Europe and in the U.S., a Meta spokesperson said in an emailed comment. The simple reality is that we all rely on data transfers to operate global services. We need a long-term solution to EU-U.S. data transfers to keep people and economies connected and protect transatlantic trade, they said. pointed to a January blog post by Kent Walker, its head of global affairs which called for a rapid end to the impasse over a replacement to a EU-U.S. privacy pact that was struck down by the EUs top court in 2020 over longstanding fears that citizens data wasnt safe from American surveillance. The stakes are too high -- and trade between Europe and the U.S. too important to the livelihoods of millions of people -- to fail at finding a prompt solution to this imminent problem, he said. The controversy over data transfers stretches back to 2013, when Edward Snowden exposed the extent of spying by the U.S. National Security Agency. A surprise 2020 ruling by the EUs highest court toppled the so-called Privacy Shield, a trans-Atlantic transfer pact, over longstanding fears that citizens data wasnt safe from American surveillance. But while the separate, contract-based system was upheld, the EU Court of Justices doubts about American data protection already made this a shaky alternative too. For many companies it is virtually impossible to fully comply with the 2020 EU court ruling, said Tom De Cordier, a technology and data protection lawyer at CMS DeBacker in Brussels. So, often it is a matter of mitigating your data compliance risks rather than trying to be 100% compliant. Should the Irish authority double down on its interim opinion over the contractual clauses, the doomsday scenario for Meta and its rivals of a tech blackout has started to emerge. The Irish authoritys decision could now be a precedent which will cause the whole situation to slide, said Caspar. Its up to politicians in the U.S. to avoid plunging their tech industry into chaos. The Russian military on Friday announced massive drills of its strategic forces, a stark reminder of the country's nuclear might amid Western fears that Moscow might be preparing to invade . The Defence Ministry said Russian President Vladimir Putin will personally oversee Saturday's exercise, which will involve multiple practice launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. The ministry said it planned the maneuvers some time ago to check the readiness of Russia's military command and personnel, as well as the reliability of its nuclear and conventional weapons. The war games follow U.S. President Joe Biden's warning on Thursday that could invade within days. Western fears focus on an estimated 150,000 Russian troops including about 60% of Russia's overall ground forces concentrated near Ukraine's borders. The Kremlin insists it has no plans to invade. But Moscow has demanded that the U.S. and its allies keep and other ex-Soviet nations out of NATO, not deploy weapons in Ukraine and pull back NATO forces from Eastern Europe. Washington and its allies bluntly rejected the Russian demands, and Moscow threatened to take unspecified military-technical measures if the West continued to stonewall. holds massive drills of its strategic nuclear forces on an annual basis, but the maneuvers planned for Saturday pointedly involve the Black Sea Fleet. The fleet is based on the Crimean Peninsula, which annexed from Ukraine in 2014. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his country stands ready for talks with to establish peace amid the ongoing border crisis between the two nations. "I am ready for any format (of talks)," Zelensky told reporters on THursday during his visit to the frontline city of Mariupol in the conflict-hit eastern . He noted that supports the initiatives of other countries that offer assistance in organising a meeting with the Russian side, reports Xinhua news agency. While commenting on the prospects of Ukraine's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which has been one of the main concerns of Russia, Zelensky said that not all members support Ukraine's accession. At the same time, the Ukrainian leader emphasized that the possibility of putting the issue to a referendum is not being considered. Currently, the goal of membership is enshrined in the Ukrainian Constitution. Since November 2021, Kiev and some Western countries have accused of assembling heavy troops near the Ukrainian border with a possible intention of "invasion". Moscow has repeatedly denied the accusation, stressing its right to mobilise troops within its borders to defend its territory as the NATO activities constitute a threat to Russia's border security. On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country was working to host Ukrainian and Russian leaders as part of efforts to calm down the tension in the region. --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 US Central Command (Centcom) chief Gen Kenneth McKenzie on Thursday expressed concerns about the presence of the Islamic State (ISIS) in . In an interview shared on Facebook by the US Central Command - Dari/Pashto, McKenzie said that America is still "sorting out what is going to happen" since the Taliban came into power, reported Tolo News. " ... concerns us in Afghanistan," McKenzie said, adding "We know that the Taliban are no friends, particularly of and in fact over the past couple of years, they have occasionally under-taken operations against ." "I think... what we see developing in is ungoverned and under-governed spaces which are areas were ISIS traditionally flourished and... I think there is a risk, we know that ISIS does in fact have ... a desire to carry out external attacks--attacks against the United States-- the homeland of the and attacks against the homeland of our neighbours in Europe... and other places. So, I am concerned by what is happening in Afghanistan," he said. The Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Stanislav Zas, warned that the re-emergence of foreign terrorist groups including Al-Qaeda and ISIS are not only a threat to but to the whole region, reported Tolo News. "We pay in our work particular attention to our southern borders. Afghanistan remains a long-term ongoing source of danger, given the unfolding socio-economic and humanitarian disaster stemming from the country, as well as the terrorist threat and the risk of drug trafficking. That is all increasing," he said. Meanwhile, the Taliban Defense Ministry denied reports over the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan. "We deny these reports. We assure all the people that the security forces of the Islamic Emirate are ready to fight the terrorists. There are no terrorists in Afghanistan," said Inayatullah Khwarazami, a spokesman for the ministry. Based on the Doha agreement signed between the Taliban and Washington on February 29th, 2020, the Islamic Emirate is committed to cutting ties with all terrorist groups in the region. (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 eastern part of saw the most intense artillery bombardment for years on Friday with the government and the separatists trading blame. The firing which started around the 30 villages and towns along a 250-mile stretch of land separating Ukrainian and Russia-backed forces on Thursday, continued on Friday. Western countries believe will use the pretext as US President said Moscow is preparing a pretext to justify a possible attack and invade . Invade Ukraine. Later on Friday, Biden was slated to speak with NATO allies on the issue. The call will be the latest in a flurry of diplomatic engagements between Biden administration officials and European allies about Russias threatening military buildup on Ukraines border. also announced new drills involving strategic forces on Saturday, with Moscow saying that Putin will oversee the operations. The number of Russian troops around Ukraine has reached 149,000, Kyiv said on Friday. According to sources, Russias drills will test its strategic nuclear forces, which include the land-based launchers, bombers and warships used to deliver nuclear weapons. They will involve the Black Sea Fleet, which has been engaged in large-scale exercises in the region bordering Ukraine. Putin will preside over them from a situation center, the Kremlin said. Even test launches of this type are, of course, impossible without the head of state, Dmitri S. Peskov, the Kremlins spokesman, told reporters. You all know about his famed black briefcase, the red button and so on. The defence ministry said the drills were planned in advance, and Mr. Peskov denied that they were intended to raise tensions. But they will come at a critical juncture in the standoff over Ukraine. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday the world is probably a more dangerous place now than during the Cold War. Guterres warned that a small mistake or miscommunication between major powers could have catastrophic consequences. Gold slips Gold prices slipped from the $1,900 level on Friday, as a potential Russia-U.S. meeting next week spurred expectations of a diplomatic solution to the standoff over Ukraine. Spot gold fell 0.4% to $1,890.05 per ounce, as of 0456 GMT, after touching its highest in eight months at $1,902.22 earlier in the session. The metal on Thursday rose above $1,900 for the first time since June. welcomes India's position Russia on Friday welcomed India's position on the Ukraine crisis, amid spike in tensions between the NATO countries and Moscow over the situation in the eastern European nation. The reaction came a day after India said at the UN Security Council that "quiet and constructive diplomacy" is the need of the hour and that any step that could escalate the tension should be avoided "We welcome #India's balanced, principled and independent approach," the Russian embassy in India tweeted. At a meeting of the UN Security Council on the Ukraine situation, India's Permanent Representative to the UN T S Tirumurti on Thursday pitched for immediate de-escalation of the situation. In Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (EAM) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi too said that India has been supportive of an immediate de-escalation of tensions and resolution of the situation through sustained diplomatic World leaders converge this weekend on Germany for the annual Security Conference which will be dominated by the crisis as major Western powers warn the Kremlin looks close to launching an invasion of the former Soviet state. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will be among the dignitaries attending the three-day event, known as "Davos for defence", which kicks off on Friday at the luxurious Bayerischer Hof hotel in . No Russian delegation will attend the conference, the Kremlin said last week - the first no-show in years, underscoring how much East-West relations have deteriorated. Even at the height of the Ukrainian revolution preceding Russia's annexation of Crimea, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attended. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the forum had increasingly become biased towards the West, "losing its inclusivity, objectivity". Daniela Schwarzer, a senior fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center, said: " has limited interest in dialogue and in particular an open conversation about security in Europe. "The conference is an occasion for the political West to show unity vis-a-vis and vis-a-vis authoritarian regimes more generally," said Schwarzer, who is attending the event. U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday there was now every indication was planning to invade in the next few days and was preparing a pretext to justify it, after Ukrainian forces and pro-Moscow rebels traded fire in eastern . The Kremlin accused him of stoking tensions and threatened unspecified "military-technical measures". Schwarzer noted that the conference, while scaled back compared to pre-pandemic ones, would be the first physical meeting of the security and foreign policy community in two years. In-person conversations were key to "building trust", she said. 'Overlapping Crises' The Ukraine standoff is not the only crisis that will keep conference attendees busy. Roundtables on Saturday, the main day of events, will also address the fragile security situation in the Sahel and the revival of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal. Both issues have flared up this week with the announced French withdrawal of troops from Mali after almost a decade fighting Islamist insurgents and reports of a new U.S.-Iranian deal taking shape. Conference Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger told reporters he could not recall a time when there were "so many overlapping crises". On Friday, the main program kicks off from 1230 GMT with speeches by U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Over the weekend there will also be high-profile panels on cryptocurrency, climate change and the pandemic. But much of the action is likely to take place on the sidelines of the main stage, said Ulrike Franke, a fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank. One of these will be a meeting of the foreign ministers from the Group of Seven industrialized nations set to address the Ukraine crisis. "Important issues are discussed at these meetings behind the scenes," said Franke, "and it's only months later when something is announced that you realise what really happened in ." This will be Ischinger's last time chairing the conference. After 14 years as chairman, he is set to hand over the reins to Christoph Heusgen, former Chancellor Angela Merkel's adviser on foreign and security policy. (Reporting by Sarah Marsh in Berlin and Sabine Siebold in Munich; Additional reporting by Thomas Balmforth in Moscow; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tensions spiked anew over on Thursday with conflicting claims over whether had drawn down troops it has been massing for weeks around Ukraine, escalating hostilities in Ukraine's separatist-controlled east and intensified diplomacy. U.S. President warned there is still a very high risk of a Russian invasion within several days. And, in what the United States described as an unprovoked move, expelled a senior U.S. diplomat in Moscow. A day after Moscow said it was returning troops to bases, the NATO allies said is actually building up forces near . At the same time, and the Russia-backed rebels in its east accused each other Thursday of intensive shelling along the line of contact in Donetsk and Luhansk. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on his way to an annual security conference in Germany, was rerouted to the United Nations to promote a diplomatic solution. Here's a look at what is happening where and why: WHAT WE DO AND DON'T KNOW ON THE GROUND Russia says it moved its troops away from the conflict zone. But NATO allies say constant movements mask their true intentions. NATO allies accuse Russia of misleading the world by saying some 7,000 troops were being returned to bases, but instead moving in thousands of new ones. Maxar Technologies, a commercial satellite imagery company that has been monitoring the Russian buildup, reported continued heightened military activity near Ukraine, including a new pontoon bridge and a new field hospital in Belarus. Russia has massed an estimated 150,000-plus troops on three sides of Ukraine in recent weeks, but denies it is plotting an invasion. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Russia has enough troops, enough capabilities, to launch a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine with very little or no warning time, and that is what makes the situation so dangerous. The fact that you're putting a battle tank on a train and moving it in some direction doesn't prove a withdrawal of troops, he said. It has to be a meaningful withdrawal, a meaningful de-escalation. Shelling along the border in Ukraine's separatist-controlled east also has fueled speculation that Russia might be creating a pretext to invade Ukraine. A sharp increase in skirmishes in recent days raised that specter. In the latest incident, separatist authorities in the Luhansk region reported an increase in Ukrainian shelling. The Ukraine military said it had not fired back after its forces were shelled. They said the shells also hit a kindergarten, wounding two civilians. WHAT DO SATELLITES SHOW? Widely available commercial satellite imagery of Russian troop positions bracketing Ukraine provides a bird's-eye view of an crisis as it unfolds. But the pictures, while dramatic, have limitations. High-resolution photos from commercial satellite companies in recent days confirmed that Russian forces are arrayed within striking distances of Ukraine. But they could not provide conclusive information about net additions or subtractions of Russian forces or reveal when or whether an invasion of Ukraine would happen. In such a fluid crisis, even day-old satellite photos might miss significant changes on the ground. The U.S. military and intelligence agencies can piece together a better picture of what's happening by combining satellite imagery with real-time video as well as electronic information scooped up by aircraft such as the Air Force's RC-135 Rivet Joint, not to mention information gathered from human sources. THE DIPLOMATIC FRONT As EU and NATO officials sent out assurances that there's still room for diplomacy, Russia expelled the second-highest U.S. diplomat in Moscow. Washington said the expulsion of U.S. deputy chief of mission Bart Gorman was an unprovoked escalation in tensions. We are considering our response, the State Department said. HOW DOES THE UNITED STATES SEE A RUSSIAN INVASION UNFOLDING? Blinken went before the U.N. Security Council on Thursday to sketch out how Washington contends a Russian attack would unfold, revealing conclusions of U.S. intelligence in a strategy the United States and Britain have hoped will pre-empt any Russian invasion planning. The United States has declined to reveal most of the evidence underlying its claims on Russia's planning. A sudden, seemingly violent event staged by Russia to justify invasion would kick it off, Blinken told U.N. diplomats. We don't know exactly the pretext, he said a so-called terrorist bombing inside Russia, a staged drone strike, a fake, even a real attack using chemical weapons. The military attack itself would open with cyber attacks and missiles and bombs dropping across Ukraine, America's top diplomat said. Painting the U.S. picture further, Blinken described the entry of Russian troops, advancing on Kyiv, a city of nearly 3 million people, and other key targets that have already been identified and mapped out. U.S. intelligence indicated Russia would target specific groups of Ukrainians, Blinken told the U.N., again without giving details. In an implicit nod to Secretary of State Colin Powell's appearance before the Security Council in 2003, when Powell cited false U.S. intelligence to justify the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Blinken added: Let me be clear. I am here today not to start a war, but to prevent one. WHAT IS MOSCOW SAYING? Russia on Thursday reaffirmed its demand for the U.S. and its allies to keep Ukraine out of NATO but held the door open for talks on a range of security issues. The Russian Foreign Ministry handed over its formal reply to the U.S. and NATO security proposals and later published it on its website. The document again denies Western claims that Russia has an intention to invade Ukraine, but repeats that NATO's expansion to Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations would be a red line for Russia. It says Moscow will continue pressing its demands for no further NATO expansion and for the alliance to roll back its forces from Eastern Europe, and could take unspecified military-technical measures if the West continues to ignore them. At the same time, it says Russia is ready to discuss measures to enhance security in Europe by negotiating limits on missile deployments, restrictions on patrol flights by strategic bombers and other confidence-building steps provided they are discussed in conjunction with Moscow's main proposals. HOW ARE UKRAINIANS REACTING? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that NATO membership is a distant dream for his country, blaming both opposition from Russia and from some unidentified NATO members. It is not the Ukrainian people who choose when we will be (in NATO), because it depends not only on us: 30 countries must unanimously agree on this decision, Zelenskyy said. WHAT IS NATO DOING? Stoltenberg, in opening a meeting of the alliance's defence ministers in Brussels, said Russia has yet again demonstrated its disregard for the principles underpinning European security, and its ability and willingness to threaten the use of force in pursuit of its objectives. U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters in Brussels that Russia is moving troops close to the border, flying in more combat and support aircraft. We see them sharpen their readiness in the Black Sea. We even see them stocking up their blood supplies,? he said. You don't do these sort of things for no reason, and you certainly don't do them if you're getting ready to pack up and go home.? Meanwhile, the alliance is bolstering its eastern regions. The U.S. has started to deploy 5,000 troops to Poland and Romania. Britain is sending hundreds of soldiers to Poland and offering more warships and planes. It also is doubling the number of personnel in Estonia and sending tanks and armored fighting vehicles. Germany, the Netherlands and Norway are sending additional troops to Lithuania. The White House said Biden would discuss the matter with trans-Atlantic leaders in a phone call Friday afternoon. The Canadian prime minister's office said the call would include the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, the European Union and NATO. The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday night to show unwavering support for an independent Ukraine and condemn Russian military aggression toward its neighbour. Shelling in on Thursday renewed Western fears of an imminent Russian invasion as U.S. President Joe Biden said Moscow is preparing a pretext to justify a possible attack and the Kremlin expelled an American diplomat. Early morning exchanges of fire between Kyiv's forces and pro-Russian separatists - who have been at war for years and where a ceasefire is periodically violated - caused alarm as Western countries have said an incursion could come at any time. One of the deepest crises in post-Cold War relations is playing out in Europe as wants security guarantees, including Kyiv never joining NATO, and the U.S. and allies offer arms control and confidence-building measures. While accuses the West of hysteria, saying some its troops have returned to bases and that it has no plans to invade, many Western countries are adamant that the military build-up is continuing ahead of a possible assault. "We have reason to believe they are engaged in a false flag operation to have an excuse to go in," Biden told reporters at the White House. "Every indication we have is they're prepared to go into and attack ." He ordered Secretary of State Antony Blinken to change his travel plans at the last minute to speak at a United Nations Security Council meeting, where he outlined possible Russian scenarios. "It could be a fabricated so-called terrorist bombing inside Russia, the invented discovery of a mass grave, a staged drone strike against civilians, or a fake - even a real - attack using chemical weapons," Blinken said. " may describe this event as ethnic cleansing, or a genocide." Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said Blinken's comments were regrettable and dangerous. In a new blow to relations between the two world powers, Russia expelled U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Bart Gorman. The move was announced on Thursday but a senior State Department official said he left last week. Moscow cited the U.S. expulsion of a senior official in Washington, who it said was forced to leave before a replacement could be found as part of a U.S. "visa war". Washington said it would respond to the "unprovoked" move. Russian diplomats who have stayed longer than three years must leave the United States, while Moscow is giving U.S. diplomats less time, a State Department spokesperson said. Trading Accusations In Ukraine, Russian-backed rebels and Kyiv's forces traded accusations that each had fired across the ceasefire line in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow accuses Kyiv of "exterminating" civilians. Ukrainian government forces denied accusations of having targeted separatist positions in the breakaway region of Donbass, which borders Russia. Details could not be established independently, but reports from both sides suggested an incident more serious than the routine ceasefire violations that are often reported in the area. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was "seriously concerned" about the reports. Russia has long said Kyiv wants an excuse to seize rebel territory by force, which Ukraine denies. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the pro-Russian forces had shelled a kindergarten, in what he called a "big provocation". Video footage released by Ukrainian police showed a hole through a brick wall in a room scattered with debris and children's toys. "Some provocations were planned for today, we expected them and thought that a war had begun," Dmytro, a resident of the village of Stanytsia Luhanska, told Reuters. The separatists, for their part, accused government forces of opening fire on their territory four times in the past 24 hours. Neither account could be verified. A Reuters photographer in the town of Kadiivka, in Ukraine's rebel-held Luhansk region, heard the sound of some artillery fire from the direction of the line of contact, but was not able to determine details. Summit of Key Leaders? Estimates also vary as to how many Russia soldiers have massed near Ukraine. Nearby NATO member Estonia cited around 170,000 troops on Wednesday. White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said on Thursday that Russia had added 7,000 troops to its presence at the Ukrainian border over the past 24 hours. "We see them fly in more combat and support aircraft. We see them sharpen their readiness in the Black Sea," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at NATO headquarters in Brussels. "We even see them stocking up their blood supplies." Russia's defence ministry released video it said showed more units leaving the area near the border. Maxar Technologies, a private U.S. company that has been tracking the build-up, said satellite images showed that, while Russia has pulled back some military equipment from near Ukraine, other hardware has arrived. As diplomatic efforts continue, Russia says its security demands are still being ignored. "In the absence of the readiness of the American side to agree on firm, legally binding guarantees of our security from the United States and its allies, Russia will be forced to respond, including through the implementation of military-technical measures," it said in a letter to the U.S. ambassador. Blinken said Washington was evaluating the document and that he had earlier sent a letter to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov proposing a meeting between the pair in Europe as well as of the NATO Russia Council and the OSCE permanent Council. "These meetings can pave the way for a summit of key leaders," he said. (Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Writing by Peter Graff, Mark Trevelyan, Philippa Fletcher and Costas Pitas; Editing by Alex Richardson, Gareth Jones, Frances Kerry and Grant McCool) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hyderabad: TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao will tour several states later this month and in March to meet the chiefs of regional parties in his attempt to unite them against the BJP. The series will start with the meeting with Shiv Sena chief and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on February 20. Party sources said that the CM plans meet Trinamul Congress president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata, and travel to Bengaluru to meet H.D. Deve Gowda, JDS founder and former prime minister. The CM wants to invite them for the inaugural of the renovated Yadadri temple complex, to be held from March 21 to 28. He will tour Odisha, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh after March 10, when the Assembly election results of five states will be out. Before that, the CM plans to hold the Budget Session of the Telangana Legislature in the first two weeks of March. The CM is understood to be undecided on visiting Andhra Pradesh. Rao and AP CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had displayed unusual bonhomie, meeting over half a dozen times within six months until January 2020. There have been no meetings since, and the TRSs attitude towards the YSRC has hardened over river water sharing disputes. TRS sources said Jagan Mohan Reddy has not shown interest in Raos renewed efforts to unite regional parties, and continues to maintain cordial relations with the BJP. The TRS does not have friendly relations with the Telugu Desam which is focused on retaining power in AP in 2024, and is not interested in national politics until then. TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu has not reacted to Raos initiatives. TRS circles expect Rao to ease his tough stance towards the TD as it is no more a major political force in Telangana state or a political threat to the TRS. The US has added sites operated by Chinese technology giants and to its "Notorious Markets List" of businesses it believes are involved with trading counterfeit goods, the BBC reported. The list identifies 42 online sites and 35 physical stores, including e-commerce platforms, run by the firms. The US trade agency says they "engage in or facilitate substantial trademark counterfeiting or copyright privacy". The US and China are in a long-running dispute over trade and technology. "The global trade in counterfeit and pirated goods undermines critical US innovation and creativity and harms American workers," US Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai said. The Office of the USTR said its list had for the first time included AliExpress and WeChat e-commerce sites. AliExpress is owned by and WeChat is operated by Tencent, the BBC reported. It called the sites "two significant China-based online markets that reportedly facilitate substantial trademark counterfeiting". China-based online markets Baidu Wangpan, DHGate, Pinduoduo and Taobao continue to be listed, it added, "as well as nine physical markets located within China that are known for the manufacture, distribution, and sale of counterfeit goods". said it had "invested significant resources" into protecting intellectual property rights on its platforms, the report said. "We strongly disagree with the decision made by the US Trade Representative and are committed to working collaboratively to resolve this matter," a spokesperson told the BBC. did not respond to a BBC request for comment. The USTR first started identifying "notorious markets" in 2006. Its list is aimed at protecting American businesses and workers from the effects of cheap counterfeit goods, that are usually manufactured outside the US, the BBC reported. --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.) The U.S. Congress on Thursday gave final approval of legislation funding the government through March 11, avoiding the embarrassing spectacle of federal agencies having to shut many of their operations amid the Russia- crisis. The Senate acted as a midnight Friday deadline loomed, when existing funds were set to expire for operating most of the federal government. The temporary funding bill passed in a bipartisan vote of 65-27 and now goes to President for signing into law. It was needed because Congress so far has failed to pass any of the one-dozen regular appropriations bills for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1. "A government shutdown would be useless, senseless. Can you imagine how that would look to the Russians?" Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy said during brief debate of the legislation. This third stop-gap measure since last September, which the House of Representatives passed on Feb. 8, would give congressional Democrats and Republicans until March 11 to reach a deal on a massive spending bill to keep Washington humming through Sept. 30, the end of the current fiscal year. The prolonged uncertainty over Washington's finances for operations including many military programs comes at a time when Russia has amassed around 150,000 troops at its border with Ukraine, stoking fears of a looming invasion that has rattled NATO nations and financial markets. House-Senate negotiations on a spending deal likely would appropriate around $1.5 trillion in "discretionary" funds for an array of government programs, including those administered by the Pentagon, the Environmental Protection Agency, Health and Human Services and other Cabinet-level departments. Failure to reach a deal by March 11 would leave Congress with three options: simply passing a bill extending current funding at levels approved by the former President Donald Trump's administration for the remainder of this fiscal year; approving a fourth temporary funding bill in the hope that a grand deal still can be negotiated, or letting funding lapse. The latter would trigger widespread furloughs of federal workers, shuttering many programs. A long-term extension of current funding would cause some Pentagon layoffs, for example, and freeze National Institutes of Health funding for medical research at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. The last time Congress failed to fund the government was in December 2018, when Democrats balked at funding then-President Donald Trump's U.S.-Mexico "border wall." Following a record 35-day impasse, Trump found ways to partially circumvent Congress, but the so-called wall never was completed amid skepticism over its effectiveness. This time around, Republicans are insisting that overall spending be split evenly between defense and non-defense programs. Democrats who narrowly control Congress have been seeking slightly more spending in the non-defense arena. But if that top-line number is set, many disagreements would still have to be ironed out over individual programs. (Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Stephen Coates) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday to show unwavering support for an independent and "condemn" Russian military aggression toward its neighbour as fresh fears emerged of a possible invasion that could spiral toward a European war. Action in the Senate came after President Joe Biden said the US has "every indication" of a potential Russian attack on in a matter of days. US officials have outlined stark scenarios of President Vladimir Putin's potential plans as Russian troops remain massed at the border. The resolution from the senators does not carry the force of law but puts the US legislative body on record with "unwavering support for a secure, democratic, and independent Ukraine" and "denounces the Russian military buildup" on Ukraine's border. The vote was unanimous, without objection or the formal roll call. "This Congress is united in its support of Ukrainian independence and sovereignty," said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, in introducing the measure with Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and others. Senators have been racing all week to mount a response to rising tensions in the region, many eager to go even further by imposing devastating sanctions on Putin that would send shockwaves through the Russian economy. Ukraine has strong allies in the Senate, where there is broad support for sanctions on as a powerful foreign policy tool to be used if Putin furthers his aggression toward Ukraine. Amid high-stakes diplomatic efforts to pull off any plans to invade, senators held back on legislation sanctioning Russia, deferring to the White House's own strategy for easing out of the crisis that could spread across Europe. The resolution Thursday encourages Biden to have the US government exhaust its tools available to impose "significant costs" on and "restore peace in Europe." The final text said the resolution was not to be construed as an authorization for the use of military force against Russia or for the introduction of US armed forces in Ukraine. Senators have said the administration can impose sanctions on its own, regardless of congressional action. "It is not a question of if' but how' we will respond to Putin," said Shaheen in a statement. Earlier this week, Senate leaders, along with the Democratic chairmen and top Republicans on the foreign relations and other committees, issued a bipartisan statement ahead of the resolution. Despite widespread backing from the senators for legislation that would sanction Russia over its behaviour toward Ukraine, they have had debates over the details and timing. There have also been differences over the Nord Stream 2 energy pipeline between Russia and Germany, although those may have become resolved after Biden said last week the energy line would not continue if Russia invades Ukraine. Still, senators were eager for a unified show of support for Ukraine at this moment, and before the Senate recessed. Several senators and House lawmakers were headed to an annual security conference in Munich. (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.) Vice President on Friday heralded unity during the escalating crisis and warned Russia that the US and Western allies stood ready to respond with tough sanctions if President Vladimir Putin moves forward with an invasion of . In a meeting with Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg as the annual Munich Security Conference got underway, Harris thanked the alliance for all that you have done throughout the crisis. We remain, of course, open to and desirous of diplomacy, as it relates to the dialogue and the discussions we have had with Russia, but we are also committed, if Russia takes aggressive action, to ensure there will be severe consequence in terms of the sanctions we have discussed, Harris told Stoltenberg. And we know the alliance is strong in that regard." Harris and her top national security aides huddled with Stoltenberg after President Joe Biden on Thursday in Washington warned that every indication suggests Russia is "prepared to go into Ukraine, attack . The US now estimates that Russia probably has massed between 169,000 and 190,000 personnel in and near Ukraine, up from about about 100,000 on Jan. 30, said Michael Carpenter, the permanent US representative to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. In addition to troops along the border, in neighbouring Belarus and in Crimea, he said the estimate includes Russian-led forces in eastern Ukraine and also internal security units deployed to these areas. It was unclear if these forces were included in the most recent estimate of 150,000 troops. Harris said it was intentional that she was holding her first meeting at the annual security conference with NATO's secretary general. The administration is trying to drive the message to Putin that the crisis has only bolstered the 30-country military alliance's resolve to push back against Moscow's aggression. Stoltenberg echoed Harris' sentiment of growing unity during the crisis. I also welcome the fact that European allies are stepping up, also increasing their presence in the eastern border of the alliance and also investing more in defense, Stoltenberg said. So the reality is that North America and Europe are doing more together now that we've done for many years. US and European officials are on high alert for any Russian attempts to create a pretext for invasion. Officials are concerned that increased shelling in the Donbas region, the slice of land where Russian-backed separatists have battled for years against the Ukrainian government, could be used by the Kremlin as a pretext to launch an invasion of Ukraine. Later Friday, Harris is scheduled to meet with Latvian President Egils Levits, Lithuania President Gitanas Nauseda, and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas to discuss the latest developments related to Russia's buildup on Ukraine's border and US readiness to further reinforce NATO allies on the eastern flank of the alliance, according to a senior Biden administration official. The official, who was not authorised to comment publicly, said Harris planned to underscore to the Baltic leaders, who are watching the situation on the Ukraine-Russian border warily, that the Biden administration is committed to a central tenet of the NATO alliance: the principle of mutual defense. Harris is set to deliver a major address at the conference on Saturday that will focus on the Ukraine crisis. Preparations for the address were fluid, but Harris in part is expected to spotlight the unity of NATO and Western allies in the face of the Ukraine crisis, the administration official said. Meanwhile, Biden planned to speak by phone Friday with trans-Atlantic leaders about the Russian military buildup and continued efforts at deterrence and diplomacy. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was also in Munich on Friday where he was meeting with his counterparts from Britain, France and Germany. Blinken is also scheduled to meet one-on-one with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and French Foreign Minister Jean-Ives Le Drian. (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.) UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday warned that it would be catastrophic if the Russia- conflict escalated into a war, while underlining that there was no alternative to diplomacy. On Friday, announced nuclear drills, even as leaders of nations from the West looked for ways to ease the tensions. According to US estimates, has amassed between 169,000 and 190,000 personnel in and near Ukraine, up from about 100,000 on January 30. With a concentration of Russian troops around Ukraine, I am deeply concerned about heightened tensions and increased speculation about a military conflict in Europe. I still think it will not happen. But if it did, it would be catastrophic, Guterres said in his remarks to the opening segment of the Munich Security Conference Friday, an event that was conspicuous by the absence of leaders from Moscow. The UN chief underlined that there is no alternative to diplomacy and all issues, "including the most intractable, must be addressed through diplomatic frameworks. It's high time to seriously de-escalate, he said. Urging "all parties to be extremely careful with their rhetoric, Guterres cautioned that public statements should aim to reduce tensions, not inflame them. US Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday heralded NATO unity during the escalating crisis and warned that the US and Western allies stood ready to respond with tough sanctions if Russian President Vladimir Putin moves forward with an invasion of . Denish Pushilin, the head of the separatist government in the Donetsk region in has announced on Friday the evacuation of civilians to Russia amid soaring tensions. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, stopping over in New York on Thursday before heading to the Munich Conference, outlined at a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Ukraine. Blinken told the Council that over the past months, without provocation or justification, Russia has amassed more than 150,000 troops around Ukraine's borders. Russia says it's drawing down those forces. We do not see that happening on the ground. Our information indicates clearly that these forces including ground troops, aircraft, ships are preparing to launch an attack against Ukraine in the coming days, he said. Blinken said while we don't know precisely how things will play out, he warned that Russia plans to manufacture a pretext for its attack, that could include a fabricated so-called terrorist bombing inside Russia or a fake, even a real, attack using chemical weapons. Russia's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Vershinin, responding to Blinken's provocations as alleged pretexts for attacking Ukraine, said "such baseless insinuations cause "our deepest regret. Besides, as I said, they are dangerous because they add tension to the already tense atmosphere. But those are words. Vershinin said the Western states should resist the temptation of turning the UNSC meeting into a platform for baseless and aggressive rhetoric to feed the TV cameras, and that they will abstain from making unsubstantiated allegations that Russia is allegedly going to attack Ukraine. The alleged invasion date that you announced has already passed, so perhaps you'd better stop putting yourselves in an awkward situation, he said. Guterres cautioned that miscommunication or miscalculation can make a minor incident between powers escalate out of control, causing incalculable harm. He added that the system remains fully operational in Ukraine, including its humanitarian work in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. (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.) Shares of hit an over three-month high of Rs 366.20, surging 6 per cent on the BSE in Friday's intra-day trade. In the past two weeks, the stock of the battery and flash lights maker has rallied 32 per cent on expectation of strong performance in the next financial year 2022-23 (FY23). The stock was at its highest level since October 29, 2021. It had hit a 52-week high of Rs 413.30 on October 6, 2021. At 12:56 pm, was up 5 per cent at Rs 364, as compared to 0.37 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. The company, while announcing December quarter (Q3FY22) results on February 4, 2022, said the battery category will revert to its earlier level of profitability now that all adverse costs have been passed on. Similarly, the flashlights category will be on a stronger pitch with augmentation of its range with competitive products. The lighting and electrical category will commence its growth trajectory in a profitable way as the range and supply chain has been made efficient. "With the above, the Company is expected to turn in stronger performance within a short period of time. However, these benefits may not quite accrue within Quarter 4 and the performance during the quarter is likely to be subdued prior to transition to a stronger next fiscal," said in an outlook. Meanwhile, in Q3FY22, the company's net profit more-than-halved or was down 53 per cent year-on-year (YoY) at Rs 23.71 crore due to weak operational performance. Operating revenue declined 4 per cent YoY at Rs 326 crore, while operating earnings before interest tax and depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) contracted 8 percentage points at 36 per cent. The battery category saw an unprecedented cost push exceeding 20 per cent in the quarter. The flashlights category continued to suffer on account of dumped imports from China. The company said the entire adverse cost impact in battery raw materials has now been passed on to the market. Ten gram of 24-carat gold is selling at Rs 49,970 on Friday, down by Rs 430 since the last trade. Gold of 22 carat is selling at Rs 45,800, decreasing by Rs 400 from Thursday according to the Goodreturns website. One kg of silver is selling at Rs 63,400, increasing by Rs 400. In Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai, 24-carat gold is selling at Rs 49,970. The price of 22-carat gold is Rs 45,800 in these cities. In Chennai, 24-carat gold is selling at Rs 51,380. The price for 22-carat gold is Rs 47,100 in Chennai. The prices of gold and silver vary across the country due to excise duty, state taxes, and making charges. In Chennai, the price of 1 kg of silver is at Rs 68,000. In Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai, the price is at Rs 63,400. on Friday were at their highest since June 2021 as mounting tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine lifted bullion's safe-haven appeal, buttressed by lower US, bond yields, said Reuters. Safe-haven debt rose on Thursday after U.S. President Joe Biden said there was every indication Russia planned to attack Ukraine, while Moscow accused Washington of ignoring its security demands The Russia-Ukraine stand-off, which has jolted global and domestic equity markets, is expected to neutralise in the near-future. And while this and the US Fed-related concerns have been factored in by the market as of now, SATISH MENON, executive director at Geojit Financial Services told Nikita Vashisht that a further downside is possible if the actual outcome differs from the market's assumptions. Edited excerpts: How much downside can be expected in the markets from here on? Which sectors look attractive after the correction? The Russia-Ukraine standoff, which is expected to ... Oil headed for the first weekly loss in two months as investors weighed the crisis over Ukraine and the possibility that Irans nuclear deal may be revived. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell below $90 a barrel after losing as much as 3 per cent on Friday. WTI crude futures shed $0.43, or 0.47 per cent, to $91.33 a barrel after sliding 2 per cent on Thursday. Brent crude futures fell $0.13, or 0.14 per cent, to $92.84 a barrel by 9.45 IST. There have been signs that the markets recent rally is starting to cool in recent days albeit from exceptionally high levels. The North Sea market has seen differentials for physical barrels ease, while refining margins have come under pressure. Mounting speculation that Irans nuclear deal may be revived, potentially paving the way for the removal of US sanctions on the nations crude exports, is easing off some of the bullish signals. The oil markets structure weakened markedly on Friday, and one oil-focused exchange traded fund saw its biggest withdrawal since July 2020. The benchmark indices were trading lower in morning trade, tracking negative global cues. Pharma, healthcare and IT stocks were under pressure. The Nifty was hovering a tad below 17,300 level. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis stands at a pivotal moment, with Kyiv accusing pro-Moscow separatists of attacking a village near the border. The crisis re-escalated following an exchange of fire in eastern Ukraine and renewed U.S. warnings of an imminent Russian invasion. At 10:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, fell 58.40 points or 0.10% at 57,833.61. The Nifty 50 index slipped 19.15 points or 0.11% at 17,285.45. In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index skid 0.15% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index lost 0.06%. The market breadth was negative. On the BSE, 1,395 shares rose and 1,603 shares fell. A total of 126 shares were unchanged. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 1,242.10 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs), were net buyers to the tune of Rs 901.10 crore in the Indian equity market on 17 February 2022, provisional data showed. Buzzing Index: The Nifty Pharma index declined 0.78% to 13,220.40. The index lost 1.52% in two trading sessions. Gland Pharma (down 2.61%), Cipla (down 2.12%), Cadila Healthcare (down 1.63%), Aurobindo Pharma (down 1.52%) and Divi's Laboratories (down 1.41%) were the top losers in the Pharma segment. Lupin slipped 0.11%. The company, on Thursday, announced that the USFDA has approved the company's supplemental New Drug Application to expand the use of SOLOSEC (secnidazole) in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. The drug will be used for female patients 12 years of age and older and in the treatment of trichomoniasis for all patients 12 years of age and older. Bacterial vaginosis is a common vaginal infection and trichomoniasis is the most common non-viral, curable sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. Secnidazole oral granules is the first and only single-dose oral prescription approved to treat both bacterial vaginosis (BV), a common vaginal infection. The drug is designed to be easy to take and one oral dose contains a complete course of treatment. Stocks in Spotlight: CSB Bank advanced 3.26%. The bank said that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of Pralay Mondal as the deputy managing director of the bank, for a period of three years. On June 8, 2021, the bank had announced the appointment of Pralay Mondal as the deputy managing director of the bank, subject to RBI's approval. Hero MotoCorp lost 0.41%. The two-wheeler major has inaugurated its new dealership - Surya Hero in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Surya Hero will act as a one-stop-shop for all the sales and customer service requirements, in addition to offering the latest range of Hero-branded merchandise and accessories at the dealership. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The IT company announced Jasjit Singh Kang as the new head of Digital Operations & Platforms (DOP) of Wipro's iCORE (Integrated Cloud Infrastructure, Digital Operations, Risk and Enterprise Cyber Security Services) business. Jasjit Singh Kang joined Wipro as a part of the Alight acquisition in 2018 and was instrumental in integrating the business and leading the Asia Pacific operations. As a Senior Vice President and Head, he will focus on driving excellence in delivery operations and business growth. Before Wipro, Mr Kang spent seven years in the banking industry with Citibank, Bank of America and ANZ Grindlays. He has also worked in the Business Process Management industry with companies like Genpact (erstwhile GE Capital International Services), WNS and Aon. He served as the Chairperson for the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) Global In-house Centers (GIC) for the North India region. Jasjit Singh Kang will report to Nagendra Bandaru, Managing Partner of iCORE, Wipro. On a consolidated basis, Wipro reported 1.3% rise in net profit to Rs 2,970 crore on 3.3% rise in revenue from operations to Rs 20,313.6 crore in Q3 December 2021 (Q3 FY22) over Q2 September 2021 (Q2 FY22). On a year-on-year basis, Wipro's net profit fell 0.85% while revenue increased 29.63% in Q3 FY22. Shares of Wipro were down 0.52% to Rs 561.90 on BSE. Wipro is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the third wave of the (Covid-19) pandemic ebbing, the near-term prospects of commercial are set to improve. The long-term prospects of this segment are tied to the pace of economic growth. Since India has among the fastest-growing economies globally, commercial offers sound long-term prospects as well. Improving outlook Work From Home (WFH) had marred the prospects of commercial as companies let go of leased spaces to reduce their rental expense. The uncertainty that office as an asset class witnessed since the start of Covid is now reducing with corporates inviting their employees back to office, says Vishal Ahuja, head-private wealth group, India, JLL. Indias position within the global economy is likely to strengthen in the future. Indias value in the global market has increased steadily. From being an outsourcing destination, it has turned into a research and development hub for global companies. It is also a critical consumer market for products and services, says Viral Desai, executive director, transactions, Knight Frank India. According to JLL, the Indian office sector saw net absorption of 11.56 million sq. ft in October-December 2021, the highest in the last eight quarters, and up by 86 per cent quarter-on-quarter. Net absorption was up 26 per cent year-on-year for the half-yearly period of July-December 2021. Time to enter Experts believe this is a good time to invest in commercial real estate. WFH had created uncertainties in investors minds. However, companies are now looking at a hybrid work environment which means the office is an integral part of their plans. This has led to resurgence in investor confidence, says Ahuja. Anuj Puri, chairman, ANAROCK Group agrees. The market is definitely looking upbeat with leasing activity gaining momentum across the top seven cities in 2021. While many offices have already opened, many more are likely to open sooner or later. Hence, this is a good time to invest in commercial real estate, he says. Grade-A office space in a good location can fetch 7.5-10 per cent annual rental yield. In addition, there is scope for capital appreciation. Returns from this asset class also tend to be stable. Locations to bet on Investors can look at any of the busy corporate and business centres across the country. Bengaluru continues to see high demand from not just the IT/ITeS sector but also from start-ups. Outer Ring Road, Electronic City and Whitefield are some of the favoured locations in this city. In Hyderabad, HITECH city and Gachibowli are top favourites. In Gurugram it is MG Road, Sohna Road and the DLF IT parks. In Chennai, it is mostly OMR. In the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the BKC area and Worli are favoured destinations, says Puri. Adds Ahuja: Besides Mumbai and Pune in the West, Bengaluru and Hyderabad in the south, and NCR in the north, Kolkata and Chennai are also gaining momentum with investors examining opportunities in these cities. He adds that micro markets that are witnessing strong infrastructure development in the vicinity have attractive prospects. Key factors to consider To earn attractive returns, investors must select the property carefully. Location, occupier profile and entry and exit prices should be the key considerations. The property should be in a high-demand location and must have a stable occupier profile, says Desai. Proper due diligence is a must. Ensure that the property title is clean and there are no uncertainties in the documentation process. If the project is under construction, it must be RERA-registered, says Ahuja. He too emphasises the need to check tenant quality. A good tenant profile ensures stable returns, he adds. Sometimes, exiting from an investment in commercial real estate can pose a challenge. According to Desai, REITs are, therefore, a good option for investing in commercial real estate. All the REITs available in India belong to companies with strong portfolios, says Desai. After four years of cajoling, has finally given in. Its efforts to introduce a good and established global corporate practice of keeping the offices of chairmen and managing directors at companies separate in India didnt yield results. In the market regulators own words, it was a tall order. So, what does Sebis about turn mean? And what lessons does it hold for the market regulator? While some Indian companies may be resisting new ideas, people of the country seem open to experimenting when it comes to food. Stalls of spicy soya chaap are increasingly dotting the city markets across the country now. The last couple of years have seen the emergence of several plant-based meat brands in India. While the concept has been around in the West for a while, celebrities like Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma are helping in its mainstreaming in India. A slow but steady change in consumer awareness has opened up opportunities in this space. After food, let us move on to oil. Crude oil prices surged over 10% in the last one month to touch an eight-year high of $96 a barrel earlier this week amid tension between Russia and Ukraine. The BSE Sensex closed 105 points down at 57,892 yesterday, and the Nifty50 ended 17 points lower at 17,305, as investors monitored the Russia-Ukraine situation. Business Standards Puneet Wadhwa caught up with London-based Paul Hickin, a director at S&P Global Platts, to understand how he expects crude oil prices to play out in the days to come. Stock markets in India are likely to remain cautious on Friday, and take cues from their global peers. Let us now move on to the world of software. A controversy brought Github into the limelight in India recently when a bunch of youths misused this platform to host an app, on which they allegedly organised fake auction of over 100 women of a particular faith. While police acted swiftly and nabbed all the key accused, Github, on its part, suspended the account used to create the app and slammed the crime. There is much more to Github than this controversy. Take a peek into the creative world of this huge open-source platform and more in this episode of the podcast. On 15th February 2022, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, or Sebi, made it voluntary for India Inc to separate the post of chairperson from that of the managing director or chief executive officer. Sebis U-turn came weeks ahead of the 1st April 2022 deadline, by which time the top 500 listed firms by market value had been mandated to install two separate, and unrelated, persons as chairman and MD or CEO. According to Primeinfobase, Sebis reprieve will benefit over 150 companies that have the same individual as chairperson and MD or CEO at present. In its editorial, Business Standard has said that Sebis decision to convert the mandate into a voluntary exercise defied logic. One has to unpack the details of the whole affair to understand why such an assessment was made. First, a brief timeline. The mandate was one of the key recommendations by a committee on corporate governance in 2017. Subsequently, amended listing regulations in 2018 and stipulated that the chairmans post must be a non-executive one and, additionally, the chairman and MD must not be related. The original deadline for complying with this mandate was 1st April 2020. However, by December 2020, only 53% of companies had made the transition. This prompted a postponement to 1st April 2022. India Inc showed reluctance in complying with this governance requirement despite the fact that the rule was initially proposed five years ago and approved by four years ago. Given the timeframe involved, the market regulators reason for this relaxation, which is the low compliance levels by the companies, is untenable. Clearly, the corporations concerned had ample time to make these changes, which is a fact that Sebi seems to have overlooked. Secondly, we must understand the logic behind splitting the position. Globally, keeping the two offices separate is seen as a key corporate governance requirement. This is because while the chairman of a company is the head of the board, the companys MD is in-charge of daily operations and has to report to the said board. Keeping the two offices separate will enable effective supervision of the management and reduce excessive concentration of authority in a single individual. By splitting these roles, a company can not only secure its own interests and those of its shareholders, but also of the themselves because it embeds clarity with regard to responsibility and accountability across the whole organisation. At the end of the day, corporate India giant family-owned and managed groups seem to have won. The whole affair saw hectic lobbying by industry groups. In fact, in 2020, many companies had approached the Prime Ministers Office seeking a review of the regulation. Some of them had even pitched for doing away with the requirement altogether. There is a lesson for Sebi in all of this. It should have opted for a gradual approach to reforms. Apart from introducing some punitive measures, the market regulator should not have asked the companies to appoint chairman and MD who are not related. The latter was not a requirement in the 2017 committees recommendations. Sebi should have been cognizant of the fact that in India, the companys owners tend to leverage the MDs position as a grooming ground for family successors. In trying to get both the provisions through at the same time, Sebi ended up making the perfect the enemy of the good. Instead, Sebi could have introduced the relative clause at a later date, after the initial separation of posts was complete. From left to right: Lt. Vence Woods, Chief Gary Hagler, Sue Gillespie (survivors wife), Det. Holly Pennoni, Ross Gillespie, Capt. David Malloch, DNR Director Daniel Eichinger. Pennoni was presented with a Lifesaving Award at Thursdays meeting of the Michigan Natural Resources Commission in Lansing. Pennoni is credited with saving Ross Gillespies life last May after he suffered a medical emergency while driving and crashed his vehicle on the side of the road. Get to know the Emporia and area baseball and softball teams in the 2022 Baseball and Softball special section. READ NOW RTHK: US judge rules Trump must testify in NY fraud probe A judge ruled on Thursday that former US president Donald Trump must testify under oath in New York's civil probe into alleged fraudulent practices at his family business. The ruling is the latest legal blow to Trump as he fights numerous cases that threaten to complicate any bid for another run at the White House in 2024. State judge Arthur Engoron ordered Trump and his two eldest children, Donald Jr and Ivanka, to comply with subpoenas issued by New York Attorney General Letitia James. He said the three must sit for depositions within 21 days. The Trumps are expected to appeal. Earlier during oral arguments, the Trumps' lawyers said that the subpoenas should be quashed because having them give evidence in the civil case would prejudice their rights in a parallel criminal investigation. Engoron said their argument "completely misses the mark," noting that neither the Manhattan District Attorney, which is running the criminal investigation, nor James's office have ordered the Trumps to appear before a grand jury. In his ruling, Engoron added that the Trumps could invoke their Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate themselves during questioning in the civil case. He noted that Trump's other son, Eric, had pleaded the fifth "more than 500 times" during a deposition for James's investigation in October 2020. James, a Democrat, announced in January that her investigation into the Trump Organization had uncovered "significant evidence" of fraudulent or misleading practices. She said that the civil inquiry had found that the Trump Organization fraudulently overvalued multiple assets to secure loans and then undervalued them to minimise taxes. The Trumps have claimed the investigation is politically motivated and has urged the court to quash subpoenas against the three. If James finds evidence of financial misconduct she can sue the Trump Organization for damages but cannot file criminal charges. The probe, however, is running alongside a very similar criminal investigation by the Manhattan district attorney for possible financial crimes and insurance fraud. In July last year, the Trump Organization and its long-serving finance chief, Allen Weisselberg, pleaded not guilty in a New York court to 15 felony fraud and tax evasion charges. His trial is due to begin in the middle of this year. Trump, 75, has so far kept the electorate and commentators guessing about whether he intends to seek the Republican nomination again. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-02-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Central govt sends 1st expert team to HK to help fight citys acute epidemic surge (Global Times) 08:26, February 18, 2022 A medical worker registers personal information of a woman at a COVID-19 testing site in Hong Kong, Jan 24, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua] The Chinese mainland sent its first batch of experts on Thursday to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), one day after instructions from President Xi Jinping were reported to aid Hong Kong in the fight against the surging COVID-19 epidemic in the city, which reported 6,116 confirmed cases on Thursday. In the four-member team are national-level epidemiologists. Kang Min, the team leader, is head of the infectious disease institute of the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention. He has participated in the handling of MERS, H5N1 and H7N9. The experts in the group all from Guangdong Province and are fluent in Cantonese and English and familiar with Hong Kong society. The team could mobilize more resources from the mainland to assist Hong Kong based on its needs, He Qinghua of the National Health Commission (NHC) told media. Prior to their visit, Kang said they will work with Hong Kong experts in infection screening and epidemic risk analysis. In addition to the expert team, Guangdong also sent nucleic acid testing vehicles to Hong Kong on Thursday under the command of Wang Hesheng, deputy director of the NHC. Wang had led Wuhan to fight the epidemic two years ago when he was a member of the standing committee of the Communist Party of China Hubei provincial committee and director of the Hubei provincial health commission. This batch of assistance to Hong Kong was made in a very rapid manner under the guidance of the central government, as it came one day after a top-level coordinating group meeting in Shenzhen led by Xia Baolong, head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, on Wednesday, also participated by Wang. The four-member team is only one of multiple working groups set up by the mainland to aid Hong Kong. Media reported that more resources from the health system will be mobilized to assist Hong Kong, in which hundreds of patients were waiting to be admitted to hospitals. On Thursday, 6,116 confirmed cases and an additional 6,300 preliminary positive cases were reported in Hong Kong. Hong Kong media said due to the strained medical system, some patients were quarantined in parking lots and near hospitals. Lu Hongzhou, head of the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, told the Global Times that drawing experience from the mainland, containing the epidemic in Hong Kong will require a grasp of big data related to the epidemic. On the basis of the current self-testing, mass testing should be rolled out to cut off viral transmission chains. Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Thursday that mass testing is an option to be considered if the testing capacity could be enhanced. The Global Times learned from KingMed Diagnostics, a Guangzhou-based medical diagnostic testing company, that it is ready to aid Hong Kong in mass testing as it is escalating its testing capabilities to meet the demand. "With the operation of two or three more laboratories, we are able to increase the daily testing to 200,000 tubes." But imposing strict home quarantine on some 3 million families is unrealistic in Hong Kong due to the lack of resources. Building makeshift hospitals is urgently needed, Lu said. Zeng Guang, former chief epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told the Global Times that aid from the mainland can solve urgent situations in Hong Kong, including boosting mass nucleic acid tests and setting up emergency medical facilities. A Beijing-based health expert said replicating how the mainland contains the virus is not realistic for Hong Kong if the city cannot seal off communities and conduct rounds of tests. As the epidemic has spread, the expert suggested treating patients with severe symptoms to reduce severe cases and deaths, such as setting up a COVID-19 treatment center in areas bordering Guangdong to treat severe patients. Data revealed by Hong Kong on Thursday said 24 more patients died, raising the death toll to 258. More than 10 are in serious conditions. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Fighter jets of the Russian and Belarusian air forces fly in a joint mission during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills in Belarus, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. Russia has deployed troops to its ally Belarus for sweeping joint military drills that run through Sunday, fueling Western concerns that Moscow could use the exercise to attack Ukraine from the north. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr) Glen, NH (03838) Today Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 44F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 44F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. LOAD CATTLE FOR TRIP: Twenty-one registered Hereford were shipped from Manning Tuesday to Spain. The consignors are, from left, top picture, Sam, Les and Gene Wiese, Manning; Dale Dudley, the manager of Kenyon Farms, Tama; Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Kenyon, West Des Moines; Phil Higgins, Earlham; G Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and consider subscribing for only $7 per month to get access to more articles and news as it happens. Gagnon then moved to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and worked as Frederic Backs assistant on The Man Who Planted Trees (1987), whose fluid morphs echo those in Beginnings. The pair drew the 20,000-odd frames of the half-hour film, with Gagnon drawing every other frame of the film: She saved me a couple of years, Back later said of his colleague. The sweeping ecological fable was a triumph, counting an Oscar among its many awards. Returning to the NFB, Gagnon worked on animated segments for the documentary Un soleil entre deux nuages (A Sun Between Two Clouds, 1988), about children with leukemia and cystic fibrosis. For the first and last time, she then wrote, directed, and animated her own film, A Family for Maria (1992), which looked at the adoption of children from overseas. In 1999, Gagnon helped set up the animation department at Cegep du Vieux-Montreal, now one of the citys major animation programs. She taught there for over two decades, shaping a new generation of artists before retiring from the school in 2021. On her retirement, students and colleagues paid tribute in a video. From his bath, filmmaker Luc Chamberland said, What to say? How to sum up such an extraordinary career in a few words? Well: cheeky, wisdom, champagne, Oscar, bubble bath. Lina was a significant person in my journey, added artist Marianne Khayat. She introduced me to animation in all its splendor, and as a woman whos strong, intelligent, and accomplished in her field, she was a source of inspiration for me. Re. Joe Killorans opinion piece: Not equal treatment (Castanet, Feb. 17) I read, with interest, the defence counsel's op-ed in Castanet regarding unequal treatment. I will leave out the lawyer rhetoric about swastika's and flags. (You see all kinds of flags at protests, fools attach themselves to any cause.) Protesters have made life hellish for Canadians for some time now. Some of these protests have been going on for decades. (Joe) Killoran is amazed police formed special units to try to deal with them. The truck convoy did not exist a month ago, (so there was) not much time to require a special unit, like the blockades in B.C. The Coutts (Alberta border) protest ended once the protesters became aware that the police arrested several people and seized numerous firearms. Many other protests disregard court orders leaving police with little choice but carry out the order signed by a judge. As the lawyer knows, police cannot hold someone in jail for three days. They have to get a hearing before a Justice of the Peace within 24 hours. I would think it would be normal for a (police officer) to get advise from a legally trained person at headquarters in such a situation. You wouldn't want to leave the decision about asking for custody to some rookie just out of the (RCMP training) academy. I do not begrudge the lawyer giving his clients side of the story and leaving out inconvenient facts. It is his job to do this. Rick Bigland Photo: pixabay The provincial health officer is lifting an order that obliged employers to allow employees to work from home, if they so choose. Throughout the pandemic, many employers chose to allow employees to work from home, if possible. Some have since been gradually bringing workers back into the office, many of them on hybrid schedules. And some were legally obliged to let workers work from home, if the employee insisted on doing so, and if it was possible to do the work remotely from home. That is no longer a legal requirement. Employers can still choose to let employees work from home, but they are no longer obliged to allow it. On Thursday, the provincial health officer varied a workplace safety order. "The previous version of the order contained a section that has been removed," the PHO says in a press release. "That section required employers to allow workers to work from their private residence, if possible, given the nature of the work involved, unless the employer had an operational requirement to have the worker at the workplace." "All workplaces must continue to have COVID-19 safety plans in place, and the PHO's face coverings order continues to apply to some workplaces." Photo: @MattVanDeventer / Twitter The 39 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters is a Reserve Force unit staffed by members who run the day-to-day business in Vancouver. Dozens of military personnel marching on Vancouver's waterfront this week sparked some concern. Images of camouflage-clad soldiers making their way across the seawall on Wednesday (Feb.16) night were posted on social media. The federal government invoked the Emergencies Act this week to bring an end to anti-government blockades in Ottawa and across the country. This is the first time the Emergencies Act has been invoked since it came into force in 1988. But the recently-invoked act had nothing to with the local display. The 39 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters is a Reserve Force unit staffed by Command, Operations, Logistics and civilian members who run the day-to-day business of the headquarters in Vancouver. All 12 military units in B.C. are included in the group and represent roughly 1,500 soldiers. Graeme Kaine, pubic affairs officer for the 39 Canadian Brigade, told Vancouver Is Awesome in an interview that the soldiers spotted on the seawall were doing regular physical training. Each year, the soldiers must complete a battle fitness test that requires them to carry 50 pounds in their rucksacks while carrying their C7 assault rifles and wearing their helmetsand they need to do that for a considerable amount of time. In order to prepare for the gruelling, 12-kilometre test, soldiers regularly train to keep themselves in top physical condition. Typically, however, they perform the activities on the beach, explains Kaine. Vancouver police are notified prior to the military descending on the city's beaches and streets but it isn't an uncommon occurrence. Some nights they will conduct training in the city from 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The local soldiers also enjoy Freedom of the City, which is an honour that grants them the privilege of marching into the city "with drums beating, colours flying, and bayonets fixed." Many countries with links back to the United Kingdom, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, also maintain the tradition with medieval roots. Most of the troops spotted in the city were also out for the floods in Chilliwack but others will be deployed overseas. Regardless of where they go, however, they need to be in peak physical form and local training keeps personnel in tip-top shape. "These are citizen soldiers that live in Vancouver and this is what they do," noted Kaine. In other words, if you see soldiers filing down a Vancouver beach under the cloak of night, don't fear for the worst: they are probably just getting in a workout and all hell has not broken loose. Photo: The Canadian Press Aubrey Wright, father of Daunte Wright, speaks during sentencing hearing of Kim Potter on Friday. The former suburban Minneapolis police officer who said she confused her handgun for her Taser when she fatally shot Daunte Wright was sentenced Friday to two years in prison, a penalty below state guidelines after the judge found mitigating factors warranted a lesser sentence. Kim Potter was convicted in December of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April 11 killing of Wright, a 20-year-old Black motorist. She was sentenced only on the more serious charge in accordance with state law. For someone with no criminal history, such as Potter, the state guidelines on that charge range from slightly more than six years to about 8 1/2 years in prison, with the presumptive sentence being just over seven years. Prosecutors said the presumptive sentence was proper, but defense attorneys asked for a sentence below the guidelines, including a sentence of probation only. Judge Regina Chu imposed the sentence after hearing from Wright's family and Potter. Wright's mother said she will never be able to forgive Potter and would only refer to her as the defendant because Potter only referred to her 20-year-old son as the driver at trial. She never once said his name. And for that Ill never be able to forgive you. And Ill never be able to forgive you for what youve stolen from us, a tearful Wright said. A police officer who was supposed to serve and protect so much took so much away from us ... My life and my world will never ever be the same again, she said, adding later: Daunte Demetrius Wright, I will continue to fight in your name until driving while black is no longer a death sentence. Wright was killed after Brooklyn Center officers pulled him over for having expired license tags and an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror. The shooting, which came in the midst of Derek Chauvins trial on murder charges in George Floyds killing, sparked several days of demonstrations outside the Brooklyn Center police station marked by tear gas and clashes between protesters and police. Potter was convicted in December of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April 11 killing. She'll be sentenced only on the most serious charge of first-degree manslaughter, which carries a presumptive penalty of just over seven years in prison. Prosecutor Matt Frank said Friday that he believed the presumptive sentence is appropriate, given the loss of life and Potter's culpable negligence. His life mattered, and that life was taken, Frank said. His name is Daunte Wright. We have to say his name. He was not just a driver. He was a living human being. A life. Defense attorney Paul Engh told the judge that Wright's death was "beyond tragic for everybody involved." But, he added: This was an unintentional crime. It was an accident. It was a mistake. Engh held up a box displaying what he said were among thousands of letters and cards of support for Potter. People took the time to write her," Engh said. "This is unheard of for a defendant. I dare say no one in this room has ever seen anything like this. He urged the judge to sentence Potter to probation, saying sentencing guidelines are often not followed because they are too high for many defendants, including first-time offenders. He said Potter would be willing to meet with Wright's family and to speak to police officers about Taser mixups. If Potter is not sentenced to probation, then she should get a lower-than-usual sentence because Wright was the aggressor, Engh said. The testimony of other officers on the scene showed it was a dangerous situation because Wright was attempting to drive away, he said. This was an aggressive act. I dont know how it couldnt be an aggressive act, said Engh, who also said Potter had the right to defend other officers and that she never should have been charged with first-degree manslaughter. Evidence at Potters trial showed officers learned he had an outstanding warrant for a weapons possession charge and they tried to arrest him when he pulled away. Video showed Potter shouted several times that she was going to use her Taser on Wright, but she had her gun in her hand and fired one shot into his chest. Potter has been at the states womens prison in Shakopee since the guilty verdict. Her attorney said Friday that her mental and physical health has declined because she is isolated for her safety. If you send her to prison, you will harm her, Engh said. We are not in the business of harming defendants. Potter was also expected to make a statement. Wrights father and siblings earlier addressed the court to speak of their loss. The mother of Wright's son, Chyna Whitaker, said Friday that Wright would never have a chance to play ball with his son, or see him go to school. My son shouldnt have to wear a rest in peace shirt of his dad, Whitaker said. For someone with no criminal history, such as Potter, the state sentencing guidelines for first-degree manslaughter call for a penalty ranging from slightly more than six years to about 8 1/2 years in prison, with the presumptive sentence being just over seven years. In Minnesota, its presumed that inmates who show good behavior will serve two-thirds of their sentence in prison and the rest on supervised release, commonly known as parole. That means if Potter gets the roughly seven-year presumptive sentence, she would serve about four years and nine months in custody, with the rest on parole. It's time to reclaim the Canadian flag. The convoy that is currently attempting to hold Canada hostage (in Ottawa) through disruptive tactics has been masking its inner prejudice by using a symbol of Canadian pride and solidarity, the Canadian national flag. In World War 2, the Nazi party hijacked the swastika as a symbol of the idea of a racially pure state. The word swastika comes from the Sanskrit svastika, which means good fortune or well-being." The symbol was used as early as 7000 years ago and is still a sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Odinism. In Western societies, however, the swastika is associated with the Nazi ideology and is a powerful symbol of division. The Canadian flag was created so that there was a uniquely Canadian symbols to represent the country and is intended to symbolize unity in both freedom and justice, as well as the values of sensitivity, tolerance and compassion. The convoy, which represents less than 10% of Canadian society, started to claim the Canadian flag as a symbol of its movement, which is insensitive of the impact of the Coronavirus at-risk population, not tolerant of the freedom of choice of those who have chosen to vaccinate, lacks compassion for the impact to the families of other Canadians or the healthcare workers who have to support us in the event of a large number of cases. More seriously for Canadian society is the convoy has started to claim for itself the very symbol of freedom and compassion that identifies Canadians as Canadians. It's time Canadians move to reclaim the Canadian flag as a true symbol of freedom before it becomes hijacked by a small minority who value conflict and segregation above understanding and community. It's time Canadians fight back against a small disruptive minority by drowning out their flag-waving, horn-tooting antics. On Feb. 21 celebrate Family Day by flying a Canadian flag on your car to celebrate the silent support of the inclusive, supportive culture Canadians have built and nourished. Our flag is being hijacked to stand for intolerance and it's time to claim it back. Jay Swystun Photo: CTV News A Lower Mainland resident is fighting the government for compensation while he recovers from his third surgery related to a rare side complication related to his COVID-19 vaccination. CTV News reports Shaun Mulldoon, 43, of Langley B.C. was healthy at the time he took the AstraZeneca vaccine. He fell ill 10 days later. I was in a lot of pain. The next morning, I had started passing blood and vomiting and the pain was getting pretty intense, he told CTV. He ended up spending two months in hospital and underwent surgery to remove about two meters of intestine due to vaccine-related blood clots. Hes been dealing with a lot of anxiety and sleepless nights along with depression ever since. He applied in July to the federal vaccine injury support program, and seven months later, is still waiting. Its been beyond frustrating. I thought this would be cut and dry. I have so much documentation that supports that this is 100 per cent a vaccine injury, Mulldoon said in an interview with CTV News. I have reports from the hospital, from McMaster University, my doctor completed the vaccine injury support documents. He has obtained a vaccine passport exemption due to the situation, but still cant get answers from his federal vaccine injury case manager. Hes almost dismissive. I feel like Im inconveniencing him when I call, said Mulldoon. As of last December, 400 Canadians had submitted claims of COVID-19 vaccine injury. Fewer than five per cent had been approved. Mulldoon hasnt been able to work since May. With the lack of support from the government, the fact they have no liability, the manufacturers of the vaccines have no liability, everybody has complete immunity. Theres nothing I can do, he told CTV. The BCCDC reports there have been 393 reported serious adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine out of 10.8 million doses administered. with files from CTV Vancouver This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. On February 15, 2022, this report was posted online as an MMWR Early Release. Effectiveness of maternal completion of a 2-dose primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccination series during pregnancy against COVID-19 hospitalization among infants aged <6 months was 61% (95% CI = 31% to 78%). Effectiveness of completion of the primary COVID-19 vaccine series early and later in pregnancy was 32% (95% CI = 43% to 68%) and 80% (95% CI = 55% to 91%), respectively. Close COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for persons who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or who might become pregnant in the future, to protect them from COVID-19. Infants are at risk for life-threatening complications from COVID-19, including acute respiratory failure (1). Evidence from other vaccine-preventable diseases suggests that maternal immunization can provide protection to infants, especially during the high-risk first 6 months of life, through passive transplacental antibody transfer (2). Recent studies of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy suggest the possibility of transplacental transfer of SARS-CoV-2specific antibodies that might provide protection to infants (35); however, no epidemiologic evidence currently exists for the protective benefits of maternal immunization during pregnancy against COVID-19 in infants. The Overcoming COVID-19 network conducted a test-negative, case-control study at 20 pediatric hospitals in 17 states during July 1, 2021January 17, 2022, to assess effectiveness of maternal completion of a 2-dose primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccination series during pregnancy against COVID-19 hospitalization in infants. Among 379 hospitalized infants aged <6 months (176 with COVID-19 [case-infants] and 203 without COVID-19 [control-infants]), the median age was 2 months, 21% had at least one underlying medical condition, and 22% of case- and control-infants were born premature (<37 weeks gestation). Effectiveness of maternal vaccination during pregnancy against COVID-19 hospitalization in infants aged <6 months was 61% (95% CI = 31%78%). Completion of a 2-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccination series during pregnancy might help prevent COVID-19 hospitalization among infants aged <6 months. Using a test-negative, case-control study design, vaccine performance was assessed by comparing the odds of having completed a 2-dose primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccination series during pregnancy among mothers of case-infants and control-infants (those with negative SARS-CoV-2 test results) (6). Participating infants were aged <6 months and admitted outside of their birth hospitalization to one of 20 pediatric hospitals during July 1, 2021January 17, 2022. During this period, the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant was the predominant variant in the United States through mid-December, after which Omicron became predominant. Case-infants were hospitalized with COVID-19 as the primary reason for admission or had clinical symptoms consistent with acute COVID-19,** and case-infants had a positive SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or antigen test result. No case-infant received a diagnosis of multisystem inflammatory syndrome. Control-infants were those hospitalized with or without COVID-19 symptoms and with negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR or antigen test results. Enrolled control-infants were matched to case-infants by site and were hospitalized within 34 weeks of a case-infants admission date. Baseline demographic characteristics, clinical information, and SARS-CoV-2 testing history were obtained through parent or guardian interviews performed by trained study personnel during hospitalization or after discharge, and electronic medical record review of the infants record. Mothers were asked about their COVID-19 vaccination history, including number of doses and whether a dose had been received during pregnancy, location where vaccine was received, vaccine manufacturer, and availability of a COVID-19 vaccination card. Study personnel reviewed documented sources, including state vaccination registries, electronic medical records, or other sources (e.g., documentation from primary care providers) to verify vaccination status. Mothers were considered vaccinated against COVID-19 if they completed a 2-dose series of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, based on source documentation or by plausible self-report (provision of vaccination dates and location). Maternal COVID-19 vaccination status was categorized as 1) unvaccinated (mothers who did not receive COVID-19 vaccine before their infants hospitalization) or 2) vaccinated (mothers who completed their 2-dose primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series during pregnancy 14 days before delivery). SARS-CoV-2 infection status of the mother during pregnancy or after delivery was not documented in this evaluation. Mothers were excluded if they were partially vaccinated during pregnancy (1 dose during pregnancy and none before pregnancy) or vaccinated after pregnancy (71), received Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine (four), received 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccination before pregnancy (seven), or received >2 doses of COVID-19 vaccine 14 days before delivery (10). Descriptive statistics (Pearson chi-square tests and Fishers exact tests for categorical outcomes or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests for continuous outcomes) were used to compare characteristics of case- and control-infants; p-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Effectiveness of maternal vaccination (i.e., vaccine effectiveness [VE]) against infant COVID-19 hospitalization was calculated using the equation VE = 100% (1 adjusted odds ratio of completing 2-doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines during pregnancy among mothers of case-infants and control-infants), determined from logistic regression models. Models were adjusted for infant age and sex, U.S. Census region, calendar time of admission, and race/ethnicity (6). Other factors were assessed (e.g., infants underlying health conditions, Social Vulnerability Index, and behavioral factors) but were not included in the final model because they did not change the odds ratio of vaccination by >5% or because data on many infants were not available (e.g., breastfeeding history, prematurity, or child care attendance). In a secondary analysis, effectiveness of maternal receipt of the second dose of COVID-19 vaccination early in pregnancy (within the first 20 weeks) and late in pregnancy (21 weeks through 14 days before delivery) was assessed. Statistical analyses were conducted using SAS (version 9.4; SAS Institute). Procedures were approved as public health surveillance by each participating site and CDC and were conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy. During July 1, 2021January 17, 2022, among 483 eligible infants in 20 pediatric hospitals in 17 states, 104 (22%) were excluded; 71 excluded infants were born to mothers partially vaccinated during pregnancy or vaccinated after delivery, 10 were born to mothers who received a third vaccine dose 14 days before delivery, and 23 were excluded for other reasons. Among the remaining 379 hospitalized infants (176 case-infants and 203 control-infants), the median age was 2 months, 80 (21%) had at least one underlying medical condition, and 72 (22%) were born premature (Table 1). Among case-infants, 16% of mothers had received 2 COVID-19 vaccine doses during pregnancy, whereas 32% of control-infant mothers were vaccinated. Case- and control-infants had similar prevalences of underlying medical conditions (20% and 23%, respectively; p = 0.42) and prematurity (23% and 21%, respectively; p = 0.58). Case-infants were more commonly non-Hispanic Black (18%) and Hispanic (34%) than were control-infants (9% and 28%, respectively). Among case-infants, 43 (24%) were admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) (Table 2). A total of 25 (15%) case-infants were critically ill and received life support during hospitalization, including mechanical ventilation, vasoactive infusions, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO); among these critically ill infants, one (0.4%) died. Of the 43 case-infants admitted to an ICU, 88% had mothers who were unvaccinated. The mothers of the one case-infant who required ECMO and one case-infant who died were both unvaccinated. VE of a completed 2-dose maternal primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccination series during pregnancy against COVID-19associated hospitalization in infants aged <6 months was 61% (95% CI = 31% to 78%) (Table 3). Among 93 mothers classified as vaccinated, 90 (97%) had documented dates of vaccination. Effectiveness of a completed 2-dose COVID-19 vaccination series early in pregnancy (first 20 weeks) was 32% (95% CI = 43% to 68%), although the confidence interval was wide and should be interpreted with caution, and later in pregnancy (21 weeks through 14 days before delivery) was 80% (95% CI = 55% to 91%). The Fourth 'We Were There' Lecture: In 1955, some batches of polio vaccine given to the public contained live polio virus, even though they had passed required safety testing. Over 250 cases of polio were attributed to vaccines produced by one company: Cutter Laboratories. This case, which came to be known as the Cutter Incident, resulted in many cases of paralysis. The vaccine was recalled as soon as cases of polio were detected. Perus cement market expands in January 2022 ICR Newsroom By 18 February 2022 Cement dispatches to the Peruvian cement market by Asocem members reached 1.012Mt, up two per cent YoY and by 22 per cent when compared with January 2020, according to Perus cement association, Asocem. When an estimate of non-members is included 1.095Mt of cement was dispatched, up from 1.083Mt in January 2021. In January 2022 Asocem members produced 1.07Mt of cement, an increase of five per cent YoY and up 29 per cent when compared with January 2020. Clinker output declined by 19 per cent YoY to 0.739Mt, but when compared with January 2020, it edged up by four per cent. External trade In January 2022 Asocem members exported 17,500t of cement, up 17 per cent YoY and four per cent when compared with January 2020. In addition, 70,500t of clinker were exported. Cement imports declined 24 per cent YoY to 49,000t in January 2022 when compared with 65,000t in January 2021. Vietnam accounts for 44,000t, or 94 per cent of cement imports, and its shipments enter Peru via Callao. In addition, Chile exported 4000t to Peru via Tacna, while an additional 1000t was imported from an undisclosed location via Paita. Clinker imports in January 2022 reached 151,000t, down 47 per cent YoY. Around 57 per cent of clinker imports arrived from Japan, followed by Vietnam (29 per cent) and Indonesia (13 per cent). Published under Buena Vista, CO (81211) Today Windy with a few showers possible. High 64F. Winds SSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Light rain early. Decreasing clouds with mostly clear skies by morning. Low 31F. WNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Higher wind gusts possible. About 500 beta testers have begun using an early version of "Truth Social," and details about former President Donald Trump's new social media app are coming out. Truth Social was tested a year after Donald Trump was banned from Facebook, Twitter, and Alphabet's YouTube. Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), his new media and technology firm, has promised an engaging and censorship-free experience on the app, which will launch by the end of March, according to Chief Executive Devin Nunes. Trump App Aims to Stand up to Big Tech Some in the industry and media sectors are skeptical of TMTG, which is cloaked in secrecy. It's uncertain if the app's purpose of freedom of expression can coexist with the app store standards of Apple and Google. TMTG did not respond to a request for comment right away. "T Media Tech LLC has invited you to test Truth Social," Liz Willis, a reporter and vice president of operations at Right Side Broadcasting Network, said in an email to Reuters on Tuesday. Willis was able to get the software on her iPhone through the Apple-owned beta testing site TestFlight, which developers utilize before releasing their apps in the App Store. Willis said Wednesday morning that users have posted on this version of Truth Social for the past 24 hours. The app's beta testers include Wayne Dupree, the creator of WayneDupree.com and a conservative podcast host. Twitter has disputed that its platform is politically biased on several occasions. According to a snapshot seen by Reuters, Trump's account on Truth Social had 317 followers by late Wednesday. Before Twitter banned Trump, he had 88 million followers, as per The Strait Times. Read Also: Amir Locke Death: Funeral for Police Shooting Victim Set; Memorial Fund Reaches Halfway Mark Donald Trump's First Post on His New Social Media Users may upload and share "truths" in the same manner they would tweet on Truth Social. There are no commercials, according to Willis, and a second person knowledgeable with TMTG. The feed is a combination of individual posts and an RSS-like news feed, and users pick who they want to follow. They will be notified if they are mentioned or begin to be followed. "A new direct messaging experience will be coming shortly. Please stay tuned," the app states in an image. Donald Trump Jr. uploaded a screenshot of the former president's first post on the Truth Social media site, which is planned to launch later this month. In an interview with Newsmax, CEO of former President Donald Trump's social media firm Devin Nunes claimed the app is presently available for pre-order and will go live in March. According to The Logical Indian, the platform is nearly comparable to Twitter and allows users to follow both persons and popular topics. Furthermore, instead of tweets, posts will be referred to as Truths. Trump joined the network on February 10 and has around 175 followers, according to screenshots of his account on the platform. Related Article: Joe Biden Rejects Donald Trump Executive Privilege To Protect White House Visitor Logs; President Orders Release of Details to the Jan.6 Committee @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. County Mayor Coppinger, thank you for acknowledging what a burden it would be for taxpayers to provide an adequate ambulance service through a government bureaucracy. Throwing more money at it wont fix the problem though. People in the healthcare industry typically dont favor working for bureaucrats, which is the real problem in Hamilton County. Do like a lot of other counties across Tennessee do, and simply contract the service out. Let private businesses which are more than capable of handling the workload take care of Hamilton Countians. It is time to get the bureaucracy out of the way. Work on strengthening our Volunteer Fire Departments, who get there first. On Jan. 4, 2022 all of the chiefs over volunteer fire departments across Hamilton County agreed on a new budget formula that is equitable to even out the smaller departments. Considering the city of Chattanooga Fire Departments budget hovers at or above $50 million, the requested $4.5 million to properly fund the volunteer departments is a great bargain, as Im sure you will agree. James Berry Tennessees new-look license plates are quickly turning into a bad look for the state as some law enforcement agencies, including several in Shelby County, struggle to read the new tags. I can vouch for that, as the other night I pulled behind a pickup truck with the new look plates, and from a distance of between five to 10 feet when i pulled up to the stoplight, the whole tag reflected a white sheen, which made the tag unreadable. Think I have a solution, which is rather simple in nature. How about we revert to the time-tested embossed letter and numbers for our new look plates. Multiple studies have shown that embossed plates are easier to view under low light conditions. Ask Canada, as the new-look Ontario plates, which were also blue with white numbers/letters and flat, were unreadable at night to the point Ontario recalled all the plates, and reinstated the old, but trusty embossed license plates. Remember Tennesseeans before 2006 and the unfortunate change over to flat digital license plates, all Tennessee tags were embossed, and to my humble opinion they looked much better. Multiple states have reverted back to embossed plates such as NC, NV, and AK, so how about it, lets notify our state officials, and tell them bring back the old school" embossed plates. Dennis Garcia in Ooltewah Noon Development has purchased the previous Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union (TVFCU) headquarters downtown with plans to renovate the space and provide multiple suites of professional office space. The 715 Market Street building was originally designed for TVFCU, then Chattanooga TVA Employees Federal Credit Union, by local architects Derthick and Henley Architects in the 1970s for use as our corporate headquarters and branch, said Todd Fortner, TVFCU president and CEO. We occupied the building for more than four decades from June 1978 to May 2021, when we simply outgrew the space. The building is approximately 62,000 square feet and sits between Market Street and Broad Street in the central business district of Chattanooga. This project will contribute to the progress and improvement of the downtown area, officials said. Over the years, we have seen an increased need for renovated, modern office space in the downtown Chattanooga market, said Todd Kimling of Noon Development LLC. We are pleased to have the opportunity to invest in this great location. The renovation and modern facelift of the building will align with the character of Chattanooga. We are excited for Noon Development as they expand their holdings and bring new tenants to the heart of the city, said Mr. Fortner. We look forward to seeing how they will reimagine and modernize this iconic building in Chattanoogas City Center for future generations. Though much of the three-story building is pre-leased, there is still square footage available. Noon Development LLC announced the commencement of the 328 Broad St. renovation, the 60,000 square-foot future headquarters of Steam Logistics, last week, and recently completed the first new construction at The Bend, which brings additional medical office space to Chattanooga. If you are interested in leasing available office space at 715 Market Street or other locations, please contact Heath Dotson of Noon Development at 423-206-9797. Amanda Baushke has been named to the role of vice president of Life Enrichment at Morning Pointe Senior Living. Ms. Baushke is responsible for leading strategic development of life enrichment and memory care programming at all Morning Pointe locations, focusing on residents overall physical, spiritual, emotional, cognitive and social wellbeing. Morning Pointe Senior Living, a Chattanooga-based senior healthcare services company, owns and manages 36 Morning Pointe assisted living, personal care and Alzheimers memory care communities in five southeastern states. Morning Pointe was founded in 1997 by Tennessee healthcare entrepreneurs Greg A. Vital and Franklin Farrow and is celebrating 25 years of service this year. I am passionate about making our country and the world a better place to age, said Ms. Baushke. I have a love for working with older adults and developing myself as a thought and operational leader in the industry. Ms. Baushke joins Morning Pointe with over 13 years of industry experience, most recently holding the position of vice president of operations at a senior living-related company in the Denver, Co. area. She got her start in the healthcare industry as the director of masterpiece living for a large Life Plan community in Michigan. During her time there, she gained knowledge of the day-to-day experiences of residents and how to implement wellness, spiritual care and life enrichment programs that enhance senior living. Ms. Baushke holds a bachelors degree from Alma College in Alma, Mi. When she isnt at work, Ms. Baushke has several interests ranging from traveling both in and out of the country to volunteering in the community. She and her fiance, Josh, love to spend time in the great outdoors, hiking and other outdoor sports. One of Ms. Baushkes proudest moments was completing the 2012 Panama City Beach Ironman Triathlon. Morning Pointe is very fortunate to have Amanda leading our life enrichment and memory care programming, said Morning Pointe Chief Operating Officer Heather Tussing. Her zest for life and dedication to making senior living the best it can be make her an excellent fit for the vice president of Life Enrichment role. Amandas extensive knowledge and experience in engaging activity programming and delivery will help propel our company forward into a new phase of growth. 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days couple, Ella Johnson and Johnny Chao, are currently on season 5. While its unclear where their relationship stands on the show, are Ella and Johnny together in 2022? Heres what we know about this international couple. Ella and Johnny | TLC Ella and Johnnys journey on 90 Day Fiance 29-year-old Ella, from Idaho Falls, Idaho, has always been attracted to Asian men and their cultures. She met 34-year-old Johnny from Jinan, China, on a dating site exclusively from white women seeking to meet Asian men. She thinks she finally found her Asian Prince and hopes to take the next step in their relationship. After months of getting to know each other online, they planned to meet. However, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic keeping Chinas borders closed, Ella and Johnny planned to meet in the US. His plan was to leave his job, family, and his son, Stoney, in China to come and propose to Ella. Johnnys plan to go to the US involved a two-week quarantine in Singapore. After finding out he was denied, they began rethinking their strategy to see each other. Ella had an idea that they could meet in Dubai. However, after his family becomes concerned, hes worried about making the right choice. Are Ella and Johnny still together in 2022? While its unclear if they ever get a chance to meet this season of Before the 90 Days, it appears that theyre still together as a couple. Despite the many red flags, Ella confirmed in an Instagram video that she and Johnny are still together and that she and her future-in-laws get along well too. She confessed, It is February, it is the Chinese New Year, and I got to celebrate last night with Johnny and his parents. Ella said, Toasting to the new year. The year of the tiger, so hopefully itll be our year to shine. If thats not enough proof that theyre still together, she and Johnny follow each other on Instagram as well. Even though theyre still on opposite sides of the world, it appears theyre still in a long-distance relationship. Ella looks forward to Johnny coming to her ranch in Idaho In 2022, it seems that Johnny is still in China, living with his son and his parents. And Ella is still giving updates to her fans on her ranch in Mackay, Idaho. In one Instagram post on Feb. 4th, 2022, she wrote, Looking forwarded to having Johnny ride horse[s] with me and move cows. It appears that Ella and Johnnys love is strong enough to last the distance and time. Fans will have to keep watching 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days Season 5 to find out if they get a chance to meet this season. Before the 90 Days airs Sundays on TLC and discovery+. RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days Spoilers: Are Gino and Jasmine Still Together in 2022? The cast of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation makes it to their destination in The Not-So-International Vacation. Mike The Situation Sorrentino innocently mistakes Florida for an international locale. But as the reality TV star said international waters is a state of mind. Angelina and Chris Larangeira sit down with the Sorrentinos for a couples therapy chat in the episode. Plus, Zack 24 Carpinello plans a sweet surprise for Jenni JWoww Farley, and a family dinner ends with tension between Deena Cortese and Lauren Sorrentino. Mike The Situation Sorrentino | Twitter/MTV Angelina and Chris Larangeira get marriage advice from the Sorrentinos in The Not-So-International Vacation Before heading out on their Not-So-International Vacation, the Larangeiras have dinner with the Sorrentinos. I wanna solve this friggin marriage issue, and if we cant solve it, I want her to move on, Lauren tells cameras. As Mike explained to his dinner guests, sex is an essential part of any marriage. When the couples have a healthy sex life, he and you are going to be doing your part in the house, he says. If you blow, Ill mow, Chris jokes with his wife. Chris also admits he feels left out of everything throughout the dinner. He also said he feels like Angelina talks down to him. After arriving in Florida, Angelina reveals the couple did have sex. More recently, Chris filed for divorce in January 2022 (this episode was filmed in October/November 2021). Zack 24 Carpinello plans a promise ceremony for JWowws kids Zack 24 Carpinello and Jenni JWoww Farley got engaged on her birthday in February 2021. The pro wrestler proposed to the reality TV star atop the Empire State Building, but Farleys kids Meilani and Greyson Mathews werent there. On 2.27 I said yes on the top of the Empire State Building @zackclayton https://t.co/tmLJZ2xqdo JWOWW (@JENNIWOWW) March 9, 2021 RELATED: Jersey Shore: Mike The Situation Sorrentino Gives an Update on Ronnie Ortiz Magro; Hes Gotta Put the Work In While in Florida, Carpinello plans a surprise promise ceremony to incorporate Farleys kids into their commitment to each other. He gives each of the kids and Farley a bracelet with an infinity symbol to symbolize his love in The Not-So-International Vacation. We love you forever and we will always be with you, Meilani says after lulling JWoww to a spot on the beach where Carpinello decorated with rose petals and candles arranged in a heart. We will always be together as a family. Greyson and Carpinello also shared special words with Farley in the episode. Deena Cortese and Lauren Sorrentino snap at each other in The Not-So-International Vacation After a romantic anniversary dinner on the beach, the Sorrentinos join the rest of their Jersey Shore: Family Vacation roommates at their meal. Lauren expresses wanting to go back to the room, tired from travel and worried about getting up with Baby Romeo. Lauren is a blunt person like I am, Angelina tells cameras. Im a little bit more raunchy. Shes a little bit more b****y. As Mike gets ready to part ways with the group, Lauren snaps. We have a f***ing five-month-old to deal with, OK? she tells Vinny Guadagnino. 24-hours a day human so we have to go to bed. Bags are packed and the #JSFamilyVacation fam is ready to go! Buckle up for a brand new episode TONIGHT at 8/7c on MTV. pic.twitter.com/vA1Yph64u1 MTV (@MTV) February 17, 2022 Looking at Deena Cortese, Lauren continues: You also have a baby to go to. Im not pushing it because I brought people to take care of him, Cortese replies. Her mother came along for the trip to assist with her two sons, Christopher and Cameron. The way you said it, I didnt like it, she tells Lauren. Larangeira offers for everyone to yell at her instead, but the rest of the table recognized Lauren and Corteses spat came from a place of everyone being exhausted. Watch new episodes of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation Thursdays on MTV at 8 p.m. ET. RELATED: All Star Shore: Everything We Know About the New Paramount+ Reality Star Series Mike The Situation Sorrentino has changed significantly since Jersey Shore premiered on MTV in 2009. But as the reality star recently revealed, he doesnt have any regrets. Find out why Sorrentino doesnt regret anything from the original MTV series, save for one huge miscalculation from season 4. Mike The Situation Sorrentino | MTV Mike The Situation Sorrentino was a different person on Jersey Shore When Jersey Shore started, Sorrentino was self-absorbed and confrontational. But today, hes an inspiration to his fans and his roommates as a force of positivity. Over the past couple of years, I have faced some tough battles, Sorrentino shared with Showbiz Cheat Sheet in January 2021. What has helped me was to believe in myself and these positive affirmations. Im very proud of my journey and how I got here. We didnt come this far just to come this far #JSFamilyVacation https://t.co/51CAluKfHH Mike The Situation (@ItsTheSituation) February 15, 2022 Sorrentino lives by words like the comeback is always greater than the setback and be better, not bitter. Instead of focusing on negativity, he chooses to be a force of positivity. Life is gonna happen, said the reality star. However, its how you present yourself and how you fight those battles that are really key. And thats why a positive mental attitude is so important. Sorrentino even has a positive attitude about his not-so-shining moments from the early days of Jersey Shore. Jersey Shore made Mike the person he is today During an interview on The Wendy Williams Show, Sorrentino mentioned not having any regrets from the original Jersey Shore. Obviously Id like to say yes, but if you dont make mistakes you dont actually become the person you are today, the reality star told guest host Michael Rapaport. Those mistakes that I made 10 years ago that experience has made me into this person that I am today. Mike The Situation Sorrentinos huge miscalculation took place in Jersey Shore Season 4 In 2011, the cast of Jersey Shore filmed season 4 in Italy. One of the most significant moments from that season was a fight between Ronnie Ortiz-Magro and The Situation, who ran head-first into a concrete wall. That being said, I did bang my head into a concrete wall, Sorrentino told Rapaport. I thought it was sheetrock, but in Italy its just cement. As Jersey Shore executive producer SallyAnn Salsano explained to Bustle in 2019, the cast stayed in a bank production retrofitted for the show. Some walls that were layout walls like the one Mike rammed his head into were concrete walls that obviously we couldnt move, Salsano told the outlet. As Sorrentino said on Wendy Williams, his running into the wall was a huge miscalculation. At the time, Sorrentino thought his actions would be a combination of intimidation and [allow him to] get the first punch out of the way. Mike The Situation and Lauren Sorrentino plan to show Romeo Reign Jersey Shore someday While discussing one of the most iconic moments from the MTV series, Rapaport wondered if the Sorrentinos plan to show their son, Romeo Reign, the show. I gotta show him that clip, maybe when hes 16-years-old or 18-years-old, Sorrentino said. But first, he plans to show him Jersey Shore: Family Vacation. I think we could warm up with Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, he said. Its a family show, the comeback is greater than the setback, and then well get him into the original series. Watch Sorrentino in new episodes of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation airing Thursdays at 8 p.m. on MTV. RELATED: Jersey Shore: Mike The Situation Sorrentino Gives an Update on Ronnie Ortiz Magro; Hes Gotta Put the Work In Former President Donald Trump and two of his children must testify under oath in the state's civil probe into his business operations, according to New York Attorney General Letitia James. James' subpoenas were issued in December, and Judge Arthur Engoron ordered the former president and his two eldest children, Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr., to cooperate. The judge ordered the Trumps to appear in court for a deposition within 21 days. After a two-hour hearing with attorneys representing the Trump and James' office, he made the verdict. Donald Trump's Children Must Testify in NY Fraud Investigation The subpoenas were issued as part of an ongoing civil investigation by James. The subpoenas requested testimony and records in connection with an inquiry into the valuation of properties owned or managed by Donald J. Trump or the Trump Organization, as well as any other matter that the Attorney General considers relevant. The Trump family retaliated with a lawsuit accusing James of ignoring legal standards in order to seek political favor. Trump's claim that James has vowed to investigate and prosecute the Trump family to "get votes, money, and support, and now, as Attorney General, to obtain political support," according to Fox News. At a hearing earlier in the day, Trumps' attorneys stated that if the court allowed the depositions to begin, they would file an appeal. Alan Futerfas, the Trump children's attorney, said, "There's a good chance we'll appeal." James' office is considering filing a civil complaint against the Trump Organization for allegedly falsified financial records. Her agency claimed in court documents that it had unearthed considerable evidence proving repeated misrepresentations in Trump's financial statements to banks, insurers, and the IRS. In January, the attorney general's office stated that it had not made a final determination on whether the information it claims to have discovered warrants legal action. James sought to interrogate the trio to inappropriately obtain evidence in a related criminal investigation by the Manhattan district attorney's office, according to the Trumps' attorneys, NBC News reported. Read Also: Hillary Clinton Slams Donald Trump, FOX Over "Fake Scandal," Debunks Spying Allegations Ex-POTUS' Financial Statements Cause Extended Problem According to Donald Trump's lawyer, Ron Fischetti, the case is "unique" since Trump is a former president of the United States, and if he invokes the Fifth Amendment while answering questions, "he'll be on every front page in the world." Although the US Supreme Court has determined that exercising one's Fifth Amendment rights does not constitute an admission of guilt, Trump gave a different perspective during his 2016 presidential campaign. Other problems for Trump have developed as a result of the financial statement claims, including Mazars' decision to cut ties with the Trump Organization after evaluating the financial statements it participated in creating. Trump has dubbed James' probe a political "witch hunt" and seeks to halt it. He has not said if he would run for president again in 2024. Though Trump revealed some probable disparities in a five-page statement on Tuesday, his lawyers argued he did not know enough to reply to charges of erroneous assessments. The Trumps have not been charged with any criminal offenses. Separately, the Attorney General of the District of Columbia is suing the Trump Organization and Trump's inauguration committee for allegedly misusing US$1.1 million in charitable money. On Thursday, a trial date of September 26 was established, according to The Straits Times. Related Article: Trump Claims Accounting Firm Left His Business Because It Was 'Intimidated' by NY Authorities @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. As one of Prime Videos most-watched series ever, Reacher impressed fans with the easy pacing of its action-packed mystery. But according to series star Alan Ritchson, things werent as smooth behind the scenes. He recently revealed that a lot of the show was filmed out of order and suggested it was maddening at times. Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher in Reacher | Courtesy of Prime Video Reacher star Alan Ritchson says the show wasnt shot in order Based on Lee Childs first Jack Reacher book, Killing Floor, Reacher follows the titular hero as he arrives in Margrave, Georgia, only to be arrested for murder. After clearing his name, the former Army Major discovers hes connected to the murder victim and vows to stay until justice is done. In a recent Reddit AMA, fans chatted with Ritchson about his chemistry with co-stars Willa Fitzgerald and Malcolm Goodwin (they portrayed Margrave police officers Roscoe and Finlay). And when one fan asked about the casts chemistry building and storys slow-burn building throughout shooting, Ritchson revealed that the show was actually filmed out of sequence. [It] was shot very very very out of order, Ritchson wrote. Almost impossibly so at times. Much of that was weather-related. Every car scene [was] shot on a sound stage in front of LEDs at the same time. Talk about jumping around. It was maddening. The actor admitted it was frustrating to film this way, But hes thankful it doesnt look like that for the audience. I dont think you can see that on screen, he added. Thank God. Yes, it was hard to know where I was sometimes. If I didnt know each script as well as I did, I think we wouldve been in a lot of trouble. Alan Ritchson reveals his favorite Reacher fight scene Reacher features plenty of thrilling fight scenes. In one, Jack Reacher takes on a band of prisoners who attack him. And in another, he stealthily takes out the murder crew hired to kill him. But in his Reddit AMA, Ritchson revealed that his favorite fight scene was when he fights a hired killer behind a bar with a knife. I loved the knife fight, he shared. [It] was fun learning how to master that one. Ritchson also noted that he really loved the fire escape alley fight, in which he takes on another hired assassin while jumping up and around a fire escape in a suit and dress shoes. It was the hardest but most satisfying, he added. He also reveals his favorite Reacher scene with Finlay Every one of the fight scenes in Reacher was undoubtedly impressive. And Ritchson noted that filming them felt gratifying. Some of the fights were extremely satisfying to film, he wrote during the Reddit AMA. Like when I was done and felt like we got something cool after all the hours working on them. Very satisfying. The Tweed Tornado:) Thank you all for the amazing comments. #ReacherOnPrime pic.twitter.com/uxLaFF3Fwc Malcolm Goodwin (@malcolmjgoodwin) February 10, 2022 But aside from the fights, the actor noted his favorite scene was the one where Jack Reacher and Chief Detective Finlay talk about their pasts and connect. One scene that really stands out to me is the scene with Finlay in the car on a stakeout where he really opens up, the actor wrote. Just beautiful, masterful work by Malcolm. [It] was a treat to be a part of. Reacher Season 1 is currently streaming on Prime Video. RELATED: Reacher Season 2 Would Follow Another Jack Reacher Book, Teases Alan Ritchson Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a direct sequel to Tobe Hoopers 1974 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. The franchise branched out into several sequels, prequels, and remakes before deciding to continue the original story. However, Netflixs horror movie installment brings back the classic in more ways than one. Texas Chainsaw Massacre sees Leatherface bring back one particularly deadly prop from the original. Texas Chainsaw Massacre brings Leatherface out of hiding Mark Burnham as Leatherface | Yana Blajeva/Legendary/Netflix Leatherface disappeared after the 1973 massacre that left only one survivor. Melody (Sarah Yarkin) and her younger sister, Lila (Elsie Fisher), head to a remote Texas town. They seek to create a new community away from the dangers of the city along with their friends named Dante (Jacob Latimore) and Ruth (Nell Hudson). However, they dont realize that theyre stepping into somewhere even more dangerous. Sally (Olwen Fouere) has sought revenge for nearly 50 years after all of her friends died in the massacre. Texas Chainsaw Massacre finds Leatherface coming out of hiding for the first time in decades. However, Sally is ready to hunt him down to finally take her revenge for her sake and in the memory of her dear friends. Leatherface uses the original chainsaw from Tobe Hoopers original The The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Who will survive and what will be left of them? On this day in 1974, Tobe Hooper's grisly classic, THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE, was released in the US, terrorizing audiences and setting a new standard in horror. How old were you when you saw TCM for the first time? pic.twitter.com/UqeI8DNEe3 FANGORIA (@FANGORIA) October 11, 2021 Screen Rant interviewed Texas Chainsaw Massacre director David Blue Garcia. He talked about his experience working on a direct sequel to Hoopers classic horror movie. However, he was able to bring one of Leatherfaces original chainsaws into the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre. We had this very old chainsaw and I was told its one of the original chainsaws from the first movie, Garcia said. This is what I was told. So I had a sort of reverence for it. And I will tell you, its very old and it hardly ever started. I would take 10 to 15 to 20 minutes sometimes of just [revving noises] trying to get it started, and once it was on, we didnt know how long it would stay on because it would just turn off whenever it wanted. Garcia continued: It put out these terrible fumes. I mean, so much smoke to the point where I say that if Leatherface had really walked onto that bus, he could have just stood there for about 30 seconds and everyone would have died of asphyxiation before he even had a chance to cut them up. Texas Chainsaw Massacre brings a brutal bloodbath Texas Chainsaw Massacre introduces a seriously brutal depiction of Leatherface. Hoopers original film doesnt show a whole lot on screen when it comes to violence. However, Garcia doesnt shy away from it in the least. He isnt afraid to show the carnage up-close and personal. Critics and audiences are generally criticizing Texas Chainsaw Massacre for its focus on blood and gore, and its lack of tense storytelling. However, some are praising the films sheer brutality and bringing Leatherface back to the screen in a stomach-churning fashion. Texas Chainsaw Massacre is now streaming exclusively on Netflix. RELATED: Texas Chainsaw Massacre Roadmap: A Guide to Leatherfaces Timelines Before Netflixs 2022 Movie Experimental setup with laser-cooled rubidium atoms, which process the quantum data in visible light (left). Experimental setup of the laser beam, which programs quantum operations carried out in light trapped inside the atoms (right). Researchers from the University of Warsaw have built the first quantum processor in Poland and are putting it to use in spectroscopy. Theyve demonstrated how quantum information processing can efficiently provide information on matter hidden in light. Several years ago, physicists from the Centre for Quantum Optical Technologies and the Faculty of Physics of the University of Warsaw designed and built the first quantum memory in Poland, which was further developed into a quantum processor. Our processor is based on a cloud of cold atoms. They can efficiently store and process information from light, describes Dr Michal Parniak, leader of the Quantum-Optical Devices Laboratory. In an article recently published in Nature Communications, PhD students Mateusz Mazelanik and Adam Leszczynski, with Dr Michal Parniak show that the device can solve real-world problems, which cant be worked out with standard processors; it can be used as part of a superresolution spectrometer. We squeeze out as much information as we can from individual photons, so the measurement becomes very efficient, comments first author Mateusz Mazelanik. The light that comes to us from different objects holds plenty of information, such as the matter from which these objects are made out of. This information is visible in the light spectrum (you can see the spectrum when light is dispersed in a prism). Light that reaches us from a distant star tells us about the elements that the star is made out of (this is how we know what stars in other galaxies are made out of). When we pass light through a solution or a substance, were able to determine what its composed of, i.e. whether it contains toxins. The science of collecting and analysing this type of information is known as spectroscopy (also known as spectrometry). This scientific field is used by biologists, physicists, astronomers, chemists and medical doctors on a daily basis. But theres a significant limitation in spectroscopy, known as the Rayleigh limit, which states that the information from light cant be obtained with infinite precision. Some of the signals of the spectrum, known as spectral lines, can be so similar that traditional optical spectrometers cant differentiate between them. Our device and algorithm allow us to not only gather information from light more efficiently, but it could also improve cramming information into light, says Dr Parniak. He notes that this idea could be used in telecommunications as well, where more efficient data storage and processing in light is becoming essential. Although there have been efforts to circumvent the limits of spectroscopy, the researchers of the University of Warsaw demonstrated how to do this in a completely unconventional way with the use of solutions from quantum information science. Because where classical physics cant cope, quantum physics sometimes offers a whole spectrum of possibilities. Physicists of the University of Warsaw have built a device that can achieve a high resolution in spectroscopy (15 kHz, or forty parts per trillion) by using a small amount of light from a particular object. Our spectrometer beats the classical limit using 20 times less photons than the hypothetical traditional spectrometer, says Mateusz Mazelanik, But this is a remarkable achievement because a classical device with a similar resolution doesnt actually exist. The processor, which was built at the University of Warsaw, uses a cloud of several billion cooled rubidium atoms placed in a vacuum field, in order to carry out calculations (the atoms are visible to the naked eye in the photograph a red dot in the violet glass chamber on the left side of the device). If the atoms are placed in a magnetic field and illuminated with a laser, they can be controlled to perform particular logic operations, such as process information on the spectrum of light that they are illuminated with. Quantum effects are used in the calculations, so calculations in the cold atomic cloud dont substitute conventional binary calculations, but add a new level of quality. We came up with the idea of how a quantum processor could be used to solve particular problems in spectroscopy, says Dr Michal Parniak. And he emphasises that, up until this point, finding practical applications for quantum processors and designing devices like these with unique solutions in mind wasnt at all obvious. Cars line up around the block at a COVID testing site across the river from downtown Cincinnati in Covington, Ky., Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. The Biden administration is telling Congress that it needs an additional $30 billion to press ahead with the fight against COVID-19, officials said Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022. Reeder to be inducted into Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame, reflects on career Seen Feb. 15, the Cherokee County Fairgrounds has been purchased by the Cherokee Nation for a Career Services training center. Borrower defense claims totaling $415 million have been authorized by the US Department of Education for students who were deceived into taking out student loans by their institutions. They will not be required to repay loans made using taxpayer funds as a result of the announcement. The loans of 16,000 former students will be forgiven. DeVry University, Westwood College, ITT Technical Institute, Minnesota School of Business/Globe University, Corinthian Colleges, and Marinello Schools of Beauty were among the students who would have their loans erased, according to WPXI. Here's Who Qualifies For Student Loan Forgiveness The department is also working to identify previously refused cases but might be reconsidered and granted with this new information. The following is what the DOE had to say about the schools: DeVry University - With the newest round of debt forgiveness, the government has authorized nearly $2 billion in loan forgiveness for over 107,000 borrowers. Westwood College - According to the Department of Education, Westwood College fraudulently stated over 13 years that its graduates had job placement rates of 80% or higher and that graduates will earn $50,000 or more. A total of $53.1 million will be forgiven to the school's 1,600 debtors. ITT Technical Institute -According to the DOE, over 130 students from ITT Technical Institute will have $3.1 million in debt canceled. The department discovered that the institution misled students about its nursing program's ability to get programmatic accreditation. Minnesota School of Business/Globe University - Students in the criminal justice programs were misled by the institution when they were told that they might become Minnesota police officers or parole officials after graduation. For 270 kids, the Education Department granted $3 million in discharges. Corinthian Colleges, Marinello Schools of Beauty - More than 11,900 Corinthian Colleges and Marinello Schools of Beauty students will get $284.5 million in refunds. As stated in the Department of Education, the latest step raises the total amount of debt alleviated by the Biden administration under borrower defense to repayment to $2 billion for over 107,000 borrowers. The actual job placement percentage, according to the Department of Education, was roughly 58 percent. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued DeVry in 2016 for job placement advertising. The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Education eventually reached an agreement with the institution, as per Business Insider. Read Also: Republican Senator Roger Marshall Authors Bill To Cease COVID-19 Emergency Powers of President Joe Biden How to Apply For Student Loan Forgiveness? To be eligible for student debt forgiveness, you must be able to demonstrate that your institution cheated you. A school that provides incorrect information regarding college expenses or accreditation is one example of this. Borrowers who feel they may be eligible for relief will be contacted in the coming weeks, according to Forbes, but those who have not been contacted can still apply. The Department of Education has developed a website for debtors to seek information on student loan forgiveness. You can also apply on the website of the United States Department of Education. You can also get an application form by contacting the loan servicer or phoning the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID, which is run by the US Department of Education (1-800-433-3243). To apply for student loan forgiveness, there is no cost. Related Article: Student Loan Forgiveness: Here's How Parents May Also Qualify for Loan Cancellation @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Back in 2015, while my wife played with our three children on our neighborhood playground, I stared in dumbfounded disbelief after reading a puzzling tweet by former pastor Tullian Tchividjian: Welcome to the valley of the shadow of death thank God grace reigns there. I quickly learned that this quote referred to the recently revealed marital indiscretions of both Tchividjian and his wife. This popular icon in the Reformed resurgence movement had, like so many, been found out for disastrous misdeeds that led to the dissolution of their marriage. When the news broke, I had just accepted an associate pastorate at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park and was a couple months shy of beginning doctoral studies in Christian history at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. For the next seven years, I went on to study the history of evangelicals. All the while, I kept on the lookout for the same historical pattern, one I didnt want to ignore in the literatureespecially since its repetition and consequences continued to play out in the 21st-century evangelical world I inhabited. The all-too-common pattern I discovered is this: Great evangelical figures throughout history often had tragic personal and family lives. This trope winked at me repeatedly as I came across it in biographies and historical accounts of evangelical pastors, revivalists, and activists. Evangelical history happens to provide numerous cautionary tales for what happens when ambition goes unbridled. And while some evangelicals would rather gloss over these tales or conceal them, that would be to our detriment. These warnings can be a service to the future of the evangelical storyand heeding them may prompt us to curb our ambition, set healthy limits and expectations, and attend to the little church in our homes. Personally, I want to learn from their mistakes by protecting my family and guarding myself against tragedies of my own making. Recently, while reading W. R. Wards Early Evangelicalism, I came across a segment on the life of August Hermann Francke (16631727), a figure who stood at the headwaters of evangelical history. Francke was mentored by famous theologian Philipp Jakob Spener and led the way for the second generation of German pietism in the later 17th and early 18th centuries. His public activism and institutional work circulated through the evangelical press and social network of correspondence, which gained him widespread credibility and regard among early evangelicals. Later evangelicals, like John Wesley, repeated the pattern of Franckes work ethic and strategy in their own ministries, sadly to the detriment of their personal lives as well. You see, while Francke engaged himself in marvelous kingdom work, his marriage to Anna Magdalena Francke suffered from the disappointment of unmet needs. By midlife, Anna and August became estranged, and in 1715, their separation became public. Ward also hints that August paid scant attention to their daughter, Sophia, while he fulfilled his theological ambitions. So while Franckes public evangelical ministry and activism flourished, the health of his household languished. Surely, something was amiss here, I thoughtthere must have been a disconnect between Franckes public ministry and his private interior religion. Upon reading this historical recountal of Francke from Ward, I tweeted, As a historian who has read much about the tragic private lives of great evangelical figures in history, I have, as a result, become much less ambitious. No achievement is worth the cost of a healthy family. But the Francke story that prompted my tweet was merely the most recent tragedy among a litany of others I had come across in my research. Article continues below One figure of this historical movement that has drawn my curiosity is Abraham Kuyper. Much like the Anglican C. S. Lewis, some historians would be reticent to portray Kuyper as a self-conscious early evangelical forerunner. Nonetheless, both figures have heavily influenced the development of the modern evangelical mind, including my own. Abraham Kuyper (18371920) was both precocious and ambitious. He became known for his Protestant work ethic and commitment to a Christian mission to transform all of society. Many evangelical thinkers and their written works have lauded this pivotal figure in ecclesial historybut the majority of them do not tell the full story. Kuyper is oft remembered by evangelicals for the following quote: There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine! And yet the truth is, he struggled in the domain of his personal and family life. Kuyper suffered from debilitating anxiety and depression, which at times left him bedridden. He learned to cope with the symptoms of being overworked by frequently withdrawing for long periods of solitude in holidays and hikes. As a result, his wife and children hungered for his presence during these long absences while he recovered from the rigors of his missional work. Unfortunately, Francke and Kuyper are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the costs evangelical families have paid for their loved ones Reformed Protestant work ethic. Recently, someone asked me to offer some examples, and I reluctantly gave a few namessome of which I know from my own archival research and others I learned from other historians work. The problem with naming names and being fascinated by whos done it is that it can lead to a voyeuristic or unproductive historical fascination rather than to a healthy discussion. I think what evangelicals actually need is less fascination with the dark sides of our fallen heroes and more appreciation for the quiet, daily faithfulness of pastors, professors, revivalists, and activists who managed to swim against the powerful social and cultural currents of their times that often placed an unrealistic demand on their output and performance. Evangelical leaders throughout history have carried a heavy weight, and they continue to bear the unrealistic expectations of many institutions, publishing houses, and ministries that dominate the evangelical marketplace. Over time, some of these leaders give in to the temptations that come with notoriety and ultimately forsake their better judgment. And sadly, evangelical organizations also have a history of giving into avarice for the sake of successand they too willingly eat the expense of their leaders private failures and choose to keep them concealed. When I observe the professional output of some evangelical peers, I pray earnestly for God to protect them and their families. While Im thrilled for their successes, I recognize and fear the cost that comes with always saying Yes! to every opportunity. Far too often, it sets people up for failure, especially if they do not remain accountable to their individual or familial bodies. For my part, I have become altogether less ambitious as a result of studying evangelical history. As Ive said, no achievement is worth sacrificing a healthy family life. But this conviction is not only built on my knowledge of the past and present downfalls of evangelical leaders. My caution toward ambition is also derived from my own lived history. Just as evangelical ambition has slayed the credibility of so many forerunners in the faith, I recall a time not too long ago when it crouched at my own door. Article continues below I have been a burned-out pastor who stood at the crossroads, looking down the potential path toward private tragedy. I have experienced the grinding expectation to blog a certain amount, gain a certain number of followers on social media, publish more journal articles, curate the perfect CV, and make myself known to the right people. I feel fatigued when I think back to the many temptations I experienced and the various tactics I employed to achieve my ambitions. Some years ago, I had a personal crisis while attempting to be a full-time pastor and full-time doctoral student. This crisis caused me to reset myself and reorient my ambitions. My wife and I went to couples therapy and to individual therapy for a year. I reprioritized my schedule and set some professional limits on my life. I started looking for ways to reinvest in time with my children, and eventually we relearned how to value sabbath rest together as a family. I know that people are called to make sacrifices for the cause of Christ. But even the apostle Paul argued that married people, especially those with children, carry a certain worldly weight. This requires them to have a balancebetween how much of their lives they lay down for the cause of Christ and how much time and energy they reserve for their families. That is, we should all seek to weigh our commitment to the Protestant work ethic and the mission of God along with our dedication to building little churches in our homes. And in this area, evangelicals can learn from our forerunners failuresby keeping our missional ambitions in their proper place and spurring on our familys devotion to God through selfless service. Joey Cochran is the husband of Kendall and the father of Chloe, Asher, Adalie, and Clara. Presently he is guest faculty at Wheaton College and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and coordinates social media for the Conference on Faith and History. [ This article is also available in espanol. ] As investigations into sexual abuse and abuse of church power get underway in the Anglican Church in North Americas Upper Midwest Diocese, at least five individuals who say they experienced sexual or spiritual abuse in the diocese say they will not participate in one or both of the investigations due to concerns about transparency. In an announcement by the 13-year-old denomination on Sunday, survivors of abuse were given information about how to contact two firms, Husch Blackwell and Telios Law Firm, that will conduct parallel investigations into sexual abuse and abuse of ecclesiastical power, respectively. The denomination also furnished a number for ACNAs confidential support hotline and said that there is a fund to assist sexual abuse survivors. But the announcement did little to answer accusations from a group called ACNAtoo and others that the investigations do too much to protect the church. It comes weeks after three of eight people appointed to a Provincial Response Team to oversee the sexual abuse investigation resigned, saying the teams process never felt survivor-centered. Ten people have come forward since 2019 to accuse Mark Rivera, a former lay minister in the Upper Midwest Diocese, of sexual assault and child sexual abuse. Others have said Bishop Stewart Ruch III, who has been on a leave of absence since July, and other church leaders created a toxic culture of submission and control at Church of the Resurrection, the diocesan headquarters. ACNA, a denomination of about 127,000 people, began as a group of dissenters from the Episcopal Church who disagreed with its stances on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ ordination. One woman whose young daughter reported being sexually abused by Rivera in 2019 echoed the demands of ACNAtoo, which has asked ACNA to waive attorney-client privilege and disclose the letter of engagement, or contract, between Husch Blackwell and ACNA. I have no reason to believe that anything about this investigation is independent, said Cherin Marie, who asked that her last name not be used, to protect her familys privacy. Because of that lack of independence, Cherin Marie said, her daughter wont participate. Witnesses are in essence being asked to undergo interviews by the ACNAs lawyers, who have a fiduciary duty to the ACNA, not the survivors, she said. A woman named Holly who is another alleged victim, and who also asked to keep her last name private, has likewise declined to participate in the sexual abuse investigation. ACNAtoo has been fighting for a safe investigation on my behalf and the ACNA has chosen to completely disregard the wishes and requests of many of Marks victims, including mine, she said. Amers Goff, who says they experienced ecclesial abuse in the Upper Midwest Diocese, told Religion News Service they were still deciding whether to participate in the investigation into abuse of church power. Goff attended Church of the Resurrection, headquarters of the Upper Midwest Diocese, between 2004 and 2010. I havent chosen to participate so far because I dont think my story will be taken seriously, said Goff, who is nonbinary. Goff said they are concerned about trusting their story with an institution that is not affirming of LGBTQ individuals. Joanna Rudenborg, who has reported being sexually abused by Rivera, echoed Goffs concerns about the lack of clarity around what ACNA might consider spiritual abuse. In Sundays announcement, ACNA leadership said, We will not shield anyone who has committed abuse or engaged in misconduct from the scrutiny of an impartial and objective investigation that seeks the truth. Our great desire is that the Anglican Church in North America will be a safe place for adults and children, the broken-hearted and the vulnerable. While some individuals have said church leaders in the Upper Midwest Diocese exposed them to conversion therapy or pressured them to stay in abusive marriages, the Provinces interpretation may be that these are just differences of theology, Rudenborg told RNS. Rudenborg said the recent resignations of three ACNA Provincial Response Team members have only added to her concerns about participating in the investigations. Autumn Hanna VandeHei, Gina Roes, and Christen Price resigned on January 17 and, in a public letter, said the Provincial Response Team had dismissed their recommendations about being sensitive to survivors in public communications and failed to promptly deliver financial assistance to victims. They also told RNS that while the Provincial Response Team received correspondence from survivors of abuse and concerned friends and family, almost none of that correspondence was even mentioned, let alone forwarded, to us. Days after the three resigned, the remaining team members issued a response saying it would not serve the survivors or the investigative process to debate them at this time. They have not specified what points of disagreement they may have. The three former team members also told the RNS that they have not seen Husch Blackwells contract with ACNA. Price, an attorney whose role on the team was to assist with vetting and choosing an investigative firm, said other members of the team declined to show her the contract prior to her resignation. The former team members told RNS that ACNA leadership ought to apologize to the survivors, include the Province within the scope of the investigation, and waive attorney-client privilege. Kathleen McChesney, former executive director of the Office of Child Protection for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, said that ACNA might learn from the Catholic Churchs response to abuse crises. The most important lesson is that the ACNA should respond to persons who report abuse with care and concernand listen to what they have to say, she said. Could a much-delayed COVID-19 shot finally win over religious vaccine skeptics? Thats the question swirling around a vaccine made by Novavax, a Maryland biotech firm that submitted its request to the US Food and Drug Administration last month for emergency use authorization of its COVID-19 shot, also known as NVX-CoV2373. Although more than a year behind competitors such as Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech, which were both cleared for emergency use in late 2020, Novavaxs two-dose vaccine has already been approved for use in other countries such as the UK, and the company hopes to aid global inoculation efforts. But Novavax may have another unusual selling point: the potential to woo vaccine skeptics who reject other widely available vaccines because of distant links to abortion they say violate their morals and their faith. No human fetal-derived cell lines or tissue, including HEK293 cells, are used in the development, manufacture or production of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine candidate, NVX-CoV2373, a Novavax spokesperson told Religion News Service via email. About 64 percent of the US population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of February 18, with 28 percent having received an additional booster shot, according to The New York Times. Public health experts say the unvaccinated population is harboring vaccine hesitancy or outright anti-vaccine sentiment, some of it driven by faith. According to a December 2021 survey by Public Religion Research Institute and the Interfaith Youth Core, 10 percent of Americans say they believe getting a COVID-19 vaccine conflicts with their religious beliefs. Among their objections is that in developing or testing their vaccines, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Johnson & Johnson all used cell lines in various ways that trace their origins to aborted fetuses from the 1970s and 1980s. The most commonly used in medical laboratories are known as HEK293 and PER.C6. Bishop Joseph Strickland of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, has defied Catholic Church hierarchy by taking a hardline stance against COVID-19 vaccines because of the controversial cell lines. I WILL NOT take an abortion tainted vaccine, I wish other bishops had joined me months ago, Strickland tweeted in April 2021. But he linked from the tweet to an article from the website Catholic Culture, which promoted Novavaxs shot in a separate December 2020 post as apparently developed and produced without any involvement of fetal tissues. Novavax CEO Stanley Erck has expressed hope his vaccine could win over vaccine skeptics in general. In the US, the primary market I think in 2022 is going to be to supply a vaccine, our normal two-dose regimen, to a lot of people who have been hesitant to get other vaccines, Erck told CNN in November. Some prominent anti-vaccine activists, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have been cautious but notably less hostile toward Novavax because it uses protein-based technology, a more traditional approach than the mRNA-based vaccines created by Moderna and Pfizer. The animal cells employed in its development, Novavax notes, come from moths. The company claims the shot was up to 90 percent effective in preventing the original strain of COVID-19 and announced in December that it also generates an immune response against the omicron variant. Abby Johnson, a prominent anti-abortion activist who has repeatedly condemned many COVID-19 vaccines because of their connection to fetal cell lines, celebrated Novavaxs approach. It is my understanding that (Novavax) has been used successfully in several countries with a high efficacy rate, she told RNS in a statement. It is also my understanding that there are not any ethical concerns regarding Novavax, which is hopeful for pro-lifers who have avoided the vaccine due to those objections. Scientists and faith leaders have dismissed criticism of HEK293 and other cell lines, explaining that the cells used today are clones many steps removed from the original tissue and not present in the mRNA-based vaccines themselves. Both the Vatican and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops have issued statements declaring it morally permissible for Catholics to get Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson shots despite use of the cell lines. Texas pastor Robert Jeffress, onetime adviser to former-President Donald Trump, has similarly derided the cell line argument, pointing out that they are used to develop a host of common medicines. Christians who are troubled by the use of a fetal cell line for the testing of the vaccines would also have to abstain from the use of Tylenol, Pepto Bismol, Ibuprofen, and other products that used the same cell line if they are sincere in their objection, Jeffress told the Associated Press in September. Yet religious arguments have continued to crop up among those who oppose vaccine mandates. A major protest in Washington, DC, last month began with a musical number that characterized vaccine mandates as a war on religion. Whats more, vaccine controversy has spurred fusions of Christian nationalism and anti-vaccine rhetoric. Novavaxs distance from the cell lines might not be enough for some, however. Asked about the Novavax shot, Sarah Quale, president of the anti-abortion Personhood Alliance Education, pointed to a scientific study of Novavaxs vaccine that referred to the use of HEK-293 cells. The Personhood Alliances official position on vaccine ethics asserts that the use of aborted fetal cell lines at any point in vaccine creation is morally unacceptable, Quale said via email. All currently available SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the US used aborted fetal cell lines at some point in the design, production, and/or testing processes. Pressed about the study, a Novavax spokesperson said the company did not use HEK-293 cells in the testing of NVX-CoV2373. The reference in the Science paper to HEK293 cells was based on well-established scientific knowledge, did not include our vaccine protein, and is completely independent of Novavax COVID-19 vaccine development, the spokesperson said in a followup email. Quale remained skeptical, noting Novavax has not made information available as to which cells were used in testing. Meanwhile, Johnson noted that while any use of the cell lines would change her opinion of the shot, shes not seeing any evidence that they were, and Novavax is denying they were used. Stacy Trasancos, who recently left her post at the St. Philip Institute of Catechesis and Evangelization and co-leads the anti-abortion group Children of God for Life, both of which are tied to Bishop Strickland, called Novavaxs initial response confusing, but did not immediately respond to the companys clarification. Whether Novavaxs efforts will be enough to win over Strickland or those who agree with him is an open question. The marriage of anti-vaccine sentiment and opposition to vaccine mandates has emerged as a political force all its own, and many who oppose vaccines root their views in a variety of conspiracy theories, not just faith. Even if it does convert some of the unvaccinated, its unclear if the shift would be significant. But as the US nears 930,000 deaths attributed to COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control, any increase in vaccinations may make a difference. This article offers a preview of the data Barna Group has conducted. They will be discussing insights like this (and so much more) during their free State of Your Church event on March 1. Save your seat today. So, are people coming back? A group of pastors stares into their coffee as silence follows the question. For each of them, the answer was a resounding no. No, because the chairs are still sparsely filled. No, because a trickle of visitors has dried up to nothing. No, because even Sunday regulars are struggling with regular attendance. Virtual touchpoints seemed to work for a while, but congregations are growing increasingly tired. Burnt out. Disinterested. Emails are piling up, and after being tethered to their screens for work or school, everyone seems eager to unplug. Neither physical nor digital gatherings seem to be meeting peoples needs. According to Barna Group, one of the leading research organizations focused on the intersection of faith and culture, data can help revive flagging pastors and churches. Because of advancements made during the pandemic, church leaders have tools to gain meaningful insights into the lives of their congregants and community members. Vocation, Vocation, Vocation Data, for instance, tells us that many people, especially those in their twenties and thirties, are interested in churches that care about their whole lives. From emotional wellbeing to financial health, people want churches that will speak to the many aspects of the human experience, places that tear down the dividing wall between sacred and secular. Churches can creatively and strategically serve their communities by engaging with their whole lives. The Department of Labor reported that 4.5 million Americansa record high number quit their jobs in November 2021. Their reasons for exiting the workforce were many. Over half of workers surveyed by ZipRecruiter said they wanted a job that allowed them to work remotely. Nearly 20 percent said they were not pleased with how their employers treated them during the pandemic, and a similar percentage quit their jobs to set out on new career paths or pursue their passions. How might those statistics inform the way you minister to your congregation and community? New polling from Barna offers massive ministry opportunities. In South Florida, 44 percent of unchurched people said that they would be interested in attending Christian churches in their community if they offered preaching and programs that could help them achieve vocational or career wellbeing. For churched Floridians, that number jumped to 77 percent. In Dallas-Fort Worth, 30 percent of surveyed working adults said that they were dissatisfied with the amount of stress they felt at work, and 26 percent noted dissatisfaction with advancement opportunitiesand similar numbers were reflected in other regions as well. For most people, work consumes their week and is a significant factor in financial health, career satisfaction, and long-term life plans and goals. What would it look like for churches and the pastors who lead them to serve their communities in this key area of human flourishing? Love Thy Worker as Thyself David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group, highlights how a single data point provides a chance to connect and disciple. Vocational discipleship is a massive opportunity for the church today, says Kinnaman. How could you step into ministering in real and tangible ways to people who are facing challenges related to work and calling? Kinnaman suggests that data on vocation, church, and career could inspire several different approaches that churches can take toward offering vocation-focused programming, including vocation camps, conducting gifts and skills assessments, and inviting members to share their stories with vocation on a Sunday morning. This knowledge also shapes your congregational efforts. Perhaps a month of Sunday morning messages on faith and work might draw some of your slow-to-return congregants back to the pews. A 6-week Bible study on living in light of your God-given abilities could encourage the unchurched who are disheartened about their careers to see if the church can help them. Even hosting free job fairs, resume workshops, or financial literacy seminars can provide valuable assistance to your community. This Is Just the Beginning Data helps churches implement programs that meet their communities needs. Ultimately, this information equips ministers to create an effective strategy that cares for congregants and community members alike. Interested in learning more about your community in order to meet them where they are? On March 1st at 1:00pm EST (10am PST) Barna will present the State of Your Church webcast. This 90-minute session will provide tools for measuring what matters in your church ministry. In this free event, your chuch can learn how to become more data-informed, resulting in better care for your congregants and community. The event will be hosted by Barna Groups David Kinnaman, bestselling author Carey Nieuwhof, and Metas director of global faith-based partnerships Nona Jones. Featured speakers include Andy Stanley, Bishop Claude Alexander, Ed Stetzer, Tara Beth Leach, Glenn Packiam, and Scott Sauls. Learn how to care for the people in the pews, invite the reluctant to return, and meet the needs of the unchurched on Tuesday, March 1st, at 1:00pm ET. Save your seat today. Desiring God co-founder says Christians should extend grace to people undergoing deconstruction The co-founder of the popular online theology ministry DesiringGod.org is encouraging Christians to extend the grace of Christ to people who say they are undergoing deconstruction. Teacher and author Jon Bloom examined deconstruction and how it applies to Christians struggling with their faith in a piece published Tuesday on the website he co-founded with theologian and Pastor John Piper. After explaining the different ways in which the word is used by Christians regarding their faith, Bloom noted that deconstruction isnt new and that Christians should respond with grace. Since the churchs earliest days, some have endured faith crises, some have been harmed by sinful cultural influences, some have questioned traditional doctrines and church authorities, and some have departed the faith, Bloom wrote. And to each person, whatever their struggle, we are called to extend the grace of Christ. The author of three books noted that the extension of grace can sometimes be tender or tough. But he stressed that it must be an issue of prayerful discernment since the deconstructing Christian is often someone in significant pain. Anyone, like me, who has gone through a faith crisis (or multiple ones) knows that its not some abstract academic exercise. Questioning our foundational beliefs and wrestling with doubts about them often feels like were being, in Francis Schaeffers words, torn to pieces, he continued. So, as we seek to extend the grace of Christ to someone experiencing deconstruction however passively or actively, however privately or publicly it will be important to press in carefully, ask clarifying questions, and listen well, to inform how we do or do not respond. In recent years, some notable Christian public figures have announced that they had undergone the process of deconstructing their faith, with some of them leaving the faith altogether and others solidifying their faith in the process. Josh Harris, a former megachurch pastor who authored the 1997 best-selling book on sexual purity Why I Kissed Dating Goodbye, briefly offered an online course on deconstructing belief titled Reframe Your Story. In 2019, Harris announced that he no longer considered himself a Christian. Announced last August, the course was originally going to cost $275 to enroll unless a person either was harmed by my past work and by purity culture in general or cant afford it. Its not specifically about purity culture but for anyone who is unpacking and rethinking religious beliefs, wrote Harris last year, before he dropped the course following negative feedback. I believe Im offering something of value to others. In May 2021, author and pastor Dominic Done appeared on The Crazy Happy Podcast to discuss his own period of spiritual doubt. He said that it was trendy to deconstruct belief. The trendy thing right now is that weve got to deconstruct our faith, walk away from the faith, walk away from the church, said Done at the time. I think deconstruction can be healthy if its a sloughing off of things that are unhealthy in our life, views of God that arent correct, things that weve kind of taken on board that [arent] essential to our faith that form of deconstruction can be really healthy. But if its just deconstruction for the sake of deconstruction, its not going to lead you anywhere. More recently, Christian rapper Phanatik, one of the founders of the trailblazing rap group The Cross Movement, renounced his Christian faith. In January, he sent a letter to his church withdrawing his membership. I began to look at the faith and say, Man, you could turn this Rubiks cube any particular way and end up with a different understanding, he stated in a Facebook video announcement. And who can say that understanding is right or that understanding is wrong? In a recent interview with The Christian Post, Christian rapper Lecrae said that he has gone through periods of what he calls reconstruction of his faith. I went through reconstruction and thats what a lot of people dont talk about, he added. They miss that one. Deconstruction is not a bad thing if it leads to reconstruction. Sometimes you have to demolish a building that has mold and then build something else on that foundation. Were not getting rid of the foundation. The foundation is Christ. But were building on that foundation and tearing down some things that were unnecessary. In January, Lecrae tweeted: Once upon a time I thought I was done with Christianity. But the reality was I was just done with the institutional, corporatized, gentrified, politicized, culturally exclusive version of it. Hillsong docuseries aims to show how megachurch toed the line between 'cult and culture' (trailer) Discovery Plus will stream a three-episode docuseries titled Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed, contending how the Australia-based global evangelical church network has toed the fine line between cult and culture, according to the newly released trailer. The trailer features several people who have had interactions with Hillsong and their celebrity pastors. The docuseries will delve into the controversy surrounding former Hillsong NYC Pastor Carl Lentz, who was fired for moral failures in November 2020. The subscription streaming service partnered with the New York Post and investigative journalist Hannah Frishberg, who has written several articles about Hillsong and the former minister. Ranin Karim, the New York-based fashion designer who has stated publicly that she had a five-month affair with Lentz, is seen speaking in the docuseries of her relationship with the pastor. Other interviewees include PreachersNSneakers founder and author Ben Kirby as well as Jaclyn Hayes and Janice Lagata, two women who volunteered for Hillsong to work under Lentz in a volunteer capacity. There is a fine line between cult and culture, a woman in the trailer said. With more than 150,000 global members, Hillsong has recently been entangled in scandal. Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed will profile numerous ex-members of the church who have come forward to share harrowing allegations of the trauma, abuse, financial and labor exploitation that created a culture of chaos within the church, the synopsis of the project reads. The series will also examine how Hillsong was able to grow into a global brand, while uncovering the truth behind the headlines of recent scandals and shining a light on the fine line between culture, corporation and cult. Brian Houston, who founded Hillsong in 1983, recently stepped down as Hillsong global senior pastor as he fights criminal charges in Australia. Houston is accused of failing to report decades-old child sexual abuse allegations against his father after he was informed of them in 1999 while serving as the head of the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God. The history of Hillsong is an incredibly compelling story we wanted to explore, Howard Lee, the president of TLC streaming and network originals, shared in a statement. Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed will take viewers on an eye-opening journey that will provide new insights into a controversy that continues to be examined. The docuseries is presented by The Content Groups Breaklight Pictures and the New York Post. Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed will also reportedly examine corruption within megachurches at large. Lentz led all Hillsong campuses across the East Coast and was often pegged as a celebrity pastor by secular media. His friends and church attendees included A-list stars such as Justin and Hailey Bieber, Kevin Durant, Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner and others. He was also credited with having baptized Justin Bieber in the bathtub of former New York Knicks player Tyson Chandler. But following Lentzs public scandal, Bieber publicly distanced himself from Hillsong, saying that he was never a member of Hillsong and his pastor has always been Judah Smith of Churchome. Lentz first admitted to the affair in an Instagram post after his firing from Hillsong. When you lead out of an empty place, you make choices that have real consequences, he wrote. I was unfaithful in my marriage, the most important relationship in my life and held accountable for that. This failure is on me, and me alone and I take full responsibility for my actions. In his post, Lentz said that he and his family gave all they had to serve and build Hillsong NYC over the years. At the time, he said he would focus his energy on rebuilding his family. I now begin a journey of rebuilding trust with my wife, Laura, and my children and taking real time to work on and heal my own life and seek out the help that I need, Lentz stated. I am deeply sorry for breaking the trust of many people who we have loved serving and understand that this news can be very hard and confusing for people to hear and process. I would have liked to say this with my voice, to you, in person because you are owed that. But that opportunity I will not have. So to those people, I pray you can forgive me and that over time I can live a life where trust is earned again. Hillsong stated in December 2020 that it had investigated and taken action in response to a 2018 letter alleging inappropriate sexual relations between staff and volunteers at Hillsong NYC. In addition to inappropriate sexual relations, Hillsong NYC staff members were accused of misusing tithed money to fund lavish lifestyles. Former Hillsong NYC Pastor Reed Bogard and his wife, Jess, were among those accused of misusing church funds. They stepped down from leading Hillsongs Dallas campus last year while they were under investigation for leadership failures. All three episodes of Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed will premiere on Discovery Plus on March 24. Marriage offers significant benefits for men and women but eludes many, study finds In Genesis 2:18, The Lord God said, It is not good for the man to be alone, and gave him Eve as a suitable helper. And God perhaps wedded Adam and Eve because of the benefits that a new study suggests married men experience over single men. At a rate of 52% to 30%, married men are found to be far more likely than single men to report being very or completely satisfied with their social lives, according to the latest American National Family Life Survey. The survey of 5,030 adults nationwide, designed and conducted by the American Enterprise Institute between Nov. 23 and Dec. 14, 2021, found that married men also have more close friends than single men. Single men were three times as likely as married men to say they have no close friends. Some 49% of married men reported being more satisfied with their personal health compared to 34% of single men. More than half of married men, 56%, further noted that they hardly ever or never feel lonely or isolated from the people around them. Only 25% of single men felt the same way. While women enjoy the benefits of marriage, the survey showed the gains for married women were more "modest." Forty-eight percent of married women report being very or completely satisfied with their social life compared to 33% of single women. Married women were also more satisfied with their personal health than single women. They were also less likely to experience loneliness or social isolation. Despite these perceived benefits, however, a confluence of factors in American culture and society has driven down the marriage rate. Data released in 2020 showed the U.S. marriage rate reaching its lowest point in more than 100 years. Gallup research shows that since 2015, less than 50% of U.S. adults are married, a decline over the years from a consistent 64% between 1978 and 1983. But the decline in marriage rates is not necessarily due to a declining desire among Americans to get married. Solid majorities of Americans now view sex between an unmarried man and woman, same-sex relations, and having a baby outside of marriage as being morally acceptable, Gallup researchers noted. While the marriage rate is declining, the desire of those who have never been married to get married someday remains high, with more than eight in 10 singles hoping to marry. Thus, their evolving attitudes about marriage may reflect increasing acceptance for how others lead their lives rather than a profound shift in their own lifestyle preferences. Recent research also highlights how various economic factors might contribute to the shifting attitudes toward marriage, which is increasingly becoming a symbol of wealth. In Mismatches in the Marriage Market, researchers Daniel T. Lichter of Cornell University, Joseph P. Price of Brigham Young University and Jeffrey M. Swigert of Southern Utah University found that many successful women have to choose between remaining unmarried or settling for men who earn less than $53,000 and lack a college degree. However, the American National Family Life Survey showed that men, even when they get divorced, are more likely to remarry. This is perhaps because men are more likely to experience involuntary divorce, or at least a marital dissolution that they were less involved in initiating. Among Americans who have been divorced, men are much more likely than women to be remarried (51% to 33%). When it comes to divorced women, however, some 73% of the divorcee cohort who are now single expressed no interest in marrying again. For the people who get married and endure, University of Maryland sociology professor Philip Cohen, who authored The Coming Divorce Decline, suggested that marriage appears to be losing its original intent and is becoming more of an achievement of status. Marriage is become more selective, and more stable, even as attitudes toward divorce are becoming more permissive, and cohabitation has grown less stable, Cohen said in an earlier report. The U.S. is progressing toward a system in which marriage is rarer, and more stable, than it was in the past, representing an increasingly central component of the structure of social inequality. Former police officer Kim Potter sentenced for the death of Daunte Wright A judge has sentenced former Minneapolis, Minnesota, police officer Kim Potter to 16 months in prison and eight months of supervised release for the fatal shooting of 20-year-old African American Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in April 2021. Judge Regina Chu announced the sentence on Friday, with two-thirds of the 24-month sentence served in prison. During the sentencing hearing, Chu said that the police officer made a tragic mistake, and Wright died because Potter was reckless. Because of that, there should be some accountability. Here, everybody agrees and the evidence is undisputed that Officer Potter never intended to use her firearm, Chu said. She mistakenly withdrew her firearm ... intending to use her taser. There were police officers and experts who testified that the use of a taser was reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances presented for officer safety reasons. The fact she never intended to draw her firearm makes this case less serious than other cases. The judge added that the scene was chaotic, intense and rapidly evolving. Officer Potter was required to make a split-second judgment. That constitutes a mitigating circumstance, the judge continued. Office Potters actions were not driven by personal animosity towards Daunte Wright. Some, among them Wrights mother, Katie Wright, expressed outrage at the sentence, which is well below the seven years that prosecutors requested. Kim Potter murdered my son, and he died April 11. Today the justice system murdered him all over again, Katie Wright said at a press conference. She doubted Potters claims of remorse, claiming White woman tears trumped justice. Wright said in court that she would never be able to forgive Potter for the death of her son. At the press conference, Wrights father, Aubrey Wright, said that he felt like the court cared more about Potters feelings and forgot about my son being killed. I feel like we was tricked, he said. Its just sad that ... we actually thought we was going to get a little justice. Nothing will ease our mind that Daunte was killed, but just knowing that this lady was going to pay for that, it gave us a sense of hope that things were going to get a little bit better. But now, I walk out of this courthouse feeling like people are laughing at us because this lady got a slap on the wrist and we still every night sitting around crying and waiting on my son to come home. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison released a statement soon after the decision, imploring people to accept the judgment even if they disagree with the sentence. I accept her judgment. I urge everyone to accept her judgment. I dont ask you to agree with her decision, which takes nothing away from the truth of the jurys verdict. I know it is hurtful to loved ones of Daunte Wright, stated Ellison. There is no cause for celebration: no one has won. We all have lost, none more than Daunte Wright and the people who love him. None of us ever wanted Kim Potter to recklessly pull the wrong weapon and kill Daunte Wright. Ellison encouraged dialogue and the pursuit of solutions to ongoing tensions between police and the black community, adding that he hoped someday that Potter might also be part of the solution. She could have a profound impact on police officers, departments, and manufacturers about the urgency of ending weapons confusion and saving lives, he added. It will be up to her to show that she can do this with true remorse and make true amends. I hope she can. Potter fatally shot Wright during a traffic stop last April. When the 20-year-old resisted arrest, Potter claimed she thought she was using a taser on Wright but accidentally grabbed her gun. Video footage of the tragic incident showed Potter shouting taser before she fired, then being surprised when she realized that she had shot the young man instead. Potter resigned from the police force, as did Police Chief Tim Gannon. Many critics, however, dont accept Potters reasoning and viewed the deadly incident as further evidence of systemic racism within American law enforcement. Because of the fear of black people, law enforcement officers overreact and kill us unnecessarily, wrote Hillsong Atlanta Pastor Sam Collier. THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED AND CHANGED. Potter, who said during the trial that she didnt want to hurt anybody, was found guilty of manslaughter by a mostly white jury shortly before Christmas. University to let Christian student group elect only Christian leaders: settlement A conservative law firm has declared victory after a Texas university agreed that a Christian student organization could require leaders to hold specific religious beliefs. The Alliance Defending Freedom released a statement on Tuesday announcing it was voluntarily dismissing a lawsuit against the University of Houston-Clear Lake that the organization had filed on behalf of Ratio Christi. According to ADF, the university agreed as part of a settlement to enact a policy confirming that registered student organizations could limit their leaders to those who shared their beliefs. ADF Legal Counsel Caleb Dalton said in the statement that he commended the university for taking swift action to ensure Ratio Christi is given equal opportunity among its peer groups. The University is supposed to be a free market of ideas. To meet that ideal, public universities must vigilantly protect the constitutional rights of students to freely speak and gather according to their religious beliefs, Dalton said. The Christian Post reached out to the University of Houston-Clear Lake for this story, with a spokesperson emailing a statement to CP on Thursday regarding the situation with Ratio Christi. According to the statement, the approval of Ratio Christi was consistent with the policies that are in place and were in place prior to the filing of this lawsuit. A clarification was added to the universitys Student Organization Handbook to ensure there was no confusion regarding selection of officers for student organizations, stated the university. Regardless of the clarification, the University of Houston-Clear Lake has always allowed officers of student organizations to align with the tenets of the organization they represent. Last October, ADF filed a lawsuit on behalf of Ratio Christi against the university, arguing that the school had wrongfully refused to grant the group official student organization status. The university gave the group official recognition soon after the lawsuit was filed, claiming in a statement that the litigation had nothing to do with their decision on Ratio Christis status. The University of Houston-Clear Lake has approved Ratio Christi as a registered student organization, said University spokesperson Shawn Lindsey in a statement given to The Washington Times last year. This is not the reversal of a prior decision. The application was never denied and was still in process when the lawsuit was filed. In 2019, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs reached a settlement with its Ratio Christi chapter after initially stopping the group from becoming an official student club. The University of Colorado not only granted Ratio Christi registered status, but it also paid $20,574 in damages and revised its handbook to include a provision explaining that all student clubs can require leaders to adhere to a specific set of beliefs. TikTok is destroying our children Alex Marlow, News Editor-in-Chief at the rightwing website Breitbart.com, recently made the claim that TikTok is Chinese mind control, pointing to how it has captivated the increasingly A.D.D. American mind with its constant scrolling. Is there any truth to this claim? Is TikTok more dangerous than we realize? And is it a problem not just because of the mindless distraction it provides but because of its content? From my point of view, it's quite a stretch to say that TikTok is Chinese mind control, as if the Chinese developers intentionally built an app that could help destroy the Western mind. Ironically, although TikTok was developed by a Chinese company and is owned by a Chinese company, it is banned in China, along with a number of other, major social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. How interesting! So, the app is good for kids in America and the world but not good for kids in China? Yet that doesnt mean that there is not real danger with TikTok, and not simply because it exacerbates our problem with distraction. Rather, there is real danger because of some of its destructive content, appealing especially to children and young people. To give a shocking case in point, according to a recent video by conservative commentator Matt Walsh, TikTok Is Making Mental Illness Trendy. He noted how destructive ideas and behavior and concepts can go from fringe to trendy to mainstream quite literally overnight. He added, What was unusual one moment might be ubiquitous the next, and people, especially young people, can get caught in the current and drowned before they even notice that their shoes are wet. He pointed to the latest TikTok fascination with what is called Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD), as a result of which large numbers of young people are wrongly diagnosing themselves with this unusual condition. Walsh played a clip from Good Morning America, where this phenomenon was discussed with real concern, as the host noted that videos with hashtags like #Dissassociativeidentitydisorder and #Borderlinepersonalitydisorder have been viewed hundreds of millions of times. This really has become an epidemic. Walsh then explained that the young person who self-diagnoses with MPD refers to himself or herself as the system, with each personality within the system being called an alter. But what effect does this have on young people? It was a concerned mother who sent me the Walsh video, wanting to tell me about the latest developments with her 18-year-old daughter, who now identifies as a male. (Well call the daughter Rachel to hide her identity.) She wrote: "Do you know anything about this??? I'm literally livid. This is how it started with us. Rachel went on some social media site, convinced herself she was a system with lots of personalities, like 100. And did this exact same thing!! When I spoke to the psychiatrists about this, they had no clue what I was talking about. No one has been helpful with this. Why is no one talking about this?!?! I'm so angry right now. Part of what the issue is with Rachel, she thinks she has several alters with all different genders. Why would any doctor give her testosterone acting like this???" So, trained psychiatrists have not heard about this destructive TikTok trend, but millions of impressionable young people are intimately familiar with it. And, here in America, where the daughter now resides, a licensed doctor was willing to give this teenager a testosterone shot to help her transition to male, even though her mental instability should have been visible at once. The mother continued: "She is so wrapped up and so deep in lies. I don't know how to bring her to truth. . . . Her roommate, also a system won't allow me to talk to my child. She is the gatekeeper to any communication. How can a trained therapist even accept this nonsense???" Nonsense indeed. And some of you can identify with this mothers pain and anger and frustration. Its really as if a foreign entity has invaded the hearts and minds of our kids, what Jordan Peterson recently referred to as a sociological contagion. Peterson also opined that opening the boundaries of sex categories would fatally confuse thousands of young girls, a claim that the New York Post found to be unsubstantiated. Really? Unsubstantiated? Perhaps this Newsweek headline from October 2021 provides some of the necessary substantiation for Petersons claim: Nearly 40 Percent of U.S. Gen Zs, 30 Percent of Young Christians Identify as LGBTQ, Poll Shows. This spike of more than 4,000 percent, from roughly 3 percent of the population to the current 40 percent, did not happen in a vacuum. Instead, this is what takes place when a society loses its boundaries, casts off traditional biblical values, and inundates its young people with a constant flood of pro-LGBTQ messages and propaganda. The latest TikTok trends provide yet another avenue for such mass deception, as kids are self-diagnosing themselves with all kinds of alleged mental disorders. And this leads me back to the question about Chinese mind control, reminding me of the famous speech delivered by Alexander Solzhenitsyn at the Harvard commencement ceremony in 1978. He claimed that, Only moral criteria can help the West against communisms well-planned world strategy. There are no other criteria. Looking back to the recent past, he observed, Liberalism was inevitably pushed aside by radicalism, radicalism had to surrender to socialism, and socialism could not stand up to communism. In short, Humanism which has lost its Christian heritage cannot prevail in this competition. And this stark warning: The next war (which does not have to be an atomic one; I do not believe it will be) may well bury Western civilization forever. In fact, in Solzhenitsyns mind, in many ways, the West had already lost the war. What does this have to do with TikTok? I have no evidence that China specifically intended the app to undermine Western morals or downgrade our ability to think and concentrate. But for sure, these are major results of TikTok (along with some other social media apps), and parents need to be incredibly alert to this latest threat. Is this another reason why China bans the app? A child abuser may not be crawling through your childs window, but another, very destructive force may be flooding into your childs mind through social media apps, with TikTok at the top of the list. Be vigilant and beware! And remember that, as Solzhenitsyn warned, if we lose our moral and spiritual grounding, we lose all, and chaos soon ensues. Only we can push it back with morality, sanity, truth, and persevering love. Amir Locke's mom slammed the alleged "execution" of her son during his funeral as hundreds of people mourned the death of the 22-year-old Black man who was fatally shot by Minneapolis police officers. During the affair on Thursday, the Rev. Al Sharpton made a powerful and emotional eulogy to remember the life of the victim. Locke was not named in the "no-knock" warrant and was fatally shot by police on Feb. 2. Amir Locke's Funeral Police body camera footage also showed officers executing the warrant and finding Locke, who did not live at the home, sleeping under a blanket on the couch. It could be seen that the 22-year-old Black man was holding a gun when he sat up. Law enforcement shot him less than 10 seconds after they went inside the room while he was still covered in the blanket. Karen Wells, Locke's mother, criticized the police officers that her son encountered and said that they were not above the law. The victim's parents said they would continue to fight for a law to honor their son's death and ban "no-knock" warrants. Sharpton committed to supporting the family, arguing that Locke was not guilty of anything except being a young Black man in America, as per ABC News. Hundreds of people gathered at Locke's funeral, which was held at the same church where Daunte Wright, who was fatally shot during a traffic stop in a nearby suburb, was memorialized in April 2021. Locke's aunt, Linda Kay Taylor, said those police officers did not need more training and should be relieved of their duty. Read Also: Amir Locke Death: Funeral for Police Shooting Victim Set; Memorial Fund Reaches Halfway Mark Taylor argued that training could never remove a person's racism and that no one could train another to be empathetic about Black and Brown lives. During the funeral, a large portrait of Locke was placed at the front of the church as people entered to pay their respects to the late Black man. According to Aljazeera, the victim's body was placed inside a white coffin topped with roses and multiple bouquets of flowers nearby. Many people have compared Locke's death to that of George Floyd, the Black man who was killed after Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, placed his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly 10 minutes. No-Knock Warrant The SWAT officers who raided the home Locke was found in were looking for his 17-year-old cousin and two others implicated in the homicide investigation in St. Paul. Authorities arrested Mekhi Speed, Locke's cousin, on Feb. 8 and charged him with two counts of second-degree murder. Prosecutors are now considering whether or not to press charges against the officer who shot and killed Locke. The situation has given new life to policing in a city that is still haunted by Floyd's death in 2020. The Minneapolis Office of Police Conduct Review also said that it will conduct a special review of the police department's "no-knock" warrant policy. Civil rights lawyer Ben Crump and other attorneys for the Locke family have called out for the officer who shot Locke, who was identified as Mark Hanneman, to be fired and charged. In a statement, the attorneys said that Locke was an innocent young man who was the victim of a raid that went terribly wrong, The Washington Post reported. Related Article: Alec Baldwin, 'Rust' Producers Sued by Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins' Family for Wrongful Death on Film Set @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Why we don't want Europe-style free speech in America Late last year at Yale Law School, native American law student Trent Colbert became the latest victim of cancel culture and the woke mob. Trent is part of the Yale Native American fraternity NALSA. He sent an invitation to fellow law school friends to join him in a party of both NALSA and the Federalist Society. His email invitation was benign but included the term trap house, which subsequently caused a firestorm of condemnation. Trent described attacks he immediately received: Barely 12 hours after I sent the invitation, two discrimination and harassment coordinators from the Law Schools Officer of Student Affairs scheduled a meeting with me repeatedly urged me to issue a public apology. The woke officials warned things would escalate. According to Trent, I was told my use of the term trap house indicated inherently anti-Black sentiment. As a Gen-Zer, Ive always known trap house to be synonymous with party house ... the popular understanding of trap house in no way suggests it is a racial slur. The discrimination coordinators quickly sent an email to Trents entire law school class condemn(ing) in the strongest possible terms Trents pejorative and racist language. Yes, this is the same Yale in which a speaker told students in April she fantasizes about shooting white people in the head. This is but one of the examples of woke attacks on free speech, while progressives increasingly exhort us to follow European-style censorships. The progressive call for implementing Europes brand of censorship was probably best summed up in The New York Times essay by Emily Bazelon. In it, Bazelon marginalized the traditional article of faith in the United States that the government should regulate it as little as possible. She then claimed, the way we have come to think about the First Amendment guarantee of free speech our formulations are simplistic and especially inadequate for our era. Bazelon went on to offer a better alternative: Other Democracies, in Europe and elsewhere, have taken a different approach. Despite more regulations on speech, these countries remain Democratic... Its important to understand what most Europeans use as authority for free speech rights. Member states of the European Union follow Article 10 of the Convention of Human Rights for determining limits on free speech. Unlike the clear First Amendment language of Congress shall make no law infringing free speech, Article 10 allows for restriction of speech by the government. It uses terms as vague as health and morals to allow for those restrictions. In my experience of living in Europe for many years, I found the European value of free speech to be quite distinct from Americas. Generally, Europeans will agree that people should have freedom of speech but admit that it is not an unqualified right. Government, many argue, may censor for the perceived collective good. In various places in Europe, like Finland, this means that quoting from the Bible about sexuality can bring felony prosecution as hate speech. During a Pew Research poll of the six primary European Union members, almost half of the respondents were not opposed to censoring speech that might be found offensive, including 70% of Germans and 62% of Italians. A primary argument for censoring hate speech in Europe is preventing Fascism, Nazism, and the Holocaust. Ironically, history gives the opposite conclusion. As Danish newspaper editor Flemming Rose has written: I found that, contrary to what most people think, Weimar Germany did have hate-speech laws, and they were applied quite frequently ... leading Nazis such as Joseph Goebbels, Theodore Fritsch and Julius Streicher were all prosecuted for anti-Semitic speech rather than deterring ... the many court cases served as effective public-relations machinery ... the courts became an important platform for Streichers campaign against the Jews. Trying to suppress speech is much less effective than illuminating and debating it. Progressives have pushed their favored European model of censorship through woke indoctrination, as with the examples like Trent Colbert and with the arguments of Emily Bazelon. With the continual propaganda in favor of hate speech censorship, from Democratic politicians, mainstream media, and academia, our American values have been under constant assault. As author and senior writer for National Review, David Harsanyi, has written, Polls, alas, also show an increasing openness to hate speech laws in the United States. A recent survey found that 40% of millennials are okay with limiting speech offensive to minorities. Another found 50% of Democrats have warmed to the idea of banning hate speech. Democratic politicians have attempted to use scare tactics of a domestic extremism danger or public health disinformation to censor speech they disfavor. Autocracies show that when speech is censored, all other rights quickly dissolve. That is our direction now. After Jesus was crucified, the Apostles Peter and John were ordered by the ruling authorities not to speak in His name (Acts 4). Their reply is one of the earliest examples of pushback against censorship. An example we should follow now: Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard. Freedom of speech is at the heart of being a Christian and an American. We cannot give it up. Why Christian entrepreneurs are a big part of the solution to our cultural ills Aaron Groen is a financial adviser with Ronald Blue Trust, and an organizer of the Business on Purpose conference. Aaron joined me on the podcast Business in the Kingdom on the Edifi network to talk about Christian entrepreneurs as a key part of the solution to our cultures ills, and the personal as well as long-term business advantages of Christian character. To listen to the full podcast, click below. Here are a few highlights from that discussion, lightly edited for clarity and length: Jerry: You helped run the second Business on Purpose conference. Whats the purpose of the Business on Purpose conference? Aaron: Well, what we started with was, God's word is sufficient for all of life. And we thought, what if we took that premise and said, how can we equip and encourage Christians who own businesses to do so, to run their businesses and to grow their businesses in a way that's biblically faithful and that is distinctly honoring God. We looked around and we thought, you know, businesses are kind of like the redheaded stepchild in the church sometime and the leaders of the church might think of businesses as, Well, they have a big checkbook and they can support the work of the church and that's what they're good for, well tolerate them. What I wanted was for business owners to see that they're an integral part of the kingdom of God. They are an integral part of bringing restoration and healing. Gods equipped them to do business, and that's a noble calling. That's part of the purpose of our conference is encouraging Christians who owns businesses, they're doing good work and God's word has something to say about how to do that good work. Jerry: When you meet Christians who are entrepreneurs, how much do they feel the goodness of business? In other words, how do Christians who are entrepreneurs view their business? Aaron: Ill answer your questions in two ways. One is, I think there's a growing movement in the church to step away from this view that business is a necessary evil. I think that's becoming more and more true. I think Christian business owners are being increasingly encouraged that this is a calling that is good, and that doing business well honors God, but I do think that there are a large majority of Christians who are entrepreneurs who wonder if it's okay. To use your example, you talk a lot about the Rich Young Ruler. I think a lot of Christian business owners might hear or read that text, maybe they've heard a sermon on it, and they wondered, I'm building a successful business thats very profitable. I'm scaling up, I've got 50, 60, 80 employees and it's generating a lot of income for me. Am I the Rich Young Ruler? or they wonder Am I going to be found faithful? Because all I'm doing is producing great products and providing great jobs. All I'm doing is helping people flourish! Jerry: You said the majority. Aaron: I really think that. And I don't think it's all coming from the church either, I think part of it is just a cultural thing that we're dealing with. It's the cultural moment that we're in right now. I think that the church hasn't done a good enough job to validate people who are in business, people who have said God has gifted me with an entrepreneurs mind, and that's a good thing, and God has gifted me with the ability to forge the connections, make the relationships to turn a profit and produce whatever the great service is or the great product is. The church hasn't necessarily validated that and that it might be that the people aren't hearing the message of validation. And so, they unnecessarily feel like oh my goodness, I'm dealing in filthy commerce. I just feel the church can do a better job, but it's also just a cultural issue as well. Why Jemar Tisby is wrong about the economics of systemic racism Whatever of mechanical talent or intellect, capable of illustrating a nation, there is in the three millions of slaves is lost for ever for want of education.... Cassius Clay, 1848 The American debate over race is heating up again, this time in Christian circles. Jemar Tisby complained this week about the controversy swirling around his appearance at Grove City College. Tisby authored The Color of Compromise, a book that takes on the history of the white churchs unwillingness to join the fight for Black civil rights, and he has now joined Ibram X. Kendis Anti-Racism Center. I, for one, believe that Grove City students are smart enough to hear a wide range of views and evaluate them. Here, though, Id rather address a particular claim of Tisbys to see what it can teach us about economics and the natural law. Tisby defends himself against the accusation that he believes all white people are racist and insists instead that all white people benefit from racist systems. I argue that, taken as a group, white people dont genuinely benefit from Black oppression at all. The exclusion of any minority group from freedom of movement, education, economic participation, or the equal protection of the law never benefits the majority group. It only lessens them. Lets start with the institution of slavery. That slavery is immoral is clear, but there has been a long-standing debate in the field of economics over whether slavery is profitable. What do we mean by profitable? Of course, slaveholders profited from the unpaid and unfree labor of those they enslaved, although they made no higher profit margins than northern employers of free labor did. But to notice the profit of particular businessmen is different from asking whether the institution was profitable. When we ask that question, we are asking whether it expanded the economy, that is, whether it increased wealth generally. Economists are often derided for being cold-hearted numbers people, but credit where its due: they insist on counting everyones preferences in the aggregate, not just white peoples! Factor in the physical and psychological losses to enslaved people lost freedom of movement, lost wages, lost family members, lost leisure, lost learning (and therefore human capital and future earning power), and so many other losses, the costs to the overall economy are immense. And we havent even touched on the dysfunctional economic effects of slavery: infrastructure that was never built, poor white workers wages also bid down, labor wasted on slave patrols and overseers, and high rates of violent crime in the south. When compared to the alternative of an economy based on the liberty of all individuals and free trade, a slave economy can never compete. Instead of growing the real amount and quality of goods and services through innovation and free exchange, a slave economy is mostly just a wealth transfer, stealing from a large number of people and moving that wealth to a small minority of owners through violent extraction. A similar argument can be made with regard to Jim Crow and the Black codes in both the north and the south. Every time we make it harder for people - particularly people who are already marginalized and struggling - to learn, trade, move, and build, we impoverish ourselves. There is no economic advantage to excluding one group, because it only leads to missing out on their contributions. The choice to disrupt and ghettoize black communities through FHA red-lining policies, urban highway construction, and so-called urban renewal (slum clearance, otherwise known as negro removal) partly caused the concentrated inner-city poverty we see today. The costs are astronomical: high unemployment, high crime, high rates of drug addiction and corresponding disability, poor educational outcomes, poor health outcomes, and high incarceration rates. Would someone please explain to me how all of these high costs benefit white people? A few of them might benefit some middle-class bureaucrats (black and white) who hand out benefits or serve as prison guards. But all of us including those I just mentioned would be living in a far more thriving economy if the federal government had left well enough alone so that the mixed income neighborhoods that were developing prior to their interventions had been allowed to grow organically. Instead, the Feds decided they needed to helpfully social engineer the way that white and black people interact, and now were dealing with social and economic consequences that will take decades to heal. The same could be said today when it comes to petty occupational license requirements, overregulation on small business, out of control and unaccountable prosecutors, union pushback against school choice, NIMBY zoning laws, and marijuana bans. While we no longer have laws that discriminate against Black people outright, we raise barriers to economic participation that affect all marginalized groups. Its about time we jettison the idea that oppressing and excluding anybody benefits the rest of us. The beauty of the free society is that the freer the people, the more they can, and will, benefit one another. Christian book publisher says Bible Gateway gave 'no explanation' for removing Passion Translation The Christian book publisher behind The Passion Translation said Bible Gateway "provided no explanation" for its decision to pull the translation from its platform. Earlier this month, Bible Gateway removed TPT from its website. The translation has raised concerns among many who believe it's too much of a paraphrase to be considered a valid translation of the Bible. Brian Simmons, founder and producer of the original TPT version, expressed his extreme disappointment with the decision to discontinue the translation. So cancel culture is alive in the church world. Bible Gateway just removed TPT from their platform, Simmons announced on social media, which was first reported by Church Watch Central. The Passion Translation website states that it's a translation that uses Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic manuscripts to express Gods fiery heart of love to this generation, merging the emotion and life-changing truth of Gods Word. According to the website, TPT wanted to trigger inside every reader an overwhelming response to the truth of the Bible and reveal the deep mysteries of the Scriptures in the love language of God, the language of the heart. The website notes that Simmons was the lead translator for the TPT, having previously helped with a Central American indigenous translation of the New Testament. Simmons did not respond to The Christian Posts request for comment regarding his views on TPT being dropped from Bible Gateway. However, in a statement emailed to CP, BroadStreet Publishing Group, the Christian book publisher behind this translation and other Bible study materials, said: Bible Gateway expressed no concerns and provided no explanation for why it removed TPT. BroadStreet Publishing also confirmed that its group was notified in early January that TPT would be pulled on Feb. 2. While no explanation was given, BroadStreet Publishing accepts that Bible Gateway has the right to make decisions as they see fit with the platforms they manage, it said, adding that many people have messaged their staff expressing disappointment with the decision. Bible Gateway has not made available to BroadStreet Publishing a full scope of complaints or criticism they have received about the text. As the publisher, we review all feedback regarding the translation. Our team of theologians and industry professionals will continue to address concerns, as has been our approach to date. John Harris, a Bible translation consultant with Bible Society Australia, told Eternity News that in order for a Bible translation to be considered a paraphrase it would have to expand or add to the original words in order to enhance their meaning. At times a Bible translation requires more than one word to make the meaning clear. When the grace of God is sometimes translated these days as the undeserved kindness of God in a modern translation like the Good News Bible, some people may strictly speaking say this is a paraphrase. But in fact, it is not, Harris said. It is a translation of the Greek word Charis in an era when the single word grace is no longer understood by the average person and is therefore insufficient to express what charis means, especially to people outside the church. For example, Harris told Eternity News, The Message version authored by theologian Eugene Peterson adds words with an aim to expand the text. However, Harris said that Peterson did not claim The Message was the Bible, but rather Peterson said that it's a free form that has the goal of aiding people in their ability to understand Scripture. Paraphrases can take things a bit too far, according to Harris, because he said the task of a Bible translator differs from that of someone who is writing a paraphrase. He said, there are issues that Bible translators must avoid, that are often found in paraphrases. The first temptation is to add too much to the original text. This is the kind of thing The Message sometimes does, but Peterson does not claim that what he has written is the Word of God, continued Harris. The second temptation is to add things which were never there in the first place, to put explanations in the text itself. Here lies the real danger because there is always the temptation to add words which push the text towards a particular theological position. Harris said the TPT version falls into these temptations by displaying additional words in its text which could be seen in a 2019 TPT translation in the first chapter in the book of Philippians. Christian groups urge court to uphold ruling allowing religious student clubs to choose their leaders Several religious organizations have filed an amicus brief on behalf of a Christian student group at the University of Iowa that wants to only have Christian leaders. At issue is InterVaristy Christian Fellowships lawsuit against the University of Iowa over the schools Human Rights Policy, which prohibited religious student groups from requiring their leaders to live by the beliefs and standards of the group. Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, the Christian Medical & Dental Associations, Parkview Evangelical Free Church, and Ratio Christi filed the brief on Tuesday before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Each party in the amicus brief says they have a student group chapter awaiting approval from the University of Iowa pending the results of the InterVarsity lawsuit. Like InterVarsity, argued the brief, the groups welcome everyone to their meetings, activities, and events, however, they could not accomplish their respective missions without ensuring that their leaders embody their core religious beliefs. The brief argued that until 2017, the university maintained an antidiscrimination policy that respected the rights of religious student groups to choose their own leaders based on their beliefs. In 2017, all this started to changebut only for religious groups. Suddenly, the University began systematically derecognizingi.e., effectively banishing from campusany religious organization that used religious-belief requirements for their leadership, read the amicus brief in part. Once enjoined, the University did not change its ways. Rather, it doubled down, expanding its discrimination by derecognizing even more religious groups, including InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship, and defying the district courts injunctions against enforcement of this policy. The groups filing the brief were represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative law firm that has argued First Amendment cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. No group should be forced to accept leaders who dont even agree with the groups mission, said ADF Legal Counsel Michael Ross in a statement released Tuesday. A public university is supposed to be a marketplace of ideas, but that marketplace cant function if officials will not let groups elect leaders who agree with the groups reason for being. Since 2017, the university has been the subject of litigation from multiple religious student groups over the implementation of its human rights policy. Last September, U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose issued a ruling allowing InterVarsity to choose leaders based on their parameters rather than the Human Rights Policy. university nondiscrimination policies are not viewpoint neutral if they are selectively applied to restrict the leadership and/or membership requirements of some student groups but not others, wrote Rose. Some groups, such as Love Works, Zeta Beta Tau, and Pi Kappa Phi, can express their views on religion. This disparate treatment constitutes viewpoint discrimination against InterVarsity. After the September ruling, the university released a statement claiming that they had revised their standards for student organizations to permit student organizations to require their leaders to agree to and support the organizations beliefs. The University of Iowa has always respected the right of students, faculty, and staff to practice the religion of their choice, stated the university. The case involving Business Leaders in Christ and later InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA and InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship presented a difficult issue for a public university as administrators tried to balance the rights of all individuals on campus. The university also stated that it acted in good faith as they attempted to navigate the complicated interplay between the First Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment and the direct conflict with the Iowa Civil Rights Act. In February of last year, Rose ruled that the policy could not be enforced against the student group Business Leaders in Christ when they did not allow a homosexual student to become a leader over his opposition to the groups views on marriage and sexuality. Christians who oppose face masks have spirit of antichrist: AME elder, Columbia prof. claims Obery M. Hendricks Jr., an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and an adjunct professor of religion at Columbia University in New York City, accused Christians who oppose wearing face masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic of having the spirit of antichrist. Hendricks, a self-described democratic socialist and author of the book, Christians Against Christianity: How Right-Wing Evangelicals Are Destroying Our Nation and Our Faith, in which he criticizes conservative Evangelicals, including Franklin Graham and Pastor Robert Jeffress, is also a member of the Democratic National Committee's Faith Advisory Council. The Christian scholar made his comments about masking during a Feb. 8 interview with Alfred Street Baptist Church Pastor Howard-John Wesley on his YouTube show Can I Push It? days before the progressive state of California lifted its mask mandate for vaccinated adults. During the interview, Hendricks also argued that Evangelicals had distorted and exploited Christianity, helped promote white supremacy, and claimed that the Bible is silent on homosexuality. "These folk are not fulfilling their Gospel responsibility. They're violating it," Hendricks said. "They're spitting in the face of it. It's anti-biblical. It's anti-Christian. And I'll go farther. What we see reflected in their attitudes and their actions and their pronouncements is what 1 John calls the spirit of antichrist." "[W]hen we look again at these conservatives, these right-wingers that talk about 'You're infringing on my freedom by having me wear a mask' they don't understand that they are violating the biblical principle of responsibility for our brothers and sisters," he insisted. Hendricks' comments come as several states, including those with Democratic governors, and municipalities across the United States, including some major cities, have announced their intentions to lift indoor mask mandates by the end of February or early March. On Wednesday, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said that the agency is examining the possibility of relaxing its masking guidance. Reports indicate that the CDC could lift its masking guidance by as early as next week and that municipalities could relax their COVID restrictions based on certain factors that include ICU bed capacity. In the podcast, Hendricks further claimed that the Bible doesnt offer a conclusive position on whether homosexuality and abortion are sins. They [Evangelicals] say that unequivocally, according to the Bible, same-gender emotional and physical intimacy is a sin and these folks should be cast out. But when you read the passages about homosexuality, there are only a handful of them and the Bible talks more about bestiality than it talks about same-gender loving people, Hendricks said. But the few places where it mentions same-gender loving people, you put them in a cultural, historical context and translate them correctly, either they are like in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, theyre dealing with circumstances at the moment to try to keep the Hebrew people from going over into the Canaanite religion for instance, he continued. So it mentions not [to] lie with men. But it doesnt really. It says that men should not become holy ones into the Hebrew. ... What does that mean? You should not get involved into the Canaanite Temple cult, a fertility cult in which men become, essentially try to become women. They dress like women. Act like women. They even have their private parts excised so they can fulfill this role of women in order to worship a feminine God." Hendricks clarified his opinion and biblical interpretation, adding that he wasn't saying "men dressing like women in itself is bad." "Its bad because they are not acting as Hebrews. They are acting according to someone elses religion. And when you go up through Paul, Paul is saying when you translate it through the Greek, some of it is just not clear. My point is, no matter what ones opinion is, we cannot say conclusively that the Bible is saying that those people who romantically love members of their own gender are sinning because the Bible does not clearly say that," Hendricks argued. "And that is clear, and we dont need to get into the fact that Jesus says to love each other. What that says to me is as long as you love somebody, youre in good shape, and youre trying to love in the name of God." The AME denomination allows LGBT-identified individuals to serve as pastors and in other leadership positions, but prohibits clergy from performing same-sex marriages, a rule approved unanimously in 2004. The Bible is clear about homosexuality. Leviticus says that God finds the act of men having sex with men as detestable to the Lord. Meanwhile, Romas 1:26 describes homosexual acts as "shameful." While some argue that Old Testament law has no relevance for New Testament believers, cultural apologist and author Jim Denison argues that "basic rule of biblical interpretation is that any Old Testament teaching repeated in the New Testament carries the weight of command to the Christian church and faith." "[I]t is claimed that the Leviticus passage expresses a worship code, not a moral standard. The logic is that Leviticus is written with regard to the Levitical priests and their duties of worship preparation and leadership and does not apply as such to the larger family of faith. However, the chapter in question begins, 'The Lord said to Moses, Speak to the Israelites and say to them ...' (18:1)." "Nothing in the chapter limits its application or significance to the Levites," he continued. "Rather, the chapter exhorts all Israel to keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them (v. 4). It proceeds to forbid incestuous relationships, child sacrifice, and bestiality standards I presume critics of Leviticus 18:22 would consider universal." Focus on the Family, a Christian advocacy organization, also noted that claims that the Bible is not conclusive about the issue of homosexuality are a distortion of Scripture. Some claim Jesus never said anything about homosexuality and therefore is neutral on the topic. Not true. Jesus was unequivocal in saying that to understand marriage and the sexual union, we must go back to the beginning and see how God created humanity and to what end. (See Matthew 19 and Mark 10.), the organization states on its website. Jesus holds up the creation story in Genesis not as a quaint Sunday school lesson, but as authoritative reminding us that God created each of us male and female, each for the other. And the sexual union that God created and ordains is for husband and wife to come together in physical union, one flesh. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association maintains in a 2017 handbook that homosexuality can't simply be dismissed as an "alternate lifestyle" and maintains that "such behavior is a "departure from the natural order of His creation." "Gods Word shows us the dual purpose of the sexual relationship: It seals the marriage bond between a man and a woman, and it perpetuates the human race," the handbook, "Biblical Answers for a Broken World" states, citing Genesis 2:24 and Genesis 9:7. "A persons sexuality should only be expressed within this context. God created man and woman as unique biological persons made to complete each other. He instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of society." Hendricks also elaborated on his view that abortion is not a sin a position that a majority of Evangelicals disagree with. The Bible never says abortion is a sin, he said. Both these areas, homosexuality and abortion, were determined during a meeting of right-wing Evangelicals around 1980. Randall Balmer documents this in his book, Thy Kingdom Come. He was there. They got together and they tried to decide what wedge issues can we come up with that we can use to get the people behind us so we can dominate society. Colorado university reaches settlement with Christian student group, pays damages A university in Colorado reached a legal settlement with a Christian apologetics student group that it previously refused to recognize, giving them official recognition and paying over $20,000 in damages. The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs agreed to a settlement which will allow Ratio Christi to become a registered student club among resubmitting an application, as well as pay the plaintiffs a one-time amount of $20,574 in damages. The University also agreed to revise its Club & Organization Handbook to include a provision explaining that all student clubs can require leaders to adhere to the beliefs of their group. In return, Ratio Christi will dismiss its lawsuit against the University and amend its membership standards to clarify that non-Christians can become members and participate in its activities. Travis Barham, senior counsel with the Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented Ratio Christi, said in a statement released Tuesday that he commended the University for quickly implementing this common sense policy reform. It would be absurd for the university to require the vegan student group to appoint a meat-lover as its president, stated Barham. Thankfully, the university quickly fixed its policy by adding provisions that respect students rights to free association, no longer forcing Christian students to let atheists or other non-Christians to lead their Bible studies in order to become a registered club. Last November, the Universitys Ratio Christi chapter filed a lawsuit when the school refused to grant them official recognition over their requirement that members and leaders be Christian. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, the lawsuit accused the University of violating the student groups First Amendment rights and denying them access to the marketplace of ideas. It has enforced these policies to deny registered status to Ratio Christi even though it has granted registered status to other student organizations that include and enforce similar requirements, thereby favoring some viewpoints over others, read the lawsuit. It has promised to register Ratio Christi only if the group changes its leadership and membership criteria. That is, Plaintiffs must agree to abandon their rights to free speech, free association, free exercise of religion, freedom from unconstitutional conditions, due process, and equal protection to access campus resources available to all other student organizations. Earlier this week, the ADF argued a separate case related to the question of Christian student expression on college campus before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. In Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski, the ADF argued that a free speech zone policy at Georgia Gwinnett College unjustly limits the ability of Chike Uzuegbunam to preach on campus. Uzuegbunam filed the suit in December 2016. In May of last year, U.S. District Court Judge Eleanor L. Ross ruled in favor of the College, labeling the former students arguments moot in light of campus policy changes and the student having graduated in 2017. San Francisco voters recall 3 school board members: 'This is a revolution' As outrage over the presence of sexually explicit material and the embrace of woke ideology in public schools continues to influence American politics, voters in one of the most progressive cities in the United States have decided to oust three of their school board members. A recall election took place in San Francisco on Tuesday, where the overwhelming majority of voters supported recall efforts against three of the seven school board members in the San Francisco Unified School District: School Board President Gabriela Lopez, former School Board Vice President Alison Collins and Faauuga Moliga. When asked if they wanted to remove the board members from office, nearly 79% of San Francisco voters supported the recall effort against Collins, followed by 75% for Lopez and 72% for Moliga. Supporters of the recall effort point to actions taken by the school board during the coronavirus pandemic as the cause of their frustration. Specifically, the Recall SF School Board website alleges that our school board wasted time renaming schools instead of reopening them. As explained in a New Yorker article, during the pandemic, San Franciscos Board of Education voted, 6-1, to change the names of forty-four schools, including schools named after Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. A committee formed by the school board following the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August 2017 called for the renaming of schools named after individuals who engaged in the subjugation and enslavement of human beings; or who oppressed women, inhibiting societal progress; or whose actions led to genocide; or who otherwise significantly diminished the opportunities of those among us to the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Washingtons name was struck because he held slaves, Lincolns because of his policies toward Native Americans. Senator Dianne Feinsteins name will be removed from a school, owing to the decision, when she was San Franciscos mayor, in the 1980s, to replace a Confederate flag that was part of a Civic Center display and had been taken down by a protester. In addition to accusations of misplaced priorities, outrage over one of its members tweets also plagued the school board. Collins, the board member who the greatest number of San Francisco residents voted to recall, sent out tweets following the 2016 presidential election seeking news stories highlighting hate speech or bullying of Asian students because she was looking to combat anti-black racism in the Asian community at my daughters mostly Asian Am school. 30 REASONS TO RECALL THE SF SCHOOL BOARD 19. Commissioner Collins appears biased against Asian Americanshttps://t.co/lX2Q0IhFywpic.twitter.com/LyAe6gty13 Recall SF School Board (@recallsfboe) March 19, 2021 Collins went on to say that many Asian [students] and [teachers] I know wont engage in critical race convos unless they see how they are impacted by white supremacy. Collins also implied that Many Asian Am. believe they benefit from the model minority BS before insisting that many Asian American [teachers], [students], and [parents] use white supremacist thinking to get ahead. The school board member lamented that more Asians were not speaking up against Trump, and asked, Dont Asian Americans know they are on his list as well? Do they think they wont be deported? Profiled? Beaten? Being a house n----- is still being a n-----. Youre still considered the help. Ryan Girdusky, the founder of the 1776 Project PAC that supports school board candidates opposed to critical race theory and woke ideology, appeared on Fox News Tucker Carlson Tonight Wednesday to elaborate on the criticism of the school board. He reported that they were talking about abolishing the gifted and talented program and they refused to have one gay dad with a bi-racial daughter speak at a public school event because he wasnt diverse enough because he was white. .@RyanGirdusky Joins Tucker Carlson To Discuss His @1776ProjectPac's Plan To Get CRT Out Of The Classrooms Through School Board Elections Ryan: "I think we can flip 300 school board elections easily this year." pic.twitter.com/XmIs51e37e The Columbia Bugle ???????? (@ColumbiaBugle) February 17, 2022 The result of the recall vote is especially significant because San Francisco is a liberal bastion that gave more than 85% of the vote to the Democratic presidential ticket of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the 2020 presidential election. According to Rhodes Cook, a senior columnist at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, San Francisco gave the Democrats the sixth highest vote share in the 2020 presidential election out of all the more than 3,100 counties and county-equivalents in the U.S. In terms of raw votes, San Francisco gave the Republican ticket of Donald Trump and Mike Pence less than 60,000 votes in the 2020 election. More than 100,000 San Francisco voters supported ousting Collins, while more than 95,000 supported removing Lopez from office and more than 90,000 voted in favor of ousting Moliga. The success of the recall in a very liberal city did not go unnoticed by the 1776 Project PAC. On Tuesday, the group took to Twitter to declare this is a revolution. During his appearance on Tucker Carlson Tonight Wednesday, Girdusky predicted, I think we can flip 300 school board elections easily this year. Even in the progressive stronghold of San Francisco, school board members are being recalled. This is a revolution. pic.twitter.com/iRjcVYj9hM 1776 Project Pac (@1776ProjectPac) February 16, 2022 Concerns about the direction of American education are not limited to San Francisco. Parents and community members across the U.S. have descended on school board meetings to express displeasure with the inclusion of sexually explicit material in school libraries and as part of the curriculum. Last fall, a parent in Fairfax County, Virginia, has condemned the presence of the books Gender Queer and Lawn Boy in high school libraries, which she likened to pornography and promotions of pedophilia. At around the same time, the mayor of Hudson, Ohio, called on the members of his citys school board to resign for allowing a book containing sexually explicit writing prompts to make it into the curriculum of a college-level English class offered at the districts high school. The recall of the San Francisco school board members comes less than four months before a recall of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin is scheduled to take place. Boudin has faced criticism for taking actions that critics maintain have upended San Franciscos criminal justice system. Criminals are emboldened due to a lack of accountability; those perpetrators arrested are simply let go, commit more crimes, and unfortunately, many are deadly, the Recall Chesa Boudin website states. Our beloved city has seen an astronomical increase in violent crime, home invasions, shops looted, car-jackings, rampant and unchecked drug dealing and business property theft, even under Covid-19 restrictions. UMC agrees to extend Boy Scout charters through June amid sex abuse lawsuits The United Methodist Church and the Boy Scouts of America have reached an agreement that will extend church-sponsored charters through June 30, with the future between the two entities uncertain after that. In an announcement released Monday, the UMC said the denomination had reached an agreement with the Boy Scouts to extend existing charters that many of their congregations have with the youth organization until the end of June. The mainline Protestant denomination had previously extended an earlier deadline from the end of 2021 to March 31 due to ongoing legal proceedings over the BSAs bankruptcy case. Organizational leaders are working together to develop a long-term solution regarding the churchs relationship with Scouting as they plan for new relationship agreements that will help to improve the program and safety of Scouting for future generations of young people, stated the UMC Office of Public Information in the announcement. The United Methodist Church and the Boy Scouts of America have worked together to develop the character and values of youth through Scouting for more than a hundred years. According to the UMC, churches with scouting troops do not presently need to take action on the issue of charter renewal, though they are encouraged to move forward with the annual membership renewal process for all youth and adults who participate in Scouting programs. Charter renewal and membership renewal are distinct processes. Charter renewal focuses on the organization-to-organization relationship, while membership renewal involves the relationship between individual Scouts and volunteers and the BSA, the UMC added. Annual membership renewal is a vital step in allowing Scouting to continue, as maintaining active membership registrations for all Scouts and volunteers is critical to ensuring that Scouts and volunteers are covered by BSAs insurance, that volunteers meet training and safety standards, and that both youth and volunteers continue to receive communications. Membership renewal should be completed by no later than Feb. 28, according to the announcement, with the UMC noting that local council representatives can offer support. Last August, the UMCs Office of Public Information released a statement advising congregations that chartered BSA chapters to consider ending their agreements with the scouting group in light of the Scouts sexual abuse lawsuit settlement. The BSA is working to resolve approximately 82,000 claims of sexual abuse leveled against it, with the expected compensation presently estimated to be around $2.7 billion. The UMC explained at the time that the BSA did not include its sponsoring organizations, charter groups, in the agreement with the claimants, thus leaving as many as 5,000 United Methodist U.S. congregations or more than 15 percent of U.S. congregations exposed to potential lawsuits by the survivor claimants. Questions remain about how that agreement might affect chartered organizations, including thousands of United Methodist congregations that have sponsored scouting programs, stated the UMC last year. The interests of those congregations are represented by an ad hoc committee established to represent United Methodist interests, which is actively engaged in the bankruptcy process and related negotiations. In 2019, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, previously the religious group that sponsored the largest number of BSA troops, cut its ties with the scouting organization. In a joint statement with the BSA in 2018, the denomination said the decision to halt the relationship was related to a decision by LDS leadership to create and implement a uniform youth leadership and development program that serves its members globally. Pro-life group relaunches database for women facing unplanned pregnancies: 'You're not alone' WASHINGTON A pro-life group has unveiled the latest project in its strategic plan to prepare for a post-Roe America, which encourages women experiencing unexpected pregnancies to reject abortion while providing them with resources to ensure that they do not stand alone. A group of pro-life activists held a press conference at the Heritage Foundations headquarters Monday to discuss their efforts to provide resources other than abortion to assist women experiencing unplanned pregnancies. The event comes as the United States Supreme Court is slated to rule on a case that could have the impact of reversing or weakening Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Students for Life of America co-hosted the press conference, along with Heritage Action and featured women who've had personal experiences deciding whether or not to have an abortion. Every day, the pro-life community proves that we are here for women and their children, no matter how many times were accused of not caring, SFLA President Kristan Hawkins said in a statement about the event. "But as we get closer to a post-Roe America, were taking our message straight to women across the country so that they know we are standing with them so that they never have to stand alone. Hawkins explained that the press conferences timing on Valentines Day was no coincidence: On Valentines Day, we want women to know that they and their children born and preborn are loved. A predatory abortion industry making millions through ending young lives tells women that they are alone in the world and incapable of succeeding at home and work. They sell women short, and then they sell them an abortion, creating real fear in women. We want women to know that we are already working to help them and that no woman needs to stand alone. The press conference also coincided with the relaunch of the SFLA project Standing With You, a website that includes a database of pregnancy and parenting resources across the U.S. SFLA described the database as part of a strategic plan to prepare for a post-Roe America. Hawkins announced that SFLA was working with 41 universities to change their policies on campus so they no longer discriminate against pregnant and parenting women before unveiling changes to the Standing With You website. The website provides women with an opportunity to begin an immediate chat with a real person at Heartbeat International and make an appointment at a nearby pregnancy resource center. Women can also type in their ZIP code and immediately obtain a list of all nearby pregnancy resource centers. Mondays press conference took place on the same day as the publication of a letter on the Standing With You website that Hawkins encouraged pro-life advocates to sign. Addressed to the women of America, the letter laments that 72% of Americans cannot name their local pregnancy resource center. The shared goal of the signers of this letter is to ensure that no woman in an unexpected pregnancy stands alone, and every woman in crisis is connected to the life-giving, non-violent alternatives to abortion available in her area. These alternatives to abortion have been operating in communities for decades, without government funding. In addition to Hawkins and Janae Stracke of Heritage Action for America, speakers included Penny Young Nance of Concerned Women for America, Andrea Trudden of Heartbeat International, Emilie Kao of the religious liberty law firm Alliance Defending Freedom, Mrs. Virginia beauty pageant hopeful Kelly Dierberger and pro-life author Patrina Mosley. In her remarks, Nance called on Congress to appropriate such funds necessary to instruct [the Department of Health and Human Services] to create a one-stop state-by-state online resource center complete with hotline and chat [features] that details all the many public and private resources that are available to women experiencing unplanned pregnancies. Nance discussed her effort further in an interview with The Christian Post. She acknowledged that the creation of her envisioned Life.gov was dependent upon a pro-life majority in Congress, where pro-abortion Democrats currently have majorities in both chambers. She expressed optimism that the 2022 midterms would result in the pro-life Republican Party regaining majorities in the House and Senate. After the midterms, Ill feel much better about the ability for Congress [to] direct resources and specifically require HHS to provide the information and also require them to report back on what theyve done, she said. If you care about women, you should support the creation of Life.gov. She also predicted that President Joe Biden would probably not veto an appropriations bill that included a provision calling for the creation of Life.gov. Two of the speakers had personal experience with unplanned pregnancies, which frequently cause women to choose to terminate their pregnancies. Ruth Asmarzadeh, who decided not to abort her child after becoming pregnant in college unexpectedly, expressed praise for the Standing With You initiative. SFLA raised $6,000 for Asmarzadeh to finish her psychology degree after having a baby forced to drop out of college. Asmarzadeh elaborated on her experience at the press conference: I thought abortion was my only option mainly because I did not think there were any others. I did not know that choosing life for my child as well as choosing my own dreams would be an option. I thought that it was either abortion or a life in a constant state of exhaustion or poverty. While she initially felt hopelessly and indescribably alone, Asmarzadeh credited God for surrounding her with friends, family and my church who loved me and were excited for my new chapter of life. She also indicated that coming across Students for Life of America helped her tremendously throughout her post-pregnancy. Asmarzadeh first encountered Students for Life of America after one of her friends had given her the contact information for the SFLA regional coordinator. After contacting her SFLA regional coordinator, she connected with the SFLA chapter on her campus. She reported that the pro-life group came around me and supported me and even threw a baby shower. In an interview with CP, Asmarzadeh explained that she identified as pro-choice before becoming pregnant: When it happened to me, it just kind of changed because all of a sudden this is happening to me and its different and its real. Nearly six years after giving birth to her son, Eli, Asmarzadeh is finishing the last leg of her associates degree at Pikes Peak Community College in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and has used the scholarship money raised by SFLA over the course of multiple semesters. She described her experience as a little difficult but a huge blessing because Im working full time and I work a lot. Because she's not a full-time student, it has taken the young mother longer than usual to complete her degree. Asmarzadeh was a student at the same college in the spring of 2016, when her academic career involuntarily came to a halt. I had my son a week before finals, she recalled. When I went back to my classes, I wasnt able to take my finals because classes were already over, I just had my baby, so I wasnt able to go in because I was still recovering physically from all that and then exhausted. Asmarzadeh told CP that because my teachers never really coordinated with me what I was supposed to do, she ended up failing her classes, which caused her to lose her financial aid. She indicated that because of the efforts of SFLA, other pregnant students at Pikes Peak Community College would not find themselves in her situation: I think its changed its policies. I have seen nursing rooms, which is really cool because that wasnt there before I took my break from school. While she felt an overall fear associated with being the pregnant girl on campus and how that would look, fear of my reputation, fear of my parents kicking me out, and as shallow as it may be, it was fear of what it could do to my body that caused her to contemplate abortion. Asmarzadeh chose not to give in to that fear and credited her parents with influencing her decision to have her child. My parents were very supportive no matter what and they were one of the reasons I decided I couldnt get an abortion and I couldnt give my kiddo up for adoption because it would devastate my parents and thats their legacy as well and I knew that they would be there to support me. Asmarzadeh said her mother reminded her that she was going to be a grandma and she said this baby is a part of my heart as well. She concluded that even if I got an abortion or gave him up for adoption, I would be missing a part of myself. She attributed her decision to choose life to research she did about the procedure: I researched the abortion process and every process. I became very familiar with some very disturbing words and animated videos that made me sick. And I was like nope, I cant do an abortion, especially knowing the initial side effects and the long-term effects that Planned Parenthood omits ... and they dont really tell you about. The young mother also pointed to the experience of one of her friends as a motivating factor in her decision not to have an abortion. Asmarzadehs friend shared emotional testimony detailing that when she was in college, she had two abortions because she was pressured by her boyfriend at the time and later on down the road the side effects of that [were] miscarriages and hemorrhages. After encountering a woman at her church who gave her baby up for adoption rather than have an abortion, Asmarzadeh became grateful that God was at the center of that in leading me to these people and placing these people in my life so that I could hear their testimonies and so that I could make the decision. In the future, Asmarzadeh hopes to continue her advocacy to help the pregnant mother whos afraid and scared and feels really alone and help her feel like youre not alone and let her know that there are people who want to help her. The Japanese foreign ministry announced on Thursday that Chinese police had detained a Japanese man in Shanghai while the circumstances of his detention and the cause for it were unknown. In China, 16 Japanese individuals have been jailed on different counts, including espionage, since 2015. At least ten people have been charged, and nine of them have been sentenced to jail for up to 15 years. Japan Demands Release of Japanese Man From China Detention At a routine news conference in Tokyo, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's administration had asked China, through its consulate in Shanghai, for a chance to meet the individual and advocated for his early release. Matsuno stated that he was in good health, according to the South China Morning Post. "On several occasions, the Japanese government has pressed the Chinese side to release the individual as soon as possible," Matsuno said. He also stated that the Chinese side has not informed Japan that the individual is in terrible condition. Japan has requested a meeting with the individual from China and would take assistance measures, including communication with his family, according to Matsuno. The imprisonment is a setback for Japan-China relations, which are commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations normalization. It's the first time a Japanese person has been detained by Chinese officials since a Hokkaido University professor was arrested in Beijing in September and freed in November of the same year, as per The Japan Times. Japan has also made a protest against China over the death of a Japanese man in his 70s who was seized in Beijing in 2015 and sentenced to a 12-year jail term for spying, according to the government's top spokesperson. According to people familiar with Sino-Japanese ties, the individual used to work for an airline and frequently visited China as a consultant before dying of sickness this month in a Beijing hospital. Since President Xi Jinping took office in 2013, China has increased its surveillance of foreign groups and persons in the name of national security. Other foreign nationals have been detained in China, notably with the implementation of a counter-espionage law in 2014 and a national security statute in 2015. Read Also: US Court Rewards Otto Warmbier's Family $240K After American Student Died in North Korea due to Hard Labor China Recently Arrested Uyghur Man Who Studied in Japan Meanwhile, local authorities in China's far-western Xinjiang province have detained an Uyghur who studied in Japan as a Ph.D. student and worked at a restaurant chain after returning home, according to media reports. Abduhelil Abdurehim worked at the Uyghur restaurant chain Herembagh in Urumqi (in Chinese, Wulumuqi) and resided in the Lijing residential complex on Union Road in Xinjiang's capital Urumqi (in Chinese, Wulumuqi) at the time of his detention, according to Radio Free Asia. Abdusemi Abdurehim, Abduhelil's brother who now resides in Japan, claimed he lost communication with him in November 2021 and became concerned for his safety when he realized Herembagh's website was no longer maintained. Because Abduhelil likewise ceased contacting via his WeChat messaging app, Abdusemi thought police had detained his sibling. He informed the news site that the last time he spoke to his brother on WeChat, along with his sister, was on June 12. When Abdusemi and his sister phoned Abduhelil's wife to check about his brother, she informed him that his phone was broken and that he needed it fixed. Uyghur Muslims are a Turkic minority ethnic group that originated in and are culturally associated with the Central and East Asian area. The Uyghurs are indigenous to the People's Republic of China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, India Blooms reported. Related Article: Arkansas Doctor Sued Over Treatment of Ivermectin for Inmates Without Consent; Local Leaders Praise Physician's Action @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. GiveSendGo hacked, donors leaked amid fundraiser for Canadian trucker convoy protest The Christian crowdfunding site GiveSendGo has been hacked and temporarily disabled after it facilitated the raising of nearly $9 million for the convoy of Canadian truckers who have been protesting vaccine mandates. The Delaware-based organization, which hosted a crowdfunding effort for the Canadian truckers after crowdfunding site GoFundMe took down their initial fundraiser at the urging of the Canadian government, was disabled Sunday night. Visitors were redirected to the domain GiveSendGone[.]wtf. The site had raised over $8.7 million in one week after the GoFundMe effort was taken down. Hackers posted on GiveSendGo a scene from the Disney film Frozen as a backdrop along with a statement blasting the website and the protest movement known as the "Freedom Convoy," according to The Daily Dot's Mikael Thalen. BREAKING: GiveSendGo, the crowdfunding website used by the Freedom Convoy, is now redirecting to the domain GiveSendGone[.]wtf. A video from the Disney film Frozen now appears alongside a manifesto condemning the website and the Freedom Convoy. pic.twitter.com/3TLAwfvZ3w Mikael Thalen (@MikaelThalen) February 14, 2022 The statement alleged that those who had contributed to the fundraiser were the same ones who had helped fund the January 6 insurrection in the U.S. and had helped fund an insurrection in Ottawa. On behalf of sane people worldwide who wish to continue living in a democracy, I am now telling you that GiveSendGo itself is frozen, the statement continued. As of Monday, the GiveSendGo website yields a blank white page that reads, Application under maintenance we will be back very soon. Similarly, a 404 error message appears on the GiveSendGo Adopt a Trucker fundraising page. GiveSendGos list of donors, approximately 92,000 of them, was also leaked and shared online. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice issued an order last week halting access to funds that had been raised on the crowdfunding site. The crowdfunding site tweeted Saturday: The funds from the Freedom Convoy are not frozen contrary to what you might be hearing on the news. GiveSendGo is working with many different campaign organizers to find the most effective legal ways to continue funds flowing. The site stated on Feb. 10 in response to previous Canadian court efforts to halt the funds that the Canadian government has absolutely ZERO jurisdiction over how we manage our funds here and that all the donations flow directly to the recipients of those campaigns, not least of which is The Freedom Convoy campaign. The sites hacking and the judicial moves against the company came amid Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus convening with government officials to discuss how to deal with ongoing protests. The protests began in late January when thousands of truckers traversed across the country and descended on Ottawa, Canadas capital city. Many truckers had previously stated that they would not leave until the countrys COVID-19 mandates are dropped or Trudeau resigns. The convoy in Canada has garnered worldwide attention, and similar convoys have been seen in Australia and throughout Europe. Trudeau is expected to invoke the Emergencies Act to give the government additional powers, according to the CBC. Thus far, there are no plans to deploy the military. Truckers have also protested at a number of border crossings, notably in Coutts, Alberta, and at the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan. The Ambassador Bridge carries approximately 30% of the annual trade between Michigan and Canada. According to the Michigan Department of Treasury, its estimated that around 10,000 commercial trucks and $325 million in goods cross the bridge every day. The bridge was fully reopened Sunday night after seven days of blockade. Just before midnight Sunday, the Detroit International Bridge Company announced that the Ambassador Bridge was now fully open allowing the free flow of commerce between the Canada and US economies once again. Due to the nationwide outcry, in the past week, some Canadian provinces have announced that they will set plans in motion to drop some or all of their COVID restrictions, among them Alberta, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island. Christian parents opposed to school trans pronoun policy granted judicial review in UK A judge in the United Kingdom has granted a request for judicial review filed by two Christian parents who say they were forced to pull their children out of a church-run school over policies requiring teachers and classmates to use the preferred names and pronouns of trans-identified students. After the Department for Education refused to intervene in their case, Nigel Rowe, 48, and his wife, Sally, 47, will have their case heard by the U.K. High Court, Queens Bench Division within the next three months, according to the Christian Legal Centre. The review was granted by Lord Justice Lane, who argued that the case is reviewable because it deals with matters of education, which is a responsibility of the state. When children began cross-dressing in their 6-year-old sons Church of England primary school in the Isle of Wright in 2017, the Rowes said they were given the choice of affirming transgender ideology or being labeled as transphobic. The couple believes gender identity affirmation is harmful for children. The couple felt they had no choice but to educate their child at home because their sons school said in a July 2017 letter that not affirming students' preferred pronouns and names is a form of transphobic behavior. We are delighted and relieved that after a four-year battle our crucial case will be heard, wrote Nigel and Sally Rowe in a joint statement provided by Christian Legal Centre, which represents the couple. Many try to make light of this issue by suggesting it is just about boys dressing up. This case is about a dangerous ideology that is now firmly embedded in schools, local authorities, and Church of England leadership, and which is causing serious long-term harm to thousands of children. Through their legal case, the Rowes are pushing for Christian beliefs on the issue of gender to be respected and tolerated in state education and for the removal of the 2015 Cornwall Schools Transgender Guidance. The guideline was compiled by the Cornwall Council, the Intercom Trust, Devon & Cornwall Police and headteachers. The guidance purports to be the first document in the U.K. to instruct teachers and schools on how to be inclusive of trans-identified students. The Cornwall Schools Transgender Guidance includes information for schools about how to implement gender-neutral bathrooms. The Christian Legal Centre warns the document encourages schools to accept cross-dressing and gender transition without hesitation and contains links to pro-trans advocacy groups such as Mermaids. Since the policys inception, more schools and local authorities have adopted the guidelines for their educational and occupational environments, including the Department of Education, which accepted the policy in 2018. Six-year-old children have to be reminded to brush their teeth, let alone make decisions about whether they are a boy or a girl. It is therefore immoral to think that they can make such life-changing decisions at such a young age. As a society, we are called to protect children, and these guidelines and the culture they are embedding in primary schools is achieving the opposite, the Rowes argue. Sally Rowe said that since homeschooling her children, she has had many positive experiences. However, she said she had to give up her own teaching career to teach her children. The Rowes said that they also had to pull their eldest son from school in 2015. They claim the oldest son was treated the same way by the school after a boy in his class decided to dress and identify as a female. "There was no consultation with other parents. Our son, like others, was struggling with starting school life, and with the school's suggestion that young children can change gender. So we felt that we could no longer allow him to attend the school," Sally Rowe said in a 2015 statement. Following their experience with their youngest son in 2017, the Rowes said they met with the headteacher of the Church of England primary school. The headteacher told them that she could lose her job if she didnt comply with the guidelines and that if a child wants to transition, then we just have to accept it, according to the Christian Legal Centre. The Rowes followed up their meeting with a letter to the school requesting to know how they plan to support every child in the school environment when another child wants to be associated with a different gender. They also contacted the Diocese of Portsmouth and the Church of Englands Chief Education Officer. The school told the Rowes in the 2017 letter that policies are in place to tackle transphobic behavior. Christian Legal Centre Chief Executive Andrea Williams praised the high courts decision to accept the judicial review. We are pleased that the government will face a Judicial Review on this crucial case for parents and primary school children across the country, Williams said in a statement. This case goes to the heart of what education is and how primary school children must be protected from harmful and unscientific transgender ideologies in every part of education. Graham Rogers, a consultant psychologist with 30 years of experience, conducted a research report on the dangers transgender-affirming policies can potentially have on youth. While the Cornwall guidelines place an emphasis on equality, Rogers contends that the policy ignores research and the needs of young people. The policy [shows] little or no appreciation for the safety and welfare of children and adolescent or their developmental needs. The approach of the guidance was as if the children were fully mature adults, Rogers wrote. [Guidance] shows no understanding of the effects of puberty or the process of adolescent development; or its role in this change. [It] appears to miss the role of child and adolescent development, the normal variations in gender and sexual development or the concept of safeguarding. Have you been paying attention to shares of Allegheny Technologies (ATI)? Shares have been on the move with the stock up 22% over the past month. The stock hit a new 52-week high of $25.29 in the previous session. Allegheny Technologies has gained 55.1% since the start of the year compared to the 2.8% move for the Zacks Basic Materials sector and the 32.2% return for the Zacks Steel - Speciality industry. What's Driving the Outperformance? The stock has a great record of positive earnings surprises, as it hasn't missed our earnings consensus estimate in any of the last four quarters. In its last earnings report on February 2, 2022, Allegheny Technologies reported EPS of $0.25 versus consensus estimate of $0.11 while it beat the consensus revenue estimate by 4.28%. For the current fiscal year, Allegheny Technologies is expected to post earnings of $0.85 per share on $3.14 billion in revenues. This represents a 553.85% change in EPS on a 12.29% change in revenues. For the next fiscal year, the company is expected to earn $1.52 per share on $3.44 billion in revenues. This represents a year-over-year change of 78.82% and 9.47%, respectively. Valuation Metrics Allegheny Technologies may be at a 52-week high right now, but what might the future hold for the stock? A key aspect of this question is taking a look at valuation metrics in order to determine if the company has run ahead of itself. On this front, we can look at the Zacks Style Scores, as they provide investors with an additional way to sort through stocks (beyond looking at the Zacks Rank of a security). These styles are represented by grades running from A to F in the categories of Value, Growth, and Momentum, while there is a combined VGM Score as well. The idea behind the style scores is to help investors pick the most appropriate Zacks Rank stocks based on their individual investment style. Allegheny Technologies has a Value Score of D. The stock's Growth and Momentum Scores are B and C, respectively, giving the company a VGM Score of B. In terms of its value breakdown, the stock currently trades at 29.1X current fiscal year EPS estimates, which is a premium to the peer industry average of 18.8X. On a trailing cash flow basis, the stock currently trades at 19.6X versus its peer group's average of 23.2X. This isn't enough to put the company in the top echelon of all stocks we cover from a value perspective. Zacks Rank We also need to look at the Zacks Rank for the stock, as this supersedes any trend on the style score front. Fortunately, Allegheny Technologies currently has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy) thanks to rising earnings estimates. Since we recommend that investors select stocks carrying Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) and Style Scores of A or B, it looks as if Allegheny Technologies fits the bill. Thus, it seems as though Allegheny Technologies shares could have a bit more room to run in the near term. Infrastructure Stock Boom to Sweep America A massive push to rebuild the crumbling U.S. infrastructure will soon be underway. Its bipartisan, urgent, and inevitable. Trillions will be spent. Fortunes will be made. The only question is Will you get into the right stocks early when their growth potential is greatest? Zacks has released a Special Report to help you do just that, and today its free.Discover 5 special companies that look to gain the most from construction and repair to roads, bridges, and buildings, plus cargo hauling and energy transformation on an almost unimaginable scale. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Copyright 2022 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved AptarGroup (ATR) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.93 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.92 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.92 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 1.09%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this maker of consumer-product dispensing systems would post earnings of $0.94 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.94, delivering no surprise. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times. AptarGroup , which belongs to the Zacks Containers - Paper and Packaging industry, posted revenues of $813.99 million for the quarter ended December 2021, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.93%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $749.33 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. AptarGroup shares have lost about 6.4% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's decline of -6.1%. What's Next for AptarGroup? While AptarGroup has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for AptarGroup: unfavorable. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to underperform the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.98 on $785.89 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $4.10 on $3.32 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Containers - Paper and Packaging is currently in the top 17% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. Another stock from the broader Zacks Industrial Products sector, Chart Industries (GTLS), has yet to report results for the quarter ended December 2021. The results are expected to be released on February 24. This equipment maker for the energy sector is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.67 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -47.2%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 2% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. Chart Industries' revenues are expected to be $375.03 million, up 20.1% from the year-ago quarter. 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days Just released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops." Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +25.4% per year. So be sure to give these hand-picked 7 your immediate attention. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report AptarGroup, Inc. (ATR): Free Stock Analysis Report Chart Industries, Inc. (GTLS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Copyright 2022 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Chicago, IL February 18, 2022 Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses Change Healthcare CHNG, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions MDRX and Computer Programs and Systems, Inc. CPSI. Industry: Medical Info Systems Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/1869010/3-medical-info-systems-stocks-braving-industry-wide-headwinds The COVID-19 outbreak has led to exponential growth in the Medical Information Systems industry, thanks to the growing demand for contactless services surrounding the more infectious new virus variants. Market watchers claim that even beyond the pandemic, digital health is expected to maintain this strength as healthcare professionals and patients leverage its benefits. Per a report by Market Watch, the global Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) market is anticipated to reach $142.45 billion by 2026, with a CAGR of 28.9%, on account of the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases. Growing demand for all kinds of digital healthcare support, including telehealth, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, robotics and analytics, has created a unique opportunity for companies like Change Healthcare, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions and Computer Programs and Systems, Inc. However, there is a counterargument that with the continued opening up of the global economy despite COVID waves, this trend might get disrupted going forward. Industry Description The Zacks Medical Info Systems industry comprises companies, which develop and market healthcare information systems. These companies offer software and hardware solutions to healthcare providers with secure access to real-time clinical, administrative and financial data in a time-efficient manner. Focus on patient satisfaction, security of patient data and administrative cost control has increased the need for big data, 3D printing, blockchain and AI. Industry players like Omnicell and Allscripts are raking in millions from the sale of software and related hardware, professional services and IT outsourcing services, recurring service contracts for software maintenance, and transaction processing services. 4 Trends Shaping the Future of the Medical Information Industry Growing Demand for Contactless Services: Amid the pandemic, the need for contactless services has grown enormously. Within the Medical information systems space, the telehealth and remote patient monitoring segments are particularly growing at a faster rate. Per a Markets and Markets report, the global remote patient monitoring market is projected to reach $117.1 billion by 2025 from $23.2 billion in 2020, seeing a CAGR of 38.2% between 2020 and 2025. Also, realizing the importance of digitization in healthcare, the FDA earlier this year launched the Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML)-Based Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) Action Plan. Subsiding COVID-19 Cases Might Disrupt the Trend: While COVID-19 has introduced an all-new era of virtual healthcare service, it has also brought in associated pitfalls. A Wall Street Journal report says that major insurers have been rolling back the terms of this virtual care coverage, upon which customers are facing out-of-pocket charges on certain virtual visits. Adding to the complication, thanks to the successful vaccination drives globally, the severity of COVID-19 has been despite the emergence of more infectious variants of the virus. Accordingly, even amid a rise in case count over the past few months, social restrictions have been lifted to a significant extent. This has led to a rise in the number of physician office and hospital visits with a significant reduction in demand for virtual physician appointments.Going by a Healthcare Finance report, insurers are currently wondering how virtual care will look and what it will be like when the pandemic is finally in the rearview mirror. EMR and Blockchain Gain Ground: Among the long-term trends, EHRs, electronic medical records (EMR), predictive analytics and real-time alerting have been gaining prominence. This has led to the emergence of Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), which has enabled the use of a number of wearables, including ECG and EKG monitors, apart from other common medical measurement devices, to determine temperature, glucose level, and blood pressure readings. The evolution of telemedicine and blockchain is another mega trend worth mentioning here. Leading healthcare companies like Humana, MultiPlan, Quest Diagnostics and UnitedHealth Groups Optum and UnitedHealthcare formed an alliance to launch the Synaptic Health Alliance pilot project on blockchain. Rising Instances of Cyber Attacks: As healthcare becomes more wired and interconnected, cybersecurity is the primary concern of hospitals. In fact, security flaws are being increasingly found in electronic medical device operating systems or other devices like ECG machines, imaging scanners, infusion pumps and telemetry systems. Indeed, the pandemic has led to growing cyber dependency, which has made the space vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Interpols recent report claims that cybercriminals are particularly targeting hospitals, medical centers and public institutions for ransomware attacks as these institutions are already entangled in a healthcare crisis. Zacks Industry Rank The Zacks Medical Info Systems industry falls within the broader Zacks Medical sector. It carries a Zacks Industry Rank #142, which places it in the bottom 43% of more than 250 Zacks industries. The groups Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates weak near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperforms the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. We will present a few stocks that have the potential to outperform the market based on a strong earnings outlook. But its worth taking a look at the industrys shareholder returns and current valuation first. Industry Underperforms S&P 500 and Sector The industry has underperformed the Zacks S&P 500 composite as well as the sector over the past year. The industry has declined 54.2% compared with the Zacks Medical sectors decline of 20.1%. The S&P 500 has risen 13.6% in the said time frame. Industry's Current Valuation On the basis of forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S), which is commonly used for valuing medical stocks, the industry is currently trading at 3.04X compared with the S&P 500s 4.44X and the sectors 2.44X. Over the last five years, the sector has traded as high as 4.67X, as low as 1.75X, and at the median of 3.03X. 3 Medical Info Systems Stocks to Buy Change Healthcare: Change Healthcare, headquartered in Nashville, TN, is an independent healthcare technology platform offering data and analytics-driven solutions to boost clinical financial and patient engagement outcomes in the United States healthcare system. The company operates through three segments: Software and Analytics, Network Solutions and Technology-Enabled Services. Change Healthcare has been utilizing AI and ML to detect inefficiencies and eliminate them from administrative processes in the healthcare system, thereby lowering costs. On the fiscal fourth-quarter 2021 earnings call, the company said that it saw increased volumes stemming from new business, sustained growth in its application programming. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2022 earnings indicates a year-over-year increase of 16.4%. Year to date, the stock has declined 6.6% compared with the industrys 14.3% dip. Allscripts Healthcare Solutions: Allscripts provides information technology (IT) solutions and services to healthcare organizations. Allscripts primarily derives revenues from the sale of its proprietary software and related hardware, professional services and IT outsourcing services. Allscripts currently expects to benefit from investments it has made to make the Sunrise EHR platform, which will be delivered in the cloud through its partnership with Microsoft. The company currently holds a Zacks Rank #2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2022 earnings indicates a year-over-year increase of 6.2%. In the past year, the stock has gained 26.1% against the industrys decline of 53.5%. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Computer Programs and Systems, Inc.: Computer Programs and Systems provides healthcare information technology solutions and services in the United States and the Caribbean nation of St. Maarten. Its software systems include patient management software that enables a hospital to identify a patient at various points in the healthcare delivery system, as well as to collect and maintain patient information throughout the process of patient care; and financial accounting software, which enables business office applications to track and coordinate information needed for managerial decision-making. According to CPSI, 2021 marked the completion of the first year of its journey of transformation to drive long-term sustainability and growth, creating a solid foundation to build upon over the next few years. The company carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2022 sales indicates year-over-year growth of 6%. Year to date, the stock has gained 0.8%. 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days Just released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops." Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +25.4% per year. So be sure to give these hand-picked 7 your immediate attention. See them now >> Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZacksInvestmentResearch/ Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates. Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Infrastructure Stock Boom to Sweep America A massive push to rebuild the crumbling U.S. infrastructure will soon be underway. Its bipartisan, urgent, and inevitable. Trillions will be spent. Fortunes will be made. The only question is Will you get into the right stocks early when their growth potential is greatest? Zacks has released a Special Report to help you do just that, and today its free.Discover 5 special companies that look to gain the most from construction and repair to roads, bridges, and buildings, plus cargo hauling and energy transformation on an almost unimaginable scale. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc. (MDRX): Free Stock Analysis Report Computer Programs and Systems, Inc. (CPSI): Free Stock Analysis Report Change Healthcare Inc. (CHNG): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Copyright 2022 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved (Bloomberg) -- The Texas wildcatters that ushered in Americas shale revolution are resisting the temptation to pump more oil as the market rallies, signaling higher gasoline prices for consumers already battered by the worst inflation in a generation. Crude prices hurtling toward $100 a barrel typically would spark a frenzy of new drilling by independent explorers in shale fields from the desert Southwest to the Upper Great Plains -- but not this year. Influential players like Pioneer Natural Resources Co., Devon Energy Corp. and Harold Hamms Continental Resources Inc. just pledged to limit 2022 production increases to no more than 5%, a fraction of the 20% or higher annual growth rates meted out in the pre-pandemic era. The timing couldnt be worse for consumers. Outside of OPEC, which has rejected U.S. President Joe Bidens pleas to accelerate production increases, domestic shale fields are the only other source of crude that can quickly respond to supply shortfalls. Shale executives have been shunning the Biden administrations entreaties to pump more barrels since late last year. Together with fast-rising global consumption, American drillers conservatism is likely to keep oil prices elevated for some time to come. Whether its $150 oil, $200 oil, or $100 oil, were not going to change our growth plans, Pioneer Chief Executive Officer Scott Sheffield said during a Bloomberg Television interview. If the president wants us to grow, I just dont think the industry can grow anyway. To be sure, U.S. oil output will rise substantially this year and is forecast to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2023. But it probably wont be enough to knock oil prices off their upward trajectory any time soon. Publicly-listed independent explorers like Pioneer and Devon account for more than half of the roughly 10.5 million barrels that America produces daily from fields in the contiguous 48 states, according to IHS Markit Ltd. The rest comes from closely held outfits, family-run enterprises and the international supermajors, all of which are aggressively boosting output. Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp., for example, are targeting 25% and 10% shale growth, respectively, this year. At the same time, closely-held entities bankrolled by private-equity firms and family funds now control the majority of the countrys active drilling rigs. Going into this weeks quarterly earnings season, investors were apprehensive that the independents would evince signs of weakening discipline. After all, the benchmark North American oil price has surged 22% this year, at one point approaching $96 a barrel. Thats more than double the price needed to earn a healthy profit in places like the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico. Retail gasoline at U.S. filling stations, meanwhile, is already higher than its been since 2014, an ominous sign in a market that closely tracks fluctuations in crude markets. Whether its $150 oil, $200 oil, or $100 oil, were not going to change our growth plans. Pioneer CEO Scott Sheffield But the message from shale country is loud and clear: the independents wont repeat the mistakes of the past by flooding the world with cheap oil. Record cash flows will go right back to investors through dividends and buybacks, CEOs are saying. That means U.S. drillers are leaving a lot of crude in the ground. If they chose the other path pouring windfall profits into new drilling they easily could inflate domestic production by 2 million barrels a day, according to IHS Markit. Current forecasts are for the U.S. to add less than half that to global supplies this year. We've had enough head fakes that were going to be very thoughtful in ramping activity up," Rick Muncrief, CEO of Devon Energy Corp., said during a phone interview. "Lets face it: we all are recovering in one way or another from this pandemic. Were just slowly getting healthier and healthier over time, but you dont get there overnight. Such comments are a world away from the free-wheeling drill, baby, drill heyday earlier this century when shale upended global oil markets with year after year of record-high production. Seasoned CEOs like Muncrief, Sheffield and Hamm have seen too many bust cycles to get carried away again. The unprecedented oil-price crash of 2020 exposed an industry that burned through more than $200 billion over the previous decade to make America the worlds biggest crude producer, leaving little left for shareholders. Even after the rally in oil stocks over the past year, U.S. energy companies are just 3.6% of the S&P 500 Index, down from more than 12% a decade ago. The growth experiment failed, said Jeff Wyll, a senior analyst at fund manager Neuberger Berman Group LLC, which has about $400 billion of assets under management. We are in a new paradigm.The U.S. will add between 750,000 and 1 million barrels of daily output this year, according to recent estimates from the Energy Information Administration, Rystad Energy AS, ESAI Energy LLC and Lium LLC. But thats less than a third of the International Energy Agencys forecast for global demand growth, meaning it wont be enough to tame the oil rally. Whether its $150 oil, $200 oil, or $100 oil, were not going to change our growth plans. Pioneer CEO Scott Sheffield Its down to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the only two OPEC countries with significant spare capacity, to fill any supply gaps, according to Pioneers Sheffield. Crucially, independent U.S. drillers are still extremely wary of elbowing in on too much of the market share controlled by OPEC and its allies, which waged two price wars with shale in the space of less than 10 years. U.S. shale has lost twice already in a head-to-head battle with OPEC, said Devin McDermott, an analyst at Morgan Stanley. Independent producers are focused on cleaning up balance sheets, lowering break even prices and returning cash back to investors -- not looking for growth. 2022 Bloomberg L.P. A New York State trooper who worked on former Governor Andrew Cuomo's security detail filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against him on Thursday. After being assigned to the elite Protective Service Unit in January 2018, the woman claimed that the governor "violated" her multiple times, according to the woman, who filed the action anonymously in Brooklyn Federal Court as "Trooper 1." New York State Trooper Sues Andrew Cuomo When she accompanied the former governor to an event at Belmont Racetrack on Sept. 23, 2019, the complaint claims he "put the palm of his hand on her belly button and pushed it around her waist to her right hip, where her revolver was holstered." Cuomo spoke to the trooper about relationships five days after the event, according to the complaint. According to the lawsuit, the governor questioned Trooper 1 her age, and when she replied that she was in her late 20s, he stated, "You're too old for me." The governor stated someone who "can tolerate pain" when she inquired what prerequisites he would have for someone he dated, according to the claim. Melissa DeRosa, a former top staffer to Cuomo, is also named as a defendant in the case for her claimed participation in concealing up the harassment, New York Daily News reported. The trooper claims Cuomo asked about her relationship status a few days after the incident, "obviously spurred by the now-public knowledge that he had split up with his girlfriend," and requested for the trooper's ad, according to the lawsuit. Cuomo allegedly tried to kiss her, led talks towards sex, and made remarks about her beauty. The trooper received a message from her unit's commander after the incident, telling her that the conversation would "remain in the vehicle," which she mistook for a "clear instruction that she does not divulge to anybody the Governor's improper statement." Read Also: New York City: Mayor Eric Adams Fires Over 1400 Unvaccinated Government Workers, Tells Companies To Get Employees Back to Offices Trooper Alleges Sexual Harassment Against Former Governor The event was revealed in Attorney General Letitia James' explosive sexual harassment report, which drove Cuomo to leave in August 2021, but the Nassau County District Attorney's Office declined to charge him. According to the lawsuit, DeRosa hid the governor's actions by lying to a reporter from The Albany Times Union about how the trooper was assigned to the governor's security detail. After James' research corroborated or found 11 women sexually abused or mistreated by Cuomo, he resigned in August 2021. None of the complaints against him have resulted in a criminal inquiry; all of them were withdrawn by DAs who concluded the allegations lacked adequate legal support and that his behavior was wrong but not unlawful, as per New York Post. The governor reportedly asked the trooper if he may kiss her when she was working outside of his Mount Kisco home in 2019, according to the complaint. The trooper answered yes since she didn't want to upset him and was afraid of reprisal. According to the complaint, Cuomo then kissed her on the cheek "despite knowing that it was against the regulations for him to do so." Later that year, while traveling to an event, Cuomo questioned the trooper why she wasn't wearing a dress. She said that carrying her rifle in a frock would have been impossible. She has dressed adequately, according to the Director of the Protective Service Unit, in her professional clothing. Later, the PSU chief reportedly texted the trooper, telling her to "remain in-vehicle," which the complaint alleged that it was "a clear instruction that she not divulge the Governor's improper statement to anybody." The complaint claims that the attorney general's probe, the state legislature's Judiciary Committee's investigation, and other women's allegations against Cuomo all indicate a pattern of behavior. Melissa DeRosa's attorney, Paul Schectman, contested the claims against her. The harassment allegedly lasted until 2021, according to the lawsuit. On at least one occasion, the trooper claims, the governor embraced her and offered her "unwanted attention," according to CBS News. Related Article: Prince Andrew To Appear Alongside Queen Elizabeth at Prince Philip's Memorial Service Despite Sex Abuse Scandal @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A former Conroe resident was convicted and sentenced to prison this week for performing sexual acts on a child a crime the woman said she committed as a result of an online relationship with a now imprisoned former jail guard. Beth Angela Bristow, 53, of Anna, Texas, pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of the second-degree felony offense of sexual assault of a child by a jury in presiding Judge Lisa Michalks 221st District Court. Michalk handed down two 16-year prison sentences on Bristow, according to district clerk records. Bristows sentence will be served concurrently, according to Mike Holley, first assistant district attorney at the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office. Bristow was charged in February 2019 after admitting to the crime during an investigation prompted by the victim coming forward in December 2018, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by a Conroe Police investigator. Prior to her arrest, Bristow asserted she was induced to the act by a former Montgomery County Jail guard currently imprisoned for an unrelated sex crime against a baby, according to the criminal affidavit. Philip Wayne Rickard, 56, was present at Bristows Conroe home where she performed the sexual acts on the child in September 2013, allegedly encouraging her, according to charging documents. Rickard was sentenced to 25 years upon being convicted of aggravated sexual assault in April 2017 for paying an Indiana mother $15 to watch her on Skype perform a sexual act on her 2-month-old child, according to previous reporting from The Courier. Rickard has never been charged in relation to Bristows case. On Wednesday, Holley said Rickard is not eligible for parole, adding there is no statute of limitations on the Bristow case. Bristow described Rickard, whom she met on a social networking website dedicated to sexual fetishism, as loving, caring and very compassionate, very tender, according to court documents. Though she said knew he was conditioning her, she added there was this addictive feel to him, documents state she told the investigator. When reached by text message, Bristows attorneys declined to comment on their clients conviction and sentencing. jose.gonzalez@chron.com twitter.com/jrgzztx SpaceX CEO Elon Musk deleted a post on Twitter where he compared Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to German dictator Adolf Hitler in his attack against vaccine mandates after he received criticism for his meme tweet. The Tesla CEO's now-deleted post was a response to a Twitter message by the trade publication CoinDesk. The latter reported that the Canadian government was cracking down on crypto transactions that aimed to help the truckers who were demonstrating vaccine mandates in the country. Trudeau and Hitler Posting a meme featuring the likeness of Hitler, Musk requested people to stop comparing him to Trudeau. At the bottom of the meme, the SpaceX CEO wrote that the German dictator was different because he had a budget. After 12 hours of posting his tweet, Musk deleted the post after it received criticism from other Twitter users. One of the people said that the meme was made in "extremely poor taste" and added that it was not a good look, saying there were better ways of making an argument, as per the New York Post. However, despite Musk's attempt to discredit the Canadian government, Trudeau's administration had actually passed a budget last summer but admittedly, after two years of not doing so. The Tesla CEO's meme was believed to have been sparked by his anger after Canada identified and froze trading on 34 crypto wallets that were allegedly linked to protesters. Read Also: Justin Trudeau's Wife: 5 Things to Know About Sophie Gregoire Trudeau Earlier this week, Trudeau made a historic move by becoming the first Canadian leader to invoke the country's Emergencies Act. The process gave the prime minister more powers to break up the trucker protests fighting back against the nation's vaccine mandates. The Daily Beast reported that the 50-year-old tech CEO previously said that he had already received his coronavirus vaccine shots. However, Musk has repeatedly spoken out about vaccine mandates, calling them an "erosion of freedom." He also made a Nazi reference earlier in the pandemic when he complained that lockdowns were "fascist." Musk's Criticisms In its own Twitter post, the American Jewish Committee said that Musk made poor judgment when he used Hitler as part of his argument on social media. They said that comparing the German dictator, who is responsible for the deaths of millions, was not an appropriate way of criticizing national policies. Musk also received criticism from a doctors group that represented more than 17,000 physicians. The group filed a complaint against a program that the SpaceX CEO funded after they argued it was conducting harmful research on monkeys, The Hill reported. Furthermore, the recent incident was not the first time that Musk expressed public support for the Canadian protesters fighting against the nation's vaccine mandates. When the truckers began demonstrating in the capital in late January, Musk posted a photo of the long line of trucks and posted a tweet with the message, "Canadian truckers rule." The tech CEO also previously criticized the Canadian government as last month, he said that the government was suppressing peaceful protests. He added that the nation's cross-border vaccine mandate was a "path to tyranny." Related Article: PM Justin Trudeau Freezes Truckers' Bank Accounts Illegally For Refusal of the Freedom Convoy To Back Down @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. How should Hong Kong government play a leading role in anti-pandemic fight By Global Times editorial (Global Times) 08:28, February 18, 2022 Hong Kong confirmed 6,107 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Thursday and 24 more deaths. The number of confirmed cases in this wave of the epidemic has exceeded the total of the past two years, and the death toll is also rising rapidly. It is Hong Kong's overriding task to stabilize and control the epidemic as soon as possible. Central government departments and experts, Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government have established a tripartite coordination mechanism to support Hong Kong's fight against COVID-19 and ensure the supply of materials to the city. This mechanism has already been put into operation. With powerful actions, the attitude of the central government and Chinese mainland society to fully support Hong Kong's anti-epidemic fight is very clear. This has injected great encouragement and confidence in Hong Kong society to fight the epidemic. Some practical difficulties in Hong Kong's anti-epidemic work remain, including how to boost large-scale testing capability to find the chain of infections and all potential cases as soon as possible, how to ensure that all mild and severe patients can be classified in a scientific approach, isolated and treated in a timely and effective manner, and how to coordinate medical resources and supportive resources from community to effectively mobilize all sectors of Hong Kong society to participate in the fight against the epidemic, how to resolve the issue of not enough nucleic acid tests resources that are put in place, insufficient vaccination staff and inadequate livelihood guarantee in the isolated sites, etc. To solve these problems, it is not enough to rely only on the support of the central government and the Chinese mainland. The key is that "the Hong Kong SAR government must shoulder the main responsibility" and mobilize all forces and resources that can be mobilized, including the huge team of the civil service, the health sector, the education sector, the business sector, other people from all walks of life, and grass-roots organizations, to unite them to overcome the difficulties together. The effect of the SAR government's anti-epidemic approach will depend on two aspects - the government's executive power, and cooperation of society. Hong Kong used to follow the Western-style governance logic of "small government, big society." However, in this pandemic, which is sweeping the world, the serious flaws in this systematic model have been clearly witnessed. In the US and some Western countries, no official has been held accountable for failing to respond to the country's epidemic. The inevitable result of the officials' irresponsibility is the passive anti-epidemic manner, which is equivalent to lying flat in the face of the virus. Politicizing the pandemic has ripped the society, making society pay a heavy human rights and humanitarian price as "some people are eliminated". Hong Kong is under "one country, two systems," which means that Hong Kong's governance is by no means a copy of the Western model. Now that Omicron is on the rise, the SAR government needs to take stronger and more scientific measures to curb the epidemic if it wants to truly play a leading role. Only when the team of the SAR government has a unified mind, takes responsibility at all levels, and tries its best to unite all walks of life, political parties, and social groups in Hong Kong to make them let go of their previous different views on some public policies, transcend differences in political views and devote themselves to the fight against the epidemic can the SAR government truly assume the main responsibility and speed up Hong Kong's fight against the epidemic faster than the spread of the virus. It should be noted that although Hong Kong does not have the grid management system as we see in mainland cities, it has its unique advantages, which can be transformed into powerful resources and motivation to fight the epidemic. For example, Hong Kong has a large number of non-government forces such as social groups and private hospitals. They can be mobilized to participate in the fight against the epidemic, but lacking unified arrangements makes it difficult for a large number of private resources to be optimally allocated. The SAR government has the greatest coordination ability. More arrangements should be made to unite all sectors of society, so that non-government forces can penetrate into every corner of communities in Hong Kong and support the SAR government in its fight against the epidemic. Hong Kong hasn't had a joint command center dedicated to responding to the epidemic, which also affects the efficiency of the fight against the epidemic. Some Western media have used this round of epidemic to drive a wedge, smear the mainland, intimidate Hong Kong, and try to pull Hong Kong into the quagmire of "coexisting with the virus." At the same time, some in Hong Kong also blindly believe in Western model. However, with the number of confirmed cases breaking new highs, Hong Kong society's call for solidarity in fighting the epidemic is getting louder and more urgent. Hong Kong has professional medical and public health teams, which is the pillar that the SAR government relies on to lead the fight against the epidemic and assume the main responsibility. There are about 170,000 civil servants in Hong Kong, and several legislators are calling on all of them to "mobilize." At this critical moment in Hong Kong's fight against the epidemic, the most precious thing is confidence, the most important thing is unity, and the most urgent thing is action. For the more than 7 million people in Hong Kong, the top priority is to unify their thinking, get rid of the noise, fight the epidemic together to ensure safety and health of Hong Kong people. We believe that with the full support of the central government and the more resolute and scientific measures of the SAR government, Hong Kong will be able to tide over the difficulties. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Filings of the Durham report have opened a can of worms for the Clinton campaign; prompting fears that Attorney General Merrick Garland will interfere to stop more sensitive information from becoming public. This is the fear of forty-six senators that the AG will attempt to muddle the probe as its Ms. Clinton involved to affect the results. She and other Democrats wanted to prevent a victory of Donald Trump; who won but was hounded by the Russia hoax which was perpetuated despite nothing proven. Filings show a deep plot Special counsel John Durham's investigations into the counter-intel against Donald Trump to dig up dirt; when a candidate and later elected president allegedly involving people hired by the Clinton campaign, reported the Epoch Times. The AG has been known to support Biden's undemocratic administration edicts, hence the perception of his intentions. Mr. Durham has been looking into the Russia probe allegedly aimed at unseating President Trump who defeated Hillary Clinton. The thread of facts in which a former FBI lawyer who admitted guilt in tampering with an email of an ex-Trump associate and accusation against Russian analyst Igor Danchenko. More bombastic is Michael Sussman a former lawyer of Obama's former secretary of state. He was caught by tracking records that connected the Clinton campaign who paid him for his part of the conspiracy. The Democrats face a serious consequence for spying on Trump This filing of the Durham report said that those guilty were intent on getting information that could be used to impeach President Trump; or compromise. Hiring tech firms to invent charges that businessman turned politician is in cahoots with Russia, but it all fell apart although concern over actions of the attorney general is a concern. Read also: Durham Report Inquiry Snubbed by White House, Hillary Clinton as Revelations Shake the Democrats Several Republican senators have warned Mr. Garland not to interfere with the probe; it should be allowed to know who is criminally liable after all. Senator John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Rick Scott (R-Florida) with most of the Republican Senators who issue a letter on February 16. They brought to attention how Special Counsel Durham is discovering evidence only now; which points to the main actors of the FBI probe that the president was not voted allegedly legally in the 2016 US Presidential election that was a lie. It is alleged that Ms. Clinton never accepted the vote of America instead want to create a false narrative; even used by the Dems to this day. These finding was bordering on criminal, weaponizing the law to target a presidential candidate, then elected president. On describe as a sinister plot to get data from his workplace and later the Oval Office. Next would be using the false evidence against Donald Trump that was used to frame him. It gets worse as the people are connected to Hillary Clinton's campaign. The letter addressed the ill use of the FBI powers of certain individuals which has left a mark on its credibility and reputation. Stating that those guilty should be charged for their crimes and the Special Counsel not be interfered. They added bringing the criminals to justice is important. So, far AG Garland has not returned comment to the letter. Only four senators did not sign the letter; as they are known never-Trumpers. AG Garland mentioned before that John Durham's budget was approved already; they would know if he stopped investigating. He added there will be an attempt to control the probe. The Durham probe according to the senators can be affected by meddling from the attorney general; Merrick Garland has not responded yet. Related article: Hilary Clinton Should Be Charged for Campaign Spying; Trump Called it Worse Than Watergate Deems To Sue Those Responsible @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Workers at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, the company's flagship theater in Austin, announced on Monday, February 14, that they have unionized. Despite Texas' status as a "right to work state" which can make unionizing more difficult the Drafthouse employees are the latest group to unionize in recent months, as the pandemic continues to dramatically reshape how Americans work. Last week, a Starbucks location in San Antonio said it too was beginning the process of organizing workers. Here's what we know so far. How was the union formed? According to a press release by the International Workers of the World (IWW), majority support was reached to form Drafthouse United (DU), which has not yet been formally recognized by Alamo Drafthouse management. How many workers are in the union? The Hollywood Reporter asked hourly supervisor Duncan Lott, and though he did not provide a number, he did say that a "pretty solid majority" have joined. Will other Alamo Drafthouse locations follow suit? Will they unionize together? Zach Corpstein, a server since 2017, says that for the privacy of his co-workers, he could not give specific numbers regarding the breadth of the organizing movement nor name specific locations that have reached out. "I can say that the that there have been some rumblings," he says. "I can also say that I think it benefits South Lamar to unionize right now as an isolated unit. We chose the name Drafthouse United-Flagship very deliberately." Why did the workers unionize? The union is fighting for a number of improvements for workers, including pay and benefit increases, paid sick leave, better transparency surrounding COVID-19 practices and policies, and a resolution to longstanding maintenance requests. Corpstein says that the union presented a three-page document with bullet points to Drafthouse management. He says that this document goes into more detail on PTO and sick pay, but that it is intentionally less detailed than it could be for a few reasons. One, it can remain universal so that it can remain a talking point for other Drafthouse locations. Corpstein says the document is "just vague enough to start the conversation so that we can present our own sort of data, our own presentation, our own PowerPoint, if necessary." DU also didn't want to give numbers initially because that always becomes the main storyline. "With wages, there are specific dollar amounts that we wanted to talk about, but we didn't want to lead with it, because the movement is about more than just dollar amounts," he says. As for COVID protocols, Corpstein says the Drafthouse did a good job of making sure that employees were vaccinated and tried to "protect us in some ways," but, "with the feeling that the pandemic was, quote, unquote, over, there also came the dropping of other procedures for our safety. And I think that there could have been more transparency there." Testimonials from workers on the DU website note that after the theater closed for more than six months, they returned to work with sufficient protocols. Lott writes that the release of the film Dune ruined everything. "Dune instantly sold out. And, to make matters worse, corporate, smelling the sweet, sweet stink of cash, deactivated buffer seating- without telling employees or guests," he writes. "This left us scrambling with theaters of over 100 people for the first time, with nowhere near enough staff to take care of them all." How did management receive the demands? "I think there's been a lot of movement. For example, our general manager was also very poorly timed let go around the same time that we presented the list to him and upper management," Corpstein says. "So been a little bit of flux, understandably, at the leadership positions, not only at our store, but I know, above that as well. So if they need a little bit of time to get in touch with us, that's okay. But yeah, three days does seem like a little while." What else are workers saying? The IWW release features a number of testimonials from current and former workers. Some focus on wages and infrastructure issues at the flagship Alamo Drafthouse location: Alamo locations in other states are mandated to pay their employees higher wages, but we are consistently one of the most profitable Drafthouses in the company... we pay for the company to open new locations, while ours is falling apart. - Zach Corpse Corpstein, Server, 4 years While others address burnout amid the ongoing pandemic, calling for better COVID-19 protocols: ...its hard to find an employee at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema at South Lamar that isnt burned out and suffering. And corporate is unwilling to do anything to help, besides send out messages posturing as if business dying down (because it always does at this time of year) is them giving us time to rest. Meanwhile were begging corporate to reinstate buffer seating, as Austin is in Stage 5 Covid risk, but they wont. - Dunc, Supervisor, 5 years What's the next step? IWW says that as of February 14, DU sent a request for voluntary recognition of the union along with its list of key requests. So far, that recognition has not come. Corpstein confirmed to MySA that as of late Thursday afternoon, Alamo Drafthouse management still has not recognized the union. "We have discussed as an organization, the several contingencies that we can go through based what the next move is. I will say, personally, I hope that they do the right thing, and not hire a big union-busting firm," he says. "And maybe they just needed some time to coordinate how they wanted to address us. But, overall, we are a group of adults that would like to be treated with respect. And I hope that they just want to sit down and talk to us." MySA has reached out to Alamo Drafthouse management via the company's PR firm. Request for comment was not immediately returned. This story reflects changes made following an interview with a representative from Drafthouse United. The Texas National Guard may soon make history as the first U.S. military force to unionize, according to a new report published by Military.com. With 10,000 guardsmen deployed on the Texas border to aid local law enforcement in policing efforts against migrant crossings, service members have suffered from pay issues, poor morale and a rash of suicides and accidental friendly-fire shootings among their ranks. Efforts to remedy the situation, according to Military.com, now involve a group of six National Guardsmen who have approached the Texas State Employees Union to begin the process of unionizing their personnel, hoping to win relief for their fellow soldiers. "This is apolitical," the Texas Guardsman leading the effort told Military.com, offering information on the condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation. "It may come at a politically inconvenient time, but our motivations are apolitical." Among the demands sought by the group is the opportunity for those serving involuntarily the choice to go home. Those leading the organizing drive told Military.com they are aware that their actions may rankle top brass. "At the end of the day, I know [leadership] is going to see this as adversarial," the anonymous soldier said. "I wish it didn't have to be that way. We want to help resolve these issues; nobody wants to be at war with their own soldiers...We're all on the same team." The history of unionization efforts in the U.S. military is contentious. In the late 1970s, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the union representing hundreds of thousands of U.S. federal workers, made a push to extend membership to military personnel serving the United States. The effort was ultimately crushed by a staunchly anti-union congress and executive branch with strong support from military leadership, resulting in a codified prohibition of unions among "members of the armed forces." The Texas National Guard's union drive, however, seeks to capitalize on a January ruling by a Connecticut judge that has been recognized by the Justice Department. The ruling states guardsmen serving in actions at the state level, such as the one at the Texas border, are not subject to federal statutes outlawing unionization. As such, a door has been opened to potential unionization for the Texas National Guard, insofar as it is operating under state orders at the command of Governor Greg Abbott, who has pointed elsewhere when asked about poor conditions and deaths of guardsmen stationed at river crossings along the border. "If they are saying something about whats happening to the National Guard in Texas, why are they not at the very same time saying something about President Biden and having lost hundreds of members of the U.S. military," Abbott said in January, per the Texas Tribune. Why are they silent about that? The answertheyre just playing politics. The life of a soldier is far more valuable than the words of a politician playing politics. Since October 2021, six National Guardsmen deployed to implement the governor's Operation Lonestar policing action have died on dutyfour by suicide, two by accidental firearm discharge. LISBON, Portugal (AP) A burning car transport ship drifted in the mid-Atlantic on Thursday after the huge vessel's 22 crew members were evacuated due to the blaze, the Portuguese navy said. Shipping in the area was warned that the 200-meter-long (650-feet-long) Felicity Ace was adrift near Portugals Azores Islands after the crew were taken off on Wednesday, Portuguese navy spokesman Cmdr. Jose Sousa Luis said. The Felicity Ace can carry more than 17,000 metric tons (18,700 tons) of cargo. Typically, car transport ships fit thousands of vehicles on multiple decks in their hold. Volkswagen Group said in a brief statement the Felicity Ace was transporting to the U.S. vehicles that the German automaker produced. The company declined to comment on what consequences the incident might have for U.S. customers or the VW Group. The ships operator, Japans Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, said in an email to the AP it could not provide information about the cargo. A Portuguese navy ship sailed to the vehicle transporter, which was sailing from Emden in Germany to the port of Davisville in the U.S. state of Rhode Island, according to online vessel trackers. A navy statement said the fire was still burning and showed a photograph of large clouds of white smoke billowing out. The navy ship was to check whether the cargo vessel was in danger of sinking or causing pollution, Sousa Luis told The Associated Press. The ship's owner is seeking an ocean-going tug, but the Felicity Ace is unlikely to be towed to a port in Portugals Azores Islands because of its size, Sousa Luis said. The crew were taken by helicopter on Wednesday to Faial island on the archipelago, about 170 kilometers (100 miles) away, and are staying at a hotel there. None of them was hurt. ___ Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed. The Senate on Thursday voted to pass a stopgap bill that would prevent a government shutdown ahead of a looming Friday deadline and will send it to United States President Joe Biden to be signed into law. Last week, the House of Representatives voted on a bipartisan basis to approve the measure, which is known as a continuing resolution (CR). The process extends government funding through Mar. 11. But now that the Senate has passed the measure, it can go to the next step of going to the president's desk. The Senate voted 65 to 27 in favor of passing the bill. Government Shutdown Furthermore, American lawmakers are working to lock in a broader full-year spending package but argued that the process needs more time to be completed. This means that the government needs a short-term funding extension to prevent the shutdown of the government at the end of the week. The demands of Republicans in the Senate and the absences of several Democrats have threatened to complicate efforts to lock in a final vote. The situation brought action down to the wire as the Feb. 18 deadline approached, as per CNN. With the stopgap bill, lawmakers are hoping that the federal government would have enough funding through Sept. 30. Appropriators announced earlier this month an agreement on a framework for a long-term spending package. Read Also: Joe Biden Rejects Donald Trump Executive Privilege To Protect White House Visitor Logs; President Orders Release of Details to the Jan.6 Committee The next shutdown is expected to come after three weeks, and lawmakers are still required to negotiate spending details before then to prevent a government shutdown. If not prevented, these shutdowns could lead to furloughs of some federal workers and certain services could be suspended. CNBC reported that since September, Congress has kept the funding of the government going on with the use of several stopgap measures. Continuing resolutions have frequently been used in recent years when lawmakers cannot agree on full-year spending plans. Stopgap Bill The repeated use of a stopgap bill comes after Republicans considered allowing the government to shut down over arguments related to COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Previously, several GOP members signed a letter where they pledged to pull support from government funding legislation. The group was led by Rep. Chip Roy of Texas and threatened to let the government crumble. In a statement last month, Roy said that he and his colleagues were "going to find out" whether the Republicans will band together and not support to fund the mandates. He added that many GOP members believed the requirements were tyrannical and foolish. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said that the Biden administration has "unilaterally imposed'' five COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Furthermore, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ruled that businesses that employed at least 100 workers must require their workforce to get vaccinated or get tested weekly. Workers were also required to wear face masks while at the workplace, decisions that were struck down by the Supreme Court at the beginning of January. The court ruled that OSHA lacked the authority to impose such a mandate to businesses and employees, Fox News reported. Related Article: Donald Trump Financial Fraud Investigation: Ex-POTUS, Children Need To Testify Under Oath, But Can Opt To Stay Silent @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. As Democrats look fearfully toward the midterm elections, many of the party's candidates, strategists and voters are recoiling from some of the left-wing proposals that gained prominence during the Trump administration. While they helped channel widespread anger with the former president's rhetoric and policies while he was in office, many Democrats now see them as too extreme and harmful to Democratic prospects this fall. Others who opposed them previously are speaking up more emphatically. The result is a growing backlash against more liberal officeholders, challengers and plans. In multiple states, Democrats running in competitive areas are scrambling to push back against the "Defund the Police" movement embraced by far-left activists, with some forced to try explain past associations with the controversial slogan. President Joe Biden has maintained his distance by touting federal funding that can be used to put more officers on the beat amid a rise in violent crime, as opposed to cutting their numbers. In the left-leaning cities of Minneapolis and Austin, voters last year have embraced more conservative policies on policing and homelessness, as have candidates for mayor this year in the nation's second-largest Democratic city, Los Angeles. In San Francisco, the latest battle among Democrats over how far left the party should move came to a resounding conclusion as voters this week fired three school board members who veered too close to the edge even in a city that is a bastion of liberal activism. Among their actions: the officials had moved to rename schools honoring figures such as Abraham Lincoln whom they deemed flawed, sought to end merit-based admissions to diversify an elite high school with an overwhelmingly Asian American and White student body and imposed a lengthy pandemic absence from in-person learning. Even the city's Democratic mayor backed their recall. "I've always thought of myself as a progressive - until now, recently, when I'm looking at this situation," said Siva Raj, 49, who launched the San Francisco recall effort with his partner, Autumn Looijen. "I'm shocked - like, how can progressives be for something like this? This is not me. These are not the values that I buy anymore." While slogans like "Abolish ICE" and calls to renounce Lincoln were never representative of the broader Democratic Party, Republicans have deftly weaponized them, tagging all of their opponents with attacks that have resonated in part because Democrats have often been reluctant to respond directly lest they highlight their own divisions, party strategists said. The combination of Biden's poor approval ratings and the history of first midterms being tough for the president's party has added more urgency to Democrats' desire to find an effective counterpunch. But many in the left reject the notion that their ideas on education, policing, racial equity and other issues are a liability for the party. They attribute the party's political problems to more moderate Democrats who have stood in the way of the president's ambitious agenda, a defiance that has set the stage for a fierce battle in coming months. At rallies over the weekend for candidates in Texas, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., blamed Democratic woes on centrists such as Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who blocked Biden's domestic spending plan. "If you're upset about Build Back Better, you can elect Jessica Cisneros," said Ocasio-Cortez, referring to Biden's proposal and a congressional candidate in Texas trying to unseat a Democratic incumbent. Yet her side of the party schism is undeniably under siege. High-profile far-left candidates in last year's race for mayor of New York and in a special election for the U.S. House in Ohio were defeated by more moderate Democratic opponents. The next test of party direction will come March 1, when moderate Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar - whose home and campaign office were raided by the FBI earlier this year - squares off in a primary rematch in South Texas against liberal challenger Cisneros, whom he narrowly defeated in 2020 and has attracted high-profile liberal endorsements. Cuellar has said the investigation will show "no wrongdoing" on his part. At weekend rallies with Cisneros and Greg Casar, an Austin city councilman running for Congress, Ocasio-Cortez singled out centrists who have opposed sweeping Democratic plans. "We know it's not just Manchin," she said at a rally in San Antonio. Cuellar has sought to cast Cisneros as weak on immigration and border security, issues that have long stoked debate in the Democratic Party. Some Democrats argue that issues that divide the left and more moderate party forces were being hyped by Republicans to win votes. Former congressman and presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke, who is running for governor of Texas, said in an interview that Republicans were "pitting parents against teachers" with campaigns to keep some materials about race and gender out of schools. "The driver for most people is, the kind of job they have or that they want to have, and whether that's going to be an opportunity for them - whether their kid's school is getting the resources [it needs], whether their kid's teacher is paid enough," he said. But other Democrats say the party has made a mistake in seeking to deflect such attacks rather than meeting them head-on. "I think if there's a broader lesson here for all Democrats, left or moderate, it's that we need to define what we're standing for," said Celinda Lake, who was one of Biden's top pollsters in 2020. "We start in the middle of the conversation and we start in response rather than showing what we're for." The Democratic schism is ideological and often generational, as younger, more liberal challengers take on established Democratic incumbents. Team Blue PAC, a political action committee spearheaded by a trio of House Democrats including Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., an early favorite to become the next House Democratic leader, announced its first endorsements this week. Four of the five candidates had challengers who were previously endorsed or recruited by Justice Democrats - a liberal organization that has sought to unseat some Democratic incumbents. Team Blue PAC is aimed mainly at protecting incumbent members of Congress in safe Democratic seats that are not a focus of the House Democratic campaign arm. Some of the candidates now trying to mute more liberal voices are having to face up to rhetoric they once used themselves. After New York state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi announced a run in the state's new 3rd Congressional District, which connects suburbs around New York City and solidly backed Biden in 2020, the New York Post highlighted a social media posting she'd sent that year with the hashtag #defundthepolice. In an interview, Biaggi said that she had been proud to stand with racial justice activists after the killing of George Floyd. She said she would continue to advocate for putting "more resources into social welfare programs, into education, into mental health resources, into gun violence prevention programs," but no longer used the "defund" slogan. "Unfortunately, the phrase doesn't fully capture that, and it's been so politicized and so many people believe that it is solely about cutting funds to police departments," Biaggi said. "Using that phrase at that time was an act of solidarity. And I'm not ashamed of using that phrase, because that was what the world was experiencing emotionally at that time - and frankly, still is." In Wisconsin, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, distanced himself from some supporters who had embraced the slogans "Defund the police," and "Abolish ICE," a reference to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. "I am not a part of the Abolish ICE movement because no one slogan can capture all the work we have to do," Barnes said in a statement to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, which reported on a past photograph of Barnes posing while holding an "Abolish ICE" T-shirt. Many Democrats fear that Republicans will seize on their divisions to capitalize on anger with Democratic officeholders over education, an issue on which they historically have held an advantage. Pandemic school closures, mask mandates and debates over curriculums and critical race theory were flash points in the 2021 elections in Virginia and elsewhere in which Republicans were successful. "They can't moderate on CRT, race," said Terry Schilling, the executive director of the conservative American Principles Project. "They can't even say that parents should have control of their kids' education. They have locked themselves into a box." Some Democrats say the party has done a much less convincing job than Republicans of persuading parents they are allies - in part because some local party officials have embraced ideas out of touch with the priorities of many parents. One of the starkest indicators of backlash against the left came in San Francisco, one of the nation's most Democratic enclaves. The campaign to recall the three school board members grew out of frustration with a series of board decisions that struck even locals as excessively catering to the far left. They included moves to cover up Depression-era murals some regarded as offensive to African Americans and Native Americans, rename dozens of schools and replace a merit-based admission system to coveted Lowell High School with a lottery, in hopes of better representing the city's Black and Hispanic students. Some of the moves were overruled or reversed, but the reaction was nevertheless intense, and was compounded by budget problems and the lengthy absence from in-person learning many San Francisco students faced during the pandemic, even as schools in other areas opened back up more fully. In an interview at the home where they ran the campaign, Raj and Looijen described being overjoyed when Biden defeated President Donald Trump in 2020. Looijen, 44, said that defeating the board's most left-wing members, president Gabriela Lopez and vice president Alison Collins, would spare the party deeper political problems down the road. "I don't want Alison Collins and Gabriela Lopez to be the face of the progressive movement," she said. The White House, which is seeking to set the tone for Democratic candidates this year, was careful in its comments in the wake of the San Francisco recalls. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday that Biden "trusts in the role of teachers and educators across the country and the kind of curriculum that they are providing," but also sought to show sympathy for struggling parents. As for the verdict in San Francisco, she characterized that as "the local decision about the local school board leaders." Conservative classic rocker Ted Nugent used to be an avid supporter of Gov. Greg Abbott. But now Nugent says the Republican leader just "doesn't cut it." Nugent, a Waco resident, is instead backing former Texas Republican Party chairman Allen West, one of seven GOP challengers running against Abbott in the March 1 Texas primary. Nugent made his endorsement of the former Florida Congressman official with a new social media ad supporting West over the governor he once stumped for. Recently, West has been campaigning alongside the musician across Texas ahead of the election, the two pictured in photo ops in front of West's campaign bus. "You know what, we have a pretty good governor down here in Greg Abbott," Nugent says in the short video shared on West's Twitter. "I worked hard to get him elected. But if you were a pretty good bass player you couldn't be in my band. Pretty good doesn't cut it." Nugent continues, saying the state needs a "warrior that stands up for freedom and will not compromise" like West "during this culture war." "This guy will stand up with constitutional accountability and show the rest of the nation and the world what real freedom and why those words in the constitution have meaning and iron," Nugent says. Nugent, an outspoken gun rights enthusiast who once called Parkland shooting survivors "liars," was formerly a member of the National Rifle Association's board for 25 years. In an interview Tuesday with ABC 13 in Huntsville, Nugent said he and Texans that formerly supported Abbott have been let down by his "failure to comply with campaign promises." Stephen Willeford, an NRA firearm training instructor who shot the Sutherland Springs church shooter in 2017, also announced his endorsement of West this week. His beliefs regarding the constitution, gun rights, border policy, and fiscal conservatism are the values that will continue to guide Texas in the right direction, Willeford said in a statement released Tuesday. While West has campaigned on being tougher than Abbott on gun rights issues, groups like the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association have announced that they are supporting the governor's re-election by releasing their own endorsement ads this week. Holographic foil. Special ink designed to be sensitive to temperature changes. Nearly invisible "stealth numbers" that can be located only using special ultraviolet or infrared lights. Those are among the high-tech security features that would be required to be embedded on ballots under measures proposed in at least four states by Republican lawmakers - all promoters of false claims that the 2020 election was marred by mass fraud - in an attempt to make the ballots as hard to counterfeit as passports or currency. But the specialized inks and watermarks also would limit the number of companies capable of selling ballot paper - potentially to just one Texas firm with no previous experience in elections that consulted with the lawmakers proposing the measures. Mark Finchem, an Arizona state representative spearheading the initiative, said in an interview that he developed ideas for the proposals after discussions with executives of Authentix, a company in Addison, Texas. The firm has since hosted other GOP lawmakers at its office and given presentations about the idea to legislators in two states, according to participants and social media posts. The proposals face stiff battles before they can become law, but they demonstrate the potentially lucrative business opportunities created by suspicions that Donald Trump and his allies have spread about the security of elections. They also vividly illustrate how a loose network of die-hard Trump supporters is coordinating to push concerns about mass electoral fraud, including through conference calls that one participant said has included regular discussion of the nearly identically worded anti-counterfeit bills. There is no evidence that counterfeit or fake ballots have been a problem in American elections. Yet, when versions of the measure modeled on Finchem's proposal were heard late last month by committees of the Virginia and Arizona state senates, citizens lined up to tell lawmakers that they believed the 2020 presidential election had been rigged against Trump and that new measures were needed to prevent counterfeits. "This has never been a problem in modern American history," said David Becker, the executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, noting that checks and balances built into the system would make it extremely difficult to pass off fake ballots as real ones. "The only problem this would be solving - requiring a particular company with particular paper - is if you think that the taxpayers aren't paying enough in taxes." Finchem, who is also running for Arizona secretary of state with Trump's endorsement, said he approached Authentix sometime after the 2020 election when he became concerned about reports of "fictitious ballots injected into the system." He was put in touch with the company by a friend in Florida who Finchem said was familiar with the company's work adding authenticating markers to other products, such as fuel and bank notes. "It was somebody who knew somebody," said Finchem, who declined to name the friend. "No more complicated than that." In an email, Authentix marketing executive Kent Mansfield said Finchem was referred to the company by a person familiar with its reputation who was "formerly associated with Authentix decades ago" but has no current financial tie to the company. In response to Finchem's inquiry, Mansfield said the company "presented various technologies" that could improve the security of ballot paper. He added that the company offers a "broad range of solutions" and that it is ultimately up to customers - in this case, states and localities - to decide on their preferred "level of security and subsequent resistance against counterfeiting." In Arizona, private contractors reviewing the election results in Maricopa County at the behest of the GOP-led state Senate last year pursued rumors that thousands of counterfeit ballots - potentially smuggled in from Asia - helped hand the swing state to Joe Biden. Workers for a time shined UV lights at individual ballots in an attempt to spot frauds. The contractors ultimately asserted that paper used for ballots "made it difficult to identify any potential counterfeit ballots" - but they did not allege that they actually had turned up any fake ballots. Even so, Finchem said that last year he asked Authentix to create a mock-up Arizona ballot containing any security measure the company could devise that would make the ballot difficult to reproduce by nefarious actors. In March, company executives presented the mock-up to Arizona lawmakers at an informational meeting hosted by Finchem in Phoenix. "It was like one of those holy cow moments," Finchem said of the reaction to the company's presentation. "We said, 'Okay! Someone's not going to be able to counterfeit this.' . . . As soon as people saw it, they said, 'This is a demonstrable measure that will help voters gain greater confidence in our elections.' " Current requirements for ballot paper differ around the country. Some states, including California, already require watermarks. But no locality requires the specialized microscopic patterns, holograms and heat-sensitive inks included among the 19 specific items in Finchem's proposal. During testimony in front of Wisconsin lawmakers in August, Mansfield said the company had been invited in Arizona to propose any new security measures it could envision. "They just said, 'Surprise us,' " Mansfield told the lawmakers. He conceded that company officials "are not experts in state voting" but said their expertise in security made them well positioned to propose ideas to make ballot paper that would be difficult to replicate. In October, Authentix hosted a tour of its corporate offices for Finchem and several other pro-Trump Republicans state lawmakers and candidates for secretary of state, according to tweets posted by several attendees at the time. In a December presentation to a panel in Louisiana charged with making recommendations to revamp that state's voting system, retired Army Col. Phil Waldron, who helped push false theories that the election was stolen in the weeks after the November 2020 vote, appeared to make reference to Authentix as he pitched a plan to replace voting machines with a system that would rely entirely on hand-counted ballots. He described it as a "company in Texas" that could produce paper with "so many built-in anti-counterfeit measures." Asked afterward by The Washington Post for the name of the company, Waldron said that he would have to ask if the company wanted to be identified. He later stopped responding to questions. Mansfield said that Waldron was present at an October tour of the company organized by Finchem but that Authentix has "no affiliation, agreement, or agency with him" and that any comments he made came "without any endorsement, guidance, or instruction" from the company. Waldron worked closely after the election with a cybersecurity firm called Allied Security Operations Group that, like Authentix, is based in Addison, Texas. Officials with both companies said there is no connection between them. From Arizona, Finchem has helped popularize the anti-counterfeit idea with other pro-Trump state lawmakers. Jeffery Magrum, a state representative in North Dakota, said he learned about the idea from Finchem when both attended a symposium on the election fraud claims hosted by Trump confidant and MyPillow chief executive Mike Lindell in South Dakota in August. Magrum has proposed a nearly identical measure in North Dakota, using sample language provided by Finchem. "It would be a fraud-proof ballot," he said. In Virginia, state Sen. Amanda F. Chase (R) said she, too, first learned of the idea from Finchem. She said the anti-counterfeit ballot measure has been a subject of repeated conversation on regular conference calls of an "election integrity caucus" of state lawmakers founded at the Lindell event. In October, Chase was part of the group that toured Authentix's offices, according to a video she posted on Twitter at the time. Chase's bill contains language that closely matches an Authentix website advertising the company's services. When she presented her bill to fellow lawmakers in Virginia last month, Finchem appeared by video from Phoenix to testify in support. Another nearly identical version of the bill was introduced in Colorado. Election and document security experts said the proposals raised numerous practical problems, regardless of the company providing the technology. For one, it is not clear whether vote-tabulating machines currently in use and certified by federal regulators could read paper containing all the markers envisioned in the proposed bills. For another, the bills do not address what kind of devices would be required to spot and authenticate the special holograms and inks they would require be embedded into ballots - a particularly pressing issue given the suspicion with which many ordinary citizens now view the vote-counting process. "What is that thing? Is it a scanner? Is it a black light?" asked Jen Marson, the executive director of the Arizona Association of Counties, which opposes the measure. "Because counties don't want to be in a position where we're tabulating these things and then someone says, 'Did you check for all 17 items?' " Mansfield said devices exist, manufactured by Authentix and others, that could scan for the items required in the bills. There also is the issue of cost. Finchem and Chase both said they've been told by company officials that Authentix could sell ballots containing all the microscopic and holographic markers required by their legislation for 25 cents a ballot. Legislative staffers in Colorado estimated that the proposal there would nearly double the cost of ballots to $2.10 a piece. Authentix's Mansfield said that cost "varies by solution and is based on many factors." Tony Poole, the president of the Document Security Alliance, a trade group, said the proposals would "result in over-secured and very expensive ballots that incorporate proprietary technologies that are not appropriate for a one-time use document and would unnecessarily cost localities millions of additional dollars." Noting that there is no evidence that counterfeit ballots are a problem, he argued that the proposals would prevent leading companies in the document security industry other than Authentix from being able to supply ballots. Poole's group includes 80 members representing government, academia and industry; Authentix is not a member. Mansfield said that "competition in our industry is robust." "We are unaware of any legislation that would mandate use of our technology," he added. "We are an authentication technology solutions provider that designs solutions based on the specific requirements set forth by our customer. Only each state, based on their election processes, configuration and unique circumstances can describe how adding multiple security, anti-counterfeiting and traceability features to their ballots could bring advantages in terms of the administration of their elections." So far, the proposals have not advanced far in states where they have been proposed. The North Dakota legislature meets only once every other year, meaning the proposal there will not be considered until next year, Magrum said. A committee of the Colorado House of Representatives declined to advance the proposal on Monday. A committee of the Virginia Senate in January voted 9-66 along party lines to kill Chase's bill for the year. And in Arizona, a Senate committee voted on party lines to advance the measure, but Republican state Sen. Paul Boyer, who has opposed Trump's claims about the 2020 election, said he plans to vote against the measure. His opposition is likely to doom the proposal in Arizona, where Republicans hold a slim Senate majority. Boyer said he was concerned the bill would hand Authentix a monopoly on ballot printing and allow the company to charge taxpayers as much as it wants. Still, Finchem said he thinks there will be a "foot race" among states to adopt the measures as a way to alleviate skepticism that elections are secure. Authentix, he said, would not be able to overcharge for the special ballots because he said the company would otherwise lose the support of public officials. But, he added, "it certainly does offer the opportunity for a company to engage in commerce." "I'm not going to fault anyone for that," he said. - - - The Washington Post's Emma Brown contributed to this report. For an entrepreneur in search of a soothing opportunity, we present a fully functioning spa for sale The Westglow Resort & Spa in Blowing Rock, NC, is now available for $14 million. Its being sold as a resort and spaor its being sold as a private residence, explains the listing agent, Steven Price with James B. Collier. The spawhich is part of the resort and part of the salehas consistently been among the top 10 spas in the country and in the world. Spa facilities sit inside an enormous 29,000-square-foot main manor house built in the Greek Revival style. In an area better known for rustic cabins, the spa's distinctive design stands out. The historic property was built in 1917, by an artist named Elliot Dangerfield, as his private home in the North Carolina mountains, Price explains. "It stayed in his family for several generations and was sold back in the 1970s to the prior owner of the resort, who bought it as a private residence. Price adds that the prior owner came up with the idea of converting the huge home into a hospitality facility and proceeded to build out the spa. Exterior of home in Blowing Rock, NC Realtor.com Interior Realtor.com Aerial view Realtor.com Interior Realtor.com Interior Realtor.com The current owners purchased the property in 2005, and made some renovations and additions. They maintain a private residence close to the resort that is not part of the sale, but the business they've built will convey with the sale. I think that people have a love for the building. It's an iconic structure, Price says. The 18-acre property has a total of 18 bedrooms. Six are in the main house, and all feature en suite bathrooms. A room now serving as a hospitality room could be converted into another guest bedroom. The remaining bedrooms can be found in a separate, four-bedroom guesthouse, a triplex with three suites, and two staff cottages. The main house has a commercial kitchen, a restaurant, and plentiful living spaces. Dangerfield originally named the home Westglow, an acknowledgment of the beauty of the natural light in this locale. The mansion is oriented west," the agent says. "His comment about the orientation and the light quality of Westglow was the sunsets were never glaring, always glowing, so thats how it became Westglow. Pool Realtor.com Spa Realtor.com Spa facilities include an indoor pool, steam and sauna rooms, exercise facilities, eight treatment rooms, hydrotherapy rooms with Vichy showers, and locker rooms. Beyond the glow of the sunlight, Price also says the views are unparalleled. The house is on one of the highest points in Blowing Rock, he notes, and is one of the few properties in the area with 360-degree views. "To the west is Grandfather Mountain," he says. "To the east, you look towards the Johns River Gorge. And to the Southeast, if the weather is clear, you can see downtown Charlotte from the property. Views Realtor.com Wedding Realtor.com Exterior Realtor.com Aerial view Realtor.com Price says the current owners would like a new owner to build on the success of the spa. It is very well known and has a loyal following, he says. Westglow is integral to the community of Blowing Rock. It is a house that has been here for well over 100 years and is a prominent structure in this area. It holds a special place in people's hearts." While the sellers would prefer that a buyer carry on the spa business, the agent acknowledges another category of potential purchaser. It could be someone of high net worth that would want to have their own personal gymnasiumwhich would be the spa," he says. In addition, they would have this wonderful historic property as their residence. "We are going to find the right buyer for this property," he adds. "That's our goal. Exterior Realtor.com Outbuilding Realtor.com Outbuilding Realtor.com Guest room Realtor.com Guest room Realtor.com Gazebo Realtor.com The post Remain Calm: $14M Historic Mountain Spa for Sale in North Carolina appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. Marion, IN (46952) Today Windy with scattered thunderstorms early, mainly cloudy late with a few showers. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 47F. NW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Windy with scattered thunderstorms early, mainly cloudy late with a few showers. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 47F. NW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Florida, US (34429) Today Rain, occasionally heavy, ending early. Partial clearing overnight. Thunder possible. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.. Tonight Rain, occasionally heavy, ending early. Partial clearing overnight. Thunder possible. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Vladimir Putin is playing for pivotal concessions from the Western Alliance via Ukraine stand-off that the conflict-mongering West does not understand. Like in a poker game with high stakes, the Kremlin plays its cards and uses bluff as the most helpful weapon without firing a single shot. Western leaders were upstaged and played into what the Kremlin wanted, to become tools for the Russian leader's objectives. Putin Knows How To Play His Cards Without Going Into War Former UK Rear Admiral Chris Parry knows the Russian leader's game to squeeze Ukraine with geopolitical pressure to proceed slowly but surely, the Express reports. The Rear Admiral never thought that Russia would commit to war in Ukraine as another means to that end is his geo-military agenda that already bluffed Joe Biden. Moscow of some troops ordered claims of supposed withdrawal to defuse fears of an already debunked coming invasion. It drove the White House to hysteria and NATO emplacing their forces to repel an imaginary invasion. He added that parking his troops close to the Ukraine border only exercises to know their collective advantages. Keeping his forces poised and waiting will only make others guess and agonize what happens next, the enigmatic Putin has the means to gain what he wants from a clueless western alliance. Obtaining a land bridge to Crimea and pressure Kyiv over the pro-Russian republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, noted India A2Z. Opinion on the Kremlin's Moves Mr. Parry had talked on GB News and declared that he never thought that Vladimir Putin would even Invade Ukraine; it is not in Putin's interest at all. Read Also: Russia Probes EU's Reaction in the Ongoing Migrant Crisis at the Poland-Belarus Border He is playing the odds with NATO and the US to get what he needs. It is noticeable how the US-driven hysteria does not benefit the allies, cited Business Insider. One observation is that more Russian amphibian vessels were in the Black Sea. He added it's nothing extraordinary because there is a major fleet of port bases in Sevastopol in Crimea. It's only putting pressure around Ukraine as a general strategy; it's a naval exercise done every 18 months. No difference in the mobilization of Russian forces in the Baltic, along with Mongolia borders, cause panic. By disappointing the West and infuriating their predictions and provocations as the basis of their claims, no unit from the border invaded or attacked. What will the US and NATO do next? By doing so, Putin has signaled that he wants something and they should give it or else. The Kremlin has not been given what it wants, though the reactions of the western alliance are fully noted. Next on his agenda is to squeeze Ukraine through financial means also apply stress on their leaders and people. Learning from these probes as he tests the waters; next is when to do it again soon or in the future. The timing could vary, though, when the timing is perfect. Mr. Putin knows enough that invasion is a great risk; instead, he goes for his geo-military goal without firing a shot from Russian armies. He added it would be preposterous for conflict after meeting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, leading to no negotiation. According to Rear Admiral Parry, Vladimir Putin has meant other than warfare to get concessions, compared to Joe Biden and NATO leaders, and he's someone to consider as formidable in many ways. Related Article: Putin Does Not Want Conflict as the US Will Only Benefit From It @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Immigration minister: Canada to resume Express Entry draws for skilled workers in near term A spotlight on Immigration Minister Sean Fraser's discussion about the future of Express Entry. Immigration minister: Canada to resume Express Entry draws for skilled workers in near term A spotlight on Immigration Minister Sean Fraser's discussion about the future of Express Entry. Immigration minister: Canada to resume Express Entry draws for skilled workers in near term A spotlight on Immigration Minister Sean Fraser's discussion about the future of Express Entry. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A When asked about when Canada would once again hold Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser replied draws would resume in the near term and said that he was looking into how to make the Express Entry system more flexible. Fraser sat down with the president and CEO of the Business Council of Canada, Goldy Hyder, for a discussion on Canadian immigration. The event was streamed on the Canadian Club Toronto website on February 16. While the immigration minister said there was no announcement on when CEC draws would resume, he suggested that they would return in the near future and that Express Entry would start to look more normal in the coming years. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration We do need to resume, in the near future, draws for federal skilled workers, Fraser said. If you actually look at the immigration levels plan over the next couple of years the balance is shifting back and by year three a record number of federal skilled workers, including through the Canadian Experience Class, will be welcomed to Canada. By no means do I want to communicate that there will be any kind of abandonment ofwhat I would argueis one of the most successful immigration programs anywhere in the world. Canadian Club Toronto A 2022 Immigration Conversation Canada benefits from a robust immigration system. As we emerge from the pandemic, how will immigration contribute to our recovery? Can we leverage immigratio Fraser also said he was looking to add more flexibility to the Express Entry system. He suggested that Express Entry could be used to respond to short-term needs including welcoming people into smaller communities, sectors in high demand, and people who are coming from a particular region that has the kind of educational institutions that will train the workers we need in strategically important sectors. Building this flexibility into the Express Entry system is something Im personally digging into right now because I think its going to enable us to respond in a more nimble way when we do see the pace of transformation is only increasing over time, Fraser said. Fraser had previously hinted that occupation-specific Express Entry draws could be a possibility in the future. Expanding pathways to permanent residence for international students and temporary foreign workers through Express Entry is one of Frasers priorities listed in his ministers mandate letter. He is also tasked with ensuring immigration better supports small- and medium-size communities by expanding the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot and moving forward on the Municipal Nominee Program. Since taking office in the fall, Fraser has already made the Atlantic Immigration Pilot a permanent program, which was one of the other priority items specified in his mandate letter. How Express Entry works Express Entry was created to manage immigration applications for skilled workers who are eligible for at least one of three programs: Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Candidates who are eligible for one of these programs may become eligible for a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Generally speaking, eligibility for Express Entry-managed programs depend on a candidates prior work experience in what are considered to be skilled occupations. If a candidate is qualified for an Express Entry-managed program, they can then get points for human capital factors like age, education, work experience, and official language ability among others. The highest-scoring candidates are invited to apply for Canadian immigration. The state of Express Entry Since September 2021, Canada has only been inviting PNP candidates to apply through the Express Entry system. Fraser has said on multiple occasions that the pause in CEC, FSWP, and FSTP draws is temporary, while Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) deals with the pandemic-related backlog of immigration applications. As of February 1, about 64,890 FSWP and CEC candidates are waiting for decisions on their immigration applications. The 2022-2024 immigration levels plan is calling for fewer Express Entry immigrants this year than there are in the backlog. In 2022, Canada is expecting to admit 55,900 immigrants through Express Entry, not including PNP candidates. The following year, Canada is currently slated to welcome 75,750 Express Entry immigrants. By 2024, Canada is expecting to welcome a record number of 111,500 immigrants through Express Entry. Fraser will table the next immigration levels plan for 2023-2025 in the fall of this year. By then, the targets for 2023 onward could change. Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access Melania Trump has denied buying her own NFT though the winning price in the auction appeared to come from the project's founders, according to an inquiry. An examination indicated that the cryptocurrency used to acquire the NFT originated from a wallet belonging to the business that first put the token up for sale, according to a sequence of blockchain transactions. Melania Trump Accused of Placing Winning Bid in Her NFT Platform The auction of Melania Trump's "Head of State Collection 2022" was held on the Solana blockchain, a cryptocurrency. The magazine discovered transactional linkages on the Solana blockchain between Trump or her team and the winning offer. The winning price was 1,800 SOL, which is around $185,000 in today's money. NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are one-of-a-kind digital tokens that are used to symbolize ownership of objects like art, collectibles, and music. Trump released an NFT in January that featured a digital artwork of a white hat that she wore on a state visit in 2019. The address of the wallet that won the bid, as well as the bid history, was published on Trump's website in the same month. This allowed crypto specialists to track out the source of the money using blockchain transactions. The transaction did not come from the former first lady's office, according to her. Late last year, the former first lady entered the realm of non-fungible tokens with the introduction of her digital asset "Melania's Vision," which was only accessible for a short time. According to a news release at the time, the NFT was a digital artwork that "embodies Mrs. Trump's crystal blue eyes, presenting the collector with an amulet to inspire." Her office indicated at the time that she expected to distribute further NFTs on the Parler-powered platform at "regular intervals." The tokens would be auctioned off in a one-of-a-kind historical auction in January 2022, with three elements: digital artwork, physical artwork, and a physical one-of-a-kind accessory, according to Newsweek via MSN. Read Also: Hilary Clinton Should Be Charged for Campaign Spying; Trump Called it Worse Than Watergate Deems To Sue Those Responsible Former First Lady Unveils New Line of NTFs Melania Trump is releasing a new line of digital art in the form of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), this time celebrating 'iconic' moments during her husband's presidency. On Thursday, the 'POTUS NFT Collection' was introduced by the former first lady. Former President Donald Trump's Fourth of July visit to Mount Rushmore in 2020, Christmas at the White House, and Air Force One will all be commemorated in the new collection. A total of 10,000 products, each with a distinctive design, will be sold for $50 a piece. If they all sell, that'll be a nice half-million bucks. Buyers, on the other hand, won't know what they're receiving until they've paid for it. She developed a website and a series of auctions last year to sell digital content that was linked to the Blockchain, allowing the buyer to be identified as the owner of a piece of art. Last month, her website announced that a bid of $170,000 had won her first offering in the Head of State Collection, 2022 - a package that comprised a hat worn by the French president on his state visit to the White House in 2018, a watercolor of her wearing it, and an NFT of the painting. It was purchased with 1800 SOL, a cryptocurrency. Because of the price drop, the transaction fell nearly $80,000 shy of the target. The address of the wallet that came up with the winning offer was disclosed on Trump's website, allowing internet specialists to leverage the openness of Blockchain transactions to track out where the cash originated from. The address that made the offer had previously been paid to the tune of 1800 SOL from another address, which in turn was funded by an address that traced back to the developer of the NFT, according to MotherBoard's investigation. The NFT founder then returned 1800 SOL to the middleman after the sale. One cause might be that the customer did not utilize cryptocurrencies and instead paid in dollars, which had to be converted into SOL. Another possibility is that it was an attempt to keep the price stable when there was no demand, Daily Mail reported. Related Article: Trump Claims Accounting Firm Left His Business Because It Was 'Intimidated' by NY Authorities @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. You will receive 5-day a week delivery of the Citizen Tribune newspaper to your home or business, plus full, ad-free access to CitizenTribune.com as well as full access to the Electronic Edition of the newspaper. ONLY $13.99 per month for the first 3 months! Only $16.00 per month after promotional period. Or ONLY $169.99 for a full year Only $192.00 per year after promotional period. Oklahoma City, OK (73106) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 67F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early followed by scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 53F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Even as the financial models of traditional for-profit journalism have been crumbling at the local level, groups across the USand the worldhave been working to reimagine what local news can look like: how its conceived, constructed, distributed, and even defined. In many cases, localized outlets and projects have gained support from national foundations; in others, theyre supported by national institutions. Such is the case with Clevelands Testify project, supported by national nonprofit The Marshall Project, a news organization dedicated to reimagining coverage of criminal justice. The Testify projects primary goal is to use journalistic resources to probe public data about Cuyahoga County courts. Using tens of thousands of court records, The Marshall Project is exploring the lopsided outcomes in Cuyahoga Countys court systemincluding why 75% of incarcerated people convicted in Cuyahoga County are Black, the landing page states. The Marshall Project collaborated with Clevelands crowdsourced reporting initiative the Documenters and WOVU radio, with support from local Cleveland residentsincluding those most closely connected to the courts systemand a host of distribution partners in local Cleveland media. The project hopes to approach the relationship between local information and national news in a fresh way. If you look at the prison system, if you look at policing, if you look at courts, if you look at elected officials, DAs and mayors who appoint police commissioners, all of this apparatus is actually guided by state or municipal laws and state or municipal officials, Susan Chira, editor in chief of The Marshall Project, said. If youre going to do accountability journalismwhich is what we try to do with The Marshall Projectyou need to understand and be responsive to what goes on in a locality, which differs tremendously by geography. To that end, The Marshall Project is partnering with reporters and community stakeholders who have been doing important and innovative work in Cleveland for years. While considering the project, Chira reached out to Pulitzer Prize winner Wesley Lowery, who grew up in Cleveland and has written extensively about criminal justice. She brought Lowery on as a contributing editor, and the two sat down to discuss what a responsible local news outlet would be like, Chira says. Rachel Dissell, another contributor to the Testify project, was a crime reporter at the Cleveland Plain Dealer for nearly two decades; more recently, she helped launch the Cleveland Documenters to train local residents in the work of newsgathering. Her years of experience in the world of traditional local news has offered her insights into both the production and consumption of information at the local level. The way that we reduce crime stories to what happened to someone in one moment, without going back to understand those stories and how they interact with larger systems, is something that always bothered me, Dissell said. But even deep reporting on social and political systems can be slow to permeate public consciousness. Years ago, Dissell told me, the Plain Dealer published a series on lead poisoning. Even with hefty journalistic investment and frequent publication, it took the average person in Cleveland nearly a year to catch up with some of the basic facts that the paper was reporting. It took a lot of repetition, a lot of persistence, a lot of going out in the community and talking about it, Dissell said. The journalism framework we have now isnt really made for that. Its made for putting a bunch of money into doing one thing, doing it really well, putting it out there, and then expecting everybody else to share it and make it accessible. And it doesnt happen, you know? The Testify team has worked to ensure that their data is available to the people for whom it matters most: those intimately connected to Cleveland courts. If it is not accessible to residents who are involved in the court system, or who have family members involved, or who have the opportunity to vote in races [for judicial candidates], its nice, but its performative in a way, Dissell said. Before even digging into the data, the Cleveland Documenters interviewed more than forty Cleveland residents to learn how much they know about judicial candidates and what they wished to find out (audio recordings of some of these interviews are available on the sites landing page). The Testify project has also attempted to reimagine distribution to meet audiences where they are: partnering with local newsrooms, from newspapers to local Black-owned radio stations; creating a dynamic project website; and putting together one-page flyers that can be distributed locally. To explain a complicated dataset in just a few panels was harder than doing the 2,500-word piece, Dissell said. The entire project, Chira added, took a year longer than anyone thought it would. Its The Marshall Projects unique model, she said, that allows it the elasticity to tackle projects like these. Sign up for CJR 's daily email The Testify project is just the beginning of The Marshall Projects hopes for local expansion. (Theyre slated to open a localized criminal justice newsroom in Cleveland first, then four more to-be-determined locations over the next several years.) But beyond the aspirations of a single news organization, the Testify project highlights the unique benefits and challenges of reimagining localized coverage and its relationship to national news. As Dissell said, people have asked her for years when she is planning to move on from local journalism. To her, its a foolish question. Its the reporting that is done on the ground, when you stick around after that initial story is written, and you keep writing stories, and you keep writing stories, that actually leads to more significant and lasting change. The question now is how more newsrooms can build the capacity to do it. The Journalism Crisis Project aims to train our focus on the present crisis, and to foster a conversation about what comes next. We hope youll join us. (Click to subscribe!) EXPLORE THE TOW CENTERS COVID-19 CUTBACK TRACKER: Throughout 2020 and 2021, researchers at the Tow Center collected reports of a wide range of cutbacks amid the pandemic. Theres an interactive map and searchable database. You can find it here. And read a recent report here. More on recent media trends and changes in local newsrooms: Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Lauren Harris is a freelance journalist. She writes CJR's weekly newsletter for the Journalism Crisis Project. Follow her on Twitter @LHarrisWrites. While Sarah Palin may have lost her defamation lawsuit against the New York Times, the legal climate for journalists nevertheless seems to be getting worse. Stuart Karle is a media lawyer who has served as chief operating officer of Reuters News and as general counsel to the Wall Street Journal. On this weeks Kicker, he and Kyle Pope, editor and publisher of CJR, discuss the Palin case and why privacy law may prove to be the next frontier in the war against the press. SHOW NOTES Sign up for CJR 's daily email The New York Times wins case against Sarah Palin. Twice. Caleb Pershan, CJR The two big questions after the Sarah Palin New York Times trial, Caleb Pershan, CJR Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Amanda Darrach is a contributor to CJR and a visiting scholar at the University of St Andrews School of International Relations. Follow her on Twitter @thedarrach. Insurance companies, third-party adjusting companies, and subrogation vendors are increasingly undertaking subrogation investigation at an early stage of a claims life. Understanding that early recognition and action on third-party recovery potential is often won or lost in the first few days following an insurance claim or loss, companies are learning to obtain and retain key evidence necessary for proof of its subrogation case against a third party. However, if companies are going to undertake the role of safekeeping key evidence in large losses, it is important to remember the law regarding spoliation and do everything in its power to avoid committing losing, damaging, or compromising evidence necessary to win. Spoliation of evidence occurs when someone with an obligation to preserve evidence with regard to a legal claim (including a subrogation action) neglects to do so or intentionally fails to do so. Such a failure to preserve or protect evidence can take place by destruction of the evidence, damage to the evidence, or losing the evidence altogether. When spoliation occurs, the party responsible may be held accountable in court through a variety of different sanctions. Those sanctions vary greatly from state to statebut none of them are good for the subrogation effort. In 1984, California was the first state to recognize the tort of spoliation. Smith v. Superior Ct., 151 Cal. App.3d 491 (Cal. 1984). However, the majority of jurisdictions that have subsequently examined the issue have declined to create or recognize such a tort. Only Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, Ohio, and West Virginia have explicitly recognized some form of an independent tort action for spoliation. California overruled its precedent and declined to recognize first-party or third-party claims for spoliation. Temple City. Hosp. v. Superior Ct., 20 Cal.4th 464, 84 Cal. Rptr.2d 852, 976 P.2d 223, 233 (Cal. 1999); Cedars-Sinai Med. Center v. Superior Ct., 18 Cal.4th 1, 74 Cal. Rptr.2d 248, 954 P.2d 511, 521 (Cal. 1998). Generally, those states that have recognized or created the tort of spoliation in some form, limit such an action to third-party spoliation of evidence related to pending or actual litigation. First-party spoliation claims are those claims for destruction or alteration of evidence brought against parties to underlying litigation. Conversely, third-party spoliation claims are those destruction or alteration of evidence claims against non-parties to underlying litigation. Moreover, most of these states generally hold that third-party spoliator must have had a duty to preserve the evidence before liability can attach. The majority of states that have examined this issue have preferred to remedy spoliation of evidence and the resulting damage to a partys case or defense, through sanctions or by giving adverse inference instructions to juries. Sanctions can include the dismissal of claims or defenses, preclusion of evidence, and the granting of summary judgment for the innocent party. MWL has compiled a compendium of decisions for the states that have examined the issue of spoliation. It can be found HERE. The laws vary from state to state; as do the sanctions and repercussions for committing spoliation. It should be remembered that, if a matter is pending in federal court, federal evidentiary rules, rather than state spoliation laws, may be applied. King v. Ill. Cent. R.R., 337 F.3d 550 (5th Cir. 2003). A district court has discretion to admit evidence of spoliation and to instruct the jury on adverse inferences. United States v. Wise, 221 F.3d 140 (5th Cir. 2000) (citing Higgins v. Martin Marietta Corp., 752 F.2d 492 (10th Cir. 1985)). The adverse inference to be drawn from destruction of records is predicated on bad conduct of the defendant. The circumstances of the act must manifest bad faith. Mere negligence is not enough, because it does not sustain an inference of consciousness of a weak case. Vick v. Tex. Empt Commn, 514 F.2d 734 (5th Cir. 1975). Therefore, one must show that the party alleged to have destroyed evidence acted in bad faith in order to establish entitlement to an adverse inference. A court will require even more compelling evidence of bad faith when asked to apply the more severe sanction of dismissal or summary judgment. Stahl v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 47 F. Supp.2d 783 (S.D. Miss. 1998). An insurance company or subrogation vendor who takes possession of a key piece of evidence has a duty to both protect the evidence and maintain proper chain of custody documentation. In product liability lawsuits it is often necessary to prove that the product at the time the product left the manufacturers control, the product possessed a characteristic that could cause damage and that the manufacturer failed to use reasonable care to provide an adequate warning of such characteristic and its danger to users and handlers of the product. Any plaintiff in a product liability suit has the burden to establish that the defendants product was the producing cause of damage or injury. Whether arguing a design defect, manufacturing defect, failure to warn, breach of warranty, or other product liability theory, the plaintiff must be able to demonstrate injury-causing feature of the product. That is hard to do without the product. When investigating subrogation potential, investigation should include making wise decisions about which evidence must be retained for future litigation. This includes not only the product suspected of causing a loss, but also any product or instrumentality in the proximity and/or likely to be blamed by a desperate product manufacturer looking to avoid liability. A recent Idaho federal court decision illustrates the problem all too well. In State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, as subrogee of George Adams v. General Motors, LLC, 524 F.Supp.3d 1124 (D. Idaho 2021), State Farm brought a subrogation action against General Motors, alleging that a fire which occurred at the insureds home was caused by a defective vehicle which caught fire. The insured filed a claim for the property damage with State Farm and was paid for his loss. State Farm then filed a subrogation suit against General Motors, which promptly moved for sanctions due to spoliation, alleging that insurer wrongfully destroyed the automobile. The facts were that on May 6, 2019, a State Farm Fire representative visited Adamss house after the fire. The State Farm Fire representative had a telephone conversation with a State Farm Auto claims representative regarding the vehicle and received permission to allow State Farm Fires inspector to inspect the vehicle. The State Farm Fire representative also requested that the vehicle not be sent to Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc. (IAA) in Boise, but to a different holding facility. State Farm Fires inspector, Shane Hartgrove, prepared a report, including three photos of the vehicle, and concluded that the fire must have been caused by non-specific electrical failure at the connection point between the positive battery cable and the fuse block of the vehicle. On May 8, 2019, State Farm Auto towed the vehicle from Adams residence to IAA, and soon thereafter Hartgrove traveled to IAA to inspect the vehicle again. This time he prepared a Fire Cause Analysis Report for State Farm Fire on May 24, 2019. On either May 27, 2019, or June 28, 2019, the vehicle was sold at a salvage auction by IAA. State Farm Fire alleges that it had no knowledge of the sale at the time, and that it was informed sometime after June 28 that the vehicle had been sold. On August 21, 2019, almost a month after the vehicle had been sold, State Farm Fire notified General Motors of its claim for subrogation. General Motors moved for dismissal based on the disappearance of the key piece of evidencethe car. The court held that the sale of the vehicle constituted spoliation under federal law, and that where spoliation occurs before litigation is filed, the sanctions are governed by the power of the court to make evidentiary rulings in light of the missing evidence. While the 9th Circuit has not set forth a precise standard for determining when spoliation sanctions are appropriate, the majority of trial courts have adopted the following test: (1) the party having control over the evidence has an obligation to preserve it at the time it was destroyed; (2) the evidence w[as] destroyed with a culpable state of mind; and (3) the evidence was relevant to the partys claim or defense such that a reasonable trier of fact could find that it would support that claim or defense. In this case, State Farm had an obligation to preserve evidencein this case, the vehiclewhich it knows or should know is relevant to a claim or defense of any party, or that may lead to the discovery of evidence relevant to anticipated litigation. Brown v. Reinke, 2016 WL 107926 (D. Idaho 2016). In this case, State Farm Fire argued that it did not have control over the vehicle which was in the hands of State Farm Auto. The court disagreed, holding that have affirmative duty to preserve evidence extends even to instances where that evidence is not directly within the partys custody or control so long as the party has access to, or indirect control over, such evidence. The court also ruled that State Farm had the requisite state of mind. Federal law provides that sanctions for spoliation may be imposed upon simple notice of potential relevance to the litigation, and a finding of bad faith is not required. Glover, 6 F.3d at 1329. In contrast, Idaho law requires a finding of bad faith and the merely negligent loss or destruction of evidence is not sufficient to invoke the spoliation doctrine. Courtney v. Big O Tires, Inc., 87 P.3d 930 (Idaho 2003). The vehicle was obviously relevant to both parties claims, so the only real question for the court was the severity of the sanctions, which can range from minor sanctions, such as awarding attorneys fees, to more severe sanctions including permitting a jury to draw an adverse inference against a party responsible for the destruction of evidence, ordering the exclusion of evidence, or even dismissal of claims. Dickinson Frozen Foods, Inc. v. FPS Food Process Solutions Corp., 2019 WL 2236080 (D. Idaho 2019). Furthermore, a court considering dismissal as a sanction for a partys spoliation of evidence must weigh several factors: (1) the publics interest in expeditious resolution of litigation; (2) the courts need to manage its dockets; (3) the risk of prejudice to the party seeking sanctions; (4) the public policy favoring disposition of cases on their merits; and (5) the availability of less drastic sanctions. For dismissal to be proper, the conduct must be due to willfulness, fault, or bad faith. A partys destruction of evidence qualifies as willful spoliation if the party has some notice that the evidence was potentially relevant to the litigation before it was destroyed. In the State Farm case, the judge noted that it involved the destruction of evidence that affected the very heart of the matter in dispute prior to General Motors even being notified of the claim against it, much less having had an opportunity to inspect. Because no lesser sanction would be fitting, the court dismissed the case as a sanction for State Farms actions. When investigating subrogation potential, be certain to get all of the relevant evidence necessary for both the prosecution and defense of the case. Make sure the evidence is secured so that it wont be lost, damaged, or tampered with, allowing you to prove that the condition in which the expert and jury see the product is the condition of the product at the time of the loss. Losing or damaging evidence is the quickest way to say good-bye to any and all subrogation potentiala big price to pay for simply not understanding your obligations to avoid spoliation. BARCELONA, Spain (AP) Canadian rescuers recovered more bodies from a Spanish fishing ship that sank in rough seas off Newfoundland, raising the confirmed death toll to nine, but the search for 12 missing sailors was called off Wednesday afternoon. Lt. Cmdr. Brian Owens, spokesperson of the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Halifax, Canada, said all search and rescue aircraft and vessels were returning to base and civilian vessels had been released from their obligation to contribute to the effort. The fishing boat Villa de Pitanxo, which operated out of northwest Spains Galicia region, sank early Tuesday 460 kilometers (250 nautical miles) east of Newfoundland, tossing its 24 crew members into icy seas. Three crew members were rescued and the bodies of nine others were found in the debris site. Owens said teams searched about 900 nautical square miles around the site, but high winds and 10-metre seas impeded the effort amid dwindling hopes of finding any more survivors. The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Halifax originally reported late Tuesday that the death toll had risen to 10. On Wednesday, Spains maritime rescue service said there had been an error in the count and that Canadian officials had lowered it to nine confirmed deaths. It appears that the error was due to the fact that the recovery of the bodies was carried out by different boats and that one body was counted twice, Jose Luis Garcia, director of Spains maritime rescue service, told Spanish broadcaster TVE. The rescue center in Halifax, operated by Canadas air force and coast guard, dispatched helicopters, airplanes and a rescue vessel to the area. Eight boats had been searching for survivors, a fleet made up of Canadian rescue vessels and Spanish and Portuguese fishing boats, Spanish Agriculture and Fishing Minister Luis Planas said Wednesday. Both Planas and local fishing officials described the sunken boat as modern and prepared to withstand the typically harsh weather of the area. Planas said it was the worst tragedy for our fishing fleet in 38 years. The crew included 16 Spaniards, five Peruvians and three workers from Ghana, according to Spains maritime rescue service. The survivors are the ships captain, Juan Padin, his nephew Eduardo Rial, and an unidentified sailor from Ghana, reported Spanish news agency EFE. I am relieved because I know that both are alive, but I am also very sad for their comrades, Gloria Padin, the mother of Eduardo and the sister of Juan, told Spanish state broadcaster TVE. Family members fearing the worst gathered at the Spanish coastal town of Marin waiting for the remains to be identified. Spains parliament held a minute of silence at the opening of Wednesdays session for the fishermen, while northwest Galicia, which has a strong fishing industry, declared three days of mourning. We are talking about people who knew how to sail, they are professionals, good captains and excellent sailors. So they must have been in very difficult seas, said Galician regional president Alberto Nunez Feijoo. About the photo: This photo provided by Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022 shows a view from a search aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean off Newfoundland. A search operation is still looking for missing crew members from a Spanish fishing ship that sank in rough seas early Tuesday, Feb. 15 in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. (Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre/The Canadian Press via AP) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. PETROPOLIS, Brazil (AP) Rio de Janeiro states government has confirmed 105 deaths from floods and mudslides that swept away homes and cars in the city of Petropolis. But even as families prepared to bury their dead, it was unclear Thursday how many bodies remained trapped in the mud. Rubens Bomtempo, mayor of the German-influenced city nestled in the mountains, didnt even offer an estimate for the number of people missing, with recovery efforts still ongoing. We dont yet know the full scale of this, Bomtempo said at a news conference Wednesday. It was a hard day, a difficult day. Survivors were digging to find loved ones who disappeared after Tuesdays landslides. Rio de Janeiros public prosecutors office said in a statement Wednesday night that it had compiled a list of 35 people yet to be located. Footage posted on social media showed torrents dragging cars and houses through the streets and water swirling through the city. One video showed two buses sinking into a swollen river as its passengers clambered out the windows, scrambling for safety. Some didnt make it to the banks and were washed away, out of sight. On Wednesday morning, houses were left buried beneath mud while appliances and cars were in piles on the streets. Resident Rosilene Virginias brother barely escaped, and she considers it a miracle. A friend hasnt yet been found. Its very sad to see people asking for help and having no way of helping, no way of doing anything, Virginia told The Associated Press as a man comforted her. Its desperate, a feeling of loss so great. Petropolis, named for a former Brazilian emperor, has been a refuge for people escaping the summer heat and tourists keen to explore the so-called Imperial City. Its prosperity has also drawn residents from Rios poorer regions and the population grew haphazardly, climbing mountainsides now covered with small residences packed tightly together, often in areas made more vulnerable by deforestation and inadequate drainage. The state fire department said 25.8 centimeters (just over 10 inches) of rain fell within three hours on Tuesday almost as much as during the previous 30 days combined. Rio de Janeiros Gov. Claudio Castro said in a press conference that the rains were the worst Petropolis has received since 1932. No one could predict rain as hard as this, Castro said. More rain was expected through the rest of the week, according to weather forecasters. Castro added that almost 400 people were left homeless and 24 people were recovered alive. They were fortunate, and they were few. Lisa Torres Machado, 64, said the hand of God spared her family from tragedy. A little room was left at my moms house and she hid there with my two sisters and brother, Machado, a resident of Petropolis for three decades, told the AP. I cant sleep. I still cant believe whats happening. We lost all our friends. The stricken mountain region has seen similar catastrophes in recent decades, including one that caused more than 900 deaths. In the years since, Petropolis presented a plan to reduce risks of landslides, but works have advanced only slowly. The plan, presented in 2017, was based on analysis determining that 18% of the citys territory was at high risk for landslides and flooding. Local authorities say more than 180 residents who live in at-risk areas were sheltering in schools. More equipment and manpower was expected to help rescue efforts on Thursday. Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro expressed solidarity while on a trip to Russia. Petropolis city hall declared three days of mourning for the tragedy. Southeastern Brazil has been punished with heavy rains since the start of the year, with more than 40 deaths recorded between incidents in Minas Gerais state in early January and Sao Paulo state later the same month. Savarese reported from Sao Paulo. AP videojournalist Mario Lobao contributed from Petropolis. About the photo: Residents search for survivors on the second day of rescue efforts after a mudslide in Petropolis, Brazil, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. Deadly floods and mudslides swept away homes and cars, but even as families prepared to bury their dead, it was unclear how many bodies remained trapped in the mud. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at the MMS- Payne Funeral Home Chapel from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Family will greet friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Grace Ann Harrison passed away on April 26, 2022 at the age of 76 years old. Grace Ann was born to Dryden and Joan Carman Republican Senator John Thune remarked that Joe Biden is to blame for rising gas prices and uses Vladimir Putin as another excuse to escape blame. He spoke to the press and said the president should stop passing accountability and admit he cannot do his job. Since President Biden took office on January 20, all the blame fell on others except himself. Biden Shuts Down Pipeline Projects in the US Last Wednesday, Sen. Thune, R-S.D., informed Newsmax that President Joe Biden, not Russian President Vladimir Putin and his intention to invade Ukraine, is to blame for high fuel costs. When Biden took office, it commenced closing down energy development in the United States and raising costs. Making it difficult to participate in and harness the vast energy supplies we have right here in the US, reports Prime News. It robbed us of our energy independence, forcing us to rely on other countries across the world, especially unreliable countries, to satisfy our energy demands once more. It's ridiculous now since Biden shuttered the Keystone XL Pipeline that supplied natural gas and oil from Canada to the United States when he took office in January 2021 as one of his first acts. Ironically the Republican senator said after permitting the Russian Nord Stream 2 Pipeline to continue ahead, enabling Russia to provide energy to European countries and rising fuel prices. The bloc refused to place penalties on the pipelines as Russia initiated a military build-up on the Ukrainian border. Read Also: Joe Biden's Agenda Not To Prioritize Fossil Fuel Development in the US Backfired With a Looming Fuel, Energy Crisis Russian Fuel Supply To Provide Energy In reaction to the alleged Russian invasion of Ukraine, the US president wants to shut down the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. He even pronounced that the pipeline would not happen in an address. It will be a conduit for as much as 98% of natural gas needs for European nations like Germany and Finland, per Newsmax. Recently, the White House press secretary Jen Psaki informed that a response was planned for what happened in Ukraine if Biden assumes that Russia does invade and how it will affect the US. She said we've been in contact with allies and suppliers on the global stage for weeks, preparing for several effects on natural gas and oil prices stated by the market, whether in anticipation of an incursion or as a result of an assault. They will still be discussing these actions and what the president decides on. Sen. Thune injected that the fuel increase problem is in the US not caused by Russia, and the White House does not intend to take responsibility. A cost of 40% increase for fuel is due to the high demands caused by the pandemic, and there is a more sinister cause which is due to president Biden. The Democrats are forcing green energy even if it will hurt the country by causing energy dependence on other sources. He chose to sideline the oil industry to push a version of energy that America does not need. Reflecting how families are pained by rising fuel prices and the president who is now blaming Putin for one of his terrible decisions, stated Republican Senator Thune in a press release. Related Article: Vladimir Putin Outmaneuvers Joe Biden by Falling for Feints and Stratagems Weakening, Dividing the Western Alliance @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Viewed 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. Beachwood, OH (44122) Today Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 48F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 48F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Brad Pitt has filed a lawsuit against Angelina Jolie over a commercial transaction she made with Chateau Miraval, the vineyard they bought as a couple near Correns, France, and which she later sold to Russian tycoon Yuri Shefler. In legal documents obtained by TMZ, the 58-year-old actor asks the court to overturn a deal Jolie, 46, signed with Stoli Group subsidiary Tenute del Mondo, which is controlled by Shefler, and pay him damages in connection with the transaction. Brad Pitt Sues Angelina Jolie According to court documents, the Shawnee, Oklahoma-born actor, and Jolie bought the vineyard for $28.4 million in 2008, with her putting down around 40% of the money (about $11.36 million). Pitt said that he invested significantly more effort and money into the winery to make it viable and that by 2013 she hadn't even come close to matching his efforts on either front. Pitt told the court that he and Jolie had promised not to sell their shares in the vineyard without any of the party's permission. Jolie later filed for divorce in September 2016, resulting in a multi-front court struggle that lasted until 2022. Pitt stated in legal documents that the actress notified the court in July 2021 that she wished to sell her portion of the vineyard and that in September 2021 he agreed to let Jolie choose a buyer over whom he would have approval powers. Pitt testified in court that he learned in October 2021 that Jolie had sold her part to Shefler's group and did not seek his consent or reveal the terms despite their prior agreement. He told the court that Shefler's participation had harmed his capacity to manage the winery efficiently. According to a Pitt insider, Jolie disregarded her legal and ethical obligations in selling her share to Shefler, and in doing so, she has infringed on the rights of the only person who invested money and sweat equity into the company's success by purporting to sell both the company and the family home to a third-party competitor. Jolie is looking for a return on an investment she didn't make and earnings she didn't create. Pitt and Jolie, who married in 2014 and divorced in 2016, have been enmeshed in the legal system for the past five years or more, fighting over a variety of concerns. Pitt and his children, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 15, and Vivienne and Knox, 13, were granted shared custody of their youngest children in May. Maddox, their 20-year-old son, is their other child, according to Daily Mail. Read Also: Kylie Jenner Gives Birth To Second Child With Travis Scott Did Brad Pitt Break His Promise to Hurricane Katrina Victims? As he faces legal action over residences built in New Orleans, Brad Pitt has been accused of making "broken promises" to Hurricane Katrina victims. Following the destruction wreaked along the Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Hollywood film star's Make It Right Foundation funded the building of 109 solar-powered homes in the city's lower-income Ninth Ward. However, it was later discovered that the homes were poorly planned and built before being sold to local homeowners, resulting in mold and termite infestations, premature decaying, and a class-action lawsuit. Atty. Ron Austin, who filed a lawsuit on behalf of locals in 2018, stated on NewsNation's Banfield that the 58-year-old actor had let the inhabitants of New Orleans down with the troubled project. Following Hurricane Katrina's damage, Pitt aided in the fundraising for the dwellings, which were reported to be pioneering architectural and technology solutions to resist hurricanes in the region. As an adjustment to local inhabitants' economic levels, the dwellings, which were erected on raised posts and included solar panels, sold for roughly $150,000 apiece, Newsweek via MSN reported. Related Article: Brad Pitt's Green Housing Dream For Hurricane Katrina Survivors in New Orleans Turns Into Another Disaster @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Workers at two more Cleveland Starbucks stores have announced their intent to file for National Labor Relations Board elections, joining the West 6th Street location, which filed last month. The Clifton Boulevard and Mayfield Road locations are the newest area stores to join the Starbucks Workers United movement, which includes 97 other US locations of the coffee chain, according to a Feb. 18 press release. In a letter emailed to Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson and signed by a majority of eligible employees at the Mayfield and Lee roads store in Cleveland Heights, workers cited wages, hours, and health and safety concerns as reasons for filing. Kevin, we saw record-breaking revenue growth of 19%, for a total of $8.1 billion this first quarter, the letter reads. Yet many of us are unable to make our monthly payments, afford groceries and childcare, or self-sustain due to unlivable wages and cut hours. When reached for comment after the West 6th store filed, Starbucks shared its COVID-19 response stating throughout the pandemic, stores have followed the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and local public health authorities guidelines as well as offered isolation pay to workers. Workers at the Mayfield Road store expressed in the letter that this is inadequate. We ... are at risk of contracting and spreading Covid-19 to our fellow partners and loved ones, the letter reads. The inadequate policies for only five days of paid isolation and a limit of two paid isolations per quarter are unrealistic and unsupportive of our needs. Starbucks workers across the country are organizing with Workers United, a SEIU affiliate, which backed the successful unionization efforts at the chain in Buffalo, NY this past December, the release said. Following the union vote at the Buffalo store, Rossann Williams, president of Starbucks North America, wrote a letter to the companies partners with the path forward. From the beginning, weve been clear in our belief that we do not want a union between us as partners, and that conviction has not changed, Williams wrote. However, we have also said that we respect the legal process. Maddie VanHook, a barista at the West 6th Street store and union organizing committee member, expressed her support for the two Cleveland stores. We are excited to welcome our friends at the Clifton and May Lee stories into our fight! she wrote in the release. We are stronger together, and every day we are one step closer to securing justice and equity in our workplaces. We couldnt be prouder of all of our partners involved in making this happen for themselves today. In the letter to the CEO, workers expressed concern over mental and emotional well-being while serving the public and asked for more tipping options. We cannot pour from an empty cup ... If we truly are partners and our well-being is important to you, the letter reads, you will side with us in this effort to unionize. According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, when three Buffalo-area locations sought unionization last month, the company closed stores and invited employees to a talk given by Howard Schultz, the former CEO and chairman. In his speech, Schultz invoked the Holocaust as he attempted to dissuade employees from forming a union. According to eyewitness accounts and a transcript of the meeting, Schultz noted that only a small portion of prisoners in German concentration camps received blankets but often shared them with fellow prisoners, and then remarked, What we have tried to do at Starbucks is share our blanket, the JTA reported. One of those Buffalo stores was successful in unionizing and according to The Associated Press, six employees later formed a picket line outside the store saying they lacked the staff and resources to work safely amid surging COVID cases. An American version of Canada's "freedom convoy" is gaining traction as truckers in Ottawa continue their protests of the nation's coronavirus vaccine mandates as several organizations are planning a trip in Washington this coming March. The demonstrations in Canada have shut down several parts of Ottawa for several weeks after they initially protested against vaccine mandates. Furthermore, at least three organizations and a constellation of regional ones have announced plans to travel to Washington early next month. US Freedom Convoy One of the proposed convoys plans to travel from Fresno, California on March 2 and go through the I-10 interstate heading straight towards the capital, arriving on March 6. During a conference call last week, the group's lead organizer, Kip Coltrin, said that unity, solidarity, and a mindset of America were what brought the people involved together. He added that the U.S. freedom convoy wanted politicians to address various issues. Another one of the convoys, which calls itself the "People's Convo," planned to depart in the first week of next month from California. Furthermore, the Freedom Fighter Nation, a far-right conspiracy group led by lawyer Leigh Dundas, is supporting the convoy, as per The Guardian. On top of American right-wing activists supporting the Canadian protesters, conservative politicians have also expressed their support because they also oppose vaccine mandates and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. However, the majority of the effects of the demonstrations energize conservative politicians in the United States. Read Also: Musk Receives Criticism For Comparing Trudeau to Hitler in Attack Against Vaccine Mandate The situation comes as lawmakers prepare for the 2022 midterm elections this November and some GOP members believe that standing with the protesters in Canada will galvanize fund-raising and voter turnout in the U.S. Global News reported that a postdoctoral fellow at the Digital Civil Society Lab at Stanford University, Samantha Bradshaw, said that the kind of narratives that the Canadian truckers and the convoy are focusing on is crucial to the upcoming U.S. elections. She argued that Republicans were taking advantage of the situation to attract more voters. Canadian Truckers The truckers have sent Canada into a state of emergency as they continue to affect the price of goods for Americans. Protesters have occupied streets near Parliament in Ottawa and several other major cities across the nation. The blockades in particular have affected even people who did not live near the border between the U.S. and Canada. Each day, the freedom convoy results in hundreds of millions of dollars being lost in trade due to the border crossing being blocked. The reason for the demonstrations is attributed to Trudeau's administration announcing that all truck drivers, both Americans, and Canadians, were required to be double vaccinated against the coronavirus by Jan. 15 before they were allowed to cross into Canada. The federal government made the decision to avoid a 14-day quarantine. A few hundred truckers drove heavy-duty trucks and pickup trucks in Ottawa to protest the new mandate, essentially shutting down the downtown core. However, the convoy quickly grew into a noisy, horn-honking encampment that involved roughly 4,000 trucks, aggravating locals and forcing businesses to close temporarily, CNBC reported. Related Article: PM Justin Trudeau Freezes Truckers' Bank Accounts Illegally For Refusal of the Freedom Convoy To Back Down @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Clifford Chance advises Kingspan on its acquisition of Troldtekt, a sustainable Danish manufacturer of natural low carbon acoustic insulation Clifford Chance Brussels has advised Kingspan, the Irish based global leader in advanced insulation and building envelope solutions, on the acquisition of Troldtekt, a Danish manufacturer of natural low carbon acoustic insulation. Trodtekt has been producing acoustic insulation panels made from natural materials in Denmark since 1935. Troldtekt's products are fully recyclable, free from hazardous substances and can be returned to nature. This new partnership strengthens Kingspan's long-term commitment for a sustainable future in manufacturing and the acquisition fits perfect into Kingspan's strategy. Kingspan is a longstanding client of Clifford Chance, and we are proud to work with them on another transaction supporting renewable and sustainable business practices. The Brussels M&A team was led by senior associate Patrice Viaene with the support from associate Stephanie Reul. The team also had due diligence support from our German team, partner Stefan Bruder and associate Natalie Hemberger. Danish partner firm Plesner assisted with the Danish and Swedish due diligence. The transaction is still subject to regulatory filings, with closing expected in Q2. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) Three personnel of the Philippine Air Force died after their car hit concrete barriers along the southbound lane of EDSA Santolan in Cubao, Quezon City then caught fire early Friday morning. In a statement, the Air Force said one personnel was able to escape the burning Honda City and was brought to the hospital. "This accident is under investigation and no details yet as to the circumstances which led to this event," according to Lt. Col. Maynard Mariano, chief of the Air Force Public Affairs Office. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) The Commission on Elections (Comelec) insisted on Friday that owners of private properties where election paraphernalia were removed earlier this week under the controversial "Operation Baklas" consented to the dismantling of oversized posters and other materials. In an interview with CNN Philippines' The Source, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said they have documentary evidence showing authorities asking permission before entering private areas and dismantling campaign materials which he said violate the poll body's resolution patterned after Republic Act 9006 or the Fair Elections Act. "There's a maximum size for these posters and materials," Jimenez said. "The thing about entering private areas, I think, it's been lost in the conversation thus far that we did not enter those places without consent." "In all of those cases that I know of, nagpaalam ang ating Comelec officials (our officials asked for permission)," he also said. Jimenez stressed that they were only acting within the scope of their resolution. He was reacting to complaints from the Leni Robredo-Kiko Pangilinan campaign about the Comelec's supposed "overreach" when it took down election materials inside private properties, including volunteer headquarters. "We asked to enter into those areas, we pointed out that the materials that were to be taken down were in violation of the rules" Jimenez said. "And the property owners either consented to us taking them down or they said they would take them down on their own." However, a member of Youth for Leni-Isabela told CNN Philippines that this was not what they experienced. Authorities in the area allegedly "threatened to file charges" before covering up a privately-owned mural endorsing the Leni Robredo-Kiko Pangilinan tandem. Jimenez added that property owners can refuse entry to Comelec officials, but if they remain adamant in displaying oversized posters or billboards violative of the rules, cases could be filed against them. Section 6 of RA 9006 states that lawful election propaganda includes cloth, paper or cardboard posters, whether framed or posted, that are not exceeding 2x3 ft in size. At the site and on the occasion of a public meeting or rally, streamers must not exceed 3x8 ft and may be displayed five days before the rally and up to a day after the event, it said. Free speech not absolute? Jimenez also addressed claims that the Comelec has violated the constitutional right to property and freedom of speech. READ: Opposition mulls legal action, possible class suit vs Comelec 'overreach' in Operation Baklas "Not all rights are absolute, and that includes the freedom of speech. Freedom of speech accepts regulation in the proper instances," Jimenez said, stressing the need to "level the playing field" during campaign season. He added: "As mentioned in the Supreme Court, theres a species of speech that becomes election propaganda and is therefore the valid constitutional subject of regulation." Jimenez acknowledged, however, that there may still be room for recalibration in Comelec rules. "The Comelec is not deaf naman to the public, and if the public raises a clamor as they are doing now, then were not averse to looking at our rules again and in the past, we have modified our rules," he said. "There's no guarantee na mangyayari yan (that this could happen) but certainly were open to the possibility." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) After mascots of election candidates Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte graced a COVID-19 vaccination site, the Department of Health (DOH) issued a stern reminder that such events should not show political preference. "I want to reiterate, everything is apolitical. Ibig sabihin po wala tayong kinikilingan. Kung anuman ang meron tayong kampanya na ginagawa during our vaccination days for our children, this is for us to encourage our childen, for them to feel comfortable," DOH spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a media briefing on Friday. [Translation: We cannot take sides. Our activities during the vaccination days for children are done to encourage them, to make them feel comfortable.] The vaccination event in question was held in Talisay City in Cebu on Monday. The mascots of Marcos and Duterte were seen entertaining and dancing alongside mascots of a famous fast-food restaurant. Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas said he was the one who ordered the appearance of the mascots of the presidential and vice presidential candidates. He explained it was done in the hopes of putting children aged 5-11 at ease for their vaccination. Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez earlier said the appearance of such mascots is prohibited. "Partisan politics has no place in official functions," he tweeted on Thursday. Stringer Dale Israel contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) Despite successive oil price hikes, farmers and fisherfolk may have to wait longer before they could receive fuel subsidy from the government, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Friday. Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the guidelines for distributing the subsidy are now "ready," but the funds could not be disbursed yet. "Itong pamimigay ng fuel subsidy ay may trigger mechanism bago ibigaydapat ma-reach 'yung gasoline price na $80 per barrel. Wala pa tayo jan," he said when asked about updates on the fuel discount for farmers during a virtul briefing. [Translation: This fuel subsidy distribution has a trigger mechanism before it is released the gasoline price must reach $80 per barrel.] The DA chief was referring to the condition that the subsidy would be released once the three-month average Dubai crude oil price reaches or exceeds $80 per barrel. Based on oil price monitoring, the price of Dubai crude oil per barrel was at $83.55 last Jan. 19. The figure surged by 9.5% to $91.55 on Feb. 16. "Kung ako lang, gusto ko na maibigay pero may sinusunod tayong batas," Dar added. [Translation: We are not there yet. If it were up to me, I would want to release it already but we have a law.] Late last month, the DA said it was already preparing the 500-million fuel discount for local agri producers to help cushion the impact of increasing oil prices. Those who are qualified to benefit from the program must own and operate agricultural or fishery machinery individually or through an organization, cooperative, or association. For the seventh straight week, oil firms implemented another petroleum price hike this week. Gasoline prices have gone up by 6.75 per liter so far this year, according to the Department of Energys latest oil monitor. Diesel and kerosene prices, meanwhile, have increased by 6.75/l and 9.15/l respectively. Meanwhile, former Agrarian Reform Secretary and current National Chairperson of Anakpawis Rafael Mariano said small fishers have cried over the "dramatic increase" in fisheries production due to the current oil prices. Mariano said that fisherfolk in Zambales would be forced to shell out more as the price of diesel now stands at 56 per liter. "A small fisherfolk who regularly consumes at least 10 liters of diesel will now have to prepare 560 per fishing trip or a total of 8,960 per month equivalent to 16 fishing days. This is already a 1,760 increase in a small-scale fishing production from last years 7,200 monthly fuel expenses. Whats even more alarming with these non-stop increases on oil prices is that we are still in the very first quarter of the year," Mariano was quoted as saying in a statement Friday. The production costs are skyrocketing as income of fisherfolks continues to plunge. Because the income cant recover the production expenses, fishers have to borrow money to carry out another fishing trip only to return with empty nets and consequently be buried in debt from loan sharks, he said. A severe winter storm threatens around 100 million people in the United States as it moves across the eastern portion of the country, according to the National Weather Service. Meteorologist Jim Cantore reported on Thursday morning that Kansas and Missouri experienced a snowfall rate of 1 inch per hour. The National Weather Service said that Kansas City had recorded a single-day record of seven inches of snowfall, breaking the previous record of six inches of snow in a day way back in 1893, per CBS News. Snow is expected to fall across western and northern New York, and also up into Maine according to the winter storm warning. Wind advisories are in effect for much of the Northeast, including Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, until Friday morning. According to the NWS, the mixed precipitation puts much of the Ohio Valley and the interior Northeast at danger of flash flooding. The weather service also warned of snowfall more than 2 inches (5 cm,) per hour with winds up to 40 miles per hour (64 kph), which could significantly reduce road visibility. Land And Air Travel Affected Meanwhile, per Reuters, around 200 flights went in and out of O'Hare International Airport in Change while more than 270 were canceled their flights going and returning to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne Airport. Filightaware.com reported that around 1000 flights were halted in the United States on Thursday. New York Governor Kathy Hochul advised the residents of areas at-risk to the storm to prepare themselves to experience ice jam flooding. Very gusty winds, especially south of Nashville, expected over the next 30-60 minutes. 45-55 mph gusts not out of the question. Already gusted to 52 mph at #Nashville airport #storms #weather pic.twitter.com/IewM81Vl4G NWS Nashville (@NWSNashville) February 17, 2022 NWS warned that it is dangerous to travel "once the feeling rain begins."Travel will become dangerous once the freezing rain begins," the weather agency said in a winter storm warning. "Travelling is not allowed unless it is an emergency case," the NWS said. Untreated roads and bridges, sidewalks, and parking lots will be "unsafe." Authorities advise the public to plan in preparation for the coming storm, especially for those who are dwelling in areas most likely to be hit by extreme weather conditions. Read Also: Kim Jong Un Lets Hundreds of People Stand Outside in Freezing Cold During Speech, Sends Gardeners to Labor Camp After Flowers Didn't Bloom Plan to Prepare for The Storm Whenever there's a looming winter storm or extreme cold, it is important to be keep updated on weather forecasts and track your supplies, including your emergency food and water supply in winter storm preparation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, weather forecasts can occasionally offer you many days' warning to prepare, even though we cannot predict extreme cold in advance. If you plan to use a fireplace or wood stove for emergency heating, have your chimney or flue inspected each year. Ask your local fire department to recommend an inspector or find one online. It is advisable to have your furnace system and vent checked by a qualified technician to ensure that they are working good. Also, keep an easy-to-read thermometer in your house and put it somewhere easy to locate, especially if you have a relative over 65 years old. According to studies, older adults have more risk to health conditions brought by cold temperatures. Bring your pets inside your house. If you are unable to bring them indoors, make sure they have adequate shelter and access to drinkable water. Related Article: NASA's Perseverance Rover Celebrates Anniversary on Mars by Focusing on Collecting Rock Samples @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu has stepped down from his post due to health reasons. Cimatu confirmed the development in a text message to CNN Philippines on Friday. He did not give further details but said he was due for a medical check-up the day after. We wish Secretary Cimatu good health as he transitions from his decades-long and stellar service in government to private life, acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said in a separate statement. Undersecretary Jim Sampulna will be officer-in-charge of the agency, Nograles added. Cimatu was named DENR chief by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2017, replacing Gina Lopez, who was then rejected by the Commission on Appointments. Cimatu also served as chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 2002. He was also a special envoy for OFW refugees. Major projects under his watch were the cleanup of the world-class Boracay island and the rehabilitation of Manila Bay. In December, Cimatu also approved to lift the nationwide ban on open-pit mining, a development some groups criticized. READ: DENR lifts ban on open-pit mining; anti-mining alliance reacts Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) The European Parliament has once again expressed concern over the human rights situation in the Philippines as it reiterated its call for the government to end "unlawful" killings and red-tagging activities. The EU Parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution condemning alleged human rights violations in the country with 627 votes in favor, 26 against, and 31 abstentions. "[The European Parliament] reiterates its call on the Government of the Philippines to immediately end all violence and human rights violations targeting suspected drug offenders, including unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests, acts of torture and other abuses, and to disband private and state-backed paramilitary groups involved in the 'war on drugs'," the resolution read. The EU Parliament said the Philippines should also face the probe of the International Criminal Court with regards to the Duterte administration's drug war, and that the government should consider rejoining the Rome Statute. The international body likewise pushed for the abolition of the controversial National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) which it said was "in charge of carrying out red-tagging" against activists and critics. The highly-contested Anti-Terrorism Act should also be amended to align with international counter-terrorism standards, it added. Philippine authorities have yet to issue a response to the resolution, but government officials have repeatedly denied claims of red-tagging and extrajudicial killings in the country. Push for trade sanctions anew The parliament also reiterated its call to have the Philippines trade privileges revoked if it does not address human rights concerns. The body called on the EU Commission to to immediately initiate the procedure which could lead to the temporary withdrawal of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) if there is no improvement and cooperation on the part of the Philippines. [The parliament] calls on the Commission to set clear, public, time-bound benchmarks for the Philippines to comply with its human rights obligations under the GSP+ scheme, the resolution added. Under the GSP+ scheme, developing countries are given the incentive to export products to Europe tariff-free. Free and fair elections In the same resolution, the EU lawmakers raised fears of possible violations of political rights during the election period in the Philippines. "[The parliament] calls on the Philippine authorities to step up their efforts to ensure fair and free elections and a non-toxic environment for on- and offline campaigning," the document further stated. The Parliament called on candidates to do away with disinformation and the so-called troll armies, and instead engage in fact-based campaigning. "[T]hus preventing further divisions in Philippine society and politics." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) A recent study revealed that Filipinos mostly rely on their families or relatives when it comes to gathering information about political candidates. Boses Pilipinas convenor Imelda Deinla also told CNN Philippines' The Final Word that voters "are also very reliant on social media." "Unfortunately, we need our voters to actually seek credible and factual information, and probably to widen the sources of our information," she pointed out. The same study also listed down traits Filipinos are looking for in a leader. In the survey, 69% said strong leadership is the most important quality, 55% said honesty, and 42% said it was intelligence. Other characteristics Filipinos want from a leader are results-oriented and ethical. The online survey involved 1,500 respondents across the country from various age groups and demographics. Deinla said these traits "are pretty much consistent or constant across" these groups and are "very reflective of the kind of challenges that many of the Filipinos are facing right now." However, Deinla noted "there are a lot of inconsistencies between these desired traits, and between what's showing in the polls." "There are a lot of inconsistencies there, and we can see that maybe these traits are merely aspirational, but whether they act on that is something else," she said. Deinla hopes the survey would remind voters of what they really want to see from the candidates, and whether these are actually reflective in these personalities in terms of track record and experience. Dagupan City, Pangasinan (CNN Philippines, February 18) - Manila Mayor and Aksyon Demokratiko candidate Isko Moreno said he prefers a financial hub over an airport on the land occupied by the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. "I would rather have Megaworld, SMDC, Federal Land, all those real property or banking institutions that they have so much cash, nothing to invest, natutulog ang mga pera nila (Their money isn't moving)," Moreno told reporters in Pangasinan. Moreno added that converting NAIA land will generate trillions in revenues. "I'll invite them to create and dispose for example the 600 hectares and create a 400 hectares development and 200 hectares of open green space in NAIA. And that will create trillions initially per our assessment in terms of land value per square meter," the mayor said. He said the Clark International Airport in Pampanga and the New Manila International Airport being constructed in Bulacan would be enough gateways into and out of the country. Transforming NAIA land, he noted, will also help transform surrounding cities similar to what happened in Taguig with the development of Bonifacio Global City. "You are now creating a new development that can offer for Taiwanese who, maybe, wanted to migrate or Hong Kong nationals, or other foreign nationals who want to migrate," Moreno said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) The controversial Kaliwa Dam project, once called by President Rodrigo Duterte as a "last resort" for Metro Manila's water woes, may break ground this year just before he steps down from office. The construction of the Kaliwa Dam was previously set for January 2020 until December 2025. It will traverse the provinces of Quezon and Rizal and is seen to deliver 600 million liters of water per day to the capital region and nearby provinces, reducing dependence on Angat Dam in Bulacan. In an interview with CNN Philippines on Friday, Engineer Ryan James Ayson, project manager from the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), disclosed the new timetable with an 18-month delay. The regulator now hopes to start the construction in June with a target completion date of August 2026. Ayson said restrictions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the years-long negotiations with the Dumagats for a Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) - a requirement under the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997 - which recognizes the IPs' rights to their ancestral lands. It's also a prerequisite for the issuance of a Special Use Agreement in Protected Areas from the environment department. "Once we get those two permits, we would be applying for construction permits na po doon sa ating mga (with the) affected LGUs," Ayson said. "So hopefully by June of this year we can start our works at the dam site and we will finish by August of 2026." The 60-meter-high Kaliwa Dam will cover a surface area of 291 hectares within Barangay Pagsangahan, General Nakar and Barangay Magsaysay, Infanta, both in Quezon province. It also includes a 27.7-kilometer raw water conveyance tunnel traversing from the dam's location to Teresa, Rizal. Portions of the project area lies within the ancestral domain of the Dumagat-Remontado IPs. In January, community leaders complained that negotiations for a memorandum of agreement were being railroaded, leaving most of the IPs in the dark, particularly those opposed to the project. "Ang aming agenda sana ay ibaba sa mga komunidad ang draft ng MOA, pag-aralan ng lahat ng kasapi ng bawat komunidad at gagawan ng resolusyon kung ito ay pinapayagan o hindi," Conchita Calzado, a Dumagat leader, earlier told CNN Philippines. [Translation: What we wanted was for the draft MOA to be distributed to communities so everyone can study it, and come up with a resolution if this will be approved or not.] MWSS maintained that only 116 "legitimate" IP leaders were listed with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples. "I'm not sure where this (allegation of) railroading comes from," Ayson said, noting that MWSS has been trying to secure an FPIC since 2015 in Quezon, and 2018 in Rizal. "We have actually conducted three negotiations. Hindi naman ito isang beses lang (It's not a one-time thing). It took us more than 5 years for Quezon to actually convince these IPs," he added. Aside from talks with IP leaders for the FPIC, the government is also directly negotiating with affected residents, who have expressed preference for a "disturbance compensation" over relocation, Ayson said. According to the Environment department's Environmental and Management Bureau (EMB), a total of 1,465 households in Quezon and Rizal will be affected by the construction of the Kaliwa Dam. It will also "indirectly impact" 56 IP households and place around 284 more "at risk of flooding and other effects of possible dam failure or dam break," the EMB's 2019 report read. MWSS is validating the figures. Ayson said latest data show 56 houses will be affected by the construction of the dam - 11 of them are IP families, while some 100 farmers stand to lose their livelihood. In 2019, the Makabayan bloc, along with IP and environmental groups, filed a petition urging the Supreme Court to nullify the loan agreement for the 12-billion Kaliwa Dam project, bulk of which will be funded by China. Last year, the group Stop Kaliwa Dam Network reportedly asked the Infanta Regional Trial Court to stop the construction of the access road leading to the dam site. Ayson said there's a hearing scheduled for March, but it would be business as usual pending any court decision. "We've started pre-construction works, some tree-cutting, excavation of slopes, and leveling of the ground," he said. With the "substantial delays" in the Kaliwa Dam project, the government is banking on the Cardona Treatment Plant, deep wells, and mobile water treatment plants to prevent a repeat of the 2019 water crisis, Ayson said. He added that MWSS is slated to get a normal allocation from the National Water Resources Board until June despite the low water level at Angat Dam. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) Presidential candidate and labor leader Leody De Guzman said former first lady Imelda Marcos should be imprisoned even just for three days following her conviction at the anti-graft court. In a recorded interview with members of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) released on Friday, De Guzman questioned why Marcos remains free despite the conviction. He noted that her old age may be a factor. Hindi ko kabisado pero titignan natin kung hindi siya kasama sa mae-exempt sa pagkakulong sa edad ay kahit tatlong araw sana makulong muna," De Guzman said. "Para naman makabawas bawas ng sama ng loob ng ating mga kababayan na ninakawan ng kanilang ikabubuhay. [Translation: I dont have it memorized but well check if shes not part of those exempted from imprisonment due to age but even just for three days she should be jailed. So we can ease the ill feelings of those who lost their livelihoods.] In 2018, the Sandiganbayan found Marcos guilty in seven graft cases over the diversion of more than $352 million in public funds to private foundations in Switzerland. During her husbands martial rule, Marcos used her position as then Metro Manila governor and human settlements minister to set up these foundations. Marcos was never arrested even though an arrest warrant was issued along with the conviction. Then police chief Oscar Albayalde said her age and health had to be considered. She was 89 years old at the time. Days later, Marcos was allowed to post bail while she appeals the ruling before the Supreme Court. If elected president, De Guzman said he will review the composition of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, the agency handling the recovery of the Marcos ill-gotten wealth. Nagdududa ako sa mga compromises at mga lagayan may ganon akong duda eh sa naging takbo ng paghahabol ng kayamanan ng mga Marcoses na ninakaw, De Guzman said. [Translation: I have doubts on the compromises, the way they ran after the Marcos ill-gotten wealth.] De Guzman also believes the country will be even more divided if former senator Bongbong Marcos is elected president. He said people will never forget the atrocities during martial law. Fake at makasarili yung panawagang magkaisa para pagtakpan at kalimutan yung mga bagay na di makakalimutan ng tao dahil sa panahon ni Marcos ay isinadlak ang buong bayan sa kadiliman, De Guzman pointed out. [Translation: The call for unity is fake and selfish just to cover up the things that the people will never forget. During the time of Marcos, the whole country was thrust into darkness.] Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) The building housing the Commission on Elections headquarters in Manila will soon get a facelift after netizens flagged its red and green light accents every night, which they said is similar to the colors of a certain political tandem. Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the Intramuros Administration (IA) in charge of the building will drop the color scheme. Since last year, the facade of Palacio del Gobernador - where the poll body rents several floors to house the offices of its commissioners and units, as well as agencies under the Office of the President - are lighted in red, green, and blue after sundown. Red and green are the chosen campaign colors of presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. Twitter users found this questionable and partisan, especially at the height of the "Operation Baklas" controversy, where Comelec officials take down oversized campaign posters, and even painted over a pink mural for Vice President Leni Robredo on private property. "This was brought to our attention by a netizen and we felt that it's something we can do right away. Nakikipag-coordinate po kami sa IA [We are coordinating with the IA] and I think they have consented to changing the lights," Jimenez told reporters Friday. "They are going to take down the Christmas colors." "I think Intramuros was sensitive to the internet and to Twitter specifically and they were able to come to that decision themselves," Jimenez added. Apart from Comelec, other offices occupying the Palacio are the Bureau of the Treasury, Pag-IBIG Fund, and the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission. Existing rules of Comelec and the Civil Service Commission prohibit the use of government buildings for political partisan activities. Government workers are also banned from engaging in electioneering. RELATED: Uniformed participants of Marcos-Duterte rally not department staff - DOH Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said the Philippines will reject Myanmar's instrument of ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), indicating Manila wants to censure and leave out the military-led government from the world's largest trade agreement that took effect this year. The Philippines' stance appears similar to that of New Zealand's. The Associated Press on Thursday quoted two Asian diplomats as saying New Zealand notified other members of RCEP that it would not recognize Myanmars instrument of ratification because it opposes its military-led government. "The Philippines will not accept Myanmars Instrument of Ratification (of RCEP)," Locsin said Thursday at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Retreat held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. However, he added that "if that stands in the way of my sister Indonesia and my brothers in ASEAN achieving consensus, I will not stand in the way and yield to their judgment." Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military overthrew the previous elected government in February 2020 and detained many top officials including ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Junta chief and self-appointed Prime Minister Min Aung Hlaing ordered a brutal crackdown on anti-coup protests, which resulted in widespread reports of abuse, torture, and extrajudicial killings. The DFA previously called for the "complete restoration" of Myanmar's democracy following the coup. The 15-nation RCEP is touted to make it easier for member-states to import and export across the region. Aside from the Philippines, the other parties from the 10-member ASEAN are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Five non-ASEAN signatory states namely New Zealand, Australia, China, South Korea and Japan are also part of the free trade arrangement, which took effect in January. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) Certain individuals must still keep masking up even if authorities eventually stop requiring the wearing of face masks, according to an infectious diseases specialist. "If ever we will remove the mask mandate, it should not be for all," Dr. Rontgene Solante told CNN Philippines New Day on Friday. "It should be only for selected population and there are populations that will still be wearing the mask like the vulnerable: those elderly or those immunocompromised, he said. Solante, who is also a member of the governments vaccine expert panel, added that face masks helped bring down the countrys COVID-19 infections along with inoculation efforts. He said countries not requiring face masks also have very high vaccination rates and good healthcare facilities that could address any possible surges resulting from mask-free policies. With this, Solante also warned against lifting the mask mandate soon given the number of gatherings amid election season which could lead to cases spiking again. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier said the mask mandate won't be lifted anytime soon. "Matagal pa po yan (That will take long)," he responded when asked about scrapping the policy. The IATF has yet to discuss the matter with experts, Duque further explained on Thursday, stressing that the mandate's eventual removal should be done "gradually." Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary and spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said last week that mask wearing will likely be the last mandate to be lifted in the Philippines. The government began requiring the wearing of face masks early into the pandemic in 2020. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) Refined sugar importation will help prevent a possible supply shortage because of damage to crops in the aftermath of a strong typhoon late last year, a Cabinet official said on Friday Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the decision to import 200,000 metric tons (MT) of the commodity was based on farm losses from Typhoon Odette. Due to destruction in the central and southern regions, sugar supply declined to 2.072 million metric tons (MMT) in January from the 2.099 MMT estimated pre-Odette. Typhoon damage to the sugar industry reached 1.15 billion, Dar said. He said the importation is limited to refined sugar. Citing data from the Sugar Regulatory Administration, he said refined sugar stock stands at 54,355 metric tons. On the other hand, the average monthly withdrawal of refined sugar from 2020 to 2021 reached 82,564 metric tons. "Kapag hindi tayo mag-import, magkukulang tayo para sa isang buwan. So dapat mapunuan ang dalawa o tatlong buwan bago magsimula ang milling season," he said during a virtual briefing. [Translation: If we dont import, we will be short for a month. So we should import to cover two or three months before the milling season starts.] Earlier this week, a local court in Sagay City, Negros Occidental issued a 20-day temporary restraining order against the planned importation of refined sugar. The Rural Sugar Planters Association, Inc. filed the petition. Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox are nearing their version 100.Nearing version 100 could mean users will experience inefficiency in accessing major websites in these browsers. These inefficiencies could mean some issues that cause websites to fail, have technical problems, and have several bugs. As popular browsers reach their 100th version, developers prepare themselves instead of celebrating. Major milestone: Chrome and Firefox will soon reach version 100! The version number is going up to three digits and both browsers are working on mitigating the potential impact of this change. Learn more about it and pitch in to help with testing https://t.co/FtPl4CRjfk Chrome Developers (@ChromiumDev) February 15, 2022 It has been discovered that the triple-digit release numbers embedded in the browsers' User-Agents (UAs) may cause compatibility issues with a small number of websites. Over the course of several months, Mozilla, Google, and Microsoft have issued warnings about the imminent version 100 release, which is set to be released in March for Chrome and Edge and in May for Firefox and Internet Explorer. Mozilla and Google have both been undertaking trials to test websites and report any issues that may have come about. Chrome and Firefox Reaching Version 100 According to Apple Insider, Chrome uses version 98 while Firefox uses version 97. Following the transition to version numbers with three digits, Mozilla warns of inconsistent difficulties across an unanticipated range of websites. Website servers inspect what is known as the User-Agent to detect which browser is being used. They then utilize this information to adjust websites in order for them to display correctly. More than 12 years ago, when browsers initially reached version 10, numerous difficulties with User-Agent parsing libraries were uncovered as the major version number increased from one to two digits. Since there is no uniform specification to adhere to, different browsers use different formats for the User-Agent string and site-specific User-Agent processing. It's likely that some parser libraries contain hard-coded assumptions or bugs that don't consider three-digit major version numbers. As reported by The Verge, while there have been fears about some websites going down, a great deal of hard work has been done behind the scenes, much like what was done to avoid severe issues with the Y2K bug 22 years ago to ensure that the transition to version 100 goes smoothly. Users of current Chrome, Edge, and Firefox versions can set a specific flag that causes the browsers to report as version 100, which is useful for testing websites. Read Also: Google vs. PriceRunner: Search Engine Company Faces $2.4 Billion Lawsuit Browser Mitigation for Version 100 There are also contingency preparations in place in the event of widespread problems. According to Mozilla, as a backup strategy in Google Chrome, the browser uses a flag to freeze the major version number at 99. It reports the real major version number in the minor version component of the User-Agent string. The Chrome team will determine whether or not to use the backup option based on the number and severity of the issues that would be reported once the issues arrive. Firefox also has a backup strategy in-store, although the approach used in Firefox will be determined by how significant the breakage is. Firefox has a site interventions mechanism. With the use of this mechanism, Mozilla's web compact team can hotfix broken websites in Firefox. Mozilla can temporarily freeze Firefox's main version at 99 and then experiment with different options if the problem is widespread and individual site interventions become unmanageable. Google, Mozilla, and Microsoft are all working hard to prevent any major problems from occurring. Related Article: Google Turning On Search Tracking History: What Does It Mean for Workspace Users? Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) A number of industries caught the interest of companies in the United Arab Emirates seeking to invest in the country, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Friday. In a Malacanang briefing, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said UAE-based firms submitted letters of intent for investments in agribusiness, tourism, health care and renewable energy. Iyong isang pinakamalaki diyan yung agribusiness. The investors, talagang desidido sila na mag-operate dito dahil naging matagumpay ang kanilang operation in a hot, humid country like Qatar and UAE pagdating sa dairy industry, he said, stressing these potential investments will boost the Philippines dairy sector which heavily relies on imports. [Translation: One of the biggest investments is in agribusiness. The investors have decided to operate here considering their success operating within the dairy industry in hot, humid countries like Qatar and UAE.] Isa pang interesting yung sa tourism na nabanggit natin. It might create some kind of Disney World or fantasy island dito sa Pilipinas. Theyre planning it outside Metro Manila, added Lopez. [Translation: Another interesting investment would be under tourism as we mentioned. It might create some kind of Disney World or fantasy island in the Philippines.] The DTI earlier said that the planned investments could chalk up around $600 million and create 4,000 jobs. The Philippines and UAE concluded talks for the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA), the said. The IPPA will help the country realize investment opportunities, especially those tapping UAE sovereign wealth funds with combined assets of $1.6 trillion. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) Six Filipinos evacuated from Ukraine returned home on Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced. The group arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on board a Turkish Airlines flight, according to the DFA. The Filipinos sought repatriation amid tensions in the former Soviet state where fears of a possible Russian invasion continue to mount. In a later interview, however, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration administrator Hans Cacdac said one of the evacuees did not board and only five people arrived - four adults and a child. CNN Philippines is trying to clarify the matter with the DFA. For now, the DFA assured the public it is closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine's borders. Officials are also in communication with the remaining Filipino community in the country. "We are urging all Filipinos in Ukraine to contact the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw and the Philippine Honorary Consulate General in Kyiv if they would like to request for repatriation assistance from Ukraine," said Ambassador Leah Ruiz. Cacdac also urged Filipinos in Ukraine to return to the Philippines, assuring them of assistance once they come home. Some have expressed willingness to be repatriated, but majority remain undecided. The United States earlier warned that an attack on Ukraine could begin soon, as it expressed concern over the amassing of Russian troops along their common border. Washington said Russia's forces continued to increase in the past few days, despite Moscow's claim it was withdrawing some troops. CNN Philippines' Tristan Nodalo contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) The Commission on Elections admitted that the implementing rules and regulations of its law prohibiting unlawful election paraphernalia does not cover murals of candidates in the 2022 elections. This comes after authorities were seen on Thursday painting over a mural supporting the Leni Robredo-Kiko Pangilinan tandem in Echague, Isabela, despite claims from volunteers that the area was a private property. "Hindi 'yan technically kasama or at least 'di nabanggit ang murals sa ating resolution (murals are not technically included in our resolution). That might be one of the areas we have to look again," Jimenez told CNN Philippines' The Source on Friday. Jimenez is referring to Resolution 10730, the IRR of the Republic Act 9006 or the Fair Election Act. Under the resolution, "no lawful election propaganda materials shall be allowed outside the common poster areas except on private property with the consent of the owner" and "must comply with the allowable size (2ft x 3ft) requirements for posters." It also noted that the size of each common poster area must not exceed 12 x 16 ft for political parties and party-list groups, and 4 x 6 ft for independent candidates. The resolution did not mention any rules against murals. Jimenez said authorities asked for consent before painting over the mural, and noted that it was only one of the things that they encountered when they were taking down illegally posted election materials in the same area. "The mural itself acted like a poster, the only difference being that the medium was different and that the medium was not specifically mentioned in resolution," Jimenez said. "As far as the Comelec officer was concerned, it deserved the same treatment and gave it the same treatment, again, subject to the consent of the property owner." What really happened? Last Sunday, February 13, volunteers of the Youth for Leni - Isabela painted over a privately-owned wall in Barangay Ipil showing the faces of Robredo and Pangilinan, with their campaign slogan: "Gobyernong Tapat, Angat Buhay Lahat." On Thursday, February 17, uniformed officers painted over the mural a move which the volunteer group likened to "trespassing, defacement, and vandalism of private property." Later that day, volunteers repainted the wall pink and held a candle-lighting ceremony to protest the poll body's campaign. A member of the group refuted Jimenez' claim that the authorities asked for consent. "The consent was given after binantaang kasuhan (after they threatened us that they will charge us), and the owner of the property was outnumbered," the volunteer told CNN Philippines, preferring to keep his/her anonymity. On Friday morning, the repainted wall was vandalized with the words: "BBM for pres," in reference to Robredo's rival, presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos. Jimenez said that while they are open to recommendations for recalibration of their election rules, they will continue with their Operation Baklas campaign for the meantime. He noted that freedom of speech is "not absolute" and must be regulated, as they level the playing field this election season. READ: Comelec: Private property owners consented to Operation Baklas, free speech 'not absolute' Members of the opposition earlier raised the possibility of seeking legal remedies over Comelec's alleged "overreach" and "unconstitutional action" after personnel were seen taking down election materials in their volunteer headquarters. RELATED: What to do if authorities want to seize campaign posters in your property Columbia, SC (29201) Today Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 66F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 66F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Columbia, SC (29201) Today Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 66F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 66F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Despite their distance from University Park, Penn States commonwealth campuses will celebrate THON 2022 in the Bryce Jordan Center, dancing with the local participants. THON is the world's largest student-run philanthropy that aims to provide emotional and financial support to Four Diamonds families who have been impacted by childhood cancer, and this year is the 50th THON. In addition to sending their own dancers to THON, the commonwealth campuses have prepared for the event through hosting their own fundraisers and events. The Overall Chair of Berks Benefitting THON Kaitlin Wagner said the organization held a karaoke night on Monday as well as Dancer Dessert Day on Wednesday. At our dining hall all day, all five of our dancers favorite desserts are going to be available at the dining hall, Wagner (senior-elementary education) said. I picked blueberry cheesecake, I think its a great choice. Penn State Behrends organization held a bowling event last week, which was its final fundraiser before THON. In addition, Behrend held a Dancer Send-Off on Saturday. Public Relations Chair Jordan Belfiore said the Behrend organization has been keeping its Instagram page active in the countdown to THON. We're posting each of our dancers, and then the link to their DonorDrives. That way, if [students] or alumni want to donate, they can, Belfiore (senior-marketing) said. My day-to-day [right now] looks like trying to get some hype for THON, and then for THON Weekend, I'll be on the Instagram [page] from the floor. Belfiore said for commonwealth campuses, a lot of students actually dont know what THON is, but we have a pretty good following. Behrend is sending five dancers to THON this weekend, with Penn State Mont Alto sending three. Primary Chair for Mont Alto Layken Barrows said she has found aspects of being a satellite campus involved in THON to be very stressful. The communication between [University Park] and the commonwealth [is] sometimes a gray area, and it's hard to relay the information, Barrows (junior-nursing) said. We have great liaisons, though. So we can always go to them with anything. Fellow Primary Chair for Mont Alto Raylee Gibbons said working with all of the nitty gritty details surrounding the coronavirus has been a little challenging. One [challenge] that Layken and I are still combating is the ever-changing COVID policies, Gibbons (junior-human development) said. Our job as primaries is to relay all the information that UP sends to us and [to] make sure that our organization members and fellow staff members are all aware of what's going on. Barrows also said its hard to keep up with the various policies put in place for THON. However, Gibbons is super excited for THON to be back in person. And, Belfiore described the energy of an in-person THON as insane. It's something that's unmatched in any kind of atmosphere. I say the closest thing to it would possibly be a White Out game, but I think THON is still way more hype than that, Belfiore said. The whole 46 hours on the floor is gonna be a little intimidating, but I'm excited. With this being Wagners senior year, she said her time with THON has been really great. It's bittersweet that my college era is coming to a close in spring, but it's not over, Wagner said. The THON journey doesn't end here. RELATED With THON Weekend 2022 starting in mere hours, Penn State students are preparing to dance, attend and enjoy the annual event in person at the Bryce Jordan Center a format made possible with coronavirus regulations. THON is the worlds largest student-run philanthropy aimed to support Four Diamonds families who have been impacted by pediatric cancer, and this weekend marks the 50th THON. Timothy Nevil, the head of security for THON 2022, said the most important coronavirus regulation is the required masking of all families, spectators, volunteers and dancers at all times when theyre inside of the BJC, regardless of vaccination status. In addition to masking, Nevil (sophomore-security and risk analysis) said THON is establishing new rules about required vaccinations for children. This year, we are requiring that anyone entering the BJC that is 2 years and older to show proof of vaccination, which means two doses of a two-dose shot or one dose of the single-dose shot, Nevil said. Nevil said that if attendees don't have proof of vaccination, they can provide a negative test result taken after Feb. 16. The final piece to that is that all students and employees that are accessing the event levels are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, Nevil said. Regarding children on active treatments, THON recommends that Four Diamonds families make a case-by-case decision based on their treatment care providers advice. We recommend that they go through the medical center for that and consult with their physician as to what their best course of action is, Nevil said. Students who are not vaccinated are required to go to the White Building for testing if they wish to access the venue during the weekend. [Unvaccinated participants] will receive a wristband. Once they have a wristband, that wristband will only allow them to access [the venue] with a negative proof, Nevil said. That wristband does not act as an ability to enter the building. They will receive a new wristband at the Bryce Jordan Center that will allow them to enter the building as a general spectator. MORE THON COVERAGE How to watch THON 2022 virtually, in person Students, alumni and community members will have two options to take in all that THON has to Executive Chair of Springfield a special interest organization that raises funds for THON Alyssa Malerman said shes glad that THON is taking the necessary precautions to be in person and as safe as possible for every attendee. Its so exciting to be going back into the BJC for THON, and I cant wait for a great weekend celebrating all of our hard work and supporting our dancers and four paired Four Diamonds families, Malerman (senior-human development and family studies) said. Another student involved with Springfield, Alec Joshi, said THON is protective and responsible with its coronavirus regulations. They are taking all the necessary steps that they need to ensure safety to everybody in that building, especially those that are on active treatments, Joshi (senior-structural engineering) said. I think they are doing the best to their abilities. Other students, like Renata Daou, said the extra precautions are going to make sure THON will be even more enjoyable for the kids. THON is for kids with cancer, and some are immunocompromised, so this is not only for healthy people but also for people that might be more affected by COVID than others, Dau (junior-international politics and broadcast journalism) said. Ava Fearer said shes glad coronavirus protocols are in place at THON, and she said universities in general should be able to choose whether they require vaccination and masks. The whole point of the event is to raise awareness and money for kids with cancer, Fearer (sophomore-french linguistics) said. With kids like that, we should be sensitive to know that they are more at risk, so we would want to slow the spread, especially with an environment with thousands of people. I think it's the safest way to go ultimately, it's up to the people if they want to attend or not. Julienne Maluenda said masking and vaccines are important when it comes to THON. A lot of children are immunocompromised, so it's very important to keep them protected, Maluenda (freshman-communications) said. RELATED Penn State releases THON 2022 parking, traffic adjustments With the arrival of Penn State's THON Weekend 2022, the university released the parking and Employees of KB Financial Group, the country's largest financial services provider, return from break in front its headquarters on Yeouido, Seoul, in this photo taken in 2018. Korea Times file By Yi Whan-woo Major banking groups have been seeing record profits thanks to the contributions from their new insurance affiliates. The profitability of the insurers is accordingly prompting Woori Financial Group, the country's only financial services company without any insurance business units, to go on the lookout for insurance firms to acquire after it completed its full privatization successfully last year. KB Financial Group, the largest of the big 4 financial services providers including Shinhan and Hana, saw its net income surpass the symbolic 4 trillion won ($3.34 billion) for the first time last year. The record earnings included the 336 billion won net profit posted by Prudential Life Insurance Company of Korea, which KB Financial Group acquired in September 2020. Considered the "cream of the crop" among life insurers, Prudential Life Insurance Company of Korea joined two other insurance arms of its parent company KB Insurance and KB Life Insurance. The earnings reported by the newest insurance unit exceeded KB Insurance's 302 billion won. It was also credited with making up for the 46.6 billion net loss of KB Life Insurance. "It surely is at the center of KB Financial Group's growing non-banking business portfolio," a market observer said. A large logo of Shinhan Financial Group, the country's second-biggest financial services provider, is seen on its headquarters in central Seoul, in this photo taken in 2018. Korea Times file Shinhan Financial Group also reported its net earnings above the 4 trillion mark for the first time in 2021. Of the total net income of 4.01 trillion, 391.6 billion came from Shinhan Life, a 72 trillion won-valued life insurer created in July 2021 by merging Shinhan Life Insurance and Orange Life, which Shinhan Financial acquired two years earlier. The market observers speculate Shinhan Life's profitability will grow this year, as the country's fourth-largest life insurer is now settled with its voluntary retirement scheme and other expenses that were necessary for successful business integration. Hana Financial Group, the country's third-largest financial services company, posted a record net profit of 3.52 trillion won, with its non-life insurance unit Hana Insurance accounting for 20.7 billion. Launched in June 2020, Hana Life went into the black for the first time after Hana Financial Group acquired its precursor, The-K Non-Life Insurance, which had suffered hundreds of billions of won in net losses. Concerning Woori Financial Group, industry sources say it will need to acquire either brokerage houses or insurers, to catch up to Hana while maintaining its lead against the fifth-ranked NongHyup Financial Group. Woori led NongHyup 2.59 trillion won to 2.29 trillion won in net income last year. NongHyup has two insurance units NongHyup Life Insurance and NongHyup Property & Casualty Insurance. Between 2020 and 2021, NongHyup Life Insurance increased its net profit by 170 percent to 165.7 billion won, and NongHyup Property & Casualty Insurance's net profit shot up by 85 percent to 86.1 billion won. Twenty-eight Colorado geographic features with the word "squaw" in their names are poised to bear new titles. The Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board, the state board that reviews suggested name changes, will soon begin soliciting public input on replacement names for those features, with an April 4 deadline for the public to submit comments. The rush to submit names is being prompted by a November decision by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland to declare the word "squaw" derogatory and to charge a federal task force with coming up with new names for any geographic feature with that name. Haaland is scheduled for a trip to Colorado starting Friday. Overall, there are 655 geographic features nationwide that will see new names in the coming months. The federal task force has the option of looking for names from nearby geographic features as replacements, but replacement names already submitted will also be accepted for review. That's according to Jennifer Runyon, a liaison to the Colorado board from the US Board on Geographic Names, part of the U.S. Geological Survey within the Interior Department. The task force will aim to avoid duplicate names or other names that could be considered offensive, as well as likely to avoid names of people, since it has little time to vet those names, Runyon told the Colorado board last month. The Colorado board will meet April 10 to review the suggestions submitted by the public and forward those recommendations to Gov. Jared Polis, who has final say. An online form being developed by the state Department of Natural Resources will list the geographic features, the county in which they're located, with a place for the proposed new name. That form will be online on the board's website in the coming days. A House panel on Thursday passed three bills that aim to spend nearly $27.5 million over the next two years on grant programs to encourage mitigation strategies and combat more frequent and intense wildfires. Lawmakers are considering the bills less than two months after the Marshall fire the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history tore through Boulder County, burning over 6,000 acres and destroying more than 1,000 homes. Record-breaking wildfires have become more and more common in the state, with the three largest wildfires in Colorado history all occurring in 2020. If enacted, House Bills 1007, 1011 and 1012 would establish three separate grant programs, all intended to increase wildfire mitigation efforts through financial incentives. The Wildfire Matters Review Committee brought forth the three bills, plus two others focusing on increasing resources for volunteer firefighters and creating wildfire awareness campaigns. It is clear that we must do more to protect Colorado from wildfires, said Rep. Lisa Cutter, committee chair and sponsor of HB-1011 and HB-1012. Our inability to meet the challenge of wildfire mitigation has cost our state dearly. Cutter, D-Littleton, said Colorado mitigated only 6% of the states high-priority target areas from 2008 to 2017. In addition, the Colorado State Forest Service estimates that Colorados wildfire mitigation efforts are underfunded by nearly $4.2 billion. As the Marshall fire demonstrated, no neighborhood is immune from the consequences and the devastation of wildfires, said Rep. Marc Snyder, D-Colorado Springs, sponsor of HB-1011. We can no longer afford just to sit back with the status quo. We have to work with everything we can to reduce the damage that wildfires are inflicting on our communities and our state. The most expensive bill of the bunch, HB-1011, would cost $6.9 million in 2023 and just over $20 million in 2024 to match money that local governments designate for forest management or wildfire mitigation efforts. The grant program would fund efforts such as forest thinning, wildfire fuel reduction and public outreach. HB-1012 would add a supplementary grant program to the current Forest Restoration and Wildfire Risk Mitigation Grant Program. The new program would award grants to local governments for wildfire prevention and recovery efforts that reduce the amount of carbon that enters the atmosphere. Eligible activities include wood removal and tree planting. By using the existing cash fund, the program would cost around $130,000 in administrative costs through 2024. Finally, HB-1007 would create a grant program for recipients who conduct outreach among landowners in wildfire hazard areas about available resources and best practices for wildfire mitigation. The program would provide approximately 30 grants per year, averaging $10,000 each, to local governments, counties, municipalities, special districts, tribal agencies and nonprofit organizations. As wildfires become more frequent here, were working in a bipartisan way to help owners save money on mitigation efforts, said Rep. Donald Valdez, D-La Jara, sponsor of HB-1007 and HB-1012. These bills will help our communities continue to move forward in more ways than one after wildfires. HB-1007 would also end a tax deduction for landowners that offsets wildfire mitigation expenses, replacing it with an income tax credit beginning in 2023. The tax credit would reimburse 25% of the expenses up to $625 per year and would be available to landowners with taxable income of up to $120,000. The existing tax deduction covers 100% of expenses but will move to cover 50% in 2023 if it is not replaced by the bill. The existing tax deduction is also scheduled to expire after 2024. No entities have spoken against any of the three bills; however, some people testified asking for the $120,000 income cap in HB-1007 to be removed or increased. Elizabeth Peetz of the Colorado Association of Realtors said the cap "removes the ability for individuals to be a part of the solution. Bill sponsors said they would consider changing the cap. Organizations in support of the bills include Colorado State Fire Chiefs, Colorado Association of Home Builders, Healthy Air and Water Colorado, Colorado Communities for Climate Action, Colorado Rural Electric Association, and the cities of Aurora, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Firestone, Fort Collins, Fountain, Monument and Pueblo. HB-1007 passed the panel unanimously, while HB-1011 and HB-1012 received 9-3 and 11-1 votes, respectively. Rep. Andres Pico, R-Colorado Springs, was the only panel member to vote against both bills. Why are we paying local landowners to do their own mitigation when their big incentive would be to keep their house from burning down? Pico asked. I absolutely believe mitigation is critical but ... why should the state be paying local landowners to take care of their own property? In response, the bill sponsors said the increasingly devastating nature of Colorados wildfires makes it a state issue and that it is up to state policymakers to step up and help prevent future tragedies. We are long overdue to create a sustainable, forward-thinking plan to reduce the impact wildfires have on our state, Cutter said. Coloradans are counting on us to do more. 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. China boosts construction of national computing hubs Xinhua) 08:34, February 18, 2022 BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- China has approved projects to build eight national computing hubs and approved plans on 10 national-data center clusters, indicating the completion of the overall layout for the national integrated big-data center system. The projects were approved by the National Development and Reform Commission and three other central departments, indicating a strategy is in full swing to channel more computing resources from the eastern areas to the less developed western regions. The eight national computing hubs will be built in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, southwest China's Guizhou Province, northwest China's Gansu Province and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The eight national computing hubs, as the backbone connection to China's computing network, will develop data-center clusters, carry out collaborative construction between data centers, cloud computing and big data, and bridge the gap between eastern and western regions in computing resources. Along with big-data sector growth, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has unveiled a plan for the industry during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). It forecasts that China's big-data industry will exceed 3 trillion yuan (about 474 billion U.S. dollars) by the end of 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of around 25 percent. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) gettyimagesbank By Anna J. Park As environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) has been a key concept in the global business world in recent years, private equity investment is also placing more emphasis on these transformational elements. This year is particularly expected to witness such heightened significance in the local private equity sector, as the country's major limited partners institutional investors who arrange and invest the capital for funds such as the National Pension Service (NPS) and Korea Development Bank (KDB) begin to evaluate ESG considerations as key requirements when selecting their general partners those responsible for making investment decisions. KDB, for instance, plans to start giving extra points this year to the ESG efforts of private equity firms (PEFs), when selecting general partners for their policy-oriented funds. It also conducted assessments late last year on its current general partners which manage the bank's policy-oriented goals, selecting seven firms as exemplary cases. As ESG criteria have now become a key part of limited partners' assessments of the general partners, local PEFs have been strengthening their ESG-related capacities. Actually, major PEFs have already been putting much emphasis on the ESG criteria in their investment portfolios for years now, and they have been well-prepared for the strengthened presence of ESG factors. MBK Partners, one of the largest PEFs in Asia, signed United Nations-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI) in 2013, becoming the first Korea-headquartered PEF to do so. The principles are a voluntary framework that incorporates ESG factors into decision-making and portfolio company ownership practices. "Even before ESG became a buzzword in Korea, MBK Partners has been committed to the concept of responsible investment. ESG considerations are an integral part of the firm's investment decisions," an official from the PEF said, explaining that the firm has been consulting accounting and legal firms on ESG. The official said the key reason for the firm's early moves in the ESG realm is that the firm not only receives investments from limited partners located here but also from overseas, which have long factored in such ESG assessment when selecting their general partners. The firm set principles of ESG-based responsible investment in early 2014. Hahn & Company, another major PEF in the country, has also been pursuing proactive ESG-principled investments in its portfolio companies. Based on the firm's general direction towards strengthened ESG criteria, it applies disparate and specialized ESG strategies for each of their portfolio companies. A clear example of the case is the firm's acquisition of Ssangyong C&E in 2016, the country's leading cement maker. Since the acquisition, the cement maker stressed its ESG vision, expanding its business strategies in the realm of green initiatives. The cement maker not only set its target to go coal-free by 2030 as well as self-power generation projects, but also acquired waste management firms including Green Eco Solution and Green Eco Cycle as its affiliates, advancing into the eco-friendly market. Hanon Systems, one of the PEF's investment portfolio companies, has also reaffirmed its commitment to eco-friendly operations. The global provider of automotive thermal and energy management solutions continues to develop ways to support electric vehicles as well as reduce its carbon footprint. Like the case of Hahn & Company, market insiders said most major PEFs have been committed to pursuing ESG activities that uniquely match their portfolios, in addition to their general ESG investment goals. Yet, some also pointed out that such moves would incur extra costs for the PEFs in legal and consulting services as they try to incorporate ESG considerations into their investment decisions. 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 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 319-334-2557 or email legals@bulletinjournal.com. 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 319-283-2144 or email circ@oelweindailyregister.com. India likely to allow normalisation of international flights by April Indias Aviation ministry is in discussion with the Home and Health departments on resuming operations of regular international flights by March-April, as per reports. The scheduled international passenger flights ban has been in place in India since March 23, 2020. Photo courtesy: Twiitter/@KrishiRai1 Scheduled international passenger flights to and from India have been suspended till February 28 due to COVID-19. The government is considering resuming international flights by March-April. The report said final decision on resumption of regular international flights is yet to be taken. The scheduled international passenger flights ban has been in place in India since March 23, 2020. However, special passenger flights have been operating between India and approximately 40 countries since July 2020 under air bubble arrangements formed with them. India currently has air transport bubbles with Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tanzania, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, US and Uzbekistan. Last week, the Ministry of Health issued a statement and informed that besides uploading negative RT-PCR report (taken 72 hrs prior to journey), the option to upload certificate of completing full primary vaccination schedule of Covid-19 vaccination provided from countries on a reciprocal basis. All travellers will self-monitor their health for the next 14 days of arrival. If travellers under self-health monitoring, develop signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, they will immediately self-isolate and report to their nearest health facility or call National helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number," the ministry said. 02/18/2022 Photo (c) Peter Zelei Images - Getty Images COVID-19 tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.) Total U.S. confirmed cases: 78,273,884 (78,177,264) Total U.S. deaths: 931,769 (928,548) Total global cases: 420,299,365 (418,412,011) Total global deaths: 5,865,864 (5,853,743) In California, the pandemic has become an endemic Things often happen first in California. The state has become the first in the nation to formally drop the pandemic classification of COVID-19 and switch it to endemic status. Whats the difference? In short, the government response is shifting from mandated masking and business shutdowns to an emphasis on speedy reactions when there is a flare-up of infections. "We are moving past the crisis phase into a phase where we will work to live with this virus," said California Gov. Gavin Newsom. COVID-19 can affect mental health, study finds A study published by The British Medical Journal (BMJ) suggests that COVID-19 may lead to an increased risk of mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and sleep disorders. The researchers found that this risk persists up to one year after initial infection. The researchers conclude that tackling mental health disorders among survivors of COVID-19 should be a priority. While previous research has found some links between the virus and mental health issues, most have been limited studies. The scientists say their study is the first comprehensive assessment of the mental health manifestations in people with COVID-19 at one year. COVID-19 still rages behind bars All across the U.S., it seems that the coronavirus is in retreat. Data collected by Johns Hopkins University shows that the number of new cases is down in most areas of the country, with one exception. Cases and deaths remain elevated in the nations prisons. Three inmates recently died from COVID-19 at a federal womens prison in West Virginia. CNN reports that the prison, and others like it, are plagued by understaffing and less-than-adequate medical care. In January, the Arkansas correctional system implemented lockdowns to contain a surge in COVID-19 cases. State officials say those cases have lately been in decline. Around the nation 02/18/2022 Photo (c) HUIZENG HU - Getty Images The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is cautioning people that powdered infant formulas manufactured at Abbott Nutritions Sturgis, Mich., facility may cause Cronobacter sakazakii or Salmonella Newport infection in infants. The agency stated that there have been four cases linked to Cronobacter symptoms in which infants were hospitalized, with one case resulting in death. The infections were found in Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas. Salmonella Newport is a common bacteria that has most often been connected to papayas, but it has also shown up in beef products. Cronobacter sakazakii, on the other hand, is a more serious bacteria. It has been connected to powdered milk, herbal teas, starches, vegetables, and even tampons. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says Cronobacter can cause diarrhea and urinary tract infections in people of all ages, but infection can be very serious in infants. The CDC says the first symptom of Cronobacter infection in infants is usually a fever, accompanied by poor feeding, crying, or very low energy. Anyone who has an infant displaying these symptoms should take them to a doctor. What products are recalled? The Cronobacter sakazakii infections have been connected to Abbott Nutrition's facility in Sturgis, Mich., but the company reports that it found no evidence of Salmonella Newport. "Importantly, no distributed product has tested positive for the presence of either of these bacteria, and we continue to test, Abbott Nutrition said in a news release. Recalled powdered infant formula includes the brand names Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare. The first two digits of the product codes of the recalled products range from 22 through 37, and the code on the container contains K8, SH, or Z2. All recalled products have an expiration date of April 1, 2022, or later. Abbot said no other Abbott liquid formulas, powder formulas, or nutrition products from other facilities are impacted by the recall. The FDA warns consumers who have a recalled product to not feed it to their infant. Instead, they should throw it away or return it for a refund. Concerned consumers should visit the FDAs website for more information. Consumers can check the safety of their product by visiting similacrecall.com and typing in the code on the bottom of the product package, or they can call +1-800-986-8540 and follow the instructions provided. CDC suggests breastfeeding Having been down the Cronobacter road before, the CDC says the best way to protect an infant from the bacteria is breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is one of the best things you can do for your babys health and development, the CDC says. Among its benefits: preventing different kinds of infections, such as ear and respiratory infections. Very few cases of Cronobacter infections have been reported among infants fed only breast milk. If breastfeeding isnt a viable option, the CDC says caregivers should use liquid formula instead of powdered formula because the latter is not sterile. This is especially important when your baby is less than 3 months old or if your baby was born prematurely or has a weakened immune system. Liquid infant formula is made to be sterile (without germs) and should not transmit Cronobacter infection when handled carefully, the agency suggests. Congratulations, primicias.cl got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site: Primicias.cl scored 68 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 3.5/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 16 Dec 2012, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the primicias homepage on Twitter + the total number of primicias followers (if primicias has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the primicias homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. 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The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. Domain and Server DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE Spanish Spanish SERVER Apache/2.2.17 (Unix) mod_ssl/2.2.17 OpenSSL/0.9.8e-fips-rhel5 DAV/2 mod_bwlimited/1.4 FrontPage/5.0.2.2635 mod_auth_passthrough/2.1 OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux Operative System running on the server. The language of primicias.cl as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Character set and language of the site. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Type of server and offered services. Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for primicias.cl by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The URL of the found Facebook page. The type of Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND A Seoul appellate court on Friday hiked up the prison sentence to 40 years for the CEO of private equity investment firm Optimus Asset Management, accused of fraud in one of the country's largest investment scams. Kim Jae-hyun, the head of Optimus, was sentenced to 25 years by a lower court last July. He allegedly raised more than 1.3 trillion won ($1.08 billion) from thousands of private and institutional investors between April 2018 and June 2020, promising the money will be invested in low-risk assets involving public institutions. However, the money was invested in risky assets or used to refund investors, and he eventually failed to redeem much of the invested money to clients. The Seoul High Court also ordered a forfeiture of 75.2 billion won, along with a fine of 500 million won in the ruling, the same as the lower court's verdict. (Yonhap) Rrdvenue.com scored 42 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 1 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. The total number of people who shared the rrdvenue homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the rrdvenue homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if rrdvenue has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the rrdvenue homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. 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Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Corsicana, TX (75110) Today A mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 74F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 66F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. We gave readers $50 billion in imaginary money and challenged them to build something great. There was a surprising amount of consensus on the best thing to make. "Affordable housing," said April P. "Every single city in the US would get a massive apartment building for homeless people," said Colleen D. Chuck P. went extra specific: "Low income hempcrete housing buildings with solar panels and wind turbines, water collection with reverse osmosis perfection." Julie H. focused on existing housing as a foundation, saying, "I buy and renovate every uninhabited house and abandoned building in the country and then give them all away. Let the landlords starve." Bitterness against the rich is absolutely a valid motive, which is why Brian P. said he wants to put his housing for the poor "specifically in neighborhoods that don't want them there." You've convinced us: This is a great answer. But when you tell this to other people, prepare to defend yourselves when they mention the following as a counter-argument: "PruittIgoe." St. Louis's PruittIgoe housing projects, built in the '50s and torn down two decades later, were for a long time a punchline, a famous example of how public housing can go wrong. As you can see in the picture above, the 33 eleven-story towers didn't exactly blend into the typical American city. They look more like those terrifying blocks that China builds. That ugliness, if its a dealbreaker, isn't inherently a part of public housing, however. The architect, Minoru Yamasaki, designed something less awful, but then the city slashed the project budget. Crossville, TN (38555) Today Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 77F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Low 61F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. SillaJen shareholders call for the trading of the biopharmaceutical company's stocks to be resumed at the Korea Exchange in Yeouido, Seoul, Jan. 18. Yonhap By Yoon Ja-young SillaJen got its chance to avoid being delisted from the stock market, as the bourse operator decided to grant it a six-month grace period to improve its situation. The Korea Exchange (KRX) announced Friday that its Kosdaq market committee decided to give six more months to the biopharmaceutical company, which has been facing the risk of being delisted following alleged embezzlement and other malpractices by the firm's former and incumbent management. SillaJen will have to submit a report within 15 business days from Aug. 18 on how it has executed its plan to improve the situation, which will need to be confirmed by experts. Once it submits the report, the KRX will hold a Kosdaq market committee meeting within 20 business days to decide again whether the company should be delisted. Trading of the SillaJen's stocks will remain frozen. SillaJen has been suspended from stock trading since May 2020, and the corporate evaluation committee of the bourse operator decided in November of the same year to give it one year to improve the situation. On Jan. 18, however, the corporate evaluation committee decided to delist it from the stock market. Following the decision by the corporate evaluation committee, the biopharmaceutical company went through review by the Kosdaq market committee, which came up with Friday's decision. SillaJen said it will make its best efforts to execute improvement plans, which include sustaining business operations by securing R&D personnel, for the normalization of its stock trading after the six-month period ends. Some 165,680 small shareholders have stocks in SillaJen as of the end of 2020, accounting for a 92.6 percent total stake. The small shareholders have been calling for resumption of the stock trading. Established in 2006, the biopharmaceutical company was engaged in developing cancer treatment and its market cap once surpassed 5 trillion won, ranking as the second-biggest firm in the tech-loaded Kosdaq market. I've already been to some live sporting events. Yes, I plan on attending several events. I may go to one or two. I like sports but I doubt it. I'm not into sports. Vote View Results As high-stakes cryptocurrency and blockchain projects proliferate and soar in value, its no surprise that malicious actors were enticed to steal $14 billion in cryptocurrency during 2021 alone. The frantic pace of cryptocurrency thefts is continuing into 2022. In January, thieves stole $30 million in currency from Crypto.com and $80 million in cryptocurrency from Qubit Finance. February started with the second-largest decentralize finance (DeFi) theft to date when a hacker exploited a token exchange bridge in Wormhole to steal $320 million worth of Ethereum. The largest cryptocurrency hack so far took place last August when blockchain interoperability project Poly Network suffered a hack that resulted in a loss of over $600 million. In an unusual move, Poly unsuccessfully attempted to publicly negotiate with the hacker a post-theft bug bounty of $500,000 in exchange for returning the $600 million, a bounty worth six times more than that typically offered in traditional cryptocurrency bug bounty programs. $2 million paydays set the pace With so much money at stake, at least $3 trillion by some calculations in late-2021, its also not surprising that bona fide bug bounties in the cryptocurrency sector are skyrocketing. A week ago, noted white-hat hacker Jay Freeman announced that he earned a $2,000,042 million bug bounty from Ethereum layer-2 scaling project Optimism for discovering a bug that would have allowed an attacker to print an arbitrary quantity of tokens. Freeman is not alone in generating a $2 million payday from a cryptocurrency bounty. Gerhard Wagner submitted a critical vulnerability last October that affected the Polygon Plasma Bridge, which put $850 million at risk, earning a $2 million bounty in the process. In December, another critical vulnerability in Polygon, which put $18 billion at risk, generated a $2.2 million bounty for white-hat Leon Spacewalker. Both of these bounties were paid via Web3 bug bounty platform Immunefi. On the same day Freemans bounty was made public, Ethereum-based protocol MakerDAO announced a maximum $10 millon reward through Immunefi for white hat hackers who point out legitimate security threats in its smart contracts. What is a bug worth? With cryptocurrency bounties reaching seven and eight figures, the pressure for traditional bug bounty programs to up the ante will no doubt mount, at least in the long run, as top hackers retrofit their skills to go where the money is. Yes, there is financial competition for talent and data, and our category will have to respond, Casey Ellis, CTO, and Founder of Bugcrowd, tells CSO. Cryptocurrency companies may be the first ones to succinctly answer the question, What is a bug worth? Ellis adds that in traditional markets, iOS exploits can sell for more than $2 million, but it's usually to buyers who are far more difficult to deal with, and who intend to keep those vulnerabilities alive for future use. To see a known and reputable jail-breaker pivot toward the relative ease of earnings afforded by the cryptocurrency boom gives you an idea of where the vulnerability data market is going. Bounty size is going up in Web2 stuff regardless of what happens in crypto, Mitchell Amador, Founder and CEO of Immunefi, tells CSO. Everybody and their dog are digitizing their infrastructure, their workflows, their business logic, and their operations. That's an incredible increase in the attack service over a relatively short amount of time. The meteoric rise in cryptocurrency bug bounties wont eliminate the need for traditional bug bounty hackers, Amador says. It's not going to hollow out the existing bug base. You've got these legions of hackers who have built very profitable, specific skills going after specific vulnerabilities. They're just going to keep plying their trade. Best hackers will migrate to crypto space What might happen is that the best hackers will migrate to the crypto space. People want to crack the hardest problems in the hacker community, Amador says. You get lots of reputation, lots of clout because you can do something that nobody else has been able to do. You can prove that you're the best. The challenge of cracking the most complex problems with the enormous payoffs could prove irresistible to top talent. We've combined some of the hardest technical challenges in crypto, along with, by far, the largest payouts. Its going to dramatically accelerate the rate at which this top tier, this top 10% of the hacking community, migrates to crypto. You have to be an exceptionally talented person and have years of training and experience in order to tackle these problems. Upward pressure very, very likely in the long term Dane Sherrets, solutions architect at HackerOne, who also does bug bounties on the side, tells CSO that in the short term, I don't expect to see any real up upward pressure [as a result of the rising crypto bug bounties] but in the long term, very, very likely. Sherrets thinks its important to understand why these bug bounties are so high for smart contract projects. There is a real need to have some kind of a payout that makes sense. With MakerDAO having a $10 million bounty, you have billions locked up, so thats a drop in the bucket. It becomes like a marketing initiative. The bounties are so high due to the need to actually have a strong security posture and project the strong security posture to get more users involved. It just makes sense as it relates to how much money is sitting in these smart contracts. Traditional hackers need to retool for the crypto market Right now, according to Sherrets, the hackers that typically participate in traditional bug bounty programs lack the necessary skills to participate in cryptocurrency bug bounty programs. These white-hat hackers will have to retool their standard IT skillsets and learn more about cryptocurrency. I could be one of the top web hackers in the world, but if I'm not familiar with how an automated market maker [a part of decentralized exchanges introduced to remove any intermediaries in the trading of cryptocurrency assets] works, if I don't understand that as a hacker, I'm not going to be able to figure out ways to exploit that, Sherrets says. Bounties could reach hundreds of millions of dollars For these reasons, bug bounty hunters in the traditional space will take at least two years to come up to speed where they can earn serious money in the crypto world. There's more of a learning curve than hackers just saying, Okay, I want to hack on Web 3.0 today, Sherrets says. Long-term, if you accept the premise that this is where the future is going, then you'll see a lot more people just diving straight into this, Sherrets says. Thats when traditional bug bounty programs will really start to feel the pressure to increase their payouts to lure talented hackers. Moreover, long-term legacy internet companies will be incorporating more smart contracts and blockchain technologies into their offerings, which will spur even more hackers to jump into the Web3 world. Even today, TikTok, Twitter, GameStop, and other leading tech-based companies are incorporating Web3 features such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) into their services. The size of this market is basically untapped, Amador says. The thing to consider is that MakerDAO has $15 billion to $20 billion in its contracts today, a truly vast, vast amount of capital, more than many countries have circulating in their banks. Consequently, there is an incentive to protect that is extremely high. There's no reason to believe that bug bounties won't get into the hundreds of millions of dollars. The application window for delivery services in Connecticuts emerging recreational cannabis market opened Thursday. The window is set to last for 90 days and end May 18. Delivery services include businesses that are licensed to deliver cannabis and cannabis products to consumers, qualifying patients and caregivers, according to the state Department of Consumer Protections website. The licenses will be awarded through a lottery system, and half will go to social equity licenses. The state plans to issue five social equity and five general licenses in the first lottery round. Social equity status is determined by income and residency. Application windows for other types of cannabis businesses started opening earlier this month. Open application windows include retailers and micro-cultivators, among other business types. READ MORE: What you need to know about Connecticuts recreational pot licensing process READ MORE: Legal weed in CT: Your questions answered Other application windows are set to open on a rolling basis through March. Applications are available online. Those with questions can email dcp.cannabis@ct.gov. Recreational cannabis in Connecticut was legalized during the 2021 legislative session. Retail sales are expected to begin by the end of this year. A monitor at the disaster control center in southeastern Seoul's Songpa District Office shows an all-time high of 109,831 new COVID-19 infection cases announced Thursday. Yonhap By Lee Hyo-jin Medical experts have slammed the government for continuing to downplay the threat of the Omicron variant, including its latest decision to ease social distancing measures amid snowballing numbers of daily new infections, which reached another record high of 109,831 for Thursday, exceeding the 100,000 mark for the first time, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily tally has more than doubled in a just week from 53,920 reported last Thursday. Despite the record-breaking infections, however, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced Friday that it will partially ease social distancing measures from Saturday, allowing multiuse facilities such as eateries and cafes to receive sit-in customers until 10 p.m., pushed back by one hour from the current 9 p.m. The six-person limit on private gatherings will remain in place. Visitor logs at multiuse facilities will be scrapped, while the vaccine pass, which limits unvaccinated people from entering public places unless they submit negative PCR test results, will be maintained. The government said these measures will be effective through March 13, noting that distancing rules will be relaxed further after Omicron's spread passes its peak in the country. Although the authorities explained the relaxation of limits on business hours was inevitable to relieve the burden on small business owners, medical experts denounced the move, calling it a decision made on political rather than scientific grounds. A New London man pleaded guilty Wednesday in a scheme to mail cash and cocaine from Puerto Rico to southeastern Connecticut, according to federal prosecutors. In Bridgeport federal court, Abraham Rosado, 33, of New London, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. The charge carries a maximum prison term of 40 years, according to Leonard Boyle, the Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. The charge stems from an investigation that began after the U.S. Postal Services Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force intercepted a suspicious package in August 2020. The package, destined for Puerto Rico, contained various childrens toys and a large purple pillow with a unicorn and Magic is Real emblazoned on the front, according to photos from the federal criminal complaint. Hidden inside the pillow was $158,900 in cash, the complaint stated. Investigators connected the package to Rosados cousin, Raul Robles, after Robles called the post office multiple times inquiring about the package. Officers learned that Rosados home in New London had received about 25 packages from Puerto Rico since September 2019, according to the complaint. Investigators continued to monitor packages mailed from Puerto Rico to Rosados home, including several packages addressed to people who did not live there, Boyles office said. In December, investigators searched one package that was mailed to a fictitious person at the New London home and found a throw pillow and bath toys. The throw pillow contained almost 1.3 kilograms of cocaine, according to the complaint. Law enforcement arrested Rosado on a federal criminal complaint in April 2021. He will stay in custody until his sentencing, which is scheduled for May 11, according to Boyles office. Robles also pleaded guilty in September to the same charge as Rosado and awaits sentencing, Boyles office 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. Connecticut colleges and universities are pushing back against a proposal banning legacy status as a consideration in the application process. The Connecticut Legislatures Joint Committee on Higher Education last week introduced new legislation that would end the use of legacy preferences in higher education, which give priority to college applicants who are related to school alumni or current students. At a hearing on Thursday, officials from private colleges said it is not appropriate for the state legislature to make policy around their admission practices, while those from the University of Connecticut cited a slippery slope of legislative restrictions if the bill were to pass. Opponents of legacy preferences said it perpetuates inequity along racial and socioeconomic lines based on who were traditionally the graduates of elite schools, and by definition disadvantages first-generation college applicants without family history at any institution. My dad is a mailman, my mom cuts hair Im tremendously grateful to study at a place like Yale University, said college student Logan Roberts, who testified against the practice. Roberts said that the approach is rooted in discrimination and is a recent addition to Yales admissions within the last 100 years. So this is a relatively new practice, and it really only serves to give a leg up to students who already have a leg up in the admissions process. It is also a phenomenon that in parts of the country seems to be coming undone, Roberts suggested. Independent colleges, including Johns Hopkins University, Pomona College and Amherst College, have discontinued the practice, while the state of Colorado has banned it in all public universities. Of all college officials who testified about the bill, Terrence Cheng, system president at the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, was the only speaker not to oppose it. In short, CSCU institutions do not use legacy preference in our admissions process, so we dont oppose this bill, Cheng said. Our colleagues at other institutions across the state may have different opinions. Those colleagues included representatives from UConn, who spoke and submitted written testimony against the act. Let me be clear to the committee, the University of Connecticut does not consider legacy status as a part of admission decisions, said Nathan Fuerst, vice president for enrollment planning and management. So to this end, we actually agree with the spirit of the legislation that factors such as first-generation status, students grades, their background, how they do in and outside of the classroom are far better indicators for potential for success. Still they advised against codifying an outright rejection of the practice. By passing this bill, we believe it would be difficult to avoid the slippery slope of additional legislation over the years that would govern admissions, Fuerst said. Other Connecticut institutions to provide written testimony included Sacred Heart University, Connecticut College, Fairfield University and Yale University, many of whom shared their efforts to diversify their student populations without ending legacy preferences. We would ask the committee to not move forward with this bill, and consider taking less intrusive and more impactful action towards accomplishing the goal of promoting access and diversity in post-secondary education by reinvesting in need-based aid, said Jennifer Widness, president of the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges. Amy Dowell, the state director of Democrats for Education Reform Connecticut and Ed Reform Now Connecticut, has advocated for the bill that would ban the practice at both public and private institutions which would make the state the first to do so in the country. Connecticut has some of the very best schools in the country, Dowell said. Its only natural for us to take the lead on promoting accessibility to these great institutions. Dowell said more than a quarter of Connecticut students who took the SAT last year indicated they would be first-generation college applicants putting them at a disadvantage at colleges that use legacy preferences in admissions. Were going to look back on this in four years and say this is the regular way to be now, she said, because its the right thing to do. Hearst Connecticut Media / Wes Duplantier BRIDGEPORT Police have arrested a local woman in connection with a November liquor store robbery they say left a store manager badly hurt after she hit the man with her car while fleeing the scene. Melaine Sanchez, 24, was charged with first-degree robbery and first-degree assault, Bridgeport police said in a statement. She was arrested Wednesday on a warrant after Connecticut State Police pulled her over for a motor vehicle violation, the statement said. Winchester CT Police Department WINSTED A wild moose was spotted in a field near the Sewer plant on North Main Street on Thursday morning, Winchester police said. Its not every day you see a wild Moose hanging out by the side of the road, the Winchester CT Police Department wrote in a Facebook post. Civic activists hold a rally in front of the Seoul Government Complex in central Seoul, Feb. 17 to call for the nullification of the youth vaccine pass mandate. Yonhap Courts in three cities on Friday ruled against the government's plan to expand the COVID-19 vaccine pass system to include 12- to 18-year-olds, following recent similar decisions by courts in Seoul and Suwon. The Daejeon District Court ruled in favor of 96 plaintiffs, including teenagers, who opposed the planned enforcement of the youth vaccine pass system in Daejeon, 150 kilometers south of Seoul. The Incheon District Court in Incheon, 50 km west of Seoul, and the Busan District Court in the southern port city, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, made the same rulings in lawsuits filed by citizens and activists. Similarly, courts in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds the capital, have recently ordered that vaccine pass requirements be halted for minors aged 12-18 at all facilities. Since November, South Koreans over 18 have been required to present a vaccine pass or a negative PCR test conducted within the previous 48 hours to enter various multiuse facilities. The government has said the planned inclusion of 12- to 18-year-olds in the vaccine pass program is to take effect on April 1, one month later than the original plan. The Daejeon court said the youth vaccine pass mandate cannot be seen as reasonable, because teenagers aged 12 to 18 have a remarkably low rate of COVID-19 case severity and mortality. It said exclusion of 12- to 18-year-olds from vaccine pass mandate may not cause any significant adverse effect on public welfare. The three local governments are mulling appealing the court orders, the KDCA said in a release. "We will support the local governments' active responses over the course of appeals. We will continue to review the matter in consideration of virus situations and court rulings," it added. Meanwhile, the same Daejeon court on Friday rejected a petition by about 1,500 citizens for the suspension of the government's decision to extend COVID-19-related social distancing restrictions, including business curfew and gathering limit. "The need for restrictions on private gathering size and operating hours of multiuse facilities is recognized to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant," the court said. (Yonhap) Cullman, AL (35055) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Noh Kyu-duk, Korea's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, is seen in this Feb. 14 file photo. Yonhap South Korea's top nuclear envoy held phone talks with his Chinese counterpart Friday and called for Beijing's "constructive" role to resolve the North's nuclear issue, according to Seoul's foreign ministry. Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, and China's Liu Xiaoming shared their assessments on the situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula and agreed to continue close cooperation to keep it under control, the ministry said. Liu Xiaoming, the Chinese government's special representative on Korean Peninsula affairs / Newsis Naomi Lovo, in front, left, and Arely Hernandez, in front, right, were among several ninth-graders who officially declared their intent to pursue the AP Capstone Diploma at The Dalton Academy on Monday. This program aligns nicely with (our) vision and mission, (as) it will prepare our diverse student population to become skilled collaborators, critical thinkers and consumers of information, said Matthew Mederios, center, The Dalton Academys principal. Ms. Dorothy "Dot" McCrory age 88 of Dalton, Georgia, departed this life Monday, May 2, 2022 at the Regency Park Health Care Center. She was born May 15, 1933. Dot as she was known to friends, was preceded in death by her parents Elma McCrory and Boyd Hicks as well as a brother Jack Hicks. Sh Its more than easy to fall into a movie rut. There are no new releases. Netflix hasnt added anything that looks good in weeks, and your queue is starting to dry up. The first months of the year are notoriously dry when it comes to movies, because it falls in an awkward period after the Christmas drop and before awards season. But just because nothing new is coming out doesnt mean theres nothing to watch. If you liked Bridesmaids, watch Barb and Star Go to Vista del Mar. Nothing is funnier than Kristen Wiig. She carries Bridesmaids (2011), cracking iconic jokes in one of the first movies depicting realistic female friendships. 10 years later shes done it again. Wiig co-stars with Annie Mumolo in Barb and Star Go to Vista del Mar, a film about two aging friends who prove they can still have fun. Packed with bits and giggles, Barb and Star is a comforting albeit hilarious movie. Barb and Star is a rare portrayal of a complex aging female friendship. Barb and Star mixes the bizarre with the ordinary to ensure a laugh from all types of audiences. Wiig is electric throughout the film, and her love interest Edgar (Jamie Dornan) also packs in some laughs. Like Bridesmaids, Barb and Star Go to Vista del Mar is perfect for a girl's night, watching with your mom or anytime you need to smile. Barb and Star Go to Vista del Mar is available on Hulu, and Bridesmaids is available on Hulu with a premium subscription. If you liked A Quiet Place Part II, watch In Fear. A Quiet Place and its sequel thrilled audiences with a refreshing horror plot, following a family that must stay quiet if they want to stay alive. The tension and intensity of these two films are also found in In Fear (2013). In Fear follows a young couple who get lost on the way to a festival trying to get to a hotel. The pair are trapped in what seems like an endless loop of wrong turns and cornfields, without GPS or a working map. The plots of the films are very different, but both issue the same eerie air and give the viewer the same knots in their stomachs. Both films feature strong female leads, Millicent Simmonds in the Quiet Place saga and Alice Englert in In Fear. For viewers looking for a suspenseful watch, In Fear is a great horror movie thats sure to leave you shaking. In Fear and A Quiet Place Part II are both available to rent on streaming platforms like Amazon and Youtube. If you liked Luca, watch My Life as a Courgette. My Life as a Courgette or My Life as a Zucchini (2016) is the French counterpart to Lucas (2021) Italian splendor. While Luca shows a child thats part sea monster trying to escape the confines of his underwater family, My Life as a Courgette is about a recently orphaned young boy trying to find a new family. Both films show the sweet innocence of childhood and follow likable young protagonists. My Life as a Courgette is heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once, a 70-minute claymation spectacular thats sure to draw a tear or two. Luca was one of the most beautifully animated films of 2021, featuring sparkling shorelines and delectable scoops of gelato along the Italian coast. Both films are eye-catching and sweet, and have run-times under the two-hour mark! If you loved the lightheartedness and simplicity of Luca, My Life as a Courgette is a sensible next watch. My Life as a Zucchini is available to rent on Amazon and Youtube, and Luca is available on Disney+. If you liked Licorice Pizza watch Almost Famous. Is 21st-century living getting you down? Youd rather time travel back to some nondescript year in the 1970s? Licorice Pizza (2021) and Almost Famous (2000) can help with that. Both of these films have plotlines that feel too large for real life Almost Famous following a young rock reporter and Licorice Pizza an aspiring entrepreneur. Gary Valentine and William Miller are eerily similar, both falling for older girls they cant have. The dreaminess and wonder a viewer feels when watching Licorice Pizza is the same in Almost Famous. Its like looking into a different world, not just a different century. Licorice Pizza is still playing in theaters, and Almost Famous is available on Paramount+ and on Hulu with a premium subscription. With finals approaching, theres no better way to relax than with a good movie. Hopefully, some of these recommendations inspire a watch party or a cozy February night in. Or, at the very least, they provide some distraction from the monotonous day-to-day that winter term ensues. Models strutted down the runway at Paris Mens Fashion Week in France two weeks ago, wearing what designers believe embodies the future of fashion. Instead of seeing the models chiseled and manufactured bone structure, many of the models faces were hidden under balaclavas. Lauded as one of the main trends of the fashion showcase, the hypocrisy was disgusting. While the balaclava, a cloth that covers everything but the eyes, is celebrated as the pinnacle of design in a nation revered for its fashion history, that same nation banned children from wearing hijabs, a veil worn around men outside the immediate family, less than a year ago. In addition to hijabs, many cultures wear a roosari, a looser fitting head garment, or a burqa, which covers the lower half of the face as well. To be clear, the religious practice of wearing a form of headdress in nations with freedom of expression is a choice. Our willingness to accept balaclavas as a regular part of fashion shows only one thing. The world does not care about what people are wearing; it cares about who is wearing it. The French tirade against hijabs is not a one time activity. Less than a month ago, the French Senate passed another bill that banned athletes from wearing their hijab while participating in sports. Senate members described the bill as banning any dress or clothing which would signify inferiority of women over men. It is not simply the ban. This sentiment transcends the law. Countless times, I have assured dumbstruck peers that my grandmother, who wears a roosari even when in the U.S., is not forced against her will to do so. Over time, I have come to realize that those baffled faces are a symptom of a preconception that Muslim women lack choice, individuality and a sense of expression. This sort of stigma is weaponized across the world. In 2001, then-First Lady Laura Bush used the White Houses weekly radio address to lambast the hijab under the guise of a Taliban critique. Discussing the Talibans oppression of women and children, Bush slid in womens use of hijabs as proof. With U.S. military intervention, Bush claimed the fight against terrorism is also a fight for the rights and dignity of women. It is a farce. The United States, France, Canada, India and all other countries that restrict hijab use do not do so in the name of womens liberation. If they were, you would not see measures that restrict a womans right to her own body here in the U.S. in 2022. They do so to demonize historical Islamic practices. Bushs comments expose it. True feminism, which she uses as a reason for bombing the Middle East for the next 20 years, does not look like banning a womans religious practice. That is substituting one form of oppression for another. True liberation, true feminism, means allowing Muslim women to have a choice. You see, if a White woman were to wear a balaclava, no one would raise their eyebrows and lament that the woman is oppressed and inferior to men. Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West, in fact, wore masks that covered their entire faces as a form of avant garde expression at the Met Gala. The parallels are painful. Just three years ago, Prime Minister Boris Johnson likened women in burqas to bank robbers'' and letter boxes. For decades, White women have worn head scarves, which is the exact same style as Middle Eastern roosaris, and are praised for their beauty. Wearing these garments, head scarves and balaclavas, are a sign of privilege. And, yet, violence against Muslim women persists. Following Boris Johnsons nauseating remarks, there was a 375% increase in attacks against Muslim women. Middle Eastern culture and fashion have been appropriated by the West, but violence and the bigoted gaze remains fixated on Islam. Paris Fashion Week signals the future of fashion. Its hard to imagine UO students wont someday wear balaclavas too as they seek warmth in trendy fashion on campus. It is crucial to highlight the hypocrisy as the style enters the mainstream. To cover your face without consequence is a privilege that Muslim women have fought for decades to maintain. Covering your hair, a choice that many women make, including in my family, has justified the demolition of the Middle East in the name of White feminism. I will not suggest banning the balaclava on a campus. That, too, would be a restriction of freedom, even though prime ministers and presidents of several first-world countries have paved precedent for such a suggestion. Instead, I ask that you recognize that you are not inferior to anyone else when you pull a balaclava over your head, despite what the French Senate might have you believe. I ask that you abandon that instinct to think of burqas, hijabs and other Islamic headdresses as a form of oppression in America. It is the same choice. Recognize that not everyone gets to make that choice freely. gettyimagesbank A former elementary school principal was sentenced to a two-year prison term Friday on charges of installing spy cameras inside the school, including a female teachers' restroom, and secretly filming parts of their bodies. The 57-year-old former principal at the school in Anyang, 23 kilometers south of Seoul, allegedly fitted a tiny camera inside a tissue box in the restroom in late October to secretly film women, while serving as the school's chief. Charges against him also include putting a mobile phone under a meeting table with a camera on a total of 21 occasions between June and October last year and secretly filming teachers' body parts. A teacher spotted and reported the camera in the women's restroom to the school. Police sent to the school later found several video clips of the victim's body parts and still images on the principal's mobile phone. He has admitted to all charges in previous court hearings. He was dismissed from his post by the Gyeonggi Province Education Office last year. "The accused broke into a restroom and installed a camera to satisfy his sexual desire; the seriousness of this crime is not light," a judge at a local court in Anyang said in the ruling. "As the principal of a school, he betrayed the trust of teachers and students and even destroyed evidence to cover up his crime after it was exposed," the judge also said. (Yonhap) Ashland, KY (41101) Today Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 59F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 59F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Sunbury, PA (17801) Today Rain likely. Low 53F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Rain likely. Low 53F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Killing Eve's psychopathic Russian assassin Villanelle has killed dozens of people since the show began, including her own mother, with some of the most inventive murders ever seen on TV. But when we meet her at the start of the fourth and final series of the smash hit dark comedy, she's trying to do something entirely different be virtuous. Fans may consider her beyond redemption, but over three series we've seen her take a deep journey into her own psyche while bumping off her targets as she tried to work out whether she could ever feel the way normal humans do. At the same time she was being driven by her obsessive love for her nemesis, intelligence agent Eve Polastri. In the series three finale she decided to take up the MI6 job offer she got long ago but said she didn't want to kill any more, and the closing seconds saw Villanelle and Eve having a tender conversation on a bridge before going their separate ways. And so to the sensational beginning of series four... and scenes so shocking you would barely have believed them possible. Eve (Sandra Oh) and Villanelle (Jodie Comer), pictured ahead of series four of Killing Eve Villanelle has joined a church and is living with the vicar and his daughter. She's preparing to be baptised and has learned parts of the Bible by heart. She's even nice to the cat when it hisses at her. But she's desperate for a sign either from Eve or, failing that, from God. It soon comes to her in the most surprising of ways. 'She wants to be good in some way, whatever that means,' says Jodie Comer, 28, who's won both a BAFTA and an Emmy for her portrayal of this fascinating anti-heroine. 'Whether she's capable of it is one question, and who she's doing it for is another. But I don't think Villanelle really wants to be a good person. People love Villanelle because it feels naughty Jodie Comer 'She's obsessed by the thought of it, and she's had so many people tell her she can't be it, so she's determined to prove them wrong. 'If she sets her mind on something, she's going to do it. 'Hopefully the viewers can have fun with her trying to achieve that.' Killing Eve has defied convention since it first aired in 2018. It was a niche show with a lead actress most people had never heard of, written by rising talent Phoebe Waller-Bridge (the four series have each been written by a different woman, this last one is by Laura Neal, who's behind Netflix hit Sex Education). Killing Eve's psychopathic Russian assassin Villanelle (pictured) has killed dozens of people since the show began, including her own mother, with some of the most inventive murders ever seen on TV But by the end of its first series, it had become one of the biggest TV hits in the world. Amid a whirl of glamorous locations and designer outfits, and with its tongue firmly in its cheek, it followed Villanelle, a ruthless killer working for global crime syndicate The Twelve, and Eve Polastri, the agent assigned to track her. Though Eve's mission has been to stop Villanelle, the two women find themselves strangely drawn to each other. It showed that murder dramas didn't have to be conventional, with hard-bitten cops chasing men who prey on mostly female victims. This is a show about women by women and it's given us one of the most memorable female characters in TV history. Quirky, funny and sexy, with an appreciation for beauty and fashion, Villanelle turns her hits into works of art. 'People love her because they know they shouldn't,' says Jodie. 'There's a sense of danger in knowing you shouldn't like this person but do. Killing Eve may be focused on the hunter and the hunted, but many scenes have been stolen by Fiona Shaw as deadpan spy boss Carolyn Martens, pictured, who has a lover in every town, including Villanelle's duplicitous former handler Konstantin 'That's attractive, it feels naughty. She acts on impulse and does what she wants, which is fun to watch. You can live vicariously through her. 'I think Killing Eve has also contributed to a celebration of kookiness, spontaneity and the absurd. What I loved when I first read the script was that I couldn't quite put my finger on it.' Eve, played by Sandra Oh, has had just as thrilling a journey. The pair have circled each other throughout, each wanting to kill the other but simultaneously attracted, too. In this final series, having seen her husband turn against her and some of her best friends killed, Eve has stopped caring about much apart from revenge on The Twelve. While Villanelle is trying to change her ways, Eve has embraced her inner villain and is really enjoying it. 'I don't think I've ever played a character who's changed so much in such a short period of time,' says Sandra, 50. 'Eve's not scared any more, she's changed' Sandra Oh 'In the first episode of the new series we see that she's come to a place of decisiveness. 'What she's been searching for hasn't changed much, but her attitude towards it has. 'She's not scared any more; she's moving towards it. She has The Twelve bearing down on her, she has to find a way through to her objective, even though they're trying to kill her.' Killing Eve may be focused on the hunter and the hunted, but many scenes have been stolen by Fiona Shaw as deadpan spy boss Carolyn Martens, who has a lover in every town, including Villanelle's duplicitous former handler Konstantin. Killing Eve will be available weekly from 28 February on BBC iPlayer and will air on BBC1 from 5 March During the last series, we saw Carolyn's icy facade shatter when her son Kenny was killed. Like Eve, she's determined to get her revenge on The Twelve, despite the world-weary side of her believing she can never win. 'She's been kicked out of MI6, but she's pursuing The Twelve because she wants to know who killed her son,' says Fiona, 63. 'She becomes much more passionate. She was so cold and protected, and in these episodes she's without her power, her glamour, her team. She's just alone.' The show's locations have been as memorable as the grisly deaths, but filming this series proved tricky as the pandemic meant many places were impossible to fly to. So they created Cuba in Margate. 'It was a huge task for our art department to re-create these tropical places when we were filming just a few hours from London,' says Jodie. 'The detail they went into was incredible.' For all the cast, filming the final series of a show in which they have become a sort of dysfunctional family was bittersweet, but they know they're going out on a high. 'Villanelle means the world to me,' says Jodie. 'I got to explore so much through her; she gave me a fearlessness and a resilience. I found my voice on this show, because the producers always encouraged me to speak up. 'I asked for a clapperboard at the end. It's sad to think we're not coming back, and I hope people will feel we've given them a satisfying ending. I'm a big believer in leaving something while it's good.' Killing Eve will be available weekly from 28 February on BBC iPlayer and will air on BBC1 from 5 March. A couple saved for years to fund improvements to their home - only to lose 14,000, in a sophisticated fraud involving a scam building company, a fake show home, and an 'architect' who didn't know how to use a tape measure. When Theresa Sunich and husband Graham, from Croydon, Surrey, wanted a kitchen extension for their three-bedroom semi, they asked several building firms for quotes, eventually settling on a seemingly impressive company called Contemporary Home Improvements (CHI). But the business was set up by two conmen with no intention of ever carrying out any building work, and soon after taking the couple's cash for a deposit, it was declared bankrupt. At least 60 other victims across the Home Counties were also targeted, netting the criminals an estimated 800,000. Four people involved in the scam have now been sentenced. Office worker Theresa said: 'It took us a long time to save up for our extension. In 2017, we were finally ready to start work. We got several builders' quotes, before finding CHI online. Theresa Sunich, 50, from Surrey, and her husband Graham, saved up for many years so they could build an extension - only to get conned out of 14,000 As part of the elaborate scam, potential customers were shown a fake show kitchen, in a bid to attract them to Contemporary Home Improvements Scott Baker (left) was sentenced to four years in jail for his role in the ruse. David Gogo, a student who pretended to be a fully qualified architect was given a suspended sentence (right) The criminals involved in the scam are estimated to gave netted about 800,000, targeting at least 60 other victims as well as Theresa and Graham Brian Tutton, who set up CHI and ran the con with the help of Scott Baker, was jailed for seven years 'The firm had an impressive website with pictures of their work, and a head office address in Shelton Street, Camden. 'We checked them out and they belonged to the Federation Of Master Builders, were on a trade recommendation website and were registered with Companies House - they looked completely legitimate. 'I spoke to a CHI salesman called Scott. He came to our place, and later gave a quote for just under 50,000, not including kitchen units and appliances. 'I asked if they had any showroom we could view. He said the showroom wasn't yet open, but there was a previous satisfied customer willing to allow us to look at their home. 'I met a CHI representative at that property. While we were still looking round, the female homeowner turned up. 'I quizzed her about the quality of the work and noticed she wasn't particularly friendly or forthcoming, although she did say she was very happy with the company. 'The show home looked extremely impressive and swung it for us, so we decided to go with CHI.' In July 2017, the couple paid a 14,000 deposit from their life savings, and had a visit from a man supposed to be their architect. 'But when his drawings arrived, they weren't particularly good,' continues Theresa. 'We asked for them to be done again, and were promised that they would be. 'Before we handed over the deposit, CHI had mentioned starting work for us in September. But by then we still hadn't got a definite start date out of them. It felt like they were stalling. 'Then one day, out of the blue, we got an email from the architect stating that the company had gone bust, and the matter was in the hands of an insolvency administrator. 'As a creditor of the company, we'd have to register a claim, but might not get any of our cash back. 'We were devastated. We're ordinary hard-working people who certainly couldn't afford to lose that amount of money. This brochure for a reputable company's brochure was lying on one of the counters at the fake home extension The exterior of the fake home extension used by CHI to lure in customers - part of the carefully planned scam to con people out of their money Theresa and Graham asked CHI if they could see a show home. They were told it wasn't ready yet, but they could see a previous customer's kitchen, which they were impressed by 'But at that point, we still believed CHI was a legitimate company which had fallen on hard times. 'It wasn't until a little further down the line that we realised we'd been callously scammed.' Then the couple were copied into further email which mistakenly contained email addresses of some other creditors. Theresa says: 'We noticed that the creditors all appeared to be individuals, like ourselves. No building supply companies were listed. Alarm bells started ringing in our heads. 'People on the creditors email list began contacting each other - only to discover we'd all had similar experiences.' By now very suspicious, the couple complained to Camden Council Trading Standards - who'd already received numerous complaints. Because of the size and scale of the fraud, police from the Met Police Fraud Investigation Team took over the case. After a lengthy investigation, four people were arrested. But the wheels of justice ground slowly, and the pandemic caused more delays, so it was four years before the case to come to Snaresbrook Crown Court, in October 2021. The trial ran for seven weeks, during which Theresa's statement was among those read to the court and Graham gave evidence from the witness box. CHI paid a woman to pose as a previous satisfied customer of CHI, and show people her house, as a fake show home Theresa said that when she went to see the 'show home', the homeowner was not particularly friendly or forthcoming - but the quality of the workmanship seemed very good The court heard that Brian Tutton, 62, set up CHI and ran the con with the help of 'principle salesman' Scott Baker, 50. Fake photos of renovations were posted on the CHI website and fake reviews were left too. Customers across London, including disabled people needing their homes adapted, handed CHI deposits for building work. But there was never any intention to start any renovations. The court was told that the scammers used persuasive sales techniques including offering early starts for proposed work if large deposits were made, and suggesting a discount if a customer's house could be used as a show house later. Masters student David Gogo, 29, reassured customers and gave an impression of 'quality and seriousness' to the venture by pretending to be a fully qualified architect. He carried a card falsely stating he was a chartered member of the Royal Institute of British Architects. However, the court heard that some customers noticed he didn't even know how to use a tape measure. He went on to fail an architecture masters degree at the University of East London. By the autumn of 2017, when no promised work had begun, panicking households tried to contact CHI, only to find it was being liquidated. As a result of the details of the con, like the fake show home, around 60 people are believed to have been taken in, which is thought to have netted the perpetrators around 800,000 Homeowners who were duped by the company, after seeing its website, fake reviews, and fake show home, said they felt 'humiliated' and 'ashamed' for being duped A total of 61 known households were duped by the con, but it's thought that even more victims may have been involved. The fraud was believed to have netted the perpetrators around 800,000. The court was told other people were involved in the fraud but investigators were unable to identify them. The court heard victim statements, including one from Theresa, describing how homeowners felt humiliated, gullible and ashamed for falling for the scam. Tutton, of Brighton, and Baker, of Portsmouth, were convicted of conspiracy to defraud. Tutton was jailed for seven years and Baker for four years. Gogo, of Tooting, was acquitted of conspiracy to defraud but convicted of fraud by false representation. His 14-month prison sentence was suspended for two years. Would-be clients were also duped by a visit to a 'show home' with a kitchen allegedly renovated by CHI. No work at the house was carried out by the company - in fact the work was done by a neighbour. Property owner, Louise Shiankwang, 49, of Grinstead Lane, Lancing, was paid for allowing her home to be used. She admitted fraud and was sentenced this week (February 14) to 22 months suspended for two years. Sentencing the male trio, Judge Noel Casey said: 'It was a fraudulent operation from the outset designed to take the maximum deposits possible 'As the victim impact statements demonstrate, stress, upset, anger and suffering were caused. 'Some households as a result had their health and mental wellbeing affected, alongside the plain obvious effects of financial loss. There has been a serious detrimental effect on victims financially, psychologically and in some cases physically.' Although some of the people scammed by CHI were able to get a refund as they had paid using a credit card, Theresa and Graham had their case refused by their bank and ombudsman The couple eventually found a new company to do their building work (pictured), however, as they never managed to recoup their money, they had to scale backs their plans Although they are happy with the work they eventually had done on their home (pictured), Theresa says the whole experience of being conned shook her faith in humanity The judge was unable to order the principal perpetrators to pay anything towards prosecution costs or compensation to the victims as there was no evidence they had the financial means. Tutton was disqualified from being a company director for 10 years and Baker for five years. Meanwhile, Theresa and Graham found another building company and in 2018 eventually went ahead with their kitchen extension, although they had to scale back their plans because of the money they'd lost. Theresa says: 'We are savvy people who thought we'd done all the due diligence necessary - yet still we were taken in. These fraudsters were so clever and so convincing. 'We have heard that some people who paid the deposit on their credit card have been able to get a refund. 'But we weren't that lucky. Our bank just refused to consider our case. We've since been to the ombudsman and they sided with the bank. 'It has left a nasty taste in our mouths and shaken our faith in human nature, but now we are determined to move on and put it behind us.' It can be easy to get excited about a job by just reading the title, but these adverts prove you always need to read the fine print. Bored Panda rounded up images of job adverts from around the world that have gone viral because of employers' shocking list of demands and the low wages promised to staff. One screenshot taken from Indeed shows an employer dictating that employees can't have a day off to attend funerals, while another shows a boss in search of a worker with four years of experience who is willing to work for less than $1 an hour. A newspaper advert for an unpaid caretaker promised the successful candidate electricity and bathroom access - but no money. Here, FEMAIL shares some of the most shocking examples... Bored Panda rounded up job adverts from around the world that have gone viral because of the shocking expectations of employers - including a boss in Malaysia who said staff can't have a day off for funerals Mother of all nightmares! A parent, who lives in the U.S, refused to pay their nanny the agreed $16 an hour for eight hours spent watching their children Not very thoughtful! Another boss used a newspaper to search for a caretaker who is happy to work in exchange for electricity and bathroom access instead of a wage Less than minimum wage! An employer in the US took to Indeed in search of an employee who has at least four years of experience but is willing to earn just 10 cents an hour Pay day never comes! One employer in Australia told people who want a weekly paycheck not to bother applying No wonder the job is still available: Another employer from the U.S took to Facebook in the hopes of finding someone willing to work for 10 hours while being paid just $25 a day Seriously exploitative! An individual hoping to cash-in on YouTube listed a variety of unpaid roles while searching for creatives who are serious about working in the film industry 24/7... for free! An employer based in Texas attempted to recruit a Self Storage Manager who is willing to be on call while earning $8 an hour Seeing red! One mother from the U.S admitted she has struggled to keep a nanny while only paying $10 an hour for someone willing to watch her child every morning Not asking for much! Another American mother put out a search for a nanny with a degree or nine years of childcare experience, and the successful candidate ideally needs to be a fan of Trump and be willing to buy snacks for the children Don't bank on it! A mother who used Facebook to advertise for a babysitter struggled to find an employee after explaining that the pay may vary each week The shocking reality of practitioners who are responding to demand for curvier, bigger bottoms by performing illegal and dangerous procedures is laid bare in a new National Geographic documentary. Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller hears from licensed US clinics and underground, unregulated practitioners who charge up to $3,500 for butt injections and Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs), procedures which have seen a surge in popularity in recent years as women seek to artificially create the curvaceous bodies popular on social media. One unlicensed aesthetician in Atlanta, Georgia, makes up to $40,000 a day by performing illegal silicone butt injections but defends the practice by saying she helps transgender women who can't afford legitimate surgery. The woman, who herself is transgender and known only as Miss T, has no formal medical training and is one of hundreds of back alley 'pumpers' performing the risky cosmetic procedure in the US. She says she treats up to 40 clients a day using silicone which she claims to have bought illegally from a licensed doctor. Her procedures cost $1,000. Van Zeller also meets legal practitioners in Miami who perform BBLs - which involve taking fat from other areas of the body and injecting it into the buttocks -for $3,500. In one shocking revelation, a scheduling manager at a clinic linked to eight plastic surgery deaths in six years admitted doctors 'don't give a f***' about patients safety and that it's 'all about the money'. Unlicensed practitioner Miss T, pictured, who operates in Atlanta, Georgia, says she treats up to 40 clients a day using silicone which she claims to have bought illegally from a licensed doctor Mariana also meets with a transgender woman who is having her bottom injected admitting she 'loves the feeling' Speaking to Mariana in a new documentary, Miss T reveals she 'never in a million years' thought she'd be working in the underground but in her 20s she was making so much money as a pumper she 'didn't know what to do with it'. 'It started out in our community, the first people I seen it done were trans women, [sic]' she explained while wearing a face mask and sunglasses to conceal her identity. 'When I transitioned, doctors will look at you crazy, if you came in saying you want implants. 'When I was 19, I went to the doctor, I said "I want implants". I heard all there nurses and doctors laughing saying "that's a guy, he wants implants'" they were just laughing and they said "go tell him no".' Miss T says she's given hundreds of people injections and admits that it's 'super easy money' as she charges $1,000 for the 15-minute procedure but says that it's 'very risky' because if caught she could face up to 10 years behind bars. She added that she's been set up by clients and robbed as they known she will have a lot of cash on her. Mariana also met with D'Nisha Monroe, who works as a waitress in a strip club in Atlanta. D'Nisha, who said dancers can make up to $10,000 a night, revealed that 90 per cent of people working at the night club have had cosmetic surgery National Geographic documentary Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller (pictured) explores the startling reality of US clinics and underground, unlicensed practitioners like Miss T who are responding to the growing demand for butt injections and Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBL) as women seek to artificially create the curvaceous bodies popular on Instagram Mariana, who watched Miss T perform the procedure on another transgender woman in a motel room, also revealed that many pumpers carry guns, but Miss T wouldn't share if she did herself. 'Back in my 20s, I used to make so much money I didn't know what to do with it,' she explained. 'But I have a different mindset about it now. One thing was getting robbed and almost killed. 'I was set up by a girl [I was going to inject]. She set me up, tied me up and robbed me. I guess that's the dark side to it.' When asked if she carried a gun, Miss T added: 'I don't want to answer that question. I'm always in control of every situation I'm in, put it like that.' She added that no one she's ever injected has had bad side effects and that people sell her phone number for $250. Marianna visited Miss T in a motel as she injected a patient. The 15 minute procedure cost $1,000 Botched cosmetic surgeries have become a growing and dangerous problem as enhancement procedures have become increasingly popular. The increased cultural obsession with procedures to enlarge the buttocks and make the waist smaller combined with their high cost have pushed some people to find illegal and unregulated surgeries, which have lead to multiple deaths in recent years. While it's hard to know official figures illegal butt lifts, there is also an increased number of legitimate doctors performing risky procedures for easy money. Paying for curves: What is a Brazilian Butt Lift? With a Brazilian butt lift, fat is taken from various parts of the body and put with the buttocks. It has grown increasingly popular in the United States, becoming the fastest-growing type of plastic surgery, according to 2015 statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The rate of buttock lift procedures rose 252 percent from 2000 to 2015. The total went from 1,356 to 4,767 procedures over the course of that time. Injecting fat into the butt can lead to problems if done improperly, including fat embolism - which is when fat enters the bloodstream and blocks a blood vessel. The estimated death rate for BBL is 1 in 3000, according to PlasticSurgery.org. Advertisement A study published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that there was a 252 percent increase in buttocks augmentation surgery between the years 2000 and 2015. While nearly every other cosmetic procedure saw a decrease in appointments before and earlier during the Covid pandemic, butt lifts saw a spike increasing by 22 percent from 2019 to 2020. The TikTok tag #bbl - Brazilian butt lift - has 4.6 billion views with users showing off their before and after photos and documenting their surgeries, which can cost upward of $7,000. Miami has become a hot spot for plastic surgery, particularly BBLs, where doctors remove fat from a woman's stomach and thighs and inject it into their hips. The Florida city has become a tourist destination as it offers such cheap surgery, with doctors allowed to perform up to eight procedures a day. Dr. Stanley A. Okoro, a plastic surgeon from Atlanta who trained for 12 years explains in the documentary: 'In the US, any medical doctor can do plastic surgery. 'A paediatrician can do plastic surgery. There are all kinds of weekend courses, in a hotel, that these doctors take [before performing surgery]. 'It's like a cook book, the problem is, if you get into a problem, and it's not in the cookbook, what do you do then? You call 911.' Mariana also met with a former manager from Jolie Centre in Miami, a plastic surgery clinic that has seen eight deaths in 10 years. A 2019 investigation by USA Today and the Naples Daily News found that the cosmetic clinics, all owned by Dr Ismael Labrador, also left nearly a dozen women with critical complications, including three with punctured internal organs that forced them to rush to the hospital for help. The names of the clinics have changed three times since 2016, often times changed not long after the death of another patient. The south Florida clinics employ doctors who are not board-certified in plastic surgery and are known to market themselves aggressively on social media to younger woman, especially Hispanics and African Americans, at half the price of traditional plastic surgeons. Four of the women died after the doctors mistakenly injected body fat deep in their muscles and tore the veins during a Brazilian butt lift procedure. The fat pooled in their hearts and lungs, killing them in minutes. A 2019 investigation by USA Today and the Naples Daily News found that cosmetic clinics all owned by Dr Ismael Labrador (pictured) left nearly a dozen women with critical complications, including three with punctured internal organs that forced them to rush to the hospital for help In 2014, one of the clinics was known as Vanity Cosmetic Surgery. Another was called the Hialeah clinic until it changed its name to Encore Plastic Surgery in 2015. Both names were changed to Eres Plastic Surgery in 2016. Now they operate under the name Jolie Plastic Surgery, making it increasingly harder to find past reviews for prospective patients doing their research. Labrador said the name changes were of normal business and marketing, and stressed that they were not done to avoid any legal responsibility. Labrador himself was arrested in 2007 after undercover officers found unlicensed doctors performing operations at the clinics. He was placed on probation for three years and fined $30,000. The felony charges were dropped in 2010 after he entered a court diversion program. Juan Carlos, who spent time working at Jolie and other clinics as a scheduling manager, also revealed that doctors in Miami clinics do up to 12 surgeries a day. More than three or four a day is considered unsafe. Speaking with a mask on, he revealed: 'I think morally we have to do this, people deserve to know what's going on. 'Essentially you're pumping out 10 to 12 cases a day it's impossible for you to meet you patients, pre-op, post-op and day of surgery.' Although he worked in the admin office upstairs at Jolie, he said he routinely made trips to the surgical rooms and routinely saw doctors performing multiple operations at the same time, meaning unqualified assistants are doing parts of the surgery. 'Things go wrong. At the end of the day, it's about money, that's why we do it. I think patients need to understand it's a factory, nobody gives a f*** about you.' Labrador denied that surgical techs are doing the surgeries, denied being the owner of Jolie, and asked for $25,000 to sit down for an interview. Mariana also met with D'Nisha Monroe, who works as a waitress in a strip club in Atlanta. D'Nisha, who said dancers can make up to $10,000 a night, revealed that 90 per cent of people working at the night club have had cosmetic surgery. While she wouldn't reveal if she'd had butt injections herself she said: 'A lot of people won't want to talk about that, because it's not legal.' TIMELINE OF DEATHS CAUSED BY BOTCHED BUTT INJECTIONS Solange Magnano, 38, a former Miss Argentina, died in December 2009 following surgery on her buttocks In recent years, there have been a number of cases involving women who have tragically died while seeking cosmetic surgery on their buttocks. In December 2009, a former Miss Argentina died following surgery to make her buttocks firmer. Solange Magnano, 38, was rushed to hospital with severe breathing problems after the cosmetic operation. The mother of eight-year-old twins died from a blocked lung artery after spending three days in a critical condition in intensive care. In February 2011, Claudia Aderotimi, 20, a dancer and university student from London, traveled to Philadelphia with a friend for her birthday. Aderotimi went to a hotel near Philadelphia International Airport, where she had a cosmetic injection into her buttocks. Padge-Victoria Windslowe, 49, injected half-a-gallon of industrial-grade silicon, which traveled into Aderotimi's bloodstream and caused her heart to stop. In 2015, Windslowe was convicted of assault. She was sentenced to at least 10 years in prison. In July 2013, Tamara Blaine, 22, died after she received an injection of toxic silicon in her buttocks. Blaine died after the silicon entered her bloodstream and asphyxiated her. Tamira Mobley, 32, was sentenced to prison for doing the unauthorized procedure at a pay-per-hour hotel in New York. In February 2011, Claudia Aderotimi (left), 20, a dancer and university student from London, died after a botched butt enhancement surgery in Philadelphia. In July 2013, Tamara Blaine (right), 22, died after she received an injection of silicon in her buttocks In October 2014, Joy Williams (left), 23, died after having silicon implants removed from her buttocks in Thailand. Lesbia Ayala (right), 48, died last year after having a butt enhancement procedure performed by an unlicensed beautician in the Bronx She pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, second-degree assault, and the unauthorized practice of a profession. Mobley was sentenced to between 16 and 48 months in prison. In October 2014, Joy Williams, 23, traveled to Thailand from her native Britain to have cut-price plastic surgery. She visited a clinic in Bangkok to have an operation that would give her a bigger, fuller bottom. Wykesha Reid, 34, died in Dallas after getting injections to enhance her buttocks in February 2015 A few days after the operation, she returned to the clinic to treat an infection that developed in her buttocks as a result of the silicon implants she received. While on the operating table, she died. Medical staff were unable to resuscitate her. Wykesha Reid, 34, died on a massage table inside a Dallas salon in February 2015 after she was given injections to enhance her buttocks. Denise 'Wee Wee' Ross, the woman who administered the injection, was sentenced to 60 years in prison. She is up for parole in 2045. Lesbia Ayala, 48, traveled from her Philadelphia home to the Bronx to have a butt lift. The procedure was performed in June 2018 at the home of a woman who was running an illegal cosmetic surgery clinic. After Ayala received an injection of silicon into her buttocks, she suffered from cardiac arrest and died. Whalesca Castillo, 44, was charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. Advertisement Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller airs on national Geographic on Mondays at 9pm An appeals court sentenced a man to 20 years in prison Friday for beating his six-year-old live-in niece, resulting in her death from cerebral hemorrhage, reducing a lower court's sentence on the grounds that he had not intended to kill her. Last year, the 40-year-old uncle and his 31-year-old wife, both surnamed Kim, were both sentenced to 25 years in prison by a lower court on charges of murder for beating the niece to death at their home in Incheon, west of Seoul, in August 2020. The couple began to look after the victim along with their two children in April of that year and since abused her for being picky with food or throwing up. The victim had 16 of her ribs broken from the abuse, according to court records. On Friday, however, the Seoul High Court reduced their sentences to 20 years in prison for the uncle and five years in prison for his wife on conviction of child abuse resulting in death, rather than murder, saying the couple had not intended to kill her. "It is difficult to conclude that the defendants neglected the victim with the knowledge that she would die based solely on the fact that they did not take her to the hospital," the high court said, noting they had applied an anti-inflammatory ointment to the victim's body. The victim also showed no signs of serious sickness for about nine to 10 hours after the abuse until she collapsed after vomiting on the day of her death, the court added. The court said it also took into consideration that the man inadvertently caused the girl's death, while his wife did not take part in the physical abuse and was suffering extreme stress from raising three children, including her own and her niece. "We feel bad thinking of the pain the victim must have suffered and the fact the victim, who was healthy before, died just four months after she started living with her uncle and aunt," the court said. (Yonhap) American people have been left in hysterics after discovering British words that have a ruder meaning on the other side of the Atlantic. American author Margaret Owen took to Twitter to say she 'may never recover' after finding out that the UK's version of a dollar store is called Poundland. But in the US, 'pound' has a slightly different meaning to a description of British currency, and is used as a colloquial term for having sex. So when Margaret saw this was the shop used by millions every year to pick up bargain items for just 1 each, she couldn't believe her eyes. It prompted US followers to share other examples from Britain that had made them snigger too, including a man who said his wife had laughed for an hour over a sign saying: 'Humped zebra crossing'. One pointed out that squirty cream in a can sounds rather rude, while a fellow commenter shared a snap of the video game store Cex. American author Margaret Owen took to Twitter to say she 'may never recover' after finding out that the UK's version of a dollar store is called Poundland, as in the US, 'pound' is a word used to describe sexual activity Kicking off the thread, Margaret shared a photo of Poundland and wrote: 'Hi Twitter I just learned that the UK edition of Dollar Tree is this and I may never recover.; She continued: 'BRB [be right back]. Drafting change.org petition to rebrand the erotica section.' Warming to the theme, she added: 'Quick this is important, does Poundland have a prime minister or a chancellor (I am American so I do not know the difference). 'I feel like chancellor of poundland hits harder, I would put that on my resume.' The Twitter thread then took a life of its own, with people responding with other British signs, shop names and terms used to describe every-day items like squirty cream The Twitter thread then took a life of its own, with people responding with other British signs, shop names and terms used to describe every-day items. If you fancy a very indulgent dessert, you could add some squirty cream on top - and one woman from the US, where they call the topping whipped cream', shared a picture of a Co-Op's squirty cream, when she made the 'discovery' a few years ago. Simon Smith then went to post a picture of a shop in Macclesfield, called S&M Supplies. Scotswoman Catriona Faolain tried to clear up any confusion for the Americans in the thread: 'Oh we're way past that kind of innuendo. Users began sharing their own experiences and run-ins with normal signs and things in everyday British life, including this man whose American wife found a sign that read 'humped zebra crossing' hilarious 'I mean we have a popular second-hand goods chain (mostly DVDs, games and electronics) called Cex. 'Technically it was originally an abbreviation of "computer exchange" but I'm sure choosing *that* abbreviation was not accidental. Or subtle.' A commeter replied to this with a photo of the tech store, for the American 'unbelievers' and said: 'Yeah, that one always makes me feel like I should snigger when saying it.' Michael Veale pointed out that the innuendo has never come up for him when thinking of pound shops that we see every day on UK high streets. He said: 'In London not far from where I am now, genuinely I don't think anyone will have ever made the connection to US slang, ever. I certainly didn't until I was told today...' But the innuendos then became worldwide, with some users sharing what they found funny when visiting various places around Europe, Asia and small towns in America And another user recalled a funny moment with his wife, who is from the US, who he said 'laughed for over an hour' at a sign in the UK which read: 'Humped Zebra Crossing'. The laughs continued, with people throwing in their favourite things that they find funny in the UK with one saying he still gets a giggle every once in a while when he remembers traditionally British steamed pudding, spotted dick. But the innuendos then became worldwide, with some users sharing what they found funny when visiting various places around Europe, Asia and small towns in America. Bacha Rackhams posted a picture of German ice cream called 'Bum Bum', which has bubblegum in the stick: 'This was my favourite discovery when I went to Hamburg. Another German winner was from @femhist8, who said: 'Let me introduce you to a snack we have here in Germany', which is a marshmallow-centred chocolate dome with a waffle base. Michael Brown posted a picture of Hard Off, a 'major Japanese second-hand electronic store', and @tammaye shared a photo of 'Pump N' Munch', a gas station franchise in the US. And the Americans took the innuendo jokes back into their own hands to finish with 'Cum Park Plaza', as posted by @tyrant_t336, who said the shopping complex is one in his hometown. A woman has warned against Botox injections after the toxin migrated to the side of her face, leaving her with both a crooked smile and a lisp. Nikita Kimberly, 21, from the Netherlands, shared her 'Botox horror story' on TikTok last fall, a few days after the cosmetic procedure. Her smile was visibly crooked, which she claimed was a result of the Botox. 'I got Botox in my chin because I had a muscle that was that was working a bit too hard, so whenever I smiled I had a dent in my chin,' explained Nikita, who uses the handle @corpsegirly. Nikita Kimberly, 21, from the Netherlands, shared her 'Botox horror story' on TikTok, saying she was left with a crooked smile and a lisp. She is pictured before (L) and after (R) the injections Nikita explained that she got Botox to fix a dimple in her chin, but it migrated to the side of her face and altered her facial symmetry 'The Botox went and got into this side of my face, and as you can hear, I sometimes have a lisp now because I am biting my lip as I talk.' Botox is the brand name of a toxin made by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It blocks certain signals from the nerves to the muscles and is commonly used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Nikita, who also got lip fillers, said her botched Botox injections have completely altered her facial symmetry. 'As long as I don't talk or smile with my mouth open, I look fine,' she explained. 'But once I smile or talk, my whole face gets crooked and I normally didn't have this.' Nikita added she also had a lisp because she was biting her lip when she talked. At the end of the video, she warned against getting Botox Three weeks later, Nikita posted an update about her crooked smile, saying she was starting to see some improvement She added that her 'smile used to be kind of symmetrical' before she issued her warning about Botox. 'Don't get Botox, please lip fillers, fine, but don't get Botox, please,' she concluded. 'Never.' Botox's paralyzing effects last anywhere from three to six months, and one commenter assured her the side-effect would go away. 'It will dissolve dont worry!!' the person wrote, while another added: 'Its the injector's fault. Make sure you do your research. Been getting it for years and never had a problem. 'Not me freaking out because I got this today,' someone else shared. Three weeks later, Nikita posted an update about both her lip fillers and her crooked smile, saying she was starting to see some improvement. Nikita posted her most recent update in late December, three months after she got Botox, saying she doesn't 'get bothered by it anymore' Botox only lasts three to six months, and her smile looked like it was back to normal in her recent social media photos. She is pictured in January 'My lips are looking pretty OK, like they've gone down quite a bit, but I think they're cute,' she said. 'My lip is still a bit crooked, just a bit quite a bit but a lot less than it used to be.' She noted the 'most important' thing was that Botox is not permanent, and the effects will eventually go away. Nikita posted her most recent update in late December, three months after she got Botox, saying she doesn't 'get bothered by it anymore.' 'As you can see, it's not as bad as it used to be. It's still a bit crooked, mostly when I relax my mouth when it's open or when I talk quite outrageously, like with a lot of emotion,' she explained. 'Otherwise, it's not that noticeable.' At the time, Nikita hoped it would be completely dissolved in a month or two. In recent Instagram photos, her smile appears to be back to normal. Two top Young Living representatives who are estimated to have made millions of dollars selling essential oils for the multi-level marketing brand have abruptly quit the company - and are now accusing it of spreading 'demonic' propaganda and promoting 'spiritual darkness.' Melissa Truitt, from Oklahoma, and Madison Vining, from Texas, both resigned from the wellness brand last year - despite standing to make an annual $1.4 million and $2.8 million based on their top-seller status, respectively. At the time, neither of them specified why they were suddenly cutting ties with the MLM, but now they've revealed that they left because of alleged 'demonic' influence, comparing Young Living to Satan. Melissa - a devout Christian and former Diamond member of Young Living - opened up about the shocking reason she stopped selling their products in a series of videos on Instagram last week, specifically decrying a promotional book she says she got from Young Living in the mail. 'This book is honestly one of the darkest, most demonic books I've ever had in my house,' Melissa said, warning other Christians that the book could 'completely ruin you' if you 'let it into your house.' Two top Young Living representatives who are estimated to have made millions of dollars selling essential oils for the multi-level marketing brand have abruptly quit the company - and are now accusing it of spreading 'demonic' propaganda and promoting 'spiritual darkness' Melissa Truitt, from Oklahoma, said this book was sent to all of the Diamond-level sellers at the company Melissa explained that she and her husband decided to step down near the end of 2021 after seven years with the company, after they 'saw some things that didn't agree with their spirit.' 'We worked with Young Living essential oils for about seven years. We were - we still are huge fans of essential oils,' she explained. 'We know exactly how they work and what they do and what they did to our health. 'We got to basically the second to the top rank with Young Living and after getting to the that top rank of Diamond you get to see a little bit behind the curtain and a little bit more of corporate and the way things are run. 'After a little while, we started to see that this company that we had really worked with and really believed in was not what we had signed up for,' she said. 'It was something different but we couldn't really pinpoint it. We heard some things and saw some things that didn't agree with our spirit but we knew something had changed. 'We prayed really hard about it and we walked away. We resigned our account with Young Living five months ago. We resigned our checks, everything. It was a big decision for our family because it was a huge part of our income but we knew the lord was calling us out of that.' However, despite no longer working with the brand, Melissa claimed that she received a self-help book from Young Living in the mail from them weeks ago that left her reeling. She described the book, called My Word Made Flesh, as the 'darkest, most demonic' book she has ever seen. Melissa - a devout Christian who sold for the brand for seven years - said she decided to step down after she 'saw things that didn't agree with her spirit' SHe said this book, My Word Made Flesh, recently came in the mail and was the 'darkest, most demonic' book she has ever seen The book was co-written by one of Young Living's Royal Crown Diamond members, Marcella Vonn Harting, along with motivational speaker Robert Tennyson Stevens - and it also included a forward from the Young Living's CEO and co-founder, Mary Young. According to Melissa, it was sent to all of the Diamond-level sellers at the company. Young Living representatives sell their products and earn a commission, and the more they sell, the higher they rank in the company. There are 10 different ranks, with the highest three being Diamond, Crown Diamond, and Royal Crown Diamond. According to their website, Royal Crown Diamond members make between $89,885 to $2,843,275 a year, while Diamond members earn between $101,939 to $1,447,262 a year. Melissa said that My World Made Flesh told its readers to perform a 'seance' with oils, while chanting that they're the 'resurrection and life of their lineage.' She complained that it was 'one of the darkest, most demonic books I've ever had in my house.' The book was co-written by one of Young Living's top sellers, Marcella Vonn Harting, and it also included a forward from the Young Living's CEO and co-founder, Mary Young 'I can't wait to get rid of it but I knew that I had to share this. The things that they're saying for the people to do is basically a seance with oils. 'One of the quotes you're supposed to say while you put these oils on you, and I quote, "I am the resurrection and the life of my lineage." 'There is nothing more false than taking Jesus out of it and putting yourself in there. Putting yourself as Jesus, that's just so dark and demonic.' Melissa warned other Christians that the book could 'completely ruin you' if you 'let it into your house.' She also urged leaders at the company to stop the book from spreading any further. She continued: 'I don't know what the founder of Target's beliefs are, or Anthropology or any of my favorite stores. But I know if they sent me a book like this, it would be the very last second that I ever spent a dime with them. 'Young Living - none of their products will ever be in our house ever again. Leaders, you know you got this book, and now, this is in your hands. 'If you hide this from your team, you are condoning this behavior. This is going to be at your conventions. This is going to be at everything you do with Young Living. And if you do condone it, you are handing out spiritual warfare to everyone in your team. Melissa warned other Christians that the book could 'completely ruin you' if you 'let it into your house.' Pictured: co-authors Robert Tennyson Stevens (left) and Marcella Vonn Hating (right) 'This is so much bigger than money, this is so much bigger than the day-to-day life. This is eternal significance that you have in your hands and you have got to rise up and stand up and run from this,' she continued 'There is no amount of money that should keep you in bondage to this company.' Melissa then shared some pictures of various pages in the book that she felt were offensive. One part read, 'The pure intelligence of essential oils may be the only tool that can reach into the deep recesses of our brain, cross over the chemical barriers, and open the hidden channels of our mind, allowing access to greater knowledge and discernment in reaching our highest potential to become more Christ-like, to communicate without speaking, to focus our thinking and to be able to manifest our thoughts into reality.' Another said, 'The most Sainted of us have hidden prides, pleasures, fears, and thought forms to redeem or trade in on good (God) energy. 'We require the blocks taken out (transformed) and our good energy redeemed, unlocked and freely expressed. We have created these blocks, we can transform them.' In a statement to Buzzfeed, Young Living said 'it did not publish and does not endorse this book in any way.' The company said that CEO Mary Young's forward was written before 'much of the book' was finished and co-author Marcella sent out the book to 'her own list without the company's knowledge or consent' It said that co-author Marcella sent out the book to 'her own list without the company's knowledge or consent.' 'We support a culture of inclusion that we extend to our employees, customers, and brand partners world-wide,' the statement read. 'We appreciate and celebrate our members and their diversity of background and belief, and are dedicated to ensuring our brand partners follow our policies and procedures and code of ethics.' The company explained that the CEO's forward was written before 'much of the book' was finished. 'Mary Youngs choice to write a foreword stemmed from her own belief about the use of language to promote positive outcomes and her desire to support a friend,' it said. 'She wrote her foreword prior to much of the book even being written based on the authors intent to teach people how to use positive language to help bring about change in their lives.' Melissa responded to their statement in another post, writing, 'The book was sent out to all Diamonds and it literally says, "Dear Diamonds." They only had my address because they have a list of Diamonds from corporate. The brand allows influencers to sell their products and earn a commission, and the more they sell, the higher they rank in the company 'This is from corporate - published through a third party as usual, so they can claim to cure cancer (which this book also does).' However, according to Buzzfeed, the company denied providing the authors with anyone's contact information. Madison, meanwhile, worked with Young Living for more than eight years and had reached the Royal Crown Diamond status before she quit in August 2021. Madison also spoke out about the book in the wake of Melissa's posts, calling it the 'deal breaker' and 'tip of the iceberg' for her on her Instagram story, and adding that she felt it was filled with 'spiritual darkness.' 'Believers be discerning,' she wrote in a now-deleted post. 'The enemy [Satan] prowls like a lion, and he can look (and smell) really good. 'This isnt about a book. Though that book alone would have been a deal breaker for me. This is the tip of the iceberg on this issue. I feel a lot of clarity breaking my silence for things that matter in eternity.' DailyMail.com has reached out to Melissa, Madison, and Young Living Essential Oils for comment. Young Living was founded in 1993 by D. Gary Young. On its website, it claims that its 'complex, pleasant, and unique' scents can trigger 'emotions and memories, which can help in your search for a more fulfilling and balanced life.' It claims that the oils can enhance physical wellness and spiritual awareness, as well as purify your home and strengthen your skin and hair. 'To help you rediscover peace, balance, and joy, use these essential oils and blends for diffusion, soothing baths, massage, inhalation, or topical application,' its website reads. 'Primarily extracted through careful steam distillation but also through cold pressing, the purest essential oils are far more powerful than the botanicals from which they were extracted. 'Any time you hold a bottle of our powerful essential oils, you are holding nature's pure essence.' Television personality and host Shelly Horton has received frightening news from her doctor after undergoing a routine procedure. The 48-year-old, who lives on the Gold Coast in Queensland, shared a health warning on Instagram after her colonoscopy results detected abnormalities, leaving her feeling 'disappointed' she didn't visit her doctor sooner. 'Get your health checks done! I'm feeling a bit disappointed,' she wrote. 'My colonoscopy showed seven polyps, which is not great but slightly better than last year's ten polyps.' Colonoscopies are a procedure used in order to prevent colon cancer, which in the early stages often begins as polyps. Thankfully most colon polyps are harmless if detected early. Shelly Horton (pictured) has had a health scare after a colonoscopy detected seven polyps, leaving her feeling 'disappointed' she didn't visit her doctor sooner The 48-year-old, who lives on the Gold Coast, Australia, shared a health warning on Instagram. Shelly admitted she was overdue for a check-up and didn't visit her doctor for five months Shelly admitted she was five months overdue for a check-up. 'The gastroenterologist says I need to have annual colonoscopies until things clear up. Good to know. I won't let it slide and be five months late next time,' Shelly explained. To prepare for the procedure she needed to avoid eating a solid meal prior, but unfortunately was the last patient of the day and didn't eat solids for 35 hours. 'Worst thing about being last is all the chicken sandwiches were gone. I had ham, cheese and tomato. Trust me it was not the same!' she said. 'But the cup of tea was excellent!' 'The gastroenterologist says I need to have annual colonoscopies until things clear up. Good to know. I won't let it slide and be five months late next time,' Shelly explained. ARE POLYPS CANCEROUS? A colon polyp is a small clump of cells that forms on the lining of the colon Most colon polyps are harmless. But over time, some colon polyps can develop into colon cancer, which may be fatal when found in its later stages Anyone can develop colon polyps but those aged 50 or older are at a higher risk Colon polyps often don't cause symptoms It's important to have regular screening tests, such as a colonoscopy, because colon polyps found in the early stages can usually be removed safely and completely Source: Mayoclinic Advertisement The social media post was quickly flooded with comments from supportive fans and friends. 'Take care Shelly. You too important to us all,' one woman wrote. Another added: 'Hope you are okay lovely.' Earlier this year Shelly caught Covid after being struck down with a 'nightmare' case of the virus and a number of nasty symptoms, despite being triple vaccinated. She battled the virus for an agonising ten days after catching it at a friend's 50th birthday party on the 8th of January. 'My sister-in-law had it before us and my husband joked that we should go to her house to get it over and done with,' she told FEMAIL. Earlier this year Shelly caught Covid after being struck down with a 'nightmare' case of the virus and a number of nasty symptoms, despite being triple vaccinated 'I have a really busy February so thought if I was going to get it, January would be a better option.' But Shelly, who experienced 'chalky' bones, deep body aches and a severe cluster migraine in her 'skull and eye sockets', regrets 'tempting fate' with earlier comments and said she feels 'gas lit' by those who say it is a 'mild' virus. 'It is anything but,' she said. Eight people at the birthday party caught the virus, which Shelly assumes was the Omicron strain based on her lack of severe respiratory symptoms. A TikTok depicting Melbourne's first do-it-yourself (DIY) Korean army stew has gone viral. The Meating BBQ Buffet is located in the heart of Melbourne's CBD and offers a 1.5 hour all-you-can-eat buffet for $48pp. The video was shared by 'Eat with Hendri,' a foodie who is 'eating their way through Melbourne and Sydney.' 'They have AYCE KBBQs and instant noodles all for one price,' he wrote under the video. 'They have AYCE KBBQs and instant noodles all for one price,' said the Melbourne foodie The restaurant is a unique experience that customers cannot seem to make their minds up about. Many claim the authentic setting and rich Asian flavours are worth the cost, with others upset over time caps on seating and the expense. 'This is such a cute concept,' wrote one woman. 'I would love to take my family there.' 'Reminds me of home,' wrote another. 'I went there last week and it's always crowded!' warned one veteran. 'Make a booking and prepare to be wowed.' 'Great value and heaps of flavour. Fantastic service.' A TikTok depicting Melbourne 's first do-it-yourself (DIY) Korean army stew has gone viral But some commenters weren't as impressed with the dish. 'Did you really just put baked beans in your soup?' asked one woman. 'Yuck.' 'Why would I pay money to cook my own instant noodles? It's ridiculous,' said another. 'It's too expensive for just noodles ... what a rip off,' added a third. 'I don't like the expensive price AND the time cap,' wrote another. 'That doesn't look appetising at all.' Customers have slammed the restaurant for expensive prices and time caps The Meating BBQ is located in the heart of Melbourne's CBD and offers a 1.5 hour all-you-can-eat buffet for $48pp But that's just one BBQ restaurant the popular foodie has shared experiences of. Hendri also visited another barbecue restaurant that's taken the nation by storm with tasty skewers and automatic grills. The Melbourne foodie described 'Grill King' as a next level barbecue restaurant and says you can grill as many skewers as you want. The Melbourne CBD-based restaurant has diners coming from near and far just to try out the $2.50 freshly grilled menu items. A popular foodie has shared his experience at a barbecue restaurant that's taken the nation by storm with tasty skewers and automatic grills The restaurant features authentic Asian flavours throughout its skewers, soups, noodle dishes and more. Grill King also features tall drink towers for tables to fill up as they dine and the conveyor belt-styled grill allows numerous skewers to be cooked at once. Skewers start from as little as $2.50 each and come in a variety of flavours including meat, seafood, tofu and mushroom. Grill King is suitable for all, especially families as the automatic grill system allows for interaction and provides a theatrical element to a night out. Popular foodie, Hendri, says his top menu suggestions from his visit are the yabby tail chilli oil noodle, the Enoki rice noodle and the plum juice. Hendri shared his Grill King experience on TikTok and his video has since been viewed more than 280,000 times and received hundreds of comments. 'Yum! This place looks so good, will definitely be giving it a try when in Melbourne,' a foodie commented 'Yum! This place looks so good, will definitely be giving it a try when in Melbourne,' a foodie commented. 'Omg I am drooling over those grilled skewers they look so tasty,' a woman wrote. 'Wow my mouth is watering from this food... YUM,' another wrote. A panicked renter has shared how she successfully removed an ink stain from her kitchen bench top using two common household ingredients. The renter, Leah, from Perth had her upcoming inspection this week and took to Facebook to ask for help after her blue pen leaked on her laminate bench top. Hundreds commented cleaning tips and tricks to help Leah, although all the renter needed to remove the stain was bicarb soda and lemon juice. A panicked renter has shared how she successfully removed ink from her kitchen bench top using two common house hold ingredients, lemon juice and bicarb soda (before) To do so Leah simply combined bicarbonate soda and lemon juice to form a paste and applied this to the stain for one hour. She said this method got at least 80 per cent of the ink mark off but decided to try and remove it even more with orange oil. '[The bench] is about 98 per cent clear I think. The rent inspector will be none the wiser,' Leah wrote. Others who had experienced the stress of removing stubborn stains suggested she also use Gumption, Jiff, alcohol wipes, hand sanitiser and Eucalyptus oil (after) Others who had experienced the stress of removing stubborn stains suggested she also use Gumption, Jiff, alcohol wipes, hand sanitiser and Eucalyptus oil. Although one women warned Leah to be careful with gumption as she tried to remove pen from her bench and it took off the gloss finish. A mum also shared that when her toddlers scribble on the walls with biro pens she uses hairspray and the scribbles magically disappear. Many however confessed that the classic combination of bicarb soda and lemon juice is always a successful life-saver for spills or stains Many however confessed that the classic combination of bicarb soda and lemon juice is always a successful life-saver for spills or stains. 'Trusty lemon and bicarb. You have got to love it, it's sure saved me many times,' a user wrote. 'I use bicarb soda and lemon to clean with more than cook with,' another jokingly wrote. Queen Letizia of Spain showcased her trendsetting sense of style as she attended a meeting in Madrid today. The mother-of-two, 49, chaired a meeting with the Governing Council of the Army Orphans Board, a private charity association which offers protection and support to the orphans of Army soldiers and the Common Defense Corps attached to it. She cut a stylish figure in a recycled collarless coat from Carolina Herrera's A/W15 collection and straight-cut navy leather trousers, as the organisation marks their 150th anniversary. Queen Letizia of Spain, 49, (pictured) attended the Governing Council of the Army Orphans Board meeting in Madrid Letizia (pictured) donned a recycled coat from Carolina Herrera with navy leather trousers and a matching clutch bag Letizia practiced covid safety protocols with a face mask, while also accessorizing with an envelope clutch bag coordinated with her court heels. The elegant royal opted for subtle make-up and styled her glossy brunette hair with loose-waves for a relaxed look. She appeared in good spirits as she was greeted by Spanish Defense Minsiter Margarita Robles at the meeting in Madrid. Letizia also spoke with Army Chief of Staff General Amador Fernando Ensenat y Berea, the head of the Army Personnel Command Lieutenant General Guillermo Fernandez Saez and the director of the Army Orphans Board Brigadier General Jesus Llorente Vicente among other authorities. She was given an opportunity to visit the Historical Room, where she was given a historical overview of the organisation and a forecast for the future in addition to learning about the activities that were carried out in 2021. Letizia (pictured right) appeared in good spirts as she was greeted by Spanish Defense Minsiter Margarita Robles (pictured left) Letizia (pictured) learned about the work of the Army Orphans Board and their forecast for the future, before signing the Book of Honor Letizia (pictured) opted for minimal make-up and wore her glossy brunette hair in loose waves for a relaxed look Letizia went on to sign the Book of Honor, meet with a representative of protected orphans and some relatives. The director of the Board of Orphans then presented the royal with a painting as a reminder of her participating in the work meeting, before they posed for a group photo on the main staircase. The Governing Council of the Army Orphans Board provides support to help orphans achieve a livelihood suitable to their personal circumstances. The Board of Trustees is governed by a Governing Council and governed by a Governing Board. Letizia (pictured) was presented with a painting as a reminder of her visit and also took the time to pose for a group photo The PAHUET, consists of nineteen Representations scattered throughout the national territory, which are available in A Coruna, Badajoz, Barcelona, Burgos, Ceuta, Granada, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Leon, Madrid, Melilla, Murcia, Palma de Mallorca, Seville, Tenerife, Toledo, Valencia, Valladolid, Vitoria and Zaragoza. The origin that is formally considered as the foundation of the current PAHUET is set on October 1, 1871, the date of the first College of Orphans of the Infantry within the Army. Today, Queen Letizia followed in the footsteps of Queen Sofia who sponsored the Board of Trustees in 1994. Advertisement Prince Andrew's ex-girlfriend Lady Victoria Hervey her bizarre rant against Virginia Giuffre, wrongly accusing her of lying about when she attended Naomi Campbell's birthday party, and even contradicting herself by claiming photos of the event could be 'fake'. The 44-year-old socialite and former 'It Girl', who is the daughter of the 6th Marquess of Bristol, has made a series of outlandish allegations in the last few weeks, including stating the notorious image of the Duke of York and Virginia, which was reportedly taken in March 2001 at Ghislaine Maxwell's London apartment, was faked. Lady Victoria has claimed in recent weeks it was pieced together using a photo taken at Naomi Campbell's birthday party on board a yacht in St Tropez in May 2001, in which Virginia can be seen wearing the same white tank top with colourful patterned jeans. However taking to Instagram last night, Victoria appeared to contradict herself by questioniong the validity of those photos, saying: 'At this point I wouldn't be surprised if these photos are also fake because they only surfaced in 2019.' Prince Andrew's ex-girlfriend Lady Victoria Hervey has now claimed photographs from Naomi Campbell's birthday party were 'faked' after previously saying they were used to create the notorious image of Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre (pictured) The notorious snap with the Duke of York, which was reportedly taken in March 2001 at Ghislaine Maxwell 's London apartment, has been reproduced countless times around the world after Ms Giuffre - known before her marriage as Virginia Roberts - shared it with The Mail on Sunday in February 2011 In a series of Instagram stories posted to her page yesterday, the socialite said 'nothing added up' in the story of Prince Andrew and Virginia Her latest comments were sparked after she claimed to have caught Virginia in another lie by claiming she had said she went to the opening of Nikki Beach in St Tropez where she met Naomi Campbell in 2001, when the club didn't open until 2002. Posting a screengrab of a Google search for the year the club opened online, Victoria wrote: 'Not as Virginia stated she was there in 2001! As I was there and went to Naomi's birthday in 2002.' She posted a second selfie video, saying into the camera: 'How is one at the opening of Nikki Beach in May 2001 when it didn't open until May 2002?' However it appears Lady Victoria is mistaken with her dates. Virginia wrote about another encounter with Miss Campbell in a manuscript of her memoir, which was included in court documents, stating she met the model in 2002. They all attended the grand opening of the Nikki Beach Club in St Tropez where Miss Campbell was hosting her birthday in 2002. Describing that evening's party, Miss Roberts said Miss Campbell was wearing a Dolce & Gabbana bikini top and a miniskirt. Miss Roberts writes: 'Ghislaine and Jeffrey kissed her cheeks and wished her a happy birthday and then I was introduced.' Later that night they went to the main birthday party where Miss Roberts was 'introduced to model after model and the rich men that followed around'. Her latest comments were sparked after she claimed to have caught Virginia in another lie by claiming she had said she went to the opening of Nikki Beach in St Tropez where she met Naomi Campbell in 2001, when the club didn't open until 2002 (left and right, her Instagram stories) Miss Roberts writes: 'It was a fun bash, the entire crowd sang 'Happy Birthday' to Naomi and by the time we got back in the car to retreat for the night I was giddy from drinking and dancing all evening.' After that party Miss Roberts claimed that Epstein told her to have sex with a wealthy American businessman. She claimed that she performed a sex act on that businessman 'just to shut him up' and that it lasted for 'two horrible minutes'. In a separate story posted to Lady Victoria's page, she wrote: 'Nothing adds up at all. It's the LIE that keeps on giving.' Earlier this month, Lady Victoria repeated claims that the infamous photo of Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre was fake and identified the set of images from Naomi's party which she says were used to create the doctored photo. Lady Victoria does not have a copy of the exact Virginia photo from St Tropez which she claims was used to fake the Prince Andrew image, and it has never been seen publicly. However, she did share a bizarre painted reproduction of the alleged image to Instagram earlier this month. She added to her baffling claims by saying that an 'Irish guy' who was dating one of Epstein's victims in 2001 and also attended the boat party was used as a 'body double' for Prince Andrew in the 'fake' image. It is unclear what she means by her latest claims, or whether she still maintains the images taken that night were later used to doctor the photo of Prince Andrew with Virginia. Lady Victoria has been vocal about her thoughts on the case in recent weeks, and yesterday blasted Virginia as a 'scam artist' hours after it emerged Andrew and his accuser had reached out-of-court settlement in New York. Lady Victoria had claimed in recent weeks photos taken at Naomi Campbell's birthday party on board a yacht in St Tropez in May 2001, in which Virginia can be seen wearing the same white tank top with colourful patterned jeans, were used to create the notorious photo In recent weeks, the 44-year-old socialite has sensationally claimed that the notorious photo of Prince Andrew and Virginia was faked Taking to Instagram yesterday, the 44-year-old socialite and former 'It Girl', who is the daughter of the 6th Marquess of Bristol, posted: 'She suddenly wanted to settle very fast when all the truth was coming out. Her lawyers must have panicked!' Elsewhere on her Instagram page, Victoria wrote: 'The only thing she deserves is a prison cell full of rats.' 'Time to investigate her and that missing Thai kid called JoJo.' It's unclear who Lady Victoria was referring to. Meanwhile she cruelly posted a photograph of Virginia alongside the words 'scam artist', writing: 'If I aged like that I would probably want to sue GOD.' Over the past few weeks, Lady Victoria has made a series of sensational claims about Virginia. Her comments came after Virginia claimed to have lost the original print of the famous photo of her and Prince Andrew, which could have furthered the disgraced royal's argument that the image was doctored (pictured, Virginia in Perth, Australia, last week on February 8) It was reported this week the Queen is to foot part of the bill for Prince Andrew's sexual abuse lawsuit, which could end up costing some 12 million (pictured, Andrew in Windsor last year) THE TIMELINE OF THE INFAMOUS VIRGINIA GIUFFRE AND PRINCE ANDREW PHOTOGRAPH March 2001 - Infamous photograph of Virginia, Ghislaine and Prince Andrew is reportedly taken at Ghislaine's home in London May 2001 - Naomi Campbell hosted a boat party in the French Riviera with Jeffrey Epstein, Virginia, Ghislaine Maxwell all attending February 2011 - Virginia is approached by the Mail On Sunday while she was living a quiet life with her family on Australias Central Coast. She had been traced by journalist Sharon Churcher, who was investigating reports that the FBI was planning to reopen an investigation into the sexual exploitation of teenagers by Epstein. At first she was reluctant to talk, not least because she harboured fears that Epstein might try to kill her. Speaking to the Mail on Sunday at the time, she produced the picture of Andrew from a white envelope containing a collection of photos chronicling her teenage years and travels with Epstein to New Mexico and Paris. She explained that the picture with Andrew was taken at Ms Maxwells home after a visit to Tramp nightclub a claim the Duke disputes. She claimed the photograph was taken in March 2001, two months before the boat party in St Tropez. She told Churcher at the meeting that she had sex with Andrew three times while a teenager, but for legal reasons the MoS could not publish her claims, which the Duke denies. The photographs are published by the Mail On Sunday November 2019 - Andrew hinted that the hand around her waist may not be his. Prince Andrew told BBC Newsnight: 'You can't prove whether or not that photograph is faked because it's a photograph of a photograph of a photograph.' 'It's very difficult to be able to prove it but I don't remember that photograph being taken 'That's me but whether that's my handI have simply no recollection of the photograph ever being taken.' December 2019 - Virginia told BBC Panorama that the photo is genuine and she gave the original to the FBI in 2011 February 2022 - Lady Victoria Hervey says victims of Epstein have told her the image was photoshopped by Virginia and Maria Farmer Advertisement In an exclusive interview earlier this month, Lady Victoria told FEMAIL she has spoken to several victims of Jeffrey Epstein, who said they believe the image was edited by Virginia and Maria Farmer, another victim who worked as an 'artist-in-residence' for Epstein. She said other victims had 'seen' Virginia and Maria photoshopping the image, before being 'bullied and silenced' by Virginia. Lady Victoria said the pair had been in 'cahoots' for 20 years because they 'wanted to bring down the monarchy using Prince Andrew', adding that this was Epstein's intention too. 'I know this sounds pretty wild Epstein told one survivor that he basically wanted to bring down the monarchy,' she said. Meanwhile the socialite said she had passed on all of her findings to a member of Prince Andrew's legal team, adding: 'She's got everything, shes got it all. Shes got recordings and screenshots and everything.' Virginia claims she was trafficked by Epstein and Maxwell and forced to have sex with the royal on three occasions when she was 17, claims Prince Andrew has strenuously denied. Virginia has previously described in legal documents how she attended the party in St Tropez to celebrate Miss Campbell's 31st birthday in 2001. Images from the party show Virginia in an off-white, strappy top which exposed her midriff and distinctive, multi-coloured trousers. Meanwhile photographs also show Ghislaine from the night of the party wearing a blue knitted jumper with a knitted white and sequin skirt. Lady Victoria Hervey had said that an image taken at Naomi Campbell's birthday in 2001 in St Tropez was used to 'fake' the Prince Andrew photo, pointing out that Virginia is wearing the same outfit in both (pictured) Lady Victoria had claimed the women had edited Ghislaine's outfit to change the colour of her knitted top and to remove the sleeves (pictured, her outfit the night of the party) Lady Victoria claimed a photograph of this unnamed man, who she said is Irish and was dating one of Epstein's victims at the time, was used as a body double for Prince Andrew Lady Victoria originally claimed the image of Virginia was taken at the birthday boat party. The image has never been seen publicly but another of Epstein's victims has allegedly painted an image of what the original photograph would have looked like (pictured) Lady Victoria said a photograph taken at the party shows Virginia leaning against the boat and holding her coat in one hand, and this is the image that was used to fake the photo with Prince Andrew. HOW LADY VICTORIA HERVEY CLAIMED VIRGINIA AND MARIA PHOTOSHOPPED THE INFAMOUS IMAGE Lady Victoria claimed the photograph of Prince Andrew and Virginia was actually four images edited together by Virginia and Maria Farmer. She said 'four or five' victims watched as the two women edited the photograph Here FEMAIL breaks down her accusations... BACKGROUND Lady Victoria claimed the image was taken of an empty hallway at the Belgravia home of Andrews friend Ghislaine Maxwell. VIRGINIA GIUFFRE Lady Victoria claimed the image of Virginia was taken at Naomi Campbell's 2001 birthday boat party. She said the original photograph showed Virginia leaning against the side of the boat while holding her coat in her right hand. She also pointed to evidence of this as Virginia's left hand as 'looking weird' in the photograph. BOAT PARTY - Images show Virginia wearing an off-white, strappy top which exposed her midriff and distinctive, multi-coloured trousers. THE PHOTO - The photograph shows Virginia wearing the same outfit, with her arm around Prince Andrew. Lady Victoria said the image has been edited so that Prince Andrew is in front of Virginia's arm holding her coat. GHISLAINE MAXWELL BOAT PARTY - Images show Ghislaine wearing a baby blue knitted jumper with short sleeves and a high roll neck, a sequin skirt. THE PHOTO - The photograph show Ghislaine wearing a white knitted jumper vest with no sleeves with dark bottoms on. PRINCE ANDREW Lady Virginia claimed an 'Irish body double' was used in place of Prince Andrew in the photograph. She said the man was in a relationship with one of Epstein's victims at the time, and he was at the boat party as well. However she said she does not know if the image was taken at the boat party, or whether the unnamed Irish man was aware of the plot by Virginia. Having edited the man's body into the photograph with Virginia and Ghislaine, she then said Maria and Virginia had edited Prince Andrew's face onto his. She pointed to the man's hands as evidence it was not Prince Andrew. Advertisement She believes one of the clearest signs that it has been edited is Virginia's hand, and she said it looks slightly odd because she was actually leaning against the side of the boat in the original photo However, she does not have a copy of the alleged picture and it has never been seen publicly. However, Lady Victoria went on to claim that an Epstein victim who 'saw' the alleged photo and witnessed it being edited by Virginia and Maria has recreated it. She said: 'One of the girls is an artist and she drew a painting of the original photograph of Virginia on the boat holding her coat.' It was this image that Lady Victoria shared to social media earlier this month, causing a stir with her bizarre claims. Another victim of Epstein, Maria was the 'artist-in-residence' and receptionist at Epstein's New York office in 1995 after graduating from the New York Academy of Arts and handpicked by Epstein to work for him, who was also a college donor. She was then abused by Epstein and Maxwell on his mentor, billionaire Les Wexner's estate in Ohio, and also ogled at by President Donald Trump, whom she claims visited Epstein at least three times while she worked there. Lady Victoria said she was told be Epstein survivors that Ghislaine had taught Maria and Virginia how to photoshop images. She said the victims then saw the duo editing the infamous photograph of the Duke with Virginia using images from the birthday party. She said: 'The girls were there, I guess they all lived together you know. 'Everyone was aware four or five of the survivors know that they [Maria and Virginia] did it and saw it.' She said while the duo took a photograph of Ghislaine's empty home, editing in the image of Victoria holding her coat on the boat. Lady Victoria claimed they then edited Ghislaine into the image, altering her outfit by changing the colour of her top and removing the sleeves. Meanwhile she said Maria and Virginia used the body of an Irish man who had been dating one of the other victims at the time to act as a double for Prince Andrew. She said the unnamed Irish man was in a relationship with one of Epstein's victims at the time, and he was at the boat party as well. However she said she does not know if the image was taken at the boat party, or whether the unnamed Irish man was aware of the plot by Virginia. Having edited the man's body into the photograph with Virginia and Ghislaine, she then said Maria and Virginia had edited Prince Andrew's face onto his. She pointed to both Virginia and Andrew's hands as evidence the image had been doctored, adding: 'Her hand and his hand looked so freaking weird.' She continued: 'They learnt how to do all of this editing by Ghislaine I dont know if Ghislaine and Jeffrey were in on the fake photo.' Meanwhile Lady Victoria also said there had 'never been a physical photo of that shot, it's all digital' and accused Virginia of telling 'different stories' about whether there was a copy. When asked about why Virginia and Maria might have been motivated to edit the photograph, Lady Victoria referred to another message from a survivor. She said: 'Another girl sent [me] this: "I'm the one that saw Virginia had the photo of Andrew photoshopped by Maria. 'They were conspiring to bring the monarchy down using Andrew." Lady Victoria did not reveal which year the photograph had been edited in. Her latest comments come as experts predicted It is 'inevitable' that Prince Andrew will be stripped of his counsellor of state role - the legal status allowing him to return to royal duties if the Queen is ill and other senior royals are also unwell or abroad. Andrew is, for the time being, one of four counsellors of state who could step in temporarily to take the Queen's place on official duties if she is unable. The other three are Charles, William and Harry meaning two of the four current counsellors of state are no longer working Royals. This group will become even smaller when the Prince of Wales becomes king. Dr Craig Prescott, an academic and expert in UK constitutional law, said it seemed 'inevitable' that Andrew will be removed after settling with Virginia Roberts Giuffre. He told The Times: 'They could draft in Princess Anne or Prince Edward and specifically make them counsellors of state. There is a precedent for that, of a fashion, with the Queen Mother. In 1953 she was specifically made an extra counsellor. They may look to add the Duchess of Cambridge.' While royal expert and historian Hugo Vickers said: 'If Prince Andrew is not taking part in royal life, then he shouldn't be taking part as a counsellor of state either.' The counsellors of state roles are enshrined by the Regency Acts 1937-53. New legislation would be needed to cut Andrew from the list - or add more people. But one thing certain to go is his freedom of the city of York awarded in 1987, 12 months after his marriage to Sarah Ferguson, when they became the Duke and Duchess of York. Councillors in the city say they will revoke that title in a vote at the next full council meeting on March 24. Lib Dem Darryl Smalley, the city's cabinet member for culture, leisure and communities, said: 'I hope councillors across all parties will support the motion to remove Prince Andrew's honorary freedom of the city of York. Buckingham Palace and the government must then act to remove his Duke of York title. We will be reaching out to MPs to raise our concerns and discuss any possible ways of ending Prince Andrew's connection to York'. Yesterday, the 44-year-old went on to share what appeared to be an edited version of the photo in which Ghislaine could be seen standing alone (pictured) Lady Victoria posted the accusations on her Instagram stories earlier this month and suggested the image actually showed an Irish man as a body double for Prince Andrew Campaigners have demanded Prince Andrew still talk to the FBI over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. One lawyer representing Epstein victims accused the duke of hypocrisy for pledging to help sex abuse victims but refusing to cooperate with authorities investigating the sordid web spun by his late paedophile friend. Gloria Allred said that duke's promise to tackle the 'evils of sex trafficking' as part of his settlement with Virginia Roberts, who brought the lawsuit under her married name Virginia Giuffre, should start by consenting to be interviewed by federal agents. But a friend of the Duke insisted that there is no need now Ghislaine Maxwell has been found guilty. 'He could only be a witness to a current investigation. There has been no word from the FBI for almost two years', the insider told the Telegraph. Sarah Ferguson was pictured in Windsor yesterday as a friend revealed Andrew is feeling 'relatively chipper' and 'relieved' after his mother the Queen 'personally' covered 2million of his 12m sex case pay off. Fergie wore a glum expression as she sat in the back seat of her Range Rover while being driven through Windsor Great Park, where she still lives with the Duke of York at the Royal Lodge. It came as one of Andrew's friends revealed his thoughts are now turning to the future and even a possible public role - despite this being a vanishingly unlikely prospect given his reputation will now be forever tarnished by his decision to settle. The 61-year-old has previously shown himself impervious to public outrage over his behaviour, even reportedly considering his disastrous Newsnight interview as a success. 'He is feeling relatively chipper, under the circumstances,' a friend told the Telegraph, summing up his current state of mind. 'You can understand the level of personal relief involved.' Earlier, royal aides had refused to say whether Andrew's settlement with Virginia Giuffre would be partly funded by the monarch, but she is understood to have agreed to help him, providing she was not linked to any personal payment to Miss Roberts. Furthermore, despite growing pressure for him to be stripped of his titles, Andrew is expected to be allowed to remain as Queen's Counsellor of State and keep his dukedom and service rank of Vice-Admiral. It came amid claims Andrew was offered a 'bridging loan' by Prince Charles and the Queen so his US lawyers could do a quick deal with Ms Roberts, now known by her married name Giuffre. The Duke of York's mother and older brother reportedly met last week before Charles wrote to his younger sibling urging him to 'see sense' and 'shut it down'. It comes as politicians and campaigners have insisted on 'full transparency' over whether public money will be involved in the settlement. Miss Roberts who brought the lawsuit under her married name Giuffre has alleged she was forced to have sex with the duke three times when she was 17 under the orders of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The Duke of York agreed to an out-of-court settlement with Miss Roberts, now 38, on Tuesday, weeks after he had vowed to contest her rape claims at a public trial. In the settlement, there was no admission of liability by Andrew, who has always denied the specific allegations. Sarah, the Duchess of York, was spotted being driven through Windsor Great Park. They are divorced but still live together at the Royal Lodge Fergie - who was sitting in the back seat - wore a sombre expression, while Andrew himself was described as feeling 'relatively chipper' Princess Beatrice was spotted walking in London last week, sporting a chic black ensemble, with a black tweed coat and over-the-knee boots Demands for Buckingham Palace to reveal how Andrew will pay for his 12million sexual abuse lawsuit intensified last night after royal aides refused to say whether it will be partly funded by the Queen Despite growing pressure for him to be stripped of his titles, Andrew is expected to be allowed to remain as Queen's Counsellor of State and keep his dukedom and service rank of Vice-Admiral The Queen personally made a 2million to Virginia Roberts' charity as part of Prince Andrew's 12m settlement, according to reports Now questions over Queen's bailout for Andrew reach PARLIAMENT: MPs will demand to know if public money was used to fund Duke's 12m settlement with Virginia Giuffre By Martin Robinson, Chief Reporter for MailOnline A Labour MP has said he intends to seek assurances in Parliament that public money will not be used to pay for the Duke of York's settlement with Virginia Roberts Giuffre. Andy McDonald said he would raise the issue when MPs return to Westminster next week following their half-term break. 'This is a person of very high profile involved in a case where his position of authority and privilege has been allegedly abused and it is an enormous sum of money,' he told BBC Newsnight. 'We don't know the precise figure but there is a risk that this will be at the public's expense so we need to have that resolved. We need to know exactly where this money is coming from. 'I am going to take the opportunity to raise this issue in Parliament because the issue isn't going to go away until people have that information and receive assurances that public money is not going to be used to in any way contribute to the settlement.' MailOnline understands that Mr McDonald will likely raise it with a minister at Cabinet Office questions in the Commons. Advertisement Details of the deal were not made public but it is thought he has agreed to pay up to 12million, including a 'substantial donation' to Miss Roberts's charity in support of victims' rights. Last night questions remained about how Andrew would fund the settlement. Proceeds from the sale of his 18million Verbier ski chalet had been earmarked as the most likely source but the deal has yet to go through. Buckingham Palace refused to deny reports that the Queen would help fund the payout through her private Duchy of Lancaster Estate, which generated 23million last year. One source suggested the Queen had made a charitable donation to avoid being seen as paying off a sex assault victim. 'She could not be seen to be making a payment to a victim of sexual assault, who accused her son of being an abuser,' the source told the Mirror. 'But a deal was structured in such a way to arrange a sizeable financial contribution to the settlement by way of a charitable donation instead.' The Royal Family also receives part of its wealth from the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant, which is given as a single payment every year by the Government. But that money is given to the Queen to cover the cost of the family's official duties and would not be used for personal needs. Former minister Norman Baker last night called on the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee which has previously looked into the Royal Family's income to investigate the matter. 'If any public money is involved we have a right to know,' said the ex-Liberal Democrat MP. 'I don't think the public wants to see public money used to support the Duke of York.' Ian Murray, Labour's Scotland spokesman, called for 'transparency about where the money's coming from'. He told BBC News: 'Prince Andrew has always maintained his innocence but will now not face a court of law to be able to determine whether that was true or not.' He added the case had left a 'nasty stain' on Prince Andrew and the Royal Family and 'full transparency in terms of the settlement may go a very, very small way in trying to resolve some of the damage they've created'. Labour's spokesman for domestic violence and safeguarding Jess Phillips said 'it is perfectly reasonable for the public to be told if their money has played a part in this settlement'. She added: 'It would show a change of behaviour from the prince if he entered this phase with total openness and honesty.' Prince Andrew has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre, who said she was sexually trafficked to the British royal by the financier Jeffrey Epstein when she was 17. The deal described in a court filing Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, in New York avoids a trial that would have brought further embarrassment to the monarchy Harriet Wistrich, of the Centre for Women's Justice, said the settlement showed even the most powerful men were not immune from being held to account. She said: 'We congratulate Virginia Giuffre for her courage in bringing this claim and sticking with it despite the attacks on her character and credibility. 'It is, however, important that any funds that go towards the settlement come from Prince Andrew's personal wealth and are not indirectly paid for by the public.' Dr Charlotte Proudman, a Cambridge University academic and barrister who specialises in cases of violence against women, said: 'Not a penny of public money should be spent on this settlement, which is effectively buying a victim's silence and buying Andrew's way out of a civil trial.' Brad Edwards, Miss Roberts's former lawyer, said: 'This settlement is a testament to the resolve and credibility of Virginia Giuffre.' Buckingham Palace and a spokesman for Prince Andrew declined to comment. Meanwhile, Emily Maitlis claimed tonight that Andrew's statement within his out-of-court settlement appears to contradict the answers he gave in his now-infamous Newsnight interview. The BBC broadcaster sat down with the Duke of York in Buckingham Palace in 2019 to discuss Miss Giuffre's claims that she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times when she was 17 under the orders of the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The prince strongly denied the claims throughout the interview, and continues to even after the agreement which was sensationally struck on Tuesday. The discussion, in which Andrew made a series of claims - including insisting he couldn't have been with Miss Giuffre at the time because he was dining at Pizza Express in Woking, and that a medical condition left him unable to sweat - has since gained notoriety and is widely acknowledged to have embarrassed the royals. Now Ms Maitlis has revealed her own thoughts following Tuesday's settlement, in which the Duke is set to pay a figure believed to be around 12m. Emily Maitlis claimed tonight that Prince Andrew's statement within his out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre does not deal with the answers he gave in his now-infamous Newsnight interview The BBC broadcaster sat down with the Duke of York in Buckingham Palace in 2019 to discuss Miss Giuffre's claims that she was forced to have sex with Andrew, allegations he continues to deny Full statement from both parties in Andrew's case Here is the full text of the statement regarding the out of court settlement reached between the Duke of York and Virginia Giuffre. The statement was included in a letter submitted to US judge Lewis A Kaplan: 'Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew have reached an out of court settlement. The parties will file a stipulated dismissal upon Ms Giuffre's receipt of the settlement (the sum of which is not being disclosed). Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Ms Giuffre's charity in support of victims' rights. 'Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms. Giuffre's character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks. It is known that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls over many years. 'Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others. He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims.' Advertisement Writing for the BBC, she said: 'At the heart of the settlement is the biggest question of all: why is a Prince who told me he had 'no recollection of ever meeting this lady' now paying her what we understand to be upwards of 10m? 'I distinctly remember putting Virginia Giuffre's accusations to him directly: 'She says she met you in 2001, she dined with you, danced with you, you bought her drinks in Tramp nightclub and she went on to have sex with you in a house in Belgravia.' 'And I have the Prince's reply in front of me now. Three words only: 'It didn't happen.' 'There are only three possible explanations then for the settlement: either he was lying in that response - and remembered her well; or he genuinely had no recollection - and was adamant they hadn't met - only for his memory subsequently to be jogged; or that he maintains his innocence, but feels the weight of legal and public opinion against him now make settling the easier option, albeit without accepting any liability.' Ms Maitlis went on to clarify that it was not her place to declare which was true, but pointed to the careful wording of the settlement statement, which she said 'put distance between an acknowledgement of Giuffre's pain - and any responsibility he may or may not have had for it'. She also admitted she was 'journalistically disappointed' that the case, and the full story, will not be played out in court. 'There would have been huge satisfaction in the sense of an ending - any ending - that saw the prince make his legal defence so comprehensively,' she wrote. It comes as calls intensified for the financial arrangements of Andrew's settlement to be revealed as Buckingham Palace again refused to say whether it could be partially funded by the Queen. His mother is expected to foot some of the bill in a bid to draw a line under it before her much-anticipated Platinum Jubilee celebrations this summer. But there is anger at how the Queen, 95, has effectively been forced to bail out the 'disgraced' Duke, 61, whose modest pension from his time in the Royal Navy is now his only visible income - amid demands for the public to be told who is financing the deal. Andrew has been dogged by questions over the source of his wealth for years, and is believed to have relied on handouts from the Queen, personal investments and bequests from relatives such as the Queen Mother. Prince Andrew waves goodbye to a woman he let out the door at Jeffrey Epstein's New York home in 2010 The Duke of York pictured leaving the famous Chinawhite nightclub in London at around 2am in July 2000 Did emails about Ghislaine picture sink Andrew's case? By Daniel Bates in New York for the Daily Mail Before he settled out of court last night, Prince Andrew was set to be dealt a major blow in his US sex case thanks to Ghislaine Maxwell. A leaked email from the prince's friend and now convicted sex trafficker appeared to confirm the authenticity of an infamous picture of the duke standing with his arm around his accuser, Virginia Roberts. The photograph, said to be taken in Maxwell's London townhouse in 2001, had been questioned by Andrew and just this week his legal team had demanded Miss Roberts turn over the original. The duke's legal team had claimed it might be a fake, but an email obtained by the Daily Mail shows that even Maxwell, who appears in the background of the photo, believes it to be real. In the message, sent in 2015, Maxwell says: 'It looks real. I think it is.' On a dramatic day of developments yesterday, it was claimed that Miss Roberts had lost the original copy of the image. But that was disputed by her legal team, who said the hard copy was with the FBI and that Miss Roberts misplaced a CD containing a copy of the image. The photo was set to be a key piece of evidence in her claims for battery and infliction of emotional distress against Andrew, 61, which he had denied. The duke's lawyers had lined up an image expert to cast doubt on the veracity of the photo. If Miss Roberts had not produced the original, Andrew's team could have argued copies could not be admitted as evidence as they could not be properly tested. Not being able to rely on the photograph as proof they met would have put a sizeable dint in his accuser's case. But in an email exchange seen by the Mail, the picture was discussed by Maxwell and Epstein's former lawyer, Alan Dershowitz. On January 10, 2015, Mr Dershowitz wrote: 'Dear G. Do you know whether the photo of Andrew and virginia is real? You are in the background.' Eleven minutes later, Maxwell replied: 'It looks real. I think it is.' The timing of the exchange is significant because days earlier Miss Roberts claimed for the first time in court papers that she had been forced to have sex with both Andrew and Mr Dershowitz. The allegation was struck out by a judge who branded it 'impertinent'. But it caused panic for Andrew and in emails previously reported by the BBC, he contacted Maxwell at 5.50am on January 3, 2015. The duke wrote: 'Let me know when we can talk. Got some specific questions to ask you about Virginia Roberts.' Maxwell replied: 'Have some info. Call me when you have a moment.' Mr Dershowitz has vehemently denied having sex with Miss Roberts. Last year she dropped a battery allegation she filed against him after he claimed a civil settlement she signed with Epstein in 2009 gave him immunity. Miss Roberts is currently suing Mr Dershowitz for defamation, a case he is fighting. His lawyers did not respond to requests asking for comment. Advertisement Graham Smith, from anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, insisted taxpayers 'deserve to know where the money is coming from for a settlement, which we must assume is in the millions, if not tens of millions'. But the Queen's Communications Secretary, Donal McCabe, told MailOnline: 'We have never commented on the financial arrangements of The Duke's legal matters and will not be going forward.' But there is anger at how the Queen has effectively been forced to bail out the 'disgraced' Duke of York, 61, whose modest pension from his time in the Royal Navy is now his only visible income - amid calls for the public to be told who is financing the deal. Sources also pointed out while there will now be a 'period of silence' during the Jubilee celebrations when both parties will have to stick to the terms of yesterday's carefully-worded statement, Mrs Giuffre would then not be stopped from writing a lucrative book telling her story which could hit the shelves in time for Christmas. Prince Charles was said to have been supported by the Queen in making it clear to Andrew that he had no choice but to settle with Mrs Giuffre, with one source telling MailOnline that Charles had 'had enough of the situation' and 'would have said to Andrew that he needed to get this sorted out as soon as possible'. One insider told The Sun: 'Charles wrote to Andrew asking for him to 'see sense'. Charles and the Queen prepared a bridging loan so that Andrew's lawyers could confidently make the offer. This means it goes away before the deposition date on March 10 and crucially before the service of Thanksgiving for the Duke of Edinburgh, which Andrew will attend as a family member.' Another senior Royal Household member told the Standard that Charles and the Queen 'could not countenance another disastrous appearance by the Duke of York, in light of his BBC interview', adding: 'Decisive action was needed. There was little choice. He had to see sense.' While Andrew is thought to be holed up at his Royal Lodge home in Windsor today, on the other side of the world a box of beers and a bouquet of flowers were being delivered to Mrs Giuffre and her husband Robert's home in Perth, Australia. And her father Sky Roberts told the Sun: 'I knew he would settle out of court. That was a complete bluff. I think Virginia will be happy.' Meanwhile, despite the settlement, it is feared the scandal could still overshadow poignant Platinum Jubilee celebrations for the UK in the coming months. Also today, the Metropolitan Police said they have no plans to reopen their own probe into Andrew despite calls for officers to re-examine evidence after the deal. Royal author Angela Levin told Sky News today: 'I think that the Queen would have given him a big telling off and said 'I can't have this hanging over me for the rest of the year I don't want you to spoil my Platinum Jubilee. I'm the only royal who's lasted 70 years on the throne, and you've got to sort it out'.' She added: 'I admire the Queen hugely as everybody does, and I don't want it to spoil anything for her, but I still think this is hanging over the country and the Royal Family and is going to go right through to the end of the year and maybe into next year, and there's no real way of cutting it off. 'Obviously that (a ban on Mrs Giuffre saying anything) was something that they could have put in the agreement and they haven't, and so it implies that there's a lot she (Mrs Giuffre) wants to say that Andrew will not want to hear.' The settlement, which was agreed between lawyers in a sensational development yesterday, comes just weeks after Andrew vowed to contest the rape claims by Mrs Giuffre, formerly known as Virginia Roberts, at a public trial. Mrs Giuffre had alleged she was forced to have sex with the Duke three times when she was 17 under the orders of the late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Only last month, she was given the go-ahead to sue Andrew for unspecified damages in a New York civil court. But despite vowing to fight the claims and repeatedly protesting his innocence, the Prince yesterday agreed to pay a huge sum to settle the case before it ever reaches a jury. Nearly two-thirds of Britons believe Prince Andrew should lose his Duke of York title after settling US sex assault lawsuit, YouGov poll reveals as Palace says it has NO plans to strip him of it Nearly two-thirds of Britons believe Prince Andrew should lose his Duke of York title after settling US sex assault lawsuit, a YouGov poll reveals. The survey, of 2,658 adults in Great Britain today, found some 62 per cent felt he should lose the title, despite Buckingham Palace saying earlier it has no plans to strip him of it. The poll also revealed 82 per cent of the public thought Andrew should continue to lay low and not return to royal duties any time soon. A number of locals in the city of York told MailOnline their views today, with an overwhelming majority feeling he should lose the title. Bernard Oglesbee, 74, said: 'He should be stripped off his title definitely. He must be be guilty, or why pay all that money out?' Wife Val, also 74, stormed: 'He should be stripped of everything. I have never liked him. I always thought he was a waste of space.' James Green, 65, said: 'He absolutely should be stripped of all his titles including Duke of York. I don't think there is any doubt he is guilty. He has put his foot in it good and proper and he only has himself to blame.' Annie Wells, 85, who is disabled, said: 'It is a good job he is the Queen's son. He would be locked up if he was anyone else. The only good thing I can say about him is he did serve with honours in the Falklands. But if ever shows his face in York I will beat him with my stick.' Josh Savage, 36, said: 'Nothing has been totally proved yet, one way or another, and he is the Queen's son. But I think he might lose the title anyway.' York florist Richard Bothamley added: 'I think he will lose the title. It has obviously done him a lot of harm. The whole thing is fiasco. I am quite a patriotic person. So I am pleased for the queen the court case has been resolved. 'But I don't think he should keep the title. Who would want him? It is not just this woman it was the circle of people he was mixing with. He has done some wonderful work. But you can't tell me he did not know what was going on.' It comes as a palace source today told MailOnline the situation regarding his remaining titles 'remained unchanged'. They also include that of Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy and the role of Counsellor of State Today, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said any decisions on his military honorific 'rests obviously with the Palace'. Earlier today, Cllr Darryl Smalley, Liberal Democrat executive member of City of York Council, joined Labour MP Rachael Maskell in demanding Andrew abandon his local links. Fresh scrutiny has been placed on Prince Andrew's remaining military title - that of Vice Admiral in recognition of his service in the Navy Mr Wallace was asked today if the Duke of York should be allowed to represent the military. He told Sky News: 'Well I don't think he represents any of them at the moment, 'I think the Palace took a decision that those titles were to be removed from him, so I think he is effectively acting now as a private citizen in so far as both addressing the challenges and the allegations. 'There's been a, obviously, a payment and I think that is where he currently remains, that the decision on titles rests obviously with the Palace in the future, but I think it's been pretty clear that this settlement is a recognition that he wants to bring this to a close and also recognise as his statement says the suffering and the challenges that the victims have been through as a result of their allegations and their stand against the exploitation by [Jeffrey] Epstein.' Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central, has called on Andrew to withdraw his Duke of York title to 'show respect' for its people. Cllr Darryl Smalley, Liberal Democrat executive member for culture, leisure & communities at City of York Council, agreed. He told York Mix: 'Having been stripped of his military roles and royal patronages by the Queen, this should be the end of his direct link with our great city. 'York's unique connection to the Crown and the monarch is an important part of our city's legacy, history and a great source of pride.' Today, Ben Wallace said any decisions on titles 'rests obviously with the Palace in the future' Meanwhile, Ms Maskell welcomed the Duke of York's pledge to donate money to Mrs Giuffre's charity which supports victims' rights, but said his relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein had caused 'deep hurt and embarrassment' to York residents. The MP's calls comes after Prince Andrew today settled the sexual abuse lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre after he agreed an undisclosed deal said to be worth 12million with his accuser without admitting her accusations. Prince Andrew at York Racecourse to open the new weighing room in May 2015 The monarch is expected to foot part of the bill for her son's settlement in a bid to draw a line under it before her much-anticipated Platinum Jubilee celebrations this summer. But there is anger at how the Queen, 95, has effectively been forced to bail out the 'disgraced' Duke of York, 61, whose modest pension from his time in the Royal Navy is now his only visible income - amid calls for the public to be told who is financing the deal. Sources also pointed out that while there will now be a 'period of silence' during the Jubilee celebrations when both parties will have to stick to the terms of yesterday's carefully-worded statement, Mrs Giuffre would then not be stopped from writing a lucrative book telling her story which could hit the shelves in time for Christmas. Prince Charles was said to have been supported by the Queen in making it clear to Andrew that he had no choice but to settle with Mrs Giuffre, with one source telling MailOnline that Charles had 'had enough of the situation' and 'would have said to Andrew that he needed to get this sorted out as soon as possible'. Rachael Maskell, who represents York Central, said the royal's relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein had caused 'deep hurt and embarrassment' to York residents A senior Royal Household member told the Standard that Charles and the Queen 'could not countenance another disastrous appearance by the Duke of York, in light of his BBC interview', adding: 'Decisive action was needed. There was little choice. He had to see sense.' While Andrew is thought to be holed up at his Royal Lodge home in Windsor today, on the other side of the world a box of beers and a bouquet of flowers were being delivered to Mrs Giuffre and her husband Robert's home in Perth, Australia. And her father Sky Roberts told the Sun: 'I knew he would settle out of court. That was a complete bluff. I think Virginia will be happy.' Meanwhile, despite the settlement, it is feared that the scandal could still overshadow poignant Platinum Jubilee celebrations for the UK in the coming months. Also today, the Metropolitan Police said they have no plans to reopen their own probe into Andrew despite calls for officers to re-examine evidence after the deal. Royal author Angela Levin told Sky News today: 'I think that the Queen would have given him a big telling off and said 'I can't have this hanging over me for the rest of the year I don't want you to spoil my Platinum Jubilee. I'm the only royal who's lasted 70 years on the throne, and you've got to sort it out'.' She added: 'I admire the Queen hugely as everybody does, and I don't want it to spoil anything for her, but I still think this is hanging over the country and the Royal Family and is going to go right through to the end of the year and maybe into next year, and there's no real way of cutting it off. 'Obviously that (a ban on Mrs Giuffre saying anything) was something that they could have put in the agreement and they haven't, and so it implies that there's a lot she (Mrs Giuffre) wants to say that Andrew will not want to hear.' The settlement, which was agreed between lawyers in a sensational development yesterday, comes just weeks after Andrew vowed to contest the rape claims by Mrs Giuffre, formerly known as Virginia Roberts, at a public trial. Mrs Giuffre had alleged she was forced to have sex with the duke three times when she was 17 under the orders of the late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein Only last month, she was given the go-ahead to sue Andrew for unspecified damages in a New York civil court. But despite vowing to fight the claims and repeatedly protesting his innocence, the prince yesterday agreed to pay a huge sum to settle the case before it ever reaches a jury. A mom who thought she had long COVID discovered that she was actually pregnant and suffering from a rare condition with her placenta. Jo Anne McCusker, 36, from Englewood, New Jersey, recalled feeling 'off' for a while, so she went to visit her doctor. Because she had previously recovered from COVID-19, her doctor initially thought she was suffering from long COVID but she later discovered that she was pregnant and already in her second trimester. Jo Anne, who already had three children with her husband, also found out she was suffering from a rare pregnancy complication called placenta percreta, which is when the placenta attaches itself and grows through the uterus. Shocking: A mom who thought she had long COVID discovered that she was actually pregnant and suffering from a rare condition with her placenta. She is pictured with the baby Jo Anne McCusker, 36, recalled feeling 'off' for a while. Since she had previously recovered from COVID-19, her doctor initially thought she was suffering from long COVID What is placenta percreta? Placenta percreta occurs when the placenta - the organ that provides nutrients and other support to a developing fetus - attaches too deeply and grows into the uterine wall. This often leads to two major complications - the placenta cannot normally deliver after the babys birth, and attempts to remove the placenta can lead to heavy bleeding. The condition occurs in 0.17 per cent of pregnancies, and women who have had a previous C-section are at higher risk. Women who have an abnormal position of the placenta within the uterus, expectant moms over age 35, and women who got pregnant through in vitro fertilization are also at higher risk. Hemorrhaging may occur to the mother during birth and a hysterectomy is usually required to remove the placenta and end blood loss. Source: Brighamandwomens.org Advertisement 'I felt off,' she recalled during a recent interview with Today Parents. 'My doctor said, "You may have long COVID, but you also happen to be pregnant. In fact, very pregnant."' Jo Anne tried to 'gather as much information' about the condition as she could, but admitted she was 'more focused on the baby growing inside of her.' 'There was very little information available beyond what the doctors told me,' she explained. 'Ultimately, no amount of planning or research I had done could prepare me for what actually happened and what I experienced.' Dr. Sam Bender, assistant clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai - who treated Jo Anne - said the condition put her at 'tremendous risk' since she was going to need a 'hysterotomy at the time of her delivery.' 'As youre delivering the baby, bleeding may abruptly begin and so youre having tremendous potential for a tremendous amount of blood loss until the major blood vessels to the uterus are identified and ligated and tied closed,' he said. According to Dr. Bender, the condition occurs in 0.17 per cent of pregnancies - and women who have had a previous C-section are at higher risk. In Jo Anne's case, her first son was born via C-section. 'When you already have scars on the uterus, theres more placenta, so it may be likely to attach in areas that are previously scarred,' he explained. A team of doctors helped Jo Anne deliver the baby - a little boy, who she named Kellen - on January 6 via C-section, but there were many complications during the procedure. Baby on board: However, Jo Anne (pictured wit her husband) was stunned when she was told that she was actually pregnant - and that she was already in her second trimester Jo Anne also found out she was suffering from a rare pregnancy complication called placenta percreta - which is when the placenta attaches itself and grows through the uterus Jo Anne delivered the baby - a little boy named Kellen - on January 6 via C-section, but there were many complications during the procedure. Her three other kids are pictured with Kellen Thankfully, both she and the baby are doing well, and she is now sharing her story so that she could warn other expecting mothers about the condition. Her husband is pictured with Kellen She began bleeding and needed a 'massive' blood transfusion. Her placenta's growth had also injured her bladder, which needed to be reconstructed during surgery. Although Jo Anne was well aware of the risks before hand, she said it felt like she was 'hit by a truck' when she woke up and discovered what had happened during the procedure. 'There was nothing that could have really prepared me for that,' she admitted. 'A lot of my initial recovery focused on getting mentally and emotionally strong after surviving a traumatic delivery.' The mom said she 'didn't feel strong enough' to hold her new baby - who was only four pounds - for very long, which was 'heartbreaking' for her. Thankfully, both she and the baby are doing well, and she is now sharing her story so that she could warn other expecting mothers about the condition. 'Its really my hope to just raise awareness. I just want to let other moms know that if theyre diagnosed with this, they are not alone,' she concluded. Experts hope they will raise awareness of gut issues, which affect 75% of Britons The graphics are a modern take on Bristol Stool Chart, used by NHS since 1990s New charts created by artists lift lid on what your poo says about your gut health Artists have created new charts that lift the lid on what your poo says about your gut health. They detail why having 'rabbit droppings' can be a sign of constipation and how an upset tummy may cause 'fluffy' poo with 'ragged edges'. The three new graphics are a modern take on the Bristol Stool Chart which has been used by NHS medics since the 1990s to assess faeces. One depicts different types of poo as animated characters with various child-friendly facial expressions. Another presents the seven different categories of stools as abstract pieces of art, from lumpy to solid and watery, and the third is an illustrative take on the original. People whose stools fall into categories three and four likely have good gut health, while types one and two suggest constipation and five to seven signal diarrhoea. The graphics were designed by British artists Rose Blake, the daughter of pop artist Sir Peter Blake, Bristol-based Yee Poon and Coco Lom from East London. They hope turning the Bristol Stool Chart into the 'Beautiful Stool Chart' will raise awareness of gut issues, which are often revealed in the shape of your poos. British artist Rose Blake, the daughter of pop artist Sir Peter Blake, designed this 'Beautiful Stool Chart', which is an illustrative take on the original version designed 25 years ago Bristol-based Yee Poon's artwork, featuring anthropomorphic poos, will be showcased on Holland and Barret's website, alongside gut health tips and advice East London artist Coco Lom's contemporary graphic design, which includes colourful patterns and shapes, will also be available online The three new graphics are a modern take on the Bristol Stool Chart (pictured) which has been used by NHS medics since the 1990s to assess the seven types of stools HOW COMMON ARE GUT PROBLEMS? Around four in 10 Britons suffer from digestive issues, according to the NHS. But gut complaints, such as diarrhoea and bloating, can usually be treated with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medicines. Dr Anton Emmanuel, consultant gastroenterologist at University College Hospital in London, explains: 'Most digestive problems are to do with lifestyle, the foods we've eaten, or stress. 'Which means that taking steps to change your lifestyle can help, and often prevent, many of these problems.' Digestive symptoms are usually harmless and often settle down by themselves. But people are told to visit their GP if they have been taking a pharmacy remedy for two weeks and not seen any improvement. And anyone suffering from serious digestive issues, should see their doctor straight away. Serious problems include a sudden and persistent change in bowel movements, bleeding from the anus, worsening heartburn, indigestion or stomach ache, unexpected weight loss or difficulty swallowing. Source: NHS Advertisement The chart makeover, commissioned by health and wellness retailer Holland & Barrett, comes after a survey revealed 72 per cent of Britons have suffered from digestive problems, such heartburn, constipation or feeling bloated. But 44 per cent of people do nothing about it, according to a poll by the retailer of 1,000 adults across the UK. Meanwhile, 78 per cent of UK adults say they don't know what the gut does, how it works or the signals of digestive issues bloating or gas, heartburn, indigestion, diarrhoea and constipation. Three in five people said they would be too embarrassed to talk to family and friends about their guy problems. People who take action to improve their gut health say it supports their physical and mental health, immunity and to tackle stress, anxiety, low moods or depression. Dr Subashini M, director of science, health and wellness at Holland & Barrett, said: 'Whilst talking about poo is a taboo subject for many people, we're hoping that making it beautiful will prompt people to think about their gut health, identify if they have any issues, and consider how best to manage them. 'The gut plays a part in everything from your mental health to getting a good night's rest. 'So it really is important to seek help and support if you're not regularly doing healthy number twos.' Ms Blake's Beautiful Stool Chart will be displayed in Holland & Barrett stores across the UK in February, while the other two charts can be seen online. Ms Lom said: 'To be asked to create an artwork highlighting gut health was certainly an unusual project for me, but the issue is not so unusual for many people in their daily lives. 'I hope my Beautiful Stool Chart will encourage people to think about their gut and seek advice if they need to.' Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition People's Party, returns to his seat after delivering a eulogy at the funeral of a local campaign chief in Cheonan, 92 kilometers south of Seoul, Feb. 18. Yonhap Minor presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo will resume campaigning this weekend after attending the funerals of two campaign workers who died in an accident this week, an official said Friday. Ahn of the centrist People's Party suspended his campaign activities after a local campaign chief and a bus driver were found dead inside a campaign vehicle Tuesday apparently due to gas poisoning from a generator powering an LED screen. He attended the party member's funeral Friday morning and will travel to the southeastern city of Gimhae, Saturday morning, to attend the bus driver's funeral. On Friday afternoon, he is scheduled to pay a visit to another bus driver who was in a similar accident and has yet to regain consciousness at a hospital in Wonju, 132 kilometers east of Seoul. "(Ahn) plans to resume his campaigning tomorrow afternoon after the funeral," the official with Ahn's campaign told Yonhap News Agency. The accidents occurred on the first day of the official campaigning period with three weeks to go until the March 9 election. After Ahn suspended campaigning, there was speculation he would drop out of the race and back main opposition candidate Yoon Suk-yeol of the conservative People Power Party. But Lee Tae-kyu, Ahn's campaign chief, rejected the speculation, saying the candidate is still waiting to hear back from Yoon regarding his earlier proposal to merge campaigns through a public opinion survey on which of the two is a better fit as a unified candidate. "(Yoon) will have to accept candidate Ahn's proposal, reject it or bring a counterproposal, and if he does that, there will be no excuse for him not to meet (with Yoon)," Lee told Yonhap. (Yonhap) Advertisement California Gov Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that his state - which has been among those with the strictest mandates during the pandemic - will soon transition into treating COVID-19 as an endemic, moving on from the pandemic as the state marks two years since the first cases of the virus were detected in the U.S. The decision comes as daily infections crater in the Golden state, and much of the rest of the nation. Cases in California have dropped 74 percent over the past two weeks and only 37 of every 100,000 residents are testing positive for the virus daily. It is one of 50 U.S. states recording a drop in daily infections over that period. Nationwide, cases are down 43 percent over the past week, down to 118,360 per day from 210,557 a week ago. The U.S. is now a month removed from the peak of the Omicron wave in mid-January, where cases reached heights of 800,000 per day. In the time since, daily infections have cratered and fallen more than 80 percent. 'We are moving past the crisis phase into a phase where we will work to live with this virus,' Newsom said at a news conference announcing the 'Smarter' plan on Thursday. 'People are looking forward to turning the page,' he added. 'They also need to know we have their back, we're going to keep them safe, and we're going to stay on top of this.' He said that part of the plan going forward will include building a stockpile of masks, Covid tests, and other supplies that can be easily distributed if case start to sharply rise again. Quick distribution of these goods would assist in preventing the need for lockdowns or other serious mandates to deal with rises in Covid infections. California will also dedicate more resources towards combatting COVID-19 misinformation in an effort to increase vaccination rates. 'This pandemic won't have a defined end. There's no finish line... there is no end date,' Newsom said, noting that humans will likely have to live with, and manage, the existence of this virus for much of the rest of their lives. California Gov Gavin Newsom (pictured) announced at a news conference Thursday that his state - the most populous in America - would soon transition into considering Covid as an 'endemic' rather than 'pandemic' California is now the first U.S. state to declare the virus 'endemic', and the nations most populous state now joins a growing list that have begun to rollback mandates as cases continue to decline. Last week, the Newson rolled back indoor mask mandates for people that are fully vaccinated against Covid. This week, new Virginia Gov Glenn Youngkin is pushing his state's legislators to end required masks in schools on March 1. The Republican, who won last year's election in a surprise upset over former Gov Terry McAullife, made school issues like masking a key part of his campaign platform last year. Vermont Gov Phil Scott, also a Republican in a state generally considered to be 'blue', announced Tuesday that any school that has a student vaccination rate of 80 percent or higher was allowed to lift mask mandates as well. Masks will likely be removed from all indoor public spaces in the near future as well. 'Although we remain optimistic about the trends we're seeing in Vermont, we're not ready to jump to a recommendation of removal of masks altogether, but I expect that recommendation will be coming at some point,' Dan French, the state's education secretary, said. The two states join more than a half-dozen others that chose to either relax or lift entirely their mask orders last week in the wake of declining Covid case basically everywhere in America. Federal leaders have been hesitant to follow, though. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still recommends universal masking in public schools and requires people to wear masks when traveling on planes and trains. Officials opened the door to lifting restrictions soon during a press briefing on Wednesday, though. White House Covid response Coordinator Jeff Zients indicated that the federal government is already looking to life beyond Covid. 'As a result of all this progress and the tools we all have, we're moving toward a time when Covid isn't a crisis but is something we can protect against and treat,' Zients said. 'The president and our Covid team are actively planning for this future.' Dr Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, did not indicate at the briefing that her agency planned to change guidelines soon, though there are reports that it is being considered and changes could come as early as next week. 'We want to give people a break from things like mask-wearing when these metrics are better, and then have the ability to reach for them again should things worsen,' Walensky explained. 'If and when we update our guidance, we will communicate that clearly. And it will be based on the data and the science. One of the key metrics being monitored by the CDC is daily deaths from the virus, a figure that is finally starting to decline after lagging behind cases for a long period of time. The U.S. is averaging 2,219 Covid deaths every day, an eight percent drop over the past week. Daily Covid cases are dropping in all 50 states over the past two weeks, as of Friday morning. Nebraska is recording the largest decrease, with cases down 82 percent over the past two weeks. Cases are down by more than 50 percent in 44 states. Only one state, Kentucky, is still recording more than 100 daily cases per every 100,000 residents, at 111. The number of states recording more than one daily Covid death per 100,000 residents has shrunk to six as well. Each are also among those with the lowest vaccination rates in America. Tennessee is once again the leader in Covid mortality, with the Volunteer state recording 1.5 daily deaths per 100,000 residents. Only 53 percent of Tennesseans are fully vaccinated. Other states among the leaders in Covid mortality include West Virginia (1.43 deaths per 100,000 residents; 57 percent vaccination rate), Arkansas (1.41;53), Mississippi (1.35; 51), Oklahoma (1.23; 56) and South Carolina (1.07;55). Early clinical trial data shows that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine intended to be used in children aged six months to five years old is not effective against the Omicron variant. The Wall Street Journal reports that the smaller, two-dose, regimen was showing effectiveness against the Delta variant when trials first began, but began to falter when Omicron arrived. Children in the control group of the trial also were very unlikely to catch Covid at all, making it harder for researchers to determine the effectiveness of the shots. This data was the reason Pfizer decided to add a third shot to the regimen in December, and why its application to receive authorization for the shot was delayed last week, pending additional data. The Wall Street Journal reports that data from Pfizer's clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine in children aged six months old to five years old did not show effectiveness against the Omicron variant. It is another setback for the company that had to delay the shot's application for authorization last week (file photo) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which urged Pfizer to submit its application, has not rescheduled its advisory committee meeting to discuss the fate of Pfizer's additional shot. The Journal reports that the agency instead wants additional time to gather more infection data and get a stronger look at how effective both the two and three dose regimens. Immune response data, like antibody levels generate by the shot will be considered in the FDA's decisions as well. Pfizer's shot for young children has already had an extremely rocky rollout, even before it has become available. Unlike the jab for children aged five and older - which is a two-dose primary series and then a booster afterwards - the initial regimen is three shots for those aged six months to five years old. The shots are much smaller as well, with each dose only being three micrograms, compared to ten micrograms for the children five to eleven and 30 microgram shots for those 12 and older. Smaller shots did not generate much of an immune response in three and four year old children, leading to Pfizer adding the additional jab. Trials for the third shot were not yet completed yet when the FDA requested the application from Pfizer, though, so it only included the first two jabs - with a third to come later. The testing phase included 4,500 children aged six months old to five, nearly a tenth the size of the 43,000 participant trial used for the company's bid to have the shot initially authorized for adults in late-2020. The significantly smaller sample pool likely contributed to the much lower number of infections to work the data with. Pfizer's application is currently on hold and remains in limbo until more data comes in. If approved, it would put the U.S. in a class of its own in its vaccine rollout. Authorization would make the U.S. the country with the youngest minimum vaccination age. Only two other nations, Venezuela and Cuba, jab children as young as two, and four others - Bahrain, China, Chile and the United Arab Emirates - jab kids as young as three. None of the countries use the Pfizer vaccine on children, with all opting for either China's Sinopharm shot or the Cuban Soberena vaccine If the shot is approved, the U.S. will be the first country to vaccinate children as young as six months old. Some experts disagree that these shots are needed. Pictured: A young girl in New Orleans, Louisiana, receives a shot of a COVID-19 vaccine Not all experts agree the shot is necessary. Dr Cody Meissner, the chief of pediatrics at Tufts Children's Hospital in Boston and a member of the VRBPAC, the FDA committee that will review Pfizer's application, doubted whether the vaccine is needed for group which already suffers such low risk of hospitalization or death from Covid. 'I think we're rethinking the way we looked at this question, because even though people are appropriately vaccinated they are still able to become infected and transmit the virus to susceptible people around them,' Meissner told DailyMail.com on February 1. 'So this is a little bit different than many other infectious diseases such as measles, or mumps, or rubella. If you're protected from infection with the vaccine, then you're not going to transmit it to other people.' 'But that's not the same setting with [this virus].' He noted that deaths among young children from Covid have remained very low. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, young children make up less than 0.1 percent of Covid deaths in America. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issues a Class I recall, the most serious recall possible, of the E25Bio rapid COVID-19 test, a product being sold without authorization from the agency. At the start of Febraury, the FDA warned against using the tests manufactured by the Cambridge, Massachusetts, based brand. The agency is warning that the instructions that come with the test are incorrect, and make incorrect claims about test accuracy. They also warn that a person using the tests could hurt themselves during sample selection. Anyone who currently has one of these tests is instructed to throw them in trash instead of using them. The FDA is recalling the E25Bio rapid COVID-19 test, which it never gave authorization to. The agency warns that results from it can be unreliable and the way samples are collected for the test could be dangerous (file photo) 'E25Bio is recalling its COVID-19 Direct Antigen Response Tests (DART) for several reasons, particularly that these tests were marketed and distributed to U.S. customers without authorization, clearance, or approval from the FDA,' the FDA wrote in a statement. 'Labeling distributed with some of the tests also includes inaccurate claims and instructions, including a statement that misrepresents the test as FDA-authorized.' The FDA has had trouble handling the wave of Covid tests and other Covid-related products submitted for review to the agency. It has been reported that the agency's standard for testing accuracy of rapid tests is higher than normal, leading to less authorizations. This has created some problems, though, especially in times where tests are in high demand like at the end of 2021. The less brands making tests in the U.S., the less will be available of shelves, causing increasing prices and dwindling supplies. Accuracy, and safety, matters more than all, though, and the FDA recommends against people using tests it has not had a chance to review. 'As this test was not authorized, cleared, or approved by the FDA, there is not sufficient data demonstrating that the tests performance is accurate,' the FDA wrote. 'This means there is a risk of both false-negative and false-positive test results.' The FDA has had trouble issuing authorizations to the many applications for Covid tests and other virus related products that it has received. Some have complained that the agency has too high standards for testing The way that the test is to be used can also result in injury, as the FDA warns that the type of sample collection necessary could be dangerous to do at home. 'In addition, the FDA is aware that the E25Bio COVID-19 Direct Antigen Rapid Test was sold directly to consumers and may have been accompanied by labeling with instructions for collecting a sample from deep inside the nose, reaching the back of the throat (nasopharyngeal) or from the middle part of the throat (pharynx) just beyond the mouth (oropharyngeal),' the FDA wrote in a statement warning against using the test of February 4. 'Self-collecting nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal samples for SARS-CoV-2 testing could result in serious injury when this is not done by trained professionals.' Antigen tests taken at home usually only require a simple nasal swab to test. Natwest faces a damages claim of more than 2m after it unfairly dismissed a banker just two days after her operation for colon cancer. The High Street lender was found to have discriminated against Adeline Willis on the basis of disability in a move that left her 'physically and emotionally in turmoil', according to her lawyers. Chief executive Alison Rose was even dragged into the case after Willis sent her an email entitled 'Cry for help.' Willis, 44, had bumped into Rose at the bank's Bishopsgate headquarters in the weeks following her diagnosis in 2019. Harrowing experience: Adeline Willis (left) and NatWest chief executive Alison Rose (right) The chief executive urged Willis to contact her if she needed support. When Willis realised her 160,000-ayear job was at risk, as she was recovering from surgery, she emailed Rose to 'beg for your help.' Willis, who worked in risk and compliance and been with NatWest for six years, pleaded: 'I am a senior female with a wealth of experience and feel I can offer extensive knowledge to the bank in any role I might procure. 'All I am asking for is an opportunity to recover from the fight of my life, and once I am well enough, to then return to work, either in my current role or be able to look for a new one. I am really sorry to email you and beg for your help, but I just don't know what else to do.' Rose's executive assistant asked the bank's human resources team to send a briefing on Willis's case. But 14 minutes after Rose received that briefing the next day, she emailed her assistants refusing to intervene. The High Street lender was found to have discriminated against Adeline Willis on the basis of disability in a move that left her 'physically and emotionally in turmoil', according to her lawyers The email, sent from Rose's Blackberry phone, simply said: 'No stick to advice by HR.' A key piece of evidence in the case was the transcript of a phone call between Willis's managers and NatWest's HR team, in September 2019 just a week after Willis told her bosses she would need chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. The tribunal judged that the call clearly showed Willis's managers were trying to oust her from the company amid fears that she would have to take medical leave. Will Clayton, Willis's solicitor from Constantine Law, said it was 'really unusual' for there to be clear evidence of discrimination. 'There was a smoking gun,' he added. Willis's sister, Louisa Ellis, said: 'Addy had radiotherapy, rounds of chemotherapy and surgery and then had to give evidence during the tribunal, which made her physically sick. 'The distress caused to her, and our family, is unforgivable.' While NatWest was found to have unfairly dismissed Willis on the bases of discrimination, the tribunal judged that Rose's interaction with Willis was not discriminatory. In its judgement, the tribunal said: 'The claimant had no right to a personal intervention by Ms Rose in HR.' Willis's problems first arose in early 2019, when she was made redundant as her role was axed. Recognised as a 'valuable' worker at the bank, she was moved to a new role on secondment while her manager tried to negotiate moving the Edinburgh-based position to London, where Willis lived. The secondment was extended, as Willis's managers said in her mid-year review that she was making a 'really strong start'. But just weeks later, after they were told about her cancer diagnosis, Willis's managers starting discussing options to push her out of the business. Despite still needing someone to work in her role, they asked HR to end her secondment even as she pleaded for more time as she recovered from surgery and tried to find a new position. Clayton said it had been 'a harrowing experience' for Willis. A hearing later this year will decide how much money she should receive. A NatWest spokesman said: 'We recognise the extremely difficult personal circumstances in this case. The bank is reviewing the judgment and considering its position further.' Rose's executive assistant asked the bank's human resources team to send a briefing on Willis's case. But 14 minutes after Rose received that briefing the next day, she emailed her assistants refusing to intervene The Government's mortgage guarantee scheme supported only a tiny proportion of total first-time home buyers in its first five months, according to newly-released figures. The scheme was used by 6,535 households between its launch on 19 April 2021 and 30 September, the Treasury figures revealed. It saw the Government 'guarantee' the portion of a 95 per cent loan-to-value mortgage over 80 per cent meaning they would partially compensate the lender if a buyer stopped paying. Low take-up: Only 6,500 first-time buyers used the mortgage guarantee scheme in its first five months, according to new figures published by the Treasury This was intended to give banks and building societies the confidence to offer riskier mortgages, after they pulled them off the market at the start of the pandemic. When he announced the mortgage guarantee scheme in 2021's March Budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said it would have the effect of 'boosting the sector, creating new jobs and helping people achieve their dream of owning their own home.' However, it was thwarted by the fact that, soon after the scheme launched, lenders started offering 5 per cent deposit mortgages on their own terms, independent of the Government scheme. Mortgages with 5 per cent deposits are overwhelmingly used by first-time buyers, as second steppers and those higher up the ladder are usually able to use equity in their existing homes to build a bigger deposit. While the mortgage guarantee scheme was open to non-first-time buyers, the Treasury data showed that 84 per cent of those who took advantage were stepping on to the ladder for the first time. According to Yorkshire Building Society's analysis of UK Finance figures, there were 408,000 first-time buyers in 2021 as a whole. On average, that would mean 34,000 first-time buyers per month, or 170,200 in five months. According to the Treasury figures, the Government's scheme would have supported less than 4 per cent of that number. The average value of a home bought using the mortgage guarantee scheme was 197,000 While the scheme is available on homes worth up to 600,000, the total value of the homes bought in the first five months was 1.2billion, and each individual home was typically worth 196,702. This is substantially lower than the latest Land Registry house price of 269,945. The data also showed that 63 per cent of households that used the scheme had an annual income of more than 40,000. A previous set of data published on the mortgage guarantee scheme, which accounted for the period between the scheme's launch on 19 April 2021 up until 30 June, showed that 815 mortgages had been taken out. At that point the scheme had only been active for a matter of weeks, so many buyers using it would not have had time to complete. The scheme will be open to new applications until 31 December 2022. Why have so few buyers used the scheme? When the mortgage guarantee scheme was launched in April 2021, only a very small number of lenders were offering 5 per cent deposit mortgages. But shortly after many started to offer them again, often outside of the government scheme. Being part of the scheme involved additional costs, as lenders had to pay a commercial fee for each guaranteed mortgage. It is common for lenders to pass on additional costs such as these to borrowers, which means the rates on mortgage guarantee scheme loans could have been higher. Whether their mortgage was guaranteed by the Government or not made little difference to buyers, so few actively sought them out, instead looking for the best deals. Analysis by financial information service Defaqto for This is Money shows that there are currently 101 mortgages widely available to first-time buyers with 5 per cent deposits. Meanwhile there are only 27 fixed rate mortgage products which are available with the government guarantee, and of these only 17 are for first-time buyers. Rhys Schofield, managing director at mortgage broker Peak Mortgages and Protection, said: 'It's pretty simple why the numbers are so low. 'The scheme was floated with much bluster earlier on in the pandemic and by the time it was actually up and running several months later most lenders were offering 5 per cent deals anyway, outside the scheme, without the Government hoops and costs for the lender to jump through.' Making the sums add up: Five per cent deposit mortgages are a struggle for many first-time buyers, as their incomes are too low to qualify for such a large loan Some say that first-time buyers struggle to take advantage of 5 per cent deposit mortgages in general, because their incomes are not high enough for them to qualify for such a large loan. Borrowers can still only borrow a maximum of 4.5 times their salary in most cases, meaning lower earners and single buyers may struggle to have enough to buy a home. For example, a person on a salary of 39,000 buying alone would usually be able to borrow 175,500. The appetite for 95 per cent borrowing is lower amongst consumers than it has been in the past Richard Donnell, Zoopla If 175,500 was 95 per cent of their property's value, the most they would be able to afford with a five per cent deposit would be a home worth 184,600. Like many 5 per cent deposit mortgages, mortgage guarantee scheme loans are also generally not available to people buying new-build homes. Richard Donnell, director of research at Zoopla, said: 'The appetite for 95 per cent borrowing is lower amongst consumers than it has been in the past. 'Mortgage lending regulations and tighter rules to get a mortgage mean someone needs to be on a high income to take a large mortgage relative to the value of the property. 'First time buyers are also looking to buy larger homes, typically three bed properties, which are higher value and where they need to save longer for a deposit. 'Access to 95 per cent finance is important but it is much less of a mass market option than it was in the past.' The Treasury also released figures on take-up of the Help to Buy Isa. It found that 604,720 bonuses have been paid through the scheme since 2015 (totalling 674million) with an average bonus value of 1,115. For almost a decade, Adriana Benhamou Weiss decorated the mansions of Australian multi-millionaires, designed hotels and apartment developments in Paris, Moscow, and the French Riviera and luxury properties in Israel and the Middle East. With her mother Helene Benhamou, a Moroccan-born stylist and entertainer, she would fly off to see clients in Singapore, London, Monaco, New York and Riyadh, Dubai and Bahrain, advising them on antiques, furniture and high-end interiors. When she wasn't working on a Russian oligarch's hunting lodge or the opulent refurbishment of a property on the Cote D'Azur, Adriana Weiss was a member of the Sydney social set. But Ms Weiss's luxury life appears to have all come crashing down this week, when the 40-year-old Eastern Suburbs mother faced the Downing Centre Local Court charged with falsifying financial records. Global luxury interior designer Adriana Benhamou Weiss has faced the Downing Centre Local Court on twelve charges of conceal, destroy, mutilate or falsfy securities or books Ms Weiss's Benhamou designs had been enlisted to decorate the trophy oceanfront home Deauvile (above) of multi millionaire Nevile Crichton and his wife Nadi but furniture never arrived Based in the Eastern suburbs, Ms Weiss was friends with home loan multi-millionaire 'Aussie' John Symond's wife Amber Symond and wealthy jeweller Alina Barlow. She regularly appeared in Vogue magazine, and was friendly with socialites and glamorous identities including Ellie Aitken, luxury brand PR Roxy Jacenko and Vogue Australia editor, Edwina McCann. Ms Weiss has been charged with directing an employee to falsify books relating to payments to six different design services in four currencies equivalent to hundreds of thousands of dollars. In total, there are 12 charges of 'conceal, destroy, mutilate or falsify securities or books'. The charges follow the liquidation of Ms Weiss and her mother's company Benhamou Designs, wound up by Ferrier Hodgson and owing $8.11m. Ms Weiss's mother has since rebranded herself as Helene in Paris and decamped to Europe where she has released YouTube videos singing French romance classics such as Je Ne Regrette Rien. Neville Crichton and his wife Nadi (above) sought a luxury refurbish of their new $45m Point Piper mansion after their 2017 marriage and hired the services of Adriana Weiss Neville and Nadi Crichton sought out the designer help of Adriana Weiss after their 2017 marriage and purchase of the $45m Point Piper trophy home (above) they bought next door to former PM Malcolm Turnbull The falsifications alleged by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) all took place in late 2016, prior to the liquidation of Benhamnou Designs. The liquidation report says Weiss blamed the failure of her company to 'poor business management' and 'significant disputes with customers and suppliers'. One dispute was with multi-millionaire yachtsman and luxury car importer Neville Crichton over supply of furniture for the $45m waterfront Point Piper mansion he bought in late 2017. Mr Crichton sought to buy the furniture after the then 71-year-old, nicknamed 'Croaky', married 38-year-old Nadi Hasandedic, a former Christian Dior boutique manager earlier in the same year. The furniture order never arrived at trophy home Deauville, which is next door to former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's house, and Ms Weiss reportedly blamed 'supplier issues'. Court documents seen by Daily Mail Australia allege Ms Weiss 'engaged in conduct that resulted in the falsification of' receipts, international transfers and a purchase order in US dollars, Euro, Australian dollars and United Arab Emirates dirham. Multi millionaire luxury car dealer Neville Crichton and wife Nadi hired Benhamou after their 2017 marriage (above, left), but Adriana Weiss's (above, right) global luxury designer business went into liquidation owing $8.11m ASIC alleges records were created showing payments which actually were never made to Parisian design company Petite Friture, Australian interior designer Kathy Kuo, and local or overseas furniture, building and flooring companies. Nadi Crichton had sought out Adrian Weiss's advice for Deauville to replace her husband's taste in furniture with something more stylish, but has since enlisted the help of luxury interior architecture consultant, Blainey North. Ms Weiss's court case, which is being prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions on behalf of ASIC, has been adjourned to later this year. A quadruple murderer from Oklahoma has been executed by lethal injection after his request for a firing squad was denied. Gilbert Ray Postelle, 35, was killed at Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, Oklahoma, on Thursday at 10.06am for murdering four people at the request of his father when he was a teenager. Postelle was convicted and sentenced to die for his role in the quadruple slaying of James Alderson, Terry Smith, Donnie Swindle and Amy Wright, in 2005 believing they had injured his dad in a motorcycle accident Media witnesses said the execution appeared to have taken place without any complications. They said Postelle, whose last meal was 20 chicken nuggets, an assortment of dipping sauces, three large fries with ketchup, a crispy chicken sandwich, a chicken sandwich, a large cola and a caramel frappe, shook his head no when asked if he had any last words. Gilbert Ray Postelle was executed in Oklahoma for a 2005 quadruple murder U.S. District Judge Stephen Friot denied Postelle's request to be put to death by firing squad. He required all the plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging Oklahoma's lethal injection to select an alternative method of execution. Oklahoma has never used firing squad as a method of executing prisoners since statehood, but current state law does allow for its use if other methods, like lethal injection, were determined to be unconstitutional or otherwise unavailable. The Oklahoma Department of Corrections does not currently have execution protocols in place for any method other than lethal injection. Postelle's execution was the fourth in Oklahoma since October - when a nearly seven-year moratorium on executions was lifted - and the third in the United States this year. Postelle was convicted and sentenced to die for his role in the quadruple slaying of James Alderson, Terry Smith, Donnie Swindle and Amy Wright in 2005 Postelle and his older brother David were convicted of murdering four people in Del City, Oklahoma, in 2005. Around 60 rounds were fired from assault rifles during the attack on a mobile home where a man named Donnie Swindle was living. Earl Postelle, the father of the boys, blamed Swindle - mistakenly as it turned out - for a motorcycle accident the previous year which left him severely injured. Swindle, two other men and a woman who were at the mobile home at the time were killed. In a hearing before the Oklahoma clemency board in December, Gilbert Postelle said he had been a methamphetamine addict since the age of 13. 'My life at that time was filled with chaos and drugs,' Postelle said. 'It was a family addiction.' Postelle was convicted of killing four people in 2005 he believed had injured his dad in a motorcycle accident 'In no way does that excuse my actions,' he added. 'I do regret the pain and the loss that I have caused.' Postelle said he was under the influence of his father, who was declared mentally incompetent because of brain injuries from the motorcycle accident and did not go on trial. He has since died. 'My dad was everything to me, even with all of his flaws,' Postelle told the clemency hearing. Postelle's brother David was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole for his role in the slayings. The other man involved, Randal Wade Byus, cooperated with the authorities and was sentenced to six years in prison. A series of botched executions in Oklahoma led to a temporary moratorium on capital punishment in the state in 2015, but the moratorium was lifted in 2021. The US Supreme Court struck down the death penalty in 1972 but reinstated it four years later. The number of executions carried out annually in the United States has been declining in recent years. Capital punishment has been abolished in 23 US states, while three others - California, Oregon and Pennsylvania - have observed a moratorium on its use. U.S. Congress on Thursday gave final approval of legislation funding the government through March 11, avoiding the embarrassing spectacle of federal agencies having to shut many of their operations amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis. The Senate acted as a midnight Friday deadline loomed, when existing funds were set to expire for operating most of the federal government. The temporary funding bill passed in a bipartisan vote of 65-27, five more than the 60 votes needed. It now goes to President Joe Biden for signing into law. The House easily approved the legislation last week. Each party had concluded that an election-year shutdown would be politically damaging, especially during a pandemic and a confrontation with Russia over its possible invasion of Ukraine. The Senate gave final approval Thursday to legislation averting a weekend government shutdown, sending President Joe Biden a measure designed to give bipartisan bargainers more time to reach an overdue deal financing federal agencies until fall Final passage was by a bipartisan 65-27 vote, five more than the 60 votes needed Senators had faced a midnight Friday deadline for passing the bill It was needed because Congress so far has failed to pass any of the one-dozen regular appropriations bills for the fiscal year that began October 1. 'A government shutdown would be useless, senseless. Can you imagine how that would look to the Russians?' Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy said during brief debate of the legislation. This third stop-gap measure since last September, which the House of Representatives passed on February 8, would give congressional Democrats and Republicans until March 11 to reach a deal on a massive spending bill to keep Washington humming through September 30, the end of the current fiscal year. The prolonged uncertainty over Washington's finances for operations including many military programs comes at a time when Russia has amassed around 150,000 troops at its border with Ukraine, stoking fears of a looming invasion that has rattled NATO nations and financial markets. The bill will be now sent to President Joe Biden for signing into law before existing federal funds expire House-Senate negotiations on a spending deal likely would appropriate around $1.5 trillion in 'discretionary' funds for an array of government programs, including those administered by the Pentagon, the Environmental Protection Agency, Health and Human Services and other Cabinet-level departments. Failure to reach a deal by March 11 would leave Congress with three options: simply passing a bill extending current funding at levels approved by the former President Donald Trump's administration for the remainder of this fiscal year; approving a fourth temporary funding bill in the hope that a grand deal still can be negotiated, or letting funding lapse. The latter would trigger widespread furloughs of federal workers, shuttering many programs. A long-term extension of current funding would cause some Pentagon layoffs, for example, and freeze National Institutes of Health funding for medical research at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., tells reporters that the Senate will get the work done to fund the government before the Friday midnight deadline, at the Capitol earlier on Thursday The last time Congress failed to fund the government was in December 2018, when Democrats balked at funding then-President Donald Trump's U.S.-Mexico 'border wall.' Following a record 35-day impasse, Trump found ways to partially circumvent Congress, but the so-called wall never was completed amid skepticism over its effectiveness. This time around, Republicans are insisting that overall spending be split evenly between defense and non-defense programs. Democrats who narrowly control Congress have been seeking slightly more spending in the non-defense arena. But if that top-line number is set, many disagreements would still have to be ironed out over individual programs. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., walks outside the chamber as he heads to meet with fellow Republicans, at the Capitol in Washington Yet as with virtually all must-pass bills, politics hitched a ride. Before passage, conservatives forced votes on amendments including on one of the year's hot-button issues, COVID-19 vaccine mandates. They were defeated mostly along party lines. One by Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, and several colleagues would have blocked existing federal vaccine requirements for the military, government employees and contractors and health care workers. Another by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, would have halted federal funds for school districts imposing their own vaccine requirements. Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., proposed another requiring Congress' non-binding federal budgets to balance within 10 years. United Democrats can defeat GOP proposals in the 50-50 Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris' tie-breaking vote. But with Harris in Europe and some Democrats missing because of illness or ailing spouses, Democrats prevailed after several Republicans also left for travel or to begin the chamber's recess. A separate GOP move to block federal spending on pipes used for crack faded away after the Biden administration said it never planned to do that and would not. The money is part of a program aimed at helping drug abusers avoid hurting themselves further. Amending the bill would have caused complications because the House is also gone for recess but would have had to pass the revamped version before sending it to Biden. Australians mourning the death of a swimmer killed by a great white shark have been trolled for focusing on the tragedy rather than the country's Covid deaths. The mauling of British expat Simon Nellist, 35, near Little Bay in Sydney's east on Wednesday - the first fatal shark attack in the city in nearly 60 years - has made headline news around the world. On the same day Australia recorded 66 deaths from the virus, including 27 in NSW. While many rushed to pay tribute to the avid scuba diver, others called for mourners to direct their sympathy towards those who have lost their lives to the virus. Simon Nellist, 35, became Sydney's first fatal shark attack victim in almost 60 years when he was mauled to death at Buchan Point, near Little Bay in the city's east, on Wednesday afternoon Many called for those mourning the death of the British expat in Wednesday's shark attack to focus on Australia's Covid situation instead 'So people are going mental over one death from a shark attack (tragic, true),' one person wrote on Twitter. 'But people don't give a toss about dozens of Covid deaths because...???' There were 27,688 cases nationwide on Thursday, compared to 149,319 on January 13, but the death rate has bounced around as the Omicron wave subsides. 'A shark attack and it's all over the news. 27 people died in NSW of Covid on the same day - nothing,' another said. One criticised how the national reaction to the shark attack death appeared to be a 'dark pall hanging over the community', while the attitude towards coronavirus deaths was 'live with it'. However others defended the national focus - saying the historic nature of Sydney's first shark attack in more than half a century deserved attention. 'Shark attacks always have been and always will be newsworthy,' another said. 'Just like when my grandad died of lung cancer it didn't make the news but if he'd been eaten by a shark it would have.' 'Covid deaths are everyday and as much as losing a person is sad that is all we have been hearing for two years. Condolences to all who lost someone yesterday,' one said. Pictured are masked shoppers in Sydney on December 23. There were 27,688 cases nationwide on Thursday, compared to 149,319 on January 13 Pictured is the horrifying moment the swimmer was mauled by a great white shark on Wednesday, with shocking footage (pictured) captured at the scene Some defended Australia's national focus - saying the historic nature of Sydney's first shark attack in more than half a century deserved attention This week, Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed Covid was the underlying cause of death for 96.8 per cent of 2,639 Covid-related deaths nationally between March 2020 and January 31 of this year. However, some 91.4 per cent had other conditions also listed on their death certificate - three other health issues on average. Tributes have meanwhile poured in for Mr Nellist, who was originally from Cornwall in the UK and due to marry the 'girl of his dreams', long-time partner Jessie Ho. The pair were meant to get married last year but they were forced to delay the wedding because of the Covid pandemic and lockdowns. Simon Nellist (pictured with his fiancee Jessie Ho in Sydney) was due to marry the love of his life after Covid-19 threw their wedding plans into chaos last year Simon Nellist and his partner Jessie Ho pictured after a diving expedition off Queensland's Rainbow Beach last June before Sydney was plunged into lockdown 'It's just horrendous,' one close friend told The Sun. 'We spent most of yesterday just hoping and praying it wasn't him. It's still incredibly raw.' The attack prompted Randwick City Council to close all its beaches - including Little Bay, Malabar, Maroubra, Coogee, Clovelly and La Perouse - for 24 hours on Thursday before reopening them on Friday. Experts say the killer shark has likely already swam at least 100km away, and it's understood that even if it was found - it wouldn't be culled - and instead encouraged to leave the area. Simon Nellist regularly wore a full body wetsuit even swimming while the waters were warm. Almost 'no one' else does, a local told Daily Mail Australia A swimmer mauled by a great white was virtually the only beach regular to wear a wetsuit into the warm summer waters - something that may have led the 4.5m shark to mistake him for a seal. Locals flocked back to Little Bay in Sydney's south-east on Friday morning pledging not to 'live our lives in fear' two days after a 4.5m beast mauled British diving instructor Simon Nellist. The 35-year-old diver was preparing for a charity ocean swim this weekend, which has since cancelled, when he was killed by the apex predator. He is now the first confirmed fatal victim in Sydney in 60 years. As the coastline reopened today, beach-goers said they now feel safer due to patrol boats, police and helicopters monitoring the area - with many plunging into water. Swimmer Barbara went for her usual swim on Friday and told Daily Mail Australia the situation was 'unbelievable' and that it would take the community a long time to get over it. The swimmer said she regularly saw Mr Nellist, who lived about 10km north-east of the beach in Wolli Creek, heading down to the sand from time to time, and they always said hello. 'He always wore a wetsuit, but the water here is quite warm and no one else really wears one,' Barbara explained. Emma, 27, (pictured) said she's sometimes swims three times a day, and the attack is not going to stop her Locals flocked to the beach on Friday morning (pictured), despite the horror shark attack on Wednesday afternoon On Thursday, experts said the wetsuit may have meant the shark mistook Mr Nellist for a seal before it struck. No one else really wears one (a wetsuit) Local swimmer Barbara Great white sharks rely on seals for their blubbery fat to give them the high energy they need for their hunter-killer life, and are believed to gorge on a seal every few days. Lawrence Chlebeck, of Humane Society International, said: 'Great white sharks are obviously large predators that expend a lot of energy so they need a lot of high energy food and the blubber of a seal is perfect for that.' Barbara said the vicious attack wouldn't deter her. 'There's one fatal attack in 60 years so it doesn't put you off, and I'm not going to be around in 60 years,' the 85-year-old explained. Local swimmer Emma, 27, said she sometimes swims two or three times per day and never thought she'd see a sign warning swimmers about sharks on the beach. However, she said it's not going to stop anyone. Emma said she never thought she'd see a sign warning swimmers about sharks on the beach (pictured) Some Little Bay residents said they felt safer swimming two days after a shark attack because it's being patrolled On Friday morning, a single red rose could be seen in a gate on the beach at Little Bay (pictured) 'I think if I were swimming on my own I definitely wouldnt go in but we swim as part of a group - it's a really tight-knit community here and nothing has ever stopped us from swimming before,' she said. The young woman pointed to the boat patrolling the area on the outskirts of the bay - where the shark struck - and said knowing it's there it makes her feel more comfortable. '[Mr Nellist] was definitely swimming further out, so thats one of the reasons why Ive been able to come back and swim I think if it was in the shallows I definitely wouldnt, but it was a little further out than we would normally go so I feel safer.' Horrifying video from the scene shows local fishermen watching on helplessly as the former Royal Air Force serviceman is attacked by the monster shark, which they saw 'swallow parts of his body' after ripping it in two. Emma said she saw the footage, but wished she hadn't. 'Stuff like that doesn't normally bother me, but I was really affected by it and just feel really sad for his fiancee - just really shocked - but yeah it doesn't stop people from coming here.' Emma, 27, said she watched the footage of the gruesome attack, noting how badly it impacted her A patrol boat could be seen beyond the bay on Friday morning (pictured), where the attack took place Mr Nellist , 35, (pictured) was an experienced diver who regularly swum at the beach Matthew, 55, (pictured) said he is going to get on with things, and doesn't want to live in fear Mr Nellist planned to marry his long-time partner Jessie Ho, whom the British expat met not long after arriving in Australia as part of his travels six years ago, but the Covid pandemic got in the way. Matthew, 55, said his friend swam at the beach on Thursday as a sign of respect, even though it was closed. 'I didn't want to swim while the beach was closed, but Ive decided to get back on with it,' he explained. 'Its an important part of my day, doing the swim across the bay and back, and people are saying they're not going to live in fear.' On Friday morning, bunches of flowers could be seen in a fence by the stairs leading down to the sand. A single red rose had also been carefully placed in a gate on the beach - as helicopters circled and police surveyed the rocks at the edge of the bay, looking for sharks and Mr Nellist's remains. Authorities closed the beaches on Thursday (pictured) but locals weren't deterred Bunches of flowers were fastened to a fence leading down to the beach on Friday morning (pictured) Bondi Salties had a minute of silence on Bondi Beach on Friday morning, as a way of paying respect to Mr Nellist Experts say the predator has likely already swam at least 100km away, and it's understood that even if it was found - it wouldn't be culled, but encouraged to leave the area. Matthew agreed with the experts and said the ocean is the shark's home. 'Theres been discussion over whether we should hunt it down, but the water is its home, and the majority are saying let it be,' he explained. Bondi Salties, a swim club at Bondi Beach - 13km north of Little Bay, had a minute of silence on Friday morning to pay their respects to Mr Nellist - standing on the sand with their heads bowed. 'Rest in Peace,' the picture caption said. An eerie graphic seen by Daily Mail Australia shows that the diving instructor jogged for an hour from his home in Wolli Creek to Little Bay on the day of the tragedy. Simon Nellist (pictured with his fiancee Jessie Ho in Sydney) was due to marry the love of his life after Covid-19 threw their wedding plans into chaos last year Simon Nellist was no stranger to sharks and would also post footage of his diving expeditions with them (pictured) Mr Nellist's social media feed was littered with photos and footage of him on his ocean adventures, which included diving expeditions and swimming with sharks. He was also an advocate for the predators and expressed strong views about shark nets and drumlines - which are used to alert authorities about their presence - just six months ago. The diving instructor regularly shared memories of his ocean adventures with fellow enthusiasts online. 'Lots of sharks today at Bushrangers Bay diving with the Scubathlon team. Vis wasn't too bad, a bit patchy but good at the gravel loader. We counted around 10 Grey Nurse Sharks,' he captioned footage he filmed while diving with sharks. Shortly before Sydney was plunged into Covid-19 lockdown, Mr Nellist and his fiancee headed north to dive with sharks off Rainbow Beach near Fraser Island, an experience he highly recommended to others. 'We had a great couple of dives today. Awesome and professional crew, and a couple of lovely dives,' he wrote. 'Lots of pregnant grey nurse heaps of different schooling fish, whip ray, bull ray, puffers, snapper, crocodile needle fish chilling near the surface. We could hear the humpbacks singing and watched them on the surface interval. 'A great day out, check it out if you come up this way!' Other posts revealed his caring nature for all marine life. 'A friend of mine saw this rather sick looking turtle at the steps, Kurnell today. I've contacted Australian seabird rescue as they also rescue turtles,' he wrote. Simon Nellist and his partner Jessie Ho pictured after a diving expedition off Queensland's Rainbow Beach last June before Sydney was plunged into lockdown Simon Nellist (right) often encountered sharks on his frequent diving expeditions and he was a very experienced ocean swimmer Since the attack, six drumlines have been put in place between Little Bay and Malabar as part of a shark incident response plan. It's an issue Mr Nellist felt strongly about. The experienced ocean swimmer and dive instructor knew of the potential dangers every time he did the swim, and expressed his disgust with controversial techniques used to keep sharks out of swimming areas. 'Shark nets and drumlines protect no one and kill all kinds of marine life each year,' Mr Nellist posted on Facebook six months ago. Shark nets and drumlines are usually deployed near popular swimming beaches with the aim of reducing sharks in the vicinity. British expat Simon Nellist (pictured) was an experienced ocean swimmer and diver who swam in the area of Little Bay regularly Six drumlines have temporarily installed between between Little Bay and Malabar. Simon Nellist shared strong views on drum lines just six months ago Authorities have since revealed Little Bay Beach was scheduled to have the SMART drumline technology installed within two weeks as part of the NSW government's new shark management program. The technology is designed to provide greater protection to swimmers by alerting authorities to a shark's presence. The system involves a bait dangling in the ocean attached to a buoy, so that when the shark takes the bait it triggers a magnet which sets off a solar-powered beacon to alert officials on the shore. The communication unit, attached to the drumline, sends an email and text message to researchers and contractors within minutes of a shark tripping the line. 'We're rolling SMART drum lines out in the Sydney region, around where this incident happened, in about two weeks,' DPI principal research scientist Paul Butcher told The Australian. 'Our biggest priority is getting those drumlines in the water straight away.' The search for the great white shark that killed Simon Nellist continued on Thursday - but experts say it is likely already 100km away Other shark enthusiasts urged people to not blame the predator as they paid tribute to Mr Nellist. 'He was an instructor, he knew how to handle sharks but you know your expertise doesn't always work on animals,' one wrote on Facebook. 'It was neither his fault nor the shark's. 'It was the fault of greed. They put drumlines so close to shore & that's the price they paid today. 'Hope they learn not to mess with the nature.' Heartbroken friends flooded social media with tributes to the 35-year-old. 'It's just horrendous,' one close friend told The Sun. 'We spent most of yesterday just hoping and praying it wasn't him. It's still incredibly raw.' A close friend back in the UK told Daily Mail Australia he was the 'most wonderful man'. Shattered friends have shared heartfelt tributes about Simon Nellist (pictured left with friend) Police remained on patrol at Little Bay Beach on Thursday, which was closed to beachgoers 'He is our son's godfather from afar', the friend said. 'We are all absolutely heartbroken by this. He was experienced in the water and respectful of the wonders of the water. He loved it. 'A huge loss to the world.' Another friend told The Sun that Mr Nellist fell in love with Australia during his travels six years ago as they remembered him as 'the nicest, kindest human.' They added he 'really knew the water' and was respectful of wildlife. The friend added Mr Nellist was due to marry 'the girl of his dreams' last year but had their plans ruined by Covid-19 and lockdowns. He grew up in Penzance, in Englands south-west, but hadn't been able to go back to visit family in the last few years due to the pandemic. Simon Nellist (pictured) loved adventure and was popular in the local diving community Friends say Simon Nellist was about to marry the love of his life Jessie Ho (pictured together), who he lived with in Sydney Friends in Australia have also expressed utter shock. 'Everything that is connected to Simon is connected to the ocean,' friend Della Ross told Seven News. 'The news hit us like a truck because he was one of the people who make this earth lighter.' He was also an experienced dive instructor who was calm and patient and told his students to respect the ocean. 'He loved the water, he loved diving,' Ms Ross added. He previously dived at a scuba centre in Kogarah, which was rocked by the drowning of Ms Ross' son Dmitriy while freediving in Brighton Le Sands four years ago after he got caught in shark nets. Other friends say Mr Nellist lived in Wolli Creek with his partner and was a regular at the nearby Plus Fitness 24/7 gym. The Sydney Dive Buddy Network urged Facebook group members on Thursday night to give Mr Nellist's family the time and space to endure this traumatic process without excessive communications. Simon Nellist (pictured bottom left with fellow Scubathon divers) loved the ocean and swam regularly Mr Nellist was training for the Malabar Magic Ocean Swim, which was due to be held on Sunday but has since been cancelled. 'The organising committee extends our thoughts and prayers to the family of the swimmer who was so tragically taken yesterday,' event director Robert Lloyd said. 'Out of respect for the swimmer and his family, and following wide consultation with Randwick Council and experienced, senior Surf Life Saving personnel, we believe that cancelling the 2022 swim is appropriate.' More than a dozen beaches between Bondi and Cronulla were closed on Thursday but will reopen on Friday after no further shark sightings. Lifeguards spent the day surveying the beaches on jet skis and used drones to check for shark sightings along the coast. The Department of Primary Industries has temporarily installed six SMART drumlines between Little Bay and Malabar. Little Bay Beach (pictured on Thursday) will reopen on Friday following the fatal shark attack Witnesses recalled the horrifying moment the swimmer was mauled by a great white shark on Wednesday, with shocking footage (pictured) captured at the scene 'To provide increased swimmer safety over the weekend, DPI will continue deploying drumlines on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Little Bay Beach to Long Bay, a DPI spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday night 'Surf Life Saving NSW will also be providing additional drone and helicopter surveillance during this period at Little Bay Beach and Maroubra.' Mr Nellist could be heard screaming for help and struggling to fight off the shark - estimated by witnesses to be four-and-a-half metres long. Mr Nellist's remains were found in the water an hour afterwards. Parts of a wetsuit were also recovered. 'Footage clearly shows a body, half a body being taken by a shark,' a police officer told colleagues over a scanner. 'They have found some remains.' The horrifying scenes occurred in front of dozens of fishermen and other beachgoers, who heard the swimmer's screams before the attack unfolded, sparking panic on shore. 'Someone just got eaten by a shark. Oh man! Oh no! That's insane. That's a great white shark,' one fisherman can be heard yelling in footage. 'The person's still there!' 'I just saw a four to five metre great white explode on the surface just here on a swimmer and it was like a car landing in the water. 'F*** man, I heard a scream and the shark was just chomping on his body and the body was in half just off the rocks here.' 'It came back and swallowed parts of his body and that was it. It disappeared.' Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea, greets supporters while campaigning at Peace Square in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, Friday. Joint Press Corps By Jung Da-min With the presidential race intensifying, the two leading candidates have been engaging in smear campaigns against each other, hurling abusive words such as "fortune teller" and "fascist." Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has attacked Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party (PPP) over allegations that Yoon has been receiving political advice from an alleged fortune-teller named Geonjin ever since serving as the prosecutor general. The man had also been an "adviser" for Covana Contents, an exhibition planning firm run by Yoon's wife Kim Keon-hee. Lee said the people should not choose a leader of the country who would seek advice from a shaman on state affairs. Lee also said Yoon and the PPP represent the old political force which had been kicked out by the candlelit protests that led to the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye in March 2017. She had been a member of the Saenuri Party, a predecessor of the PPP. In the following presidential election two months later, President Moon Jae-in of the DPK was elected, receiving about 41 percent support, followed by Hong Joon-pyo of the Liberty Korea Party, another predecessor of the PPP, at 24 percent, and Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition conservative People's Party at 21.4 percent. "There is a political force kicked out by those slender candles held by our citizens at the candlelit square. They are now coming back only after five years," Lee said on Thursday during a campaign event in Gwanghwamun area in central Seoul, where the candlelit protests had been held for months in 2016 and 2017. Lee also criticized Yoon for "political retaliation" against the current ruling bloc and President Moon Jae-in, after Yoon said in an interview with local newspaper JoongAng Ilbo published Feb. 9 that he would investigate the Moon administration to find evidence of corruption or other illegal acts. Yoon Suk-yeol, second from right, the presidential candidate of the main opposition conservative People Power Party, poses beside life-size cutouts of former President Park Chung-hee and his wife Yuk Young-soo, during his visit to the former president's birthplace home in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, Friday. Joint Press Corps After being appointed by President Moon as the top prosecutor in July 2019, Yoon led investigations into corruption scandals involving former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye. Yoon came into conflict later with the Moon administration over its prosecutorial reform policies and often made headlines over his clash with former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae. During the JoongAng Ilbo interview, Yoon said he will carry out similar investigations of President Moon if elected as the next president, although he will leave it to the prosecution without intervening in them. But Yoon's remarks immediately brought strong backlash among supporters of the country's liberal bloc, who accused him of inciting supporters of the conservative bloc with wrong messages of political retaliation. President Moon also issued a message strongly condemning Yoon and demanded Yoon's apology. While campaigning in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, Friday, Lee said: "I doubt if a leader, who does not have any knowledge about state affairs and only vows political retaliation while also creating a blacklist against artists of the liberal bloc to persecute them, will be able to overcome the complicated and serious crises the country has faced." Shark researchers have pushed for the term 'shark attack' to be swapped for 'shark incident' or 'shark bite' in the wake of the Little Bay death on Wednesday. They believe calling the incident an 'attack' will lead people to think sharks are 'mindless man-eating monsters' and incite fear. On Wednesday afternoon Simon Nellist (above), 35, was killed by a 4.5m great white shark while he was practicing for a charity swim off from Little Bay Beach Researchers are urging people to avoid using the word 'attack' when describing negative shark encounters and instead use 'bite' or 'incident' as the search for Wednesday's killer shark continues On Wednesday afternoon Simon Nellist, 35, was killed by a 4.5m great white shark while practising for a charity swim off from Little Bay Beach. The incident was the first fatal shark attack in Sydney since 1963. Greens Deputy Mayor at Randwick Council, Kym Chapple, tweeted on Thursday using the new politically correct term 'shark bite', instead of calling it a 'shark attack'. 'Awful news from Little Bay tonight with a person killed following a shark bite beach is currently closed,' she wrote. Greens Deputy Mayor at Randwick Council Kym Chapple faced criticism on Wednesday after calling Mr Nellist's death a 'shark bite' Cr Chapple said she was following scientific guidance on the issue by avoiding the term 'shark attack' Little Bay was known as a 'slice of paradise' to locals before the vicious shark attack on Wednesday However many Aussies were quick to call out her use of the term 'shark bite', pointing out the incident was far more vicious. 'I've unfortunately seen the footage and it wasn't a 'bite' It was a full blown, ongoing attack,' one user wrote. Cr Chapple replied to the comment and said she was following scientific advice. Ray Hadley from 2GB also criticised the councillor for calling it a 'shark bite'. 'That's what you get from the Greens - it's just horrible. There is probably debate to be had about these sorts of things but not 24 to 48 hours after a man losing his life,' he said. Several people believe the shark encounter that cost Mr Nellist his life is too vicious to be described as anything but an attack Search efforts for the killer shark that disappeared moments after the attack have continued into Friday Former Randwick Liberal deputy mayor Brendan Roberts told the Daily Telegraph Cr Chapple had 'imposed on the community the politically correct language of 'shark bite' when describing their attacks on people'. 'Clearly this new Greens councillor, gifted the position of Deputy Mayor last month with Labor support, has instinctively sided with the importance of protecting the reputation of killer sharks,' he said. Surf Life Saving (SLS) NSW said they have also 'moved away from the term attack as it doesn't accurately reflect the behaviour of sharks in their natural habitat'. Surf Life Saving NSW have called the Little Bay killing a 'shark incident' instead of a shark attack Instead SLS called Mr Nellist's death a 'shark incident'. The NSW Department of Primary Industries will now call attacks 'shark incidents'. Australian Shark Attack File managed by Taronga Zoo has been renamed to the 'Australian Shark Incident Database' due to 'negative concerns' with the previous name. In the database it will now use the terms 'interactions' and 'negative encounters'. Little Bay Beach and several others in the Randwick area were closed following Wednesday's shark attack Film maker and shark specialist Andy Casagrande told the Daily Telegraph Australia's 'brute-force' shark tactics needed to change. 'Bottom line, sharks are ocean based apex predators, and if they wanted to, they would hunt and kill humans every day of the year, but they don't,' he said. 'Humans on the other hand, do hunt and kill sharks every single day of the year.' Cr Chapple responded to media outlets that published the 'attack' versus 'bite' controversy calling them 'attack pieces' Film maker and shark specialist Andy Casagrande told the Daily Telegraph Australia's 'brute-force' shark tactics needed to change (stock) Cr Chapple responded to media outlets that published the 'attack' versus 'bite' controversy calling them 'attack pieces'. 'A young man has died in awful circumstances and these ghouls want to make it about a culture war,' she wrote. On Thursday morning, drum lines were deployed and intensive drone and sea searches launched for Wednesday's killer shark, which disappeared within minutes of the attack. Even though many states are starting to get rid of mask mandates, Apple is attempting an update that will allow iPhone users unlock their devices while still wearing a face covering. Apple's iOS 15.4 update is hoping to make it certain that the feature can work without making the owner take off their mask, nearly two full years into the pandemic. However, the feature remains in beta and may not reach the public for weeks or even months. A CNN tech reporter tried out the new Face ID feature with several different masks and found the experience 'inconsistent.' Apple said that because Face ID with a mask uses less biometric information, there will be times when a user is not as easily recognized as when their full face is visible and a user may therefore need to enter their passcode. 'Despite unlocking the device while incognito in sunglasses and a hat on my first try, repeating this feat was also hit or miss,' wrote CNN's Samantha Murphy Kelly. People wear face masks while taking photos in Times Square Facemasks have made it harder for users to unlock their iPhones 'Apple later told me the software update is intended to work with eyeglasses but can work with sunglasses in certain situations, when Face ID can gather enough information to identify a user,' she added. 'It is, however, designed to work with a hat. The pairing of both worked about half of the time.' Facial recognition software usually only works by combining multiple different facial features to create one consistent image. A world where masks are being worn constantly has forced Apple and other tech behemoths to focus on using eyes and noses alone for identification functions. In 2021, Apple Watch used a partial solution allowing people to authenticate themselves without losing the mask. Most facial recognition software uses several features from a person's face to make up a consistent image A CNN reporter tries out the new technology to open an iPhone while wearing a mask This comes just days after California's top health official said he 'anticipates' being able to drop the state's controversial school mask policy in as close as two weeks. The move would make the Golden State join a growing list of blue states breaking ranks from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC ) and the Biden administration on masks - both of which are still yet to budge despite plummeting daily Covid infections nationwide. 'Masking requirements were never put in place to be there forever ... it's not a question of if. It's a question of when,' said Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Department of Health and Human Services. Reports indicate that a decision could come soon. Many California schools districts have a week-long February break either this week - from the 14th to the 18th - or next, from the 21st to 25th. It is a possibility that upon return from next week's break that mask mandates are lifted. Some other states are starting to listen to calls from parents and the larger community, as well. Last week, Connecticut and Massachusetts both set plans in place to lift their school mask mandates on February 28. Nearby Delaware did the same last week. Ned Lamont, governor of Connecticut, told Squawk Box last week that the decision by the northeastern states was made in tandem. Other states such as Illinois, New Jersey and New York relaxed mask orders last week, as well, though did not remove face coverings from schools. Covid cases are dropping in all 50 U.S. states over the past two weeks, and have slashed in half during the period in 46 of them. Oklahoma in Nebraska are recording the sharpest drops, with both seeing daily infections drop over 80 percent in the last 14 days. Oklahoma was one of the final states in the U.S. to still be recording an upward trend during the Omicron surge. In 17 states, cases have dropped more than 70 percent over the past two weeks. These astronomical figures will likely begin to shrink soon, as Covid cases begin to reach such low points that they will likely steady soon. Deaths are finally beginning to trend in the right direction as well. The figure, which often lags behind cases by a few weeks, flattened recently and now is showing the first signs of a downward trend. The U.S. is currently averaging 2,365 Covid deaths per day, a six percent decrease over the past week. The figure has hovered in the 2,400 to 2,500 range in recent weeks, and is now showing early signs that it will start to fall. Only three U.S. states are still recording more than one daily Covid death per 100,000 residents. Each are southern state with low vaccination rates. Mississippi is still the national leader in Covid mortality. The Magnolia state is recording 1.76 Covid deaths every day for every 100,000 residents - by far the highest rate of any state. It also has only vaccinated 51 percent of residents, one of the lowest rates in the country. West Virginia, which has vaccinated only 56 percent of residents, and Arkansas, at a 53 percent vaccination rate, are both logging high Covid mortality rates as well. Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk has accused regulators of trying to 'chill' his free speech. Musk claimed on Thursday that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is harassing Tesla with an 'endless' and 'unrelenting' investigation to punish Musk for being an outspoken critic of the government. The accusation came in a letter to U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan in Manhattan, who presided over a 2018 SEC settlement stemming from Musk's tweet about a potential buyout of Tesla. 'Mr. Musk and Tesla respectfully seek a course correction,' wrote Alex Spiro, a lawyer for Musk and Tesla. 'Enough is enough.' In Thursday's letter, Spiro accused the SEC of ignoring its commitment to distribute to shareholders the $40 million in fines collected after the SEC sued Musk in August 2018 over a tweet that he had 'funding secured' to potentially take the EV company private - while instead 'devoting its formidable resources to endless, unfounded investigations' into Musk and Tesla. 'Worst of all, the SEC seems to be targeting Mr. Musk and Tesla for unrelenting investigation largely because Mr. Musk remains an outspoken critic of the government; the SEC's outsized efforts seem calculated to chill his exercise of First Amendment rights,' Spiro wrote. The SEC declined to comment. Lawyers for Elon Musk sent a letter to a federal judge in Manhattan accusing the SEC of harassing him with investigations and subpoenas over his Twitter posts The letter from attorney Alex Spiro accuses the SEC of trying to 'muzzle' Musk, largely because he's an outspoken government critic Thursday's letter escalates Musk's battle with regulators as they scrutinize his social media posts and Tesla's treatment of workers, including accusations of discrimination. It followed Tesla's disclosure on February 7 that it had received a subpoena from the SEC about its compliance with the 2018 settlement. The SEC sued Musk in August 2018 after he tweeted he had 'funding secured' to potentially take his electric car company private at $420 per share. In reality, a buyout was not close. Tesla and Musk settled by agreeing to each pay $20 million in civil fines, and to let Tesla lawyers vet some of Musk's communications in advance, including tweets that could affect Tesla's stock price. Musk also gave up Tesla's chairmanship. In 2018, Musk and Tesla each agreed to pay $20 million in civil fines over Musk's tweets about having the money to take the company private at $420 per share The letter from attorney Alex Spiro accuses the SEC of trying to 'muzzle' Musk, largely because he's an outspoken government critic. Elon Musk is pictured last Thursday The latest subpoena was issued on November 16, 10 days after Musk polled his Twitter followers on whether he should sell 10 percent of his Tesla stake, triggering a sell-off. Spiro asked Nathan to schedule a conference to find out why the SEC is 'issuing subpoenas unilaterally' without court approval, and why the money isn't being distributed. If the SEC found that Musk violated the settlement, it could ask Nathan to throw it out and reopen the case, or pursue new charges. The letter was filed eight days after California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing sued Tesla over allegations by black workers that it tolerated racial discrimination at its Fremont, California, plant. Tesla called that lawsuit misguided. It is also trying to reduce or throw out an approximately $137 million jury award to a black former elevator operator for subjecting him to a hostile work environment at the Fremont plant. Separately on Thursday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a formal probe into 416,000 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles after receiving complaints about unexpected braking tied to its Autopilot system. Tesla has issued 10 recalls since October, including some under pressure from NHTSA. At the end of Thursday's trading session, Tesla shares were down 5 percent at $876.35. ABC veteran Leigh Sales has hit out at Covid restrictions, claiming they have had a 'disturbing' impact on children. The outbound 7:30 presenter shared her opposition to the rules by tweeting an article from the SMH's Dana Daniel captioning it 'the disturbing cost kids continue to pay for Australia's covid policies'. Sales made effort in her tweet to point out that 'they (children) have always had minimal risk themselves of serious illness from covid'. Leigh Sales herself has two children with her ex-partner Phil Willis. Leigh Sales has two sons of her own, indicating in her announcement that they were partly the reason she was stepping away from the top job The article that Sales tweeted reports that young Australians are suffering from conditions including insomnia and anxiety that may be linked to the coronavirus pandemic. But her comments sparked outrage others who claim the restrictions saved lives. 'Australia's Covid policies saved tens of thousands of lives primarily before vaccines were available. Covid can kill kids and it continues to kill their parents and grandparents. How many deaths is acceptable?' one asked. 'The accusation that parents haven't put their kids first in this is frankly insulting. Their wellbeing is tied to ours,' another wrote. 'Blaming Covid policies and not the pandemic itself is like blaming seat belts for car crash injuries,' wrote another. The Aunty host had reportedly taken time off last year to homeschool her own children in the height of lockdown restrictions. After the federal election later this year Sales will step away from her presenter role after 12 years in the seat. In her announcement Sales indicated that her children were a factor in her decision leave the desk. Sales has been critical of lockdowns and other coronavirus restrictions in the past two years. The presenter has previously received backlash following her grilling of Dan Andrews, where she accused the Victorian Government of continuing the 'harsh measure' of lockdowns that weren't necessary. Sales has been critical of lockdowns and other restrictions throughout the pandemic Her support for ending restrictions comes as the NSW government considers a complete overhaul of the current Covid system in schools - but teachers are lobbying for masks and rapid testing to stay. Through the opening weeks of the new year there have been no super-spreader events and no schools have been forced to close - with Premier Dominic Perrottet looking to remove a variety of mandates. Among the changes being considered are allowing parents to return to school grounds, the resumption of full assemblies and year groups being allowed to co-mingle again. Schools have been operating under staggered drop-offs, with parents barred from entering and classes having to be rescheduled to fit the arrivals of different classes (pictured, a Sydney school) It comes as strict mask mandates and QR check in requirements are among a swathe of COVID-19 restrictions being eased in NSW over the next week Schools have been operating under staggered drop-offs, with parents barred from entering and classes having to be rescheduled to fit the arrival of different students. CHANGES TO SCHOOLS The NSW government is now considering: Allowing parents to return to school grounds, the resumption of full assemblies and year groups being allowed to co-mingle again. Advertisement Recess and lunch has also looked vastly different, with year groups not allowed to mingle and full school assemblies being completely stopped. Officials are reviewing whether those rules need to stay in place, with reports suggesting they are 'more likely' to be scrapped in the coming weeks, according to Nine News' Chris O'Keefe. Teachers however want mask mandates in classrooms to remain, despite the rule being scrapped statewide for indoor settings. Currently, all primary and secondary school staff are required to wear surgical masks indoors. They are also calling for regular rapid antigen tests to continue to be used by all faculty and students. Despite calls from staff, who feel the measures have helped keep schools open, Mr Perrottet and Education Minister Sarah Mitchell are still considering dropping mask and RAT legislation. His clip has since amassed close to 250,000 views on video sharing platform In fact, the 'camera' was an arborplug, used to help protect trees from infection Group of eagle-eyed protesters believed they found a hidden camera in a tree rotest last Saturday in Canberra saw at least 20,000 anti-vaxx demonstrators A man has revealed the truth behind the 'hidden cameras and microphones' that were 'discovered' by anti-vaccination protestors in a tree in Canberra. Bizarre footage, uploaded to social media last week, showed protesters whip themselves into a frenzy over an alleged 'hidden camera'. But Don Sibley quickly dispelled those rumours, sharing on TikTok that the device was actually an arborplug, which are used to help protect trees from infection. He sarcastically praised the demonstrators for jumping the gun and forming a dramatic - and incorrect - conclusion in a video which has since earnt almost 250,000 views online. TikTok creator Don Sibley has revealed the truth behind the 'hidden cameras and microphones' that were 'discovered' by anti-vaccination protestors in a tree last weekend in Canberra The tree in Canberra which anti-vaccination protestors believe had a hidden camera wedged behind a piece of chewing gum was actually an arborplug, used to help protect trees from infection The anti-vaccine protesters, who were in Canberra to rally against vaccine mandates, were convinced the device was a camera. They filmed as the discovered was made and later uploaded it to social media. The odd moment begins with a man stating in the video 'its a f***ing peephole camera, motion detected.' A second man - who is recording - then makes his way to the tree as another person points to a 'tiny camera' in the bark. Many fellow demonstrators were shocked at the scenes, with one woman declaring 'no way' at the development. Last Saturday, a record 20,000 people marched through the nation's capital to Parliament House to demonstrate against the pandemic The video left many amused by the footage. Some thought the protesters were being paranoid, while others feared they may have actually found a hidden camera. It comes as 20,000 anti-vaccine activists, conspiracy theorists and people from the sovereign citizen movement marched in the nation's capital last weekend. Among the fired up crowd were people waving World War Two-era Croatian flags, Australia's Red Ensign and upside down Australian flags. Alarmingly, numerous secret symbols, including flags associated with far-right fascist movements, were spotted. 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 Jews and ethnic minorities. The Ustase were heavily influenced by Italian fascism and German Nazis, building their own concentration camps to carry out their abhorrent crimes. Various extremist groups these days often adopt the WWII-era flag to show their support for far-right causes. 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 been adopted by Australia's 'Sovereign Citizen' - or SovCit - movement during the pandemic. The bizarre conspiracy movement rejects the enforcement of laws and taxation, considering them to be illegitimate. Another secret symbol at the demonstration was the upside down Australian flag. Protesters used the Australian Red Ensign flag to demonstrate they are 'sovereign citizens' and do not abide by the Australian government's laws The old Croatian flag - related to Nazi support - was spotted throughout Canberra's anti-vaccination mandate protests among other conspiracy-related flags Several of the flags were spotted at last Saturday's rally of some 20,000 demonstrators as they marched through Canberra to Parliament House Pauline Hanson from the One Nation party joined the 'Convoy to Canberra' rally last Saturday Globally, an upside down flag is recognised as a sign of distress. Demonstrators have been using to the symbol as a way to claim they are in 'distress' over mandatory vaccination requirements in some workplaces and venues. Last Saturday's rally is understood to be the biggest public demonstration ever held 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. Several also flew the Eureka stockade flag which is considered a generic symbol of rebellion against authority. Last Saturday's rally of up to 20,000 people is understood to be the biggest public demonstration ever held in Canberra Several also flew the Eureka stockade flag (blue with a white cross) which is considered a generic symbol of rebellion against authority Broadcaster Ray Hadley says he will still wear a mask to the supermarket but noticeably failed to criticise NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet for rolling back Covid restrictions in the state. The 2GB morning host has been a staunch critic of Mr Perrottet's approach to rolling back public health rules, and recently confronted the premier on-air over reports he had called the veteran jock a 'bedwetter'. On Friday Hadley detailed the rollback of NSW Covid rules announced yesterday, which includes dropping density limits, QR code check-ins and working from home from today, with next to no criticism of the decision. 2GB host Ray Hadley has offered no criticism of the latest decision by NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet to drop Covid restrictions, despite slamming Mr Perrottet over earlier decisions Mr Perrottet announcing most Covid-19 rules will be dropped in the state yesterday, including density limits, QR code check-ins and working from home Face masks will also be dropped from Friday, February 25, when they will only be needed on public transport, in airports, aged care and disability facilities, jails and at indoor music festivals with more than 1000 people. 'Plenty of people will still wear a mask and I may still be one of them,' Hadley told his audience. 'If I go to the supermarket I may still wear it. International research shows you're 53 per cent better off in relation to catching the [virus] than if you're not wearing a mask. 'That's a decision for you but you wont have to do it. 'But masks will still be mandated in some settings.' Singing and dancing will again be allowed at all NSW venues, apart from music festivals, where it will recommence on February 25. Lifting of the restrictions was brought forward from February 28 due to declining rates of hospitalisation in NSW as the Omicron surge subsides. Hadley said he will likely still wear a mask when going to the supermarket. 'That's a decision for you but you wont have to do it,' he said Face masks will be dropped in NSW from Friday, February 25, when they will only be needed on public transport, in airports, aged care and disability facilities, jails and at indoor music festivals with more than 1000 people Density limits at indoor venues and working from home are other restrictions to be dropped in NSW Hadley also agreed that QR code check-ins 'probably had to go' as few people were still using the Service NSW app. Hadley had previously been highly critical of Mr Perrott's decision to end the mask mandate and other Covid rules in mid-December. In an interview with Mr Perrottet in January, Hadley claimed former premier Gladys Berejiklian had directly told him Mr Perrottet was part of 'a team' who pushed for most Covid restrictions to be dropped on December 15. Mr Perrottet was subsequently forced to backflip on the decision when the Omicron variant spread rapidly in the state. On December 22 Mr Perrottet announced the mandatory wearing of masks would be extended until the end of January. Hadley said during the January 17 interview with Mr Perrottet that NSW had been the 'blue chip' of controlling the virus before Mr Perrottet took over as premier from Gladys Berejiklian. Hadley agreed that QR code check-ins 'probably had to go' in NSW as few people were still using the Service NSW app In the interview Mr Perrottet denied he was referring to people like Hadley when he said he would not 'give in to the bedwetters' by re-introducing Covid restrictions. 'I don't know where that's come from, I haven't made those comments in cabinet at all,' Mr Perrottet responded. 'Its been reported directly to me that youve called people like me bedwetters,' Hadley responded. 'Its no good denying it, I know you said it,' he said. On January 20 Hadley accused Mr Perrottet of 'telling lies' about the states health system after nurses protested outside Westmead Hospital over staffing shortages and overtime during the Omicron surge. 'Stop telling lies or stop being misinformed we are not coping,' Hadley said, as he read out personal accounts from fatigued healthcare workers at Sydney Hospitals. 'He's either misinformed by the bureaucrats or he's just plain lying, take your pick, one way or another he's doing the wrong thing.' 'He needs to talk to people at the front line,' he said. NSW announced 9,243 new Covid cases and 15 deaths on Friday, with 1,381 people in hospital and 92 people in ICU. Advertisement The Duchess of York on Thursday evening attended legendary actress Dame Joan Collins' star-studded 88th birthday and 20th wedding anniversary celebration at Claridges in London. Sarah Ferguson arrived at the Mayfair address alone ahead of the event two days after her ex-husband Prince Andrew reached an out-of-court agreement with Virginia Roberts in a civil suit over alleged sexual abuse. Ferguson, 62, looked stunning in a black gown with sheer sleeves and a glittering belt around her waist as she made her way inside, where she was joined by actress Elizabeth Hurley, music mogul Simon Cowell and his fiancee Lauren Silverman. She was all smiles despite the scandal involving the Duke of York, which has left his image in tatters and facing a legal bill of up to 12 million after agreeing a settlement with Roberts, who claims she was trafficked by his friend and convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein. Andrew is also understand to have agreed to pay a 'substantial donation' to his accuser's charity, but the agreement is not an admission of guilt from the duke and he has always strenuously denied the allegations against him. Ferguson's appearance came hours after residents in York on Thursday called for Prince Andrew to be stripped of his Duke of York - which he was given by the Queen on his wedding day in 1986 - title following the sex assault lawsuit. Last month, the Queen stripped Andrew of his remaining patronages and honorary military roles as the monarchy distanced itself from the duke ahead of potentially damaging developments in his lawsuit. The Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson on Thursday evening attended Dame Joan Collins' star-studded 88th birthday and 20th wedding anniversary celebration Sarah Ferguson arrived at Mayfair address Claridge's alone ahead of the event, held in honour of legendary Joan's birthday - which falls on the same date as her wedding anniversary Ferguson was all smiles despite the scandal involving the Duke of York, which has left his image in tatters and facing a legal bill of up to 12 million after agreeing a settlement with Roberts, who claims she was trafficked by his friend and convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein Ms Roberts made a claim against Andrew (pictured together) for damages in her home country of the US, claiming she was trafficked by Epstein to have sex with the royal when she was 17, a minor under US law Ms Roberts made a claim against Andrew for damages in her home country of the US, claiming she was trafficked by Epstein to have sex with the royal when she was 17, a minor under US law. The settlement agreement states that Andrew will donate to Ms Roberts' charity in support of victims' rights and that he has pledged to 'demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein' by supporting the 'fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims'. No detail has been disclosed with regard to the settlement and costs, but it has been reported the duke has agreed to pay around 10 million to Ms Roberts and a further 2 million to her charity, with speculation the Queen might help with costs from her private funds. Andrew is reportedly in the process of selling his 18million Swiss ski chalet with the property expected to generate many millions in funds. On Thursday, residents of York called on the Queen to strip Andrew of his dukedom and allow the city to be represented by another royal. Dignitaries in the city had previously called for him to be stripped of the title for causing 'deep hurt and embarrassment' to residents due to his relationship with the paedophile financier. Ferguson was joined at the star-studded event on Thursday by actress Liz Hurley, 56, who looked stunning in a plunging red gown that exposed her cleavage. She was joined by her 19-year-old son Damien who, ensuring he claimed his own share of the spotlight, looked dapper in a black dinner jacket and matching trousers. The young model added to his look with a white waistcoat, shirt and bow-tie as he helped Joan celebrate her special day. Ferguson, 62, joined legendary actress Dame Joan Collins for her 88th birthday celebrations also attended by Elizabeth Hurley, music mogul Simon Cowell and his fiancee Lauren Silverman Side by side: Elizabeth Hurley and son Damian (L) were joined by Simon Cowell and his fiancee Lauren Silverman (R) on Thursday evening as they helped Dame Joan Collins celebrate her 88th birthday with a host of celebrity friends in London Look who it is: While several of her closest pals turned up for the event, there was one old TV nemesis was also in attendance - her former Dynasty co-star Stephanie Beacham Meanwhile, music mogul Simon looked to be recovering well from his recent electric bike accident as he put on a dapper display as he arrived alongside his wife-to-be Lauren. Earlier that day the iconic British actress celebrated her twentieth wedding anniversary with husband Percy Gibson and she hinted the secret to domestic bliss is having 'separate bathrooms'. The acting legend married handsome producer and her fifth husband Percy, 56, on February 17, 2002. On Thursday Joan - who is 32 years older than Percy - told fans how happy they were after two decades of living together. Posting up a throwback from their big day, Joan wrote: '20 years ago today #ahubby and I tied the knot and have been happily married ever since #20thanniversary #togetherness #happymarriage.' She then added with laughing emoji : '#separatebathrooms.' Joan and Percy received congratulations from friends including Paul O Grady and hat designer Philip Treacy. The two met during a theatre production and at the time Joan admitted she 'wasn't interested in getting married again' at first, but changed her mind after they became close friends and insisted her current marriage is 'for good'. Love: Dame Joan also celebrated her twentieth wedding anniversary with husband Percy Gibson on the same day, and she hinted the secret to domestic bliss is having 'separate bathrooms' Loved-up: It comes after Joan revealed that she relocated to France with her husband Percy during the pandemic because she felt so frustrated It comes after the screen legend revealed she felt like she was 'in jail' during the UK lockdown. She spent the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic in London but as soon as international travel was permitted, she relocated to France with her husband Percy Gibson because she felt so frustrated. She said: 'I was in London for most of the time. But after the three-month period from March 2020, I went to the south of France, as I have a house there. 'I found London difficult because I felt like I was in jail, not knowing when I was going to get out.' Joan spent a 'ridiculous' amount of time watching TV and admitted she gained weight because there was nothing to do but eat and drink. She said: 'Of course I was [in tracksuits] werent we all? I gained about half a stone. I was eating as much as possible because aside from drinking bottles of wine and polishing off chocolates what else was there to do? 'I also watched endless television it was ridiculous. I watched nine hours one day. 'I would watch the morning programmes and read all the papers, so that would take me up to lunchtime.' Advertisement Storm Eunice will not develop into a 'sting jet' - the Met Office said today - after the rare meteorological phenomenon failed to materialise. Scientists had warned the storm had the potential to include the dangerous feature, which was last seen in the UK during the Great Storm of 1987. Twenty-two people died during the Great Storm, 18 in England and four in France and 15 million trees in the UK were toppled. The cost to the economy has been estimated at 1.4billion - and Met Office forecasters warn that global warming is making such severe storms more likely as a warmer climate makes storms more violent. Sting jets were unknown at the time of the Great Storm - and were only discovered by analysis of satellite images and weather data by University of Reading scientists led by in 2003. Looking at satellite images of clouds and surface weather observations, researchers identified the conditions that lead to the strongest surface winds. A stream of strong winds descends to the ground where there is evaporation at the tip of a tell-tale cloud feature. This cloud, hooked like a scorpion's tail, gives the wind region its name - the Sting Jet. Once a sting jet is identified in satellite images, sometimes only two or three hours before their impact, they can help help to predict the most damaging path of the storm. Relative to the size of the storm they are very narrow - usually only around 30 miles across - and tend to last just three or four hours. Most storms never develop sting jets. The so-called Great Storm in October 1987, which claimed 18 lives, is the most famous example of a sting jet forming, the Met Office said. In that instance wind speeds reached 115mph and an estimated 15 million trees were brought down by gusts, the Met Office said. Explaining how the sting jets form, the forecaster said weather fronts separate areas of warm and cold air and their interaction creates and develops wet and windy weather. There are more focused streams of warm and cold air close to the weather fronts, known as conveyor belts - with the warm conveyor rising and the cold conveyor falling. The sting jet features separate areas of warm and cold air, with the interaction creating and developing wet and windy weather. There are more focused streams of warm and cold air close to the weather fronts, known as conveyor belts - with the warm conveyor rising and the cold conveyor falling. The Met Office said these 'wrap around the area of low pressure and help develop it by feeding warm air and moisture into the system' In this satellite image example of a sting jet the cold front and warm front merge to create an area of extreme weather within the merging zone (centre) The Met Office said these 'wrap around the area of low pressure and help develop it by feeding warm air and moisture into the system'. It added: 'The cold conveyor brings its cold air from higher in the atmosphere and from being in a cold air mass. Sometimes it has help from rain and snow as they fall into it and evaporate. 'This change from liquid to gas requires heat, which is removed from the conveyor, cooling it further. Now we have even colder air falling along the conveyor, speeding up as it does so, like a rollercoaster taking the first drop. 'As this wind reaches the surface it can often produce much stronger gusts than would otherwise be made by the storm. However, the cold conveyor catches up with itself after a few hours and consumes the sting jet, keeping the length of time and area of potential damage quite small.' During the Great Storm of 1987, the worst of the damage occurred in south-east England, with gusts of 70 knots or more recorded continually for three or four hours straight, the Met Office said. Thousands of homes were left without power for more than 24 hours, and transport disruption was caused due to trees falling onto roads and railway lines. The Met Office also recalled how a number of small boats were wrecked or blown away, with one ship at Dover being blown over and a Channel ferry being blown ashore near Folkestone. The forecaster said that even the oldest at the time in the worst affected areas 'couldn't recall winds so strong, or destruction on so great a scale'. Dr Peter Inness, meteorologist at the University of Reading, said a 'strong jet stream' can 'act like a production line for storms, generating a new storm every day or two'. He added: 'Eunice looks like it may be able to produce a 'sting jet', a narrow, focused region of extremely strong winds embedded within the larger area of strong winds and lasting just a few hours. 'Such events are quite rare but the 1987 'Great Storm' almost certainly produced a sting jet, and some of the more damaging wind storms since have also shown this pattern.' He said two red warnings for wind in a single winter is very unusual for the UK, as it is more typical to get one every two or three years. Running parallel to the fronts are more focused streams of warm and cold air, known as conveyor belts. While the warm one rises, the cold one falls, helping to feed warm air and moisture into the system. Cold conveyor belts bring snow and rain, which evaporate and speeds up the stream of cold air falling into the storm even more - resulting in even higher winds. This is what is known as a sting jet, with the sting referring to the 'sting in the tail' of the storm. Sting jets are hard, but not impossible, to forecast - according to the Met Office. 'There are tell-tale signs in weather models that are now able to spot cores of very strong winds,' its website explains. 'It is also possible to spot the sting jet developing on satellite images, as the end of the cold conveyor is marked by a hook-shaped cloud with a point at the end. 'This often looks like the sting in a scorpion's tail, hence the name sting jet.' White House Covid tsar Dr. Anthony Fauci warned that lifting mask mandates on children right now is still 'risky' despite the nation reporting a 42 percent drop in coronavirus cases. 'It's understandable why people want to take masks off the kids. But, right now, given the level of activity that we have, it is risky,' Fauci told CNN on Thursday. 'Now we could get lucky, cause the trajectory right now is going way down and it very well may be that if you take masks off of kids in the next week or so, it's going to keep going down. But you have to be careful.' Masks in schools have become one of the most controversial remaining Covid policies in America, with parents and teachers largely divided on the issue. Fauci's comments come as the Democratic-majority states of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Nevada and Oregon have made the move to lift school mask mandates. Leaders in California and New York have also started easing back coronavirus restrictions, but are continuing to mandate masks in schools. The move comes as cases were down nationwide another 42 percent over the past week, with the U.S. now averaging 128,989 new cases every day. America is now a month removed from a surge fueled by the Omicron variant that reached its peak of around 800,000 cases per day in mid-January and there is nothing to indicate that cases will not continue falling. Scroll down for video Dr. Anthony Fauci (pictured in Dec. 2021) has warned that lifting mask mandates on children right now is still 'risky' despite the nation reporting a 42 percent drop in coronavirus cases Masks in schools have become one of the most controversial remaining Covid policies in America, with parents and teachers largely divided on the issue Fauci (right) speaking to CNN Thursday said: 'It's understandable why people want to take masks off the kids. But, right now, given the level of activity that we have, it is risky. Now we could get lucky, cause the trajectory right now is going way down and it very well may be that if you take masks off of kids in the next week or so, it's going to keep going down. But you have to be careful.' Fauci sang a different tune Wednesday, saying it was time for the U.S to start inching back toward normality, despite remaining risks from Covid. President Joe Biden's top medical chief argued that leaders are facing tough choices as they strive to balance growing pandemic fatigue and the need to protect their citizens from infections. 'There is no perfect solution to this,' Fauci told Reuters on Wednesday. 'The fact that the world and the United States and particularly certain parts of the United States are just up to here with Covid - they just really need to somehow get their life back.' However, he warned: 'You don't want to be reckless and throw everything aside, but you've got to start inching towards that.' Fauci also acknowledged that although lifting restrictions could see more infections, maintaining strict Covid policies was also harmful. 'Is the impact on mental health, is the impact on development of kids, is the impact on schools - is that balanced against trying to be totally pristine and protecting against infection? I don't have the right answer to that,' he said. Cases were down nationwide another 42 percent over the past week, with the U.S. now averaging 128,989 new cases every day Meanwhile, the Omicron surge is continuing to wind down as around three quarters of Americans are now immune to the virus. Between the 80 million of Americans who have been infected by the variant, and the 92 million Americans that have received a booster shot, Associated Press (AP) analysis finds that 73 percent of people in the US now have some immunity to the Omicron variant. Declining cases have many experts believing the pandemic stage of Covid may be over, and a 'return to normal' could be just around the corner. The list of states to drop restrictions related to the virus is continuing to grow as well, as pressure mounts on governors to put the pandemic behind them. This week, new Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin is pushing his state's legislators to end required masks in schools on March 1. The Republican, who won last year's election in a surprise upset over former Governor Terry McAullife, made school issues like masking a key part of his platform last year. Covid cases are dropping in 49 of 50 states, with Maine being the only state suffering an increase. America is now a month removed from the surge reaching its peak of around 800,000 cases per day in mid-January and there is nothing to indicate that cases will not continue falling One of the key metrics being monitored by the CDC is daily deaths from the virus, a figure that is finally starting to decline after lagging behind cases for a long period of time. The U.S. is averaging 2,213 Covid deaths every day, an eight percent drop over the past week Vermont Governor Phil Scott, also a Republican in a state generally considered to be blue, announced Tuesday that any school that has a student vaccination rate of 80 percent or higher was allowed to lift mask mandates as well. Masks will likely be removed from all indoor public spaces in the near future, as well. The two states join more than a half-dozen others that chose to either relax or lift entirely their mask orders last week in the wake of declining Covid case basically everywhere in America. Federal leaders have been hesitant to follow, though. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still recommends universal masking in public schools and requires people to wear masks when traveling on planes and trains. Officials opened the door to lifting restrictions soon during a press briefing on Wednesday, though. White House Covid response Coordinator Jeff Zients indicated that the federal government is already looking to life beyond Covid. Hospitalization rates are also declining nationwide Between the 80 million of Americans who have been infected by the variant, and the 92 million Americans that have received a booster shot, Associated Press (AP) analysis finds that 73 percent of people in the US now have some immunity to the Omicron variant States that have DROPPED masks in schools California - On February 15, vaccinated residents will no longer have to wear masks in public indoor settings. Masks will still be required in schools. Connecticut - On February 28, masks will no longer be required in schools Delaware - On February 11, a mask mandate for all indoor public places except schools will end. The mandate for schools will be lifted on March 31 Illinois - On February 28, a mask mandate for all indoor public places will be lifted. Masks will still be required in schools Massachusetts - On February 28, masks will no longer be required in schools Nevada - On February 10, the state's public and school mask mandate was lifted New Jersey - On March 7, masks will no longer be required in schools New York - On February 10, the state's mask mandate for indoor public places as lifted. Masks are still required in schools Oregon - On March 31, the state plans to allow its indoor mask mandate to expire, which includes schools Rhode Island - Masks will no longer be required in schools starting March 4. Vermont - As of February 15, any school that has a student vaccination rate of 80 percent or higher is allowed to lift mask mandates. Virginia - Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed ban on mask mandates in the commonwealths schools on February 16. Schools have until March 1 to lift mask mandates. Advertisement 'As a result of all this progress and the tools we all have, we're moving toward a time when Covid isn't a crisis but is something we can protect against and treat,' Zients said. 'The president and our Covid team are actively planning for this future.' Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, did not indicate at the briefing that her agency planned to change guidelines soon, though there are reports that it is being considered and changes could come as early as next week. 'We want to give people a break from things like mask-wearing when these metrics are better, and then have the ability to reach for them again should things worsen,' Walensky explained. 'If and when we update our guidance, we will communicate that clearly. And it will be based on the data and the science. One of the key metrics being monitored by the CDC is daily deaths from the virus, a figure that is finally starting to decline after lagging behind cases for a long period of time. The U.S. is averaging 2,213 Covid deaths every day, an eight percent drop over the past week. Covid cases are dropping in 49 of 50 states, with Maine being the only state suffering an increase. The Pine Tree state is still recording a very low infection rate, though. Cases have slashed in half over the past two weeks in 45 states. Only on state, Kentucky, is recording more than 100 daily Covid cases per every 100,000 residents. The Bluegrass state has recorded a 45 percent drop over the past two weeks, though, down to 114 per every 100,000 daily. The number of states still recording more than one daily Covid death per 100,000 residents has shrunk to six as well. Each of the states also have a vaccination rate of less than 60 percent. Mississippi still leads the nation in Covid deaths, with 1.52 of every 100,000 residents dying from the virus every day. The Magnolia state also has one of the lowest vaccination rates in America, with only 51 percent of residents having received the jab. West Virginia (1.32 daily deaths per 100,000 residents; 57 percent vaccination rate), Arkansas (1.24; 53), Oklahoma (1.23; 56), Idaho (1.1; 53) and South Carolina (1.08; 55) make up the rest of the group. A woman involved in a road rage incident with an anti-vax protester has shared a bizarre message from a troll claiming their daughters are hotter than her. Chantal-Jasmine Fox, 26, accidentally crashed her car in a 'road rage' incident with a protester in Canberra on Saturday, with footage of the incident going viral on social media. The 26-year-old has since taken to Instagram to share the influx of abuse she's received, including a creepy text message from a troll. Chantal-Jasmine Fox, (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia her friends, family and workplace had been inundated with abuse and harassment since clashing with Canberra protesters The 26-year-old shared a bizarre text from a troll (pictured) to her Instagram after a road rage incident with an anti-vax protester in Canberra went viral 'Someone come get your mum,' Ms Fox wrote alongside a screenshot of the bizarre text exchange. 'Go back to your own country crackhead invader of Australia you are telling someone to get out of your country isn't your country Canada traitor,' the troll wrote. Ms Fox replied, linking the troll to her account with the adults-only subscription website OnlyFans. The exchange sparked an even stranger response when the person claimed their daughters are more attractive. 'Oh ok cool you gonna show the world you're a w***e now well done show Australia you're a Canada bogan s**t that loves to show it all. Love, my daughters have better bodies than you. I've seen better on a smash crap poor little girl sucks to be you.' The infuriated local came to blows with the Covid protestor on a Canberra road after the woman claimed she had reversed into her at a traffic light (pictured is Ms Fox) The bizarre exchange comes after Ms Fox was filmed in a viral 'road rage' incident with a Covid protester in Canberra on Saturday. The incredible road rage erupted after an anti-vaxxer who had been at a Canberra protest allegedly rolled backwards into Ms Fox' Holden Captiva. An angry Ms Fox shouted at a protester who was checking her car for any damage. But when Ms Fox went to drive off, her Holden Captiva collided with the demonstrator's parked vehicle - with vision of the accident going viral. The incredible road rage erupted after an anti-vaxxer allegedly rolled backwards into Chantal-Jasmine Fox (pictured) on a Canberra road Footage filmed in the moments after the accident appears to show a furious Ms Fox having clambered out of her smashed car. She is then seen snatching two Red Ensign flags from the protester's front windows and screaming: 'Get the f*** out of Canberra. Nobody wants you here.' Ms Fox is seen swinging the flags in the older woman's direction before a witness manages to hold the pair apart. The original video began with the other woman bending down to film the front of her to record any damage. 'Get the f*** out of Canberra. Nobody wants you here,' she yells at the protester while waving the flags in her face in the aftermath of the collision (pictured) Ms Fox is then heard yelling at the other driver, 'what are you doing you f**king bogan? 'Get the f**k out of Canberra, go get a job and find something better to do with your f**king life,' she yells - as the protester asks her for her licence. 'You've reversed into me. Honey, you've just reversed into me,' Ms Fox repeats. 'Say whatever you want sweetheart. The media doesn't care about you.' The woman filming tells the driver she is a 'maniac' who deftly responds: 'Yeah I am, so get out of Canberra because there are a lot of us.' As she attempts to drive away from the scene her vehicle rams into the back of the protester's car with the impact launching the 4WD into the air. Her tyres land on the roof of the hatchback with a loud crunch as the protester lets out a scream. She posted a picture of her black 4WD mounted on the other woman's car saying she was a 'bit butthurt over an accident', adding 'anti-vaxxers = drama' (pictured) 'How's that?' the woman calls to her from her window. 'You f**king idiot. You are f**ked,' the protestor screams back. It comes as thousands of anti-vaxxers descend on the nation's capital for days of protests against vaccine mandates and restrictions - much to the anger of locals. Saturday's rally of up to 20,000 people is understood to be the biggest public demonstration ever held in Canberra. Ms Fox on Sunday posted a picture of her black 4WD mounted on the other woman's car saying she was a 'bit butthurt over an accident', adding 'anti-vaxxers = drama'. She told Daily Mail Australia the collision was 'just a common road accident blown out of proportion'. She said police, firefighters and paramedics responded to the collision with officers leaving the scene without pressing charges. In a statement, ACT Police confirmed Ms Fox will be hit with an infringement notice for negligent driving. Of the damage to the vehicles Ms Fox said the woman's car had to be towed from the scene while her car requires a wheel alignment. Three people were arrested during the weekend's demonstrators including one man who allegedly drove his truck through a roadblock (pictured, protesters outside Parliament House) 'I drove home from the accident, and didn't hear anything until Sunday morning when it was going viral,' she said. Ms Fox is yet to respond to questions about the flag-waving incident. She said the backlash on social media was 'a last ditch effort by this movement to scare and pressure our government'. Ms Fox shared a series of responses to the video to her Instagram stories, with one person describing her as 'shameful'. 'What do you have to say for yourself,' a person commented, to which Ms Fox replied: 'Suck my b***s'. While some were shocked at the brutal rear-ending others sided with the Canberra local and said the protester should 'stay out'. 'No sympathy from me. Get out, stay out,' one woman wrote. Saturday's rally of up to 20,000 people is understood to be the biggest public demonstration ever held in Canberra (pictured, people attend a protest in the nation's capital on Saturday) 'Never seen such a huge crowd of victims in my life,' another wrote. Ms Fox told Daily Mail Australia her friends, family and workplace have been inundated with abuse and harassment since the incident. 'I don't mind about myself, but my friends didn't deserve that,' she said. It comes as 20,000 anti-vaccine activists, conspiracy theorists and people from the sovereign citizen movement marched in the nation's capital last weekend. Protesters have been making their presence known in the city since January, however record numbers gathered on the Parliament House lawns on Saturday. Three people were arrested during the weekend's demonstrators including one man who allegedly drove his truck through a roadblock. Some of the protester's caused damage to the EPIC show-ground forcing the cancellation of the Lifeline charity book fair. Police said rising numbers of people at the rallies and campers placing tents in non-camping areas had left organisers with no choice but to cancel. Prime Minister Scott Morrison asked the activists to protest 'peacefully and respectfully' and said state governments were responsible for mandates. 'I'm going to be very clear when it comes to the issue of vaccine mandates: The Commonwealth government has only ever supported mandates that relate to aged care workers, disability workers and those who are working in high-risk situations in the health system,' he said at a press conference. South Sudan hails progress on China aided television project Xinhua) 08:35, February 18, 2022 JUBA, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- A South Sudanese official on Thursday hailed the speedy progress made by two Chinese companies constructing both the national radio and television facilities. Ramadan Kamil Abulangi, the director of Engineering at South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), said the project being undertaken from 2019 will transform radio and television broadcasting services in the country when completed in August. China Dalian International Economic and Technological Cooperation Group Co. Ltd and Beijing Yutian Suocheng Technology Co. Ltd are the implementing partners. "This project is the most important project for South Sudan because we are going to have a 120-meter tower and there will be microwave linking to the office of the president to cover live events and there will be another microwave to move around Juba to cover all events happening," Kamil told Xinhua during inspection of the facilities in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. The project includes the construction of a new TV studio production building with a total construction area of about 2,400 square meters. The studio production building has two floors, including a TV studio, virtual studio, recording studio, master control room, launch room, office room, and related supporting facilities. It also includes building a new launch room with a gross floor area of 400 square meters within the Gumbo launch pad site and a launch system will be provided. "It will also be equipped with modern equipment and digital trace transmitters and all the latest equipment will be provided. I think this project will be the first or second in Africa and people of South Sudan are happy," Kamil said. Kamil said that the state broadcaster SSBC will have more than 20 channels, adding that all private televisions in Juba will be connected to SSBC. Chinese technicians are expected to train local engineers on operating and maintaining the equipment and facilities. Xu Song, the managing director of China Dalian International Economic and Technological Cooperation Group Co. Ltd, said they have already finished 85 percent of the work on decoration, mechanical and electrical installation. "We encountered some difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are confident we will finish this project by Aug. 20, 2022," said Xu, adding that they have commenced the installation and replacement of old equipment with the modern ones shipped from China. The existing infrastructure of the national radio and television station in South Sudan is single-story houses built in the last century and the infrastructure is relatively backward. In November 2014, South Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation sent a note to the Chinese Embassy in South Sudan, requesting assistance in the construction of radio and television facilities. In July 2017, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce officially approved the project of radio and television facilities for South Sudan. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Combined efforts needed to cope with climate change APG Asset Management, Europe's largest pension investor, has sent letters to major Korean companies that it has invested in, calling on them to double down on reducing carbon emissions. It urged the 10 companies including Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and LG Chem to carry out "ambitious climate and carbon reduction strategies and commitments." "They need to elevate their existing climate change strategies and carbon reduction targets and make sure these are 'sufficiently ambitious,"' APG said in a statement posted on its website. Such a move can be taken to indicate it could withdraw its investments from the companies unless they make due efforts toward that end. In reality, APG sold its stake in the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) over its insufficient efforts toward reducing carbon emissions and addressing climate change. This also shows carbon neutrality has become an urgent issue that will determine the fate and sustainability of domestic companies and the national economy. We urge the major companies and the government to step up efforts and cooperation to cope with carbon reduction and climate change efficiently through prompt implementation of relevant policies. Specifying on the companies' efforts, the pension provider criticized Samsung for having generated higher levels of carbon emissions relative to its annual revenue, compared to its rival Apple in 2020. It also pointed out SK Group has yet to come up with detailed plans to abide by its pledge to eliminate 200 million tons of carbon emissions by 2030. The importance of reducing carbon emissions cannot be overemphasized since it has already become the most imminent global agenda that will determine the survival of humankind. Prompted by the growing significance of cutting carbon emissions, an increasing number of industrialized countries and their companies have embarked on full-fledged efforts to reduce emissions. For starters, the European Union plans to introduce a carbon border tax system next year, to collect taxes on five import items such as steel products in four years. This means the EU will impose extra tariffs on imports that generate more carbon compared to the products manufactured in the EU. Some 20 major countries including the United States plan to implement such a tax system. Leading global investors including APG have begun to focus on coping with climate change. A growing number of international pension providers from European countries such as Sweden, Norway and Demark have clarified they would withdraw their investment from the companies should they fail to make proper measures to curtail carbon emissions. Major multinational companies have been adopting "RE 100," designed to transform the way of producing electricity for enterprises into eco-friendly recycled energy, applying pressure on affiliates and subcontract companies to follow suit. As the Korean economy depends heavily on exports, its government and businesses should pay particular heed to the global trend toward climate change. It is time to make combined efforts to beef up the national industries to reduce carbon emissions effectively. Former culture secretary John Whittingdale has raised concerns that courts are extending privacy law without parliament agreeing it should happen. His comments came days after the UKs highest court confirmed that people under criminal investigation should have a reasonable expectation of privacy. In the first case on the issue to reach the Supreme Court, five justices dismissed an appeal from media company Bloomberg. Mr Whittingdale, also a former media minister, said he has considerable reservations about the way privacy law is being extended. Former culture secretary John Whittingdale has raised concerns that courts are extending privacy law without parliament agreeing it should happen. His comments came days after the UKs highest court confirmed that people under criminal investigation should have a reasonable expectation of privacy He said there was a feeling even before the Bloomberg judgment that the courts were giving more weight to privacy than they were to freedom of expression. This, he said, was the reverse of what parliament said should happen. He told the Daily Mail: This latest ruling would appear to be another example of where the courts are extending privacy law without parliament having basically agreed that that should happen... '[It] actually does run counter to the one thing parliament did say, which was the importance of freedom of expression, as set out in the Human Rights Act. Wednesdays ruling has sparked concern from media lawyers and news organisations, who said the decision was chilling and would have far reaching implications. In the first case on the issue to reach the Supreme Court, five justices dismissed an appeal from media company Bloomberg. Mr Whittingdale, also a former media minister, said he has considerable reservations about the way privacy law is being extended The ruling referred to a 2016 letter of request a confidential inter-governmental document which a UK law enforcement body had written asking for banking and business records about a company and individuals. A journalist working for Bloomberg obtained a copy of the letter and published an article based on its contents. One of the individuals, known only as ZXC, then sued Bloomberg, saying he had a reasonable expectation of privacy in relation to the letters contents. Bloomberg editor-in-chief John Micklethwait said the courts had presented the powerful with a path to keep their names out of print for years. More than a billion pounds of court fines and other charges owed by criminals to compensate victims has gone uncollected over the past five years, analysis has shown. The total amount of outstanding payments, 1.2billion, includes more than 780million worth of court fines more than double the figure in 2016 and up 30million in the past year alone. Meanwhile, debt from compensation orders where offenders must pay for any personal loss, injury or damage due to a crime has risen 22 per cent to 80million, while unpaid court costs have spiked to 238million 67 per cent up on 2016. At the same time, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) recorded a drop of 84million in fines received by the department last year a 22 per cent fall on the previous 12 months. In addition, nearly 300million has been spent by the National Compliance and Enforcement Service over the last five years, with a significant proportion being used to recover the unpaid fines. Along with the current backlog, some sums owed from a decade ago have still not been collected letting offenders escape part of their punishment. Just 96 per cent of the original penalties from the 2010/11 financial year have been collected, leaving over 8million still owed to the MoJ. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) recorded a drop of 84million in fines received by the department last year a 22 per cent fall on the previous 12 months. (stock image) Figures also show that victims of crime are increasingly failing to be compensated the total victim surcharge debt has more than trebled from 24.5million to 77.4million since 2016. The surcharge, introduced in 2007, is intended to fund organisations for victims of crime. The only debt to fall, criminal court charges which cover courts' running costs still sits at 22million, down from 53.4million in 2016. The figures come after it emerged that a backlog in crown court cases could extend beyond 2027 without additional funding. Labour's justice spokesman Steve Reed said the 'high on tax, soft on crime Conservative Government are letting criminals off the hook yet again while victims go uncompensated'. He added: 'Every pound uncollected is money that could have been spent on more police officers or reducing the courts backlog it means that taxpayers end up paying more and more.' Labour's justice spokesman Steve Reed (pictured) said the 'high on tax, soft on crime Conservative Government are letting criminals off the hook yet again while victims go uncompensated'. However, some campaigners say there is little point in courts fining people who will 'struggle to pay' in the first place. Penelope Gibbs, of Transform Justice, said: 'Police cautions have a better record in reducing reoffending than court fines.' A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'Under this government, offenders are being told to pay more, both in fines and to victims, which account for these increases. 'Over the past five years we have collected over 300million from offenders.' The independent body in charge of investigating miscarriages of justice yesterday took the lead in urging postmasters to overturn their wrongful convictions. Close to 700 victims were incorrectly accused of crimes such as fraud and theft between 2000 and 2015 when glitches in the computer system, called Horizon, were to blame. But two years after the full extent of the scandal was revealed, 576 are yet to come forward because of their inherent mistrust of the Post Office. Just 104 postmasters have had their convictions overturned or begun the process to quash them. The Criminal Cases Review Commission said the Post Office had voluntarily relinquished its role on Wednesday and it had taken over, hours before a critical report from MPs was released. More postmasters may die before getting justice because of delays in paying compensation, MPs warn today. The Mail this week revealed that 33 victims of the Post Office IT scandal had already died without being paid amid years of obfuscation, delays and court battles. The inquiry into the sub-postmasters scandal is expected to last to the end of 2022 Its chairman, Helen Pitcher, said: There have been a large number of people who havent responded to letters the Post Office has sent out because they just dont trust them as a result of whats happened. We will immediately contact all the individuals and advise them of what their routes to justice are. It comes as the business, energy and industrial strategy committee published a report yesterday which made a series of criticisms of how compensation was being handled. The Post Office has been unable to trace 126 wrongfully convicted postmasters, while a further 343 have not responded to letters telling them they could be entitled to compensation. The company and its owner, the Government, has ear-marked 780million to pay to the incorrectly accused postmasters but this will be lower if they do not come forward to appeal. In the most severe cases, the postmasters are demanding damages of several million pounds each for their malicious prosecution. The Post Office is taking the lead in cleaning up the carnage left by the scandal, leading to claims the payout schemes are flawed as it is not independent. It is running the main method of compensation, the Historical Shortfall Scheme (HSS), and it has employed the legal firm Herbert Smith Freehills. File photo dated 23/04/21 of former post office workers celebrating outside the Royal Courts of Justice, London, after their convictions were overturned by the Court of Appeal. Neil Hudgell, who represented 29 of the cleared subpostmasters, has told BBC Breakfast on Saturday they will seek compensation over the Horizon scandal In response, Post Office bosses said final decisions in the HSS are made by two independent panels and disagreements can be taken to arbitration. The long-awaited public inquiry into the scandal has been hearing from victims since it opened on Monday. Yesterday, father-of-five Mohammed Amir, 47, from Bolton, revealed he paid the Post Office 130,000 over two decades for missing money at his three branches and suffered a heart attack at the age of 33. He has received a payout of just 20,000 and now suffers from depression. He said: Twenty years of hard work has gone to waste. Wendy Martin, a mother-of-three, told the inquiry she had suffered costs of 734,000 in lost earnings due to the scandal. She suffered a complete breakdown and, after receiving just 24,000 in compensation, is working a minimum wage job to clear her debts. Scott Darlington, a 59-year-old who ran a branch in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, between 2005 and 2010, was given a suspended prison sentence after being charged with false accounting over a 44,000 shortfall. The father-of-one was left unemployed for close to four years due to his conviction. He told the inquiry that the Post Offices persecution of its own staff had been a deliberate policy as he demanded bosses were held to account. In total, the scandal could cost the taxpayer 1billion in legal fees and compensation. Earlier this week, the Daily Mail revealed 33 postmasters had already died waiting for justice, including four who are believed to have taken their own lives. Over 50 postmasters are giving evidence in the next four weeks, before attention turns to the civil servants, the Post Offices former bosses, IT experts and lawyers in June. The inquiry chairman, retired judge Sir Wyn Williams, will report early next year. A concierge sacked after missing a disciplinary hearing because he did not know how to access the online meeting has won a disability claim. Daniel Hayes faced a misconduct hearing on video conferencing software Microsoft Teams but he had not heard of the program. After initially missing the hearing, it was rearranged via Teams, but the concierge for a luxury east London apartment building again missed it and was annoyed it was not explained to him how to attend. Rendall & Rittner, which claims it is Londons leading independent managing agent, held the hearing in his absence and he was sacked in April 2020. After initially missing the hearing, it was rearranged via Teams, but the concierge for a luxury east London apartment building again missed it and was annoyed it was not explained to him how to attend Mr Hayes, employed by Rendall & Rittner from April 2019, worked at the Long and Waterson apartment building in Shoreditch. In February 2020 contractors who Mr Hayes had animosity with complained to the company about an incident. He faced disciplinary proceedings for allegedly throwing a bag of faeces and urine at a van. But when investigated, he had claimed he only threw a tissue. Mr Hayes, who suffers anxiety, was left in extreme distress after twice not being able to access the misconduct hearings, an employment tribunal heard. It ruled Rendall & Rittner failed to make a reasonable adjustment by not reorganising the hearing for a third time by phone. The employment judge, sitting at the London East tribunal, said anxiety was a major factor in Mr Hayes not accessing Teams. Mr Hayes won a claim of failure to make reasonable adjustments for a disabled employee. Compensation will be determined at a later date. Staff in London are working from home more than anywhere else in Britain with half of employees still at their kitchen table or hybrid working. In other areas of the country they are much more likely to have gone back to the workplace full-time, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. In Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and the North East, just 18 to 20 per cent of people are still shunning the office all or part of the time. The data lay bare the divide between London and the rest of the nation. The capital has a high concentration of wealthy white-collar workers, able to do desk-based jobs from home. And employers at City firms, desperate to attract the best talent, are forced to offer as many perks as they can. Chetan Patel, of recruiter Hays London City, said: Its no surprise to see that hybrid working is more in practice across London, as firms cant afford not to offer some form of flexibility in a competitive hiring market. An employee at asset manager Insight Investment said staff were only going back to the office one day a week. He said such practices were the norm in the City. MPs and business leaders have raised concerns about long-term productivity as employees lose out on face-to-face discussions. A third of office staff have not returned to the workplace since the start of the pandemic, with many employers not sure if they can actually make them return. Pictured: Commuters walk across London Bridge on Monday Across the country, a third of office staff have not returned to the workplace since the start of the pandemic, with many employers not sure if they can actually make them return. New research has found employers are being met with 'resistance' from staff over coming back into the office, and are uncertain whether they can 'legally mandate' the end of work from home. In January, Boris Johnson ended guidance to work from home where possible in England as the government scrapped the remaining Covid restrictions. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been moving slower towards dropping the same rules. But in research for insurance brokerage Gallagher, a third of employees who previously worked in offices said they had not returned in almost two years following the March 2020 lockdown. A quarter of business leaders said their employees' contracts do not stipulate that they need to work from a specific location, the study suggests. Bosses voiced concern about the risk of litigation, driven by changing working patterns, as staff are asked to return to the workplace, said a report. The research found that most businesses are suggesting workers should be in the office full-time now or in the near future, or a minimum of part-time, as they implement a hybrid model. But a third of the 1,000 business leaders surveyed said they are meeting resistance from their employees towards returning to the workplace even part-time. Neil Hodgson, of insurance brokerage Gallagher, said: 'Many businesses remain uncertain just how far they can legally mandate the return to workplaces, leading to concerns about litigation and complaints' Bosses and workers now need to navigate a knot of confusing laws and guidance to ensure they avoid legal jeopardy Neil Hodgson, of Gallagher, said: 'The return to workplaces is a complicated task for senior leaders at UK businesses. 'Keeping everyone happy can be challenging and, while some employees feel that they have no need to be in the office, there is an awareness that leadership needs to implement policies consistently. 'But many businesses remain uncertain just how far they can legally mandate the return to workplaces, leading to concerns about litigation and complaints.' A third of 1,000 office employees surveyed for the report said they have not been in the workplace since March 2020. A third of 1,000 office employees surveyed for the report said they have not been in the workplace since March 2020. Pictured: Commuters at London Bridge station on Monday However, an employment tribunal ruling in December said that staff cannot use a fear of catching Covid as a reason not to go back to the office - because worries of getting infected are not a legally protected philosophical belief. A complaint of unlawful discrimination due to this fear was brought against an unnamed employer at a tribunal in Manchester. But Judge Mark Leach ruled that health and safety concerns do not qualify under equality legislation as a belief, meaning the employer could withhold their pay. While the judgment does not set a wider legal precedent, it will give employers confidence if they are considering deducting pay or sacking staff who refuse to return to the office when the current work from home advice is relaxed. An anonymous woman brought the alleged unlawful discrimination claim against her employer after she decided not to return to work on health and safety grounds in July last year. A stay-at-home order was first introduced in March last year and many switched to working from their houses unless it was impossible to do so. After the first lockdown was lifted, many employers encouraged staff back to the office in the summer. In a statement to the tribunal, the woman said she had 'reasonable and justifiable health and safety concerns about the workplace surrounding Covid-19' and the risk posed to her was 'serious and imminent'. The woman said she had a 'genuine fear' of falling ill from the virus and particularly of passing it on to her partner who she said was 'at high risk of getting seriously unwell'. I've lived in New York City the majority of my adult life starting at 18-years-old when I went to Columbia University. I stayed in the Big Apple into my mid-thirties. During that time, I spent more nights than I can begin to remember going out late -- sometimes into the early morning -- having fun with friends and enjoying all the wonderful events that only a metropolis like New York City can offer. Those are some of the most fun, carefree and happiest memories from my youth. I am so lucky to have been able to experience so much in the city, while feeling safe and unencumbered. Christina Yuna Lee could have been any young woman returning from a night out in New York City, or more specifically, she could have been any young Asian woman coming home from a night out in New York City. What happened to Christina is universally every woman's nightmare. If you are not already familiar with her story, she was a 35-year-old senior creative producer at the digital music platform Splice. She was brutally stabbed more than 40 times in her Chinatown apartment after being followed home by her killer. Surveillance footage caught homeless career criminal Assamad Nash stalking her into her apartment at 4:30 in the morning. Neighbors heard her screaming for help and called 911. She was found in her bathtub bleeding from multiple wounds and pronounced dead at the scene. Mayor Adams disgustingly blamed negative media coverage of his failure to convince state lawmakers to roll back bail reforms on allegedly racist journalists. (Above) Mayor Adams speaks at the 2022 New York State Democratic Convention on Feb. 17, 2022 Christina was senselessly murdered, in what can only be described as a depraved, heinous, senseless crime at the hands of a lunatic killer, who had absolutely no business living free out on the streets. Assamad Nash was out on supervised release from jail pending three open cases, including one during which he allegedly punched a stranger on the subway. Reading about Christina's murder left me feeling sick to my stomach and horrified. It is difficult to even think about what her family and friends must be going through in the wake of such a horrific tragedy. It is hard to think about the intense impact this is having on the Asian-American community. I also inevitably started thinking about all of my friends, who still live in New York City amidst one of the most significant crime spikes in modern history. Many of my friends stayed in New York City well after I left despite their acute awareness of the dangers. They have stayed for a variety of reasons, including career opportunities and proximity to their families. Some just can't imagine ever living anywhere else. All of them however, are palpably nervous. I am on more than one text chain with these friends. We send each other (among other things) frequent updates about crimes happening across major cities in America with long-running commentary about how awful and heartbreaking it is to watch these cities that we all love revert back to the mayhem of decades past. It is hard. Christina Yuna Lee (above) was senselessly murdered, in what can only be described as a depraved, heinous, senseless crime at the hands of a lunatic killer, who had absolutely no business living free out on the streets. My community of friend who elected to leave New York City still carry a weird melancholy over being forced to move, because of forces outside of their control. In my case, it ceased to be a place where I felt comfortable with a newborn baby girl. There have been countless articles, news reports, and commentary on the rising spike in crimes and violence in America's major cities. If you have been paying even a little bit of attention, you are more than likely already aware of what has been happening. Murder, robbery, rape, aggravated assault, burglary, car theft and grand larceny rose by nearly 40% in New York City in January compared with last year. It would also be remiss not to address the fact that there has been a spike in attacks against the Asian population that has accelerated since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. In additional to Christina Yuna Lee's murder, 40-year-old consultant Michelle Go was recently killed after a homeless man shoved her in front of a subway car. NBC news reported that Asian women who live in New York City say they're standing back from the subway edge and walking home with pepper spray in their hands. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a former NYPD captain, vowed during his campaign to confront the rising crime, and he was politically savvy to do so. Public safety is the cornerstone of any successful administration from local office to the highest national levels. It is one of the true universal issues that human beings can unite on. People do not want to live and raise their families in places that are unsafe, no matter what woke or progressive reasoning is given to justify them living amongst crime. People do not want to pay exorbitant amounts of money in taxes to feel unsafe coming home at night or walking with their children around a city. Time after time politicians make absurd and obtuse excuses for why crime waves are happening in their cities. But there is no talking point clever enough to make anyone give a pass on this issue of safety. Christina's killer, Assamad Nash (above in police custody) was most arrested on January 6th on charges of criminal mischief and attempting to escape police custody. He was due back in court on March 3, but that was too late for Christina. Unfortunately, Mayor Adams is already looking for excuses. Recently, he disgustingly blamed negative media coverage of his failure to convince state lawmakers to roll back bail reforms on allegedly racist journalists. 'I'm a black man that's the mayor but my story is being interpreted by people that don't look like me,' he told an almost all-white group of reporters. 'How many blacks are on editorial boards? How many blacks determine how these stories are being written?' he asked. But the racial makeup of newsrooms is not the problem. Now notorious bail reform laws in New York City have allowed suspects to return to the streets, often within hours of being arrested. Christina's killer was most recently arrested on January 6th on charges of criminal mischief and attempting to escape police custody. He was due back in court on March 3, but that was too late for Christina. Manhattan's new District Attorney Alvin Bragg made the situation even worse when he instructed prosecutors to downgrade some serious crimes to misdemeanors and not press any charges for other offenses. Bragg has since backed off the most extreme parts of this guidance, but he's hardly embraced a tough-on-crime approach. And on Wednesday, the powerful head of the state Senate said bail reform is not in the cards. I can only hope that Mayor Adams has not given up on trying to reel in the abject insanity of the bail reform laws after getting pushback from his fellow progressive lawmakers. Give Mayor Adams some credit for calling on state lawmakers to reverse these dangerous reforms, but he can't start looking for reasons to quit trying now. 40-year-old consultant Michelle Go was recently killed after a homeless man shoved her in front of a subway car. (Above) A person holds a candle during a vigil in honor of Michelle Alyssa Go on Jan. 18, 2022, in New York's Times Square A failure of this magnitude would be a real tragedy for all New Yorkers. As my dad used to say, politics has consequences my friends. Why is the life of Christina Lee not enough of a wake-up call for so many elected officials? How many women need to be senselessly stabbed to death in order for action to be taken? Why isn't the killing of an Asian woman returning home after a night out enough to spark national outrage? And finally, why is the largest and most populous city in America being governed by people with the perspective of a far-left, progressive college student in a political science class rather than reality? How many more women have to be senselessly murdered in New York City? When exactly will enough be enough for these people? During his time as mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani enacted a 'broken windows' law enforcement doctrine. It is a criminology theory that states that visible signs of crime, antisocial behavior and civil disorder create an urban environment that encourages further crime and disorder, including serious crimes. It is considered controversial by progressives and a cornerstone doctrine by 'law and order' citizens and politicians. I think of it often when discussing rising crime. Ben and I have a close friend who is a born-and-raised, proud New Yorker, who recently relocated to Texas. He told us over the phone recently that he knew his time in New York was over when he started witnessing the return of unabashed commission of crimes by people around the city and on the subway. On top of that New Yorkers have again started ignoring lawlessness and police have stopped responding. He told us, he knows what's coming next because he lived through the 1970's and 1980's the height of the crime epidemic in NYC. He and all of us fear and are brokenhearted over what the future holds for New York City. It's like these progressive politicians would rather see the city burn itself to the ground in a fury of crime than admit their policies aren't working. It is beyond a tragedy. There are policies that are actually getting young women killed. Don't forget the politicians who have done this to the city. Don't forgive them either, and for God's sake -- vote the bastards out of office. A selfless mother waited in a burning house as she refused to leave behind her wheelchair-bound daughter before the pair were rescued. The mother, 74, stayed with her daughter, 45, as the home burned around them on Laura Street in Brunswick, Melbourne, at 12.20am on Friday. Her 77-year-old husband frantically ran out of the house and screamed for help to carry his daughter outside. A selfless mother waited in a burning house as she refused to leave behind her wheelchair-bound daughter The mother, aged in her 70s, stayed with her daughter, in her 40s, as the home burned around them on Laura Street in Brunswick, Melbourne, at 12.20am on Friday Firefighters managed to rescue the pair before the fire completely razed the weatherboard home. The mother and daughter were rushed to Alfred Hospital in a critical condition. The father was also taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. A neighbour recalled the father screaming for help after running onto the street. 'His wife and daughter were still in the house, he was shouting for people to come and help him,' she told Herald Sun. 'I looked out and I could see the huge fire through my window.' Local resident Lewis Spiteri said the firefighters took 45 minutes to douse the flames. 'I heard sirens and lots of yelling, and came out and couldn't see any flames,' Mr Spiteri said. 'It's very sad, this kind of thing can happen within seconds. Hopefully they will recover.' Tommy Sawce and his partner rushed out to urge the neighbours living behind the burning house to leave their home. The cause of the fire remains unknown with investigators on scene. The search for a Queensland man who was swept off a beach in Queensland has resumed. The Southport man, 35, was washed off Gold Coast's Miami Beach on Thursday night when he and other beach-goers went to the aid of a fisherman who had been knocked over by a wave, said Queensland Police. The search now involves police in all-terrain vehicles patrolling on shore, and water police searching the sea. Police resumed searching for the man who was swept off the shore of Miami Beach, Gold Coast It follows a land, sea and air search to find the missing man that was suspended overnight. The search on Thursday had begun not long after the man was washed away, just after 6pm, but was unsuccessful in finding him before dark. Broadcaster Andrew Neil has launched a defamation case against Boris Johnson's reported ex-lover, Jennifer Arcuri, following a Twitter row over the effectiveness of Covid vaccines. Court records show the former GB News chairman, 72, filed a claim against the American businesswoman on Wednesday. Ms Arcuri is listed as a litigant in person on the court filings, suggesting she does not currently have a legal representative. It comes after the pair became embroiled in a tense Twitter exchange in December which culminated in Mr Neil vowing to seek 'exemplary damages' and warning his lawyers had 'prepared a massive case' against Ms Arcuri. The row, which unfolded in December, is understood to have started over a disagreement about the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines before descending into personal attacks. Broadcaster Andrew Neil (left) has launched a defamation case against American businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri (right) after a Twitter row in which he pledged to seek 'exemplary damages Jennifer Arcuri and her four-year affair with Boris Johnson Jennifer Arcuri has claimed that she and Boris Johnson had four-year affair while he was mayor of London. She stated that she and Mr Johnson began the affair during his second term in office when he was married to now ex-wife, high-flying barrister Marina Wheeler - with whom he shares two sons and two daughters. At the time she received thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money in grants for her firms. In November last year she said he pledged to help her firm in order to 'win my love' while he was mayor of London. In a diary extract seen by the Observer, she accused Mr Johnson of promising to use his own political power to help US tech entrepreneur while they were in a relationship. The GLA is investigating her presence at trade missions carried out to boost business for the capital, which she attended events for. Boris Johnson has never publicly commented on the alleged affair but has said he acted with 'honesty and integrity'. Advertisement Mr Neil accused Ms Arcuri of 'clear libel and defamation' after she tweeted allegations about his inclusion in an address book belonging to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, The Guardian and Variety report. Mr Neil has previously denied ever meeting the convicted child sex offender and said he was listed in the deceased businessman's 'black book' because he had met Ghislaine Maxwell in New York in the 1990s. He tweeted Ms Arcuri on more than one occasion in December stating his intention to bring legal action against her. In one he wrote: 'I have clicked to follow you. Please DM your address/contact details so my lawyers can serve legal papers against you for this clear libel and defamation. I've instructed the papers to be drawn up now. All those tweeting support for and spreading her tweet will also be served.' Ms Arcuri responded by saying: 'You really are threatened by me @afneil. Thank you for confirming. Now the world sees exactly what you are.' In another he said his legal team 'has prepared a massive case against you and we'll be seeking exemplary damages', adding papers would be served in the UK and US. Ms Arcuri hit the headlines last year when she claimed that she and Boris Johnson had four-year affair while he was mayor of London. She stated that she and Mr Johnson began the affair during his second term in office when he was married to now ex-wife, high-flying barrister Marina Wheeler - with whom he shares two sons and two daughters. At the time she received thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money in grants for her firms. Then in December, she shared some bizarre conspiracy theories about Covid and the Prime Minister's wife on her social media channels. The American entrepreneur hosted a livestream on the encrypted messaging app Telegram and began sharing conspiracy theories about the UK government, according to Vice News. The website said Arcuri claimed her fans had requested she host a discussion on 'conspiracy' and began talking about Satanism in the Government. She said: 'One of the journalists wrote [to] me out of the blue from nowhere, and he was like, "Jen, weren't you the one that told me, she was a Satanist, who sent me a picture of Carrie?" 'And I said, "you know, I'm not going to comment on her specifically, but I encourage you to explore beyond this woman and look at how Satanism is actually, you know, surprisingly used in lots of ways in government".' Neil and Arcuri have both been approached for comment. Donald Trump has angrily responded to Hillary Clinton's dismissal of accusations her campaign spied on him, describing her as 'one of the most corrupt politicians ever to run for President' and accusing her of having 'broken into the White House'. The latest twist in the six-year drama was sparked by a legal filing on Friday by John Durham, the Trump-appointed special counsel who has been investigating the origins of the FBI's Trump-Russia inquiry. Durham included in his filing previously known information about an Obama-era White House investigation into malware, which Trump's supporters said was evidence that the Clinton campaign spied on her Republican rival. Clinton, 74, laughed off the anger among Trump supporters on Thursday, in a speech at the New York Democratic Convention. Hours later, Trump sent out a furious press release demanding more coverage of the 'scandal.' Donald Trump, seen at a January 29 rally in Conroe, Texas, reacted with fury to Hillary Clinton laughing off Durham's filing Clinton on Thursday addressed the New York state Democratic Convention 'Crooked Hillary Clinton, one of the most corrupt politicians ever to run for President, can break into the White House, my apartment, buildings I own, and my campaignin other words, she can spy on a Presidential candidate and ultimately, the President of the United Statesand the now totally discredited Fake News Media does everything they can not to talk about it,' Trump said. He also lashed out at the New York attorney general, Letitia James, who is investigating the Trump Organization for tax issues. James on Thursday won a key battle in the case, with a New York judge ruling that Trump and two of his adult children - Donald Trump Jr and Ivanka - must comply with subpoenas that require them to answer questions under oath and turn over evidence. Durham's indictment made no specific claims of servers being 'infiltrated', but rather that DNS data from Trump Tower and Whitehouse servers was exploited in an attempt to document a link between Trump and Russian banks. Trump insisted: 'THERE IS NO CASE!' He added: 'The targeting of a President of the United States, who got more votes while in office than any President in History, by far, and is a person that the Radical Left Democrats dont want to run again, represents an unconstitutional attack on our Countryand the people will not allow this travesty of justice to happen. 'It is a continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in historyand remember, I cant get a fair hearing in New York because of the hatred of me by Judges and the judiciary. It is not possible!' Clinton and Trump are seen on stage together during a debate in the 2016 election campaign The key passage of the Durham filing that led to the accusations against Clinton and her campaign Below is the key part of the legal filing made by Special Counsel John Durham on Friday February 11 that led to the firestorm of claims that Hillary Clinton and her campaign spied on Donald Trump The defendant (Michael Sussman) is charged in a one-count indictment with making a materially false statement to the FBI, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001 (the 'Indictment'). As set forth in the Indictment, on Sept. 19, 2016 less than two months before the 2016 U.S. Presidential election the defendant, a lawyer at a large international law firm ('Law Firm-1') that was then serving as counsel to the Clinton Campaign, met with the FBI General Counsel (James Baker) at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. The defendant provided the FBI General Counsel with purported data and 'white papers' that allegedly demonstrated a covert communications channel between the Trump Organization and a Russia-based bank ('Russian Bank-1'). The Indictment alleges that the defendant lied in that meeting, falsely stating to the General Counsel that he was not providing the allegations to the FBI on behalf of any client. In fact, the defendant had assembled and conveyed the allegations to the FBI on behalf of at least two specific clients, including (i) a technology executive ('Tech Executive-1 - identified as Rodney Jeffe) at a U.S.-based Internet company ('Internet Company1'), and (ii) the Clinton Campaign. 3. The defendant's billing records reflect that the defendant repeatedly billed the Clinton Campaign for his work on the Russian Bank-1 allegations. In compiling and disseminating these allegations, the defendant and Tech Executive-1 also had met and communicated with another law partner at Law Firm-1 who was then serving as General Counsel to the Clinton Campaign ('Campaign Lawyer-1'). The Indictment also alleges that, beginning in approximately July 2016, Tech Executive-1 had worked with the defendant, a U.S. investigative firm retained by Law Firm-1 on behalf of the Clinton Campaign, numerous cyber researchers, and employees at multiple Internet companies to assemble the purported data and white papers. In connection with these efforts, Tech Executive-1 exploited his access to non-public and/or proprietary Internet data. Tech Executive-1 also enlisted the assistance of researchers at a U.S.-based university who were receiving and analyzing large amounts of Internet data in connection with a pending federal government cybersecurity research contract. Tech Executive-1 tasked these researchers to mine Internet data to establish 'an inference' and 'narrative' tying then-candidate Trump to Russia. In doing so, Tech Executive-1 indicated that he was seeking to please certain 'VIPs,' referring to individuals at Law Firm-1 and the Clinton Campaign. 5. The Government's evidence at trial will also establish that among the Internet data Tech Executive-1 and his associates exploited was domain name system ('DNS') Internet traffic pertaining to (i) a particular healthcare provider, (ii) Trump Tower, (iii) Donald Trump's Central Park West apartment building, and (iv) the Executive Office of the President of the United States ('EOP'). (Tech Executive-1's employer, Internet Company-1, had come to access and maintain dedicated servers for the EOP as part of a sensitive arrangement whereby it provided DNS resolution services to the EOP. Tech Executive-1 and his associates exploited this arrangement by mining the EOP's DNS traffic and other data for the purpose of gathering derogatory information about Donald Trump.) 6. The Indictment further details that on February 9, 2017, the defendant provided an updated set of allegations including the Russian Bank-1 data and additional allegations relating to Trump to a second agency of the U.S. government ('Agency-2'). The Government's evidence at trial will establish that these additional allegations relied, in part, on the purported DNS traffic that Tech Executive-1 and others had assembled pertaining to Trump Tower, Donald Trump's New York City apartment building, the EOP, and the aforementioned healthcare provider. In his meeting with Agency-2, the defendant provided data which he claimed reflected purportedly suspicious DNS lookups by these entities of internet protocol ('IP') addresses affiliated with a Russian mobile phone provider ('Russian Phone Provider-1'). The defendant further claimed that these lookups demonstrated that Trump and/or his associates were using supposedly rare, Russian-made wireless phones in the vicinity of the White House and other locations. The Special Counsel's Office has identified no support for these allegations. Indeed, more complete DNS data that the Special Counsel's Office obtained from a company that assisted Tech Executive-1 in assembling these allegations reflects that such DNS lookups were far from rare in the United States. For example, the more complete data that Tech Executive-1 and his associates gathered but did not provide to Agency-2 reflected that between approximately 2014 and 2017, there were a total of more than 3 million lookups of Russian Phone-Provider-1 IP addresses that originated with U.S.-based IP addresses. Fewer than 1,000 of these lookups originated with IP addresses affiliated with Trump Tower. In addition, the more complete data assembled by Tech Executive-1 and his associates reflected that DNS lookups involving the EOP and Russian Phone Provider-1 began at least as early 2014 (i.e., during the Obama administration and years before Trump took office) another fact which the allegations omitted. 7. In his meeting with Agency-2 employees, the defendant also made a substantially similar false statement as he had made to the FBI General Counsel. In particular, the defendant asserted that he was not representing a particular client in conveying the above allegations. In truth and in fact, the defendant was representing Tech Executive-1 a fact the defendant subsequently acknowledged under oath in December 2017 testimony before Congress (without identifying the client by name). Advertisement Earlier, Clinton had claimed accusations her campaign spied on Trump are a 'conspiracy' tied to his mounting legal issues and slammed Republicans for backing 'coup plotters' and pushing the 'big lie.' In her major comeback speech in New York on Thursday, Clinton said: 'We can't get distracted, whether it's by the latest culture war nonsense, or some new right wing lie on Fox or Facebook - by the way they've been coming after me again lately in case you might have noticed.' She told the New York Democratic Convention: 'It's funny, the more trouble Trump gets into the wilder the charges and conspiracies about me seem to get. 'So now his accountants have fired him. And investigations draw closer to him. And on the right the noise machine gets turned up,' she added. 'Fox leads the charge with accusations against me counting on audience to fall for it again.' Clinton also introduced Gov. Kathy Hochul, after she won the Democratic nomination for the gubernatorial race. Clinton spoke as a New York federal judge ruled that Trump and his children Don Jr. and Ivanka must testify under oath in the investigation into whether his family business inflated property prices. Clinton didn't mention if she has any intentions to run for president again in 2024 despite whirlwind speculation, but said the United States was 'dangerously divided.' 'I know many of us have thought that defeating Trump would start to heal our divisions - I certainly did - that maybe just maybe the madness would break,' she said to a largely maskless crowd of Democratic electors. On Friday, a legal filing by Durham accused Clinton's campaign paid a tech firm to mine data at Trump Tower. Clinton has brushed off the charges broadly as a 'fake scandal.' After the speech she invited New York Governor Kathy Hochul on stage to congratulate her for winning the Democratic nomination for the gubernatorial race in November Clinton gave Hochul as she handed over the stage in a speech where she attacked Republicans and said the U.S. was 'dangerously divided' Indicted Clinton lawyer files motion to dismiss charges in Durham probe Hillary Clinton's campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann is trying to get the case dropped that claims he lied to federal agents by telling them he was not hired by the former candidate to find links between Donald Trump and Russia. Sussmann's lawyers, in the motion to dismiss, claim Special Counsel John Durham is engaged in an 'extraordinary prosecutorial overreach' by bringing the case. Durham's indictment alleges that Sussmann told FBI General Counsel at the time James Baker in September 2016 that he was not working or 'any client' upon requesting a meeting to show evidence that he claimed 'demonstrated a covert communications channel' between the Trump Organization and the Kremlin Alfa Bank. Sussmann pleaded not guilty. His latest motion, filed on Thursday, claims Durham's indictment 'fail[s] to state an offense.' His legal team also insisted on the filing that Sussmann 'did not make any false statement to the FBI'. 'It has long been a crime to make a false statement to the government. But the law criminalizes only false statements that are materialfalse statements that matter because they can actually affect a specific decision of the government,' Sussmann's lawyers added. They also claim his statement to Baker 'cannot give rise to criminal liability' because he 'voluntarily' met with the FBI in fall 2016 to 'pass along information that raised national security concerns' and the indictment is based on a separate 'ancillary matter'. They argue Sussmann provided a 'tip' to the FBI 'voluntarily' and claim Durham's indictment does not dispute its validity. 'He met with the FBI, in other words, to provide a tip,' Sussmann's legal team wrote. 'There is no allegation in the indictment that the tip he provided was false. And there is no allegation that he believed the tip he provided was false.' 'Rather, Mr. Sussmann has been charged with making a false statement about an entirely ancillary matterabout who his client may have been when he met with the FBIwhich is a fact that even the Special Counsel's own Indictment fails to allege had any effect on the FBI's decision to open an investigation.' Advertisement 'But now it should be clear to all of us that the struggle for unity and democracy is far from where the Republican Party, is officially in races - when the violent insurrection is accepted as legitimate political discourse, when storming the Capitol, assaulting police officers trying to overturn an election are being normalized. We are in uncharted territory and make no mistake - our adversaries around the world are watching,' Clinton went on. The 2016 Democratic nominee said that the Capitol riot on January 6 was a 'gift' to Republicans. 'Republicans are descending into coup-plotters,' she said. 'Right at precisely the moment where democracy needs champions, where we should be standing together against autocracies like Russia, and China.' Clinton was met by protestors on Thursday as she entered the Times Square Sheraton ahead of her headline address at the convention. Some protesters gathered to speak out against Clinton herself, while others were protesting New York vaccine mandates and other were demanding Hochul to do more to address climate change. As Clinton walked from her van into the hotel, protesters shouted obscenities like 'criminal,' 'b***h,' and 'w***e' at her. The former secretary of state, senator, first lady and 2016 Democratic nominee finally responded on Wednesday to the recent revelations that she hired people to spy on Donald Trump, calling it 'desperate' and a 'fake scandal.' Clinton, who held the Senate seat for New York from 2001 to 2009, has frequented the state's conventions since, headlining for Cuomo's nomination in 2018. This year's convention looks different than the last one. Disgraced ex-governor Andrew Cuomo will not be present, having been replaced by Hochul, and New York City's progressive-but-widely-unpopular Mayor Bill DeBlasio is out. Eric Adams now serving in his place. Clinton's spot back on the main stage has sparked speculation that she may be plotting a political comeback. Last month Democratic pollster Doug Schoen and former Manhattan Borough President Andrew Stein wrote in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal last month that Clinton was 'already in an advantageous position to become the 2024 Democratic nominee.' Last week a source familiar with Clinton's convention plans told CNBC that she is 'beloved by the mainstream members of the Democratic Party' and that 'her popularity is likely higher than that of President Biden.' Biden claims he will run aqain in 2024, but critics question whether he'll be mentally savvy enough to handle it at age 82. Vice President Kamala Harris's floundering poll numbers and poor performance during a run for the Democratic nomination in 2016 could shut her out from the top spot. But some Democrats disagree with party Chairman Jay Jacobs' decision to bring back Clinton for the convention. 'I do not think a resurrection of Hillary Clinton's political ambitions is appropriate, nor do I think she's helpful to the long-term future of the New York Democratic Party,' Assemblyman Phil Steck, D-Colonie, told the New York Post. 'I think we need to show people we care more about Main Street than Wall Street and Hillary Clinton does not do that for the Democratic Party.' Committee member Patrick Nelson, who represents an upstate district near Saratoga Springs said: 'I wish the Democratic Party leadership would have chosen someone for keynote speaker who was more forward-looking and unifying. 'We have the youngest woman elected to Congress from New York AOC,' suggesting the party should have picked Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. 'Hillary Clinton has been quite divisive.' The only contested statewide race this year was the one for governor, with Hochul squaring off against New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Rep. Tom Suozzi. The convention also nominated candidates for Senate, lieutenant governor, attorney general and comptroller, though the incumbents faced no competition. Hochul won the nomination after 85.6% of the vote, and Williams failed to qualify for the ballot. Suozzi was absent from the vote - hours earlier he had revealed that Clinton called him to pressure him to drop out of the race. The key passage of the Durham filing that led to the accusations against Clinton and her campaign Below is the key part of the legal filing made by Special Counsel John Durham on Friday February 11 that led to the firestorm of claims that Hillary Clinton and her campaign spied on Donald Trump. The documents were part of the case against Michael Sussman, a Clinton campaign lawyer charged with lying to a federal agent over work on links between Trump and Russia. The defendant (Michael Sussman) is charged in a one-count indictment with making a materially false statement to the FBI, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001 (the 'Indictment'). As set forth in the Indictment, on Sept. 19, 2016 less than two months before the 2016 U.S. Presidential election the defendant, a lawyer at a large international law firm ('Law Firm-1') that was then serving as counsel to the Clinton Campaign, met with the FBI General Counsel (James Baker) at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. The defendant provided the FBI General Counsel with purported data and 'white papers' that allegedly demonstrated a covert communications channel between the Trump Organization and a Russia-based bank ('Russian Bank-1'). The Indictment alleges that the defendant lied in that meeting, falsely stating to the General Counsel that he was not providing the allegations to the FBI on behalf of any client. In fact, the defendant had assembled and conveyed the allegations to the FBI on behalf of at least two specific clients, including (i) a technology executive ('Tech Executive-1 - identified as Rodney Jeffe) at a U.S.-based Internet company ('Internet Company1'), and (ii) the Clinton Campaign. 3. The defendant's billing records reflect that the defendant repeatedly billed the Clinton Campaign for his work on the Russian Bank-1 allegations. In compiling and disseminating these allegations, the defendant and Tech Executive-1 also had met and communicated with another law partner at Law Firm-1 who was then serving as General Counsel to the Clinton Campaign ('Campaign Lawyer-1'). The Indictment also alleges that, beginning in approximately July 2016, Tech Executive-1 had worked with the defendant, a U.S. investigative firm retained by Law Firm-1 on behalf of the Clinton Campaign, numerous cyber researchers, and employees at multiple Internet companies to assemble the purported data and white papers. In connection with these efforts, Tech Executive-1 exploited his access to non-public and/or proprietary Internet data. Tech Executive-1 also enlisted the assistance of researchers at a U.S.-based university who were receiving and analyzing large amounts of Internet data in connection with a pending federal government cybersecurity research contract. Tech Executive-1 tasked these researchers to mine Internet data to establish 'an inference' and 'narrative' tying then-candidate Trump to Russia. In doing so, Tech Executive-1 indicated that he was seeking to please certain 'VIPs,' referring to individuals at Law Firm-1 and the Clinton Campaign. 5. The Government's evidence at trial will also establish that among the Internet data Tech Executive-1 and his associates exploited was domain name system ('DNS') Internet traffic pertaining to (i) a particular healthcare provider, (ii) Trump Tower, (iii) Donald Trump's Central Park West apartment building, and (iv) the Executive Office of the President of the United States ('EOP'). (Tech Executive-1's employer, Internet Company-1, had come to access and maintain dedicated servers for the EOP as part of a sensitive arrangement whereby it provided DNS resolution services to the EOP. Tech Executive-1 and his associates exploited this arrangement by mining the EOP's DNS traffic and other data for the purpose of gathering derogatory information about Donald Trump.) 6. The Indictment further details that on February 9, 2017, the defendant provided an updated set of allegations including the Russian Bank-1 data and additional allegations relating to Trump to a second agency of the U.S. government ('Agency-2'). The Government's evidence at trial will establish that these additional allegations relied, in part, on the purported DNS traffic that Tech Executive-1 and others had assembled pertaining to Trump Tower, Donald Trump's New York City apartment building, the EOP, and the aforementioned healthcare provider. In his meeting with Agency-2, the defendant provided data which he claimed reflected purportedly suspicious DNS lookups by these entities of internet protocol ('IP') addresses affiliated with a Russian mobile phone provider ('Russian Phone Provider-1'). The defendant further claimed that these lookups demonstrated that Trump and/or his associates were using supposedly rare, Russian-made wireless phones in the vicinity of the White House and other locations. The Special Counsel's Office has identified no support for these allegations. Indeed, more complete DNS data that the Special Counsel's Office obtained from a company that assisted Tech Executive-1 in assembling these allegations reflects that such DNS lookups were far from rare in the United States. For example, the more complete data that Tech Executive-1 and his associates gathered but did not provide to Agency-2 reflected that between approximately 2014 and 2017, there were a total of more than 3 million lookups of Russian Phone-Provider-1 IP addresses that originated with U.S.-based IP addresses. Fewer than 1,000 of these lookups originated with IP addresses affiliated with Trump Tower. In addition, the more complete data assembled by Tech Executive-1 and his associates reflected that DNS lookups involving the EOP and Russian Phone Provider-1 began at least as early 2014 (i.e., during the Obama administration and years before Trump took office) another fact which the allegations omitted. 7. In his meeting with Agency-2 employees, the defendant also made a substantially similar false statement as he had made to the FBI General Counsel. In particular, the defendant asserted that he was not representing a particular client in conveying the above allegations. In truth and in fact, the defendant was representing Tech Executive-1 a fact the defendant subsequently acknowledged under oath in December 2017 testimony before Congress (without identifying the client by name). Advertisement Hilary Clinton arrives at the New York State Democratic Committee 2022 State Nominating Convention, at the Sheraton Hotel, Manhattan, New York Protesters shout at Clinton in the background as she enters the hotel ahead of her headline address Clinton was surrounded by security as she stepped out of her SUV and into the hotel ahead of her speech on Wednesday New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks during the New York State Democratic Convention Clinton's spot back on the main stage has sparked speculation that she may be plotting a political comeback Some protesters gathered to speak out against Clinton herself, A man argues with anti-Vaccine mandate protestors outside of the New York State Democratic Committee 2022 State Nominating Convention, at the Sheraton Hotel, Manhattan, New York. 17 February 2022 People protest for Gov. Kathy Hochul to do more about climate change outside the NY Democratic Convention All official elected party members can cast a vote, Candidates that secure 25% of the vote or more automatically get a spot on the ballot, while candidates that secure 50% or more of the vote are designated the nominee. Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer addressed the crowd and predicted that Democrats will pick up two Senate seats in November. 'I love New York. I love representing New York as Senate majority leader. I'll love it even more when we pick up two more seats,' he said. If Democrats picked up two seats, they would not have to cater to the whims of moderate Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic caucus chair, also gave an address, where he accused Republicans of 'running away from democracy.' 'They've doubled and tripled down on Trumpism, moved away from democracy move toward autocracy,' he said, recalling his own experience on Jan. 6 and decrying election security bills across the country. Mayor Adams used his address to focus on tackling public safety 'head on' and getting New Yorkers to return to work after Covid-19. 'Don't tell me you're afraid of Covid on Monday and I see you at the club on Sunday,' he said. GOP gubernatorial candidate Andrew Giuliani was also seen outside the convention, where he told DailyMail.com that he thought Clinton was 'perfect' to headline the Democratic convention. 'Clinton is perfect for the Democratic convention. She is a great symbol for the corruption that weve seen of New York politicians over the last decade and a half. The fact that shes going to be introducing Crime Wave Kathy, I think, is perfect,' Giuliani said, referring to the current governor. 'It's absolutely despicable she would bug Trump Tower,' he said, reacting to the Durham findings. 'We now find out that what she said Trump was doing, she actually was doing herself. In many ways the Russia collusion was actually Hillary. So I think that it's an indictable offense. I would hope that Bidens Justice Department would look at this unbiasedly. Im not holding my breath.' 'Trump & Fox are desperately spinning up a fake scandal to distract from his real ones. So it's a day that ends in Y,' Clinton tweeted ahead of the convention along with an article from the Democrat-friendly Vanity Fair. 'The more his misdeeds are exposed, the more they lie,' Clinton added. 'For those interested in reality, here's a good debunking of their latest nonsense.' She linked to the Vanity Fair column filed under 'conspiracy theories' and titled: 'You'll never believe it but Hillary Clinton did not, in fact, spy on Trump's White House.' The article is by the magazine's politics correspondent Bess Levin, who writes articles highly critical of the Trump's and Republicans and serves as a mouthpiece for the Democratic agenda. The subtitle of her article Clinton shared said: 'In less breaking news, Donald Trump remains a moron.' Levin claims in the piece that the findings do not prove that Clinton spied on Trump and instead that the cybersecurity researchers hired by Clinton were actually investigating malware at the White House. 'Trump and company got the whole thing hilariously, mortifyingly incorrect,' Levin wrote. 'But fear not: We're sure they'll issue a lengthy correction and heartfelt apology to the people whose reputations they impugnedand the ones Trump suggested should be put to deathin no time,' she sarcastically ended the article. Donald Trump released two statements after Hillary's tweet, accusing the Democrats of an 'espionage campaign on his New York City apartment' and 'another way to undermine the 2020 election'. Clinton refused to answer shouted questions on Tuesday about the Durham report. At approximately 3:40 PM she waved off questions from a DailyMail.com reporter as she left a Queens restaurant with daughter Chelsea He also asked 'who gave Crooked Hillary Clinton's 'plumbers' their orders?' 'With Hillarygate it is the Mainstream Media Coverup that is almost as big of a crime as the act of treasonous espionage itself. It is showing the world why our media is truly the enemy of the people!' he added. Clinton's first response to the revelations comes after she refused to answer DailyMail.com's questions on Tuesday about Special Counsel John Durham's finding that allege her allies spied on the Trump campaign. Clinton and her daughter Chelsea emerged from a Filipino restaurant in Queens after approximately three hours during which they appeared to be filming on Tuesday. Exclusive pictures and video obtained by DailyMail.com show a stone-faced Clinton silently waving away repeated questions of whether she spied on Trump. She refused to say when or if she planned to comment. The White House is still deferring any questions relating to the latest findings to the Department of Justice after it was revealed Clinton paid to try and find a link between Trump and Russia. 'I would point you any questions about this to the Department of Justice,' President Joe Biden's Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during her briefing Wednesday. Hillary Clinton finally addressed on Wednesday the latest revelations that she hired a firm to spy on Donald Trump, calling the allegations a 'fake scandal' Clinton linked to a Vanity Fair article by Bess Levin (pictured) that insisted Republicans and media got it wrong and Clinton did not spy on Trump. The subtitle of her article is: 'In less breaking news, Donald Trump remains a moron' When pushed on if 'monitoring internet traffic' could be defined as spying, as detailed in Special Counsel John Durham's report, Psaki repeated her direction for reporters to take questions to the Justice Department. Republicans are renewing their attacks against the Democrat-led Russia probe into Trump's campaign connections following Durham's filing last week. They claim the latest bombshell proves Democrats will do anything to win including illegal acts and are demanding probes into Representative Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler so they are held accountable for being 'complacent' in Clinton's spying. Representative Pat Fallon told Newsmax on Wednesday: 'This will put the final nail in the Clinton candidacy coffin once and for all.' 'We an be sure that Hillary Clinton will be flippant about it,' the Texas Representative said to the conservative news outlet. 'This is a real issue. I think this is literally going to sink the Clinton political machine once and for all.' Press Secretary Jen Psaki continues to refuse to comment on the latest revelations, referring reporters to the Justice Department for any questions relation to Durham's report even though there are allegations that Biden knew about the claims when he was still vice president Arizona Representative Andy Biggs sent out a statement Wednesday saying: 'Durham's recent revelations show what we knew all along Hillary Clinton and her Democrat cronies actively spied on President Trump. 'No American should accept that a presidential candidate engaged in criminal activity and created a false scandal about their opponent to win an election.' 'These accusations beg the question, what else will Democrats do to win an election?' Biggs asked. 'Hillary Clinton and the corrupt actors involved in this scheme should be prosecuted. And the media should uphold their duty and responsibility to report the truth.' Republicans are blaming media, as well as Democrats, for allowing the truth to go uncovered until now. 'For years the media parroted the Democrat narrative about Russia collusion. And now as we're learning, week after week, that was a complete lie,' Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott said on Tuesday. 'The latest with the Durham report is that the Clinton campaign the same group that fear mongered this Russian collusion actually spied on the President of the United States,' he added. 'They spied on the President of the United States! They spied and they lied.' "I think this is literally going to sink the Clinton political machine once and for all." @RepPatFallon reacts to the latest revelations from the Durham report about the Clinton campaign allegedly spying on Donald Trump. @JohnFBachman FULL: https://t.co/hOG0PeWoRi pic.twitter.com/7Vo7MxreKO Newsmax (@newsmax) February 16, 2022 'We need accountability. We need accountability for the Clinton campaign, we need accountability for Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler because they were complicit in this,' Scott said. 'So the media needs to start doing their job, talk about exactly what's coming out and hold these people accountable. On top of that, the Attorney General [Merrick] Garland he needs to be out there making sure that Durham has all the resources he needs to do a thorough investigation.' Trump era Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said this week that then-Vice President Joe Biden and President at the time Barack Obama knew Clinton's 2016 campaign was trying to hack into Trump's servers to 'fabricate' links to the Kremlin. He also said Durham has 'enough evidence' to indict 'multiple people'. The filing notes that 'On or about October 12, 2018, Law Firm-1 issued a statement to multiple media outlets in which the firm stated, in part: 'When Sussmann met with [the FBI General Counsel] on behalf of a client, it was not connected to the firm's representation of the Hillary Clinton Campaign, the DNC or any Political Law Group client.' It also says that the 'then-Managing Partner of Law Firm-1 wrote a letter to the editor of a major newspaper in which he asserted, in part, 'Mr. Sussmann's meeting with the FBI General Counsel James Baker was on behalf of a client with no connections to either the Clinton campaign, the DNC or any other Political Law Group client.' Durham's filings now reveal that Clinton's campaign did hire Sussmann and that he lied to federal officers. He has pleaded not guilty. Vehicles using the cab-hailing platform, KakaoT, are parked in a parking lot in Seoul in this Sept. 14, 2021 photo. Yonhap By Baek Byung-yeul Kakao Mobility has been targeted by leading presidential candidates ahead of the March 9 presidential election. The two leading presidential candidates Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) have both said that Kakao Mobility, which operates a taxi-hailing platform, receives too much money from consumers and taxi drivers. They both added that if they become president, the new government will come up with measures such as launching a government-led taxi-calling platform. Kakao Mobility is the country's largest ride-hailing service with a market share of around 80 percent. By logging on to the company's Kakao T mobile app, consumers can use taxi-hailing and chauffeur service and rent bicycles, as well as making reservation for train tickets and even airplane tickets conveniently. Its mobile app has been popular due to the great advantages of being linked to KakaoTalk, the country's No.1 mobile messenger run by its parent company Kakao, enabling convenient access and payment for various services. On Feb. 16, however, Lee met with taxi drivers belonging to a union in Seoul's Gangnam area and emphasized the need for launching the government-led taxi-hailing service. Lee said Kakao Mobility is receiving excessive fees from taxi drivers, saying that "1 percent of taxi call fees is enough." Kakao Mobility charges franchise taxi companies and private taxi drivers 20 percent of their total sales, 16.7 percentage points of which is refunded in the name of brand promotion or other reasons, which means the company collects a commission fee of around 3.3 percent. Almost all taxi business operators and private taxi drivers are using Kakao Mobility's service due to its dominance. According to data by the transport ministry and Kakao Mobility, 226,154 out of 243,709 taxi drivers nationwide were subscribed to Kakao Mobility's mobile app as of the first half of 2021. Yoon also made a similar pledge. During a meeting with the taxi industry in Seoul, Feb. 8, he said "I know there are a lot of issues caused by the monopoly of the Kakao platform. It is very unreasonable and goes against the common sense of the public to receive a huge portion of the profits in fees. If the government creates a platform through government financing, it will work well." Though the two leading candidates are vying to fix the Kakao Mobility issue in the next government, it remains to be seen whether a government-led taxi-hailing app would succeed. City governments such as Busan, Incheon and Suwon have already launched their own apps, but only a handful of people are using these services. The Seoul Metropolitan Government launched its own taxi apps twice in 2017 and 2019, but gave up on them both times due to consumer indifference and failure to secure a sufficient number of taxi drivers. "It remains to be seen whether the government-launched app will be able to continue fulfilling jobs necessary for long-term service operation, such as identifying and managing users' needs," a spokesman from a local IT company said. The Navy is looking to lease up to ten new vessels to intercept migrant boats in the Channel, the armed forces minister said yesterday. The forces current ships sit too high in the water to pick people up from dinghies, so admirals want to find low platformed vessels instead, James Heappey said. Once aboard, migrants will be arrested under new powers due to come into force under Priti Patels immigration Bill, which is passing through Parliament. Admirals are finalising details of the boats which will be required when they take over command of the Channel operation from Border Force. We need additional platforms that are appropriate to the task, Mr Heappey told radio station LBC. The minister added that the Navy may well need anywhere up to another ten of the larger vessels for picking people up mid-Channel. The Navy is looking to lease up to ten new vessels to intercept migrant boats in the Channel, the armed forces minister said yesterday. The forces current ships sit too high in the water to pick people up from dinghies, so admirals want to find low platformed vessels instead, James Heappey said A number of smaller vessels will also be required to escort some of the migrant boats to UK shores The Ministry of Defence was due to take command of the Channel operation on Monday, but it is understood the start date has been postponed. We have been looking to lease a certain type of platform. Were looking maybe that we would need anywhere up to another 10 of the larger vessels you would use to do the mid-Channel cross-decking. Then Im guessing that we would need a number of smaller vessels to shadow dinghies to the shore. A lot of this is yet to be modelled. He went on: What you might envisage is that your preference could be to intercept a higher number of people in the Channel. The point of arrest now would be in the Channel as a consequence of the Nationality and Borders Bill. And that, I think, in itself acts as a deterrent. With other dinghies you might need to shadow it into shore with a Rhib [rigid-hulled inflatable boat] and then arrest them on the beach, because it would be too dangerous to do anything otherwise. Last month Mr Heappey told MPs the flow of migrants had reached the point where it is a threat to our national security (Border Force vessels arrive into Dover after picking up migrants in the English Channel last month) Last month Mr Heappey told MPs the flow of migrants had reached the point where it is a threat to our national security. He said the MoDs new operation, code-named Isotrope, would guarantee that nobody arrives in the UK on their own terms. After years of small boats reaching British beaches without being apprehended, Mr Heappey said all vessels will be intercepted once Isotrope begins. The Nationality and Borders Bill also contains new powers for UK authorities to turn-back dinghies in the Channel. But these will be conditional on France agreeing to allow the migrants back - something so far refused by President Emmanuel Macrons government. Whitehall sources hope the French will be more likely to agree to such changes after the Aprils presidential election. British colonisation of Australia more than 200 years ago may be to blame for recent bushfires there, as well as climate change, UK scientists say. Researchers at Nottingham University say that after 1788 British settlers pushed out native people whose 'cultural burning' removed flammable vegetation with controlled fires. Study leader Dr Michela Mariani said: 'The increase in shrubs provides a connection from the ground to the forest canopy which allows fire to spread with ease, and this has led to the unprecedented fires we have seen in recent years.' One 2019 fire alone burnt an area almost twice the size of England. One 2019 fire alone burnt an area almost twice the size of England in the former British colony Researchers extracted fossilised grains of pollen from 52 wetland and lake bed sites and found shrub coverage rose by up to 48 per cent after colonisation. The academics have suggested that Australian fire management agencies should now be working with indigenous people to bring back their historic practices. Dr Mariani added: 'We know from historical reports that much of the landscape in early colonial southeast Australia was similar to an open savanna with grassy areas and large gaps between trees. 'This was described by an early English explorer as 'a gentleman's park', very much reminding him of England.' Indigenous people historically practiced a method of fire management called 'cultural burning' which involved managing flammable vegetation with small, controlled fires. According to the researchers, they were forced to stop this when the British settled in Australia in 1788, resulting in dense, flammable shrubbery returning. The study found there was a 12 per cent increase in shrub coverage after British settlement - with some areas seeing as much as 48 per cent increase. Dr Mariani said: 'Climate change is undoubtedly having an impact on the intensity and scale of these bushfires, but forest management plays a big role too. 'Our research offers supporting evidence for implementing fire management practices more aligned to Indigenous cultural burning, in order to better manage forests and in turn to help manage fire behaviour in the future.' NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard was hired on 60,000 more than her predecessor, government figures revealed yesterday. She is paid between 255,000 and 260,000 for her role leading the health service, Cabinet Office data shows. By comparison, Simon Stevens was paid between 195,000 and 200,000 for the same job. NHS England last night said Mrs Pritchard had not received a pay rise since 2016, when she was head of Guys and St Thomas Trust in London. But the disparity in the salaries will raise eyebrows at a time when Boris Johnson prepares to increase national insurance contributions by 1.25 percentage points to fund health and social care. NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard is paid between 255,000 and 260,000 for her role leading the health service It is understood that Mr Stevens now Lord Stevens did not accept two salary increases he was entitled to when he was boss of NHS England. Mrs Pritchard is also said to have refused a 20,000 pay rise when she was head of the trust. A total of 50 staff from NHS England earned more than 150,000 in September last year, the figures revealed. NHS England said the cost of executives salaries has reduced by around 20 per cent since 2018. Mrs Pritchards salary can only be reported after the Mail informed the Cabinet Office that it had not included all public servants earning more than 150,000 in the list it published last month. The original list said that across Whitehall and quangos, 599 people were on more than that amount. But it has since admitted that it left off 24 people - all from NHS England - by mistake, increasing the total to 623. Other high earners at NHS England include Emily Lawson, NHS lead for the Covid vaccination programme and later tasked with ensuring NHS money is spent wisely. Mrs Pritchard is said to have refused a 20,000 pay rise when she was head of Guys and St Thomas Trust in London She earned up to 235,000, while Stephen Powis, national medical director, earned 230,000. Other health quangos also had dozens earning more than 150,000, including Maria Zambon, head of influenza, MERS and acute respiratory virology on 235,000. Mark Hewlett, chief operating officer at under-fire NHS Test and Trace, earned up to 225,000. A spokesman for NHS England said: Amanda Pritchards salary has not changed since 2016 when she became chief executive of Guys and St Thomas NHS Trust and there was no salary increase upon appointment as NHS chief executive. The cost of NHS England and NHS Improvement executives salaries has reduced by around 20 per cent since 2018 and the NHS is one of the most efficient health services in the world, with administrative costs of less than 2p in every pound of NHS funding, compared to 5p in Germany and 6p in France - providing taxpayers with excellent value for money. A white-haired pensioner who allegedly killed a baby when her car collided with a van appeared in court yesterday. Shelagh Robertson, 74, is said to have been driving her Mazda2 carelessly when she hit the Renault Master van, which then mounted the pavement. The van hit five-month-old Louis Thorold, who was being pushed in a pram by his mother Rachael. Shelagh Robertson, 74, is said to have been driving her Mazda2 carelessly when she hit the Renault Master van, which then mounted the pavement He died at the scene while his mother was left fighting for her life and spent 118 days in hospital. The accident happened on the A10 at Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire, in January last year. Robertson, pictured, of Waterbeach, appeared at Cambridge Magistrates' Court charged with causing death by careless driving. She was remanded on unconditional bail to appear at the city's crown court on March 17. Prosecutor Hannah Butler told the court: 'It's a tragic case. Louis was tragically fatally injured and his mother received life-changing injuries.' Robertson, a graduate of law from Edinburgh University who has done voluntary work at a community group for 11-16-year-olds for the past ten years, was driving on the A10 when the accident happened, the court heard. Louis died at the scene and his mother was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge with a fractured skull. Robertson, who at times asked the clerk to repeat herself as she stood in the dock, made no indication of a plea. Scott Morrison has accused Anthony Albanese of being the 'most left-wing Labor leader since Gough Whitlam' in a scathing attack over national security. The Prime Minister said Mr Albanese's position in the Left faction of the Labor Party means he will automatically be weak on foreign policy. 'This Labor Party under the most left-leaning Labor leader that we have seen since Gough Whitlam, that is not a good form to be strong on national security,' he told a press conference in Alice Springs on Friday. Gough Whitlam is pictured in 1972 during his successful election campaign which carried the slogan 'it's time' Gough Whitlam was Prime Minister from 1972 to 1975 in which time he established Medicare and free university. He was in the Right faction but is seen as left-wing. Former labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard was in the Left faction but regarded as being close the Right. Mr Morrison said he has a strong record on handling national security issues. 'Now my reputation on this is on the record, everything from stopping the boats, standing up to coercion, funding our defence forces, backing our intelligence services, increasing our border protection, and establishing the Australian Border Force,' he said. 'I think there's a clear choice. And if people are asking themselves honestly and genuinely who's stronger on national security, well there's only one answer: the Liberal and Nationals under my leadership.' Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese during Question Time in the House of Representatives on Wednesday This week the Government has attempted to portray Labor as weak on China and national security ahead of the May election. Security experts say the strategy actually undermines Australia's national security by falsely suggesting to allies that Labor would follow different policies if elected to Government. On Wednesday Mr Morrison had claimed Mr Albanese is backed by China, saying: 'The Chinese Government has picked their horse and he's sitting right there.' He also labelled deputy leader Richard Marles a 'Manchurian candidate', a phrase used to describe a politician working for an enemy. The stoush was condemned by former ASIO boss Dennis Richardson, who said picking a fight on national security 'only serves the interest of one country and that is China'. Mr Albanese hit back strongly in Question Time on Thursday, insisting there are no policy differences between him and the PM on China and accusing the Government of an 'absurd campaign to try to divide the nation'. He quoted Mr Richardson and added: 'So if you're looking for a Manchurian candidate he sits over there,' while pointing to Mr Morrison's seat. The Labor leader compared the Prime Minister to former US President Donald Trump, saying: 'What we're seeing here this week is the importation of Trumpian rhetoric where truth doesn't matter and facts don't matter.' But Mr Morrison rejected that argument. 'I lead on national security. And Labor just doesn't measure up,' he said. 'I'm not going to set a low bar for bipartisanship. If the Labor party wants to agree with our policies then they've got a lot more work to do because, frankly, on this issue they're weak. 'I've stood up to that coercion against our country. Australians know that, they can't be sure about the other mob.' Britain has been accused of becoming a 'global hub for money laundering' after new figures revealed 1.5 billion worth of property in the country has been brought by Russians facing allegations of corruption or with ties to the Kremlin. Much of the property is held by companies registered to Britain's overseas territories and crown dependencies, according to data uncovered by Transparency International, The Times reports. But Transparency International director Duncan Hames warned these figures are only the 'tip of the iceberg' and said laws that force overseas companies holding property in the UK to reveal their owners was 'long overdue'. Campaign group Transparency International also found 2,189 companies registered in the UK that have been linked to 48 money-laundering and corruption cases. At least 28 per cent of the property linked to corruption is located in Westminster and is worth nearly 430 million, with a further 20 per cent in Kensington and Chelsea, 10 per cent in both Camden and Wokingham in Berkshire, while another seven percent was located in the City of London. It comes hours after Home Secretary Priti Patel announced the immediate end to the Tier 1 'golden visas' scheme giving Russian oligarchs with 2million to invest access to the UK. Ms Patel has long faced calls to end the programme, which has seen 2,500 Russians granted visas, but the Ukraine crisis has led the Home Secretary to bring forward the demise of the scheme. Among the Russian owners of property in the UK was former deputy prime minister Igor Shuvalov, (pictured with Russian President Vladimir Putin) who was a businessman before entering civil service At least 28 per cent of the property linked to corruption is located in Westminster and is worth nearly 430 million Among the Russian owners of property in the UK was former deputy prime minister Igor Shuvalov, who was a businessman before entering civil service. Shuvalov, 51, who continues to enjoy close ties with the Kremlin, owns two properties in Whitehall Court through a business he owns with his wife. These cases involved sums worth more than 82 billion which had been taken through 'rigged' procurement, bribery, embezzlement and the unlawful acquisition of state assets, the group said. Hames warned the only way to stop global money launder was to changed the legislation. 'Government plans to force overseas companies holding property here to reveal their owners are long overdue. 'Until the law is changed to do this, even those targeted by sanctions will continue to be able to hide their wealth here,' he said. Meanwhile foreign affairs spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats Layla Moran said: 'Shutting the door to Putin's cronies is not enough too many of them have already walked through it with virtually no questions asked. 'The government must immediately publish the long overdue report into those who currently hold and came here on these visas. 'It makes a mockery of their promises to stand up to Putin's aggression, when they are doing nothing to stop his cronies who are right now stashing their dirty money on our shores and claiming UK citizenship.' A further 20 per cent in Kensington and Chelsea, 10 per cent in both Camden (pictured) and Wokingham in Berkshire It comes hours after Home Secretary Priti Patel announced the immediate end to the Tier 1 'golden visas' scheme giving Russian oligarchs with 2million to invest access to the UK (pictured: Wokingham) Another seven percent was located in the City of London (pictured) Foreign Affairs spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats Layla Moran said: 'Shutting the door to Putin's cronies is not enough too many of them have already walked through it with virtually no questions asked' Ms Patel on Thursday declared that the Tier 1 scheme would be closed to new applicants from all countries, including Russia, citing 'security concerns'. Fears had been raised that the route was being abused by criminal gangs and the super-rich from overseas, 13 years after they were introduced by Labour in an effort to draw investment to the UK. More than 12,000 visas have been doled out, including 2,500 to Russians. 'I have zero tolerance for abuse of our immigration system. Under my New Plan for Immigration, I want to ensure the British people have confidence in the system, including stopping corrupt elites who threaten our national security and push dirty money around our cities,' she said. 'Closing this route is just the start of our renewed crackdown on fraud and illicit finance. We will be publishing a fraud action plan, while the forthcoming Economic Crime Bill will crackdown on people abusing our financial institutions and better protect the taxpayer.' A visa scheme that allows rich foreigners to live in Britain in exchange for a minimum 2million investment is to be scrapped by Priti Patel (pictured) amid concerns over Russian 'dirty money' The end to the scheme will be seen as part of a range of sanctions being drawn up against Moscow amid the Ukraine crisis. The Home Office said the Tier 1 visas had been under 'constant review and some cases had given rise to security concerns, including people acquiring their wealth illegitimately and being associated with wider corruption'. It said the move demonstrated that the government will be 'firm against those wanting to abuse the immigration system'. Reforms are expected to be made to the Innovator route, part of the new points-based immigration system, to encourage people coming to invest. The findings of a review into all Tier 1 Investor visas granted between 2008 and April 2015 will be published 'in due course'. Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday warned Moscow would 'retaliate' if new sanctions were imposed by Britain, without going into detail. UK ministers last week gained powers to impose tough new sanctions on Russian oligarchs and businesses should it invade Ukraine. Australians have erupted in fury over a photo of a four-bedroom house in Queensland. An aerial shot of the home located in Logan, positioned on a massive 3,258 sqm block, was posted to Reddit. It looks like an ordinary block of land at first glance, but upon closer inspection, the home features an L-shaped private yard that wraps around the neighbouring house on one side. This leaves very little space between the neighbouring house on the other side. Many Aussies pointed out the narrow home and strangely-shaped yard was a result of one person buying a large block of land and then dividing it into two or three homes. 'I imagine the weird block shape was due to an owner dividing one larger block into two, rather than anyone who was in a position to build row houses,' one user commented. An aerial photo of an 'L shaped' 3258 sqm property listed for sale in Logan, south Brisbane, has been slammed as a waste of space Another wrote that they 'used to live in a house where the owner sold off part of the backyard (original block was over 1000 sqm so we still had a yard)'. 'Developer next door built three units on his resulting L shaped block. Then I discovered selling off your yard was not uncommon here,' they went on. 'To access the back you have to go THROUGH the current house which makes it impractical to build or sell afterwards. The block on the left would be a better proposition for that.' Reddit users assumed the property was once part of a larger property that was divided into three, resulting in the odd shape 'Im guessing it was one block that got divided into 3? Basing it on the size of the neighbours to the lot of 3,' agreed a third person. 'Probably two blocks next to each other subdivided into 3. Those are 3 thin houses, in the same space you could have 2 regular width houses with a normal size gap in between.' Many Aussies used it as an opportunity to slam Australia's urban planning laws. 'Intelligent urban planning just isnt the Australian way'. 'That much backyard space is a rarity nowadays. I assume the only reason they didnt (put a house on the backyard) was because they couldnt figure out how to get a driveway down there without losing half a house,' one person said. Commenters wrote that the home was an example of 'outdated zoning laws' that they blame for Australia's housing crisis Other Aussies commented about the home's narrow layout, who described it as '90 per cent just one corridor.' 'All the new housing estates on the edge of town have tiny blocks filled with houses like this,' one user, who lives on the outskirts of Melbourne, wrote. 'The authorities could release a little bit more land but no they insist on cramming everyone together like this. I understand in the city this can be an issue, but here there is no reason to do it. 'Backyards dont exist in the new estates. I wonder why people dont just build townhouses if youre going to share your space with the neighbours so closely.' 'This is very standard around older suburbs now,' commented another. 'All the 700-800sqm blocks being bought by investors and either having the old house knocked down and 2 or 3 units built, or the old house kept and another unit plonked in the backyard. 'Im seeing this happen all around me and its a real shame. But I rent here as I cant afford to buy either, and will be moving out to the urban sprawl with all the other first home buyers.' New York City homicide detectives suspect a Brooklyn grandmother and four-year-old boy who died three months apart were murdered with tasteless rat poison. Tafoon Man, 63, suddenly fell ill at her daughter's Bensonhurst home in February 2021 and passed away eight hours after being admitted to the hospital. Three months later, Man's grandson, Wilhelm Ducatl, 4, also suddenly fell ill while at his mother's home. Ducatl had complained 'he was feeling tired' before being rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition with severe stomach pains. He died two days after falling sick. After the medical examiner who conducted Ducatl's autopsy told police he was possibly poisoned, authorities exhumed Man's body to perform a postmortem examination. Both deaths were ruled homicides after it was revealed they had been dosed with thallium, a tasteless and odorless substance commonly used to kill rats. Police sources told the New York Daily News on Thursday that no arrests have been made and they have not yet named a suspect, but they noted that Ducatl's father is not a focus of the investigation. The daughter has not been named by police. Production of thallium - which was first discovered in 1861 and used by murderers for centuries - was banned in the U.S. in 1984 due to its toxicity from even accidental exposure. New York City homicide detectives suspect Tafoon Man, 63, and Wilhelm Ducatl, 4, were murdered with tasteless rat poison. Man is pictured holding Ducatl when he was a newborn Both Man and Ducatl fell suddenly ill after having been in Man's daughter's Brooklyn apartment, located in the Bensonhurst neighborhood on 65th Street (pictured) Man's husband, Hingsou Wong, said his wife died on February 17, 2021. She had gone to stay with her daughter after her grandson's father had moved out of the family home. Ducatl's parents were reportedly in a custody battle and at odds over his well-being. Once inside the Bensonhurst home, Man quickly felt sick, prompting her daughter to send her to Mount Sinai Brooklyn where she died eight hours later. 'I am very sad and heartbroken. My wife was very healthy. I still do not know what happened,' Wong, 63, shared with the Daily News on Thursday. Another family member, who declined to give their name, echoed: 'It originally sounded like it was a natural cause.' Tafoon Man, 63, fell ill on February 17, 2021. Her condition quickly progressed and she passed away eight hours after being admitted to Mount Sinai Brooklyn (pictured) In May 2021, Wilhelm Ducatl, 4, also suddenly fell ill while at his mother's home. He complained 'he was feeling tired' before being rushed toMaimonides Hospital in critical condition with severe stomach pains. Ducatl died two days later Three months later, on May 24, the young Ducatl complained of stomach pains and tiredness before being admitted to Maimonides Hospital in critical condition. The four-year-old died two days later from acute thallium poisoning. Wong claims he was unaware that his wife and grandchild had been poisoned until three months ago when police arrived at his residence and informed him that they had been victims of a homicide. Police are continuing to investigate the deaths, which has the family hopeful for closure. 'Almost a year after everything ... if the police are investigating, we just want them to do their work,' the unnamed relative said. An autopsy revealed that Man and Ducatl were poisoned with thallium, a tasteless rat poison that has been banned in the U.S. since the mid-80s (Pictured: Pieces of very pure thallium in glass ampoule) Man's son, Jeffrey Wong, 38, of Brooklyn, claims the family was shocked by the news. 'As you can imagine, it's a terrible time right now,' he said. 'We don't know what happened.' 'My sister and Sam we're having a custody battle to see who would get Willhelm. Then this happened... We only found out by reading what was on the news.' Jeffrey shared that he has been in contact with his sister, whom he says is 'doing alright'. The community was also stunned by the news of the possible homicide investigation, with a next door neighbor telling the New York Post: 'I knew them . I lived across the wall. I never heard any fighting.' He was perhaps the most famous star of the silent movie era, whose on-screen buffoonery and slapstick antics sent a generation of cinema goers into uproarious laughter. Now, a new film is set give a voice to Charlie Chaplin's much whispered private life, as four of his children with final wife Oona O'Neill share their thoughts on their father's checkered history. The Real Charlie Chaplin, released in cinemas and on Amazon Prime today, tells the hidden story of the world's first superstar comedian, who was married four times and is alleged to have slept with over 2,000 women. It focuses on his relationship with his second wife, Lita Grey, whom he married aged 35 when she was 16. She was one of three wives whom he married as teenagers. Intimate home videos depict an elderly gentleman laughing and at ease with his family with Oona who was 36 years his junior. But son Michael, 75, told viewers: 'I was kind of frightened of my father. He was so powerful, you couldn't argue with him, because he couldn't be wrong. 'Everyone who gets too close to him, he'll end up suffocating. He couldn't help it.' Meanwhile his daughter Jane confessed: 'I had grown up with the icon - but the man, I had no idea who the man was.' The Real Charlie Chaplin, released in cinemas and on Amazon Prime today, tells the hidden story of the world's first superstar comedian, who was married four times and is alleged to have slept with over 2,000 women Born in Lambeth, south London in 1889, Chaplin was a penniless music hall actor when he travelled to the US aged 24. Five years on, he contracted his first marriage with 16-year-old vaudeville actress Mildred Harris in Los Angeles in 1918 after a false pregnancy alarm (pictured) His sister Geraldine, 77, added: 'My father wasn't Charlie Chaplin. 'I knew they were the same person but they looked nothing alike except when he had an audience, he would become Charlie Chaplin, that other man.' Born in Lambeth, south London in 1889, Chaplin was in and out the workhouse from when he was just four years old. He was born to a part-Romany music-hall singer called Hannah Chaplin. In 1920, he spotted 12-year-old Lillita Louis MacMurray on the set of The Kid and set about modelling her into an actress. He changed her name to Lita Grey and is thought to have seduced her in 1924, when she was 15 and he was 35, which could have led to a charge for statutory rape even then He met 22-year-old former child model Paulette Goddard in 1932, although she claimed to be just 17. They were married from 1936 to 1942, after which Goddard received a settlement and kept quiet about their union Within a year of divorce, he moved on to his fourth and final wife Oona O'Neill, who bore him eight children and stayed with him until his death in 1977 She'd already had one son out of wedlock and, although she was married to a successful music-hall artist called Charles Chaplin, it's unlikely that he was Charlie's real father. Whatever the truth, Chaplin senior gave the infant his name. But a year after the birth, he walked out probably because he suspected Hannah of infidelity leaving her and the boys to lead an impoverished existence. Charlie later confessed that his mother had many subsequent affairs. It's likely that, in times of extreme poverty, she also took to the streets. This was not unusual in working-class South London, where women drifted in and out of prostitution to save their families. As Charlie once said: 'To gauge the morals of our family by commonplace standards would be as erroneous as putting a thermometer in boiling water.' But he was a natural showman and became a penniless music hall actor when he travelled to the US aged 24 (pictured) But he was a natural showman and became a penniless music hall actor when he travelled to the US aged 24. THE MANY WIVES OF CHARLIE CHAPLIN MILDRED HARRIS M 1918-1920 Mildred met Charlie when he was 29 and she was 16-years-old in 1918. The pair married after she told him she was pregnant that same year. In April 1920, Mildred began divorce proceedings, citing 'cruelty' LITA GREY M 1924-1927 In 1920, Charlie, then 31, spotted 12-year-old Lillita Louis MacMurray on the set of The Kid and set about modelling her into an actress. He is thought to have seduced her in 1924, when she was 15 and he was 35, PAULETTE GODDARD M 1936-1942 Charlie, then 43, met 22-year-old former child model Paulette Goddard in 1932, although she claimed to be just 17. They were married from 1936 to 1942, after which Goddard received a settlement and kept quiet about their union. Fed up with Chaplin's attempts to control her, and his bullying on set, she left him in October 1940. OONA O'NEILL M 1943-1977 He moved on to his fourth and final wife Oona O'Neill a year after his divorce. She bore him eight children and stayed with him until his death in 1977. Advertisement He was short between 5ft 4in and 5ft 6in and his head was a little too large for his lithe and delicate body. But Chaplin was considered by most to be good-looking, with his deep blue eyes, crinkly coal-black hair, skin like ivory, neat white teeth and lips that were firm and meaty. He joined Fred Karno's comedy company where he was spotted by Keystone Films while on a tour of America. The voiceover artist tells the audience that by 26, 'he was more famous than any king, queen, emperor, philosopher, artist or religious figure.' One of the first to fall for his charms was 16-year-old child actress Mildred Harris, whom he met at a party in 1918. By then aged 29 and one of the richest actors in Hollywood, he was infatuated. He sent bouquets of roses to the hotel in which Mildred was staying, and lay in wait for her in his car outside the studio where she was working. Before long, they became lovers. When Mildred informed him that she was pregnant, however, he panicked; the last thing he wanted, at the time, was domestic responsibility. But he was well aware that he needed to avoid a terrible scandal. A quiet wedding was arranged at the home of the local registrar, and he took Mildred home to a leased house, described by one of her friends as a 'symphony in lavender and ivory, exquisite in every detail'. Soon after they'd moved into this paradise, however, it became clear that Mildred wasn't pregnant at all. She'd either misread her symptoms or tricked him into matrimony. This suspicion could not have made married life any easier to bear particularly as Chaplin knew that he wasn't in love. He gave Mildred her own chauffeur, servants and unlimited credit at the shops, but he was irritable and moody in her company and gave nothing of himself. Soon, the new Mrs Chaplin was indeed carrying his child. It was not a happy time for anyone concerned: at one stage, she was reported to have suffered a nervous breakdown and been hospitalised for three weeks. Her situation wasn't helped by Chaplin's frequent affairs with other women. Mildred later complained that 'Charlie married me and then he forgot all about me'. While Chaplin was working on a film called A Day's Pleasure in July 1919, she gave birth to his son. Norman had malformed intestines and died three days later. Charlie was inconsolable for a day or two, but then moved out of the house and took up permanent residence at the Los Angeles Athletic Club. Charlie began a relationship with actress Lita when she was just 15. He chose the actress as his co-star for The Gold Rush. While completing the film, Lita fell pregnant In April 1920, Mildred Chaplin began divorce proceedings, citing 'cruelty'. During the subsequent case, she painted a bleak picture of life with Charlie. If she invited her own friends to the house, he simply wouldn't come home. Nor would he ever tell her when he'd be back: 'He said he had to be free to live his own life and do as he pleased.' How Charlie went on to have 11 children with three different wives who confessed to being 'frightened' of their comedic father The eldest of Chaplin's kids, and his first with Lita, Charles Jr appeared in several films in the '50s, including 'Limelight,' where he shared the screen with his father. Charles Jr. passed away on March 20, 1968. He was 42. The second son of Chaplin and Lita Grey was named Sydney. He died in 2009. O'Neill gave birth to eight of Charlie's children Geraldine, Michael, Josephine, Victoria, Eugene, Jane, Annette, and Christopher. Advertisement 'He was short-tempered, impatient and treated me like a cretin,' she protested.In an out-of-court settlement, Mildred was granted $100,000 and a share of Chaplin's property. For Chaplin, who was in many respects a withdrawn and secretive man, the case had been deeply wounding. By this stage, Chaplin's star was on the rise and he became a huge hit with audiences with films The Kid and The Gold Rush, attracting vast crowds to his public appearances. This quickly led to a growing reputation for young girls, which seems to have been deemed acceptable to his acquaintances. Most of the time, he used and discarded his partners at will. When asked by Vanity Fair in 1926 to describe his ideal woman, he replied: 'I am not exactly in love with her, but she is entirely in love with me.' In 1920, he spotted 12-year-old Lillita Louis MacMurray on the set of The Kid and set about modelling her into an actress. He changed her name to Lita Grey and is thought to have seduced her in 1924, when she was 15 and he was 35, which could have led to a charge for statutory rape even then. During filming in Sierra Nevada, Chaplin casually announced to Lita that 'when the time and place are right, we're going to make love'. He fulfilled his wish some weeks later in the steam-room of his home in Beverly Hills. Chaplin suggested she have an abortion, a proposal which her Catholic mother indignantly rejected. He then suggested that a willing young man be chosen as her husband on payment of a dowry of $20,000. This, too, was turned down. 'I was stunned and ready for suicide that day when Lita told me that she didn't love me and that we must marry,' he said. The pair married in Mexico to avoid scrutiny from the American press. He'd made it clear what he thought of her, calling her a 'little whore'. On the pairs wedding night Chaplin was also said to have confided in friends that the union was a better prospect than prison. Actress Paulette Goddard began an affair with Chaplin at 17. She claimed that she was 22 at the time Paulette Goddard left Chaplin soon after the premiere of The Great Dictator in October 1940 (the couple are pictured here at a gala for the film) He said to Lita: 'This marriage won't last long, I will make you so damn sick of me that you won't want to live with me.' In her 1966 memoir My Life with Chaplin, Grey wrote: 'We were married in Mexico because Charlie didn't want much said about the marriage. On the way back on the train he was quite nasty. 'We were standing out on the platform between cars while the train was travelling and he said, 'We could just end this whole situation if you just jump'.' Despite his contempt for his wife, however, he was 'a human sex machine' she later revealed, who could make love six times a night without noticeable fatigue. His behaviour became more erratic after Lita announced she was pregnant again. He started taking up to eight showers a day, installed a listening device in her bedroom and patrolled the grounds of their house at night with his pistol. Chaplin and Lita divorced after three years, with her accusing him of cruelty. His reputation remained untainted. The pair's brief marriage ended with an acrimonious divorce in 1927 and a settlement of 625,000 - believed to be worth around 38million today and the most expensive split in Hollywood history at the time. Within a year of divorce, he moved on to his fourth and final wife Oona O'Neill, who bore him eight children and stayed with him until his death in 1977 During the documentary, Geraldine recalled how 'everyone thought' her mother 'was just a bimbo and she would be gone soon' (pictured, the couple together) Grey filed for custody of their two children and alleged cruelty and forced sex acts in her petition, while Chaplin referred to her as a 'blackmailer, gold-digger and little whore'. In a letter of support for Chaplin, 30 European intellectuals brand her 'an idiot woman, cow, slut, vermin and a parasite.' In a 1993 interview played in the documentary, Lita said: 'A part of the public thought I was wrong in my divorce case, that he was the poor little mistreated pathetic little man with so much pasos...that me and my family were golddiggers. That made me feel bad because a portion of the public believed a lot because they idolised afterwards.' For years afterwards, she struggled with depression and alcohol. She tried to set the issue straight in interviews, but the topic often strayed back to matters of his genius. Intimate home videos depict an elderly gentleman laughing and at ease with his family with Oona who was 36 years his junior Chaplin is his autobiography dedicated three sentences to Lita, and never mentioned her by name. In an interview he said: 'I'm not going into that sort of thing. I don't owe it to anybody.' He met 22-year-old former child model Paulette Goddard in 1932, although she claimed to be just 17. She soon moved into his mansion, and he cast her as his leading lady in Modern Times, a satire on the machine age. Goddard recalled that on the first day of shooting, she turned up in 'the full glamour rig' for her debut. 'Charlie took one look at me, shook his head and said: 'That's not it. That's definitely not it.' Despite his children saying he was plagued by doubts his entire life, the Charlie who appears in the family's home movies was a cheerful clown who appeared as soon as the camera started rolling (pictured) 'He told me to take off my shoes, change my suit and remove my make-up. Then he threw a bucket of water all over me.' They were married from 1936 to 1942, after which Goddard received a settlement and kept quiet about their union. Once, in her presence, Chaplin told his oldest son that 'your stepmother worked very hard today and I had to tell her a few things about acting'. Paulette lay down on the sofa and cried. Fed up with Chaplin's attempts to control her, and his bullying on set, she left him in October 1940. Within a year of divorce, he moved on to his fourth and final wife Oona O'Neill, who bore him eight children and stayed with him until his death in 1977. Their daughter Geraldine said: 'My mother was so young when she met him, she was 17 and he was 52. They fell in love and then as soon as she turned 18 they married. 'Everyone thought she was just a bimbo and she would be gone soon. But they were mad about each other.' One of his 11 children could be heard explaining how her entire childhood had 'evolved' around her father's wellbeing (pictured, Left to right: Eugene, Chaplin with Jane on his lap, Geraldine, Oona holding Annette, Michael, Victoria and Josephine) Meanwhile Eugene called his mother 'the sunshine' in their family's lives. Their daughter Jane, 64, describes her difficult relationship with him: 'He was inaccessible. 'Your father is working, don't disturb him, he'll lose his inspiration' our world revolved around my father's wellbeing,' she recalls. 'He spoke about having huge amounts of doubt, he said he had had doubts all his life. 'He accomplished his life's dream but I don't think he ever really got over his doubts. Does one ever really get over where you come from? I don't think it ever leaves you.' His daughter Jane spoke about how she wished to spend time alone with her father, who was surrounded by people at all times (pictured with Josephine, Victoria, Michael, Geraldine, Eugene, Jane, and Oona.) Meanwhile she suggested he 'never got over his doubts' and was 'inaccessible' as a person (pictured, son-in-law, Nick Sistovaris, daughters Annie and Josephine, wife Oona, son Christopher and daughters Geraldine and Jane) But the Charlie who appears in the family's home movies was a cheerful clown who appeared as soon as the camera started rolling. Jane said: 'My one wish growing up was to have one conversation alone with my father. Just the two of us. He was inaccessible in so many ways. 'Your father is working, don't disturb him, he'll lose his inspiration.' 'Our world revolved around my father's wellbeing.' 'I forgot about that wish, I thought, "This is ridiculous it's never going to happen". And when I dropped it, that's when it happened. The conversation alone with my dad. 'He spoke about having huge amounts of doubt. 'He said he had had doubts all his life. He accomplished his life's dream. But I don't think he ever really got over his doubts.' Ministers hope to sign 'mini trade deals' with individual US states after President Joe Biden made clear a wider post-Brexit agreement was not a priority. UK officials have been in talks with governors, mayors and business leaders in economically powerful states such as California, which has a bigger economy than France. Trade minister Penny Mordaunt has held discussions in California, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina and Oklahoma. International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan is also expected to visit the US over the coming months. Tariffs on goods can only be set under the President, but individual states can make deals in areas such as the regulation of services, which account for almost 84billion worth of UK exports to the US 64 per cent of the total. Trade minister Penny Mordaunt (pictured) has held discussions in California, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina and Oklahoma The Department for International Trade told The Times: 'There's a wealth of opportunities to build even deeper ties at both a federal and state level. 'We want to make it easier and cheaper for UK and US businesses to work together.' Ministers believe that such agreements would result in joint ventures between British and American companies worth billions of pounds, while other agreements on service regulation would benefit insurance, accountancy, legal, architecture and engineering firms. By Kim Hyun-bin Korean shipbuilders are struggling with the worsening shortage of skilled workers after having received record-breaking orders over the past year, according to company officials Thursday. The companies need to act fast to secure qualified employees because they expect to take more orders in the coming months, but the situation is unlikely to improve as it takes time to nurture veteran workers, they said. A large number of skilled workers left the industry after it faced more than a decade of recession. The central and local governments are initiating support measures to better secure workers for the shipbuilding industry, but many experts believe it will not be enough to bring experienced workers back. The three leading shipbuilders Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE), Samsung Heavy Industries and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) exceeded their target order procurements last year, winning large orders for high value-added ships such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers and large container ships. KSOE won orders worth 25.1 billion last year, exceeding its target for the year by 50 percent. Samsung Heavy recorded orders of $12.2 billion, a 34 percent increase, and DSME netted $10.9 billion, 40 percent more than expected. However, there is a shortage of workers to build the ships. According to the Korea Offshore & Shipbuilding Association, the number of workers in the shipbuilding industry stood at 92,809 as of last November, down by more than half from 2015 when there were 202,689. During the shipbuilding recession, many workers moved to other industries, leaving shipbuilders scrambling to meet the demand for shortage of personnel. "The organization has been downsized due to the long-term recession in the shipbuilding industry, and we have not been able to hire any skilled technicians since 2015. But we are currently hiring personnel and expanding the number of technical training centers," a KSOE official said. "It is not to the extent that normal operation is impossible, but it is true that we need to prepare in advance." Since the end of last year, shipbuilders have been working hard to secure workers through the operation of professional personnel training programs. Hyundai Heavy has started hiring skilled technicians for the first time in seven years. Industry officials say shipbuilding is perceived as a risky industry, and with the reduction in overtime hours and overtime pay after the implementation of the 52-hour workweek system, skilled workers who left the shipbuilding industry are not returning even now that the industry has recovered. "Many highly skilled personnel left the shipyards during the worst recession in history, and it is difficult to hope that they will come back now," said a spokesman at one of the nation's top three shipbuilders. "Also COVID-19 has made it difficult for foreign workers to enter the country, making it even more difficult to fill the staffing gap quickly." The government and local governments have been focusing on cities and provinces where major shipyards are located to provide living expenses to those engaged in shipbuilding-related businesses, as well as employment subsidies to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that employ young workers. However, analysts point out the need for fundamental solutions to resolve the shortage issue such as easing the Act on Punishment of Serious Accidents and the 52-hour workweek system that have made companies reluctant to actively hire. The family of an diving instructor killed by a great white shark in Sydney insisted he would not want the animal to be destroyed. Simon Nellist, 35 described as a 'kind, considerate man who loved life' died just 100m from horrified beachgoers at Little Bay on Wednesday afternoon. Mr Nellist, who grew up in Cornwall, in the United Kingdom, was due to marry his fiancee Jessie Ho this summer. His aunt Jacqui Seager, 62, said yesterday: 'I don't think Simon would want the shark to be killed. He loved nature. British diving instructor Simon Nellist, 35, died just 500ft from horrified beachgoers near Sydney 'He swam with sharks before. This isn't the first time he's gone out and seen them but he would still go out swimming. That's brave. 'I don't think he ever thought they would hurt him. Sadly, this time it managed to get to him. 'It's absolutely horrendous. We are all in shock.' Photographer Mrs Seager, of Maidstone, Kent, added: 'He swam most days. This is just a freak accident. It shows you can't take life for granted.' His death at Buchan Point on Wednesday forced authorities to close most beaches. Special 'drum lines' aquatic traps using baited hooks to lure and capture large sharks were set up in the water. However, they are controversial because sharks have died in them. They also often catch other wildlife. Mr Nellist had hit out over their use saying they 'protect no one' and 'need to go'. Mr Nellist, who grew up in Penzance, Cornwall, served two tours in Afghanistan before settling in Australia and was due to marry his fiancee Jessie Ho this summer His death comes weeks before 'smart' drum lines were reportedly due to be installed which could have prevented the tragedy. Mother-of-three Mrs Seager said: 'He told his mum he was going to travel to Australia and that was that. He loved it so much that he stayed. 'He met his girlfriend Jessie out there. They're around the same age and instantly hit it off. They've been together for years. 'She is totally in bits, as are his parents. I spoke to them last night and they are beyond belief. 'They will never get through this ever as this is something you keep with you for life. I just feel so sorry for them. 'They are planning to get out there as soon as they can but need to sort visas out. 'Everyone was going to fly out there to see him get married in June or July but sadly it is now in much sadder circumstances.' Mr Nellist was the first person to be killed by a shark in the Sydney area since the 1960s Mrs Seager stressed: 'Simon always loved the sea. He was always very close to it. He loved wildlife and the world. 'He had a real love affair with nature. He was a very kind and considerate man who just loved life. He was a strong guy and did two tours of Afghanistan. 'His mum said how could he return from the frontline unscathed to then go to Australia, go out for a swim and get killed.' Mr Nellist served with the UK's 34 Squadron, based at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire. His shocked parents Mike and Rosemary, of Helston, Cornwall, declined to comment yesterday. Experts believe the shark which killed Mr Nellist on his daily swim was at least 10ft long and might have mistaken his wetsuit for a seal. Mrs Seager stressed: 'Simon always loved the sea. He was always very close to it. He loved wildlife and the world. He had a real love affair with nature' He had been training for a swimming event on Sunday but it has now been cancelled. Dr Chris Pepin-Neff, of Sydney University, said such shark attacks were incredibly rare, with just ten or 12 of its kind in 30 years around the world. But he added: 'It's not crazy for sharks to bite humans thinking we might be prey.' Mr Nellist's friend Della Ross described the diving community's devastation, saying: 'Everything that is connected to Simon is connected to the ocean. 'The news hit us like a truck because he was one of the people who make this Earth lighter.' Australia has introduced a new national brand logo for products after the last version was roundly condemned for its striking resemblance to the Covid-19 virus. Trade Minister Dan Tehan revealed the new design, a stylised golden kangaroo, on Friday - a much more traditional choice to market products overseas than last year's effort. A 'wattle flower' design was introduced and then swiftly dumped last July after it sparked uproar over its resemblance to the coronavirus. The new logo (pictured) will be free for Australian businesses to use when promoting and advertising their products The logo that was unveiled last year (pictured) faced severe backlash as people complained it looked like Covid-19 The new logo was co-created with Indigenous design studio, Balarinji, and is intended as a 'unique, contemporary' expression of Australia as a forward facing country 'drawing on the spirit of Country'. It will be free for businesses to use to advertise their goods internationally. In a statement, Mr Tehan said a strong brand would assist Australian businesses in selling their products domestically and overseas. 'Australia's nation brand is more than just a logo and tagline. It is a holistic approach to selling what is unique about Australia to the world, 'A strong nation brand and tagline will reinforce Australia's reputation as an internationally competitive investment destination, a great place to visit, a quality provider of education, and a trusted exporter of premium goods and services,' he said. So far the logo has been better received than last year's effort. Kangaroos are iconic in Australian branding and the Nation Brand Advisory Council with design studio, Balarinji, have reinvented it in the new design The council that decides the national logo is made up of a number of businesspeople including Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest, chair of Fortescue Metals; Qantas CEO Alan Joyce; and Edwina McCann, editor-in-chief of Vogue Australia. The project the Nation Brand Advisory Council spearheaded was given a budget of over $10 million for the past four years, an Austrade spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. 'The project has been delivered under budget with total expenditure of $9.8m.' the organisation said. The funding went toward market research, design, industry consultation trademarking, technical expenses and management. The future success of the monarchy rests above all on two things; its probity and its ability to remain above the fray of petty politics. The cash for honours allegations engulfing Prince Charles and one of his main charities throws both those qualities into question. Did the Prince of Wales know his closest aide, Michael Fawcett, was offering a Saudi billionaire a knighthood in return for a huge donation to The Prince's Foundation? And if not, why not? At best, he failed to keep a check on what was being done in his name. At worst, he was complicit. Either way, it is a very bad look for the future king. Did the Prince of Wales know his closest aide, Michael Fawcett (pictured), was offering a Saudi billionaire a knighthood in return for a huge donation to The Prince's Foundation? The Prince has hung on to Mr Fawcett despite a string of scandals, including accusations of bullying and selling off royal gifts. Mr Fawcett has now resigned as head of the Foundation, but the damage has been done. He has exposed the Royal Family to the whiff of corruption. The BBC made matters worse yesterday by wheeling out one of Charles's principal apologists, Jonathan Dimbleby, who inevitably blamed the press for 'turning a non-bombshell into a bombshell'. He even likened criticism of the Prince to Boris Johnson's attack on Sir Keir Starmer over his failure to prosecute Jimmy Savile a comparison described by former Coalition minister Norman Baker as 'insulting'. Yet the normally Rottweiler-ish presenter Nick Robinson played meekly along with this 'nothing to see here' narrative. Such obsequiousness does the monarchy no favours. If knighthoods are being sold in the name of the heir to the throne the public has a right to know. Instead of trying to shoot the messenger, the Prince and his sycophants should learn lessons. The monarchy is largely funded by the taxpayer. It must be open to scrutiny. The Queen's advisers have helped her play a deft and skilful hand through recent crises. Those around Charles, by contrast, have failed him miserably. If he is to be a successful monarch when his time comes, he will need much wiser counsel. Clegg cashes in SIR Nick Clegg's rise up the ranks of one of the world's most venal firms has reached its zenith. He is now Facebook's president of global affairs on a telephone-number salary. An industrial-scale tax avoider, the social media giant stands accused of invading privacy, abusing copyright, condoning hate speech, spreading fake news and putting astronomical profits before the safety and wellbeing of its users. Still, Sir Nick shouldn't have any trouble being a mouthpiece for such a company. What principles he had were thoroughly compromised during his spell as Deputy Prime Minister. He promised to oppose raising university tuition fees, then reneged. He promised to support Parliamentary boundary changes, then reneged. So we know integrity isn't his strongest suit. But then neither is leadership. In just five years, he took the Liberal Democrats from a major force in British politics to the electoral wilderness. Facebook beware! Second-class justice It's one of the enduring mysteries of the Post Office computer scandal that the very organisation behind the wrongful convictions of hundreds of innocent postmasters and mistresses was also given responsibility for helping them achieve restitution. Is it any surprise that of nearly 700 victims, 576 have so little trust in the Post Office that they haven't come forward to have their convictions overturned and claim compensation? The Mail hopes that now the independent Criminal Cases Review Commission has taken charge, those victims will finally engage in the process. They have suffered a monstrous miscarriage of justice. The sooner their good names are properly restored the better. A New York state trooper who testified that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed her has filed a lawsuit claiming Cuomo and his top aide 'violated federal, state and civil laws' in an attempt to cover up the alleged harassment. The woman, who is named as Trooper 1 in the lawsuit filed Thursday in Manhattan, is seeking damages against Cuomo, his former aide Melissa DeRosa and New York State Police for 'severe mental anguish and emotional distress.' The trooper claims Cuomo tried to kiss her, steered conversations toward sex, asked her to help find him a girlfriend and once asked 'why don't you wear a dress?' The suit also claims that DeRosa covered up the then-governor's behavior by giving misleading statements to a reporter from The Albany Times Union. When the reporter asked about how the trooper was transferred to the governor's security detail, DeRosa 'yelled at the editor of The Times Union and accused him of being sexist for even making the inquiry,' the suit states. Cuomo resigned in August, days after an independent probe found he sexually harassed nearly a dozen women and worked to retaliate against one of his accusers. He has denied intentionally mistreating any of the women but said was stepping down in order to avoid subjecting the state to months of turmoil. Those accusers included the unnamed state trooper, who was on his security detail and said he allegedly subjected her to sexual remarks and on occasion ran his hand or fingers across her stomach and her back. 'As with his other victims, the governor used his physical proximity to Trooper 1 to touch her inappropriately,' the lawsuit alleges. 'He commented on her appearance (''why don't you wear a dress?''); wanted to kiss her (''(c)an I kiss you?''); asked her to find him a girlfriend who could ''handle pain;'' and steered their conversations towards sex (''(w)hy would you want to get married? ... your sex drive goes down''),' the suit says. A New York state trooper who testified that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (right) sexually harassed her filed a lawsuit Thursday and asked a federal court to declare that Cuomo and his top aide, Melissa DeRosa (left) and state police violated her civil rights Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is followed by former Executive Secretary Melissa DeRosa, as they prepare to board a helicopter after Cuomo's announced resignation in August 2021. Both Cuomo and DeRosa are being sued by a NYS trooper who said he groped her The complaint filed on Thursday states that Trooper 1, who was part of Cuomo's security detail in September 2019, accompanied the governor to the Belmont racetrack, where she says 'she felt violated as the Governor intentionally touched her in intimate locations between her breasts and vagina.' As Trooper 1 walked ahead of the governor to hold the door open for him, he placed the palm of his hand on her belly button and slid it across her waist to her right hip, where her gun was holstered,' the complaints alleges. The trooper said that days later, Cuomo asked her about her relationship status, 'clearly prompted by the now-public fact that he had broken up with his girlfriend' and asked for the trooper's ad.' The complaint also alleges that on another occasion, Cuomo ran 'his finger down the center of my back of my spine, basically from the top of my neck, basically midway down with his pointer finger and just said, 'Hey, you.' Acting Nassau County District Attorney Joyce Smith said in a statement in December that an investigation found the allegations against Cuomo 'credible, deeply troubling but not criminal under New York law.' Several district attorneys in New York said they found Cuomo's accusers 'credible,' but said the available evidence wasn't strong enough to file criminal charges against him. Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi blasted the trooper's lawsuit Thursday. 'Gov. Cuomo will fight every attempt at cheap cash extortions and is anxious to have the dirty politics stop - we look forward to justice in a court of law,' Azzopardi said. DeRosa's attorney Paul Schectman said his client, the governor's top aide, only interacted with the trooper to say ''hello and goodbye.'' 'It is not a viable case anywhere in America and is beyond frivolous,' Schectman said. A spokesperson for New York State Police didn't immediately provide comment Thursday. Cuomo has denied he ever intended to touch anyone inappropriately. Sexual harassment accusations against Cuomo began to mount in early 2021. Cuomo abruptly resigned last office after Attorney General Letitia James' office revealed Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 subordinates while leading the state Out of work: Andrew Cuomo resigned last year from the New York Governor's Office after the AG report labeled him a 'serial sexual harasser'. His brother Chris, right, was fired by CNN in December over revelations that emerged because of the AG probe He initially offered an apology for behavior with women that 'may have been insensitive or too personal,' and said some of his past remarks were 'misinterpreted as an unwanted flirtation.' Cuomo said he regrets resigning over the 'bogus' claims he sexually harassed multiple women, and adds he will not rule out running again but only once he has 'exposed' Attorney General Letitia James for going after him. A criminal charge against him has since been dropped, and the last of five criminal investigations ended last week after a District Attorney in upstate New York ruled that there was insufficient legal grounds to bring criminal charges. Now, he says he regrets that decision and should have stood his ground. He also believes that James is responsible for the turmoil at CNN. Initial reports indicated that Chris Cuomo was fired by the network solely for helping Andrew through the sex pest scandal. In his revenge, Chris revealed to CNN top bosses last week that the network's long-serving president, Jeff Zucker, has been having an alleged affair with his top aide Allison Gollust for several years. On Tuesday, shortly after it was learned that Gollust resigned, it was revealed that Chris was facing an allegation of sexual assault from when he worked at ABC News. Over the weekend, the investigation, which began in September, concluded that Gollust, Zucker and Chris Cuomo violated company policies including Standards and Practices, Kilar shared. 'Based on interviews of more than 40 individuals and a review of over 100,000 texts and emails.' Education on consent will become mandatory in every Australian school after a landmark ruling by state and federal ministers. Federal Senator Jonathon Duniam on Thursday confirm education officials would meet in April to finalise a new curriculum which includes consent education. Teachers will give children from prep to Year 12 age-appropriate lessons about the importance of gaining permission, power imbalances and coercion. Former Sydney private school student Chanel Contos has pushed for the change and launched a petition called Teach Us Consent - which advocates for earlier and improved sex education. She helped design the proposal for the curriculum, which will be implemented from 2023 onwards. Former Sydney private school student Chanel Contos, 22, (pictured) started a petition when she realised last year she and her friend were both sexually assaulted by the same person as teenagers Her petition sparked almost 3,000 testimonies from women who experienced sexual abuse or misconduct at school. While the alarming stories hailed from all sorts of institutions, several of Australia's top same-sex schools' names were repeatedly mentioned - including Scots College, Cranbrook, Sydney Grammar, Waverley College, Kambala, Monte Sant Angelo and Pymble Ladies' College. She claimed Kambala gave her a 'great consent education but they gave it too late'. Ms Contos, who claims she was sexually assaulted by a schoolboy when she was 13, will meet with Prime Minister Scott Morrison next week. Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge last year said he admires the courage of Ms Contos and others who have shared stories after being encouraged by her petition. He said the curriculum would include information about respectful relationships, consent and sexual abuse. Several of Australia's top same-sex schools' were repeatedly mentioned among the disturbing testimonies, including Scots College (pictured), Cranbrook, Sydney Grammar, Waverley College, Kambala, Monte Sant Angelo and Pymble Ladies' College Ms Contos said Kambala High School (pictured) gave her a 'great consent education but they gave it too late' 'This is an issue for the entire community to do better at,' Mr Tudge said. The government came under immense pressure over the treatment of women after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins alleged she was raped by a colleague in a minister's office. Ms Higgins coming forward triggered national debate about sexual assault and the workplace culture inside Parliament House. A man who was sexually abused as a teenager by a Sydney cinema owner has been awarded more than $1.3 million in damages. The 50-year-old sued Philip William Doyle for injuries he said he sustained from being sexually assaulted by the owner of the Kogarah Mecca Cinema in the late 1980s. In the NSW Supreme Court on Friday, Justice David Davies awarded the man $1,353,850 which included amounts for past and future economic loss, and for stress, anxiety and hurt feelings. Owner of the Kogarah Mecca Cinema, Philip William Doyle, has been sued $1,353,850 by a man he assaulted in the 1980s 'Quite apart from the psychiatric injury which the plaintiff developed at a later time, the plaintiff undoubtedly suffered shame and hurt, and feelings of disgust about himself whilst he was a teenager,' he said. 'Those feelings clearly continued into his adulthood because of the difficulty he had in disclosing the sexual assaults both to family members and in the context of group counselling.' Doyle, now 79, was jailed in 2012 after being convicted of sex offences against the then teenager, a person under the age of 16. He didn't give evidence at the civil hearing. Justice Davies accepted the plaintiff's evidence in relation to four sexual assaults, including one which occurred after Doyle persuaded the boy to pose for photos wearing a pair of very tight Speedos. He told the teenager he had connections to the modelling world and said, 'You would make a good model, you have nice skin'. 'I consider that the plaintiff was an honest witness who gave his evidence in a matter-of-fact way without emotion or embellishment.,' he said. 'Indeed, the lack of any emotion tended to provide support for the depressive disorder diagnosed by the psychiatrists' The judge also was 'entirely satisfied' the sexual assaults caused or substantially contributed to his psychiatric diagnosis. Justice Davies accepted the plaintiff's evidence in relation to four sexual assaults while he was underage, including one which occurred after Doyle persuaded the boy to pose for photos wearing a pair of very tight Speedos The man said he started to become a different person after the incidents, feeling dirty and disgusted with himself, while his level of confidence in himself and his identity began to crumble. 'He would retreat from social situations, and he became a loner, feeling he had nothing good to offer anyone as a friend or person.' He said he developed addictions to alcohol, cigarettes, and pornography in his late teens, and would become obsessive about keeping control of his life and privacy. He feared being exposed as 'the dirty, disgusting, pathetic boy that he felt he had become', losing all sense of direction and ambition. 'He felt these incidents set a pattern for his life and had a negative impact on all his relationships with family and friends, as well as his career.' His ex-wife and his daughter referred to him as being uninterested, unemotional and disconnected from life. They said he struggled with expressing his emotions and had difficulty dealing with personal conflict. 'The evidence demonstrates that the plaintiff has been badly affected as a result of these assaults from the age of 15 to the present,' the judge said. 'Subject to the success of any treatment he undergoes, he is likely to experience the effects of them for the remainder of his life. 'All that can reasonably be expected is some improvement. 'He has suffered a life-long injury, principally from the wrongdoing of the defendant.' Australian surfing legend and shark attack survivor Mick Fanning has told how he got the 'flutters' when he learned the heartbreaking news a swimmer had been killed by a great white in Sydney. British expat Simon Nellist, 35, was mauled by a 4.5m shark about 100m from the main beach at Little Bay in Sydney's east on Wednesday afternoon while training for an ocean swim event. His death brought back memories for the three-time world champion, who survived being attacked by a shark at a surfing event in South Africa in 2015. Fanning said his thoughts went out to Mr Nellist's loved ones and that he had tried not to look at the confronting footage of Wednesday's attack taken from the shore. British expat Simon Nellist, 35, pictured with his fiancee Jessie Ho. He was killed by a great white shark at Little Bay in Sydney's east on Wednesday afternoon as he trained for an ocean swim event 'I'm just really sad for the family and the friends of the man. I tried not to watch too much, to be honest,' he told the Today show. Fanning said while he worked hard to move on from his own experience, the events in Sydney still hit close to home. 'I did a lot of work when it all first happened, so I'm personally fine, but you definitely get things running through your mind,' he said. Fanning fought off a three-metre great white at the J-Bay Open World Surf League event in Jeffreys Bay, near Port Elizabeth in the country's south. He said at the time he escaped by punching the shark - which tore off his leg rope. Mr Nellist meanwhile was set upon next to a rock shelf as nearby fishermen watched on from the shore. The UK Armed Forces veteran, who grew up in Cornwall, in the country's south-west, was due to marry his fiancee Jessie Ho this summer. His aunt Jacqui Seager, 62, said: 'I don't think Simon would want the shark to be killed. He loved nature. Mick Fanning pictured right with his fiancee Breeana Randall. He had to fight off a great white shark in South Africa in 2015 Pictured: Simon Nellist. He was set upon next to a rock shelf as nearby fishermen watched on from the shore British diving instructor Simon Nellist, 35, died just 500ft from horrified beachgoers near Sydney 'He swam with sharks before. This isn't the first time he's gone out and seen them but he would still go out swimming. That's brave. 'I don't think he ever thought they would hurt him. Sadly, this time it managed to get to him. 'It's absolutely horrendous. We are all in shock.' Photographer Mrs Seager, of Maidstone, Kent, added: 'He swam most days. This is just a freak accident. It shows you can't take life for granted.' His death at Buchan Point on Wednesday forced authorities to close most beaches. Special 'drum lines' aquatic traps using baited hooks to lure and capture large sharks were set up in the water. However, they are controversial because sharks have died in them. They also often catch other wildlife. Mr Nellist had hit out over their use saying they 'protect no one' and 'need to go'. Mr Nellist, who grew up in Penzance, Cornwall, served two tours in Afghanistan before settling in Australia and was due to marry his fiancee Jessie Ho this summer His death comes weeks before 'smart' drum lines were reportedly due to be installed which could have prevented the tragedy. Mother-of-three Mrs Seager said: 'He told his mum he was going to travel to Australia and that was that. He loved it so much that he stayed. 'He met his girlfriend Jessie out there. They're around the same age and instantly hit it off. They've been together for years. 'She is totally in bits, as are his parents. I spoke to them last night and they are beyond belief. 'They will never get through this ever as this is something you keep with you for life. I just feel so sorry for them. Mr Nellist was the first person to be killed by a shark in the Sydney area since the 1960s 'They are planning to get out there as soon as they can but need to sort visas out. 'Everyone was going to fly out there to see him get married in June or July but sadly it is now in much sadder circumstances.' Mrs Seager stressed: 'Simon always loved the sea. He was always very close to it. He loved wildlife and the world. 'He had a real love affair with nature. He was a very kind and considerate man who just loved life. He was a strong guy and did two tours of Afghanistan. 'His mum said how could he return from the frontline unscathed to then go to Australia, go out for a swim and get killed.' Mr Nellist served with the UK's 34 Squadron, based at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire. His shocked parents Mike and Rosemary, of Helston, Cornwall, declined to comment yesterday. Experts believe the shark which killed Mr Nellist on his daily swim was at least 10ft long and might have mistaken his wetsuit for a seal. His aunt Jacqui Seager stressed: 'Simon always loved the sea. He was always very close to it. He loved wildlife and the world. He had a real love affair with nature' He had been training for a swimming event on Sunday but it has now been cancelled. Dr Chris Pepin-Neff, of Sydney University, said such shark attacks were incredibly rare, with just ten or 12 of its kind in 30 years around the world. But he added: 'It's not crazy for sharks to bite humans thinking we might be prey.' Mr Nellist's friend Della Ross described the diving community's devastation, saying: 'Everything that is connected to Simon is connected to the ocean. 'The news hit us like a truck because he was one of the people who make this Earth lighter.' The pilot who died after his twin-engine plane crashed into an 18-wheeler truck and sparked a fire in North Carolina, causing a segment of the I-85 highway to close on Wednesday afternoon, has been identified as a decorated U.S. Army veteran and Microsoft engineer. Raymond John Ackley, 43, died at the scene, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. The plane had reportedly experienced a mechanical issue that caused it to crash. Ackley, a dad of three, was part of the North Carolina National Guard since 2009 and was deployed in Kuwait and Afghanistan in 2011 and 2012, WCNC revealed. In 2005, Ackley enlisted in the Michigan Army National Guard and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 2007, the Charlotte Observer reported. He joined the N.C. National Guard in 2009, spokesman Major Matthew Boyle told the outlet. Ackley served in Kuwait from December 2011 to April 2012 before heading to Afghanistan to serve until October 2012. He later rose up the ranks to captain, and earned eight medals and ribbons including the Meritorious Service Medal, Boyle said. In 2015, Ackley left the Guard and joined the Army Reserve. The spokesman said Ackley 'did well,' 'served honorably' and was admired by all who knew him. Ackley had also worked for Microsoft for the past 13 years in engineering and customer-support roles. Ackley is survived by his wife, Ching, and their three sons - aged 11 and 6, and 5 months - according to a GoFundMe page set up for his family. As of Thursday evening, the site raised more than $10,000. Raymond Ackley, 43, was part of the North Carolina National Guard since 2009 and 'served honorably', according to a spokesperson Ackley in an Army uniform with one of his sons He is survived by his wife, Ching Ackley, and their three sons, aged 11 and 6, and 5 months Ackley was an Army Reservist and had deployed to Afghanistan and Kuwait in 2011-2012 with the National Guard 'Ray touched many lives at Microsoft in positive ways,' Adam DePue, who created a GoFundMe page, wrote on the site. 'He was also a very genuine person, who always cared for the people who worked with him and was a very sincere and dedicated team member at Microsoft.' 'He is a tremendous loss and we will miss him,' DePue, who is a principal engineering manager at Microsoft, added. 'Our hearts go out to Ray, his family and his friends in this time of need.' The Federal Aviation Administration reported on Wednesday that the plane took off from Davidson County Airport when it lost altitude and crashed into an 18-wheeler truck heading south, driven by 41-year-old Barrin Lamont Davis. He lives in Concord - 35 miles away from the incident. Davidson County troopers said the plane was fully engulfed in flames after crashing onto the highway. The southbound lanes of the interstate were shut down between exits 91 and 88 in Lexington near Cotton Grove Road starting around 5:30 p.m. A portion of the highway remained closed as crews worked to clear the scene, which reopened by 11 p.m. Emergency crews were on the scene clearing the way as the southbound lanes were closed The National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the fatal crash An unnamed pilot died Wednesday afternoon after his plane crashed onto a highway The small plane was struck by a tractor-trailer after it wrecked on the highway The name of the pilot has not been released but the driver of the vehicle was reported alive The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the case. 'Apparently it was having some problem in takeoff ' crash witness Donald Holt Sr. told WRAL. 'My wife said, 'The plane is kinda low.' I said, 'Yes, it is.'' 'As soon as we got right over the highway, we saw the tail of the plane and we saw the tractor-trailer learning on its side and both were on fire,' said Holt. 'As we got a little further, we saw a bunch of smoke white smoke and black smoke.' 'The flames were coming. It was too hot [and] it was too dangerous to get close to it,' said Holt. Video and photos from the scene showed the charred remains of the small plane and the turned-over tractor-trailer splayed across the highway. Plumes of black smoke billowed across the interstate as emergency crews stopped traffic and worked to clear the road. Mike Pompeo on Thursday night accused Joe Biden of having displayed 'enormous weakness' in the face of Russian aggression, accusing the president of making a litany of errors and claiming the Russian foreign minister would 'eat the Secretary of State's lunch.' Pompeo, Donald Trump's Secretary of State, appeared on Fox News with Sean Hannity to condemn the government's approach towards Russia. With tensions between Russia and Ukraine at the highest level in decades, and Biden on Thursday warning that war looked imminent, Pompeo, 58, accused Biden of a series of failures leading up to this point. 'We demonstrated weakness with respect to the Russians for the entire 14 months of this administration,' he said. Mike Pompeo, 58, appeared on Sean Hannity's Fox News show on Thursday night Pompeo told Hannity that Biden had shown incredible weakness in the face of Russian threats 'We began by giving them a free pass on a nuclear treaty where we extracted nothing. 'We let them close down gasoline pipelines in the south east of the United States. We did nothing. 'We let them finish Nord Stream Two - we lifted the Trump sanctions on Nord Stream Two. 'And then we did the worst thing. 'We shut down American natural gas and crude oil production - giving Vladimir Putin $93 or $100 a barrel on the crude oil from his country. 'We put his economy on super warp and we harmed ours and lost jobs here at home.' Pompeo - who is widely believed to harbor his own presidential ambitions - pointed out that he had been in the room with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and said that the Russian leader would have quickly measured up the Biden administration. A Ukrainian National guard soldier guards a mobile checkpoint together with the Ukrainian Security Service agents and police officers during a joint operation, in Kharkiv, Ukraine on Thursday Artillery opened fire at multiple points along the frontline between Ukraine and Russia-backed rebels in the country's east on Thursday, with at least two locations hit with witnesses reporting hearing artillery firing at a third This handout video grab taken and released by the Russian Defense Ministry on Thursday shows the Grad multiple rocket launcher firing at mock enemy targets during a joint exercises of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus Helicopters fly in formation over the Osipovichsky training ground, in central Belarus on Thursday during joint training exercises between Russian and Belarusian forces Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited soldiers stationed not far Donetsk, a city controlled by pro-Russian militants, on Thursday as the US warned that Russia's President Putin might launch a chemical weapons attack before invading Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (right) during a visit to the front line not far from pro-Russian militants controlled city of Donetsk on Thursday US deployments in Europe in January, before Biden ordered more troops to the region as the crisis escalated Pompeo, also a former CIA chief and West Point graduate, pointed out that the first senior Biden official to meet Putin was John Kerry, the climate change czar. 'I think it sent a real message to Putin and I think we are seeing the results of that today,' Pompeo said. Biden and Putin have known each other for decades: the Russian leader, 69, has ruled the country for 22 years, while Biden was chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 2001 until becoming vice president in 2009. Biden has told how, during a 2011 meeting at the Kremlin, the then-vice president looked Putin in his eyes and told him: 'Im looking into your eyes, and I dont think you have a soul.' Putin replied, according to Biden: 'We understand one another.' Yet Pompeo said that Biden underestimated the Russian leader, and had been outfoxed by him. 'It's a failure of American foreign policy and the fundamental deterrence that Reagan had, and we had, for our four years,' said Pompeo. 'I saw this up close and personal.' Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a video conference meeting on Thursday Biden, pictured on Thursday in Ohio, has warned that Putin could attack Ukraine at any time He said that Putin's veteran foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, will exploit any weakness in the American strategy. 'Sergey Lavrov will eat our Secretary of State's lunch if we don't demonstrate American resolve and the capacity and willingness to do the right things for our friends,' Pompeo said. He argued that the U.S. should have made the most of their 'cheap, affordable energy' to shore up their allies, shipping energy to them to avoid them having to rely on Russia. 'We should be crushing the Russians with this,' said Pompeo. He also argued that the Iran nuclear talks, currently taking place in Vienna, undermined any attempt to be tough with Moscow. The talks are between the E3 European countries - the UK, France and Germany - plus Iran, with China and Russia are also taking part in the talks, and the United States participating indirectly. 'At the same time we are having this conversation with the Russians in Europe, we are sitting on the same side of the table with the Russians in Vienna, talking about giving the Iranians the very same capacity to ship their product, their crude oil, their natural gas around the world. 'It's an enormous sign of weakness.' Ukraine's ministry of defense issued images of the damaged building early Thursday, saying it is located in Stanytsia Luhanska and was hit by shells fired by Russian rebels. Pro-Moscow accounts then picked up the same images, but claimed the building is actually on their side of the frontline and was hit by Kiev's men Artillery has opened fire in eastern Ukraine - striking a kindergarten located in Stanytsia Luhanska, on the Ukrainian side of the frontline with Russian-backed rebel forces A partially-destroyed building is seen in the town of Popasna, on the Ukrainian side of the frontline with Russia-backed rebels, after artillery opened fire in the early hours Damage to Popasna, a town on the border between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed rebels, which Ukraine says was caused by shelling from the rebel side Pompeo said he thought China and Iran were watching closely, and that significant damage was already done. 'The Russians have already connected in Ukraine. They took Crimea under the previous Democratic administration. 'They are making a lot of noise in the Donbass today firing rockets as well.' He said that Iran's sanctions had already essentially been lifted 'by failing to enforce them', and they were edging closer to having a nuclear weapon. And the weakness, Pompeo argued, was deeply troubling for Taiwan. 'Make no mistake, XI Jinping can see this weakness too,' he said. 'He saw the debacle in Afghanistan. 'He's going to move closer and closer and continue to try to put a stranglehold on Taiwan. 'That does not bode well for freedom and democracy on that island. 'American weakness always creates risk for our friends and ultimately for American interests as well.' Amazon suspended Black Lives Matter from its charity platform AmazonSmile this week for failing to disclose where its $60 million in donations has gone. The social justice organization, which has been facing intense scrutiny over financial transparency, will be deprived from funds raised on AmazonSmile 'until they're back in compliance,' a spokesperson told the New York Post. It was unclear how much money had been raised on the platform. The suspension, which was first reported by the Washington Examiner, deprives the BLM of revenue from the organization, which has provided $306 million to U.S. charities. It comes after charity auditors expressed alarm at the management of BLM's donations when no one seemed able to say who was handling the finances and the group's reluctance to release financial records. BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors, who resigned in May, said last week that the unaccounted millions her group received in 2020 came from 'white corporation guilt.' 'People have to know we didn't go out and solicit the money,' Cullors said. 'This is money that came from white guilt, white corporation guilt, and they just poured money in.' Earlier this month, California and Washington issued legal threats to the group for its failure to report what it did with the millions received in donations in 2020. According to documents filed with the California Attorney General, the group took in more than $65 million in donations from the charity, Thousand Currents, but has failed to disclosed what happened to the money. Amazon suspended Black Lives Matter from its charity platform AmazonSmile this week for failing to disclose where its $60 million in donations has gone Protesters march in Pennsylvania in 2021 demanding justice and to mark the second anniversary of Osaze Osagie, who was shot and killed by State College police The most recent tax filing for the charity, from 2019, gives an address in Los Angeles that does not exist, and the two remaining BLM directors identified by The Washington Examiner were not able to assist - with one even scrubbing BLM associations from his social media after he was contacted by the paper. They have yet to file a 2020 return, a Form 990, as required - which could see BLM fined by the IRS. The California Department of Justice warned the group's leaders earlier this month that they would be 'personally liable' for any delinquency fees and fines. 'Charitable organizations must meet the requirements outlined in our participation agreement to be eligible for AmazonSmile,' an Amazon representative told the Washington Examiner. 'Among other eligibility requirements, organizations are required to be in good standing in their state of incorporation and in the states and territories where they are authorized to do business. Organizations that don't meet the requirements listed in the agreement may have its eligibility suspended or revoked. Charities can request to be reinstated once they are back in good standing.' The problem began in earnest in May 2021, when BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors stepped down as director of the Black Lives Matter Global Network, the national body representing all the individual local chapters. Cullors co-founded BLM in July 2013, after a Florida jury acquitted George Zimmerman in the killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. Alicia Garza, an Oakland activist, posted what she called a love letter to black people on Facebook, writing, 'Our lives matter.' Cullors, a friend of Garza, replied with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter. New York activist Opal Tometi then used the words while building a digital network of community organizers and antiracism activists. BLM protesters are seen in August 2020 in Portland, Oregon Garza and Tometi are no longer affiliated with the network, and Cullors was its figurehead and leader throughout the George Floyd protests - which saw huge donations flood in. The organization's finances had been managed by a group called Thousand Currents, which says it has a 'mission of supporting grassroots movements pushing for a more just and equitable world.' In the summer of 2020, leaders sought nonprofit status with the IRS, which was granted in December 2020 - allowing the organization to receive tax-deductible donations directly. The designation requires the foundation to file public 990 forms, revealing details of its organizational structure, employee compensation, programming and expenses. In September 2020, Cullors signed documents with Thousand Currents transferring $66.5 million into BLM's accounts. In February 2021, Black Lives Matter confirmed it took in $90 million throughout 2020, distributed to their partner organizations, and had $60 million remaining in its accounts. In its report, a snapshot of which was shared with AP, the BLM foundation said individual donations via its main fundraising platform averaged at $30.76 each. More than 10 percent of the donations were recurring. The report does not state who gave the money in 2020, and leaders declined to name prominent donors. Expenses were approximately $8.4 million that includes staffing, operating and administrative costs, along with activities such as civic engagement, rapid response and crisis intervention. BLM said at the time that they were sharing the details in a bid to be more transparent - admitting that their structure and finances had previously been opaque. But two months later, in April 2021, reports began emerging - provided by the National Legal and Policy Center - which showed Cullors had amassed a $3.2 million property empire. Patrisse Cullors (pictured) co-founded BLM in July 2013 with Opal Tometi and Alicia Garza. She left the group in May 2021 Cullors, Garza and Tometi (left to right) co-founded the group, but Garza and Tometi left, leaving Cullors in charge as executive director Garza (center) and Tometi (left) are no longer affiliated with BLM. Cullors (right) was its figurehead and leader throughout the George Floyd protests in 2020 - which saw huge donations flood in Cullors is seen in 2015 speaking at Harvard Law School It is not clear who is currently in charge of the activist group after all three of its founding members - Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi - left the organization. Cullors, 38, stepped down as executive director of the Black Lives Matter Global Network last year amid scrutiny of her $3.2 million property empire. The scrutiny into BLMGN's finances came after it was reported that the group transferred $6.3 million to Cullors spouse, Janaya Khan, and other Canadian activists to purchase a mansion in Toronto in 2001. The most recent tax filing for the charity, from 2019, gives an address in Los Angeles that does not exist, and the two remaining BLM directors identified by The Washington Examiner were not able to assist - with one even scrubbing BLM associations from his social media after he was contacted by the paper. They are yet to file a 2020 return, a Form 990, as required - which could see BLM fined by the IRS. Laurie Styron, executive director of CharityWatch, said the findings were deeply troubling, and said they should have filed their 2020 form by now. 'Like a giant ghost ship full of treasure drifting in the night with no captain, no discernible crew, and no clear direction,' she said. Black Lives Matter has grown into a global organization. Protesters are seen in Leeds, England, on June 21, 2020 Makani Themba (left) and Monifa Bandele were announced as directors of BLM in May 2021, but never agreed terms and never took the job Demonstrators protest in May 2020 response to the death of George Floyd Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte arrives for an extraordinary meeting of EU leaders to discuss Ukraine at the European Council building in Brussels, Feb. 17. AP-Yonhap The Netherlands prime minister apologized to Indonesia on Thursday after a study found that the Dutch army used "systematic and extreme violence" during Indonesia's independence war. Dutch forces burned villages and carried out mass detentions, torture and executions during the 1945-49 conflict, often with tacit government support, said the four-year study by Dutch and Indonesian researchers. The findings shattered the long-held official Dutch line that there were only isolated incidents of excessive violence by its forces as the colony it had held for 300 years broke away. "Today, on behalf of the Dutch government, I present my deepest excuses to the people of Indonesia for the systematic and extreme violence from the Dutch side in those years," Prime Minister Mark Rutte told a press conference. Rutte said he was also sorry for the "subsequent blind eye by various previous Dutch governments." "We also apologise to all those living in the Netherlands who had to live with the consequences of the colonial war in Indonesia, including those war veterans who did behave appropriately," he added. It is not the first apology by the Netherlands to Indonesia, as Dutch King Willem-Alexander formally apologised during a visit to Indonesia in 2020 for "excessive violence" during the war. But it the first acknowledgement that there was effectively a deliberate campaign of violence. A photo seized by the Storm Troops Regiment, showing Indonesian soldiers with various weapons and uniforms, in South Sumatra, Indonesia, between 1946 and 1948, is seen in this handout photo provided by the Netherlands Institute for Military History on Feb. 17. Reuters-Yonhap A British Snapchat engineer sent a desperate last text before he and his family died in 100F heat on a California hiking trail but poor cell reception meant the message didn't go through. Jonathan Gerrish, 45, his wife Ellen Chung, 31, their one-year-old daughter Aurelia 'Miju' Chung-Gerrish, and their dog Oski were found dead on a hiking trail near the Merced River last August. The Mariposa County Sheriff's Office released information pulled from the cellphone of Jonathan Gerrish after months of work with an FBI forensics team. One text made shortly before noon on August 15 to a person whose name wasn't released asked: 'Can you help us' and added: 'No water or ver (over) heating with baby,' the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Jonathan Gerrish, 45, his wife Ellen Chung, 31, their one-year-old daughter Aurelia 'Miju' Chung-Gerrish, and their dog Oski were found dead on a hiking trail near the Merced River last August Pictured: The family's dog Oski But the area had bad cellphone service and the text never went through. Neither did five phone calls to various people, investigators said. Their deaths baffled investigators. The case involved more than 30 law enforcement agencies that had painstakingly reviewed - and ruled out - causes such as murder, lightning strikes, poisoning from algae-tainted water, abandoned mines that might emit toxic gas, illegal drugs and suicide. Last fall, investigators concluded that the family died of extreme heat stroke. Temperatures that afternoon reached 109F in the steep mountain terrain and the family had run out of water. A wildfire had burned off any shade canopy. A survival trainer involved with the case wrote an email to detectives that the young couple likely died while attempting to save their infant daughter. One text made shortly before noon on August 15 to a person whose name wasn't released asked: 'Can you help us' and added: 'No water or ver (over) heating with baby' Last fall, investigators concluded that the family died of extreme heat stroke. Temperatures that afternoon reached 109F in the steep mountain terrain and the family had run out of water 'Sadly, I believe they were caught off guard, and once they realized their situation, they died trying to save their child and each other,' the unidentified trainer wrote. 'It is likely the child began to succumb first, which hurried the parents' efforts up the hill. When one could no longer continue, they stayed behind to care for the child and pet, while the other tried to forge on and get help for their loved ones. It is a tragedy of the highest order.' Officials found the family two days later after relatives had reported them missing. The family had hiked 6.4 mile with the baby in a backpack-type carrier. They were 1.6 miles away from their car. The family had an 85-ounce water container with them that was empty. The cellphone was found in Gerrish's pocket. Beginning shortly after noon, Gerrish and Chung tried to call and text for help several times, according to the Sheriff's Office. The cellphone was found in Gerrish's pocket. Beginning shortly after noon, Gerrish and Chung tried to call and text for help several times, according to the Sheriff's Office A survival trainer involved with the case wrote an email to detectives stating that the young couple, pictured, likely died while attempting to save their infant daughter Five phone calls - four of them made in rapid succession - went to several phone numbers but the family didn't call 911, the Sheriff's Office said. The first call was made at 12:09 p.m. Beginning at 12:35 p.m., the family made the final four calls in rapid succession, investigators said. However, none of the calls connected. Dehydration can cause dizziness and ultimately death. Hyperthermia is abnormally high body temperature caused by the failure of heat-regulating mechanisms. The cause of death of the family's dog was undetermined, but i is believed the dog was also suffering from heat-related issues. The deaths of Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung and their one year old daughter Muji, pictured, were initially treated like a hazmat situation because of the strange circumstances Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese, pictured, points to a map to show where a missing family was found dead during a news conference in Mariposa, California on October 21, 2021 'Our message to the hiking community is please take into account aquifers as well as geographics,' he said. He said they did not have water filtration equipment with them. 'Prepare appropriately. The community is resilient, the community is safe, but this is an unfortunate and tragic event due to the weather.' 'The loss of the family is pain beyond words,' relatives said in a statement. 'When that pain is compacted by lack of knowledge about their death, the questions of where, why, when and how fill the void, day and night.' Briese showed footage, pictured, of the 'rugged terrain' where the family were found The bodies of the family of three and their pet were found on the Savage Lundy Trail, 1.6 miles from their parked truck They thanked the sheriff's office for having 'truly gone the extra mile' in trying to find answers. 'Some questions have been answered, and we will use this to help us come to terms with this. 'They will remain with us wherever we go, or whatever we do. 'In the future when we sit beneath the trees, hearing the wind soar beneath the branches, we will think of them and we will remember.' Western Australia will finally be open to the rest of the world as Premier Mark McGowan gives up on his zero-Covid dream - but only the triple vaxxed will avoid quarantine. The WA Premier announced on Friday afternoon that the hard borders will come down at 12.01am on March 3, after 202 new Covid cases were recorded on Friday - the state's highest ever daily figure. The western state had strict border restrictions in place for nearly 700 days throughout the Covid pandemic. But although border restrictions are lifting, locals are facing tougher rules under the sweeping changes, with new mask mandates and density limits in certain areas. Western Australia's hermit state status has been shattered by the announcement of its highest number of Covid-19 cases in a day on Thursday - and another huge spike on Friday Both interstate and international travellers will be required to complete a G2G pass before entering the state, and must take a rapid antigen test within 12 hours of arrival. Only interstate travellers who have had three Covid doses, if eligible, will be able to enter the state without quarantining upon arrival. Unvaccinated returning Australians from overseas will need to stay in hotel quarantine for one week. 'We have an outbreak in WA that we can't stop and its numbers continue to climb,' the premier said. 'Eventually there comes a point where the border is ineffective.' WHAT WESTERN AUSTRALIA'S BORDER OPENING MEANS FOR YOU Western Australia's border restrictions will be lifted on March 3 Interstate arrivals with three Covid vaccines if eligible will not have to quarantine upon arrival Both interstate and international travellers will need to complete a G2G pass before entry and take a rapid antigen test within 12 hours upon arrival International arrivals can enter WA if they comply with the Commonwealth Government's border and biosecurity requirements Returning unvaccinated Australians from overseas will have to spend a week in hotel quarantine Further level one Covid restrictions will be put in place in areas with high virus transmission The indoor mask mandate will be extended state-wide The one person per two square metre rule will be implemented in hospitality, fitness, entertainment venues, beauty services and places of worship, from February 21 in the Perth, Peel and the South West, Great Southern, Wheatbelt and Pilbara regions Theatres, cinemas and stadiums can have 75 per cent capacity and nightclub crowds are capped to 500 people Drinking while standing and dancing will still be allowed Gatherings at homes will be limited to 30 people and outdoor gatherings at 200 residents Hospitals and aged care homes will be limited to four visitors a day. Exemptions will be made for compassionate reasons Workers will be able to go into the office Advertisement Mr McGowan said by March 3 the state's third vaccination rate was expected to be at 70 per cent. The Premier revealed that level one Covid restrictions would be put in place before the borders are lifted. WA's indoor mask mandate will be extended state-wide on February 21 and applied to the Kimberley, Gascoyne, Mid-West and Goldfields-Esperance regions. The one person per two square metre rule will also be implemented in hospitality, entertainment and fitness venues, beauty services and places of worship in Perth, Peel and the south west regions. Theatres, cinemas and stadiums can have 75 per cent capacity in these regions and nightclub crowds are capped to 500 people. Standing with drinks and dancing will still be allowed. Earlier today, we announced Western Australias full border opening on Thursday, 3 March. While this will be welcome news for many families, the introduction of quarantine-free travel will naturally mean there will be greater spread of the virus in WA. pic.twitter.com/Tq1SuMoEcp Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) February 18, 2022 Western Australia's border will come down on March 3 to vaccinated interstate and overseas arrivals Gatherings at homes will be limited to 30 people and outdoor gatherings at 200 residents. Hospitals and aged care homes will be limited to four visitors a day. Western Australians will not be required to work from home but Mr McGowan warned more 'level two' restrictions may later be enforced. Calls for Mr McGowan to fully re-open the state to the rest of Australia had grown louder in recent weeks as Omicron spread around the state. Mr McGowan delayed opening the state after initially announcing border restrictions would end on February 5. He said opening the borders on that date would have been an 'unforced error'. The state's Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said current modelling suggests Covid cases could peak at 10,000 a day and four deaths in late March. The western state had strict border restrictions in place for nearly 700 days throughout the Covid pandemic (pictured loved ones reunite at Perth Airport) Pictured: Passengers have their vaccination status checked at Perth Airport The state's new cases recorded on Friday include 194 locally acquired infections and 8 from travellers to the state detected in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. There are now more than 724 active cases in Western Australia. Friday's case numbers contrast with just 37 local cases announced a week ago and a record 177 new cases on Wednesday, followed by 189 on Thursday. Just over 54 per cent of West Australians 16 years and over had now received a third vaccine dose, with 98.6 per cent of residents receiving one dose and 95.1 per cent receiving two doses. The state's health department moved public hospitals in Perth and Peel, the Wheatbelt, South West and Great Southern to the 'amber alert' stage on Thursday. Amber proceeds 'red', which signifies widespread transmission of the virus and 'black' which indicates the health system at capacity. A health care worker prepares a vaccine at the Covid-19 mass vaccination clinic at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre 'There is currently no-one in hospital [with Covid-19],' WA Health said in a statement. WA has now recorded 2,693 cases since the Covid-19 pandemic began. Comments on Mr McGowan's Facebook post about the latest statistics varied between West Australians calling for a lockdown and stricter border controls to those who recognised the 'hard' border was now redundant. 'If cases increase like this you might as well just open the bloody border,' one person commented. 'If there are several hundred local cases a day in WA, what's another 20 coming off a plane?' another commented. 'He needs to lock us down for a week so he can put a stop to it spreading anymore,' another person countered. Jetstar announced it had cancelled flights out of Perth until at least April due to ongoing uncertainty over the state's hard border closure Earlier, Jetstar announced it had cancelled flights out of Perth until at least April due to ongoing uncertainty over the state's hard border closure. In a statement, Qantas Group confirmed up to 15 flights a week will continue to land in Perth from interstate, carrying essential personnel and freight. Qantas also announced it would continue to route its London flights through Darwin rather than Perth, 'The Perth to London service was scheduled to revert to operating via Perth in April, but with the West Australian Government yet to confirm a reopening date for the state, Qantas will continue to operate the route via Darwin until at least June 2022,' Qantas said in a statement. The husband of an infamous blogger has avoided a stint in jail despite driving with ice in his system and having an unrestrained child in his car. Denim Cooke, who is married to Perth social media identity Constance Hall, was also behind the wheel on a expired licence. On Thursday, Cooke appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court and was slapped with a fine of $3,750, plus court costs. In addition to the fines, Cooke was disqualified from driving for 15 months. Magistrate Richard Huston said he was fortunate not to be jailed. 'It's borderline imprisonment, do you understand that?' the magistrate asked. 'Make no mistake, you could have been a cause for a massive tragedy for your own family, let alone others.' Denim Cooke, the husband of renowned blogger Constance Hall, has avoided a stint in jail - despite being caught driving with ice in his system and having an unrestrained child in his car Blogger Constance Hall shot to fame soon after self-publishing her first book, Like A Queen, in July of 2016 Police prosecutors stated Cooke was driving on the Stirling Highway in Mosman Park, southwest of Perth's CBD, about 5.30pm on December 19 last year when he was pulled over by police. After undergoing an oral swab, Cooke tested positive to methamphetamine, with officers then discovering a court had disqualified his licence in October. One of his children was in the front passenger seat not wearing a seatbelt. The court also heard it was Cooke's seventh conviction for driving while suspended. In August of 2020, a motorbike accident left Cooke in a coma with a brain injury as well as a crushed spine and collapsed lung. He was placed in an induced coma for 12 days and he recently stated the incident has had a 'catastrophic' effect on his life. Hall's warts and all mummy blogs have seen her become globally recognised in recent years. Already a runaway success on Facebook, Hall self-published her first book, Like A Queen, in July of 2016 and her life began to flourish even more. January of 2018 saw the couple marry and after enduring some tough moments as husband and wife, Hall addressed rumours last year the pair had split. 'I would like to take the opportunity to introduce the media to this insane concept of love, that time and time again survives life's storms, a love that co-exists with it's participants life changes, a love that's so solid it finds it's social media validation policy redundant,' she wrote on Instagram. 'A love that just because it is, doesn't mean it doesn't hurt and just because I can't label it, doesn't mean I can't express it. 'A love that will forever only be for Con and her Denz.' The victim of Sydney's first fatal shark attack in 60 years survived two tours of Afghanistan before he was mauled by a great white during an afternoon swim. Simon Nellist, 35, lost his life on Wednesday afternoon while practising for an ocean swim at Little Bay, in Sydney's east - just 100m from horrified onlookers. Relatives said his distraught mother was left wondering 'how could he return from the frontline unscathed to then go to Australia, go out for a swim and get killed.' On Friday, a close friend shared a post the former soldier wrote last year from his time spent in Afghanistan with the UK Royal Air Force. In the post, Mr Nellist wrote about playing music by the band Rage Against The Machine to local children. Pictured: Simon Nellist playing Rage Against The Machine with children in Afghanistan Simon Nellist was going to marry 'the love of his life' Jessie Ho (pictured together) Mr Nellist wrote that the kids 'were so nice, just good-hearted kids who had nothing. We made friends, played music and shared food. 'I hope they're okay. If they managed to escape, I hope we can look after as many of them as possible.' The shark victim's friend shared the post to show 'the kind of gentleman Simon was. 'He was rare, salt of the earth, lived life to the max, an incredible diver and photographer, a brave soldier, a fine looking man, his heart was wholesome,' she said. 'I can't stop thinking about him, his family, the love of his life Jessie and the pain they are feeling.' A close friend shared a post the former soldier wrote last year from one of Mr Nellist's two tours of Afghanistan while serving with the UK Royal Air Force Friends flocked to social media to pay tribute to Simon Nellist, who grew up in England She said he was too young to die, and didn't deserve to do so in such a horrific way. Mr Nellist, who grew up in Cornwall in England's south-west, was due to marry his fiancee Jessie Ho this summer. Other friends shared photos of Mr Nellist, including another of his time in the military. 'Not one bone in your body,' one man said. 'Some quality times together, buddy. Rest easy.' British diving instructor Simon Nellist, 35, died just 500ft from horrified beachgoers near Sydney One friend said 'there is not one bad bone in your body' in a touching Facebook post (pictured) His aunt Jacqui Seager, 62, said on Thursday: 'I don't think Simon would want the shark to be killed. He loved nature. 'He swam with sharks before. This isn't the first time he's gone out and seen them but he would still go out swimming. That's brave. 'I don't think he ever thought they would hurt him. Sadly, this time it managed to get to him. 'It's absolutely horrendous. We are all in shock.' Simone Nellist is pictured second from the right, with a group of friends His aunt Jacqui Seager, 62, said on Thursday: 'I don't think Simon would want the shark to be killed. He loved nature. Mr Nellist is pictured second left. Photographer Mrs Seager, of Maidstone, Kent, added: 'He swam most days. This is just a freak accident. It shows you can't take life for granted.' His death at Buchan Point on Wednesday forced authorities to close most beaches. Special 'drum lines' aquatic traps using baited hooks to lure and capture large sharks were set up in the water. However, they are controversial because sharks have died in them. They also often catch other wildlife. Mr Nellist had hit out over their use saying they 'protect no one' and 'need to go'. Mr Nellist, who grew up in Penzance, Cornwall, served two tours in Afghanistan before settling in Australia and was due to marry his fiancee Jessie Ho this summer His death comes weeks before 'smart' drum lines were reportedly due to be installed which could have prevented the tragedy. Mother-of-three Mrs Seager said: 'He told his mum he was going to travel to Australia and that was that. He loved it so much that he stayed. 'He met his girlfriend Jessie out there. They're around the same age and instantly hit it off. They've been together for years. 'She is totally in bits, as are his parents. I spoke to them last night and they are beyond belief. 'They will never get through this ever as this is something you keep with you for life. I just feel so sorry for them. 'They are planning to get out there as soon as they can but need to sort visas out. 'Everyone was going to fly out there to see him get married in June or July but sadly it is now in much sadder circumstances.' Mr Nellist was the first person to be killed by a shark in the Sydney area since the 1960s Mrs Seager stressed: 'Simon always loved the sea. He was always very close to it. He loved wildlife and the world. 'He had a real love affair with nature. He was a very kind and considerate man who just loved life. He was a strong guy and did two tours of Afghanistan. 'His mum said how could he return from the frontline unscathed to then go to Australia, go out for a swim and get killed.' Mr Nellist served with the UK's 34 Squadron, based at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire. His shocked parents Mike and Rosemary, of Helston, Cornwall, declined to comment yesterday. Experts believe the shark which killed Mr Nellist on his daily swim was at least 10ft long and might have mistaken his wetsuit for a seal. Mrs Seager stressed: 'Simon always loved the sea. He was always very close to it. He loved wildlife and the world. He had a real love affair with nature' He had been training for a swimming event on Sunday but it has now been cancelled. Dr Chris Pepin-Neff, of Sydney University, said such shark attacks were incredibly rare, with just ten or 12 of its kind in 30 years around the world. But he added: 'It's not crazy for sharks to bite humans thinking we might be prey.' Mr Nellist's friend Della Ross described the diving community's devastation, saying: 'Everything that is connected to Simon is connected to the ocean. 'The news hit us like a truck because he was one of the people who make this Earth lighter.' A popular 'pay what you like' vegan restaurant chain will shut its doors for good after running out of cash. The last three remaining Lentil As Anything stores in Melbourne will close on February 27, founder Shanaka Fernando announced. His Sydney restaurant in Newtown was shut up shop at the end of January, after landlords changed the locks over a row about rent payments during the pandemic. Mr Fernando's restaurant chain asked customers to pay only what they thought a meal was worth or else they could pay it back through volunteering. The last three remaining Lentil As Anything stores in Melbourne will close on February 27, founder Shanaka Fernando announced Mr Fernando's restaurant chain asked customers to chip in for how much they thought a meal was worth or to pay back the favour through volunteering. 'We have tried to hang on as long as we could, but it is now untenable,' Mr Fernando said in a statement. 'It breaks my heart'. Mr Fernando said that Lentil As Anything provided one million meals a year - but just 30 per cent were paid for. Backpackers and university students made up a chunk of customers and volunteers, causing havoc with the business model when Covid forced border closures. 'We still provided about 100,000 free meals during the lockdowns, but we are now in a position where our income is not meeting the cost of our outgoings,' the founder added. Several GoFundMe fundraising campaigns had been launched by community members determined not to let the beloved business collapse. Lentil As Anything provided one million meals a year with just 30 per cent being paid for The business had stores in Newtown in Sydney and Thornbury, St Kilda and Abbotsford in Melbourne One aimed at raising $400,000 made just $3435, but another created in December made more than $15,000. A campaign in 2020 raised $373,000 - but the business was unable to stay afloat while the Covid pandemic continued to drastically impact income. The Sri Lankan born founder started Lentil As Anything in 2000, having spoken to a former Vietnam War correspondent who was since living rough on the streets of St Kilda. 'I had a dream to provide food to people without them having to worry about money,' he said. Mr Fernando first started Lentil As Anything in 2000 'It breaks my heart because I know that so many of you rely on us as a resource, not just for a meal but for social connection 'I dearly hope in some way our values and practices will remain and spread in our society.' Lentil as Anything was subject to a FairWork investigation in 2020 for wage underpayment. The business had stores in Newtown in Sydney and Thornbury, St Kilda and Abbotsford in Melbourne. Mr Fernando was awarded Australia's Local Hero at the 2007 Australian of the Year Awards. A Queensland principal of 31 years walked free from court despite defrauding his own students and the government of nearly $64,000 over half a decade. But in a 'most unusual case', Brisbane Magistrates Court heard John Leonard Webster wasn't motivated by greed or personal benefit. Webster, 60, had used an Education Department credit card to buy an iPhone later given to his daughter, fitness trackers for staff, gifts for Japanese dignitaries and raffle prizes like skydiving experiences. The 100 transactions worth about $29,000 related to a Japanese bilingual program Webster developed at the Brisbane school where he worked. A Queensland principal, John Leonard Webster, defrauded the government and students of nearly $64,000 over half a decade, but in a 'most unusual case' wasn't motivated by greed or personal benefit (pictured, Webster, wearing a mask, at the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday) He used an Education Department credit card to buy an iPhone later given to his daughter, fitness trackers for staff, gifts for Japanese dignitaries and raffle prizes like skydiving experiences, Brisbane Magistrates Court was told on Friday (pictured, Webster, centre, outside court on Friday) The program involved reciprocal tours between Australia and Japan. The headmaster also accepted about $35,000 in cash from students going on annual tours to Japan that he did not give receipts for and could not account for. Webster was the principal at Wellers Hill State School in the Brisbane suburb of Tarragindi earning up to $155,000 a year at the time. The fraud, totalling $63,943, came to light in 2018 when parents complained to the Education Department. The court was told Webster didn't benefit financially from the offences, but they were for his benefit. Webster also admitted approving sick leave for his wife Suzette Maree Webster - a teacher at his school - when he knew she was not ill. Prosecutor Zachary Kaplan said Webster 'treated public funds as his own personal expense account' over five years. He told the court detectives found nearly $10,000 in currency at Webster's home during a search as part of their investigation in 2019. But Webster's barrister Craig Eberhardt argued Webster's case was 'extraordinary' as he wasn't motivated by greed or self-enrichment. The 100 transactions worth about $29,000 related to a Japanese bilingual program Webster developed at Wellers Hill State School in Brisbane (pictured, Webster, at left) The charges related to Webster failing to adhere to policy and account for funds, Mr Eberhardt argued. He provided numerous references paying tribute to Webster, while about 30 supporters packed the courtroom, some standing in the aisle, during proceedings. Mr Eberhardt said the credit card purchases were overwhelmingly not for Webster's benefit. They included the skydiving tickets raffled to staff at a personal development day and gifts and excursions for Japanese guests because it was expected in their culture. The cash was 'openly solicited from parents' and used for incidentals and tips when it wasn't always possible to get a receipt and he could not account for the money, Mr Eberhardt said. 'This is not a case where he set out to steal money from those people let alone benefit himself out of fraud,' he added. 'His offending was not motivated by greed or personal benefit.' Webster was the principal at Wellers Hill State School in the Brisbane suburb of Tarragindi earning up to $155,000 a year when he committed the frauds In sentencing Webster, Acting Magistrate Patrick Murphy said it was a 'most unusual case'. Mr Murphy said he accepted Webster's motivation was to enrich the experiences and opportunities of students and his school. 'Whilst his offending is regrettable it seems to me the motivation behind the offending was his vision ... than any personal reward,' he added. Webster was given a two-and-a-half years prison sentence, fully suspended for three years, and placed on a good behaviour bond for the sick leave fraud. Webster - who resigned last year after being stood down on full pay in December 2018 - was ordered to pay the full amount in restitution. Suzette Webster was placed on a good behaviour bond after she previously admitted taking sick leave to attend Melbourne Cup Day functions and travel interstate with her husband. The couple were charged after an investigation by the state's Crime and Corruption Commission. Advertisement Experts believe Andrew will lose his counsellor of state role, forcing him to return to royal duties of the queen is ill or abroad It is 'inevitable' that Prince Andrew will be stripped of his counsellor of state role - the legal status allowing him to return to royal duties if the Queen is ill and other senior royals are also unwell or abroad, experts predicted today. Andrew is, for the time being, one of four counsellors of state who could step in temporarily to take the Queen's place on official duties if she is unable. The other three are Charles, William and Harry meaning two of the four current counsellors of state are no longer working Royals. This group will become even smaller when the Prince of Wales becomes king. Dr Craig Prescott, an academic and expert in UK constitutional law, said it seemed 'inevitable' that Andrew will be removed after settling with Virginia Roberts Giuffre. He told The Times: 'They could draft in Princess Anne or Prince Edward and specifically make them counsellors of state. There is a precedent for that, of a fashion, with the Queen Mother. In 1953 she was specifically made an extra counsellor. They may look to add the Duchess of Cambridge.' While royal expert and historian Hugo Vickers said: 'If Prince Andrew is not taking part in royal life, then he shouldn't be taking part as a counsellor of state either.' The counsellors of state roles are enshrined by the Regency Acts 1937-53. New legislation would be needed to cut Andrew from the list - or add more people. But one thing certain to go is his freedom of the city of York awarded in 1987, 12 months after his marriage to Sarah Ferguson, when they became the Duke and Duchess of York. Councillors in the city say they will revoke that title in a vote at the next full council meeting on March 24. Lib Dem Darryl Smalley, the city's cabinet member for culture, leisure and communities, said: 'I hope councillors across all parties will support the motion to remove Prince Andrew's honorary freedom of the city of York. Buckingham Palace and the government must then act to remove his Duke of York title. We will be reaching out to MPs to raise our concerns and discuss any possible ways of ending Prince Andrew's connection to York'. Prince Andrew, Virginia Roberts, aged 17, and Ghislaine Maxwell at Ghislaine Maxwell's townhouse in London, Britain on March 13, 2001 Campaigners have demanded Prince Andrew still talk to the FBI over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. One lawyer representing Epstein victims accused the duke of hypocrisy for pledging to help sex abuse victims but refusing to cooperate with authorities investigating the sordid web spun by his late paedophile friend. Gloria Allred said that duke's promise to tackle the 'evils of sex trafficking' as part of his settlement with Virginia Roberts, who brought the lawsuit under her married name Virginia Giuffre, should start by consenting to be interviewed by federal agents. But a friend of the Duke insisted that there is no need now Ghislaine Maxwell has been found guilty. 'He could only be a witness to a current investigation. There has been no word from the FBI for almost two years', the insider told the Telegraph. Sarah Ferguson was pictured in Windsor yesterday as a friend revealed Andrew is feeling 'relatively chipper' and 'relieved' after his mother the Queen 'personally' covered 2million of his 12m sex case pay off. Fergie wore a glum expression as she sat in the back seat of her Range Rover while being driven through Windsor Great Park, where she still lives with the Duke of York at the Royal Lodge. It came as one of Andrew's friends revealed his thoughts are now turning to the future and even a possible public role - despite this being a vanishingly unlikely prospect given his reputation will now be forever tarnished by his decision to settle. The 61-year-old has previously shown himself impervious to public outrage over his behaviour, even reportedly considering his disastrous Newsnight interview as a success. 'He is feeling relatively chipper, under the circumstances,' a friend told the Telegraph, summing up his current state of mind. 'You can understand the level of personal relief involved.' Earlier, royal aides had refused to say whether Andrew's settlement with Virginia Giuffre would be partly funded by the monarch, but she is understood to have agreed to help him, providing she was not linked to any personal payment to Miss Roberts. Furthermore, despite growing pressure for him to be stripped of his titles, Andrew is expected to be allowed to remain as Queen's Counsellor of State and keep his dukedom and service rank of Vice-Admiral. It came amid claims Andrew was offered a 'bridging loan' by Prince Charles and the Queen so his US lawyers could do a quick deal with Ms Roberts, now known by her married name Giuffre. The Duke of York's mother and older brother reportedly met last week before Charles wrote to his younger sibling urging him to 'see sense' and 'shut it down'. It comes as politicians and campaigners have insisted on 'full transparency' over whether public money will be involved in the settlement. Miss Roberts who brought the lawsuit under her married name Giuffre has alleged she was forced to have sex with the duke three times when she was 17 under the orders of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The Duke of York agreed to an out-of-court settlement with Miss Roberts, now 38, on Tuesday, weeks after he had vowed to contest her rape claims at a public trial. In the settlement, there was no admission of liability by Andrew, who has always denied the specific allegations. Sarah, the Duchess of York, was spotted being driven through Windsor Great Park. They are divorced but still live together at the Royal Lodge Fergie - who was sitting in the back seat - wore a sombre expression, while Andrew himself was described as feeling 'relatively chipper' Princess Beatrice was spotted walking in London last week, sporting a chic black ensemble, with a black tweed coat and over-the-knee boots Demands for Buckingham Palace to reveal how Andrew will pay for his 12million sexual abuse lawsuit intensified last night after royal aides refused to say whether it will be partly funded by the Queen Despite growing pressure for him to be stripped of his titles, Andrew is expected to be allowed to remain as Queen's Counsellor of State and keep his dukedom and service rank of Vice-Admiral The Queen personally made a 2million to Virginia Roberts' charity as part of Prince Andrew's 12m settlement, according to reports Now questions over Queen's bailout for Andrew reach PARLIAMENT: MPs will demand to know if public money was used to fund Duke's 12m settlement with Virginia Giuffre By Martin Robinson, Chief Reporter for MailOnline A Labour MP has said he intends to seek assurances in Parliament that public money will not be used to pay for the Duke of York's settlement with Virginia Roberts Giuffre. Andy McDonald said he would raise the issue when MPs return to Westminster next week following their half-term break. 'This is a person of very high profile involved in a case where his position of authority and privilege has been allegedly abused and it is an enormous sum of money,' he told BBC Newsnight. 'We don't know the precise figure but there is a risk that this will be at the public's expense so we need to have that resolved. We need to know exactly where this money is coming from. 'I am going to take the opportunity to raise this issue in Parliament because the issue isn't going to go away until people have that information and receive assurances that public money is not going to be used to in any way contribute to the settlement.' MailOnline understands that Mr McDonald will likely raise it with a minister at Cabinet Office questions in the Commons. Advertisement Details of the deal were not made public but it is thought he has agreed to pay up to 12million, including a 'substantial donation' to Miss Roberts's charity in support of victims' rights. Last night questions remained about how Andrew would fund the settlement. Proceeds from the sale of his 18million Verbier ski chalet had been earmarked as the most likely source but the deal has yet to go through. Buckingham Palace refused to deny reports that the Queen would help fund the payout through her private Duchy of Lancaster Estate, which generated 23million last year. One source suggested the Queen had made a charitable donation to avoid being seen as paying off a sex assault victim. 'She could not be seen to be making a payment to a victim of sexual assault, who accused her son of being an abuser,' the source told the Mirror. 'But a deal was structured in such a way to arrange a sizeable financial contribution to the settlement by way of a charitable donation instead.' The Royal Family also receives part of its wealth from the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant, which is given as a single payment every year by the Government. But that money is given to the Queen to cover the cost of the family's official duties and would not be used for personal needs. Former minister Norman Baker last night called on the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee which has previously looked into the Royal Family's income to investigate the matter. 'If any public money is involved we have a right to know,' said the ex-Liberal Democrat MP. 'I don't think the public wants to see public money used to support the Duke of York.' Ian Murray, Labour's Scotland spokesman, called for 'transparency about where the money's coming from'. He told BBC News: 'Prince Andrew has always maintained his innocence but will now not face a court of law to be able to determine whether that was true or not.' He added the case had left a 'nasty stain' on Prince Andrew and the Royal Family and 'full transparency in terms of the settlement may go a very, very small way in trying to resolve some of the damage they've created'. Labour's spokesman for domestic violence and safeguarding Jess Phillips said 'it is perfectly reasonable for the public to be told if their money has played a part in this settlement'. She added: 'It would show a change of behaviour from the prince if he entered this phase with total openness and honesty.' Prince Andrew has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre, who said she was sexually trafficked to the British royal by the financier Jeffrey Epstein when she was 17. The deal described in a court filing Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, in New York avoids a trial that would have brought further embarrassment to the monarchy Harriet Wistrich, of the Centre for Women's Justice, said the settlement showed even the most powerful men were not immune from being held to account. She said: 'We congratulate Virginia Giuffre for her courage in bringing this claim and sticking with it despite the attacks on her character and credibility. 'It is, however, important that any funds that go towards the settlement come from Prince Andrew's personal wealth and are not indirectly paid for by the public.' Dr Charlotte Proudman, a Cambridge University academic and barrister who specialises in cases of violence against women, said: 'Not a penny of public money should be spent on this settlement, which is effectively buying a victim's silence and buying Andrew's way out of a civil trial.' Brad Edwards, Miss Roberts's former lawyer, said: 'This settlement is a testament to the resolve and credibility of Virginia Giuffre.' Buckingham Palace and a spokesman for Prince Andrew declined to comment. Meanwhile, Emily Maitlis claimed tonight that Andrew's statement within his out-of-court settlement appears to contradict the answers he gave in his now-infamous Newsnight interview. The BBC broadcaster sat down with the Duke of York in Buckingham Palace in 2019 to discuss Miss Giuffre's claims that she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times when she was 17 under the orders of the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The prince strongly denied the claims throughout the interview, and continues to even after the agreement which was sensationally struck on Tuesday. The discussion, in which Andrew made a series of claims - including insisting he couldn't have been with Miss Giuffre at the time because he was dining at Pizza Express in Woking, and that a medical condition left him unable to sweat - has since gained notoriety and is widely acknowledged to have embarrassed the royals. Now Ms Maitlis has revealed her own thoughts following Tuesday's settlement, in which the Duke is set to pay a figure believed to be around 12m. Emily Maitlis claimed tonight that Prince Andrew's statement within his out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre does not deal with the answers he gave in his now-infamous Newsnight interview The BBC broadcaster sat down with the Duke of York in Buckingham Palace in 2019 to discuss Miss Giuffre's claims that she was forced to have sex with Andrew, allegations he continues to deny Full statement from both parties in Andrew's case Here is the full text of the statement regarding the out of court settlement reached between the Duke of York and Virginia Giuffre. The statement was included in a letter submitted to US judge Lewis A Kaplan: 'Virginia Giuffre and Prince Andrew have reached an out of court settlement. The parties will file a stipulated dismissal upon Ms Giuffre's receipt of the settlement (the sum of which is not being disclosed). Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Ms Giuffre's charity in support of victims' rights. 'Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms. Giuffre's character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks. It is known that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls over many years. 'Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others. He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims.' Advertisement Writing for the BBC, she said: 'At the heart of the settlement is the biggest question of all: why is a Prince who told me he had 'no recollection of ever meeting this lady' now paying her what we understand to be upwards of 10m? 'I distinctly remember putting Virginia Giuffre's accusations to him directly: 'She says she met you in 2001, she dined with you, danced with you, you bought her drinks in Tramp nightclub and she went on to have sex with you in a house in Belgravia.' 'And I have the Prince's reply in front of me now. Three words only: 'It didn't happen.' 'There are only three possible explanations then for the settlement: either he was lying in that response - and remembered her well; or he genuinely had no recollection - and was adamant they hadn't met - only for his memory subsequently to be jogged; or that he maintains his innocence, but feels the weight of legal and public opinion against him now make settling the easier option, albeit without accepting any liability.' Ms Maitlis went on to clarify that it was not her place to declare which was true, but pointed to the careful wording of the settlement statement, which she said 'put distance between an acknowledgement of Giuffre's pain - and any responsibility he may or may not have had for it'. She also admitted she was 'journalistically disappointed' that the case, and the full story, will not be played out in court. 'There would have been huge satisfaction in the sense of an ending - any ending - that saw the prince make his legal defence so comprehensively,' she wrote. It comes as calls intensified for the financial arrangements of Andrew's settlement to be revealed as Buckingham Palace again refused to say whether it could be partially funded by the Queen. His mother is expected to foot some of the bill in a bid to draw a line under it before her much-anticipated Platinum Jubilee celebrations this summer. But there is anger at how the Queen, 95, has effectively been forced to bail out the 'disgraced' Duke, 61, whose modest pension from his time in the Royal Navy is now his only visible income - amid demands for the public to be told who is financing the deal. Andrew has been dogged by questions over the source of his wealth for years, and is believed to have relied on handouts from the Queen, personal investments and bequests from relatives such as the Queen Mother. Prince Andrew waves goodbye to a woman he let out the door at Jeffrey Epstein's New York home in 2010 The Duke of York pictured leaving the famous Chinawhite nightclub in London at around 2am in July 2000 Did emails about Ghislaine picture sink Andrew's case? By Daniel Bates in New York for the Daily Mail Before he settled out of court last night, Prince Andrew was set to be dealt a major blow in his US sex case thanks to Ghislaine Maxwell. A leaked email from the prince's friend and now convicted sex trafficker appeared to confirm the authenticity of an infamous picture of the duke standing with his arm around his accuser, Virginia Roberts. The photograph, said to be taken in Maxwell's London townhouse in 2001, had been questioned by Andrew and just this week his legal team had demanded Miss Roberts turn over the original. The duke's legal team had claimed it might be a fake, but an email obtained by the Daily Mail shows that even Maxwell, who appears in the background of the photo, believes it to be real. In the message, sent in 2015, Maxwell says: 'It looks real. I think it is.' On a dramatic day of developments yesterday, it was claimed that Miss Roberts had lost the original copy of the image. But that was disputed by her legal team, who said the hard copy was with the FBI and that Miss Roberts misplaced a CD containing a copy of the image. The photo was set to be a key piece of evidence in her claims for battery and infliction of emotional distress against Andrew, 61, which he had denied. The duke's lawyers had lined up an image expert to cast doubt on the veracity of the photo. If Miss Roberts had not produced the original, Andrew's team could have argued copies could not be admitted as evidence as they could not be properly tested. Not being able to rely on the photograph as proof they met would have put a sizeable dint in his accuser's case. But in an email exchange seen by the Mail, the picture was discussed by Maxwell and Epstein's former lawyer, Alan Dershowitz. On January 10, 2015, Mr Dershowitz wrote: 'Dear G. Do you know whether the photo of Andrew and virginia is real? You are in the background.' Eleven minutes later, Maxwell replied: 'It looks real. I think it is.' The timing of the exchange is significant because days earlier Miss Roberts claimed for the first time in court papers that she had been forced to have sex with both Andrew and Mr Dershowitz. The allegation was struck out by a judge who branded it 'impertinent'. But it caused panic for Andrew and in emails previously reported by the BBC, he contacted Maxwell at 5.50am on January 3, 2015. The duke wrote: 'Let me know when we can talk. Got some specific questions to ask you about Virginia Roberts.' Maxwell replied: 'Have some info. Call me when you have a moment.' Mr Dershowitz has vehemently denied having sex with Miss Roberts. Last year she dropped a battery allegation she filed against him after he claimed a civil settlement she signed with Epstein in 2009 gave him immunity. Miss Roberts is currently suing Mr Dershowitz for defamation, a case he is fighting. His lawyers did not respond to requests asking for comment. Advertisement Graham Smith, from anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, insisted taxpayers 'deserve to know where the money is coming from for a settlement, which we must assume is in the millions, if not tens of millions'. But the Queen's Communications Secretary, Donal McCabe, told MailOnline: 'We have never commented on the financial arrangements of The Duke's legal matters and will not be going forward.' But there is anger at how the Queen has effectively been forced to bail out the 'disgraced' Duke of York, 61, whose modest pension from his time in the Royal Navy is now his only visible income - amid calls for the public to be told who is financing the deal. Sources also pointed out while there will now be a 'period of silence' during the Jubilee celebrations when both parties will have to stick to the terms of yesterday's carefully-worded statement, Mrs Giuffre would then not be stopped from writing a lucrative book telling her story which could hit the shelves in time for Christmas. Prince Charles was said to have been supported by the Queen in making it clear to Andrew that he had no choice but to settle with Mrs Giuffre, with one source telling MailOnline that Charles had 'had enough of the situation' and 'would have said to Andrew that he needed to get this sorted out as soon as possible'. One insider told The Sun: 'Charles wrote to Andrew asking for him to 'see sense'. Charles and the Queen prepared a bridging loan so that Andrew's lawyers could confidently make the offer. This means it goes away before the deposition date on March 10 and crucially before the service of Thanksgiving for the Duke of Edinburgh, which Andrew will attend as a family member.' Another senior Royal Household member told the Standard that Charles and the Queen 'could not countenance another disastrous appearance by the Duke of York, in light of his BBC interview', adding: 'Decisive action was needed. There was little choice. He had to see sense.' While Andrew is thought to be holed up at his Royal Lodge home in Windsor today, on the other side of the world a box of beers and a bouquet of flowers were being delivered to Mrs Giuffre and her husband Robert's home in Perth, Australia. And her father Sky Roberts told the Sun: 'I knew he would settle out of court. That was a complete bluff. I think Virginia will be happy.' Meanwhile, despite the settlement, it is feared the scandal could still overshadow poignant Platinum Jubilee celebrations for the UK in the coming months. Also today, the Metropolitan Police said they have no plans to reopen their own probe into Andrew despite calls for officers to re-examine evidence after the deal. Royal author Angela Levin told Sky News today: 'I think that the Queen would have given him a big telling off and said 'I can't have this hanging over me for the rest of the year I don't want you to spoil my Platinum Jubilee. I'm the only royal who's lasted 70 years on the throne, and you've got to sort it out'.' She added: 'I admire the Queen hugely as everybody does, and I don't want it to spoil anything for her, but I still think this is hanging over the country and the Royal Family and is going to go right through to the end of the year and maybe into next year, and there's no real way of cutting it off. 'Obviously that (a ban on Mrs Giuffre saying anything) was something that they could have put in the agreement and they haven't, and so it implies that there's a lot she (Mrs Giuffre) wants to say that Andrew will not want to hear.' The settlement, which was agreed between lawyers in a sensational development yesterday, comes just weeks after Andrew vowed to contest the rape claims by Mrs Giuffre, formerly known as Virginia Roberts, at a public trial. Mrs Giuffre had alleged she was forced to have sex with the Duke three times when she was 17 under the orders of the late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Only last month, she was given the go-ahead to sue Andrew for unspecified damages in a New York civil court. But despite vowing to fight the claims and repeatedly protesting his innocence, the Prince yesterday agreed to pay a huge sum to settle the case before it ever reaches a jury. Nearly two-thirds of Britons believe Prince Andrew should lose his Duke of York title after settling US sex assault lawsuit, YouGov poll reveals as Palace says it has NO plans to strip him of it Nearly two-thirds of Britons believe Prince Andrew should lose his Duke of York title after settling US sex assault lawsuit, a YouGov poll reveals. The survey, of 2,658 adults in Great Britain today, found some 62 per cent felt he should lose the title, despite Buckingham Palace saying earlier it has no plans to strip him of it. The poll also revealed 82 per cent of the public thought Andrew should continue to lay low and not return to royal duties any time soon. A number of locals in the city of York told MailOnline their views today, with an overwhelming majority feeling he should lose the title. Bernard Oglesbee, 74, said: 'He should be stripped off his title definitely. He must be be guilty, or why pay all that money out?' Wife Val, also 74, stormed: 'He should be stripped of everything. I have never liked him. I always thought he was a waste of space.' James Green, 65, said: 'He absolutely should be stripped of all his titles including Duke of York. I don't think there is any doubt he is guilty. He has put his foot in it good and proper and he only has himself to blame.' Annie Wells, 85, who is disabled, said: 'It is a good job he is the Queen's son. He would be locked up if he was anyone else. The only good thing I can say about him is he did serve with honours in the Falklands. But if ever shows his face in York I will beat him with my stick.' Josh Savage, 36, said: 'Nothing has been totally proved yet, one way or another, and he is the Queen's son. But I think he might lose the title anyway.' York florist Richard Bothamley added: 'I think he will lose the title. It has obviously done him a lot of harm. The whole thing is fiasco. I am quite a patriotic person. So I am pleased for the queen the court case has been resolved. 'But I don't think he should keep the title. Who would want him? It is not just this woman it was the circle of people he was mixing with. He has done some wonderful work. But you can't tell me he did not know what was going on.' It comes as a palace source today told MailOnline the situation regarding his remaining titles 'remained unchanged'. They also include that of Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy and the role of Counsellor of State Today, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said any decisions on his military honorific 'rests obviously with the Palace'. Earlier today, Cllr Darryl Smalley, Liberal Democrat executive member of City of York Council, joined Labour MP Rachael Maskell in demanding Andrew abandon his local links. Fresh scrutiny has been placed on Prince Andrew's remaining military title - that of Vice Admiral in recognition of his service in the Navy Mr Wallace was asked today if the Duke of York should be allowed to represent the military. He told Sky News: 'Well I don't think he represents any of them at the moment, 'I think the Palace took a decision that those titles were to be removed from him, so I think he is effectively acting now as a private citizen in so far as both addressing the challenges and the allegations. 'There's been a, obviously, a payment and I think that is where he currently remains, that the decision on titles rests obviously with the Palace in the future, but I think it's been pretty clear that this settlement is a recognition that he wants to bring this to a close and also recognise as his statement says the suffering and the challenges that the victims have been through as a result of their allegations and their stand against the exploitation by [Jeffrey] Epstein.' Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central, has called on Andrew to withdraw his Duke of York title to 'show respect' for its people. Cllr Darryl Smalley, Liberal Democrat executive member for culture, leisure & communities at City of York Council, agreed. He told York Mix: 'Having been stripped of his military roles and royal patronages by the Queen, this should be the end of his direct link with our great city. 'York's unique connection to the Crown and the monarch is an important part of our city's legacy, history and a great source of pride.' Today, Ben Wallace said any decisions on titles 'rests obviously with the Palace in the future' Meanwhile, Ms Maskell welcomed the Duke of York's pledge to donate money to Mrs Giuffre's charity which supports victims' rights, but said his relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein had caused 'deep hurt and embarrassment' to York residents. The MP's calls comes after Prince Andrew today settled the sexual abuse lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre after he agreed an undisclosed deal said to be worth 12million with his accuser without admitting her accusations. Prince Andrew at York Racecourse to open the new weighing room in May 2015 The monarch is expected to foot part of the bill for her son's settlement in a bid to draw a line under it before her much-anticipated Platinum Jubilee celebrations this summer. But there is anger at how the Queen, 95, has effectively been forced to bail out the 'disgraced' Duke of York, 61, whose modest pension from his time in the Royal Navy is now his only visible income - amid calls for the public to be told who is financing the deal. Sources also pointed out that while there will now be a 'period of silence' during the Jubilee celebrations when both parties will have to stick to the terms of yesterday's carefully-worded statement, Mrs Giuffre would then not be stopped from writing a lucrative book telling her story which could hit the shelves in time for Christmas. Prince Charles was said to have been supported by the Queen in making it clear to Andrew that he had no choice but to settle with Mrs Giuffre, with one source telling MailOnline that Charles had 'had enough of the situation' and 'would have said to Andrew that he needed to get this sorted out as soon as possible'. Rachael Maskell, who represents York Central, said the royal's relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein had caused 'deep hurt and embarrassment' to York residents A senior Royal Household member told the Standard that Charles and the Queen 'could not countenance another disastrous appearance by the Duke of York, in light of his BBC interview', adding: 'Decisive action was needed. There was little choice. He had to see sense.' While Andrew is thought to be holed up at his Royal Lodge home in Windsor today, on the other side of the world a box of beers and a bouquet of flowers were being delivered to Mrs Giuffre and her husband Robert's home in Perth, Australia. And her father Sky Roberts told the Sun: 'I knew he would settle out of court. That was a complete bluff. I think Virginia will be happy.' Meanwhile, despite the settlement, it is feared that the scandal could still overshadow poignant Platinum Jubilee celebrations for the UK in the coming months. Also today, the Metropolitan Police said they have no plans to reopen their own probe into Andrew despite calls for officers to re-examine evidence after the deal. Royal author Angela Levin told Sky News today: 'I think that the Queen would have given him a big telling off and said 'I can't have this hanging over me for the rest of the year I don't want you to spoil my Platinum Jubilee. I'm the only royal who's lasted 70 years on the throne, and you've got to sort it out'.' She added: 'I admire the Queen hugely as everybody does, and I don't want it to spoil anything for her, but I still think this is hanging over the country and the Royal Family and is going to go right through to the end of the year and maybe into next year, and there's no real way of cutting it off. 'Obviously that (a ban on Mrs Giuffre saying anything) was something that they could have put in the agreement and they haven't, and so it implies that there's a lot she (Mrs Giuffre) wants to say that Andrew will not want to hear.' The settlement, which was agreed between lawyers in a sensational development yesterday, comes just weeks after Andrew vowed to contest the rape claims by Mrs Giuffre, formerly known as Virginia Roberts, at a public trial. Mrs Giuffre had alleged she was forced to have sex with the duke three times when she was 17 under the orders of the late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Only last month, she was given the go-ahead to sue Andrew for unspecified damages in a New York civil court. But despite vowing to fight the claims and repeatedly protesting his innocence, the prince yesterday agreed to pay a huge sum to settle the case before it ever reaches a jury. * Do you have any photographs of Storm Eunice's impact where you are? Email: pictures@mailonline.co.uk * Advertisement Big Jet TV wins celebrity fans after they join the 200,000 tuning to watch Storm Eunice landings BBC Breakfast host Dan Walker has joked about leaving his job to join new viral sensation Big Jet TV. The YouTube channel has more than 180,000 subscribers and it streams live footage of planes landing at airports. The channel went viral on Friday as its founder and host Jerry Dyer began live-streaming jets struggling to land at Heathrow during Storm Eunice. As tens of thousands of viewers began watching his content, it caught the attention of celebrities on social media. Walker, 44, tweeted: 'I am considering leaving all current jobs and applying for a gig at Big Jet TV GoOnThen.' Comedian Nish Kumar tweeted: 'My new comedy special 'All aboard the laugh plane' is now streaming exclusively on BigJetTv.' Comedian and author Adam Kay joined the conversation, writing: 'GLUED to Big Jet TV. The poor pilots, crew and passengers landing just now. I need a complimentary Bloody Mary to get through just watching it.' The YouTube channel was set up by Dyer in February 2017 and frequently live-streams from the perimeter of airports for hours, observing and commentating on landings. Presenter Richard Osman noted Dyer's commentary style, writing: 'Just got a big nose full of Dunlop' BIGJetTV', while Call The Midwife actor Stephen McGann tweeted: 'Just take a train, guys. Much safer. ?? BigJetTV.' Lead singer of the Charlatans, Tim Burgess, joked: 'Spotify have just bought Big Jet TV for 300 million dollars.' Advertisement The maverick planespotter whose live feed and hilarious commentary as planes landed at Heathrow in the teeth of Storm Eunice today is a former interior designer who jacked it in to set up a YouTube channel that has riled his rivals, MailOnline can reveal. Jerry Dyer's Big Jet TV had more than 200,000 viewers spending more than six hours watching stomach-churning footage of airliners touching down almost sideways at Britain's busiest airport in 120mph gusts. Mr Dyer, the son of an airline captain from Sussex, has loved all things aviation since he was a child but became an interior designer before pursuing his passion in 2016. Subscribers from all over the globe pay around 4-a-month for two live shows a week, commentaries from airports all over the UK and Europe, with access to exclusive footage and invites to fan-only events. Jerry even has his own modified Big Jet TV van with a scaffold on top so he can film planes on approach from a high vantage point. And it is this battle for a better view that led to him falling out with rivals after he was accused of trimming a bush outside the Heathrow Hyatt hotel to get a better spot than the rivals. One critic has even set up a Twitter site called 'The Lies of Big Jet TV', where the unnamed troll insists his excitable commentary of landings in storms suggest he 'almost wants a crash to happen', adding: 'This is not an aviation streamer, he is an ambulance chaser'. When asked about his critics he tweeted this afternoon, Jerry replied: 'There's a group of them who have been doing it for 4 years! I think they secretly love us'. And today's live broadcast has won him tens of thousands of new fans. Big Jet TV viewers were enthralled as Mr Dyer yelled over the wind 'that is insane', 'go on my son', 'you beauty', 'bosh, get it down mate' and 'wallop' as the jets touched down. On one occasion he sparked a flurry of tweets as he screamed: 'Here come the Russians' as an Aeroflot plane approached, a phrase which then began trending on Twitter. Later he screamed: 'The big daddy from Qatar is coming in', sang Patsy Kline's 'Crazy' when the winds peaked and promised viewers he would stay next to the runway filming until 'Eunice stops'. He is supported by his friend and assistant Gilly, who is watching off site and tells Jerry which planes are coming in and deals with emails and tweets from fans. Speaking from the paddock next to Heathrow's south runway, Mr Dyer told BBC Radio 2: 'This is the best scenario you could possibly imagine - big kudos to the pilots and the crews working at the airports, this is the most exciting stuff you could possibly get. 'Right now, these conditions with 70mph gusting winds, it's pretty intense. And what is great is you get to see the skill of the pilot and how they manage to handle it'. And praising the pilots he said; 'Although this is a lot of fun, don't forget, it's all about the pilots, they've got big cahoonas, you know. But the ladies... Obviously not'. Explaining how they do it, Nicky Kelvin, Head of the Points Guy UK, told MailOnline: 'We're well into winter storm season in the U.K., with Storm Eunice causing havoc around the country and with that, unavoidable travel disruptions. Strong winds do cause challenges for pilots and ground staff, but they are nothing that is ever considered dangerous. Every six months, pilots practice these exact manoeuvres in the safety of a flight simulator to ensure that, should the conditions arise for real, they are well prepared and able to deal with them'. CLICK BELOW TO WATCH THE HEATHROW LIVE STREAM Jerry Dyer on the top of his Big Jet TV van at Heathrow airport today as he filmed and commentated on planes landing during Storm Eunice, winning him 200,000 fans. He was being interviewed by ITN Big Jet TV host Jerry Dyer (pictured) has become an internet sensation. He told viewers to 'Batten down the hatches, take the day off , grab the popcorn and tune-in for all the action' British Airways passenger plane struggles with the high winds on approach to Heathrow Airport Jerry's commentary has become the talk of social media and won him an army of fans Big Jet TV captured the planes being pushed and pulled across the sky on approach This BA jet from Edinburgh to London ended up going all the way back to Scotland after failing to land After multiple attempts to land at Heathrow, this BA jet from Chicago diverted to Geneva How Storm Eunice has disrupted travel in the UK Trains 21 train operators across Britain have urged passengers to avoid travelling on Friday as emergency 50mph speed limits are in place in many areas. This is to make it easier for train drivers to brake if they spot objects on the track or damage to overhead wires caused by strong winds. No trains will operate in Wales for the entire day. That means Great Western Railway services from London Paddington are terminating at Bristol Parkway instead of continuing to Swansea. Among the firms advising customers not to travel on Friday are Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, Great Northern, London North Eastern Railway, Southern and Thameslink. Network Rail staff worked to reopen lines hit by Storm Dudley earlier this week. Transport for London urged people to avoid non-essential journeys in the capital. A spokeswoman said: 'We are doing all we can to ensure we are prepared for any impact, with extra staff ready to respond quickly to any incidents, but some services will be affected by the extreme weather. 'We are also urging Londoners to please take care if they travel around the city.' Roads Roads were treacherous on Friday. The M48 Severn Bridge is closed in both directions due to Storm Eunice but the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge remains open in both directions. 'Wind speeds on the approaches and across the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge remain within our operating limits,' a spokesman added. Devon and Cornwall Police tweeted that the A38 in Liskeard has been closed in both directions while emergency services respond to an incident where a tree has fallen on to a lorry and power lines have been damaged. The road is expected to be closed for at least a couple of hours. Drivers are urged to use alternative routes. Planes At Heathrow on Friday, at least 65 flights - both departures and arrivals - were cancelled and a further 114 were delayed by more than 15 minutes, according to aviation data provider FlightStats by Cirium. At Gatwick there were 15 cancellations and 67 delayed flights. London City cancelled all flights until 4.30pm; EasyJet said it has cancelled a 'small number of flights' from UK airports on Friday. Passengers on easyJet flight EJU8014 from Bordeaux to London Gatwick endured two aborted landings before their plane was put in a holding pattern over the south coast and then forced to return to the French city. It touched down back at its starting point more than three hours after it departed. The airline told passengers: 'We're very sorry that your flight has now been diverted back to Bordeaux. 'This is due to poor weather conditions in London Gatwick, which are below safe operating limits.' British Airways said the rate of aircraft permitted to land at Heathrow Airport 'is being reduced due to gale force winds'. The airport wrote on Twitter: 'High winds and poor weather may cause last-minute delays, but we will do everything in our power to minimise any disruption that results.' Ferries P&O Ferries has suspended all sailings between Dover and Calais. The operator said: 'All services between Dover and Calais are suspended until further notice. 'We expect this to be the case for most of the day and we will provide further information when possible. 'We strongly advise our customers not to travel to the Port of Dover today.' Four ferry services between Rosslare in south-east Ireland and Pembroke, South Wales, were cancelled by Irish Ferries, as Stena Line cancelled several sailings on routes between Belfast and Cairnryan in Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland, and Dublin and Holyhead in North Wales. In Dorset, the Sandbanks ferry between Poole and Studland has been cancelled. A spokesman said: 'We have had to suspend service immediately due to the drastically worsening conditions. 'We do not know when we will be able to resume service.' Advertisement Big Jet TV captured the moment many of the jets were forced to make multiple attempts to land. One plane from Chicago had three tries before flying on to Geneva. One BA service from Edinburgh to Heathrow got all the way to London before turning back and returning to Scotland. A TAP Air Portugal flight from Athens was filmed making contact with the runway before the pilot lost his nerve and taking off again. Other planes from Europe got to the south coast before turning back for their airport of origin as at least 20 planes tried and failed to land. Hundreds of train and ferry services are cancelled, bridges and roads shut and 100-plus planes were grounded as major airlines including British Airways and easyJet axed flights. London City Airport is shut completely until 4.30pm at the earliest. Millions of Britons were also urged to stay at home today with Transport for London, Network Rail and Highways England advising people not to travel after the Met Office issued a rare 'red warning' for 100mph winds over southern England including London. Roads and railways were shut down even before Storm Eunice hit Cornwall and south Wales at dawn this morning. As the storm tore from west to east, trees fell on railway lines and power cables as the gusts increased, trapping passengers on trains in Kent and Sussex this morning. 14,000 homes lost electricity. The disruption came as Network Rail staff worked to reopen lines hit by Storm Dudley earlier this week. And as people were told to stay inside, TomTom traffic data showed that in London and other major cities congestion levels were the quietest since the holiday season ended on January 4. When excluding the Christmas period, traffic levels hadn't been so low since the 2021 August bank holiday. At Heathrow on Friday, at least 65 flights - both departures and arrivals - were cancelled and a further 114 were delayed by more than 15 minutes, according to aviation data provider FlightStats by Cirium. At Gatwick there were 15 cancellations and 67 delayed flights. All ferries between Dover and Calais were cancelled at around 10am, hitting many people who were returning from France during half term for ski holidays. As Eunice wreaked havoc on travel plans, it emerged: Storm Eunice has been billed as the worst storm to hit the UK in 30 years - as lorry, caravan and motorbike drivers are warned to stay off motorways and Jake Kelly, from Network rail, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme passengers are 'very very strongly advised not to travel'. Trains and flights have been cancelled after National Highways and the Met Office issued a severe weather alert for strong winds covering motorways and some A roads in England from 6am to 6pm. Eastern Airways axed its London-Gatwick service and Exeter Airport has cancelled three domestic flights. Some 80 British Airways flights in and out of Heathrow and London City have been cancelled, while Scottish airline LoganAir cancelled 32 - all flights serving England and Wales. British Airways' cancelled flights include 44 serving London Heathrow Airport and 36 serving London City Airport in UK. All flights in and out of London City Airport are cancelled until at least 4.30pm. National Highways said there is a 'particularly high risk' that high-sided vehicles and other 'vulnerable' vehicles such as caravans and motorbikes could be blown over in winds of up to 100mph. Those using such vehicles were told not to travel on bridges, viaducts and exposed highways throughout England. Four ferry services between Rosslare in south-east Ireland and Pembroke, South Wales, were cancelled by Irish Ferries, as Stena Line cancelled several sailings on routes between Belfast and Cairnryan in Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland, and Dublin and Holyhead in North Wales. Millions were last night told to remain indoors, work from home, cancel travel plans and stay away from the coast as the storm, which carries a threat to life warning in much of south England and Wales, began to sweep across Britain. Meteorologist Ryan Maue has warned Eunice could bring 'hurricane-like' winds to the UK as Darren Bett, a BBC weather forecaster, said 'don't be fooled, there is some much windier weather to come'. Simon Calder, the Independent's travel editor, told BBC Breakfast: 'If you are in England and Wales do not try and travel by train'. He added that Wales was the first UK nation to ever cancel its entire train network, amid fears debris could cause a serious crash later today were trains to run. The Environment Agency's Roy Stokes warned Britons to 'sit tight for the day' and 'don't travel if you don't need to'. He told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: 'Please do not go anywhere near coastal defences to coastlines. You are only putting yourself and emergency services in danger.' Transport for London (TfL) urged people to avoid non-essential travel in the capital. A spokeswoman said: 'Due to the Met Office's red warning over Storm Eunice, customers are advised to only travel if essential, and those who need to should check before they travel using our website and the TfL Go app. 'We are doing all we can to ensure we are prepared for any impact with extra staff ready to respond quickly to any incidents, but some services will be affected by the extreme weather. 'We are also urging Londoners to please take care if they travel around the city.' Experts are concerned the conditions could create an extremely dangerous weather phenomenon known as the 'sting jet' a narrow, focused region of exceptionally strong and destructive wind. It would be the first instance of such an event since the Great Storm of 1987 as Boris Johnson yesterday said the Army was on standby to help those affected. Families have been warned to expect falling trees, flying debris, severe flooding, roofs blown off and downed power lines. There are also fears of blocked roads and rail routes, disruption to flights and the threat of 40ft waves on Britain's shores. Forecasters are especially worried because the storm is hitting during the morning rush hour and in heavily populated areas. Last night, much of the country began closing down in anticipation of its arrival. Some rail and bus networks announced they would shut completely. This morning a train due to arrive in Paddington from Bristol this morning was more than 40 minutes late, while others - to Didcot Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads - were cancelled. A high-sided lorry has toppled over while travelling west-bound on the M4 motorway between Pyle and Margam in Wales Council workers and members of the public attempt to clear a fallen tree from the A394 road near Penzance, England A motorist falls foul of the high winds caused by Storm Eunice in South Wales Police images of trees fallen on cars in Swansea A deserted Waterlook station as millions stayed at home - and hundreds of train services were axed Car crushed by a tree in Storm Eunice in Plymouth Traffic on the M5 near J21 after a lorry overturned closing two lanes on the motorway through Somerset On the M4 in between Pyle and Margam with congestion levels lower than usual after millions were told to stay at home A tree down in Wadebridge, Cornwall, as Eunice ripped through the country after hitting land at dawn this morning Motorists drive through the sleet and snow along the M8 motorway near Bathgate in West Lothian as Storm Eunice sweeps across the UK A snow plough receives assistance after coming off the road in Balfron, Scotland Britons are today being urged to stay at home as forecasters fear Storm Eunice will be the worst to hit the UK in 30 years - as lorry, caravan and motorbike drivers are warned to stay off motorways. Pictured, Birmingham City Centre Jake Kelly, from Network rail , told BBC Radio 4's Today programme passengers are 'very very strongly advised not to travel'. Pictured, cancelled train from Birmingham New Street Trains and flights have been cancelled after National Highways and the Met Office issued a severe weather alert for strong winds. Pictured, the list of cancelled flights from London City Airport London has been put on red alert for Storm Eunice as the Met Office issued the most extreme weather warning for the capital and south east - with a 100mph 'sting jet' tempest expected to hit. Right, on Saturday there will be a yellow warning over the south west of England and Wales A flight lands in high winds in Bristol airport Friday morning as wind speeds continued to pick up through the day Roads in central London were deserted this morning as Britons were urged to stay home and away from deadly flying debris London's Waterloo Station had just a smattering of passengers making their journeys on Friday morning A ferry braved the weather to arrive into Dover from Calais early Friday morning before the worst of the storm hit British Airways said in a statement: 'Like other airlines, we're expecting extreme weather conditions at airports across the UK as a result of Storm Eunice, which will cause significant disruption. 'Safety is our number one priority, and we're cancelling a number of flights. 'We're doing everything we can to minimise disruption for our customers, including putting on larger aircraft where possible and providing a range of flexible rebooking options. 'We'd like to thank customers for their patience and advise them to check the latest flight information on our website before heading to the airport.' Jet2 has delayed a couple of flights to Tenerife and Turkey, which may fly later this afternoon once the worst of the storm has passed. Heathrow Airport wrote on Twitter: 'High winds and poor weather may cause last-minute delays, but we will do everything in our power to minimise any disruption that results.' Train firms on the East and West Coast main line, including LNER, Grand Central and Avanti West Coast, all say passengers booked to travel today can switch to other days without penalty. Rail passengers who do try to make journeys today face much slower trips, with emergency speed restrictions in place and sharply reduced services. Widespread flight disruption is also expected. East Midlands Railway has advised that trains to and from London St Pancras 'may be withdrawn at short notice' due to Storm Eunice. A commuter walks to work in the snow in Burnopfield, County Durham this morning as Storm Eunice arrives in the UK Cars drive through snow in Eastfield North Lanarkshire as Storm Eunice hit Scotland on Friday morning The A66 Motorway is closed from Scotch Corner to Penrith due to Snow and high winds, cutting off a main route between Country Durham and Cumbria Vehicles are pictured travelling on the M8 at Harthill as Storm Eunice hits Scotland with yellow weather warning A cyclist rides along a road in falling snow near Edinburgh Castle as Storm Eunice sweeps across the UK 'You should only travel if your journey is unavoidable,' the firm added on Twitter. National Rail said there would be no trains between Nottingham and Skegness until about 8am, and Northern said it was advising customers 'NOT TO TRAVEL across the Northern network'. Mr Kelly, of Network Rail, added: 'It's going to be a very difficult day. Fundamentally it's right to expect lots of trees will be blown down and there'll be other damage. There will be a lot of disruption. 'We are going to run a service for those who absolutely need to travel but it'll be disrupted. In a small number of places there are no trains at all. The south west coast and parts of Wales. 'Elsewhere we are expecting to run a disrupted service. Two pieces of advice, be prepared for very significant delays and second check your train is running at all.' Trains are enforcing emergency 50mph speed limits in many areas to make it easier for drivers to brake if they spot objects on the track or damage to overhead wires caused by strong winds. Great Western Railway warned that it expects to 'significantly reduce' the number of long-distance services it runs, while the main line through South Wales and some branch lines in Devon and Cornwall will be closed. Among the firms advising customers not to travel on Friday include Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, Great Northern, London North Eastern Railway, Southern and Thameslink. Network Rail staff worked to reopen lines hit by Storm Dudley earlier this week. Roads were also expected to be treacherous on Friday. The AA said on Thursday it was 'experiencing a very high demand' for its breakdown rescue services. The Cornish-born victim of Sydney's first fatal shark attack in 60 years survived two tours of Afghanistan before he was bitten and killed by a great white shark during an afternoon training swim. British diving instructor and former RAF gunner Simon Nellist, 35 described as a 'kind, considerate man who loved life' died just 500ft from horrified beachgoers just east of Sydney. Today it emerged he was killed just days before safety lines to stop sharks getting close to the coast were due to be installed. Sydney authorities had pencilled in the work for the area where he died before the end of February. Relatives said his distraught mother was left wondering 'how could he return from the frontline unscathed to then go to Australia, go out for a swim and get killed.' Today a close friend shared a post the former soldier wrote last year from his time spent in Afghanistan with the Royal Air Force. In the post, put on Facebook as the country fell back into the grip of the Taliban, Mr Nellist wrote about playing music by the band Rage Against The Machine to local children. He said the youngsters 'were so nice, just good-hearted kids who had nothing. We made friends, played music and shared food. I hope they're okay. If they managed to escape, I hope we can look after as many of them as possible.' Pictured: Kind Cornishman Simon Nellist playing Rage Against The Machine with children in Afghanistan during one of his two tours of the country A close friend shared a post the former soldier wrote last year from one of Mr Nellist's two tours of Afghanistan while serving with the UK Royal Air Force Simon Nellist was going to marry 'the love of his life' Jessie Ho (pictured together) The shark victim's friend shared the post to show 'the kind of gentleman Simon was'. 'He was rare, salt of the earth, lived life to the max, an incredible diver and photographer, a brave soldier, a fine looking man, his heart was wholesome,' she said. 'I can't stop thinking about him, his family, the love of his life Jessie and the pain they are feeling.' Simon's family told MailOnline yesterday that he would not want the animal to be destroyed. He was the first person to be killed by a shark in the area since the 1960s. Mr Nellist, who grew up in Penzance, Cornwall, served two tours in Afghanistan before settling in Australia and was due to marry his fiancee Jessie Ho this summer. His aunt Jacqui Seager, 62, said yesterday: 'I don't think Simon would want the shark to be killed. He loved nature. British diving instructor Simon Nellist, 35, died just 500ft from horrified beachgoers near Sydney Mr Nellist, who grew up in Penzance, Cornwall, served two tours in Afghanistan before settling in Australia and was due to marry his fiancee Jessie Ho this summer 'He swam with sharks before. This isn't the first time he's gone out and seen them but he would still go out swimming. That's brave. 'I don't think he ever thought they would hurt him. Sadly, this time it managed to get to him. 'It's absolutely horrendous. We are all in shock.' Photographer Mrs Seager, of Maidstone, Kent, added: 'He swam most days. This is just a freak accident. It shows you can't take life for granted.' His death at Buchan Point on Wednesday forced authorities in Sydney to close several beaches, including the famous Bondi. Special 'drum lines' aquatic traps using baited hooks to lure and capture large sharks were set up in the water. However, they are controversial because sharks have died in them. They also often catch other wildlife. Mr Nellist had hit out over their use in Sydney, saying they 'protect no one' and 'need to go'. His death comes weeks before 'smart' drum lines were reportedly due to be installed which could have prevented the tragedy. Mother-of-three Mrs Seager said: 'He told his mum he was going to travel to Australia and that was that. He loved it so much that he stayed. He met his girlfriend Jessie out there. They're around the same age and instantly hit it off. They've been together for years. 'She is totally in bits, as are his parents. I spoke to them last night and they are beyond belief. They will never get through this ever as this is something you keep with you for life. I just feel so sorry for them. They are planning to get out there as soon as they can but need to sort visas out. Everyone was going to fly out there to see him get married in June or July but sadly it is now in much sadder circumstances.' Mr Nellist was the first person to be killed by a shark in the Sydney area since the 1960s Mrs Seager stressed: 'Simon always loved the sea. He was always very close to it. He loved wildlife and the world. He had a real love affair with nature' Mrs Seager stressed: 'Simon always loved the sea. He was always very close to it. He loved wildlife and the world. He had a real love affair with nature. He was a very kind and considerate man who just loved life. He was a strong guy and did two tours of Afghanistan. His mum said how could he return from the frontline unscathed to then go to Australia, go out for a swim and get killed.' Mr Nellist served with 34 Squadron, based at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire. His shocked parents Mike and Rosemary, of Helston, Cornwall, declined to comment yesterday. Experts believe the shark which killed Mr Nellist on his daily swim was at least 10ft long and might have mistaken his wetsuit for a seal. He had been training for a swimming event on Sunday but it has now been cancelled. Dr Chris Pepin-Neff, of Sydney University, said such shark attacks were incredibly rare, with just ten or 12 of its kind in 30 years around the world. But he added: 'It's not crazy for sharks to bite humans thinking we might be prey.' Mr Nellist's friend Della Ross described the diving community's devastation, saying: 'Everything that is connected to Simon is connected to the ocean. 'The news hit us like a truck because he was one of the people who make this Earth lighter.' Advertisement Russia will hold a major nuclear drill tomorrow involving live-fire exercises of ballistic and cruise missiles including around Crimea and the Black Sea, the Kremlin has announced. The exercise, which will be overseen by Vladimir Putin himself, will involve Russia's aerospace forces, its strategic missile command, Northern and Black Sea fleets and the Southern Military District - which covers Crimea and part of the border close to rebel-held areas in Ukraine. It is designed to test the 'readiness' of commanders and troops as well as 'the reliability of weapons of strategic nuclear and non-nuclear forces' and will involve the launch of 'ballistic and cruise missiles', Moscow's defence ministry said today. Officials claim the drill is pre-planned, but the timing will spark fears that it is designed to provide cover for an invasion of Ukraine. Experts predict the first phase of a Russian assault will be ballistic missile attacks on border areas, military bases, infrastructure and major cities. It comes as defence ministers meet in Munich for a security conference that will begin today and continue over the weekend aimed at averting war in Ukraine. Russia will not send a delegation to the summit, marking the first time in years that it has not attended. The historical parallel with the 1938 Munich Agreement - an attempt at appeasement with Hitler's Germany that failed to avert the Second World War - could hardly be more poignant or chilling. Shunning the West, Putin instead spent Friday meeting with Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk - who announced he will help oversee the drills on Saturday. Lukashenko, who for many years resisted welcoming Russian troops to his country, has now allowed thousands in to stage joint drills at military bases and has even floated the idea of changing the country's constitution to allow nuclear weapons to be stationed there. As diplomats gathered, Russia continue to push claims of 'genocide' in Ukraine's Donbass region that the West warns will likely be used as a pre-text to attack. Last night, at the UN, Russia presented papers alleging 9,000 civilians including 126 children have been killed by Ukrainian forces. The claims have not been verified. Meanwhile Britain's Ministry of Defence outlined how it believes a Russian invasion will play out, noting that over half of Moscow's forces near Ukraine have been moved to within 30 miles of the border. Ukraine warned today that the total number of troops now stands at 149,000, while the US said it could be up to 190,000. Elsewhere today... US President Joe Biden will hold talks with Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania the EU and NATO allies on Friday to discuss the crisis, European sources said Lloyd Austin, US defence secretary, arrived in Poland where he announced the sale of Abrams tanks to Warsaw and again accused Russia of lying about withdrawing its forces from Ukraine's borders Shelling continued along the frontlines between Ukrainian forces and Moscow-backed rebels in the country's east, following the heaviest day of attacks in the last four years on Thursday Pro-Moscow rebels claimed to have thwarted a sabotage attack on chlorine gas tanks by two 'Polish-speaking' nationals, just a day after the US warned they may stage a 'false flag' chemical attack Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, accused international groups monitoring the clashes of trying to 'conceal' what is going on and said rebel forces are being shot at with banned weapons Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko meet at the Kremlin today, as Russia announced major missile drills to take place tomorrow which will be personally overseen by the two men The report said Putin has massed troops on Ukraine's northern border in a way that 'directly threatens Kiev, the capital' and showed a series of possible routes Russian soldiers could take in an invasion that could see them take much of the east of the country A map showing where Putin's forces have assembled on Ukraine's borders, the military options Putin might be considering, and key targets he would likely go after in the event he chooses to invade - something the US continues to war could be just weeks away from happening U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak attend a welcoming ceremony before their meeting in Warsaw, Poland Russian tanks are pictured lining up beside railway tracks to be loaded on to transports in what Moscow claims is a withdrawal of forces from Ukraine's borders, but the West says are actually units moving closer to the frontlines Russian T-72B tanks are loaded on the back of a train at an unknown location on the border with Ukraine, as Kiev warns troop numbers in the region have now reached 149,000 A top-down view of a Russian T-72B tank shows it being loaded on to the back of a train transport somewhere near Ukraine A video released by Russia's defence ministry shows tanks loaded on to the back of a train transport somewhere near Ukraine The UK has warned that more than half of Russia's forces near Ukraine are less than 30 miles from the border, despite Moscow claiming to be pulling back (pictured, tanks on a transport somewhere near the border) Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with members of his security council today, amid continued warnings from the West that a Ukraine invasion is now just days away From pretext to ground troops: The four steps in a Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to Antony Blinken at the UN Blinken said he was outlining Russia's plans during a meeting of the UN Security Council 'not to start a war but to prevent one' Secretary of State Antony Blinken used a meeting of the United Nations Security Council to outline how the US believes a Russian invasion of Ukraine would unfold 1) Manufactured pretext - Russia would accuse Ukraine of a violent outrage such as a fabricated terrorist bombing inside Russia, a faked mass grave, a drone strike against civilians or a fake - or even a real - chemical weapons attack. 2) Emergency meetings in Moscow - Blinken said the highest levels of government may 'theatrically' convene emergency meetings to address the so-called crisis, before issuing a proclamation that they must defend Russians in Ukraine. 3) Attack - the next stage will come with Russian missiles and bombs dropping on Ukraine, jammed communications, and cyberattacks designed to shut down 'key Ukrainian institutions.' 4) Ground invasion - Russian tanks and soldiers will advance on key targets that have already been identified and mapped out in detailed plans. Blinken said that would include Ukraine's capital Kiev. Blinken offered another chilling line. 'Conventional attacks are not all that Russia plans to inflict upon the people of Ukraine,' he said. 'We have information that indicates Russia will target specific groups of Ukrainians.' The US has faced repeated questions about the validity of its intelligence. And those seated around the table from Blinken will remember the false claims about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction presented there almost 20 years ago. 'Let me be clear, I am here today not to start a war but to prevent one,' said Blinken. 'Information presented here is validated by what we've seen unfolding in plain sight before our eyes for months.' Advertisement Putin has massed troops on Ukraine's northern border in a way that 'directly threatens Kiev, the capital', said the MoD report, which showed a series of possible routes Russian soldiers could take in an invasion that could see them take much of the east of the country. It warned there would be 'considerable' civilian casualties in the event of war and that Putin 'would be willing' to sustain the losses 'to get what he wants'. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will be among the dignitaries attending the three-day event, known as 'Davos for defence', which kicks off on Friday at the Bayerischer Hof hotel in Munich. No Russian delegation will attend the conference, the Kremlin said last week - the first no-show in years, underscoring how much East-West relations have deteriorated. Even at the height of the Ukrainian revolution preceding Russia's annexation of Crimea, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attended. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the forum had increasingly become biased towards the West, 'losing its inclusivity, objectivity'. Daniela Schwarzer, a senior fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center, said: 'Russia has limited interest in dialogue and in particular an open conversation about security in Europe. 'The conference is an occasion for the political West to show unity vis-a-vis Russia and vis-a-vis authoritarian regimes more generally.' U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday there was now every indication Russia was planning to invade Ukraine in the next few days and was preparing a pretext to justify it, after Ukrainian forces and pro-Moscow rebels traded fire in eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin accused him of stoking tensions and threatened unspecified 'military-technical measures'. Schwarzer noted that the conference, while scaled back compared to pre-pandemic ones, would be the first physical meeting of the international security and foreign policy community in two years. In-person conversations were key to 'building trust', she said. The Ukraine standoff is not the only crisis that will keep conference attendees busy. Roundtables on Saturday, the main day of events, will also address the fragile security situation in the Sahel and the revival of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal. Conference Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger told reporters he could not recall a time when there were 'so many overlapping crises'. On Friday, the main program kicks off from 1230 GMT with speeches by U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Ahead of conference's opening ceremony, Ms Baerbock said Moscow needed to show 'serious steps towards de-escalation'. 'With an unprecedented deployment of troops on the border with Ukraine and Cold War demands, Russia is challenging fundamental principles of the European peace order,' Baerbock said in a statement. Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven club of rich nations - including France, Britain, the US and Japan - will discuss the Ukraine crisis on the conference sidelines Saturday. The talks will be hosted by Baerbock, whose country currently holds the G7 presidency. 'Even tiny steps towards peace are better than big steps towards war. But we also need serious steps towards de-escalation from Russia,' she said. 'Declarations of willingness to talk must be backed up by real offers to talk. Declarations of troop withdrawals must be backed up by verifiable troop withdrawals.' Also on Friday, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin was paying a visit to Poland - which neighbours Ukraine and is where thousands of US troops and permanent American missile bases are stationed - as a show of support. After a welcome ceremony in the capital Warsaw, Austin dismissed Russian assertions that forces are being withdrawn from areas around Ukraine and said the United States was committed to the defense of NATO allies. 'What Mr. Putin did not want was a stronger NATO on his flank, and that's exactly what he has today,' Austin told a press conference after announcing the planned sale of Abrams battle tanks to NATO member Poland. Mr Blaszczak said that Poland will be willing to help refugees displaced by the fighting, amid warnings that up to a million people could flee across the border if war breaks out. Meanwhile Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told a summit in Brussels that sanctions being prepared for Russia in the event of an attack would be harsher than those imposed after the attack on Crimea in 2014. Elsewhere, the Ukrainian military and independent conflict monitors reported a large uptick in fighting along the frontlines between Kiev's forces and separatist rebels in the country's east. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak attend a joint conference as Austin announces the sale of US Abrams tanks to Warsaw Russian cruiser Moskva of the Black Sea Fleet opens fire with its main guns during combat drills around Crimea on Friday An image released by the Russian Defence Ministry shows cruiser Moskva of the Black Sea Fleet taking part in combat drills Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited soldiers stationed not far Donetsk, a city controlled by pro-Russian militants, on Thursday as the US warned that Russia's President Putin might launch a chemical weapons attack before invading Ukraine Russian-backed rebel troops inspect damaged buildings near the frontlines with Ukrainian troops, as conflict monitors say there has been a dramatic uptick in clashes in the last 24 hours A member of the Russian-backed rebel forces in eastern Ukraine patrols through a damaged building during an uptick in clashes along the frontline that each side blames on the other A military helicopter fires flying over the Osipovichi training ground during joint training exercises with Belarus on Thursday A burned-out military truck is seen on the Ukrainian side of frontlines with Russia rebel forces in the country's east, as Kiev says it was hit by artillery fired by separatists Ukraine said there were 60 incidents of shelling along virtually the whole of the frontline Thursday, the most-active day of attacks since 2018. Shelling continued early Friday, according to witnesses. International monitors tasked with keeping the peace reported more than 300 explosions in 24 hours ending Thursday, around four times as many as an average day over the past month. Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, on Friday accused monitor groups of lying about what is happening in eastern Ukraine and accused Ukrainian forces of firing with banned weapons. Rebel commanders also claim they are being shot at by Ukrainian forces, but Kiev has rubbished the claim - saying they are the ones under 'unprovoked' attack. The village of Stanytsia Luhanska suffered more than its share of explosions on Thursday. One shell crashed into a kindergarten, blasting a hole in the wall that sent soccer balls flying off the classroom shelves just as the school day started. Others blasted craters into the schoolyard and shattered windows of nearby homes. 'We heard the sound of broken glass. The children were very scared. Some kids started crying immediately, and the explosions continued for the next 20 minutes,' said Olena Yaryna, the school director. At Valentyna Melnychenko's nearby home, the explosions filled her living room and hall with smoke. 'I switched off the TV, and there were seven more shellings and then it stopped,' she said as she surveyed the damage outside, her hair covered in a bright pink scarf that contrasted with the gray debris behind her. Three people were wounded and half the village lost power. Oleksandr Pavliuk, a Ukrainian army commander, said the explosions were intended to provoke a response and ultimately a counter-response, echoing the warnings from the United States. Monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe have been in place in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions since 2014 to try and maintain the cease-fire. But even they were drawn into the fray this week. In addition to the explosions, the organization recorded nearly 600 cease-fire violations over the course of a day, more than double the average for the past month. And three of the organization's small surveillance drones went astray after the GPS signal was jammed; a fourth couldn't make it off the ground without a signal. Electronic interference went further overnight, when the cellphone network went down in Luhansk for hours, for the second night in a row, according to an Associated Press journalist working in the area. The latest warning comes after a day of fraught relations after Moscow's foreign ministry handed a lengthy document to the US ambassador to Russia demanding that all of Washington's weapons in central and eastern Europe and the Baltics be removed - along with all weapons already sent to Ukraine - and repeated demands that Ukraine is banned from joining NATO. In the document, which the US is expected to reject, Moscow accused Washington of failing to respond constructively to the demands it presented in December, including for a halt to the eastern enlargement of NATO. Russia's 'red lines' were still being ignored, it said in a riposte to US and NATO counter-proposals received last month. At the same time, the US deputy ambassador to Moscow was expelled - prompting Joe Biden to say he now expects Russia to invade Ukraine in a 'matter of days' and that he will not be speaking to Putin in the meantime. Blinken was in New York on Thursday after pushing back his plans to travel to the Munich Security Conference, which is likely to be the focus of international diplomacy for the next few days. Ukrainians decorate a street with symbolic angels as they commemorate those killed during the 2014 Maidan protests which ousted the country's last pro-Moscow president and set it on a path to closer alignment with the West A girl looks at paper angels paying tribute at the Maidan activists memorial also called the 'Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred' A woman places a red carnation and a symbolic paper angel at a memorial paying tribute to those killed during the 2014 Maidan protest which ousted Ukraine's last pro-Moscow government German police officers stand guard at a perimeter fence set up around the Bayerischer Hof hotel in Munich where a security conference will take place today A police officer with a dog patrols the grounds around the Bayerischer Hof hotel in Munich, where a security conference will take place today with Ukraine high on the agenda US Vice President Kamala Harris is greeted by Bavaria's State Premier Markus Soeder as arrives at the airport in Munich, southern Germany, ahead of the conference He laid out what Washington knew of Kremlin planning, starting with a 'manufactured provocation and theatrical emergency meetings of the Russian government. Next would come a promise to protect Russians in Ukraine, before cuber attacks and air strikes would begin. Tanks and soldiers would then move on key targets, including Kiev. His purpose, he said, in laying out the intelligence findings was to persuade Putin to follow a different course. Instead he demanded that Moscow issue an unequivocal promise that it will not invade Ukraine. 'The Russian government can announce today, with no qualification, equivocation or deflection, that Russia will not invade Ukraine,' he said. 'State it clearly. State it plainly to the world, and then demonstrate it by sending your troops, your tanks, the planes back to their barracks and hangars and sending your diplomats to the negotiating table.' In response, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said Blinken's scenarios were 'regrettable.' 'I would even go so far as to say that they are dangerous because they bring in more tension into the unready tense atmosphere,' he said, while repeating Moscow's claims that some troops were already heading home after completing drills. Earlier he called on the gathered foreign ministers not to turn the meeting into a 'circus' or use it to spread 'baseless accusations.' Blinken, speaking in front of the UN Security Council on Thursday, said: 'As we meet today the most immediate threat to peace and security is Russia's looming aggression against Ukraine. 'The stakes go far beyond Ukraine. This is a moment of peril for the lives and safety of millions of people.' 'This crisis directly affects every member of this council and every country in the world because the basic principles that sustain peace and security principles that were enshrined in the wake of two world wars and the Cold War are under threat, 'The principle that one country cannot change the borders of another by force. The principle that one country cannot dictate another's choices or policies or with whom it will associate. The principal of national sovereignty.' The Russian document sent to the US ambassador on Thursday listed a series of demands to de-escalate the situation around Ukraine. These included a halt to Western weapons supplies and removal of those already sent, the withdrawal of Western military advisers and instructors from Ukraine, and a halt to any joint NATO exercises with Ukraine. 'In the absence of the readiness of the American side to agree on firm, legally binding guarantees of our security from the United States and its allies, Russia will be forced to respond, including through the implementation of military-technical measures,' the document said. Russia has suggested in the past that 'military-technical measures' could include missile and troop deployments. A view of the skyline of the City of London, Britain, Feb. 17. Visas offering foreign investors fast-track residency in the UK are expected to be scrapped by the government, amid pressure over U.K. links to Russia. EPA-Yonhap Britain said Thursday it will not accept new applicants for investor visas, with the government admitting "security concerns" about some past cases as it increasingly targets illicit Russian financing. The so-called "golden visa" had allowed entry and residence in Britain if an applicant invested the equivalent of $2.7 million in active U.K. registered companies; but new applications will no longer be accepted. A 2018 report by the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee accused ministers of risking national security by "turning a blind eye" to Russian "dirty money" flowing through London's financial center. "It has been under constant review and some cases had given rise to security concerns, including people acquiring their wealth illegitimately and being associated with wider corruption," the interior ministry said in a statement Thursday. The ministry, responsible for immigration policy, has said it is reviewing all approvals made under the plan between its launch in 2008 and revamp in April 2015, with the results yet to be disclosed. Meanwhile Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who is spearheading British diplomatic efforts to deter Russia's invasion of Ukraine, said last month that the government is also reviewing all investor visas already issued to Russians. Last week, the government signed into law new legislation giving it powers to impose tougher and broader sanctions on Russia if Moscow steps up its aggression against Ukraine. Truss hailed Thursday's move "to clamp down on illicit finance," following consistent criticism that the Conservative government was not doing enough to stem the flow of dirty money into Britain from Russia and other hotspots. "This kind of malign activity, including what we are seeing from Russia right now, has no place in the U.K.," Truss posted on Twitter. The interior ministry said reforms were being made to the so-called "innovator" visa as a replacement route for potential applicants. This is part of a new post-Brexit, points-based immigration system, which the ministry said will provide "an ambitious investment route which works more effectively in support of the U.K. economy. Approvals will now be conditional on applicants executing an investment strategy that can show genuine job creation and other tangible economic impacts. "Passively holding U.K. investments will no longer be enough to obtain settlement," the ministry added. (AFP) Hospitals in Hong Kong reached 90 percent capacity on Thursday while Covid-19 quarantine facilities were at bursting point, authorities said, as the city grapples with a record number of new infections while adhering to China's 'Zero-covid' strategy. Under the strict Covid rules in China, any person in the city who is infected with Covid-19 must be admitted to a hospital or community isolation facility. This has meant even asymptomatic people and those with mild conditions have been sent to hospitals or quarantine centres, although the government is now adjusting its strategy as the healthcare system is overwhelmed. Hong Kong authorities have said new cases have multiplied 60 times so far this month. Chinese President Xi Jinping said the city's 'overriding mission' was to stabilise and control the outbreak. With anger growing at the government, Hong Kong reported 6,116 new coronavirus infections on Thursday - a number expected to rise over 7,000 on Friday. Officials reported 24 new deaths over the past week, and the city has now confirmed a total of 16,600 infections, with 219 deaths. Hospitals in Hong Kong reached 90 percent capacity on Thursday while Covid-19 quarantine facilities were at bursting point, authorities said, as the city grapples with a record number of new infections while adhering to China's 'Zero-covid' strategy To ease the strain on the city's healthcare system, officials said they will take a different approach to hospitalization and isolation policies and allow some patients to be discharged sooner. Under the new approach, people who are infected but present mild symptoms in hospitals and government-run isolation facilities will be allowed to leave sooner. Release will be granted after just seven days if a patient tests negative on the seventh day and does not live with anyone in a high-risk group, such as senior citizens, pregnant women or immunosuppressed people. Those who do not meet these criteria must complete the full 14-day isolation period or wait until they test negative, according to health officials. Pictures on Friday showed patients being treated on beds outside a hospital in the city's working-class neighborhood of Sham Shui Po. Lam Foon, 98, was interviewed while propped up and swaddled in soggy woollen blankets in a hospital bed just outside the entrance to Hong Kong's Caritas Medical Centre, waiting for tests to confirm her preliminary positive result for COVID-19. 'I don't feel so good,' she told Reuters news agency through a surgical mask, next to a similarly wrapped patient wearing a mask and face shield. Lam was one of dozens of patients lying in the parking lot of Caritas on Thursday, after there was no more room inside the hospital that serves 400,000 people in the working-class district of Cheung Sha Wan on the Kowloon peninsula. Temperatures dipped to 15 degrees Celsius (59 Fahrenheit) amid some rain. Medical workers and ambulances are seen queuing outside Caritas Medical Centre in Cheung Sha Wan district, amid a COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong, China February 18, 2022 A medical staff directs residents at a makeshift COVID-19 testing station on February 18, 2022 in Hong Kong, China Lam Foon, a 98-year-old who tested preliminary positive for the Omicron variant of coronavirus, lies on a hospital bed outside the accident and emergency ward of Caritas Medical Centre in Sham Shui Po district, following COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong, China Medical staff were unable to say how long Lam would have to wait. People who test preliminarily positive for COVID have to take further tests before treatment. This and similar scenes across the global financial hub are signs of a public healthcare system under severe strain as COVID-19 cases surge, with more than 90 percent of all hospital beds full. Health experts from mainland China arrived in Hong Kong to help the city raise its testing capabilities and assist with medical resources and facilities. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam welcomed them at the land border with the city of Shenzhen. 'Fighting the pandemic is our paramount task,' Lam said. 'We will devote every resource and manpower we have. We will impose any measures that we should. The aim is to make sure Hong Kong people's lives and health are protected and to uphold Hong Kong's stability.' But Trevor Chung, 29, a medic at Caritas, blamed the government in part for inadequate planning, a shortage of beds and other medical equipment, and chronic manpower shortages. 'The government underestimated the situation,' said Chung, clad in a full-face visor and blue hazmat suit. 'I expect things to get a lot worse ... There are many elderly people in this district, and many aren't vaccinated.' A person has a swab sample taken at a makeshift COVID-19 testing station on February 18, 2022 in Hong Kong, China Residents wait in line at a makeshift COVID-19 testing station on February 18, 2022 in Hong Kong, China Hong Kong authorities on Thursday apologised for the dire situation at hospitals serving the city of 7.4 million. 'In the last few days, we have had a lot of emergency cases where we had to accommodate patients in tents,' said Chuang Shuk-kwan, the head of Hong Kong's Communicable Disease Branch, during a regular COVID-19 briefing Thursday. 'For these situations, our medical staff are very unhappy. We are worried about our patients' care,' she said. Once largely insulated from the coronavirus pandemic, Hong Kong businesses are buckling and some losing patience with the government's 'zero COVID' policies. In the cluster of working-class districts in nearby Sham Shui Po, some residential blocks and public housing estates have been sealed off, crowds in malls and street markets have thinned, and once teeming diners known as dai pai dongs and stalls selling knick-knacks are quieter after dark. The city's Hospital Authority has appealed to medical professionals for assistance, asking doctors in private hospitals to help treat patients at quarantine facilities. The public hospitals are in a 'crisis situation,' said Sara Ho of Hong Kong's Hospital Authority. 'If a large number of patients are waiting outdoors and if this continues, then no matter how hard our medical professionals work around the clock, there's no way to solve this problem relying on our own efforts,' she said. A temporary makeshift treatment area is set up for patients outside Caritas Medical Centre in Hong Kong, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022 People wearing face masks queue at a makeshift testing centre for COVID-19 amid the outbreak, in Hong Kong, China February 18, 2022 Officials have also appealed to the public, asking people to refrain from going out or taking part in private gatherings, saying that every effort helps as the city seeks to alleviate the burden on hospitals. More than 20,000 hotel rooms have been identified for quarantine accommodation, Carrie Lam said on Friday, as property developers piled in to show support as the global financial hub battles a surge in COVID-19 cases. Lam said 21 hotels had expressed interest in turning their facilities into isolation venues, exceeding 'by a large margin the government's original target of 7,000 to 10,000 rooms'. The outbreak has piled further pressure on Lam, whose five-year term is due to end in June. While Lam says surrendering to the virus 'is not an option' and Xi Jinping has said the 'overriding mission' for Hong Kong is to rein in the virus, some are skeptical. 'You can see I'm wearing two masks. I need to protect myself because the government won't protect me,' said Lo Kai-wai, a 59-year-old logistics worker queuing at a mobile testing centre that had already reached its daily quota of 3,000 people. 'I don't want to see her (Lam) get a second term.' Some business owners impacted by government-imposed restrictions also question the sustainability of current policies. 'The government needs to find a better balance to both control the virus, but also to allow people to better get on with their lives,' said Timothy Poon, 23, the manager of a cafe close to the hospital, whose business has dropped by up to 60 percent. 'The zero-COVID policy is a mission impossible.' Others, however, are more upbeat. 'If everyone is willing to get vaccinated, the situation will improve,' said Lung Mei-chu, 78, at a testing centre in another district. Meanwhile, several southern Chinese cities are offering cash bounties worth tens of thousands of dollars for leads on smuggling rings that have brought coronavirus carriers from Hong Kong across the mainland border. People lie in hospital beds outside the Caritas Medical Centre in Hong Kong on February 18, 2022, as the city faces its worst Covid-19 coronavirus wave to date Pictures on Friday showed patients being treated on beds outside a hospital in the city's working-class neighborhood of Sham Shui Po Beijing has adhered to a strict zero-Covid strategy that has kept infection numbers low by employing strict border closures, targeted lockdowns and long quarantines. Arrivals from Hong Kong - which is battling a serious flare-up in coronavirus cases - normally undergo weeks of isolation. But four people tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday after illegally entering mainland China from the city without quarantine, according to local authorities who announced cash rewards for clues on people smuggling. A notice on Thursday by police in Huizhou, a city not far from the border, said they wanted to 'mobilise the masses' to participate in anti-smuggling work and guard against imported virus cases. 'Those who report clues on smuggling activities found to be illegal or criminal will be given a reward of up to 200,000 yuan ($31,570),' Huizhou authorities said. They also detailed different cash amounts for reporting smuggling boats or organising for others to illegally cross borders. Similar notices have been issued in at least five other cities, with one district saying it gave out 10,000 yuan ($1,580) barely a day after announcing the reward. Two positive coronavirus cases were found in central Hunan province this week, with local police saying they 'entered from Hong Kong through illegal means' via a coastal city before using a waiting vehicle and mobile phones to make their way further inland. They are now being investigated by public security. The other pair was discovered in southern Guangdong province on Tuesday, after having entered mainland China the day before. According to Hong Kong media reports, 15 people have been smuggled into mainland China in recent days via a city in Guangdong province. At the same time, charities warned on Friday that Hong Kong's foreign domestic workers are being 'abandoned' in the current coronavirus wave, with some forced to sleep rough or being denied treatment after testing positive. Hong Kongers live in one of the world's most densely packed cities and rely on some 370,000 foreign domestic workers, the vast majority women from the Philippines and Indonesia who cook, clean, and look after their families. People travel on a crowded underground train in Hong Kong on February 18, 2022, as the city faces its worst Covid-19 outbreak since the start of the pandemic A woman (left) in a wheelchair sells face shields and masks on a street in Hong Kong on Friday Foreign domestic workers must live with their employers, cannot swap jobs easily, and are only entitled to one day off a week. On Friday a coalition of groups representing migrant workers said the already grim pandemic conditions have plunged further in the current outbreak. Some workers had been sacked by employers after testing positive, forcing them to sleep outdoors. Others found themselves denied treatment at hospitals because they had lost their jobs. Eni Lestari, an Indonesian domestic worker and activist, said her peers had been on the 'frontlines' helping families throughout the pandemic. 'Now we are being neglected, we are being denied services, we are being abandoned,' she told reporters. 'We are very alarmed and we are very angry,' she added. Activists said many Hong Kong employers were refusing to let their domestic workers leave often cramped apartments even on their day off, while some had been fired for taking their rest day. "For us staying home means we have to work," said Dolores Balladares Pallaez from the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body, adding workers needed "compassion and help" from both the government and wider society. The coalition said Hong Kong police had also ramped up social distancing fines each weekend for domestic workers, adding that penalties can be higher than their monthly wage. Advertisement A five-year-old boy trapped for three days down a remote Afghan village well died moments after being pulled out alive. The boy, called Haidar, was wedged 33ft down the well and rescuers spent three days desperately digging in an attempt to reach the boy in Shokok village, Zabul province, southern Afghanistan. The operation comes just two weeks after a similar attempt to rescue five-year-old Rayan Awram from a Moroccan well ended in tragedy, with the little boy found dead after being trapped more than 100ft underground for four days. 'With great sorrow, young Haidar is separated from us forever,' Taliban interior ministry senior adviser Anas Haqqani said. Pictured: A photograph showing Haidar that has been shared widely on social media The boy, named locally as Haidar, five, was is wedged inside the well and rescuers were seen digging down in an attempt to reach the boy in Shokok village, Zabul province, southern Afghanistan Rescuers were seen digging down in an attempt to reach the boy. He was trapped for three days but died just moments after he was pulled out Haidar's grandfather, Haji Abdul Hadi, 50, said his grandson fell down the well when he was trying to 'help' adults dig a new borehole in the drought-ravaged village. Pictured: Rescuers try to reach Haidar Zabul police spokesman Zabiullah Jawhar said Haidar was clinging to life when rescuers reached him. He said: 'In the first minutes after the rescue operation was completed he was breathing, and the medical team gave him oxygen. 'When the medical team tried to carry him to the helicopter, he lost his life.' The operation comes around two weeks after a similar attempt to rescue a boy from a Moroccan well gripped the world Rayan Awram, five, fell into a 32-metre (105ft) well outside his home in Ighran village, in the northern province of Chefchaouen, earlier this month. It sparked a race-against-the-clock rescue mission that ended in tragedy as the young boy died before rescuers could reach him. Haidar's grandfather, Haji Abdul Hadi, 50, said his grandson fell down the well when he was trying to 'help' adults dig a new borehole in the drought-ravaged village. Officials said he slipped and became stuck 33ft down the narrow shaft. Villagers gathered to watch the attempted rescue over three days in southern Afghanistan Zabul police spokesman Zabiullah Jawhar said Haidar was clinging to life when rescuers reached him He said: 'In the first minutes after the rescue operation was completed he was breathing, and the medical team gave him oxygen. When the medical team tried to carry him to the helicopter, he lost his life' Senior officials from the Taliban's newly installed government oversaw the rescue operation in Shokak, which was watched by hundreds of villagers. Some Taliban officials posted videos of the tricky operation, saying it was an example of how the new regime - widely criticised for rights abuses - would spare nothing to care for citizens. Video shared on social media - including by officials of Afghanistan's new Taliban government - showed Haidar wedged in the well, able to move his arms and upper body. The little boy could be heard crying in the footage. 'Are you okay my son?' his father could be heard saying. 'Talk with me and don't cry, we are working to get you out.' 'Okay, I'll keep talking,' the boy replied. The video was obtained by rescuers lowering a light and a camera down the narrow well by rope. Engineers using bulldozers dug an open slit trench from an angle at the surface to reach the point where Haidar was trapped. A large rock blocked the final few metres, which workers used pickaxes to break on Friday morning. Local officials said the boy appeared trapped about 33ft down the 82ft shaft. 'A team is there with an ambulance, oxygen and other necessary things,' tweeted Abdullah Azzam, secretary to Deputy Prime Minister Abdulghani Barada. Rescuers dug an open slit trench from an angle at the surface to try to reach the point where the boy was trapped. Rescuers were digging an open slit trench from an angle at the surface to try to reach the point where the boy is trapped Local officials said the boy appeared trapped about 33ft down the 82ft shaft. Pictured: A digger at the site of the well as rescuers try to save the nine-year-old boy It appeared to be similar engineering to what rescuers attempted in Morocco in early February, when Rayan fell into a 105ft (32-metre) well outside his home in Ighran village, in the northern province of Chefchaouen. After digging vertically and then horizontally - all while risking a landslide - rescuers and resuscitation experts finally reached the boy after four days, offering a faint glimmer of optimism that he might have survived the ordeal. But the anxious wait for news of five-year-old Rayan ended in tragedy for his family, after government officials confirmed the young boy could not be resuscitated, adding that he had died before rescuers could reach him. The boy's body was seen wrapped in a gold blanket after he emerged from a tunnel dug specifically for the rescue operation. Morocco's King Mohammed VI sent his condolences to the Awram family and praised both the rescue crews and local community for their valiant efforts over the past week. Supportive messages were also shared online as the hashtag #SaveRayan trended on Twitter. Tragic: Little Rayan Awram, aged five, was found dead in early February following a four-day rescue mission to save him after he fell down a well Dozens nervously watch as Rayan is transferred from the rescue site to an ambulance A BBC editor has spoken of her relief at moving to America after suffering abuse covering Scottish politics - prompting a Scottish politician to call her ordeal 'imaginary woes'. Sarah Smith, who was appointed the corporation's North America editor last year, said she was subjected to hostility 'most of the time' when preparing to go live on TV. But her complaints fell on deaf ears among Scotland's political elite, with SNP MSP James Dornan calling her abuse made-up and exaggerated. Speaking to Rhys Evans - the head of corporate affairs at BBC Wales - for a paper for the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University, Ms Smith said she had attracted 'criticism, bile and hatred' from some sections of the Scottish population which she feared would damage the reputation of the BBC. In one incident, she recounted, someone rolled down their car window and asked her: 'What f****** lies are you going to be telling on TV tonight, you f****** lying bitch?'. In response to Smith's comments, Mr Dornan said on Twitter: 'America would be the go to place to escape all her imaginary woes then.' Former BBC Scotland editor Sarah Smith said she was abused covering politics in the country SNP MSP James Dornan mocked her and said ordeal was 'imaginary woes' in Twitter post The social media post from Sarah Smith as she left for America after abuse in Scotland He later reviewed his comment, tweeting: 'Imaginary was the wrong word to use, should have been 'exaggerated'. 'Any abuse she suffered is too much but if Sarah Smith is saying that politics over here is more vicious than in the US she hasn't been paying enough attention to what has been going on over there, nor rest of UK.' The MSP then apologised, adding on Twitter: 'Language is important in this so I apologise for my earlier comments that made it seem as though I believed the abuse Sarah Smith has suffered was imaginary. 'No matter differing opinions, the misogynistic abuse of women in the public eye is never acceptable. 'If we want to tackle the issue then we all need to recognise the problem is on all sides and all countries.' Smith also said she was the subject of 'misogynistic' ideas that she would follow the political ideology of her father - former Labour leader John Smith. Sarah Smith, ahead of the Leaders Debate, which took place at Hopetoun House, as part of BBC Scotland's coverage of the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections She said: 'He was a very well-known politician, he was a unionist, people like to therefore assume that my politics must be the same as my father's despite me being, one, a different person, and him having been dead for 27 years.' In her interview, Smith said her move to the US was a cause for 'relief', adding: 'Nobody will have any idea who my father is. 'The misogynistic idea that I can't have any of my own thoughts anyway, or rise above my family connections to report impartially, will no longer be part of the discourse.' The first Scotland editor at the BBC, Smith said she had been 'demonised quite heavily... amongst certain parts of the population'. The BBC was the subject of scrutiny in the months before the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence, and Smith said she believes another vote - which First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she hopes to hold next year - would see the corporation under 'enormous scrutiny'. As a result, the BBC would be 'actual players', she said, with news reports being 'politicised and weaponised by both sides'. She added that the broadcaster would receive 'such an enormous amount of incoming criticism that it would be almost a full-time job to manage that, never mind trying to cover events'. He stood up and chanted anti-Beijing sentiment for 45 minutes during a meeting Former MP Fernando Cheung has been jailed for three months for contempt Eight UK judges still sit in the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal under agreement Why do UK judges sit in Hong Kong's top court? Hong Kong was established as a British colony in 1841 after being ceded by the Qing Dynasty following the so-called 'Opium Wars'. But more than 140 years later, during diplomatic negotiations with China in 1984, Britain agreed to transfer Hong Kong to China in 1997. As part of the agreement, China guaranteed Hong Kong's economic and political systems would remain in place for 50 years after the transfer. Until 1997 Hong Kong's final appeal court was the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London, whose judges were the members of the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords. Following the handover, the final appeal court became the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. It was agreed the House of Lords would provide two serving Law Lords to sit on the court - as part of the UK's continuing commitment to safeguarding the rule of law in Hong Kong. This responsibility transferred to Supreme Court judges when it was established in 2009. And the Supreme Court still provides these judges today. Serving judges do not receive any additional remuneration for their work in Hong Kong, but a fee is paid to the Supreme Court. The Court of Final Appeal also includes retired judges from the UK and from other common law jurisdictions, including Australia and Canada. However, with Beijing tightening its grip on Hong Kong, there have been calls for the UK to reconsider its agreement. Some, including the Supreme Court, argue the judges should continue 'in their commitment to safeguard judicial independence and the rule of law in Hong Kong'. But others warn the judges will 'be required to enforce the whims of the Chinese Communist Party'. In a Times leader article earlier this month, the paper called for the judges to 'resign without delay' It said: 'As long as eminent justices such as Lord Sumption give the court their imprimatur, China is able to maintain the fiction that Hong Kong remains a common law jurisdiction and not the puppet regime of an autocratic state. 'This in turn undermines any diplomatic pressure Britain and its allies may attempt to bring to bear.' Advertisement An anti-Beijing protestor has been jailed for contempt in Hong Kong after a controversial ruling by senior UK judges on laws originally designed to protect peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations. Eight UK judges still sit in the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal due to agreements made in the handing over of the territory to China in 1997. In September five judges, including the president of the UK's Supreme Court, Lord Reed, ruled on legislation protecting peaceful protests by members of Hong Kong legislative's council. The legislation's aim is to provide immunity from criminal prosecution for members of the council, known as LegCo., who engage in non-violent protest in the chamber. But in September's ruling, the judges agreed that only the words of the members of the council were immune from prosecution, rather than their actions. It is claimed that the ruling has now been used to 'justify' the imprisonment of former Labour Party member of the Hong Kong legislative council, Fernando Cheung. Cheung, 64, was jailed earlier this month for three weeks after pleading guilty to charges of contempt. He had chanted anti-Beijing slogans in the chamber for 45 minutes in 2020, then resigned from his position. The case has led to criticism of the September ruling, with one former Tory cabinet minister warning the UK judges were being 'used as a fig leaf for an (China's) oppressive regime'. The row comes after Cheung pleaded guilty at West Kowloon Court earlier this month to a contempt charge under the Legislative Council (Powers and Privilege) Ordinance. It followed a chaotic meeting at the LegCo in 2020, when he chanted slogans to mark his disapproval of a pro-establishment leader taking over a House Committee meeting. According to the South China Morning Post, an English speaking Hong Kong-based newspaper, which has been accused of becoming increasingly more pro-Beijing in recent years, acting chief magistrate Peter Law Tak-chuen said the former lawmaker's conduct had tarnished Legco's reputation and contributed to 'a decline of civility'. Law is reported to have said: 'Mr Cheung had shouted in a loud voice over some time in a continuous and persistent mannerHis action was more than a minor inconvenience to his colleagues.' Cheung is reported to have intermittently shouted over a 44-minute span during the meeting, including at the chair - pro-establishment politician Starry Lee Wai-king. Video footage of the meeting showed Cheung repeating the phrase 'Starry Lee abused her powers' in front of her. Cheung was subsequently ejected from the meeting room. In court, Cheung said he would only admit the charge but not wrongdoing, as he maintained his prosecution was driven by political motives. In a statement read out in the court, he said: 'For me, Legco is an important structure that facilitates improvements in society. I will never hold Legco in contempt.' It is claimed that the ruling, which some argue has 'weakened' protections for protesters in Hong Kong, has now been used to justify the imprisonment of Fernando Cheung. Cheung, 64, a former Labour Party member of the Hong Kong legislative council, was jailed earlier this month for three weeks after pleading guilty to charges of contempt In September five judges, including the president of the UK's Supreme Court, Lord Reed (pictured), ruled on legislation protecting peaceful protests by members of Hong Kong legislative's council Anger grows at Zero Covid policy in Hong Kong that forces anyone with virus to isolate in hospital even if they have no symptoms Hospitals in Hong Kong reached 90 percent capacity on Thursday while Covid-19 quarantine facilities were at bursting point, authorities said, as the city grapples with a record number of new infections while adhering to China's 'Zero-covid' strategy. Under the strict Covid rules in China, any person in the city who is infected with Covid-19 must be admitted to a hospital or community isolation facility. This has meant even asymptomatic people and those with mild conditions have been sent to hospitals or quarantine centres, although the government is now adjusting its strategy as the healthcare system is overwhelmed. Hong Kong authorities have said new cases have multiplied 60 times so far this month. Chinese President Xi Jinping said the city's 'overriding mission' was to stabilise and control the outbreak. With anger growing at the government, Hong Kong reported 6,116 new coronavirus infections on Thursday - a number expected to rise over 7,000 on Friday. Officials reported 24 new deaths over the past week, and the city has now confirmed a total of 16,600 infections, with 219 deaths. To ease the strain on the city's healthcare system, officials said they will take a different approach to hospitalization and isolation policies and allow some patients to be discharged sooner. Under the new approach, people who are infected but present mild symptoms in hospitals and government-run isolation facilities will be allowed to leave sooner. Release will be granted after just seven days if a patient tests negative on the seventh day and does not live with anyone in a high-risk group, such as senior citizens, pregnant women or immunosuppressed people. Those who do not meet these criteria must complete the full 14-day isolation period or wait until they test negative, according to health officials. Pictures on Friday showed patients being treated on beds outside a hospital in the city's working-class neighborhood of Sham Shui Po. Lam Foon, 98, was interviewed while propped up and swaddled in soggy woollen blankets in a hospital bed just outside the entrance to Hong Kong's Caritas Medical Centre, waiting for tests to confirm her preliminary positive result for COVID-19. 'I don't feel so good,' she told Reuters news agency through a surgical mask, next to a similarly wrapped patient wearing a mask and face shield. Lam was one of dozens of patients lying in the parking lot of Caritas on Thursday, after there was no more room inside the hospital that serves 400,000 people in the working-class district of Cheung Sha Wan on the Kowloon peninsula. Temperatures dipped to 15 degrees Celsius (59 Fahrenheit) amid some rain. Advertisement The conviction means Cheung is the first lawmaker in Hong Kong to be convicted of contempt. He was prosecuted under a law initially designed to immunise members of China's legislature from criminal sanctions while exercising their freedom of speech and debate. But, according to The Times, commentators say the legislation was 'weakened' by September's ruling by the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. That ruling, given by five judges, including Lord Reed, president of the UK Supreme Court accepted that 'the protection of freedom of speech and debate in LegCo is self-evidently an important right'. And it said it should 'enable members of LegCo to advocate opinions freely and robustly and without inhibition due to the fear of legal proceedings for such speech and debate'. The legislation, it added, was made with the 'purpose of creating a secure and dignified environment conducive to the legislature carrying out its constitutional functions at its sittings without disruption or disturbance'. But the ruling found that only the words of members of the council said in the chamber were immune from prosecution. Actions considered to have created a disturbance were not protected under the law, it said. This, observes fear, has created a 'dangerous precedent' and, with Cheung's imprisonment, shows the ruling could be used to stifle protests by other members of the council. Speaking to The Diplomat magazine, Eric Lai, a Hong Kong law fellow at Georgetown University in Washington DC, said: 'Cheung's case serves as a dreadful precedent. '(Parliamentarians) can now be jailed for peaceful expression in legislative meetings. 'This substantively diminishes the effectiveness of separation of powers in Hong Kong'. Meanwhile, Tory MP Damian Green, told The Times: 'If UK judges are now being used as a fig leaf for an oppressive regime in Hong Kong, then they should absolutely be withdrawn as soon as possible'. Former Tory-leader Iain Duncan Smith, speaking to The Times said: 'It does astonish me that British judges are prepared to sit in a system that has become completely infected by the autocratic and abusive laws now coming from China.' Hong Kong was established as a British colony in 1841 after being ceded by the Qing Dynasty following the so-called 'Opium Wars'. But more than 140 years later, during diplomatic negotiations with China in 1984, Britain agreed to transfer Hong Kong to China in 1997. As part of the agreement, China guaranteed Hong Kong's economic and political systems would remain in place for 50 years after the transfer. Until 1997 Hong Kong's final appeal court was the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London, whose judges were the members of the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords. Following the handover, the final appeal court became the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. It was agreed the House of Lords would provide two serving Law Lords to sit on the court - as part of the UK's continuing commitment to safeguarding the rule of law in Hong Kong. This responsibility transferred to Supreme Court judges when it was established in 2009. And the Supreme Court still provides these judges today. Serving judges do not receive any additional remuneration for their work in Hong Kong, but a fee is paid to the Supreme Court. Eight UK judges still sit in the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal due to agreements made in the handing over of the territory to China in 1997. The Court of Final Appeal also includes retired judges from the UK and from other common law jurisdictions, including Australia and Canada. However, with Beijing tightening its grip on Hong Kong, there have been calls for the UK to reconsider its agreement. Some, including the Supreme Court, argue the judges should continue 'in their commitment to safeguard judicial independence and the rule of law in Hong Kong'. But others warn the judges will 'be required to enforce the whims of the Chinese Communist Party'. In a Times leader article earlier this month, the paper called for the judges to 'resign without delay' It said: 'As long as eminent justices such as Lord Sumption give the court their imprimatur, China is able to maintain the fiction that Hong Kong remains a common law jurisdiction and not the puppet regime of an autocratic state. 'This in turn undermines any diplomatic pressure Britain and its allies may attempt to bring to bear.' In November 2020, it was reported that Britain is considering pulling its judges from the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. Then Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he was considering the move over a security law law imposed on the territory by Beijing, which he warned was a breach of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration that paved the way for the handover. The Government also objected to new rules imposed by mainland China to disqualify elected legislators in Hong Kong, and to what it describes as retribution by the territory's executive against political opposition and silencing of dissent. 'This has been, and continues to be, the most concerning period in Hong Kong's post-handover history,' Raab wrote in a foreword of a November 2020 report on Hong Kong. On judges sitting in Hong Kong courts, he said at the time: 'I have begun consultations with Lord Reed, President of the UK Supreme Court, concerning when to review whether it continues to be appropriate for British judges to sit as non-permanent judges on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.' The Hong Kong government hit back at the time, describing the report as 'sweeping attacks and groundless accusations' adding they were 'irresponsible remarks'. The Chinese foreign ministry's commission in Hong Kong also expressed 'strong indignation' at the report, according to the official Xinhua news agency. Speaking about the situation in August last year, Lord Reed said: 'At this time, our shared assessment is that the judiciary in Hong Kong continues to act largely independently of government and their decisions continue to be consistent with the rule of law. 'There also continues to be widespread support amongst the legal community in Hong Kong for the participation of UK and other overseas judges in the work of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal 'Under these circumstances, Lord Hodge and I remain engaged in the Court of Final Appeal with the full support of the Foreign Secretary and the Lord Chancellor.' A Supreme Court spokesperson said: 'We continue to keep the situation under review, in discussion with the Government.' A British man who helped his professor lover fatally stab the academic's boyfriend to death in a meth-fueled threesome has been jailed for 45 years under a plea bargain. Ex-Oxford University financial officer Andrew Warren, 61, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder after helping his boyfriend Wyndham Lathem, 47, brutally stab Trenton Cornell-Duranleau, 26, to death as part of their twisted sexual fantasies. Warren agreed to testify against the ex-microbiology Northwestern professor as part of his 2019 deal, saying he was an active participant in the killing in the Chicago apartment. Warren testified at Lathem's trial that they met online and made plans for him to travel to Chicago as part of a suicide plot, but instead they stabbed Cornell 78 times and fled town. Lathem was convicted of first-degree murder in October and sentenced last month to 53 years in prison. Andrew Warren, 61, has been jailed for 45 years after helping his lover professor fatally stab the academic's boyfriend to death in a meth-fueled threesome Lathem (pictured in 2017) was arrested in August of that year after he and Warren were found by the police following an eight-day manhunt Lathem's boyfriend Trenton Cornell-Duranleau was stabbed more than 78 times Warren apologized to Cornell's family in court, saying: 'I just want to say that Im really so sorry. Thats all I can say.' Cornells mother, Charlotte Cornell said a statement Wednesday that 'instead of ending his (own) life, he ended a persons life who he didn't even know.' After the hearing, she said she agreed with Warren's sentence and appreciated that he had come forward 'to tell the truth.' Under the plea agreement, prosecutors won't oppose Warren applying to the U.S. Department of Justice's International Prisoner Transfer Program, which can allow inmates to move to prisons outside the U.S. A transfer to a British prison could allow Warren to serve only about half his prison term. Lathem, who was fired from his position following the killing, testified during his trial that Warren alone during a methamphetamine-fueled threesome. According to Lathem's attorney, him and Cornell-Duranleau would engage in sexual fantasies involving fetish, restraints, leather bondage, and a variety of sex toys,' noting that they would use meth or knife play during sex 'to heighten the pleasure'. Warren then testified that he did, in fact, stab Cornell-Duranleau, but only after Lathem had already begun stabbing him. Former Northwestern University professor Wyndham Lathem, 47, was sentenced to 53 years in prison on Tuesday after he was previously found guilty of murdering his boyfriend in October Wyndham Lathem, 47, was sentenced by Cook County Judge Charles Burns on Tuesday after he was found guilty of first-degree murder in October Lathem had recruited former Oxford University financial officer Andrew Warren to help him carry out his sexual fantasy of a murder suicide. Warren (above) pleaded guilty in 2019 and was handed a 45-year prison sentence in exchange for testifying against Lathem Cornell-Duranleau was stabbed 78 times while he slept in Lathem's Chicago high-rise condominium on July 27, 2017. A doorman at the Grand Plaza Apartments previously told the court that a resident had reported hearing screams. The front desk at the condominium later got a call from someone who said that a crime may have been committed inside Lathem's apartment. Chicago Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said the call was placed by Lathem, from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, while he was on the run. The condominium contacted the police who arrived to perform a welfare check. Officer Mark Beam, with the Chicago Police Department, found Cornell-Duranleau lying in a pool of blood with stab wounds all over his body. He said that the copious amount of blood on the floor led him to believe that the victim was already dead. A search of Lathem's condo yielded a bag of 'crystal-like' substance and suspected drug paraphernalia, along with a drywall knife and two bloody kitchen knives, one of which was broken in half, according to a police evidence technician. Police arrived to the Grand Plaza Apartments after the condominium's front desk received an anonymous call about a welfare check. The call was said to be placed by Lathem Arrest warrants were then issued for Latham and Warren who were found and taken into custody in the San Francisco Bay Area following an eight-day manhunt. The pair had stopped in Lake Geneva to drop off a $1,000 for Cornell-Duranleau before fleeing for California. The prosecution argued that Lathem took advantage of a 'young man just trying to make his way in Chicago' to fulfill an apparent sexual fantasy. However, Lathem's attorney painted a different picture, saying that Warren committed a crime against both the defendant and the deceased. 'This was nothing more than a crime of opportunity that had two victims,' defense attorney Kenneth Wine. 'Andrew Warren took the life of Trenton Cornell and ruined the life of Dr. Lathem.' Wine, declining to comment on pending litigation, provided a copy of his opening statement to DailyMail.com. In the statement, he explained that Lathem and Cornell-Duranleau had a sexual relationship that often involved 'three way sex with people they met online,' as well as 'bondage and submission and other sex toys, including knife play'. Wine claims that Warren joined the couple in their bedroom the night of the murder and attacked them. Lathem allegedly went to the bathroom after having been stabbed by Warren and 'heard fighting going on' in the bedroom. Lathem and Warren, pictured in this earlier courtroom sketch, dropped off an $1,000 donation in Cornell-Duranleau's name after fleeing the scene of the murder 'Andrew Warren will get on the stand and admit he smashed Trent Cornell over the head with metal bedroom lamp. The evidence will show that Andrew Warren viciously stabbed Trent Cornell to death with two knives,' Wine said. 'Dr. Lathem was shocked to discovery his lover's dead body. He was at a loss as to what to do. He felt responsible for putting Trent Cornell in harm's way. He believed and still believes to this day he bears responsibility for Trent's death. It was Dr. Lathem, after all, who brought Andrew Warren into their lives.' Wine continued, saying that Warren killed Cornell-Duranleau because he was jealous of the couple's relationship. 'The evidence will show that Andrew Warren told Dr. Lathem that he Andrew Warren killed Trent Cornell so they could be together,' he said. 'Andrew Warren, who had just been told by Dr. Lathem the night before that Dr. Lathem had no romantic interest in him, killed Trent Cornell out of the most common of human emotions - jealousy, but it was more than mere jealousy, it was a jealous rage of a murderous psychopath. Andrew Warren had a motive and a perfect alibi. Dr. Lathem had no motive.' However, Assistant State's Attorney Matthew Thrun argued that Lathem and Warren devised the murder plan together as part of a fantasy that was supposed to end with them killing each other. 'This defendant may have shown one face to the world respectable, prestigious doctor, but Trenton saw another face,' Thrun said in court on Monday, according to WTTW. The prosecutor continued, arguing that the evidence that Lathem orchestrated and took the lead in the murder is 'clear and overwhelming'. 'He provided the crime location. And when he was on the run, he was behind the wheel... he decided where to go,' he said. Thrun also argued that Lathem's blood was found in the condo and on two knives. He also allegedly confessed to the crime on video. 'He's going to tell you, 'I killed him, I did do it, it wasn't an accident, it was a mistake and I will regret it with every fiber of my being,'' Thrun said, quoting the footage. A dangerous sex offender is wanted by police for failing to comply with his court bail - as it is feared he could have travelled anywhere in the country. Daniel Joslin, 40, who is a risk to women and girls, was last seen in east London but has a previous connection with Kent. Joslin has been known to go by a number of aliases but is described as a 6ft 1 ins-tall white male who is tall and of slim build. He has failed to comply with a Registered Sex Offender notification and breach of court bail. Daniel Joslin (pictured), 40, who is a risk to women and girls, was last seen in east London but has a previous connection with Kent The public is warned not to approach Joslin if they see him in public but to call 999 immediately. Anyone who has any information is asked to call the Metropolitan Police on 101 or contact via Twitter @MetCC quoting 3602/17FEB. A mental health nurse who lost her unborn born baby after a furious row with airport officials over a routine bag search has been cleared of wrongdoing after a 'joke' two-year courtroom ordeal. Heidi Mullis, 32, of Woolton, Liverpool, was charged with assault and using threatening behaviour after claims she used the F-word and tied her blonde hair back as is if ready to fight' when she and her family were stopped at passport control. At the time, Ms Mullis was six weeks pregnant and scrambling to return to Britain after a two-week holiday in Bali with her partner, Michael Legros, 31, and four children at the onset of the Covid pandemic in March 2020. Her youngest child had come down with a mystery illness, and an argument broke out between herself and Border Force officials at Manchester Airport after she feared her family were starting to display Covid symptoms. Two passport control staff told Tameside Magistrates' Court they grew fearful after Ms Mullis started displaying 'aggressive' behaviour and allegedly swore at them while they rummaged through the family's bags. When the family were eventually allowed to leave, their youngest child was rushed to hospital. Ms Mullis, who works in the intensive care unit of a psychiatric hospital, was later quizzed by police about the incident. She was charged with assaulting an emergency worker - which carries a maximum 12 month jail sentence - and a public order offence. During her two-year ordeal she faced six different court hearings before her charges were reduced. But Ms Mullis was finally cleared of all charges this week at Tameside Magistrates' Court. Her lawyer, Brian Jackson, slammed the prosecution's 'joke' case and described the whole ordeal that saw Ms Mullis lose her child as 'bogus'. Heidi Mullis, 32, of Woolton, Liverpool, was charged with assault and using threatening behaviour after claims she used the F-word and tied her blonde hair back as is if ready to fight' when she and her family were stopped at passport control in Manchester Airport Ms Mullis, who was pregnant at the time of the incident in March 2020, lost her baby after the ordeal Heidi Mullis had been on holiday with her partner Michael Legros, 31, and their four children in Bali and were scrambling to get back to Britain as the country was due to go into the first lockdown in March 2020 The bust-up occurred on March 24, 2020 as Heidi Mullis and her family landed at Terminal One in Manchester Airport. Two Border Force officers gave evidence during the hearing, in which they alleged Ms Mullis became 'very angry' and started swearing. Kelly Clarke, who works at passport control at the airport, told the court: 'I handed five passports to the defendant but kept the passport of the male. While dealing with him, she became very angry. 'I suggested she go outside and take her children with her as I did not think it was a place for children to be. 'But I could tell she was angry from her tone, from the way she was moving around, her language and she kept coming towards me. She also tied her hair back and I thought she was doing this so her hair couldn't be grabbed in a fight. 'My interpretation was it was going to get very volatile. I was aware there were four children present and we would have to have had to search every single suitcase. 'She said, "why would I want to go out when you have my f***ing man here?" She was screaming and stood about one metre away and moving back and forth. I did not like the language she was using in front of her children. 'It was impossible to have a chat with her. She told me to basically f*** off.' Fellow Border Force Officer Assad Negori said: 'Her behaviour was very angry, both of them were very angry and showing signs of aggression. She made me feel nervous and on edge that something could happen. I can recall her swearing.' Prosecutor Dave Holland later said Ms Mullis' became 'frustrated with staff' and described the incident as 'a serious one'. Heidi Mullis (pictured) was initially charged with assaulting an emergency worker - a charge which fetches a maximum 12 month in jail - and a public order offence and faced six different court hearings including an appearance in front of a crown court judge before the charges were reduced Ms Mullis said she and her family had spent two weeks in Bali at the onset of the Covid pandemic in March 2020, and planned to rush back home after hearing 'horror stories' of shops suffering with shortages when she had a bust up with Border Force officials Two passport control staff told Tameside Magistrates' Court they grew fearful after Ms Mullis (above) started displaying 'aggressive' behaviour and allegedly swore at them while they rummaged through the family's bags Ms Mullis said she and her family had spent two weeks in Bali at the onset of the Covid pandemic in March 2020, and planned to rush back home after hearing 'horror stories' of shops suffering with shortages. Explaining her behaviour at the airport, she told justices: 'My baby was sick and I did not know what it was and I didn't want their staff around my child. 'There were a lot of emergency flights that week, my child was unwell and we had just got off a 20 hour journey. I just wanted to get home - it was meant to be a holiday of a lifetime, but it was a nightmare by the end of it. 'Going through custom is never straightforward. I was apprehensive about my son and I wanted to get out of the airport and when staff intervened, that was the last thing we wanted. 'But I was not aggressive. I work in pressure cooker situations, and I have to keep calm. 'I never shouted, screamed, or swore at the customs officer. I was six weeks pregnant at the time and I ended up losing that child. 'The only reason I put my hair up was it was really hot. I was flustered and hungry and six weeks pregnant. I have never punched someone in the face in my life and I never thought me putting my hair up could have been considered to be aggressive. 'Getting a criminal conviction means that I lose my job. It is my job to remain calm and patient and I am a good nurse. I have glowing references from all of my managers. 'I have been spat at at work and I have never retaliated - I would never put my job on the line. This was a fabricated story.' Her lawyer Brian Jackson said: 'There has never been a situation in my work where I have heard the prosecution say their witnesses have no reason to lie so they should be believed. It just goes to show how bogus the prosecution case is. Ms Mullis' lawyer described the proceedings as 'bogus' and a 'joke' after the case was quashed. Pictured: Heidi Mullis with lawyer Brian Jackson (left) and partner Michael Legros outside Tameside Magistrates' Court 'She is a responsible member of society and has no previous convictions. Why would she behave in this way? 'She is well thought of as a community mental health nurse. She was six weeks pregnant at the time and had a child which she thought could have had COVID. It just does not hold together. Frankly, this whole prosecution case is a joke and I have no idea why it has been persisted with.' Dismissing the case JP Veronica Heap said: 'In our valuation, we found Miss Clarke and Mr Negori to be very credible and reliable witnesses. 'But we also found Miss Mullis to be a very credible witness and we believe this did not constitute to causing harassment, alarm or distress.' A law firm receptionist has successfully sued bosses who told her she was 'no longer needed' while off work sick with the same debilitating morning sickness condition suffered by Kate Middleton. Kiran Nasreen was diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum, which can leave women bedridden and vomiting, and told her boss, Dr Akbar Ali Malik, she was unable to work. But an employment tribunal heard her texts and calls were ignored so her husband went into the office on her behalf to explain. The panel was told Dr Malik was 'hostile' and refused to take her sick notes or medical evidence because she was 'was no longer needed' after working at the firm for three years. The Duchess of Cambridge suffered from the condition with all three of her pregnancies and ended up in hospital while carrying Prince George. It affects up to two per cent of women in the UK and is one of the most common reasons for hospitalisation during pregnancy, according to the NHS. Kiran Nasreen was diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum, which can leave women bedridden and vomiting, and told her boss, Dr Akbar Ali Malik (pictured), she was unable to work. But she was told she was no longer needed Mrs Nasreen has now won her discrimination claim after a panel ruled that bosses believed her difficult pregnancy was 'inconvenient' to the firm. Mrs Nasreen, who is from Pakistan, began working for Malik Law Chambers, a London-based immigration solicitors firm, in December 2014 as a receptionist where Dr Malik was her line manager and the pair had a good working relationship. In December 2017, she became pregnant. The tribunal, held remotely in East London, heard: 'It is clear from the medical records that she and her husband had been trying for a baby for some time. 'It is also apparent that, as soon as she had a positive pregnancy test, she sought medical advice. 'She began to have adverse symptoms, including severe sickness, almost immediately at the start of her pregnancy.' The following month, she told Dr Malik about her pregnancy and that she was already having some sickness and might encounter further difficulties so may need time off, the panel heard. After she went off work on January 20, she sent texts to Dr Malik saying she was very unwell and apologising for being unable to come in. Mrs Nasreen, who is from Pakistan, began working for Malik Law Chambers (pictured), a London-based immigration solicitors firm, in December 2014 as a receptionist where Dr Malik was her line manager and the pair had a good working relationship Despite her husband reiterating that her illness was pregnancy related, Dr Malik sacked her, the tribunal heard. Pictured, Dr Malik's law show But the panel heard he did not answer these, nor her calls. Mrs Nasreen's husband then went into the office to give Dr Malik copies of sick notes and medical evidence as in February 2018, while seven weeks pregnant, she was diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Despite her husband reiterating that her illness was pregnancy related, Dr Malik sacked her, the tribunal heard. Mrs Nasreen then sent her sick note and hospital letter again, hoping Dr Malik would reconsider his decision to fire her. But she later received her December payment along with her Christmas bonus and nothing further despite her having worked until January 20, the hearing was told. Mrs Nasreen has now successfully sued her bosses at an employment tribunal for pregnancy discrimination, unauthorised deduction from wages and unfair dismissal. The panel - headed by Employment Judge David Massarella - concluded that problems only arose when she became pregnant, with Malik Law Chambers taking 'none of the usual steps in relation to a pregnant employee'. Judge Massarella said: 'We infer from all the evidence that [Dr Malik's] attitude to her changed when he realised she was having a difficult pregnancy, which was giving rise to a protracted period of sickness absence and (inevitably) a period of maternity leave. Dr Malik wrote a book last year, three years after the closure of his practice, on 'how to become a millionaire', featuring a foreword from Dr Philip Beresford - who is on the Sunday Times Rich List 'This was inconvenient to the firm and Dr Malik decided to dispense with her services in a summary fashion. 'The problems only arose after she became pregnant. Dr Malik's attitude to her and her husband became hostile and uncooperative.' Malik Law Chambers was shut down by Solicitors Regulation Authority in 2018, two months after Mrs Nasreen was fired. The Solicitors Regulation Authority said at the time: 'There is reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of Dr Akbar Ali Malik and on the part of Mr Imtiaz Ali, the firms managers, in connection with the firms business.' Dr Malik wrote a book last year, three years after the closure of his practice, on 'how to become a millionaire', featuring a foreword from Dr Philip Beresford - who is on the Sunday Times Rich List. The book's cover features the slogans 'attracting abundance, prosperity and fortune' and 'from rags to riches'. A remedy hearing will decide on how much compensation Mrs Nasreen is paid. Almost 300 passengers were evacuated from a Greek ferry today after a huge fire broke out on board in the middle of the night. The blaze started at 4.30am on the Italian-flagged Euroferry Olympia, which was sailing through the Ionian Sea to Italy from the Greek port city of Igoumenitsa on Friday. One crew member, 42, was injured and the 290 on the ship were rescued, the Greek coastguard said. There could be stowaways trapped on board the burning ship, such as migrants who frequently sneak on ferries between Greece and Italy. Almost 300 passengers were evacuated from a Greek ferry after a huge fire on Friday The blaze broke out at 4.30am as the Italian-flagged Euroferry Olympia was sailing through the Ionian Sea One crew member, 42, was injured and the 290 on the ship were rescued (pictured), the Greek coastguard said Passengers were wrapped in golden space blankets and taken ashore by the Guardia di Finanza, Italy's armed border patrol force A Greek coastguard spokeswoman said it would take several hours to extinguish the fire. She did not confirm whether reports of people trapped on board were correct. The injured crew member was taken to Corfu on a coastguard patrol boat and hospitalised with breathing difficulties, according to local media reports. Although the force usually hunts drug smugglers and polices the sea, it used some of its 600 ships to help rescue passengers from the ferry Footage from the Greek coastguard this morning showed the aftermath of the fire, which was still burning in some areas of the ship There are cars and freight lorries on board. One fisherman said he heard explosions on board, which 'must be the freight trucks blowing up' 'The passengers were transferred safe and sound on rescue boats to Corfu,' Rodi Kratsa, the governor of the Ionian Islands region told Greek public broadcaster ERT television. The coastguard said the operation was still underway. 'We heard that the fire started in the hold, but it's not certain,' a man who identified himself as a passenger told Skai TV. 'It took just 15 minutes for the fire to reach the deck,' he said, adding that the mostly Italian crew's response had been 'simply perfect'. Close to 300 people were saved from the burning ship and taken to Corfu, in Greece There could be stowaways trapped on board the burning ship, such as migrants who frequently sneak on ferries between Greece and Italy Coast guard officers helped an injured man towards an ambulance as the rescued passengers arrived in Corfu The cause of the fire remains unknown and the coastguard said the operation was still underway Greek coastguard patrol and tow boats were rushed to the site and a frigate and two helicopters took part in the rescue operations 'They were very organised. The crew saved us,' he said. Fisherman Nikos Bardis said several fishing boats were also circling the stricken vessel, looking for people in the water. 'We can hear explosions, it must be freight trucks blowing up,' he told ERT. Television images showed the ship, owned by Grimaldi Lines, enveloped in flames which sent plumes of black smoke into the sky. The cause of the fire remains unknown. Greek coastguard patrol and tow boats were rushed to the site and a frigate and two helicopters took part in the rescue operations. There is heavy maritime traffic between the western Greek ports of Igoumenitsa and Patras and the Italian ports of Brindisi and Ancona. The last shipboard fire in the Adriatic occurred in December 2014 on the Italian ferry Norman Atlantic. Thirteen people died in that blaze. Vetting interviews for Whitehall jobs with access to 'top secret' information are no longer automatically conducted in person, sparking security concerns. A whistleblower told The Telegraph that the UK Security Vetting department is conducting interviews online using video software as officers work from home. One former officer who worked at the department described the move as 'breathtakingly naive'. But the Cabinet Office insisted the move to virtual interviews has 'not undermined the robustness' of the hiring process. A whistleblower told The Telegraph that the UK Security Vetting department is conducting interviews online using video software as officers work from home The row relates to the 'Developed Vetting' process which applies to people when they are moving into government roles where they have access to 'top secret' material. It can apply to civil servants, defence personnel and private contractors who are working in Whitehall. Some security officers believe in person interviews are more thorough and should be used exclusively. They argue that face-to-face interviews allow them to fully probe the personal secrets of applicants, amid fears crucial details could be left uncovered in virtual interviews. The interviews are designed to expose whether someone has any financial or personal baggage from their past which could leave them vulnerable to bribery or blackmail by a hostile nation. Officers are said to have communicated their concerns about virtual vetting remaining in place to their Cabinet Office bosses. The row relates to the 'Developed Vetting' process which applies to people when they are moving into government roles where they have access to 'top secret' material The whistleblower told The Telegraph that the move to remote interviews risks a 'catastrophic security breach'. Meanwhile, a former officer told the newspaper that remote interviews could risk a major security breach. 'Interviewing a subject for national security clearance virtually is breathtakingly naive,' they said. But the Cabinet Office said: 'Virtual processes have not undermined the robustness of Developed Vetting and initial data shows these are just as effective.' Gov. Gavin Newsom announces the next phase of California's COVID-19 response called "SMARTER," during a press conference at the UPS Healthcare warehouse in Fontana, Calif., Feb. 17. AP-Yonhap California became the first U.S. state to formally shift to an ''endemic'' approach to COVID-19 with Gov. Gavin Newsom's announcement Thursday of a plan that emphasizes prevention and quick reaction to outbreaks over mandated masking and business shutdowns. The milestone, nearly two years in the making, envisions a return to a more normal existence with the help of a variety of initiatives and billions in new spending to more quickly spot surges or variants, add healthcare workers, stockpile tests and push back against false claims and other misinformation. ''We are moving past the crisis phase into a phase where we will work to live with this virus,'' he said during a news conference from a state warehouse brimming with pandemic supplies in Fontana, east of Los Angeles. The first-term Democrat, who last year survived a recall election driven by critics of his governance during the pandemic, promised the state's nearly 40 million residents that as the Omicron surge fades, ''we're going to keep them safe and we're going to stay on top of this.'' A disease reaches the endemic stage when the virus still exists in a community but becomes manageable as immunity builds. But there will be no definitive turn of the switch, the Democratic governor said, unlike the case with Wednesday's lifting of the state's indoor masking requirements or an announcement coming Feb. 28 of when precisely schoolchildren can stop wearing face coverings. And there will be no immediate lifting of the dozens of remaining executive emergency orders that have helped run the state since Newsom imposed the nation's first statewide stay-at-home order in March 2020. ''This pandemic won't have a defined end. There's no finish line,'' Newsom said. The logo and building of the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, is seen in this file photo. AP-Yonhap The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic March 11, 2020, and with Omicron fading in many parts of the world some countries have begun planning for the endemic stage. But no state has taken the step Newsom did and offered a detailed forward-looking plan. Republicans have been frequent critics of Newsom's handling of the coronavirus and were quick to disparage his latest effort. State GOP Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson called it ''an extra-large helping of word salad'' and renewed the call to ''follow the lead of other blue states and end his state of emergency or lift his school mask mandate.'' Newsom's plan sets specific goals, such as stockpiling 75 million masks, establishing the infrastructure to provide up to 200,000 vaccinations and 500,000 tests a day in the event of an outbreak, and adding 3,000 medical workers within three weeks in surge areas. Newsom's administration came up with a shorthand acronym to capsulize key elements of its new approach: SMARTER. The letters stand for Shots, Masks, Awareness, Readiness, Testing, Education and Rx, a reference to improving treatments for COVID-19. Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, an epidemiologist at the University of Southern California, said while some may argue these should have come sooner, he believes ''the timing is right on.'' ''Surveillance, testing, vaccination and treatment make the context very different and make it appropriate to shift our response from a pandemic response of trying to do everything possible, to a more rational response to try to implement things that we have strong evidence that work,'' Klausner said. The plan includes increased monitoring of virus remnants in wastewater to watch for the first signs of a surge. Masks won't be required but will be encouraged in many settings. If a higher level of the virus is detected, health officials will determine if it is a new variant. If so, state and federal officials have a goal to within 30 days determine if it responds to existing tests, treatments and immunities from vaccines or prior infections. California's health secretary, Dr. Mark Ghaly, said one of the goals is to avoid business closures and other far-reaching mandates. However, he said the state's requirement that schoolchildren be vaccinated against coronavirus by fall remains in effect. The plan includes new education, including ''myth-buster videos'' to fight misinformation and disinformation and help interpret ever-evolving precautions for a confused public whiplashed by safeguards that seemingly shift by the day and vary across county lines. In coordination with the federal government, it calls for a first-in-the-nation study of the pandemic's direct and indirect impacts long-term on both people and communities. Kindergarteners wear masks while listening to their teacher amid the COVID-19 pandemic at Washington Elementary School in Lynwood, Calif., Jan. 12. AP-Yonhap All this will cost billions, much of it already outlined in the pandemic response package Newsom sought as part of his budget last month. That includes $1.9 million that lawmakers already approved to boost staffing at hospitals and increase coronavirus testing and vaccine distribution, as well as existing money and anticipated federal funds. His proposed budget also includes $1.7 billion to beef up the state's healthcare workforce, with more investment in increased laboratory testing capacity, data collection and outbreak investigation. Newsom, who has faced criticism for sometimes failing to follow his own rules, defended keeping in place some of his executive emergency orders, which he said most recently have allowed the state to quickly bring in temporary medical workers and to quickly distribute more than 13 million home test kits to schools. Those orders have dwindled from 561 to fewer than 100 in recent months, he said, and his administration is working with legislative leaders to eventually make them unnecessary. (AP) Furious residents in an East Yorkshire town have accused Halifax's new TV advert of airbrushing out their derelict high street in a campaign that is suppossed to be 'celebrating the community'. Goole residents were originally delighted when the bank chose their town for the 'It's a People Thing' campaign but when the advert aired earlier this month, locals were stunned to find they hardly recognised the place. The make-over included putting facades covering up the empty shops, and creating a fake cafe as well as a busy local market. Extras were hired as shoppers to show an apparently thriving high street in a town that has a higher child poverty rate than the rest of the UK. Residents in a town in East Yorkshire, were orginally delighted to be chosen for the filiming of the new Halifax 'It's a People Thing' TV campaign but then they saw the advert cleaned up their town A buzzing and happy town with a distant market in the Halifax advert and a greengrocers. It is contrasted with the closed shops in the real town of Goole, no market visible and a pawnshop Ramsdens pawnbrokers in Goole where the Halifax advert was filmed. The bank's branch in Goole can be seen located nearby empty shops Where the advert is filmed in the old Goole area, a total of 33.1% of children are in relative poverty compared to 19.1% nationally. A voiceover for the advert says: 'For the ups, the downs, and everything in betweenHalifax, it's a people thing.' Halifax also transformed a pawnbroker's shop, Ramsdens, into a green grocers, and a derelict shop next to the real bank's branch was cropped out. Florence Scott, 27, a PHD student and Goole native, wrote on Twitter that it 'looks uncanily like my town's centre but not run down'. 'It was filmed there, but they put nice facades on empty shops and hired fake, non-local shoppers,' she said. 'The ad is about 'celebrating the local community'. In reality, Goole's centre has been decimated. 'It's jarring to see a version of the same street, with shoppers, a greengrocers and a market instead of empty derelict shops. 'Apparently, some locals were upset because they saw the shoot and mistakenly thought new shops had opened until Halifax packed them up and drove off. 'We accept that photoshop/filters and faked results in product campaigns are misleading, how is this different? Why is Halifax so ashamed to show its branch down a struggiling northern street? 'If you're selling your bank as the 'heart of the community' be it you cowards'. A pawnbroker's shop was transformed into a green grocers, and a derelict shop next to the bank was cropped out. It's on the right in the real Goole Pawnbroker Ramsdens in the background while Halifax film the advert in Goole in December Florence Scott, 27, a PHD student and Goole native, wrote on Twitter that it 'looks uncanily like my town's centre but not run down' The Goole native called it 'jarring' to see a different version of the same street She said Halifax was making a 'convenient lie' about the town in the advert Ms Scott said why is Halifax so 'ashamed' to show a 'struggling northern street' Former town mayor Terry Smith said the ad should have shown 'a proper Goole, not an airbrushed reality of our northern towns that are left behind'. 'It's a bit of a ghost town, it's unrecognisable from what it was,' said Florence, who now studies at the University of Leeds. 'I would like to see my town on TV, but I didn't see my town on TV, I saw a sanitised version. That's what's upsetting.' Ms Scott also told the i, newspaper, while watching this advert she had 'this strange sense like 'this looks familiar' But she had to 'Google it to confirm. Then I realised just how many adjustments had been made'. Halifax claimed it is 'common practice' to make edits so shop branding is not shown in TV ads as they do not have the 'legal right' to show copyrighted brands. A spokeswoman for the bank also told the MailOnline: 'We're proud to have filmed our latest Halifax advert in Goole and, while we preserved the scene featured as far as possible, we had no choice with some of digital edits we had to make, as we can only show branding we have the legal right to.' Halifax claimed it is 'common practice' to make edits so shop branding is not shown as they do not have the 'legal right' to show copyrighted brands Goole residents thought the Halifax advert with its focus on community and people was 'upsetting' for the town The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has given Goole 25 million to regenerate the town, shown in the Halifax advert Ben Uttley, founder and chief exec of production company Stamp, said commercials are required to replace shop fronts like Ramsdens pawnbrokers in Goole, seen in reality here, due to copyright rules Ben Uttley, founder and chief exec of production company Stamp, said commercials are required to replace shop fronts due to copyright rules. However, he said the backlash should be a lesson to brands and commercial makers to strive for more realism. 'There is a growing demand from audiences for brands to act more authentically,' he added. 'If you are going to claim you are at the heart of the community and you put out ads like this you are going to get called out.' The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has given Goole 25 million to regenerate the town. MP for Brigg and Goole Andrew Percy said in parliament this month: 'Those who come to Goole will still see a hollowed-out town centre, as can be seen in many such towns. 'While we have improvements in educational standards, big investment coming in and hundreds of new homes being built, the town centre looks like it is still in decline, as is common across the country.' A Colorado plastic surgeon is facing manslaughter charges over the death of a 19-year-old patient who died 14 months after he botched her breast surgery. Dr Geoffrey Kim, 52, admitted he didn't call 911 for five hours after Emmalyn Nguyen went into cardiac arrest when she was given anesthesia by nurse Rex Meeker on August 1, 2019. Kim turned himself in to Arapahoe County Sheriff's officials on Wednesday and is expected to be charged with negligent homicide, reckless manslaughter and misdemeanor obstruction of service. Emmalyn was left braindead and couldn't speak or walk after the surgery and died 14 months later. Dr Geoffrey Kim (left), 52, admitted he didn't call 911 for five hours after Emmalyn Nguyen (right) went into cardiac arrest when she was given anesthesia by nurse Rex Meeker on August 1, 2019 Emmalyn (in bed) is pictured at the nursing home with her parents, Lynn Fam (right) and Sonny Nguyen (left). She was fed via tube and hooked up to an oxygen machine to breathe Emmalyn's parents, Lynn Fam and Sonny Nguyen, told KDVR in December 2019 that their daughter wanted breast implants to shore up her self-image after graduating from high school. The teen, who was 18 at the time, had saved $6,000 for the surgery and was said to have been in good health before at the time. The family lawyer, David Woodruff, said that Emmalyn 'was left unobserved. No one watched her for about 15 minutes. A nurse comes into the room and finds her blue.' During the supposed more than five hours Emmalyn was lying on the operating table, Woodruff said that mom Lynn was sitting in the waiting room, not knowing about her daughter's condition. Lynn told the news station that at one point, the doctor came out to tell her that she wouldn't be able to check on her daughter. 'She's doing fine and she's young, maybe that's the reason why she's taking longer to wake up,' Lynn said that doctor told her. Emmalyn Nguyen, 19, died on October 4 after catching pneumonia at her nursing home. She had been in a vegetative state since August 2019, following breast surgery gone wrong Emmalyn's (pictured) brain injury mean that she couldn't walk or talk or feed herself and needed 24-hour care. She was showing signs of progress before she died Woodruff said that when the medics arrived, they used CPR to try to revive Emmalyn, but she didn't regain consciousness. Her brain injury meant that she was unable to talk, walk or feed herself, so she was placed in a nursing home to get round-the-clock care. She had to be fed through a tube and have an oxygen machine breathed for her. Nurse Rex Meeker is also facing a reckless manslaughter charge and is expected to turn himself on Friday. Arapahoe County Sheriffs Office Captain of Investigations, Travis Stewart, told the New York Post: 'The investigation has taken more than two years to complete and involved dozens of interviews and search warrants. 'Our hope is that this will be the beginning of bringing justice and a sense of closure to Emmalyns family.' Los Angeles-based criminal defense attorney Lou Shapiro said that although it is unusual for a doctor to face criminal charges over patient care, the allegations in this case are 'disturbing'. Emmalyn's family filed a civil suit against Kim and Meeker in December 2019 and the pair both agreed to pay $1million each, according to CBS Denver. Her brain injury meant that she was unable to talk, walk or feed herself, so she was placed in a nursing home to get round-the-clock care. She had to be fed through a tube and have an oxygen machine breathed for her. Prior to her death, Woodruff said that Emmalyn was showing signs of progress, was able to smile at times and was medically stable, CBS Denver reported. Emmalyn's parents launched a negligence lawsuit against Dr. Geoffrey Kim, her plastic surgeon, and her nurse-anesthetist, Rex Meeker (pictured) The family said that Meeker didn't administer Emmalyn's anesthesia properly and then failed to keep track of her condition. Kim, meanwhile, was said to have performed a resuscitation attempt. Emmalyn supposedly went into cardiac arrest again and was stabilized, but no 911 call was made. In the eventual 911 call, Meeker can be heard saying, 'She's not conscious. We've evaluated her. We've estimated a Glasgow score of 6 or 7.' Anywhere from three to eight on the Glasgow scale indicates a patient is comatose. Now that Emmalyn has died, Woodruff said the lawsuit will be converted to a wrongful death lawsuit. Kim's medical license was suspended on an emergency basis after it was learned that staff waited five hours to call 911 after she lost consciousness. But, in March, his license was reinstated under a three-year probationary status. Emmalyn's father, Sonny, said of the reinstatement: 'I dont know what the board is thinking but I think thats kind of unfair. He nearly killed someone and he only gets three years probation?' Meeker, the nurse anesthetist, agree to voluntarily stop administering anesthesia in January, but was allowed to continue practicing as a nurse. In December 2019, Meeker's lawyer, Douglas Wolaske, told KDVR that 'Mr. Meekers care was reasonable and within the standard of care and we are confident that the facts will bear this out.' Colorado state records from prior to Emmalyn's case showed that Kim had not had any previous disciplinary action taken against him. Meeker was said to have been sued in 2009, after a woman sustained brain damage and died while undergoing breast implant surgery. Meeker was the nurse anesthetist in that case. It was settled in 2012. A Florida woman fought off a six-foot shark by punching it repeatedly in the head after it clamped its jaws around her foot. Heather West, 42, was out snorkelling with some friends around Loggerhead Key at Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida when she had the terrifying experience. The group were exploring Little Africa Reef when the sea became too choppy for them to snorkel, so they decided to turn back and have a picnic on the beach. They swam in a single file line back to the shore, with Heather bringing up the rear. Heather, who lives in a van and travels the US, was the last left in the water, when she approached a patch of sea grass which seemed to be floating in a strange manner. Heather West (pictured), 42, was out snorkelling with some friends around Loggerhead Key at Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida when she had the terrifying experience The group were exploring Little Africa Reef when the sea became too choppy for them to snorkel, so they decided to turn back and have a picnic on the beach She stopped and looked around, before a ripple in the water convinced her something wasn't quite right. Heather immediately started swimming for shore, but as she turned she felt a strong tug on her right foot. Her initial thought was one of her fellow snorkellers was trying to scare her, although after a quick glance up she saw they were all waiting on the shore. That's when Heather felt the second, more forceful tug - and she suddenly realised what was going on. She turned on her front and looked behind her to see a six foot lemon shark with its jaws clamped round her foot. Heather, who lives in a van and travels the US, was the last left in the water, when she approached a patch of sea grass which seemed to be floating in a strange manner Heather, from, Houston, Texas, said: 'I was really excited to explore Loggerhead with these guys I'd met travelling, as they were experienced snorkelers. 'When we got in everything was fine, but then the water became really rough and tidal so we decided to head back. 'That's when I got a strange feeling that something was wrong, and funnily enough i felt the tug on my ankle. 'I originally thought one of the others was just being silly, but after the second pull I knew exactly what was happening. 'I turned on my back to see this huge beast with my foot in its mouth, so I instinctively started kicking it in the face with my other foot. She turned on her front and looked behind her to see a six foot lemon shark with its jaws clamped round her foot 'It kept tugging and tugging, and I could feel its teeth in my ankle. 'I was wearing flippers and my kick wasn't doing much damage, so I decided to lean forward and start punching it. 'I punched it in the face over and over again as hard as I possibly could, and after about 30 seconds it finally let go. 'For the next two minutes I was in complete shock and couldn't swim, but by this point my friends had ran back in the water to help me.' Heather's companions Greg Haw, 65, Douge Chancy, 70, and Freeman Hobs, 74, swam back into the sea and worked together to drag Heather to the safety of the shore. Heather's companions Greg Haw, 65, Douge Chancy, 70, and Freeman Hobs, 74, swam back into the sea and worked together to drag Heather to the safety of the shore Her foot had been completely mangled by the shark, and it quickly became clear that she needed medical attention as soon as possible. The men then carried Heather inland to find help, but because they'd travelled so far out to snorkel, there was nobody nearby. They eventually came across two park rangers who were setting down rat traps on the beach, who radioed over to nearby Fort Jefferson to send assistance. A speedboat from the fort came and collected Heather, but by this point she was losing a dangerous amount of blood. They were forced to tie multiple tourniquets above her ankle to stop the bleeding, which Heather described as 'like having chunks of flesh ripped from her leg.' Heather said: 'When I got to the shore I just started screaming 'I won, I won' because I realised that I still had my foot. 'In the water I was convinced he'd bitten it off, so seeing it still there, even though it was completely mangled, was a huge relief. Her foot had been completely mangled by the shark, and it quickly became clear that she needed medical attention as soon as possible 'The adrenaline was coursing through me and I actually felt so proud that I'd genuinely fought off a shark. 'Thankfully the two park rangers were there to call for help, because if they weren't we would have been completely on our own. 'The boat trip to Fort Jefferson was the worst bit of the whole experience, because the tourniquets they were tying to stop the bleeding were so excruciatingly painful. 'They were tying one after another until we eventually got there, by which point I was physically exhausted.' When the group arrived, medical experts took one look at Heather's foot and knew she needed hospital treatment. Thankfully, a small plane was about to leave the fort, and Heather was instructed to board the aircraft. She was flown an hour to nearby Key West where surgeons assessed the damage to her foot. She was flown an hour to nearby Key West where surgeons assessed the damage to her foot. Pictured: Freeman Hobs, 74, Doug Chancey, 70, and Greg Haw, 65 At first they felt Heather needed to be flown to Miami for plastic surgery, but after a specialist doctor assessed the damage he decided stiches would be enough. The damage to her tendons and ligaments has left her without full control of her right foot, but the doctor was able to save it from being amputated. Heather said: 'They were minutes away from flying me to Miami for plastic surgery, but in the end the doctor just folded the skin back down and sewed up my foot. 'Now I have little control over my right foot and ankle because of ligament and tendon damage, but I've been told it could return over time. 'The whole experience was completely mental, and one that will stay with me forever. 'When I think back, I'm convinced that if I hadn't of had that bad feeling and turned my body to start swimming to shore, it would have taken a chunk out of my torso. 'In that instance I would most likely have lost to much blood and died on that beach. 'It's unusual for sharks to take one bite and then persistently try again even after feeling resistance. 'The same shark is said to have been sighted a few days earlier when it came right out on to the shore to try and hunt a pelican which is really unusual behaviour. 'I can only think the poor thing must have been starving, because it was trying to drown me and drag me out to sea. 'Despite all of this, I want the record to show that I love sharks, and don't want to discourage people from getting in the water. 'As a matter of fact I'll be right back in as soon as I heal up!' A serial rapist who confessed to the murder of his aunt is set to walk free from jail a year early despite warnings he will re-offend. Cold and calculating Jason Van Der Baan has spent 25 years in prison for four violent rapes in Sydney, including one when he put a replica gun to a baby's head. Van Der Baan, 52, also confessed to the murder of his aunt Irene Wilson in 1995 - but was not convicted for it after a judge tossed out key evidence. Now Ms Wilson's daughter, Melanie and the detective inspector who locked him up say they fear he remains a menace and a danger to the public. Cold and calculating, Jason Van Der Baan spent more than 25 years in prison for four violent rapes, including one during which he put a gun to a baby's head. He is set to be released in two weeks 'Do not let him out; he's dangerous. There is absolutely no proof that he has rehabilitated,' Melanie told A Current Affair. Retired Detective Inspector Ian McNab added: 'I think he's one of the most evil people I've investigated.' Mr McNab said Van Der Baan planned his violent crimes meticulously and refused to admit any guilt until there was indisputable evidence in front of him. He nearly walked free once before - in 2009, after initially serving eight years for two of the rapes. But detectives found DNA evidence to connect him to two other rapes that occurred 15 years previously and he was also charged with a robbery to keep him behind bars. One of his rape victims told ACA that Van Der Baan got her pregnant during the rape - but that she was 'forever grateful' to have miscarried his child. The woman - who can't be named for legal reasons - admitted she was 'constantly reliving' the terrifying rape. Mr McNab, Melanie, and her uncle - Irene's brother, Tony Van Der Baan - fear Jason Van Der Baan will commit more violent crimes if released. Tony Van Der Baan admitted he was especially shocked by Jason's confession because his sister used to care for Jason when he was a baby. Melanie branded him 'a predator' and said women and men should be equally scared if he's released. Melanie Wilson (pictured), whose mother Irene Van Der Baan confessed to killing, labelled him 'a predator' and said women and men should be equally scared if he's released Ms Wilson's body was found by her children, but despite his confession the judge threw out the murder charge against Van Der Baan, ruling evidence against him was inadmissible. It included a taped confession recorded by an undercover officer in which Van Der Baan claimed to have jumped on Ms Wilson's back to strangle her with a shoelace. Van Der Baan is now set to walk free as early as March 3 - a year ahead of schedule - as part of a plan to monitor him, the Daily Telegraph reported. The NSW State Parole Authority (SPA) has decided to release Van Der Baan from jail so it can impose strict conditions on him. If he was left in jail to see out the remainder of his sentence in full, the SPA warned, he would then be released without any supervision or conditions. The SPA announced its intention to release Van Der Baan between March 3 and 11. No objections were raised by the State of NSW, the Serious Offenders Review Council or Community Corrections. Van Der Baan told an undercover police officer that he climbed on the back of his aunt Irene Wilson (pictured) before strangling her with a shoelace In prison Van Ver Baan completed a sex offender program and underwent therapy. He will now be forced to see a psychologist and wear an electronic tracking device on his ankle. He must also abide by tougher restrictions than most parolees. Those include that he cannot use drugs, or a weapon (including a gun), he can't stalk or contact victims, he can't be near children or use social media to contact them. He is also listed on the Child Protection Register. Despite that, Mr McNab insists Van Der Baan is at risk of re-offending. He added: 'I believe he's a danger to the community and I'm concerned that if he does get out, he may reoffend.' An Emirates airline pilot did a 'dangerous' high speed, low altitude fly-by over Dubai before the cockpit voice recorder was mysteriously 'overwritten,' investigators acknowledged Thursday. The long-haul Emirates flight that could carry up to 380 passengers was heading to Washington in December when it failed to properly climb and flew incredibly low and fast over the city-state before later gaining altitude over the sea. No one was injured in the December 19 flight, but such low altitudes and high speeds can cause damage to an aircraft and increases the risk of striking a building. Tracking data suggests Flight No. EK231 was just 200 feet off the ground at points as it flew over Dubai's Deira neighborhood before reaching the Persian Gulf. The initial report by the General Civil Aviation Authority said the pilot flying the Boeing 777 for the nighttime departure had put the plane's altitude selector to 4,000 feet, which is standard. The pilot also said she followed the instructions of the plane's onboard computer, the report said. However, the plane flew low and fast. Investigators say they recovered data from the plane, but the cockpit voice recorder had been 'overwritten,' without elaborating. Investigators say their final report will focus on 'the root cause of the shallow climb of the aircraft and the crew performance.' Emirates, a state-owned airline in Dubai, declined to comment Thursday. The Air Current, a website focused on the aviation industry, first reported on the incident. Emirates flight EK231, above, apparently overran the runway on departure and became airborne right at the limit of Dubai's airport and the city An Emirates airline pilot did a 'dangerous' high speed, low altitude fly-by over Dubai before the cockpit voice recorder was mysteriously 'overwritten,' investigators acknowledged Thursday Aside from the obvious dangers of flying so low and fast over buildings, events like this, known in the aviation industry as a 'flap overspeed event', can put dangerous stress on the aircraft, as it's flying too fast for the flap setting. Upon its arrival in Washington, the plane was inspected before making the return journey to Dubai, where it reportedly underwent a four-day safety inspection. Several people who were on the flight, or knew someone who was on it, took to aviation websites to comment after the incident. 'I was on that flight and let me say that was the most terrifying thing I have ever experienced,' one passenger wrote in the comments section of a God Save The Points story about the incident. Richard Guest, commenting on onemileatatime.com, said: 'I am a very frequent flyer with Emirates and not at all a nervous flyer. At 2:30am, you're not really wide awake since most of us on this flight also came via a connection. 'I did notice that we just didn't seem to be gaining altitude like normal. It did 'freak me out' a bit, but I kept thinking, well, it's because it's so heavy with fuel for the 14-hour flight. I know the Dubai USA flights are always heavy at take-off. 'None of the flight attendants ever said a word to me (I was in First) about this, and I didn't really think to ask in the latter half of the flight.' Another wrote: 'My husband was on the flight, and he and the guy across the aisle from him were terrified during take-off. My husband thought the engine was damaged, although he said everything felt normal after take-off.' Pictured: A Emirates airline plane takes off from Dubai (file image) Tracking data suggests Flight No. EK231 was just 200 feet off the ground at points as it flew over Dubai's Deira neighborhood before reaching the Persian Gulf. Pictured: Dubai (file image) The incident took place on December 20, 2021, with the 777 accelerating to at least 216 knots (248mph) far beyond a normal take-off velocity before leaving the ground (stock image of a 777 cockpit) A Boeing captain, who has experience flying 747s and Dreamliners and who spoke to MailOnline Travel anonymously earlier this month, said: 'This incident was very dangerous and could easily have led to the aircraft hitting a building or indeed the ground. 'It appears that the aircraft had both a tyre and flap overspeed event, going too fast on the ground for the tyres and too fast in the air for the wing flaps they had selected. 'On that basis returning to Dubai would have been a more appropriate course of action than continuing the flight. The fact that the aircraft didn't fly for four days after returning to Dubai indicates that Emirates felt it needed an extensive engineering check before being fit to fly. So it should not have operated Dubai-Washington-Dubai [14 hours each way] before the checks were completed.' Emirates had previously offered no explanation for the incident and no cockpit recording has been released. This means that the aviation community has been left to speculate about the possible causes, though there is one potential clue. Speculation suggested it could be that an incorrect 'target' post-take-off altitude had been inputted into the plane's computer before take-off. Pictured above is Dubai airport. The incident took place on runway 30R, with the plane eventually carrying safely on to Washington DC Shortly after the incident, Emirates issued a Notam (notice to air missions) crew alert to remind them not to set the altitude on the 'mode control panel', which controls the autopilot, to the airport altitude. It read: 'Crews are reminded that there are no requirements to change the MCP [mode control panel] after landing or shutdown. It appears that the aircraft had both a tyre and flap overspeed event, going too fast on the ground for the tyres and too fast in the air for the wing flaps they had selected Long-haul airline captain 'There have been times when the MCP "altitude window" has been set to the airport elevation, which may cause issues on the subsequent departure. Crews shall not set airport elevation on the MCP after landing or shut down.' One theory is that the previous crew had set the 'autopilot altitude target window' to 0000 when they shut the aircraft down and that this put the 'flight director' into the wrong mode, 'maintain selected altitude', instead of TOGA (take-off/go-around). Put simply, the 'flight director' is a cross that gives lateral and vertical guidance on the 'Primary Flight Display' (artificial horizon) screen in the cockpit - it indicates the pitch 'attitude' that the aircraft should be flown at. And in this instance, it's possible that it was directing the crew to point the aircraft too low on take-off and not at the correct 12 to 15 per cent angle. The flight director doesn't control the aircraft, it's a guide, and the autopilot in a 777 doesn't kick in until at least 200ft in altitude, so as the plane is going down the runway, the pilots are in full manual control. However, it could be, the Boeing captain said, that the pilots became distracted by the unusual computer indications. He said: 'The flight director bar should indicate the target pitch attitude for take-off and it is up to the pilot to rotate the aircraft up to this attitude to climb away at a safe speed. '"Rotate" is called by the monitoring pilot - the one not with hands on the controls - and the handling pilot then pulls back on the control column to rotate the aircraft to the take-off pitch attitude. 'If he/she doesn't call "rotate", then the handling pilot should do it anyway as they should be monitoring aircraft speed during the take-off roll [the correct take-off speed is worked out beforehand depending on the aircraft's weight and weather conditions]. 'My guess here is that the monitoring pilot was confused by the strange appearance of the flight director - again I'm guessing here that it was in ALT mode not TOGA - and "tunnelled in" on that distraction, missing the necessary call of "rotate". ' There is speculation that an incorrect 'target' post-take-off altitude had been inputted into the plane's mode control panel (stock image above) before take-off TOP TABLE: This data from Flightradar24, published by Onemileatatime.com, shows how the December 20 flight was still on the ground at 216 knots (248mph). BOTTOM TABLE: This data is from the same service, but a few days earlier. The figures on the far right show speed in knots and in the column to the left, altitude in feet He added: 'It appears that once the error was identified, they managed to engage some suitable autopilot modes, climb the aircraft and retract the flaps - but this took time with the aircraft travelling much faster than would be normal for the altitude they were at. 'I would guess that some Emirates pilots have generated a "habit" of setting 0000 in the autopilot altitude target window as part of shutting the aircraft down. Why? Probably because they thought it was a good idea in order to prevent possible altitude setting errors by the next crew - because everybody knows 0000 is incorrect. 'The issue is that if the setting of 0000 is missed in the cockpit setup, it has the ability to generate some dire consequences. The moral of the story - operate the aircraft to Boeing/Emirates standard operating procedures, don't introduce procedures of your own, particularly in critical areas.' Another pilot, who has previously worked for Emirates, added: 'Any airline pilot knows that if the flight director fails or gives wrong commands you just ignore it and fly the airplane.' An Emirates spokesperson said at the time: 'We can confirm that a technical incident occurred on the departure of EK231 on 20 December 2021. 'The flight continued safely to its destination, and after technical clearances the aircraft operated the return flight to Dubai. The incident is under investigation, and we are unable to provide further comment at this time. Safety is at the heart of everything we do and would never be compromised.' The U.S Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said: 'The FAA is aware of this incident. Civil aviation authorities in the United Arab Emirates are in charge of the investigation.' The flight was the first of two potentially disastrous incidents in Dubai within weeks of each other. The second involved Emirates flight EK524 - also a Boeing 777 - going to Hyderabad on January 9, which rolled without clearance while another plane was crossing the same runway. A Swedish hitman who murdered a reality television stars brother in a tit-for-tat gang war has been handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 35 years. Flamur Beqiri, 36, was shot dead on the doorstep of his 1.7 million home in Battersea, south-west London, in front of his screaming wife as she shielded their two-year-old son on Christmas Eve in 2019. Mr Beqiri, the brother of The Real Housewives Of Cheshire star Misse Beqiri, was a kingpin in an international drugs gang and was targeted as part of a feud with a rival organised crime group. Anis Hemissi, 24, a professional kickboxer, was hired as an assassin to fly into London to carry out the murder, which was meticulously planned for up to six months. The shooter, kickboxer Anis Hemissi, 24, had carried out a four-hour reconnaissance mission two days before the hit disguised as a litter picker, donning a high-vis jacket and trousers, sunglasses and a full-face latex mask Beqiri, pictured with his wife, Debora Krasniqi, posed as a Swedish record producer but in reality was a senior figure in an international drugs gang He rode a distinctive ladies bike, wore a latex mask and disguised himself as a litter picker to carry out reconnaissance before shooting Mr Beqiri eight times from behind. Hemissi was jailed for life with a minimum term of 35 years at Southwark Crown Court on Friday after he was found guilty of murder and possession of a firearm. Accomplice Estevan Pino-Munizaga, 35, travelled to the capital for around 14 hours in November 2019 to rent the flat where Hemissi stayed in Oyster Wharf, visit Mr Beqiris house nearby and buy the ladies bicycle. He was jailed for 15 years, of which he will serve two thirds, after being acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter. Flamur 'Alex' Beqiri, 36, a Swedish national of Albanian heritage whose sister Misse Beqiri (both pictured) appeared in Real Housewives Of Cheshire, was murdered outside his 1.7m home in Battersea, southwest London, on Christmas Eve 2019 Hemissi made several errors, including using a 'ladies' design bicycle' with a basket on the front for reconnaissance. In Sweden this considered unisex but in Britain is mainly used by women - making him stand out How police identified hitman through a plane ticket he left in a bin The Swedish hitman hired to murder drugs gang kingpin Flamur Beqiri was identified after police found a ripped-up plane ticket with part of his name on it. Anis Hemissi, 24, wore latex masks and donned disguises including a litter picker's outfit for reconnaissance and to carry out the shooting on Christmas Eve 2019. However, a rapid CCTV trawl over the following days allowed detectives to trace the shooter on foot, then by bicycle from Battersea Church Road down the Thames path to a flat in Oyster Wharf. A local team, hired to clean up, had removed a large suitcase and a rucksack on Christmas Day but police were already inside when they returned two days later to finish the job. Metropolitan Police Detective Sergeant Brett Skowron said: 'The defendants have underestimated quite how much CCTV there is throughout London. 'We think they would never have thought that we would actually have been able to track them as far back to that flat in the first place. 'That's because in Sweden they have much less CCTV due to the restrictions of what it can be used for.' The flat was a treasure trove for forensics investigators, who recovered gunshot residue from the Ridgeback bike used by Hemissi in his getaway. Officers also found the litter picker and black bin bags used as part of Hemissi's disguise. DNA and fingerprints from Hemissi as well as Estevan Pino-Munizaga, 35, the man who had rented the flat, were also found on items such as drinks containers, food and rubbish. Crucially for the investigation, in one of the bins was a ripped up piece of ticket stub with part of Hemissi's name on it. Officers were able to track the killer to Heathrow, from where he flew to Copenhagen, Denmark, in the early hours of Christmas Day using his own name. Bank records obtained by Swedish police showed the gunman had bought a high-vis jacket and trousers, boots and a black beanie hat he used along with a latex mask and litter picker to pose as a street cleaner. A new analysis technique was used in what is believed to be a first in an investigation to show he was using far more mobile data while he was in the flat compared to when he was outside. Senior Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor Louise Attrill said the shooting was 'a professional organised killing but there were mistakes.' One of the errors was made by Pino-Munizaga when he bought a distinctive dark green 'ladies' design bicycle', with a basket on the front, to be used by the gunman in reconnaissance. Advertisement Clifford Rollox, 31, from Islington, north London, and Dutch national Claude Isaac Castor, 31, from Sint Maarten in the Caribbean, were each jailed for three years after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice, having been hired locally to clean up and remove evidence, including the gun, from the flat. They will serve half. Beqiri - a major figure in Swedish organised crime - was the latest victim of a string of 'tit for tat' shootings as his gang battled for domination of the market for smuggling drugs into Sweden from Spain and the Netherlands. Moments after the shooting his wife, Deborah, called her husband's associate Naief Adawi, 37, who had also moved to Battersea from Sweden, to warn him: 'Maybe someone's coming for you as well. Watch out.' Adawi, who was jailed for eight years in Denmark in 2010 for aggravated robbery with a lethal weapon over a 7 million heist on a security firm - one of the largest heists in the country's history - had already survived one attempt on his life. Gunmen opened fire as he left his Malmo apartment on August 26, 2019, carrying his newborn baby daughter, who was dropped but not injured as Adawi ran away. But his partner Karolin Hakim, 31, was shot multiple times and killed. Close friends Adawi and Beqiri were both kingpins in the Swedish drugs gang run by Daniel Petrovski, 38, who was sentenced to five years' imprisonment last June for an aggravated drugs offence. They were locked in a bloody war with a rival organised crime group headed by Amir Mekky, 24, who was also involved in large-scale trafficking of cocaine and cannabis and arrested in Dubai in June 2020. Violence between the two gangs, including kidnap and murder, escalated from the middle of 2018 and by the following summer both Adawi and Beqiri had become targets. But Mekky's men were not Beqiri's only enemies - police intelligence suggests he was regularly in dispute with, or in debt to, criminal associates, including Albanian gangs. Beqiri had installed a top-of-the-range CCTV system in his 1.7 million Battersea townhouse and when dining out he would send his wife in first and sit facing the door. On the night he was murdered she had sat at the table in a Sloane Square restaurant, taken a photo and sent it to him before he joined her. Beqiri was right to be cautious. However, the CCTV camera he hoped would protect his family instead captured, with shocking clarity and sound, the moment a masked assassin shot him dead from behind with a semi-automatic handgun, firing 10 times. Seconds earlier Beqiri had arrived home from dinner hand-in-hand with Ms Krasniqi and their two-year-old son, while their three-month-old baby and the children's three grandparents were inside. In graphic footage, Ms Krasniqi can be heard screaming and is seen cradling the boy as her husband drops to the floor, having been hit by eight bullets. The couple, who made a 950,000 down payment on their home and also rented a property in Dubai, had married a little over a year earlier in Cernobbio, by Lake Como, Italy, with pictures of the happy occasion published in Grace Ormonde Wedding Style magazine. Boris Johnson is facing a looming reckoning on Partygate as the deadline for returning his questionnaire to police passes today. The PM received his formal questionnaire last Friday, and the Met has given all those contacted seven days to respond. Mr Johnson is expected to argue that he believed all the functions he attended were essential for work, but No10 has insisted the document will not be made public. And they have also urged police not to publish hundreds of pictures handed to an official probe into the Partygate scandal - allegedly including one of the premier drinking beer. However, Mr Johnson has committed to revealing if he gets a fixed penalty notice (FPN). It was revealed today that Downing Street staff, including the PM, have been offered the opportunity to see what they told the original Sue Gray Partygate inquiry before they respond to the police questionnaire. ITV News reported that Ms Gray sent a letter to staff yesterday which said they could have 'limited access' to interview notes taken during the Cabinet Office probe. However, people will only be able to view notes on the evidence they themselves gave which means staff will not be able to ask to see what others may or may not have said about their conduct. The viewing of the notes will be subject to strict rules, with people not allowed to bring any legal representative with them while phones and laptops will be banned. People will also not be permitted to 'challenge, suggest changes or amendments to the notes or otherwise challenge their contents'. The latest stage in the scandal comes after a poll underlined the political damage being done. An Ipsos UK survey carried out last week suggests that 54 per cent of Britons think Mr Johnson has done a bad job to date, with almost the same proportion supporting a vote of no confidence in his leadership. In February last year 41 per cent thought he was doing a bad job. Some 54 per cent of those who voted Conservative in the 2019 election see him as having performed well - but that is down from 69 per cent 12 months ago. Boris Johnson (pictured in Lincolnshire yesterday) received his formal questionnaire last Friday, and the Met has given all those contacted seven days to respond The Met is investigating 12 gatherings in Downing Street (pictured) and wider Government in an inquiry called Operation Hillman ITV News reported that Sue Gray sent a letter to staff yesterday which said they could have 'limited access' to interview notes taken during the Cabinet Office probe Police have made clear they do not intend to disclose names when the Partygate investigation concludes. However, the Lib Dems have tabled a 'Humble Address' motion that would require the publication of a full list of elected officials, senior civil servants and political appointees given FPNs. It would also require the Sue Gray report to be published in full, alongside any accompanying evidence including photographs. The Met has previously indicated that it has been given around 300, with Mr Johnson believed to be included in some of them. Police officers investigating the Partygate scandal have reportedly been handed a photo of the premier holding a can of beer at his lockdown birthday party in June 2020. The picture features the Prime Minister raising a can of Estrella standing next to Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the Downing Street Cabinet Room as he toasts towards the camera, according to the Mirror. Downing Street said earlier this week that the Prime Minister's responses to his police questionnaire into gatherings at No 10 will not be made public. But Mr Johnson insists he will have 'a lot more' to say on the Partygate row once the police investigation is concluded. The Met have sent the questionnaire to approximately 50 people as they investigate 12 gatherings in Downing Street and wider Government in an inquiry called Operation Hillman, which is examining whether Covid restrictions were broken. The Prime Minister is alleged to have been at up to six of the events. The forms ask for an 'account and explanation of the recipient's participation in an event' and have 'formal legal status and must be answered truthfully'. A Q&A sheet has been sent to Government officials caught up in the inquiry, detailing certain aspects of what information will and will not be published by the police over the course of their investigation. British rapper Dizzee Rascal was accused of abusing the mother of his children as a court heard how he allegedly attacked his ex-fiancee and pushed her to the floor during a 'chaotic' row. The 37-year-old grime artist, whose real name is Dylan Mills, has denied 'pressing his forehead against' Cassandra Jones and later 'pushing her to the ground' at a home in Streatham, south London. Speaking at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Friday, Ms Jones - who has two children with Rascal - said she left the chart-topping artist in February 2021 because of 'domestic abuse'. Prosecutor Helena Duong said the alleged assault occurred in 'the context of a domestic dispute' about child contact during what was a 'fairly chaotic scene' when he dropped off their daughter at the property. The court heard that during the incident Mills allegedly 'barged' his way into the house carrying their son, started 'shouting and screaming', 'put his forehead against hers and pushed her around the room', and 'pushed her [Ms Jones] to the ground'. When he arrived at the south London home, Ms Jones alleges he behaved 'erratically and was banging his head three times on the fridge with his son in his arms'. Ms Duong said Rascal then 'put his forehead against Ms Jones and pushed her around the room', before pushing her to the ground where she landed on her elbows. The rapper has denied assaulting Ms Jones. Chart-topping British rapper Dizzee Rascal has today appeared before magistrates accused of attacking his ex-fiancee during a 'chaotic' argument The British rapper, 37, whose real name is Dylan Mills, was arrested by police on June 8, 2021 on suspicion of common assault (pictured at a gig in Cornwall last year) Mills wore a grey suit and black tie as he appeared before Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Friday. Rascal and Ms Jones, who have two children and had been together nine years before splitting in February 2021, were arguing about their children when he dropped his daughter off at the property, the court heard. Ms Jones described her ex-fiance as 'a ticking time bomb', explaining that she was calm when he arrived on the doorstep with their daughter as she knew he was in a bad mood and did not want to anger him. She gave evidence from behind a screen at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Friday, sobbing throughout her testimony. The court broke for lunch in the middle of Ms Jones' evidence as she was hyperventilating and unable to get her words out through tears. Ms Duong said the rapper had been 'confrontational' when he picked his daughter up earlier that day. Later in the afternoon, Ms Jones rang Rascal when he was late dropping off their daughter and he began 'swearing' on the phone, the prosecutor said. When he arrived at the property an hour later than expected, Ms Jones said he could not come in but he picked up his son at the entrance and 'barged her out the way to make his way into the house with his son in his arms', the court was told. Rascal, whose real name is Dylan Mills, has denied 'pressing his forehead against' Cassandra Jones and later 'pushing her to the ground' at a home in Streatham, south London. Pictured: The rapper arrives at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Friday Ms Duong said he made his way into the kitchen where Ms Jones's mother, Dawn Kirk, was and he was 'screaming and shouting'. The rapper was described as 'out of control' during the incident, with Ms Jones fearing for the safety of her child. Ms Jones told the court through tears that Mills grew 'very angry' and 'was out of control' during the incident. She alleged he 'nearly dropped' their son, adding: 'He was screaming for me and I said "Please just give me him".' Ms Jones later said: 'He put his forehead on my forehead and he pushed me around the room' but added that it was not a 'headbutt'. She said he also 'barged' her and she 'fell to the floor', bruising and grazing her left arm. 'He was charging around, in and out of the house. He was out of control,' she added. The prosecutor said Ms Jones began to film Mills, adding: 'The crown say it shows him raising his voice towards Ms Kirk while he has his son under his arms. 'The crown say he became very angry and started acting erratically, banging his head three times on the fridge with his son in his arms.' Ms Duong said she tried to call the police but he lunged as her and grabbed the mobile phone, adding: 'Ms Jones wanted to get her son off him.' The prosecutor said he then 'put his forehead against hers and pushed her around the room' and Ms Jones then screamed: 'Get off me.' There was then a 'scuffle for the phone' and Mills 'pushed her to the ground and she landed on her elbows', the court heard. Sally Bennett-Jenkins QC, defending Mills, questioned 'inconsistencies' in several witness statements Ms Jones had made about the incident. Ms Bennett-Jenkins argued that both Mills and Ms Jones were screaming at each other during the argument. Ms Jones, who became increasingly upset during her cross-examination, replied: 'Yes, because I was screaming to give back my son. 'He said: "I cannot understand why you left me' and I said: 'I left you because of domestic abuse",' she added, raising her voice in tears. The rapper, who was awarded an MBE two years ago for services to music, won the Mercury Award for album of the year in 2003 with his first solo album, Boy in da Corner Ms Duong said: 'The shouting was sufficiently loud to cause concern to the neighbour' who came over to calm the situation down and found 'Mr Mills getting to 100% anger'. The prosecutor described the dispute as a 'fairly chaotic scene of moving around the house'. Rascal, of Sevenoaks in Kent, was just 18 when his debut album, Boy In Da Corner, was released in 2003. Since then he has become one of Britain's most successful acts and performed at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic. He has scored a string of number one singles, including Dance Wiv Me and Bonkers. He released his latest album, E3 AF, in 2020 where in the same year he was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to music. Last year, Mills performed at the Boardmasters music festival alongside bands including The Kooks, Gorillaz and Foals. His private life is little reported on - but it is believed that he has previously dated model Kaya Bousquet, who died in a high-speed car crash in 2008. Mills has his own record label called Dirtee Stank and was able to win over new fans last March when he appeared on the Great British Bake-Off. The trial continues. Royal Mail said they were suspending delivery and closing offices for safety Britain has been hit by delivery chaos today as several firms cancelled services amid safety concerns in Storm Eunice. Deadly wind speeds of up to 122mph were recorded on England's southern coast today as Storm Eunice swept across the country, felling trees and damaging homes. Forecasters and government officials have urged people to stay indoors are placing to red warnings over London and southwest England. But the chance of getting a Friday night takeaway or parcel deliveries are now extremely slim after several firms said they were suspending services over safety fears. Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats have confirmed they were shutting down in areas affected by the red weather warnings. Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Royal Mail have confirmed they would shut down services in areas covered by the red warning for Storm Eunice amid safety fears as wind gusts reached 122mph today A message on the Deliveroo app reads: 'In the interest of keeping riders safe, our service is not available at the moment due to a red weather warning.' A message on the Deliveroo app reads: 'We'll be back delivering again when it is safe to do so.' They added: 'In the interest of keeping riders safe, our service is not available at the moment due to a red weather warning.' While Uber Eats say: 'For courier safety, our delivery service is currently unavailable due to a weather alert.' Just Eat confirmed that it had suspended its deliveries in areas with red weather warnings as Storm Eunice continued to batter the country. A Just Eat spokesperson said: 'Courier safety is our number one priority and we have suspended our delivery services in all areas with red weather warnings. 'We are continuously monitoring the situation and will restart deliveries once it is safe to do so.' A Deliveroo Spokesperson told MailOnline: 'In the interest of keeping riders safe, Deliveroo's service is not available in London and the South East or Wales and areas of the South West at the moment due to the red weather warning and adverse conditions. 'We will continue to monitor the situation and remain in close contact with our partners and riders to let them know when we plan to reopen these areas.' A message on the Uber Eats app says: 'For courier safety, our delivery service is currently unavailable due to a weather alert.' People on social media welcomed the decision, with one saying: 'I am glad Deliveroo have cancelled any orders today due to the storm, so the delivery guys don't have to work through it.' The huge wind gusts and adverse conditions have also affected parcel delivery services, with Royal Mail taking the decision to immediately close offices in red warning areas. A Royal Mail spokesman said: 'In areas for which the Met Office has issued a red warning, we have had no choice but to suspend deliveries and close our delivery offices. 'In areas covered by an amber warning, we are assessing risk based on local knowledge, and will keep services running where possible. 'We will be reviewing the situation throughout the day, while continuing to prioritise the safety of our staff and customers.' The top speed of 122mph at Needles on the Isle of Wight today is provisionally the highest gust ever recorded in England and means Storm Eunice is now worse than the 1987 Great Storm when gusts peaked at 115mph in West Sussex. The Met Office issued the first red warning for the South West at 11am yesterday, 20 hours in advance, before issuing the second for the South East at 4am today - just six hours before the 'extremely strong winds' begin. The fallen tree in Bude, Cornwall, is pictured this morning after it was felled by very strong winds from Storm Eunice Waves crash over Newhaven Lighthouse and the harbour wall in East Sussex this morning as Storm Eunice hits Britain The O2 in Greenwich, South East London, had a series of roof panels ripped off by Storm Eunice this morning The South West warning covers coastline of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset as well as South Wales due to the combination of high tides, strong winds and storm surge - while the second is over most of South East England. The Met Office had warned that the phenomenon known as a 'sting jet' - a small area of highly intense wind inside a storm - could form, similar to the 1987 Great Storm. However forecasters later said this would not be the case. Forecasters today urged Britons to work from home in the worst affected areas with the centre of the storm expected to be up the Bristol Channel and around the narrowing of the River Severn in Gloucestershire. Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted today: 'The Met Office has issued a red weather warning for much of the UK. We should all follow the advice and take precautions to keep safe. I thank responders for all their efforts.' People should 'take precautions' during Storm Eunice, the Government has said, adding that the Army is on 'high readiness standby' to help. Advertisement More than 100 truckers and protestors have been arrested so far as hundreds of police launched a massive crackdown on the Freedom Convoy occupation of Ottawa on Friday. Heavily-armed riot cops used pepper spray, while mounted police and armored vehicles were also brought in to help begin clearing the downtown area, paralyzed by a three-week blockade over the truckers' Covid jab protest. On Friday night, Ottawa police ramped up the pressure by issuing an alert saying anyone 'within the unlawful protest site may be arrested.' Officers smashed the window of one truck to pull the occupant out and arrest him. Protesters who refused to move were arrested one by one before they were taken away by pairs of officers. A third protest leader, Pat King, was arrested. On Thursday, two other organizers - Tamara Lich and Chris Barber - had been taken into custody. One SUV carrying nurses and medical supplies was surrounded by armed police and a window of the vehicle was smashed, outside the secure area. When the police searched the vehicle and confirmed there were no weapons, they let the protesters continue their journey - and gave them information about how to get the window repaired. There were no arrests. The police at 10:20pm on Friday tweeted: 'Please note: No one has been seriously injured or passed away in any of today's police actions. Safety is our priority.' They also continued urging people to voluntarily leave the secure zone. The massive sweep involving seven police forces began around 11:15 a.m. It followed days of speculation about when the crackdown would happen after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act for draconian new powers. Ottawa police are constantly updating figures, but the latest are more than 100 people arrested and 21 vehicles have been towed away. A woman kneels before police in Ottawa as protesters are arrested at the end of a three week protest Lines of police officers assemble near the truckers' protest on Friday A truck leaves the Parliament Hill area as some drivers on Friday were convinced to leave the site Police storm a caravan and arrest a person who refused to leave A police force of hundreds has descended on the Freedom Convoy truckers in Ottawa, Canada, making scores of arrests and towing away big rigs that have formed a three-week blockade around the country's Parliament to protest vaccine mandates. At least 70 protesters have been arrested, and police said none have been injured Police horses lined up in Ottawa on Friday, before the order was given to disperse the crowd A protester is forcibly removed from the scene in Ottawa by police on Friday Police confront truckers in a bid to remove them from Ottawa on Friday Protesters and police tussle as one of 100 people is arrested in Ottawa on Friday Protesters take photos of the police horses before the order to move in is given Police plunge into the crowd to arrest protesters in Ottawa on Friday Police mass in Ottawa preparing to force protesters from the city center Police face off with demonstrators in Ottawa on Friday night A police officer in riot gear readies to remove the protesters from downtown Ottawa after three weeks of protest Officers in Ottawa ready to move in on Friday afternoon to break up the protests A woman carrying a placard walks past the waiting police officers in Ottawa on Friday afternoon Protesters wave the Canadian flag in Ottawa on Friday afternoon as police stand by A protester films on his phone during a police standoff with demonstrators in Ottawa on Friday afternoon Police in gas masks ready the tear gas to clear protesters from downtown Ottawa on Friday A protester wearing a biker jacket with a veteran's badge on it is led away by cops after being arrested in Ottawa Four officers carry a handcuffed protester away from the no-go zone in Ottawa A protester confronts police before being arrested on Friday afternoon Demonstrators are seen kneeling after being handcuffed at the protests on Friday as police used Trudeau's Emergency Act to create a 'no-go' zone in Ottawa and arrest protesters Among the police units on the ground are the fearsome Surete du Quebec riot cops, dressed in green military-style fatigues, helmets and visors and wielding batons. Some were also brandishing tear gas guns and already wearing gas masks. The operation began with a tense face-off between a large contingent of Ottawa cops dressed in blue tactical gear and some with rubber bullet guns - confronting demonstrators near the Westin hotel on the edge of the police's new 'secured zone'. Police horses were in the background. DailyMail.com witnessed four arrests of individuals who were singled out and wrestled to the ground before being cuffed with zip ties and led away. Officers faced taunts and shouts as they slowly moved the crowd back towards the iconic Chateau Laurier hotel, about 400 yards from the protest epicenter beside the Parliament Buildings. As he watched cops advance, protestor Dallon who would not give his last name told DailyMail.com: 'This is a sledge hammer to kill a fly. 'I'm not afraid to get arrested. In fact I'm expecting it. But they know why we are here and many of them are actually with us.' The number of demonstrators thinned out with the first police surge in the highly fluid situation. Organizers could be heard trying to rally protestors to 'hold the line' farther back. One, who had a British accent, appeared to be a demonstration co-ordinator. He rushed past us as he yelled to others: 'Go back, hold the line in Wellington Street (closer to the main blockade). We're just going to get arrested here,' As the crowd was corralled up the street to a group of parked trucks, at least 50 of the Surete du Quebec riot cops appeared to come out of nowhere and the tension rose dramatically. The daunting military-style figures blocked anyone leaving their self-imposed perimeter, warning everyone including the media that they faced arrest. Minutes later they formed a single line, separating demonstrators from the road intersection near the Chateau Laurier that had been taken over by truckers. Three riot cop spotters were seen on the roof of the building being used as the temporary home of the Canadian Senate, which overlooks the stand-off area. A drone was flying overhead. Demonstrators yelled 'shame on you' and chanted at the officers, who stood immobile for at least two hours in what appears to be a patient and methodical police operation. One man stripped off his shirt and got down on his knees in an imploring gesture as he begged them to back off. However, behind the wall of riot cops other officers could be seen arresting truckers who had stayed in their rigs which were overrun by the law enforcement surge near the Chateau Laurier. Cops could be seen knocking on the door of trucks to get the drivers to come out. Most complied, although at least one tried to stay put and an officer breached the door to pull him out. The arrested drivers all ended up sprawled on the snow, made to put their arms behind their backs and were then cuffed before being led away. And the tension rose dramatically just before 5pm when a column of police horses moved in as the riot cops began another surge to claim more ground. By 6.25pm the riot police were holding a new line slightly closer to the Parliament Buildings. Ottawa cops said their officers had been attacked. They tweeted: 'Protestors are assaulting officers, have attempted to remove officers' weapons. All means of de-escalation have been used to move forward in our goal of returning Ottawa to its normalcy.' Police make an arrest as they crackdown on the Freedom Convoy protest, which started in opposition to vaccine mandates and grew into a broader anti-government demonstration and siege Riot cops with tear gas cannons converge on the Ottawa protests in a crackdown on the Freedom Convoy A Canadian flag is held up by a protester as police slowly push in to the core of the Freedom Convoy protest. Police began arresting protesters and towing away trucks Friday in a bid to break the three-week, traffic-snarling siege of Canada's capital Hundreds of police advanced on the protesters and began picking them off with arrests one by one Two camper vans that had been a signature feature of the occupation blocking one of the main arteries into the Parliament Hill area were among those hauled away. One of the occupants was arrested A person waves a Canadian flag as police on horseback and an armoured police vehicle are positioned in front of protesters Protesters embrace in front of police officers on Rideau Street near the truck blockade in Ottawa, on Friday A demonstrator lies on the ground to block the advance of police and tow trucks in Ottawa on Friday A protest truck is towed as police begin to clear demonstrators against vaccine mandates in Ottawa on Friday Using powers under the Emergencies Act, Ottawa cops have established a 'no-go' zone with 100 checkpoints encircling the Freedom Convoy, cutting them off from support and preventing additional protesters from joining And the force also issued an official alert graphic on Twitter, reading: 'Demonstrators you must leave. Anyone found within the zone will be arrested.' It reinforced the message by adding: 'You must leave. You must cease further unlawful activity and immediately remove your vehicle and/or property from all unlawful protest sites. Anyone within the unlawful protest site may be arrested.' Some demonstrators remained defiant but appeared shaken by the initial police surge. However, as the day drew on their spirits lifted. More and more protestors began to congregate in the stand-off area. It is clear that the combined police operation is working to a specific and patient plan, however the demonstrators also appear well organized and now largely unfazed. Dozens were roaming around filming on their phones and dictating a narrative as they live-streamed on social media. As word spread of the dramatic police action, at least 14 trucks near the Parliament Buildings drove off from the spots where they had been for three weeks. Back at the makeshift stage almost under the office window of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the atmosphere was surreal. While riot cops were cracking down just 300 yards away, music was still blaring from the stage and a performer was trying to keep up the spirits of protestors huddled around and dancing. Among truckers parked on Parliament Hill near Trudeau's office, the mood was growing philosophical as the law enforcement surge tightened its grip. Eric, who would not give his last name, was carrying fuel cans to his rig parked in Wellington St beside the Parliament Buildings. He said of confronting police when it comes: 'We are going to be peaceful. So if the police come in, knocking on our doors, arresting us or telling us we have to leave then that's going to happen. 'We will do our best to be peaceful and to comply as much as we can with police orders.' He added: 'We are not sure what is going to happen. They are arresting some drivers and towing some trucks. But I understand that here in Wellington Street we are allowed to be here, this is legal. 'We are not breaking any laws, we have lawyers saying that. 'We are being lawful so from that standpoint that is why we are still here and whatever comes from there. 'I think we are on our way to this protest being a success. There is a lot of hard work needed after this. I think we opened up a lot of eyes. A lot of people who were afraid to speak up are now speaking up. The Prime Minister was not willing to speak with us at all, he just totally discredited us.' Ottawa police advance on protesters in Trudeau's final crackdown on the Freedom Convoy The Surete de Quebec officers, all with riot helmets and visors and a few with tear gas guns and already wearing gas masks, formed an impenetrable barrier A shirtless protester dances in front of police as they work to bring a protest in opposition to vaccine mandates to an end A demonstrator against Covid-19 mandates kneels in front of police in Ottawa on Friday during the crackdown A man pulls bags out of his car as police officers form a line pushing protestors back and close in on his vehicle A woman folds her hands as police move in on the core of the Freedom Convoy protest in central Ottawa on Friday Protesters confront police officers, as authorities move in on the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa, Ontario A police officer grabs at a protester as they tighten their cordon around the protests on Parliament Hill A truck leaves the Parliament Hill area on Friday as Ottawa police break the blockade after three weeks of protests Trucks leave downtown as the Freedom Convoy faces its final hours in Ottawa on Friday Police confront demonstrators against vaccine mandates in Ottawa on Friday. Demonstrators shouted 'Freedom!' as police closed in and began making arrests in the final crackdown Police appeared to be singling out protesters for arrest one by one, scuffling with them before taking them into custody Police hold a line as they work to bring a protest in opposition to mandatory COVID-19 vaccine mandates to an end in Ottawa Quebec Provincial Police hold a line as they work to bring the protest to an end on Friday in Ottawa The riot cops seen above are from Quebec's provincial police force, which has a reputation for tough tactics Armed police officer deploy to remove demonstrators against Covid-19 mandates in Ottawa on Friday A police officer removes a man from a vehicle as the sweep to clear demonstrators from central Ottawa closes in Armed police officer inspect vehicles as they deploy to remove demonstrators against Covid-19 mandates in Ottawa Canadian police began a massive operation to clear the trucker-led protests against Covid health rules clogging the capital for three weeks, with several arrests made Police deploy to remove demonstrators against vaccine mandates in Ottawa on Friday On Thursday night, police took the first step in the crackdown with the arrests of key protest leaders Tamara Lich, 47, and Christopher Barber, 46. Lich and Barber were both charged with counseling to commit mischief, and Barber was additionally charged with counseling to commit the offenses of disobeying a court order and obstructing police. They are both scheduled to appear in court on Friday. Freedom Convoy organizers said on Friday that a third leader, Daniel Bulford, had been arrested as well. 'This is a grass-roots movement and others will fill their roles,' the group said in a statement. 'We will continue to hold the line. We refuse to bow to abuses of power. The world is watching, Canada,' the Convoy said. The suspension of Friday's debate in the House of Commons was due to safety concerns, Speaker Anthony Rota said in notice to MPs, warning them that a police operation was expected and urging them to 'stay away from the downtown core until further notice.' The initial schedule called for debate through the weekend on the motion to confirm Trudeau's emergency powers, followed by a vote on Monday night. House leadership of all parties agreed to the cancellation of Friday's sitting, with a plan to resume debate on Saturday and vote 'early next week' on the motion, which is expected to pass despite vocal opposition from the Conservative minority and allied Bloc Quebecois. Police officers form a column to begin the final advance against the Freedom Convoy's last stronghold on Parliament Hill Police enforce a blockade cutting off the demonstration area from support in their 'ring of flannel' strategy Police arrest a demonstrator participating in the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa on Friday Police officers detain a man, as truckers and supporters continue to protest vaccine mandates in Ottawa Friday People hug in front of police officers, as truckers and supporters continue their Freedom Convoy protests on Friday A recreational vehicle is towed as police begin to clear demonstrators against Covid-19 mandates in Ottawa on Friday Tow truck operators wore neon-green ski masks and taped over their companies' decals on their trucks to conceal their identities from trucker protesters who might consider them traitors to their cause A man holds a Canadian flag in front of the parliament, as truckers face the final crackdown on their protest by police Trucks block a street in front of Parliament Hill as dawn breaks on a massive police operation to clear streets on Friday Canada's House of Commons suspended Friday's vote to approve Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's emergency powers, citing the imminent police action outside the doors of Parliament A map shows the road closures and blockade that Ottawa police have erected in a 'ring of flannel' around the Convoy Using powers under the Emergencies Act, Ottawa cops have established a 'no-go' zone with 100 checkpoints encircling the Freedom Convoy, cutting them off from support and preventing additional protesters from joining the demonstration blockading the streets around Parliament Hill. During Friday's crackdown, Ottawa Police issued a statement on Twitter threatening to arrest journalists covering the sweep, alarming free press advocates. 'All media who are attending the area, please keep a distance and stay out of police operations for your safety,' the department said. 'Anyone found within areas undergoing enforcement may be subject to arrest. There will be a media availability later today,' the statement added. Ottawa Police also said as the crackdown unfolded that there was a 'concerted effort to flood our 911 and non-emergency policing reporting line.' 'This endangers lives and is completely unacceptable,' said OPS. 'Some protesters are surrendering and are being arrested. We ask protesters to remain peaceful and lawful,' Ottawa police said in an alert. Some demonstrators were seen being led away in handcuffs. One person being led away was carrying a sign that read 'Mandate Freedom.' Freedom Convoy supporters form a line on Friday morning in Ottawa as police advanced on the protest Police confront demonstrators against Covid-19 mandates in Ottawa on Friday in Ottawa A protester films a line of police officers as they assemble by the Rideau Centre near the truck blockade in Ottawa, on Friday Police clash with demonstrators against Covid-19 mandates in Ottawa on Friday While some protesters surrendered, many remained defiant as the crackdown unfolded While some protesters surrendered, many remained defiant as the crackdown unfolded. 'Freedom was never free,' said trucker Kevin Homaund, of Montreal. 'So what if they put the handcuffs on us and they put us in jail?' Ottawa Interim Police Chief Steve Bell had vowed that the protests would end this weekend, warning demonstrators: 'It's time to go, this is coming to an end.' The early morning mood on Ottawa's snow-covered streets was almost one of resignation, and truckers, who refused to give their names, just shrugged their shoulders in response to questions over their concerns about being arrested. The capital represented the movement's last stronghold after three weeks of demonstrations and blockades that shut down border crossings into the U.S., caused economic damage to both countries and created a political crisis for Trudeau. With police and the government facing accusations that they let the protests gain strength and spread, Trudeau on Monday invoked Canada's Emergencies Act, empowering law enforcement authorities to declare the blockades illegal, tow away trucks, arrest the drivers, suspend their licenses and freeze their bank accounts. Ottawa police made it clear on Thursday they were preparing to end the protest and remove the more than 300 trucks, with Ottawa's interim police chief warning: 'Action is imminent.' The capital represented the movement's last stronghold after three weeks of demonstrations and blockades With police and the government facing accusations that they let the protests gain strength and spread, Trudeau on Monday invoked Canadas Emergencies Act, empowering law enforcement authorities A truck is towed as police crack down on truckers and supporters protesting vaccine mandates, in Ottawa on Friday A protest truck is towed as police begin to clear demonstrators against Covid-19 mandates in Ottawa on Friday A tow operator wears a ski mask to cover his identity as he prepares to remove a truck from a blockade on Nicholas St. in Ottawa. Police began arresting protesters Friday in a bid to break the three-week, traffic-snarling siege of Canada's capital Pedestrians walk by trucks participating in a blockade of Parliament Hill by truck drivers opposing vaccine mandates Police in Canada have begun a sweep to arrest the Freedom Convoy truckers who have paralyzed traffic in Ottawa for three weeks in a protest against the country's vaccine mandates Police officers stand in formation as they prepare for a crackdown on truckers and supporters protesting in Ottawa As dawn broke on Friday, police warned of a 'large police presence' descending on Parliament Hill and said that 'protesters are being advised to leave immediately' 'Some protesters are surrendering and are being arrested. We ask protesters to remain peaceful and lawful,' Ottawa police said in an alert Barber, a truck driver for the last 28 years who led the Saskatchewan portion of the protest convoy that has been in Ottawa for the last three weeks, was walking down the street with several friends when police detained him. Footage posted on social media showed him being detained. He could be seen smiling calmly as he was patted down and put in a patrol car. 'Call my wife!' he said, to a friend who was filming. 'And put this on social media.' Lich, 47, widely seen as the main organizer of the protest, was detained on Thursday night as snow fell in Ottawa. She did not resist as she was handcuffed and calmly taken away in a police patrol car. 'Hold the line,' she shouted as she was escorted away. A former fitness instructor who has sung and played guitar in a band called Blind Monday in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Lich was also a senior member of a separatist group that advocated for Canada's Western provinces to secede from the country. On Wednesday night, she had posted a tearful video to YouTube telling her supporters that she expected to be arrested imminently. 'There's a pretty good chance - I think it's inevitable at this point - I'll probably be going somewhere tomorrow where I'll be getting three square meals a day,' she said. 'And that's OK. I want you to know I'm OK with that. 'I'll probably get some sleep. 'But please stay peaceful. And know that this too shall pass. There will be a tomorrow. And we will get through this.' Tamara Lich (left) was arrested in Ottawa on Thursday after she and her followers denied orders to leave the blockade in the center of the capital. Chris Barber (right) is seen on Thursday afternoon being arrested by Ottawa police Posted by Kirk Hill on Thursday, February 17, 2022 Police face off with a protester against COVID-19 mandates on Friday, in Ottawa. Police began arresting protesters Friday in a bid to break the three-week, traffic-snarling siege of Canada's capital by hundreds of truckers Police officers detain a man on Friday morning, as truckers and supporters continue to protest vaccine mandates in Ottawa Cops on Friday morning swooped in to the new 'no-go' zone created under powers from the Emergencies Act A demonstrator is arrested by police in Ottawa on Friday as they begin to remove protesters demanding an end to. Police on said action to end the unlawful demonstration was 'imminent,' as barricades went up to restrict access to the downtown A demonstrator is arrested by police in Ottawa on Friday morning, as they begin to remove protesters demanding an end to vaccine mandates in a final sweep of the Freedom Convoy protests Meanwhile, the city's Light Rail Transit line was suspended Friday in the section that runs underneath Ottawa's truck blockaded downtown. The service runs above ground either side of district, and is normally a busy commuter route bringing people in. Officials have cited weather reasons for the closure, following a prolonged snowfall in the city and temperatures down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit. However shutting the downtown service effectively reinforces Ottawa police's new security zone around the area announced Thursday by Chief Bell. The truckers, joined by thousands of demonstrators and some 400 vehicles, turned the streets around Parliament into a noisy party zone since first arriving on January 28, in what has become one of the worst crises to hit Trudeau since he took power in 2015. Police made a handful of arrests Thursday evening, including of Barber, one of the main fundraisers and organizers, after authorities said action was imminent. Barber went without resistance after police told him he was being arrested for mischief. 'We absolutely are committed to end this unlawful demonstration. We have the plan, we have the commitment, we have the resources,' Chief Bell told reporters on Thursday. Trudeau invoked emergency measures on Monday giving his government extraordinary powers to end the unrest Ottawa Interim Police Chief Steve Bell has vowed that the protests over vaccine mandates, now in their third week, will end this weekend, warning demonstrators: 'It's time to go, this is coming to an end.' Police will set up a perimeter with 100 checkpoints around downtown to stop people without legitimate reason from entering, he said. 'This weekend will look very different than the past three weekends,' he added. Previous chief Peter Sloly quit this week amid residents' fury about what they saw as police inaction. The truckers' protests started against vaccine mandates for cross-border drivers, a measure in place in the United States, too. But slowly it spread across Canada and morphed into an anti-government movement. Protesters blocked several land crossings with the United States, including the busiest, the Ambassador Bridge which connects to Detroit, for six days, hurting both economies. Calling the blockades a threat to democracy, Trudeau invoked emergency measures on Monday giving his government extraordinary powers to end the unrest. Government officials said they were worried about extremists causing violence. Under law, any use of the Emergencies Act must be brought before Parliament within seven days for approval. Debate began Thursday and will continue, according to the Act, 'without interruption' until the vote is called. After Friday's planned vote was cancelled, the House faced a Monday deadline to act. Addressing the House on Thursday, Trudeau pleaded with legislators to support his extraordinary powers, which have enabled him to summarily freeze bank accounts and crypto wallets tied to the protests in a bid to cut off funding for the movement. 'It's high time that these illegal and dangerous activities stop,' Trudeau declared in Parliament, not far from where the more than 300 trucks were parked in the protest's final stand around Parliament Hill. 'They are a threat to our economy and our relationship with trading partners,' he said. 'They are a threat to public safety.' Opposition Leader Candice Bergen of the Conservative Party responded by slamming Trudeau's request as 'not consistent with fundamental freedoms.' On Thursday, legislation upholding Trudeau's declaration under the Emergencies Act was presented in Parliament, where Conservative and Bloc Quebecois MPs voiced fierce opposition. However, the left-leaning New Democrats said they would reluctantly support Trudeau's minority Liberal government, virtually ensuring passage of the measure upholding his emergency powers in the House of Commons. Together the two parties hold 184 seats out of 338 in the lower chamber. Workers are seen carrying a piece of fencing that will be used to create the Secure Zone in Ottawa on Thursday Police confront demonstrators as truckers and supporters continue to protest vaccine mandates, in Ottawa Police officers detain a man, as truckers and supporters continue to protest vaccine mandates, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Police arrest a demonstrator as they work to end the protest, which started in opposition to mandatory COVID-19 vaccine mandates and grew into a broader anti-government demonstration and occupation A man is escorted by police as truckers and supporters continue to protest vaccine mandates, in Ottawa Canadian police officers stand guard during the police crackdown on Friday 'The Government should not have the power to close the bank accounts of Canadians on a whim,' Bergen told Parliament. 'I urge all members of this Houseproceed with extreme caution. Now is the time to stand up for your constituents, to show real leadership, to help heal our divisions, to listen to those we disagree with.' Yves-Francois Blanchet, the leader of the center-left Bloc Quebecois, said that his party would join with Conservatives in opposing Trudeau's emergency powers. In Quebec, the memory of the 1970 October Crisis, when Trudeau's father flooded the streets with soldiers using emergency war powers in response to a diplomat's kidnapping, still rings bitterly for many. However, when NDP leader Jagmeet Singh signaled his party's support for Trudeau, it became clear that the Liberals would almost certainly have the votes to defeat any opposition. Singh said his party would withdraw its support if the emergency powers are abused, telling the House that Canada reached this point through a failure of political and police leadership at multiple levels. 'We are not proud of supporting these measures,' Singh said in response to a question. Meanwhile, many protesters on Parliament Hill said they would not leave until their demands were met. 'End the mandates, give us our rights and this is over,' said Chris Dacey on Thursday. 'We'll all go back to our families.' The border blockades turned the pressure on Trudeau to act swiftly, and U.S. President Joe Biden asked him to use federal powers. 'The illegal blockades and occupations have to stop and the borders have to remain open,' Trudeau told legislators on Thursday as Parliament started debate on the Emergencies Act, which needs to be passed within seven days of an announcement. But the official opposition Conservative Party says there was no need for the Emergencies Act, especially since the border blockades are over. Conservative Parliamentarian Jeremy Patzer told the House of Commons on Thursday that people around the world were alarmed to see Trudeau 'come down on peaceful protesters with a sledgehammer.' 'It is absolutely shameful,' he added. Lam Foon, a 98-year-old who had a preliminary positive test for the Omicron variant of COVID-19, lies on a hospital bed outside the accident and emergency ward of Caritas Medical Centre in Sham Shui Po District, following the coronavirus surge in Hong Kong, Feb. 17. Reuters-Yonhap Lam Foon, 98, sits propped up and swaddled in soggy woolen blankets in a hospital bed just outside the entrance to Hong Kong's Caritas Medical Centre, waiting for tests to confirm her preliminary positive result for COVID-19. "I don't feel so good," she told Reuters through a surgical mask, next to a similarly wrapped patient wearing a mask and face shield. Lam was one of dozens of patients lying in the parking lot of Caritas, Thursday, after there was no more room inside the hospital that serves 400,000 people in the working-class district of Cheung Sha Wan on the Kowloon peninsula. Temperatures dipped to 15 degrees Celsius amid some rain. Medical staff were unable to say how long Lam would have to wait. People who test preliminarily positive for COVID have to take further tests before treatment. This and similar scenes across the global financial hub are signs of a public healthcare system under severe strain as COVID-19 cases surge, with more than 95% of all hospital beds full. Once largely insulated from the coronavirus pandemic, Hong Kong is facing a citywide outbreak, with businesses buckling and some losing patience with the government's "zero COVID" policies. In the cluster of working-class districts in nearby Sham Shui Po, some residential blocks and public housing estates have been sealed off, crowds in malls and street markets have thinned, and once teeming diners known as dai pai dongs and stalls selling knick-knacks are quieter after dark. Trevor Chung, 29, a medic at Caritas, blamed the government in part for inadequate planning, a shortage of beds and other medical equipment, and chronic manpower shortages. "The government underestimated the situation," said Chung, clad in a full-face visor and blue hazmat suit. "I expect things to get a lot worse ... There are many elderly people in this district, and many aren't vaccinated." Hong Kong authorities on Thursday apologized for the dire situation at hospitals serving the city of 7.4 million. The city's zero-COVID policy has meant even asymptomatic people and those with mild conditions have been sent to hospitals or quarantine centers, although the government is now adjusting its strategy as the healthcare system is overwhelmed. People wearing face masks walk on a street in the Causeway Bay shopping district in Hong Kong, Feb. 18, 2022. AP-Yonhap The outbreak has piled further pressure on Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, whose five-year term is due to end in June. While Lam says surrendering to the virus "is not an option" and Chinese President Xi Jinping has said the "overriding mission" for Hong Kong is to rein in the virus, some are skeptical. "You can see I'm wearing two masks. I need to protect myself because the government won't protect me," said Lo Kai-wai, a 59-year-old logistics worker queuing at a mobile testing center that had already reached its daily quota of 3,000 people. "I don't want to see her (Lam) get a second term." Some business owners impacted by government-imposed restrictions also question the sustainability of current policies. "The government needs to find a better balance to both control the virus, but also to allow people to better get on with their lives," said Timothy Poon, 23, the manager of a cafe close to the hospital, whose business has dropped by up to 60% amid the outbreak. "The zero-COVID policy is a mission impossible." Others, however, are more upbeat. "If everyone is willing to get vaccinated, the situation will improve," said Lung Mei-chu, 78, at a testing center in another district. (Reuters) TikTok star Ava Majury and her parents have defended selling her selfies to the stalker who tried to kill her and was shot dead by her father last July, and revealed she will stay on the site where she makes $1,700-a-video despite safety risks Ava Majury, her retired cop father Rob and her mother Kimberly appeared on Good Morning America on Friday to share more details about the shooting at their home in Naples, Florida, last July, after telling their story first to The New York Times. Last July, 18-year-old Eric Rohan Justin traveled from Ellicott City, Maryland, to Naples with a gun, intent on killing Ava. At 4.30am, he blasted open the front door of the family home. He had been vying for her attention on TikTok for months, bought her phone number from her friends and had paid them for pictures of her that were not on the internet. Ava also had direct contact with him and sold him two selfies for $300 which he paid her for via Venmo. 'After talking to both my parents, I thought it would be mutual if I got in contact with him directly. I said, "hey, can you stop going through my friends and stop contacting people for information about me just come straight to me and you can purchase it all from me."' He then started asking for more explicit content, and that is when Rob - her father - became involved. Rob told Eric to remember that Ava was a minor, and to stop contacting her. She blocked him but he continued sending her money - $159.18, then $100, and then $368.50. It's unclear how much time passed between then and Eric showing up at the family home. Ava Majury, her retired cop father Rob and her mother Kimberly appeared on Good Morning America on Friday to share more details about the shooting at their home in Naples, Florida, last July, after telling their story first to The New York Times Ava defended selling her selfies to her stalker. She sold him two photos of her face for a total of $300 after she told him to 'purchase directly' from her rather than going to her friends When Eric showed up at the house in the middle of the night and shot open the door, Ava, her mother and her two brothers ran to a bedroom but her father Rob, a retired Jersey City police officer, grabbed his gun and went to the front of the home where he shot Justin. The teenager - who has never been pictured - died in the hospital. Eric then started demanding more explicit content and Ava blocked him. Rob said that the stalker 'seemed apologetic' when he contacted him. A friend of Ava's at school then revealed that Eric had contacted him and warned him that he planned to hurt her, but the family shrugged it off. 'I negated it and said, "the person we suspect is the author of any of these, he lives in Maryland he is young, probably doesn't have the means to act on any of these things,"" said Rob. Robert Majury, Ava's father, is a retired Jersey City cop. He shot dead her stalker at their home in Naples on July 10 but won't be charged because of Florida's Stand Your Ground Law Ava's father Rob shot the stalker dead after he blasted off the door to the home in Florida (pictured). The family no longer lives at the home Kimberly, Ava's mother, said of the shooting: 'When that sound went off we knew what it was, boom. I actually thought my daughter was dead. He was just standing there, looking at us for a few minutes. I think he thought maybe for a second I was my daughter in the doorway.' Eric had a shotgun and was wearing a vest that contained multiple rounds of ammunition. He was also carrying two phones, that contained hundreds of photos of Ava and some of her TikTok videos. Rob ran for his own gun and shot the teenager dead outside the house before police arrived. He has never been charged, and says he has been told by police that he is protected under Florida's Stand Your Ground laws. 'There was no second guessing, there was no time to rethink my actions. I reacted. I acted as best as I could under the duress and stress I was put under,' he said. Earlier in the interview he said angrily: 'Someone came to kill me. I had to do what I had to do to protect my family and I made sure of it.' His wife Kimberly said he reacted 'perfectly'. The family has moved home and Ava is now being homeschooled. She recently told her parents that she was being followed by another kid from school. Despite her persistent fears, the family is allowing her to stay on TiKTok - where she can earn more than $1,700 for a single video. Ava told the Times in her initial interview: 'I have three TikTok accounts, so I could have one brand come to me and be like, Oh, Ill do $1,000 for one video on your main account, and Ill be like, Oh great, I have two other accounts that are different types of people on there."' 'So altogether, Im making $1,700 off just my name, because I opened up three accounts rather than just building off one.' Ava Majury, 14, joined TikTok in 2020 when she was 13. She now has more than one million followers spread over three accounts that she runs Ava is shown with her retired cop father, Rob, in one of her popular TikTok videos. Stalker Eric Justin showed up at the family's home in Naples, Florida, last July with a gun at 4.30am The family has moved but still live in Florida. Ava is now homeschooled The Majury family moved from New Jersey, where Robert was a cop in Jersey City, to Florida for a quieter life after he retired. That is where Ava started her TikTok career and attracted Justin. He commented on her pages under the username EricJustin111, bombarded her with messages and contacted her old friends in New Jersey. They sold him photos of her that weren't online and also gave him her phone number. It's not clear how much he paid for her phone number. Ava's parents then allowed her to directly sell selfies to him. She said they were innocent, showing only her smile which is what her TikTok account shows too. When he started asking her for more explicit content, Robert contacted him and reminded him that Ava was a minor. He asked him to stop contacting her and he became angry. He started texting friends of Ava's, threatening her. On July 10, 2021, Justin showed up at the family's home at 4.30am and fired a shot through the front door. Ava is shown as a child with her brothers and parents, Kimberly and Rob. They hid in their parents' bedroom while Rob killed her stalker last July Ava learned that her old friends had sold her phone number to the stalker, along with photos of her that were not on the internet Ava's parents allowed her to directly sell selfies to him. She said they were innocent, showing only her smile which is what her TikTok and Instagram accounts shows too But when Eric Justin started asking Ava for more explicit content, her father contacted him and reminded him that Ava was a minor The family has now moved but are still living in Florida and Ava continues to sell videos on TikTok to brands, and post videos of herself dancing and photos like the one pictured Ava, her mother and her two brothers ran to the back of the house and Robert ran for his weapon. Eric then retreated, his gun jammed, giving Robert time to get to the front of the house. When he got there, Eric reappeared and he shot and killed him before police had arrived. Justin's father, named by The Times as Justin Dominic, a software engineer who is divorced from Justin's mother, told the paper that his son chose to stay in America rather than move to India with him in 2015 after his parents divorced, and that he had no idea he was stalking Ava. 'He was a nice kid. Im at a loss for words. I dont know what went bad with him. He made a bad choice,' he said, adding that his son was a good student who did well in math at Mount Hebron High School in Ellicott City. Police found two cell phones that belonged to him and contained hundreds of photographs of Ava and some of her TikTok videos. It's unclear how he found her address. She says there is a boy at her school who was following her in December, and who had communicated with Eric Justin over text. Ava is now being homeschooled. Police at the time described it as a home invasion. They did not name any of the parties involved. The teenager, shown in a recent Instagram image, says she can command over $1,500 from companies for her videos Ava's family say they do not want her to stop TikToking now because every day is like 'Christmas Day' seeing how many views her videos get Ava posts to her TikTok and Instagram accounts daily The police report however says: 'The subject was most likely a stalker that resulted from her daughters extensive social media involvement.' The Times reported that in August, months after the shooting, Ava received messages on Venmo from a different man who offered her $1,000 for her phone number. The man, who called her 'baby girl,' was discovered by her parents to have the same name of a registered sex offender who was previously arrested for soliciting a 14-year-old girl, The Times reported. It didn't end there. The family told The Times that the boy who had communicated with Eric Justin and attended high school with Ava began following her around, and watching her every move. Another classmate sent her a video the boy had made of himself firing a gun at a shooting range. Ava and her family have since moved and she is now homeschooled, but to be safe, her father's lawyer, James Scarmozzino filed a petition in Collier County Circuit Court seeking an injunction for protection against stalking. A hearing is set for Feb. 28, and Ava will testify. The family is still living in Florida and Ava continues to sell videos on TikTok to brands, and post videos of herself dancing. On the day of the shooting, Ava posted a TikTok where she lip-synced to a remix of the French Montana song Unforgettable. 'Goodnight. You are loved,' she captioned the image. Her father said that it would have been too difficult to take her off the platform now, and that she shouldn't have to give it up. 'Its like Christmas every day, because then you see it build. I think we just had to allow her to make a decision and sort of support her. I think its going to help her heal. It sounds corny, but I dont know what else you would do it for.' 'Why should we allow them to stop her? Maybe shes meant to bring awareness to all this,' her mother said. An elderly man snatched his dementia-suffering partner from her nursing home and drove her halfway across the country until they were found close to death in 43C heat. Ralph 'Terry' Gibbs, 80, faced court on Friday after sneaking out wheelchair-bound Carol Lisle, 84, from her aged care facility in Mandurah, south of Perth, on January 2. Gibbs had a ute full of jerry cans and planned to take his partner of 15 years back to their home in Cairns, in far north Queensland, 5,000km and 56 hours' drive away. But police eventually caught up with them two days later, finding the elderly pair 90km from the Northern Territory border, exhausted and without adequate food or water for the trip. Ralph 'Terry' Gibbs, 80, was given a suspended seven-month jail sentence on Friday after sneaking out wheelchair-bound Carol Lisle, 84, from her nursing home in Mandurah, in Western Australia's south-west on January 2 Ms Lisle had been brought back to WA by her goddaughter Belinda Hodgkinson, The Australian reported. Gibbs had met his partner for lunch at the nursing home before discreetly wheeling her out to his car. Police found the pair in the same clothes they'd been in since they left, and Ms Lisle, who also suffers from Parkinson's disease, has incontinence problems. WA Police at the time shared a photo of an exhausted Ms Lisle who was being cared for by an officer before she was airlifted to hospital for treatment. But police eventually caught up with them two days later, finding the elderly pair 90km from the Northern Territory border, exhausted and without adequate food or water The 80-year-old had been charged with deprivation of liberty and endangering Ms Lisle's safety. He pleaded guilty to unlawfully detaining a mentally ill person. Magistrate Raelene Johnston said she accepted Gibbs had 'acted out of love' in his plan to bring his partner back to Queensland, but noted he had ignored strangers' suggestions to take her to hospital during the trip. 'You placed your personal desire over the welfare of your partner,' she told Gibbs. 'You put Ms Lisle at significant risk, even though that was not your intention. You continued to place your wishes above her needs.' Speaking outside court Gibbs said he feared he would never see his 'sweetheart' again. 'I fear I might never see my little girl again. I dearly want her back to Queensland,' he said. Gibbs was given a suspended seven-month jail sentence on Friday and a restraining order preventing him from seeing Ms Lisle is now in place. What is the official guidance? In England, the official guidance to work from home where possible has ended and workers will be able to head back to the office. Speaking in January, Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on people to speak to their employers about arrangements for their return. In Scotland, new guidance for employers recommends a hybrid working system, with staff spending some time in the office and some time at home. Guidance in Wales and Northern Ireland still advises employees and business to work from home where possible. Can I request flexible working? Yes, all employees have the right by law to request flexible working, which can include working from home. The only requirement is that they have worked for the employer for at least half a year (26 weeks). Employers can turn these requests down only if they have reasonable cause to do so, for example if the type of work involved cannot be done from home. They can refuse applications as long as they have a "good business reason". Alexandra Mizzi of Howard Kennedy, a legal firm, said employers often used the potential impact on performance as a reason to refuse working from home requests. 'However, they will find it much harder to justify refusal when home working has worked out fairly well,' she added. Do businesses still need to test people or ask them to wear masks? The government's policy is to remove the legal restrictions and persuade people to act sensibly. They want it to be self-regulating, which is a very English approach. In England the law doesn't prescribe things unless they are necessary, and things are done by consensus. Richard Fox, employment partner at Kingsley Napley, told MailOnline: 'Once all further restrictions are removed, it will recommend people at my firm take tests periodically during the week. 'But it will be down to each company, and their employees, to decide for themselves.' What do I do if I've got Covid? You should tell your boss that you cannot come into work because you have tested positive. The employer cannot force you back in if you're unwell. But if someone doesn't come in they can require within a certain number of days that the person gets a certificate from a GP saying whether they are fit to come into work. And the employer can also require the staff member to be seen to judge whether they are fit to return to work. What if my boss tries to force me in? Richard Fox says: 'Employers can give ''lawful and reasonable'' instructions to their employees, but I would question whether this would be a lawful and reasonable reason. 'I suspect there will be some difficult situations to come. It's a big jump to say that people can come in whether hitherto it has been unlawful to do this.' Will employers have to rip up their existing sickness rules and start again? This is undoubtedly a big moment for employers. When the Government scraps COVID isolation rules, it means employers can no longer rely on Government regulation to provide the groundwork for a system of protection for their workers. Earlier than expected it seems employers are going to need to set the rules for themselves. It may be prudent for these to cover new more potent strains of COVID-19 that may come along or even other infections besides COVID-19. If they do not have appropriate policies already in place, employers may want to consider introducing 'infection policies' to set rules and standards for the entire organisation so everyone is clear. For a building contractor the rules may be different to a care home; office-based workplaces may have different rules and needs to a retailer. It may not be wise to leave it to individual managers to take a view on isolation and vaccine requirements for members of their own departments, as that could lead to legal risk for the employer. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lashed out at the NYPD and her colleagues in Congress over the arrests of 12 shoplifters for stealing diapers and baby formula in the Bronx, saying the removal of the child tax credit by the federal government was to blame for the crime. The shoplifters stole $1,800 worth of diapers, baby wipes, laundry detergent and other household goods which are easy to resell on the streets. In a response from a tweet from NYPD announcing the arrets, Ocasio-Cortez fired back at cops: 'It's much easier to frame people who steal baby formula and medicine as monsters to be jailed than acknowledge our politics and economic priorities create conditions where people steal baby formula to survive.' Police said that officers from the 44th Precinct, which covers the Grand Concourse and High Bridge where Yankee Stadium sit, busted the shoplifters after getting multiple complaints from storeowners. 'The arrests made led to the closure of 23 warrants & recovery of $1,800 worth of merchandise,' police said. This is the second time Ocasio-Cortez has blamed the city's spiralling crime rate on child tax credits being withdrawn. In an interview published with the New Yorker on Monday, she said 'we don't want to say some of the thing that are obvious, like gee, the child-tax credit just ran out ... and now people are stealing baby formula'. Crime is on the rise throughout New York City, especially in the South Bronx where the arrests were made. In the 44th Precinct, overall crime has jumped 27.5 percent, according to NYPD statistics. Car theft spiked 177% since last year, records show, and robbery has spiked by 45 percent. Overall, crime is up 46.5% across the five boroughs. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed cops for demonizing shoplifters who she says are forced into crime by the lack of federal aid. She chided her colleagues in Congress for not furthering the child tax credit. Ocasio-Cortez was slammed for her comments in the New Yorker, which came after 35-year-old Asian advertising creative, Christina Yuna Lee, was knifed to death in her Chinatown apartment by a free-on-bail homeless career criminal. Brian Chin called the left-wing firebrand 'unbelievably naive and completely irresponsible' for the comments. Assamad Nash, 25, was arrested for the Sunday morning murder of Lee and was charged with sexually-motivated burglary by prosecutors Monday, as it was revealed Lee was found topless in the bathtub of her Chinatown apartment in the early hours of the morning. He is currently being held without bail. In her comments to the New Yorker, Ocasio-Cortez said: 'We don't want to have that discussion. We want to say these people are criminals or we want to talk about 'people who are violent,' instead of 'environments of violence,' and what we're doing to either contribute to that or dismantle that.' Chine said: 'That is an unbelievably naive statement and completely irresponsible on behalf of her, but it also shows the amount of distance that our elected officials have from the community themselves.' He continued: 'All of the crimes he committed, including the assault in the subway station, were just steps away from the building. This man was a menace to the community. He was an outright danger.' Americans with children received a monthly $250 to $300 stipend from the federal government over the course of the pandemic. The temporary support was set to be permanent in President Biden's multi-trillion-dollar Build Back Better funding project, but the sweeping legislation died in the Senate. Christina Yuna Lee, 35, (left) was stabbed to death in her New York City apartment by a 'homeless serial criminal', Assamad Nash (right) who was free on bail Chin told Fox News on Tuesday that the left-wing firebrand was 'unbelievably naive and completely irresponsible' for her comments In this week's shoplifting bust where the 12 people were arrested, police did not say from where the items were stolen, but across the country pharmacy chain stores like Duane Reade, CVS and Walgreens have complained of brazen and widespread shoplifting, sometimes by organized rings. Ocasio-Cortez also claimed in December that there was no data to back up rising crime rates, especially in retail, where rings have targeted stores for multiple thefts. 'A lot of these allegations of organized retail theft are not actually panning out,' she told the Washington Times. 'I believe it's a Walgreens in California cited it, but the data didn't back it up.' She was slammed by the head of the Retail Industry Leaders Association, Jason Brewer, who said 'she has no idea what she's talking about'. 'Both the data and stack of video evidence makes fairly clear that this is a growing problem in need of solutions,' he said. 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 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, new data from the NYPD shows In January, four shoplifters armed with hammers broke into a Bay Area Walgreens and nabbed $2,400 worth of cosmetics and other goods. In November, a van smashed through a Baltimore Walgreens and thieves stole a cash machine. A lawyer for the pharmacy said that their business was suffering because of the thefts. 'Organized retail crime is one of the top challenges' the company is facing, he said. Crime 'has evolved beyond shoplifting and petty theft to the sale of stolen and counterfeit goods online.' In Manhattan, where the newly sworn in District Attorney Alvin Bragg vowed not to prosecute on non-violent shoplifters, some stores have closed because the thefts had gotten so bad. Shelves are already bare in the Rite Aid store, located at the corner of 80th Street and 2nd Avenue because it will shut its doors for good on February 15, the manager told DailyMail.com, a day after a thief was caught on video boldly sauntering out with shopping bags full of stolen goods Empty shelves are seen at Rite Aid on the Upper East Side just three weeks before they're set to close. The store's closure is just one of many in the city. On February 8, a Hell's Kitchen store which has been rife with robberies in recent months will close, and on the Upper West Side, another store which experienced daily thefts shut down in Novembe The Upper East Side Rite Aid pharmacy was forced to close its doors on February 15 because shoplifting had gotten so bad. In January, Actor Michael Rappaport, who lives close to the store, recorded a brazen shoplifter, boosting two shopping bags worth of goods from the store without fear of reprisal. 'Back in my Rite Aid,' he said in a video posted to his on Sunday. 'And there's nothing to steal because this Rite Aid like so many other Rite Aids is closing down because everybody stole everything. And the workers here don't know if they're getting jobs. Rapaport said the man in his footage filled two bags with stolen goods before nonchalantly strolling past security and leaving The Rite Aid in the video will be closing on February 15, with thefts a major reason, the pharmacy chain announced late December Another store in Midtown Manhattan and a Rite Aid in Brooklyn Heights were also forced to close because of thefts. The chain announced last year that it was shutting down about 63 stores across the US in the next few years, citing cost-cutting measures to save $25 million a year - but workers say that the thefts are part of the reason for the closures as inventory dwindles. Walgreens shuttered five stores in San Francisco last year, in part, the company says because of thefts, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Advertisement A top U.S. diplomat in Europe says Russia's troop buildup around Ukraine has ballooned to up to 190,000 up from just 100,000 just a few weeks ago. U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Michael Carpenter made the statement Friday, following early statements by security officials that Russia might not yet have the force needed for a full-scale invasion. 'We assess that Russia probably has massed between 169,000-190,000 personnel in and near Ukraine as compared with about 100,000 on January 30,' Carpenter told a meeting of the group. Russia did not attend. 'This is the most significant military mobilization in Europe since the Second World War,' he said. Pictured in this video screen grab is a troop train carrying military hardware of Russian Army Western Military District tank army units from recent routine drills to a permanent deployment site in the Nizhny Novgorod Region. A top U.S. diplomat said Russia has massed up to 190,000 personnel near the Ukrainian border Carpenter listed the various forces that he was including in the estimate. 'This estimate includes military troops along the border, in Belarus, and in occupied Crimea; Russian National Guard and other internal security units deployed to these areas; and Russian-led forces in eastern Ukraine. While Russia has sought to downplay or deceive the world about their ground and air preparations, the Russian military has publicized its large-scale naval exercises in the Black Sea, Baltic Sea and the Arctic,' he said. 'Russia has publicly said the Black Sea exercise alone involves more than 30 ships, and we assess that amphibious landing ships from the Northern and Baltic Fleets were sent to the Black Sea to augment forces there. Russia has been conducting air patrols and doing military exercises in Belarus A handout still image taken from handout video made available by the Russian Defence Ministry press service shows Russian cruiser Moskva of the Black Sea Fleet conducting an artillery battle and destroying a mock enemy submarine in Black Sea near Sevastopol, Crimea, 18 February 2022 ''We remain of course supportive of diplomacy as it relates to the dialogue and discussions we've had with Russia, but we are also committed to taking corrective actions to ensure there will be severe consequences in terms of the sanctions we have discussed,' said VP Kamala Harris. She met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Munich President Joe Biden, who tweeted out a picture of himself with first lady Jill Biden in support of U.S. Olympic athletes, was set to call western leaders Friday U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meets with Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, at Palace on the Isle in Royal Lazienki Park in Warsaw, Poland, on 18 February 2022. Austin also phoned his Russian counterpart Russia has denied it is planning an invasion US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine, on February 17, 2022, in New York. He warned a Russian 'false flag' operation could precede an invasion Harris arrived in Munich Thursday to attend the annual security conference there Children are pictured after being loaded on to a bus for evacuation out of the city of Donetsk, in separatist-occupied eastern Ukraine, after leaders spread rumours that Kiev's troops were about to attack The streets of Donetsk are deserted as an air raid siren sounds, raising fears that Putin is about to march Russian forces across the border and spark a bloody war in Europe The burning wreckage of a car is seen in the car park of the Donetsk separatist government, after what pro-Russian media claimed was an assassination attempt against the head of regional security A view shows a wreckage of a car that, according to the local authorities, was blown up near the government building, in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk, Ukraine February 18, 2022 Russia's state news agency reported what it said was a car bomb that exploded near the headquarters of the separatist government on Friday evening Shortly after the evacuation orders were given, Russian TV broadcast what it said were 'leaked' Ukrainian battle plans in what appeared to be another disinformation attempt A map showing where Putin's forces have assembled on Ukraine's borders, the military options Putin might be considering, and key targets he would likely go after in the event he chooses to invade - something the US continues to war could be just weeks away from happening He pointed out Russia's absence, and said it 'refuses to shed further light on its unprecedented military buildup. Instead, it has characterized the request for clarification of its military operations under the Vienna Document, which I would remind everyone is a mechanism that Moscow voluntarily signed up to, as a 'provocation.' HIs remarks came a day after Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered his own dire warnings of a potential Russian invasion at a meeting of the UN Security Council. He warned that a potential Russia 'false flag' operation or chemical attack could trigger an invasion. 'We don't know exactly the formal take,' Blinken said. 'It could be a fabricated so-called terrorist bombing inside Russia, the invented discovery of the mass grave, a staged drone strike against civilians, or a fake - even a real - attack using chemical weapons.' Russia has denied any intent of an invasion even as it orchestrated a massive buildup over a period of months. Amid the U.S. push for diplomacy, Vice President Kamala Harris began a round of meetings at the annual security conference in Munich. 'We assess that Russia probably has massed between 169,000-190,000 personnel in and near Ukraine as compared with about 100,000 on January 30,' said Michael Carpenter, U.S. ambassador to the OSCE 'We remain of course supportive of diplomacy as it relates to the dialogue and discussions we've had with Russia, but we are also committed to taking corrective actions to ensure there will be severe consequences in terms of the sanctions we have discussed, and we know the alliance is strong in that regard,' Harris said as she met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. 'Right now we are obviously dealing with being concerned about what's happening in Ukraine. As a member of NATO we feel very strongly about and will always be committed to the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty,' she said. President Biden plans to speak by phone with Transatlantic leaders Friday 'about Russia's buildup of military troops on the border of Ukraine and our continued efforts to pursue deterrence and diplomacy,' according to the White House. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin spoke Friday with Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu, the Pentagon said. 'Secretary Austin called for deescalation, the return of Russian forces surrounding Ukraine to their home bases, and a diplomatic resolution,' according to DOD. Austin also met with his Polish counterpart. 'Although Russia has announced it is moving its forces back to garrison, we have yet to see that. In fact, we see more forces moving into that region, that border region,' he said, echoing Blinken's comments Thursday. 'We also see them going through, continuing to prepare, by doing things you'd expect elements military elements to do as they were preparing to launch an attack.' UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that tensions were reaching Cold War levels, leading to high stakes potential risks. 'I am often asked whether we are in a new Cold War,' he said at the Munich conference. 'My answer is that the threat to global security now is more complex and probably higher than at that time.' Russia will hold a major nuclear drill tomorrow involving live-fire exercises of ballistic and cruise missiles including around Crimea and the Black Sea, the Kremlin announced with President Vladimir Putin overseeing it himself. The drill will involve Russia's aerospace forces, its strategic missile command, Northern and Black Sea fleets and the Southern Military District - which covers Crimea and part of the border close to rebel-held areas in Ukraine. It is designed to test the 'readiness' of commanders and troops as well as 'the reliability of weapons of strategic nuclear and non-nuclear forces' and will involve the launch of 'ballistic and cruise missiles', Moscow's defense ministry said today. Biden, commenting on the situation Thursday, said 'every indication' leads him to believe Russia could invade soon. 'My sense is it will happen in the next several days,' he said. Russia continues with its preparations to invade, a senior U.S. official told CNN, calling the situation 'bleak.' Ukrainian and Russian forces reported a second day of shelling in the Donbas region amid a feared pretext for war that Russia might use to justify an invasion. Putin on Tuesday said at a press conference that, 'In our view what is now happening in Donbas is genocide,' without providing evidence. Russia's Investigative Committee claimed Wednesday it had uncovered hundreds of mass graves of Russian-speaking civilians there. In another ominous sign, pro-Russia rebels have begun evacuating civilians from areas of eastern Ukraine as air raid sirens sounded there today, raising fears that Putin is about to order his troops across the border. Denis Pushilin, head of the self-proclaimed People's Republic of Donetsk, and Leonid Pasechniky, head of the Luhansk People's Republic, said women, children and the elderly will be evacuated starting today in order to protect them from what they claimed would be a Ukrainian invasion. Ukraine's defense minister Dmyro Kuleba 'categorically' denied that Ukraine is about to invade. The announcement is thought to be another disinformation effort orchestrated out of Moscow to disguise Putin's own attack plans and provide a pre-text for the invasion. By Rory Tingle and James Robinson for MailOnline It has been more than two decades since Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein first crossed paths. That meeting would set in motion years of damaging allegations, embarrassing interviews and eventually a US lawsuit against the Queen's third son. Over the next 23 years, Epstein would go on to abuse and sex traffic young girls across the world on his private jet with his madame Ghislaine Maxwell - the woman who would introduce the financier to Prince Andrew - by his side. Though he would go on to take his own life in prison while awaiting trial for his sex trafficking crimes, and ultimately robbing his victims of justice, the fallout would continue for those around him. Maxwell would end up in a US prison, herself found guilty of sex trafficking for Epstein, while Prince Andrew would face accusations of sexual assault by one Epstein victim, Virginia Giuffre. Determined to clear his name, Prince Andrew would agree to a toe-curling BBC in which he claimed he couldn't have had sex with Ms Giuffre, because he was at Pizza Express at the time. But Giuffre would continue to pursue the royal, eventually launching a US civil case against him - which has now ended in a settlement. Here MailOnline takes a look at the sordid saga, from start to finish: 1999: Andrew first meets Epstein, reportedly introduced through his friendship with Ghislaine Maxwell, the daughter of newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell. Andrew welcomes Epstein to the Queen's private Scottish retreat in Aberdeenshire. Andrew later says he sees Epstein 'infrequently', adding 'probably no more than only once or twice a year'. 2000: Andrew and Ms Maxwell are seen on holiday with Epstein at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. Epstein and Ms Maxwell attend a party at Windsor Castle hosted by the Queen to mark Andrew's 40th birthday, the Princess Royal's 50th, the Queen Mother's 100th and Princess Margaret's 70th. 2001: Virginia Roberts claims to have had sex with Andrew 'three times, including one orgy', with the first encounter allegedly taking place in Ms Maxwell's London townhouse after they met at the Tramp nightclub on March 10. Recalling the alleged meeting, Andrew was said to be 'sweating profusely'. Virginia Roberts claims to have had sex with Andrew 'three times, including one orgy', with the first encounter allegedly taking place in Ms Maxwell's London townhouse after they met at the Tramp nightclub on March 10. Recalling the alleged meeting, Andrew was said to be 'sweating profusely' The Duke would later claim in his infamous BBC interview that this could have never happened because he was at a children's party at a branch of Pizza Express in Woking. In the same interview he says he has a medical condition after being shot at during the Falklands War that left him 'unable to sweat' because Ms Roberts, who was 17 at the time, claimed that they danced together and he had been 'sweating profusely' Ms Roberts claims to have had sex with Andrew on two more occasions, at Epstein's New York home and at an 'orgy' on his private island in the Caribbean. 2008: Epstein admits prostituting minors and is sentenced to 18 months in prison. 2010: Epstein is released from jail. Andrew is photographed with the disgraced Epstein in New York's Central Park. Footage emerges years later, reportedly shot on December 6 2010, showing him inside Epstein's Manhattan mansion, from where he is seen looking out from a large door of the property waving a woman goodbye after Epstein leaves to get into a chauffeur-driven car. 2011: The duke quits his role as UK trade envoy after the fallout from the Central Park photos. 2015: Buckingham Palace denies Andrew has committed any impropriety after he is named in US court documents related to Epstein. A woman, later named in reports as Ms Roberts, alleges in papers filed in Florida that she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was 17, which is under the age of consent in the state. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Andrew, in his first public engagement since he was embroiled in the allegations, responds, saying: 'Firstly I think I must, and want, for the record, to refer to the events that have taken place in the last few weeks. I just wish to reiterate, and to reaffirm, the statements that have already been made on my behalf by Buckingham Palace.' In April the claims against Andrew are struck from US civil court records following a federal judge's ruling. Newly released legal documents show that Johanna Sjoberg, another alleged Epstein victim, claims Andrew touched her breast while sitting on a couch inside the US billionaire's Manhattan apartment in 2001. Buckingham Palace denies the allegations 2019: Newly released legal documents show that Johanna Sjoberg, another alleged Epstein victim, claims Andrew touched her breast while sitting on a couch inside the US billionaire's Manhattan apartment in 2001. Buckingham Palace says the allegations are 'categorically untrue'. Epstein is found dead in his jail cell on August 10, having killed himself after being charged with sex trafficking. Later that month a pilot on Epstein's private jet claims Andrew was a passenger on past flights with the financier and Ms Roberts. The Sun newspaper reported that David Rodgers said in a testimony released in August that Epstein, Andrew and the-then 17-year-old travelled to the US Virgin Islands on April 11 2001. Buckingham Palace describes the evidence statement as having 'a number of inconsistencies' and said that Andrew was on a different continent in some cases. Following Epstein's death, a statement from the palace says that Andrew is 'appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged crimes'. Breaking his silence on the issue for the first time since 2015, Andrew then releases a statement on August 24 saying: 'At no stage during the limited time I spent with him (Epstein) did I see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction.' On November 16, the prince gives a 'disastrous' BBC interview in which he speaks about his friendship with Epstein and addresses allegations of his own sexual conduct. On November 16, the prince gives a 'disastrous' BBC interview in which he speaks about his friendship with Epstein and addresses allegations of his own sexual conduct He faced a barrage of criticism following his television appearance, with the royal accused of a lack of empathy with Epstein's victims. During the interview, Andrew, questioned by Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis, twice stated his relationship with Epstein, who died in jail while facing sex trafficking charges, had some 'seriously beneficial outcomes', giving him the opportunity to meet people and prepare for a future role as a trade envoy. The royal maintained he did not recall meeting Ms Roberts and did not spend time with her at Tramp Nightclub in London on March 10 in 2001 after which she claims the pair first had sex. The duke denies sleeping with her on three separate occasions, saying the encounter in 2001 did not happen as he had taken his daughter Princess Beatrice to Pizza Express in Woking for a party, and they spent the rest of the day together. The duke denies sleeping with her on three separate occasions, saying the encounter in 2001 did not happen as he had taken his daughter Princess Beatrice to Pizza Express in Woking for a party, and they spent the rest of the day together. He also said a medical condition after being shot at during the Falklands War left him 'unable to sweat' because Ms Roberts, who was 17 at the time, claimed that they danced together and he had been 'sweating profusely'. The Duke of York said: 'I was with the children and I'd taken Beatrice to a Pizza Express in Woking for a party at I suppose sort of 4 or 5 in the afternoon. 'And then because the Duchess was away, we have a simple rule in the family that when one is away the other one is there. 'I was on terminal leave at the time from the Royal Navy so therefore I was at home.' However he continues to strongly deny any wrongdoing and claims he has never even met Ms Roberts, now a mother-of-three living in Australia who goes by her married name, Virginia Giuffre. Following the disastrous interview, which is widely panned, Prince Andrew announces in November that he will step back from frontline royal duties for the 'foreseeable future'. A number of companies with association to the prince step back. He says at the time he deeply sympathises with sex offender Epstein's victims and everyone who 'wants some form of closure'. 2020: With the Covid pandemic occupying much of the news and the minds of the British public, Prince Andrew has the chance to lie low, which he does, in Windsor Castle. Andrew hires Gary Bloxsome, a UK criminal defence solicitor, early in the year, just weeks after his car-crash Newsnight interview. Despite him lying low, talk continues to flow in newspapers like The Telegraph and The Times that he is planning a 'rebranding' and hopes to one day return to frontline royal duties. He is praised by one senior palace aide for not appearing in official wedding photographs at the marriage of his daughter Princess Beatrice to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. One said it shows a 'level of maturity' from Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew is praised by one senior palace aide for not appearing in official wedding photographs at the marriage of his daughter Princess Beatrice to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. One said it shows a 'level of maturity' from Prince Andrew However, despite attempting to keep a low-profile, the headlines continue for Prince Andrew. In February the US attorney for the Southern District of New York claims prosecutors and the FBI had repeatedly contacted the Duke of York's lawyers to follow up on his previous pledge that he was 'willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency'. In November, Lisa Bloom, who represents six of Epstein's alleged victims, cals on Andrew to submit to an interview with the FBI in their investigation into Ghislaine Maxwell. Sources close to Andrew say he is willing to speak to the FBI. 2021: In August, Virginia Giuffre files a lawsuit in the US against Andrew accusing him of sexual assault. In the civil case she alleges she had sex with Andrew and he was aware of her age. She also claims hat she was a victim of sex trafficking when she was forced to have sex with him in 2001. 'I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me. The powerful and the rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions,' she said in a statement via her lawyers in August that year. Andrew continues to vehemently denies the claim. He hires US defence attorney Andrew Brettler to represent him. He describes the lawsuit as 'baseless, non-viable, and possibly unlawful.' Initially there is some debate over whether Prince Andrew has received the lawsuit. His lawyers claim the royal has not been properly served. Giuffre's lawyers claim the legal papers were handed over to a Metropolitan police officer on duty at the main gates of Andrew's Windsor Great Park home on 27 August. David Boies, representing Giuffre, said the complaint had been 'delivered to the last known address of the defendant'. He added that the documents had also been sent 'by Royal Mail'. David Boies, representing Giuffre, said the complaint had been 'delivered to the last known address of the defendant'. He added that the documents had also been sent 'by Royal Mail' A previously secret 2009 settlement between Giuffre and Epstein is raised. Prince Andrew's lawyers claim the settlement protects the royal from Giuffre lawsuit. The judge agrees to unseal the agreement. Lawyers for the Duke of York also file a motion claiming Giuffre currently lives in Australia and so the court does not have jurisdiction to hold the lawsuit. But her lawyers argue the civil case was properly filed in Manhattan federal court because she is a citizen of Colorado and some of the sexual misconduct she alleges took place in the state of New York. Meanwhile, a jury in New York finds Epstein's former madame Ghislaine Maxwell guilty of sex-trafficking. The British socialist is also found guilty of conspiracy to entice individuals under the age of 17 to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity, conspiracy to transport individuals under the age of 17 to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity; transportation of an individual under the age of 17 with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity; and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of individuals under the age of 18. A jury in New York finds Epstein's former madame Ghislaine Maxwell (pictured in a court sketch) guilty of sex-trafficking. On December 30, Giuffre hits back. Her legal team ask the prince's lawyers to prove he cannot sweat in a court filing. The request is made in relation to Prince Andrew's claims in his disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview. In the filing, it says: 'If Prince Andrew truly has no documents concerning his communications with Maxwell or Epstein, his travel to Florida, New York, or various locations in London, his alleged medical inability to sweat, or anything that would support the alibis he gave during his BBC interview, then continuing with discovery will not be burdensome to him at all'. 2022: The 2009 agreement between Giuffre and Epstein is unsealed. It shows Giuffre settled with Epstein for $500,000. In the settlement, Giuffre is show to agree not to go after 'other potential defendants,' defined as 'second parties'. But it does not specifically name Prince Andrew. His legal team say he is included under 'other potential defendants' and ask the judge to throw out the case. Alongside attempting to use the Epstein agreement to shield Prince Andrew, his legal team claim Giuffre hadn't sufficiently alleged any violations of the New York Penal Code. They also argued that Giuffre's allegations would have been time-barred by the statute of limitations if not for the 2019 New York Child Victims Act, which they labeled 'unconstitutional' and that Giuffre's allegations in her complaint were not sufficiently detailed. But in a major blow to Prince Andrew case, a New York judge throws out his legal challenge to dismiss the lawsuit and rules it can go ahead. A day later, the Queen strips Andrew of a range of military affiliations and royal patronages after more than 150 veterans write to describe their 'upset and anger'. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen filed two new SEC complaints this month alleging the company misled investors about the company's efforts to counter COVID and climate misinformation, redacted documents have revealed. The pair of complaints against the social media giant build on a case filed by former employee Haugen last year, that alleges the company, now Meta, knowingly spread false or divisive information. Other complaints leveled in the suit were that the company was aware of a negative impact its platform Instagram has on teen girls, and that it helped contribute to violence in developing countries. The complaints draw from tens of thousands of internal documents that Haugen took before leaving the company in May. The new complaints, uncovered by The Washington Post, allege Facebook made 'material misrepresentations and omissions in statements to investors' about the company's campaigns to quell misinformation on their platform. The new allegations come after whistleblower Frances Haugen, pictured, testified before Congress earlier this month over Facebook's failings In one of the new filings, ex-Facebook project manager Haugen, who worked for the company's civic integrity department until she resigned due to concerns the company was prioritizing 'profits over safety,' alleges Facebook officials did nothing about climate change misinformation prominently displayed on their site, despite executives calling it a 'global crisis' and promising to address it during earnings calls. The complaint also alleged that the company lacked a clear policy on the issue. A second, companion complaint further alleges that Facebook lied to the public about progress it made to clamp down on misinformation regarding the Coronavirus on its platform. In the filing, Haugen, 37, says that while Facebook executives were publicly promoting efforts to remove the COVID misinformation, internal documents taken from the company upon her resignation 'paint a different story.' Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen (pictured) speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Brussels in November. Haugen left the company, now Meta, last year alleging it knowingly spread false or divisive information The complaint points to internal communications between Meta execs regarding anti-vaccine sentiment in comments and internal surveys on their site, showing they were aware of a rapid increase of COVID misinformation on their site, and purposely did nothing to address it. 'Some investors simply will not want to invest in a company that fails to adequately address such misinformation and then engages in misstatements and omissions on the topic,' one of Haugen's complaints read. The accusation, if true, would mean Meta knowingly lied to the public over the past year about efforts to remove the false information. Meta spokesman Drew Pusateri, meanwhile, has asserted the company has been and continues to remove contentious claims about vaccines from their site, saying staffers have worked to spread accurate and 'authoritative information' about climate change, race, and COVID and vaccines Haugen has repeatedly taken aim at her former boss Mark Zuckerberg, with Meta denying her allegations of wrongdoing 'There are no one-size-fits-all solutions to stopping the spread of misinformation, but we're committed to building new tools and policies to combat it,' Pusateri told The Post Friday. Facebook rebranded itself as Meta last year, after Haugen went public with her claims against the company, remaining anonymous until a bombshell interview with '60 Minutes' in October. Earlier this month, the social media giant's share price dropped sharply after it was revealed new subscriber numbers had begun to drop, as younger users shun Facebook and Instagram for other social media platforms such as TikTok. In the interview, Haugen, who had held data managing roles with Silicon Valley giants Google and Yelp and helped found the dating app Hinge before being recruited by Facebook in 2019, said she had grown alarmed by company's repeated attempts put its own interests over the publics, and decided last spring to act. Iowa-born Haugen then resigned from the company, taking tens of thousands of pages of Facebooks internal research with her. 'I've seen a bunch of social networks and it was substantially worse at Facebook than what I had seen before,' Haugen said. 'Facebook, over and over again, has shown it chooses profit over safety.' After leaving the company, Haugen contacted John Tye, founder of nonprofit law firm Whistleblower Aid, to help her build a case for the company, to which he agreed. Meta, which is headquartered in Menlo Park, California, saw its share price tank earlier this month after a drop in users of its platforms was reported, sparking concerns for its future In August, after lawmakers wrote a letter to Facebooks chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, asking he provide internal research regarding the social and emotional well-being of children on Instagram, Haugen contacted the lawmakers and shared with them some of the documents. With the new information provided by Haugen, the lawmakers announced two hearings focused on Facebooks negative impact on children, after the company responded to the lawmaker's query with a letter that touted its image-sharing apps positive effects on children, while ignoring questions regarding its internal research. Haugen has since appeared before US Congress, EU officials, and, most recently, Australian parliament calling for transparency regarding the social media giant's practices, and the harmful effect those practices may be having on its users. 'As long as Facebook is operating in the shadows, hiding its research from public scrutiny, it is unaccountable,' says Haugen of the nearly $1 trillion company, whose market value took an unprecedented hit earlier this year. 'The company's leadership knows how to make Facebook and Instagram safer, but won't make the necessary changes because they have put their astronomical profits before people. Congressional action is needed,' Haugen said. A stunning 300-year-old country manor house has been destroyed in a huge blaze - despite firefighters battling through the night to save it. Nonsuch House, a 10-bedroom 18th Century house in Westbrook, Wilts., went up in flames shortly before 7pm last night. The 4million manor, which was given Grade II listed status in 1962, was engulfed in the fire for several hours before it was brought under control. The picturesque property, built in the William and Mary style, was destroyed in the blaze despite the efforts of more than 75 firefighters. Fire crews from across Wiltshire, Hampshire, Gloucestershire and Somerset were tasked with fighting the fire - most remaining on scene overnight. In a statement released shortly after the incident began, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: 'At 6.59pm this evening our Service Control Centre received the first of multiple 999 calls to report a property fire in Westbrook near Bromham. A stunning 300-year-old country manor house has been destroyed in a huge blaze - despite firefighters battling through the night to save it Nonsuch House, a 10-bedroom 18th Century house in Westbrook, Wilts., went up in flames shortly before 7pm last night The 4million manor, which was given Grade II listed status in 1962, was engulfed in the fire for several hours before it was brought under control The original building is said to have been built on the site in 1646 for the English diplomat Lord John Digby, supposedly as a hunting lodge. Pictured: The house before last night's fire The estate passed to William Norris (1656-1730), a diplomat who served as an ambassador to the sixth Mughal emperor Aurangzeb The property was put on the market for 3.9million in October 2020 with the estate agent Carter Jonas 'Initially crews were dispatched to the incident from Calne and Melksham. Victorian, Georgian, Elizabethan - but have you heard of William and Mary homes? When you think of period-style homes Victorian terraces, Georgian townhouses or stunning Elizabethan mansions probably spring to mind. However another well regarded but less well known style is William and Mary - an architectural period which refers to the years of joint sovereignty over England and Scotland by William III (William of Orange) and his wife Mary II - daughter of James II. The buildings are a mixture of Renaissance-inspired style of Southern Europe, with strong influences from the Netherlands and France. In architectural terms the buildings are often square or rectangular in show with large rectangular windows featuring cross patterns. Some of the most famous examples of William and Mary architecture include Hampton Court, Kensington Palace, and Greenwich Hospital. William and Mary is also a furniture style, emphasising both straight lines and curves, and featuring elaborate carvings. Advertisement 'Firefighters quickly requested support and we currently have 15 fire engines, three water carriers and an aerial ladder platform at this incident (approx. 75 firefighters). 'Crews are dealing with a significant fire in a large property. 'The A3102 has been closed and will remain closed overnight while we deal with this incident. 'At this stage it is not known how the fire started. A full fire investigation will be undertaken once the incident is under control.' In a later tweet, the fire service said: 'We have reduced our attendance at this incident overnight. 'There are approx 20 firefighters on scene and the A3102 remains closed while we deal with this incident. A fire investigation into the cause will begin as soon as it is safe to do so.' According to Historic England, which keeps entries of listed properties, Nonsuch House was built in the early 18th Century. The original building is said to have been built on the site in 1646 for the English diplomat Lord John Digby, supposedly as a hunting lodge. The estate passed to William Norris (1656-1730), a diplomat who served as an ambassador to the sixth Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Norris rebuilt the house after 1705. It belonged to the Norris family until 1835, the Meredith-Brown family 1849-1920. The alterations were carried out for the Bankier family, owners 1923-30. It is not clear who owns the property at the moment. However the property was put on the market for 3.9million in October 2020 with the estate agent Carter Jonas. In its listing, the estate agent wrote: 'Nonsuch comprises a small rural estate centred around a beautiful William and Mary house, a property that was originally built as a hunting lodge, possibly as early as 1645. The picturesque property, built in the William and Mary style, was destroyed in the blaze despite the efforts of more than 75 firefighters Fire crews from across Wiltshire, Hampshire, Gloucestershire and Somerset were tasked with fighting the fire - most remaining on scene overnight 'Over the years, a number of buildings within the stable block have been converted, the house divided and adjoining properties retained. 'Supporting the principal house are six further properties which provide rental income to the estate. 'Nonsuch still enjoys the benefit of a private stable yard and Lot 1 extends in all to 59.54 acres, which is predominantly parkland with small areas of amenity woodland lying along the southern boundary.' The house is near to the village of Bromham and in between the towns of Devizes, Melksham and Chippenham. The area has a number of top schools including St Margarets and St Marys at Calne, Dauntseys and Marlborough College - which includes Kate Middleton and Jack Whitehall among its alumni. A thinner and heavily made-up Karen Matthews has been spotted almost 14 years to the day since she became Britain's worst mother by kidnapping her own daughter, Shannon, to try to claim a 50,000 reward. Standing at a bus stop near her home in a southern English town, which cannot be named for legal reasons, Karen looked tanned, has dyed her hair black and continues to lose weight. The mother-of-seven has drastically changed her appearance since leaving prison in 2012. Her new image has coincided with a string of boyfriends. One so-called 'sugar daddy' reportedly showered her with gifts before they split, she also had a six-week fling with a convicted paedophile and is said to have told friends she wants to have another child since finding God two years ago. 'Despite the thick coating of make-up and fake tan, it was unmistakably her', said one witness who saw her boarding the bus. Tomorrow it will be 14 years since she repulsed the world after it was revealed that she and her ex-boyfriend's uncle Michael Donovan plotted to stage Shannon's kidnapping and claim the 50,000 reward. A fake tanned and thinner Karen Matthews stands at her local bus stop yesterday Matthews has been allowed to build a new life with a new identity and a new home in a town in the south of England She was surrounded by people who will have had no idea they were so close to Britain's most feckless mother Matthews boards a bus for town almost 14 years to the day since she abducted her daughter Matthews has had a string of boyfriends including a 'sugar daddy' and a convicted paedophile Matthews, 44, (left) is notorious for faking the kidnap of her nine-year-old daughter Shannon (right this week) in 2008 when she and a former boyfriend hid the youngster inside a bed for 24 days The tragic case of Shannon Matthews and her feckless mother Karen 19 February 2008 Shannon Matthews is last seen outside her school in Dewsbury 20 February Police announce a massive search for the missing girl 21 February 200 volunteers join the local police search party 1 March Shannon's mother Karen issues an emotional public appeal for the safe return on her daughter 12 March Reward offered for information leading to Shannon's whereabouts is increased to 50,000 14 March Shannon is found inside the base of a divan base at the home of Michael Donovan in Batley Carr. Over the next few weeks Donovan, along with Shannon's mother and stepfather, are all charged for separate offences 23 January 2009 Matthews and Donovan are sentenced to eight years each of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice April 2012: Matthews is released from prison after serving half her sentence. She was given a new taxpayer-funded identity and home. She is banned from seeing Shannon and her other children, who were put in care. 2020: Mother-of-seven Matthews is revealed to be living a new life, under a new name and has turned to God in southern England Advertisement Shannon was found 24 days later hidden inside the base of a divan in Donovan's flat, a mile from Karen's home, where the little girl had been drugged to keep her quiet and put on an elastic leash to prevent her getting to the front door. Matthews no longer has any contact with Shannon or her six other children. She was released in 2012 and given a new home and a new identity in the south of England. Matthews also found God in 2020 and went on a health kick and lost weight, apparently after finding a new boyfriend. Matthews and her ex-boyfriend's uncle Michael Donovan were jailed in 2008 for the plot to stage Sharon's kidnapping and claim the 50,000 reward for 'finding' her. She made a series of tearful TV appeals for help in finding her daughter as West Yorkshire Police launched one of the force's largest ever searches. Shannon was eventually found by detectives in Donovan's flat, around a mile from her home in Dewsbury, 24 days after she disappeared. Prosecutors said the schoolgirl was drugged and probably kept captive on a leash during her incarceration. Police described Matthews as 'pure evil' after she was found guilty of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. Her then-boyfriend, Craig Meehan, was not involved in the kidnapping plot. However, he was separately convicted of possessing 49 indecent images of children on a home computer. Matthews and her ex-boyfriend's uncle Michael Donovan were jailed in 2008 for the plot to stage Sharon's kidnapping and claim the 50,000 reward for 'finding' her. She made a series of tearful TV appeals for help in finding her daughter as West Yorkshire Police launched one of the force's largest ever searches. Shannon was eventually found by detectives in Donovan's flat, around a mile from her home in Dewsbury, 24 days after she disappeared. Matthews in March 2008 holding her daughter's favourite teddy bear as she feigned an emotional appeal for her safe return Matthews (left) and co-conspirator Michael Donovan (right) were both sentenced to eight years in prison in January 2009 and released in 2012 after serving half their sentences Matthews led from Dewsbury police station before a court appearance over Shannon's kidnap Prosecutors said the schoolgirl was drugged and probably kept captive on a leash during her incarceration. Police described Matthews as 'pure evil' after she was found guilty of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice. Her then-boyfriend, Craig Meehan, was not involved in the kidnapping plot. However, he was separately convicted of possessing 49 indecent images of children on a home computer. She and Donovan were both sentenced to eight years in prison in January 2009 and released in 2012 after serving half their sentences. Shannon was raised by a new family under a new identity and is now an adult. Shannon Matthews was forced to adhere to a strict list of rules, which were signed off with 'IPU', which the jury was told stood for 'I promise you', a threat Karen used against Shannon s A Turkish man who killed four women in Belgium to 'cleanse his family's honour' is now 'enjoying the sun, sea, and beach' in his home country after he was extradited to complete his sentence and promptly released on the streets. Turkish national Osman Calli was sentenced to life behind bars in Belgium for killing four women in 2004. He was extradited to his home country in 2013 to serve the remainder of his sentence, but was partially released in 2016 and cleared of all charges in 2020, according to newly surfaced information. Osman Calli who was given a life sentence in Belgium after he had killed four women, including his spouse and pregnant sister and severely wounded two people in Ghent, Belgium (Pictured with his wife Teslime) Osman Calli (right) was given a life sentence in Belgium after he had killed four women Calli tied up his wife Teslime, 25, and pregnant sister Hacer, 19, to chairs and shot them dead before burning their bodies. He then drove to his ex-wife's home in the city of Aalst and shot her and her mother, as well as a man living there at the time, who survived BBC Turkish said Calli had only served three years in prison in his home country. On the evening of 11th November 2004, Calli, who was living in the Belgian city of Ghent, murdered four women, including his pregnant teenage sister, and injured three others. Calli tied up his wife Teslime, 25, and pregnant sister Hacer, 19, to chairs and shot them dead before burning their bodies. He then drove to his ex-wife Wendy Blendeman's home in Nieuwerkerken, near the city of Aalst, and shot dead her and her mother and injured Henri De Cooman, Ms Blendeman's husband. Shauni De Cooman, 20, (pictured) was three years old when she found her grandmother and her mother Wendy Blendeman murdered in their Nieuwerkerken home in central Belgium. Her father Henri De Cooman survived the attack While driving back to Ghent, Calli's car broke down and he took a woman driver hostage and injured another person after arriving back in the city. Following his arrest, the Belgian authorities learned that he had served 18 months behind bars for abducting his son from his Belgian wife. He told the police he carried out the killings to 'cleanse his family's honour'. Calli was jailed for life following a four-year trial and served five years in Belgium before applying to return to Turkey to complete his sentence. He was transferred to Turkey on 28th June 2013 and removed from Belgium's criminal system the following year. Calli only spent three years in jail in Turkey before being partially released and then cleared, according to reports. His lawyer Ergun Top told Belgian media that he was partially released in 2016, placed on parole in 2019, and cleared of all charges a year later. Calli, now 63 years old, told Belgian media source VTM news: 'I am enjoying the sun, sea, and beach here. I have served my sentence. I have started a new life here' Following his arrest, the Belgian authorities learned that he had served 18 months behind bars for abducting his son from his Belgian wife Calli, now 63 years old, told Belgian media source VTM news: 'I am enjoying the sun, sea, and beach here. I have served my sentence. I have started a new life here.' He added that his new partner is expecting a baby boy and he wanted to be left alone so he could adapt to his 'new life'. The victims' families and the Belgian Ministry of Justice have slammed reports of the killer's release and demanded answers from the Turkish government. Shauni De Cooman, 20, was three years old when she found her grandmother and her mother Wendy Blendeman murdered in their Nieuwerkerken home in central Belgium. Her father Henri De Cooman survived the attack. Ms De Cooman said she 'can't understand how someone who is capable of such a thing is free again' in an interview with HLN. The Belgian Ministry said it had not been informed of any plans to release Calli and has yet to receive an answer to its enquiry. The Ministry said the Turkish authorities have contravened the terms of the European Convention on the Transfer of Convicts, which states they should have been informed of any possible release. Want to know how to navigate Downtown Los Angeles without climbing into the car? How about where to go when you need cold medicine and its late? Or are you looking for a place to work out? Check out this handy list that will help you with just about anything you want in Downtown. Its all a GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik joined House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in backing GOP Rep. Liz Cheney's challenger Harriet Hageman. 'I'm proud to endorse Harriet Hageman in her race to unseat Liz Cheney,' Stefanik first told Fox News. 'House Republicans were ready for a change when I took over as Conference Chair, and its resoundingly clear that Wyoming families are too.' Stefanik's endorsement came less than a day after McCarthy made the same announcement, as Trump-aligned Republicans continue to try to push detractors out of the GOP. Former President Donald Trump sent out a statement Friday afternoon celebrating the double endorsements. 'Congratulations to Kevin McCarthy and Elise Stefanik on their strong and powerful endorsement of Harriet Hageman of Wyoming,' Trump said. 'Loser Liz Cheney is a RINO and warmonger who doesnt deserve to serve in the House of Representatives.' 'Harriet will be an outstanding Representative for the Great State of Wyoming!' the former president added. GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik joined House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in backing GOP Rep. Liz Cheney's challenger Harriet Hageman with a Friday endorsement first reported by Fox News Rep. Liz Cheney (left) is being challenged by a number of Republicans for her Wyoming House seat, but Harriet Hageman (right) is getting the most prominent support including from former President Donald Trump On Thursday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy officially endorsed Harriet Hageman, who received former President Donald Trump's endorsement in September Stefanik took Cheney's No. 3 spot in House leadership with Republicans ousted her from the position in May over Earlier this month, the Republican National Committee membership voted to censure Cheney and Rep. Adam Kinzinger over their participation in the Democrat-led January 6 House select committee. 'The Conference must not be sabotaged by Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger who have demonstrated, with actions and words, that they support Democrat efforts to destroy President Trump more than they support winning back a Republican majority in 2022,' the resolution said. It added that the RNC will 'immediately cease any and all support' of Cheney and Kinzinger, adding that the party denounces 'those who deliberately jeopardize victory in November.' While it was debated at the RNC's winter meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, the membership decided against passing a resolution that would have called on Congressional leaders to push Cheney and Kinzinger out of the GOP conference. In a previous interview, Stefanik indicated House leadership wouldn't go that far. 'The RNC has every right to take any action and the position that I have is that you're ultimately held accountable to voters in your district, voters who you represent,' Stefanik said in early February. 'And we're going to hear the feedback and the views of voters pretty quickly this year.' Republicans are hoping to take back control of both houses of Congress, where Democrats hold slim majorities, in the November midterms. Cheney's seat is safely Republican. In 2020, she bested the Democrat on the ballot by 44 points. But Trump has committed to taking out any Republican who voted for his impeachment over the January 6 insurrection, of which Cheney was the most prominent. Trump endorsed Hageman back in September. More recently, Politico reported, Trump and his allies have been lobbying Wyoming state officials to change the state's primary rules that currently allow Democrats and independents to switch their party affiliation on election day. Cheney's chances of re-election hinge on Democrats, independents and anti-Trump Republicans voting for her over one of the pro-Trump Republicans on the August 16 primary ballot. Re-election becomes much harder if Wyoming changes its law and all the prominent pro-Trump Republicans get behind a singular candidate. Hageman is a lawyer and a former Republican National Committee woman. She grew up on her family's ranch outside of Fort Laramie. 'I strongly endorse Republican House of Representatives Candidate Harriet Hageman from Wyoming who is running against warmonger and disloyal Republican, Liz Cheney,' Trump said when he endorsed Hageman in September. 'Harriet is a fourth-generation daughter of Wyoming, a very successful attorney, and has the support and respect of a truly great U.S. Senator, Wyoming's own Cynthia Lummis.' Stefanik chimed in Friday: 'Liz Cheney abandoned her constituents to become a Far-Left Pelosi puppet. Liz sadly belongs in an MSNBC or CNN news chair, not in Congress representing Wyoming - a state that voted for President Trump by over forty points.' 'Harriet is a true America First patriot who will restore the people of Wyomings voice that has been long forgotten by Liz Cheney,' Stefanik added. The Isle of Man government has been slammed for 'sexism' and 'misogyny' after telling the public Storm Eunice had 'changed her mind like most women'. The Department of Infrastructure put out a post on Thursday night warning local residents about a potential road closure near Peel Beach and claimed the wind had changed direction. The post met a backlash from locals who branded the joke 'outdated' and while school librarian Helen Jessopp said it was 'offensive' and claimed the Government 'needed to be called out' for it. Now the government have claimed the message 'fell below the standards expected' and admitted it would 'not happen again'. The Facebook post said: 'A road closure is in place for Peel Promenade 10am Friday 18 February 2022. 'Due to a change in the wind direction this closure will not go ahead unless required. The Isle of Man government posted about a road closure due to the start of Storm Eunice School librarian Helen Jessopp hit out at the government, claiming it was 'beyond a joke' 'Thank you for your patience and understanding, but like most women Eunice changes her mind what she's doing.' In reaction to the post, several bemused social media users commented in disbelief, claiming it portrayed an 'outdated' view and was an example of a 'micro aggression' against women. School librarian Helen Jessopp hit out at the government, claiming it was 'beyond a joke' and an example of 'everyday sexism'. Helen, from Port Erin, Isle of Man, said: 'I thought it was a bit outdated and close to the wire for a government department to post something that could be considered quite inflammatory in this day and age. 'This is an example of everyday sexism. It's the sort of micro aggression that needs to be called out. 'It's so normalised and a lot of people don't realise that it's offensive and outdated. Waves crash against the sea wall and Porthcawl Lighthouse in Porthcawl, Bridgend, Wales, as Storm Eunice hits the south coast 'It comes across as it being just a bit of banter or a joke, but when it's constant and it comes from a government department, that goes beyond a joke and a bit of banter. 'It's the small things that add up.' Helen then thought she would 'banter back' by posting an equally 'sweeping' and inflammatory statement mocking the initial post. On Facebook, Helen wrote: 'Weird how it's not named after a man then, seeing as like most men it's going to get violent and unpredictably damage property and maybe people haha.' Helen said: 'I thought I'd banter back and make a comparison with a different sweeping statement. 'The post very quickly got deleted almost immediately after I posted that. 'The fact it was taken down so quickly and the writing style of it made me think it might have been someone who isn't normally in charge of social media. 'They might have thought it was an off-the-cuff, flippant comment and not really thinking it through. 'I think it was probably someone who doesn't have those comments aimed at them and realise it's not just a stand alone thing, but one of many that people can encounter in a short period of time from different places.' However Twitter users were divided over the comments, with some claiming it was 'very disappointing', while others suggested it was merely 'old-fashioned' humour. Lise Pilkington said: '2022 and casual misogyny is still alive and well on the Isle of Man and from an @IOMGovernment department too.' Trudie Woods said: 'Very disappointing to see!' Women of Mann said: 'Poorly judged, poorly worded, poorly executed. The joke isn't even funny, don't understand why the OP thought it was a good idea.' Tony said: 'Or take it in the way intended it is called old fashioned humour not offensive or I maybe a grumpy old man can I say that.' Adam Drewett said: 'Are people really offended by this?! What a world we live in.' A spokesperson for the Isle of Man Department of Infrastructure said: 'The Department of Infrastructure is aware of a message posted on its Facebook page this morning, and subsequently amended, which fell below the standards expected of our organisation. 'Measures are being taken to ensure this does not happen again.' Advertisement Rescuers are racing to salvage a US-bound cargo ship in the Atlantic engulfed in flames with 4,000 cars on board including Bentleys, Audis and Lamborghinis. The operation is taking place off the Azores archipelago where the 'Felicity Ace' cargo ship caught ablaze at sea on Wednesday. Lithium-ion batteries in the electric cars on board have caught fire and the blaze requires specialist equipment to extinguish. Investigators are probing whether the batteries started the onboard inferno. The ship is still ablaze and plumes of white smoke are billowing from the vessel as a Portuguese navy ship works to stop it sinking with the 3,965 Volkswagen AG vehicles on board, including 1,100 Porches and 189 Bentleys, thought to be worth a combined 120 million. One man said his custom-ordered Porsche Boxster Spyder, whose base models sell for at least $100,000 was on board the ship. Captain Joao Mendes Cabecas of the port of Hortas said: 'The ship is burning from one end to the other... everything is on fire about five meters above the water line.' Rescuers are racing to salvage a US-bound cargo ship in the Atlantic engulfed in flames with 4,000 cars on board including Bentleys, Audis and Lamborghinis Air Force Helicopter rescued the 22 crew members of the ship Felicity Ace as they were scrambled to safety and abandoned the burning ship The cargo ship Felicity Ace which was carrying vehicles from Emden, Germany, to Davisville, Rhode Island, caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean The ship is still ablaze and plumes of white smoke are billowing from the vessel as a Portuguese navy ship works to stop it sinking The 650-feet-long ship was sailing from Emden in Germany and had left on February 10 and was heading to the port of Davisville in the U.S. state of Rhode Island, according to online vessel trackers Matt Farah, the man behind The Smoking Tire YouTube channel, posted regarding his own Porsche that was apparently onboard the ship What is on board the cargo ship? The Felicity Ace is believed to be carrying 3,965 vehicles on board on its route from Germany to the US. Volkswagen has not confirmed the number of cars on board, but Porsche said around 1,100 models are on the ship. Porsches range in price from around 45,000 to 200,000 for their standard models. A stock image of a Porsche Panamera 4, which costs around 73,000 A 2008 Bentley Continental GT Bentley said 189 of its cars were also on board. A new Bentley Continental GT V8 would set a driver back 157,000. There were reportedly 21 Lamborghinis on the doomed vessel last month, but the current number is unknown. A limited edition Lamborghini can cost as much as 2.5million, while a standard SUV from the Italian supercar maker costs around 150,000. A Lamborghini Aventador costs around 250,000 Advertisement Rescuers believe the 650ft long ship may be too large to be towed to a port in Azores, which is more than 900 miles from the European mainland. Towing boats were on route from Gibraltar and the Netherlands, with three due to arrive by Wednesday. A sixteen-person salvage team from Smit Salvage, owned by Dutch marine engineer Boskalis, was sent to the ship to help control the flames. The Portuguese Air Force has rescued 22 crew members from the burning ship after they abandoned the vessel and were taken on board the Resilient Warrior tanker after it diverted its route to assist with the rescue. They were then airlifted to safety in a military helicopter and taken to Faial Island. The Felicity Ace sounded the alarm after a fire broke out in the hold, the Portuguese Navy said in a statement. The cause of the fire is not known. The ship was sailing from Emden in Germany and had left on February 10 and was heading to the port of Davisville in the U.S. state of Rhode Island, according to online vessel trackers. The ship was originally expected to arrive at Davisville on February 23. Portugal's navy said one of its patrol boats and four merchant vessels were helping with the rescue. The Portuguese Air Force aircraft were also mobilized. After transmitting the distress signal, a Portuguese Navy patrol boat together with four other merchant ships in the area headed toward where the distressed ship was located. The crew abandoned ship and got into lifeboats. Eager Porsche buyers logging into the Track Your Dream service, which details the progress of the car's delivery, stated how the company was 'aware of an incident on the Felicity Ace carrying certain Porsche vehicles.' Matt Farah, the man behind The Smoking Tire YouTube channel, posted Wednesday regarding his own Porsche that was apparently onboard the ship. 'I ordered a Boxster Spyder in August, and I was very excited to get it at the end of this month, and now it seems like it might become an artificial reef,' said Matt Farah who runs the Smoking Tire YouTube channel, which has more than 1 million subscribers. 'I'm only saying this because I know no one was hurt, which is obviously more important.' Bentley said 189 of its cars were also onboard the blazing ship. That could work out at around a total loss of 22million in Bentleys alone. 'We are working with the shipping company to find out further information,' said a spokesman. Lamborghini have refused to comment on the number of its vehicles on board the doomed ship, but last month 21 supercars were being transported by the vessel. The majority of the rest are likely to be Volkswagens or Audis. The crew of 22 evacuated into lifeboats and were picked up by Resilient Warrior, a tanker operated by Greek company Polembros Shipping Limited. Pictured, view from Resilient Warrior with the Felicity Ace seen on the horizon After transmitting the distress signal, a Portuguese Navy patrol boat together with four other merchant ships in the area headed toward where the distressed ship was located Eleven crew members have so far have been picked up from a Greek tanker, Resilient Warrior, by a Portuguese Navy helicopter Eager Porsche buyers logging into the Track Your Dream service, which details the progress of the car's delivery, stated how the company was 'aware of an incident on the Felicity Ace carrying certain Porsche vehicles' Eleven crew members have so far have been picked up from a Greek tanker, Resilient Warrior, by a Portuguese Navy helicopter The 650-feet-long ship, pictured, was sailing from Emden in Germany to Rhode Island On Wednesday, Porsche released a statement over the stricken ship. 'Our immediate thoughts are of the 22 crew of the merchant ship Felicity Ace, all of whom we understand are safe and well as a result of their rescue by the Portuguese Navy following reports of a fire on board. 'We believe a number of our cars are among the cargo on board the ship. No further details of the specific cars affected are available at this time we are in close contact with the shipping company and will share more information in due course.' Volkswagen also released a statement: 'We are aware of an incident today involving a cargo ship transporting Volkswagen Group vehicles across the Atlantic. At this time, we are not aware of any injuries. We are working with local authorities and the shipping company to investigate the cause of the incident.' A Portuguese Navy spokesperson said there were no more details about the ongoing operation. An 'arrogant and entitled' driver who mowed down and killed an 11-year-old schoolgirl has been jailed for five years. Andrew Cairns, 36, was driving home from work in August 2020 when he hit Ruby Cropper as she was crossing the New Road in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester with her friend. He then drove away from the scene and abandoned his car, before walking to his home address nearby before calling the police. Ruby Cropper, 11, pictured, was stuck and killed by speeding motorist Andrew Cairns on August 10, 2020 in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester. Cairns had previous convictions for drink driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident Andrew Cairns, pictured, denied causing death by dangerous driving but admitted the lesser charge of causing death by careless driving. He was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and was criticised by a judge for failing to show any remorse She sadly died two days later from unsurvivable injuries. Following a trial at the Nightingale Court, held at the Hilton Hotel due to the pandemic, earlier this year, a jury unanimously convicted Cairns, of Radcliffe, of causing death by dangerous driving. Today he was jailed for five years. He had previously pleaded guilty to causing the death of Ruby by careless driving, but denied causing her death by dangerous driving. The court heard Cairns had not expressed any 'remorse or regret' for what he had done. Jamie Baxter, prosecuting, told the court that on August 10, 2020 at around 4.30pm, 11-year-old Ruby was struck by Cairns' Suzuki Alto at 'excessive speed' as she crossed the road. 'Instead of waiting and pulling over, or calling an ambulance or asking for help, the defendant chose to drove away,' he said. 'The force of the collision propelled her forwards 14 metres (46 feet) from the point of impact, where she came to rest on the opposite side of the carriageway near to a bus stop. 'Notwithstanding the efforts of decent members of the public, some sat with Ruby as she lay in the road, and efforts of well trained and dedicated ambulance service and medical professionals, she passed away in the early hours of August 12.' Expert evidence suggested that Cairns was travelling at no less than 44 miles per hour if he had been braking at the point of impact. The speed limit was 30 miles per hour. One eyewitness who had been overtaken by Cairns moments before said he had been 'driving like a looney'. Other eye-witnesses said they thought Cairns had been 'driving super fast' and 'like he was on a racetrack'. Cairns fled the scene of the accident leaving witnesses to try and help the mortally injured school girl He was said to have six previous convictions for nine offences, including two offences of drink driving, failing to stop after an accident wherein he flipped his father's car onto the roof an offence of battery against a former partner. Six months after Ruby's death, Cairns was found speeding on the M62, reaching speeds of 98 miles per hour. In emotional victim impact statements read to the court, Ruby's brother Ryan Veitch, mum Shelley Booth and dad Ian Cropper, each spoke of their agony and grief in the immediate aftermath of the collision. Ryan said he had received a call from their step-father informing him that he needed to get home as soon as possible as his little sister had been in an accident. 'I was driving down the street and I saw an air ambulance and I realised how serious it was. I screamed: "No, please don't be for Ruby, no please don't be for Ruby,"' he said. 'Depressed, anxious, numb, empty, miserable, negative. I have felt every single one over the last 18 months. 'Ruby was a kind, caring, unique young girl. She was robbed of her life. If anyone deserved a happy life - it was Ruby.' Her mother, Shelley said: 'From the very moment I received the call from my husband telling me that our beautiful daughter Ruby had been run over, life has never been the same. 'The shock of seeing her unconscious and dying in front of me is the worst thing I have ever had to deal with. 'Ruby would have died on August 10 but, because she was an organ donor, we had until the early hours of August 12, to say goodbye. 'We lay with her and played her favourite music, took her hand and foot prints, told her how much we loved her and were there until her last breath.' Her father, Ian, said: 'Ruby was my whole world, she was my best friend and absolute love of my life - Ruby made me the person I am. She made me a Daddy, she made me see the world differently, she made me strong when I didn't feel it, she made me happy when I was sad - she was my everything and it's hard to put into words the loss I feel. 'I am not sure there are enough words in this world to try and describe a world without Ruby in it.' The court heard that following her death, Ruby saved three people's lives after donating her kidneys and liver through the organ donor programme. In mitigating, his barrister Michael Johnson said: 'This was a terrible set of circumstances and he had conducted himself in an unlawful way. 'He did acknowledge by his plea to a lesser count that he caused the death.' Sentencing, Judge Timothy Smith said: 'What you did was insensitive, unfeeling and an uncaring act of gross social responsibility. You demonstrated an arrogant disregard for the rules of the road. 'In your presentence report, there was no expression of remorse or regret. At your trial you were given an opportunity to make a full apology - you did not. 'This was borne out of your own sense of entitlement to drive at excessive speeds regardless of the speed limit and regardless of the consequences.' Cairns, of Rupert Street, was jailed for five years and banned from driving for seven years. PC Laura Drew, a Forensic Collision Reconstruction Officer employed by Greater Manchester Police, filed a report that stated: 'Witnesses estimate Mr Cairns speed was between 50mph and 60mph. 'It is not known as to what exact path or speed Miss Cropper ran at, however research shows her time in the road to be between 0.8 and 1.3 seconds. Mr Cairns could not have avoided this collision at the speed he was travelling. 'However, had Mr Cairns been travelling at the speed limit, Miss Cropper would have had time to pass across the front of his vehicle without him having to take any evasive action.' Lead Investigator, PC Phil Drummond, from GMP's Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: 'For reasons only known to himself, Cairns chose to drive in a way that would inevitably end in disaster. 'His reckless actions had the most severe of consequences; the life of a young, innocent girl ended and a family torn apart. 'As quickly as he took Ruby's life, he fled the scene without any thought for her, leaving decent members of the public to rush to her aid. 'While Cairns admitted to causing Ruby's death at an earlier hearing, he failed to recognise and take responsibility for his sustained, despicable course of driving. 'Furthermore, only six months later and while on bail, he continued to drive without regard for public safety and was caught speeding, showing a complete and utter lack of remorse. 'Thankfully, 17 months after the collision, a jury saw through Cairns' inconsistent account and rightly convicted him of causing Ruby's death by driving dangerously. 'I wish to thank Ruby's family for their patience and compassion throughout the entire investigation. I hope this serves to bring them some level of closure. 'Furthermore, I would like to take the opportunity to commend the efforts of the members of public who not only aided Ruby until paramedics arrived but furthermore, appeared in court to give evidence, ultimately reliving their horrific memories. 'I hope this serves to reassure our communities and a reminder those who seek to put them in danger - the Serious Collision Investigation Unit is dedicated to our work and will continue to prosecute them.' Instagram's owner has today been ordered to hand over data from the private accounts of a teenager who took her own life after viewing 'dreadful' self ham posts online. Meta, which owns the social media site, as well as Facebook and WhatsApp, has been told to disclose the information about Molly Russell as part of an inquest into the teen's tragic death. The 14-year-old, from Harrow in north-west London, viewed material linked to anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide before ending her life in November 2017. Her inquest will look at how algorithms used by social media giants to keep users hooked may have contributed to her death. While data on what content Molly liked, shared, or saved on the platform had been disclosed regarding accounts marked as public, Meta has so far refused to disclose the same data for accounts which are now set as private, citing its privacy and data protection obligations. However, Senior Coroner Andrew Walker, leading a pre-inquest review at North London Coroner's Court on Friday, has now ordered the company to divulge the data, even if it comes in a redacted form. Meta was also ordered to disclose documents and data in relation to research it had conducted into the harm that may be caused to children by using its platforms. It comes after a lawyer representing Molly's family accused Meta of using 'wholly misconceived and fabricated' arguments to withhold data from an inquest into her death. Instagram's owner has today been ordered to hand over data from the private accounts of teenager Molly Russell (pictured) who took her own life after viewing 'dreadful' self ham posts online Meta, which owns Instagram (pictured: Library image), as well as Facebook and WhatsApp, has been told to disclose the information about Molly Russell as part of an inquest into the teen's tragic death The lawyers said they had requested data on what content was promoted to Molly by algorithms but Meta's lawyer Samuel Jacobs told the court the company did not hold it. The same, he said, applied to content which Molly viewed but did not engage with. Oliver Sanders QC told the court Meta was withholding data in relation to the private accounts with 'wholly misconceived and fabricated' arguments about its GDPR and privacy obligations, adding that Pinterest had already shared the requested data. He said: 'What Mr Jacobs says is that they are unable to disclose any more, that simply means they are unwilling to disclose anymore.' The 14-year-old (pictured in 2009), from Harrow in north-west London, viewed material linked to anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide before ending her life in November 2017 Mr Sanders said he and his team were 'stuck in this endless loop of requesting material from Meta and not getting it despite the fact that it exists'. He added: 'And I think it comes back to the point of unwillingness not inability.' Mr Jacobs said the allegation is 'not accepted and frankly is not correct'. 'It [Meta] is certainly willing to assist this inquest and it's done so by putting forward its head of health and wellbeing.' A hearing last year heard how a huge volume of 'pretty dreadful' Instagram posts had been disclosed to the investigation. It heard how, on Twitter, Molly tweeted or retweeted 460 times, liked 4,100 tweets, was following 116 accounts and had 42 followers. She was a much more active user of Pinterest, with more than 15,000 engagements, including 3,000 saves, in the last six months of her life. Molly did not have a Facebook profile, the inquest heard. But in the last six months of her life, she was engaging with Instagram posts around 130 times a day on average. This included 3,500 shares during that time frame, as well as 11,000 likes and 5,000 saves. The court previously heard Twitter had provided Molly's father, Ian Russell, with access to her Twitter profile so he could pore over some of the material she liked or shared. Molly (pictured in 2015) tweeted or retweeted 460 times, liked 4,100 tweets, was following 116 accounts and had 42 followers Molly (pictured here in 2015) did not have a Facebook profile, the inquest heard. But in the last six months of her life, she was engaging with Instagram posts around 130 times a day on average Senior Coroner Andrew Walker has also asked for a psychologist with expertise in the potential psychological impacts viewing extreme material would have on a teenager be appointed to give evidence. A further hearing will take place on March 16 before a full inquest, which is set to last a week, will begin on April 4. At the end of the hearing Coroner Walker added: 'I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the family.' Mr Russell has campaigned for social media reform since her death and has set up charity the Molly Rose Foundation. Members of the family were present for the hearing, which lasted two-and-a-half hours and took place via video link. The tragedy of Molly's death is one of the reasons the government is seeking to clamp down on abuses of power by social media giants in a new Online Safety Bill. The bill imposes a duty of care on the tech giants to stop them allowing users to view harmful material. A White Paper outlining the legislation was first drafted in 2019 but the bill is still going through Parliament. Last month it was revealed social media bosses could be jailed if they fail to cooperate with regulators on protecting the vulnerable online, under updated legislation. An earlier version of the Online Safety Bill, published last year, said tech firms could be fined huge amounts potentially running into billions of pounds if they failed to abide by a duty of care. Molly's father Ian Russell (pictured in 2017) has campaigned for social media reform since her death and has set up charity the Molly Rose Foundation But ministers had avoided making bosses personally responsible for company failings. Now, however, senior managers will face prosecution for breaking the duty of care. It is understood Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries will outline the more draconian law in the next few weeks, amid growing concern that companies such as YouTube and Facebook are failing to take down harmful content. The legislation is dubbed the Nick Clegg law, as the former deputy prime minister is now vice president for global affairs and communications at Facebook. Introducing criminal liability for tech bosses will increase pressure on the Government to accept recommendations from the Joint Parliamentary Committee which scrutinised the Bill to strengthen the exemption for news publishers. The move is a huge shift in policy by the Government, which had up until now defied calls to make bosses criminally liable for their sites. One Whitehall insider said: 'It had been the sword of Damocles hanging over them, but now it will come into force.' A spokesperson for Meta said: 'As the Coroner acknowledged at the hearing today, Meta has already provided a large amount of data to the Inquest. 'Our goal remains to assist the Coroner in this important investigation, while ensuring we comply with our legal and regulatory obligations. As the inquest is ongoing, we cant comment further.' The mother and step-father of an autistic man found 'close to death' after being locked in an attic and starved of food have both been jailed six years. Lorna Hewitt, 43, and her husband Craig, 42, were caged after being found guilty of falsely imprisoning Matthew Langley, 24, at their home in Sheffield. Matthew was severely dehydrated and weighed just six stone when he was found inside the vomit and faeces-covered room. During sentencing at Sheffield Crown Court today, Judge Michael Slater, described Lorna Hewitt's actions as 'a grave abuse of trust between a mother and her son.' He added: 'You were the primary carer for Matthew with all his difficulties and challenges. 'It makes it all the more inexplicable to me that for those seven months you failed to provide him with the support and provision of food and drink that he craved and needed.' The mother and step-father of an autistic man found 'close to death' after being locked in an attic and starved of food have both been jailed six years Lorna Hewitt, 43, and her husband Craig, 42, were caged after being found guilty of falsely imprisoning Matthew Langley, 24, at their home in Sheffield The Hewitts had earlier denied keeping Matthew captive at their home for seven months, but both were found guilty following a trial. The couple were also found guilty of causing or allowing a vulnerable adult to suffer serious physical harm. The court had heard Matthew was found by paramedics seriously underweight, dehydrated and 'with his life hanging in the balance'. Nicholas Campbell QC, prosecuting, previously said the ambulance service was called to the home in Sheffield in the early hours of June 2, 2020. Matthew was rushed to a hospital ICU in a 'pitiable state' with abrasions indicating he had been moving around on all fours, the prosecutor told the court. Matthew was found locked up in the attic of his mother's Sheffield home on Walkley Road (pictured) He had suffered damage to a kidney with high sodium levels relating to severe dehydration, it was heard. Mr Campbell added: 'His sodium levels were dangerously high. They measured 180. 'They were so high they could shut down his brain and kill him. Anything above 145, there is a real chance of death. 'The Home Office pathologist examined the injuries and said the abrasions and bruises were consistent in his view with Matthew having been crawling on all fours over objects in his path.' Police found faeces and vomit in Matthew's attic room on the floor and bedding along with flies, a bad smell and a key on the outside of the door, the court heard. Matthew, who suffered from irritable bowel syndrome, incontinence, arthritis and learning difficulties, weighed only 6st when he was found, Mr Campbell said. Seven months earlier, in November 2019, he had weighed 8.5st, the court was told today. But Mr Campbell said Matthew made a good physical recovery thanks to the hard work of medical professionals and when he was discharged from hospital he weighed 8.6st. In mitigation, John Harrison, for Lorna Hewitt, read a report from psychologist Rekha Davis that said she was 'vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation' and was 'easily suggestible'. The reported stated, he said: 'Given her emotional vulnerability, Mrs Hewitt's capacity to consider the consequences of her actions and decisions is limited.' Miss Tana Adkin QC, representing Mr Craig Hewitt, said there had been a 'significant change' in his understanding of what he had done throughout the court proceedings. At Sheffield Crown Court last month, the couple were both found guilty of allowing serious injury to a vulnerable adult and false imprisonment. They will be sentenced next month She said: 'He is devastated about what happened to Mathew. He is not a deliberately cruel man in the sense that the courts see and have seen in the past. 'He is not someone that would punish Matthew for his autism.' But Judge Slater chose to disagree with both these characterisations in his sentencing comments. Addressing Craig Hewitt, he said: 'You were complicit equally with wife Lorna Hewitt in care effectively being switched off to any degree for Matthew as he was locked in his room and starved of food. ' 'That did not occur by negligence, it did not occur by recklessness. It was a plan between the pair of you. 'I'm quite satisfied that nothing in that household occurred without either you knowing about it or approving of it.' Speaking directly to Lorna Hewitt, he said: 'It is argued on your behalf that you were particularly vulnerable and suggestible at the time.' 'I had the benefit of observing you give evidence in the trial over the course of several days. 'It did not seem to me that you were not capable of standing up for yourself or that you were particularly suggestible. You were both an articulate, temperate and thoughtful witness.' Hamilton creator Lin Manuel Miranda once promoted the Black Lives Matter-linked bail fund that paid to free a 21-year-old activist accused of trying to shoot a Jewish mayoral candidate dead in his campaign office. On Monday 21-year-old Quintez Brown allegedly showed up at Democratic mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg's Louisville Kentucky campaign HQ, where he is said to have opened fire. Just two days later BLM Louisville, together with the BLM-run Louisville Community Bail Fund, posted the journalist and Obama Foundation mentee's $100,000 cash bond, a decision Greenberg said reflected how 'broken' the criminal justice system is. Now it appears that the bail fund that made Brown's release possible has been promoted by major stars like Miranda. In May 2020, amid nationwide protest due to murder of George Floyd, the Hamilton creator and actor asked his over 3 million Twitter followers to support the Louisville Community Bail Fund by donating or volunteering. 'Donating & adding the Louisville Community Bail Fund to the list below,' Miranda wrote, including links. 'If you cannot donate, amplify/volunteer.' 'If you are heartsick over racism & injustice, let it manifest action, work towards justice, however you can manage,' he added. 'God keep you safe.' Later that year TV host Padma Lakshmi also amplified the group on Twitter, posting a a link to the bail fund and asking her followers to donate if they can. Social activists used their publicly donated funds to secure Brown's release from behind bars, claiming he would be safer at home and he is suffering PTSD after two years of social unrest and the Covid pandemic. In 2020 Miranda asked his over 3 million Twitter followers to support the Louisville Community Bail Fund by donating or volunteering 'Donating & adding the Louisville Community Bail Fund to the list below,' Miranda wrote. 'If you cannot donate, amplify/volunteer' Later that year TV host Padma Lakshmi also amplified the group on Twitter, posting a a link to the bail fund and asking her followers to donate if they can Chanelle Helm (pictured during BLM protests in 2020) said she knows Brown personally through their activism and they wanted to guarantee his safety 'It is nearly impossible to believe that someone can attempt murder on Monday and walk out of jail on Wednesday,' the candidate said Thursday. 'If someone is struggling with a mental illness and is in custody, they should be evaluated and treated in custody. We must work together to fix this system,' he added. Prosecutors had recommended a $75,000 bond for the BLM-supporting student at the University of Louisville, who is also a candidate for the city's metro council, but it was then raised to $100,000 through fear of his and the public's safety. Brown will now be in home incarceration fitted with a GPS ankle monitor after he left Metro Corrections Wednesday evening hours after the bail was paid. Brown, a well-known BLM activist, was one of 22 people chosen to meet the former President of the United States in 2019 as part of Obama's My Brother's Keeper Alliance, which is aimed at closing achievement gaps facing young boys and men of color. Brown (circled) was named as a 'rising face' by Barack Obama's foundation in 2019, and was one of just 22 participants chosen for the former president's My Brother's Keeper program Quintez Brown, a 21-year-old student at the University of Louisville and a Black Lives Matter activist, was charged with attempted murder for allegedly attempting to shoot mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg Brown, 21, was accused of opening fire on Monday on Greenberg (pictured), whose shirt was grazed by a bullet in his campaign headquarters in Louisville 'A left-wing bail fund partnered with BLM Louisville to bail him out. Less than 48 hours after this activist tried to literally murder a politician, the radical left bailed their comrade out of jail' Brown, of Louisville in Kentucky, was pictured smiling behind the president, and even named as a future star by the Obama Foundation website, but now finds himself accused of the attempted murder of Craig Greenberg. Brown's attorney Rob Eggert has scolded those who suggested it was an anti-Semitic attack. Eggert said: 'This is not a hate crime. It is a mental health case.' Cops have yet to comment further on a motive. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who serves the state of Kentucky, joined Greenberg in criticizing Brown's release. 'This far-left Black Lives Matter activist and defund-the-police cheerleader walked into a Jewish Democrat's campaign headquarters and opened fire,' the Senate Minority Leader said in a statement Thursday 'But guess what: He's already been let out of jail,' McConnell added. 'A left-wing bail fund partnered with BLM Louisville to bail him out. Less than 48 hours after this activist tried to literally murder a politician, the radical left bailed their comrade out of jail.' McConnell also pointed out the double standard in media coverage of the alleged attempted assassination. 'I'm confident that if activists claiming to be conservative tried to assassinate a politician, whatever his mental state, the media would open a 24/7 national conversation about rhetoric on the right,' McConnell said. Brown's friends claim he was suffering from a 'mental health crisis' at the time of the shooting, with his attorney Rob Eggert scolding those who suggested it was an anti-Semitic attack Brown previously wrote a slew of opinion pieces for the Louisville Courier Journal website, including an attack on the city's police department In another screed, he railed against a local concealed carry gun law Brown was also named as a rising star by Barack Obama's foundation in 2019, and appears on the former president's website as a role model who bragged of inspiring young boys The alleged attempted murderer still appears as a changemaker the Obama website bragging of his status as a role model for local boys. DailyMail.com has contacted the foundation for further comment. Brown was also repeatedly hired by the BBC - the UK's prestigious public broadcaster - as a spokesman on race matters in the US. And Brown was even employed as a columnist at his local paper, the Louisville Courier Journal, where he posted regular diatribes against the police and gun ownership. Brown's release comes amid nationwide calls for tougher bail laws following a spate of brutal killings, including Brianna Kupfer, 24, stabbed to death in a luxury LA furniture store, and New York ad creative Christina Yuan Lee who was killed in her own apartment. The Louisville fund's cofounder and local BLM organizer Chanelle Helm said they wanted to keep Brown safe while he awaits trial, and she knows him personally through their activism. She told WHAS-TV: 'They are calling for this individual, this young man who needs support and help, to be punished to the full extent. 'It is a resounding message that people are down for the torture that has taken place in our jails and prisons.' She said there have been a spate of deaths in the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections in recent months and she wanted to guarantee his safety. Helm added that many activists and organizers such as Brown are suffering from mental health problems and PTSD as a result of the unrest of the past two years and the Covid pandemic. But questions over whether it was safe for Brown to be on the street are mounting, as his former columns offer a disturbing insight into just how different his words are to his alleged actions. The column was published in July 2019, under the headline: 'Kentucky's concealed carry law shows your life doesn't matter to gun-loving Republicans.' It said: 'Your life has no meaning to the irresponsible politicians in Frankfort who time and time again choose the National Rifle Association over your life. 'Their support for Senate Bill 150, which allows Kentuckians to carry concealed weapons without a permit, is yet another warning: They've put a price tag on your life and decided that the blood money they receive from the NRA is more valuable. 'Every time lawmakers vote against gun safety, and thus the lives of our most vulnerable, they show that their hearts can be as cold as the steel of the guns they praise.' Astonishingly, another May 2021 column written by Brown - titled Louisville's huge police budget is the real boogeyman traumatizing Black people took aim at Louisville PD for failing to reduce gun violence. He wrote: 'Trauma is not the phone call from a relative that your father is fighting for his life from a gunshot wound. Trauma is the emotional response as you process the inevitability of the moment. It includes the first wave of denial that drowns you in confusion, fear and shock. This can't be real.... 'How effective is the Louisville Metro Police Department at preventing crime? At 20 years of age, I find it hard to recall a time when crime was not rampant. I can't recall a time when there was ever mutual trust between the so-called Black community and the police?' Greenberg said Monday that he was at his campaign headquarters (pictured) with four colleagues when a man appeared in the doorway and began firing multiple rounds She said: 'We have someone who has ignored the West End and has created multiple opportunities for himself that has been hit by this gun violence, and we have somebody who has been fighting and creating opportunities for others and himself to end gun violence in his community.' But metro council president David James said the bail should not have been posted, saying: 'They are going to be responsible for what he may or may not do to anybody.' A judge has ordered Brown not to have contact with the alleged victim, 46-year-old Craig Greenberg or his campaign staff. Police said Brown appears to have acted alone and the motive remains under investigation. After Brown briefly disappeared last year, family members said they were concerned about his mental health. His lawyer, Rob Eggert said Tuesday in court that 'there are serious mental issues at play here' and he will have Brown undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Craig Greenberg (pictured), a Jewish Democratic candidate for the mayor's seat in Louisville, was Brown's target in the alleged shooting on Tuesday Brown's lawyer said there are 'serious mental issues at play here' and he will have Brown undergo a psychiatric evaluation before trial Greg Foreman, who hosts the Black Conservative Perspective on YouTube, said: 'You would think that an attempted murder, which was what this guy was charged with, that indicate he is a violent man, he would not get the opportunity to post bail. 'Or if he had the opportunity to post bail, it would be an extraordinarily high amount where it wouldn't be easy for a group like Black Lives Matter to be able to bail him out.' It comes amid a national debate about bail conditions, after a number of killings from criminals who were out on bail. On Sunday, Assamad Nash, a homeless serial criminal, allegedly followed a woman into her own Manhattan apartment and stabbed her 40 times in a frenzied attack. Nash was charged with sexually-motivated burglary by prosecutors Monday, as it was revealed his victim Christina Yuan Lee was found topless in the bathtub of her Chinatown apartment. Nash was on bail for robbery when he allegedly killed the ad creative. A previous alleged assault was deemed insufficiently serious to hold him in custody pending trial, thanks to New York's bail reform laws aimed at lowering the state's jail population. Similarly, Shawn Laval Smith, 31, has been charged with murder over the killing of 24-year-old Brianna Kupfer in LA last month. Brianna was stabbed to death while working alone at the Croft House store on La Brea, just minutes after she texted a friend that a man in the store was 'giving her a bad vibe'. Smith is a career criminal with a long rap sheet spanning both coasts, and was free on a $1,000 bond from a misdemeanor arrest in Los Angeles County in October 2020, sheriff's records show. Darrell Brooks Jr., who is accused of killing six people and injuring dozens more when he drove an SUV through a suburban Christmas parade in Milwaukee, was also on bail at the time. Weeks before the massacre, Brooks posted a $1,000 cash bail in a domestic abuse case after he was accused of deliberately hitting a woman with his car. Brown was arrested shortly after the incident near Greenberg's offices (pictured). He was carrying a loaded magazine, 9 mm handgun, gun case, and additional magazines when he was arrested Brown, a social justice activist running as an independent for the council, has campaigned with a slate of candidates opposed to projects that they say will worsen gentrification in Kentucky's largest city. The apparent target of Monday's shooting, Greenberg has touted his experience at the center of the city's revitalization efforts, and helped draft legislation promoting developments in Louisville's predominantly Black west side. Greenberg said on Tuesday that his ears were still ringing from the gunshots fired at him the day before. Despite the attack, he said his resolve to run for mayor has not wavered. 'If there's any good to come out of this, I hope it's that not only will I be a more effective mayor, but that I'll be someone who can bring the city together to unify around implementing solutions to end gun violence,' he said in a phone interview. He said his team has tightened security but that he is committed to continuing to campaign in public. 'I'm focused on bringing people together,' Greenberg said. 'It's unfortunate that too many things right now are dividing people and I would hope that people start lowering the temperature.' Greenberg said Monday that he was at his campaign headquarters with four colleagues when a man appeared in the doorway and began firing multiple rounds. He said the man pulled a gun, and began shooting at him. 'Despite one bullet coming so close that it grazed my sweater and my shirt, no one was physically harmed,' he said. One staffer managed to shut the door, which they barricaded using tables and desks, and the suspect fled, he said. Apprehended a short time later less than a half-mile from the scene, Brown was carrying a loaded 9 mm magazine in his pants pocket and had a drawstring bag with a handgun and additional handgun magazines, according to the arrest report. Brown, a former intern and editorial columnist for The Courier Journal, has been prolific on social media, tweeting and retweeting comments on social justice issues. In one recent post, Brown showed the faces of several young Blacks killed by gun violence in Louisville, writing: 'This is our reality. All of these kids are gone.' 'Gun violence reveals the interconnected nature of our reality,' Brown posted. 'What affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Especially in our segregated conditions.' His Twitter profile bio reads: 'We have one scientific and correct solution, Pan-Africanism: the total liberation and unification of Africa under scientific socialism.' Brown, who took part in the racial justice protests of 2020, reportedly went missing for 11 days in June 2021 before being found safe on July 1. Brown has been prolific on social media, tweeting and retweeting comments on social justice issues Charles Booker, a Louisville Democrat running for U.S. Senate, said Tuesday that he's known Brown since Brown was a student at the University of Louisville. Booker said when he last saw him in the summer of 2020, the man's focus was on helping others. 'The young man I knew then was working to end violence in our city, not carry it out,' Booker said in a release Tuesday afternoon. Booker said his heart was broken for Greenberg, his family and campaign staff. Greenberg has built a big fundraising lead in a crowded race to succeed outgoing Mayor Greg Fischer in the Democratic-leaning city. A Harvard-educated lawyer, Greenberg helped start Louisville-based 21c Museum Hotels, building the company to more than 1,100 employees. The company is credited with helping revive Main Street in downtown Louisville and other urban neighborhoods across the country. Brown disappeared for about two weeks last summer. After he was found safe, his parents issued a statement asking for patience and privacy while they attended to 'Quintez's physical, mental and spiritual needs,' the Courier Journal reported. Hillary Clinton's campaign lawyer and man who funded Steele dossier is now representing BLM after leaders fled the charity over investigation into $60M finances Hillary Clinton's former campaign lawyer - the man who spearheaded a dirt-digging investigation that led to the unsubstantiated 'dirty dossier' on Donald Trump - is now working for Black Lives Matters, according to the secretive foundation's most recent tax filing. Attorney Marc Elias's eponymous law firm was named several times in Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation's charity registration renewal filing, which was submitted in California on February 11. The revelation comes after the leaderless organization faced intense pressure from California's Department of Justice, which accused it of failing to submit its annual financial reports and alleging it was in delinquent status. The Elias Law Group is identified in the filings as the organization in charge of the books. The forms also listed longtime Clinton ally Minyon Moore as a member of its board of directors. Elias and the Democratic National Committee funded a research campaign during the 2016 presidential election that was led by former British spy Christopher Steele, who produced the 'golden showers' dossier on Trump. Black Lives Matter also referenced the Elias Law Group in a New Mexico charity registration statement, the Washington Examiner reported. Lawyer Marc Elias, who helped fund the now-debunked 'golden shower' dossier on Donald Trump, is now working for the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation A California legal filing by Black Lives Matter Global Network named Elias Law Group as the organization in charge of its books, and lists Clinton loyalist Minyon Moore as a board member The partnership between Elias and Black Lives Matter, which has been under fire for failing to disclose its financial records, has raised eyebrows for some. The never-proven, wild claims contained in the Democrat's Trump dossier The dossier claimed that Russian officials had videos of the president cavorting with prostitutes, filmed during Trump's 2013 visit to a luxury Moscow hotel for the Miss Universe contest. It also contained a highly unusual and unsubstantiated report that the call girls performed a 'golden shower' routine that involved them urinating on a hotel bed as a sign of disgust for then-president Barack Obama. Trump has repeatedly dismissed the document as false and in recent days has questioned whether Democrats or the FBI itself had helped fund it. Advertisement 'The latest filing's addition of partisan lawyer Marc Elias confirms the group is more political than charitable,' Capital Research Center president Scott Walter, told the Examiner. 'But it also suggests that finally some left-wing heavyweights have begun to deal with the embarrassing mess made by a major activist group the institutional Left has failed to, pardon the term, police.' BLM's reluctance to release financial records had put its dealings under scrutiny, with California's Department of Justice last month accusing it of failing to submit its annual financial reports and alleging it was in delinquent status. It warned that the leaders of the non-profit could be held personally liable if they failed to disclose financial records about its $60 million in donations by the end of March. The notice came just days after it was revealed that BLM has not had anyone in charge of its finances since co-founder Patrisse Cullors resigned last May. It is not clear who is currently in charge of the activist group after all three of its founding members - Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi - left the organization. Cullors, 38, stepped down as executive director of the Black Lives Matter Global Network last year amid scrutiny of her $3.2 million property empire. The scrutiny into BLMGN's finances came after it was reported that the group transferred $6.3 million to Cullors spouse, Janaya Khan, and other Canadian activists to purchase a mansion in Toronto in 2001. Black Lives Matters leaders could be held personally liable if they fail to disclose financial records about the charity's $60 million in donations within the next 60 days (Pictured left to right: Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi in 2016) California's warning followed an order from Washington state instructing BLM to 'immediately cease' fundraising in the state due to its 'lack of financial transparency' Elias did not respond to a DailyMail.com request for comment. He served as general council for Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign, which is now accused of spying on Trump during the race and trying to smear him through unsubstantiated claims he was colluding with the Russians. Clinton was accused last week of hiring a tech term to 'infiltrate' servers at the Trump Tower and the White House. According to a filing from Special Counsel John Durham, the aim was to try and smear Trump by linking him to Russia. Durham was appointed by then-Attorney General William Barr to serve as the Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice in October 2020, while Trump was president. He continues to investigate a case that is sure to anger supporters of the 45th president. Elias's eponymous law firm was listed 'repeatedly in the short-year Form 990 filing by the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. BLM supporters are pictured protesting the death of George Floyd on June 7, 2020 He served as general council for Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign, which is now accused of spying on Trump during the race and trying to smear him through unsubstantiated claims Special Counsel John Durham Durham's motion that was filed last Friday looked a potential conflicts of interest with regards to former Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussman, who has been charged with making a false statement to a federal agent. Sussman has pleaded not guilty to the charge. The former chief investigator of the Trump-Russia probe for the House Intelligence Committee under Republican Devin Nunes, Kash Patel, said Friday's filing 'definitively showed the Hillary Clinton campaign directly funded and ordered its lawyers at Perkins Coie to orchestrate a criminal enterprise to fabricate a connection between President Trump and Russia,' reports Fox News. 'Per Durham, this arrangement was put in motion in July of 2016, meaning the Hillary Clinton campaign and her lawyers masterminded the most intricate and coordinated conspiracy against Trump when he was both a candidate and later President of the United States while simultaneously perpetuating the bogus Steele Dossier hoax,' Patel told Fox. BLM's board of directors now includes Minyon Moore, who served as political director under former President Bill Clinton. He is now considered one of Vice President Kamala Harris's closest confidants. Advertisement Washington DC police have nixed officers' leave over the next week to prepare for a caravan for Freedom Convoy protesters currently headed toward the nation's capitol, sources close to the DC police department have revealed. According to the insiders, the department is currently mobilizing hundreds of its officers to spearhead a large response plan against truck convoys across the nation poised to travel to the US Capitol next week in support of vaccine mandate protests started in Canada late last month that have since spread across the globe, NewsNation reported. Next week, according to the outlet, forces of 500 officers each day will be formed to comprise civil disturbance units, set to quell the planned demonstrations, if needed. Protests in Canada have remained largely peaceful, with liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blasted as an authoritarian for his attempts to stomp out the protests and stop them from being funded. To form these DC response teams, the sources said, US Capitol Police have prohibited leave and time off for all its able-bodied officers. The reports come as American truckers have continued to follow their Canadian counterparts' lead in organizing a protest against mandates, spurring Facebook to shut down The U.S. Freedom Convoy faction's Facebook page earlier this month - a move the group's organizer called 'censorship at its finest.' The group, called 'Convoy to D.C. 2022,' served as a forum for truckers to plan and coordinate the planned convoy, which organizers say will parade from California to Washington, DC, starting Wednesday, February 23, and is set to arrive at the capitol on March 1. Washington DC police have nixed officers' leave over the next week to prepare for a caravan for Freedom Convoy protesters currently headed toward the nation's capitol, sources close to the DC police department have revealed Since it was deleted on February 2 - with Facebook explaining it was nixed for 'repeatedly violating our policies around QAnon' - the group has since created a new Facebook group advertising the planned demonstrations, with several other similar outfits forming on social media as well advertising the same plans. 'Attention Freedom Convoy lovers!' their new group, Defeat the Mandates DC, posted earlier this month, days after the original group's deletion. 'With our other Freedom Convoy to DC group getting taken down by FB, please join this new group now, network and stay updated because it's just a matter of time before our new group gets taken down.' 'Convoy set to take off from California March 1, 2022,' the post declared. The message has since spread across social media like wildfire, with other groups expressing similar sentiments, while sharing maps showing the planned route for the cross-country caravan, which, according to their posts, will make stops in cities like Salt Lake City, Denver, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Indianapolis on its way to the capitol. 'Get your flags, posters, cameras and warm clothes ready,' another Facebook group created ahead of the planned caravan, called Freedom Convoy to DC 2022 Logistics, posted February 6 warning prospective revelers of the dangers they might face during the protest. 'Please understand everyone that this is a massive undertaking, ensuring many things such as fuel, food, where to park, mechanics, etc. all over the country.' The revelation regarding the planned protests comes as police in Canada continue to arrest Freedom Convoy truckers who have paralyzed traffic in Ottawa for three weeks in a protest against the country's vaccine mandates. Citing the 'exceptional circumstances' of the police action, Parliament suspended Friday's debate on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's emergency powers, sparing the Liberal leader another day of uncomfortable speeches from MPs who fiercely oppose his use of the Emergencies Act. As dawn broke on Friday, cops carrying automatic weapons and wearing tactical unit uniforms were seen going door to door along a line of trucks, campers and other vehicles parked on Ottawa's snow-covered streets. 'Some protesters are surrendering and are being arrested. We ask protesters to remain peaceful and lawful,' Ottawa police said in an alert. Some demonstrators were seen being led away in handcuffs. One person being led away was carrying a sign that read 'Mandate Freedom.' On Thursday night, police took the first step in the crackdown with the arrests of key protest leaders Tamara Lich, 47, and Christopher Barber, 46. Lich and Barber were both charged with counseling to commit the offense of mischief, and Barber was additionally charged with counseling to commit the offenses of disobeying a court order and obstructing police. They are both scheduled to appear in court on Friday. The suspension of Friday's debate in the House of Commons was due to safety concerns, Speaker Anthony Rota said in notice to MPs, warning them that a police operation was expected and urging them to 'stay away from the downtown core until further notice.' The initial schedule called for debate on the motion to confirm Trudeau's emergency powers through the weekend followed by a vote on Monday night. House leadership of all parties agreed to the cancellation, with a plan to resume debate on Saturday and vote 'early next week' on the motion, which is expected to pass despite vocal opposition from the Conservative minority. A demonstrator is arrested by police in Ottawa on Friday morning, as they begin to remove protesters demanding an end to vaccine mandates in a final sweep of the Freedom Convoy protests A man holds a Canadian flag in front of the parliament, as truckers face the final crackdown on their protest by police Pedestrians walk by trucks participating in a blockade of Parliament Hill by truck drivers opposing vaccine mandates Police in Canada have begun a sweep to arrest the Freedom Convoy truckers who have paralyzed traffic in Ottawa for three weeks in a protest against the country's vaccine mandates Canada's House of Commons suspended Friday's vote to approve Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's emergency powers, citing the imminent police action outside the doors of Parliament A map shows the road closures and blockade that Ottawa police have erected in a 'ring of flannel' around the Convoy Using powers under the Emergencies Act, Ottawa cops have established a 'no-go' zone with 100 checkpoints encircling the Freedom Convoy, cutting them off from support and preventing additional protesters from joining the demonstration blockading the streets around Parliament Hill. Ottawa Interim Police Chief Steve Bell had vowed that the protests would end this weekend, warning demonstrators: 'It's time to go, this is coming to an end.' The early morning mood on Ottawa's snow-covered streets was almost one of resignation, and truckers, who refused to give their names, just shrugged their shoulders in response to questions over their concerns about being arrested. The capital represented the movement's last stronghold after three weeks of demonstrations and blockades that shut down border crossings into the U.S., caused economic damage to both countries and created a political crisis for Trudeau. With police and the government facing accusations that they let the protests gain strength and spread, Trudeau on Monday invoked Canadas Emergencies Act, empowering law enforcement authorities to declare the blockades illegal, tow away trucks, arrest the drivers, suspend their licenses and freeze their bank accounts. Ottawa police made it clear on Thursday they were preparing to end the protest and remove the more than 300 trucks, with Ottawa's interim police chief warning: 'Action is imminent.' Police officers stand in formation as they prepare for a crackdown on truckers and supporters protesting in Ottawa As dawn broke on Friday, police warned of a 'large police presence' descending on Parliament Hill and said that 'protesters are being advised to leave immediately' 'Some protesters are surrendering and are being arrested. We ask protesters to remain peaceful and lawful,' Ottawa police said in an alert Using powers under the Emergencies Act, Ottawa cops have established a 'no-go' zone with 100 checkpoints encircling the Freedom Convoy, cutting them off from support and preventing additional protesters from joining Barber, a truck driver for the last 28 years who led the Saskatchewan portion of the protest convoy that has been in Ottawa for the last three weeks, was walking down the street with several friends when police detained him. Footage posted on social media showed him being detained. He could be seen smiling calmly as he was patted down and put in a patrol car. 'Call my wife!' he said, to a friend who was filming. 'And put this on social media.' Lich, 47, widely seen as the main organizer of the protest, was detained on Thursday night as snow fell in Ottawa. She did not resist as she was handcuffed and calmly taken away in a police patrol car. 'Hold the line,' she shouted as she was escorted away. A former fitness instructor who has sung and played guitar in a band called Blind Monday in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Lich was also a senior member of a separatist group that advocated for Canada's Western provinces to secede from the country. On Wednesday night, she had posted a tearful video to YouTube telling her supporters that she expected to be arrested imminently. 'There's a pretty good chance - I think it's inevitable at this point - I'll probably be going somewhere tomorrow where I'll be getting three square meals a day,' she said. 'And that's OK. I want you to know I'm OK with that. 'I'll probably get some sleep. 'But please stay peaceful. And know that this too shall pass. There will be a tomorrow. And we will get through this.' Tamara Lich (left) was arrested in Ottawa on Thursday after she and her followers denied orders to leave the blockade in the center of the capital. Chris Barber (right) is seen on Thursday afternoon being arrested by Ottawa police Police officers detain a man on Friday morning, as truckers and supporters continue to protest vaccine mandates in Ottawa Cops on Friday morning swooped in to the new 'no-go' zone created under powers from the Emergencies Act A demonstrator is arrested by police in Ottawa on Friday as they begin to remove protesters demanding an end to. Police on said action to end the unlawful demonstration was 'imminent,' as barricades went up to restrict access to the downtown A man is arrested by police in Ottawa on Thursday night as the local law enforcement officers move to clear the three-week blockade Meanwhile, the city's Light Rail Transit line was suspended Friday in the section that runs underneath Ottawa's truck blockaded downtown. The service runs above ground either side of district, and is normally a busy commuter route bringing people in. Officials have cited weather reasons for the closure, following a prolonged snowfall in the city and temperatures down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit. However shutting the downtown service effectively reinforces Ottawa police's new security zone around the area announced Thursday by Chief Bell. The truckers, joined by thousands of demonstrators and some 400 vehicles, turned the streets around Parliament into a noisy party zone since first arriving on January 28, in what has become one of the worst crises to hit Trudeau since he took power in 2015. Police made a handful of arrests Thursday evening, including of Barber, one of the main fundraisers and organizers, after authorities said action was imminent. Barber went without resistance after police told him he was being arrested for mischief. 'We absolutely are committed to end this unlawful demonstration. We have the plan, we have the commitment, we have the resources,' Chief Bell told reporters on Thursday. Trudeau invoked emergency measures on Monday giving his government extraordinary powers to end the unrest Ottawa Interim Police Chief Steve Bell has vowed that the protests over vaccine mandates, now in their third week, will end this weekend, warning demonstrators: 'It's time to go, this is coming to an end.' Police will set up a perimeter with 100 checkpoints around downtown to stop people without legitimate reason from entering, he said. 'This weekend will look very different than the past three weekends,' he added. Previous chief Peter Sloly quit this week amid residents' fury about what they saw as police inaction. The truckers' protests started against vaccine mandates for cross-border drivers, a measure in place in the United States, too. But slowly it spread across Canada and morphed into an anti-government movement. Protesters blocked several land crossings with the United States, including the busiest, the Ambassador Bridge which connects to Detroit, for six days, hurting both economies. Calling the blockades a threat to democracy, Trudeau invoked emergency measures on Monday giving his government extraordinary powers to end the unrest. Government officials said they were worried about extremists causing violence. Under law, any use of the Emergencies Act must be brought before Parliament within seven days for approval. Debate began Thursday and will continue, according to the Act, 'without interruption' until the vote is called. After Friday's planned vote was cancelled, the House faced a Monday deadline to act. Addressing the House on Thursday, Trudeau pleaded with legislators to support his extraordinary powers, which have enabled him to summarily freeze bank accounts and crypto wallets tied to the protests in a bid to cut off funding for the movement. 'It's high time that these illegal and dangerous activities stop,' Trudeau declared in Parliament, not far from where the more than 300 trucks were parked in the protest's final stand around Parliament Hill. 'They are a threat to our economy and our relationship with trading partners,' he said. 'They are a threat to public safety.' Opposition Leader Candice Bergen of the Conservative Party responded by slamming Trudeau's request as 'not consistent with fundamental freedoms.' On Thursday, legislation upholding Trudeau's declaration under the Emergencies Act was presented in Parliament, where Conservative and Bloc Quebecois MPs voiced fierce opposition. However, the left-leaning New Democrats said they would reluctantly support Trudeau's minority Liberal government, virtually ensuring passage of the measure upholding his emergency powers in the House of Commons. Together the two parties hold 184 seats out of 338 in the lower chamber. Workers are seen carrying a piece of fencing that will be used to create the Secure Zone in Ottawa 'The Government should not have the power to close the bank accounts of Canadians on a whim,' Bergen told Parliament. 'I urge all members of this Houseproceed with extreme caution. Now is the time to stand up for your constituents, to show real leadership, to help heal our divisions, to listen to those we disagree with.' Yves-Francois Blanchet, the leader of the center-left Bloc Quebecois, said that his party would join with Conservatives in opposing Trudeau's emergency powers. In Quebec, the memory of the 1970 October Crisis, when Trudeau's father flooded the streets with soldiers using emergency war powers in response to a diplomat's kidnapping, still rings bitterly for many. However, when NDP leader Jagmeet Singh signaled his party's support for Trudeau, it became clear that the Liberals would almost certainly have the votes to defeat any opposition. Singh said his party would withdraw its support if the emergency powers are abused, telling the House that Canada reached this point through a failure of political and police leadership at multiple levels. 'We are not proud of supporting these measures,' Singh said in response to a question. Meanwhile, many protesters on Parliament Hill said they would not leave until their demands were met. 'End the mandates, give us our rights and this is over,' said Chris Dacey on Thursday. 'We'll all go back to our families.' The border blockades turned the pressure on Trudeau to act swiftly, and U.S. President Joe Biden asked him to use federal powers. 'The illegal blockades and occupations have to stop and the borders have to remain open,' Trudeau told legislators on Thursday as Parliament started debate on the Emergencies Act, which needs to be passed within seven days of an announcement. But the official opposition Conservative Party says there was no need for the Emergencies Act, especially since the border blockades are over. Conservative Parliamentarian Jeremy Patzer told the House of Commons on Thursday that people around the world were alarmed to see Trudeau 'come down on peaceful protesters with a sledgehammer.' 'It is absolutely shameful,' he added. Three Algerian drug smugglers donned hijabs and smeared themselves in make-up in a botched attempt to evade police, according to officials. The photos were erroneously claimed by some media outlets to be Nigerian men attempting to make it into Dubai - but the images are actually from a drugs bust in Algeria early this month. The men were caught by the country's Anti-Narcotics and Psychiatric Effects Squad, according to a post on Facebook by Algeria's national police earlier this month. In 'before' and 'after' pictures taken of the bust, the crestfallen looking men could be seen handcuffed together as they lined up to be photographed. Three drug alleged smuggling men were arrested in Algeria wearing traditional Arab women's dress and makeup in an attempt to bypass police. Pictured: The three men are shown in their costumes in a police line-up The men were caught by the country's Anti-Narcotics and Psychiatric Effects Squad, according to a post on Facebook by the unit earlier this month. Pictured: The men are pictured with their headdresses and masks removed in a police line up In the 'before' pictures, the three men are shown in long dresses, head scarfs and large cloth masks. The clothing means their faces are mostly covered. But once the clothing covering their heads and faces had been pulled down, the deception is obvious. Makeup covers only a portion of their faces - their upper lips, noses, eyes, cheeks and foreheads. But the area of their faces that was covered by their disguising garments is clear of makeup, which is distinctively lighter than their true skin tone. Either side of them, other men were also lined up with handcuffs behind their backs, facing a wall. Between them and the camera, evidence was laid out on a table. According to local news website TSA, the large police operation was also targeting people smuggling. The criminal network consisted on 14 people, including 4 Algerians and 10 others from abroad - aged between 20 and 24. Police seized 1.5 kg of hard drugs including 780 grams of heroin, 670 grams of cocaine and 80 grams of Cannabis, the news website said. It added that investigators found that the network was using deception tactics - such as dressing its members up in women's clothing - to deceive police. The pictures were shared widely on social media, with users on TikTok claiming they were asylum seekers arrested in Dubai. In the 'before' pictures, the three men are shown in long dresses, head scarfs and large cloth masks. The clothing means their faces are mostly covered Either side of the three disguised men, other men were also lined up with handcuffs behind their backs, facing a wall. Between them and the camera, evidence was laid out on a table However, that was debunked by fact checking website Fact Crescendo when the original post by the Algerian authorities from February 3 was unearthed. The smugglers were arrested through an investigation by the 'Anti-Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Division of the Central District of the Judicial Police of the State of Algiers, in coordination with regional prosecutors, the Facebook post from the country's national police force said. Officers 'managed overthrow an organized criminal network specialized in illicit trafficking in hard drugs of heroin and cocaine,' it added. According to TSA, drug smuggling is a growing issue in Algeria, with the country seeing a 1584.34 percent increase in cocaine seizures between 2020 and 2021. An Ottawa gelato shop owner whose name was released in the GiveSendGo data hack after she donated to the Freedom Convoy claims she has been forced to shut her store after receiving death threats, abusive phone calls calling her a Nazi - and a sign has been hung outside her store saying 'Tammy supports terrorists.' Tammy Giuliani, who owns the Stella Luna Gelato Cafe, spoke to Fox News' Jesse Watters on Thursday about the backlash she's faced since she donated $250 to the group of Canadian truckers protesting against COVID-19 mandates. 'I think never in my 56 years have I ever experienced a country so divided, so full of hatred toward friends and neighbors ... You know, they may have opinions that differ from theirs, but they're so willing to publicly shame and humiliate and spew forth angry vitriol,' she said. 'You know, we have been called terrorists. For the first 60 to 36 hours, we were inundated with hatred, with threats of violence. People threatened our team on the phone, telling them, "We're coming to get you. We're going to throw bricks through your window. You'll pay for this, you Nazi supporter."' Giuliani added that she has since been forced to shut her business. Giuliani is among roughly 92,000 supporters of the Freedom Convoy who had their personal information hacked and leaked online after donating through GiveSendGo. About 44 percent of the nearly $10 million in contributions to support the protesters originated from US donors, according to hacked donor files. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has used his extraordinary powers under the Emergencies Act to clear protesters from Ottawa, has twice smeared the demonstrators for waving swastika's in Parliament. Tammy Giuliani, pictured right, spoke to Fox News Thursday about the backlash she's faced since news came to light of her donation to the anti COVID mandate group, Freedom Convoy Pictured: The Stella Luna Gelato Cafe in Ontario, where Giuliani says a sign was posted outside of her shop saying 'Tammy supports terrorists' Giuliani tearfully added that she is now pursing a case with local police regarding the backlash. 'I personally have been called a "disgusting pig of a woman" and that I should rot in hell. Our rural shop out in Marrickville, Ontario, someone draped a large bedsheet over a sign,' Giuliani went on to say. 'I'm sorry, it's been a tough few days ... The sign read "Tammy supports terrorists." Now, Mama Bear is going to dig out her claws on that one, and we're getting the video surveillance of the incident, and we will pursue that with the police.' Tammy Giuliani poses for an image inside her once-popular gelato shop in Ottawa Tammy Giuliani, who owns the gelato shop with her husband, Alessandro Giuliani, told Fox News on Thursday: 'I think never in my 56 years have I ever experienced a country so divided, so full of hatred toward friends and neighbors ... You know, they may have opinions that differ from theirs, but they're so willing to publicly shame and humiliate and spew forth angry vitriol,' she said. The GiveSendGo hack has also had an impact on other Canadians who donated - a top political aide to Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Marion Isabeau-Ringuette, was forced out of her job when a local news outlet QP Briefing outed her to his office for making a $100 donation The GiveSendGo hack has also had an impact on other Canadians who donated - a top political aide to Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Marion Isabeau-Ringuette, was forced out of her job when a local news outlet QP Briefing outed her to his office for making a $100 donation. Canada's state-funded national broadcaster, the Canadian Broadcasting Company, has gone through the list of 92,844 donors to contact and publicly out them. It revealed that the former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador, Ches Crosbie, made an $800 donation. He was unapologetic when confronted by CBC journalists, saying: 'Indefinite states of emergency, such as we are under in most of Canada, are a dangerous thing, a very dangerous thing. I support the right of peaceful protest and I see the Freedom Convoy as a peaceful protest.' The CBC also outed a prominent business owner in London, Ontario, as giving the largest single donation to the Freedom Convoy. Holden Rhodes, who owns Killarney Mountain Lodge, donated $25,000. An Ontario Provincial Police vehicle is parked by the ongoing trucker blockade protest in Ottawa on Thursday. Hundreds of truckers clogging the streets of Canada's capital city in a protest against COVID-19 restrictions are bracing for a crackdown People gather for a protest organized by truck drivers opposing vaccine mandates near the Parliament building on February 17, 2022 in Ottawa, Ontario A demonstrator arranges placards and a Canadian national flag during a protest by truck drivers over pandemic mandates and Trudeau government, outside the Canadian parliament The news of Giuliani's ordeal comes just a day after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's justice minister warned that people who donated to support the Freedom Convoy 'ought to be worried' about having their bank accounts frozen, saying they are part of a 'pro-Trump movement'. GiveSendGo, which describes itself as the 'number one Christian crowdfunding site,' had raised more than $9 million of the $16 million goal as of Tuesday afternoon. According to a Reuters report, the website Distributed Denial of Secrets, which distributes leaked data, said it was given 30 megabytes of donor information that included including names, email addresses, ZIP codes and internet protocol addresses. Meanwhile, GiveSendGo founder Jacob Wells has since stated his intention to have the FBI investigate into the data breach, after a Canadian judge issued an order halting access to donations on the website for the trucker convoy protest. Ontario Provincial Police officers walk in front of the ongoing trucker blockade protest in Ottawa on Thursday Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, is seen in Parliament on Wednesday, when he accused members of the Conservative Party - including a Jewish MP - of 'standing with people who wave swastikas' Canada's Justice Minister David Lametti has warned that people who donated to support the Freedom Convoy 'ought to be worried' about having their bank accounts frozen Justice Minister David Lametti made the remark in an interview with CTV News Channel on Wednesday night, where host Evan Solomon pressed him on whether average citizens who donated to the protests should be worried about account seizures. 'If you are a member of a pro-Trump movement who is donating hundreds of thousands of dollars, and millions of dollars to this kind of thing, then you ought to be worried,' said Lametti. Lametti defended the government seizure of bank accounts tied to the protests against vaccine mandates as a simple 'extending' of the procedures used to stop 'terrorist financing'. About 44 percent of the nearly $10 million in contributions to support the protesters originated from US donors, according to hacked donor files. Some 92,800 individual donors are listed in the leaked files. After invoking the Emergencies Act this week for the first time in 50 years, Trudeau now has extraordinary powers, which include seizing assets such as bank accounts without judicial review or ordinary due process. Britain has moved a step closer to joining a 8trillion trans-Pacific trade club including Australia, Canada, Japan and Mexico. Ministers have hailed news that the UK has entered the the final phase of accession into the snappily-named Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. The 13-strong group - also featuring Malaysia, Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam - agree to remove 95 per cent of the tariffs between them. Membership could give the powerhouse British services sector more opportunities in rapidly-expanding Asian markets. The trade zone has a total GDP of around 8.4trillion. The step is central to the government's plans to pivot away from the EU and take a more global approach after Brexit. It has become more of a focus since Joe Biden poured cold water on the idea of a quick trade deal with the US - which had been talked up by Donald Trump. Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who is visiting Indonesia, Japan and Singapore next week for talks, insisted the 'finish line is in sight' and the UK can be a member of CPTPP by the end of the year. Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan (pictured) is visiting Asia next week for talks, and insisted the UK can be a member of CPTPP by the end of the year 'CPTPP is one of the largest and most exciting free-trading clubs in the world,' she said. 'Today's announcement is a major milestone for us joining this dynamic group of economies and means the finish line is in sight. 'I look forward to visiting Asia next week and flying the flag for Global Britain by holding valuable trade talks with key partners across the Indo-Pacific region and pushing to secure CPTPP accession by the end of the year. 'This just one aspect of our Indo-Pacific strategy, which will benefit businesses and consumer across every part of the UK and help us to level up at home.' Japan, which heads the pact's accessions working group, said the UK is now expected to submit its offer on market access and tariffs within the next 30 days. The UK applied to join in February last year, and in June the CPTPP announced that the accession process would begin. The UK would be the second biggest economy in the partnership after Japan. The group was launched in 2018, after Donald Trump dropped out of the planned Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) saying the terms were not good enough for the US. Shocking body camera footage shows the moment that a career criminal who had just killed the mother of his baby ambushed a Phoenix cop, sending him running for backup, before he injured eight more cops then died of a gunshot wound. 'Come on. Come on,' shooter Morris Jones, 36, can be heard shouting to the officer from a doorstep around 2 a.m. in the area of 54th Avenue and Elwood Street. 'She's choking on her own blood. Come on, bro.' His attempt to lure the cop inside was successful, with Jones opening fire at the officer moments later and striking him with a bullet, seriously injuring him. Police responded to the address after a caller told a 911 operator that a woman, later identified as 29-year-old Shatifah Lobley, had been shot by an intruder and there were multiple armed suspects in the house. The officer approaches the man, asking 'who's all in the house?' 'Just me,' Jones replied before he steps forward and rapidly fires five shots at the officer. Jones then barricaded himself in the house, standing off with officers for five hours, shooting four more cops and injuring another four with shrapnel. Although his motive in the killing is not yet known, the Crips gang member had been scheduled for a psychological evaluation on the Tuesday after the Friday incident by his current wife - another woman. He succumbed to a gunshot wound at the scene - it is not immediately clear whether it was self-inflicted or if he was shot in crossfire with responding police. Scroll down for video Morris Jones, 36 (left) stood off with police for five hours after he shot dead Shatifah Lobley, 29, (right) the mother of his one-month-old baby Morris Jones can be heard beckoning the officer to the front door of the Phoenix home in the footage from early Friday morning, telling him to 'come on' and that 'she's choking on her own blood' The officer approaches the man, asking 'who's all in the house?' 'Just me,' Jones replied before he steps forward and rapidly fires five shots at the officer The officer's screams can be heard as he falls down onto the sidewalk, then runs for cover as he radios for backup, shouting '999! 999!' - code for an officer down or in need of immediate assistance. 'Ive been shot!' he yells The unnamed officer was hit several times, and could not return fire after sustaining severe gunshot injuries to his right arm, according to the Phoenix Police Department. The officer's screams can be heard as he falls down onto the sidewalk, then runs for cover as he radios for backup, shouting '999! 999!' - code for an officer down or in need of immediate assistance. 'Ive been shot!' he yells. Meanwhile, a second officer fired shots at Morris, sending him back into the home. Other officers arrived and send up a perimeter around the home, according to 12News. Jones fired more shots from inside at those officers, police said. Then, he allegedly got into a vehicle parked in the garage and tried ramming a patrol car blocking the driveway to escape, but pulled back into the garage and ran back inside when he was unsuccessful, police said. Officers are pictured at the scene during Jones' five-hour standoff with police At one point, a man later identified as Lobley's brother (pictured) who lived in the home walked into the doorway holding his sister's one-month-old baby in one arm and holding his other hand in the air He places the baby on the porch, along with a pink bag The man raises his hands in the air. This scene played out after a Phoenix police officer was shot multiple times and critically wounded Officers ordered the man to put the baby down and walk backwards toward them, which he did. He was injured in the shootout, but is recovering, police said Officers tried to retrieve the baby and bring it to safety But Jones opened fire again, hitting four officers with bullets and injuring four more with bullet fragments and ricochets At one point, a man later identified as Lobley's brother who lived in the home walked into the doorway holding his sister's one-month-old baby in one arm and holding his other hand in the air. Officers ordered the man to put the baby down and walk backwards toward them, which he did. He was injured in the shootout, but is recovering, police said. When officers tried to retrieve the baby and bring it to safety, Jones opened fire again, hitting four officers with bullets and injuring four more with bullet fragments and ricochets. One of the officers returned fire. Using ballistic shields as Jones fired upon them, Special Assignments Unit officers managed to rescue the infant, police said. Miraculously, the child was uninjured, and is currently in DCS custody. Police have confirmed that the baby is Jones and Lobley's. When Jones stopped responding to officers around 7 a.m., they used a camera to look inside the home, and saw that he and his ex-girlfriend, Lobley, had been shot dead. It is unclear whether Jones died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds or if he was injured in the shootout with police. An injured Phoenix officer is assisted by fellow cops at the scene on Friday. The officers are recovering from their injuries and the initial responding officer was more seriously hurt Another wounded officer is aided by fellow police at the scene Police are seen tending to one of the nine officers wounded in the Friday standoff. Three of the officers were still hospitalized as of Saturday afternoon, but all have since been released Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams said the officers are recovering from their injuries and the initial responding officer was more seriously hurt, but is also recovering with non-life-threatening injuries. Three of the officers were still hospitalized as of Saturday afternoon, but all have since been released. 'A miracle that we had that many people actually struck by gunfire and all of them are out of the hospital less than a week later,' police precinct commander Derek Elmore told Arizona Republic. DailyMail.com could not reach the Phoenix Police Department for an update on their condition, or to determine whether Jones' fatal gunshot wound was self-inflicted. The officers who responded to the Friday incident have between two and 19 years of experience, Williams said at a Friday press conference. 'This has to stop,' Williams said at the conference. 'I am I'm incredibly proud of our officers and I am proud to serve the community.' Mayor Kate Gallego praised the cops at the press event, saying that 'a baby is safe today because of our officers.' 'To every officer on the team, I say thank you.' While some residents were evacuated from their homes during the standoff, some were told to remain inside. Mayor Kate Gallego (left) praised the cops at the press event, saying that 'a baby is safe today because of our officers.' Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams (right) said 'this has to stop' at a Friday press conference 'The cops had come and told us to stay inside because theres an active situation and they were going to deploy tear gas,' said Elizabeth Venegas. 'To stay inside and dont go anywhere.' Neighbors told outlets they heard 30 to 40 gunshots during the five-hour period. 'When youre asleep and that wakes up, you dont know if youre dreaming or if its really happening,' Elisa Esquer told 12News. 'After I heard the second one, I said no this is something else, is something serious and at that point, I [could] hear the shooting.' 'It was so close, the projectiles, said another neighbor, Austin Michaels. 'I could almost feel the air coming off of them when they fly over you.' 'I think about the family of the gal that got shot, and that child,' Michaels said. 'I just dont have an answer, its tough.' After the incident, Venegas said, she had a frank conversation with her children. 'Im just honest and tell him dont ever play with guns,' said Venegas. 'Police do their job, you have to be nice to them too, they are not all bad.' Jones, a member of the Hoover Crips with their '107' insignia tattooed on his arm, was a career criminal. In 2004, he served a year of a three-year prison sentence on a stolen vehicle charge, according to Arizona Republic. Then, Jones confessed to trading crack for a rifle and a handgun in Tulsa, earning another stint in federal prison. The next year, Jones fled from police during a raid on a house in Tulsa, with officers catching him ditching a baggie of marijuana. Also that year, he was the victim of a drive-by shooting, but refused to cooperate with investigating police. He fled from police three times in 2006 - in one incident, the car slowed down enough for a 12-year-old passenger to hop out. The child was in possession of cocaine and a gun, which he said Jones gave to him. In another incident, Jones jumped from the window the vehicle he was driving and got away - his passenger told police he had been in possession of a semi-automatic handgun. But he didn't get away the third time he fled police that year. Federal agents went to his apartment to execute a search warrant, looking for guns and drugs. Inside the apartment, they found a .22 caliber revolver and a cache of bullets for various weapons. This time, police followed in a helicopter when Jones fled in his car. He ditched a loaded gun before officers caught up with him, and resisted arrest. Ultimately, officers pepper sprayed him. He was charged as a felon in possession of a firearm. He stayed in prison until 2014, when he was briefly released on probation before he was sentenced to four years in 2016 for a drug charge and later released in 2019. According to ATF Agent Josh Petree, Jones often went by the nickname his grandfather devised for him: 'Petey Gun.' 'Jones further advised that he had obtained his nickname (Petey Gunn) from his grandfather when he was young and that he has always liked and had guns even though he knew he was a convicted felon and was not supposed to have them,' Petree wrote. Jones and Lobley were reportedly arrested together by Border Patrol agents in 2020 for helping undocumented immigrants enter the United States at the Arizona border - the pair pleaded guilty. The two were stopped in their Ford F-150 near San Simon in Cochise County - three passengers in the back seat told agents they were from Mexico and Peru. In addition to the one-month-old infant, Jones fathered four children, now approximately 7, 9, 15 and 18 years old, according to Arizona Republic. A woman who identified herself as the shooter's mother-in-law told the outlet that her daughter, another woman, and Jones had been married for about two years. Shown is the scene near the stand-off, where police maintained a presence into the next day A large police presence was still at the home the next day after the incident Jones' current wife had scheduled an appointment for a mental health evaluation for Jones for this past Tuesday, she said. 'She recognized it as life became harder for him, she recognized, "You know what, this is an issue, this is a problem. We need to fix this,"' the woman said. 'Im not trying to whitewash what hes done, because everybody knows that this is horrific,' she added. She said that she believes mental health intervention could have helped Jones. 'His mind process at that time, his mind space at that time, and where he was at that time you know? What Im saying is what was going on through his mind, you know what Im saying, that he came down to, "This is how its going to end for me,"' she said. She said that her daughter, Jones' current wife, did not condone the shooter's actions, and asked that the community 'send prayers out to her... so that she knows she has some support.' 'A lot of lives have been affected by what has happened,' she told 12News. Senator Krysten Sinema, a Democrat from Arizona, tweeted about the shooting on Friday. Senator Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat from Arizona, also weighed in on the shooting Arizona Governor Doug Ducey tweeted about the Phoenix shooting on Friday 'Horrified by this violence against law enforcement working to keep our communities safe,' she wrote. 'We're thinking of everyone injured and hoping for full recoveries as we wait for more information.' Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, a Republican, also addressed Friday's standoff, tweeting: 'Please continue to pray for the five officers injured this morning. Our men and women in blue work day and nightno matter the circumstancesto protect our state from danger. Their unwavering courage & sacrifice helps to keep us safe. Arizona is deeply grateful.' A twisted killer who raped a woman and then stabbed her 60 times has been recommended by the parole board for a move to a cushy open prison, MailOnline can reveal. Farm worker Steven Ling sexually attacked Joanne Tulip, 29, at his home in Stamfordham, Northumberland, on Christmas Day 1997 before stabbing her to death in a frenzy. Ling, 23 at the time, was jailed for life in 1998. At the time, Ling - who had a sexual obsession with cutting skin - made a statement about having sex with Ms Tulip, whom he had met in a pub earlier that day, against her will. A rape charge against him was left to lie on file. Now the parole board has agreed that he should be moved to an open prison, in a move that would pave the way to his eventual release. But the decision would have to be agreed by Dominic Raab, the Secretary of State for Justice. Steven Ling (right) sexually attacked Joanne Tulip (left), 29, at his home in Stamfordham, Northumberland, on Christmas Day 1997 before stabbing her to death. The parole board has agreed that he should now be moved to an open prison In 2020, Ling was recommended to go to an open prison, but the move was blocked by Raab's predecessor, Robert Buckland after Joanne's mother Doreen Soulsby campaigned to keep him inside. Doreen told MailOnline: 'It's very concerning that violent sex killers like this could be released into open prison. 'Joanne's murder was a very violent sexual attack. His head was wired in such a way that when he attacked her he was triggered. 'He was 23 then, he's 47 now. He's missed his life and socialising with women like a young man That's the first thing he will want to do when he can but with his wiring it's a very alarming idea. 'It's very upsetting. The memory is there all the time but this makes it even more present.' 'He has committed the worst sex offence with Joanne and if he gets out and is not a convicted sex offender nobody will know what he has done,' she said. Earlier this week a sex offender branded a 'menace to females' fled from open prison. Paul Robson, 56 was given a life sentence in 2000 after he sexually assaulted a woman at knifepoint. He was eventually recaptured. Mrs Soulsby highlighted that case when she reflected on her daughter's killer's possible move to an open prison. Ling was recommended to go to an open prison in 2020 but the move was blocked by Robert Buckland after Joanne's mother Doreen Soulsby (pictured) campaigned to keep him inside She added: 'It was a hugely violent sexual attack. He raped and murdered her by stabbing her multiple times as well as carving images on her body, including swastikas and crosses, and other sexual things which all ended up by him trying to set fire to her. 'He was profiled as a piquerist the following day by a Forensic Psychologist in the Crime Faculty Unit. A piquerist is a person who has a sexual interest in penetrating the skin with sharp objects. It is a paraphilia - a recurring sexual interest - and a form of sadism. 'What he did came out of his own head and was not insane. His head was wired in a way that when he came up against Joanne's fight against him he sadistically raped and murdered her and did terrible things to her body both before and after death.' Mrs Soulsby, who will appear in person at the Parole Board hearing, said Ling was not safe to be let out. 'I never want him released,' she added. Mrs Soulsby said she remains concerned Ling will not be on the sex offenders' register if released as he was not convicted of rape because the charge was dropped in favour of just prosecuting the murder. Mrs Soulsby has campaigned to make sure that all sex killers are prosecuted for their sexual attacks as well as their killings which is now accepted practice. Farm worker Ling made a statement about having sex with Joanne, whom he had met in a pub earlier that day, against her will before going back to his home in Stamfordham. Former First Lady Melania Trump released a scathing statement Friday in response to reports that alleged she was raising money for a charity that didn't exist. 'Those who attack my initiatives and create the appearance of impropriety are quite literally dream killers,' she said. 'They have canceled the hopes and dreams of children by trying to cancel me.' On Saturday, The New York Times reported that Trump was selling tickets for an April 'Tulips and Topiaries High Tea' event in Naples, Florida, where an unspecified amount of money would go toward 'Fostering the Future.' Former First Lady Melania Trump (right) released a scathing statement Friday in response to reports that alleged she was raising money for a charity that didn't exist The former first lady said the media's false reporting was preventing her from helping children. 'They have canceled the hopes and dreams of children by trying to cancel me,' she said The statement blasts the media and clarifies that money being raised at a forthcoming Tulips and Topiaries High Tea event will be going toward the charity Gen Justice Florida law requires organizations that receive charitable contributions to register with the government - and no registration was found for either 'Fostering the Future' or 'Be Best,' Trump's children's initiative she started while in the White House. In her statement Friday, the former first lady said she didn't operate a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. 'In simple terms, "Fostering the Future" is the name of my platform,' she explained. 'Fostering the Future is a Be Best initiative.' She then said that money raised from the Tulips and Topiaries High Tea event - which would 'support Fostering the Future' - would go toward the 501(c)(3) Gen Justice. 'Gen Justice is compliant with Florida State registration requirements for 501(c)(3) entities,' the ex-first lady said. She also said that she was working on a 'Fostering the Future' branded scholarship program with a computer science school founded in Silicon Valley but with a campus in Oklahoma. The former first lady said a 'politically-motivated decision' by the school's Board of Directors stopped this process. And the school wouldn't even accept scholarship funds donated anonymously. Then First Lady Melania Trump speaks to children at a Toys for Tots event at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C. in December 2019 Melania Trump waves as she arrives at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. to read a story to children at Christmastime in December 2020 'Obviously, I was disappointed but not surprised,' she said. 'This is not the first time where politics got in the way of my mission to support children.' As an example, she recounted that a prospective corporate partner had backed out of doing work with her associated with her 2018 trip to Africa. 'Supporting children is not, and should never be, part of a political agenda,' she said. 'Imagine the opportunities we could create if we all worked together to support our children and committed to helping them fulfill their hopes and dreams.' The former first lady than lashed out at the media. 'Despite my actions, the press continues to publish inaccurate, misleading, and outright incorrect articles about my work,' she said. 'The media has created a narrative whereby I am trying to act in an illegal or unethical manner.' 'That portrayal is simply untrue and adversely affects the children I hope to support,' she continued. She complained about being 'canceled' but said she's received positive attention from the stories too. 'I am humbled by the outpouring of generosity, love, and support I have received after the recent false reporting,' Trump said. 'I will continue to support our children and do whatever it takes, remaining positive in the face of negativity.' Former Vice President Mike Pence, though he's been more vocal of his criticisms of former President Trump in recent days, defended the Republican National Committee describing Jan. 6 as 'legitimate political discourse' and said the reference has been misinterpreted. Pence backed up the RNC's censure of Reps. Liz Cheney, Wyo. and Adam Kinzinger, Ill., though he repeated his assertion that 'January 6th was a tragic day.' Speaking at Stanford University before the school's College Republicans club, he said that he does not think the RNC's resolution was 'talking about people that engaged in violence against persons or property that day.' The measure was adopted by voice vote by the committee's membership at the RNC's winter meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. Several RNC members voted nay, but they were in the minority. 'Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger crossed a line. They chose to join Nancy Pelosi in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens who engaged in legitimate political discourse that had nothing to do with violence at the Capitol. That's why Republican National Committee members and myself overwhelmingly support this resolution,' RNC Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel said in a statement Friday. Pence said that the statement was referring to 'a whole range of people that have been set upon' by the House committee investigating Jan. 6, according to the Washington Post. The RNC has since said it was not referring to the violent insurrectionists, but the resolution has drawn criticism from Republicans too. Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., described the attack as 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.' Speaking at Stanford University before the school's College Republicans club, he said that he does not think the RNC's resolution was 'talking about people that engaged in violence against persons or property that day' Pence said that the statement was referring to 'a whole range of people that have been set upon' by the House committee investigating Jan. 6 'The issue is whether or not the RNC should be sort of singling out members of our party who may have different views from the majority. That's not the job of the RNC,' he said. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said it was 'absurd' for the RNC to use 'legitimate political discourse' to describe Jan. 6. She said the censure might hurt Republicans in the midterms. 'Every moment that is spent re-litigating a lost election or defending those who have been convicted of criminal behavior moves us further away from the goal of victory this fall,' Collins said. 'I just don't know too many people around the country, including my friends at the RNC, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, who have any different view than it was tragic day, that the people that ransacked the Capitol were wrong and should be held to account in the law,' Pence said. 'And I think they made a very clear statement, after the fact, that said, 'We were talking about what's happening in Washington today, with the January 6th committee' and I believe them. They're good people, and I believe that's what they meant.' Pence's Stanford address was his first public foray since he said two weeks ago that Trump was 'wrong' to insist he had any right to overturn the presidential election results on Jan. 6. 'Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger crossed a line. They chose to join Nancy Pelosi in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens who engaged in legitimate political discourse that had nothing to do with violence at the Capitol. That's why Republican National Committee members and myself overwhelmingly support this resolution,' RNC Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel said in a statement Friday 'I heard this week that President Trump said I had the right to overturn the election. President Trump is wrong,' Pence said in a defiant speech before the Federalist Society in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. 'I had no right to overturn the election. The presidency belongs to the American people and the American people alone.' Trump in turn bashed his former VP and again laid blame on Pence for putting President Biden in the White House. 'Just saw Mike Pence's statement on the fact that he had no right to do anything with respect to the Electoral Vote Count, other than being an automatic conveyor belt for the Old Crow Mitch McConnell to get Biden elected President as quickly as possible,' Trump wrote in a statement. But Pence, speaking at Stanford, bypassed the opportunity to knock Trump directly again. 'The Constitution was quite clear on that tragic day in January,' Pence said in response to a student's question on election certification. 'I knew what my duty was. And I kept my oath even though it hurt. And we moved the nation forward. And I don't know if the president and I will ever see eye to eye on that. I really don't.' A former Countdown winner has been jailed for 12 years after he told other paedophiles he would like to abduct and abuse little children. Craig Chittenden, 33, from Willington, County Durham, also persuaded a woman in America to sexually abuse her daughter, as he watched for his pleasure. He was caught by an undercover police officer after arranging a visit to the south of England to sexually abuse a ten-year-old girl, having planned the trip with a man he believed was her father, Durham Crown Court heard. Craig Chittenden (pictured), 33, from Willington, County Durham, also persuaded a woman in America to sexually abuse her daughter, as he watched for his pleasure Prosecuting, Jane Waugh said Chittenden shared 24 indecent images of children during a conversation with another paedophile in February 2020. She said: 'Both parties discussed the kidnapping and murder of a young child. 'The defendant wrote: "If I kidnap, we can't risk DNA or talking and killing will have to be done." 'He further stated that he would like the child to be three of four years old. 'He wrote: "We will probably only keep her for a day max, a few rapes then end it. Smothering maybe". 'The discussion then switched to how to get rid of the body.' Ms Waugh added that Chittended dismissed the disturbing discussions as 'fantasy and escapism' when he was arrested and interviewed by detectives. He said he had no sexual interest in children, but admitted being sexually aroused by the images. In a second interview he said he could not remember the chat about the abuse, torture and murder of a child, but did not dispute it. When police visited his home, they found almost 1,000 indecent images and more than four hours of video footage featuring children as young as two being raped by adults, as well as extreme animal pornography with horses, dogs and cats. Chittended called his planned visit to the south of England to abuse a child 'fantasy' and said he had 'fallen down a rabbit hole' into new areas. Chittenden appeared on Countdown, the hit Channel 4 show, as a 22-year-old in 2010 He held online video chats with a woman in the United States who sexually abused her young daughter while Chittenden watched, the court heard. She has now been jailed as well. Chittenden appeared on Countdown, the hit Channel 4 show, as a 22-year-old in 2010. He enjoyed a winning streak but was beaten in the semi-final by a 15-year-old boy. At the time, his success made him the toast of Bishop Auckland College where fellow students followed his progress on screens in the dining room. Lecturers described him as a 'great role model' to others due to his skill on the letters and numbers brainteaser. Chittenden has now pleaded guilty to a charge of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence, inciting the sexual exploitation of girl under 13, possessing extreme pornography, distributing indecent photographs, and three counts of making indecent photographs. Mitigating, Robert Mochrie said: 'This is clearly extremely serious, and the defendant appreciates that. The only mitigation is the guilty pleas. 'He fully accepts that he is responsible for what he has done.' Mr Mochrie said Chittenden was struggling the death of a relative, and seeking help for a close friend battling alcoholism at the time of the offending He added: 'That being said, we all go through difficult times in our lives and don't resort to behaviour like this. He was caught by an undercover police officer after arranging a visit to the south of England to sexually abuse a ten-year-old girl, Durham Crown Court (pictured in a stock photo) heard 'He does seem to appreciate the gravity of the situation he is in and does not seek to blame others for all of this.' Chittenden, who had worked at Finbarr's fine dining restaurants in the region, has now pleaded guilty and was given an extended prison sentence of 12 years. He was told he will serve at least eight years in prison before a parole hearing will determine whether he should be released into the community to serve the remainder on licence. Judge Ray Singh said: 'There was a clear interest in sadistic torture, extreme violence and sexual offences towards children. 'You remained emotionless and detached. 'When one looks at whether there is a risk to members of the public of serious harm, that also means children. 'I come to the conclusion, after having heard everything about, you that you do pose a significant risk of sexual, physical and emotional harm to children. 'In my view you are a dangerous offender.' Digital Online Investigator, DC Georgina Lewis said: 'The Digital Investigations team work incredibly hard to protect young people from harm and bring perpetrators of child sexual exploitation to justice and I hope today's result demonstrates that. 'Chittenden is a sexual predator who tried to hide his crimes online and encourage like-minded individuals in the USA to carry out sex acts on children. 'This was a complex investigation but thanks to the collaborative investigative efforts between Texas Police and ourselves he was left with no option but to plead guilty.' Advertisement Ax-wielding eco-terrorists attacked a British Columbia gas pipeline Thursday, shooting flare guns at frightened workers and causing millions in damage, but the focus of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau still seems to be on the Freedom Convoy truckers in Ottawa. About 20 attackers, wearing camouflage and masks, surrounded Costal Gaslink workers in the early morning hours of February 17 in what the company called a 'highly planned and dangerous unprovoked assault.' No injuries were reported, but Gaslink reported that the eco-warriors came from several directions and threatened the lives of several workers. 'In one of the most concerning acts, an attempt was made to set a vehicle on fire while workers were inside,' the company said in a statement. 'The attackers also wielded axes, swinging them at vehicles and through a truck's window. Flare guns were also fired at workers. Workers fled the site for their own safety and remain shaken by this violent incident.' Meanwhile, Trudeau remains focused on the peaceful Freedom Convoy in Ottawa and used extraordinary powers under the Emergencies Act to clear the protester who have paralyzed the city for three weekss. Hundreds of officers have descended on the capital city to forcefully remove them from what is now a no-go zone. Parliament was also suspended on Friday due to the massive police operation and MPs have been urged not to go into work for their own safety. No property has been damaged in Ottawa during the Freedom Convoy protests, although police have arrested 70 protesters as they use Trudeau's Emergency Act to crack down on demonstrations. In contrast, photos of Thursday's attack in British Columbia show smashed windows and overturned heavy earth-moving equipment. Trees were downed to block roads and a gaping hole was hacked into the side of a mobile office trailer. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police responded to the scene, but the attackers fled into the forest and no arrests were made. Smoke bombs and torches were thrown at police as they tried to make their way past fires set in the road way. One officers was injured, according to the Toronto Sun. 'This was a calculated and organized violent attack that left its victims shaken and a multimillion dollar path of destruction,' RCMP Chief Superintendent Warren Brown said. The First Nations and environmental groups have opposed the 420-mile pipeline project that will carry liquified natural gas to the west coast of British Columbia. 'This is truly disturbing,' federal Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said on Twitter, referring to the Coastal GasLink attack. 'Violence and illegal acts are not the way forward on any matter.' About 20 masked and camouflage-wearing attackers threated workers and overturned heavy machinery in what was described by police as a 'calculated and organized violent attack' Millions of dollars in equipment was damaged during a 'highly planned and dangerous unprovoked assault' on the Coastal Gaslink pipeline in British Columbia. No workers were injured. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police responded to the chaotic scene, but were pelted with smoke bombs and torches. One officer was injured A gaping hole was hacked into a mobile office trailer at the Costal Gaslink pipeline. The attack came as Canada remains on edge because of anti-pandemic restriction protests carried on by the Freedom Convoy truckers in Ottawa The Royal Canadian Mounted Police responded to the scene, but the attackers fled into the forest and no arrests were made. Smoke bombs and torches were thrown at police as they tried to make their way past fires set on the road, and trees were downed to block cops (pictured) Eco-terrorists attacked workers in British Columbia, smashing heavy equipment and shooting flare guns. Police were thwarted by trees downed in roadways and fires In the capital, Trudeau remains focused on the Canadian truckers. Police have descended on the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa, making arrests and towing away big rigs that have formed a three-week blockade protesting the country's vaccine mandates. The 420-mile Coastal Gaslink pipeline has been protested for months by indigenous Canadians The $5.1 billion Coastal Gaslink pipeline will carry liquified natural gas a 420-mile from the Dawson Creek area of British Columbia to the west coast of Canada. Contentious from the start, the project by the Calgary company TC Energy began in August 2020 after a hard fought agreement was hammered out between the indigenous Canadian tribal council and the gas company. The tenuous deal however has laid bare divisions within the groups of native people, some of whom opposed the project as environmentally unsound and a threat to the sovereignty of the tribal land. The pipeline runs through a 8,500 square mile territory belonging to the Wetsuweten people, who never ceded the land to the Canadian government. Our people never ever surrendered or ceded any portion of this territory, Chief Madeek told the New York Times. We are the rightful titleholders of the territory, we are the caretakers of this land and thats what we are going to do, take care of this land. The Wetsuweten have organized blockades and protests to the project even before the project broke ground. Last February, 21 protesters were arrested after the Royal Canadian Mounted police moved in to enforce a court ordered injunction to stop blocking the construction. Twice the British Columbia high court has ruled against the faction, ordering them to clear blockades from roadways. Other tribes support the project, which they hope will stimulate the local economy and mean jobs for native people. Haisla Nation chief Crystal Smith, who signed an agreement allowing the pipeline to pass through her traditional land, said that native people must not be cut out of the process. "First Nations have been left out of resource development for too long, she told the National Post. But we are involved, we have been consulted and we will ensure there are benefits for all First Nations. Once completed, the natural gas will be exported to Asian countries looking to wean themselves off coal-fired power. Advertisement Using his extraordinary powers under the Emergencies Act, Trudeau bid police to establish a 'no-go' zone around the demonstration in Ottawa's core, and on Friday morning a massive force of cops and a fleet of tow truck drivers descended to clear out the Convoy's final stronghold. Citing the 'exceptional circumstances' of the police action, Canada's Parliament suspended Friday's debate on Trudeau's emergency powers, sparing the Liberal leader another day of uncomfortable speeches from MPs who fiercely oppose his use of the Emergencies Act. As dawn broke on Friday, cops carrying automatic weapons and wearing tactical unit uniforms were seen going door to door along a line of trucks, campers and other vehicles parked on Ottawa's snow-covered streets. Tow truck operators wore neon-green ski masks with their companies' decals taped over on their trucks to conceal their identities from protesters. They arrived under police escort and set to work removing the big rigs, campers and other vehicles parked bumper to bumper in the Parliament Hill blockade. As the sweep unfolded, Ottawa Police Services threatened in a statement to arrest any journalists 'found within areas undergoing enforcement,' alarming advocates for press freedom. On Thursday night, police took the first step in the crackdown with the arrests of key protest leaders Tamara Lich, 47, and Christopher Barber, 46. Lich and Barber were both charged with counseling to commit mischief, and Barber was additionally charged with counseling to commit the offenses of disobeying a court order and obstructing police. They are both scheduled to appear in court on Friday. The suspension of Friday's debate in the House of Commons was due to safety concerns, Speaker Anthony Rota said in notice to MPs, warning them that a police operation was expected and urging them to 'stay away from the downtown core until further notice.' The initial schedule called for debate through the weekend on the motion to confirm Trudeau's emergency powers, followed by a vote on Monday night. House leadership of all parties agreed to the cancellation of Friday's sitting, with a plan to resume debate on Saturday and vote 'early next week' on the motion, which is expected to pass despite vocal opposition from the Conservative minority and allied Bloc Quebecois. Using powers under the Emergencies Act, Ottawa cops have established a 'no-go' zone with 100 checkpoints encircling the Freedom Convoy, cutting them off from support and preventing additional protesters from joining the demonstration blockading the streets around Parliament Hill. During Friday's crackdown, Ottawa Police issued a statement on Twitter threatening to arrest journalists covering the sweep, alarming free press advocates. 'All media who are attending the area, please keep a distance and stay out of police operations for your safety,' the department said. 'Anyone found within areas undergoing enforcement may be subject to arrest. There will be a media availability later today,' the statement added. Ottawa Police also said as the crackdown unfolded that there was a 'concerted effort to flood our 911 and non-emergency policing reporting line.' 'This endangers lives and is completely unacceptable,' said OPS. 'Some protesters are surrendering and are being arrested. We ask protesters to remain peaceful and lawful,' Ottawa police said in an alert. Using his extraordinary powers under the Emergencies Act, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau bid police to establish a 'no-go' zone around the demonstration in Ottawa's core, and on Friday morning a massive force of cops and a fleet of tow truck drivers descended to clear out the Convoy's final stronghold Police officers form a column to begin the final advance against the Freedom Convoy's last stronghold on Parliament Hill Ottawa police advance on protesters in Trudeau's final crackdown on the Freedom Convoy Police confront demonstrators against vaccine mandates in Ottawa on Friday. Demonstrators shouted 'Freedom!' as police closed in and began making arrests in the final crackdown Protesters embrace in front of police officers on Rideau Street near the truck blockade in Ottawa, on Friday A demonstrator is arrested by police in Ottawa on Friday morning, as they begin to remove protesters demanding an end to vaccine mandates in a final sweep of the Freedom Convoy protests A protest truck is towed as police begin to clear demonstrators against vaccine mandates in Ottawa on Friday A recreational vehicle is towed as police begin to clear demonstrators against Covid-19 mandates in Ottawa on Friday A map shows the road closures and blockade that Ottawa police have erected in a 'ring of flannel' around the Convoy Some demonstrators were seen being led away in handcuffs. One person being led away was carrying a sign that read 'Mandate Freedom.' While some protesters surrendered, many remained defiant as the crackdown unfolded. 'Freedom was never free,' said trucker Kevin Homaund, of Montreal. 'So what if they put the handcuffs on us and they put us in jail?' Ottawa Interim Police Chief Steve Bell had vowed that the protests would end this weekend, warning demonstrators: 'It's time to go, this is coming to an end.' The early morning mood on Ottawa's snow-covered streets was almost one of resignation, and truckers, who refused to give their names, just shrugged their shoulders in response to questions over their concerns about being arrested. The capital represented the movement's last stronghold after three weeks of demonstrations and blockades that shut down border crossings into the U.S., caused economic damage to both countries and created a political crisis for Trudeau. With police and the government facing accusations that they let the protests gain strength and spread, Trudeau on Monday invoked Canadas Emergencies Act, empowering law enforcement authorities to declare the blockades illegal, tow away trucks, arrest the drivers, suspend their licenses and freeze their bank accounts. Ottawa police made it clear on Thursday they were preparing to end the protest and remove the more than 300 trucks, with Ottawa's interim police chief warning: 'Action is imminent.' Police clash with demonstrators against Covid-19 mandates in Ottawa on Friday While some protesters surrendered, many remained defiant as the crackdown unfolded A truck is towed as police crack down on truckers and supporters protesting vaccine mandates, in Ottawa on Friday A protest truck is towed as police begin to clear demonstrators against Covid-19 mandates in Ottawa on Friday A tow operator wears a ski mask to cover his identity as he prepares to remove a truck from a blockade on Nicholas St. in Ottawa. Police began arresting protesters Friday in a bid to break the three-week, traffic-snarling siege of Canada's capital Pedestrians walk by trucks participating in a blockade of Parliament Hill by truck drivers opposing vaccine mandates Police in Canada have begun a sweep to arrest the Freedom Convoy truckers who have paralyzed traffic in Ottawa for three weeks in a protest against the country's vaccine mandates Police officers stand in formation as they prepare for a crackdown on truckers and supporters protesting in Ottawa As dawn broke on Friday, police warned of a 'large police presence' descending on Parliament Hill and said that 'protesters are being advised to leave immediately' 'Some protesters are surrendering and are being arrested. We ask protesters to remain peaceful and lawful,' Ottawa police said in an alert Barber, a truck driver for the last 28 years who led the Saskatchewan portion of the protest convoy that has been in Ottawa for the last three weeks, was walking down the street with several friends when police detained him. Footage posted on social media showed him being detained. He could be seen smiling calmly as he was patted down and put in a patrol car. 'Call my wife!' he said, to a friend who was filming. 'And put this on social media.' Lich, 47, widely seen as the main organizer of the protest, was detained on Thursday night as snow fell in Ottawa. She did not resist as she was handcuffed and calmly taken away in a police patrol car. 'Hold the line,' she shouted as she was escorted away. A former fitness instructor who has sung and played guitar in a band called Blind Monday in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Lich was also a senior member of a separatist group that advocated for Canada's Western provinces to secede from the country. On Wednesday night, she had posted a tearful video to YouTube telling her supporters that she expected to be arrested imminently. 'There's a pretty good chance - I think it's inevitable at this point - I'll probably be going somewhere tomorrow where I'll be getting three square meals a day,' she said. 'And that's OK. I want you to know I'm OK with that. 'I'll probably get some sleep. 'But please stay peaceful. And know that this too shall pass. There will be a tomorrow. And we will get through this.' Tamara Lich (left) was arrested in Ottawa on Thursday after she and her followers denied orders to leave the blockade in the center of the capital. Chris Barber (right) is seen on Thursday afternoon being arrested by Ottawa police Police face off with a protester against COVID-19 mandates on Friday, in Ottawa. Police began arresting protesters Friday in a bid to break the three-week, traffic-snarling siege of Canada's capital by hundreds of truckers Police officers detain a man on Friday morning, as truckers and supporters continue to protest vaccine mandates in Ottawa Cops on Friday morning swooped in to the new 'no-go' zone created under powers from the Emergencies Act A demonstrator is arrested by police in Ottawa on Friday as they begin to remove protesters demanding an end to. Police on said action to end the unlawful demonstration was 'imminent,' as barricades went up to restrict access to the downtown A man is arrested by police in Ottawa on Thursday night as the local law enforcement officers move to clear the three-week blockade Meanwhile, the city's Light Rail Transit line was suspended Friday in the section that runs underneath Ottawa's truck blockaded downtown. The service runs above ground either side of district, and is normally a busy commuter route bringing people in. Officials have cited weather reasons for the closure, following a prolonged snowfall in the city and temperatures down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit. However shutting the downtown service effectively reinforces Ottawa police's new security zone around the area announced Thursday by Chief Bell. The truckers, joined by thousands of demonstrators and some 400 vehicles, turned the streets around Parliament into a noisy party zone since first arriving on January 28, in what has become one of the worst crises to hit Trudeau since he took power in 2015. Police made a handful of arrests Thursday evening, including of Barber, one of the main fundraisers and organizers, after authorities said action was imminent. Barber went without resistance after police told him he was being arrested for mischief. 'We absolutely are committed to end this unlawful demonstration. We have the plan, we have the commitment, we have the resources,' Chief Bell told reporters on Thursday. Trudeau invoked emergency measures on Monday giving his government extraordinary powers to end the unrest Ottawa Interim Police Chief Steve Bell has vowed that the protests over vaccine mandates, now in their third week, will end this weekend, warning demonstrators: 'It's time to go, this is coming to an end.' Police will set up a perimeter with 100 checkpoints around downtown to stop people without legitimate reason from entering, he said. 'This weekend will look very different than the past three weekends,' he added. Previous chief Peter Sloly quit this week amid residents' fury about what they saw as police inaction. The truckers' protests started against vaccine mandates for cross-border drivers, a measure in place in the United States, too. But slowly it spread across Canada and morphed into an anti-government movement. Protesters blocked several land crossings with the United States, including the busiest, the Ambassador Bridge which connects to Detroit, for six days, hurting both economies. Calling the blockades a threat to democracy, Trudeau invoked emergency measures on Monday giving his government extraordinary powers to end the unrest. Government officials said they were worried about extremists causing violence. Under law, any use of the Emergencies Act must be brought before Parliament within seven days for approval. Debate began Thursday and will continue, according to the Act, 'without interruption' until the vote is called. After Friday's planned vote was cancelled, the House faced a Monday deadline to act. Addressing the House on Thursday, Trudeau pleaded with legislators to support his extraordinary powers, which have enabled him to summarily freeze bank accounts and crypto wallets tied to the protests in a bid to cut off funding for the movement. 'It's high time that these illegal and dangerous activities stop,' Trudeau declared in Parliament, not far from where the more than 300 trucks were parked in the protest's final stand around Parliament Hill. 'They are a threat to our economy and our relationship with trading partners,' he said. 'They are a threat to public safety.' Opposition Leader Candice Bergen of the Conservative Party responded by slamming Trudeau's request as 'not consistent with fundamental freedoms.' On Thursday, legislation upholding Trudeau's declaration under the Emergencies Act was presented in Parliament, where Conservative and Bloc Quebecois MPs voiced fierce opposition. However, the left-leaning New Democrats said they would reluctantly support Trudeau's minority Liberal government, virtually ensuring passage of the measure upholding his emergency powers in the House of Commons. Together the two parties hold 184 seats out of 338 in the lower chamber. Workers are seen carrying a piece of fencing that will be used to create the Secure Zone in Ottawa 'The Government should not have the power to close the bank accounts of Canadians on a whim,' Bergen told Parliament. 'I urge all members of this Houseproceed with extreme caution. Now is the time to stand up for your constituents, to show real leadership, to help heal our divisions, to listen to those we disagree with.' Yves-Francois Blanchet, the leader of the center-left Bloc Quebecois, said that his party would join with Conservatives in opposing Trudeau's emergency powers. In Quebec, the memory of the 1970 October Crisis, when Trudeau's father flooded the streets with soldiers using emergency war powers in response to a diplomat's kidnapping, still rings bitterly for many. However, when NDP leader Jagmeet Singh signaled his party's support for Trudeau, it became clear that the Liberals would almost certainly have the votes to defeat any opposition. Singh said his party would withdraw its support if the emergency powers are abused, telling the House that Canada reached this point through a failure of political and police leadership at multiple levels. 'We are not proud of supporting these measures,' Singh said in response to a question. Meanwhile, many protesters on Parliament Hill said they would not leave until their demands were met. 'End the mandates, give us our rights and this is over,' said Chris Dacey on Thursday. 'We'll all go back to our families.' The border blockades turned the pressure on Trudeau to act swiftly, and U.S. President Joe Biden asked him to use federal powers. 'The illegal blockades and occupations have to stop and the borders have to remain open,' Trudeau told legislators on Thursday as Parliament started debate on the Emergencies Act, which needs to be passed within seven days of an announcement. But the official opposition Conservative Party says there was no need for the Emergencies Act, especially since the border blockades are over. Conservative Parliamentarian Jeremy Patzer told the House of Commons on Thursday that people around the world were alarmed to see Trudeau 'come down on peaceful protesters with a sledgehammer.' 'It is absolutely shameful,' he added. A former French soldier who killed an eight-year-old girl after abducting her from a wedding celebration was today found guilty of her murder and sentenced to prison for life. Nordahl Lelandais, 39, was on Friday told by judges sitting at the Isere Assizes in Grenoble, eastern France, that he would not be allowed an appeal, and that the minimum time he would spend in a cell was 22 years. He had admitted abducting Maelys de Araujo from a wedding reception in the Alpine town of Pont-de-Beauvoisin, near Chambery, in August 2017, prompting a widespread search. Lelandais had been invited to the party to supply cocaine to other guests in the early hours of the morning that he killed Maelys. Nordahl Lelandais, 39, will spend 22 years in a French prison after being found guilty of murder The court in Grenoble heard how he then asked Maelys to join him in looking at his pet dogs in his car. Lelandaiss Audi A3 was caught on video surveillance footage at 2.47am, with Maelys sitting next to him. He returned to the wedding reception and showed little interest while everyone else was looking for Maelys. Lelandais denied involvement in her death for six months until detectives managed to pinpoint a drop of Maelyss blood in his car. This finally prompted Lelandais to lead police to Maelyss remains in February 2018. Lelandais, who was working as a dog trainer at the time of his arrest, broke down in court as he described what happened. He said he struck his victim three or four times, but denied meaning to kill her, and then returned to the party alone. Prosecutors had described the former soldier as an absolute social danger and a major criminal and predator. He was already serving a 20-year prison sentence for murdering another young soldier, Arthur Noyer, whom he met at a disco in April 2017. Lelandais was also on trial for sexually abusing two young cousins -- aged 4 and 6 -- in their sleep. Lelandais had admitted abducting Maelys de Araujo from a wedding reception in the Alpine town of Pont-de-Beauvoisin, near Chambery, in August 2017 Lelandais, who turned 39 on the day of the verdict, has also described by psychiatric experts as a psychopathic, narcissistic and pathological liar. In a statement before the court, Lelandais said: I know the families will never accept my excuses, but I present them with the greatest sincerity. Lelandais is suspected of being involved in up to 15 unsolved murder cases, and at one stage was linked to so called Alps Murders - the unsolved case of the Al-Hillis, from Claygate, Surrey. Saad al-Hilli, his wife Iqbal and her mother Suhaila al-Allaf, were gunned down in a forest layby near Annecy in 2012, along with a French cyclist called Sylvain Mollier. The couples seven-year-old daughter, Zainab, was pistol whipped, while her sister Zeena, four, was later discovered hiding under her mother's body inside the family BMW. This was just 30 miles from the town of Chambery, from where Maelys was kidnapped by Lelandais. Police have confirmed that they are still examining links between Lelandais and other unsolved murders, although there is currently no evidence that he killed the Al-Hillis or Mr Mollier. Storm Eunice has caused power prices to plunge after record-breaking gusts created some of the highest-ever output from wind turbines on Friday. Day-ahead UK power dropped by 11 per cent to 140 per megawatt-hour (MWh) following the surge in wholesale gas prices in recent months, according to the Daily Telegraph. The newspaper also reported that wind power has significantly outpaced gas over the past week with turbine energy generation averaging 11.48 gigawatts, well above the 7.2GW for gas. The Telegraph added that prices in Germany dropped by more than two-thirds to their lowest level this year, and that output from wind farms in the country is expected to double by tomorrow. It comes as Storm Eunice continues to wreak havoc on much of the UK today, tearing roofs of homes, knocking spires off churches and even tearing up the 02 Arena in London. Wind power has significantly outpaced gas over the past week with turbine energy generation averaging 11.48 gigawatts, well above the 7.2GW for gas Day-ahead UK power dropped by 11 per cent to 140 per megawatt-hour (MWh) following the surge in wholesale gas prices in recent months, according to the Daily Telegraph. (Stock image) The top speed of 122mph at Needles on the Isle of Wight, recorded on Friday, is provisionally the highest gust ever in England and means Storm Eunice is now worse than the 1987 Great Storm when gusts peaked at 115mph in West Sussex. Millions of Britons were urged to stay at home today, and the storm claimed its first victim when a man in his early 60s was killed by a falling tree in County Wexford in the Republic of Ireland while out working to clear trees. A second person, a motorist, is believed to have been killed when a large tree fell and crushed a vehicle in the market town of Alton, Hampshire, this afternoon. Two further victims have since been announced, a woman in her 30s in Haringey, north London, and a man in his 50s in Netherton, Merseyside. Today's red warnings ended at 12pm in the South West and 3pm in the South East, but forecasters continue to be concerned over 'flying debris resulting in danger to life' as well as 'roofs blown off and power lines brought down'. An amber warning for gusts up to 80mph covers the whole of England until 9pm tonight having started at 5am. Damage to the roof of the O2 Arena - known as the Millennium Dome when it opened in 2000 - in South East London today A trampoline is seen flying mid air during Storm Eunice in Builth Wells in Wales on Friday Fallen scaffolding on a vehicle in North End Road in Golders Green, London, during Storm Eunice on Friday Picture shows the missing brickwork from the rooftops of three houses torn off during Storm Eunice, on Kilburn Park Road in north west London The strong gusts are good news for the country's wind power farms, at least, which rely on turbines powered by wind to create sustainable energy - helping the country in its bid to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The UK has the largest offshore wind farm in the world, located off the coast of Yorkshire, which was one of many areas under a red alert for wind today. According to the National Grid, 2020 was the 'greenest year on record' for Britain, with record high levels of wind energy generation. Electricity generation from wind power in the UK increased by 715 per cent from 2009 to 2020 - while turnover from wind energy was nearly 6 billion in 2019. They used weapons with what the prosecution described as 'merciless ferocity' Islam had a wrench and Rahman had foot-long blade in dispute on May 26, 2019 They argued with Mr Zaman before dispute in Mile End, London, turned violent Two men who attacked a former friend in the street with a wrench and a machete with 'merciless ferocity' have been convicted of his murder. Mofizur Rahman, 21, and Alimul Islam, 22, killed Alimuz Zaman, 23, in front of a crowd outside a shop on St Paul's Way in Mile End, east London, on May 26, 2019. The attack came shortly after Mr Zaman was captured on CCTV buying birthday sweets for his young niece on that same afternoon. Islam had armed himself with a 10-inch long stolen wrench and Rahman had a foot-long hunting-style blade, while Mr Zaman only had a pair of household scissors, jurors heard. The two defendants began arguing with Mr Zaman in the street before their dispute turned violent, the Old Bailey heard. Rahman and Islam, both of Tower Hamlets, east London, used their weapons with what the prosecution described as 'merciless ferocity and devastating affect'. Mofizur Rahman, 21, and Alimul Islam, 22, killed Alimuz Zaman (pictured), 23, shortly after he was captured on CCTV buying birthday sweets for his young niece on May 26, 2019 Mr Zaman's unarmed friend, Mahbuby Rabani, tried to intervene and suffered a severe arm injury before the defendants fled. Prior to the attack, CCTV captured Islam walking into the newsagents as staff shouted: 'Alimul, don't take anything.' But Islam grabbed an adjustable wrench and walked back outside, the Old Bailey heard. Mr Zaman was seen on CCTV entering the same shop to pick up a pair of scissors to defend himself, before trying to enter the back room to avoid the confrontation. But a crowd of bystanders watched as Mr Zaman was chased around the street as the pair struck him repeatedly with their weapons before pulling their hoods up and running away. Jurors saw CCTV footage showing Rahman swinging a large knife at Mr Zaman as he ran down the road, before falling onto the pavement in front of a crowd. At one point, Mr Zaman was heard saying: 'Why are you hitting me? Isn't that enough?' Mr Zaman was able to tell his brother the names of his attackers as he lay fatally injured in the street. He died in hospital later the same day. The two defendants began arguing with Mr Zaman in the street on St Paul's Way (pictured) in Mile End, east London, before their dispute turned violent A post-mortem examination identified 15 sharp force injuries, with two fatal wounds - a chop-like gash to the arm and deep stab to the thigh. Rahman and Islam claimed that they had acted in self-defence. They claimed they had been working for the victim as dealers and had a falling out. The defendants denied but, on Friday, a jury at the Old Bailey unanimously found the defendants guilty of murder and wounding with intent. The pair also denied possession of an offensive weapon, but the jury were discharged from finding a verdict in respect of those counts. Neither of the weapons carried by the defendants was recovered. Islam and Rahman were seen arguing with the victim the night before and exchanged a series of phone calls with him in the weeks leading up to the killing, the court heard. The prosecution alleged the violence stemmed from an argument with Mr Zaman, likely to involve drug dealing. Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow, QC, told the court how the killing took place in 'full view of members of the public. He said: 'Alimuz Zaman was fatally injured and collapsed in a pool of his own blood, and left another Mahbuby Kabani clutching his injured arm. 'It is violence that results in these two young men facing allegations of murder. 'Any effort by them to blame the deceased simply ignores the severe nature of the attack to which they subjected him. 'They had been in contact with each other on a relatively frequent basis up to the incident. 'Mobile phone footage taken by members of the public recorded the incident that afternoon. On Friday, a jury at the Old Bailey (pictured) unanimously found the defendants guilty of murder and wounding with intent 'What it captures established beyond any reasonable doubt that they were armed and intended to cause harm to anyone in their way.' Mr Glasgow also said that the 'two fatal wounds' sustained by the victim resulted in 'catastrophic blood loss', saying 'there was nothing that could be done to save him'. He added: 'The violence used against him [Mr Zaman] was gratuitous, unnecessary, and totally inexcusable. 'They attacked the deceased who was helpless, defenceless, on his back in the middle of the road. When he tried to escape, they hit him over and over again. 'Even when they were surrounded by lots of concerned friends and acquaintances, they still continued to attack the deceased. 'He didn't have a weapon in his hands, he didn't try to land a single blow at all. 'Any suggestion that the violence is justifiable, or that it might have some legal excuse is wrong.' Mr Glasgow said it is not known why the attack started, but said the defendants were known to Mr Zaman and had been in contact with him in the months before the incident. After the jury found the defendants guilty, Judge Anthony Leonard, QC, said: 'I am not going to push on with sentencing this afternoon. 'As you know the only sentence I can pass is one of life imprisonment. But I have to consider what the minimum term is.' The judge excused the jury from serving again for ten years and thanked them for their 'diligence' as they left the courtroom. Judge Leonard adjourned sentencing until Monday and remanded the pair into custody. Former National Security adviser John Bolton has warned Havana syndrome could 'disable' the US government as Trump-era White House staff say they suffered from it. Bolton corroborated those unnamed staffers' accounts in a 60 Minutes special due to be screened on Sunday, and offered his own warning about the potential implications of the condition, which it is feared could be caused by a mysterious weapon. 'If we were at war and an adversary could disable the president and his top advisers, or commanders in the field, it could render us extraordinarily vulnerable,' Bolton told 60 Minutes. 'We don't know that that's the threat we're facing. But I would much rather focus on finding out the answer now, rather than finding out later when it may be too late.' Former National Security Adviser John Bolton (pictured) says he fears the mysterious illness is a threat to the highest levels of the U.S. government Multiple Homeland Security officials who worked under the Trump administration have come forward and claimed that during their tenure they were overcome with feelings of vertigo, confusion and memory loss, 60 Minutes reported. Those officials have not yet been named, but will share their experiences on CBS's flagship current affairs show on Sunday evening. And their accounts have been corroborated by former National Security Advisor John Bolton, who says he is deeply concerned about the illnesses. The symptoms are strikingly similar to those of the mysterious Havana Syndrome - an unexplained illness that has long been believed to be caused inadvertently by surveillance equipment or by a mysterious sonic weapon. CIA director William Burns (pictured) told 60 Minutes it has been difficult for investigators to find answers as to what is causing the mystery symptoms Symptoms of Havana Syndrome include loud noise, ear pain, intense head pressure or vibration, dizziness, visual problems, and cognitive difficulties, and many still continue to experience these or other health problems, according to a 2020 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Of the roughly 200 reported cases of the yet unexplained illness, almost half of the cases involved CIA officers or their relatives, with nearly 60 have been linked to Department of Defense workers or relatives, and about 50 involved State Department personnel the outlet reported. Although last month a CIA task force said that the illness is not the product of a sustained global campaign by a hostile power aimed at hundreds of U.S. diplomats and spies, former National Security Adviser John Bolton says he fears the mysterious illness is a threat to the highest levels of the U.S. government. High-ranking Homeland Security officials in the Trump administration say they suffered Havana Syndrome symptoms while they were in the White House or their D.C- area homes Mark Lenzi, a State Department security officer who worked in the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, China, talked to 60 Minutes in 2019 and opened up about the long-term symptoms he has suffered. 'The symptoms were progressively getting worse with me,' Lenzi said at the time. 'My headaches were getting worse. The most concerning symptom for me was memory loss, especially short-term memory loss.' CIA director William Burns told 60 Minutes it has been difficult for investigators to find answers as to what is behind the symptoms. 'It's a very complicated issue, you know, dealing with a whole range of incidents which have different kinds of explanations for them as well,' Burns said. 'It's a very charged issue emotionally as well. I understand that very clearly. And that's what makes me even more determined not only to ensure people get the care that they deserve but also that we get to the bottom of this.' Scientists and government officials are not yet certain about who might have been behind the attacks, if the symptoms could have been caused inadvertently by surveillance equipment - or if the incidents were caused by a mysterious sonic weapon. Symptoms of Havana Syndrome include loud noise, ear pain, intense head pressure or vibration, dizziness, visual problems, and cognitive difficulties The sonic weapon the could cause Havana syndrome is said to be a smaller version of this 1990s Soviet microwave generator, which is kept at the University of New Mexico What is 'Havana Syndrome'? The mysterious illness that started in the US embassy in Cuba and causes memory and hearing loss The problem has been labeled the 'Havana Syndrome,' because the first cases affected personnel in 2016 at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba. At least 200 cases across the government are now under investigation. People who are believed to have been affected have reported headaches, dizziness and symptoms consistent with concussions, with some requiring months of medical treatment. Some have reported hearing a loud noise before the sudden onset of symptoms. Countries its been reported in: Cuba, United States, China, Russia, Vietnam, Austria, Germany, Serbia, United Kingdom, Georgia, Poland, Taiwan, Australia, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan Symptoms include: -hearing loss -severe headaches -memory issues -dizziness -brain injury Advertisement Some doubt its existence, however, and call it 'mass hysteria.' The leading theory behind the cause of the suddenly surfaced syndrome starts with a device that scientists say Russia could have invented during the Cold War, which was later used to spy on US embassies by collecting data from laptops and cell phones. However, experts now theorize that a hostile country - like Russia or China - may have turned this microwave technology into a weapon. Both countries deny any involvement in any of the incidents relating to the mysterious syndrome. Back in September, Vice President Kamala Harris' departure from Singapore during her Asia trip was delayed by more than three hours because of an 'anomalous health incident in Hanoi,' which was the next stop in her Asia trip. That was a reference to Havana Syndrome. A December report in the Washington Examiner speculated that former President George W. Bush could have also been a victim of Havana Syndrome when he fell ill at a G8 conference in Germany in 2007. At the gathering of world leaders, both Bush and Laura Bush fell ill with symptoms of 'nausea or dizziness,' as the former first lady outlined in her 2010 memoir 'Spoken from the Heart.' Some aides traveling with them experienced hearing and balance problems. The official conclusion at the time was a virus. Although there was speculation that the first couple could have been poisoned. The Examiner report points to Russia as the culprit. Havana Syndrome is believed to be caused by microwave emissions and Moscow is known to have employed RF/MW capabilities since the Cold War. During the Cold War, the Soviets repeatedly irradiated the American embassy in Moscow with low-level microwaves - known as the 'Moscow Signal' - for unknown reasons. In October, three Havana Syndrome sufferers came forward to share the agonizing symptoms of the disease, with two of them claiming it left them brain damaged and destroyed their promising diplomatic careers. Tina Onefur, Kate Husband, and Husband's partner Doug Ferguson were all working for the US State Department, stationed in Cuba's capital, when they found themselves afflicted with the mysterious malady. The syndrome first surfaced at the embassy in Havana in 2016 - months before Onefur, Husband, and Ferguson were diagnosed. The three described their debilitating symptoms - which include hearing loss, severe headaches, memory issues, dizziness, grogginess and even brain damage - in detail during an interview with NBC News last year. Onefur, sobbed as she spoke and recalling the fact she can now only work two hours a day from home due to doctor-diagnosed brain damage, and said she was washing dishes one night in March 2017 at her home in Havana when she suddenly found herself overcome with pain. 'The kids were upstairs playing, and I was standing at the kitchen window, and all of a sudden I felt like I was being struck with something.' When asked what the sensation felt like, Onefur said the pain was like nothing she had ever felt before in her life, and explained, 'It was gripping - it was like I'd been seized by some invisible hand, and I couldn't move.' When asked by interviewer Andrea Mitchell how her health is today, Onefur, choking back tears revealed that her symptoms were still as strong and prevalent as ever, even after more than four years. 'It's not easy to talk about our health because it's an invisible injury,' Onefur said, 'It's four-and-a-half years of of excruciating headaches, it's four-and-a-half years of stumbling losing my balance, four-and-a-half years of vision degradation,' Onefur asserts of the illness, while breaking down in tears. In a nearby neighborhood in Havana in the winter months of 2016, Kate Husband and Doug Ferguson were working in the US embassy by day, with their nights spent together at their shared home. But nights for the couple - who both hail from Michigan - would often be strangely interrupted, by a high-pitched, piercing noise seemingly coming from their backyard. 'It was persistent, kind of at the same level all the time,' Husband said of the shrill sound, which they never managed to identify, adding it was 'very, very loud' and 'nothing you can sit with.' Ferguson, however, managed to capture the mysterious noise on his phone and played it back for Mitchell during the interview. The sound on the recording - a high-frequency ringing that somewhat resembles a dog whistle - is strikingly similar to a sound previously released by AP in a 2017 covering the then just-surfaced syndrome. When asked if any other people in her neighborhood had heard the same sounds and was afflicted with similar symptoms, Husband said they had. After feeling a slew of symptoms in the coming months, the couple was later examined by neurologists at the University of Pennsylvania. In early 2017, Ferguson was cleared to go back to work, but Husband was diagnosed with brain damage by doctors, and was subsequently sent to receive treatment. Husband told Mitchell that during the diagnosis, a doctor told her, after analyzing scans of her brain, 'it's like you aged 20, 25 years all at once.' She later retired from her work for the State Department on the grounds of a medical disability. Husband further revealed during the interview that she still suffers from balance issues associated with the brain damage she suffered after the 2017 diagnosis - a sensation that would trigger violent bouts of nausea, and a fogginess that makes even the most basic tasks difficult. Scandal is described as the biggest miscarriage of justice in British legal history She is one of hundreds of SPMs who were prosecuted between 2000 and 2014 A former subpostmistress contemplated suicide and saw old friends crossing the road to avoid her after she was wrongly accused of theft in Post Office Horizon IT scandal, an inquiry has heard. Jennifer O'Dell, 72, told an inquiry into the scandal that she suffered night terrors and high blood pressure and had to withdraw her to become an MP after she was suspended from her role in 2010. More than 700 subpostmasters and subpostmistresses (SPMs) were prosecuted between 2000 and 2014, based on information from the Horizon IT system, installed and maintained by Fujitsu - in what is described as the biggest miscarriage of justice in British legal history. An inquiry is now trying to determine how much the Post Office knew about the faulty system and whether or not it engaged in a cover-up after hundreds of workers were blamed when funds seemed to repeatedly disappear. In December 2019, a High Court judge ruled that Horizon contained a number of 'bugs, errors and defects' and there was a 'material risk' that shortfalls in Post Office branch accounts were in fact caused by the computer system - not pilfering employees. Many convictions have since been quashed but hundreds of others are still fighting to clear their names - with 33 having already died before getting the chance to do so. Jennifer O'Dell (pictured), 72, told an inquiry into Post Office Horizon IT scandal that she suffered night terrors and contemplated suicide after she was suspended from her role in 2010 Giving evidence at the inquiry, an emotional Ms O'Dell, from Hackney, east London, said she contemplated suicide and suffered with high blood pressure from the stress of the ordeal. The grandmother-of-eight criticised Post Office senior executives 'who live in grand mansions and big houses' while she still struggles to pay her energy bills because of the ordeal. She told the inquiry that after the news of her alleged false accounting were published in her village's local magazine Life, she faced rumours that she had stolen 'a quarter of a million pounds'. Fighting back tears, she said: 'I didn't go out much. When I did try and go for a walk, people would cross to the other side of the road - people I had known a long time.' Ms O'Dell has lived in the village of Great Staughton, Cambridgeshire, for 50 years, where she operated a Post Office branch and also sold hand-made cards. But after her account began to show a shortfall of more than 9,600 in 2009, it was closed on January 6, 2019. Ms O'Dell said her account was closed at 9am that day, but a document she was given by the Post Office alleging misconduct showed she used the Horizon terminal at 10.55am, which 'could not have been true'. She was interviewed in 2010 by Post Office investigation officers John Longman and Lisa Allen, and in 2015 by Angela Van Den Bogerd, a director of the organisation at the time. Ms O'Dell described the interviews as 'like a kangaroo court', telling the inquiry: 'In both of those interviews, it was just like a kangaroo court. I walked in, and their body language was like: "She's guilty".' She was interviewed in 2015 by Angela Van Den Bogerd (pictured), a director of the organisation at the time, and Ms O'Dell described the interview as 'like a kangaroo court' More than 700 subpostmasters and subpostmistresses were prosecuted between 2000 and 2014, based on information from the Horizon IT system in what is described as the biggest miscarriage of justice in British legal history (stock image) During this period, Ms O'Dell had a cancer scare which required an operation, and she said she suffered with high blood pressure from the stress of the ordeal. The grandmother said she never understood why she was not prosecuted by the Post Office, but would wake up 'every morning' expecting a court summons. Ms O'Dell had been backed as a provisional parliamentary candidate for the 2010 general election, but stood down because she did not want to bring her party into disrepute, the inquiry heard. Ms O'Dell said she even contemplated suicide as she endured night terrors, which her husband had to wake her from 'screaming'. Ms O'Dell told the inquiry that she and her husband are now struggling to pay their electricity bills following the ordeal, adding that she hopes she is alive to see Post Office senior executives brought to justice. She said: 'While those executives who had been given millions of pounds to persecute us, who could walk out with pensions and go into fantastically paid jobs, the MPs that had after their names 'postal affairs minister', the people who lived in grand mansions and big houses... 'Do you know what I have to do at the moment? I have to cut logs to warm my house. 'I want those people brought to justice. I want them to be persecuted and that's not at all like me. 'I want them to say sorry. I want them brought to account. And I want to be able to afford my electricity bills. I want to spoil my grandchildren. Wendy Martin (pictured) suffered sleepless nights, constant kidney infections and a suspected stroke after opening her own Post Office in York in February 2015 and immediately facing problems with the computer systems, including transactions disappearing 'I want to be alive to see this happen. I'm in my 70s now, and it's been 13 years. I don't want any more night terrors now.' Ms O'Dells comments come after another former subpostmistress, Wendy Martin, told the inquiry she was 'nearly killed' by the stress of dealing with the Post Office's faulty IT system. Wendy Martin suffered sleepless nights, constant kidney infections and a suspected stroke after opening her own Post Office in York in February 2015 and immediately facing problems with the computer systems, including transactions disappearing. Ms Martin, who encountered shortfalls but was never prosecuted, told an inquiry into the scandal on Thursday that she was forced to close her branch after just 20 months due to stress caused by the issues with the IT system. The former subpostmistress said she had borrowed 22,000 from the bank as well as money from her family and used her savings to open the business. But the computers immediately started to crash on a daily basis with connection constantly dropping out and transactions going missing, the inquiry was told. Susan Hazzleton (pictured), 68, broke down while giving evidence to the inquiry, recalling how Post Office workers told her that no-one else was having computer issues like she claimed she was Ms Martin said the stress of being liable for the shortfalls while fighting to get the Post Office to fix the issue caused her health to dramatically deteriorate. 'It nearly killed me,' she said, adding that she suffered sleepless nights, constant kidney infections and a suspected stroke after closing the branch in early 2016. 'It devastated our lives and we need repaying and we need compensation,' she said. Ms Martin, who is now thousands of pounds in debt, said she 'still lost everything' despite never being prosecuted, which means she may not receive compensation. Meanwhile, Susan Hazzleton, 68, said Post Office workers told her that no-one else was having computer issues like she claimed she was. The former subpostmistress was accused of stealing 300 in 2001 after auditors checked the accounts of the Post Office branch that she had run in Chelmsford, Essex, since 1995. Mrs Hazzleton was suspended, her shop was closed and about six weeks later she was arrested for theft, although the prosecution dropped the case 18 months later. 'It was totally unbelievable,' she said, adding that she felt the way the process was handled was 'cruel'. Mrs Hazzleton said that the shortfalls in her accounts began to 'snowball' into the thousands in 2000 after she began using the Horizon system. She said she repeatedly rang the helpline but got little assistance and ultimately paid the Post Office 4,300 to cover the missing funds before she was accused of taking the 300. She told the inquiry tearfully: 'Obviously I was very naive. I had been told I was the only one who had that problem.' Later, Mrs Hazzleton said it was helpline workers and the area manager who had told her that nobody else was experiencing computer issues. She said she then became aware from a magazine article that another Post Office worker had found a discrepancy of 20,000 in their accounts. 'That was a bit comforting in a way, to know that I'm not an idiot, it's not just me going through this,' she said. The inquiry, which is expected to run for the rest of the year, is looking into whether the Post Office knew about faults in the IT system and will also ask how staff were made to take the blame. On Wednesday, a group of cross-party MPs called on the Government to fully compensate all victims. The inquiry continues. The teacher wife of a US Navy nuclear engineer pleaded guilty Friday to taking part in a plot to sell submarine secrets to a foreign country, just four days after her husband admitted his crimes and told prosecutors he'd help them nail her. Former private school teacher Diana Toebbe, 46, admitted taking part in her husband Jonathan Toebbe's plan to sell information on US nuclear submarines to an unidentified foreign buyer, suspected to be in France. The plea deal she struck means she will serve a maximum of 36 months in prison, far shorter than the 12-and-a-half to 17 years her spouse faces, and the maximum life term the pair could have been punished with. She had repeatedly declared her innocence ever since her arrest last summer - but quickly changed her tune on realizing Jonathan had admitted his crimes, and was willing to share details of her wrongdoing as part of his plea deal. It is unclear if the couple's marriage remains intact after Jonathan's betrayal. According to the charges, she acted as a lookout while her husband delivered highly classified information on nuclear submarine technology to a buyer they believed to be a friendly foreign nation in a series of surreptitious 'dead drops' in the region around their Annapolis, Maryland home. The country hasn't been named, but is believed to be France, and contacted federal officials after the Toebbes first got in touch, with an FBI investigator subsequently posing as an agent of that country to entrap the pair. Diana initially pleaded innocent to the charge of conspiracy to communicate restricted data, but last week Jonathan, 43, pleaded guilty to the same charge, and in doing so admitted his wife took part in the plot. While the charge could bring up to life in prison, Diana's plea agreement set the maximum at 36 months. Her husband faces at least 12 and a half years in prison. Jonathan (left) and Diana Toebbe, both pleaded guilty to trying to sell classified information on US nuclear submarine technology to a foreign country. Diana's guilty plea came four days after Jonathan agreed to help prosecutors build a case against his wife The leaked secrets contained 'militarily sensitive design elements, operating parameters and performance characteristics of Virginia-class submarine reactors,' according to a federal court affidavit Diana faces a maximum of three years in prison while Jonathan faces more than 12 years Dianna's plea deal came after her husband pleaded guilty and decided to help prosecutors build a case against her on Monday Jonathan was a nuclear engineer for the US Navy dealing with nuclear submarine propulsion systems when the two were arrested on October 9, 2021 after he hid a small SD card carrying US secrets at a dead drop location in West Virginia. Court documents described a tantalizing, spy-novel like plot in which they traveled hundreds of miles to secretly hand over information, took payments in cryptocurrencies, and followed signals made from an embassy building in Washington. In one message to the 'buyers' Jonathan indicated that he had been considering his actions for several years and was happy to work with 'a reliable professional partner.' He also wrote that he had divided all the data he had collected into 51 'packages' of information, and sought $100,000 for each. Diana Toebbe was accused of serving as an accomplice and a 'lookout' at several prearranged 'dead-drop' locations at which her husband deposited memory cards containing government secrets, concealing them in objects such as a chewing gum wrapper and a peanut butter sandwich. But the FBI was following the plot, after having been alerted to it by the target country in December 2020 -- though that was nearly nine months after the Toebbes first mailed their offer to the country's military intelligence. The country, which cooperated in the FBI investigation, has not been identified. One of the Toebbes' communications indicated that English might not be the country's native tongue, and others suggest that the country's navy is familiar with nuclear propulsion technology. Russia, China, Britain, France and India operate nuclear-powered naval vessels, and Australia is planning to buy one or more from the United States. The foreign nation they'd contacted - believed to be France, but never confirmed - told FBI investigators of Toebbe's ploy. An undercover FBI agent then posed as an agent of the foreign country in an elaborate sting which ended with the couple's arrests. Jonathan acknowledged during the plea hearing to conspiring to pass classified information to a foreign government in exchange for money with the intent to 'injure the United States.' 'Yes, your honor,' Jonathan said when asked if he considered himself guilty. Jonathan Toebbe, 43, has agreed to cooperate with the U.S. government in exchange for reduced time in prison after pleading guilty to a felony count in federal court on Monday for selling information about nuclear submarines to a foreign country in exchange for millions of dollars of cryptocurrency The FBI has said the scheme began in April 2020, when Jonathan sent a package of Navy documents to a foreign government and wrote that he was interested in selling to that country operations manuals, performance reports and other sensitive information. That package was obtained by the FBI last December through its legal attache office in the unspecified foreign country. That set off a monthlong undercover operation in which an agent posing as a representative of a foreign country made contact with Jonathan and agreed to pay $100,000 in cryptocurrency for the information Jonathan was offering. Jonathan was already paid $70,000 before he was caught. The Toebbes had discussed fleeing abroad, and mentioned practicing their foreign language skills in texts obtained by investigators. They speak French, further fueling speculation that they'd tried to sell the secrets to the European nation. The residence of Jonathan and Diana Toebbe is shown on Sunday in Annapolis, Maryland A bird's eye show of Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory lab, where the FBI claims is the only place where Toebbe could have obtained the classified information on US nuclear subs. Toebbe has worked on naval nuclear propulsion since 2012, including a 15-month tenure in the office of the chief of naval operations Prior to the new deal, which ignited a diplomatic row between Washington and Paris, the US had only shared the technology of its submarines with Britain. Each of these underwater craft costs an estimated $3billion to build. The country the Toebbes were allegedly trying to sell the nuclear secrets to is not clear and neither are their motivations. Some experts suggested that the Toebbes were trying to sell the information to France, but French officials said they were not involved in the incident, according to the New York Times. However, court documents suggest that the country was most likely an ally or neutral government because it cooperated with the FBI during the sting operation to expose the Toebbes. Jonathan, who as part of his job had a top-secret security clearance, agreed as part of the plea deal to help federal officials with locating all classified information in his possession, as well as the roughly $100,000 in cryptocurrency that was paid to him by the FBI. FBI agents who searched the couple's Annapolis, Maryland, home found a trash bag of shredded documents, thousands of dollars in cash, valid children's passports and a 'go-bag' containing a USB flash drive and latex gloves. Shocking emails exchanged between Jonathan Toebbe and undercover FBI agent reveal his plot to sell US nuclear secrets On December 26, 2020, the FBI initiated the first of several emails to 'ALICE' on ProtonMail. The FBI utilized a ProtonMail account utilizing the pseudo name 'BOB.' The email stated, 'We received your letter. We want to work with you. It has been many months, so we need to know if you are still out there. Please respond to this message, then we will provide instructions on how to proceed.' On February 10, 2021, 'ALICE' responded and stated, 'Thank you for contacting me. I am still here. The covid disease has made it more difficult to find chances to check this email. Let us discuss how to proceed.' On February 24, 2021, an FBI agent acting in an undercover capacity ('the UC') responded and stated, 'We understand the delay and hope you are well. Our experts reviewed the information you provided. We would like to sample your [US. Navy Information Specific Sections].' We have a trusted friend in your country who has a gift for you to compensate for your efforts... On March 5, 2021, 'ALICE' replied with the following. ' I am uncomfortable with this arrangement. Face to face meetings are very risky for me, as I am sure you understand. I propose exchanging gifts electronically, for mutual safety. I can upload documents to a secure cloud storage account, encrypted with the key I have provided you. You can send me a suitable gift in Monero cryptocurrency to an address I will provide. 100,000 usd should be enough to prove to me that you are not an unwelcome third party looking to make trouble for me. When I have confirmed receipt of your gift, I will provide you with the download link. We are both protected. I understand this is a large request. However, please remember I am risking my life for your benefit and I have taken the first step. Please help me trust you fully.' On March 18, 2021, the UC posing as a representative of COUNTRY1 wrote, 'We understand a face to face meeting would be uncomfortable. We suggest a neutral drop location. When you visit the location alone, you retrieve a g~fi and leave behind the sample we request. We hope to have a very long friendship that benefits mutually.' On March 22, 2021, 'ALICE' replied. 'I understand your proposal to start a dead drop. I am concerned that using a dead drop location your friend prepares makes me very vulnerable. If other interested parties are observing the location, I will be unable to detect them. I am not a professional, and do not have a team supporting me. I am also concerned that a physical gift would be very difficult to explain if I am questioned. For now, I must consider the possibility that you are not the person I hope you are. It would be very easy for the serial numbers of bills to be recorded. Tracking devices and other nasty surprises must be considered as well. I propose to mod~ your plan in the following ways: 1. I will place the sample you requested on a memory card and place it in a drop location of my choosing... . I am not a professional and I am sure that publicly available information on this subject is incomplete. 2. The samples will be encrypted using GnuPG symmetric encryption with a randomly generated passphrase. 3. I will tell you the location and how to find the card. I will also give you a Monero address. This form of gift protects both of us very well. I am very aware of the risks of blockchain analysis of BitCoin and other cryptocurrencies, and believe Monero gives both of us excellent deniability. 4. Once I confirm receipt of my gift, I will give you the passphrase. Your friend and I will never go to the same drop location twice. I will give you a new Monero address each time. The decryption key will be different each time. No patterns for third parties to observe. The only electronic footprints will be Proton to Proton, so there is less risk of encrypted traffic being collected for future analysis by third parties. That part is not perfect. Perhaps as our friendship develops we will change addresses periodically?' On April 1, 2021, the UC posing as a representative of COUNTRY1 responded to 'ALICE' and stated, 'We understand your concern and appreciate the thoughtful plan... as a sign of good faith and trust we wish to pay you the equivalent of 10,000 USD immediately on Monero to address you provided. Drop locations are safest and allow us to make exchanges without coming in contact and of course leave no electronic footprint... Your proposed method of memory card with encryption/passphrases is acceptable. For the small sample we requested you will receive another 20,000 USD. Once you confirm Monero address we will activate payment. Our next step will be information on the drop location we have selected. This method will build trust between usfor a larger transaction in future. Our experts are interested in the information you have but we insist on maintaining our discretion and security as a priority.' On April 9, 2021, 'ALICE' wrote, 'I am sorry to be so stubborn and untrusting, but I can not agree to go to a location of your choosing. I must consider the possibility that l am communicating with an adversary who has intercepted my first message and is attempting to expose me. Would not such an adversary wish me to go to a place of his choosing, knowing that an amateur will be unlikely to detect his surveillance? If you insist on physically delivering the package, then it must be a place of my choosing. I ask you to consider the viability of an electronic dead drop. I can establish an encrypted online storage account without providing any identifying information and without provoking any suspicion...Another possibility occurs to me: is there some physical signal you can make that proves your identity to me? I could plan to visit Washington D.C. over the Memorial Day weekend. I would just be another tourist in the crowd. Perhaps you could fly a signal flag on your roof? Something easily observable from the street, but nothing to arouse an adversary's suspicion?... '. On April 23, 2021, the UC posing as a representative of COUNTRY1 emailed the following: 'You do not need to apologize. We appreciate you being careful. That is much better than someone reckless. Your thoughtful plans indicate you are not amateur. This relationship requires mutual comfort. There is risk on both sides and we understand your need for safety assurance of who you are communicating with. As you suggest we can accommodate a signal in Washington D.C. over the Memorial Day weekend. We will set a signal from our main building observable from the street. It will bring you comfort with signals on display from the area inside our property that we control and not a [sic] adversary. If you agree please acknowledge. We will then provide more instruction about the signal. We hope this plan will continue to build the necessary trust and comfort of our identity.' On May 5, 2021 'ALICE' wrote, 'I will make plans to be in the capitol [sic] over the Memorial Day weekend. It would be best to leave the signal visible for the entire holiday weekend so I can plan to pass by in the natural course of my tourist day. I may be on foot or passing by in a bus or car or bicycle, so please plan for something easy to spot. On May 17, 2021, the UC posing as a representative of COUNTRY1 responded and said, in part, 'We are happy to set a signal to bring you comfort and build necessary trust between us. The signal will be inside our main building from Saturday morning until Sunday evening Memorial Day weekend.' During the weekend of May 29-30, 2021, the FBI conducted an operation in the Washington, D.C. area that involved placing a signal at a location associated with COUNTRY1 in an attempted effort to gain bona fides with 'ALICE.' On May 31, 2021, the FBI received confirmation via the ProtonMail from 'ALICE' that the signal was received. 'ALICE' also wrote that, 'Now Jam comfortably telling you your assumption that Pittsburgh would be a convenient location for me is incorrect.. for now I can tell you I am located near Baltimore, Maryland. Please let me know when you are ready to proceed with our first exchange. Once you have dropped location details for me, I will give you the Monero address and prepare the sample you have requested.' 'ALICE' went on to request clarity of the U.S. Navy information requested by the UC posing as a representative of COUNTRY1. On June 4, 2021, the UC posing as a representative of COUNTRY1 requested the Monero address to provide 'ALICE' a payment of $10,000 USD as a sign of good faith and trust. The UC also informed 'ALICE' that new communication instructions would be provided at the exchange location. On June 8, 2021, 'ALICE' wrote that, 'For maximum security it is very important that you do not send Monero to the same address twice.' 'ALICE' then provided the FBI with a payment address. 'ALICE' then went on to state, 'I will place information you have requested~ encrypted, on a memory card along with the address for the second payment you offered in a plain text file. After I confirm the second payment I will provide you with the decryption passphrase using the new communication method. I am also excited to continue our relationship...' On June 10, 2021, the FBI paid 'ALICE' approximately $10,000 USD in Monero cryptocurrency. On June 17, 2021, 'ALICE' thanked the FBI for the first payment and stated that he/she was 'eagerly waiting for your instructions.' On June 18, 2021, the UC posing as a representative of COUNTRY1 emailed 'ALICE' to provide detailed instructions on servicing a dead drop location in Jefferson County, West Virginia to occur on June 26, 2021. The UC discussed instructions regarding the next payment to 'ALICE' as well as additional assurance that 'ALICE' would be paid $20,000 upon the sample verification and authenticity of the information provided at the drop location. On June 23, 2021, 'ALICE' sent the FBI a confirmation email stating, 'I understand your instructions and am ready to move forward.' On June 26, 2021, at approximately 10.41 a.m., the FBI observed Jonathan Toebbe physically service a dead drop location in Jefferson County, West Virginia. Records show that Jonathan Toebbe is a government employee working as a nuclear engineer for the United States Navy and holds an active Top Secret Security Clearance through the United States Department of Defense and an active Q clearance from the United States Department of Energy. Alec Baldwin purchased a historic 50-acre farm in Vermont for $1.7million Tuesday - the same day he was hit with a wrongful death suit by the family of the cinematographer he accidentally shot dead in October. The purchase by Baldwin, 63, in the small mountain town of Arlington, comes after the actor spent months in the area after fleeing his home in New York City following the tragedy in New Mexico, which resulted in the death of Halyna Hutchins. 'Obviously a purchase is public information,' broker Faith Rhodes, who handled the sale, told local outlet the Bennington Banner Thursday when asked about the deal. 'It's an historic farm. East Arlington Village is historic itself.' According to Rhodes, the farmhouse is nearly 250 years old, and was built in 1780 or 1783. She added, 'There are 50-something acres, and it's just gorgeous just gorgeous. 'That part of Arlington is very old and historic. It dates back to the Green Mountain Boys,' she told the paper, referring to a Revolutionary War-era militia that once protected the area from settlers from other states and later British troops during the latter half of the 18th Century. 'It's a really beautiful part of the village.' The Vermont farmhouse, situated in the sleepy mountain town of Alrington, is nearly 250 years old, and was built in 1780 or 1783 The home features 'a 3,600 [square foot] main house, and a nicely renovated 1800 [square-foot] guest cottage with 2 baths' (pictured) Baldwin purchased the 50-acre farm for $1.7million Tuesday - the day he was hit with a wrongful death suit by the family of the cinematographer he accidentally shot dead in October According to Rhodes' listing for the home, the property sold February 15 for $1.75 million. Previous real estate records show that the modest home - which features 'a 3,600 [square foot] main house, and a nicely renovated 1800 [square-foot] guest cottage with 2 baths,' according to Rhodes - sold for just $559,000 in 2014, suggesting the actor paid a markup of more than 200 percent. It is unclear what renovations, if any, have been done on the property. Baldwin's family has deep ties to the area, with his wife Hilaria's grandfather, David Lloyd Thomas Sr., having having resided there for most of his life until his death in March 2020, at 92. The modest home previously sold for just $559,000 in 2014, suggesting the actor paid a markup of more than 200 percent Thomas had traveled to the town - which boasts a population of just over 2,000 - to research his genealogical roots, and found that his family's connection to the area predated the American Revolution, his obituary revealed. He and his wife ended up purchasing a summer home and later a farmhouse in the small, sleepy township, and made the area their permanent home while intermittently traveling to New York City - where Baldwin owns a home in Greenwich Village - and Massachusetts. In October, following the tragedy on the set of Baldwin's canned film Rust when Baldwin fired a live round out of a loaded prop gun killing Hutchins, Baldwin and his wife briefly relocated to the area, renting a a 4,800-square-foot, 3-acre home with six bedroom suites, each with a private bath and many with a gas fireplace and jetted tubs, in the nearby township of Manchester, less than 15 minutes away. The home, which features a cottage as well as a barn, sits on 50 acres of rural farmland The actor was rumored to be house-hunting in the area at the time, and had reportedly toured a 14,000-square-foot, nine-bedroom property on 13.5 acres with a dozen bathrooms priced at $3.6 million, Dirt reported at the time. While not nearly as opulent, the price of Baldwin's new property suggests that it's interior has been newly renovated to accommodate the A-lister, his wife, and their six children - Carmen, eight, Rafael, six, Leonardo, five, Romeo, three, Eduardo, one, and Lucia, 10 months. Asked if she thinks the Baldwins are likely to spend time at the the new property, Rhodes said, 'I'm not sure It's certainly not their primary residence,' referring to the actor's palatial 4,137-square-foot apartment in New York City - which they have quietly been trying to sell for well over a year - as well as an estate, also a farmhouse, in Long Island's posh Amagansett neighborhood, near East Hampton. Rhodes added to The Banner: 'But they love the community as well. They got to know it and loved it.' The purchase by Baldwin, 63, comes after the actor spent months in the area after fleeing his home in New York City after the tragedy on a film set in New Mexico The day the sale was finalized, Baldwin was hit with a lawsuit filed by the family of slain cinematographer Halyna Hutchins (pictured) In a previous ad, the property was described as a 'classic Vermont 18th century farm [that] features 55 beautiful acres, a 3,600 [square foot] main house, and a nicely renovated 1800 [square-foot] guest cottage with 2 baths.' The home also features 'numerous outbuildings, updated horse stalls, several pastures, expansive landscaped lawn areas, pleasant views and a pond with a picturesque waterfall spillway' and 'substantial renovations that have taken place in recent years.' The day the sale was finalized, Baldwin was hit with a lawsuit from slain cinematographer Hutchins' family The suit stated that 'Hutchins deserved to live, and the Defendants had the power to prevent her death if they had only held sacrosanct their duty to protect the safety of every individual on a set where firearms were present instead of cutting corners on safety procedures where human lives were at stake, rushing to stay on schedule and ignoring numerous complaints of safety violations.' The attorneys said in the video presented Tuesday that Baldwin had 'refused' training for the kind of gun draw he was doing when he shot Hutchins. The lawsuit also claims that Baldwin never checked the gun himself for ammunition before using it. They also presented a list of 'at least 15 industry standards' an attorney for the family said producers had ignored on set. These included failure to use a prop gun rather than a live weapon, a lack of individuals qualified to handle weapons on set at the time of the shooting, and lack of protective equipment for crew. As of Friday afternoon, Baldwin has not commented on this latest lawsuit. He and Hilaria, 37, were seen in Manhattan near their apartment Wednesday, pushing their two youngest kids in a pair of strollers The attorney, Brian Panish, also produced a copy of a text message where a local camera operator made safety complaints to producers that there had been three unsafe weapons discharges on the set, calling the environment 'super unsafe'. The unit production manager responded 'with callous sarcasm', according to the lawsuit. He said in response that it was 'awesome' and 'sounds good'. As of Friday afternoon, Baldwin has not commented on this latest lawsuit. He and Hilaria, 37, were seen in Manhattan near their apartment Wednesday, pushing their two youngest kids in a pair of strollers. Aaron Dyer, an attorney for Baldwin and other Rust producers, said of the suit, 'Any claim that Alec was reckless is entirely false.' President Joe Biden's approval number has dropped to the same low as former President Donald Trump's at the same point in their presidencies. A year and a month into his tenure, FiveThirtyEight.com has Biden's approval rating average sitting at 41.6 per cent, while Trump's was 41.1 per cent during this week in February in 2018. Trump's approval average lingered between the high 30s and low 40s throughout his one term. Biden, on the other hand, started out at 55 per cent approval, and never hit that number again since. Trump dragged down the prospects for members of his party, with Democrats able to pick up 40 House seats in the 2018 midterm elections, gaining back the majority. Republicans look poised to do the same under Biden, with a recent Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee document warning the party has 'alarming credibility' problems - with 66 per cent of swing voters in battleground states they have gone 'too far' on COVID. President Joe Biden's approval number has dropped to the same low as former President Donald Trump's at the same point in their presidencies. FiveThirtyEight.com has Biden's approval rating average sitting at 41.6 per cent, while Trump's was 41.1 per cent The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the DCCC presented the results of a battleground states poll with membership Thursday morning. The DCCC's poll was conducted from mid-January to early February and surveyed voters from the 60 most competitive House districts heading into November. One slide warned Democrats: 'Many of the Republican attacks tested have alarming credibility.' More than half the voters in competitive House districts - 57 per cent - said they agreed with the statement, 'Democrats in Congress have taken things too far in their pandemic response.' Among so-called 'swing' voters in those districts the number was worse - 66 per cent of those voters said they believed Democrats went too far. The survey also found that Republicans have been able to make some attacks stick. Former President Donald Trump's approval average lingered between the high 30s and low 40s throughout his one term. He dragged down the prospects for members of his party, with Democrats able to pick up 40 House seats in the 2018 midterm elections Overall, 64 per cent of voters in competitive disticts said 'Democrats in Congress support defunding the police and taking more cops off of the street.' Among swing voters, the number moved up to 80 per cent. On immigration, 62 per cent of competitive district voters said, 'Democrats in Congress have created a border crisis that allows illegal immigrants to enter the country without repercussions and grants them tax-payer funded benefits once here.' That number moved up to 78 per cent among swing voters. Additionally, 61 per cent of voters in competitive districts believed, '"Democrats in Congress are spending money out of control,' and 'Democrats are teaching kids as young as five Critical Race Theory, which teaches that America is a racist country and that white people are racist.' Fifty-nine per cent said they agreed with the statement, 'Democrats are too focused on pursuing an agenda that divides us and judging those who don't see things their way.' Politico reported earlier this week that the DCCC found that Democrats have a better chance when they respond to Republican attacks. When Republicans say Democrats want to 'defund the police,' the DCCC recommended to its candidates that they show support for law enforcement. On immigration, Democrats needed to make clear they didn't support 'open borders.' When Democrats offered a response, Republicans' advantage receded to 6 points. If they didn't respond, the DCCC found that Republicans' leads expand from 4 to 14 And six-point figure doesn't factor in what happens if Democratic House candidates go on the offensive. New York City Mayor Eric Adams said he's cracking down on crime in the city's subway system by deploying 1,000 additional officers as well as teams of health workers to address rampant homelessness on the transit system. Adams announced the new Subway Safety Plan initiative on Friday with Gov. Kathy Hochul, who said the state would deliver 600 new psychiatric beds another another 500 beds at shelters in the city to try and provide help for those currently living in the subways, many of whom suffer from severe mental illness. It comes amid a spate of shocking crimes in NYC, including the death of a Deloitte advertising executive killed after she was pushed in front of a train in an unprovoked attack at Times Square Station in January. The state will also be investing $9 million a year to recruit psychiatrist and nurses as Adams said a 30 teams of service and health workers would also be deployed to work alongside officers at the subway. 'Let's be clear on this, [the homeless] are not dangerous,' Adams said. 'The vast majority are not dangerous, but we have to be honest about the number of individuals dealing with mental health crises. They are dangerous to themselves and dangerous to New Yorkers.' The plan comes after a breakdancer was stabbed by a homeless man yesterday and in the wake of Michelle Go's murder, where the 40-year-old was pushed beneath a train last month by a homeless man with a history of mental illness. New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the new Subway Safety Plan initiative on Friday as a way to crackdown on crime and violence in the city's transit system Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state was investing more than $39 billion on beds to address mental health needs in New York, including 1,100 beds for the city The city has deployed an additional 1,000 officers to patrol the subway system starting Friday Adams said NYPD officers would be deployed on the A, E, 1, 2, N and R lines and that service workers would be part of 'End of the Line' teams with officers to make sure the trains are cleared during their final stops. The health workers would be there to help the mentally-ill and guide them to the city's support services, while the officers are directed to enforce laws against laying down, sleeping, outstretching, littering, drug use and aggressive behavior towards riders. 'No more smoking, no more doing drugs, no more sleeping, no more doing barbecues on the subway system,' Adams said. 'No more just doing whatever you want. No, those days are over The system was not made to be housing, it's made to be transportation.' Hochul added, 'We will accomplish what new Yorkers deserve, and that is a safe ride on our subway system while also recognizing the very real humanitarian crisis that has been unfolding before our eyes for far too long.' Officers have been tasked with enforcing rules against sleeping and outstretching on the train There will be 'End of the Line' teams to empty out subways and remove sleeping passengers Health workers will be with the officers to help out mentally ill homeless people Psychiatrist and nurses will also point the homeless to the city's support services 40-year-old consultant Michelle Go killed after a homeless man shoved her in front of a subway car in January. Her murder started calls for safety in NYC's subway system The plan also involves an expansion of Kendra's Law, a 1999 statue that allows judges to force outpatient treatment for mentally ill people. The initiative has drawn worry from advocates of the homeless who fear it could be used to target a vulnerable population. 'We are terrified about what is to come,' Josh Dean, executive director of Human. NYC told the Gothamist. 'Aggressive NYPD targeting of homeless New Yorkers does not solve homelessness it just moves it. We need to take an entirely different approach, centered around housing, around compassion, and around building trust. We cannot more strongly condemn today's plan and the dehumanizing rhetoric that accompanied it.' Adams and Hochul's plan comes after a spate of crimes have plagued New York City's subway system, which services about 3 million people every day. On Thursday a 22-year-old unnamed man, was performing on the train when he was stabbed twice in the leg and once in the arm. Police say the victim was stabbed by an unknown individual while on the train at the 14th Street and 3rd Avenue L-train subway station in Manhattan just after 2 p.m. The suspect fled after leaving the train at the 1st Avenue subway stop. The victim stayed on the train before getting off at the Bedford station in Brooklyn's Williamsburg. The victim was then taken to Bellevue Hospital in Brooklyn, where he was said to be in stable condition. The suspect was described by police as a man in his 40s. They believe that he is homeless. It remains unclear what led to the stabbing. The incident is under investigation. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT An investigation is underway after a 22-year-old man was stabbed while aboard an L train Police say the victim was stabbed by an unknown individual just after 2 p.m. at the 14th Street and 3rd Avenue subway station Police set up camp outside the 1st Avenue L train station in Brooklyn The platform was temporarily closed off at the station 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.' 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. Nearly all types of crime are on the rise in New York City 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, new data from the NYPD shows According to the recently released crime data - which takes into account offenses occurring up until the week ending on February 6 - robberies have soared by almost 35 percent when compared to the same period in 2021. Rape has also increased by more than 35 percent and overall crime in the Big Apple has skyrocketed by 41.65 percent, according to the data. Murders, meanwhile, are down 13 percent at this time over last year, while shootings have increased by a startling 30 percent. New NYPD data shows that nearly every police precinct in New York City has seen spikes in crime this year - including five in which the rate has doubled. The British embassy in Kiev has been relocated to the city of Lviv in western Ukraine amid fears of a Russian invasion of the country, the Foreign Office has announced. Embassy staff have been moved more than 330 miles away from Ukraine's capital to Lviv, which sits close to the border with Poland, as the Government continues to urge British nationals in the country to leave while commercial flights are available. The move comes after the US announced it was moving embassy staff from Kiev to Lviv 'due to the dramatic acceleration in the buildup of Russian forces'. In a statement the Foreign Office said: 'Since January 2022, the build-up of Russian forces on Ukraine's borders has increased the threat of military action. The British embassy in Kiev has been relocated to the city of Lviv in western Ukraine as the Government continues to urge British nationals in the country to leave while commercial flights are available. Pictured: British embassy building in Kiev The Foreign Office announced the relocation on its website and also updated travel information 'The British Embassy office in Kiev is temporarily relocating. Embassy staff are operating from the British Embassy office in Lviv. 'British nationals should leave while commercial options remain.' The Foreign Office said the embassy in Lviv can issue documentation and provide some consular assistance to nationals. The statement went on to say: 'If you decide to remain in Ukraine, you should remain vigilant throughout due to potential combat operations, keep your departure plans under constant review and ensure your travel documents are up to date. 'You should monitor the media and this travel advice regularly, subscribe to email alerts and read our advice on how to deal with a crisis overseas.' It came as the British ambassador to Ukraine, Melinda Simmons, tweeted a photo of a plant rising from the ground alongside the Ukrainian word for 'hope'. Earlier this week US officials announced they were moving embassy staff to Lviv. A statement read: 'We are in the process of temporarily relocating our Embassy operations in Ukraine from our Embassy in Kiev to Lviv due to the dramatic acceleration in the buildup of Russian forces. 'The Embassy will remain engaged with the Ukrainian government, coordinating diplomatic engagement in Ukraine. We are also continuing our intensive diplomatic efforts to deescalate the crisis. 'These prudent precautions in no way undermine our support for or our commitment to Ukraine. Our commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering.' The latest move comes after an explosion rocked the pro-Russian separatist capital Donetsk in eastern Ukraine today in what appeared to be the start of Putin's long-awaited false flag operation. Russian media claim the explosion was a car bomb which was intended to assassinate a top Russian separatist official - who was unhurt - and it came hours after Putin's allies in the breakaway regions announced they would evacuate 700,000 civilians over fears of an attack by Kiev. The US and Western intelligence agencies have long been warning of a Russian 'false flag' operation that could involve a staged attack on Putin's separatist allies to provide a pretest for the Kremlin to send its forces massed on the border into Ukraine. The bomb exploded late on Friday near the headquarters of the pro-Russian Donetsk People's Republic, destroying a Soviet-era UAZ jeep that belonged to Denis Sinenkov, head of regional security. He was not reported to be injured. The burning wreckage of a car is seen in the car park of the Donetsk separatist government, after what pro-Russian media claimed was an assassination attempt against the head of regional security The blast, which was first reported by Russian state media, is thought to be the start of Putin's long-predicted false flag operation used to justify an invasion of the country A map showing where Putin's forces have assembled on Ukraine's borders, the military options Putin might be considering, and key targets he would likely go after in the event he chooses to invade - something the US continues to war could be just weeks away from happening Today, Ukraine's top security official Oleksiy Danilov accused Russia of staging provocations in eastern Ukraine to try to provoke Ukraine's military to respond, but added that Ukraine would stick to peaceful ways to defuse the crisis. In a joint briefing, Minister for Integration of the Temporary Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk said Russia was trying to force Ukraine into making concessions. Mr Danilov said Ukraine had no plans to liberate separatist-held territories by force, adding that a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine was unlikely. It came as it was revealed Germany will put its troops in NATO's quick reaction force on higher alert, enabling them to deploy more quickly to protect eastern European allies in case of an escalation of tensions with Russia, the defence ministry in Berlin said on Friday. The decision, taken in close cooperation with NATO's highest military commander and allies, is a reaction to Russia's conduct and meant to reduce the time needed to prepare for deployment in case of an activation of the NATO Response Force (NRF), the ministry said in a statement. Ukraine's top security official Oleksiy Danilov accused Russia of staging provocations in eastern Ukraine to try to provoke Ukraine's military to respond Members of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces take part in tactical drills at a training ground in an unknown location in Ukraine 'The increased readiness to deploy enables NATO, in case of a further escalation by Russia, to guarantee appropriate reassurance in particular to our eastern European allies in order to protect allied territory,' the statement said. Earlier today the first buses carrying people evacuated from separatist-controlled regions in eastern Ukraine arrived in Russia's Rostov region late on Friday, state news agency TASS reported. The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic announced a mass evacuation of the region's residents to Russia earlier on Friday after an increase in shelling. Separatist forces and Ukrainian government forces blamed each other for the spike in tensions. The self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic also issued a evacuation statement for its residents on Friday. It came as a US State Department spokesperson said that reported evacuations in eastern Ukraine and a car bombing in the city of Donetsk 'are further attempts to obscure through lies and disinformation that Russia is the aggressor in this conflict.' They went on to say it was 'cynical and cruel to use human beings as pawns to distract the world from the fact that Russia is building up its forces in preparation for an attack'. The National Archives confirmed on Friday that Donald Trump took classified documents from the White House to Mar-a-Lago when he left office. The agency has informed Congress and is now in talks with the Justice Department about an investigation after the sensitive material was found in 15 boxes seized from his Florida home. 'Because NARA identified classified information in the boxes, NARA staff has been in communication with the Department of Justice,' said the letter, written by David S. Ferriero, the national archivist, to Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney. Ferriero has also said that White House staffers conducted official business using 'non-official electronic messaging accounts that were not copied or forwarded into their official electronic messaging accounts'. It said it had already retrieved or was in the process of retrieving 'some' of those records. The National Archives confirmed on Friday that Donald Trump took classified documents from the White House to Mar-a-Lago when he left office. It also confirmed that former President Trump ripped up documents that were later transferred to the archives Such record-keeping has flared up repeatedly in recent years, and Hillary Clinton's use of private email was a driving element of Trump's 2016 campaign. It is the latest in a series of revelations in the past two weeks about Trump's handling of files when he left office, including claims he stuffed documents down the White House toilet and got the Pentagon to incinerate papers. The archivist said NARA had contacted the White House counsel in 2018 following a press report about Trump tearing up records. The counsel's office responded that the matter was 'being addressed.' After the end of the Trump Administration, it learned that 'additional paper records that had been torn up by former President Trump were included in the records transferred to us.' 'Although White House staff during the Trump Administration recovered and taped together some of the torn-up records, a number of other torn-up records that were transferred had not been reconstructed by the White House,' according to the letter. Among the other items the National Archives retrieved from Mar-a-Lago is the infamous hurricane map that the president allegedly scrawled on with a Sharpie pen to expand its possible path. People wait for a moving van after boxes of papers and materials were moved out of the Eisenhower Executive Office building inside the White House complex on January 14, 2021 The National Archives retrieved 15 boxes of documents from Mar-a-Lago, where former President Donald Trump has offices and where he resides. Included was an infamous 'sharpie' map with the track of approaching Hurricane Dorian in 2019 One item that reportedly made its way to Mar-a-Lago is a mini replica of a redesigned Air Force One that Trump used to display in the Oval Office The National Archives confirmed that it recovered classified material from Mar-a-Lago The letter also confirmed that President Trump had 'torn up' paper records The newly torn up records had not been taped back together What are classified materials and who can declassify them? The letter from the National Archives and Records Administration to Congress stated that it has identified items marked as classified national security information within 15 boxes of information returned by Trump from Mar-a-Lago. The government maintains various levels of classified information. According to the Senate Intelligence Committee, Top Secret information applies to information that could reasonably be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security. One level down is secret information, which could reasonably could be expected to cause serious damage to the national security. Below that is information that is merely confidential. That applies to information, the unauthorized disclosure of which reasonably could be expected to cause damage to the national security. Notably, the letter from Archivist of the U.S. David Ferriero did not state at what level the information is classified. The government classifies voluminous material, and there is a longstanding effort by watchdog groups and some lawmakers to reduce the amount of classification. The Washington Post previously reported that some of the documents Trump took to Mar-a-Lago were clearly marked as classified, with some at the top secret level. It reported some were extremely sensitive and would be limited to a small group of officials. It is a crime to mishandle classified information, and the letter from NARA states that it has been in communication with the Justice Department. The president has broad unilateral authority to declassify information. In 2019, Trump tweeted out a high-resolution image of an Iranian rocket launch, leading to questions about whether he had put out classified information. He later tweeted: We had a photo and I released it, which I have the absolute right to do. According to press reports, letters Trump exchanged with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un were among those documents he had with him at Mar-a-lago. The contents have already been publicly released. It is not known if the original letters still bore a classification level, or what information from the trove was 'top secret.' Advertisement Another keepsake that a source told the Post had been removed was a mini replica of Air Force One that Trump proudly displayed in the Oval Office, after involving himself in details of a redesign all the way down to its red, white, and blue paint job. A former aide said Trump displayed at Mar-a-Lago a 'mini replica of one of the black border-wall slats' that Trump helped design for his border wall. There are laws governing the removal of classified material however the president also has unilateral authority to declassify information, leading to a potentially murky area. The National Archives said it had 'ongoing conversations' with Trump before retrieving the 15 boxes of material. It said it expects to complete an inventory by Feb. 25th. On Thursday, President Biden rejected another executive privilege claim by Trump to withhold the White House visitor logs from the House select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot. In a letter sent to the National Archives on Tuesday, Biden's White House Counsel Dana Remus told the archivist of the U.S. David Ferriero the agency should provide the material to the panel within 15 days. Former President Trump is attempting to invoke executive privilege to keep the panel from obtaining the logs, just as he did with other White House documents that were turned over to the committee earlier this month. Ferriero wrote a letter to Trump Wednesday informing him that he would be cooperating with the White House's request that the logs be released to the panel within 15 days. 'After consultation with the Counsel to the President and the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel, and as instructed by President Biden, I have determined to disclose to the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol ('Select Committee') the Presidential records from our January 14, 2022, Notification that you identified as privileged in your letter of January 31, 2022,' he wrote. He added: '[T]o ensure that personal privacy information is not inadvertently disclosed, the Select Committee has agreed to accept production of these records with birthdates and social security numbers removed.' Trump could try to block or slow the release of the logs like he did with other White House documents and materials. Remus requested the logs be turned over in 15 days 'in light of the urgency' of the committee's probe and insisted 'Congress has a compelling need' for the National Archives to disclose the documents. 'Constitutional protections of executive privilege should not be used to shield, from Congress or the public, information that reflects a clear and apparent effort to subvert the Constitution itself,' Remus wrote to the Archives. Trump's 'just a bad guy' prosecutors should 'go after': New York Supreme Court judge's scathing response to ex-president's lawyer's claim he is being unfairly targeted by Democratic Attorney General Tish James A judge delivered a withering put down to Donald Trump's lawyer's claim that the former president was being unfairly targeted by New York Attorney General Tish James on Thursday, saying she had every right to go after him if 'he's just a bad guy.' At the end of the hearing, New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Trump and two of his adult children to testify as part of a probe into the family's business dealings. But his language, delivered during a testy back and forth, will be seized on by Trump supporters as evidence that the investigation is a 'witch hunt.' Critics lauded the judge for telling truth. Trump's attorney Alina Habba argued that the former president was the victim of discrimination. James has 'such disdain for this person because he was president, because he is Donald Trump and he could probably win again in '24,' she said, according to Newsweek. 'He has First Amendment rights. He's allowed to be a Republican.' Engoron responded: 'There's no viewpoint discrimination. I'm just saying there is none.' Habba then contended that Trump was part of a 'protected class.' 'The traditional protected classes are race, religion, etcetera,' Engoron responded. 'Donald Trump doesn't fit that kind of mold or model. He's not being discriminated against based on race, is he? Or religion, is he? 'He's not a protected class. 'If Ms. James has a thing against him, OK, that's not in my understanding unlawful discrimination. 'He's just a bad guy she should go after as the chief law enforcement officer of the state.' Trump has claimed the investigation is 'racist.' During the hearing Trump and his family attorneys asked for New York's civil investigation to be put on hold until a separate criminal probe in completed. They argued that James was using the dual tracks to skirt protections on individuals under criminal investigation. At times the hearing was so bad tempered that Engoron and his law clerk had to call for timeouts. But in denying their motion, Engoron said it would be 'dereliction of duty' for the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) not to continue its investigation. 'Indeed this court's in camera review of thousands of documents responsive to OAG's prior subpoenas demonstrates that OAG has a sufficient basis for continuing its investigation, which undercuts the notion that this ongoing investigation is based on personal animus, not facts and law,' he said. Advertisement The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear President Biden's bid to do away with the 'Remain in Mexico' policy established under President Trump. More formally known as the Migrant Protection Protocols, the policy forced tens of thousands of migrants to wait in Mexico until a hearing on their U.S. asylum claim. The justices will hear the Biden administration's appeal of a lower court ruling that forced them to reinstate the policy. After Biden had suspended the policy in favor of a more 'humane' immigration system last year, the GOP-led states of Texas and Missouri sued to keep the program in place. Texas-based U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee, sided with the states, ruling that the Biden administration had failed to provide an adequate reason for its rescission. A federal appeals court upheld the district court ruling, at which point the Biden administration asked the Supreme Court to weigh in in December. The Department of Homeland Security said in December it would comply with the lower court ruling to restart the program. However, DHS said that Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas believes the policy 'has endemic flaws, imposed unjustifiable human costs, pulled resources and personnel away from other priority efforts, and failed to address the root causes of irregular migration.' More than 60,000 were returned to Mexico under the policy. The justices will hear the Biden administration's appeal of a lower court ruling that forced them to reinstate the policy President Trump first instated the Migrant Protection Protocols, which forced 60,000 to return to Mexico to wait for their asylum claims to be processed Migrants walk around a gap in the US-Mexico border in Yuma, Ariz. A decision in the case, Biden v. Texas, et al., is expected over the summer. And as Biden has pursued a more lax approach to immigration, a record 1.9 million migrants were apprehended at the southern border in 2021. The number of illegal immigrants entering the US dropped by 14 per cent in January to 153,941 - with half of those crossers expelled by Biden using a law enacted by Donald Trump. U.S. Border Patrol officers and the Office of Field Operations registered 153,941 interdictions in January after 178,840 were reported in December 2021, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data that was presented in a Texas federal court this week. At least 78,486 people were expelled to Mexico under the Title 42 immigration order, a Trump-era policy that the former Republican president enforced in March 2020. The measure allows CBP to expel migrants under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public health order that deemed them a health risk under COVID-19. Although the Biden administration took Title 42 and ran with it, it did not enforce the controversial policy's practice on unaccompanied children after CBP had expelled close to 16,000 minors. Multiple factors affect oxygen levels on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: study Xinhua) 08:40, February 18, 2022 Researchers of China's second scientific expedition on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau conduct a survey on plantation in Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, on Aug. 2, 2021. (Photo provided to Xinhua) XINING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Altitude, vegetation and temperature collectively contribute to the variation in oxygen concentration on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Chinese researchers have found. The finding has challenged a view long held by researchers from home and abroad that altitude is the only factor that determines oxygen levels worldwide. "At any given altitude, the oxygen concentration is higher in the summer than it is in the winter," said Shi Peijun, a geography professor at Beijing Normal University and president of Qinghai Normal University. "This is because temperatures are higher in the summer, and oxygen produced by photosynthesis in the ecosystem also increases oxygen concentration." "Therefore, altitude is not the only factor influencing the near-surface oxygen content on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau," said Shi, also the lead researcher of the study, which is a part of China's second scientific expedition on the plateau. Shi Peijun (3rd L) and his team conduct research in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, on July 25, 2020. (Photo provided to Xinhua) China in 2017 launched a major expedition to study changes in climate, biodiversity and environment on the plateau over the past decades. "No one has systematically measured differences in oxygen content at different locations and in different seasons on the plateau, and this study fills that gap," said Chen Yanqiang, a doctoral student at Beijing Normal University and a member of the research team. In previous studies, monitoring sites were established only in lower-elevation areas of the Pacific, the Arctic and the Antarctic, where interference from human activities is minimal, Chen said. Over recent years, Shi's team has traveled more than 30,000 kilometers to 591 sampling sites on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to collect data on surface oxygen content, air temperature, altitude, atmospheric pressure, vegetation coverage and soil properties, and to study landforms and topographic features. More specifically, the study has found that oxygen concentration shows strong spatial and seasonal differences on the plateau, generally decreasing from southeast to northwest, higher in warm seasons than in cold seasons, and higher at noon than in the early morning, even within a single day. "The research will help reveal the mechanism of environmental changes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the human impact on the environment, and it will quantitatively assess the effects of hypoxia on the health of humans and animals," Shi said. The results of the study have been published in the Chinese Science Bulletin, and in the internationally renowned journals Science Bulletin and Scientific Reports. Based on the research, Ma Yonggui, a professor at Qinghai Normal University, and his team have found the linear relationship between the incidence of chronic altitude sickness and hypoxia -- the lower the oxygen content, the higher the incidence of altitude sickness. As the largest and highest plateau in the world, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is known as the "roof of the world" and the "third pole of Earth." It plays important roles in China's, as well as the planet's, climate system, water supply, biodiversity conservation and carbon balance. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) 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 What a place to wait for a miracle. As lovely as it sounds, the Serenity Suite in the maternity unit of the Queen's Medical Centre, in Nottingham, is not somewhere any parent would choose to be. 'It's a bereavement room,' explains Jade Crane, who arrived here in a wheelchair last October, fresh from the delivery room and in the midst of every woman's worst nightmare. Jade, expecting twins, had gone into premature labour just 22 weeks into her pregnancy a date at which abortion is still allowed, and which doctors agree is below the threshold for viable life. Harley and Harry were both tube-fed with special formula but could have cuddles from parents Jade and Steve This is a point in a pregnancy at which a delivery is not, technically, even a delivery. 'They kept calling it a "miscarriage",' Jade, 39, explains. Afterwards, she was 'checked in' to the Serenity Suite. Normal procedure, it seems, followed out of kindness, 'because they didn't expect my babies to make it'. 'I didn't know where I was at first, until I opened a cupboard and saw all these tiny clothes the ones bereaved parents can put on their babies to say goodbye. They'd told me that would happen. 'I'd be given "comfort care", handed the babies, and I would be able to spend as long as I wanted with them, taking pictures, as mementoes.' She and her husband Steve who had been through 11 years of fertility treatment in their bid to become parents were distraught, reeling, yet hoping beyond hope. Because when they had left that delivery room, both babies however 'unviable' they were had been breathing. No more than the size of a Mars Bar, they'd been crying. Faint crying, yes, 'like a kitten', but crying nonetheless. Surely, this meant that there was hope? 'I remember, and this seems a terrible thing to say now, praying at least one baby would make it,' says Jade, recalling their frantic Googling to see if they could find any evidence online that babies could survive outside the womb at 22 weeks. They could not. Steve nods. 'You do all sort of pacts, in your head. In the chaos, I'd thought I was going to lose all three of them Jade and the two babies. You don't dare hope for too much.' And yet sometimes hope triumphs, against all the odds. Sixteen weeks on, just down the corridor from the Serenity Suite, the two babies this couple were preparing to mourn are sharing a cot, reaching for each other, linking fingers. Their proud mother snaps the moment on her phone, marking another milestone on the most incredible journey. Doctors tend not to bandy about the word 'miracle' on neo-natal wards but it's hard to think of how else to describe Harley and Harry, who are believed to be the youngest premature twins in the UK to have survived. The world record for a surviving, single, premature baby belongs to 19-month old Curtis Means, from the USA. Born at 21 weeks and one day, his twin sister did not survive. Harley 'the feisty one,' says her mum weighed just 500g (1.10lb) when she was born on October 26; her brother Harry ('Mr Laid Back'), who arrived in the world an hour later, weighed 520g (1.15lb). Today, both are still tiny by normal standards just over 5lb and still require oxygen to breathe. But for babies who shouldn't be born yet their due date is February 24 they are doing well. The couple tell me that they hope Harry may get home within the next few weeks. 'He will still have to be on oxygen, even when he comes home, but we've just had some delivered,' says Jade. Their excitement is palpable. Steve, who works in sales, says he has been feeling confident enough to start building a cot, and they have been tentatively sorting out baby clothes which were bought months ago, 'but still have the tags on, just in case.' Harley 'isn't quite out of the woods yet', admits Jade. 'But she is a little fighter. They both are.' That's an understatement. In their short lives, these twins have had six operations between them and have battled sepsis, eye problems, lung issues and brain bleeds all common, alas, in such tiny, underdeveloped 'premmies' who have been effectively, as Jade explains, 'still developing, but outside the body'. Jade may seem quite the expert now, inserting feeding tubes and grappling with dinky nappies, but admits she was too afraid to touch her twins at first Harry has had injections in his eyes, to try to prevent blindness. When she was seven days old, Harley suffered a perforated bowel, and the couple steeled themselves, once again, for bad news. 'That was the worst day ever. We were told to prepare ourselves. She was going to die. 'They took her to surgery, but they had no idea if it would be a success because they hadn't done it on a baby that small before. It's been like that all along, the doctors saying, "Look, Jade, we are going to do this, but we haven't got the medical evidence so we just don't know". 'But now, we are at the stage where they do have medical evidence, and hopefully for those premature babies who will be born in the future, what they have done to keep Harley and Harry alive will be the medical evidence.' You have to commend the extraordinary medical teams who have kept these babies alive, against all the odds. But their survival must raise huge ethical questions about both the abortion cut-off point, and the way hospitals treat women who go into such premature labour. Obviously, Jade and Steve, 52, did not imagine being at the forefront of such controversy. Nor did they ever expect that the road to parenthood would be so bumpy. Their fertility problems began in 2010, when Jade, who was then working as an addiction counsellor in Derby, was rushed to hospital with an ectopic pregnancy. The resulting surgery involved removing her fallopian tubes, which, devastatingly, ruled out a natural conception. Eight rounds of IVF treatment followed, costing 'at least 50,000 but possibly up to 100,000'. They took out loans to realise their dream. The couple were thrilled when last year, a final attempt at IVF, using embryos that had been on ice since 2014, proved successful. There were more celebrations when they discovered they were expecting twins, but obviously 'with twins and with my history' everything was high risk. At 22 weeks and five days, Jade realised, to her horror, that her waters were leaking. By now an armchair expert in all things fertility and pregnancy-related, she realised the implications. 'I knew it was serious. I remember saying to Steve, "this could be the worst day of our lives". 'He looked at me and said, "but it could also be the best day".' That they were seen at a large teaching hospital does seem to have been a major factor in how this story developed. 'We have since discovered that in other hospitals, we wouldn't even have been offered medical intervention,' says Jade. Staff in the neonatal centre had just examined Jade, and confirmed that yes, she was leaking amniotic fluid, when her waters broke, 'and all hell broke loose. Suddenly there were about 20 people in the room'. Equally suddenly, all their carefully discussed birth plans went out the window and they discovered that a delivery at 22 weeks is a very different thing to a delivery even at 24 weeks. 'We were told there was zero chance of survival. I got distressed when they kept calling it a miscarriage. 'How could it be a miscarriage when I could feel the babies? They were alive, but I was shocked to discover that they weren't going to be monitored during the birth.' Why? 'It's not procedure to monitor the baby under 22 weeks. For the same reason they wouldn't give me pain relief "no time anyway", they said. 'I asked about giving the babies steroids, to give them more chance, but that wasn't procedure either.' Jade and her husband Steve who had been through 11 years of fertility treatment in their bid to become parents were distraught, reeling, yet hoping beyond hope It's important to point out that the couple are not criticising the medics involved here 'because we will be eternally grateful to them' but it does sound as if they were trapped in a nightmarish maternity no-man's land. 'I thought I was going to lose them all,' says Steve. 'I was screaming at them. It was all so chaotic.' Jade was aware of incubators being brought into the room, which does suggest that every effort would be made to give these babies the best chance, but it sounds as if no live birth was expected. Harley was the first to come into the world. 'When she came out I said, "she isn't crying", and the nurse said, "no, she won't". She was quite dismissive,' says Jade. 'Then there was this tiny sound, faint, barely there, like a kitten. There was suddenly silence in the room. I said, "did I hear her crying?" and a nurse said, "you did, you did, you did". No-one could believe it.' It was another hour until Harry was born and the couple say they are still at a loss as to why monitors were not attached to him at this stage. 'They'd already had a live birth, so I can't for the life of me understand it,' says Jade. 'But the system just says that babies under 24 weeks won't make it. Doesn't our case prove that it's much more of a grey area?' Certainly, the babies do not seem to have read the medical textbooks. At that point and at so many points since, their mum and dad say Harley and Harry have proved the experts wrong. 'They said Harley wouldn't open her eyes for weeks she did. Although we could see she was tiny, she was strong. She kicked one of the neonatal nurses when she was just 500g. She laughed and said, "we have a right one here".' What a rollercoaster it has been, though. It's simply awe-inspiring listening to this couple describe how they have spent the last four months at their babies' sides, sleeping in the hospital, lurching between fascination and terror. They joke about how familiar they have become with the bleeps of the machines keeping their babies alive and about how expert they are with the medical jargon. 'The NEC teams are the ones you don't want to see coming,' says Jade. She's referring to the medics who specialise in 'necrotising enterocolitis', a condition affecting the intestines, which is particularly worrisome when it occurs in premature babies. Harley almost died when she developed it. 'We were told to call the family in, and arrange a christening,' says Steve. Few, even within the medical profession, have experience of caring for a baby born at 22 weeks. Jade may seem quite the expert now, inserting feeding tubes and grappling with dinky nappies (special-issue because even the smallest commercial nappies were too large), but she admits she was too afraid to touch her twins at first. 'Everything was perfectly formed right down to their little fingernails just in miniature, but they hadn't finished developing. 'Harley was bright red. The skin was kind of translucent. You could see her lungs and heart through it. 'It's a very odd thing to describe, being able to see their hearts beating, but we could. 'They were so fragile, though. At the start I couldn't bear to touch them, in case I broke them, but that came quickly. 'I started to look forward to weighing times, because it meant being able to lift them up in the incubator, just to set them down again to trigger the scales. It was my chance to touch them.' Steve gets emotional, describing his first skin-on-skin contact, as Harry was placed on his bare chest. 'Obviously there were still the tubes, and it was all really scary, but to be able to just sit there and feel that heartbeat...' Both babies were on ventilators from the off and tube-fed with special formula at first. The couple were thrilled when last year, a final attempt at IVF, using embryos that had been on ice since 2014, proved successful (stock photo used) Harley still is, due to a nasty infection, while Harry is managing with his mother's milk. 'I sit here pumping,' she laughs. Because of Covid, even close family members have not met the twins. Jade's sister came in the other day to meet Harry, but has not yet been introduced to Harley. The twins have met each other though. That was a tear-jerker of a moment. 'To be able to put them in, side by side, was amazing,' says Jade. The couple have documented all this on an Instagram account, and hope that one day the twins themselves will see the images. 'It will show them how much they have been loved but I think they know that already,' says Steve. As for the future prognosis, it is simply too early to tell. The more premature the baby, the higher the risk of life-threatening issues and of lasting disability. Jade suggests they have been warned not to get their hopes up too much. 'They [the doctors] do paint a bad picture about a life with disability, but that is the case with any premature babies not just the 22 weekers.' Although she was not able to find anyone else whose children had survived so young, she since has. 'I made contact with a woman in America who had twins born at 22 weeks and her girls have very few problems now. 'Whatever we have to deal with, we will. We've come this far and we've got two little fighters here.' A Canadian woman who almost died last year when a meteorite crashed through her bedroom ceiling while she was sleeping says she has no plans of letting go of the space rock - and says she even feels protective of the space object. In October Ruth Hamilton of Golden, British Columbia woke up to the sound of a crash and dust on her face shortly before midnight. Now months after the very unlucky event, Hamilton said she has gotten back to 'normal'- patching up the hole in her ceiling and leaving her bed in the same spot. She says she considers herself lucky and that she has suffered no post-traumatic stress, but instead she is more grateful for life. 'The experience has made me want to be more generous to people while Im still alive,' she told the Guardian. Since her near death experience was published in her local newspaper, Hamilton says she has been inundated with request to purchase the meteorite. Ruth Hamilton (pictured) said she feels protective of the meteorite that crashed into her bedroom and doesn't want to sell it unless goes towards a good cause or to a good person 'Ive had all sorts of messages, friend requests on Facebook and people wanting interviews,' she said. 'One man came to my door, twice, trying to get a bargain on the meteorite apparently meteorites such as mine are very valuable, because its intact and uncontaminated by human touch.' Hamilton, who was unharmed, saw a rock on her pillow right next to where her head usually lies. She called 911, and she and an officer made calls to confirm that it wasn't debris from nearby construction but instead it was a meteorite. Meteorites originate from asteroids, which are rocks that orbit the sun that are all about 4.5 billion years old, according to Arizona State University's Center for Meteorite Studies. Hamilton said the rock is considered special special because it is so pure compared to other meteorites. Ruth Hamilton of Golden, British Columbia woke up to a meteorite beside her on October 4 Now months after the very unlucky event, Hamilton said she has gotten back to 'normal'- patching up the hole in her ceiling and leaving her bed in the same spot 'Most times, meteorites are found on Earth only after theyve been weathered for years, so it is harder for scientists to learn about the places they travelled through. But mine is fresh from outer space,' she explained. Hamilton said the day after the meteorite crashed through her roof she put it in a plastic bag to avoid contaminations and the University of Western Ontario collected it, and will be returning it after a few months of research. She said she feels protective of the rock now and doesn't want to sell it unless goes towards a good cause or to a good person. 'Id like to take it to local schools and universities, tell the story to kids,' she said. 'People make money by chopping them into pieces to be sold as jewelry, but I feel this thing that is billions of years old found its way into my bed, and I want to protect it. If I do sell it, I want to find a good home where it will be put on display,' she added. An American female kidnapping victim was among 15 people who were recently rescued by the Mexican military in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas. The operation came about after the U.S. Border Patrol Patrols Laredo Sector Foreign Operation Branch reached out to the FBI after the agency learned that a woman was being held against her own will at a house in the border city of Nuevo Laredo. The FBI coordinated a plan with Mexicos Secretariat of National Defense and Border Patrol to liberate the victims. An American woman was rescued by the Mexican military during a February 8 raid in Tamaulipas, Mexico. U.S. Border Patrol Patrols Laredo Sector Foreign Operation Branch was tipped off about the woman's kidnapping and alerted the FBI. A plan was put together with Mexico's National Defense and the U.S. Border Patrol to free her and 14 migrants 12 of the 14 migrants who were held against their will at a stash house in Tamaulipas, Mexico, earlier this month before security forces raided the residence and freed them February 8 Mexican security forces raided the home located in the Nuevo Laredo neighborhood of La Joya the afternoon of February 8 and successfully carried out the mission. The individuals were found alone in the stash house without their purported captors. The motive of the American womans kidnapping is unknown. The Mexican military did not find any of the captors during the raid of the home February 8 Mexican and U.S. authorities have yet to provide a motive for the American woman's kidnapping The victims, including 12 Mexican and two Honduran nationals, were provided medical attention on site. The Honduran migrants were turned over the National Institute of Migration, in accordance to Mexican immigration laws. DailyMail.com reached out to the U.S. Border Patrols Laredo Sector and the FBIs San Antonio field office for comment. The romance between Princess Margaret and Group Captain Peter Townsend has been described as the most tragic royal love story ever. Almost 30 years after its end in 1955, the Battle of Britain hero eventually wrote a book telling his side of the affair that rocked the Royal Family and the British Establishment. Now it is being republished... One warm summer afternoon at Balmoral, after a picnic lunch with the guns, I stretched out in the heather to doze. Vaguely, I was aware that someone was covering me with a coat. I opened one eye to see Princess Margarets lovely face, very close, looking into mine. I opened the other eye, and saw, behind her, the King, leaning on his stick, with a look, typical of him: kind, half-amused. I whispered: You know your father is watching us? At which she laughed, straightened up and went to his side. Then she took his arm and walked him away, leaving me to my dreams. That summer of 1951, Princess Margaret was about to celebrate her 21st birthday. There was already speculation about the man she might fall in love with. Her beauty and charm had attracted scores of admiring, faithful friends, yet among none of them had she found the man of her choice. That, incredibly, was the lot that destiny had reserved for me. Princess Margaret and I found solace in one anothers company. One afternoon we talked, in the red drawing room at Windsor Castle, for hours about ourselves. She listened, without uttering a word, as I told her, very quietly, of my feelings. Then she simply said: That is exactly how I feel, too' But by falling in love, we were to go up against the Establishment and face an international furore. Unmitigated joy turned for both of us into a trial by ordeal. I first set eyes on the Princess on February 16, 1944, when I found myself in the green-carpeted Regency Room at Buckingham Palace. A few days earlier, I had been summoned by the RAFs Chief of Staff and told I was to be redeployed, as an equerry to the King. I was amazed. I was born in Burma, where my father was a Commissioner, and educated at Haileybury, before joining the RAF. I had no connection with the Royal Family. George VI had apparently decided he wanted staff chosen for their fighting record rather than family or regimental connections. After my introduction, down the corridor came two adorable-looking girls; Princess Elizabeth, then 17, and her sister Margaret, 14. Princess Elizabeth our future Queen was the Kings pride. Princess Margaret was his joy. She was a girl of unusual, intense beauty, centred about large purple-blue eyes, generous lips and a complexion as smooth as a peach. She could change in an instant from saintly composure to hilarious, uncontrollable joy. She was a comedienne at heart, playing the piano and singing in her rich voice the latest hits, imitating the stars. But what ultimately made Princess Margaret so attractive was that behind the dazzling facade, you could find, if you looked for it, a rare softness and sincerity. Seven years later, during that fateful summer at Balmoral, the Princesss joie de vivre gave me what I most lacked joy. My unhappy, ten-year marriage was drawing to an end. I had met my wife Rosemary in June 1941 after leading No. 85 Squadron into the Battle of Britain, for which I was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with Bar. My plane had eventually been shot down by a Messerschmitt and I had taken a bullet in the foot. She could change in an instant from saintly composure to hilarious, uncontrollable joy. She was a comedienne at heart, playing the piano and singing in her rich voice the latest hits, imitating the stars. But what ultimately made Princess Margaret so attractive was that behind the dazzling facade, you could find, if you looked for it, a rare softness and sincerity I was exhausted. Life seemed a brief, precarious thing. I stepped out of the cockpit and married the first pretty girl I met. We were already growing apart when I told her I was to serve the King. Rosemary threw her arms around me. It was natural, I suppose, for her to be glad but how tragically mistaken she was. From now on, as couple, we were destined to be unmade. At Buckingham Palace, I guided prime minister Winston Churchill, then his successor Clement Atlee, along the long corridors to see the King. My initial three-month posting became permanent and I was promoted to Master of the Household. Though we were given a grace-and-favour cottage in Windsor, I was rarely there. Rosemary became a court widow. By the summer of 1951, I was 36 years old and the father of two young sons. When we divorced shortly afterwards, Rosemary remarried within two months. At the end of the summer the weather turned wet and cold at Balmoral. The King caught a chill. It was the Queen who suspected he was suffering from something worse. Doctors identified a malign growth in his left lung. In early February, he died. Princess Margaret and I found solace in one anothers company. One afternoon we talked, in the red drawing room at Windsor Castle, for hours about ourselves. She listened, without uttering a word, as I told her, very quietly, of my feelings. Then she simply said: That is exactly how I feel, too. Her understanding touched me. With her wit she, more than anyone else, knew how to make me laugh and laughter, between boy and girl, often lands them in each others arms. Princess Margaret confided in her sister. A few days later, Her Majesty invited us to spend the evening with her and Prince Philip. This stands out in my memory: the Queens sympathetic acceptance of the disturbing fact of her sisters love for me. Princess Margaret also told her mother. I imagine Queen Elizabeths reaction was this simply cannot be, but she did not hurt us by saying so. The family greeted the news with charity: the same cannot be said of the Establishment. Tommy Lascelles (the Queens private secretary) regarded me darkly while I stood before him and told him that Princess Margaret and I were in love. Visibly shaken, all he could say was: You must be either mad or bad. I told him I was ready to face the consequences. Lascelles consulted the Queen, doubtless reminding her that under the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, Princess Margaret would have to obtain Her Majestys consent to her marriage at least before her 25th birthday. Thereafter she would be exempt from the Queens veto, but would still need the consent of Parliament, and of the Dominions parliaments as well. The crucial problem was that I was divorced. The Queen, as titular head of the Church of England, could not, constitutionally, give her consent, unless her prime minister saw fit to advise her otherwise. Sir Winston Churchill felt it would be disastrous for the Queen to consent to the marriage of her sister with a divorced man. That, then, was that. Princess Margaret would have to wait another two years, until she was 25. Lascelles wanted to banish me, abroad. The Queen insisted I be allowed to stay on at Clarence House serving the Queen Mother. I was not admitted to the consultations between Lascelles and the palace press secretary, Commander Richard Colville. We had innocently confided our secret to the Royal Family and to the Queens private secretary, press secretary and prime minister. We did not know reports were already circulating in the U.S. and the continental press. Nobody told us our secret was out. Whether Colville or Lascelles, his immediate chief, knew anything about the rumours in the foreign press, I do not know. It seems incredible that they did not; in which case, they might have whispered a word in my ear. We were, after all, colleagues. Had they only taken me into their confidence and alerted me to the danger, I would have got out of the way fast, on my own initiative dutifully, for the sake of the Royal Family, and selfishly, for my own. I should have got well clear of the target area, Clarence House and Buckingham Palace withdrawn, resigned, done anything reasonable to avoid the attention of the Press, which at this moment was concentrated on the Queens approaching coronation. Now was the time. But the Queen and the Queen Mother, apparently, were not fully aware, while the Princess and I were not aware at all, of a situation which was bound, very shortly, to explode. Explode it did, on Coronation Day. After the splendid service in Westminster Abbey, a great crowd of crowned heads and nobles and newspapermen, British and foreign were gathered in the Great Hall. Princess Margaret came up to me; she looked sparkling, ravishing. As we chatted she brushed a bit of fluff off my uniform. We laughed and thought no more of it. Next day, that charming little gesture made the headlines in the New York press. A fortnight later the Sunday newspaper, The People, spoke out. It is high time it said, under a banner headline, for the British public to be made aware of the fact that newspapers in Europe and America are openly asserting that the Princess is in love with a divorced man and that she wishes to marry him . . . Every newspaper names the man as Group Captain Townsend. Mr Churchill told the Air Minister to find me a job abroad. I was appointed air attache to the British Embassy in Brussels. Princess Margaret was about to tour Rhodesia [now Zimbabwe]. She was reassured by a promise that my departure would be held until her return, in three weeks time. I was informed that my date for departure was to be July 15, 1953 two days before Princess Margarets return. Instead of our expected farewell, we were to be torn apart. We were next to meet, not in three weeks, but in more than a year. The Princess and I wrote almost every day while I was in Brussels. The following July I flew to England and went straight to Harrods bookshop, where, as arranged with Princess Margaret (who had of course told the Queen), I met Brigadier Norman Gwatkin of the Lord Chamberlains office. His rubicund face shone like a friendly beacon among all those books. Norman led me to a waiting car and we drove to Clarence House, straight in through the main gates. The Press had no idea I was in England. After a year apart, our joy at being together again was indescribable. Another years wait remained, until the Princesss 25th birthday, when she would be free of the Queens official veto on her marriage. Until then, there was nothing for it but to wait. Some months later, in early March 1955, Princess Margaret returned from a Caribbean tour and I was pitched back into world headlines. A New York paper, hearing the chapel at St Jamess Palace was to be restored, deduced that the Princess and I were to be married. Some London newspapers were loudly proclaiming that now the Dolly Princess was back from the West Indies, she must make up her mind about me. I should have welcomed a word from Richard Colville, the palace press secretary, but not once, during the whole affair, did he contact me or attempt to evolve a joint front towards the Press. Over the next six months the clamour increased to deafening. I was shaken and disgusted. I was an object of curiosity and comment. I asked myself and the Princess (we wrote, as usual, almost every day), was it wise to go on? Our feelings were as sure and as strong as ever. Emotively, I was ready to go through anything for her. But logically, where would it lead us? What we needed to know urgently was whether marriage was feasible, and this, only the Princess could ascertain. In five months time, she would be free of the Queens veto under the Royal Marriages Act, but not of her formal disapproval, as Head of the Church. Even the Act did not leave her then free to marry: it required her to give notice of her intentions to the Privy Council, whose 300-odd members were the hardcore of the Establishment. The Privy Council could strongly influence Parliament, to whom the veto now passed. The Princess would have to wait up to 12 months more before the British Parliament and those of the seven dominions Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan and Ceylon [now Sri Lanka] gave their consent. If they did not, her last chance was to contract a marriage abroad. It would be illegal, and any offspring considered illegitimate. Finally, in October, when the Queen and Princess Margaret were at Balmoral, Sir Anthony Eden, the prime minister, arrived. Eden sympathised but had to warn the Princess that my second marriage to her would bring her the most grievous penalties: she would have to renounce her royal rights, functions and income. The Princess now had confirmation, for the first time, of the consequences of a marriage with me. If only she had known before, the approaching drama might have been avoided. But now it was too late. We had arranged to meet in London on October 13. Everything was set for the grand finale. I knew nothing. I braced myself for the ordeal, as I had done when, as a small boy, I had to face a beating. I should once more have to enter the arena; I knew that I was going like a sheep to the slaughter. But I went willingly, for her. That evening, Princess Margaret left Balmoral by train for London. Everyone remarked how lovely and happy she looked, which was not surprising. We were to meet again the next day, for the first time in a year. Time had not staled our accustomed, sweet familiarity but as the hubbub intensified pursued by the Press every minute of the day and night I was being demolished by the physical and mental strain. Over the following week, each time we saw one another or dined with friends, the speculation mounted. Mr Eden had only recently brought home fully to the Princess the consequences of marrying me. She had a huge load on her mind. On Tuesday, October 18, there was a Cabinet meeting after which the prime minister had an audience with the Queen. It lasted 90 minutes instead of the usual 30. At Clarence House, the Princess and I were weighing the pros and cons. Two days later, the Cabinet met again. The Attorney General was sent for. I have not the faintest idea what those eminent gentlemen discussed, but it is likely they came to terms on a Bill of Renunciation, to be placed before Parliament, freeing the Princess of her responsibilities under the Royal Marriages Act, and thus at crushing cost to herself enabling her to marry me. She would be stripped of her royal rights and prerogatives, which included accession to the throne and a 15,000 government stipend due on marriage conditions which, frankly, would have ruined her. There would be nothing left except me. It was too much to ask of her, too much for her to give. We should be left with nothing but our devotion to face the world. In a lengthy leader article, The Times said the heart of the matter did not lie in legal or theological argument. The real crux was that the Queen was a symbol for her subjects throughout the Commonwealth. These millions of people saw their better selves reflected in the Queen and, since part of their ideal was family life, Princess Margarets marriage with me could not be regarded as a marriage at all by vast numbers of her sisters people. She could change in an instant from saintly composure to hilarious, uncontrollable joy. She was a comedienne at heart, playing the piano and singing in her rich voice the latest hits, imitating the stars The painful facts of the situation were only too clear: the country, the Commonwealth, the entire world, was in an uproar over us. On Saturday evening, October 22, we met at Clarence House. We were both exhausted, mentally and emotionally. Later, the Princess left to spend the weekend with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle. Next day, on the telephone, she was in great distress. She did not say what had passed between herself and her sister and brother-in-law, but, doubtless, the stern truth was dawning on her. That night I had hardly slept. My mind turned incessantly on the sadness of the Princess. In just over a week the smile had vanished, her happiness had evaporated. It was time to put an end to an unendurable situation. I grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil. I began to write. I have decided not to marry Group Captain Townsend . . . It may have been possible to contract a civil marriage. But mindful of the Churchs teaching . . . conscious of my duty to the Commonwealth . . . Less than an hour later I was at Clarence House. Princess Margaret looked very tired, but was as affectionate as ever. I gave her the rough piece of paper and she read. Then she looked at me and said: Thats exactly how I feel. Our love story had started with those words. Now, with the same sweet phrase, we wrote finis to it. There was a wonderful tenderness in her eyes which reflected, I suppose, the look in mine. Our feelings were unchanged, but they had incurred a burden so great that we decided, together, to lay it down. We spent a goodbye weekend with friends in Uckfield, Sussex. At last we could talk without that crushing weight of world opinion the sympathy, the criticism, the pity and the anger. On Monday, October 31, we returned separately to London. The Princesss statement was to be issued that evening at 7pm. About an hour earlier, I called to say a last farewell at Clarence House. We had held out for more than two years. We felt as if we needed a stiff drink. We did not feel unhappy. Without dishonour, we had played out our destiny. There remained only the glow of tenderness, constancy and singleness of heart. Then we, who had been so close, parted. Postscript Four years later, in December 1959, Peter Townsend married Marie-Luce Jamagne, with whom he had three children. They remained happily married until his death, aged 80, in 1995. Princess Margaret married a photographer, Antony Armstrong-Jones, in 1960. They had two children and divorced in 1978. Princess Margaret died in 2002, aged 71. n Extracted from Time And Chance by Peter Townsend, to be published by Silvertail on March 3 at 12.99. Available from amazon.co.uk or silvertail.com. The Heirs of Peter Townsend, 2022. A pub continued to host a 'Sharkbait' event days after Channel Nine was slammed for scheduling 'Jaws' following a fatal shark attack at a Sydney beach. The Shark Hotel, located on Liverpool Street in Sydney, advertised its weekly party event on Facebook on Friday. 'Shark Bait' is held every Friday and Saturday and includes free entry for guests and a new guest DJ. The event was held days after British expat Simon Nellist, 35, was mauled to death by a great white at Buchan Point, near Little Bay in the city's east, on Wednesday. The gruesome mauling prompted Channel Nine to reschedule its viewing of Steven Spielberg's thriller movie 'Jaws' - but not before drawing outrage from viewers. The Shark Hotel, located on Liverpool Street in Sydney, advertised its weekly party event on Facebook on Friday 'Shark Bait' is held every Friday and Saturday and includes free entry for guests and a new guest DJ The network had intended to air the movie at 7.30pm on 9GO on Thursday - a day after the mauling. Channel Nine made a change at the eleventh hour and swapped the movie with Vin Diesel's action-packed 'XXX'. The movie 'Jaws' was still listed on television guides and prompted outrage from some viewers who were not aware of the change. 'Really Channel 88?!! You're showing JAWS?! #9go!' one viewer wrote. Another one added: '@9Go playing jaws after what has happened in Sydney!!!!! Poor form.' Other viewers were quick to notice the movie had been swapped for 'XXX' and that the TV guide just needed updating. 'Nice touch from Channel 9 to take Jaws of TV tonight. Even if they didn't update the program guide,' one wrote. Jaws, which starred Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss, follows the story of a killer shark which unleashes chaos on a beach community in the US. Channel Nine had already scheduled the movie to air before the mauling happened and the network decided to change it following the gruesome attack. Channel Nine declined to comment when contracted by Daily Mail Australia. Daily Mail Australia contacted Shark Hotel for comment. Heartbroken friends revealed Mr Nellist was engaged to Jessie Ho before he was mauled to death. The event was held days after British expat Simon Nellist, 35, was mauled to death by a great white at Buchan Point, near Little Bay in the city's east, on Wednesday The gruesome mauling prompted Channel Nine to reschedule its viewing of Steven Spielberg's thriller movie 'Jaws' - but not before drawing outrage from viewers The movie 'Jaws' was still listed on television guides and prompted outrage from some viewers who were not aware of the change The expat, from Cornwall in the UK, had met Ms Ho not long after he went travelling in Australia six years ago. Mr Nellist had finished a two year stint with the Royal Air Force and quickly fell in love with the wildlife and Ms Ho during his tour around the country. The pair were madly in love and planned to marry last year, but were forced to push back their wedding because of the pandemic. 'It's just horrendous,' one close friend told The Sun. 'We spent most of yesterday just hoping and praying it wasn't him. It's still incredibly raw.' Friends say they were unable to see Mr Nellist because of the lockdowns and described the expat as the 'nicest, kindest human being'. They said Mr Nellist had a massive love for the wildlife and described his mauling by the great white as a 'freak accident'. Experts say the killer shark has likely already swam at least 100km away, and it's understood that even if it was found - it wouldn't be culled - and instead encouraged to leave the area. Mr Nellist's social media feed was littered with photos and footage of him on his ocean adventures, which included diving expeditions and swimming with sharks. A former nurse and her husband who were paid almost 1.85billion for PPE during the pandemic have bought themselves a fabulous Caribbean villa for 30million. Before that, Sarah and Richard Stoute bought a country mansion in the south of England for well over 6million. The couple, whose firm made a profit of less than 1million a year before the pandemic, have insisted they are not Covid profiteers. They say they simply run a well-placed business and used their know-how to secure giant orders for masks, gloves and other medical-grade protection equipment before coronavirus hit the UK. In the year before the pandemic, Mr Stoute, 51, and his 48-year-old wife jointly took 300,000 in dividends out of their 20-year-old company, Full Support Healthcare. Now they are by far the biggest beneficiaries of the DHSC's expenditure on personal protective equipment. In 2020 alone, the firm which lists just 26 employees in its latest accounts took more than one-tenth of the DHSC's total 15billion PPE spend, twice as much as the next nearest beneficiary, which is a much larger company. While there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing or question mark over the quality of Full Support Healthcare's supplies, they are likely to have made tens of millions in profit from taxpayers' money and are now far from reluctant in spending it. A source close to the couple told the Daily Mail: 'When they're in the Caribbean, they love showing off the 1million-plus yacht they got thrown in with the villa, taking guests out for trips. 'We knew they'd made a lot of money, but now they're spending it like EuroMillions jackpot winners.' They are, though, a little more shy when it comes to showing off their incredible new homes. Despite enjoying their massive windfall and having previously bought a luxury car complete with personalised number plates displaying their name the Stoutes are desperate to stop the public who funded their wealth knowing about their staggering property empire. After the Daily Mail approached the couple, they hired heavy-hitting lawyers including a QC to threaten an injunction to stop details about the sprawling houses being revealed, on the grounds of 'security'. Another source said: 'They're saying now they don't want anyone to know about their place in the Caribbean, and didn't even want people to know which island it is, when one of the first things they bought was a Bentley with personalised plates saying 'Stoute'. 'They only stopped using them when it was pointed out that it gave away their identity.' The Stoutes' first major purchase, in the south of England, was a newly built country mansion surrounded by sprawling acres. It was previously advertised at about half the 6million-plus the couple paid for it within just a few months of the pandemic starting. Then late last year, the couple bought their huge villa on the coast of the paradise island. The couple, horseriding enthusiasts, have also bought the College Equestrian Centre in Keysoe, Bedfordshire, and plan to use it to help train future stars to compete in the Olympics. At the last count, they owned seven horses. The couple have bought themselves a fabulous Caribbean villa for 30million The couple, horseriding enthusiasts, have also bought the College Equestrian Centre in Keysoe, Bedfordshire, and plan to use it to help train future stars to compete in the Olympics Mrs Stoute was first inspired to become a nurse by childhood visits to University College London Hospital, telling a journalist before her astonishing windfall: 'I remember watching the nurses, all dressed in their black capes with red lining and beautiful hats, thinking they looked like angels. 'Even from those early days, I knew I wanted to be like them, which I'm sure influenced my entering into the healthcare profession.' After working as a nurse, she moved to medical and cleaning supplies firm Kimberley Clarke, then set up her own firm, Full Support Healthcare, in 2002, based in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. Mrs Stoute, the chief executive, is the driving force behind the company, which she jointly owns with her husband. So she had long experience of providing specialist equipment for use inside hospital operating theatres. In the year to March 2019, Full Support Healthcare's profit was 808,782, and that had risen to 1,185,000 the following year. There were 26 employees. The firm has now extended its accounting period, so has not filed accounts for the year to March 2021. But Full Support Healthcare has become by far Britain's largest supplier of personal protective equipment including medical grade masks, surgical gowns, and plastic gloves. Mrs Stoute said she acted fast even before news of the threat from the virus began to spread in early 2020 revealing she had a 'tip-off' about the danger it posed at the end of 2019. Despite having only limited access to funds, she put in huge advance orders for PPE to Chinese suppliers certain that the British Government would soon need previously unheard of quantities of masks, gloves and overalls. They made their move before prices rose. Mrs Stoute said of her firm's huge success in the pandemic: 'We knew the items that would be required and commissioned them for immediate production, ensuring we were first in line for delivery. 'This ensured access to the significant supplies that would be needed in the UK and around the world with the shortest possible delivery times. We were thus able to deliver in as timely a way as possible and this undoubtedly saved lives. 'By doing what our company is there to do, we were able to supply the NHS and other key services with high-quality and reliable PPE at the time of greatest need.' She said that in the first few months after the Covid-19 crisis began two years ago she worked seven days a week and was getting just three hours of sleep a night. Her daughter was among new staff hired to work on the orders. Mrs Stoute has pointed out that unlike other firms which secured lesser but still huge PPE orders, hers had 20 years' expertise in the field. The firm has also made donations of PPE worth millions, and provided free delivery to schools or care homes needing help. In evidence to the Commons public accounts committee last May, Mrs Stoute told how the firm's sales totalled 10million in 2019, before shooting straight up to almost 1.85billion the next year. 'Yes, it is a massive jump, from 10million to nearly 2billion,' she said. But she said that when the virus hit the NHS was slow to place big PPE orders. Things only improved after 'senior officials' in the Department of Health and Social Care contacted her firm directly to 'get the wheels moving'. Asked what bonuses she and her husband paid themselves after their bumper year, Mrs Stoute said: 'I have no financial information at this stage'. A spokesman for the department has said of the sum the Stoutes were paid: 'Proper due diligence is carried out for all government contracts and we take these checks extremely seriously. We have a robust process in place that ensures orders are high quality and meet strict safety standards.' The spokesman added that a special framework agreement with Full Support Healthcare dating back some five years meant details about what it has been paid for, and the value for money provided, do not have to be published. The National Audit Office has said that it is concerned about the many billions paid out for PPE. In 2019, the Department of Health and Social Care spent a total of 146million on PPE. In the first year of the virus from March 2020, that sum rocketed more than a hundred-fold, to 15bn. In 2019, disposable gowns cost the DHSC an average of just 33p each. During the pandemic, that typically rocketed 13-fold to 4.50. Plastic gloves rose from 2p to 12p, masks from 11p each to 40p and disposable aprons from 2p to 5p. And figures published by the National Audit Office show these more expensive PPE supplies were bought in undreamt of volumes. The amount of masks bought by the DHSC during the pandemic, for example, rose from previous levels by 130,000 per cent. After Full Support Healthcare, the next biggest recipient of taxpayers' cash for PPE is believed to have received less than half the sum paid to it. Uniserve, part of a group with more than 700 workers, was reported to have been paid 777million. It generated a profit before tax of 46.4million for the 15-month period to June 2020, compared with 6.4million the year before, showing how the pandemic turbo-charge the fortunes of the company. Mrs Stoute, meanwhile, made clear in an interview pre-virus that she most certainly did not succeed by selling masks and surgical gowns cheaply. She revealed: 'We never sell on price we sell on education, safety and expertise.' The New York Times has been blasted over a woke ad campaign showing a reader imagining the Harry Potter series without the books author JK Rowling after she was accused of transphobia. 'Lianna is imagining Harry Potter without its creator,' read electronic billboards in a Washington D.C. metro station. The message, laid over a woman's face, was followed by the captions 'Liana is a harmony of flavors,' and 'Independent journalism for an independent life.' Left-wing fans of the Harry Potter have been distancing themselves from the franchise, or advocating for its celebration with the exclusion of Rowling, since the author shared her views on biological sex on Twitter and in a subsequent op-ed that sent online transgender activists reeling Twitter user @Scholar_Stage posted the three messages in the video ad in succession, challenging users to guess what company they were advertising. Rowling, who is the world's richest author with an estimated $1.1 billion fortune, has come under fire over claims she is transphobic after she insisted 'biological sex is real.' She has denied allegations of transphobia, and says she is only concerned with ensuring that single sex spaces are preserved to ensure women's safety. Criticisms for the advertisement ranged from calling it 'nasty,' to branding it sexist for advocating for the erasure of women to characterizing it as an ominous threat, with one user asking 'Are "Lianna" and @nytimes imagining @jk_rowling magically vanishing in a puff of pixie dust, or are they imagining a disappearance more along the lines of Jimmy Hoffa's?' 'Lianna is trying to erase a creative woman,' wrote @BronwenGray. 'Go men. Go oppression. Go originality.' 'Shocking condescension,' wrote another critic. '[W]e are trying to imagine the N Y Times without its marketing dept., without its editors, without its owners, without its Op-Ed columnists & without its loyal subscriber base.' 'So I cancelled my @nytimes sub because it tried to cancel @jk_rowling,' wrote another twitter user. 'Even the offer of a years sub for $0.25 a week couldnt persuade me to stay with a newspaper that is so contemptuous of women that it celebrates canceling a female author in its ads.' Left-wing fans of the Harry Potter have been distancing themselves from the franchise, or advocating for its celebration with the exclusion of Rowling, since the author shared her views on biological sex on Twitter and in a subsequent op-ed that sent online transgender activists reeling. 'If sex isn't real, there's no same-sex attraction,' she wrote. 'If sex isn't real, the lived reality of women globally is erased.' 'I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removed the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. If isn't hate to speak the truth.' 'Using the words "sex" and "gender" interchangeably obscures the central issue of this debate,' she expounded in a later tweet. 'The question at the heart of this debate is whether sex or gender identity should form the basis of decision on safeguarding, provision of services, sporting categories and other areas where women and girls currently have legal rights and protections.' Before the tweet, the author wrote a post in support of Maya Forstater, a British tax specialist whose contract wasn't renewed due to her 'gender critical' tweets, then lost her case at an employment tribunal. 'Dress however you please. Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who'll have you. Love your best life in peace and security,' wrote Rowling. 'But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real? #IStandWithMaya #ThisIsNotADrill' In an op-ed explaining the aforementioned tweets, the author wrote that she was 'concerned about the huge explosion in young women wishing to transition and also about the increasing numbers who seem to be detransitioning (returning to their original sex), because they regret taking steps that have, in some cases, altered their bodies irrevocably, and taken away their fertility.' Mired in accusations of transphobia, the children's author even returned a reward from the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization after the organization's president called her transphobic. Mired in accusations of transphobia, the children's author even returned a reward from the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization after the organization's president called her transphobic Hundreds of online activists violently threatened Rowling, she has claimed, and 'doxxed' her by posting her Edinburgh home address and personal information online. Two Quidditch leagues - the United States Quidditch and Major League Quidditch - released a statement late last year explaining that they were seeking a name change to distance themselves from Rowling and her 'anti-trans' views. Last month, a 42-minute 20-year anniversary special for the Harry Potter franchise aired on HBO Max - shockingly, the brainchild of the seven books that inspired the films was only mentioned ten times, and the author was notably absent from the special, although the film's actors and directors were interviewed. Former President Donald Trump on Friday lost a bid to dismiss lawsuits accusing him of inciting the January 6 Capitol attack. In a lengthy written ruling, Judge Amit Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said three lawsuits by Democratic members of Congress and two police officers could proceed toward trial. The Democratic lawmakers, including Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler and Rep. Eric Swalwell, have invoked an 1871 law passed to fight the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan that prohibits political intimidation. Judge Amit Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia determined that now former President Donald Trump's speech at a rally before the Capitol attack (pictured) was not part of his presidential duties Democratic lawmakers have sued former President Donald Trump for his role in the January 6 Capitol attack invoking an 1871 law passed to fight the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan that prohibits political intimidation Judge Amit Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia was appointed by former Democratic President Barack Obama Looming large in the litigation is a Supreme Court case from 1982 holding that presidents are shielded, or immune, from lawsuits over their official acts. Mehta ruled Trump was not immune from the lawsuits, determining that the then-president's fiery speech before the January 6 attack was not within the scope of his official presidential duties. 'To deny a President immunity from civil damages is no small step. The court well understands the gravity of its decision,' Mehta ruled. 'But the alleged facts of this case are without precedent, and the court believes that its decision is consistent with the purposes behind such immunity,' the judge continued. Mehta agreed to dismiss Rudy Giuliani and Trump's eldest son Donald Trump Jr., who were named as co-defendants, from the lawsuits. Mehta was appointed to the federal bench by former Democratic President Barack Obama. Trump and his co-defendants have argued that their remarks preceding the January 6 attack were political speech protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. The two Capitol Police officers who sued Trump are James Blassingame and Sidney Hemby. The ruling came just hours after the National Archives confirmed that Trump brought classified materials with him when he moved out of the White House last January and relocated to Mar-a-Lago, which could open the ex-president up to more legal trouble. Canada's Parliament suspended Friday's debate on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's emergency powers, sparing the Liberal leader another day of uncomfortable speeches from MPs who fiercely oppose his use of the draconian Emergencies Act. MPs were told on Thurday night that due to the 'exceptional circumstances' of police closing in on Freedom Convoy protesters they needed to avoid the area around parliament for their own safety. Trudeau continues to face tough opposition in Parliament as he battles to maintain his emergency powers in a crackdown on Freedom Convoy protesters. On Thursday, legislation upholding Trudeau's declaration under the Emergencies Act was presented in Parliament, where Conservative and Bloc Quebecois MPs voiced fierce opposition. The initial schedule called for debate through the weekend on the motion to confirm Trudeau's emergency powers, followed by a vote on Monday night. The suspension of Friday's debate in the House of Commons was due to safety concerns, Speaker Anthony Rota said in notice to MPs, warning them that a police operation was expected and urging them to 'stay away from the downtown core until further notice.' House leadership of all parties agreed to the cancellation of Friday's sitting, with a plan to resume debate on Saturday and vote 'early next week' on the motion. Trudeaus' Liberals, with the support of the New Democrats Party, have enough votes to ensure passage of the motion. Addressing the House of Commons, Trudeau pleaded with legislators to support his extraordinary powers, which have enabled him to summarily freeze bank accounts and crypto wallets tied to the protests On Thursday, legislation upholding Trudeau's declaration under the Emergencies Act was presented in Parliament, where Conservative and Bloc Quebecois MPs voiced fierce opposition. However, the left-leaning New Democrats said they would reluctantly support Trudeau's minority Liberal government, virtually ensuring passage of the measure upholding his emergency powers in the House of Commons. Together the two parties hold 184 seats out of 338 in the lower chamber. A truck leaves the Parliament Hill area on Friday as Ottawa police break the blockade after three weeks of protests Hundreds of police advanced on the protesters and began picking them off with arrests one by one Canada's House of Commons suspended Friday's vote to approve Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's emergency powers, citing the imminent police action outside the doors of Parliament Although they cannot marshal a majority, the Conservative and the Bloc Quebecois parties have nevertheless voiced strong opposition, calling the use of emergency powers extreme and unnecessary. Canada's left-leaning New Democrats said they would reluctantly support Trudeau's minority Liberal government, virtually ensuring passage of the measure upholding his emergency powers in the House of Commons. Together the two parties hold 184 seats out of 338 in the lower chamber. Under law, any use of the Emergencies Act must be brought before Parliament within seven days for approval. Debate began Thursday and will now continue on Saturday and carry on, according to the Act, 'without interruption' until the vote is called, which could be on Monday. Canada's largely ceremonial Senate will also consider the matter on Monday. A police force of hundreds descended on the Freedom Convoy truckers in Ottawa on Friday making scores of arrests and towing away big rigs that have formed a three-week blockade around the country's Parliament to protest vaccine mandates. Opposition Leader Candice Bergen of the Conservative Party slammed Trudeau's request to approve his emergency powers as 'not consistent with fundamental freedoms' NDP leader Jagmeet Singh signaled his party's support for Trudeau, making it clear that the Liberals would almost certainly have the votes to defeat any opposition and approve the Emergencies Act declaration As of 3pm on Friday, at least 70 had been arrested in the sweep, on a variety of charges including mischief, said Interim Police Chief Steve Bell. Using Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's extraordinary powers under the Emergencies Act, police have established a 'no-go' zone around the demonstration in Ottawa's core, and on Friday a massive force of cops and a fleet of tow truck drivers began clearing out the Convoy's final stronghold. The crackdown came after police arrested key leaders of the protest movement, and as rumors of a similar protest convoy headed to the US capital prompted DC Metropolitan Police to cancel all leave for the next week. In Ottawa, cops carrying automatic weapons and wearing tactical unit uniforms converged on a line of trucks, campers and other vehicles parked on Ottawa's snow-covered streets. Police brought a dozen horses to confront protesters, backed by an armored vehicle. Tow truck operators wore neon-green ski masks with their companies' decals taped over on their trucks to conceal their identities from protesters. They arrived under police escort and set to work removing the big rigs, campers and other vehicles parked bumper to bumper in the Parliament Hill blockade. Riot cops with tear gas cannons converge on the Ottawa protests in a crackdown on the Freedom Convoy A Canadian flag is held up by a protester as police slowly push in to the core of the Freedom Convoy protest. Police began arresting protesters and towing away trucks Friday in a bid to break the three-week, traffic-snarling siege of Canada's capital Two camper vans that had been a signature feature of the occupation blocking one of the main arteries into the Parliament Hill area were among those hauled away. One of the occupants was arrested More than 21 vehicles have been towed since the crackdown began. Two camper vans that had been a signature feature of the occupation blocking one of the main arteries into the Parliament Hill area were among those hauled away. One of the occupants was arrested. Protestors have been defiant, and some tried to fortify their positions against the police advance by building barricade made of snow. But it has clearly been dawning on many that the authorities massive display of force is particularly daunting. As the massed ranks of heavily armed cops in tactical gear moved forward, protestor Dallon, from Alberta said: 'this is a sledgehammer to kill a fly.' 'Im not afraid to get arrested. In fact Im expecting it. But they know why we are here and many of them are actually with us,' said Dallon. The crowd appeared to realize they have little chance of standing their ground, as the police started to dominate the situation and push the demonstrators back slowly but steadily. 'What you are seeing are Public Order Units in a line formation. Protestors are continuously being told to leave, or they face arrest,' Ottawa police said in a statement. 'You will see the line slowly moving forward to give people who want to leave the opportunity to do so.' Using powers under the Emergencies Act, Ottawa cops have established a 'no-go' zone with 100 checkpoints encircling the Freedom Convoy, cutting them off from support and preventing additional protesters from joining Despite the fearsome appearance of some of the police units including riot cops from the Surete de Quebec cops have so far used a tactic of gently pushing forward to gain ground. The real confrontations began around 11.15am when a large unit of Ottawa Police assembled close to the Westin hotel, to the east of Parliament Hill. They were dressed in blue tactical gear, with some wielding rubber bullet guns. Once protestors realized the cops were there, they went down to confront them creating a makeshift wall. After a few minutes, the cops nudged forward in the face of taunts and shouts. Some officers moved out to the flanks to keep back other protestors and the media. As the shouts became louder, individuals appeared to be singled out for arrest and were grabbed from the wall of demonstrators. DailyMail.com witnessed at least four arrests, with scuffling before the person seized was whipped around and had their wrists bound by zip-tie handcuffs. One woman was crying as was hauled away to the back of the police lines. Police tactics appeared be to pick out specific protestors. On each occasion there was a scuffle before the person was turned around and zip tie cuffs applied. They were then marched to the rear of the police lines. The cops periodically nudged forward a few more yards in intervals before the diminishing crowd was pushed back up to the Chateau Laurier hotel, which is close to Parliament Hill the center of the truck blockade. At that point at least 50 fearsome looking riot cops - dressed in green military-style fatigues suddenly appeared from the other direction and blocked off the crowds exit. The Surete de Quebec officers, all with riot helmets and visors and a few with tear gas guns and already wearing gas masks, formed an impenetrable barrier. At one point, they refused to allow anyone including the media to leave the area and threatened some reporters with arrest. As word spread of the dramatic police action, some trucks near the Parliament Buildings left the spots where they had been for three weeks. At the makeshift stage almost under the office window of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the atmosphere was almost surreal. While riot cops were cracking down just 300 yards away, music was still blaring from the stage and a performer was desperately trying to keep up the spirits of protestors huddled around. As the sweep started to unfold on Friday morning, Ottawa Police Services threatened in a statement to arrest any journalists 'found within areas undergoing enforcement,' alarming advocates for press freedom. A world-leading cancer doctor who fled war-torn Iraq has tragically drowned after he was swept out to sea while trying to rescue a swimmer off a Gold Coast beach. The body of Dr Luqman Jubair, 35, was found in waters off Mermaid Beach on Saturday morning after he vanished on Thursday night. Dr Jubair was standing in waist-deep water when he spotted another swimmer in trouble, according to police. Members of the public found Dr Luqman Jubair's (pictured) body on Saturday morning after he was swept out to sea off Mermaid Beach on the Gold Coast He also signalled three other beachgoers who rushed to the swimmer's aid. The distressed swimmer was rescued by the group, however, Mr Jubair had disappeared beneath the surf, triggering an extensive air, land and sea search. Members of the public found the good samaritan's body near Mermaid beach on Saturday morning in what police have described as an 'absolute tragedy'. Dr Jubair had attempted to rescue a distressed swimmer but disappeared beneath the surf, triggering a mammoth air, land and sea search (pictured, police search for the missing doctor) 'It's a tragic tale where a member of the public has attempted to do the right thing and stepped in to save the life of another person and unfortunately has found themself in some difficulty,' Gold Coast police acting chief superintendent Rhys Wildman said. Police initially reported a fisherman had been washed off the rocks. However, police later said the fisherman alerted others to a swimmer he witnessed experiencing difficulty in the surf. 'At that stage a number of persons on the shore entered the water to provide assistance,' Supt Wildman said. Members of the public contacted police after finding the 35-year-old's body on Saturday morning in what police have described as an 'absolute tragedy' 'The male fisherman, together with two other males, recovered the initial person who was in some difficulty and brought them back to the shore. 'But our missing person was unfortunately swept further away from the shoreline out into the ocean itself.' Dr Jubair was a cancer researcher for Griffith University. In 2014 he fled war-torn Iraq where he retrained in Australia to become a medical oncologist. 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. The pro-Russian rebel leaders of two breakaway Ukrainian regions claimed yesterday to have started an emergency evacuation of thousands of civilians to Russia to save them from looming invasion by Ukrainian government forces. It comes amid a burgeoning disinformation campaign, fuelling fears that their supposed plight will be used to trigger an invasion of Ukraine by the 190,000 Russian troops encircling the nation. Pictures were released showing children being gathered and buses lined up for the evacuation of 700,000 people. Air raid sirens were heard in Donetsk. The rebels also showed images of a car belonging to a police chief they claim was attacked. Vladimir Putin, who has started claiming 'genocide' is taking place in Donbas despite a lack of supporting evidence, said he was seeing a 'deterioration of the situation' in eastern Ukraine Their claims come amid a substantial spike in shelling over the border into Ukraine, the sabotage of mobile phone communications in several towns in the eastern Donbas region and the staged kidnap of a pro-Russian activist in Kharkiv. 'We are seeing clear signs the Kremlin is trying to stir instability and create panic in Donbas areas under Ukrainian control to find a pretext for aggression,' said Yevhen Yenin, deputy minister of internal affairs. Russian president Vladimir Putin, who has started claiming 'genocide' is taking place in Donbas despite a lack of supporting evidence, said yesterday he was seeing a 'deterioration of the situation' in eastern Ukraine and offered 10,000 roubles (95) to every refugee from the region. Mr Putin made a series of unsubstantiated claims at a press conference, including that Ukraine was guilty of 'mass and systematic violation of human rights' as well as enshrining into law 'discrimination of the Russian-speaking population'. One of his closest allies also claimed mass graves were being investigated in Donbas. 'Kiev's crimes are hushed up by Washington and Brussels,' said Vyacheslav Volodin, chairman of the Russian parliament. Washington accused Russia of deliberately trying to mask its aggression towards Ukraine through a campaign of lies and disinformation. A woman stands inside among debris in the settlement Stanytsia Luhanska, in Ukraine yesterday 'It is cynical and cruel to use human beings as pawns to distract the world from the fact that Russia is building up its forces in preparation for an attack,' said a State Department spokesman. At the same time that Mr Putin was speaking, Denis Pushilin, leader of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic, released a video announcing the start of a mass evacuation of citizens to the Rostov region of Russia to protect them from 'the armed forces of the enemy'. The Luhansk People's Republic, a second rebel-held territory, later issued similar evacuation orders as the border crisis took a dramatic turn for the worse. Lieutenant General Valeriy Zaluzhny, commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, insisted there was no threat to the rebel-held areas but that Moscow-backed militants were 'deliberately misleading residents of the temporarily occupied territories'. Valentyna Melnychenko with members of the JCCC, who survey damage to her home from an artillery shell that landed in Vrubivka, in the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine yesterday Ukrainian intelligence has also warned Russian special forces may be planning to mine 'social infrastructure facilities in Donetsk' and lay the blame on Ukraine. There is no sign of any Ukrainian offensive along the 190-mile frontline that has remained largely static for seven years since the separatist revolt backed by Russian forces after the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Although shelling increased this week from the separatist side with a kindergarten among targets hit and the heaviest bombardments for six years Ukraine has given firm orders to its forces not to respond to avoid giving Russia any excuse to invade. Analysts say there has been a substantial increase in fake stories circulated on social media over the past two days on channels connected to Russian security forces, along with a string of false news reports from Donbas on state-aligned media. Military helicopters fire flying over the Osipovichi training ground during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills yesterday 'The goal is to cover up the Kremlin's false flag operations in the occupied Donbas,' said Maria Avdeeva, a Kharkiv-based expert on disinformation. 'This will create a pretext for Russia-backed authorities in the so-called republics to ask for help from Moscow to protect Russian citizens in the territories.' In another dramatic turn yesterday, an activist belonging to a political party funded by an oligarch close to Mr Putin posted a video claiming he had been kidnapped and tortured as part of a state-run terror campaign against Russian speakers. But Ukrainian security sources said they intercepted text messages from the activist a few minutes after his supposed kidnap to party colleagues in which they discussed the stunt. 'It was another provocation to create instability,' said a source. Mr McCallum also warned that Russia and China are targeting MPs and advisers The head of MI5 warned Russia and China are waging a 'contest' for supremacy EXCLUSIVE: Ken McCallum said 'we are in a struggle' in UK for our way of life The head of MI5 today lays bare the terrifying threat to Britain from hostile nations. Ken McCallum says 'we are in a struggle here' for our very way of life. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, he warns Russia and China are waging an all-encompassing 'contest' for international supremacy, seeking to interfere in Parliament, shape public thought and steal from businesses, universities and ordinary Britons. 'It's important not to frame this as a Cold War II, but at the same time to be clear-eyed that we are in a struggle here,' he says. 'We do need to stand up for our values, for our system, for the benefits of the democratic way of life that we, and our allies, hold dear.' However, in his interview today, the Director General also warns that MI5 is being hamstrung by outdated laws which make it impossible to prosecute foreign spies. MI5 director general Ken McCallum (pictured) warns Russia and China are waging an all-encompassing 'contest' for international supremacy, seeking to interfere in Parliament 'We are in effect operating with one hand behind our back on state threats,' he admits. His warning comes against the backdrop of the crisis in Ukraine, with British and western officials apparently convinced that President Putin has made up his mind to invade in a move that threatens to destabilise Nato's eastern flank. Mr McCallum also warns that Russia and China are both desperate to gain a foothold in the House of Commons by targeting MPs and their advisers. He says: 'It's always been the case that people close to the seat of power will be subject to attempted influence. The assertiveness of some of that influencing might be on the rise.' Delivering a chilling assessment of the threats facing Britain and its Nato allies, Mr McCallum says: The threat from hostile states now rivals that from terrorism in terms of the level of potential danger it presents to the UK. MPs have passed on intelligence about more suspected hostile state approaches since Chinese spy Christine Lee was outed by MI5 last month. The crisis in Ukraine could see Russian espionage, cyber strikes and interference being brought to bear in 'sharp form' in the UK. Ordinary Britons are being targeted on a 'mass scale' by our adversaries using professional networking sites such as LinkedIn. Mr McCallum said it was getting harder for MI5 to decide whether to prioritise home-grown terrorists or foreign spies, such was the threat of interference, cyber-attacks and espionage by agents of powerful nations including Russia and China. He said that the crisis in Ukraine also threatened to unleash a wave of cyber-attacks from Russia which could strike UK organisations, paralysing businesses or even shut down an NHS hospital. Mr McCallum said: 'Clearly what's happening in Russia and Ukraine is a cause for very grave concern. What does matter in my organisation's role is how these threats manifest back here in the UK. It comes against the backdrop of the Ukraine crisis, with western officials apparently convinced that President Putin (pictured with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko) has made up his mind to invade 'We are very alive to the type of threats that could manifest in a sharper form in the coming days or weeks and of course cyber security is naturally strongly on that list.' Mr McCallum believes Britain must be prepared to fight off 'ongoing attempts by a range of other nations to influence our economy, our democracy, our society'. But he described his frustration that outdated laws made it impossible to lock up foreign spies. Unlike the US, which has a law against 'unregistered foreign agents' dating from 1938, Britain has to rely on the Official Secrets Act. This means that Government officials can be prosecuted for leaking information but it allows the spies themselves to go free. In May, Boris Johnson pledged to introduce a Bill to counter hostile states, making it a criminal offence if any individuals working on behalf of foreign governments do not register their presence here. However, it remains to be seen whether the new law will be enough to stop spies such as Christine Lee, who also had British citizenship, and it is not clear how quickly it can be brought in. Mr McCallum said the Official Secrets Act was not fit for purpose: 'Laws that had stood the test of time over theft of state secrets are insufficient to deal with the more nuanced interconnected world in which we all live. 'We don't have in my view sufficient legal powers to deal with some of what we are now seeing. 'With state threats we seek to do everything we can to make the UK resilient but in many cases we don't have the ability to bring prosecutions in the criminal courts, for example it is not presently a criminal offence to be a covert agent of a foreign power. 'It is frustrating. At the moment we are in effect operating with one hand behind our back on state threats. We think we could do a better job for our nation if some of those gaps were closed.' The spy chief said the peril from hostile states now rivalled domestic terrorism. He said: 'Every Monday morning, I convene a senior team who focus on the threats that our nation is facing. 'Typically over the past two decades most times that conversation has been dominated by terrorist threats, specifically from Al Qaeda, so-called Islamic State and increasingly sadly threats from extreme Right-wing terrorism and also still residual terrorist threats in Northern Ireland. 'But over the past few years we have sadly seen a big resurgence in various threats, espionage and interference to the UK from a number of powerful nations.' He also said MPs have passed on intelligence about more suspected hostile state approaches since Chinese spy Christine Lee (pictured with Xi Jinping) was outed by MI5 last month Mr McCallum warned there were 'ongoing attempts' by a range of nations to influence 'our economy, our democracy, our society', warning: 'These other components of UK life the public sector, the academic sector and so forth are still very much central to these ongoing waves of shaping activity, and need to be aware of that and make conscious smart choices. 'We need to be clear that there is in effect a contest of different worlds now taking place, sometimes visibly, sometimes invisibly, between the liberal democrat model West and the more authoritarian model nations. 'What we are dealing with won't, I don't think, become a confrontation of the sort our grandparents would recognise. [And] the UK does not need to cut itself off from the world. 'But we do need to be clear that standing up for our values and our way of life matters and sometimes that involves tough choices.' A month on from MI5's unprecedented warning that Chinese spy Lee had infiltrated Parliament to target the highest levels of Government, Mr McCallum said MPs should expect a lot more foreign 'interference alerts' in future. He revealed that other MPs had since flagged concerns about suspect approaches. 'That was a very helpful thing,' he said. Mr McCallum said both Russia and China were attempting to access advisers who have the Prime Minister's ear. 'It will always be the case that those that are seeking to exert influence on our political life will want to influence those advisers in order that their point of view can be heard. Those advisers themselves are typically very aware of these risks.' He also described the 'online cultivation' of ordinary Britons at 'mass scale' by our adversaries using professional networking sites such as LinkedIn and social media. British citizens, experts, business people and academics were being approached by people 'making some very complimentary remarks about some seminar they have given or a paper they have written or inviting them to a conference'. 'It's something we see happening thousands and thousands of times and not too many of those people have to respond positively to make it worth the while of those who are trying to do this type of online cultivation, and so that remains a real danger.' For more than 40 years I've followed American politics and I've never known it to be as divisive, nasty, dangerous and violent with gun-toting activists regularly roaming city streets as it is today. So it speaks volumes for the sad state of Scottish politics when distinguished Scots journalist Sarah Smith says she's looking forward to escaping the 'criticism, bile and hatred' she's endured as BBC Scotland editor for the calmer, less stressful beat of BBC North American editor. Smith expects less vilification, fewer threats and less hatred than she's experienced in her homeland these past six years. She speaks of being verbally assaulted on Scottish streets with shouts of 'what f****** lies are you telling on TV tonight, you f****** b***h'. Scots journalist Sarah Smith (pictured) says she's looking forward to escaping the 'criticism, bile and hatred' she's endured as BBC Scotland editor She was subjected to a regular stream of the vilest vituperation on social media. You can understand why she's ready for a quieter life and the relative anonymity of America. There was a time not that long ago when Scots would take huge pride in the achievements of someone like Sarah Smith. True, she was born to a professional, bourgeois family. Her father, John, a lawyer by training, became leader of the Labour Party and his untimely death in 1994 was a great loss to British politics. Her mother is a luminary of the Scottish establishment, serving on the boards of everything from Scottish Opera to the Edinburgh Fringe. But Sarah Smith went to a local state school and then to the University of Glasgow, the alma mater of her father and mother, where she excelled. From there she began a successful broadcasting career. She did stints on Today, the BBC Radio 4 flagship current-affairs show; she took over from me on BBC1's Sunday Politics and she served with distinction in the BBC's most important journalistic position north of the border. Now, in the teeth of great competition, she has secured the BBC's most important foreign posting. A classic Scottish success story. But not one much lauded in today's Scotland. Instead, Smith has been vilified and traduced at every turn just for doing her job, which she did well. It is true Scotland's repetitive independence debate has coarsened political discourse and produced unpleasant and unnecessary abuse from both sides, unionist and nationalist alike. But the toxic cesspit that is today's Scottish politics and which incessantly monstered Smith is overwhelmingly down to the wilder fringes of the Scottish National Party (SNP), whose so-called 'cybernats' have polluted debate with the vilest abuse, including threats of violence, sexual assault and even death. Their game is to gang up on anybody who doesn't drink the SNP Kool-Aid without reservation. So most journalists covering Scotland have been their target, including Nick Robinson who was BBC political editor during the 2014 independence referendum, dared to question some SNP claims and faced public demonstrations outside BBC Scotland whipped up by cybernats. Sturgeon (pictured) yesterday said that she 'unreservedly' condemned the attacks against journalist Smith I've also regularly experienced their ire, usually after a robust interview with Nicola Sturgeon or other prominent SNP politicians. I've banished from my memory the slights they hurled at me which is probably just as well since they couldn't be repeated in a family newspaper. But I'm really too old, too ugly and too remote to be bothered by them. Sarah Smith who has been somewhat coy about the source of the bile directed at her risked coming across their kind every day. The fact she is smart, attractive, informed and confident only fuelled their hatred and misogyny. Some like to dismiss them as unrepresentative extremists. Perhaps they are. But SNP leaders only rarely slap them down. Sturgeon did belatedly say yesterday that she 'unreservedly' condemned the attacks against Smith, but more often the SNP is simply in denial. One of its Glasgow MSP's, James Dornan, tweeted, complete with a 'rolling-eyes' emoji, that Smith had 'imagined' all the attacks coming her way. After an outcry he changed that to 'exaggerated', before resiling from that, too. Mr Dornan has previous when it comes to embarrassing comments. He once referred to a gay Tory MP as a 'f**'. He accused Edinburgh's Lothian bus service of being anti-Catholic because it didn't run an all-night service on St Patrick's Day. He told Tory Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg he would 'rot in hell'. Such are the intellectual giants that bestride the corridors of Holyrood. Much of the toxicity directed at Smith was because she worked for the BBC. As Mike Russell, a veteran SNP politician who can always be counted on to get the wrong end of any stick, explains: 'The BBC is a creature of the British state. Its interest is in preserving that state.' So Smith was congenitally biased against the SNP. Of course, this is nonsense on stilts. If anything, BBC Scotland is too cowed by Sturgeon and her henchmen, as are most public institutions north of the border, many of whom depend on money or favours from the Scottish government. Smith was scrupulously fair in her reporting, but BBC Scotland is generally timid in its coverage of the SNP. It is significant that Auntie has barely reported Smith's remarks which are, by any standard, a major story. But timidity trumps truth. Smith, pictured in 2016, says she expects less vilification, fewer threats and less hatred than she's experienced in her homeland these past six years The viler elements of the SNP have caused great personal grief and concern for their targets. But they have also undermined the case for independence among the wider public. I was publisher of The Scotsman Group of newspapers when the Scottish Parliament was established in 1999. I was often assured by supporters of devolution and independence that it would usher in a new era of 'civil and joyous' politics, far superior to the adversarial politics of Westminster. As Sarah Smith found to her cost, the opposite happened. And the sheer nastiness of Scottish politics jars with most ordinary Scots and repels those south of the border. That is one of the reasons why I now think, in the unlikely event of a second independence vote, that the SNP would lose again. Some SNP politicians also fear that, which is why they are less enthusiastic than you might think about having another referendum any time soon. With North Sea oil and gas in steep decline and the SNP now hitched to the anti-fossil-fuel greens so now against any further drilling the economics of independence are more precarious than ever. The recent SNP spat over pensions was revealing. The SNP fought the 2014 referendum expressing no doubts that in an independent Scotland, the Scottish Government would be responsible for Scottish pensions. Smith with Ruth Davidson. Andrew Neil writes: 'Smith was scrupulously fair in her reporting, but BBC Scotland is generally timid in its coverage of the SNP' But in recent weeks, leading SNP figures started to claim that Westminster would need to pay Scottish pensions even after independence. The proposition was so ludicrous that the SNP was soon in full retreat back to its 2014 position. But the idea was floated because without oil revenues, there is a multi-billion pound hole in Scotland's finances, made worse, of course, by the pandemic. If Westminster continued to fork out for pensions that massive Scottish deficit would look a little bit more manageable. No Westminster government is ever going to agree to that. But it is a significant sign that the economic case for independence has never been weaker and the SNP is devoid of ideas on how to strengthen it. So the United Kingdom is likely to last much longer than its critics think. Sarah Smith can watch that from afar in a kinder, gentler environment well, somewhat. And Scotland can get on with improving its lot within the UK. But the legacy of toxicity that currently diminishes and degrades Scottish politics will take a generation to erase. Don't come back any time soon, Sarah. Jennifer, you haven't a leg to stand on Surprisingly, it's not the cybernats that have said the worst about me on social media. That dubious accolade belongs to Jennifer Arcuri, former blonde 'belle' of the Prime Minister and a self-styled American 'technology entrepreneur'. I don't know her and had no interest in her (until now), but out of the blue in December she tweeted that I was involved in the evil activities of the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, even travelling on what she called his 'pedo elite train'. Obviously her vile claims are total fantasy, made up without a scintilla of truth. So I tried to get her to withdraw and apologise, as the precursor to settlement. But she dug in deeper. So this week I began libel proceedings. I am seeking an unconditional withdrawal and apology plus exemplary damages, a large chunk of which I will donate to a child abuse charity. I am in no doubt of victory since she doesn't have a leg to stand on. Then I will go after all those who retweeted her remarks with approval. Just because it's social media doesn't give anyone carte blanche to lie. Boris Johnson last night urged Russia to avoid 'unnecessary bloodshed' as Vladimir Putin prepared to personally oversee missile drills close to Ukraine's border. The Prime Minister will today warn western leaders they must speak with 'one voice' on the price Moscow would pay for an invasion. He will speak at a Munich security conference around the same time the Russian president presides over large-scale war games from a situation room in Moscow amid fears in the West an invasion of Ukraine is more likely than ever. Vladimir Putin, centre, with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, left, and Army Chief General Valery Gerasimov, right, in 2018 Mr Johnson said last night: 'There is still a chance to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, but it will require an overwhelming display of western solidarity beyond anything we have seen in recent history.' He said Britain would 'redouble our efforts to prevent a grave miscalculation which would devastate Ukraine, Russia and the rest of Europe'. Mr Putin announced last night that he would oversee nuclear drills in the annexed Ukrainian territory of Crimea, the Black Sea and close to rebel-held areas of Ukraine. The Russian leader and his generals will watch the live-fire exercises of ballistic and cruise missiles from the defence ministry's situation room. Moscow insists the drills have been long planned, but their timing will raise further suspicions that Russia is on the brink of invading its neighbour. At the Kremlin yesterday, Mr Putin made unsubstantiated accusations of 'mass and systematic violation of human rights' and 'discrimination against the Russian speaking population' in eastern Ukraine. Putin watching the launch of Russia's Avangard hypersonic missile system via a video link from Russia's National Defense Management Center in 2018 He said there had been 'a deterioration of the situation' there after reports of shelling over the past 48 hours and called on the Ukrainian government to hold talks with separatists. But US secretary of state Antony Blinken told the Munich Security Conference that Russia was trying to create 'false provocations' to justify 'new aggression against Ukraine'. The location of the three-day forum, will lead to some uncomfortable historical parallels. European powers, including Britain, attempted to appease Hitler's Germany by agreeing to the annexation of part of Czechoslovakia in signing the 1938 Munich Agreement. A vehicle carrying military hardware of Russian Army Western Military District tank army units following routine drills in the Nizhny Novgorod Region As the Prime Minister headed to the southern German city as part of the diplomatic efforts to avert war, a senior western security official warned the crisis was entering 'the most dangerous phase'. Referring to Mr Putin's disputed claims, the official said: 'Many of these events were precisely the kind of thing we were anticipating. We are entering what we knew was going to be such a dangerous window. The Russians could act at any time. It can happen at very little or no notice and at significant scale.' The US says Russia has increased the number of troops at Ukraine's borders and dismissed claims of a withdrawal. They estimate there are as many as 190,000 soldiers waiting to strike. 'This is the most significant military mobilisation in Europe since the Second World War,' said Michael Carpenter, the US representative to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. The top diplomat said Washington's latest estimate, up from 100,000 on January 30, included units close to Ukraine's borders, in Belarus and in occupied Crimea, seized by Russia in 2014. The Prime Minister will today warn western leaders they must speak with 'one voice' on the price Moscow would pay for an invasion Mr Carpenter said the figure included Russian-led separatists in eastern Ukraine, although it was unclear if the rebels had been part of earlier estimates. US vice-president Kamala Harris said the White House remained 'open to diplomacy' but told Russia 'to demonstrate that it is serious in that regard'. Last night the Foreign Office announced that the British embassy in Kiev will 'temporarily' relocate to the west of the country. It is also advising 'against all but essential travel' to Belarus and the Transnistria region of Moldova, which both neighbour Ukraine. Mr Putin accuses the West of ignoring Russia's security concerns, with Moscow issuing a series of demands on Thursday. Russia insists any deal must include a legally binding pledge that Ukraine will never join Nato. German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock issued Berlin's most stinging rebuke of Moscow since the crisis began, dismissing what she called its 'Cold War demands.' Germany has faced criticism from the US and Britain for pressing ahead with the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The multi-billion-pound project will pump Russian gas directly across the Baltic, meaning Germany will rely on Russia for much of its energy supply and Ukraine's pipelines would be bypassed. The brains of astronauts are 'rewired' during long-duration space flight to help them adapt the unusual environment, according to a new study. An international team, led by the University of Antwerp in Belgium, studied the brains of Russian cosmonauts who had been in space for an average of 172 days. Brains change and adapt, in both structure and function, throughout our lives, but this new study found the effects of spaceflight can trigger its own changes. The results show significant microstructural changes in several white matter tracts such as the sensorimotor tracts, responsible for sensory, motor, and processing. The study, funded by the European Space Agency and Roscomos, will form the basis for future research into the full scope of brain changes during space travel. The cosmonauts involved i the study have not been named by the researchers. The brains of astronauts are 'rewired' during long-duration space flight to help them adapt the unusual environment, according to a new study. Artist impression of moon landing As human exploration of space reaches new horizons, such as spending longer in low Earth orbit, as well as travel to the moon and back on to Mars, understanding the effects of spaceflight on human brains is crucial, the team said. Previous research has shown that spaceflight has the potential to alter both the shape and function of an adult brain. Leader author, Dr Floris Wuyts and colleagues investigated structural changes in the brain after spaceflight at the level of deep-brain white matter tracts. This is the part of the brain responsible for communication between gray matter and the body, as well as between various gray matter regions. In short, white matter is the channel of communication of the brain and gray matter is where information processing is done. To study brain structure and function after spaceflight, the researchers used a brain imaging technique called fiber tractography. Brains change and adapt, in both structure and function, throughout our lives, but this new study found the effects of spaceflight can trigger its own changes 'Fiber tractography gives a sort of wiring scheme of the brain. Our study is the first to use this specific method to detect changes in brain structure after spaceflight,' explained Dr Wuyts. WHEN WILL HUMANS VISIT MARS? For decades humans have set their sights on stepping foot on Mars. Every generation of NASA Astronaut since the Apollo moon landings has been told they may be the first to step foot on the Red Planet. The Artemis generation, those selected to go to the Moon this decade, are the first where this may well be the case. NASA plans to land the first humans on Mars by the middle of the 2030s, which is a similar timeframe to China. Elon Musk's SpaceX has a more ambitious timeline, hoping to send a Starship, with crew, to build a base on Mars by the end of this decade. Advertisement Wuyts and his team acquired diffusion MRI (dMRI) scans of 12 male cosmonauts before and right after their spaceflights. They also collected eight follow-up scans, seven months after spaceflight. The cosmonauts, sent to space by the Russian space agency Roscosmos, all engaged in long-duration missions of an average length of 172 days. The researchers found proof of the concept of 'the learned brain', which is the level of neuroplasticity the brain has to adapt to spaceflight. 'We found changes in the neural connections between several motor areas of the brain,' said first author Andrei Doroshin, of Drexel University. 'Motor areas are brain centers where commands for movements are initiated. In weightlessness, an astronaut needs to adapt his or her movement strategies drastically, compared to Earth. 'Our study shows that their brain is rewired, so to speak.' Follow up scans, seven months after they returned to Earth, revealed that the changes from spaceflight were still visible in the brain. 'From previous studies, we know that these motor areas show signs of adaptation after spaceflight. Now, we have a first indication that it is also reflected at the level of connections between those regions,' Dr Wuyts said. The authors also discovered an explanation for anatomical brain shifts observed after spaceflight. An international team, led by the University of Antwerp in Belgium, studied the brains of Russian cosmonauts who had been in space for an average of 172 days 'We initially thought to have detected changes in the corpus callosum, which is the central highway connecting both hemispheres of the brain,' explained Dr Wuyts. The corpus callosum borders the brain ventricles, a communicating network of chambers filled with fluid, which expand because of spaceflight. 'The structural changes we initially found in the corpus callosum are actually caused by the dilation of the ventricles that induce anatomical shifts of the adjacent neural tissue,' said Dr Wuyts. 'Where initially it was thought that there are real structural changes in the brain, we only observe shape changes. This puts the findings in a different perspective.' The study illustrates a need for understanding how spaceflight affects our body, specifically via long-term research on the effects on the human brain, he said. The study, funded by the European Space Agency and Roscomos, will form the basis for future research into the full scope of brain changes during space travel. NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson pictured. She was not involved in the study Current countermeasures exist for muscle and bone loss, such as exercising for a minimum of two hours a day. Future research may provide evidence that countermeasures are necessary for the brain. 'These findings give us additional pieces of the entire puzzle. Since this research is so pioneering, we don't know how the whole puzzle will look yet. 'These results contribute to our overall understanding of what's going on in the brains of space travelers. 'It is crucial to maintain this line of research, looking for spaceflight induced brain changes from different perspectives and using different techniques,' said Dr Wuyts. The findings have been published in the journal Frontiers in Neural Circuits. Advertisement NASA's SUV-sized Perseverance rover landed on the surface of the Red Planet a year ago today, on February 18, 2021 following a 'seven minutes of terror' descent. Soon after arriving in Martian orbit, Perseverance shot like a speeding bullet through the atmosphere at 12,000mph and successfully deployed the sonic parachute which slowed it down to make a soft landing on the surface. It descended on the parachute, the backshell separated and the sky crane maneuver carried Perseverance to the ground attached to long nylon cables. Perseverance touched down at the base of an 820ft-deep crater called Jezero, a dried up river delta that would have been filled with water 3.5 billion years ago. Its first act, and the first part of its mission, was to release the Ingenuity helicopter, the first flying vehicle to take off and land on another planet. During its year on Mars, Perseverance has been incredibly busy, capturing images of rocks, monitoring the Ingenuity flights, and even creating oxygen from Martian air. NASA's SUV-sized Perseverance rover landed on the surface of the Red Planet a year ago today, on February 18, 2021 following a 'seven minutes of terror' descent. Artist impression of the landing Perseverance touched down at the base of an 820ft-deep crater called Jezero, a dried up river delta that would have been filled with water 3.5 billion years ago. Its first act, and the first part of its mission, was to release the Ingenuity helicopter, the first flying vehicle to take off and land on another planet NASA's Ingenuity helicopter has completed 19 flights on the Red Planet to date, and is now helping scout out locations for Perseverance to study, including checking the safety of terrain Before it started its mission to find signs of life, Perseverance's first job was one of calibration - phoning home to make sure equipment was working, and testing onboard systems. It also had to deploy the tiny Ingenuity helicopter. The rotor craft hitched a lift to Mars strapped to the belly of Perseverance, and was dropped off on the surface of Mars in March, with its first launch in April. Before that, NASA captured panoramic images of the Jezero crater, as well as sending audio back recorded by microphones on Perseverance. The first audio clip included the sounds of Perseverance grinding and squealing as it slowly moved across the Martian dirt In the clip, shared by NASA, the rover's six tires can be heard 'banging, pinging and rattling' through the dirt of Jezero crater 239 million miles away from Earth. NASA released over 75,000 photos within the first hundred days. They also took weather forecasts. The data shows that it was just below -4F on the surface of the Jezero Crater (pictured) when MEDA turned on, but dropped to -14F 30 minutes later NASA's Perseverance rover is slowly trekking across Mars, but we can now hear its tires rolling in the dirt from 239 million miles away PERSEVERANCE ROVER COMES WITH 23 CAMERAS There are 23 cameras mounted to the Perseverance rover including: Nine engineering cameras, seven science cameras and seven for entry, descent and landing. The engineering cameras give detailed information in colour about the terrain the rover has to cross. They measure the ground for safe driving, check out the status of hardware and support sample gathering. There are Hazcams for hazard detection and Navcams for navigation. Science cameras record in more detail and can even capture 3D images. The Mastcam-Z on a 2 metre arm has a zoom feature for focusing on distant objects and can film video. The Supercam fires a laser at mineral targets beyond the reach of the rovers arm to analysed the chemical composition of the rock. Advertisement NASA engineer Dave Gruel said on Earth if you heard those sounds you'd pull over and call for a tow' but on Mars they 'make perfect sense'. Perseverance, also known as 'Percy,' also shared its first encounter with a dust devil that moved right to left behind its robotic arm as it began driving on the Red Planet. Early in April, shortly before Ingenuity launched, Perseverance sent back a weather report, finding air temperatures dropped from -4F to -14F in just 30 minutes. It also took its first selfie, which has become an iconic part of NASA rover missions since Curiosity landed in Gale Crater in 2011. The two snaps show Perseverance's remote sensing mast, which hosts many of the rover's cameras and scientific instruments. They were taken with the SHERLOC WATSON camera, located on the turret at the end of the rover's robotic arm. After several delays, Ingenuity finally took to the Martian sky on April 19, firing up its rotors and lifting itself 10 feet into the air. Once airborne, it hovered for five seconds, made a 96-degree turn and floated for another 30 seconds before landing back down on the surface. The flight, according to NASA, was flawless. It was a gentle take off, with a little push by the wind when it climbed higher altitudes, but was very steady with just the tiniest bounce upon landing. The dusty piece of Martian landscape where NASA achieved this flight has been name the 'Wright Brothers field' in honor of the two men who performed the first flight of a powered aircraft on Earth. Portrait of the Artist as a Young Bot: WATSON digital image shows part of the Perseverance rover on the Jezero Crater, Mars The Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) system aboard the Perseverance rover captured the surrounded temperatures for 30 minutes February 19 at around 10:25pm ET (pictured) 'While these two iconic moments in aviation history may be separated by time and 173 million miles of space, they now will forever be linked,' NASA Associate Administrator for Science Thomas Zurbuchen said at the time. Among the glitz of flying on another world, NASA also had another major breakthrough during these first few months - creating Oxygen. Among a range of science experiments on the rover is MOXIE, a small, gold box-shaped instrument that used electrolysis technology to generate oxygen. MOXIE, or the Mars Oxygen In-situ Resource Utilization Experiment, produced 5.4 grams of oxygen in an hour by pulling in CO2 and converting it to the life giving chemical during its first test on the Red Planet. The four-pound helicopter fired up its rotors and lifted itself 10 feet into the air where it hovered for five seconds, made a 96-degre turn and floated for another 30 seconds before landing back on the Martian surface during its first flight Ingenuity also snapped an image showing the moment before its landing legs touched back down after what is being called a 'Wright Brothers moment' INGENUITY: THE SMALL ROTORCRAFT THAT TOOK TO THE MARTIAN SKY Ingenuity was designed as a technology demonstrator rather than carrying any of its own science experiments or equipment. It rode to Mars attached to the belly of the SUV-size Perseverance rover. The helicopter took off from the 'Wright Brothers Field' on Monday April 19, making history as the first powered flight on another world. For the first flight, the helicopter took off, climbed to about 10ft above the ground, hovered in the air briefly, completed a turn, and then landed. It is built to be light and strong to survive the harsh Martian environment. It weighs just under 4lb and is only 19 inches tall as it has to fly in the much thinner atmosphere - about 1% that of the atmosphere found on Earth. It can fly up to 980ft, go up to 16ft in the sky and can spend about 90 seconds in the air before landing. The rotors are 4ft in diameter and the craft includes solar panels that charge lithium-ion batteries. It has a 30 day lifespan, with a total of five flights expected in that time. Advertisement This version is capable of producing up to 12g of oxygen per hour, or about 288g per day. Astronauts on the ISS consume an average of 840g of O2 every day. 'This is a critical first step at converting carbon dioxide to oxygen on Mars,' said NASA's Jim Reuter, adding it will make future human missions more viable Soon after the first flight, the Ingenuity launches came thick and fast, with the second a few days later, going higher and performing a tricky sideways tilt. The fourth flight also gave us audio, captured by Perseverance, of the helicopter's rotors as it soared 262ft above the surface. While in the air, the helicopter's blades spin at 2,537 rpm and faint humming is heard throughout the audio clip. Ingenuity's flights are challenging because of conditions vastly different from Earth's - foremost among them a rarefied atmosphere that has less than one per cent the density of our own. And this hinders the ability to capture clear audio on the Red Planet. David Mimoun, a professor of planetary science at Institut Superieur de l'Aeronautique et de l'Espace (ISAE-SUPAERO) in Toulouse, France, and science lead for the SuperCam Mars microphone, said: 'This is a very good surprise. 'We had carried out tests and simulations that told us the microphone would barely pick up the sounds of the helicopter, as the Mars atmosphere damps the sound propagation strongly. We have been lucky to register the helicopter at such a distance. 'This recording will be a gold mine for our understanding of the Martian atmosphere.' Perseverance entered the science phase of its mission in May, testing the ancient lakebed that makes up Jezero crater using its onboard instruments. A camera called WATSON on the end of the rover's robotic arm has taken detailed shots of the rocks, with extra data coming from a pair of zoomable cameras. Perseverance, also known as 'Percy,' shared its first encounter with a dust devil that moved right to left behind its robotic arm The Jet Propulsion Laboratory tweeted: 'I spy with my little eyea rover,' sharing the image taken by Ingenuity as it flew above the Martian surface showing the rover in the top left corner, in an image taken from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter The high resolution camera allowed NASA to zoom in and show the SUV-sized Perseverance rover despite it being over 200ft away from the helicopter WHAT IS MASTCAM-Z USED TO FILM THE INGENUITY FLIGHT The main purpose of Mastcam-Z, a camera mounted on a mast attached to Perseverance, is to take photos and video in high definition. It is also able to capture panoramic, colour and 3D images of features in the atmosphere and on the surface. It has a zoom lens so it can magnify distant targets, making it perfect to track the first Ingenuity flight. It is mounted at the eye level of a 6 and a half foot tall person with two cameras about 9.5 inches apart. NASA says it is the 'main eyes' of the Perseverance rover. Advertisement The Perseverance team tweeted: 'The time has come: I'm switching from on-scene photographer to science investigator. Did this ancient lakebed ever have life? The tools I brought will help begin the hunt. I'm a bot on a mission. By its 100th day on Mars, Perseverance had sent back 75,000 photos of the planet, around the time Ingenuity switched from being a simple 'technical demonstration' to its new role as scout. NASA said this was the point where the 'science can begin', and started with pictures of the rocks on the floor of the crater. In July, Ingenuity was used to capture photos of an area named 'raised ridges' within the crater, that may have been caused by wind and dust, or possibly water once flowing through the now dry Jezero Crater. Thanks to Ingenuity, NASA is effectively able to be in 'two in places at once' with its Perseverance mission, both at the Crater Floor Fractured Rough and Ingenuity flying close by. Perseverance failed in its first attempt to gather a sample of rock from the Red Planet, as the material didn't react as expected during the coring phase. The percussive drill, coring bit and sample tube processing all worked as intended, but data shows the sample tube was empty following extraction. After testing, NASA blamed the unusually soft, powdery rock on the surface of Mars for the sampling fiasco that saw Perseverance fail to collect its first specimen. Perseverance made another attempt at the end of August and was successful. Future astronauts travelling to the Red Planet can 'breathe easy' after NASA's Perseverance rover made history by creating oxygen from Martian CO2 using this small device attached to Perseverance NASA released 'surprising' audio captured from its Perseverance rover, which was parked 262 feet from the helicopter as it soared through the thin Martian atmosphere during its fourth flight on April 30 MOXIE: HOW IT WORKS The oxygen production process starts with carbon dioxide intake. Inside MOXIE, the Martian CO2 is compressed and filtered to remove any contaminants. It is then heated, which causes separation into oxygen and carbon monoxide. The oxygen is further isolated by a hot, charged ceramic component. The oxygen ions merge into O2. Carbon monoxide is expelled harmlessly back into the atmosphere. Preliminary indications are that once the background CO2 was flushed out by the flowing oxygen, the resulting product was nearly 100% pure oxygen. This first version can produce up to 12g (0.02lb) of oxygen per hour - similar to the amount a large tree produces. Advertisement The US space agency tweeted from the Perseverance account: 'I've got it! With better lighting down the sample tube, you can see the rock core I collected is still in there. Up next, I'll process this sample and seal the tube.' Perseverance's target was a briefcase-sized rock nicknamed 'Rochette' from a ridgeline that is half a mile (900 meters) long. On August 6, Perseverance had drilled into much softer rock, and the sample crumbled and did not get inside the titanium tube. The rover drove half a mile to a better sampling spot to try again, finding success the second time around. Its third attempt was also a success, taking another sample from the same large boulder that gave the first sample - but a week later. Initial tests from those first two samples, named 'Montdenier' and 'Montagnac,' revealed they have a basaltic composition, which scientists say may have formed from ancient lava flows and could provide a timeline of the ancient lake from when it formed to when it disappeared. NASA already knows the crater was once filled with water, but for how long remains a mystery. But the level of alteration that scientists see in the rock that provided the core samples as well as in the rock the team targeted on their first sample-acquisition attempt suggests that groundwater was present for a long time. A month later, using detailed images from space, in combination with data from rock samples, scientists at MIT revealed Jezero was a quiet lake 3.7 billion years ago, but a flash flood crashed large boulders into the delta. NASA's Ingenuity helicopter took pictures of the 'Raised Ridges' area on Mars. The ridges may have been caused by wind and dust or possibly water that once flowed in the now-dry Jezero Crater NASA's Ingenuity helicopter made its seventh successful flight on Mars in June, this time landing in an airfield that had only previously been seen by a Mars orbiter They found that during its time as a lake the Jezero crater was steadily fed by a small river, with occasional flash flooding events forcing the water to flow over the edge. This flooding was energetic enough to sweep up large boulders from tens of miles upstream and deposit them into the lakebed, where the massive rocks still lie today. By November 2021 Perseverance had collected its third rock sample, and Ingenuity had completed its 15th flight - lasting two minutes. NASA's Perseverance Mars rover used its dual-camera Mastcam-Z imager to capture this image of 'Santa Cruz' a hill about 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) away from the rover The percussive drill, coring bit and sample tube processing all worked as intended, but data shows the sample tube was empty following extraction during the first core sample test. Pictured is the hole Perseverance made to collect core samples After analysing the initial data, the researchers revealed that the rock sample was softer than expected and didn't make it into the tube By the end of 2021, Perseverance had driven 1.8 miles, collected six rock samples and set a record for the longest drive in a single Martian day. Jessica Samuels, Perseverance surface operations mission manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, described it as a 'busy 10 months.' 'It has been a year of perseverance. From operating during Covid, to challenges with sampling, to interpreting scientific results, it is a fitting name for the vehicle, and for the team as well.' she said in a video shared by NASA. The sixth sample of rock proved to be one of the hardest - as parts of it became stuck within the tube socket - causing NASA to develop systems to 'shake it out'. In this image released by NASA, Perseverance rover shows a sample tube with its cored-rock contents inside; the bronze-coloured outer-ring is the coring bit, the lighter-coloured inner-ring is the open end of the tube, and inside is a rock core sample In this image released by NASA, the drill hole from Perseverance's second sample-collection attempt can be seen in a rock ROVER'S FIRST ATTEMPT FAILED DUE TO POWDERY ROCK NASA's Perseverance rover failed during its first attempt to collect a core of Martian rock, the agency revealed on August 6. The percussive drill, coring bit and sample tube processing all worked as intended, but data showed the sample tube was empty following extraction. Jennifer Trosper, project manager for Perseverance at JPL, said in a statement: The initial thinking is that the empty tube is more likely a result of the rock target not reacting the way we expected during coring, and less likely a hardware issue with the Sampling and Caching System.' Days later, NASA revealed the rock at this particular location was unusually soft and powdery, which was why the operation was not a success. Advertisement On December 29, while retrieving a sample from a rock, its sixth so far, NASA engineers found they couldn't get the rock to go into the storage area. This was due to a pebble-sized piece of debris obstructing the robotic arm, blocking the entrance to the tube docking area - nearly a month later, this has been solved. NASA used an untested 'un-choking procedure', that involved pointing the drill containing a clogged test tube towards the ground and rotating it at high speed. This caused the pebbles to fall out, and land back on the surface of the Red Planet, even preserving the tube for use in another sampling mission. Perseverance hit the same rock, named 'issole' again in January, to finally get a sample of Mars, finding the rock covered in 'drill and abrasion marks' that resemble a shocked face. 'This rock almost looked surprised that I was coming back! Thankfully, I was able to collect another sample here to replace the one I discarded earlier,' NASA tweeted from the Perseverance account on January 31. 'This may be one of the oldest rocks I sample, so it could help us understand the history of this place.' It has been storing these samples in titanium, germ, free tubes inside its casing, but will eventually release them on the surface to be collected by a future rover. NASA aims to gather at least 20 samples with a variety of material that can be brought back to Earth for further analysis. NASA has teamed up with the European Space Agency (ESA) for the follow up mission to retrieve the samples, with at least two crafts expected for the project. NASA's Perseverance rover finally 'spit out' a piece of Mars rock that had clogged its main sampling tube, allowing it to continue searching for ancient signs of life NASA 's Perseverance rover has finally taken its sixth successful sample of rock from the Martian surface, after managing to shake off pebbles stuck in its tubes The sample tubes that Perseverance will be placing rock and soil samples into are the 'cleanest things ever created on Earth'. This is because NASA wants to check whether they contain ancient Martian life and so it had to be created so they wouldn't be contaminated by Earth DNA. Lockheed Martin won the contract to develop a small ascent vehicle, that will be the first rocket to blast off from another planet - likely by the end of this decade. When in space, it will dock with a European Space Agency spacecraft, that will bring the samples back to Earth for scientists to study up close and personal. That is if Elon Musk doesn't make it to Mars and back first. The world's richest man, and founder of SpaceX, hopes to have an uncrewed Starship on Mars by 2026, and a crew by the end of this decade. NASA and China are both planning to send a crew of astronauts to the Red Planet at some point in the 2030s, although no firm details have been revealed. While dating apps were once seen as a last resort for finding love, they're now the go-to option for millions of singletons around the world. But if you use Tinder, Bumble or Hinge, a new study may encourage you to reassess which photos you include. Researchers from the University of Arizona have revealed that people with sexy photos on their dating profiles are more likely to seen as incompetent and unlikeable. People who opt for saucy snaps are also less likely to be seen as looking for a long-term relationship than people with less sexy photos. Researchers from the University of Arizona have revealed that people with sexy photos on their dating profiles are more likely to seen as incompetent and unlikeable (stock image) The rise of online dating The first incarnation of a dating app can be traced back to 1995 when Match.com was first launched. The website allowed single people to upload a profile, a picture and chat to people online. eHarmony was then developed in 2000 and two years later Ashley Madison, a site dedicated to infidelity and cheating, was first launched. A plethora of other dating sites with a unique target demographic were set up in the next 10-15 years including OKCupid (2004), Plenty of Fish (2006), Grindr (2009) and Happn (2013). In 2012, Tinder was launched and was the first 'swipe' based dating platform. After its initial launch its usage snowballed and by March 2014 there were one billion matches a day. Bumble, a dating app designed to empower women, was launched in 2014 by Whitney Wolfe Herd, Tinder co-founder. Advertisement In the study, the researchers set out to understand whether the photos people include on their dating profiles affect other users' perception of them. 'Online dating has gained in popularity, and there exists a propensity of self-sexualization across these sites/apps,' the researchers, led by Kun Yan, wrote in their study, published in Psychology of Popular Media. 'The present study sought to analyse evaluations of sexualized and nonsexualized profile photos in online dating.' The team asked 262 students to evaluate what they believed to be a new dating website, featuring mock-up profiles. While the written descriptions in the profiles were neutral and relatively equal, half of the profiles featured sexualised photos, and the other half didn't. Sexualised photos were classed as ones where people posed in revealing clothing or lingerie, made suggestive poses or exposed their breasts, genitals or buttocks. The participants, who were all heterosexual, were randomly shown two sexualised and two non-sexualised profiles of the opposite sex. The results revealed that the participants rated profiles with sexier photos to be owned by people who were less competent, less likeable and less likely to be looking for a long-term relationship. 'Our results found that sexualized dating profiles incurred social costs (e.g., less perceived task competence, less liking and social attractiveness) and were also at an increased likelihood of experiencing sexual cyber dating abuse than were their nonsexualized counterparts,' the researchers wrote. In particular, male profiles with sexy photos were judged more harshly than female profiles with sexy photos. 'We theorize that the norms of the heterosexual script may partially explain this,' the researchers added. The study comes shortly after research revealed that users of dating apps such as Tinder, OKCupid and Match.com swipe left or right based on attractiveness and race. In particular, male profiles with sexy photos were judged more harshly than female profiles with sexy photos (stock image) US researchers found attractiveness and race preferences were the top predictors of whether people would swipe left or right and nearly twice as important as any other factors. Other individual characteristics such as personality and hobbies were poor predictors of which way someone would swipe. The average time for swiping right was just below one second. However, if a swiper didn't like someone, this time got even shorter to about half a second. A bizarre-looking ancient bird that had a 'movable chin' to help it root for food 120 million years ago has been identified. Scientists analysed fossils unearthed near the Great Wall of China to reveal that the creature had a bony appendage at the tip of its lower jaw which it was not only able to move but also feel through. This bony pincer was just in front of the teeth, in the spot where a chin would be if birds had chins. Experts said this so-called 'movable chin' was a dental feature that has never been seen in any other dinosaurs. Named Brevidentavis zhangi, meaning 'short-toothed bird', it was one of two new species identified by researchers led by Chicago's Field Museum. A bizarre-looking ancient bird that had a 'movable chin' to help it root for food 120 million years ago has been identified. Brevidentavis zhangi (shown in an artist's impression with its mouth open) is one of two new species identified, along with the toothless Meemannavis ductrix (left) WHAT IS GANSUS YUMENENSIS? Gansus yumenensis is the first Mesozoic bird found in China. It was identified following the discovery of a fossil near Changma, Gansu Province, northwestern China in 1984. Changma is an important place for researchers studying bird evolution. Later on, five more well-preserved specimens were found in mudstone at the site of an ancient lake at Changma, Gansu. Gansus yumenensis was about the size of a pigeon and similar in appearance to loons and diving ducks. It had many features common among modern birds, and also retained some primitive traits such as its clawed wings. Changma is the second-richest Mesozoic fossil bird site in the world, but more than half of the fossils found there belong to the same species, Gansus yumenensis. Advertisement The other was a toothless bird named Meemannavis ductrix. Both Meemannavis and Brevidentavis are ornithuromorph birds the group that contains modern birds. Like today's birds, Meemannavis was toothless, while Brevidentavis had small, peg-like teeth packed close together in its mouth. Along with those teeth came its strange 'movable chin' feature. 'It was a long, painstaking process teasing out what these things were,' said Jingmai O'Connor, the study's lead author and the associate curator of vertebrate paleontology at Chicago's Field Museum. 'Brevidentavis is an ornithuromorph bird with teeth, and in ornithuromorphs with teeth, there's a little bone at the front of the jaw called the predentary, where its chin would be if birds had chins.' In a previous study on the predentary in another fossil bird, the researchers discovered that the predentary bone underwent stress and also found a kind of cartilage that only forms when there's movement. 'In this earlier study, we were able to tell that the predentary was capable of being moved, and that it would have been innervated Brevidentavis wouldn't just have been able to move its predentary, it would have been able to feel through it,' said O'Connor. 'It could have helped them detect prey. We can hypothesise that these toothed birds had little beaks with some kind of movable pincer at the tip of their jaws in front of the teeth.' Over the last two decades, teams of researchers have unearthed more than 100 specimens of fossil birds close to China's Great Wall. The birds would have lived approximately 120 million years ago, during the time of the dinosaurs. Study co-author Jerry Harris, of Utah Tech University, said: 'These fossils come from a site in China that has produced fossils of birds that are pretty darned close to modern birds, but all the bird fossils described thus far haven't had skulls preserved with the bodies. 'These new skull specimens help fill in that gap in our knowledge of the birds from this site and of bird evolution as a whole.' All birds are dinosaurs, but not all dinosaurs are birds; a small group of dinosaurs evolved into birds that co-existed with other dinosaurs for 90 million years. Modern birds are the descendants of the group of birds that survived the extinction that killed the rest of the dinosaurs, but many prehistoric birds went extinct then too. O'Connor's work focuses on studying different groups of early birds to understand why some survived while others went extinct. The fossil site in northwestern China, called Changma, is an important place for researchers like her to study bird evolution. It is the second-richest Mesozoic fossil bird site in the world, but more than half of the fossils found there belong to the same species, Gansus yumenensis. Determining which fossils are Gansus and which ones aren't is tricky; the six specimens that O'Connor and her colleagues examined in this study are primarily just skulls and necks, parts not preserved in known specimens of Gansus. The fossils were also somewhat crushed by their time deep in the Earth, which made analysing them difficult. Analysis: Jingmai O'Connor, the study's lead author, is pictured carrying out fieldwork at the site where the fossil birds were found The fossil site in northwestern China, called Changma, is an important place for researchers to study bird evolution Through painstaking work, the researchers were able to identify key features in the birds' jaws that showed that two of the six specimens were unknown to science. They named these Meemannavis ductrix and Brevidentavis zhangi. Brevidentavis isn't the first fossil bird discovered with a predentary that might have been used in this way, but its existence, along with Meemannavis, helps round out scientists' understanding of the diversity of prehistoric birds, especially in the Changma region. The study also helps shed light on the most common bird from the site, Gansus, as at least four of the other specimens examined probably belong to this species. O'Connor said: 'These new specimens include two new species that increase our knowledge of Cretaceous bird faunas, and we found combinations of dental features that we've never seen in any other dinosaurs. 'These discoveries strengthen the hypothesis that the Changma locality is unusual in that it is dominated by ornithuromorph birds, which is uncommon in the Cretaceous.' She added: 'Learning about these relatives of modern birds can ultimately help us understand why today's birds made it when the others didn't.' The new research has been published in the Journal of Systematics and Evolution. When it comes to finding a mate, humpback whales are willing to go the distance - quite literally. New research has revealed that some humpback whales travel a whopping 3,700 miles (6,000km) in search of a mate during their breeding season. Researchers from the Whale Trust Maui found that one male had travelled from off the coast of Mexico to the 'Au'au Channel off Maui in just 49 days - a 3,693 miles (5,944km) journey. Speaking to New Scientist, James Darling, who led the project, said: 'Our first reaction was, "You've got to be kidding me!" 'They might just be travelling the ocean like it's their own backyard. This really changes the way we think about whales.' New research has revealed that some humpback whales travel a whopping 3,700 miles (6,000km) in search of a mate during their breeding season Meet the humpback whale Humpback whales live in all oceans around the world. They travel great distances every year and have one of the longest migrations of any mammal on the planet. Some populations swim 5,000 miles from tropical breeding grounds to colder, more productive feeding grounds. Humpback whales feed on shrimp-like crustaceans (krill) and small fish, straining huge volumes of ocean water through their baleen plates, which act like a sieve. Source: NOAA Advertisement In the study, the researchers studied the Happywhale database, which includes photos of more than 26,000 individual humpback whales, taken since 1977. In particular, the researchers focused on two male humpback whales, who were photographed in both Hawaii and Mexico during the same winter breeding seasons. In 2006, the first whale was found to have travelled 2,824 miles (4,545km) in 53 days, leaving a group off Olowalu to join a group of three whales off Isla Clarion in Mexico. And in 2018, a second whale was found to have travelled 3,693 miles (5,944km) from Zihuatanejo in Mexico to the 'Au'au Channel off Maui, taking just 49 days to complete the journey. When he reached his destination, he was one of seven males pursuing a single female. Both whales had also been spotted in northern feeding grounds off Canada and Alaska during the summer months. On average, humpback whales swim at speeds of around 2.5mph (4kph). However, to complete their journeys in the time they did, the two males must have been swimming faster than this, according to the team. While both sightings were of males, the researchers say females may also be making these mammoth journeys. 'If the males were out there following females, it would make more sense than them out there by themselves swimming for 40 days sans females during the breeding season,' Mr Darling said. Overall, the findings suggest that contrary to popular believe, there aren't distinct humpback whale populations in the north-east Pacific, according to the team. The study comes shortly after scientists combined satellite tracking data from 845 whales to create the world's first whale migration map Instead, it's likely that several groups overlap with one another. If this is the case, it could raise important questions about humpback whales' conservation status. The study comes shortly after scientists combined satellite tracking data from 845 whales to create the world's first whale migration map. The map was created by conservation charity WWF, and shows the ocean 'superhighways' whales use to travel around the globe. It highlights the increasing threats facing the world's whales in their key habitats and the blue corridors they use to migrate. WWF is now calling for action by countries to safeguard the marine mammals along their superhighways. Chris Johnson, who leads the WWF protecting whales and dolphins initiative, said: 'Cumulative impacts from human activities including industrial fishing, ship strikes, chemical, plastic and noise pollution, habitat loss and climate change are creating a hazardous and sometimes fatal obstacle course.' A California-based water and power utility plans to cover water canals in solar panels, in a first-of-its-kind project to preserve water and generate electricity. Turlock Irrigation District (TID), from Turlock was given a $20 million grant by the state of California for a limited proof-of-concept trial, known as Project Nexus. The solar panels will be placed over two segments of the 4,000 miles of delivery canals, that take water from the Sierra Nevada mountains and northern parts of California to reservoirs, lakes, hydropower plants and farms elsewhere in the state. As these canals are open access, they allow some of the water to evaporate, which is presenting a problem for a state already struggling with limited water supplies. Project Nexus will cover segments in Stanislaus County near Modesto, producing enough power for 100,000 homes, with work due to start this fall and finish in 2024. If it were to be rolled out to all 4,000 miles of canals, it could save up to 63 billion gallons of water per year, enough to meet the needs of two million people, and generate an estimated 13 gigawatts of power - a sixth of California's usage. A California-based water and power utility plans to cover water canals in solar panels, in a first-of-its-kind project to preserve water and generate electricity GOALS OF PROJECT NEXUS Demonstrate proof of concept of narrow and wide-span canal coverage of solar panels Increase renewable power generation Experience water quality improvements Reduce vegetative growth in the canals Reduce water evaporation in canals Investigate integration between renewable power generation and energy storage Advertisement California is locked in a drought, with the first two months of 2022 set to be the direst January and February since records began. 'There's no precipitation forecast through the remainder of February. And there's very little precipitation in the long-range forecast for March,' said Erik Ekdahl, a deputy director with the State Water Resources Control Board. 'All this is pointing to, again, some pretty dire conditions statewide for drought.' Rainfall totals have hit a plateau at half the yearly average for the state, despite record-breaking storms in October and December. So, to battle the chronic water shortage, universities, firms and institutions are turning to every possible source of water, and method to preserve water. The team behind Project Nexus say it should improve water quality, reduce vegetative growth in the canals and reduce water evaporation in canals. They say this provides a double whammy solution, providing a space for solar panels that could cover thousands of miles, while protecting the water underneath. The water also acts to keep the solar panels cool, which will preserve them, and make them more efficient at gathering sunlight and turning it into electricity. The solar panels will be placed over two segments of the 4,000 miles of delivery canals, that take water from the Sierra Nevada mountains and northern parts of California to reservoirs, lakes, hydropower plants and farms elsewhere in the state It is inspired by the practice of agrivoltaics, where solar panels are raised over farmland, allowing the agricultural activity to continue underneath, panels gather electricity, and shade from the panels protecting from the strong sunlight. Constructing solar panels over irrigation canals is a first in the nation project, and while it won't solve the water shortage problems completely, it is an example of the level of solution required to deal with increasingly scarce water in California. 'A lot of water gets evaporated just because we don't put a lid on it,' Brandi McKuin, lead author of a paper exploring this concept from the University of California, Santa Cruz, told Gizmodo. The researcher also found there would be a financial benefit to shading the canals, that would outweigh the cost of installing them, and running a cable support structure. As these canals are open access, they allow some of the water to evaporate, which is presenting a problem for a state already struggling with limited water supplies 'The net present value of over-canal solar exceeds conventional overground solar by 2050%, challenging the convention of leaving canals uncovered and calling into question our understanding of the most economic locations for solar power.' Being able to gather power from the sun, while also preserving precious drops of water, could prove vital as the southwestern US is locked in a 'megadrought'. A recent study found the drought devastating the southwestern US and parts of Mexico over the last two decades is the worst in at least 1,200 years. If it were to be rolled out to all 4,000 miles of canals, it could save up to 63 billion gallons of water per year, enough to meet the needs of two million people, and generate an estimated 13 gigawatts of power - a sixth of California's usage Researchers with Nature Climate Change analyzed tree ring patterns, which delineate soil moisture levels over periods of time, to conclude that the current megadrought is worse than one that hit the region in the late 1500s and is the most severe since one in 800 AD. The study, which analyzed a region stretching from southern Montana to northern Mexico and from the Pacific Ocean to the Rocky Mountains, found that human-caused global heating accounts for more than 40% of the severity of the dry spell. "The turn-of-the-21st-century drought would not be on a megadrought trajectory without anthropogenic climate change," reads the study, led by Park Williams, an associate professor at the University of California in Los Angeles. The closing and Certificate Remittance ceremony of Exercise Cutlass Express 2022 in Mauritius was held on the 17th February 2022at the National Coast Guard Headquarters. The 20 participants of the Mauritius National Coast Guard who completed the training for Cutlass Express received their certificate of attendance. The training in Mauritius was delivered by Commander Bryan Walworth from the U.S. Navy and his team from February 7-17. It focused on how to effectively use SeaVision a web-based tool that allows countries to have a good understanding of what is happening at sea. Sea Vision was developed by the U.S. Department and U.S Navel Forces Africa and is used by the Coast Guard Maritime Operational Center, and the four additional sites in Mauritius. Participants in the training learned how to view and share a broad array of maritime information to improve maritime operations, increase maritime security, and build partnerships within the maritime community. The closing ceremony for the main exercise of Cutlass Express 2022, taking place in Seychelles, will be held tomorrow in Seychelles. From Mauritius, more than 90 officers from the National Coast Guard, as well as VBBS (Visit Board Search and Seizure) teams, participated in this years training in Seychelles, Bahrain, and Kenya. Some of the Mauritian participants travelled to Seychelles aboard the MCGS Barracuda and NCG Dornier. Cutlass Express 2022, sponsored by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet, is designed to assess and improve combined maritime law enforcement capacity and promote national and regional security in East Africa. It is AFRICOMs largest maritime training exercise in the Indian Ocean. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Lukas Gage has been added to the cast of the Netflix thriller You. The 26-year-old actor will play the role of Adam, an ex-pat American from a wealthy family on the East Coast, according to Deadline. The San Diego native's character on the series is described by the outlet as 'an entrepreneur and a gambler' who enjoys hosting parties, and deals with his problems and secrets by self-medicating. The latest: Lukas Gage, 26, has been added to the cast of the Netflix thriller You. The actor was seen in LA last November The character is known to take huge chances under the rationale that 'a good businessman does absolutely anything he can get away with,' and has questionable motives when it comes to his girlfriend and circle of friends. You premiered on Netflix in September of 2018, based upon the 2014 novel by Caroline Kepnes. The show, which as created by Greg Berlanti and Sera Gamble, stars Penn Badgley and has also featured Victoria Pedretti, Ambyr Childers and Elizabeth Lail. Gage has seen his star rise in recent years with roles on acclaimed HBO shows such The White Lotus (as Dillon) and Euphoria (as Tyler Clarkson). The actor has also been seen on shows such as Love, Victor on Hulu, and Wireless on Quibi, and appears in the upcoming Peacock miniseries Angelyne. Production was recently concluded on a feature film titled Down Low, which Gage wrote with Phoebe Fisher and appeared in. Gage has seen his star rise in recent years with roles on acclaimed HBO shows such The White Lotus (as Dillon) and Euphoria (as Tyler Clarkson). He was seen in LA last year Gage garnered acclaim for his work opposite Murray Bartlett on The White Lotus Gage made headlines in November of 2020 after he shared a clip of a director, later identified as Tristram Shapeero, belittling Gage's living conditions during an audition via Zoom, unaware that Gage could hear. Gage posted a clip of the exchange online with the caption, 'psa if youre a s*** talking director make sure to mute ur s*** on zoom mtgings.' Shapeero was heard saying, 'These poor people live in these tiny apartments. Im looking at his background and hes got his TV.' Gage said in response, 'I know its a s***ty apartment, thats why give me this job so I can get a better one,' after which Shapeero said he was sorry for the remarks. Shapeero later penned a piece for Deadline again apologizing to Gage and clarifying his words in the viral clip. 'First and foremost I offer Mr. Gage a sincere and unvarnished apology for my offensive words, my unprofessional behavior during the audition and for not giving him the focus and attention he deserved,' he said. 'I was using the word "poor" in the sense of deserving sympathy, as opposed to any economic judgment. 'My words were being spoken from a genuine place of appreciation for what the actors were having to endure, stuck in confined spaces, finding it within themselves to give a role-winning performance under these conditions.' She's just wrapped up the Strictly Come Dancing live tour. And Tilly Ramsay looked glamorous in a pink two-piece suit as she attended a Boots makeup launch party in London on Thursday night with her mum Tana, 47. The social media influencer, 20, who is the daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, 55, was joined by a star-studded guest list including Chloe Burrows and Gabby Allen. All in pink: Tilly Ramsay, 20, looked glamorous in a pink two-piece suit as she attended a Boots launch party in London on Thursday night with her mum Tana, 47 She completed her look with a dark pink crop top and opted for a pair of white trainers. The television personality wore her blonde tresses parted down the middle and in light curls allowing them to cascade down her shoulders. Meanwhile, mum Tana rocked a black jumpsuit with lace detailing on the arms and rounded her jaw-dropping ensemble with a Gucci belt. Stunning: The social media influencer, who is the daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, 55, was joined by a star-studded guest list including Chloe Burrows and Gabby Allen Family: She completed her look with a dark pink crop top and opted for a pair of white trainers All smiles: The television personality wore her blonde tresses parted down the middle and in light curls allowing them to cascade down her shoulders Elsewhere, Love Island's Chloe Burrows, 26, donned an oversized blazer which she teamed with army boots and a Balenciaga handbag. Love Island's Gabby Allen, 30, put on a leggy display in a suit jacket worn with a kimono-style tie and thick heels. It comes after the Strictly stars bid farewell to one another as they headed home from London. Mummy's girl: Meanwhile, mum Tana rocked a black jumpsuit with lace detailing on the arms and rounded her jaw-dropping ensemble with a Gucci belt Glamorous: Love Island's Chloe Burrows, 26, donned an oversized blazer which she teamed with army boots and a Balenciaga handbag Pose: The former Love Island star appeared in great spirits as she posed up a storm in the sizzling ensemble Looking good: She completed her outfit with sheer tights and a snake print leather handbag Leggy: Love Island's Gabby Allen, 30, put on a leggy display in a suit jacket worn with a kimono-style tie and thick heels Makeup chair: It comes after the Strictly stars bid farewell to one another as they headed home from London Nadiya Bychkova, 32, looked effortlessly stylish in a leather jacket as she was pictured leaving the hotel with a coffee in hand on Wednesday, with her new man Kai Widdrington, 26, departing separately. Meanwhile, Tilly appeared emotional as she shared a hug with Nikita Kuzmin, 24, and said goodbye to The Wanted's Max George, 33. Nikita was dressed head to toe in designer as he donned a Prada hat and a Burberry coat as he left the hotel, while Tilly was casually-clad in black leggings and a grey sweatshirt. Local celebrities turned out in force for the opening of Mark Wahlberg's cult burger chain Wahlburgers in Sydney on Thursday. Leading the charge was Australian Survivor's George Mladenov, who happily tucked into a burger as he sat alongside Wahlburgers Australia CEO Sam Mustaca. George, 32, swapped his jungle attire for a blue button-up shirt, which he paired with navy blue trousers, brown leather brogues and a matching belt. Working up an appetite: Local celebrities turned out in force for the opening of Mark Wahlberg's cult burger chain Wahlburgers in Sydney on Thursday. Pictured, (L-R) Sarah Marschke, Cara Atchison, Suzan Mutesi and George Mladenov Fellow Australian Survivor star Cara Atchison was also in attendance, happily reuniting with her former co-star. The 48-year-old self-described 'Duchess of Double Bay' stepped out in a green halterneck dress, which she paired with nude stilettos. Cara posed happily alongside George and other attendees, who had turned out for the burger chain's first Australian offering. Taking a bite: Leading the charge was Australian Survivor's George, who happily tucked into a burger as he sat alongside Wahlburgers Australia CEO Sam Mustaca (right) Going with the flow: Flowing skirts appeared to have been the order of the day, with Cara (left) opting for green, while Sarah (right) looked pretty in pink Getting the tribe back together: Fellow Australian Survivor star Cara was also in attendance, happily reuniting with her former co-star, George. Pictured with Brad Caldwell-Eyles (left) Also on hand for the opening was Miss World Australia Sarah Marschke, who stepped out in a long pink skirt, which she paired with a matching crop top. The 23-year-old beauty queen also donned a pair of Louis Vuitton slides, while her long blonde hair was worn loose. Actress Suzan Mutesi also attended the restaurant opening, stepping out in a pair of baggy distressed high-waisted jeans. Cheers: Cara and Suzan smiled happily before tucking into their burgers at the newly opened restaurant on Sydney Harbour Service with a smile: Beauty queen Sarah smiled happily as she was served one of the franchise's famous burgers Good jeans: Actress Suzan attended the restaurant opening, stepping out in a pair of baggy distressed high-waisted jeans The 35-year-old fashion designer also donned a black lace camisole, tan brown belt and white stilettos. Wahlburgers' Sydney outpost is located in Opera Quays in Circular Quay, with other locations being scouted for Byron Bay, Surfers Paradise and Sydney's Warriewood. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, Mark, 50, spoke about the franchise's new Australian addition. Taking care of business: In an interview with The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, owner Mark Wahlberg (pictured at a Wahlburgers restaurant opening in London in May 2019) spoke about the franchise's new Australian addition Prime location: Wahlburgers' Sydney outpost is located in Opera Quays in Circular Quay, with other locations being scouted for Byron Bay, Surfers Paradise and Sydney's Warriewood Keeping it in the family: He revealed the Sydney restaurant has a table for family dining, which is dedicated to his late mother, Alma, who died in April last year He revealed the Sydney restaurant has a table for family dining, which is dedicated to his late mother, Alma, who died in April last year. 'We thought that was very special because the dinner table was always the most important thing,' he explained. He added: 'Sydney Harbour is only one of the most iconic locations in the entire world. We were kind of thinking about what other locations you could compare it to, maybe Times Square or, you know, Hollywood Boulevard or the Hollywood sign, but it is absolutely gorgeous. I cannot wait to see the restaurant.' She is the lookalike daughter of supermodel Kate Moss. And Lila Moss certainly adopted her mother's sense of style as she put on an effortlessly chic display at the Zapp sponsored Fashion Week party hosted by Gstaad Guy in London on Thursday. The model, 19, wowed as she posed up a storm in a striking black velvet waistcoat and matching trousers. Pose: Lila Moss certainly adopted her mother's sense of style as she put on an effortlessly chic display at the Zapp sponsored Fashion Week party hosted by Gstaad Guy in London on Thursday Lila's co-ord featured bold red buttons on the waistcoat and trousers, with the beauty accessorising with chunky black shoes and a black handbag. The catwalk star opted to highlight her natural beauty with a neutral palette of make-up, while she left her blonde locks to fall loosely down her back. Lila was in good spirits as she happily posed alongside Olivia Neill at the event, which saw 24/7 convenience delivery app Zapp team up with Gstaad Guy to celebrate London Fashion Week. Fashionista: The model, 19, wowed as she posed up a storm in a striking black velvet waistcoat and matching trousers YouTuber Olivia also caught the eye in her ensemble, showing off her midriff in a barely-there coral top. Lila is following in her mother's footsteps and has landed a new modelling campaign with Ermanno Scervino. Kate shares daughter Lila with journalist Jefferson, with whom she was in a relationship in the early Noughties. Jefferson and Kate - who dated from 2001 to 2004 with Lila being born in 2002 - have an amicable relationship and would ensure their daughter spent a regular amount of time with each of them in her childhood. Lovely: The catwalk star opted to highlight her natural beauty with a neutral palette of make-up, while she left her blonde locks to fall loosely down her back Girls: Lila was in good spirits as she happily posed alongside Olivia Neill at the event, which saw 24/7 convenience delivery app Zapp team up with Gstaad Guy to celebrate London Fashion Week While Lila still has a good relationship with both parents, she is often seen out with mum Kate as she is signed to her modelling agency. Lila is also now the director of her own company, Grace Grove Ltd, a move that coincides with supermodel mum Kate winding down three of her firms. The name of the company is a nod to The Grove, the family home in North London, which Kate sold recently. Seeing double: Lila is often seen out with mum Kate and is signed to her modelling agency (pictured in 2019) She regularly shows off her incredible physique in edge outfits. And on Thursday, Georgia Harrison flaunted her taut midriff at the VooVoo Banksy Aachoo NFT collection launch party held at The Stables, Covent Garden. The Love Island star, 26, put on a show-stopping display in an oversized blazer which she teamed with a grey crop top and black leather flares. Stunning: Love Island's Georgia Harrison, 26, flaunted her taut midriff on Thursday at the VooVoo Banksy Aachoo NFT collection launch party held at The Stables, Covent Garden Television personality Georgia completed her outfit wearing thick heeled trainers and accessorised with big hoop earrings as she stood in front of graffiti-themed backgrounds. Later, she could be seen attending the Boots makeup launch party in a crinkled two-piece suit which she paired with an off-white crop top. Posing up a storm for the cameras, Georgia donned glittery heels and held a designer handbag. Elsewhere at the Banksy event, Love Island's Faye Winter, 26, oozed sophistication in a cream blazer and flared trousers. Wow! The star, 26, put on a show-stopping display in an oversized blazer which she teamed with a grey crop top and black leather flares Happy lady: Georgia looked happier than ever as she posed in her edgy ensemble The former estate agents boyfriend Teddy Soares, 27, also showcased his style credentials in an unbuttoned satin shirt at the Bargehouse in Southbank. Faye put on a show-stopping display in open toe heels and carried a chic cream Fendi handbag. Her blonde locks were slicked back into an elegant bun and her glam makeup enhanced her flawless features. Stunning: Love Island's Faye Winter oozes sophistication in cream suit alongside her stylish boyfriend Teddy Soares at Banksy Aachoo NFT collection launch party on Thursday in London Cute! The couple linked fingers as they posed for photographs at the event Legs for days! Georgia Meacham (left) and Victoria Clay (right) put on leggy displays in skimpy ensembles and skyscraper heels Fun with friends: MIC star Alex Mytton and his pal Joseph Hagan also attended the event The former financial consultant Teddy looked smart in black trousers and a grey suede jacket which he paired with 500 Balenciaga boots. The pair appeared loved-up as they held hands for a slew of snaps before the event. The famous Banksy Aachoo is displayed at the exclusive event hosted by VooVoo. Out and about: Later, Georgia could be seen attending the Boots makeup launch party in a crinkled two-piece suit which she paired with an off-white crop top She unfollowed her estranged husband Kanye West amid his ongoing Instagram feud with her current boyfriend Pete Davidson. But Kim Kardashian got a break from all the online drama on Wednesday night when she and her eldest daughter North West, eight, enjoyed a dinner at one of the KardashianJenner clan regular spots, the swanky Japanese restaurant Nobu Malibu. The 41-year-old Keeping Up With The Kardashian star looked toasty in an extra puffy black down coat, while North looked cool in a stylish plaid jacket. Favorite spot: Kim Kardashian, 41, enjoyed a break from her ongoing feud with her ex Kanye West on Wednesday night when she went out to dinner with friends at Nobu Malibu Bonding time: She was only joined by a single member of her family, her oldest daughter North West, eight Kim showed off her shiny coat as she and her daughter headed out to the car after wrapping up their dinner. She paired the casual item with a sizzling set of black leather pants with thick white stripes running down the sides of her legs. The pants reached down to the ground and were unzipped at the bottoms just enough to reveal her pointy black boots. She covered up with a slim pair of black almond-shaped sunglasses, and she wore her lustrous raven locks parted down the middle and cascading down her shoulders. North seemed to enjoy putting on a show for onlookers as they climbed into their gray car. Puffed up: Kim showed off her shiny coat as she and her daughter headed out to the car after wrapping up their dinner Back in black: She paired the casual item with a sizzling set of black leather pants with thick white stripes running down the sides of her legs On point: She covered up with a slim pair of black almond-shaped sunglasses, and she wore her lustrous raven locks parted down the middle and cascading down her shoulders She was spotted making funny faces at onlookers while other members of their entourage got in first. The celebrity child had on a gray-and-lavender plaid shacket that she paired with ripped acid wash jeans and chunky gray sneakers, and she wore her hair in long red-tinted box braids. She appeared to be the only member of Kim's family that joined the dinner party. The reality star also shares her son Saint, six; daughter Chicago, four; and son Psalm, two, with her estranged husband Kanye West. North recently spent time with her father and her brother Saint when he took them to the Super Bowl on Sunday. Earlier that day, Kanye brought along all four of his children to his Sunday Service in Los Angeles. Casual: The pants reached down to the ground and were unzipped at the bottoms just enough to reveal her pointy black boots MIA: The reality star also shares her son Saint, six; daughter Chicago, four; and son Psalm, two, with her estranged husband Kanye West Helping hand: A security guard appeared to have joined the family, and he helped Kim get into the car The family gathering was a brief respite from the rapper's ongoing feud with his soon-to-be ex-wife and her boyfriend, Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson. Days earlier, Kanye appeared to have reached a turning point when he admitted in a since-deleted Instagram post that his behavior toward his ex had been 'harassing,' while he also vowed to 'take accountability.' Those words appear to have been soon forgotten, as the hitmaker returned to attacking Pete on social media. On Thursday, he posted a shot of the comedian wearing a red 'Make Kanye 2006 Again' hat modeled off the MAGA hat that he wore to signal his support for former President Donald Trump. In the original Weekend Update comedy skit, Pete also poked fun at Kanye being 'off his meds.' 'HI SKETE YOU GOT ANYMORE MENTAL HEALTH JOKES FOR ME?' the rapper who suffers from bipolar disorder captioned his antagonistic post. Having a laugh: North seemed to enjoy putting on a show for onlookers as they climbed into their gray car Putting on a show: She was spotted making funny faces at onlookers while other members of their entourage got in first Stylish: The celebrity child had on a gray-and-lavender plaid shacket that she paired with ripped acid wash jeans and chunky gray sneakers Looking cool: he wore her hair in long red-tinted box braids Big day: North joined her brother Saint on Sunday as they joined her father Kanye West at the Super Bowl Kanye subsequently posted a photo of SNL creator Lorne Michaels, suggesting he was 'Next up' for mocking, as well as a post criticizing gossip blogger Perez Hilton. 'Perez I got a question directly for you Do you find jokes about mental health funny?' he wrote, before deleting his entire feed. But he was back to posting later on Thursday, and he included a new Perez post, this time referring to him by his birth name Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr. Kanye's latest post featured a photo of multiple large billboards erected in Times Square in New York City featuring Kim showing off some stunning Balenciaga fashion. 'This Balenciaga campaign premiered in Time Square today. I know yall can understand that this is bitter sweet for me,' he wrote. 'This is awesome. All positive energy.' No respite: Despite admitting that his behavior toward Kim had been 'harassing,' Kanye returned to attacking her beau Pete Davidson on Instagram recently Fixated: He followed up with a post attacking gossip blogger Perez Hilton for joking about mental health, only to delete his feed and then post a new photo of Perez, this time using his birth name in the caption Mixed feelings: The rapper admitted it was 'bitter sweet' to see his ex in towering Balenciaga billboards that were erected in Times Square in his latest post Pete made a return to Instagram on Wednesday after time away from the platform, and fans were surprised to see that Kanye had followed his account, despite the constant attacks and mocking posts. Pete and Kim have been dating since November of last year, shortly after they appeared together during her hosting debut on SNL in October. During that episode, they appeared to share their first kiss in a sketch inspired by Disney's Aladdin. Kim had previously filed for divorce from Kanye in February 2021, after nearly seven years of marriage. Amid Kanye's recent posts was an apparent screenshot of a text message from Kim criticizing him for his repeated attack on Pete, which she worried could escalate to violence. She told her ex that he was 'creating a dangerous and scary environment and someone will hurt Pete and this will be all your fault,' later adding, 'There are dangerous people out there and this is scary and it doesn't have to be.' But he didn't seem to care, as he continued escalating the situation by sharing a screenshot of a text in which Kim sounded exasperated as she asked why he couldn't keep their conversations private. In February 2021, Kardashian filed for divorce from West after nearly seven-years of marriage. The former couple share four children: North, eight, Saint, six, Chicago, four, and Psalm, two. Nine News Perth weather presenter Elizabeth Creasy announced her pregnancy last month. And while she is excited to be welcoming her first child with husband Pete, Elizabeth has faced some unwelcome comments from strangers about her body. 'Just remember that it's not always appropriate to comment on a woman's body, and that not all women feel comfortable having their body commented on every day,' she told 9Honey Parenting. Body changes: Pregnant Nine News Perth weather presenter Elizabeth Creasy has revealed she's received 'confronting' comments from strangers about her changing body She said it's commonplace for people to comment on 'how big you are' and 'how fast you're growing', but these remarks aren't always appropriate. Elsewhere in the interview, Elizabeth revealed she had struggled with nausea in her first trimester but was now doing better. The reporter also told 9Honey she and Pete had chosen to find out their child's gender before the birth. Parents-to-be! Elizabeth announced her pregnancy in an Instagram post in January, sharing a photo of her husband Pete placing his hand on her bump They are having a baby boy. She explained Pete was once a radiographer, so he would have been able to work out their child's sex by looking at the ultrasound anyway. Elizabeth announced her pregnancy in an Instagram post in January, sharing a photo of her husband placing his hand on her bump. Bump comments: 'Not all women feel comfortable having their body commented on every day,' the Perth-based reporter told 9Honey Parenting 'Been keeping a little secret but it got pretty obvious. 2022 is going to be the best yet,' she wrote in the caption. Elizabeth began her career at Sydney radio station 2SM, before getting a job with PRIME7 News in rural New South Wales. She then moved to Nine News Darwin, and afterwards returned to her home state of WA to take a job with the network in Perth. Irina Shayk showed off her incredible figure in a brown peplum dress on Thursday evening. The model, 36, oozed confidence as she mingled with guests at the opening night party of London Fashion Week which was hosted by the British Fashion Council and Clearpay at Bistrotheque. The fashion industry personality looked typically stunning in her skintight ensemble which she paired with thigh-high leather boots. Stunning: Irina Shayk showed off her incredible figure in a brown peplum dress on Thursday evening at the opening night party of London Fashion Week at Bistrotheque in London She accessorised with elegant gold hoop earrings and styled her brunette locks in a chic bun. She carried her essentials in a black leather designer handbag which she draped over her shoulder. The beauty took the microphone to welcome the star-studded guests to the event. The Russian model appeared comfortable as she grabbed the attention of the room. Work it! The model, 36, oozed confidence as she mingled with guests at the event which was hosted by the British Fashion Council and Clearpay Pose: The fashion industry personality looked typically stunning in her skintight ensemble which she paired with thigh-high leather boots Party! The beauty took the microphone to welcome the star-studded guests to the event Shayk's outing comes just after she walked in Michael Kors' Fall 2022 show during New York Fashion Week. The media figure sported several outfits during the event, and she was pictured wearing a reflective silver double-breasted coat. Shayk previously spoke about her modelling career during an interview with Numero, where she expressed that she had become used to stretching her boundaries during every professional endeavour. Confident: The Russian model appeared comfortable as she grabbed the attention of the room Style: She accessorised with elegant gold hoop earrings and styled her brunette locks in a chic bun Looking good: Irina posed with Editor-In-Chief of British Vogue Edward Enninful 'Being exposed, it is a part of my profession and I can say that I am proud of the job that I do I always give my maximum and try to do my best for every shoot, show or event,' she said. The runway regular then noted that she had grown to love the changes in outfits that she encountered in between modelling stints. Shayk also spoke about the changing face of the fashion industry and was happy to see the ongoing modernisation of the profession. Launch night: (L-R) British Fashion Council Chair Stephanie Phair, CEO of the British Fashion Council Caroline Rush, Irina and Edward appeared in great spirits Style: Edward showed off his style credentials in a chic suit and bucket hat Fashion: The model smouldered at the camera while posing alongside Clearpay VP of Marketing, NA & EMEA, Natalie McGrath 'I think that fashion today is all about personality. I love it how fashion is bringing more and more diversity into fashion campaigns and on the runways every year,' she said. The model discussed the changing face of the industry and pointed out the one thing she felt was entirely stagnant. 'Fashion changes so fast, some fashionable looks of the past seem weird for the next generations, but inner beauty is always there. I am convinced that every woman is beautiful in her own, unique way,' she stated. Advertisement Brad Pitt is suing his ex-wife Angelina Jolie for selling her share of a jointly owned estate and winery to a Russian businessman. The actor, 58 filed a lawsuit against the actress, 46, after she offloaded her share of the French estate Chateau Miraval the Correns, France winery to Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler. Shefler is the owner of S.P.I. Group which produces and sells more than 300 brands of alcohol including Stolichnaya vodka and he has a net worth of around $2.5 billion, according to Forbes. Brad said in court documents he and Jolie initially purchased the winery in 2008 for $28.4 million, at which time she put down about 40 percent of the funding (about $11.36 million). At war: Brad Pitt, 58, is suing his ex-wife Angelina Jolie, 46, for selling her share of a jointly owned estate and winery to a Russian businessman Pitt said in court docs that he and Jolie initially purchased the winery in 2008 (pictured in 2008) for $28.4 million Brad now wants a judge to order Angelina to undo the deal after Tenute del Mondo, controlled by Yuri, with court documents claiming she completed the sale of her 50 percent stake 'without his knowledge'. Jolie sold her share to Russian businessman Yuri Shefler (pictured), who is the owner of S.P.I. Group which produces and sells over 300 alcohol brands including Stolichnaya vodka The Fight Club actor told the court he and Jolie had agreed they would not sell off their interest in the winery without the consent of the other party. He said he put far more work and funding into the winery to make it profitable, and by 2013 she hadn't matched his efforts on either front. In court documents filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, and obtained by the New York Post's Page Six column, reads: 'Jolie consummated the purported sale without Pitt's knowledge, denying Pitt the consent right she owed him and the right of first refusal her business entity owed his. 'She sold her interest with the knowledge and intention that Shefler and his affiliates would seek to control the business to which Pitt had devoted himself and to undermine Pitt's investment in Miraval.' Jolie informed the court that she intended to sell her share of the winery in July of 2021, Brad said in legal documents, adding in September of 2021 he consented to letting the Lara Croft actress seek out a buyer who he would have approval rights on. At the time, her firm and her former husband's own Bongo LLC were equal shareholders in a Luxembourg company that had ownership interests in the Chateau Miraval estate in France, and a winery business branded as SNC Miraval Provence. Pitt told the court Shefler's involvement has been detrimental to his ability to efficiently run the winery, which is located in Correns, France The actor told the court he learned in October of 2021 Jolie had sold her share to Shefler's organization, and did not seek his approval or the deal or disclose the terms to him, against what they had previously agreed to. The former couple produced their feted 2014 Miraval Rose wine at the winery He also said Shefler's involvement has been detrimental to his ability to efficiently run the winery. In the suit, his team argues: 'The purported sale deprives Pitt of his right to enjoy his private home and to oversee the business he developed from scratch.' A source close to Brad told TMZ his ex-wife disregarded 'her legal and ethical obligations' in selling her share to Shefler, and 'in doing so, she has violated the rights of the only person who poured money and sweat equity into the success of the business by purporting to sell both the business and family home to a third-party competitor.' Angelina 'is seeking a return on an investment she did not make and profits she did not earn,' the insider said. The former Hollywood couple, who wed in 2014 and split in 2016, have been entangled in the legal system amid battles on multiple issues over the past five years-plus. Last May, Brad was awarded joint custody of their minor children, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 15, and Vivienne and Knox, 13. They are also parents to Maddox, 20. Brad and Angelina met and by their own admission 'fell in love' while filming Mr and Mrs Smith in the summer of 2004 while he was still married to Jennifer Aniston. After a controversial start, they quickly became Hollywood's golden power couple and quickly grew their family. They eventually married in 2014 at their Chateau Miraval in France in front of all six of their children. But by August 2016, their high-profile romance had collapse and Angelina filed for divorce and requested primary custody of their children, marking the beginning of the long and ugly legal war. In 2019, Pitt revealed that he turned to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) after his split from Angelina because his drinking had got out of control. Megan Thee Stallion is making the leap from the music world to the movie world, signing on for a lead role in A24's F***ing Identical Twins. The 27-year-old rapper (real name Megan Jovon Ruth Pete) has signed on for the R-rated musical comedy, along with Saturday Night Live's Bowen Yang. They both join Nathan Lane and Megan Mullally in the project, which is said to put a 'subversive spin' on the comedy classic The Parent Trap. Leap: Megan Thee Stallion is making the leap from the music world to the movie world, signing on for a lead role in A24's F***ing Identical Twins Co-star: The 27-year-old rapper (real name Megan Jovon Ruth Pete) has signed on for the R-rated musical comedy, along with Saturday Night Live's Bowen Yang Project: They both join Nathan Lane and Megan Mullally in the project, which is said to put a 'subversive spin' on the comedy classic The Parent Trap Comedians Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp are adapting the film from their own two-man stage show that debuted at Manhattan's Upright Citizens Brigade in 2014. Jackson and Sharp will also play the aforementioned title characters, though there's no word what character the other actors may play. The story will follow two business adversaries who realize that they are identical twin brothers. No word: Jackson and Sharp will also play the aforementioned title characters, though there's no word what character the other actors may play They both decide to trade places in their lives and try to get their divorced parents back together so they can become a whole family. The R-rated musical will also feature original music from Jackson, Sharp and composer Karl Saint Lucy. Borat director Larry Charles is directing F***ing Identical Twins from Jackson and Sharp's script, with production currently under way. Lives: They both decide to trade places in their lives and try to get their divorced parents back together so they can become a whole family Musical: The R-rated musical will also feature original music from Jackson, Sharp and composer Karl Saint Lucy The original stage show was originally acquired by 20th Century Fox back in 2016, though the project never got off the ground. A24 will handle the film's global release, making it the indie studio's first musical ever. Marius de Vries (La La Land, Moulin Rouge, CODA) will serve as the executive music producer, while Fiora Cutler comes aboard as the films music supervisor, overseeing cast musical direction with de Vries. Release: A24 will handle the film's global release, making it the indie studio's first musical ever While this will be Megan Thee Stallion's acting debut, she is also attached to star in director Malcolm D. Lee's The Best Man Wedding with Steve Harvey, Melissa De Souza and Bobby Brown. Yang joined SNL in 2019 and he also stars in Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens and he has two movies - Fire Island and BROS - expected to debut in 2022. Nathan Lane is coming off roles in Only Murders in the Building and Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, while Megan Mullally is coming off The Great North. Penny Dreadful: City of Angels is available exclusively on Stan in Australia. Acting debut: While this will be Megan Thee Stallion's acting debut, she is also attached to star in director Malcolm D. Lee's The Best Man Wedding with Steve Harvey, Melissa De Souza and Bobby Brown The Biden administration on Wednesday announced it will cancel more than $70 million in student debt for borrowers who say they were defrauded by the for-profit DeVry University the first time the Education Department has approved such claims for an institution thats still in operation. At least 1,800 former DeVry students will get their loans cleared after the department concluded that the school lied about the success of its graduates in order to get new students to enroll. The agency said it plans to force the school to cover the cost of the $71.7 million in loan discharges. The action was part of a broader installment of $415 million in loan relief for former students of for-profit colleges. Advertisement Students count on their colleges to be truthful, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement. Unfortunately, todays findings show too many instances in which students were misled into loans at institutions or programs that could not deliver what theyd promised. DeVry spokesperson Donna Shaults said the allegations predate the schools current board and leadership. The company was sold in 2018, while the Biden administrations allegations include a period that ends in 2015. Advertisement Nonetheless, we do believe that the Department of Education mischaracterizes DeVrys calculation and disclosure of graduate outcomes in certain advertising, and we do not agree with the conclusions they have reached, Shaults said in a statement. Along with the DeVry action, the Education Department also moved to forgive $344 million in loans for former students of ITT Tech, Westwood College, Corinthian Colleges and other defunct for-profit colleges. It marks another step in the administrations work to clear a backlog of claims in the borrower defense program, which forgives debt for students who are defrauded by their colleges. The program has been used to cancel $2 billion in debt for more than 107,000 borrowers, but until now it has only provided relief to students after their colleges shut down leaving taxpayers to cover the loan discharges. But in coming weeks, the Education Department said, it will take action to hold DeVry financially responsible. While it is critical to get students relief, we also want to deter wrongdoing and to protect taxpayers, James Kvaal, undersecretary of the Education Department, said during a media call. Last Call Daily Get top headlines from The Morning Call delivered weekday afternoons. > According to the agency, DeVry made false claims about the success of its graduates from 2008 to 2015. The school claimed that 90% of its graduates found jobs in their fields of study within six months of graduation. It became the center of a national advertising campaign with the slogan We Major in Careers. But the Education Department says the actual job placement rate was 58%. More than half of the jobs included in the schools figure were held by students before they graduated or before they even enrolled, the agency said. It also alleged that senior officials at DeVry knew about problems with the figure but continued using it for years. Advertisement Similar allegations from the Federal Trade Commission led to a $100 million settlement with DeVry in 2016. The Education Department has identified about 1,800 borrowers who will be eligible for loan discharges because they relied on DeVrys exaggerated claim in their decision to enroll. The number is expected to increase as the agency continues to review claims. The departments action will also forgive student debt for 1,600 borrowers who attended Westwood College, which had 15 campuses before it closed in 2015. The agency found that Westwood also misled students about their likelihood of getting jobs and good salaries after graduating. Another 130 former students of ITT Technical Institute will get $3 million in loans erased in the latest round of approvals. In the decade before it closed in 2016, the company falsely told students that its nursing program had or would soon get accreditation, according to the department. But the school repeatedly failed to get accreditation, which plays a key role in helping graduates get jobs. The Bachelor couple Jimmy Nicholson and Holly Kingston have defended sharing an Instagram post about swimming with sharks just one day after a 35-year-old man was killed by a great white in Sydney. Nicholson, 32, shared a gallery of photos on Thursday of himself and Kingston, 28, shark-spotting and snorkelling in the ocean off Vomo Island Resort in Fiji, where they are holidaying as part of a sponsored deal. The images showed the pair, who fell in love on the Channel 10 dating show last year, watching sharks from their boat then diving in for a swim with snorkels and flippers. Bad timing? The Bachelor couple Jimmy Nicholson and Holly Kingston have defended sharing an Instagram post about swimming with sharks just one day after a 35-year-old man was killed by a great white in Sydney 'Holz looks a bit startled... can you guess why,' the airline pilot captioned the pictures, adding snorkel and shark emojis. While many of Nicholson's followers praised the photos, some suggested the timing wasn't appropriate given the tragedy unfolding back in Australia. 'Maybe not the best timing for that photo,' one fan commented. Idyllic: Nicholson, 32, shared a gallery of photos on Thursday of himself and Kingston, 28, shark-spotting and snorkelling in the ocean off Vomo Island Resort in Fiji, where they are holidaying as part of a sponsored deal Deep blue: The images showed the pair, who fell in love on the Channel 10 dating show last year, watching sharks from the boat then diving in for a swim with snorkels and flippers Fun in the sun: 'Holz looks a bit startled.. can you guess why,' the airline pilot captioned the pictures, adding snorkel and shark emojis. Another added: 'Oh, geez, a person was killed by a great white shark yesterday at Little Bay in the eastern suburbs [of Sydney].' The reality stars acknowledged the tragedy in the comments section, with Kingston replying: 'So terribly sad.' 'Yes, very tragic. I have spent my life in the ocean and it's the risk we run,' added Nicholson, who was born and raised in Sydney. He went on to describe the experience as 'magic' and joked he couldn't get the children's song Baby Shark out of his head. 'Not the best timing for that photo': While many of Nicholson's followers praised the photos, some suggested the timing wasn't appropriate given the tragedy unfolding back in Australia Incident: The couple acknowledged the tragedy in the comments section, with Kingston replying: 'So terribly sad' Risk: 'Yes, very tragic. I have spent my life in the ocean and it's the risk we run,' added Nicholson, who was born and raised in Sydney Love story: Nicholson and Kingston are pictured on Channel 10 dating show The Bachelor A 35-year-old British diving instructor has been identified as the person killed in a shark attack off a Sydney beach, as officials reopened several beaches after the city's first fatal attack in 60 years. Simon Nellist, who moved to Australia about six years ago, was killed on Wednesday off Little Bay beach, about 20km south of Australia's largest city while training for a weekend charity swim event, said friends. Nellist, a former UK Royal Air Force serviceman, was a member of the city's scuba diving club and a regular swimmer at the beach. Tragic: A 35-year-old British diving instructor, Simon Nellist (pictured with his partner Jessie Ho), has been identified as the person killed in a shark attack off a Sydney beach What happened: This infographic explains how Nellist was killed by a great white shark and what happened in the aftermath of the fatal attack Authorities have set up drumlines, which are used to bait sharks, near the attack site, while drones and helicopters were searching to see if the shark was still in the area. Local Randwick City mayor Dylan Parker said there had been no further sighting of sharks in the area and allowed several beaches to reopen after shutting them on Thursday, including the city's iconic Bondi beach. Shark attacks near Sydney's beaches are rare due to the presence of specially designed 'shark nets' that reduce the chance of a shark attack but do not create a total barrier between swimmers and sharks. It was the first fatal shark attack in Sydney since 1963. She portrayed the roles of Bubble and Katy Grin in the sitcom Ab Fab. And Jayne Horrocks, 58, looked effortlessly chic as she attended the VIN + OMI show during London Fashion Week at The Dorchester Ballroom, London, on Thursday. The Little Voice actress donned a stunning leopard print fur collar jacket which she paired with a silk necktie. Stunning: Jayne Horrocks, 58, looked effortlessly chic as she attended the VIN + OMI show during London Fashion Week at The Dorchester Ballroom, London, on Thursday She completed her look with an orange top and a black maxi shirt as she smiled for the cameras. Jayne wore her short blonde tresses in a middle part and opted for a full palette of makeup to accentuate her natural beauty. It comes after the Absolutely Fabulous star admitted she doesn't think the nineties hit would be made now due to the lack of free rein in the industry. Stylish: The Little Voice actress donned a stunning leopard print fur collar jacket which she paired with a silk necktie Wow! She completed her look with an orange top and a black maxi shirt as she smiled for the cameras Jayne, who played Edina's personal assistant Bubble in the hugely-successful drama, said that they couldn't make the same show today. She also admitted that creator Jennifer Saunders would 'struggle' with the lack of free rein that she once had in the early days of the programme. Jane told The Sun said: 'When Jennifer started writing Ab Fab, in the first few series nobody bothered her at all. She had free rein to write what she wanted and there were no producers who interfered with her work. Elegant: Jayne wore her short blonde tresses in a middle part and opted for a full palette of makeup to accentuate her natural beauty 'They didn't say, 'You can't write that', or, 'You have to write that'. I think that she personally would have a very different experience writing for today's television because I don't think she would be allowed free rein. 'I think Jennifer might struggle with the restrictions she would have to adhere to.' Jane also admitted that she doesn't even think her character Bubble would have made it onto the show in 2020, because she would have been seen as too much of a stereotype. She rarely puts a foot wrong when it comes to fashion. And Poppy Delevingne, 35, looked typically chic in a long black satin gown as she left Dame Joan Collins' star-studded 88th birthday party on Thursday night. The model and socialite showcased her toned legs as she exited Claridges Hotel in London as her dress donned a sizzling side split. Wow! Poppy Delevingne, 35, looked typically chic in a long black satin gown as she left Dame Joan Collins' star-studded 88th birthday party on Thursday night at Claridges Hotel in London The beauty wrapped up warm in a long black coat and added height to her frame in gold open toe heels. Her ensemble was cinched at the waist and was embellished with colourful rhinestones. Her blonde locks were styled in bouncy curls and her glam makeup donned a slick of red lipstick to match her nails. The stars were out in force as Dame Joan celebrated her milestone birthday and 20th wedding anniversary. Pose: The beauty wrapped up warm in a long black coat and added height to her frame in gold open toe heels Stunning: The model and socialite showcased her toned legs as her dress donned a sizzling side split Gorgeous: Her blonde locks were styled in bouncy curls and her glam makeup donned a slick of red lipstick to match her nails It comes after her sister Cara said that she and her other sibling Chloe, 37, 'did their best to be there' for her as she admitted 'growing up as a queer child was isolating and hard to navigate at times'. The model, 29, who identifies as pansexual, said she saw her sisters as the 'epitome of the woman I wanted to be'. Cara, who has dated stars including St Vincent and Ashley Benson, also said it was something she 'had to go through' herself and is a journey she will be on 'for the rest of my life'. Looking good: Her ensemble was cinched at the waist and was embellished with colourful rhinestones 'I saw my sisters as the epitome of the woman I wanted to be. I soon realised that I couldn't be the same - all of us have different paths - but they showed me the most fundamental things that I had to learn in life,' Cara told The Sunday Times. 'Growing up as a queer child was isolating and hard to navigate at times. My sisters did their best to be there for me but it was something I had to go through myself to truly know who I was. 'I'm still on that journey and will continue to be for the rest of my life.' Oscar-winning star Alicia Vikander will keep her head when she portrays the last of Henry VIII's six wives in a new film about the perils of being wed to the much-married monarch. Vikander will share the screen, and the throne, with Jude Law as the King. Producer Gabrielle Tana told me last night that she's thrilled to have signed Vikander to play Katherine Parr in the psychological thriller Firebrand, based on Elizabeth Fremantle's best-selling historical novel Queen's Gambit. 'You can see why we're not able to use that title,' Tana joked, alluding to the Netflix phenomenon The Queen's Gambit, which starred Anya Taylor-Joy. Firebrand is basically 'a portrait of a marriage, and of survival', the film-creative explained. The vivacious Parr was a noted scholar and author, and already twice widowed when she met Henry. Oscar-winning star Alicia Vikander will keep her head when she portrays the last of Henry VIII's six wives in a new film about the perils of being wed to the much-married monarch (Vikander pictured in Paris, Jan 21, 2020) Vikander will share the screen, and the throne, with Jude Law as the King (Law pictured in London on Feb 10, 2022) Vikander, who won a best supporting actress Academy Award for The Danish Girl, opposite Eddie Redmayne, has been filming HBO series Irma Vep for director Olivier Assayas However, she was a good choice for the tyrannical ruler who, by this point in 1543, was ailing and as much in need of a nurse as a wife. He'd already beheaded two of his queens, cast aside two more, and watched one die in childbirth. 'She's smart, and she outwits the king,' Tana observed of Parr. Not an easy task, given there were dangers lurking in every corner of Henry's court. Katherine had to be particularly wary of Bishop Stephen Gardiner who, as principal secretary, was a powerful adviser to the King. Gardiner was involved in an unrelenting campaign to destroy Parr, but it failed, and she was still Queen when Henry died in 1547. Simon Russell Beale has been cast to play the scheming Gardiner, Tana told me. Alicia Vikander attends Haute-Joaillerie dinner at La Vigie Restaurant on July 01, 2021 in Monaco Jude Law attends 'The Rhythm Section' New York Screening at Brooklyn Academy of Music on January 27, 2020 in New York City And Brazilian screen artist Karim Ainouz, who made the film The Invisible Life a sensation at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival will make his English language debut when he directs the picture on UK locations this spring. Vikander, who won a best supporting actress Academy Award for The Danish Girl, opposite Eddie Redmayne, has been filming HBO series Irma Vep for director Olivier Assayas. Tana was the power behind an impressive line-up of films including The Dig, Philomena and The Duchess as well as Coriolanus, The Invisible Woman and The White Crow, all directed by Ralph Fiennes. Newcastle charlady who made Helen Mirren think of her mother Helen Mirren felt strangely at home when filming her latest movie The Duke, with Jim Broadbent, as their characters reminded her of her parents. The Oscar winners play Kempton Bunton, a well-meaning fantasist involved in the theft of Goya's painting of the Duke of Wellington from the National Portrait Gallery in 1961, and his charlady wife Dorothy. Mirren said that in many ways, Dorothy who made a living cleaning houses in Newcastle brought back memories of Kathleen, her own mother, because 'my father was an idealist, rather like Kempton'. She told me that her dad, Vasily Mironov, was a socialist who, like Bunton, went on marches and signed petitions. There were other similarities, too. 'He was a cabbie, like Kempton. Then he went to work for the Ministry of Transport.' Helen Mirren (R) felt strangely at home when filming her latest movie The Duke, with Jim Broadbent (L), as their characters reminded her of her parents. The Oscar winners play Kempton Bunton, a well-meaning fantasist involved in the theft of Goya's painting of the Duke of Wellington from the National Portrait Gallery in 1961, and his charlady wife Dorothy Mirren said that in many ways, Dorothy who made a living cleaning houses in Newcastle brought back memories of Kathleen, her own mother, because 'my father was an idealist, rather like Kempton' However, Kempton wasn't able to provide for his family he was always losing jobs. And as a result, Dorothy was the main breadwinner, through her charlady jobs. 'My mother, like Dorothy, understood the practicalities of life with my father,' Mirren told me, when I visited her on location in late 2019 (though set in Newcastle, The Duke was actually filmed in Leeds). Mirren said her parents and the Buntons belonged to 'the noble generation': families who got through the Depression, only to be plunged into a war and its aftermath. When she lost her mother several years ago, she mourned her but also grieved for 'the loss of that generation who knew what it was like during the Blitz'. She said she loved playing Dorothy because the character had 'Newcastle backbone'. 'She had to be that way, to put food on the table. I liked her lack of sentimentality,' she told me. Mirren got down on her hands and knees to scrub doorsteps during filming. 'I rather liked it I like cleaning,' she said, smiling. The Duke. STUDIO: Sony Pictures Classics. DIRECTOR: Roger Michell. PLOT: In 1961, Kempton Bunton, a 60 year old taxi driver, steals Goya's portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. STARRING: JIM BROADBENT (L) as Kempton Bunton, HELEN MIRREN (R) as Dorothy Bunton The film's director, the late Roger Michell, told me he wanted to capture 'a slice of Englishness' and 'a sense of the great British eccentric in Kempton and the common sense qualities of Dorothy'. There's a lot about Dorothy that I recognise, too, in part from my upbringing with a white foster mother, though this was on the wrong side of Richmond, Surrey, not up North. I have a great fondness for The Duke, partly because of my admiration for Michell, who died last September; and partly for the sheer pleasure of watching two celebrated thespians doing what they do, so effortlessly. The Duke opens in cinemas next Friday, February 25. The Real Charlie Chaplin (12, 114 mins) Verdict: Familiar but fascinating Rating: Downfall: The Case Against Boeing (12A, 89 mins) Verdict: Powerful documentary Rating: A 73-year-old Scotsman called John Grierson died 50 years ago this week. I doubt whether his name ever rang round many households, and he has probably never been the answer to a pub quiz question, unlike his fellow Scottish pioneers John Logie Baird and Alexander Graham Bell. Yet it was Grierson, one of the most influential film-makers of his generation, who in 1926 coined the term 'documentary' to describe what he considered to be a new art form. Every documentary feature you've ever seen owes something to Grierson, so it seems apt, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of his death, to focus on a pair of new ones, starting with The Real Charlie Chaplin. I confess to being a huge fan of Chaplin, or at least of his films, which isn't quite the same. I have a vivid and very fond memory of being taken by my parents, on a December visit to Athens early in the 1970s, to see his 1936 masterpiece Modern Times. There was a blizzard outside and we craved warmth more than anything else. But the experience of sitting in an overwhelmingly Greek audience, everyone hooting with laughter, has stayed with me ever since. Even now, there is something truly life-enhancing about the universal language of silent comedy, and Chaplin spoke it better than anyone. Little Tramp: Chaplins adored screen persona It was especially daring of him to make the classic City Lights (1931) when everyone else had embraced talkies by then, and he was rewarded with a colossal global hit to go with what had, for well over a decade, been unmatchable global fame. He, or rather his Little Tramp character, was the most recognisable human being on earth indeed, a frenzy variously known as 'Chaplinitis' and 'Charliemania' swept the planet as early as 1916, doubtless a welcome distraction from the horrors of World War I. There were lookalike contests everywhere, and Chaplin himself is said to have entered one of them; he finished 20th. This film, by Peter Middleton and James Spinney, meticulously chronicles Chaplin's inexorable rise from a Lambeth slum to worldwide acclaim. It's a story that never fails to compel, however often you hear it, which in my case, and maybe yours too, is a lot. In truth, there isn't much here that is new, except for a fascinating mid-1960s recording they unearthed of a Life magazine interview with Chaplin, which the co-directors have chosen to part-dramatise, using actors to lip-synch the words (a device they also used in their acclaimed 2016 documentary Notes On Blindness). Strong on Chaplin's undeniable genius as an artist, the film is slightly shakier on his considerable frailties as a man, partly because it takes a whole hour to get to them. His predilection for teenage girls, and the ill-treatment of his second wife Lita (who appears, giving a damning interview much later in life) would be his ruin today, rather than his political posturing, which enraged both J. Edgar Hoover at the FBI and the gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. Classic movie on TV IVANHOE (1952) Where better to find respite from the storms than with a proper old-fashioned Hollywood swashbuckler? This adaptation of Sir Walter Scotts novel stars Robert Taylor and Elizabeth Taylor, never more gorgeous. Sunday, 1.50pm, BBC2 Advertisement The expression isn't used in the film but Chaplin was what used to be known as a 'parlour pink'. He was the clown who wanted, not to play Hamlet, but to be taken seriously as a liberal commentator on world affairs, and it flattered his ego to be denounced as a communist, even though he was no such thing. Together, in 1952, the double H-bomb of Hoover and Hopper was powerful enough to get him booted out of his adopted country. It was another 20 years before he was invited to return, to collect an honorary Academy Award. Incidentally, Middleton and Spinney get a bit fanciful on the subject of yet another H-word: Hitler. Chaplin and Adolf Hitler were born within four days of each other and there were other striking parallels (not just the toothbrush moustache) even before Chaplin satirised the Nazi leader as Adenoid Hynkel in The Great Dictator (1940). So it's a forgivable tangent in a documentary that I like to think old Grierson, who knew Chaplin, would have applauded. He'd also have admired Downfall: The Case Against Boeing, an important film available from today on Netflix, which explores the reasons for two terrible plane crashes, in Indonesia in October 2018 and Ethiopia in March 2019, both involving the new Boeing 737 MAX. As one aviation expert recalls, there used to be an American saying: 'If it ain't Boeing, I ain't going.' Well, Rory Kennedy's film renders it well and truly obsolete, establishing beyond any reasonable doubt that rampant cost-cutting, following Boeing's 1997 merger with McDonnell Douglas, led directly to the safety oversights and technology failures that killed 346 people. A drama would have made an individual responsible for the tragedies, but Kennedy's documentary places a more amorphous villain, corporate greed, in the dock. It is less satisfying that way, but this film should still alarm and enrage us all. ALSO SHOWING What's a nice dog of war like you doing in a ruff road trip like this? Channing Tatum makes his directorial debut with Dog (, 12A, 90 mins), a comedy drama in which he also stars as Briggs, an ex-soldier invalided out of the U.S. Army with a brain injury but desperate to rejoin. His former captain offers him a rather dubious deal: if he will drive a military dog called Lulu hundreds of miles to the funeral of its owner an old colleague of his then maybe the battalion will take him back. That cues up an 'odd couple' road-trip movie of the sort no matter whether the protagonists have two legs or four we have seen countless times before. Mans best friend: Tatum and his buddy Lulu Every possible misadventure befalls Briggs and Lulu, who initially don't hit it off largely on account of the latter, a Belgian Malinois, being both extremely fierce and generally reluctant to trust her beefy new companion (whose bare torso we get to see almost as often as hers). There's a cracking soundtrack (from John Prine and Peggy Lee to Wagner and Beethoven) and a few nice moments. There's also plenty of derivative comedic plotting that occasionally becomes eye-rollingly crass, as when Briggs passes himself off as a blind veteran to get a swanky hotel room, only to be rumbled after Lulu, combat-trained in Iraq and Afghanistan, spots a Muslim across the lobby. If you don't mind that kind of carry-on, then Dog is modestly enjoyable, and Tatum gives his usual likeable performance. Here Before (, 15, 83 mins) is another debut, for writer-director Stacey Gregg. Set in Northern Ireland, it's an intense psychological drama carried by Andrea Riseborough's terrific lead turn as a housewife unsettlingly reminded, by the child of her new next-door neighbours, of her own dead daughter. Riseborough is superb throughout and gets splendid support, not least from young Niamh Dornan as the little girl. Well worth seeing. Kendall Jenner played up her vertiginous legs in a pair of high-waisted trousers when she was spotted out and about in Los Angeles this week. The 26-year-old supermodel opted for a pair of khaki slacks that complemented her walnut brown leather high-heeled boots. She slipped into a print crop top for her latest outing, accentuating the ensemble with a boyfriend fit brown jacket. Looking fab: Kendall Jenner played up her vertiginous legs in a pair of high-waisted trousers when she was spotted out and about in Los Angeles this week Kendall warded off the California rays with a sleek pair of half-moon tortoiseshell sunglasses from Salt, slinging on a handbag. Earlier in the day the smoldering sensation could be spotted flaunting her sculpted midriff in burnt orange workout gear. Sweeping her dark hair into a ponytail, she flung a brown sweater over her shoulders in case temperatures plunged during the day. She slung a tote bag over one shoulder and rounded off her ensemble with a pair of gold, white and scarlet Nikes. Kicks: The 26-year-old supermodel opted for a pair of khaki slacks that complemented her walnut brown leather high-heeled boots Kendall made sure to stay hydrated after getting in her workout - she could be seen lugging along a massive blue water bottle. Her latest leggy appearances come after Kris Jenner, the matriarch of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, said she hopes her next grandchild will be Kendall's baby. Kris appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and pointed out that Kendall is the only one of her six children who has not become a parent. In fact just two weeks ago Kendall's younger sister Kylie Jenner welcomed her own second child Wolf with her beau Travis Scott. Making it happen: Earlier in the day the smoldering sensation could be spotted flaunting her sculpted midriff in burnt orange workout gear Prepared: Sweeping her dark hair into a ponytail, she flung a brown sweater over her shoulders in case temperatures plunged during the day While appearing on daytime television this week Kris said of Kendall: 'I think she would eventually love to have a baby. Kendall is currently involved with Phoenix Suns heartthrob Devin Booker, whom she went Instagram official with on Valentine's Day 2021 after months of dating. Earlier this week Kendall was sued over her controversial tequila brand 818, which is named after the area code for her native San Fernando Valley. Her brand is the target of a lawsuit by the Texas-based alcohol company Tequila 512, named after the area code that covers Austin. Making herself plain: Her latest leggy appearances come after Kris Jenner, the matriarch of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, said she hopes her next grandchild will be Kendall's baby Family matters: Kris appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and pointed out that Kendall is the only one of her six children who has not become a parent The suit argues that Tequila 512 has 'a highly distinctive logo and color scheme that has been in place since 2015' - and alleges that the name and design were then 'brazenly' ripped off for Kendall's brand, which was launched last year. Reps for 818 Tequila told DailyMail.com: '818 does not believe there is any merit to these claims.' Representatives for Tequila 512 told DailyMail.com: 'They have had plenty of time to make any effort to correct this since it first surfaced in the media earlier last year, but instead elected to ignore it. We not only have a right to protect our trademarks, we actually have a legal obligation to do so. They know this and put us in this position of having no choice but to take action to protect our unique brand identity.' Just days after it was revealed that they'll reunite as James Tiberius Kirk and the Vulcan Spock in Star Trek 4, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto reunited in real life. Pine, 41, and Quinto, 44, were spotted hanging out together at a Prada event in Los Angeles on Thursday night. Both Pine and Quinto previously starred in 2009's Star Trek: 2012's Star Trek Into Darkness and 2016's Star Trek Beyond as the iconic Kirk and Spock. Reunited: Just days after it was revealed that they'll reunite as James Tiberius Kirk and the Vulcan Spock in Star Trek 4, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto reunited in real life Pine stepped out wearing a dark grey t-shirt under a blue denim jacket as he stepped out with Quinto and other friends. He also rocked black leather pants and brown suede boots for his outing at the Prada event. The bearded actor completed his look with a blue medical face mask, staying safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Chris' look: Pine stepped out wearing a dark grey t-shirt under a blue denim jacket as he stepped out with Quinto and other friends Event: He also rocked black leather pants and brown suede boots for his outing at the Prada event His co-star Quinto opted for a blue dress shirt under a pristine white Carhart jacket for the outing. He also rocked black horned-rim glasses and blue jeans for the outing. The Heroes star completed his look with navy blue deck shoes as he walked with friends. Zachary's look: His co-star Quinto opted for a blue dress shirt under a pristine white Carhart jacket for the outing Zachary's look: The Heroes star completed his look with navy blue deck shoes as he walked with friends Both Pine and Quinto are expected to return as Kirk and Spock in Star Trek 4, with Pine currently in talks to return, according to a Deadline report from Tuesday. Paramount will also engage talks with Quinto, Zoe Saldana (Uhura), Karl Urban (Bones), John Cho (Sulu) and Simon Pegg (Scotty). Matt Shakman (WandaVision) will direct from a script by Josh Friedman (Terminator: Dark Fate) and Cameron Squires (WandaVision), with J.J. Abrams producing. Return: Both Pine and Quinto are expected to return as Kirk and Spock in Star Trek 4, with Pine currently in talks to return, according to a Deadline report from Tuesday Talks: Paramount will also engage talks with Quinto, Zoe Saldana (Uhura), Karl Urban (Bones), John Cho (Sulu) and Simon Pegg (Scotty) Director: Matt Shakman (WandaVision) will direct from a script by Josh Friedman (Terminator: Dark Fate) and Cameron Squires (WandaVision), with J.J. Abrams producing Pine also recently set up his directorial debut, Poolman, which he'll also star in alongside Annette Bening and Danny DeVito. He'll next be seen in two new movies arriving in 2022, The Contractor and Don't Worry Darling. Quinto voices Robot in the Amazon animated superhero series Invincible, which will return for its second season in 2023. Director: Pine also recently set up his directorial debut, Poolman, which he'll also star in alongside Annette Bening and Danny DeVito Coming soon: He'll next be seen in two new movies arriving in 2022, The Contractor and Don't Worry Darling George Clooney was back at work on Friday. The Hollywood superstar headed to the Warner Brothers studio on Australia's Gold Coast to resume filming his new romantic comedy, Ticket To Paradise. The 60-year-old appeared relaxed as he was chauffeured to the set, enjoying the warm weather with the windows rolled down. Work: George Clooney (pictured) was back at work on Friday. The Hollywood superstar headed to the Warner Brothers studio on Australia's Gold Coast to resume filming his new romantic comedy, Ticket To Paradise He leaned his arm out the window as the driver took him to his destination and at times seemed lost in thought. Ticket To Paradise is due for release in October this year, with high expectations for its success because of the reuniting of George and Julia Roberts after box-office successes Ocean's Eleven and Ocean's Twelve in the early 2000s. They also starred together in the 2016 crime thriller, Money Monster, directed by fellow actor, Jodie Foster. On his way: The 60-year-old appeared relaxed as he was chauffeured to the set, enjoying the warm weather with the windows rolled down Sunny day: He leaned his arm out the window as the driver took him to his destination and at times seemed lost in thought The plot of Ticket To Paradise sees Clooney and Roberts star as a divorced couple who, on hearing their daughter plans to get married in Bali, race to the island to stop her from 'making the same mistake they once made'. The movie also stars Billie Lourd as Dever's best friend, who travels with her to Bali where she decides to marry a local. Writer-director Parker formerly created The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Popular: Ticket To Paradise is due for release in October this year, with high expectations for its success because of the reuniting of George Clooney and Julia Roberts (right) after box-office successes Ocean's Eleven and Ocean's Twelve in the early 2000s Clooney relocated to Australia in October with his human rights lawyer wife Amal and the couple's five-year-old twins, Alexander and Ella. They compled a mandatory 14-day quarantine period at a sprawling NSW Southern Highlands estate. Roberts also arrived in October, spending her quarantine period at a $56.9million mansion in Sydney's Vaucluse. Selma Blair got to spend some family time with her 10-year-old son son, on a day that also included a few stops to take care of a few errands. And no matter where he travels took her on Thursday, the Cruel Intentions star had her trusted new service dog, Scout, by her side. The actress added Scout to her family circle to help in her physical rehabilitation following her multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2018, and subsequent chemotherapy treatments the following year. Family time: Selma Blair, 49, headed out on a lunch date with her son Arthur, 10, in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles on Thursday Blair, 49, and her boy headed out to lunch dressed casually on off-white khaki-like pants that she rolled up several inches along the bottom cuffs. She also donned a sleeveless black top and a pair of matching slip-on shoes. Arthur went with blue sweatpants, a white 'California' t-shirt and multi-colored sneakers. He also opted to wear a protective mask over his mouth and nose as a precautionary measure, amid the lingering COVID-19 pandemic. Blair, 49, and her boy headed out to lunch dressed casually on off-white khaki-like pants that she rolled up several inches along the bottom cuffs. On the go: While she spent her lunch time with Arthur at the Tocaya Organic Restaurant in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of LA, the day also included a solo errand run with Scout The Anger Management actress held on to Scout's specially-designed leash as they made their way from the restaurant back to their parked car. Blair acquired the English Red Fox Labrador Retriever in December 2021 after a long, 18 month training process. 'Scout helps me with some personal stumbling blocks and aids in my mobility.' she revealed in an Instagram post when she introduced the pooch to her 2.7 million fans and followers. She went on to urge people not to approach them if you see her on the street because they are 'working' as a team to help build up her 'stamina and coordination.' Working dog: Blair acquired the English Red Fox Labrador Retriever in December 2021 after a long, 18 month training process For this part of her day, the Legally Blonde actress slipped into denim cutoff shorts with a tan blouse and black leather boots While she spent her lunch time with Arthur at the Tocaya Organic Restaurant in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles, the day also included a solo errand run with Scout. For this part of her day, the Legally Blonde actress slipped into denim cutoff shorts and a tan blouse and black leather boots, as the temperatures soared into the 70s Fahrenheit. In keeping with her more recent look, Blair had her tresses in a short pixie-style, dyed platinum blonde with a part on the left. Making a difference: Scout was added to the family circle to help with her physical rehabilitation following her multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2018, and subsequent chemotherapy treatments the following year He's led a fascinating life as a soldier, private security consultant, motivational speaker and the newest member of the directing staff on the upcoming season of SAS Australia. But it's Dean Stott's friendship with Prince Harry that's always been thrusted into the spotlight, which the 44-year-old admits he finds baffling. 'Ive broken two world records, raised millions of dollars for charity, single-handedly evacuated a Canadian embassy but all people are interested in is what my ginger friend is up to?' he told The Daily Telegraph. Friendship: SAS Australia's Dean Stott has opened up about his 15-year friendship with Prince Harry and reveals why they don't see each other as much these days Stott retained a close bond with the Duke of Sussex for many years after the pair met on a training course for the British army and did tours together in Afghanistan. The duo have since drifted apart primarily due to both men spending more time with their separate families and the media frenzy following Harry and wife Meghan Markle after they stepped back from the royal family. 'I have a young family and he has a young family so we cant see each other as much - theyre not quite as local as people like to make out,' Stott continued. Origins: Stott retained a close bond with the Duke of Sussex for many years after the pair met on a training course for the British army and did tours together in Afghanistan Dean reveals that he and Harry have known each other for 15 years, which began 'before he met Meghan' and before Stott met his wife. He comments that it's 'nice' to see Harry as 'a family man'. The SAS instructor is very defensive of the Duke and makes an effort to avoid the media headlines surrounding the Sussexes. Separate lives: The duo have since drifted apart primarily due to both men spending more time with their separate families and the media frenzy following Harry and Meghan after they stepped back from the royal family 'I get friends from back home asking me about things theyve seen in the press and I just reply I havent seen it,' Stott added. Stott is a brand new member of the directing staff on the upcoming season of SAS Australia. It's his first appearance in front of a TV camera, which he says has been 'really comforting' as the show is not scripted and there's 'no producers running in and out'. SAS Australia premieres Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Seven This article is part of a yearlong reporting project focused on redistricting and gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. It is made possible by the support of Spotlight PA members and Votebeat, a project focused on election integrity and voting access. HARRISBURG Pennsylvanias highest court heard arguments from lawyers for Gov. Tom Wolf, top lawmakers, and voters Friday as it began weighing what the states congressional districts should look like for the next decade. Advertisement The state Supreme Court agreed to take over the highly consequential process in early February following hearings held by a lower appellate judge on more than a dozen map proposals. Commonwealth Court Judge Patricia McCullough recommended the justices pick the map passed by the Republican-controlled General Assembly and rejected by Wolf, who called it highly skewed. The high court asked for McCulloughs counsel but is not required to follow it. Advertisement During the hearing Friday, the justices asked the parties lawyers which factors they should prioritize when picking from among a group of maps that all appear to meet four traditional redistricting criteria: compactness, contiguity, minimal splits, and equal population. The biggest differences emerged as the lawyers made arguments for and against considering whether a map is reflective of the partisan leaning of the state or if it was drawn with public input. The court is working against the clock to pick new districts and keep the spring primary on track. Pennsylvania is unable to use its current map as the state lost one of its 18 seats due to sluggish population growth. Already, the court has temporarily delayed the signature collecting process for candidates. On Friday, it signaled it could adopt an adjusted calendar put forth by the Wolf administration that keeps the May 17 primary date. This is not the first time the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has been asked to weigh in on the states congressional districts. In 2018, it threw out the map approved by former Republican Gov. Tom Corbett in 2011, finding it to be an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander. Below are highlights from Fridays hearing: Senate Democrats Clifford Levine, the counsel for Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), said all of the submitted maps fulfill the baseline requirements outlined in the high courts 2018 ruling. But the justices in that case, he said, also emphasized the principles of responsiveness and partisan fairness, which measures whether a map is reflective of the partisan leaning of a state using a combination of metrics. Advertisement Its about having an equal opportunity to translate votes into equal representation, said Levine. Some justices pushed back on the maps split of Pittsburgh, questioning why it was absolutely necessary and noting the plan is one of the least similar to the current map. Levine responded that the split may not be absolutely necessary, but is allowable in order to keep together communities of interest. U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.) U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.) submitted two maps, which prioritize minimizing county splits over other traditional criteria. His counsel argued that partisan fairness should not be a priority as it uses unstable metrics. Call it proportionality, call it responsiveness, call it partisan fairness, said Matthew Haverstick, counsel for Reschenthaler. I believe these are all code words for another way of saying gerrymandering. Haverstick also argued against maps with geographically large districts. One justice pushed back, saying, Its not geography, its people. I am sure that I have more people on my block in South Philadelphia than in some counties. Carter petitioners The so-called Carter petitioners are a group of citizens who live in densely populated areas. They brought one of the two lawsuits asking the state courts to take over the congressional redistricting process. Advertisement Their proposed map, they say, is as similar as possible to the current congressional map, with 86% of residents staying in the same district. Matthew Gorden, their counsel, argued that this approach of least change should be valued over other considerations. Gorden said the map was guided by that principle and not motivated by partisan intentions. We dont have visibility into why most of the other maps ended up where they did, he said. We do for the Carter map. Gov. Tom Wolf Wolf released his own map in response to one embraced by General Assembly Republicans. He said his goal was to show that it is possible to draw a congressional map that fulfills traditional criteria previously outlined by the courts and is free of gerrymandering. Robert Wiygul, counsel for Wolf, said the map is totally consistent with Pennsylvanias geography and does not sacrifice this to achieve partisan fairness. The justices questioned the decision to split Pittsburgh, asking why it was necessary. Wiygul said that strict adherence to minimizing splits must be balanced with realizing other values such as compactness and protecting communities of interest, which can be both smaller than and larger than political subdivisions. Advertisement Gressman petitioners The Gressman petitioners, who also brought one of the original lawsuits, are a group of math and science professors from Pennsylvania who created their map using algorithmic constructions. Sam Hirsch, the groups counsel, said their map has some of the best scores on three of the traditional criteria: compactness, minimal splits, and equal population. It also scores well on partisan fairness and creates new districts where minority populations have the opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice. You need not choose between Republicans and Democrats, between the legislature and the governor. You also need not choose between the best map on the traditional, neutral criteria and the most fair, Hirsch said. [This] map is both of those things. State House Democrats The map proposed by state House Democrats has the strongest partisan lean favoring Democrats while still fulfilling traditional, neutral criteria. David Senoff, counsel for the caucus, said the district lines were drawn using voter registration data to help guide partisan fairness, not past election results exclusively. Some justices pushed back on this choice, stating that voters dont always choose candidates from their registered party. Senoff spent much of his time arguing for the consideration of partisan fairness as one of the main factors, given that the maps score similarly in base, neutral criteria. Advertisement I think we just have to come out and say that the way to break the tie is that partisan fairness needs to be elevated to what is otherwise a constitutional mandate requiring free and equal elections, said Senoff. Citizen-Voters This group of citizens from Butler County intervened with a primary goal to minimize splits and reunite counties such as Butler, Cambria, and Washington that are currently divided. Their counsel, Thomas W. King III, is being compensated by the Pennsylvania Republican Party. The map does not split Pittsburgh, which has been a major focus among the justices. King said the group would also support the map known as Reschenthaler 1 or a map submitted by a group of Republican voters. Draw the Lines Draw the Lines, a project of the good-government group Committee of Seventy, encouraged people to get involved in the redistricting project by creating maps. The project assessed over 1,500 submitted maps to create the final proposal. John Lavelle, counsel for the group, emphasized the collaborative process as compared to other maps that were drawn with input from only a few people. Advertisement It reflects the values and judgments of ordinary Pennsylvania citizens who embraced the challenge and the opportunity of proposing a fair and balanced map, said Lavelle. Some justices again questioned the decision to split Pittsburgh. Lavelle responded that some sort of split is necessary in Allegheny County, and focusing on Pittsburgh prevents other, smaller municipalities from being divided. Khalif Ali This map was submitted by a coalition of good-government and redistricting advocates including Khalif Ali, executive director of Common Cause PA, and the League of Women Voters. It is the only map that uses data that reallocates incarcerated people to their last known address, as the Legislative Reapportionment Commission did when it drew the state House and Senate maps. Ben Geffen, counsel for the parties, said the map was based on Wolfs proposal and altered to draw districts without attention to incumbency, among other changes. Geffen rejected the idea that the high court should show deference to the map put forth by legislative Republicans just because it was passed by the GOP-controlled legislature. Advertisement Commonwealth Court Judge Patricia McCullough recommended that map, calling it functionally tantamount to the voice and will of the People. But Geffen said Wolf as governor also has a role in lawmaking and he exercised it by vetoing the map. Legislative Republicans The Republican leaders from both the House and Senate are urging the court to pick the map passed by the GOP-controlled legislature and vetoed by Wolf. Last Call Daily Get top headlines from The Morning Call delivered weekday afternoons. > The map was originally drawn by Amanda Holt, a noted redistricting advocate and former Republican Lehigh County commissioner, and championed by state Rep. Seth Grove (R., York). Anthony Holtzman, counsel for the Senate Republican intervenors, argued that rather than considering partisan fairness to pick from among several maps that all reasonably fulfill the traditional criteria, the court should focus on the process. Holtzman said the map approved by Republican lawmakers included public hearings and feedback. Robert Tucker, counsel for House leadership, said the court should respect the states political geography, which favors the GOP because Democrats live clustered in urban areas. Advertisement Voters of the Commonwealth of PA The final intervenors, a group of Republican voters who call themselves the mirror image of the Carter petitioners, submitted a map that fulfills the traditional criteria previously outlined by the state Supreme Court. Kathleen Gallagher, legal counsel for the intervenors, said the court should not focus on considerations like partisan fairness when selecting a final map. Rather, it should take a closer look at the maps that meet the basic standards and question decisions such as whether splits made were absolutely necessary. WHILE YOURE HERE... If you learned something from this story, pay it forward and become a member of Spotlight PA so someone else can in the future at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. She's become a successful fashion influencer in recent years with a wardrobe that many women can only dream of. And Rachel Stevens, 43, once again exhibited her eye for style on Thursday at a London Fashion Week charity event in aid of Queer Britain, held at Soho House in London. The former S Club 7 star oozed sophistication as she flashed a hint of her bra under a semi-sheer leopard print blouse. Animal print: Rachel Stevens once again exhibited her eye for style on Thursday at a London Fashion Week charity event in aid of Queer Britain, held at Soho House in London Rachel teamed the stylish number with a pair of leather flared trousers and a single breasted lapel full-length black coat. The style icon matched the look with some knitted ankle boots. Her blonde hair was worn down in beach waves, while she looked radiant applying a full palette of make-up in a neutral tones. The popstars outing comes as she as she was the third celebrity eliminated from Dancing On Ice on Sunday earlier this month. The event was to celebrate Soho House and Queer Britain's collaboration on an official Depop shop featuring a collection of vintage and designer pieces curated by Soho House members and British fashion designers, which are available to buy now. Stylish: The former S Club 7, star looked oozed sophistication as she flashed a hint of her bra under a sheer leopard print top Wow! Munroe Bergdorf (left) wore a stunning gold star print midi dress to the event while Bimini Bon Boulash (right) commanded attention in a Gothic-inspired ensemble The TV presenter, and her skating partner Brendyn Hatfield landed in the bottom two alongside Kye Whyte and Tippy Packard with all the judges choosing to save the racer. After her elimination, Rachel said: 'I have really loved it, it's been an amazing experience. I've loved dancing with Brendyn so much.' Rachel's daughters Amelie, 11, and Minnie, seven, were in the audience to watch their mum, with Rachel saying: 'So special for them to have been a part of it and to have shared it with them. I've had the best time.' Sent home: It was the end of the road for Rachel as she became the third celebrity eliminated from Dancing On Ice earlier this month Supportive: Jo O'Meara looked gorgeous as she cheered on her fellow S Club 7 bandmember Rachel She added that she would miss Brendyn the most before the pair took one final lap around the ice. The star's S Club 7 pal Jo O'Meara was in the audience to support her friend. Rachel recently also told how she is still receiving therapy to cope with her experience of being in the iconic noughties band. The actress explained that she is 'very good at putting on a show face and putting a lid on things'. Honest: Rachel told how she is still receiving therapy to cope with her experience of being in iconic noughties bad, S Club 7 The TV personality was a member of the popular pop band from 1999 to 2003 and hit the top spot in the charts four times with singles including Don't Stop Movin'. During a recent interview, she explained how she used to push down how she was feeling, but 'sucking it up' ended up taking a toll on her mentally. She told the news outlet: 'I've spent a lot of time trying to learn to undo that. It's something I have to work on every day. I still speak to a therapist. That really helps.' Madeleine West was hospitalised on Friday for a mystery operation. The Neighbours actress, 41, shared a selfie from her hospital bed and urged her followers to take care of their mental health. Speaking about the operation in a lengthy Instagram post, the star insisted that she was 'fine' but admitted that the whole process had scared her. Is everything okay? Actress Madeleine West was hospitalised on Friday for a mystery operation 'It was inconvenient, scary, but necessary, one of those ailments many women and some men will face, and with the right care will overcome,' she shared. 'A big part of that is taking better care of ourselves. Which we are all pretty bad at doing. Particularly safeguarding our mental health,' she added. 'Waiting in emergency I witnessed first hand the impact escalating mental health issues have on our flailing medical system, our economy, and average Aussies as I watched patient after patient plagued by psychological pressures and disorders seeking help from embattled triage nurses already under enormous strain from the #pandemic and a hospital system under-staffed and Ill-equipped to help them.' She went on to tag the mental health charity Beyond Blue in the post, along with the Carers Foundation Australia and the feminist website Mamma Mia. Struggles: Speaking about the operation in a lengthy Instagram post, the star insisted that she was 'fine' but admitted that the whole process had scared her Actress Rebecca Gibney commented on the post, writing, 'Hope youre ok beauty?' before adding, 'Feel better love.' Madeleine responded, 'Thank you darling Ill be fine!!! Couple of days in bed is the best gift ever!!!' It comes after the soap star purchased a new home in celebrity hotspot Byron Bay. She snagged a new four-bedroom home in Suffolk Park for $4.6million. In addition to the bedrooms, the home features three bathrooms, a three-car garage, and a home office on a generous 952sqm block. Warning: 'It was inconvenient, scary, but necessary, one of those ailments many women and some men will face, and with the right care will overcome,' the star shared It also has a private deck connected to the office with views of the hinterland, along with a heated pool, open plan living, spacious sun-filled living areas and a stunning architectural design. The house is located in one of the most in-demand streets in the Byron Bay region and is the home to many celebrities, including actor Luke Hemsworth and model Gemma Ward. It comes after the Neighbours star separated from her partner, celebrity chef Shannon Bennett, in 2018. He was recently rushed to hospital for an 'extended stay' which forced him to miss his regular Saturday evening radio shows on BBC Radio 2 two weeks on the run. And on Thursday, Rylan Clark, 33, gave an update on his health as he returned to work after his recent hospital stay with a mystery illness. The presenter joined Alex Jones, 44, on The One Show, where he admitted that he's had 'a dodgy time' but insisted that he's 'good now.' He's back! On Thursday, Rylan Clark, 33, gave an update on his health as he returned to work after his recent hospital stay with a mystery illness Welsh star Alex asked her co-host Rylan: 'How are you? People have been worried.' He replied: 'You know me, I just love a little drama. I'm good now, thank you, I had a little bit of a dodgy time but I'm good.' Alex asserted: 'You're looking well and back on track,' to which Rylan joked: 'I am - It's a lot of makeup!' It comes after Rylan took social media last Friday morning where he revealed that he was rushed to hospital where he stayed for an 'extended time'. Worrying! Rylan took social media last Friday morning where he revealed that he was rushed to hospital where he stayed for an 'extended time' Update: The presenter joined Alex Jones on The One Show, where he admitted that he's had 'a dodgy time' but insisted that he's 'good now' Rylan said: 'You know me, I just love a little drama. I'm good now, thank you, I had a little bit of a dodgy time but I'm good' The former Big Brother star posted a photograph of himself with an IV in his arm, after being bedridden with the flu. Rylan also shared that he was finally home, and would once again miss his BBC Radio 2 show the next day as he rested. Rylan wrote alongside the worrying snap: '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 contacted Rylan's representatives for comment at the time. Ill: A week prior, Rylan was forced to pull out of hosting his Radio 2 show after falling ill with the flu and having been bedridden for a couple of days Bad news: The TV star took to Twitter to make the announcement to his followers, writing: 'Gone and got the flu (not surprised) been in bed for a couple of days A week prior, 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 and replaced 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' Poor Rylan: The presenter usually hosts Rylan On Saturday every week from 3 to 6pm It comes after Rylan stepped down from his BBC Radio 2 show for four months last year after splitting from former policeman Dan Neal. Sources close to the former Celebrity Big Brother star told The Mail on Sunday the couple tried to reconcile at their marital home after he spent much of the summer with his mother, Linda, who appears on his Saturday afternoon show. They said: 'Things were looking so good, like they were back together. They hoped they could avoid divorce, but it's now looking like the only way forward.' Friends insisted the couple spent weeks 'trying to work through their problems', but the marriage is now said to be unsalvageable. Rylan's absence from Radio 2, social media and hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in May led to speculation. In June, Rylan broke his silence to say: 'Following reports about Dan and I spending time apart, I feel I have to speak out as the way it is being reported is unfair. 'I have made a number of mistakes which I deeply regret and have inevitably led to the breakdown of our marriage.' The couple married in 2015 at Braxted Park in Essex with guests including his This Morning co-stars Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes. They met in 2013 and got engaged in Paris. In July 2016, they stepped in for Eamonn and Ruth, becoming the first gay couple to present the ITV programme. Returning in September to Rylan On Saturday, he assured listeners: 'I am feeling better.' Over: It comes after Rylan stepped down from his BBC Radio 2 show for four months last year after splitting from former policeman Dan Neal (Pictured in May 2017 In January, Rylan told The Sun On Sunday how he became 'dangerously thin' and 'mentally unwell' after the breakdown of his marriage to Dan. He said: 'I got ill and I lost weight, I went down to under 10 stone - and I'm six feet four inches, so that's not good. The honest truth is that it's been s***. 'I didn't deal with what happened and now I am. I felt unwell and it was a very difficult time for me. 'My mum was majorly worried about me, as were all my family. I don't just disappear for four months - that doesn't just happen. 'Mum has been a lifesaver to me and one of my biggest regrets of this year was putting my mum through me not being well. I needed to get back to me.' They both starred together in 80s soap opera Dynasty. And Stephanie Beacham and Dame Joan Collins reunited on Thursday at Joan' star-studded 88th birthday and 20th wedding anniversary celebration. Stephanie, 74, played Sable Colby in the TV drama and was a fierce rival of Joan's character Alexis. Stunning: Stephanie Beacham, 74, exuded glamour in a feathered gown as she attended Dynasty co-star Joan Collins' 88th birthday at Claridges in London on Thursday But the TV star proved that the drama was purely on screen as she stepped out to celebrate with her pal. The actress oozed glamour in a dazzling embellished black gown with a dramatic featured skirt. She added an ornate diamond choker and a silver clutch to her show-stopping look, while keeping warm in a black furry shrug. Her brown locks were styled in a neat fringed bob, and she completed her look with a slick of pink lipstick. On the move: Stephanie looked in great spirits as she climbed out of her taxi with a present in hand as she prepared for the night's festivities Throwback: Stephanie, 74, played Sable Colby in the TV drama and was a fierce rival of Joan's character Alexis Reunited: But the TV star proved that the drama was purely on screen as she stepped out to celebrate with her pal Stephanie looked in great spirits as she climbed out of her taxi with a present in hand as she prepared for the night's festivities. Earlier that day iconic British Joan actress celebrated her twentieth wedding anniversary with husband Percy Gibson and she hinted the secret to domestic bliss is having 'separate bathrooms'. The acting legend married handsome producer and her fifth husband Percy, 56, on February 17 2002. Flawless: She added an ornate diamond choker and a silver clutch to her show-stopping look, while keeping warm in a black furry shrug On Thursday Joan - who is 32 years older than Percy - told fans how happy they were after two decades of living together. Posting up a throwback from their big day, Joan wrote: '20 years ago today #ahubby and I tied the knot and have been happily married ever since #20thanniversary #togetherness #happymarriage. She then added with laughing emoji : '#separatebathrooms.' Stunning: Her brown locks were styled in a neat fringed bob, and she completed her look with a slick of pink lipstick Joan and Percy received congratulations from friends including Paul O Grady and hat designer Philip Treacy. Earlier this week they celebrated with a pre-anniversary party with ex Bond girl Susie Vanner. The two met during a theatre production and at the time Joan admitted she 'wasn't interested in getting married again' at first, but changed her mind after they became close friends and insisted her current marriage is 'for good'. Having a blast: Stephanie looked in great spirits as she climbed out of her taxi with a present in hand as she prepared for the night's festivities He stars in the steamy upcoming ITV four-part thriller, Our House. And, Martin Compston has explained how he handles filming 'awkward' sex scenes and stripping off on camera, insisting: 'you really need to go for it!'. The Line Of Duty actor, 37, also discussed how it's important to be aware of others' boundaries when performing raunchy scenes. 'You really need to go for it!' Martin Compston, 37, has explained how he handles filming 'awkward' sex scenes and stripping off on camera (Pictured in The Disappearance of Alice Creed) Martin told The Sun: 'Look, they're always awkward. I mean, you're getting your kit off and doing that kind of thing in front of a room full of people. 'It's never something you look forward to. But at the same time you've got to commit to it. You want to make it real. So it's awkward. But you really need to go for it once you're in the moment. 'There used to be an old attitude, which I suppose is of its time which was, "Oh, just get on with it - just do it". But you kind of need to be aware of everybody's boundaries, what everybody is comfortable with.' Boundaries: The Line Of Duty actor also discussed how it's important to be aware of others' boundaries when performing raunchy scenes Awkward! 'Look, they're always awkward. I mean, you're getting your kit off and doing that kind of thing in front of a room full of people' he said of filming sex scenes (Pictured in Line Of Duty) ITV has just released the official first trailer for upcoming thriller Our House, which is adapted from Louise Candlish's best-selling 2019 novel. Martin plays ladies' man Bram Lawson, who cheats on wife Fiona, played by Downton's Tuppence Middleton, 34. The show follows Fi, who arrives home one day to find strangers moving into her house, and quickly discovers that all her possessions have gone while her estranged husband is missing. Fi and Bram's relationship is set to form a major part of the series, however it will include a host of other characters, including the mysterious Toby, played by London born actor Rupert Penry-Jones. The cast for the drama also includes Weruche Opia who starred in I May Destroy You, playing Fi's best friend and neighbour Merle. Buket Komur who starred in the two-part British television drama Honour takes on the role as the enigmatic and alluring Wendy. When Our House was first announced, Greenock born actor Martin promised a roller-coaster ride for viewers: 'The scripts are genuinely thrilling, packed with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end,' he explained. The four-part drama is set to premiere on ITV at an as-yet unconfirmed date in March. Ash Pollard rushed her newborn daughter to hospital on Thursday after she became sick with gastro issues. And now the former My Kitchen Rules star has shared an important health update on the young bub's condition in a post to Instagram. Ash, 36, uploaded a photo of herself next to a pram in the hospital and told her followers about Claudette's condition, the baby's extensive stay in emergency, and the state of the children's hospital. Vital: Former My Kitchen Rules star Ash Pollard has provided an update on the health of her newborn daughter Claudette 'We have been in the emergency for 12hrs so far,' Ash wrote at the time. 'She's intubated (which is a horrific process to witness) and receiving fluids over the course of the night. Hoping for a positive outcome. Send vibes guys!!' 'The children's hospital is frantic. Has been all day,' she continued. The radio host then expressed her sympathies to 'parents who spend most of their days in and out of hospitals with sick kids'. 'We have been in the emergency for 12hrs so far,' Ash wrote at the time. 'She's intubated (which is a horrific process to witness) and receiving fluids over the course of the night. Hoping for a positive outcome. Send vibes guys!!' She concluded the update by thanking the medical staff at the children's hospital, writing, 'I'm certainly grateful for the nursing staff, Drs and hospital employees that work these gruelling and emotional shifts'. Ash later shared another post to her Instagram Stories to reveal the positive news that her and her daughter were home from the hospital after Claudette responded well to treatment. 'Top of the morning to you, we are home Claudette responded very well to the fluids she was given last night slash this morning she has had a little bit of milk , hasn't vomited it up, which is so fabulous.' Good news at last: The radio host later shared another post to her Instagram Stories to reveal the positive news that her and her daughter were home from the hospital after Claudette responded well to treatment Ash welcomed Claudette with her partner Pete Ferne on Christmas Day last year. She revealed the news on Instagram at the time by posting a series of photos with her newborn. She wrote in the caption of the post: 'Merry Christmas everyone! We did it. Another little girl! Claudette Polly Ferne.' Ash and Pete also share another daughter Clementine, one, who was born in September 2020. Madeline Holtznagel was enjoying the sizzling summer weather on Friday. The model hit Sydney's Coogee Beach with her friends, MasterChef Australia star Khanh Ong, 27, and influencer Indi Thew, 24. The 26-year-old turned heads in a neon pink bikini as she enjoyed a quick dip in the ocean. Beach babe: Model Madeline Holtznagel (pictured) was enjoying the sizzling summer weather on Friday The skimpy swimwear perfectly showcased the beauty's slender and statuesque figure. She appeared to go makeup free for the outing and wore her brunette locks down around her face. After going for a swim, Madeline strolled back to the shore to fetch her towel and dry off. Wet and wild: The model hit Sydney's Coogee Beach with her friends Looking good: The 26-year-old turned heads in a neon pink bikini as she enjoyed a quick dip in the ocean Wow! The skimpy swimwear perfectly showcased the beauty's slender and statuesque figure Indi made sure all eyes were on her in a mismatched bikini with a blue top and white bottoms. She took a swim in the cool water before taking a series of selfies on her phone while posing on the sand. Earlier, the trio had larked about in the water, laughing heartily as they splashed around in the waves. Fresh: She appeared to go makeup free for the outing, and wore her brunette locks down around her face Nice day for it: After going for a swim, Madeline strolled back to the shore to fetch her towel and dry off Pals: She was joined by her friend, influencer Indi Thew (right) At one stage, Madeline threw an arm over Khanh's shoulder and leaned on him while pressing her hand over his mouth and giggling. After their time in the sun, Madeline, Khanh and Indi got dressed and headed off the beach together. It comes after Madeline gave a glimpse at her notoriously private romance with Merivale boss Justin Hemmes, 49. Stunner: Indi made sure all eyes were on her in a mismatched bikini with a blue top and white bottoms Swim fan: She too took a swim in the cool water before heading back to shore Say cheese: She took a series of selfies on her phone while posing on the sand Work it! The model worked her angles for the camera as she snapped away She posted a sweet tribute to him on Instagram earlier this month, to mark Valentine's Day. A bikini-clad Madeline was seen kissing Justin in one photo, while in another the couple is pictured together on his seaplane. 'Valentine's Day every day with you,' she captioned one photo. Water babies: Earlier, the friends larked about in the water Funny: The women were laughing heartily as they splashed around in the waves Fun in the sun: MasterChef Australia star Khanh Ong (right) also came along for the outing Pals: At one stage, Madeline threw an arm over Khanh's shoulder and leaned on him while pressing her hand over his mouth and giggling So funny! The pals were having a ball as they enjoyed the ocean Agents have reportedly been warning Madeline she could be missing important opportunities in the modelling industry because she is prioritising her relationship over her career. 'It's not like Madeline is going out with a Hemsworth,' one industry source told The Daily Telegraph. 'I don't think this relationship with Justin will have much of an impact on her career. If anything, she will be more known as a bit of a celebrity model as opposed to a fashion model.' What's so funny! Madeline made Khanh crack up as they shared an animated chat Girls gone wild: Madeline and Indi also shared some laughs as they dried off On their way: After their time in the sun, Madeline, Khanh and Indi got dressed Time to take the party elsewhere: They then all headed off the beach together Another source close to the couple said: 'It's all well and good now, but there might come a time when the relationship runs its course and she will need her modelling career, so she can support herself financially.' Madeline and Justin have been dating for some time, and she also spent lockdown at his Vaucluse mansion in 2020. She now reportedly lives in a Coogee penthouse he owns. Coronation Street actor Jack James Ryan bravely discussed his battle with testicular cancer on Friday. Jack, 24 - who recently made a comeback to the cobbles as Jacob Hay - showed support to his former co-star Victoria Ekanoye, who played Angie Appleton in the ITV soap, after she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. Jack offered his sympathy having been diagnosed with cancer back in 2017, and he went on to make a full recovery from the disease. Candid: Coronation Street actor Jack James Ryan bravely discussed his battle with testicular cancer on Friday while offering support to Victoria Ekanoye who has breast cancer Victoria responded to a fan podcast tweet praising Corrie bosses for bringing Jack back for another stint on the soap, writing: 'Hear hear.' Her tweet caught Jack's attention, who applauded her bravery for speaking out about her cancer battle. He replied: 'Thanks so much Victoria, I think you're class. Been so inspired by you opening up about your cancer journey and I'm sending you all the love and positive vibes. Had my own run in with it a few years back. You've got this. Big love! (sic)' Inspiration: The actor offered his sympathy to his former co-star Victoria, after she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, saying he's been 'so inspired' by her Victoria responded: 'Thanks JJ. I won't lie, it's one hell of a slog, but my family and friends, all the messages of supportfeels like I have my own little army. I had no idea you battled the big Cwhat a warrior. And now you're smashing it on our beloved @itvcorrie Much love and respect x (sic)' Jack previously spoke about his experience in 2020. He said: 'My brother and mum started crying and I was just kind of in the middle as if time had stopped. Great news! Jack was diagnosed with cancer back in 2017, and he went on to make a full recovery from the disease Correspondence: Jack applauded her bravery for speaking out about her cancer battle on Twitter 'It was weird, really weird, as though time had stopped. 'And then I always had this feeling that, 'This isn't going to be the thing that kills me,' I don't know why I was so confident. 'I also suffered and probably still do, my self esteem was quite low. I went through surgery, so many things began playing on my mind.' Scary: Victoria was feeding son Theo when she noticed a small lump protruding at the top of her left breast Victoria, who welcomed her first child in March with partner Jonny, discovered she had breast cancer through breast feeding. She was feeding son Theo when she noticed a small lump protruding at the top of her left breast. The actress feared she would not be around for her baby but doctors believe a double mastectomy will cure her as the cancer was discovered so early. She has jetted off to Dubai for her first holiday since welcoming her son Noah, who turned one last month. And Charlotte Dawson took to Instagram to flaunt her toned figure in a sizzling leopard print cut out bikini on Friday. The television personality, 29, looked incredible as she showed off her three stone weight loss. Wow! Charlotte Dawson took to Instagram to flaunt her toned figure in a sizzling leopard print cut out bikini on Friday during her Dubai holiday Charlotte posed up a storm in the stunning two piece during her sunny getaway. Her brunette locks were styled in loose curls and her glam makeup enhanced her striking visage. Charlotte oozed confidence as she smoulders for a slew of shots which she shared with her 1.3 million followers. Stunning: the brunette beauty, 29, looked incredible as she showed off her three stone weight loss Feeling good: She captioned the post: 'Tried to copy the kwl kids with this bikini Yes bit of a cheeky one for Chazza who says you cant be sexeh while being a mama heyyy?' (sic) She captioned the post: 'Tried to copy the kwl kids with this bikini Yes bit of a cheeky one for Chazza who says you cant be sexeh while being a mama heyyy?' . 'Trust me I wouldnt have been wearing that a few months ago - I feel very proud of how far Ive come mentally & physically.. 'So the bodies by my beltin Belleh Blaster, the bikinis by @asos and the attitude is fresh out of Blackpool my darlings.' (sic). Sweet: The star is currently soaking up the sun with her fiance Matt Sarsfield and Noah The star is currently soaking up the sun with her fiance Matt Sarsfield and their son Noah in what is their first family holiday abroad. Charlotte recently shared images from before and after shots that appeared to document her weight loss journey as she encouraged her followers to show off their bodies no matter what size they are. In before image, the reality star who shared two different swimwear looks, looked fantastic as she showcased her curves in a bikini with a strappy top and matching bottoms. A subsequent photo taken after her dramatic weight loss showed Charlotte wearing a cut-out swimsuit while confidently posing with her hand on her hip. The television personality decided to lose weight and overhaul her lifestyle after being diagnosed with diabetes. Storm Eunice battered vast swathes of the UK on Friday. And, Myleene Klass powered dressed in a chic black suit and Chanel accessories as she braved the elements while arriving at Smooth FM in London's Leicester Square. The presenter, 43, added a sexy twist to her girl boss look with a lace edged camisole worn beneath her blazer. Girl boss: Myleene Klass, 43, powered dressed in a chic black suit and Chanel accessories as she braved the elements while arriving at Smooth FM in London's Leicester Square, on Friday Myleene was ready for business in her black trousers and matching jacket, while ensuring she highlighted her slim waist with a Chanel belt. The radio host strolled along in chunky black shoes and carried her belongings in a large Chanel tote. Her glossy Chestnut highlighted locks were styled sleek and straight and Myleene shielded her eyes with a statement pair of sunglasses. Finishing off her look, she wore layers of gold chain necklaces as well as a pair of hoop earrings and multiple rings. Glam: The presenter added a sexy twist to her girl boss look with a lace edged camisole worn beneath her blazer Sleek: Myleene was ready for business in her black trousers and matching jacket, while ensuring she highlighted her slim waist with a Chanel belt At the end of January, Myleene took to Instagram to fill her followers with envy during her idyllic trip to Miami. The star also recently enjoyed a luxury family holiday after jetting away to the Maldives for a winter break in December. She shares daughters Ava, 13, and Hero, nine, with her ex-husband Graham Quinn, while she has son Apollo, two, with fiance Simon Motson, 46. The couple also share a 13-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter from PR guru Simon's previous relationship. Preened: Her glossy Chestnut highlighted locks were styled sleek and straight and Myleene shielded her eyes with a statement pair of sunglasses Myleene previously reflected on the success of her white bikini and shower scenes on ITV reality show I'm A Celebrity. She appeared on the popular series in 2006 and recently posted a picture of herself wearing the item of swimwear on the show during one of her memorable shower scenes. Myleene admitted in the caption that she purchased the bikini en route to the jungle after producers told her that her other swimwear packed would strobe on camera. She penned: 'I can't believe that @imacelebrity started again tonight. It feels like I was in the jungle only yesterday! Every time I see this pic pop up, I can't believe how fate handled it all. Fashionista: Finishing off her look, she wore layers of gold chain necklaces as well as a pair of hoop earrings and multiple rings 'I remember one of the shows producers looking at my bikinis in the hotel before I went to camp. One was covered in stripes. ''We'll have to stop at the shops as that's probably going to strobe on camera''. 'I ran into the shop en route to the jungle, asked the shop assistant for the plainest bikini she had. 'Best $40 I ever spent....especially as it raised so much for charity afterwards. Goodluck to the contestants. Hope the new outdoor shower isn't too cold!!!' Myleene ultimately finished on second place, behind Matt Willis, and following her stint on the show, she put her white bikini on auction, raising 7,500 for charity. Lehigh University police on Thursday arrested a boy who was allegedly part of a fight Nov. 21 at a fraternity that sent one university student to the hospital. According to a letter sent to the school community from university police Chief Jason Schiffer, the boy was one of five people who tried to get into a fraternity event at Theta Chi on Upper Sayre Park Road. The five males werent allowed in because they werent known by anyone at the fraternity social event. Advertisement One allegedly pushed and punched a Lehigh student, Schiffer said, leading to four students being assaulted about 12:45 a.m. One student received serious injuries and was taken to St. Lukes University Hospital in Fountain Hill, where they were admitted. Schiffer said the five males fled after making threats of weapons and possibly returning. Advertisement Schiffer said the five males have since been identified, with the help of several other Lehigh Valley law enforcement agencies. One boy, who Schiffer didnt identify, was charged in Northampton County Juvenile Court with aggravated assault and four counts each of making terroristic threats, simple assault, harassment, disorderly conduct and conspiracy to commit simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct. Schiffer said the investigation remains open and charges may be filed against other people involved in this incident. Julia Fox is spending more time with her one-year-old son, Valentino, following her split from Kanye West. The 32-year-old actress - whose earning power is now said to have sky-rocketed thanks to the brief romance - was seen out in Los Angeles on Thursday in an all-leather outfit as she enjoyed a ride in a blue Maserati. The luxe vehicle - that appeared to be from the new Ghibli collection, with a starting price of $78,000 - shows that Julia is still living life in the fast lane. In fact, industry insiders have claimed that mother-of-one Julia can expect to earn an estimated $100,000 for every public appearance she makes going forward, as well as a predicted $50,000 for every endorsed social media post. New mom: Julia Fox is spending more time with her one-year-old son, Valentino, following her split from Kanye West Prof Jonathan Shalit OBE, Chairman of InterTalent Rights Group, told DailyMail.com this week: 'Kanye's dating of Julia for a short while has catapulted her stardom and earning power from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. 'The association with Kanye is the best thing ever for Julia's career. She was not totally the star that the association with Kanye has made her. 'His using of Julia to get back at Kim Kardashian has won her a massive vote! She'll get a fee of around $100,000 to attend an event and, for Instagram posts, $50,000 a time. 'Kanye will certainly have bumped her by 50% - but she will need to do something tangible this year to avoid the Kanye spark fading away.' All smiles: The Uncut Gems star isn't letting her split from the rapper upset her as she had a huge smile on her face as she held her son Quality time: The 32-year-old actress was seen out in Los Angeles in an all leather outfit, spending quality time with her 13-month-old son Fashionable: She paired a tight corset with matching pants as she put her Valentino into his cheetah-print stroller on Thursday Meanwhile, she paired a tight strapless corset with matching slacks as she put Valentino into his cheetah-print stroller. The Uncut Gems star seems to be not letting her split from West upset her as she had a huge smile on her face when she held her son. She took a video of her son in the backseat of a bright blue Maserati. Julia shared a snap of herself next to the car and said, 'Blessed by Maserati' to her 1.2million Instagram followers on Friday. Julia confirmed her split from Kim Kardashian's estranged husband on Monday. Riding in style: She took a video of her son in the backseat of a bright blue Maserati Earlier Monday morning, Fox took to Instagram to deny that she was in tears following her split with West. The star confirmed that she and Ye have called it quits, but admitted she was never 'in love' with the rapper. Rather than be upset, rising star Julia referred to herself as a '#1 hustler' and hinted that she now plans to write a tell-all book about the short-lived romance. 'Y'all would love if I was soooo upset! The media would love to paint a picture of me a sad lonely woman crying on a plane by myself but it's NOT TRUE!!' Julia told fans in a note. Keeping her head up: Julia confirmed her split from Kim Kardashian's estranged husband on Monday 'Why not see me for what I am which is a #1 hustler. I came up yall lol and not only that but Kanye and I are on good terms! I have love for him but I wasn't in love w the man Jesus Christ what do u guys think I am 12 years old?!' Kanye and Julia met on New Year's Eve and then moved at warp speed into a full-blown relationship, with the actress even penning an essay about their romance. Doubling down on her denial of being upset, Julia added: 'and for the record the only time I cried in 2022 was on Feb 6th on my dead BFF bday.' Addressing the rumors: Earlier Monday morning, Fox took to Instagram to deny that she was in tears following her split with West Never in love: The star confirmed that she and Ye have called it quits, but admitted she was never 'in love' with the rapper Julia was referring to the tragic death of good friend and celebrity manager Chris Huvane. She finished her statement by writing: 'Anyway If u want the full tea ur gonna have to buy the book when it comes out :)' Kanye continues to share mocking posts about Kim and her boyfriend Pete Davidson on Instagram, along with posts apparently revealing his private conversations with her, after admitting his behavior toward his ex had been 'harassing,' while he also vowed to 'take accountability.' Amy Dowden has revealed she was cared for by he Strictly Come Dancing co-stars after being rushed to hospital following a Crohn's Disease flare-up that left her 'crying in pain'. Speaking on Steph's Packed Lunch, the dancer, 31, revealed that her fellow pros rallied around her when she became ill, after she was forced to take a break from the show's tour to recover. Describing the day she had to be taken to hospital, she said: 'I woke up and I felt niggles in my stomach, a bit more tired and I just thought 'oh maybe it's the tour' and I had a hot water bottle. Candid: Amy Dowden has revealed she was cared for by he Strictly Come Dancing co-stars after being rushed to hospital following a Crohn's Disease flare-up that left her 'crying in pain' 'Then I started vomiting between numbers during the show, which can be normal for me. I have to say to everybody, ''That's just like you guys going to the toilet, don't panic!'' she added. 'Then I got on the bus and all of my fellow pros know me and they could instantly see ''Amy's not well'' It got to the point where I was crying in pain, Aljaz whipped me up and carried me into the service station. 'I managed to get my symptoms under control, we got to Manchester but slowly I deteriorated to the point where unfortunately they needed to call an ambulance straight after the matinee. Kai carried me off the stage in the matinee in Manchester.' Supportive: Speaking on Steph's Packed Lunch, the professional dancer, 31, revealed that her fellow professional dancers rallied around her when she became ill Amy recalled: 'They needed to call an ambulance straight after the matinee. Kai carried me off the stage in the matinee in Manchester' (Kai Widdrington pictured) Amy has been very open about her battle against Crohn's Disease, and told host Steph McGovern: 'I've learned to live with it, I've learned to accept it. But I've become determined it's not going to define me, it's not going to stop me. I'm Amy the dancer, yes I have Crohn's Disease but I'm going to learn with live it. 'People say 'why did you do the tour if you're not well?' I wouldn't do anything in life. Growing up I wouldn't get dance partners because I was seen as 'a risk' and it's discrimination 'Until Strictly, I was applying for jobs and there are two boxes, do you have a criminal record and do you have a chronic illness. I knew as soon as I was ticking chronic illness, I wasn't going to be seen. Battle: Amy has been very open about her battle against Crohn's Disease, and told host Steph McGovern: 'I've learned to live with it, I've learned to accept it' 'When I got Strictly, it opened so many opportunities and I want to use my platform now to raise awareness, break the stigma and help others.' Amy is now going on tour with 'An Evening with Amy Dowden' where she'll be dancing with her fiance, Ben Jones, with whom her wedding has been postponed due to the pandemic. She explained: 'We should be getting married. We've had to postpone the wedding twice due to the pandemic, so fingers crossed this year I finally become a Mrs!' Using her voice: She added: 'When I got Strictly, it opened so many opportunities and I want to use my platform now to raise awareness, break the stigma and help others' Asked what it's like dancing with her fiance, Amy laughed: 'It can go one way or another!' Amy, who was partnered with McFly frontman Tom Fletcher, 36, on the last Strictly series, was hospitalised in December due to another painful Crohn's flare-up. The Welsh dancer has suffered from Crohn's, which is a condition where parts of the digestive system become inflamed, since childhood. Steph's Packed Lunch airs weekdays at 12.30pm on Channel 4 and All 4 Fighter: Amy, who was partnered with McFly frontman Tom Fletcher, 36, on the last Strictly series, was hospitalised in December due to another painful Crohn's flare-up Wendy Williams has made another appearance on social media amid her ongoing health struggles. On Thursday, the embattled talk-show host celebrated her father's birthday, captioning a snap of the two of them together: 'Daddy's 91st birthday! Enjoying it in the most relaxing way possible.' The pictures show Wendy, 57, and her father, former school principle Thomas Dwayne Williams, sharing a tender moment together. Happy day: Wendy Williams celebrates her father's 91st birthday on Instagram after fans questioned whether her social media content is new amid health struggles However, the fresh images comes after fans have been questioning whether Wendy's posts are 'new' as the host has continued her ongoing fight with Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder. Yesterday, Wendy posted a video of herself in Florida talking about her mother, who died in December 2020, and fans speculated that video posted was 'a year old.' Her return to social media comes after a battle with Wells Fargo bank, who claimed Wendy is an 'incapacitated person' who cannot handle her own financial affairs in a lawsuit. Tribute: On Friday, the embattled talk-show host celebrated her father's birthday The chat show host has rarely been seen in public since she stopped presenting her show in July 2021. In September she was taken to a New York hospital for psychiatric evaluation, and the future of The Wendy Williams Show hangs in the balance, with multiple famous faces stepping into her shoes to host and a 'permanent guest host' being named to replace her. PageSix reported yesterday that the lawsuit has now been sealed, meaning the case allows for all relevant documents within the file to remain closed to the public and require a court order for access. In a video posted Thursday, Wendy stressed to her followers that she planned to come back 'stronger' than ever. 'I wanna be all I can be and then get back to New York and get on down with The Wendy Williams Show,' she said upon the clip's close. In the video, filmed by her son Kevin Hunter Jr., 21, Williams could be seen walking along the beach in Miami, Florida. Just three months prior, she was wheelchair bound. Williams began the five-minute video by reassuring fans she was doing 'OK,' which contradicts recent claims that the star's health has left her 'incapacitated' and in need of guardianship. New? Yesterday, Wendy posted a video of herself in Florida talking about her mother, who died in December 2020, and fans speculated that video posted was 'a year old' 'It's just after 8 o'clock in the morning and I'm doing OK, you know? It's very peaceful here,' she said, before revealing that she gets up every morning and takes a walk along the beach before heading to the gym. Williams also shared what she planned to accomplish for the day, including several phone calls to her relatives and business partners. 'What do you have to say to those people who think you're up to whatever it is?' asked Kevin, to which Williams replied: 'Excuse me, I am going back stronger. 'At [57] years old, there are things that happen to people. I would say things usually start about 40 and they go up from there, you know, so you've got to eat the right food,' she explained. She concluded the video by doubling down on her commitment to recovery and one day heading back to New York to reassume her role as host of the Wendy Williams Show. Frail: Williams is seen in September 2021, looking visibly frail. It is unclear whether she will return to her hosting duties Williams's team have said she has been absent from her show due to an ongoing fight with Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder. She was expected to return in September, but then contracted COVID-19, and was hospitalized that month for a psychiatric evaluation. Williams was pictured being wheeled around New York City in a wheelchair, looking a shadow of her former self. The host has reportedly spent January in Florida, to be close to her son. On Tuesday, it emerged that Sherri Shepherd will be named as the show's 'permanent guest host.' When Shepherd, 54, first hosted in November 2021 ratings soared to the highest it's been all season. She's usually the picture of perfection whenever she steps out. But Irina Shayk found herself in a dishevelled state as she battled the high winds of Storm Eunice on Friday while leaving an appointment in London. The model, 36, flashed her incredibly toned tummy as her long, brown coat billowed around her while she attempted to make her way down the street. Windy: Irina Shayk found herself in a dishevelled state as she battled the high winds of Storm Eunice on Friday while leaving an appointment in London Despite struggling in the extreme weather, Irina still managed to put on a stylish display, teaming her coat with a midriff-revealing black crop top. The Russian beauty added black trousers and chunky black boots, while storing her essentials in a black designer tote bag. Irina shielded her eyes with black sunglasses while her brunette locks were swept into a simple bun. Still looking good: The model, 36, flashed her incredibly toned tummy as her long, brown coat billowed around her while she attempted to make her way down the street The catwalk star was seen happily making her way out of a treatment facility before facing the strong gusts of wind, which reached a top speed of 122mph. She attempted to shield her face from the heavy breeze before hurriedly making her way to her car. Her outing comes a day after she showed off her incredible figure in a brown peplum dress on Thursday evening. Walk this way: The model still looked stunning as she made her way across the street in the high winds Breezy does it: Despite struggling in the extreme weather, Irina still managed to put on a stylish display, teaming her coat with a midriff-revealing black crop top Style: The Russian beauty added black trousers and chunky black boots, while storing her essentials in a black designer tote bag Lovely: Irina shielded her eyes with black sunglasses while her brunette locks were swept into a simple bun The actress oozed confidence as she mingled with guests at the opening night party of London Fashion Week which was hosted by the British Fashion Council and Clearpay at Bistrotheque. The fashion industry personality looked typically stunning in her skintight ensemble which she paired with thigh-high leather boots. Irina took the microphone to welcome the star-studded guests to the event, appearing comfortable as she grabbed the attention of the room. Feeling the chill: The mother-of-one no doubt felt the cold as she stepped out with her cat undone Uh oh: The catwalk star was seen happily making her way out of a treatment facility before facing the strong gusts of wind Careful: She attempted to shield her face from the heavy breeze before hurriedly making her way to her car Watch your step: The stunner carefully navigated her way through the blustery wind It comes just after she walked in Michael Kors' Fall 2022 show during New York Fashion Week. The media figure sported several outfits during the event, and she was pictured wearing a reflective silver double-breasted coat. Shayk previously spoke about her modelling career during an interview with Numero, where she expressed that she had become used to stretching her boundaries during every professional endeavour. 'Being exposed, it is a part of my profession and I can say that I am proud of the job that I do I always give my maximum and try to do my best for every shoot, show or event,' she said. Tum's the word: The Russian stunner looked amazing as she put her stomach on show in the skimpy top Quick step: She was seen quickly making her way down the street to escape the winds Halle Berry took to Instagram on Thursday night to showcase her spectacularly toned legs in a series of alluring photos. The Monster's Ball actress, 55, looked effortlessly stylish as she posed in a black peacoat and a chic matching black beret while standing against a wall. 'Serving a look, no cost to you [red heart emoji]' she captioned the enchanting snaps shared with her 7.5M followers. Chic: Halle Berry took to Instagram on Thursday night to showcase her spectacularly toned legs in a series of alluring photos Effortlessly cool: The Monster's Ball actress, 55, looked effortlessly stylish as she posed in a black trench coat and a chic matching black beret while standing against a wall The Ohio-born beauty also sported a pair of oversized blue-tinted shades adorning her face. Her honey-brown locks were very gently curled and worn down, framing her face from underneath the beret. In one shot she is seen standing by a bike and looking straight forward as she leans on a white fence with blue paint spatters, with her hands placed firmly in her pockets. Sultry: In another snap she looks down and tugs at her coat with her hands, giving a small preview of her black underwear While in another snap the mom-of-two looks down and tugs at her coat with her hands, giving a small preview of her black underwear. In yet a third snap, she is seen giving the camera a fierce gaze from a closer angle. Berry's fans were thrilled with the social media offering, with one writing, 'Definitely shouldn't be free,' and another one chiming in to say, 'We've been served,' The actress' musician boyfriend, Van Hunt, 51, also appeared to enjoy his lady love's poses, as he took a moment to comment, 'exquisite' underneath the last photo. Halle also showed love to her beau on Valentine's Day by posting a series of sweet photos of the two on the beach to her social media. The couple was recently spotted enjoying breakfast at Clementine, a popular eatery in Century City, after it was revealed that they had a commitment ceremony. The special moment was led by Halle's son Maceo, 8, whose father is French actor Olivier Martinez, 56. Berry told AARP The Magazine of the commitment ceremony. 'My son, Maceo, of his own volition did this little commitment ceremony for us in the back seat of the car. I think he finally sees me happy, and it's infectious. It was his way of saying, This is good. I like this. This makes me happy,' she said. Halle also shares 13-year-old daughter Nahla with her model ex Gabriel Aubry, 45. Sofia Vergara is looking back as she posted photos of herself when she was a burgeoning television personality in Miami. The photos, which were shared on her Instagram page, show the America's Got Talent judge, 49, perched high on a rooftop, overlooking the Miami waterfront. The former telenovela star is wearing a shimmering sequined turquoise halter, faded skinny jeans and open-toed black and silver high heels. Flashback: Sofia Vergara is looking back, posting photos of herself when she was a burgeoning television personality in Miami on her Instagram page Oh la la: The Colombian-born actress worked as an actress and TV host in Miami in the late 1990s She appeared to be working with a producer who was holding copy, perhaps from her days as a co-host. The brunette beauty wore her hair down with frosty pink makeup as she put her hands on her hips then talked to the camera. The shots also show the actress' glamourous style, which she has become known for these days as she sells her own line of jeans at Walmart and reps Foster Grant. The hostess with the mostest: She appeared to be working with a producer who was holding copy, perhaps from her days as a co-host So 90s! The brunette beauty wore her hair down with frosty pink makeup as she put her hands on her hips then talked to the camera Style maven: The shots also show the actress' glamourous style, which she has become known for these days as she sells her own line of jeans at Walmart and reps Foster Grant The SAG award winner has come a long way since her days as a model. The Colombian native and the cast of Modern Family won the Screen Actors Guild award for Outstanding Performance in a Comedy several years in a row. Earlier this month Vergara shared some of her history as a cancer survivor on World Cancer Day. The then-single mother was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 28, but thanks to early detection, treatment and education, she was able to pull through. 'I learned a lot during that time,' she said, 'not just about thyroid cancer but I also learned that in times of crisis, were better together.' The actress said she still gets her blood checked every three months to make sure she stays healthy. More flashbacks: Earlier this year, the former model shared photos from a shoot in which she posed in a daring camo string bikini Earlier this year, the former model shared photos from a shoot in which she donned a camo string bikini. She recently began work on a Netflix miniseries based on the rise and fall of Griselda Blanco, an infamous Columbian drug dealer known as the 'cocaine grandmother. The multi-talented Vergara will also serve as a producer on the six episode mini-series. Holly Willoughby looked radiant as she shared a makeup free selfie while enjoying a glass of wine at her London home on Friday. The This Morning presenter, 41, took to Instagram to share the laid back snap, alluding to the recent Storm Eunice with her caption: 'the calm after the storm.' Holly showcased her naturally pretty features and she relaxed in a pink T-shirt, sporting a necklace from her Wylde Moon brand. Stunning: Holly Willoughby looked radiant as she shared a makeup free selfie to Instagram while enjoying a glass of wine at her London home on Friday Holly donned an elegant gold necklace called the diamond moonflower necklace by @wyldemoon x @kirstielemarque. She captioned the post: 'The calm after the storm necklace of joy layered or the star of the show diamond moonflower necklace @wyldemoon x @kirstielemarque wine models own ' It comes after Holly shared an inspirational post urging fans to 'let their inhibitions fall' as they observed Wednesday's Snow Moon. Host: The This Morning presenter, 41, shared the laid back snap writing 'the calm after the storm' Holly captioned the post: 'The calm after the storm necklace of joy layered or the star of the show diamond moonflower necklace @wyldemoon x @kirstielemarque wine models own' The star has been a longtime fan of astrology and constellations, launching her associated brand, Wylde Moon, late last year - and took to the brand's Instagram stories to share the message. She wrote: 'Welcome to Wylde Moon in February, where the Snow Moon rises in majestic Leo placing emphasis on self-expression, creativity and confidence. 'Now is the time to let your inhibitions fall, be brave and share your passions with the world. The universe has got you and it's full of positivity out there!' she wrote on Wylde Moon's Instagram Stories. Wow: Holly recently shared an inspirational post urging fans to 'let their inhibitions fall' as they observed Wednesday's Snow Moon Post: The star has been a longtime fan of astrology and constellations, launching her associated brand, Wylde Moon, late last year The star also shared a post about about harnessing the power of the Leo Moon while promoting the February Edition of her brand, Accompanied by a glamorous photo of herself, she discussed her new perfume and a 'WyldeEnergy ritual to help you tap into that illusive 6th sense.' February's full moon the phase of the moon in which its whole disc is illuminated will reach 100 per cent illumination at 4:56pm GMT (11:56am EST) on Wednesday, February 16. However, this is before sunset (5:18pm in the UK), so stargazers will get the best view later in the evening when the sun has gone down. A full moon occurs once every 29.5 days the length of time it takes for the Moon to go through a whole lunar cycle. When the full moon arrives in February, astronomers give it the name 'Snow Moon' because it often coincides with with heavy snowfall. Eamonn Holmes has launched a blistering attack on ITV, branding the broadcaster 'sly' and accusing it of hypocrisy over its diversity drive. The veteran TV presenter also took aim at Phillip Schofield in an interview with the Daily Mail's Weekend magazine, calling him 'passive-aggressive' and claiming he has a habit of 'snubbing people'. Holmes, 62, co-hosted ITV's Friday instalment of This Morning for 15 years with his wife Ruth Langsford, 61. They also covered for Schofield and Holly Willoughby during the holidays. But the longstanding TV couple were replaced by Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary in 2021. Attack: Eamonn Holmes (pictured) accused ITV bosses of making it look as if he had walked away when in fact he had 'no idea' why he was being relieved of his This Morning slot Holmes, who now presents the breakfast show at GB News with co-host Isabel Webster, accused ITV bosses of making it look as if he had walked away when in fact he had 'no idea' why he was being relieved of the slot. 'No one explained anything to me,' he told Weekend magazine. 'I'm all for TV companies being able to choose who works for them, but it would be nice if you were told why you were going. 'They're sly. They didn't want to announce that I'd been dropped because it would adversely affect audience figures, so they made it look as if I'd walked away from them rather than the other way round. 'They had a chat with my agent and announced that I was going to GB News when they'd done no more than ask if I'd be interested in joining them.' Holmes, who had previously co-presented ITV breakfast show GMTV for 12 years, added: 'I'm not going to have myself derided as some sort of has-been. I may be male and pale but I'm still at the top of my game.' In September 2020 it was reported that Holmes was 'not in line with the youth drive' ITV was after as he was too 'pale, stale and male'. Tension: Holmes took aim at Phillip Schofield (both pictured with Ruth Langsford and Holly Willoughby) calling him 'passive-aggressive' and claiming he has a habit of 'snubbing people' Now, Holmes has accused channel bosses of hypocrisy, claiming that those who run the show are 'middle-aged white managers'. He said: 'When are they going to start being diverse with their management? The diversity is only on screen. It's hypocritical.' Holmes also targeted Schofield for cutting short his wife in the middle of a trailer for Loose Women on This Morning in 2019. Miss Langsford looked shocked, adding: 'I only had about three more words to say.' Holmes said he was 'hurt' by the slight. 'Phillip is renowned for snubbing people,' he said. 'He's very passive-aggressive. It's up to Ruth to say how she felt, but I was feeling hurt for her. No one would have snubbed me like that. 'I have a good Belfast street fighter in me I would be direct. I don't go for presenters who think they have a special privilege or aura or influence.' The Northern Irish broadcaster also revealed he had been left disgruntled by Sir Kenneth Branagh's latest film about his hometown Belfast. Holmes claimed the director said he had to include non-white actors in order to secure funding for the Oscar-nominated film. Holmes said: 'I said to Kenneth, "I'm just observing, but we didn't have an Indian corner shop or a black teacher or Chinese pupils in our classrooms in 1969. Belfast wasn't London." The journalist in me was saying that it was historically inaccurate.' In response to Holmes's allegations, a source close to This Morning told the Mail: 'It absolutely was explained to Eamonn what the plans were moving forward. 'The key to success with shows like This Morning is that they have to evolve. Alison and Dermot becoming part of the main presenting mix was part of that. Eamonn and Ruth were still very much a part of the team.' A spokesman for ITV said of Holmes's claims: 'This isn't a version of events we recognise and as we have said before we wish Eamonn all the very best.' On his allegations of hypocrisy on diversity, they added: 'We are committed to improving representation both on and off screen and we publicly report on our progress against our commitments and targets.' I won't be derided as a has-been: After his abrupt departure from This Morning, Eamonn Holmes strikes back at the 'sly' ITV bosses who forced him out (and has a pop at Phillip Schofield, too) Eamonn Holmes's default mode is affable. He is cheery to waiters and barmen he used to work in a pub and his Northern Irish bonhomie extends to everyone from the lift attendant to the doorman at the London hotel where we meet. The veteran TV presenter, who recently started his new job as co-host of GB News Breakfast, is so resolutely unstarry he asks everyone their names and takes an unfeigned interest in what they do for a living. Ratings for the show, which he co-hosts with his old friend and Sky colleague Isabel Webster, are rising. Reviews are positive. Viewers, it would seem, are warming to their partnership. Executives at ITV plotted his exodus from This Morning after 15 years: Both he and his wife Ruth Langsford were relieved of their weekly presentation duties last year. He remains bemused about the reason for this Eamonn's talent is to make his job chatting to the nation as it emerges from sleep and informing it of the day's news seem effortless, but he is modest about his skills. 'TV is a great job, but I've never felt it's a real job. It's just made to look and sound difficult by people who want to make themselves seem important,' he says. The oblique sideswipe could well be aimed at the unnamed cadre of executives who plotted his exodus from ITV's This Morning after 15 years: both he and his wife Ruth Langsford were relieved of their weekly presentation duties last year. He remains bemused about the reason for this. 'I've really no idea why,' he says. 'No one explained anything to me. I'm all for TV companies being able to choose who works for them, but it would be nice if you were told why you were going. 'They're sly. They didn't want to announce that I'd been dropped because it would adversely affect audience figures, so they made it look as if I'd walked away from them rather than the other way round. They had a chat with my agent and announced that I was going to GB News when they'd done no more than ask if I'd be interested in joining them.' He believes ITV, in its clamour to meet 'diversity' targets, was responsible for a snide suggestion that he was 'too male, pale and stale' for the show. At this, he bridles. 'I'm not going to have myself derided as some sort of has-been. I may be male and pale but I'm still at the top of my game.' He also points to double standards within the channel's hierarchy. 'When are they going to start being diverse with their management? These decisions are made by middle-aged white managers. The diversity is only on screen. It's hypocritical.' In 2019 Phillip Schofield slighted Eamonn's wife, Ruth, 61, by cutting her short in the middle of a trailer for Loose Women. This rankles with Eamonn. 'Phillip is renowned for snubbing people' He has a dig, too, at the daytime ITV execs who clamoured to offer medical assistance when he had a stye visible to his audience yet 11 months ago, when he was forced to use a walking stick to assuage pain from three slipped discs in his back, 'No one asked after me or said, 'How's your back and your leg?' Today, though still using the stick, he looks lean and fit, the twinkle intact, the zeal for the job he loves unabated. And over at GB News, there's an easy rapport between him and his new TV 'wife' Isabel. Viewing figures for their brand of 'woke-free' news have reached a record high since Eamonn, 62, joined in January. Both rival shows on BBC and ITV are sufficiently worried to be running trailers promoting their morning programmes. 'I'm just here to do the job I've been doing for more than 35 years and it feels comfortable,' he says of his new role. 'I've genuinely moved on. I have purpose and direction. We're there to inform and educate and I don't care if it's GB News or The Wheel, it should also be entertaining. 'There has to be energy and I want to present the news in a human way, to make it accessible and relevant. But rather than being depressed about wokeism I'm mildly entertained. People take themselves very seriously. Their ability to see the ridiculous has totally deserted them.' He is resolutely egalitarian; suspicious of the educated elite. 'I've always found it quite hard to be dictated to by posh people. Why do you need a degree from Oxford or Cambridge to do television? 'Most people who have, don't do it very well. TV is about cartels, certain agents, certain presenters,' he says, and I wonder if one of the presenters he's talking about might be ITV This Morning's Phillip Schofield. In 2019 Phillip slighted Ruth, 61, by cutting her short in the middle of a trailer for Loose Women. This rankles with Eamonn. 'Phillip is renowned for snubbing people. He's very passive-aggressive,' says Eamonn. 'TV is a great job, but I've never felt it's a real job. It's just made to look and sound difficult by people who want to make themselves seem important,' he says (pictured with Ruth last year) 'It's up to Ruth to say how she felt about it, but I was feeling a little hurt for her. No one would have snubbed me like that. I have a good Belfast street fighter in me. I wouldn't be shy of saying, 'Excuse me, I think you'll find I was speaking.' I would be direct. I don't go for presenters who think they have a special privilege or aura or influence.' Diversity is only on screen at ITV. It's hypocritical Allied to the emollient Irish charm, there's a vein of steel running through him. He grew up in Belfast in a close-knit Catholic family, one of Leonard and Josie Holmes's five sons. His dad was a carpet-fitter and money was short. Eamonn's first family home was a two-up, two-down with an outside lavatory and no bathroom. His teenage years coincided with the Troubles, when bombs and shootings were the cacophonous soundtrack to his schooldays. Although he got used to living on a knife-edge, he still looks back on his upbringing with warmth; his love of his home city, and the parents who raised him, undimmed. But he remembers the all-pervasive violence: a shopping centre bombing, being held with his brothers at gunpoint in their own garden, a firebomb on a bus. 'I was taking the bus to my Catholic grammar school one day and it was hijacked by masked men who burnt it down. I remember running up the school drive, late, and the head was reading matins. 'I said, 'Excuse me Father, my bus was hijacked,' and he said, 'In detention!' No excuse for lateness was acceptable. 'Today I would have been sent to the sanatorium and had psychiatrists attached to me,' he smiles wryly. 'But where I come from cancel culture was a bullet in the head. That was the reality of life in Belfast. People I went to school with died or were shot.' He's recently seen Kenneth Branagh's BAFTA-nominated film Belfast, which chronicles a childhood they both shared and believes anachronisms in the film that jarred with him He's recently seen Kenneth Branagh's BAFTA-nominated film Belfast, which chronicles a childhood they both shared they lived close to each other as children, but on opposite sides of the sectarian divide and he recalls a conversation he had with Branagh at the film's premiere. There were, he believes, anachronisms in the film that jarred with him. 'I said to Kenneth, 'I'm just observing, but we didn't have an Indian corner shop or a black teacher or Chinese pupils in our classrooms in 1969. Belfast wasn't London.' The journalist in me was saying it was historically inaccurate. I was simply asking, 'What's the truth?' and Kenneth said, 'I had to do it for the funding.' Schofield is renowned for snubbing people He isn't grinding any political axe he is resolutely non-partisan, which is part of his appeal but he doesn't balk at pointing out such anomalies and other inequities he regards as wrong. He is compassionate about those in need in the UK, supporting Belfast homeless charities and foodbanks, but unafraid of voicing his view that charity should begin at home. 'To be giving money round the world, unless it's to help victims of disasters like floods and earthquakes, when you have serious food poverty at home and a creaking social care system seems wrong.' He is outspoken on other topics, too, and has a keen contempt for toadies. He says neither he nor Ruth are 'good at kissing bottoms'. 'Sometimes it is really quite pathetic the way some people suck up to influential people. Ruth and I have to genuinely like people to socialise with them.' He speaks of Ruth and his kids with jokey affection; the extended Holmes family are a happy, supportive bunch. Eamonn has three kids, Declan, 33 who, with wife Jenny, last year presented him with his beloved grandchild, Emilia as well as Rebecca, 30, and Niall, 28, all from his first marriage to Gabrielle. Ruth and Eamonn, who have been together for over two decades, have a son Jack, 19. I MAY BE OUTSPOKEN ... BUT I'M NO PIERS! Eamonn admires broadcasters who aren't shy of expressing their opinions, applauding Piers Morgan (right, with Eamonn) for storming off the set of ITV's Good Morning Britain after he was accused of 'trashing' Meghan Markle. 'He saved ITV Breakfast,' says Eamonn. 'Without him, the viewing figures will probably slump because he brought a different way of doing it. You have to evolve or die.' He expands on the theme. 'I hate repetition; shows that have been the same for 15 years, where there's no imagination. Someone should find a successor to Pointless, Tipping Point and The Chase. Is that the best we can do?' He admits, however, he couldn't muster the indignation to be quite so outspoken as Piers. 'He's much braver than I am. I have absolutely no desire to put my neck on the block and not be liked. I don't care about anything outside my family and football team [he's an ardent Manchester United fan] as much as he does.' Advertisement Eamonn's dad died at 64 of a heart attack but mum Josie, 93, is still going strong, 'and the other day she asked me, 'Why did you leave Belfast? None of my other sons felt the need to.' All my brothers live within a two-mile radius of her. Mum would be delighted if I was assistant manager of the Co-op round the corner. 'The one thing guaranteed when we all get together is laughter. The kids are very irreverent; not remotely respectful. They tease me about my incompetence with technology. 'Life is so complicated these days, isn't it? Ruth says, 'We used to have a remote control for the telly and just put it on or off,' but now everything is problematic and you have to worry about wi-fi codes and the internet. The kids are very good at helping us with all of that.' Their marriage is a solid one, bonded by the joshing and humour we've seen on screen. He's an inveterate leg- puller. 'People say, 'Poor Ruth, having to put up with him,' but I assure you, she's more than capable of looking after herself.' He has a devoted female following, too. I know this because I bought a notebook online with the inscription, 'Sorry I wasn't listening I was thinking about Eamonn Holmes' on its cover, to take to our interview I thought it would tickle him. Several female friends expressed an eagerness to accompany me to the chat, too. When he posts a photo of the notebook on Instagram after our meeting, it garners over 10,000 likes. A slew of his friends comment. 'I need a copy,' writes TV presenter Vanessa Feltz. Actress Donna Air asks, 'Isn't everyone thinking about you?' One tabloid even writes a story about it. What have I started? And more pertinently, what is it about Eamonn Holmes? The lilting Irish brogue is irresistible. He's a charmer. And, of course, he is genuinely interested in people. I wonder how Ruth reacts to his fan club. 'She'll say, 'If they could only see you struggling to put on your socks in the morning,' he laughs. He still has mobility problems associated with his back. He met Ruth in the mid-1990s. 'For me, it was love at first sight. I tease her still that she always regarded herself as too sophisticated for me. She'd say, 'Daddy's in the Army,' and I got the impression he was a Brigadier-General, but it turned out that he ran the motor pool,' he laughs. 'She just sounded posh as the Army paid for her to go to private school.' He says her life is full her fashion line on the shopping channel QVC is its second-biggest brand but concedes 'it's been a tough few years'. Ruth's sister, Julia, took her own life in 2019 after suffering long-term mental health problems. 'She was her only sibling and they were very close. I'm proud she's been able to take comfort and solace in work.' I wonder if he worries about his own mortality; after all, his dad died when he was just two years older than Eamonn is now. He confesses to a degree of 'maudlin Irish fatalism' but also admits he is in no way ready to slow down as part of his GB News contract, he's due to host his own talk show. He's still deliberating over the format. Should it be chats with famous people, or ordinary people whose lives are interesting? He'd like to know what his viewers would like. And he admits that his daily 2.30am alarm is not, after more than three decades in breakfast TV, remotely appealing. So perhaps a later slot would be welcome? 'Yes, a show for GB News that began at 6pm would be very nice indeed,' he smiles. And I'm sure his fans would follow him, morning or evening. Eamonn hosts GB News Breakfast with Isabel Webster, weekdays from 6am-9.30am on GB News (Sky 515, Freeview 236, Virgin Media 626). Chris Hemsworth has been in Europe for the past few months filming his new Netflix film, Extraction 2. And on Saturday, the Australian actor wrapped a 'big week' of shooting action-packed scenes for the sequel with a trip to the snow in Austria with his entourage. Sharing footage to his Instagram page of himself wearing ski gear, the 38-year-old looked to be in his element as he took to the slopes and indulged in 'strudel, schnitzel and Schnapps!' 'Consumed my body weight in strudel, schnitzel and Schnapps!' Chris Hemsworth (pictured), 38, wrapped up 'a big week' of filming Extraction 2 in Austria with a trip to the snow in footage shared to his Instagram page on Saturday Chris was joined by his personal trainer Luke Zocchi, personal assistant Aaron Grist and makeup artist Matteo Silvi. 'Epic way to finish off a big week of shooting on #Extraction2 in Austria!' Chris captioned the post. 'Consumed my body weight in strudel, schnitzel and (alcoholic beverage) Schnapps. Say that 6 times fast. Then rolled down the mountain,' he continued. Footage captured Chris beaming on the ski slope and indulging in a gourmet feast. Letting loose: The actor (right) was joined by his entourage including personal trainer Luke Zocchi, personal assistant Aaron Grist and makeup artist Matteo Silvi Feasting: Chris joked that he had 'consumed his body weight in strudel, schnitzel and (alcoholic beverage) Schnapps' as he was seen indulging in a gourmet feast with his pals Finishing off 'a big week': Chris (right) looked to be in his element as he took to the slopes Chris reprises his role as Tyler Rake in the blockbuster sequel, Extraction 2. Extraction 2 is the sequel to the 2020 film of the same name - which followed Chris' character Tyler, who is hired to rescue the kidnapped son of a crime lord. Earlier this month, Chris shared behind-the-scenes footage from the set to his Instagram, and showed how he can pull off the 'greatest and most difficult stunt ever captured on film'. Hilarious stunt: Earlier this month, Chris shared a clip to his Instagram page of himself pulling off the 'greatest and most difficult stunts ever captured on film' on the set of Extraction 2 Gotcha! In the video, Chris is seen warming up with a few jumps, shaking his hands and loosening up his shoulders. He then undertakes his so-called 'stunt', which ended up being more of a party trick That's it? The Thor star ran to a wardrobe assistant and launched himself into a jacket In the video, Chris is seen warming up with a few jumps, shaking his hands and loosening up his shoulders. He then undertakes his so-called 'stunt', which ended up being more of a party trick. The Thor star ran to a wardrobe assistant and launched himself into a jacket. 'Probably the greatest and most difficult stunt ever captured on film Extraction2 @netflix @samhargrave @agbofilms,' he jokingly captioned his video. Irina Shayk was every inch the fashion icon as she stepped out in a muted ensemble for dinner at Laylow in London's Notting Hill on Friday night. The model, 36, wore a frilled brown mini-dress which she teamed with a pair of patent over-knee boots for her outing. She was joined by Victoria's Secret Angel Stella Maxwell, 31, who gave a glimpse at her midriff by opting for a white cropped top which she wore under an open shirt in the same colour. Fashion set: Irina Shayk, 36, wore all-black while Stella Maxwell, 31, gave a glimpse at her midriff in a cropped white top while out for dinner at Laylow in London's Notting Hill on Friday Stella opted for a black coat and wore matching flared trousers while she had on a pair of strappy heels to add a few inches to her stature. The beauty wore her hair up in a neat bun and accessorised by wearing a pair of dark sunglasses as she left the restaurant. Irina also hid behind a pair of shades and carried a black handbag on her shoulder. In style: Irina wore a brown frilled mini-dress which she teamed with a pair of leather boots for her outing Fashion forward: Stella opted for a black coat and wore matching flared trousers while she had on a pair of strappy heels to add a few inches to her stature She completed her look by accessorising with a pair of gold earrings which glistened in the light outside the eatery. Stella was seen chatting to fashion designer Edward Enninful, 49, as she left the restaurant. Edward wore a black top and matching coat which he teamed with a pair of navy blue trousers and some comfortable trainers. Famous friends: Stella was seen chatting to fashion designer Edward Enninful, 49, as she left the restaurant Looking good: The beauty pulled her blonde tresses into a neat bun and accessorised by wearing a pair of dark sunglasses as she left the restaurant Fighting fit: Stella showed off her toned stomach as she walked towards her car after dining out with her friends The group's outing comes after Irina found herself in a dishevelled state as she battled the high winds of Storm Eunice earlier in the day while leaving an appointment in London. The catwalk star was seen happily making her way out of a treatment facility before facing the strong gusts of wind, which reached a top speed of 122mph. She attempted to shield her face from the heavy breeze before hurriedly making her way to her car. A Stroudsburg man already charged with illegally dealing arms to Iraq is accused of having an employee kidnapped and subjected to heinous acts of violence by Kurdish soldiers in 2015. Ross Roggio, 53, directed and participated in the torture over the course of 39 days, according to a new release from U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus of the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Advertisement According to an indictment returned Tuesday, Roggio was managing a project to construct a factory and produce weapons in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The indictment alleges that one of Roggios employees raised concerns about the project and, to prevent interference, Roggio arranged for Kurdish soldiers to abduct the employee to a military compound. Advertisement Roggio is accused of leading multiple interrogation sessions during which he directed Kurdish soldiers to suffocate the man with a bag, taser him in the groin and other areas of his body, beat him with fists and rubber hoses, jump violently on his chest while wearing military boots, and threaten to cut off one of the his fingers while applying pressure to the finger with a large cutting tool. On at least one occasion, Roggio wrapped his belt around the mans neck, yanked him off the ground and suspended him in the air, causing him to lose consciousness, the indictment alleges. Roggio and the Roggio Consulting Company LLC were charged in a 37-count indictment in 2018 with illegally exporting firearms parts and tools from the United States to Iraq as part of the weapons project. The new indictment adds the torture charges to the previous offenses. It also charges Roggio with one count of conspiracy to commit torture and one substantive count of torture. Last Call Daily Get top headlines from The Morning Call delivered weekday afternoons. > Roggio is the second U.S. citizen, and the fourth defendant overall, to be charged with violating the torture statute since the law went into effect in 1994. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each of the torture charges and a maximum penalty of 705 years in prison for the remaining 37 counts. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations oversaw the torture allegations and were joined in the investigation of the alleged arms export violations by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement. These charges demonstrate that the Department of Justice will hold U.S. citizens who commit horrendous acts of violence accountable, said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Departments Criminal Division. Advertisement Jacqueline Maguire, special agent in charge of the FBIs Philadelphia field office, said Roggio leveraged his position and used foreign soldiers to intimidate and coerce someone who was a threat to the success of his corrupt scheme. Whether in the United States or on foreign soil, heinous acts like torture violate our laws, she said. The FBI has a global reach and working in concert with our federal and international partners, will pursue justice for any victim, here or abroad, who suffers at the hands of an American citizen. Morning Call reporter Daniel Patrick Sheehan can be reached at 610-820-6598 or dsheehan@mcall.com Donald Meenen didnt file for unemployment, so when he received a check in July for $869, he knew he had become one of the thousands of victims of unemployment fraud in Pennsylvania. Following advice from his accountant, Meenen mailed the check back to the state. His accountant filed a fraud claim through the Department of Labor & Industrys website. Advertisement I thought that was the end of it, said Meenen, of South Whitehall. It wasnt. Advertisement He got another surprise in the mail recently, a tax liability document from the state for the unemployment compensation that had been paid in his name. The document, form 1099-G, said he had received $1,738 and that information would be sent to the IRS. I dont want to get stuck paying taxes on it, Meenen told me. The state says he wont have to. But he shouldnt even have to be worrying. Meenen reported the fraud in his name six months before the 1099 was issued. That should have been plenty of time for the state to investigate his case and close it before a tax document was spit out of the states automated system. I heard from another fraud victim who didnt get a 1099, so the documents can be headed off. This problem isnt new. It happened last year, too. State officials still are struggling to investigate fraudulent claims filed by identity thieves who cashed in during the rush of applications for benefits during the pandemic. Advertisement At the start of the pandemic, the state was relying on an antiquated system, using 1970s technology, that was susceptible to fraud. A new system was rolled out in June. It also was immediately hit by scammers. They use personal information stolen through data breaches and phishing schemes to commit identity theft and claim unemployment under someone elses name. Most of the time they try to direct the money to a bank account they control. Meenen didnt get a second check, so hes unsure what happened to the rest of the money the state says it paid him. Unemployment compensation systems nationwide were ruthlessly exploited by scammers during the pandemic, often through sophisticated, organized schemes that still are under investigation. The state Independent Fiscal Office estimates that Pennsylvanias unemployment system paid about $4.5 billion in fraudulent claims in 2020 and about $1.5 billion in 2021. That includes traditional state insurance and special pandemic programs funded by the federal government. Advertisement Some of that money was recouped. Labor & Industry recovered more than $46 million in 2020. Since then, the Pennsylvania Treasury has recovered another $1.1 billion, some of which will have to be returned to the federal government. The amount of fraud has decreased recently, Jennifer Berrier, secretary of the Department of Labor & Industry, told state lawmakers recently. The new system has blocked more than 442,000 fraudulent claims and prevented the theft of about $4.7 billion in state and federal benefits. It has additional security, requiring claimants to prove their identity through verification vendor ID.me. But many fraud cases havent been resolved. There is a backlog of about 37,000. While thats well down from 100,000 cases in October, thats still too many. And its taking too long to resolve them. It could take several months before were looking at someone, Berrier testified before the House Labor & Industry Committee on Feb 10. Advertisement Additional staff have been assigned to work fraud cases, and more workers are being hired. As they come on board, the investigation time should be reduced to weeks instead of months, Berrier said. The cases are time consuming to investigate and to attempt to recover the stolen funds, department spokesperson Erin James told me. We prioritize cases where the victim is actually seeking unemployment benefits because time is of the essence for them, she said. If the state needs to hire even more people to resolve these problems swiftly, and to improve communication with victims, then it should. Pennsylvania has banked millions of dollars in federal coronavirus relief funds. That money is supposed to be spent solving pandemic-related problems, and this is a huge one. [ Unemployed, and no answers for unpaid claims: Nobody should be treated this way' ] With tax season upon us, some victims are feeling victimized again. Meenen is not the only one Ive heard from. Advertisement Gary Blockus of Laurys Station had a similar experience. He learned that a crook filed an unemployment claim in his name in July, when his employer was notified about it. Blockus, a former colleague at The Morning Call, did what the state tells people to do. He filed fraud reports with the Department of Labor & Industry and police. Like Meenen, he never heard from the unemployment office about whether his case was resolved. He learned months later it hadnt been. In December, he got an unemployment debit card from the state. In early February, he got a 1099-G saying he had received $1,738 in unemployment income. Advertisement If an investigation has concluded and a claim is verified as being fraudulent, victims are not sent a 1099, James told me. Forms are automatically generated and sent to all other claimants at the end of the year, including those whose fraud reports remain under investigation. Labor & Industry notifies the IRS about 1099s that are suspected to have been issued as the result of identity theft, James said. As investigations are completed, the department follows up with the IRS about any changes to the 1099, such as zeroing them out. Updated forms also are sent to claimants. After receiving the 1099, Blockus emailed the state unemployment office, questioning how his fraud case was handled. You obviously ignored my phone calls and emails that I was the victim of identity theft, and still paid out unemployment compensation to someone, but not me, Blockus wrote. Gary Blockus of Laurys Station was a victim of unemployment compensation fraud. He fears his tax return could take longer to process because the state issued him a 1099 for the fraudulent income that a thief applied for in his name. (Contributed Photo / The Morning Call) Blockus is concerned the 1099 tax form will delay his tax return from being processed promptly by the IRS, delaying any refund he is owed. The state, following guidance from the IRS, tells fraud victims to file their tax return without including the 1099 income. Advertisement Blockus fears the IRS will flag his return, though, because it wont match the income information in IRS systems. Its going to hold up my return, he said. Getting nowhere with the unemployment office, Blockus sought help from state Rep. Gary Day, R-Lehigh. I did not file for unemployment, never received the funds, and never was told how to return this credit/debit card, Blockus wrote to Days office. I cannot get a live person at Pa. unemployment. I work during daytime hours and do not have time to take off to sit through a 5-hour phone queue that only tells me to call back the next day because there are no more openings that day. Please help me get this fraud income removed from my income. After I asked the Department of Labor & Industry about Blockus, it called and told him a corrected 1099-G form would be sent in a few months showing zero income. Advertisement He said the state again told him the IRS advises fraud victims to file their taxes without the fraudulent income. He was told there should be no delay in processing. We shall see on that last point, Blockus said. The IRS says on its website there should not be delays in processing returns. It doesnt say there wont be delays. Thats not reassuring. Blockus and Meenen have reasons to be concerned. The IRS is a massive bureaucracy with many automated systems. If figures dont match, I fear flags will be raised. And with the IRS still trying to catch up from the work that was delayed during the pandemic, any return that has to be reviewed manually has the potential to sit for a while. Advertisement If the state would have closed out their fraud cases sooner, Blockus, Meenen and others wouldnt be in this mess. Morning Call columnist Paul Muschick can be reached at 610-820-6582 or paul.muschick@mcall.com On May 12, the UW Board of Regents (BOR) will hear recommendations and comments on divesting from fossil fuels, according to Peter Fink, lead organizer for the Institutional Climate Action (ICA). The Dayton Metro Library will host a College and Career Fair on Saturday, March 5, 12-4 pm, at the Main Library, in the Community Room, 2nd Floor. Those interested in learning about attending college, college programs, and different career fields could benefit by visiting representatives from 28 schools, trade and union organizations, military branches, public service, and Ohios 529 CollegeAvantage. Laura Chamberlain, Teen Services Coordinator at Dayton Metro Library, expresses how excited the Library is to be hosting such a fair. We are really looking forward to providing students with an opportunity to explore all the different pathways that exist after high school, whether it is pursuing a skilled trade, entering public service, or continuing their studies at one of the many great schools here in Ohio, she said. Whether they are a sophomore or junior looking to plan ahead or a senior still making decisions, this is a great chance for young people to meet face to face with those who can help answer their questions and find their best fit. Learning about Ohios 529 Plan could be especially beneficial, as representatives will help families understand that their savings plan can be used not just for four-year universities and colleges, but two-year community colleges, trade and specialty schools, certificate programs, graduate school, law school, medical school, and apprenticeships. Also, Shyra Thomas, Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Dayton, will present three half hour-long sessions in the Bassani Theater, 3rd Floor. Her presentations will provide information on making decisions about college, application timelines, and addressing the basics of financial aid. Registration is not required. For more information about the College and Career Fair, visit DaytonMetroLibrary.org/Programs or call the Ask Me Line at 937.463.2665. This page may be updated if the event is repeated Past Event - Saturday, February 19, 2022 This page may be updated if the event is repeated Free Event Presidential Gallery aircraft and exhibits will be featured in honor of President's Day. Presidents Day at the Air Force Museum Presidential Gallery in Building 4 - Saturday, February 19, 2022 10:30 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Presidential Gallery aircraft and exhibits will be featured during Plane Talks on Saturday, Feb. 19 from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Boeing VC-137C SAM 26000 Air Force One that returned President Kennedys body to Washington D.C. after his assassination in Dallas, the Douglas VC-54C Sacred Cow which was the first purpose-built presidential aircraft, the Lockheed VC-121E Columbine III used by President Eisenhower, and the Douglas VC-118 The Independence, used by President Truman will be open for visitors to walk through. In addition, approximately ten volunteer subject matter experts will be stationed near the aircraft or exhibit related to their expertise throughout the day. Plane Talks occurs a few times a year, bringing to life the development and service history of the aircraft and exhibits on display at the museum. 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. Police keep a watch as fishermen stage a protest against the Sri Lankan Government, in Rameshwaram. (Photo: PTI) Chennai: As many as 47 fishermen, who had been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy, were released after the intervention of the Central government, arrived here today morning. Fishermen from Rameswaram, Nagapattinam and Pudukottai districts in the state were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy when they ventured into the sea for fishing in December 2021. In December alone, as many as 56 fishermen were arrested and nine boats, fishing nets, and other gear was confiscated. The arrested fishermen were produced before the courts in Sri Lanka and imprisoned. Following this, the Tamil Nadu government wrote a letter to the Union Minister of External Affairs. Immediately, the Central Government and the Government of Tamil Nadu took steps for the release of the fishermen. Then, a Sri Lankan court released 56 Tamil Nadu fishermen in January. All of them were handed over to the Indian embassy officials in Sri Lanka. While the embassy was taking steps to send them back, it was found that several fishermen were infected with COVID-19. So they could not be sent to India immediately and were treated in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, the families of the fishermen urged the Sri Lankan court to take immediate action to send the fishermen back to Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu government informed the Central Government and demanded that action should be initiated to bring the fishermen to Tamil Nadu. At the request of the Tamil Nadu government, the Indian Embassy sent those fishermen who were not infected with the virus on February 10. Following this, 47 Tamil Nadu fishermen arrived at the Chennai International Airport at 4.20 am today. They were welcomed by the state fisheries department officials. Vijayawada: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced that road works of Rs 3,000 crore will be undertaken in Andhra Pradesh. These include six greenfield express highways including the Rayapur-Visakhapatnam greenfield express highway, which will be completed by 2024. Gadkari announced sanctioning of the Vijayawada Eastern Bypass ring road on a request from Chief Minister Jagan and said he would visit Polavaram after completion of the project. The Union minister stressed the need for reducing petrol and diesel use and instead use of green hydrogen for environment protection. Describing Andhra Pradesh as a progressive state with high potential for development, Gadkari conceded to the request of the chief and sanctioned the East bypass to Vijayawada city as also 30 Road Over Bridges. Gadkari and Jagan inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 51 projects at a cost of over Rs 21,000 crore besides the Western bypass flyover II at Benz Circle. The Union minister laid emphasis on development of infrastructure and improved road connectivity for the growth of industry and agriculture besides extending all help from the Centre in the development process. Gadkari was all praise for the chief minister and called him a young and dynamic leader taking the state forward. He described AP a progressive state and said the two main ports would generate employment and revenue to the state. Connectivity plays a vital role, for which the Centre would extend all help, the Union minister said. The minister has promised AP that between now and 2024, the Centre would spend three lakh crore for development of roads in the state. Of the 23 greenfield express highways, the ministry has taken up six that passes through Andhra Pradesh. These include the Raipur-Visakhapatnam (465 km) that will be completed by 2024, the Nagpur to Vijayawada highway to be ready by 2025, the Chittoor-Tanjavur highway, the Hyderabad Visakhapatnam highway, the Bangalore Chennai highway which runs through 85 km in AP, all of which will be ready before 2025. Transportation expenses, he said, can be reduced with good connectivity and roads hence the Union Government is keen on the modernizations of roads. Transport cost is less in India compared to China, he said, and added that the government is promoting electric vehicles to reduce use of petrol and diesel. Gadkari said though he was not the minister for water resources, he was very touchy about Polavaram and likes to see the project completed fast. He said that as a farmer, he knew the difficulties of the farming community due to shortage of irrigation water and is hence seeking swift completion of the Polavaram project. With the completion of the main stage for installation of Sammakka on Thursday night, a heavy rush of devotees was witnessed from the early hours on Friday. (Photo: Twitter) Mulugu: With just a day left for Asia's biggest tribal fair, around 90 lakh devotees and political party leaders visited Medaram and offered prayers to the tribal gods Sammakka and Saralamma in this district by Friday evening. With the completion of the main stage for installation of Sammakka on Thursday night, a heavy rush of devotees was witnessed from the early hours on Friday. All roads led to the Medaram to offer prayers and seek blessings from the tribal goddesses. Union ministers Kishan Reddy and Renuka Singh, state ministers Talasani Srinivas, Gangula Kamalakar, Malla Reddy, Huzurabad MLA Etala Rajendar, Malothu Kavitha MLCs Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and Madhusudhana Chary, MLAs Aruri Ramesh, Shankar Naik and Redya Naik, GWMC mayor Gundu Sudharani and MD of tourism department Gupta were among those who visited Medaram on Friday. Endowment minister Indrakaran Reddy and Panchayat Raj minister Errabelli Dayakar inspected the Jatara arrangements. They spent the entire day receiving leaders and providing them various facilities at the temple premises. After offering prayers, Union minister Kishan Reddy said national status will not be given to the festival but it can be given wide publicity as a tribal fair that is held once every two years. He said the central government has sanctioned funds for taking up several developmental works at Medaram and in Mulugu district. A tribal university would be established in Mulugu. The government has sanctioned Rs 45 crore for the purpose. Steps are also being taken for the setting up of the Central Museum in Hyderabad, he said. An heated argument took place between the media persons and police when the latter pushed them around while trying to report the visits of the Union ministers at Medaram. Media personnel raised slogans against the cops. DSP Sangram Singh intervened and restored calm. The devotees faced hardships with the heavy rush of VVIPs to Medaram since morning. Standing in long serpentine queues, it took more than three hours for them to have darshan of the presiding deities. At one stage, they expressed their anguish openly and tried to break the security cordon set up by the police at the entrance to the temple. With timely intervention of the police and adivasi volunteers, the situation was brought under control. Some devotees complained that shops in the vicinity fleeced them by quoting high prices for coconut, jaggery, poultry birds and liquor. The shopkeepers took around Rs 50 to Rs 60 for coconut that normally cost no more than Rs 20 and they took Rs 100 to Rs 120 per kilo of jaggery against a normal price of Rs 50. When the price of broilers were Rs 120 per kg, the shops collected Rs 300 and for country chicken, they collected Rs 600. Shops charged an extra Rs 50 to Rs 80 on each quarter bottle of liquor, they alleged. Another advocate suggested mediation to resolve the issue, to which the court said mediation was possible only if both the petitioners and the respondents (the State and the college development committees) agree. DC image New Delhi: The Karnataka high court on Thursday adjourned its hearing on the petitions filed by five Muslim girls against a ban on hijabs in classrooms after state advocate-general Prabhuling Navadgi sought time to respond to the petitions. The hearing will resume on Friday. The AG said he was awaiting some orders by the state government. The three-judge high court bench said the state can modify its government order. Advocate Vinod Kulkarni, whose petition is under consideration, told the bench the issue was creating hysteria and affecting the mental health of the Muslim girls, and as per the Preamble of the Constitution, guarding health is the duty of the State. He sought interim relief to allow Muslim girls to wear the hijab, at least on Fridays. Banning the hijab is almost tantamount to banning the Quran, he argued. I am a devout Brahmin myself my submission is that it may amount to the banning of the Quran. My submission is: please pass an order today to allow wearing of the hijab on Fridays and during Ramzan, Mr Kulkarni said, as he cited the song Kuch Pakar Kuch Khona hain. The high court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by a social activist saying it was not maintainable, and told advocate Rahamathulla Kotwal, representing the social activist, that the courts precious time was being wasted while it was considering such an important matter. Senior advocate A.M. Dar, representing another set of five girl students from Bengaluru, said the government order on the hijab would affect his clients who wear the hijab, and said that the order was unconstitutional. However, the court asked Mr Dar to withdraw the petition and granted him the liberty to file a fresh one. Another advocate suggested mediation to resolve the issue, to which the court said mediation was possible only if both the petitioners and the respondents (the State and the college development committees) agree. Karnataka education minister B.C. Nagesh held a meeting with Muslim legislators on Thursday in an effort to get the Muslim girls to return to the classrooms by adhering to the high court order that temporarily barred the hijab and other religious clothing in classes. There is a need for a revised uniform policy. A lot of controversy has occurred at present. We will wait for the HC order to come up with a new policy, said Mr Nagesh, whose office described the interaction as a goodwill meeting. The state government says the hijab row is continuing only in eight high schools and pre-university colleges, out of a total 75,000 in Karnataka, while expressing confidence that the issue would be resolved soon. Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk courted dual controversies Thursday, accusing a US regulator of trying to stifle his speech while drawing condemnation for comparing Canada's leader to Hitler. In a letter to US District Judge Alison Nathan, attorneys for Musk, a longtime critic of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), accused the agency of propagating "endless unfounded investigations" into the Tesla boss and his company. "The SEC seems to be targeting Mr. Musk and Tesla for unrelenting investigation largely because Mr. Musk remains an outspoken critic of the government," Spiro said. Nathan oversaw a 2018 agreement in which Musk and Tesla each agreed to pay $20 million to settle SEC charges that Musk defrauded investors with false claims on Twitter about a possible go-private transaction that was quickly aborted. The settlement also imposed strict rules on Musk's use of social media, requiring pre-approval from Tesla counsel over statements with key financial information. The letter to Nathan from attorney Alex Spiro also accused the SEC of dragging its feet in distributing the $40 million to investors, while it has cracked down on Musk's use of social media. The letter comes 10 days after Tesla disclosed that it received an SEC subpoena seeking information on the company's compliance with the 2018 agreement. Meanwhile, Jewish groups lambasted Musk for a now-deleted tweet he attached to a news story on cryptocurrency transactions that supported protests in Canada against vaccine mandates. The transactions have been deemed illegal under emergency orders enacted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. "Stop comparing me to Justin Trudeau," said Musk's tweet, which included a photo of Adolf Hitler. "I had a budget." Anti-Defamation League Chief Executive Jonathan Greenblatt blasted the statement, calling comparisons to Hitler "inappropriate and offensive," and saying Musk should delete the statement. The American Jewish Committee said the Tesla chief "must apologize immediately," adding that comparing Trudeau to a "genocidal dictator who murdered millions is not an appropriate way to criticize policies." Robert Kennedy Jr., a leading anti-vaccine figure, apologized last month after being condemned for comments at a rally that invoked the Holocaust. Check out DH's latest videos: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday came out in defence of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi over the political brouhaha caused by his UP de bhaiye remark, saying the comments were made for AAP leaders and BJP campaigners in the northern state. Come back tomorrow for more updates. Manipur may be lacking in many development parameters but majority of the candidates contesting in the first phase of Assembly elections on February 28 are crorepatis. An analysis of the affidavits submitted by 173 candidates in the first phase found that 91 out of 173 candidates (53 per cent) have assets worth over Rs one crore. The analysis was carried out by Manipur Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a New Delhi-based NGO working for electoral reforms in the country. It found that the average worth of assets of the candidates was Rs 2.51 crore. The National People's Party (NPP), a regional partner of the BJP-led government in Manipur since 2017 topped the list with 27 candidates having average assets worth Rs 3.48 crore. 38 BJP candidates had assets worth Rs 2.84 crore while the average assets of 28 JD (U) candidates was Rs. 2.67 crore. Thirty-five Congress candidates have declared average assets worth Rs 1.93 crore. Read | Manipur elections: Insurgents in ceasefire to cast votes through postal ballots Sapam Nishikanta Singh, an independent candidate contesting in Keisamthong constituency declared the highest assets worth Rs 29 crore. Ninghthoujam Popilal Singh belonging to NCP from Sekmai (SC) constituency declared zero assets. The analysis also found that 37 candiates (21 per cent) declared pending criminal cases, of which 16 per cent were serious in nature. The report said 133 candiates (77 per cent) had declared their educational qualification to be graduate and above. There are only 15 (9 per cent) female candidates contesting in the first phase of elections. The second and final phase of elections for 22 constituencies is scheduled on March 4. Check out the latest DH videos here: Days after Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi kicked up a controversy with his "bhaiya" remark, his Congress party colleague Manish Tewari on Friday said it is reflective of a social bias against migrants and likened it to the issue of Black Americans. Such thinking should have no place in the secular ethos of Punjab and has to be rooted out, said Tewari, a former union minister and a part of the group of 23 Congress leaders who had called for organisational reforms and was critical of the party leadership. With party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra by his side during an election roadshow in Rupnagar on Tuesday, Channi had asked people not to let the bhaiyas from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi enter the state. Also Read | 'Bhaiya' remark meant for AAP leaders, not migrant workers from UP, Bihar: Channi The remark was apparently aimed at Aam Aadmi Party leaders, but bhaiya is considered a derogatory term for migrants from UP and Bihar who work in Punjab. Ahead of the February 20 assembly polls, Tewari tweeted, "De-Horse Politics - The Bhaiya controversy is like the Black issue in the US. It is reflective of an unfortunate systemic and institutionalised social bias against migrants stretching back to the inception of the Green Revolution." At a personal level, he said, "despite my mother being a Jat Sikh and my father being the foremost exponent of Punjab-Punjabi-Punjabiyat who laid down his life for Hindu-Sikh amity because of my surname it is said behind my back 'Eh Bhaiya Kithon Agha' peppered with the choicest expletives in Punjabi - We have to root it out." "Such thinking should have no place in the secular ethos of Punjab grounded in the idiom 'Manas Ki Jaat Sabhe Ek Pechan'," Tewari said. The BJP and the AAP have flayed Channi for his remarks. The Punjab chief minister said his comment was directed at a few individuals causing disruption in the state and that it has been twisted. "My statement is being twisted since yesterday. The migrants have taken Punjab to the path of development with their hard work. They have always contributed towards development, he said in a video message on Twitter on Thursday. Our love for them is in our heart and nobody can take it out, he added. Check out DH's latest video: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath yet again issued a warning to Samajwadi Party leaders for allegedly shielding criminals saying that the "bulldozer will run again after March 10". The UP election results will be declared on March 10. Addressing a public gathering at Karhal in Mainpuri, Yogi said that the "bulldozer" has been sent for repairing, and it will start again after March 10. Also read: SP candidate seeks BJP leaders' blessings for poll battle against Yogi in Gorakhpur "Maine bulldozer bhej diya hai repair ke liye. 10 March ke baad jab ye fir se chalna prarambh hoga to jin logo mein abhi jyada garmi nikal rahi hai, ye garmi 10 March ke baad apne aap shant ho jayegi. (I have sent the bulldozer for repairs. Once it starts working again after March 10, all those who are hot-headed now, will be silenced on their own)," Yogi said. #WATCH | I have come here to assure you that I have send the bulldozer for repair. 10 March ke baad jab ye fir se chalna prarambh hoga to jin logo me abhi jyada garmi nikal rahi hai, ye garmi 10 March ke baad apne aap shant ho jayegi: UP CM Yogi Adityanath in Karhal, Mainpuri pic.twitter.com/hvjcQsKbeE ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 18, 2022 This is not the first time Yogi targeted the Opposition using "bulldozer" jibe as this has been his catchphrase during this election campaign. However, a BJP MLA recently got into a soup for using the same warning against the Uttar Pradesh voters. A video of the member of the Telangana Legislative Assembly went viral on social media in which he warned the UP voters of dire consequences if they voted against the saffron party. Check out DH's latest videos: Forty-year-old Rajwati Devi, a resident of Raipur village in the Sitapur district, about 90 kilometres from the state capital of Lucknow, who owned a small piece of agricultural land, burst out angrily when she was asked about the stray cattle problem as if she was waiting to vent out his feelings. "Chutta pashu sari fasal char ja rahen hain....kitna rakhwali karen...bachhe din mein school nahin jate khet ki rakhwali karte hain aur raat mein bade log khet mein rahte hain (stray cattle graze the standing crops....we don't know how to guard our fields....the children guard the fields in the day and don't go to the schools and at nights the elders do the same thing)," Rajwati says. Rajwati's feelings reverberate in almost every part of the state with varying degrees of destruction caused by the stray cattle to the standing crops of the farmers across the state. 'Dhokha' (deception...a human-like structure in the middle of the field), 'machans' (an elevated platform on the edge of the fields made from bamboo sticks and wood on which a person can sit or sleep and keep a watch on the stray cattle) and fencing around the fields with crops are a common sight as one drives through the highways as well as the roads connecting the villages. Rajwati said that she used to harvest four to five quintals of wheat from agricultural land but this year she was sure the harvest would be less than two quintals. ''Almost half of the crops have been destroyed by the stray cattle,'' she said. Similar is the story of many others in her village. A little farther from her village, one could find herds of stray cattle resting under the shade of trees. ''They rest in the daytime and start roaming during the nights....you can hear the shouts of the villagers as they try to scare them away throughout the nights,'' said Raju Kumar Singh, another resident. Stray cattle have already become an issue in the ongoing assembly polls in UP with almost all the opposition party leaders raising the same at their election meetings and assuring the people to resolve the issue if their party forms the next government in the state. Although the BJP leaders refuse to concede that the stray cattle population has risen sharply in the state, an official report says that there were more than 11.8 lakh stray cattle in the state in 2019. The report says that the number of stray cattle in the country decreased by 3.2 per cent between 2012 and 2019 but in UP it has increased by a whopping 17 per cent. ''Stray cattle is certainly an issue in this polls....those whose crops have been destroyed will give a befitting reply to the BJP in the polls.....anyone who is into farming has suffered losses because of the stray cattle,'' said Munna Lal, a farmer in the neighbouring Lakhimpur Kheri district. The enormity of the problem could be gauged from the fact that the UP chief secretary, almost immediately taking charge a few months back, directed the district magistrates to launch a special drive to catch all the stray cattle. Frustrated farmers had even decided to take the stray cattle from their villages to the state capital of Lucknow and tie them at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence. Though they did try but could not succeed as the authorities thwarted their plans. At some places, angry farmers had herded the stray cattle into the primary schools in the villages and locked the gates from outside. Though the state government claims that it had provided funds to the village pradhans to set up cow shelters to house these stray cattle, this correspondent did not find the shelters in villages in Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi and Unnao districts. Wherever there were cow shelters, they were full and had no space for any more cattle. BJP leaders may be saying that the stray cattle was a non-issue, the farmers think otherwise. ''There is resentment...whether it will hit the BJP's electoral prospects is yet to be seen,'' said Jaswant Dwivedi, a resident of Jamkhanwa village. Check out the latest videos from DH: Residents near Ukraines front line rushed into basements for cover Thursday as exchanges of artillery fire with Russian-backed separatists reached their most intense level in months, an ominous development amid Western fears that Russia might use the fighting as a pretext to invade Ukraine. As the United States and Russia traded conflicting accounts over whether Russian forces were really pulling back from the Ukrainian border, as Moscow has insisted, the separatists claimed they had come under fire from the Ukrainians. That is precisely the sort of incident Western officials have warned Russia might try to use to justify military action. At the White House, President Joe Biden said every indication we have is theyre prepared to go into Ukraine, attack Ukraine. He said the United States had reason to believe that Russia was engaged in a false flag operation to have an excuse to go in. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unscheduled trip to New York, where he told the United Nations Security Council that US intelligence indicates clearly that Russian forces surrounding the country from three sides are preparing to launch an attack against Ukraine in the coming days. Also Read: Russia expels No. 2 American official in Moscow, US weighs response The escalation of tensions rippled throughout the markets, where stock prices plunged. Russia continued to insist Thursday that it had no plans to invade, issuing new updates about troop withdrawals and dismissing the US invasion warnings as information terrorism. The Russian government also published a lengthy response to US proposals made last month to ease tensions, maintaining the Kremlins push to regain a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe and issuing a vague warning of new military deployments. If the United States does not accede to its demands, the document said, Russia will be forced to respond, including through the implementation of measures of a military-technical character. In eastern Ukraine on Thursday, where a kindergarten was shelled, the spike in violence evoked the sort of scenario that Western leaders have been warning of amid the enormous Russian troop buildup surrounding Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin of Russia this week repeated his false claim that Ukraine was carrying out a genocide against Russian speakers in the countrys east, while the Russian authorities announced an investigation into supposed mass graves of Russian-speaking victims of Ukrainian forces. And on Thursday, the Kremlins spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, offered an ominous assessment. The excessive concentration of Ukrainian forces near the contact line, together with possible provocations, can pose terrible danger, he said. Blinken told the Security Council that Moscow appeared to be setting the stage. Russia plans to manufacture a pretext for its attack, he said, citing a so-called terrorist bombing or a fake, even a real attack with chemical weapons. This could be a violent event that Russia will blame on Ukraine, he said, or an outrageous accusation that Russia will level against the Ukrainian government. If so, it would not be the first time. Also read: The United States message to Russia: Prove us wrong When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, it did so after claiming that Russian speakers there were threatened by the pro-Western revolution in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, which the Kremlin described as a fascist coup. And in 2008, Russia invaded Georgia after the Georgian army moved into a Russian-backed separatist enclave there. The skirmishing in Eastern Europe between Ukrainian forces and Kremlin-backed separatists is long-standing, but Thursdays violence was the worst since a cease-fire was reached two years ago. The combatants exchanged not just shells but accusations. The Ukrainian military said three adult civilians had been wounded at the kindergarten, and on the other side, a Russian-backed separatist leader claimed Ukraine had launched mortar fire barbarically and cynically. The artillery fire began in the early morning and did not let up with the advent of evening. The sharp crack of explosions echoed off buildings, and flashes of light from incoming shells silhouetted trees. The days of whiplash developments made unmistakable the volatility of a crisis that US officials fear could lead to an assault by one of the worlds most powerful militaries against Ukraine, Europes second-biggest country, a development younger Europeans never thought they would see. Still, in Moscow, many analysts remained convinced that Putins troop buildup was a bluff a means to pressure the West to rule out Ukrainian membership in NATO and to force the alliance to roll back its presence in Eastern Europe. Also read: US challenges Russia to step back from Ukraine attack Whatever his true intentions, the diplomatic and military crisis has also become an intense battle of public messaging, with both Moscow and Washington deploying vivid imagery and rhetoric to discredit the other side. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said at a meeting of his NATO counterparts in Brussels that Russia continued to move troops closer to Ukraines borders. He said it was also adding combat aircraft and stocking up on blood supplies in anticipation of casualties on the battlefield. I know firsthand that you dont do these sorts of things for no reason, said Austin, a retired four-star Army general. And you certainly dont do them if youre getting ready to pack up and go home. Early Friday morning, soon after Blinken arrived in Munich for an annual security conference, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Blinken had accepted a proposal to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov late next week. Price did not provide a time or place for the meeting, the two diplomats second in two months, except to say it would not happen if Russia further invaded Ukraine. If they do invade in the coming days, it will make clear they were never serious about diplomacy, Price said in the statement. Although there are about 150,000 Russian troops surrounding Ukraine, Russia has cast the deployments as little more than military drills. On Thursday, international reporters were invited to visit Belarus a close Kremlin ally to see for themselves. There, amid the roar of Russian and Belarusian firepower, they were treated to some mocking comments directed at Western intelligence agencies by Belarus strongman leader, Alexander Lukashenko. There will be no invasion tomorrow, Lukashenko said as the military drills were staged at a desolate military training ground southeast of Minsk, Belarus' capital. Are you still entertaining this crazy idea? Also read: US draws parallels between China's actions against India and Russia's in Ukraine Lukashenko was scheduled to meet with Putin in Moscow on Friday, and pledged that he was willing to keep Russian troops in his country for as long as necessary. Western officials say the Russian troops gathered in Belarus are part of what makes the current invasion threat so dire, allowing the Kremlin to attack from the north as well as from the Russian mainland to the east and from Crimea and the Black Sea to the south. A key question now is whether Russia will continue its diplomatic engagement with the West. While Putin and Lavrov held a flurry of meetings and calls with their Western counterparts in recent weeks, there were no more such interactions on the calendar for the coming days. Blinken said the State Department was evaluating the Russian document delivered to Washington on Thursday and that he had proposed to Lavrov that the two meet in Europe next week. Russian officials did not confirm that the minister would accept the meeting. Blinken hasnt even gotten around to reading Russias response, and hes already calling Lavrov to a meeting, a senior Russian Foreign Ministry official said. What are they going to talk about? The document indicated there was only a narrow diplomatic way forward. Also read: Ukraine crisis: India says in touch with all concerned parties, 'constructive' diplomacy need of the hour It said a US proposal to allow Russia to inspect US missile defense bases in Poland and Romania that the Kremlin sees as a threat could be further taken into consideration. It also said that Russia saw the potential for mutually acceptable agreements on the subject of long-range bomber flights near national borders. And it said that Russia was open in principle to a discussion of replacing the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty, a landmark 1987 nuclear arms-control pact that the Trump administration abandoned in 2019, after accusing Russia of violating it. But Moscow insisted that those elements could be agreed upon only as part of a package that addressed Russias central demands. We welcome the readiness of the United States for appropriate consultations, the document said. However, this work cannot replace the settlement of the key problems posed by Russia. Among Russias demands was that NATO militaries halt all cooperation with Ukraine and remove all Western weaponry delivered to the country in recent years to help it defend against Russia and Russian-backed separatists. The document also repeated Russias central demands for security guarantees that Putin first described last November, including that NATO assure that Ukraine would never join the alliance and that it would pull back troops stationed in countries that joined the alliance after 1997. Our red lines and fundamental security interests are being ignored, and Russias inalienable right to assure them is being rejected, the document said. Western leaders have rejected the demand to pull back troops or bar certain countries from NATO, but have hinted at the possibility of Ukraine itself swearing off membership in the alliance. And while the letter reiterated recent denials by Russian officials of any plans to invade Ukraine, it also warned of an unspecified military response if those demands were not met, one that analysts have interpreted as the potential deployment of advanced missile systems in a new, more threatening posture. No Russian invasion of Ukraine, which the United States and its allies have officially been announcing since last fall, is happening, nor is one being planned, the document said. But if the United States does not provide firm, legally binding guarantees of our security, it said, Russia will be forced to respond, including through the implementation of measures of a military-technical character. NAIROBI, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's pension industry said Thursday it plans to partner with Chinese firms in order to boost returns on investments. Sundeep Raichura, chairman of Kenya Pension Fund Investment Consortium (KEPFIC), told Xinhua in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, that they are keen to collaborate with foreign firms that have the expertise to undertake viable infrastructure projects such as roads, rail and energy plants. "As the Kenyan pension industry, we cannot compromise on the returns of our investments and therefore we are keen to partner with global partners including Chinese infrastructure financiers and developers," Raichura said on the sidelines of a conference on the opportunities and experiences in infrastructure and alternative investments for Kenya's pension industry. KEPFIC is a consortium that has 24 pension schemes with a portfolio of approximately 500 billion shillings (about 4.4 billion U.S. dollars) in aggregate. Recent provisions in investment guidelines of Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA), the pensions regulator, allow pension funds to invest up to 10 percent of their assets into infrastructure. Nzomo Mutuku, the chief executive officer of the RBA, said that pension schemes are required to undertake due diligence before investing their funds in any assets. While stressing that pension funds should ensure that they partner with firms that have demonstrated the capacity and track record of doing infrastructure projects in other jurisdictions, Mutuku believed that investments in infrastructure will help pension funds diversify from traditional assets classes such as government securities and equities markets. Critically-acclaimed Indian filmmaker Onir wanted to direct a movie inspired by a gay army major who resigned and came out in a blaze of publicity -- but despite the country's democratic status the military stopped it being made. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has been repeatedly accused of ramping up censorship in a systematic attack on dissent -- including clampdowns on human rights activists, journalists and NGOs -- since coming to power eight years ago. In 2020, it issued an order advising filmmakers to seek prior clearance for any military-themed script, a decision described by free speech campaigners as both Orwellian and unconstitutional in the world's largest democracy. Onir, who uses only one name, is gay himself and was among the first major Bollywood figures to openly acknowledge his sexuality. He is known for his movies about the lives of socially marginalised groups, and his creative eye was caught by the case of Major J. Suresh, who hit national headlines in 2020 after he quit the army and announced: "Out!! Proud!! Liberated!!" "I'm gay -- and I'm very proud that I'm gay," the ex-army officer -- who had served in some of India's most turbulent regions including Kashmir -- wrote on his blog. He later gave a ground-breaking interview on national television that went viral in the socially conservative country. Onir's script, "We Are", narrates four stories, those of a trans woman, a lesbian, a bisexual man and a fictitious account of love between a gay officer and a Kashmiri boy. But when he approached the defence ministry for a "no objection certificate" -- which most studios, streaming platforms and producers now insist on to ensure there are no legal or administrative hurdles -- he was rejected. "They told me... the fact that I have portrayed the army man as gay is illegal," he told AFP. India only decriminalised gay sex in a 2018 Supreme Court ruling, but both homosexuality and adultery remain punishable offences under the Army Act, with jail terms of up to 10 years. At the same time, India also has a long history of post-production film censorship, and concerns over freedom of expression were raised by new social media regulations last year. The country's junior defence minister Ajay Bhatt confirmed to parliament last week that Onir's film had been refused permission because of "the portrayal of a romantic relationship between an army soldier serving in Kashmir and a local boy which casts (the) Indian army in poor light and raises security concerns". He insisted the pre-screening process was neither unconstitutional nor a denial of free speech, and said the government considered factors including national security, popular sentiment and the image of the armed forces to ensure the military "isn't depicted in a manner which brings disrepute". But Mumbai-based Onir, 52, pointed out that movies where officers fall in love with women were never rejected. "Why is one's sexuality being made the barometer for one's patriotism or ability to defend the nation?" he asked. "Everyone seems to get offended over the slightest things but what about the artists' creativity or sentiments?" he added. "We don't matter." Several of his films have addressed gay themes, including "My Brother... Nikhil", the story of Indian swimming champion Dominic D'Souza who was arrested in the 1980s after testing HIV positive. "I Am" combined four stories examining same-sex relationships and other taboo subjects such as sperm donation and child abuse. It was named the best Hindi film in the 2012 National Film Awards, the country's equivalent of the Oscars, but even then satellite channels declined to broadcast it. In his own life, he said, "I have always been out. I have never had any one moment of coming out or crisis about who I am." Some of the most popular military-themed movies and web series in India in recent years have been nationalistic, all-guns-blazing stories of heroics by soldiers, including "Uri: The Surgical Strike", inspired by a Modi-ordered 2016 operation into Pakistani-controlled Kashmir. The prime minister's populist vision of a muscular India dominated by the Hindu majority has brought him multiple election wins, and he enjoys strong support in the armed forces, whose budgets and benefits he has significantly improved. But critics say giving the military control over how it is portrayed is fundamentally inappropriate in a democratic country. "It's problematic," said Hartosh Singh Bal, political editor of Caravan magazine. "How can the army decide how it is depicted, seen or criticised by the people?" India's military has traditionally stayed well clear of domestic politics, unlike those of neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, all of which have seen multiple coups. But Modi's government has "repeatedly invoked the army with its patriotic chest-thumping for domestic politics", Bal said, and now senior generals have "started making political comments". "I can think of one democratic parallel where the military is allowed control over free speech: across the border, in Pakistan," he added. "But no one in this government likes that comparison." A female state trooper who says that former Governor Andrew Cuomo touched her inappropriately when she was a member of his protective detail sued him, his longtime top aide and the New York State Police on Thursday, accusing them of discrimination and retaliation. The filing of the lawsuit, which coincided with New York Democrats overwhelmingly endorsing Cuomos successor, Governor Kathy Hochul, as their nominee in this years election, was a reminder that he still faces potential legal jeopardy over the events that hastened his resignation in August. The trooper appears to be the first of 11 women who have accused Cuomo of sexual misconduct to sue him. Her suit came several weeks after the Oswego County district attorney decided, like his counterparts in four other counties, against charging Cuomo criminally over acts that the former governors accusers said had occurred in his jurisdiction. The trooper, identified as Trooper 1, recounts in the suit what she says were repeated instances of unwanted physical contact and numerous suggestive remarks that Cuomo subjected her to after she was transferred onto his security detail, despite lacking the necessary credentials. An investigation by New Yorks attorney general, Letitia James, corroborated the troopers accusations and those of the other women. He arranged for the service requirements to be changed so that Trooper 1 could be close to him, says the troopers suit, filed in US District Court in New Yorks Eastern District. He then sexually harassed her. In naming Cuomos longtime aide, Melissa DeRosa, and the state police as defendants, the trooper argues that the former Governors offending behaviour could have been stopped but was not. The Governor did not act alone, the suit says. He was enabled by the machinery of the state. In a statement, Rich Azzopardi, a spokesperson for Cuomo, characterised the suit as meritless and said that the law firm representing the trooper, Wigdor LLP, is widely known to use the press to extort settlements on behalf of anonymous claimants. Cuomo, Azzopardi said in the statement, will fight every attempt at cheap cash extortions and is anxious to have the dirty politics stop. He continued, We look forward to justice in a court of law. Valdi Licul, one of the troopers lawyers, responded to Azzopardi by saying that Cuomo was only making his legal problems worse by lashing out at his victim and her counsel with false and defamatory statements intended to further retaliate against her and defame us. Like Azzopardi, Paul Shechtman, a lawyer for DeRosa, was dismissive of the suit. We are only aware of this case from Twitter, but according to the troopers own testimony, Melissas only interaction with her was to say hello and goodbye, Shechtman said in the statement. It is not a viable case anywhere in America and is beyond frivolous. The suit does not make specific allegations against the state police but accuses the agency, along with Cuomo and DeRosa, of discrimination and retaliation. A Wigdor firm spokesperson said the agency was named as a defendant because it is the troopers employer. A state police spokesperson declined to comment, citing a policy against doing so in active litigation. The trooper repeats in her suit what she told the attorney generals investigators: that the Governor began to flirt with her shortly after they first met, that he spoke with senior members of his security staff about having her join the protective detail and that she was soon given the coveted assignment. Among other things, the suit says that at an event at Belmont Park, in Elmont, New York, in September 2019, Cuomo ran the palm of his hand over her navel and slid it across her waist to her right hip, where her gun was holstered. The act, the suit says, made her feel violated. A senior state police investigator fully corroborated the female troopers account of the episode, according to the report that came out of the attorney generals inquiry. Cuomo has consistently attacked the investigation overseen by James as a politically motivated exercise by a fellow Democrat who had her own designs on the Governors job. James announced a run for Governor in October but abandoned it a few weeks later. On Thursday, New York Democrats endorsed her bid for re-election this year. Cuomo has denied ever acting inappropriately with the women who have accused him of sexual misconduct, saying they misconstrued behavior on his part that might have been out of step with the times but was not meant to be sexual. In dismissing the substance of the troopers claims, Azzopardi noted in his statement the district attorneys decisions not to file criminal charges against Cuomo. He did not mention that none of the five had discounted the womens accusations, and that several had used words like deeply troubling and credible to characterise the allegations. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Tensions spiked anew over Ukraine on Thursday with conflicting claims over whether Russia had drawn down troops it has been massing for weeks around Ukraine, escalating hostilities in Ukraine's separatist-controlled east and intensified diplomacy. US President Joe Biden warned there is still a very high risk of a Russian invasion within several days. And, in what the United States described as an unprovoked move, Russia expelled a senior US diplomat in Moscow. A day after Moscow said it was returning troops to bases, the NATO allies said Russia is actually building up forces near Ukraine. At the same time, Ukraine and the Russia-backed rebels in its east accused each other Thursday of intensive shelling along the line of contact in Donetsk and Luhansk. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on his way to an annual security conference in Germany, was rerouted to the United Nations to promote a diplomatic solution. Also read: US challenges Russia to step back from Ukraine attack Here's a look at what is happening where and why: What we do and don't know on the ground Russia says it moved its troops away from the conflict zone. But NATO allies say constant movements mask their true intentions. NATO allies accuse Russia of misleading the world by saying some 7,000 troops were being returned to bases, but instead moving in thousands of new ones. Maxar Technologies, a commercial satellite imagery company that has been monitoring the Russian buildup, reported continued heightened military activity near Ukraine, including a new pontoon bridge and a new field hospital in Belarus. Russia has massed an estimated 150,000-plus troops on three sides of Ukraine in recent weeks, but denies it is plotting an invasion. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Russia has enough troops, enough capabilities, to launch a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine with very little or no warning time, and that is what makes the situation so dangerous. The fact that you're putting a battle tank on a train and moving it in some direction doesn't prove a withdrawal of troops, he said. It has to be a meaningful withdrawal, a meaningful de-escalation. Shelling along the border in Ukraine's separatist-controlled east also has fueled speculation that Russia might be creating a pretext to invade Ukraine. A sharp increase in skirmishes in recent days raised that specter. In the latest incident, separatist authorities in the Luhansk region reported an increase in Ukrainian shelling. The Ukraine military said it had not fired back after its forces were shelled. They said the shells also hit a kindergarten, wounding two civilians. Also read: US draws parallels between China's actions against India and Russia's in Ukraine What do satellites show? Widely available commercial satellite imagery of Russian troop positions bracketing Ukraine provides a bird's-eye view of an international crisis as it unfolds. But the pictures, while dramatic, have limitations. High-resolution photos from commercial satellite companies in recent days confirmed that Russian forces are arrayed within striking distances of Ukraine. But they could not provide conclusive information about net additions or subtractions of Russian forces or reveal when or whether an invasion of Ukraine would happen. In such a fluid crisis, even day-old satellite photos might miss significant changes on the ground. The US military and intelligence agencies can piece together a better picture of what's happening by combining satellite imagery with real-time video as well as electronic information scooped up by aircraft such as the Air Force's RC-135 Rivet Joint, not to mention information gathered from human sources. The diplomatic front As EU and NATO officials sent out assurances that there's still room for diplomacy, Russia expelled the second-highest US diplomat in Moscow. Washington said the expulsion of US deputy chief of mission Bart Gorman was an unprovoked escalation in tensions. We are considering our response, the State Department said. Also read: Ukraine crisis: India says in touch with all concerned parties, 'constructive' diplomacy need of the hour How does the US see a Russian invasion unfolding? Blinken went before the U.N. Security Council on Thursday to sketch out how Washington contends a Russian attack would unfold, revealing conclusions of US intelligence in a strategy the United States and Britain have hoped will pre-empt any Russian invasion planning. The United States has declined to reveal most of the evidence underlying its claims on Russia's planning. A sudden, seemingly violent event staged by Russia to justify invasion would kick it off, Blinken told U.N. diplomats. We don't know exactly the pretext, he said a so-called terrorist bombing inside Russia, a staged drone strike, a fake, even a real attack using chemical weapons. The military attack itself would open with cyber attacks and missiles and bombs dropping across Ukraine, America's top diplomat said. Painting the US picture further, Blinken described the entry of Russian troops, advancing on Kyiv, a city of nearly 3 million people, and other key targets that have already been identified and mapped out. US intelligence indicated Russia would target specific groups of Ukrainians, Blinken told the U.N., again without giving details. In an implicit nod to Secretary of State Colin Powell's appearance before the Security Council in 2003, when Powell cited false US intelligence to justify the US invasion of Iraq, Blinken added: Let me be clear. I am here today not to start a war, but to prevent one. What is Moscow saying? Russia on Thursday reaffirmed its demand for the US and its allies to keep Ukraine out of NATO but held the door open for talks on a range of security issues. The Russian Foreign Ministry handed over its formal reply to the US and NATO security proposals and later published it on its website. The document again denies Western claims that Russia has an intention to invade Ukraine, but repeats that NATO's expansion to Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations would be a red line for Russia. It says Moscow will continue pressing its demands for no further NATO expansion and for the alliance to roll back its forces from Eastern Europe, and could take unspecified military-technical measures if the West continues to ignore them. At the same time, it says Russia is ready to discuss measures to enhance security in Europe by negotiating limits on missile deployments, restrictions on patrol flights by strategic bombers and other confidence-building steps provided they are discussed in conjunction with Moscow's main proposals. How are Ukrainians reacting? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggested that NATO membership is a distant dream for his country, blaming both opposition from Russia and from some unidentified NATO members. It is not the Ukrainian people who choose when we will be (in NATO), because it depends not only on us: 30 countries must unanimously agree on this decision, Zelenskyy said. What is NATO doing? Stoltenberg, in opening a meeting of the alliance's defence ministers in Brussels, said Russia has yet again demonstrated its disregard for the principles underpinning European security, and its ability and willingness to threaten the use of force in pursuit of its objectives. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters in Brussels that Russia is moving troops close to the border, flying in more combat and support aircraft. We see them sharpen their readiness in the Black Sea. We even see them stocking up their blood supplies,? he said. You don't do these sort of things for no reason, and you certainly don't do them if you're getting ready to pack up and go home.? Meanwhile, the alliance is bolstering its eastern regions. The US has started to deploy 5,000 troops to Poland and Romania. Britain is sending hundreds of soldiers to Poland and offering more warships and planes. It also is doubling the number of personnel in Estonia and sending tanks and armored fighting vehicles. Germany, the Netherlands and Norway are sending additional troops to Lithuania. The White House said Biden would discuss the matter with trans-Atlantic leaders in a phone call Friday afternoon. The Canadian prime minister's office said the call would include the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, the European Union and NATO. The US Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday night to show unwavering support for an independent Ukraine and condemn Russian military aggression toward its neighbour. Check out DH's latest videos The United States said Thursday that Russia is on the verge of unleashing a massive military attack against Ukraine, dismissing Moscow's claim to be pulling forces back, as artillery fire hit a Ukrainian kindergarten. In a dramatic, previously unscheduled speech to the United Nations in New York, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said intelligence showed Moscow could order an assault on its neighbor in the "coming days." With US and other Western governments saying they see no evidence to support Russia's claim to be withdrawing, Blinken challenged the Kremlin to "announce today with no qualification, equivocation or deflection that Russia will not invade Ukraine. State it clearly. State it plainly to the world." "Demonstrate it by sending your troops, your tanks, your planes, back to their barracks and hangers, and sending your diplomats to the negotiating table," he said. Also read: Ukraine crisis: India says in touch with all concerned parties, 'constructive' diplomacy need of the hour Russia denies any invasion plans but warned of "military-technical measures" if its far-reaching demands for a US and NATO pullback from eastern Europe aren't satisfied. President Joe Biden, at the White House, accused Moscow of preparing a "false flag operation" as a pretext for an attack and said this could happen "in the next several days." "They have not moved any of their troops out. They've moved more troops in," Biden said. "Every indication we have is that they're prepared to go into Ukraine." He added, however, that diplomacy is not dead. "There is a path. There is a way through this," he said. Russia has massed enormous air, land and sea forces around Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin and officials say they do not plan to invade Ukraine and that the troops are only conducting practice exercises. However, Putin has made clear that the price for removing any threat would be Ukraine agreeing never to join NATO and for the Western alliance to pull back from a swath of eastern Europe, effectively splitting the continent into Cold War-style spheres of influence. Ukraine is far from being ready to join NATO but has set this as part of a broader goal to integrate with the democracies of western Europe, making a historic break from Russia's orbit. The United States said Thursday that it had received Putin's response to its offers of a diplomatic solution to the crisis, but did not give any reaction to the contents. The Russian foreign ministry indicated that there was little to discuss. Also read: US draws parallels between China's actions against India and Russia's in Ukraine "In the absence of will on the American side to negotiate firm and legally binding guarantees on our security from the United States and its allies, Russia will be forced to respond, including with military-technical measures," the foreign ministry said. "We insist on the withdrawal of all US armed forces in Central Europe, Eastern Europe and the Baltics," it added. Russia also expelled the number two US diplomat in Moscow, the US State Department said, condemning the "unprovoked" action. Russia took over Ukraine's Crimea region and began backing heavily armed separatists in the eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions in 2014, sparking a war that has already cost thousands of lives. Sporadic fighting remains common in the east and the Ukrainian army accused the pro-Russian separatists of 34 ceasefire breaches on Thursday, 28 of them using heavy weapons. The potentially most serious incident -- an example of the kind of spark that many fear could ignite far more intense fighting -- was the shelling of a kindergarten in the village of Stanytsia-Luganska. Children were inside but none were hit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted that the attack "by pro-Russian forces is a big provocation." Russian news agencies meanwhile quoted authorities in the separatist Lugansk region saying they blamed Kyiv after the situation on the frontline "escalated significantly." Also read: US has 'every indication' that Russia is prepared to move into Ukraine in the next few days: Biden US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin described Thursday's reports as "troubling." "We've said for some time that the Russians might do something like this in order to justify a military conflict. So we'll be watching this very closely," Austin told journalists after a meeting with NATO counterparts. Western capitals say they are also concerned by the Russian parliament's request that Putin grant unilateral recognition of independence for the separatists in eastern Ukraine, probably ending chances of reuniting the country. "If this request were accepted, it would... demonstrate a Russian decision to choose a path of confrontation over dialogue," British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said. Putin earlier this week claimed with no evidence that Ukraine is committing "genocide" in the eastern region. Moscow has made several announcements of troop withdrawals this week and on Thursday said that units of the southern and western military districts, including tank units, had begun returning to their bases from near Ukraine. Defense ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said some troops had returned to their garrisons in several areas far from the border, including Chechnya and Dagestan in the North Caucasus, and near Nizhny Novgorod, some 300 kilometers (185 miles) east of Moscow. The United States, NATO and Ukraine all said they had seen no evidence of a pullback, with Washington saying Russia had in fact moved 7,000 more troops near the border. According to US officials, there are now about 150,000 Russian troops arrayed in offensive groupings on the southern, eastern and northern borders of Ukraine. Check out DH's latest videos: The United States on Thursday criticized Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's declaration of "solidarity" with Russia during a visit there this week as it amassed troops near Ukraine's borders, raising fears it is planning to invade. "The timing of the president of Brazil expressing solidarity with Russia, just as Russian forces are preparing to launch attacks on Ukrainian cities, could not be worse," the State Department said. "It undermines international diplomacy directed at averting a strategic and humanitarian disaster, as well as Brazil's own calls for a peaceful resolution to the crisis." Brazil's foreign ministry and spokespeople for Bolsonaro did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the US statement. The US comment amounted to unusually brusque criticism of the government of Latin America's largest country, with which the United States usually has cordial relations. Bolsonaro was a strong ideological ally of former president Donald Trump and relations have cooled under the administration of President Joe Biden, amid ructions over climate change and other issues. Also Read: Russia expels No. 2 American official in Moscow, US weighs response On Wednesday, during his state visit to Russia, Bolsonaro, alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, said in a statement he was "in solidarity with Russia," without elaborating. Later in a joint statement, again alongside Putin, he said: "We stand in solidarity with all those countries that want and strive for peace." "We have intense collaboration in key international forums such as the BRICS, the G20 and the United Nations, where we defend the sovereignty of states, respect for international law and the United Nations Charter," Bolsonaro said. Brazil and Russia are among a group of major emerging economies, known as the BRICS, that includes India, China and South Africa. The US State Department said a "false narrative" had been created that the United States had been demanding that Brazil choose between it and Russia, as Bolsonaro chose to proceed with a summit with Putin amid the Ukraine tension. Also read: The United States message to Russia: Prove us wrong "That is not the case. This is a matter of Brazil, as an important country, seeming to ignore armed aggression by a large power against a smaller neighbor country, a posture inconsistent with Brazil's historical emphasis on peace and diplomacy," the State Department said. Bolsonaro told Brazilian reporters this week that the Ukraine crisis had come up in his talks with Putin. "I spoke to President Putin that Brazil supports any country that seeks peace. And that is his intention," he said On Thursday, following a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest, Bolsonaro returned to the topic, saying a war between Russia and the Ukraine was "in no one's interest." Check out DH's latest videos Pope Francis on Friday slammed humanity's "attachment to war" and deplored the "threatening winds" on the doorstep of eastern Europe amid a crisis between Russia and its pro-western neighbour Ukraine. "We are attached to wars, and this is tragic," the 85-year old head of the Catholic Church told the Congregation for the Oriental Churches at the Vatican. "Humanity, which prides itself on being ahead in science, in thought, in so many beautiful things, is lagging behind in weaving peace. It is a champion in making war." The US has accused Russia of planning to invade Ukraine within days, a charge denied by Moscow, which claims to have begun withdrawing some of the 149,000 troops that Kyiv now says are on its borders. "Threatening winds are still blowing across the steppes of eastern Europe, lighting the fuses and fires of weapons and leaving the hearts of the poor and the innocent freezing," Francis said. He said many had hoped that humankind's taste for war might be sated by the third millennium, "yet humanity still seems to be groping in the dark". Check out the latest videos from DH: Shellfire rang out in eastern Ukraine on Friday as Kyiv and Washington accused Russia of seeking to provoke an incident to falsely justify an invasion and Moscow-backed rebels said they were evacuating civilians from their breakaway enclave. An AFP reporter near the frontline between government forces and rebel-held territory in the Lugansk region heard the thud of explosions and saw damaged civilian buildings All eyes were on Russian President Vladimir Putin's next move as Moscow announced he will oversee a weekend drill of "strategic forces" -- ballistic and cruise missiles. Also Read | Russia to stage massive nuclear drills amid Ukraine standoff "Right now we are seeing a deterioration of the situation," Putin said at a press conference with his Belarus counterpart Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow. Russia has demanded that the United States withdraw all forces from NATO members in central and eastern Europe and is turning up the pressure on Ukraine. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the Munich Security Conference that what has happened "in the last 24-48 hours is part of a scenario that is already in place of creating false provocations, of then having to respond to those provocations and then ultimately committing new aggression against Ukraine." Russia has denied it has any such plan and claims to have begun withdrawing some of the 149,000 troops that Ukraine says are on its borders. But Putin has done nothing to dial down tensions, ordering the missile drills even as there are reports of an increase in shelling from Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine. The separatist leader of eastern Ukraine's self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic said rebel authorities will begin evacuating civilians to Russia on Friday. "Women, children and the elderly are subject to be evacuated first," Denis Pushilin said. Also Read | Russia says it is withdrawing military forces around Ukraine Visiting Poland, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Washington was seeing "more" Russian forces moving into the Ukraine border region despite Moscow's announcements. US President Joe Biden is to hold video talks with Western allies, including the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany and NATO, later on Friday to discuss the crisis. On Thursday, a shell punched a hole in the wall of a kindergarten in government-held territory near the frontline in the Ukrainian village of Stanytsia Luganska. The 20 children and 18 adults inside escaped serious injury but the attack sparked international howls of protest. "The children were eating breakfast when it hit," school laundry worker Natalia Slesareva told AFP at the scene. "It hit the gym. After breakfast, the children had gym class. So, another 15 minutes, and everything could have been much, much worse." On Friday, part of the village remained without electricity. Konstantin Reutsky, director of the Vostok SOS aid agency, told AFP that houses and a shop had been damaged. The Ukrainian joint command centre said the rebels had violated the ceasefire 45 times between midnight and 2:00 pm Friday, while the Donetsk and Lugansk separatist groups said the army had fired 27 times in the morning. "There are no losses among the military personnel of the joint forces as a result of enemy actions," the Ukrainian command centre said, accusing the rebels of firing artillery from civilian population areas. Also Read | Ukraine-Russia crisis: What to know as tensions hit new high "Ukrainian defenders returned fire to stop enemy activity only in case of a threat to the lives of servicemen." The conflict in Ukraine's east has rumbled on for eight years, claiming the lives of more than 14,000 people and forcing more than 1.5 million from their homes. But now, after Russia surrounded its neighbour with armoured battle groups, missile batteries and warships, there are fears that Ukraine will be drawn into a clash that Russia could use as a pretext for invasion. Speaking in parliament, Ukraine's defence minister Oleksiy Reznikov insisted government forces would keep their cool. "Ukraine is stepping up its defences. But we have no intention of conducting military operations" against the separatists or Russian-annexed Crimea, he said. "Our mission is not to do any of the things the Russians are trying to provoke us into doing," Reznikov added. "We have to push back but keep a cool head." The Russian defence ministry further upped the ante by announcing that Putin would on Saturday oversee an "exercise of strategic deterrence forces... during which ballistic and cruise missiles will be launched." The air force, units of the southern military district, as well as the Northern and Black Sea fleets would be involved. Russia's aggressive stance has sent diplomatic shockwaves through the West, scrambling to counter an unpredictable foe during what has been described as the worst threat to European security since the Cold War. Leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy nations will hold a virtual conference next Thursday with the Ukraine crisis high on the agenda, Germany, which holds the group's rotating presidency, said Friday. Opening the Munich Security Conference German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Russia is making an "absolutely unacceptable threat" with its troop build up. "This crisis is therefore not a Ukraine crisis. It is a Russia crisis. We urge Russia to withdraw its troops immediately," she said. "Initial signals to this effect were a glimmer of hope, but we need to see action now. Because the Russian threat remains real." UN chief Antonio Guterres told the opening ceremony that if the crisis escalates into a war "it would be catastrophic." "With a concentration of Russian troops around Ukraine, I am deeply concerned about heightened tensions and increased speculation about a military conflict in Europe," he said. Check out DH's latest videos: President Joe Biden and his top aides acknowledge they are risking American credibility as they constantly renew the alarm that Russia is only several days away from triggering an unprovoked land war in Europe that could kill tens of thousands of Ukrainians in its opening hours, and plunge the world back into something resembling the Cold War. But Bidens aides say they are willing to take that risk. They would rather be accused of hyperbole and fearmongering than be proven right, they say, if thats what it takes to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from pursuing an invasion that they worry will not stop at Ukraines borders. Also Read: US challenges Russia to step back from Ukraine attack If Russia doesnt invade Ukraine, then we will be relieved that Russia changed course and proved our predictions wrong, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the United Nations Security Council on Thursday morning, in a speech that Biden had asked him to give only hours before. That would be a far better outcome than the course we are currently on. And we will gladly accept any criticism that anyone directs at us. I am here today not to start a war, but to prevent one, he declared, an oblique reference to Colin Powells famous but false case, also made to the United Nations, about why the United States and its allies had to disarm Saddam Hussein. Biden and Blinken make no secret of their suspicion that their increasingly desperate-sounding, last-ditch efforts to deter calamity will likely fail. Their pessimism was reinforced Thursday by a series of escalations. Russian-backed forces in the Donbas region appeared responsible for shelling a school, and later claimed they came under fire from Ukrainian forces, exactly the kind of incident Blinken warned might be used as a pretext to justify an invasion. Russia acknowledged having expelled the No. 2 diplomat in the US Embassy in Moscow, and sent Washington a contradictory-sounding note in which it mocked the claims that it was planning to invade. It said no such action was being planned, and then warned that it would use measures of a military-technical character" if the West did not meet its security demands with legally binding guarantees. (It is not entirely clear what military-technical means to Putin, but officials in Washington speculate it could encompass everything from cyberweapons to relocating nuclear weapons closer to Western Europe or the United States.) Also Read: Russia expels No. 2 American official in Moscow, US weighs response While Biden insisted that every indication we have is theyre prepared to go into Ukraine, a growing number of diplomats and leaders pouring into Munich for an annual security conference said they thought the best they could hope for was no invasion but a long siege of Ukraine. Under that scenario, Putin might do everything short of sending his troops over the border cyber attacks, assassinations, coup plots, cutting off trade in hopes of toppling the government without triggering sanctions. My sense is that he will avoid an overt cross of the border with Russian troops and will aim for options short of that, Douglas Lute, a former deputy national security adviser and former US ambassador to NATO, said Thursday. He enjoys this position, Lute said. Everyones paying attention to him, like they havent in years. And he feels in control. That is all taking place on the surface. Behind the scenes, Bidens aides are searching Putins comments for evidence that he is sensing that he may have overplayed his hand that his massing of troops has managed to unify the normally fractious 30 nations that make up NATO. Putin has reinvigorated an alliance that spent years confused about its purpose once it lost the adversary it was formed to contain, the Soviet Union. Now, containment is back. And European allies have largely, if reluctantly, lined up behind a sanctions plan that would cut off technology to Russian industry and separate its top banks from the world financial markets. While the Russian leader has worked hard to insulate his economy from the shock of sanctions the government has a large war chest and little debt Putin may well be looking for fissures to exploit without risking his economy. Biden continued Thursday to take advantage of the fact that this is the first major geopolitical crisis to play out in a world of open-source intelligence making it easier to call out Russian deceptions. Americans do not need the spy-plane photographs that John F. Kennedy showed them in 1962 when he exposed the Soviet missile buildup in Cuba as a way to force Russias leader, Nikita Khrushchev, into a secret deal. In this case, some of the best evidence is in the unclassified world. On television, news websites and Twitter, satellite photographs from private firms like Maxar help settle the debate about whether Putin is really sending some forces into retreat or whether, as the Americans claim, he is adding to the more than 150,000 troops that Biden said were massing on the border, along with tanks and a fearsome array of missiles. So there is no real debate about what is happening on Ukraines borders. The firepower is there to see, and that is part of Putins coercion strategy. The only remaining mystery is what Putin plans to do with them. At first, US officials thought he planned to use them to intimidate Ukraines government, force it to abandon its ambitions to join NATO at some undetermined time in the future, and stop its drift toward the West. Then, after Putin issued a proposed treaty in December, it seemed he had a bigger plan: to evict the United States and NATO forces from former Soviet bloc nations that have joined NATO, and roll back the world order created after the Soviet collapse 31 years ago. Two weeks ago, the American assessment changed again: Putin, intelligence and military officials said, was aiming at Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, after concluding that cyberattacks and subversion alone were unlikely to displace the government. Only a full-scale invasion would do that. So the Biden administration is trying to test Putins bottom line. If the issue can be resolved by negotiating a new arms control pact that addresses Putins concerns about two anti-missile emplacements in Poland and Romania, or rules around military exercises held by Russia and NATO, then there is room for deal-making, the two men have said. And they have said there is room to renegotiate the Minsk agreement, a set of commitments made by Ukraine and Russia after the annexation of Crimea. Those have been selectively ignored, on both sides. But it seems unlikely to longtime US officials and many of the European diplomats filtering into Munich that Putin has gone to all this expense and all this effort, and put his legacy on the line, just to paint inside the lines of the existing order. He wants to upturn it. Since Putin came to power 20 years ago, Russia has been challenging that system, Angela Stent, a Brookings Institution scholar and the former national intelligence offer for Russia and Eurasia, wrote recently in Foreign Affairs. The current crisis is ultimately about Russia redrawing the post-Cold War map and seeking to reassert its influence over half of Europe, based on the claim that it is guaranteeing its own security. That does not mean there is no way out. In the Cuban missile crisis, the closest the world came to nuclear annihilation during the Cold War, Khrushchev ultimately took his missiles home, in return for a secret promise which Kennedy delivered on months later to take American Jupiter missiles out of Turkey, where their nuclear warheads were in easy range of the Soviet Union. It is a historical example that has lingered in the background of Situation Room debates about how to negotiate with Putin, according to two participants, who described the debates on the condition of anonymity. When Blinken offered in his speech Thursday to meet his Russian counterpart in Europe next week, and ultimately to put together a summit of key leaders, in the context of de-escalation, to reach understandings on our mutual security concerns, it was part of the search for a modern-day analog. Biden is no stranger to such trade-offs. He is perhaps the last politician still serving in Washington who played a key role in the debates over how to resolve disputes over long-forgotten arms control treaties with the Soviets, called SALT I and SALT II. He has already noted, at a news conference in January, that Ukraine wont be accepted into NATO for a long while, a signal to Moscow that there was room to deal. And there may be. But by next week, one senior administration official said late Thursday, it may be too late. Watch the latest DH Videos here: The Ukrainian military and their Russian-backed separatist foes traded allegations of fresh ceasefire breaches on Friday, a day after the shelling of a kindergarten sent international tensions soaring. The Ukrainian joint command centre for the eastern front said the rebels had violated the ceasefire 20 times between midnight and 9.00 am while the Donetsk and Lugansk separatist groups said the army had fired 27 times. The reported attacks came one day after a shell blast tore a hole in the wall of a kindergarten in the government-held eastern village of Stanytsia-Luganska. Also Read | Russia says it is withdrawing military forces around Ukraine The 20 children and 18 staff inside escaped unharmed, but the incident redoubled fears that Russia may be escalating the conflict while seeking a pretext to invade Ukraine. The conflict in Ukraine's east has rumbled on for eight years, claiming the lives of more than 14,000 people and forcing more than 1.5 million from their homes. But the latest upticks in violence are being watched around the world, with the United States and its NATO allies alleging that the Kremlin is looking for an excuse to invade. Also Read | US challenges Russia to step back from Ukraine attack Monitors from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) reported 189 ceasefire violations in the eastern Donetsk region on Thursday, up from 24 the previous day. It counted 402 ceasefire violations in the smaller neighbouring Lugansk region, up from 129 on Wednesday. Russian-backed separatists control the eastern parts of both regions. Check out the latest videos from DH: Assam CM urged leading industrialists and financiers in Mumbai to invest in diverse sectors in the state and assured them of total cooperation from the government in this regard. He held separate meetings with industry leaders at a roundtable organised by FICCI as well as with Tata Group and SRCC Childrens Hospital, among others, winding up his three-day visit to the financial capital of the country on Friday. "As part of our initiatives to attract private investments into the state, took part in a roundtable of @ficci_india at Mumbai today, which was attended by countrys several leading industrialists," Sarma Tweeted after an interaction on Thursday. "Urged them to take advantage of customisable industrial policy & invest in Assam," he added. Earlier on Thursday, Sarma interacted with Tata Group Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran and other top office bearers of Tata Sons, Tata Consumers, TCS, Tata Technologies, Indian Hotel and Tata Motors at Bombay House, Mumbai, an official release said here. The Chief Minister urged Tata Group to come forward for investment in Assam, especially in health, education, green and renewable energy, tourism and the hospitality sector. He assured that the state government will provide all necessary support, including certain policy changes and capital subsidies, to make the state a preferred investment destination of the country. Sarma also held a meeting with Tata Trusts' Vice-Chairman Vijay Singh, CEO Srinath Narasimhan and Board of Trustees and reviewed the progress of construction works of State Cancer Institutes under Assam Cancer Care Foundation. Out of 17 Cancer Institutes, seven are targeted to be inaugurated in April 2022. The Assam government and Tata Trust are collaborating for setting up Cancer Care Units in the state, with the foundation for the project laid in June 2018. Tata Trusts had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Assam government during the Advantage Assam - Global Investment Summit 2018, held in February that year, giving a formal shape to the project. In the meeting, Sarma urged Tata Trusts to engage a team to study the basic requirements for the establishment of a proposed South Asian Cancer Institute in Assam. The Chief Minister also met Subramanian Ramadorai, former Vice-Chairman of Tata Consultancy Services and Chairman, Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Guwahati. He discussed several issues with Ramadorai related to TCS, TISS, IIIT-G, etc. to bring more excellence in Assams education sector adopting new ideas and technology. Sarma also had a discussion with SRCC Childrens Hospital Facility Director Rupesh R Choubey regarding strengthening paediatric healthcare facilities in Assam. He invited the hospital to work together in the functioning of the new Super Speciality Hospital in Guwahati, especially in Paediatric Neurology and Paediatric Cardiac Surgery sector. The Chief Minister directed the MD, National Health Mission, Assam, to draft an MoU in this regard. Sarma met Anita Rajan, Chief Executive Officer of Tata STRIVE, a skill development initiative of Tata Trusts at Taj Chambers, Mumbai. He sought the cooperation of Tata STRIVE for Project Arohan, a four years mentorship programme of the Government of Assam for meritorious students. Apart from some other suggestions, Sarma urged the CEO to add the component of soft skills development for students in Project Arohan. He also held a meeting with Dr Shalini Bharat, Director of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) at the same venue and discussed several issues pertaining to strengthening the infrastructure and academic activities of TISS, Guwahati campus. The Chief Minister also held a virtual meeting with Dr Milind V Kirtane, a renowned ENT specialist, regarding strengthening the ENT treatment facilities in Assam. He urged Dr Kirtane to initiate a training programme from April this year to develop a team of specialists in Assam, the statement added. Check out the latest videos from DH: Hubei primary school attended by three students starts new semester People's Daily Online) 09:26, February 18, 2022 Li Jichuan, the only teacher employed at a primary school located in Fengshan village, Baokang county of Xiangyang, central China's Hubei Province, holds a flag-raising ceremony to mark the start of the new semester, Feb. 16, 2022. (Photo/Yang Tao) A "micro" primary school attended by only three students in central China's Hubei Province kicked off a new semester on Feb. 16. The school, located in the mountain village of Fengshan in Maqiao township, Baokang county of Xiangyang, once had over 200 students and 13 teachers. However, many of the students gradually moved to schools in nearby townships and cities as their parents went out-of-town for work. The school is still running today so that the children who still live in the mountains have a place to study at, said 58-year-old Li Jichuan, the only teacher working in the school nowadays. Li, who has worked at the school for over 20 years, teaches Chinese, math, science, PE, art and music. Apart from his teaching duties, he also cooks meals for the students. The man said he will continue teaching at the school even if it has only one student left, adding that he will come back to the school after retirement as long as he's still needed. (Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Liang Jun) Malalai Rahim Faizi (2nd R) visits a patient at the Malalai Zizhanton Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Feb. 8, 2022. As a gynecologist, Malalai Rahim Faizi was appointed physician-in-chief of Afghanistan's biggest maternity hospital two weeks ago. She is the first female doctor appointed to such a post since the Taliban's takeover in August last year. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) KABUL, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- "Women are active in the health sector and are working in hospitals, just like before. I am sure women will return to work in other spheres including the economy, law and literature soon," said Malalai Rahim Faizi. As a gynecologist, Faizi was appointed physician-in-chief of Afghanistan's biggest maternity hospital two weeks ago. She is the first female doctor appointed to such a post since the Taliban's takeover in August last year. After forcing the evacuation of U.S.-led troops in late August 2021, the administration has ordered female government workers to stay home, except for those in the health sector and some teachers. Public universities are closed, and girls may not attend school beyond seventh grade. Colleges and universities are scheduled to reopen soon, and some sources have reported that girls will be able to stay in school until 12th grade when the new school year starts in March. Nothing has been said about if or when female civil servants can return to work. Women who worked for the previous government in the departments of the interior and defense, and some who worked in foreign ministries, must stay home until further notice. According to officials, female employees of the former government continue to receive their salaries while they are at home. "I am optimistic. About 95 percent of our medical staff are women and they continue to work as usual under the new administration. The Taliban has made no changes," Faizi told Xinhua. "The Malalai Zizhanton Hospital has 350 beds, all provided without charge. Around 2,500 mothers give birth here each month." "I am honored that the authorities put their trust in me to serve my people at this critical time," she added. Salaries at the hospital have been paid by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for the past two months. The ICRC also provides medicines and medical equipment to another nine hospitals in Kabul. "It is natural to face problems as the government has changed. It was a major political change, but the problems are gradually being solved," Faizi said. "I am hopeful about the future. Experts, skilled workers and professionals, especially women, should return to their jobs in different sectors to move the country towards development and prosperity," she added. Photo taken on Feb. 8, 2022 shows the interior of the Malalai Zizhanton Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan. As a gynecologist, Malalai Rahim Faizi was appointed physician-in-chief of Afghanistan's biggest maternity hospital two weeks ago. She is the first female doctor appointed to such a post since the Taliban's takeover in August last year. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) Malalai Rahim Faizi works at her office in the Malalai Zizhanton Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Feb. 8, 2022. As a gynecologist, Malalai Rahim Faizi was appointed physician-in-chief of Afghanistan's biggest maternity hospital two weeks ago. She is the first female doctor appointed to such a post since the Taliban's takeover in August last year. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) Photo taken on Feb. 8, 2022 shows newborns at the Malalai Zizhanton Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan. As a gynecologist, Malalai Rahim Faizi was appointed physician-in-chief of Afghanistan's biggest maternity hospital two weeks ago. She is the first female doctor appointed to such a post since the Taliban's takeover in August last year. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) Photo taken on Feb. 8, 2022 shows a view of the Malalai Zizhanton Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan. As a gynecologist, Malalai Rahim Faizi was appointed physician-in-chief of Afghanistan's biggest maternity hospital two weeks ago. She is the first female doctor appointed to such a post since the Taliban's takeover in August last year. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) In a shocking incident, a man in Bihar's Sitamarhi district strangled his wife and hanged her body from the ceiling hook after she refused to make an omelette for him, an official said on Friday. The accused has been identified as Ajit Singh, son of a retired sub-inspector Ram Vinay Singh. Based on Ram Vinay's statement, Sitamarhi police registered an FIR against his son Ajit. The incident took place on Thursday late at night in Belahi Jay Ram village under Sahiyara police station. However, the accused is currently absconding. "My son is an alcoholic. He came home drunk on Thursday evening. He had also bought eggs from the market. However, when he asked his wife, Neetu Singh (30), to make an omelette, she refused. She said non-vegetarian food cannot be prepared in the kitchen on Thursday. This led to a verbal spat between," Ram Vinay Singh said. "Neetu was miffed with his habit of drinking regularly. She objected to his drinking liquor in the past and did the same on Thursday as well. Ajit became angry. He first brutally assaulted her inside the bedroom, then strangled her and hanged her from the ceiling hook. After some time, when Neetu stopped screaming, I thought they had calmed down inside the room. But after some time, Ajit came out of the room and fled from there. "When I reached the room, she was hanging from the ceiling hook," he added. "We have registered an FIR as per the statement of the victim's father-in-law. The accused is now absconding," said HS Kumar, investigating officer in the case. Check out the latest videos from DH: India's embassy in capital of Kuwait took to Twitter on Friday to express its displeasure after senior parliamentarian, Shashi Tharoor retweeted a tweet by a lawyer, who claimed that 22 lawmakers of the emirate had demanded ban on entry of anyone linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party into the country. The Embassy of India in Kuwait City accused Mejbel Al Sharika, a lawyer in the West Asian nation, of being an agent of Pakistan. Mejbel Al Sharika earlier tweeted a letter purportedly signed by 22 members of the National Assembly (parliament) of Kuwait, demanding prohibition on entry of any member of the BJP to protest the move to ban 'hijab' into educational institutions in Karnataka. Tharoor retweeted the tweet by Mejbel Al Sharika. Also read | Hijab not essential practice of Islam, Karnataka govt tells High Court Sad to see an Honble Member of Indian Parliament retweeting an anti-India tweet by a Pakistani agent who was recipient of a Pakistani Award Ambassador of Peace for his anti-India activities, the Embassy of India in Kuwait City posted on Twitter, apparently reacting to the retweet by Tharoor, a Congress MP from Kerala. We should not encourage such anti-India elements. Sad to see an Honble Member of Indian Parliament retweeting an anti-India tweet by a Pakistani agent who was recipient of a Pakistani Award Ambassador of Peace for his anti-India activities. We should not encourage such anti-India elements. https://t.co/e43MAmc50j pic.twitter.com/v3hoL582tL India in Kuwait (@indembkwt) February 18, 2022 Mejbel Al Sharika is the director of the Centre for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law in the Kuwait Bar Association. He has been participating in several events apparently organised by Pakistan to run a propaganda campaign against India. A group of powerful Kuwaiti parliamentarians have demanded the Government of Kuwait to put an immediate ban on the entry of any member of the ruling BJP of India into Kuwait, Mejbel Al Sharika tweeted, adding: We cannot sit back and watch Muslim girls being publicly persecuted, they (the Kuwaiti MPs) said. Time for the Ummah (the community of Muslims) to unite. Domestic actions have international repercussions. I hear from friends across the Gulf of their dismay at rising Islamophobia in India & (and) the PMs unwillingness to condemn it, let alone act decisively against it. 'We like India. But dont make it so hard for us to be your friends'. Tharoor posted after retweeting Mejbel Al Sharika's tweet. Domestic actions have international repercussions. I hear from friends across the Gulf of their dismay at rising Islamophobia in India &the PMs unwillingness to condemn it, let alone act decisively against it. We like India.But dont make it so hard for us to be your friends. https://t.co/Bj9es8fbfS Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 18, 2022 Mejbel Al Sharika also tweeted a video of a woman being forced to take off her 'hijab' before entering an educational institution in Karnataka. India on February 12 dismissed as motivated comments 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. Check out DH's latest videos: Uncomfortable with Mamata Banerjee seeking to become the pole in bringing non-BJP Chief Ministers together, the CPI(M) is banking on a strategy where Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin takes the lead role, which they believe none, including the Trinamool Congress supremo, could refuse. This strategyTMC is expected to check Mamatas aspirations as well as her plans to keep the Congress and the Left away from taking a lead role in shaping the Opposition fight against the BJP-RSS and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Such a move would be acceptable to Congress, as they would not take the risk of antagonising Stalin and DMK. The DMK has already invited top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to release Stalins autobiography later this month and invitations will be sent to leaders like Mamata and CPI(M)s Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Also Read | CPI(M) against TMC's plan to forge alliance in fight against BJP's 'onslaught' on federalism The invitation to Rahul comes even as Stalin accepted Mamatas proposal to have a meeting of non-BJP Chief Ministers against BJPs onslaught on federalism. DH reported on Thursday that the February 28 event in Chennai is likely to be an Opposition show of strength. The CPI(M) also calculates that if Stalin assumes the leadership role, none of the Opposition parties can oppose such a move. Both the Congress and the CPI(M) have political considerations to adopt a strategy to corner the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata has been eyeing the pole position in the Opposition by displacing Congress while for the CPI(M), being part of a formation under the leadership of Trinamool is politically unthinkable. Also Read | Tamil Nadu CM Stalins autobiography to be released on February 28, Opposition leaders to attend event Sources said the emerging situation has prompted the CPI(M) to reach out to Stalin to take the lead of the non-BJP Chief Ministers grouping. Stalin is said to be receptive to the idea. Congress has not come out in public about the proposed meeting or Mamatas remarks that Congress can go its way but the CPI(M) has taken note of it. In an editorial in party mouthpiece Peoples Democracy, the CPI(M) criticised Mamatas attempt to assume the leadership role and transform the proposed meeting into a political alliance. Stalin and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray among others are also not supportive of the idea to keep Congress away. Sources said the meeting of Chief Ministers could happen only after the Assembly elections to five states and results would have a bearing on it. The meeting may not happen immediately after the elections, as the parties would need time to prepare an outline of the resolution to be adopted at the meeting. Check out DH's latest videos: Terming allegations levelled against him by former party leader Kumar Vishwas as 'comedy', Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday described himself as "world's sweetest terrorist who builds roads, hospitals and sends elderly people to pilgrimage." Former AAP leader Kumar Vishwas had alleged that Kejriwal had spoken about becoming PM of a separate state. In a video, Kumar is seen saying, "One day, he (Kejriwal) told me he would either become CM (of Punjab) or first PM of an independent nation. He wants power at any cost." PM Modi and Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were among those who attacked Kejriwal over Kumar Vishwas's video wherein he accused Kejriwal of making separatist comments. In a dig at the BJP and Congress, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal on Friday hit back at both parties saying that the poet who caught "such a big terrorist" must be thanked. "They have all teamed up against me and they are calling me a terrorist. It is comedy. If that is the case, then why doesn't Modiji have me arrested?" asked Kejriwal in a press conference on Friday. Addressing the press conference, Kejriwal asked what were the Centre's security agencies doing until now. "What were agencies during the Congress and BJP's tenure doing till now? Why did they not arrest me? This is such a humorous matter," he added. "Delhi Police, ED, Income Tax, and other agencies carried out raids at my office and residence in the last 7 years, but no agency could find anything against me. Then one day, a poet stood up and sang a poem. Thank that poet who caught such a big terrorist," Kejriwal said in a video message. He added that he was surprised that the Prime Minister copies Rahul Gandhi in his allegations against the Delhi CM. , , Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 18, 2022 "Rahul Gandhi was first to make this allegation against me; PM Modi used the same language the next day, & Priyanka Gandhi & Sukhbir Singh Badal followed suit. No one had ever imagined that PM would copy Rahul Gandhi," he said. "This is comedy. If their allegations are to be believed, I am a big terrorist. In this case, what were security agencies doing in last 10 years," he demanded. Leaders of both parties in their campaign pitches had said that Kejriwal was associated with terrorists after poet and former leader Kumar Vishwas' poem which indicated that Kejriwal was in favour of separationists. (With inputs from IANS) Check out the latest DH videos here: Air India on Friday said it will operate three flights to Ukraine next week. The flights will be operated on February 22, 24 and 26, it added. Russia has positioned around one lakh troops near its border with Ukraine, besides sending warships to the Black Sea for naval exercises, triggering concerns among the NATO countries about a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia has been denying that it plans to invade Ukraine. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) set up a control room on Wednesday to provide information and assistance to the Indian nationals in Ukraine. In addition, the Indian embassy in Ukraine has also set up a 24-hour helpline for Indians in the eastern European nation. The Tata Group-owned Air India said on Twitter that it will operate three flights between India and the Boryspil International Airport in Ukraine on February 22, 24 and 26. "Booking open through Air India booking offices, website, call centre and authorised travel agents," it added. Check out the latest videos from DH: The opposition BJP on Friday lashed out at the Congress leader Govind Singh Dotasra for accusing the party of giving a religious colour to the battle between Maharana Pratap and Mughal Emperor Akbar. The fight between Maharana Pratap and Akbar was for power but BJP gave it a religious colour, PCC chief Dotasra had said Thursday at a party meeting in Nagaur. BJP state president Satish Ponia said it was a fight of nationalism and not a power struggle. Also Read | Fight between Maharana Pratap & Akbar was for power, but BJP gave it religious colour: Dotasra This is not the first time that he has given such a statement. They have taught distorted history. In their eyes, Akbar is great but in this country, Maharana Pratap will remain great, Poonia said lambasting Dotasra's statement. The soil of Haldighati, which is worshipped by all, is the symbol of the battle which was fought for nationalism, self-respect and motherland, he said, adding that the statement showed narrow-mindedness of Congress and its appeasement politics. Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria said the struggle was for self-respect and freedom. He should read history. Akbar was an invader, he came to invade. You taught distorted history and termed Akbar as great. You felt ashamed calling Maharana Pratap great and therefore you kept on teaching Akbar as great, he said. Because of your appeasement policy, your party is cornered now and if you want to finish what is remaining, then keep on making such comments so that people get to know about your thinking, he said. Deputy leader of opposition also termed the statement as unfortunate. Former education minister and BJP MLA Vasudev Devnani said that what Dotasra said was an insult to Pratap who sacrificed his life to protect the pride of the motherland. Mahatma Gandhi praised Pratap's bravery at the Round Table Conference in London. Even Vietnam also talked about taking inspiration from the battle of Haldighati. After the formation of the state government, there is a constant conspiracy to weaken the glorious history of the great men, Devnani said. Calling the struggle for freedom of such a great warrior as a struggle for power is a sign of a frustrated mentality, he said. He also tweeted praising the glory of Maharana Pratap. During the Nagaur meeting, Dotasra had said, "BJP sees everything through the Hindu-Muslim religious point of view." Maharana Pratap was the Rajput ruler of Mewar in Rajasthan who fought the battle of Haldighati with the forces of Mughal emperor Akbar, led by Man Singh-I of Amber, in 1576. Check out DH's latest videos: The Telangana police has booked youth Congress activists and arrested Balmoor Venkat, state NSUI president, for harassing a donkey, making it cut a cake on Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's birthday. On the occasion of KCR's 69th birthday on February 17, the Congress party, especially its student and youth wings, held protests against the CM for making false promises of jobs and not issuing government employment notifications. This is even as the ruling TRS leaders, cadres went on with three-day grand celebrations, with some like the labour and employment minister Malla Reddy praying for KCR to become the next Prime Minister of the country. Also Read | After mocked by Telangana CM, PM Modi greets KCR on his birthday On Thursday morning, Hyderabad police arrested Telangana Congress president Revanth Reddy, who had called for protests on the CM's birthday. Cake cutting with donkeys was planned as part of the programme. Revanth himself posted a picture of a chameleon on Twitter with birthday wishes. The Balmoor organised cake cutting ceremony was held at the Satavahana University gate in Karimnagar, with a picture of KCR stuck on the donkey's face. Balmoor, who was the Congress party's Huzurabad bye-election candidate, and his followers made the donkey eat the cake too. (This is) For ruining the lives of farmers, students and unemployed youth. For false promises, fake propaganda, Balmoor posted the pictures on Twitter with hashtags #HappyBirthdayKCR #TelanganaDrohiDiwas. Balmoor was arrested on Thursday night by the police following a complaint from a TRS leader in Jammikunta who alleged the act as insulting to the TRS leadership and causing enmity between the TRS and Congress activists. Balmoor was booked under various IPC sections dealing with unlawful assembly, provocation with intent to cause a riot, intentional insult, and provisions under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and the IT act. Speaking to DH, Ramachandra Rao, Circle Inspector, Jammikunta said that Balmoor is also accused of stealing the donkey. We are verifying the facts. Balmoor was let out on bail on Friday. Condemning the arrests, Congress leaders accused KCR of running an autocratic rule. KCR is afraid of even his own shadow. Second day in the row Police arrested so that CM can celebrate his birthday. Unemployed youth are giving up lives. Is this time to celebrate?!, Revanth questioned on Twitter with #TelanganaUnemployementDay #ByeByeKCR. Check out the latest videos from DH: Swapna Suresh, a prime accused in the infamous gold smuggling case, on Friday joined HRDS India, an RSS backed NGO. Sapna reached the NGO's Thodupuzha office in Idukki district and took up the post of director-Corporate Social Responsibilities. On taking up a new job, she said it is going to be a source of livelihood and will let the controversies surrounding her take their own course. According to HRDS, she will be mostly working from the NGO's Corporate office in New Delhi. The NGO has operations in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Tripura, Assam, Jharkhand besides Kerala. Early this week, Sapna presented herself before the Enforcement Directorate after she was served a notice by them in the wake of new revelations against co-accused and top IAS official M.Sivasankar, who also was in jail and after getting bail, has been reinstated. The case resurfaced last month when an autobiography is written by the then principal secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan - M. Sivasankar revealed that 'he never did any favour to Swapna' and also added that 'he never knew the iPhone that was gifted to him by her as part of a bribe'. Angered by this statement, Swapna said that Sivasankar had destroyed her life and he was aware of all the happenings. She also pointed out that he had told her that he will take voluntary retirement and settle down with her in the UAE. It was with his help that she, along with her husband and children and their friend Sandip Nair, managed to sneak out of Kerala in July 2020 after the case surfaced, when the entire state was under massive Covid travel restrictions, Swapna claimed. Another revelation of hers was that of the two audio clips of hers, one which came out on the day she and her family were on the run to Bengaluru and another while in custody, she said, it was all stage-managed and directed by Sivasankar and others. Check out DH's latest videos: The Opposition, Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala (UDF), boycotted the policy address of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan in the Assembly on Friday. The Opposition MLAs shouted 'go back' slogans against the Governor as he entered the House and tried to disrupt the policy address. But the Governor said that it was not the time for protest and went ahead with delivering the address. Subsequently, the Opposition boycotted the house. Opposition leader V D Satheesan later told reporters that the Governor and the CPM-led Left Democratic Front government were involved in a quid pro quo deal. The Governor was making appointments in universities as per the political interests of the Left front and in return, the government accepted the Governor's demand to appoint a BJP state leader in Raj Bhavan. The Opposition also flayed the transfer of an IAS officer alleging that the government made the IAS officer a scapegoat by succumbing to pressure from the Governor. It was Governor's Constitutional obligation to deliver the policy address. Even then the Governor put pressure on government over it. It was just a political gimmick to cover up the nexus between the Governor and government, alleged the opposition leader. General administration department principal secretary K R Jyotilal was transferred on Thursday allegedly on the demand of the Governor as the officer noted in the order appointing BJP state leader Hari S Kartha as Governor's personal assistant that there was no precedent of appointing persons with political affiliation in Raj Bhavan. The Governor had expressed displeasure over it and also criticised the practice of political party workers being posted in personal staff of ministers and giving life long pension. Watch the latest DH Videos here: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) board has planned to close down all the private eateries in Tirumala and serve the same free anna prasadam to everyone from the VVIPs to the common man. According to YV Subba Reddy, board chairman, TTD would start free anna prasadam (meals) centres at all the major pilgrim convergence spots on the Tirumala hill. The idea is to ensure uniform food for all the devotees of Lord Venkateshwara as his blessing, Reddy told DH on Friday, after inspecting the old Anna Prasadam complex near the main shrine, and the private eateries that mushroomed around. Even now, free meals are served all through the day at the Sri Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba Anna Prasadam Complex and a few other places like the Vaikuntam Queue Complexes. On average, around 60,000 pilgrims consume the meals daily at the Vengamamba complex alone. While the breakfast served is Upma or Pongal, lunch and dinner include chakkara pongal, curry, chutney, rice, sambar, rasam, and buttermilk. The free meals are provided using the donations made to the Sri Venkateswara Annaprasadam Trust. Many dignitaries consume the free meals regarded as Swami prasadam. I, too, eat there whenever I am in Tirumala, Reddy says. The proposal to end the era of private eateries on the Tirumala hill was approved in the TTD trust board meeting held on Thursday. The idea, Reddy said, was a result of the numerous complaints TTD has been receiving for years now from the pilgrims, over the fleecing by private eateries. Though there is a prescribed price list with items and quantities, many of the restaurants, fast food kiosks do not follow the regulations. And several of them operate in unhygienic conditions, which has become a major health concern, Reddy said. To compensate for the livelihood loss of the people dependent on the eateries, TTD plans to issue licenses to these food operators to run other enterprises in Tirumala. Meanwhile, the TTD has decided to enter an agreement with the New & Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Limited for the supply of solar power steam at the Vengamamba complex for anna prasadam preparation, for 25 years. Check out DH's latest videos: Photo taken on Feb. 15, 2022 shows the exterior of the Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Center in Lusaka, Zambia. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua) Apart from adding beauty to Zambia, the completion of an ultra-modern conference center funded by China will be an added impetus to the development of Zambia's MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions) industry. by Elias Shilangwa LUSAKA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Apart from adding beauty to Zambia, the completion of an ultra-modern conference center funded by China will be an added impetus to the development of Zambia's MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions) industry. The construction of the Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Center in Lusaka, Zambia's capital, is 87 percent complete, with the contractor saying it will be ready for handover to the government in March ahead of the scheduled handover date in April 2022. An on-the-spot visit by Xinhua to the site found work in progress as both local and Chinese workers were busy working. Photo taken on Feb. 15, 2022 shows the exterior of the Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Center in Lusaka, Zambia. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua) Elias Mpondela, the Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at China Jiangsu International Economic Technical Cooperation Group, the Chinese firm constructing the facility, said the construction of the conference center with the state-of-the-art facilities will enable Zambia to start hosting huge conferences. While the construction of the facility is meant for the hosting of this year's African Union (AU) summit, the benefits of having such an iconic facility will outlive the summit, with the tourism sector set to benefit through conference tourism, Mpondela said. "This positions Zambia in a way that we can have conferences that run away from Zambia and go to other countries begin to come here," he told Xinhua in an interview after the tour of the facility. He, however, said there is need to construct some five-star hotels near the facility as a way to encourage more tourists in the country. According to him, the construction of the facility not only cements the bilateral relations that have existed between the two countries but also enhances people-to-people relations. Elias Mpondela, the Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at China Jiangsu International Economic Technical Cooperation Group, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Lusaka, Zambia, on Feb. 15, 2022. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua) "We have done extremely well. I think that the speed at which this facility has progressed is amazing. Within one year we have achieved incredible progress and we are standing at about 87 percent from completion," he added. The construction of the facility has so far brought economic benefits to the country with over 500 direct jobs while other sectors like suppliers are benefiting indirectly through supplying various services, Mpondela said. He said the Chinese workers were transferring skills to their local counterparts, a situation that will benefit the country once the Chinese nationals leave. Tadalisika Zulu, the clerk of Works at the Department of Public Infrastructure in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, said the pace at which works were moving gives optimism that the facility will be completed on schedule. Photo taken on Feb. 15, 2022 shows the exterior of the Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Center in Lusaka, Zambia. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua) She expressed happiness over the quality of works being done by the Chinese contractor as well as the work culture exhibited so far. The facility whose main conference room has a holding capacity of about 4,000 people started construction in 2020. "This ultra-modern conference center will boost Zambia's infrastructure capacity to host high-level international conferences and meetings," then-President Edgar Lungu said at the groundbreaking ceremony in February 2020. He said the people of Zambia treasure the unbreakable bond of friendship and brotherhood between Zambia and China. Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema said during the 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU in Ethiopia last week that the southern African nation was ready to host the mid-year coordinating summit in July this year. The court has ordered 48 of the convicts to pay Rs 2.85 lakh each as fine, while another convict Mohammed Usman Agarbattiwala, a resident of Vadodara, has been asked to pay a fine of Rs 2.88 lakh. Agarbattiwala is the only convict who was found guilty under Arms Act. The court has stated that this money be used in awarding compensation to the victims' families. On July 26, 2008, simultaneous bomb blasts had killed 56 persons in Ahmedabad and left over 200 injured. The police registered 20 FIRs in Ahmedabad, while 15 other FIRs were registered in Surat, where bombs were recovered from various locations. Both the cases were merged for trial as police investigation claimed that "they were part of the same conspiracy" by a terrorist outfit Indian Mujahideen, a breakaway faction of banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). The investigation was carried out by Detection of Crime Branch (DCB), Ahmedabad which claimed that the motive behind the terror strikes was "avenging atrocities on Muslims during 2002 post Godhra riots." Following the order, the public prosecutors said that the court has found the police's investigation to be credible which claimed that apart from civilians, individual leaders, including then chief minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, local MLA Pradipsinh Jadeja and BJP leader Pradip Parmar, currently a cabinet minister, were also under the target. Parmar had sustained injuries in the blast outside the trauma ward of the civil hospital, which was also targeted. The public prosecutors said that the court has believed police's investigation that the motive behind carrying out the coordinated blasts was "avenging 2002 post Godhra riots." A court record of framing charges against the suspects back in 2010 stated that "to take revenge for atrocities on Muslims and to establish Islam in the country," the accused, now convicts, conspired. The charges read that the suspects withheld their identities of being members of banned SIMI and formed a new organisation "Indian Mujahideen ''. They held meetings at Ahmedabad, Surat and other cities where they lectured on terrorism activities and psychologically prepared each another to carry out terrorist activities. It said that to execute their plans, they held terror training camps at Vagamon in the jungles of Kerala in 2007 and in 2008 they did it in the forests of Halol-Pavagadh in central Gujarat. Meanwhile, the Ahmedabad police posted a picture on its Twitter account terming the judgement as "historic". The post has picture of Director General of Police, Ashish Bhatia, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Abhay Chudasama on top along with pictures of IGP Girish Singhal, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Himanshu Shukla, DIG Rajendra Asari and Superintendent of Police Mayur Chavda who were associated with the investigation of the case. A unique seatfort-tourism circuit from the historic Gateway of India to the majestic Raigad Fort is being planned which would add to the fort and heritage tourism of Maharashtra. The Raigad Fort is known as DurgRaj, the King of Forts is also referred to as the Gibraltar of the East. In 1674, legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj made Raigad Fort his capital. Shivaji Maharaj was crowned king in a ceremony on 6 June 1674 at Raigad Fort. Shivaji Maharaj passed away on 3 April, 1680 in this fort. From here, he laid the foundation of 'Hindavi-swarajya' or the self-rule of Hindu people. President-nominated Rajya Sabha member SambhajiRaje Chhatrapati - who is a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and social reformer Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, has mooted the proposal. SambhajiRaje, who is the Chairperson of the Raigad Development Authority (RDA), has made a presentation to the Maharashtra government and held discussions with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray, who holds the Tourism, Environment, and Protocol portfolios. The government is very positive about the ideathey are very excited and we have made a detailed presentation, SambhajiRaje, who belongs to the Kolhapur royal family, told DH in the Raigad Fort. As part of the circuit, in one to two days, half a dozen forts in the Arabian Sea off the Mumbai-Raigad coast could be covered. The idea is to start from the Gateway of India and then sail to the twin forts of Kandheri and Undheri. Thereafter, the tourists would cover the Alibaug Fort, Padmadurg Fort, and then the Murud-Janjira Fort. After this, the tourists can land at the jetty of the Savitri River and from there drive down 32 km to the Raigad Fort. In fact, after covering Raigad Fort they can even have the option to sail further south to Vijaydurg Fort to Sindhudurg Fort - and thereafter end voyage in Goa. We have to come out with innovative ideas and boost tourismthere is so much heritage and history to be shared with the future generations, he said. Khanderi Fort is named after Kanhoji Angre, the legendary Maratha admiral. This fort also has a lighthouse. Khanderi, along with its sister fort Undheri (Jaidurg) formed the major fortification along the Maharashtra coast. In 1679, Khanderi was occupied by the forces of Shivaji under the leadership of Maynak Bhandari, who oversaw the building of the fortifying walls. Subsequently, the fort was built to keep a check on the Siddis at Murud-Janjira fort and was the site of many battles between Shivaji's forces and the navy of Siddis. The Murud-Janjira fort, which is on an island, was under the control of the Siddhis - and could never be conquered by anyone else. A special attraction of this fort is 3 gigantic cannons named Kalal Bangadi, Chavri, and Landa Kasam. These cannons were said to be feared for their shooting range. Once the island fort boasted 572 cannons. The Alibaug Fort or Kulaba Fort was an important military fortification and one of the chief stations of the Maratha navy. The Padmadurg Fort was built by Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. This fort can also be viewed from Janjira. Check out DH's latest videos: The Maharashtra government has approved a proposal to seek Ramsar site status for the Thane Creek, a home in the Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR) for several migratory birds, including the flamingos. The Thane Creek includes the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFC), which spreads across 1,690.5 hectares, and will be the first Ramsar Wetland in the MMR. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has cleared the proposal, which will now be sent to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. A Ramsar site is a wetland area designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, an intergovernmental environmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. After the first Ramsar Conference in Iran in 1971, India became a signatory in 1982 to help protect lakes, rivers, ponds, swamps, creeks, coasts and even paddy fields in the global mangrove protection efforts, including 49 protected wetlands in India. If accepted by the Centre, this will be Maharashtras third Ramsar site, after the lush-green Nandur Madhmeshwar Forest in Nashik, followed by the centuries-old Lonar Crater Lake in Buldhana district. Thane Creek is a sanctuary for over hundreds of species of birds, butterflies, spiders, insects, reptiles, fish, crabs, mammals and mangroves. Check out DH's latest videos: If there is one party, other than the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), trying to play the Hindutva card in Punjab, it is the Aam Admi Party (AAP). We saw its leader sympathising with Sunil Jakhar, the Congress leader, saying that the Congress leadership has wronged him as it did not make him its chief ministerial face. According to the AAP leader, Jakhar had to suffer as he is a Hindu. After him, it was Arvind Kejriwal, the supremo of AAP, no less, who, in the course of a press conference, alleged that there was an atmosphere of fear and insecurity among Hindus, especially Hindu traders in Punjab. You have to watch the press meet to understand how cynically Kejriwal talks about the allegation of a breach in the security of Narendra Modi, and then deliberately turns it into an issue of Hindu insecurity. According to him, one Hindu trader came to him and shared his feeling of fear in the wake of the lapse in the security of Modi. Also Read | 'Aam Aadmi' only in name: Rahul's dig at AAP govt over Anganwadi workers' protest The AAP is trying to be a party of Hindus in a state identified by Sikhs. Hindus can be a good vote bank as they are 38.5 per cent of the population of the state. All parties will try to seek their favour to form the next government, just as they would like Sikhs to vote for them and in Sikhs, different communities too. There is nothing wrong with it. In a democratic competition, one should appeal to all sections of the society to create an electoral majority. But by stoking the fire of "Hindu insecurity", Kejriwal is doing what the BJP does round the clock. Election or no election. To keep the 'Hindu in danger' rhetoric alive. What is the cause or source of that danger? The dog-whistling of Kejriwal and his party leaders point at the Sikhs. Kejriwal, before that in another meeting, predominantly of traders in Punjab, had presented himself as a Baniya. So, his foregrounding of the figure of the Hindu trader in fear is quite devious. It is as wicked as the BJP propaganda in Uttar Pradesh that in places like Kairana, traders were in danger and had to flee because of the fear of the goons. They were confident that their constituents would decode the message and replace goons with the word they meant. That is what the AAP is doing in Punjab. Also Read | 'Bhaiya' remark meant for AAP leaders, not migrant workers from UP, Bihar: Channi When this statement was being discussed, the video of a statement of a former AAP leader, one of its founders, started circulating. In the video, this leader explains his reasons for quitting the AAP. He says that Kejriwal was so besotted to power and wanted to have it at any cost that had he been in the shoes of Modi, he would have declared war with Pakistan merely to win elections. This is a very damning statement from a former comrade. The ex-leader talking about the jingoistic politics of the AAP and its instrumentalism is hardly a revelation, though. The AAP had emerged from a movement called India Against Corruption which was clothed in the symbolism of Hindu nationalism. It rode on the shoulders of Ramdev in its initial days. It had the active support of Sri Sri Ravishankar. The backdrop of Bharat Mata on the IAC stage, made to represent India by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), caused an uproar among its secular supporters and was replaced with the image of Mahatma Gandhi, but the message had gone by then. After that, we saw the IAC supporters wielding giant size tricolours tied on long poles and racing with them on their motorcycles. This combination of speed with size was an expression of macho nationalism. Liberal chanting of Vande Mataram was justified even by many hardcore seculars telling us that it was a spontaneous outburst of the masses. Some of them went to the extent of calling those Muslims who objected to its use by calling them narrow and sectarian. They should appreciate the widespread feeling and understand that a Vande Mataram at an IAC platform is not communal, is what they tried to convince people. But it definitely was. Many former AAP leaders and members now accept that the RSS had propped up the IAC. Also Read | Will Malwa offer a decisive edge to AAP in Punjab? In its onward journey, many sympathisers hoped that it would correct itself. It did not happen because even those former AAP leaders who now detest its instrumental nationalism thought and tried to persuade the people that the very notion of secularism was past its expiry date. The theoreticians of the AAP claimed that there was hardly any need to harp on secularism and all that was needed was a politics of governance. But it was hard for them not to be a nationalist. Some also believed that secularists had often ignored the Hindu feelings and mocked Hinduism. In India, there is a very fine line between nationalism and Hindutva. Those practising nationalism do not find it wrong to present themselves as 'Hindus' by invoking traditions that are again bound to be coloured by Hinduness. However, the AAP has decided to compete with the BJP by persuading Hindus that its Hindutva should be more acceptable. For the last two years, Kejriwal has organised 'Diwali poojan' with his cabinet in attendance, with him leading it as the 'yajaman'. He also called upon all Delhiwallahs to offer 'poojan', forgetting that they also include non- Hindus, and it was not fair to ask them to do the 'poojan'. It was not at all an attempt to be inclusive. He also made it a point to express his gratitude to Hanuman for his election victory. Also Read | AAP may be a breath of fresh air for Punjab But he was not being an innocuous Hindu. It became clear when his government took the lead in blaming the spread of corona on the Tablighi Jamat. Before that, Kejriwal had actively distanced himself and his party from the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act movement and claimed that he would have cleared Shaheen Bagh had his government had power over the police. He supported the move to abolish Article 370 and did not utter a word about the repression in Kashmir. The AAP welcomed the Ram temple, which is being built by taking away the land of the Babri mosque. He again sought to outmanoeuvre the BJP by announcing free trips to Ayodhya and even sponsored special trains carrying pilgrims to Ayodhya. Worse than all this Hindu posturing was the cold-shouldering that the AAP government gave to the Muslims who were made the target of the violence in February 2020. The AAP did not intervene to stop the violence. Its leaders made a point before their Hindu electorate by not visiting Muslims. Even in the matter of relief, its attitude was anti-Muslim, as we ourselves witnessed while visiting the violence-hit areas of Delhi. Muslims felt doubly hurt and humiliated as the attackers had mocked them by telling them to call the AAP to save them. Had they not voted for it? The AAP had deserted them when they needed it the most. After the killing of a Hindu boy, which the Delhi police clarified was not communal, the AAP leaders tried to paint it as one. They claimed that he was killed for having dared to raise the slogan of Jai Sri Ram. The deputy CM of Delhi repeated this charge blaming his killing on the BJP by asking why is it that under its policy, Hindus are not safe when they want to chant Jai Sri Ram. He wondered, if not in India, would Jai Sri Ram be chanted in Pakistan. Apologists of the AAP defend it by saying that it has to do this Hindu appeasement as it is faced with the mighty power of the RSS and BJP. That is hardly a defence. As is evident from its Hindu stance in Punjab, the AAP is doing it even in a state where the people, Sikhs included, had made it the main opposition party in the previous election. So, its posturing is not only for Punjab. It is for Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Goa. In Uttarakhand, it has tried to play a military Hindutva card. The AAP is reinforcing the dangerous politics of the BJP. One more version of the BJP, which many of us find acceptable for various reasons, is definitely bad news for the Indian democracy. (The writer teaches at Delhi University) Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH. Check out the latest videos from DH: Caste, a deeply grounded and lived reality, is crucial in the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. Caste sentiments have the power to turn the election to one side or the other, even on the polling day. Its interplay with other factors, such as religion, language and issues of regionalism in Western UP, often called the Jat belt, farmers' belt and sugarcane belt, does determine voting behaviour. However, these descriptions of Western UP have become synonymous with only one dominant agrarian caste, the Jats. The community has a decisive say in every election in the region by it being a dominant rural caste and still enjoys the social and political inheritance of the farmers' movement and politics of the 1970s. The principle nature of any dominant rural caste is that it influences the decisions of other marginalised castes, which any other political groups do not represent. In the process, other castes get marginalised from the political discourse despite good numbers, which are crucial in winning an election. One such caste in Western Uttar Pradesh is Gurjar, an agrarian caste with a sizable electorally decisive population. Gurjars are primarily located in the Upper Doab area of Western Uttar Pradesh and also populate other parts of the state. Some converted to Islam, and Muslim Gurjars are also politically dominant in parts of UP. They are listed as an other backward class, or OBC, in the state list. While all political parties in UP vie for Gurjar support for the community's en-bloc voting pattern, not a single party has produced any state-level leaders from among them. Gurjar leaders are mostly constituency-based leaders and are unable to reach out to the entire population of their caste. Since Gurjar is an agrarian caste and also dominant in some parts of Western Uttar Pradesh, its voting behaviour depends upon the other dominant and agricultural castes, and this contradictory relation has a specific regional history. Charan Singh mobilised all-agrarian castes in his farm politics in Western UP. After independence, the Socialist parties, the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Jan Sangh occupied the opposition space in UP until 1967. This changed after Charan Singh broke away from the Congress and formed the Bharatiya Kranti Dal, and in the 1969 Assembly elections, this party became the major gainer in Western UP. Another farmer leader of that time, Ram Chandra Vikal, a Gurjar from West UP, an Arya Samaj member, became Charan Singh's deputy chief minister from 1967 to 69. In the 1960s, before aligning with Charan Singh, Vikal had founded the Kisan Mazdoor Party. Both Charan Singh and Vikal had similar constituencies, as both were from farming backgrounds and invoked that identity. In 1967, Vikal had proposed Charan Singh's name for the chief minister's post. However, in 1977 and 1980, they each other in the electoral arena on the Baghpat Lok sabha seat with the Congress fielding Vikal against Charan Singh. Vikal lost on both occasions. Eventually, the farmers' vote base came to be dominated by just one farming caste, the Jats, with Charan Singh as their political leader and Mahendra Singh Tikait as their social leader. After Vikal's career declined, there was no accepted leader of Gurjars in Western Uttar Pradesh. Their electorally decisive population was taken for granted, but several constituency-based leaders did emerge. Gurjars of the state even welcomed the political interventions of Gurjar leaders from outside the state. The Bhadana brothers are more influential in Western Uttar Pradesh than their native Haryana. Hindutva also influenced Gurjar leaders to associate with the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) after the 2012 Assembly elections. This temptation worked at two levels - cultural and political. It has also made a section of Gurjars veer away from their farming identity, giving Jats a bigger space to capture the claim over the farming identity. The cultural contradiction of Hindutva was visible when BJP MLA Nand Kishore Gurjar from the state questioned the local administration's dealing with the issue of the funeral rites of the Dalit girl in Hathras after sunset, contrary to Hindu tradition. Intriguingly, the same MLA was also allegedly involved in mobilising BJP workers at Delhi's Ghazipur border on January 27, 2021, to violently oppose the protesting farmers and directly confront farmer leader Rakesh Tikait. This incident reinvigorated the farmers' movement after Rakesh Tikait delivered an emotional appeal for farmers across India, especially Jats of Western UP and Haryana, to unite. Rakesh Tikait-led Bhartiya Kisan Union tried hard not to make it a Jat vs Gurjar debate because that would have harmed the larger solidarity of the agrarian castes. Gurjars of UP are upset with the Yogi Adityanath government's handling of the event to inaugurate the statue of Mihir Bhoj, a ninth-century king upon whom Gurjar contest claim with Rajputs. The incident brought them closer to the other castes for an alliance against Yogi Adityanath. The current Assembly election has also witnessed unity between Jats and Gurjars through political relations invoking social solidarity of agrarian castes. Recently, Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Choudhary, the grandson of Charan Singh, had announced during his election campaign for the party's Gurjar candidate that the under-construction international airport at Jewar would be named after Gurjar Samrat Mihir Bhoj. While the BJP is trying hard to regain the support of Gurjars, it is an arduous task for the party because of the rural solidarity alliance of agrarian castes and newly emerged politics attached to it. (Shivam Mogha is a research scholar at the Centre for the Study of Social Systems, Jawaharlal Nehru University) Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH. The omicron surge seems to be slowing in much of the world, but a subvariant that scientists believe is even more contagious is on the rise, and a decline in testing has muddled the global picture, the World Health Organization said. New cases worldwide dropped 19 per cent from Feb. 7 to Feb. 13, compared with the week before, according to the agency. The WHO also said the omicron subvariant, BA.2, appeared to be steadily increasing in prevalence and that BA.2 had now become dominant in several Asian countries, including China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines. Denmark was the first nation to report that BA.2 had overtaken BA.1, the omicron version that first swept through the world. Also Read: When will Covid-19 become an endemic in India? Virologist explains Scientists have said there is no evidence that BA.2 is more lethal than BA.1, although BA.2 could slow omicrons decline. Vaccines appear to be just as effective against BA.2 as they are against other forms of omicron. The omicron wave has yet to crest in what the agency calls the Western Pacific region, which includes Oceania, the Pacific islands and East Asian countries such as China and South Korea that recently celebrated the Lunar New Year, a holiday period that typically involves large family gatherings. Cases in the region rose 19 per cent last week, the WHO reported. In the Pacific, two island nations that had no confirmed cases until recently are now grappling with the arrival of the virus. In Tonga, an outbreak began after ships brought aid to help the country recover from a volcanic eruption and tsunami in January. And the Cook Islands reported its first case last week. The WHO said caseloads were falling in the other regions. But cases are still rising in parts of Europe, including in Slovakia, Latvia and Belarus. And in Russia, new cases have increased by 79 per cent over the past two weeks, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. On Wednesday, Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHOs Covid-19 technical lead, cautioned that a drop in testing rates around the world has meant the reported global case numbers might not reflect the true spread of the virus. Also Read: Pandemic's 'acute phase' could end by midyear, says WHO We need to be careful about interpreting too much this downward trend, she said. She said the bigger concern was the increase in reported deaths from Covid-19 for the sixth week in a row. The WHOs Eastern Mediterranean region, which includes the Middle East, reported the most fatalities, and the Western Pacific region reported the second most, according to the WHO. In the Americas, many countries did not move fast enough to slow the transmission of BA.1, WHO officials said Wednesday, and they must be better prepared for whatever version of the coronavirus comes next. This will not be the last variant, and the future of the pandemic is still extremely uncertain, said Dr. Carissa Etienne, director of the WHOs Pan American Health Organization, adding that a new variant could emerge at any time. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi on Friday told the Karnataka government not to hesitate to arrest outsiders who come to schools and colleges to make girl students wear hijab in classrooms. "Some persons are ill-intentionally not allowing the hijab row to end. Not following the court order is too much and it cannot be tolerated," he said. Track live updates of hijab row here The government should take strict action wherever the court order is not followed. Only students and staff should be allowed inside the premises of schools and colleges. Some "goondas" and others creating chaos in front of schools and colleges should not be tolerated, he noted. In reply to the Congress's protest in the Session of the State Legislature over minister K S Eshwarappa's statement, Joshi opined that staging protest is the only work for the Congress now,. He prayed to the Almighty to keep them in the same situation for next five to ten years. Also Read -- Hijab row: FIR against protesting students in Karnataka People have several problems and the Opposition has the opportunity in the Session to give constructive suggestions in this regard. But, they are protesting over a non-issue just for their vote bank politics, he charged. When asked about the possibility of Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti joining the BJP for contesting in forthcoming MLC elections, Joshi said, it is irrelevant and that the BJP would field its candidate. A list in this regard has already been sent to the party's central leadership, he added. Watch the latest DH Videos here: As the row over the hijab ban intensified, Muslim girl students took out a protest rally in Shivamogga on Friday and demanded justice. Meanwhile, the state government has silently set out to collect data of students belonging to the minority community from both private and government educational institutions, especially those enrolled in 1st to 10th standard. The Karnataka Hugh Court adjourned the hearing in the case till February 21. Over 50 girls of Dr G Shankar Government Womens First Grade College wearing hijab here on Thursday returned without attending classes as the college management implemented the High Courts interim order. The hijab-clad students had boycotted the classes on Wednesday too. The college has a long history of allowing students to wear a black headscarf in the classrooms along with the uniform. The principal said that the college administration implemented the HC interim order. We told him about Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommais statement in the Assembly that the High Courts interim order was not applicable to degree colleges. However, the principal asked us to wait till the final order. He also advised us to attend online classes, Soubiya, a BBA student said. Also read: Karnataka government order says no to hijab, saffron shawls in minority institutions Farheen, a 19-year-old student, said that she would fight for the right to wear hijab even if the court ruled against it. Students in other colleges in Udupi did not boycott classes. Most Muslim students including six petitioners of Government Womens PU College, whose petition is currently being heard by the High Court, did not turn to the college. The Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College management has decided to reopen the classes in phases. The college witnessed tension a few days ago over dress code. Examinations for BA students will commence from Friday. The college in the past permitted hijab-clad students in classrooms. Check out DH's latest videos: Congress has issued a whip mandating all its legislators to sleep in the Legislative Assembly and the Council through the weekend to sustain its demand for RDPR Minister KS Eshwarappa's sacking. The Congress protest prevented business from taking place in both houses for the third day in a row, forcing adjournment till Monday. They are demanding Eshwarappa's sacking for his controversial statement on the Bhagwa (saffron flag) possibly replacing the tricolour. Opposition chief whip Ajay Dharm Singh issued a whip asking legislators to set aside all their engagements to take part in the sleepover protest till Monday. Also Read | Flag row: Congress lawmakers sleep in Karnataka Assembly, Council Earlier in the day, Congress MLAs entered the well of the Assembly. The Assembly was to start at 11 am but was delayed by 40 minutes BJP and Congress leaders huddled with Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri. The government's attempts to reach a compromise with the agitating Congress was unsuccessful. Congress legislators raised slogans against the government and called Eshwarappa a 'deshadrohi' (traitor). BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, lashed out at Congress for "curtailing the rights of other MLAs" by disrupting proceedings. After the Speaker concluded question hour amid the din, Law Minister JC Madhuswamy said that the protest was unbecoming of Congress legislators. "The House, which should discuss issues of the state, has been reduced to a rabble," he said, demanding action against protesting MLAs. Former speaker K Ramesh Kumar asked Kageri to suspend Congress legislators leading to a heated exchange between the two. "Instead of blaming them, you can suspend them," Kumar said. Bommai said that Congress was spoiling the future of children by refusing to discuss issues related to them in the wake of the hijab row. "All students are our children. We should discuss in the House and give a solution. We should send a message to students, parents and college authorities," Bommai said. Following Bommai's remarks, Kageri urged Congress MLAs to return to their seats, to which Kumar questioned why Kageri was reluctant to suspend the legislators. "If Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah seeks suspension in writing, I'll do it," Kageri said. Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Council BK Hariprasad claimed there was a threat to his life. He said he had given an oral complaint to Council chairperson Basavaraj Horatti. "BJP state president Nalin Kateel provoked his party colleagues at a recent legislature party meeting to 'take me on'. What does this mean? It could mean any sort of confrontation," Hariprasad said. Hariprasad provided the screen grab of a news channel's ticker to substantiate his claims. According to the ticker, Kateel asked his colleagues to develop enough competence to take on Hariprasad. However, the context in which Kateel reportedly issued the directive was not clear. Check out the latest videos from DH: BERLIN, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- For the sixth year in a row, China was Germany's most important trading partner in 2021, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) said on Friday. Total foreign trade revenues between Germany and China increased by 15.1 percent year-on-year, as goods worth 245.4 billion euros (279.1 billion U.S. dollars) were traded between the countries in 2021, according to preliminary results by Destatis. The Netherlands and the United States followed second and third, with trade revenues of 206.1 billion euros and 194.1 billion euros, respectively, according to Destatis. After the slumps in the first COVID-19 crisis year of 2020, growing by 20.1 and 13.4 percent, respectively. "China's importance for German imports is growing steadily," Destatis noted. In 1980, China was still ranked 35th among the most important importing countries, and by 1990 it already jumped to 14th position. Since 2015, China has been Germany's most important country for imports, according to Destatis. Goods worth 141.7 billion euros were imported from China in 2021, an increase of 20.8 percent year-on-year. The United States was the biggest customer country for German exports in 2021, unchanged since 2015, according to Destatis. China and France followed second and third. (1 euro = 1.14 U.S. dollars) The Congress will resume the Mekedatu foot march from February 27, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said on Friday. The 'Namma Neeru, Namma Hakku' campaign had to stop abruptly on January 13 due to the third wave of Covid-19. "We're resuming the campaign from February 27. We will resume from Ramanagara where we had stopped," Siddaramaiah told reporters. "We had stopped it as our concern was that we shouldn't add to the spread of the coronavirus." Congress leaders will walk from Ramanagara to Bengaluru for five days starting February 27. "We will conclude it at the National College grounds (in Basavanagudi)," Siddaramaiah said. The campaign aims to mount pressure on the BJP government to implement the Mekedatu project. The project involves constructing a balancing reservoir at Mekedatu to regulate the flow of water to Tamil Nadu and utilise 4.75 tmc water for Bengaluru. It also proposes a 400 MW hydroelectricity plant. The Congress had started the foot march on January 9 at the Sangama. Party leaders reached Ramanagara, covering a distance of 60 km, when they had to stop. The march was heavily criticised as it drew large crowds at a time when Covid-19 cases were spreading fast. Several Congress leaders involved with the march also tested positive for the virus around the time. Check out DH's latest videos: Congress lawmakers spent the night in the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council demanding the resignation of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa over his controversial remarks on the national flag. No amount of convincing by Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and former chief minister B S Yediyurappa worked as Congress leaders were determined to stage the sleepover protest. We have decided to stage an overnight protest. We have decided to take this to its logical end. We will protest day and night, Siddaramaiah told reporters. [Eshwarappa] has committed treason. He has insulted the national flag that is a symbol of our pride and the nations sovereignty, he said. Also read: Shivakumar, Eshwarappa charge towards each other, almost come to blows in Assembly The last time legislators slept in the Assembly was in July 2019 when the BJP, then in the Opposition, spent the night in protest against the delay in the then chief minister H D Kumaraswamy taking a trust vote. In 2010, the Congress had slept in the Assembly over the illegal mining scam when the BJP was in power. But, it was in 1996 that the Assembly witnessed one of its first sleepover protests by the BJP against a steep hike in electricity tariffs effected by the J H Patel government. Earlier in the day, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress continued its protest in the Well of the House, shouting slogans against Eshwarappa, the BJP and the RSS. The Congress wants Eshwarappas ouster from the Cabinet and a sedition case to be booked against him. The Congress is going after Eshwarappa for his February 9 statement. The minister had said that the saffron flag (Bhagwa) would replace the tricolour in the future. He even suggested that the Bhagwa will be hoisted on the Red Fort. The hidden agenda of the RSS has been conveyed through Eshwarappa. The national flag is the symbol of independence. Freedom fighters drew courage and inspiration from the tricolour. We have a flag code to prevent any insult to the tricolour, Siddaramaiah said. There is speculation that the BJP government may decide to curtail the ongoing session due to the Congresss protest. Otherwise, the session is to end February 25. The hijab row continued to drag on as protests were reported in several parts of the state on Thursday. This, even as the government insisted that the number of students boycotting classes had reduced over the past few days. Confusion prevailed among students of many colleges, mainly caused by the interpretation of the High Court interim order, leading to tense moments and protests in front of many colleges. Parents also accompanied the protesting students in a few cases. At Belagavi, six youth were arrested by the police for protesting in front of Vijaya Paramedical College, Sadashivanagar in Belagavi, demanding that Muslim girls be allowed to attend classes. The college premises witnessed some tense moments after the 'outsiders' demonstrating in front of the college raised 'Allah hu Akbar' slogans prior to their arrest. Also read: Karnataka government order says no to hijab, saffron shawls in minority institutions Unrest prevailed at Government First Grade College, Uppinangady in Dakshina Kannada district. Sensing trouble, college authorities declared an indefinite holiday for the students. Colleges in Mangaluru also witnessed tense situations as parents protested outside the colleges demanding that their children be allowed to attend classes with hijab. At Chitradurga Girls Government PU College, students staged a unique protest by studying outside the college premises. Protests were also reported at SRR College and SJM Women's College. Over 50 hijab-clad students returned home after they were denied entry into classrooms in Davangere. Protests were held by more than 40 students and their protests at Honnali taluk in the district. At Ballari, tense moments prevailed for the second consecutive day in front of Sarala Devi College over the issue. At Hosapete, the issue spread to TMAE College as hijab-clad girls were not allowed to attend classes. Similar incidents were also reported from Dandeli, Sirsi and Mundgod in Uttara Kannada district. Incidents of college authorities barring entry to Muslim girls with hijab was reported from Udupi, Hassan, Mandya and Kodagu districts. Check out DH's latest videos: Even as the Karnataka High Court Special Bench is hearing the Hijab case on a daily basis, students continue to come to colleges wearing hijab and getting into arguments with the college authorities. As a first punitive action against these students, an FIR was lodged against them for violating prohibitory orders in Tumakuru district on Friday. The Principal of Empress College of Tumakuru lodged a complaint with the Tumakuru City Police against 15 to 20 students for violating prohibitory orders in the last two days. The students demanding their right to wear hijab and attend classes, created high drama in the college premises by staging a protest. Track live updates of hijab row here However, the Principal has not named any student in the complaint. This is the first FIR against students for protesting against authorities seeking permission to attend classes wearing hijab. Home Minister Araga Jnanendra had earlier stated that there would be no soft approach towards the students anymore and had directed to initiate action against those who flout the interim orders. Also Read -- Hijab: Confusion over HC interim order, students continue protest in Karnataka In yet another incident, the Principal of Indi College in Vijayapura district has sent back a Hindu student for wearing 'sindoor' (vermillion). She was stopped at the gate and asked to remove the sindoor as no religious symbols are allowed. The relatives came to the school premises and questioned school authorities and told him that the basic tradition could not be questioned. After the intervention of police, the student was let inside the classroom. Sriram Sene Founder Pramod Muthalik has demanded suspension of the Principal and condemned the action. The students, who came to attend classes with saffron shawls protesting against Muslim students wearing hijab, were denied entry and sent back in Nandhghad College of Khanapura in Belagavi district. Meanwhile, the video of the Principal of Junior College in Coorg district shouting at hijab-wearing students to leave the college premises went viral on social media. Karnataka Police have registered an FIR against Congress leader Mukarram Khan in Kalaburagi for his controversial "tukda tukda" comment (cutting into pieces) under IPC Sections 153 (A), 298, 295. On February 8, Khan stated that he would cut into pieces if anyone comes against the matter of hijab. "Hijab is an internal matter. We will not interfere with Hindu traditions, if you come to question our religion, nothing will be spared." Hindu organisations have strongly protested against the comments and demanded action. Watch the latest DH Videos here: As the row over the hijab ban intensified, the state government has silently set out to collect data of students belonging to the minority community from both private and government educational institutions, especially those enrolled in classes 1 to 10. According to the data accessed from the Department of Public Instruction on Thursday, there are 17,39,742 Muslim students in the various government-run schools across the state. The data further revealed that Bengaluru South reported the highest number of minority students at 1,55,104, followed by Kalaburagi with 1,31,802 and Bengaluru North with 1,22,993 students. Chamarajanagar district reported the lowest number of Muslim students at 9,603. Meanwhile, some private colleges in Bengaluru also told DH that they have been also asked to submit data on the number of Muslim students enrolled in their colleges. We had assumed that the exercise could be to categorise colleges as sensitive zones keeping in mind the ongoing hijab row and deploy additional security personnel, opined a principal of a pre-university college in Bengaluru South. Also read: Karnataka government order says no to hijab, saffron shawls in minority institutions However, when questioned about the reason behind the collection of students data, the officials justified the move pointing at the ongoing legislature session and high court hearing. Elected representatives may demand the data on the floor of the House as also the high Court as part of the ongoing hearing, an official from the education department said. Clarifying the issue, Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh told DH that the data is being collected to counter the daily media reports with misleading numbers. Every day, both the electronic and print media are reporting on the issue with varying figures on the total number of students sent back home for defying the HCs interim order. Our objective was to see if the students are actually disturbed by the issue or focused on studies. We only wanted to know how many students are actually attending classes unmindful of what is happening around, the minister said. Also read: Hijab: Confusion over HC interim order, students continue protest in Karnataka The department data showed that on Thursday, a total of 162 girl students were sent home for defying the HCs interim order in the state at 14 schools. In Bidar alone, as many as 114 students from seven schools were sent back home for defying the HC direction and refusing to remove the hijab inside the classroom. Similarly, 20 students from three schools in Shivamogga, 18 girls in two schools of Chitradurga, and eight students at a school in Chikkamagaluru and two in Chikkaballapur were sent home, an official said. Check out DH's latest videos: The BJP government on Friday tabled a Bill in the Karnataka Assembly to validate the appointment of gazetted probationers from the 2011 batch of the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) whose recruitment was struck down by various courts on corruption charges. The Karnataka Civil Services (Validation of Selection and Appointment of 2011 batch Gazetted Probationers) Bill prevents any court from enforcing "any decree or order to direct the review" of any appointments made under its provisions. 362 candidates made the selection list for Group A and Group B gazetted probationers posts in 2013, but the entire recruitment process got mired in allegations of corruption. A CID probe had found irregularities. The Bill, according to the government, is being moved to provide justice to the 2011-batch of candidates. Apart from validating their appointments, the Bill also revokes orders issued by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government dated October 15, 2013, and August 14, 2014, cancelling the results of the recruitment exam. "The state government shall take immediate steps to issue appointment orders to 2011-batch gazetted probationers as per the KPSC selection list," the Bill reads. "No suit or other proceeding shall be maintained or confirmed in any court or any Tribunal or before any Authority for the review of any such appointment made in accordance with the provisions of this Act," according to the Bill. "...none of the candidates who are either selected or had participated in the selection process have been named as accused persons. The gist of the charge sheet filed by the CID discloses that there is a commission of the offence of criminal conspiracy by the chairman, members and staff and some middlemen to favour certain candidates who are otherwise ineligible or less meritorious by accepting illegal gratifications. Who these candidates are is not pointedly forthcoming in the report of the CID," the Bill explains in its statement of objects and reasons. "Unless the tainted candidates are segregated and a detail investigation are held and proved guilty in the court of law after the due trial it may not be proper to hold the examination as vitiated," the Bill argues. "Whereas in respect of untainted candidates their sincere efforts has to be respected and their legitimate expectation for having appointed shall be honoured." The Bill further states that no member of the KPSC or candidate was proven guilty of any offence or convicted in any court of trial. Check out DH's latest videos: The Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission-2 (KARC-2) on Friday asked the government to allow owners of sites to convert their B-Khata to A-Khata by paying a fee. This is one of the 1,165 recommendations that the KARC-2 made in its second and third reports that were submitted to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. The KARC-2 is headed by former chief secretary TM Vijay Bhaskar. An owner of a B-Khata site can pay a conversion fee with a penalty if land use was not converted to non-agricultural purposes as per Section 96(4) of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, the KARC-2 said. Thereafter, he could pay compounding fees for not getting the layout approved as per the general or special order under Section 76F of the KTCP Act and get the violations compounded. He could then convert his B-Khata to an A-Khata. Once he gets an A-Khata, he can apply for a building plan sanction as per building byelaws by paying the requisite charges. This procedure will enable many unlawful site owners... it said, adding that a single-window system may be developed for this. Unauthorised sites and buildings are given B-Khatas that serve as a tool to collect property tax to cover costs incurred by the local body in providing sanitation, water, roads and other services. The fresh set of recommendations of the KARC-2 pertains to eight departments - Urban Development, RDPR, Energy, Social Welfare, Scheduled Tribes Welfare, Backward Classes Welfare, Minority Welfare and Home. The KARC-2 has asked the government to simplify building plan approvals. Building plans up to 2400 sq ft may be given online approval immediately on the basis of self-declaration and certification and payment of fees through online applications, it said. The government has also been asked to consider merging the BDA and BMRDA. "...the merged body could take up both development and planning functions in the region." To cut costs in departments, boards and corporations, the KARC-2 has recommended Cut Waste Task Forces. To improve the delivery of citizen services, the KARC-2 has asked the government to make use of post offices that are already delivering central services. Police stations can be made more approachable with citizen help desks, the KARC-2 said. Also, it asked the government to approve 33 per cent horizontal reservation for women in the recruitment of constables and non gazetted staff. The percentage of female representation in non-gazetted police staff in Karnataka is 8.3 per cent against the mandated 25 per cent, it pointed out. Check out the latest videos from DH: Twenty new jobs in Derry are being created by pharmaceutical giant Almac. The group, which set up its facility in the Northland Road Business Park last summer say the roles will cover a mixture of project management, software engineering, clinical supply and design management positions at all levels. Experience of the pharmaceutical industry is not an essential requirement for these positions as full on-the-job training is provided. Almac had initially set up its Derry operation last June with 10 employees. Their long-term goal has been to have 100 positions filled at the plant and this announcement is intended to be the next step towards that. Since setting up in Derry, Almac's first wave of recruitment covered a variety of roles including Project Group Managers and Clinical Supply Managers for Clinical Services Project Services department, Software Engineers for the Information Services team, and Software Developers with Clinical Technologies. Alan Armstrong, CEO, Almac Group, said: These twenty new posts, alongside the ten that we have already filled mean that we are well on our way towards meeting our goal of recruiting 100 employees at our new location in the North West by the end of 2024. Almac is experiencing significant growth and filling these roles will bolster our ability to continue to support our many clients across the globe. We are proud to have our global Headquarters in Craigavon and we are very pleased that we now have an established base in Derry. The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Graham Warke, has welcomed news of additional new job opportunities locally with Almac. Encouraging applicants to avail of the opportunity to work with a global company of such a high calibre, Mayor Warke said Council was delighted to be working alongside Almac in its recruitment drive and was supportive of its efforts to expand its workforce to employ the pool of educated and skilled people in the city and district. He said: I am delighted at Almacs success to date and excited at their level of ambition for growth for the future. It is great to see highly skilled job opportunities being made available and wish the company well in this latest recruitment drive. I look forward to seeing the company further expand and wish them continued success in our city and district. Almac is a global contract development and manufacturing organisation with over 6000 employees located in 19 locations across the world, 3600 of whom are based at its global Headquarter campus in Craigavon. To find out more or to apply for a position, visit: almacgroup.com/northwest-jobs The Derry City and Strabane District City Region has been ranked second in the FDI European Cities of the Future 2022 category in a study carried out by the FDI Intelligence Division of the Financial Times. Welcoming the accolade, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Alderman Graham Warke said the high ranking in this significantly prestigious and influential study was hugely positive for the city. The ranking comes less than a year after the City and District was ranked first in the FDI Global Cities of the Future Category in a report carried out by the FDI, competing against major cities across the globe. The data collated for this latest report is collected by the FDI intelligence division of the Financial Times using specialist online tools, FDI markets and benchmarks. Data was collected for 553 locations (367 cities, 148 regions and 38 LEPs), under five categories: Economic Potential, Human Capital and Lifestyle, Cost Effectiveness, Connectivity and Business Friendliness. Locations scored up to a maximum of 10 points for each data point, which were weighted by importance to the FDI decision making process to compile the subcategory rankings as well as the overall 'European Cities and Regions of the Future 2022/23' ranking. In addition, surveys were collected under a sixth category, FDI Strategy, for which there were 161 submissions. In this category, locations submitted details about their strategy for promoting FDI, which was then scored by FDI's judging panel. The Derry City and Strabane District City Region ranked second in the European Cities of the Future Category, tipped only by Doncaster and Sheffield City Region and overseeing competition from other European cities such as Cork, Middlesbrough and Dublin. As part of the evaluation process, judges assessing the application took into account the area's economic potential, cost effectiveness, connectivity, human capital and lifestyle and business friendliness, as part of their assessment. Mayor Warke said this ranking was hugely significant and puts the city and district on a positive footing as it progresses to the next stages of delivering the exciting and innovative City Deal projects. He said the ranking put the city and region on the map in terms of gaining recognition from world leading investors and helps increase the city and region's visibility across the Financial Times Group global readership and audience, which in turn will encourage further funding and investment. Mayor Warke continued: "Securing this top ranking in this category is hugely positive for us and reflective of the huge amount of proactive work that has been done over the past number of years to actively promote and develop the opportunities in Life and Health Sciences, in digital technologies and in the application of research in artificial intelligence and machine learning across our City and District. "Key to this is that all these areas of focus and investment continue through City Deal projects. Our prime focus will be to develop opportunities for the development and promotion of the compelling proposition that is our city and region and the wider North West." Kevin O'Connor Head of Business with Derry City and Strabane District Council, who was involved in the bid for the award, said the panel in their feedback acknowledged the strong cross border collaboration and mobile talent available in the region and the city and district's innovative approach to developing talent in high demand sectors. He said the region's large international diaspora with its strong international business network was also recognised, while the use of historic connections to the city of London and using it to focus on attracting UK based companies who want closer dual market access to the EU and UK was also acknowledged. Mr O'Connor said: "This is a very significant coup for us and comes at a very exciting time in our City Deal journey and as we are recovering from the COVID pandemic and working proactively to promote investment opportunities across our diaspora network, highlighting our increased quality of lower cost of living and increased work life balance to those interested in returning to live and work here. "Combined with being recognised by USwitch.com as the top location in NI for remote working in the UK Top 5, along with being one of the top locations in the UK for Full Fibre Network connectivity, we are ideally placed for remote working. "We are also the only city region located where the UK and EU meet, and is a great place to live, visit, study or to do business in." The only way a functioning Northern Ireland executive will be reconstituted after the Assembly election is if the DUP win, the SDLP leader has warned. Colum Eastwood was commenting on the ongoing uncertainty over whether the DUP would nominate someone for deputy First Minister if it came second in the poll and Sinn Fein emerged as the largest party. Neither the DUP or the UUP have been willing to confirm whether they would serve as deputy First Minister to a Sinn Fein First Minister. The Executive effectively collapsed earlier this month when the DUP pulled out First Minister Paul Givan in protest at the Northern Ireland Protocol. The administration is now only operating in shadow format and cannot take any significant decisions. Mr Eastwood was speaking after a meeting with Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney in Belfast. Asked about the prospects of a properly functioning executive being reformed after Mays Assembly election, he said: I think the reality is that (DUP leader) Jeffrey Donaldson wont appoint a deputy First Minister. The only way therell be an executive after an election is if the DUP win, thats the most undemocratic thing Ive ever heard, particularly because it doesnt matter who the First Minister is. The first and deputy first minister are joint first ministers they have exactly the same power. So its undemocratic. Its a futile exercise in my view, and itll end in nobody dealing with the real crisis out there, which is peoples bills going through the roof and the longest waiting lists of probably any democratic country in the western world. UUP leader Doug Beattie also held talks with Mr Coveney on Thursday. Mr Beattie said the DUP was wrong to pull down the executive. He said it had had no influence on the negotiations between the UK and EU on the protocol. If I was the First Minister, I wouldnt have done that because it has not moved the issue of the protocol forward one jot, not one jot has it moved it forward, he said. What is moving it forward is coming up with solutions and engagement. Thats the only thing thats going to fix this problem. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Doug Beattie (Liam McBurney/PA) Mr Beattie said the EU and UK remained a way off finding a solution to the protocol logjams. To get a solution to the whole thing were as far away now as we were last year, he said. After her meeting with the Irish foreign minister, Alliance leader Naomi Long struck a downbeat note on the prospect of a new administration being formed after the election. I think that the prospects for forming an executive post the election, if the DUP continue to redraw their red lines in the way they have been recently, is fairly bleak, she said. She added: Nothing that has happened in the Assembly over recent weeks has had any impact whatsoever on protocol negotiations. That is something that is happening off to one side between the UK and the EU. What we can do on the Assembly however is tackle the issues that are impacting peoples lives and their priorities and all of the surveys show that their priority is not the protocol its things like health care, its waiting lists, its about the cost-of-living crisis. And its about being able to get the kind of delivery from government that I think people have the right to expect. CHANGCHUN, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- China's leading automaker First Automotive Works (FAW) and German automaker Audi on Friday officially launched a project to produce pure electric vehicles in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province. Bearing a total investment of more than 30 billion yuan (about 4.74 billion U.S. dollars), the joint project will be put into operation around the end of 2024 and is expected to have an annual production capacity of 150,000 vehicles, the automakers noted. The project is expected to fuel economic and trade cooperation between China and Europe and northeast China's revitalization. The new base will be Audi's first one for pure electric car models in China and will produce its first three electric car models including one SUV and one sedan car after completion. It is expected to realize carbon dioxide neutralization during car manufacturing and have its own battery assembly workshop. To date, Audi has delivered more than 7 million cars in China with its cooperation partners. In 2021, the company delivered about 700,000 vehicles in the Chinese market and the sales of its pure electric car model e-tron saw a 68.7 percent year-on-year increase. By the end of this year, nine electric car models of Audi are expected to be sold in the Chinese market, according to the company. By Chet Babla, VP of automotive, Automotive and IoT Line of Business, Arm February 18, 2022 -- Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) have grown from a premium vehicle feature to a capability consumers now expect as standard in new vehicles. In parallel, the global chip shortage is making it clear to the automotive industry the criticality of silicon and electronics to the development and competitive positioning of its products. Drivers increasingly depend on ADAS applications such as collision avoidance, lane departure warnings and automated emergency braking, and vehicles increasingly rely on cameras positioned around the car to enable many of these features. Indeed, according to a recent report from Strategy Analytics the value of the automotive camera market is expected to grow to greater than 19% from 2020 to 2025, making it the most important sensor type in providing data needed for the vehicle to make decisions about its surroundings. As the number and sophistication of vehicle cameras increases, so does the compute power needed to translate the high throughput of image data efficiently and safely into outputs that meet the varying requirements for machine and human vision. To enable new capabilities in ADAS and autonomous driving, the industry will need a new approach to image processing, and to address this, we have added the Mali-C78AE ISP to our portfolio of IP specifically developed to meet the performance and safety needs of automotive applications. Safety first in both human and machine vision ADAS features use multiple cameras to enable a variety of human and machine vision applications. For example, surround view systems use data from cameras around the vehicle to visually display to the driver information to help them make decisions while parking. Adaptive cruise control, on the other hand, directly uses camera data to interpret the environment and make decisions independent of the driver about vehicle control, such as applying the throttle or brake. Mali-C78AE is designed specifically to address both human and machine vision safety applications, and is able to process data from up to four real-time or 16 virtual cameras. We know safety is paramount in ADAS, and I have spoken about this previously a fault or failure in operation of an ADAS system could be dangerous, threatening the wellbeing of the driver, passengers, and other road users. Mali-C78AE was developed from the ground up with hardware safety mechanisms and diagnostic software features enabling system designers to meet ISO 26262 ASIL B functional safety requirements. Mali-C78AE aims to prevent or detect faults in a single camera frame that may result in incorrectly processed frame data. To do this, the ISP features over 380 fault detection circuits, continuous built in self-test, and can detect sensor and hardware faults of connected cameras. Vision is data rich, and workload demanding Equally as important to safety and user experience is processing speed which is a key element of the Mali-C78AE. It should take 150 milliseconds to acquire an image at the sensor, process it through the ISP then GPU, and display it on a screen for the driver; anything longer is noticeable to the driver when using parking assist, for example. In a machine vision application, a vehicle should not travel more than 250mm between a camera image being acquired and it being presented to the decision-making processing and anything longer means the machine vision system is too slow to react in driving situations where accurate and timely decisions are critical. To enable drivers and machines to make the best-possible decision, ADAS cameras must collect the most relevant information possible from each frame. Mali-C78AE employs advanced noise reduction technology and dynamic range management to ensure each frame is clear and properly exposed by adjusting overly dark or bright areas of a frame. Mali-C78AE is able to perform real-time processing of camera data from up to four high-resolution-high-frame rate cameras, significantly reducing the memory, communications, and processing requirements, making for a more efficient system. Today, to implement multiple ADAS functions it would require individual camera setups because cameras used for machine vision applications, such as lane departure warnings, do not produce images that are suitable for human vision, such as surround view. To reduce the cost of implementing multiple ADAS functions, Mali-C78AE enables camera sensors to be dual-purpose by downscaling and color-translating the outputs of sensors optimized for machine vision to create images adapted to the human eye. By avoiding duplication in cameras and their associated electronics and wiring, OEMs save on cost and complexity and therefore, enable wider deployment of camera-based ADAS features across a diverse range of car models providing a safer, better user experience for drivers. About Arm Arm technology is at the heart of a computing and data revolution that is transforming the way people live and businesses operate. Our energy-efficient processor designs and software platforms have enabled advanced computing in more than 215 billion chips and our technologies securely power products from the sensor to the smartphone and the supercomputer. Together with 1,000+ technology partners we are at the forefront of designing, securing and managing all areas of AI-enhanced connected compute from the chip to the cloud. We currently have no further details about this special edition of the 9 Pro+ and neither has Realme revealed its plans for an official launch. Realme 9 Pro+ is Realmes brand new mid-range smartphone that takes on the likes of the Nord 2, Xiaomi 11i Hypercharge and more. After its launch earlier this week in India, Realme Global is now teasing a special Free Fire Edition of the Realme 9 Pro+. We currently have no further details about this special edition of the 9 Pro+ and neither has Realme revealed its plans for an official launch. However, we can speculate that the Realme 9 Pro+ Free Fire Edition could come with a custom design in line with the popular battle royale game. #DareToBooyah Another surprise! Calling for Free Fire survivors, the exclusive #realme 9 Pro+ Free Fire Edition is coming for you. Stay tuned with us for latest updates! #realme9ProSeries pic.twitter.com/sYwOKMCB23 realme (@realmeglobal) February 16, 2022 Realme also faces a catch-22 situation in India if it plans to launch this special edition as Garena Free Fire is currently banned in the country. This comes as a part of the Indian Governments continued onslaught on apps of Chinese origin. Garena Free Fire along with 54 other apps are currently facing a ban in the Indian region. That said, Garena also publishes Free Fire Max which is a graphically demanding game made for powerful processors and it continues to be live in India which might leave some wiggle room for Realme to launch this 9 Pro+ Free Fire special edition. We reviewed the Realme 9 Pro+, taking it through our usual set of performance tests and found that it is actually a capable camera phone under Rs 25,000. You can read the full review here. Realme 9 Pro+ specifications The Realme 9 Pro+ features a 6.4-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display that supports a 90Hz refresh rate. The phone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 920 chipset and has a triple camera stack on the back. There is a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro camera. On the front, there is a 16MP selfie camera. As for the battery the Realme 9 Pro+ is equipped with a 4,500mAh battery that supports 60W fast charging out-of-the-box. Also Read: Garena Free Fire among 54 Chinese Apps have been reportedly banned in India Oppo has teased the first looks of Oppo Pad, Oppo Enco X2, and Oppo Watch 2 Blue edition ahead of the Feb 24 event. Earlier today, we brought to you the news that Find X5 Pro could be coming in a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 variant and a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 variant. Its also official that Oppos big event for the beginning of the year is set to take place on February 24. And as it was being expected, the company has confirmed that it will be launching a bunch of other products in the said event. This includes the Oppo Pad, the Oppo Watch 2 Blue edition, as well as the Oppo Enco X( 12999 at amazon)2. It has also shared a few first looks of these devices. So lets see what we know about these upcoming additions to the Oppo smart ecosystem: Oppo Pad, Oppo Enco X2, Oppo Watch 2: Specs and Features (Expected) Oppo Pad will be the companys first tablet and it will be of course an Android tab. You could get a custom variant of ColorOS 12 with a dock, desktop widgets, and shortcuts. Its front seems to have rather narrow bezels. The screen within could be an 11-inch one with a 2560x1600 pixels resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Its overall dimensions could be 252x165x6.5mm. Inside, the Oppo Pad may have a Snapdragon 870 chipset, clubbed with 6 gigs of RAM, and an 8360mAh battery backed by 33W fast charging. Then, there is the Oppo Watch 2 Glacier Blue colour variant and the Enco X2 TWS buds. The watch had already released in China last year. So, it could be just a new colour option. As for the buds, the Enco X2 is been apparently made in partnership with the Danish audio brand Dynaudio. This is teased to feature a Hi-res wireless audio thanks to things like 2nd gen coaxial dual-unit, and LHDC 4.0 codec support. It is also shown to feature ultra-wideband deep noise reduction. We will be tuning in to the event on February 24 at 4:30 AM and will be sharing the details with you here. So, watch this space for this and similar news, buying guides, feature stories, reviews, and everything else tech-related. Drivers in Ireland aged under 75 will no longer have to supply a medical report to get approval to drive. From next Monday, the age at which someone applying for a drivers licence must supply a medical report to confirm their fitness to drive will increase from 70 to 75. The move is expected to immediately benefit thousands of people aged over 70 who are expected to apply for a licence in the coming months. The Covid-19 pandemic had already seen the requirement temporarily waived for people aged 70 and over to provide a medical report. In Ireland, age and medical fitness determine how long a licence remains valid for. The change, announced by junior minister Hildegarde Naughton, has been hailed as a welcome development. Professor Desmond ONeill, from the National Office for Traffic Medicine, said the change recognised that older drivers are exceptionally responsible. The change is supported by international research indicating that routine medical screening of older drivers is not only ineffective but may actually unintentionally increase injury and death among older people as pedestrians, he said. Under the new rules, a driver under 75 will not have to supply a medical report about themselves unless they have a specific illness or are required to do so by law. Driving licences will remain free to anyone over 70, with that same age group able to apply by post to renew a licence or learner permit. Prof ONeill said: The change in the age limit is supported by a range of supports for older drivers and healthcare professionals in terms of comprehensive guidelines on medical fitness to drive. A new study has suggested that mental speed does not start to slow until people turn 60, four decades later than previously thought. Researchers say their analysis of more than a million people challenges previous assumptions that mental speed peaks at age 20. As humans age, it takes longer to react to changes in the environment, or stimuli. This slowing of response time starts from the age of about 20, gradually continuing to slow as people get older. The new study found that although response times started to slow after 20, this could be because people make more cautious decisions, and slower processes not linked to decision making, such as time taken to press a key. However, the mental process of making the decision did not start to slow down until age 60, after which it progressively declined. Mischa von Krause, from Heidelberg University, Germany, and colleagues looked at data from more than one million people who took part in an online experiment that measured their reaction times to a mental task. They had to categorise a selection of words and images that flashed up on a screen as belonging to one of two categories, for example good or bad, by pushing the correct key in response. Despite a widespread belief in age-related slowdowns in mental speed, the findings highlight how for much of life, and during the timespan of a typical career, this is not likely to be the case, the researchers say. Writing in Nature Human Behaviour, the researchers said: Our results indicate that response time slowing begins as early as age 20, but this slowing was attributable to increases in decision caution and to slower non-decisional processes, rather than to differences in mental speed. Slowing of mental speed was observed only after approximately age 60. Our research thus challenges widespread beliefs about the relationship between age and mental speed. Netflix has announced that a supersized fourth series of Stranger Things will arrive in two volumes later this year. The show will make its highly-anticipated return to screens on May 27 before a second batch of episodes arrives on July 1. Posting on Twitter, the streaming giant also confirmed the science-fiction drama will end after its fifth season. STRANGER THINGS S4 NEWS Stranger Things S4 arrives 27 May *and* 1 July. Yes! Its coming in 2 volumes, as part of a supersized S4 (nearly 2x the length of S3!) S4 will be the penultimate season, Stranger Things will end with S5!! Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) February 17, 2022 There was excitement among Stranger Things fans an hour before the announcement after two surprise images were posted on the shows official Instagram page. The pictures were then re-shared by some of the actors in the show such as David Harbour. The first image shows Harbour, who plays Jim Hopper; Brett Gelman, who plays Murray Bauman and Winona Ryder, who plays Joyce Byers, in a snowy landscape. The accompanying caption led fans to believe at least some of the next series will take place in Russia, which tallies with previous trailers which show Hopper in what looks like a Russian work camp. It reads: 001. Russia. Getting the band back together. Bring a jacket. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Stranger Things Netflix (@strangerthingstv) Noah Schnapp, who plays Will Byers in the show, commented AHHHHHHH and HERE WE GOOOOOOO on the images, which thousands of fans also responded to. The second picture was posted less than 15 minutes later and shows Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown, stood in the lab where she was raised. The lab, however, is badly damaged and a gateway into the alternate universe in the show, known as the upside down, can be seen at the other end of the corridor. The caption reads: 002. The Lab. Every story starts somewhere. Both images have the line every ending has a beginning at the top, and received hundreds of thousands of responses within 15 minutes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Stranger Things Netflix (@strangerthingstv) Harbour posted the first image onto his Instagram, too, with the accompanying caption: Come and keep your comrade warm. Im back in the USSR. Season four of Stranger Things has been highly anticipated by fans after it was delayed for over a year due to the pandemic. 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. VALLETTA, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Malta will lift the mandatory wearing of masks in open public spaces from March 14 as the COVID-19 pandemic situation is "under control," Health Minister Chris Fearne said on Thursday. Addressing a press conference, Fearne also said that obligatory quarantine for primary contacts of positive COVID-19 cases will be lifted from March 7, as long as the infection rate remains low. From Monday, quarantine for primary contacts who do not reside in the same household will be reduced from seven to five days, while quarantine for primary contacts in the same household will go down from 10 to seven days. Fearne said masks will still need to be worn in closed public spaces, and at large events. So far the COVID-19 situation indicates that Malta will not need a fourth vaccine this winter, Fearne said, since there appears to be enough immunity within the population. Currently, 79 percent of adults in Malta are triple vaccinated, he added. According to Maltese health authorities, 109 new COVID-19 cases were detected on Thursday, and for the first time in a month, no deaths were reported. A 28 year old man involved in a hit and run at the Avenue Road roundabout, had previously been before the court for a separate prosecution over his driving in the Blackrock area on the same day, Dundalk district court heard last week. Aaron Finnegan with an address at Clooneevan, Haggardstown was prosecuted for dangerous driving and failing to remain at the scene of a collision on the Inner Relief Road, Dundalk on August 30th 2017. Gardai arrived on the scene to find two stationary vehicles with their hazard lights on, a silver Kia Sportage had damage to the rear and further damage to the front. A Renault Megane was also damaged. The court heard one witness told gardai when they got out of their vehicle, the defendant 'took off at speed' through the roundabout and drove in the direction of Blackrock. Judge Eirinn McKiernan heard Mr. Finnegan was fined 75 for an offence in Blackrock on the same date, after the court reduced a dangerous driving charge to careless driving. The Defence barrister said it was a momentary lapse of concentration at the roundabout that caused his client to rear end the vehicles and he had panicked. He added the 28 year old relies on his driving licence as he attends Carlow IT where he's studying Higher Level Science and Geophysics and drives to Carlow every Sunday evening. The lawyer added there would be a difficulty in relying on public transport to get there on a weekly basis. Judge McKieran said: "I hope he's learned his lesson". She imposed a 300 fine and said in view of the special circumstances she would exercise her discretion and not disqualify him from driving. A total of 2.4million in funding has been announced to develop disruptive solutions to challenges faced by the Defence Forces. Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, and Minister for Defence and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, made the announcement yesterday (Thursday February 17). Ten research teams - as part of the SFI-Defence Organisation Innovation Challenge - have been awarded the funding to initiate solution-based projects. After three months, the teams will be whittled down to five and provided with 200k to compete for an overall prize award of 1million. Minister Harris called the announcement "really exciting" and said, "Todays announcement shows the value of a partnership between our research community and the Defence Forces. The innovation on display can help address existing and future challenges within our Defence Forces. "There is a myriad of innovative ideas and expertise from machine learning and virtual reality to data analytics, engineering, and robotics." Ideas include a portable device that detects biological agents, AI technology to assist the Irish Air Corps fight wildfires, reducing the carbon footprint of its vehicle fleet to a novel prototype marine electric motor, and a co-operative system that will allow a human controller and robot to work together to manoeuvre aircraft. Watch! Funding announcement for @scienceirel & Defence Organisation innovation challenge @DeptofFHed 10 research teams have been shortlisted for the SFI-Defence Organisation Innovation Challenge. Further info: https://t.co/GeKHSrvevD pic.twitter.com/7wVFwxyZxA Oglaigh na hEireann (@defenceforces) February 17, 2022 Congratulating the teams, Minister Coveney said, "From the time we launched this challenge last July, I believed that it would confront emerging issues within the Defence Forces head-on, through the collaboration of leading researchers with the talented people behind our Defence Forces. "At EU level, the role of innovation and disruptive technologies in delivering next generation military capability is already well recognised. I am looking forward to seeing the results that this synergy of innovators and practitioners under this challenge will undoubtedly generate for the Defence Forces going forward." North Andover, MA (01845) Today Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low near 45F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low near 45F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. HAIKOU, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 duty-free shops from around the world will take part in the 2022 China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, according to the organizers. Co-hosted by China's Ministry of Commerce and the Hainan provincial government, the expo is scheduled from April 12 to 16. China Duty Free Group, world's leading travel retailer, said it will support a series of activities including a conference on duty free and travel retail and a forum on sustainable consumption during the expo, and explore more business opportunities with global brands. The event will cover an exhibition area of 100,000 square meters and is expected to become an important platform for quality-oriented global consumer products, the organizers noted. IN the hours before Storm Eunice lands, Cork community gardai are patrolling the city centre and surrounding areas to ensure homeless people have shelter. A red weather warning has been put in place for the county from 3am tonight, with Met Eireann predicting "severe and damaging winds" of up to 130km/hour along with sleet, heavy rain, and possible flooding. Sergeant Michael OConnell, who is sergeant-in-charge of community policing in the city, told The Echo that community gardai are making contact with anyone who is sleeping rough and helping them to get to safety. Our gardai are out this evening and theyre making sure that anyone who needs accommodation can get to shelter for the night, and were making sure that nobody is out exposed to the elements, Sergeant OConnell said. Emergency accommodation has been made available for the night and community gardai will be encouraging people to avail of it. Its going to be a very bad night, and emergency accommodation has been secured by Cork City Council and Cork Simon, and we are urging people not to stay out tonight." Response crews in place Cork County Council has placed crews and contractors on standby in response to the storm. The councils Severe Weather Assessment Team has deployed sandbags and pumps in areas known to be affected by coastal flood events. The public is advised to stay away from coastal areas, as strong gusts and high waves are expected. Some disruption is likely along with a possibility of coastal and spot flooding, especially at high tide, the council said. Property owners, residents and visitors are advised to take necessary precautions for this dangerous weather event. Such precautions include tying down loose items outside, having a torch and spare batteries ready, clearing window sills, closing curtains, and staying indoors. Many shopkeepers and residents have placed sandbags at their premises in Bantry this evening in preparation for Storm Eunice. Picture: Andy Gibson. One area in which residents are particularly concerned is Bantry, which was hit with severe flooding during Storm Barra in December. Speaking with The Echo, local councillor Danny Collins said that the town is expecting to see the worst of the storm pass over at about 5am. There is a natural fear in the area because we dont know how forceful it will be, Mr Collins said. For the past two or three years weve been hit very badly. Over 21 businesses were affected by Storm Barra. Any time a warning comes like this we worry. Mr Collins wished to thank local Area Engineer Ruth OBrien and her team for their preparations. They have been out all day giving sandbags to all the local businesses and getting the pumps ready to get the water out. No doubt theyll be on call for the next 24 hours, he said. Fingers crossed this will blow pass without hitting Bantry too hard but that doesnt look too promising at the moment. The council is asking people to keep in contact with neighbours, especially those living alone, and to rope off any damaged areas once it is safe to do so. Cork County Council employees were putting out pumps this evening in preparation for Storm Eunice. Picture: Andy Gibson. Motorists are advised to drive with caution as conditions may be hazardous with surface flooding possible. Issues such as fallen trees, flooding, and road damage should be reported to the relevant council office, while disruption to power supply or fallen wires can be reported to ESB Networks at 1800 372 999. In the event of a disruption to water supply, Irish Water can be reached at 1800 278 278. The County Councils offices, including Civic Amenity Sites, will close until 12.30pm tomorrow. City response Cork City Council's Crisis Management Team will deploy operations crews in the city after the red warning has lifted to assess and to deal with any damage or obstruction caused by the weather. There is no flooding predicted for Cork City during the period of the storm and the Cork Business Association said that it is "cautiously optimistic" that it will pass without causing too much obstruction to trade. Flooding isn't expected in Cork City but crews will be on the ground tomorrow morning to assess the damage. The City Council's public services, such as offices, parks, civic amenity sites and libraries, will not open to the public until the later time of 10am tomorrow. The multi-storey car parks at Paul St and North Main Street will also open at 10am. The City Councils Customer Service Unit has extended its Friday opening hours and will be available from 8am on Friday morning on 021 492 4000. Schools to close Due to the extreme nature of Storm Eunice, the Department of Education is advising that schools in counties where Status Red wind warnings are in place not open tomorrow. A map indicating the areas set to be worst affected by Storm Eunice. Picture: Met Eireann The department said: "Remote teaching and learning should commence where possible, in line with schools remote teaching and learning plans. "All schools should keep up-to-date with the current weather warnings which are carried on all national and local news bulletins and in particular any change in the status warning for their area." HSE delays There may be some disruptions to HSE services across Cork tomorrow due to the impact of Storm Eunice. In a joint statement released today, the South/Southwest Hospital Group, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare and the National Ambulance Service advised the public not to travel during the red weather warning, which is in place from 3am tonight. The South/South West Hospital Group isnt currently advising the cancellation of any elective inpatient or outpatient appointments but delays are expected. Although the red weather warning for the area is expected to have passed after 8am, we expect that members of the public will be delayed in reaching appointments, the HSE said. It is very important that no one travels during the red weather warning. Staff in our services are expecting and will fully understand that people will be delayed. We thank the public in advance for their patience as there will inevitably be knock-on delays throughout the day. The National Ambulance Service will prioritise emergency calls during the weather event but is urging the general public to 'think carefully' before calling. All scheduled Covid-19 vaccination and testing centres will be closed until the red warning has passed and day service and health centre appointments will only go ahead after the warning returns to status orange, which is expected to come into effect from 8am. The National Ambulance Service will prioritise emergency calls during the weather event but is urging the general public to think carefully before calling. The service said that response to emergency calls may be hindered by road conditions but that personnel will do their utmost to reach those in need. Storm to pass quickly Met Eireann predicts cyclonic variable winds, veering northwesterly to reach storm force 10 or violent storm-force 11 at times tonight and on Friday morning on coasts from Howth Head to Roches Pt to Erris Head and on the south Irish Sea. The national weather forecaster said Storm Eunice will track quickly over Ireland tonight and Friday morning bringing severe and damaging winds. A red wind warning has been issued for #Cork and #Kerry tomorrow morning for #StormEunice Gusts over 130km/h Coastal flooding likely Damage to power lines Fallen trees expected Dangerous driving conditions https://t.co/l8JdKfwZt9 pic.twitter.com/wrKASkEmTW Met Eireann (@MetEireann) February 17, 2022 Met Eireann stated: Southwest winds veering northwest will reach mean speeds in excess of 80 km/h with gusts in excess of 130 km/h. Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast, Gerry Murphy, a meteorologist at Met Eireann, said the storm will be "short and sharp" and should have passed by Friday afternoon. "The storm itself will be gone by Friday afternoon. Beyond that then it'll be windy and showery." Mr Murphy said the southwest of the country will start to see winds pick up early on tonight. Then throughout the night, further rain, sleet and snow will spread across the country. Massive waves pounded the 60 foot high cliffs at Doolin, Co Clare today. Picture: Press 22. "The snow will be mainly over the northern half of the country with the most significant falls of snow over Connacht and Ulster," he said. The wind will turn very strong overnight, particularly along the south and the west coast, according to Mr Murphy. "Then those very strong winds will turn to a north-westerly direction, and it'll become extremely strong right across the country tomorrow morning." Friday night looks set to be a bit quieter with some wintery showers and rain overnight along with snow or sleet as temperatures drop as far as -2. An 82-year-old man who had his life savings stolen from him as he counted it on his kitchen table used to keep his front door open and chat to passing neighbours but now he spends all day in bed with the door locked. That was the reaction of the man who was saving this 5,500 to pay for his own funeral so that he would not be a burden on anyone after his death. Now the 31-year-old responsible for this lousy crime was jailed for four years. Judge Helen Boyle imposed a four-and-a-half-year sentence with the last six months suspended. It was a lousy thing to do to a elderly man in his own house counting his life savings, Judge Boyle said. Garda Brendan Dunne said the crime was committed at 11 a.m. on July 1, 2020 when the 81-year-old man was sitting at his kitchen table at Harte Barry Place in Kanturk. This man lives a very simple life. He accumulated a large amount of money - 5,500 to pay for his own funeral. He was counting it on to the kitchen table. Jason Coffey walked in and told him he was after cleaning his gutters. He picked up a large amount of cash and left 150, Garda Dunne said. The prosecuting garda said no such work had been done. The defendant was tracked down by CCTV in the neighbourhood where he was seen getting into a van and the registration plate was traced. When arrested and interviewed over two months later he claimed that he had only entered the house on invitation of the injured party. Garda Dunne said this was not the case. The accused also claimed he only took 200 but that was not correct. PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS Jason Coffey had been living in homeless accommodation in Tralee at the time and now lives with his partner in Abbeyfeale, County Limerick. He had 73 previous convictions including two counts for robbery, 12 for theft and several for assault. Judge Boyle said those previous offences of robbery and theft were particularly relevant to the present case. Katie OConnell defence barrister said, To be fair to my client he did not apply for bail. He said he was very sorry for what he did to the old man and said when interviewed by gardai, Tell the old man I am sorry. He was living in a homeless shelter in Tralee at the time. Ms OConnell BL described the burglary as opportunistic and while he took money he did not threaten the old man. He saw the open door. There was no threat, no ransacking. He left with money and used it for drugs. He is showing willingness to overcome for difficulty that he never showed before. He saved the old man the trauma of coming to court and saved the guards time and money as well. There is a dispute about the amount he took. He was remorseful. "Unfortunately, he has had a very difficult life. He had a chronic addiction to cocaine to mask the difficulties from childhood. He has attended counselling but accepts he needs a lot more. He has a lot to iron out with his wife that would be an understatement. Judge Boyle noted from the victim impact statement that was not read to the court, that the injured party used to keep his front door open and chat to neighbours but now it is kept locked at all times and he never has cash in his house. He spends most of his day in bed since this happened. STORM Eunice has resulted in a boil water notice being issued for the Newmarket public water supply. The decision was made by Irish Water and Cork County Council following consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE). Areas impacted include Newmarket, Kanturk, Meelin, Kilbrin, Castlemagner, Tullylease, Lismire, Knocknagree, Kiskeam, Ballydesmond, Cullen, Boherbue, Dromtariffe and Derrinagree. For customers who wish to check if their property is on the Boil Water Notice, further information is available on the Irish Water website where residents of the area can enter the propertys Eircode. Customers can also call our customer care helpline on 1800 278 278. A statement from Irish Water explained the Boil Water Notice was put in place due to elevated levels of turbidity caused by the adverse weather conditions overnight. The notice affects approximately 9,529 people. Irish Water and Cork County Council continue to work to rectify the issues at Ballinatona Water Treatment Plant with a view to lifting the notice as quickly and as safely as possible. In the meantime, all customers on this supply are advised to boil their water before use until further notice. Vulnerable customers who have registered with Irish Water will receive direct communication on this Boil Water Notice. Irish Waters Pat Britton said: Public health is Irish Waters number one priority and we appreciate the impact that this notice will have on the community in Balinatona. However, the restriction has been put in place to protect our consumers. Irish Water and Cork County Council are working tirelessly to resolve the issues affecting the plant and lift the boil water notice early as it safe to do so. Digital Desk Staff Draft legislation to allow for the excavation and exhumation of remains on mother and baby home sites is to be brought to Cabinet next week. As the Irish Examiner reports, Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman will publish the long-awaited Institutional Burials Bill immediately after Cabinet on Tuesday. The legislation, once passed, will allow for work to begin on the site of the former Tuam mother and baby home, where the remains of almost 800 infants and young children are believed to have been buried in a sewage tank. Writing to survivors of mother and baby homes on Friday morning, Mr O'Gorman said: "This important and sensitive legislation has been a priority for me. "I have taken time to meet with and reflect carefully on the feedback from those most closely affected by this issue and have made substantial and meaningful changes to the legislation to address their concerns." Mr O'Gorman hopes that the Bill will move as quickly as possible through the Oireachtas to allow for "timely enactment and implementation" later in the year. The Minister will host an online meeting with survivors and their families before the Bill is published next Tuesday to provide them with the full details of the proposed legislation. Campaigners and survivors have previously raised issues around the general scheme of the Bill and had expressed serious concern about the role of the coroner in relation to exhumations. Last year six UN special rapporteurs and two chair rapporteurs have demanded clarity on whether the Government will order inquests into the deaths and burials of mother and baby home residents. Detailing issues with the Burials Bill, the group said it was "concerned that this proposed new legislation would, if adopted, in practice, negatively impact upon the rights to truth and justice of affected individuals, whose relatives may be buried in these sites." As bitcoins fortunes and prominence rise, so do concerns about its environmental impact. The process of mining the cryptocurrency is enormously energy intensive, so much so that it consumes more electricity in a year than Argentina or the Ukraine, according to the latest data from the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index. Its energy hunger even led to a warning from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen last week, as CNBC reported. Its an extremely inefficient way of conducting transactions, Yellen said, and the amount of energy thats consumed in processing those transactions is staggering. Bitcoins value rose past ,000 two weeks ago, CNN Business reported at the time. It was in part buoyed by the success of Elon Musk, whose electric car company Tesla made more than 0 million after buying .5 billion of the currency, BBC News reported. Its value has subsided somewhat since then, The Guardian reported. But Musks endorsement raised a concern: How did his support of the currency meld with Teslas goal of moving the world towards a zero-emission future? The question is larger than Musk, of course. Bitcoin mining is energy intensive by design. There are only 21 million bitcoins that can be mined, a process that involves solving complex math problems on a computer to release new coins. When bitcoin first started in 2009, it was possible to mine for bitcoin on a normal computer. However, the currency is designed so that the fewer bitcoins left to be released, the more complicated the problems become. Now that 18.5 million bitcoins have been mined, an average computer cannot handle the calculations. As the price rises, more people are motivated to get in on the action. They want to get that revenue, University of Chicago economics professor Gina Pieters told BBC News, and thats whats going to encourage them to introduce more and more powerful machines in order to guess this random number, and therefore you will see an increase in energy consumption. Pieters is part of the University of Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), which runs the bitcoin electricity use index. CCAF calculates that bitcoin now uses 129.22 terawatt hours of electricity a year, according to its most recent update. This doesnt necessarily mean that mining bitcoin is increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Bitcoin proponents say that the mining can be powered using renewable energy sources, according to The Guardian. However, the mining process does motivate miners to seek out cheap energy sources. The more machines a miner operates, the more likely he is to find the solution to the puzzle, the CCAF explained. However, more machines also means that more electricity is needed to run and cool the equipment, which in turn results in higher costs for the miner in question. Miners are thus always searching for abundant electricity sources at the lowest possible price. Seeking the cheapest electricity source may mean coal in many places, The Guardian pointed out. More bitcoin is mined in China than in any other country, and about two-thirds of its electricity still comes from coal. SINGAPORE, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Several state governments in the United States have warned the public about many fake new coronavirus testing stations suspected of stealing personal data, Singapore's Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao reported recently. In the past few weeks, attorneys general in New Mexico, New York State, Massachusetts, Oregon, Florida, Minnesota, California, Illinois, Colorado and Washington, D.C. have reportedly shut down or filed lawsuits against some faulty coronavirus testing sites suspected of fraud and theft of personal data, such as their credit card and driver's license information. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul stated in January that the fake testing sites are not licensed or regulated by government agencies and urged the public to research the authenticity of any testing facility. These sites have sprung up amid the rampant spread of the Omicron variant and rising public demand for testing services. Two groups of researchers have found microplastics in Arctic ice and snow, Reuters reported Wednesday. It felt a little bit like a punch in the gut, University of Rhode Island graduate student Jacob Strock, who participated in the Northwest Passage expedition, told Reuters of finding plastic in the ice. A U.S.-led team discovered microplastics in ice core samples taken on an 18-day icebreaker expedition through the Northwest Passage this summer. Meanwhile, German and Swiss scientists found plastic pieces in snow samples taken from the Arctic, the Swiss Alps and Germany. Plastic on Ice The ice-core samples were taken by the Northwest Passage Project, a National-Science-Foundation-funded trip aboard the icebreaker Oden from July 18 to Aug. 4. The primary purpose of the expedition was to understand the impact of the climate crisis on the region, but researchers tested the ice for plastic pollution too. Plastic has been found in Arctic sea ice before, but this summers expedition marks the first time that researchers have observed it in ice in the Northwest Passage, the crossing through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, The University of Rhode Island said. Scientists took 18 ice cores that were as long as two meters (approximately 6.5 feet), Reuters reported. They took the samples from Canadas Lancaster Sound, which they thought would be better protected from microplastic pollution. They were wrong. We thought we would need quite a bit of ice to find the plastics. So we started with an entire core of ice in order to concentrate it down to see how much plastic it contained, expedition chief scientist Brice Loose told The University of Rhode Island. As it turned out, there was so much plastic that you could look at it with your naked eye and see all of the beads, fibers and filaments just sitting there in the bottom of the containers. The findings lend further weight to the idea that ice tends to concentrate plastics as it concentrates nutrients and algae. There is concern that the amount of plastic in the ice could impact its structure and the way it absorbs sunlight, as well as the microscopic organisms that live within it. IDMA and VICTAM EMEA goes ahead on March 10 - 12, 2022 VICTAM Corporation and Parantez Group have announced that the IDMA and VICTAM EMEA exhibition and conference will go ahead this year, on March 10 12, 2022 at the Istanbul Expo Center in Istanbul, Turkey. The decision to proceed is based on several factors, primarily the relative stability and positive forecasts of the COVID-19 situation in Turkey. The country has quickly adopted measures to help contain the spread of COVID-19 and therefore the Turkish government has allowed business events to proceed, provided that all measures to ensure health and safety are taken. IDMA and VICTAM EMEA 2022 will take place in accordance with the Turkish COVID-19 safety measures to ensure the safety of all participants. This includes measures around physical distancing, increased hygiene practices, safe food service, sanitisation and cleaning protocols. Over 5,000 square meters of exhibition space has now been sold to around 100 companies. The organisation of IDMA and VICTAM EMEA 2022 will be organised in a hybrid format. The hybrid 'online/offline' format allows companies that cannot travel to Turkey to exhibit with a fully branded and equipped stand including a local bi-lingual host to welcome and connect visitors to the exhibiting team at the office via live-stream. IDMA and VICTAM EMEA is strongly supported by associations from Turkey and several other countries in the Middle East and North Africa. With more than a month to go, over 2,000 visitors from all over the world have already registered to visit the event. A high number of registrations was seen coming from Turkey, the Middle East and countries such as Egypt, Ukraine and Russia. - VICTAM Vietnam exported over US$1 billion in seafood to the EU in 2021 Vietnam exported more than US$1 billion in seafood to the EU in last year, with 72% of all exports to the region include Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Italy and France, Fish Information & Services reported. The increased exports to the EU were thanks to a vaccination campaign and economic stimulus package launched by Vietnam at the start of 2021. EVFTA tariff advantages also caused seafood exports to rise to the EU market. Shrimp exports increased 19% to hit US$613 million, or 57% of all seafood exported by Vietnam. The top three destinations for Vietnamese shrimp are the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. This includes both whiteleg shrimp and black tiger shrimps. Tuna exports increased 6.4% reaching above US$144 million, accounting for 13% of Vietnam's seafood exports to the region. The US was the biggest destination, importing the most frozen loin/fillet, followed by processed tuna (except canned fish). Exports of other processed tuna were 43% up, while fresh tuna exports were 18% down. Among Vietnam's three biggest markets of Italy, Germany and Spain, only Italy increased tuna imports. Vietnam's pangasius exports to the EU decreased compared to prior years, 17% down and only accounting for 10% of Vietnam's seafood exports. This was caused by rising sea freight rates to the EU. - Fish Information & Services The Philippines to set up aquaculture hatcheries to improve fish supply The Philippines' Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is looking to setup more legislated hatcheries intended for fry production to expand the country's aquaculture sector, the Philippine News Agency reported. Cheryl Caballero, Department of Agriculture's Undersecretary for Agri-Industrialization and for Fisheries said the fingerlings will be sent to satellite nurseries and domestic operators. She said this includes fry production for tilapia, pompano, and siganid fishes. Caballero said with the Department of Agriculture promoting aquaculture, it will mitigate losses of fisheries production, especially during typhoons. The Department of Agriculture cited Typhoon Odette that hit the fisheries industry with PHP 3.97 billion (~US$77 million; PHP 10 = US$0.19) in damages. The creation of more legislated fish hatcheries was proposed by Senator Cynthia Villar to ensure the Philippines' marine product supply sustainability. - Philippine News Agency Louis Dreyfus Company reports fire at its biggest US soy processing facility Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) said a fire broke out at its biggest US soy processing facility in Claypool, Indiana, which resulted in a suspension of soybean deliveries from the plant, Reuters reported. No workers were injured from the fire. The cause of the fire and the amount of damage were undetermined. The delivery suspension could further slow soymeal and biodiesel production at a time when both are in high demand. Plants in Iowa and Minnesota that were shut down for maintenance resulted in rising soymeal and biodiesel prices. An industry source said the Claypool, Indiana facility has the capacity to crush 175,000 bushels of soybeans daily and is currently operating at 92% capacity. Soymeal futures on the Chicago Board of Trade reached a 7-1/2 year high last week. The March contract hit US$450.70, up US$11.90 at mid-session on Wednesday. One broker said in Illinois and Indiana rail markets, cash soymeal basis offers increased US$3 per ton due to the fire. - Reuters Round two of the PP power struggle which exploded on Thursday began with a radio appearance and a battle of figures: this morning, PP president Pablo Casado told the COPE radio station that the "commission" charged by Madrid regional leader Isabel Diaz Ayuso's brother for a contract to buy face masks during the first wave of coronavirus, awarded by Ayuso's regional administration, added up to 286,000 euros. "It is incomprehensible that when thousands of people are dying, you take the opportunity to hire your brother," attacked Casado. Called upon to respond, the Madrid leader said that she was not familiar with the figure but that everything had been legal. A couple of hours later, however, she issued a statement stating that Tomas Diaz Ayuso had received a bill of 55,850 euros plus VAT in "remuneration" for the "management undertaken". That's five times less than Casado's figure. In no way, specifies the text, can it be considered a "commission for intermediation". The statement from the Madrid regional leader began by denouncing that it was "degrading" that she had to clarify her brother's business relations with a company "due to suspicions based on information whose origin has not been explained by anyone". This was her response to Pablo Casado's first strike this morning, after the simmering rivalry between the two PP leadership rivals burst into open conflict on Thursday after the emergence of corruption accusations against Ayuso. After making his claim, Casado had called on the Madrid leader for an immediate response - and Ayuso gave one, saying that it was necessary to respond because "the honour of the government of the Community of Madrid and my personnel is being questioned by the national leadership of my party." Thus, according to the statement, Tomas Diaz Ayuso sent four invoices during 2020 to the company Priviet Sportive. The bill in question, dated June 30th of that year, was "for management relating to the purchase of masks in China, sold to the Community of Madrid for five euros each, when prices at that time reached 10.50 euros". And the details set out that several companies were selling masks at higher prices: Biogen at 10.50, Palex at 6.50, Lost Simetry at 6.00, Helianthus at 5.95 and Barna at 5.30. This invoice is for an amount of 55,850 euros plus VAT and, the statement continues, "it is not a commission for obtaining the contract from the administration, but rather the payment for the steps taken to obtain the material in China and have it transferred to Madrid, which is different". And the text reiterates: "It's remuneration for his work, not a commission for intermediation." According to the Community of Madrid, the name of Tomas Diaz Ayuso does not appear on the contract. The Madrid regional president gives no account of the other bills because they have nothing to do with the Community of Madrid "and my brother has a right to his privacy". Having explained all this, Isabel Diaz Ayuso hopes that "no one will doubt my honour nor my exemplary conduct". She once again asserts that she never used any "influence" in the decision to buy masks from this company and that, in fact, it was Pablo Casado who informed her. The letter concludes by stating that the report affirming that she had "no duty to abstain" on this contract will be passed to the secretary of the PP's governing council. Second resignation After Thursday's resignation of Angel Carromero, a close aide to Madrid mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, party president Pablo Casado and secretary general Teodoro Garcia Egea, this Friday another PP office holder has announced his departure: the current head of communication on the party's social networks, Ismael Sirio Lopez, made public on Twitter his departure from the post. He says he told the national leadership of this decision several weeks ago, but added that the party's national leadership agreed to carry it out yesterday, the same day that the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, declared war on the PP executive. Data released by the U.S. Center for Medicaid Services shows how nursing homes in Franklin County have fared with the virus, including total n Mountain Road to close as Island prepares for Storm Eunice Storm Eunice is set to batter the Island tomorrow. An amber weather warning has been issued due to the potential impact on travel and the risk of injury and damage to property. Severe gales and storm force winds are expected with speeds reaching between 50mph and 75mph. Up to 10cms of snow is expected on higher ground, with drifting possible. The Mountain Road will close at 10pm this evening (Thursday 17 February) as a precaution. The road is likely to remain closed until after the worst of the storm has passed on Friday afternoon, although the situation will be reviewed regularly. Large waves are expected on the West of the Island, especially at around high tide at approximately 12:26pm. Peel Promenade will close at 10am on Friday (18 February) and is likely to remain closed into the afternoon. The public are requested to remove all vehicles from the seafront ahead of the road closure. Sand bags for property owners on Peel seafront are available on the pavement side of the promenade in three locations between Empire Garage and Davisons Ice Cream Parlour. Schools will open as normal on Friday. The worst of the storm is expected to hit after the start of the school day and is likely to have passed in time for school pick-up. Bus Vannin services will operate as normal, apart from school swimming bus services, which have been cancelled, and bus services will not serve Peel Promenade during the road closure. Service X3 between Douglas and Ramsey will be re-routed to the coast road. Cherry Lee Ward Yeager age 87 of Athens died Monday at Athens Limestone Hospital. Mrs. Yeager was born October 21, 1934 in Giles County Tennessee. She was a longtime member of First Baptist Church Athens where she sang in the chrior, and was active in the WMU. Mrs. Yeager was a Red Cross vol HONG KONG, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The office of the commissioner of the Chinese foreign ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Friday strongly disapproved of and firmly rejected the 2021 annual report on the implementation of the common foreign and security policy released by the European Parliament. The report of the European Parliament vilified Hong Kong's democracy and the rule of law, slandered the Chinese government's policies towards Hong Kong, and clamored for sanctions and intervention activities, said a spokesperson for the commissioner's office. The spokesperson said the national security law in Hong Kong targets only a small group of criminals engaged in activities endangering national security, and Hong Kong residents enjoy a wide range of democratic rights and freedoms under the law. With the effective implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong and the new electoral system, the rule of law and peaceful life in Hong Kong have been restored, and the business environment has been more favorable, the spokesperson said. "Thanks to the measures, Hong Kong has been able to focus on fighting the pandemic, revitalizing the economy and improving people's livelihood, ushering in a whole new phrase featuring sound governance," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson pointed out that the report of the European Parliament is inconsistent with facts and full of ideological bias on Hong Kong-related parts. "Wearing tinted-glasses, some European Parliament politicians have ignored the positive changes in Hong Kong's political ecology and the mainstream public opinion of Hong Kong society seeking stability and development," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson noted that these politicians smeared and meddled with China's internal affairs including Hong Kong affairs willfully under the guise of democracy, human rights and international law. The spokesperson reiterated that Hong Kong is part of China and Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs. The spokesperson said the Chinese government remains firm in its resolve to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, to implement the principle of "one country, two systems," and to oppose external forces interfering in Hong Kong affairs. The spokesperson strongly urged the European Parliament to put itself in the right position, abide by international law and the basic norms governing international relations, stop slandering and distorting "one country, two systems" and the rule of law in Hong Kong, and stop interfering in China's internal affairs including Hong Kong affairs. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Todd Young (R-IN), along with Rep. Susan DelBene (D-WA) introduced a bill today that would create a $20 million pilot program with the Department of Labor to incentivize states and cities to test out portable benefits. The idea that benefits like health insurance and paid vacation should be universal, rather than tied to your job, has gained steam in recent years. Such social insurance programs, normally backed by Democrats, have sparked interest from some Republicans motivated by the rapidly changing workforce and economic climate following the pandemic. More Americans than ever are engaging in part-time, contract or other alternative work arrangements. As the workforce changes, it is increasingly important that we provide workers with an ability to access more flexible benefits that can be carried to multiple jobs across a day, a year, and even a career, said Sen. Warner in a statement. Under the bill, the Department of Labor would create a $20 million grant fund to incentivize states, cities and nonprofits to experiment with portable benefits for independent workers. Its not the first time Warner and DelBene have introduced such legislation. The duo has been regularly pushing to pass portable benefits bills since 2017 none of which have gotten very far. One of their measures, to provide states with emergency unemployment benefits for gig workers, was folded into the CARES Act. The bill gives states and cities a lot of room to figure out what their portable benefits program will look like. This could include unemployment benefits, life and disability insurance, sick leave, worker training and health insurance. Weather Alert ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible. * WHERE...Portions of Oklahoma and northern Texas, including the following counties, in Oklahoma, Alfalfa, Atoka, Blaine, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Cleveland, Coal, Comanche, Cotton, Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Grant, Hughes, Jefferson, Johnston, Kay, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, Love, Major, Marshall, McClain, Murray, Noble, Oklahoma, Payne, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Seminole, Stephens and Tillman. In northern Texas, Archer, Clay, Wichita and Wilbarger. * WHEN...From Wednesday morning through Thursday morning. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - Showers and thunderstorms will develop Wednesday morning over a broad swath of the watch area. Another round of rain and thunderstorms is expected later in the afternoon and lasting much of Wednesday night before ending Thursday morning. Storm total amounts of 2 to 4 inches are expected. Given recent rainfall, these additional amounts may cause flooding. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood France and its European partners in the anti-jihadist operation in Mali, as well as Canada, have announced a coordinated withdrawal of their forces after nearly 10 years fighting an armed unrest, a joint statement said on Thursday (17 January), citing multiple obstructions by the countrys ruling military junta. Relations have deteriorated between Paris and Bamako after Malis military leaders reneged on an agreement to hold elections this month, instead proposing to retain power until 2025. The decision applies to both Frances Barkhane force in the Sahel and the Takuba European force that Paris had been trying to forge along with its allies. The political, operational and legal conditions are no longer met to effectively continue their current military engagement in the fight against terrorism in Mali, the statement said, adding that this is why the allies decided to commence the coordinated withdrawal of their respective military resources dedicated to these operations from Malian territory. On his part, French President Emmanuel Macron has denied that almost decade-long military deployment led by his country has ended in failure. The French leader also completely rejected the idea that his country had failed its former colony, adding that We cannot remain militarily engaged alongside de-facto authorities whose strategy and hidden aims we do not share. The Mali deployment has been fraught with problems for France. Of the 53 soldiers killed serving in its Barkhane mission in West Africa, 48 of them died in Mali. France initially deployed troops against rebels in Mali in 2013 but the violence was never fully quelled, and now new fears have emerged of a rebel push to the Gulf of Guinea. Even after the pull-out from Mali, however, the allies promised to remain engaged in fighting terrorism in other countries including Niger. They agreed nonetheless to continue their joint action against terrorism in the Sahel region, including in Niger and in the Gulf of Guinea, the statement said. Meanwhile, the French president hosted on Wednesday (16 February) his European and African counterparts involved in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel to revisit actions to combat terrorism in the conflict-torn region, confirming that the redeployment of French troops in the Sahel is on the horizon. The working dinner brought together the leaders of Frances key allies in the Sahel region Chad, Mauritania and Niger. Macrons office previously indicated that it would be a question of examining the possibility of continuing to act effectively and collectively in Mali and reviewing the model of military partnership to better reflect African public opinion. The status quo is not possible in a very deteriorated context in Mali, with the seizure of power by a junta, the refusal to apply a timetable for the return to democratic order, which had been announced, and the use of a private Russian militia, a spokesman to the French government also said. In short, France doesnt seem to intend to abandon the fight against terrorism in the Sahel but rather wants to revisit the formats of its intervention. Pound Sterling has secured gains over the past 24 hours despite a net retreat in global equities. The Pound to Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate advanced to 1.3635 in early Europe on Friday and close to 4-week highs as risk appetite attempted to recovery. The Pound to Euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate also posted a net advance to 1.1980 after hitting resistance close to 1.2000. Pound Sterling: UK Yield Trends offset Risk Concerns The Pound has continued to gain support from the current level of yields with valuation metrics also helping to underpin capital flows. Aaron Hurd, a senior portfolio manager at State Street Global Markets commented; On a longer term basis, the pound remains undervalued compared to historical averages despite the rate expectations and it reflects the potential headwinds to economic growth in the form of aging demographics, supply chain constraints post Brexit and other factors." The UK currency has also been broadly resilient despite fragile risk conditions. The performance after Thursdays European close was particularly noteworthy with the currency resilient despite a slide in equities. There was still nervousness over the situation. MUFG noted; "The confirmed meeting between Blinken and Lavrov may mean markets conditions remain stable into the weekend but the appetite for risk will likely be contained until that meeting takes place. Unicredit added; "The back and forth of the Ukraine crisis continues to dominate FX markets, but investors have progressively become more prudent after the optimism that prevailed earlier this week amid initial signs of a de-escalation. Monex Europes Simon Harvey, focussed on the Pounds resilience; "It is almost as if the sterling bulls and bears have locked into a bit of a stand-off themselves, with the March BoE meeting, or signals of policymakers intentions at that meeting, likely to prove the catalyst for the next leg in the pound. ING commented; the pound also appears relatively less exposed than other European currencies to the adverse swings in geopolitical sentiment. Cable could hold above 1.3600 today. UK Economy: UK Retail Sales Recover in January UK retail sales volumes increased 1.9% for January after a revised 4.0% decline the previous month and above consensus forecasts of a 1.0% increase. Underlying sales increased 1.7% after a 3.8% decline previously. Sales increased 9.1% over the year given the depressed January 2021 data and were 3.6% above February 2020 pre-covid levels. Non-food sales increased 3.4% on the month, but remained 1.1% below February 2020 levels while fuel sales increased 4.1% on the month. Food store sales declined on the month and were below pre-pandemic levels for the first time as online sales held a higher market share than two years ago. ONS Director of Economic Statistics Darren Morgan commented; After a sluggish December where the Omicron wave had a significant impact, retail sales rebounded in January with their biggest monthly rise since last the shops re-opened last spring. ING considered that recent data has been positive; This is yet another indication of how the British economy has started the year with some good momentum, which is ultimately keeping the market comfortable with its aggressive pricing for Bank of England tightening. US Dollar (USD) Exchange Rates Drift Lower The US dollar has been unable to make headway with a slight dip in expectations that the Federal Reserve would opt for a 0.50% rate hike at the March meeting. According to Credit Suisse; tougher resistance is seen starting at the recent spike high at 1.3644 ahead of 1.3662/63 and then the key 200-DMA, now at 1.3692. It added; A close above 1.3700 remains needed to suggest we are seeing a more sustained turn higher, with resistance then seen next at 1.3830/38. Scotiabank also noted the potential for GBP/USD gains; A break past the mid-1.36s zone would point to an extension of its week-long rally in late-Jan/early-Feb toward a test of the mid-Jan high in the mid-1.37s. Bank of America considered that the 1.37 area was important; If GBP/USD continues to rally and exceeds resistance at 1.37/1.3715 then a head and shoulders bottom will have formed that targets 1.42. Socgen added; A break above 1.3710/1.3750 would open up further gains. What Women and Men Need to Know About Caregiving CONTACT: Pamela D. Wilson +1 303-810-1816 Email: Inquiry_For_Pamela@pameladwilson.com Date: February 18, 2022 Denver CO - Caregiving expert Pamela D. Wilson hosts the fourth in a series of Caregiver Livestream Events about family relationships and caring for aging parents. Wilson's events are broadcast each month on her social media channels: YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Vimeo where viewers can watch the live event and replays of this and past caregiver speaking events. Caregiver Education: What Caregivers Need to Know Questions answered during this month's Livestream respond to how adults can prepare for the challenges and unexpected events related to caring for themselves and others. Wilson shares real-life stories from more than 20 years of working with families and the elderly that relate to the issues and concerns voiced by vulnerable older adults and their caregivers. Family care transitioning from raising children to caring for aging parents has similarities and contrasts. For example, how do adult children manage when aging parents refuse help? Learn How Being a Caregiver Affects Family Relationships and Marriages How does being a caregiver affect marital relationships? What should caregivers know about dealing with a lack of sleep, vacation time tending to the needs of aging parents, rapid changes in parents' health, balancing work and caregiving responsibilities, and paying for care costs? Not every family care situation runs smoothly. Men and women approach caregiving responsibilities differently. Women are more likely to seek support while men are less likely to attend caregiver support groups, seek caregiver education, or eldercare counseling sessions. Family caregiving complications are many. For example, young children accept adult responsibilities to care for sick parents and care for their siblings. Bearing these responsibilities early in life negatively affects educational attainment, career success, and health. In addition, some parents unintentionally create situations of dependency by allowing adult children, who seem unable to live on their own, to continue to reside in the family home. When parents die, these children with few life skills become the financial and care responsibility of their siblings Women Bear Health and Financial Risks from Caregiving Responsibilities Add to these complications the financial risks women bear when leaving the workforce. Many women live in poverty in their retirement years after caring for everyone in the family. Yet, few married couples discuss the likelihood of one spouse needing care before the other or make plans to ensure care for the surviving spouse. Men are more likely to die first, leaving spouses to care for themselves and become dependent on children, if they exist, for care and financial support. Women caregivers experience more health issues. Chronic stress from years of caregiving significantly affects the emotional and physical health of women. The result is that primary caregivers often have more health concerns than the persons for whom they care. Many Adult Children Sacrifice Their Lives to Care for Aging Parents Additionally, many single adult children work full time and devote their lives to caring for aging parents while their siblings go on with their lives. Sacrificing friendships, hopes of marrying and having children are dreams that may never come true for these dedicated family caregivers. Caring for sick aging parents is more expensive than caregivers realize. For example, in-home care ranging between $30 and $50 per hour, while giving caregivers a break can quickly drain the bank accounts of parents. After learning that Medicare does not pay for all care expenses, family caregivers feel helpless because they are unaware of care options for ailing parents. Caregiver Education Offers Hope Yet, even with all of these challenges, hope exists for family caregivers. Learning to navigate family relationships, the healthcare system, and setting personal boundaries allow caregivers to feel less burdened by care responsibilities. Participating in education about health and navigating care allows caregivers to feel more in control of family care situations. Because so much of caregiving is a do-it-yourself job, caregivers need support today more than ever. Planning ahead to investigate options and plan for unexpected events is essential for all families. Caregivers watching this broadcast will learn why taking charge of health through preventative measures is a better option than leaving healthcare needs to chance. Wilson's Livestream broadcast motivates consumers to become educated about health and learn to advocate so that they can live more independently in their later years and be less reliant on family support. Wilson offers 1:1 eldercare consulting sessions by telephone or virtual call to help caregivers navigate through unexpected situations and to make the best decisions for the care of loved ones. Consumers Facing Healthcare Challenges Need a Voice and a Trusted Advisor Wilson supports family caregivers, groups, and corporations worldwide by offering education for caregivers about managing, planning, and navigating health and aging issues. More about Wilson's online courses for elderly care, individual elder care consultations, caregiver support, webinars, speaking engagements, and brand collaborations are on her website www.pameladwilson.com. Pamela may also be contacted at +1 303-810-1816 or through the contact Me page on her website. # Over 150,000 Russians troops now sit on the border of Ukraine. Will Vladimir Putin invade Ukraine and take control of this sovereign nation? Is this just bluster and maneuvering? Is this a serious global threat or is the entire crisis overblown? None of us know what Putin's plan will be. Maybe he intends to do what he did in Crimea not that long ago. Or, perhaps he won't cross the border into Ukraine, but will decide to de-escalate the situation. Whatever path is taken, we need to understand that in many ways the invasion has already begun. Even if not a single soldier enters Ukraine, Putin has succeeded in diverting global attention to this situation. Western nations are sending envoys to Russia to determine next steps. Germany, which gets most of its natural gas from Russia, has been struggling with how to respond. NATO appears more strongly aligned now than it has been for decades. That's because perception is as important as reality. People (and the stock market!) react to what they think may happen, rather than the happening itself. We've seen this throughout the last two years of the pandemic, and in the deep polarization in the US over the last decade. What external factors are invading your mind space? We can't control the external things that happen around us, but we can be aware there are space invaders onboard. En garde! Subscribe to this newsletter. Contact me to find out how you can get heard above the noise--even in a crisis situation. In a lawsuit, an Austin-based tequila company says Kendall Jenners 818 Tequila simply and blatantly rips off its branding. Tequila 512, known for its distinctive and simplistic type-face and yellow label, filed the lawsuit Wednesday in a California U.S. District Court, alleging trademark infringement, false designation of origin and unfair competition. The Austin-based company also says Jenners brand copied its logo and color scheme. On ExpressNews.com: This St. Marys Strip bar is on the National Register of Historic Places The Kardashian-Jenner family strikes again, the lawsuit says. This time Kendall Jenner has associated herself with a new tequila brand, 818 Tequila, that intentionally copies (Tequila 512). The similarities are so striking that this cannot be the result of a coincidence. Tequila 512, whose trademark was established in 2015, uses an "immediately recognizable 512 mark in black lettering inside a vertical yellow rectangle," according to the lawsuit. The companys name pays homage to Austins area code. Trequila 512 Tequila 818 was launched last year by K & Soda LLC with Jenner as the face of the company and part owner. Tequila 818, which pays homage to a California area code, made only immaterial tweaks in an effort to deceive customers into thinking the two products were related, according to the lawsuit. In a statement to KEYE-TV, an Austin television station, 818 Tequila dismissed the claims in the lawsuit. 818 does not believe there is any merit to these claims, a representative said in a statement. We cannot otherwise comment on the matter. Nick Matzorkis, CEO and chairman of Tequila 512, urged Tequila 818 to clearly distinguish themselves in an interview with the TV station. On ExpressNews.com: Texas candidate Sarah Stogners semi-nude ad pushes boundaries of guerilla-style marketing in politics It goes beyond just lost sales, its about the long term dilution of our unique recognizable brand identity they decided to mimic, Matzorkis told the station. This isnt the first time Jenner has been criticized for her association with Tequila 818. When the company launched, Jenner and the 818 brand were widely accused of misappropriating Mexican culture in promotional material. Promotional images on Jenner's Instagram account featured her riding on horseback through agave fields. 818 Tequila was also lambasted for having grammatically incorrect Spanish on its labeling. Jenner attempted to address some of the criticism in September on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. At our distillery, which I was just at the other day, we found a way to take the agave waste the agave fibers and the water waste and build this sustainable brick that we are actually donating back to the community of Jalisco, Jenner said. Timothy.Fanning@express-news.net Willie Nelson has canceled his two upcoming San Antonio shows due to COVID-19-related concerns. Nelson, who was scheduled to play at the Majestic Theater March 21 and 22, has scrapped multiple indoor shows in March and April out of an abundance of caution, Nelsons publicist told Billboard. We are canceling our indoor headline shows until the COVID situation improves, as the safety of the audience and Willie and his touring personnel are of the utmost importance, his rep said via a statement. When we are able, we will look to make up shows when possible. On ExpressNews.com: Watch: George Strait blasts into space in H-E-B Super Bowl commercial In addition to San Antonio, Nelson canceled at least eight other shows in Nashville, New Orleans, Fort Worth and other cities, according to Nelsons website. The only shows still being held include Nelsons annual Luck Reunion show, which will be held at his ranch outside Austin on March 17, and two outdoor concerts in April in Alabama and South Carolina. The Majestic Theater announced the cancellation on its website, telling patrons that they would receive an automatic refund. Ticket holders are encouraged to contact their point of purchase for more information. taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @Taylor Pettaway MOSCOW, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Bart Gorman, the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, has been expelled from Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Thursday. Gorman was ordered to leave in response to the "unjustified" expulsion of the minister-counsellor of the Russian Embassy in Washington, the ministry's spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a statement, following media reports earlier in the day. The U.S. Department of State "defiantly" ignored Moscow's request to extend the Russian diplomat's stay at least until the arrival of his successor, she noted. The minister-counsellor's forced departure without a replacement aggravated the already critical shortage of personnel in the Russian diplomatic mission amid a "visa war" initiated by the Americans, Zakharova stressed. She recalled that the United States has demanded the departure of 55 Russian diplomats as well as administrative and technical employees in two stages -- by Jan. 30 and by June 30 this year. "In the understanding of the U.S. administration, the normalization of bilateral relations is a one-way street, where only American interests are ensured and everything else is ignored," Zakharova said. Contributor file photo Celebrated San Antonio chef Johnny Hernandez is about two months away from debuting his latest restaurant and bar, and the new project will be a literal homecoming for him. Hernandez plans to open Casa Hernan in the Lone Star District behind Blue Star at 411 E. Cevallos St. in a rambling, two-story home that served as his private residence for eight years. He lived on the top floor and opened the ground floor as an event space, which also went by the name Casa Hernan. Hernandez has been renovating the space for months with new lighting, furniture and decor. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When it comes to telling San Antonio ghost stories, Fred and Stephen Garza-Guzman prefer the strange but true tales buried in their hometowns darker past. And what better place to dig up that history than at one of the citys oldest graveyards? The Garza-Guzmans own Curious Twins Paranormal, which for the past four years has hosted evening walking tours of City Cemetery No. 1, the East Side burial ground that dates back to 1853. The 20-acre site is home to many famous names in San Antonios early development, including bankers Thomas Claiborne Frost and Friedrich Groos, Menger Hotel magnate William Menger and C.H. Guenther of the Guenther House and Pioneer Flour Mills. Several of these pioneers family plots lie just yards apart, often containing a weathered obelisk or other prominent grave marker for the famous patriarch and smaller headstones for his wife, children and kin. Despite their interest in the paranormal, the Garza-Guzmans say theres more to their cemetery tour than ghost hunting among the gravestones with dowsing rods and electromagnetic field detectors. They see the final resting place of so many historical figures as fertile ground for unearthing more of San Antonios colorful and complicated history. On ExpressNews.com: Modern-day San Antonio is full of artifacts from its horse and carriage past in neighborhoods like King William and Monte Vista San Antonio has always been a city that has tried to strive for some kind of inclusivity, Fred Garza-Guzman said. And this is just another (way of) being truthful and being more inclusive and honoring the true history and the beauty of the city. Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer Our approach to storytelling and sharing our research has always been looking at equity (in history) and looking at what are the things people are not talking about in this city, Stephen Garza-Guzman said. And if people know about those things, can we in some small way make a better city for ourselves. Thats kind of the goal for us. A recent tour started at dusk at a rocky junction inside City Cemetery No. 1, where the Garza-Guzmans gathered a group of about 20 adults and even a few kids for a 90-minute trek through the cemeterys craggy grounds. Fred Garza-Guzman began by explaining just how much human burial has shaped San Antonio. He noted the word yanaguana, the indigenous term for the San Antonio River that means spirit waters, also refers to how the dead were once buried along creeks and rivers. He also explained how city officials settled on City Cemetery No. 1s location in the early 1850s after running out of room at the cemetery that made up whats now Milam Park, where many indigenous people and settlers are no doubt still buried. Then the tour shifted to City Cemetery No. 1s better known residents, where Fred Garza-Guzman shed light on those souls tied to those family plots while his husband shined a flashlight on the gravestones bearing their chiseled names. On ExpressNews.com: Olmos Pharmacy building has filled San Antonios nostalgia prescription for more than 80 years At the grave site of sculptor James Borglum, son of Mount Rushmore designer Gutzon Borglum, Fred Garza-Guzman explained how the younger Borglums seemingly unfinished gravestone was meant to look like a raw piece of granite so he could have something to carve in the afterlife. Then at the bedstead grave of John Tobin, he recalled how the former San Antonio mayor who was instrumental in the building of the Olmos Dam also was the man who botched the last legal hanging in San Antonio. Then there was some colorful insight into the fortunes of the Groos family. Fred Garza-Guzman said their wealth partly came from Friedrich Groos involvement in developing San Antonios red-light district in the late 1800s, the second largest in the nation after New Orleans. Not all the Curious Twins tour stories are quirky or macabre. At the Menger family plot, Stephen Garza-Guzman recounted the story of a spirited woman connected to the historic Menger Hotel. Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer Not Sallie White. Many already know the tragic tale of the young hotel chambermaid who was murdered in 1876 and is said to haunt the Menger to this day. Instead, cemetery tourists learned about Mary Menger, the woman who hired White while she was sole proprietor of the hotel after her husband William Menger died in 1871. Mary Mengers accomplishments are stunning for a widow and mother of three in the late 19th century. In addition to running and expanding the famous hotel, she also ran the family brewery. And before her death in 1887, her philanthropy helped establish St. Joseph Catholic Church and its orphanage. Yet for all her accomplishments, Stephen Garza-Guzman said, Mary Menger is buried in the family plot without so much as a marker. The more that we uncover, the more that we unravel, he said. Its important for us to look at the entire span of our history and what are the things that people arent talking about, and how can we make history equitable and share it in a just way. On ExpressNews.com: For more than 100 years before the Alamodome was on the East Side, there was Alamo Iron Works He said most Curious Twins customers are San Antonio residents. One is Stephanie Carranza. Shes taken her sons Silas, 13, and Leo, 8, on several tours of reputedly haunted historic places in San Antonio and New Braunfels. But after taking the Curious Twins cemetery tour for the first time, she said she felt like she and her sons saw San Antonio in a whole new light. San Antonio is very history rich, Carranza said as Leo inspected a fuzzy black caterpillar crawling along the top of a headstone. Were interested in learning more about it, especially with the kids just so they can learn a little more about it. Several yards away, Alamo City natives Alyssa Cruz and her friend Carlos Lopez shrieked as the dousing rods she was holding appeared to cross over the headstone of a man named John Gonnermann, who died June 3, 1860. Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer Cruz said she heard about the Curious Twins tour from her paranormal-loving parents. And as much as she enjoyed her seemingly ghostly experience, she also enjoyed learning more about San Antonio history in such a setting. Of course you could look it up online, Cruz said. But being there in the presence (of it)? Completely different. You feel the experience. As Fred and Stephen Garza-Guzman boxed up their gear for the night, a packed minibus from Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours pulled into the same rocky junction where the Curious Twins tour began. Stephen Garza-Guzman said he hopes whoever takes a tour of City Cemetery No. 1 comes back with friends and family and passes on the stories theyve learned. This isnt just the history that we tell, he said. It doesnt belong to us. rguzman@express-news.net | Twitter: @reneguz Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants to end eligibility for tenure for all new hires at the states public universities, saying lifetime job security allows professors to indoctrinate students in critical race theory. At a state Capitol news conference on Friday, Patrick also said he plans to introduce legislation next year to designate the teaching of critical race theory as good cause to revoke a professors tenure. In addition, he wants to subject faculty members to tenure reviews annually instead of every six years. Patricks announcement was prompted by the Faculty Council at the University of Texas at Austin, which on Monday approved a non-binding resolution affirming professors academic freedom to teach about race and gender theory. We are not going to allow a handful of professors who do not represent the entire group to teach and indoctrinate students with critical race theory, said Patrick, a conservative Republican, adding that he would make it a top issue for the 2023 legislative session. Critical race theory, an academic movement now more than 40 years old, views racial discrimination as deeply embedded in social structures and the legal system. It has become a flashpoint among Republicans who dispute that white privilege and systemic racism continue to pose obstacles to the advancement of minorities. The Republican-led Legislature last year approved a measure to ban the teaching of critical race theory in Texas public schools. Those opposed to such restrictions note that the theory is not taught below the college level, and that efforts to limit discussion of racism in classrooms could stunt students intellectual development. Patrick is running for re-election and faces several challengers in the March 1 GOP primary. He has been airing campaign ads touting the K-12 law. His broadside against critical race theory coincides with the nations celebration of Black History Month. Representatives for Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan, both Republicans, did not respond to requests for comment. Patrick, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, previously bashed the Councils resolution, pledging on Twitter earlier this week that he would not stand by and let looney (sic) Marxist UT professors poison the minds of young students. The Faculty Council resolution, approved by a vote of 41 to 5, asserts that legislative proposals to limit the discussion of racism in the classroom chill the capacity of educators to exercise their academic freedom and use their expertise to make determinations regarding content and discussions that will serve educational purposes. The Faculty Council resolutely rejects any attempts by bodies external to the faculty to restrict or dictate the content of university curriculum on any matter, including matters related to racial and social justice, and will stand firm against any and all encroachment on faculty authority including by the legislature or the Board of Regents, the resolution states. Patrick on Friday said he defines critical race theory as the belief that everything that happens in life is based on racism. Youre not going to teach a theory that says, were going to judge you when you walk in the classroom by the color of your skin, said Patrick, who is white. That if youre white, youre born a racist. That thats normal, not an aberration, and youre an oppressor. And if youre a person of color, youre a victim. ... Our professors are paid to help teach young men and women how to think critically, not what to think. Asked whether it was appropriate to dictate what can be taught at public universities, Patrick said students have the option to pursue an education elsewhere. Go to a private school, let them raise their own funds to teach, but were not going to fund them, he said. Im not going to pay for that nonsense. Academics and Democratic politicians decried Patricks proposal as an attack on teachers and students. Just to say this directly, if this proposal actually makes its way into law, it will simply destroy the University of Texas at Austins ability to compete with any other research university in the country, tweeted Steve Vladeck, the Charles Alan Wright Chair in Federal Courts at the University of Texas School of Law. Mike Collier, a Democrat who ran unsuccessfully against Patrick in 2018 and is again trying to unseat him, said that if the lieutenant governor has his way, major Texas universities will all see an exodus of our states best and brightest, doing irreparable damage to our economy. We will lose thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in business, and forever tarnish the prestige of Texas. Tenure, which has long been considered the bedrock of academic expression, is an indefinite employment status in colleges and universities that protects faculty from termination except under extraordinary circumstances, such as budget crises or discontinuation of an academic program. Many state legislatures have proposed changes to tenure without success, but at least two major university systems in the past several years have approved new policies on the matter. The University of Wisconsins board of regents in 2016 approved a revamped tenure review process that allows for the firing of underperforming professors. And the University System of Georgia in 2021 revised its tenure policy, making it possible to fire tenured professors without peer review hearings. Scott Gage, a tenure-track professor at Texas A&M University-San Antonio and president of the institutions American Association of University Professors chapter, said theres a misconception that achieving tenure simply protects professors from being fired. The purpose of tenure is to ensure that faculty have the right to academic freedom, Gage said. Academic freedom allows faculty across disciplines to pursue and develop knowledge unfettered from the influence of politicians and corporations. Removing that removes that protection, and what it means is that faculty are no longer in a safe situation to pursue knowledge and draw conclusions based on evidence, he said. Tabitha S. Morton, an assistant professor of political science at Prairie View A&M University, said limiting tenure may send Texas academics to the private sector. Tenure is attractive not only because of the academic freedom it provides, but also because it gives professors time to conduct research and become experts on a topic, she said. Combined with restrictions on critical race theory, changing the tenure system in Texas would undermine the purpose of higher education and complicate teaching at historically Black colleges and universities, she said. Morton, who is on tenure track, teaches courses about race, gender and public policy that rely on critical race theory. When these students come to us (at HBCUs), theyre looking for answers, she said. What happens to the students that are not only missing tenured people of color but are not having experts who can teach them the critical race theory that explains their experience? William T. Hoston, a professor of political science at Prairie View A&M, said most professors dont extensively incorporate race into their teaching. Hes provoking a form of moral panic directed to Republican voters, Hoston said of Patrick. But the idea that critical race theory is being taught heavily in these colleges really is an egregious notion. This is not Patricks first effort to prescribe what can be taught or discussed at state-run institutions. Last summer, he moved to cancel a planned discussion of the book Forget the Alamo at the Bullock Texas State History Museum. The book challenges the common narrative about the Battle of the Alamo that 180 Texan rebels died defending the state in its struggle for independence from Mexico and makes the case that the Alamo defenders less-discussed motive was a desire to preserve slavery. The books three co-authors include Hearst Newspapers columnist Chris Tomlinson. Patrick, a Baltimore native, called the book a rewriting of Texas history. Staff writer Danya Perez contributed to this report. cayla.harris@express-news.net Lt. Gov. Dan Patricks campaign has delayed several thousand mail ballot applications because it instructed voters to send the forms to the Texas Secretary of State instead of county elections offices, where they are actually processed. Patricks campaign sent out a flurry of unsolicited mail ballot applications for the March 1 primary last month, a common practice for Texas politicians who want to encourage their supporters to vote. But the pre-addressed envelope included in the packet was made out to the Secretary of States Office, which does not handle the applications. Now, the office has received several thousand applications that it is rerouting via expedited mail to county officials, said spokesman Sam Taylor. The delay could cost some voters their mail ballots, as confusion over new ID requirements has led to record rejection rates and voters only have until Friday to get the correct forms to their local elections offices. We never want to penalize the voter for having their application accidentally routed to the wrong place, Taylor said. The matter was first reported by the Texas Tribune. Patricks campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. But Allen Blakemore, a campaign consultant for the lieutenant governor, told the Tribune that it decided to use the secretary of states address because many Republican voters are rightly suspicions of blue county election officials. The decision to direct return mail to the Secretary of State (SOS), someone who is trusted and respected, gave voters an added layer of comfort, he said. Patrick last year championed a slate of new voting restrictions, including the extra ID mandates for mail-in ballot applications and a provision prohibiting local elections officials from distributing the unsolicited forms. The lieutenant governor has also previously opposed an expansion of absentee voting. James Slattery, senior attorney for the Texas Civil Rights Project, noted that Texas new election law empowered campaigns to fill (the) void left by local elections officials who would have normally sent out mail ballot forms and with the correct return address. Look at what has happened, Slattery said. This campaign has misled voters and endangered their vote-by-mail ballots. Policy shift at Secretary of State? State law only allows a person to receive a mail-in ballot if they are at least 65 years old; sick or disabled; out of the county during the voting window; expecting to give birth within three weeks of Election Day; or incarcerated. In Harris County, officials have received 1,510 of the redirected applications from Patricks campaign, said Leah Shah, a spokeswoman for the countys elections office. They began receiving the applications on Feb. 9 and are now receiving them daily. In all, the county has rejected about 4,600 ballot applications over the new ID requirements roughly 14 percent of all forms received. Thats double the rate of rejections from 2018. Jacque Callenan, the elections administrator for Bexar County, said her office has received two big boxes and two stuffed envelopes full of the redirected applications. A number of them, she said, were duplicate forms meaning the voter had already sent in a separate application. At the time the campaign sent the ballot applications, the choice appeared to violate a policy posted on the Secretary of States website, stipulating that all applications received by this office will be rejected. But it was replaced with new language earlier this month, now advising Texans to send their completed applications to county offices to ensure timely receipt. Mike Collier, one of the Democrats running to oppose Patrick this fall, quickly issued a statement asserting that the people of Texas deserve to know whether the Texas Secretary of State changed the rules for Dan Patrick and whether other applications not solicited by Dan Patrick were rejected prior to the rule change. But Taylor said the initial language was never actually the policy of the office; rather, that was to discourage voters from sending them to our office, which causes their application to be delayed, but we always forwarded them anyway as a courtesy to the voter. In previous election cycles, the office has received just a few dozen erroneously addressed ballots, Taylor said. Either way, the situation is unsettling for voting rights advocates. Slattery, at the Texas Civil Rights Project, said it would have been concerning if the office were just tossing ballots mistakenly sent there - but its not much better to hear that they never had such a policy, but they chose to lie to voters about it on their website to trick them into doing what the law required. cayla.harris@express-news.net In his directing debut, Channing Tatum plays an Army Ranger on a healing journey with a canine comrade. On Feb. 9, the actor visited Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland to promote his film "Dog," which hit theaters on Friday. Lackland is one of the militarys premier canine training grounds. On ExpressNews.com: Kendall Jenners 818 Tequila is a rip off of Texas company's brand, lawsuit alleges During his visit, the details of which were posted on Facebook by JBSA, Tatum had his priorities in order: He played with puppies. He wore a dog-bite sleeve as a German Shepherd attacked him during a training exercise. He also met service members and gave them an early screening of the film. The film delves into the story of former U.S. Army Ranger Jackson Briggs and a dog named Lulu as they travel to the funeral of the canines handler. According to the movie's plot description, Lulu and Briggs are both wounded warriors who must learn to trust each other and help each other heal. JBSA officials said Tatum also got a "close up view" of base facilities such as the Brooke Army Medical Centers Center for the Intrepid and the Lt. Col. Daniel E. Holland Military Working Dog Hospital. Timothy.Fanning@express-news.net The City of San Antonio recently ordered that an East Side bar be demolished because of its "dangerous environment." Twin Sisters Cantina, located at 1701 S. Hackberry St., has been the site of serious criminal activity over the last three years and is a danger to patrons and neighboring residents, a statement from the city attorney's office said. According to the city, police have responded to over 300 calls in recent years reporting disturbances, shootings and other criminal activity at the bar. On ExpressNews.com: Kendall Jenners 818 Tequila is a rip off of Texas company's brand, lawsuit alleges District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez's office said it received numerous calls last month regarding "lewd behavior, shootings, and suspected drug activity" at Twin Sisters Cantina. On Jan. 28, the bar was told to temporarily shut down by a District Court after investigations and inspections by multiple city departments. While the bar was closed, the city attorney's office Dangerous Assessment Response Team visited the establishment and took photos that showed poor conditions inside and outside of the building, including blood on the ground, trash and poor construction. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Courtesy of City of San Antonio Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy of City of San Antonio Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Courtesy of City of San Antonio Show More Show Less On Feb. 10, the city's Building Standards Board made up of citizens who listen to appeals from building owners who are in violation of San Antonio's property maintenance code ordered the building to be demolished because the property was a "dangerous premise" and "public nuisance." A spokesperson from the city said the building's owner, Daren Hensley, is in agreement with the demolition order. The demolition will occur after a county court evicts the tenant, which is expected to happen some time in March, the city said. One of the bar's owner's Israel Isaiah Castro told the Express-News that he was planning to close the business due to recent troubles. It was never my intention to own a place that was that dangerous. I wanted something a lot nicer for the community, and in the end it turned into something I could not stop or control, Castro said. Ive had my life almost taken there a few times. Castro, 32, opened the bar with David Martinez in 2018, according to a past MySA article. He said he hopes to open another business elsewhere in San Antonio. Hensley could not be reached for comment. Malak.Silmi@express-news.net A fire in South Bexar County has spread to about 15-acres and forced the evacuation of several mobile homes in the area. The fire began Thursday afternoon in the 1500 block of Sea Spray, said Thomas Peine, a county spokesman. One structure has been destroyed as a result of the fire, officials said, but it was not immediately known what the structure was. Nearby residents were evacuated from their homes, which were threatened by the blaze, Peine said. Bexar County Emergency Services Districts 2, 5, 6, 7, 10 and 12 are battling the blaze, including help from the Ata-Bexar County Line Fire Department, and help from Wilson County firefighters. The San Antonio police helicopter, known as Eagle, used a collapsible bucket to douse the fire. Two Black Hawk helicopters from the Air National Guard were also called in to assist, officials said. As of 5:30 p.m., firefighters were working to extinguish the blaze and had made significant progress, officials said. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio will be under a red flag warning on Thursday as high winds, low humidity increase fire danger Peine said firefighters were mounting a heavy response both because of the danger to area homes and because of the red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service. Meteorologists said that critical fire weather conditions brought on by a combination of sustained winds, low humidity and dry winter vegetation will persist through 8 p.m. Thursday. The cause of the fire is under investigation, Peine said. Firefighters received a report of a downed power line in the area prior to the blaze, but investigators have not yet determined whether it is related to the fire. The Bexar County Fire Marshals Office has warned that any sparks can cause a grass fire during red flag conditions. Common causes include parking a hot vehicle on dry grass and unextinguished cigarette buds. Even small sparks caused by chains used to hitch a trailer to a vehicle can generate a grass fire, and is a more common occurrence than most people realize, fire officials have said. jbeltran@express-news.net Courtesy Kerr County Sheriff's Office Kerr County officials are asking the public for help identifying who illegally dumped five dead deer on the side of the highway last week. The bodies of five fallow deer were found without their horns on Texas 41. Officials believe the deer were dumped sometime during the night of Feb. 11 or during the early hours of Feb. 12. Before the sun rose Thursday morning, kids from age 8 to 18 were preparing over 1,300 market lambs and 835 goats to be shown at the 73rd annual San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. Families came from across the state and were excited to compete, a year after COVID-19 restricted the 2021 event. The February 2021 freeze also kept some of the future farmers and their families away a year ago. Winning kids took home college scholarships from the San Antonio Livestock Exposition Inc., a volunteer organization that has provided over $232 million in scholarships, grants, endowments, auctions and show premiums. I was hoping for this, but I wasnt expecting it, said Peyton Roberts, a 15-year-old at Holland High School, south of Temple, who won first place. It takes a lot of work. I spend many hours at the barn day and night. Roberts must exercise and feed her lamb every day, and clean and wash its wool. The thing that makes it worth it is when I get to hear a good thing a judge thinks about my lamb and how high I place, it just makes me feel good, Roberts said. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer Judges evaluate contestants on overall health of the lambs, their muscle growth, the quality of the wool, and the showmanship skills of the contestant as they walk their lamb around the ring. It is just like having a dog, pretty much, said Kacey Box, 17, who attends Electra High School near Wichita Falls in North Texas and has shown a lamb every year since she was in third grade. They are part of your family. You feed them every morning and every night. It is like having a baby and a dog. His ears are amazing. They show every emotion. We can always tell how he feels with his ears every time, Box said about her lamb, which she named Zeus. For Macy Morris, a 15-year-old at Salado High School, near Fort Hood, the long hours are worth it for the community she has found. I really like the community a lot, Morris said. It is really fun to hang out with these people. It is fun to learn all of these responsibilities and learn how to take care and raise animal brings really good life lessons. It is a lot of work week to week but it is really rewarding at the end to see your animals do well, knowing that you helped played a part in it, Morris said. Raising livestock is a family tradition for many of the contestants. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer I was raised in it, too, my dad was raised in it, it is one of those things it is hard to break off from, said Emily Morris, Maceys mother. It is a very good family thing we are all in the barn together all the time. Alfonso Cavazos, an agriculture teacher in the Lyford Independent School District in the Rio Grande Valley, arrived at 1:45 a.m. with his students. They had to wait in a long line to get registered. Cavazos loves bringing his students to San Antonios show because it is a larger-scale event than their county show in Willacy County. (Students) learn to communicate with other kids and that helps with their leadership ability, Cavazos said. A big part of competition is the ability of students to communicate well for the judges, said Cavazos. All of that helps them grow as an individual It is a big opportunity, Cavazos said. Also they get to make contacts with other kids across the state. claire.bryan@express-news.net HANGZHOU, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Shi Wenqing, a former senior legislator in east China's Jiangxi Province, stood trial Friday at the Intermediate People's Court of Ningbo City in east China's Zhejiang Province for taking bribes and illegally possessing firearm. Prosecutors alleged that between 2003 and 2020, Shi took advantage of his posts in Heilongjiang and Jiangxi provinces to assist companies and individuals with financing and loans, acquiring state-owned land-use rights and contracting projects, and in return accepted money and gifts worth more than 195 million yuan (about 30.83 million U.S. dollars). Shi was also accused of acquiring a gun, which was in the custody of his relative. The procuratorial agency presented evidence at the trial. Shi and his defense counsel cross-examined the evidence, and both sides gave their respective full accounts at the trial. In his final statement, Shi pleaded guilty and expressed remorse. The trial was attended by more than 30 people, including legislators, political advisors, and representatives of the press and the public. The sentence will be announced at a later date. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Understandably, no industry has embraced a defining moment in Americas civil rights movement quite like bus companies that celebrate Rosa Parks defiant refusal in 1955 to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. From Tulsa to Buffalo, dozens of mass transit agencies celebrate Parks legacy. Her arrest was the catalyst for the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a year-long campaign that brought the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. to national prominence. San Antonios VIA Metropolitan Transit, which has had commemorative yellow Rosa Parks seats on its 510 buses since 2005, offered a downtown performance by Houston actress Jean Donatto at La Villita before a few dozen onlookers Thursday. Donatto played Parks next to the vintage green-and-silver 1966 Dreamliner bus that VIA sometimes brings out for San Antonios MLK March, telling the story (in character) of the 42-year-old woman who was far from the meek seamstress often portrayed in hasty histories of the movement. It was December 1, 1955, and it was a cold and wet evening in Alabama, said Donatto, a remarkable look-alike, with round glasses, pulled back hair and modest brown-and-gold print dress. I was so tired that I didnt see that James Blake was the driver of the bus. And I had had trouble with him before. An action involving Montgomerys segregated buses had been planned by the local chapter of the NAACP, which Parks had joined years earlier, but it wasnt going to be that day and it wasnt going to be me, she recalled. Told by Blake she would be arrested if she didnt give up her to seat to a white man, Donatto spoke Parks simple reply: You may do that. I was scared, she added. I was tired and scared. The appreciative crowd, including VIA employees and African-American pastors, educators and activists, gave Donatto a warm ovation as she accepted a bouquet of flowers from a VIA staffer. February fourth would have been Rosa Parks 109th birthday, VIA CEO Jeff Arndt told the crowd. You may have heard it said that she was very tired that day in Montgomery. Well, she was tired of giving in. Honoring Parks legacy today would mean going to vote, Arndt said, adding, She was a hero who can live in all of our hearts. Deborah Omowale Jarmon, director of the Sam Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum, stressed that Parks was just one of many Black women, both well known and overlooked, who were instrumental in the civil rights movement. In a call-and-response, Jarmon read out some of their names U.S. Reps. Barbara Jordan and Shirley Chisholm, Mamie Till-Mobley (mother of Emmett Till, who was murdered in Mississippi in 1955 at 14). There was San Antonio attorney Hattie Briscoe, the first Black woman to graduate from St. Marys University School of Law, and local civil rights heroine Mary Lillian Andrews. Say their names, said Jarmon, reminding the crowd that nine months before Parks arrest in Montgomery, three Black students had been arrested for the same thing. As Rosa Parks tributes across the nation have become more numerous by government agencies or corporations, so has criticism from some Black authors and historians, who say that, however well-intentioned, the celebrations tend to downplay Parks record of activism in favor of the myth of Parks as a polite bus rider caught in the moment. In Houston, the METRO transit agency had similar tributes to Parks, but a few persons on social media thought they should be replaced with more vocal direct opposition to discriminatory voting laws. I think these sorts of tributes are easy, comfortable ways of honoring Rosa Parks because they dont ask anything of us in the present, Jeanne Theoharis, author of The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks and a professor of political science at Brooklyn College of CUNY, said via email. She was a lifelong freedom fighter (for two decades before the boycott and four decades after), wrote Theoharis. Trapping her on the bus doesnt reckon with that long history of activism. She had worked onwrongful accusations of Black men and the failure of the law to protect Black lives and particularly Black women from rape by white men. Other people she knows have taken stands and they have done no good, but still she does it anyway. This is the courage and vision of perseverance. bselcraig@express-news.net In 2022, Texas is ruled by chilling effect by threat, intimidation, insinuation and the arming of private citizens to carry out culture-war crusades. Its an approach to lawmaking that Republican legislators turned into an art form last year. And its at the core of a new threat that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has issued to Texas colleges and universities. When Texas Republicans wanted to shut down abortion access, they crafted a law empowering anti-choice activists to become reproductive bounty hunters: spying on anyone they suspect of enabling a woman to receive an abortion more than six weeks after conception and suing anyone they catch for at least $10,000. When they wanted to curtail mail voting in this state, they threatened county elections administrators with 180 days in jail and fines of up to $10,000 if they sent an unsolicited mail-ballot application to a voter. In Bexar County, the practical effect was that if someone left a phone message for the Elections Department requesting mail ballots for themselves and their spouse, elections workers felt compelled to call that person back and hear directly from the spouse, for fear they would otherwise leave themselves subject to prosecution. Nowhere has our system of chilling-effect governance been more obvious, or more toxic, than in the field of education. Since 2019, when the New York Times published the 1619 Project, a holistic, multi-media examination of the role that race has played in our nations history, Republicans have been raging against anything they perceive to be critical race theory. In 2020, then-President (and eternal Republican demigod) Donald Trump threatened to defund schools that used the 1619 Project as a teaching tool. (It was a power that Trump didnt actually possess, but, then again, his grasp of civics was always a bit shaky.) That same year, Trump created the 1776 Commission (with the stated purpose of restoring patriotic education) and U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, introduced the Saving American History Act, which would have prohibited federal funds from being used to teach the 1619 Project in elementary or secondary schools. In Texas, Republicans enacted a vaguely worded bill designed to suppress frank discussions of this countrys history of bigotry and discrimination. The American Historical Association correctly blasted the bill as an attempt to intimidate teachers and stifle independent inquiry and critical thought among students. It has led to a book purging movement in Texas libraries and, in the case of Carroll Independent School District, worries that any book condemning the Holocaust must be accompanied by one with an opposing perspective. Patrick, the most dedicated of this states culture warriors, also has set his sights on higher education. Last year, Patrick worked with private donors and administrators at the University of Texas at Austin to create the Liberty Institute, a right-wing think tank on the schools campus. The Legislature quietly slipped $6 million of state funding into the project. On Tuesday, Patrick made it clear that the institutes stated purpose promoting intellectual diversity at UT is the opposite of what he has in mind. He wants to shut down any views that conflict with his own. I will not stand by and let looney Marxist UT professors poison the minds of young students with Critical Race Theory, Patrick tweeted. We banned it in publicly funded K-12, and we will ban it in publicly funded higher ed. Thats why we created the Liberty Institute at UT. Lets put aside, for now, the merits of critical race theory, which most of its detractors cant define and even its proponents regard as more of a prism through which to examine historical and current events, rather than a simple doctrine. The notion, propagated by Patrick, Cotton, Trump and their allies, that students must receive a patriotic education is ludicrous. A patriotic reading of history is not education. It is indoctrination. We should encourage young people to study a wide range of ideas, follow the historical facts wherever they lead and interpret them accordingly. There is no patriotic reading of the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, poll taxes, lynchings of African Americans, decades of Jim Crow laws and systematic redlining policies. The only way to extract a patriotic assessment of those facts is to whitewash them or ignore them altogether. If Patrick is so confident that his ideas are correct, that critiques of this countrys history are unfounded, why would he fear those critiques? If hes so committed to the idea of liberty, why does he want to deny Texas college students the freedom to absorb and assess differing viewpoints? You ban ideas when youre afraid theyre going to prove you wrong. Dan Patrick sounds like hes very afraid. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470 Our legacy of war often follows us to the most peaceful places. Last weekend, while enjoying a Picasso painting at the McNay Art Museum, my mind conjured one of the Spanish artists most famous and controversial pieces Guernica. The antiwar masterpiece depicts the April 26, 1937, fascist bombing of Guernica, a Basque village in Northern Spain, that killed hundreds, mainly civilians, and left the community in ruins. Stark and haunting, the painting lays bare the absurd, futile and heartbreaking consequences of war. On ExpressNews.com: Lingle: DOD bombshell a clear warning to Russia On Feb. 5, 2003, with a blue curtain, officials veiled a tapestry of the work that hung outside the U.N. Security Council before then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke in favor of war in Iraq. At that moment, more than 100,000 U.S. troops were poised to invade Iraq on false pretenses. Arguing for war is one thing. Arguing for war in front of a rendering of atrocity is unfathomable. The curtain episode is only one part of the Guernica tapestrys long, strange trip. The U.N. removed the 25-foot-long canvas piece during renovations in 2009. Commissioned in 1955 by Nelson Rockefeller, the tapestry came to the San Antonio Museum of Art for a period in 2012. The piece eventually returned to the U.N., but in 2021 Nelson A. Rockefeller Jr. requested it back. Thankfully, Rockefeller reloaned the tapestry back to the U.N., and the piece was displayed on Feb. 5. Just in time. On ExpressNews.com: Lingle: An Air Force senior general just got candid about mental health in the military On Thursday, 19 years after Powells address, Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed the same body as another superpower, Russia, massed more than 150,000 of its forces along the border of its smaller, sovereign neighbor Ukraine. As the world watched and waited, the echoes of the past only added to the surrealism of the present. Even Blinken acknowledged the oddity. Some have called into question our information, recalling previous instances where intelligence ultimately did not bear out, he said as dozens of people calling for peace rallied outside. But let me be clear: I am here today not to start a war, but to prevent one. He reiterated President Joe Bidens words that this would be a war of choice, as in Vladimir Putins choice. But that sentiment fell flat after America endeavored on its own war of choice in Iraq so many years ago. One major difference between 2003 and 2022 is that people around the world united for peace in the runup to Iraq. On Feb. 15, 2003, between 12 million and 14 million people rallied for peace in 800 cities around the world. Ultimately, it did not prevent the Iraq War, but according to Phyllis Bennis of the Institute for Policy Studies, the public outcry inspired a generation of activists. On ExpressNews.com: Lingle: Searching for a battlefield and finding camaraderie Where are they now? Since the Russian military buildup began, the media has amplified alarming talk from politicians and pundits, but there have been few, if any, public rallies for peace in Ukraine or any other country. A cursory Google search came up with a dozen peace activists in Des Moines, Iowa, on Feb. 5 and a quiet but growing peace movement in Russia. As the Freedom Convoy protest at the U.S.-Canadian border illustrated, some people are more riled up by trucker vaccine mandates a measure meant to save lives than the specter of war that could leave untold dead and wounded, cripple economies and open the door to more widespread conflict. Of course, a global peace movement would not change Putins calculus, but it would send a message. And as of this writing, messaging is the main weapon from all sides. An information war is well underway, and were only seeing and hearing a well-curated portion of whats really going on. The ground truth is inaccessible. Views & Voices: Editorials, columns and commentary, delivered to your inbox The American salvos of declassified intel highlighting troop and equipment movements, potential false flag attacks and invasion timing with words like imminent combined with Russian withdrawal announcements, accusations and threats harken back to Cold War brinkmanship. Beneath the rhetoric and posturing, each country is enmeshed in deception and efforts to reveal the others next move before they make it. The difference now is the worlds interconnectedness. Our dependence on computers, the internet and space only offer more places for these invisible battles to play out. With so much noise and different voices, its hard to tell whats really going on. But this is clear: Guernicas lessons will always hold true. We havent learned them yet. brandon.lingle@express-news.net 1,268. Thats the number of people Paul Rusesabagina gave refuge to during one of the worst genocides of the 20th century. Beginning on April 6, 1994, and spanning close to 100 days, nearly 1 million Rwandans were murdered when the countrys majority Hutu targeted the minority Tutsi and moderate Hutus. Rusesabagina, a Hutu, used his position as manager of a luxury hotel to give shelter to potential victims. 1,268. Thats the number of people Rusesabagina is credited with rescuing, but the number of lives he saved is incalculable. Consider the people who never would have existed had those 1,268 been killed the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Rusesabagina saved members of one generation so they could give life to future generations. Before 1994, most Americans likely had never heard of the central African country. More attention came in 2004 with the release of the critically acclaimed film Hotel Rwanda, which told Rusesabaginas story. Rusesabagina could have basked in the glow of the celebrated movie and his Presidential Medal of Freedom, living comfortably via the lecture circuit or accepting an ambassadorship from Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who has been in power since 2000. Instead, Rusesabagina has been a fierce critic of the human rights abuses of the Kagame government. In its 2021 World Report, Human Rights Watch notes: The ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) continued to target those perceived as a threat to the government during 2020. Several high-profile government critics were arrested or threatened. Arbitrary detention, ill-treatment, and torture in official and unofficial detention facilities continued. Fair trial standards were routinely flouted in many sensitive political cases, in which security-related charges are often used to prosecute prominent government critics. Rusesabagina, whos had a home in San Antonio since 2009, is the most prominent of those critics and is now Rwandas most prominent political prisoner. In August 2020, he was lured to Dubai, arrested, taken to Rwanda and tortured for four days before his family knew his whereabouts. He was falsely charged with crimes including terrorism, arson and murder. Last year, he was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison without the government offering any credible evidence. He is a 67-year-old cancer survivor with cardiovascular and other health issues. He has not been provided the medications his family sends. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro have led the bipartisan demands for Rusesabaginas release and for the Biden administration to exercise more of its leverage against Rwanda. Last summer, Cornyn organized a bicameral letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, signed by more than three dozen Republican and Democratic senators and representatives, asking him to use all diplomatic means at your disposal. The letter describes the deplorable conditions of Rusesabaginas detention and possible espionage by Rwandas diplomatic corps during an online presentation about this detention in a St. Marys University classroom. This month, Castro and U.S. Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., introduced a resolution calling for Rusesabaginas release on humanitarian grounds. It passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee by voice vote. The European Parliament, the American Bar Association and PEN America have also condemned Rusesabaginas plight. Its long overdue for the Biden administration to condemn Rusesabaginas detention with clarity and force. Its inexcusable for the U.S. government to not use the full weight of its moral and economic power to win Rusesabaginas release. A man who saved generations deserves freedom. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Friday he wants to end eligibility for tenure for all new hires at public universities, saying the long-established practice and the job security it affords allow professors to embrace critical race theory. At a state Capitol press conference, Patrick said he also plans to introduce legislation next year to designate the teaching of critical race theory as good cause for tenure revocation. He is also suggesting moving up tenure reviews to every year instead of every six years. The announcements were prompted by the Faculty Council at the University of Texas at Austin, which on Monday approved a non-binding resolution affirming professors academic freedom to teach about race and gender theory. We are not going to allow a handful of professors who do not represent the entire group to teach and indoctrinate students with critical race theory, said Patrick, a conservative Republican, adding that it would be a top issue for the 2023 legislative session. Critical race theory is an academic movement-turned-buzzword among Republicans who dispute the existence of white privilege and systemic racism in society. It has become a flashpoint in Texas politics, with the Republican-led Legislature last year approving a measure that would ban the subject from being taught in K-12 schools. THE BATTLE OVER BOOKS: Katy ISD students organize to distribute books about racism, LGBTQ+ issues But critics, alongside higher education experts, have noted that the theory is not taught below the college level and any efforts to limit the discussion of racism in the classroom could have broader negative impacts. Patricks push comes as he airs campaign ads touting the K-12 law, and it also coincides with the nations celebration of Black History Month. Representatives for Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan, both Republicans, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Patrick, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, previously bashed the Councils resolution, pledging on Twitter earlier this week that he would not stand by and let looney (sic) Marxist UT professors poison the minds of young students. The Council passed the resolution 41 to 5, asserting that any legislative proposals to limit the discussion of racism in the classroom chill the capacity of educators to exercise their academic freedom and use their expertise to make determinations regarding content and discussions that will serve educational purposes. The Faculty Council resolutely rejects any attempts by bodies external to the faculty to restrict or dictate the content of university curriculum on any matter, including matters related to racial and social justice, and will stand firm against any and all encroachment on faculty authority including by the legislature or the Board of Regents, the resolution reads. Patrick on Friday said he defines the theory as everything that happens in life is based on racism. Youre not going to teach a theory that says were going to judge you when you walk in the classroom by the color of your skin, said Patrick, who is white. That if youre white, youre born a racist. That thats normal, not an aberration, and youre an oppressor. And if youre a person of color, youre a victim. ... Our professors are paid to help teach young men and women how to think critically, not what to think. FROM ERICA GRIEDER: Please keep talking, Dan Patrick. It's illuminating. Asked whether it was appropriate to intervene at public universities, where adult students pay tuition and choose their own courses, Patrick said parents have the option to send their child to another school. Go to a private school, let them raise their own funds to teach, but were not going to fund them, he said. Im not going to pay for that nonsense. Critics, including Democrats and academics, immediately decried Patricks proposal as an attack on both teachers and students. Patrick is running for re-election this year. Mike Collier, a Democrat who hopes to unseat Patrick in the fall, said that if Patrick has his way, major Texas universities will all see an exodus of our states best and brightest, doing irreparable damage to our economy. We will lose thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in business, and forever tarnish the prestige of Texas. Just to say this directly, if this proposal actually makes its way into law, it will simply destroy the University of Texas at Austins ability to compete with any other research university in the country, tweeted Steve Vladeck, the Charles Alan Wright Chair in Federal Courts at the University of Texas School of Law. Tabitha S. Morton, an assistant professor of political science at Prairie View A&M University, said limiting tenure may send Texas academics to the private sector. Tenure is attractive not only because of the academic freedom it provides, but also because it gives professors time to build their research agenda and become experts on a topic, she said. Combined with restrictions on critical race theory, changing the tenure structure in Texas would undermine the purpose of higher education and complicate teaching at historically Black colleges and nniversities, she said. Morton, who is on the tenure-track, specifically teaches courses about race, gender and public policy that rely on critical race theory in the curriculum. When these students come to us (at HBCUs), theyre looking for answers, she said. What happens to the students that are not only missing tenured people of color but are not having experts who can teach them the critical race theory that explains their experience? William T. Hoston, a professor of political science at Prairie View, added that most professors dont extensively incorporate race into their curriculum. He said Patricks discussions on critical race theory mislead white, Republican voters into thinking otherwise. Hes provoking a form of moral panic directed to Republican voters, Hoston said. But the idea that critical race theory is being taught heavily in these colleges really is an egregious notion. This is not Patricks first effort to prescribe what can be taught or discussed at state-run institutions. In addition to the critical-race theory bill that the Legislature passed last year, Patrick last summer moved to cancel a planned discussion of the book Forget the Alamo at the Bullock Texas State History Museum. The book challenges the common narrative about the Battle of the Alamo that 180 Texan rebels died defending the state in its war for independence from Mexico and makes the case that its less-often-discussed cause was also a desire to preserve slavery. Patrick, a Baltimore native, called the book a rewriting of Texas history. cayla.harris@express-news.net WASHINGTON The U.S. Senate on Thursday shot down attempts by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to defund President Joe Bidens federal vaccine mandates and strip funding from schools that require students to get vaccinated against COVID. Cruz was one of a handful of Senate Republicans who threatened to block a short-term government funding bill unless the Senate voted on amendments blocking funding for vaccine requirements. The Senate rejected both amendments and passed a bill funding the government through March 11, averting a shutdown ahead of a Friday deadline. Cruz called vaccine mandates in schools which have long been in place in every state, though some including Texas allow parents to opt out an absolute abuse of power in an impassioned speech on the Senate floor. BACKGROUND: Ted Cruz, Chip Roy threaten government shutdown over Biden vaccine mandates The Texas Republican authored an amendment that would cut off federal funds from schools that require students get vaccinated against COVID. Texas schools currently require students to get vaccinated for tetanus; polio; measles, mumps and rubella; hepatitis B; chickenpox; meningitis and hepatitis A. We are seeing petty authoritarians, who say, Mom, you dont have a right to say whether or not your five-year-old, six-year-old, seven-year-old will get this vaccine, Cruz said. These petty tyrants have no right to force parents to vaccinate children with a new and untested vaccine. U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, argued Cruzs amendment would represent a massive federal overreach. This is unprecedented in this body an effort by the federal government to force local school boards and state superintendents of instruction to not have a vaccine mandate at the cost of taking money away from the students and the teachers and the parents, Kaine said. Everyone in this body who attended school in the United States had to get vaccines to attend school. Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox Cruzs amendment failed on a 44-49 vote. Another amendment, which would have cut off federal funds from enforcing Bidens existing vaccine requirements for medical workers, military personnel, federal employees and federal contractors, also failed on a 46-47 vote. Several members of each party missed the votes. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, supported both. U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, an Austin Republican who led a similar effort in the House, called for the Republicans who missed the vote to be embarrassed. We have until March 11th to see if Republicans will stand up for the people and earn votes in November, Roy tweeted. Its not enough to be less bad than Democrats. ben.wermund@chron.com Sterling, VA (20165) Today A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 57F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 57F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Sterling, VA (20165) Today Cloudy with rain this evening...then scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 57F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Cloudy with rain this evening...then scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 57F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. COVID cases have sharply declined in Connecticut schools in recent weeks as the statewide mask mandate for students and teachers is expected to be lifted at the end of the month. The latest state data shows there were just over 1,000 student cases in the last week, down significantly from the 16,000 infections that were reported during one week in January when the omicron wave was peaking in Connecticut. Staff cases showed a similar trajectory, with 202 reported in the most recent week of data, down from around 3,000 infections for two weeks in early to mid-January. Those trends mirror the wider decline in cases, hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 as the omicron-led surge fades almost as quickly as it slammed the region late last year. The seven-day rolling average of new cases in Connecticut now sits at under 1,000 infections per day, and less than 400 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19, state figures show. The number of daily deaths, on average, has fallen by more than half since the latest surge peaked late last month. On Friday, the state reported 1,263 new cases out of 32,916 tests for a daily positivity rate of 3.84 percent. The number of patients hospitalized with the virus fell by 35, bringing the states census to 290. The falling metrics come a little more than a week before the state is due to hand over decisions on masking in schools to local boards of education, amid a wider push by leaders of Democratic states to scale back or eliminate masking and other restrictions. The plan, opposed by some parents and lawmakers who say it should be up to parents to decide whether their child wears a mask during the school day, requires the continuation of one of Gov. Ned Lamonts COVID-19 executive orders. Those powers expired this week, but Lamont had asked the legislature to carry forward around a dozen orders including one that gave the state Department of Education and Department of Public Health to issue a state mask mandate. Those agencies plan to revise the rules to allow districts to decide whether to require masks as of Feb. 28. The response from districts has been mixed. Some have already said they will extend masking in local schools a little longer. Soon after Lamont announced the change, New Haven schools said they would continue to require masks in part citing a citywide mandate. Hartford schools have announced they will keep masks in place at least through March, while nearby West Hartford will let masks come off at the end of the month. Waterbury schools on Friday became the latest district to say it would hold off on dropping its mask mandate, setting a series of thresholds that need to be met before the mandate is lifted. And while Dariens school board voted unanimously to make masking optional, nearby Norwalk remains undecided about whether to drop school masking. Westport officials said Friday they expect the school board will drop requirements on Feb. 28, the same day town officials plan to lift a mask requirement for municipal buildings. The patchwork of shifting mask rules also comes as a subvariant of omicron researchers were concerned could prolong the end of the surge appears not to be taking hold in the state. To date, only 27 cases of the omicron subvariant, known as BA.2, have been identified in Connecticut through genetic sequencing. The variant comprised just over 1 percent of all cases sequenced in the last three weeks, according to the latest report from the Yale School of Public Health. ASEAN foreign ministers reiterate commitment to ensure full, effective implementation of RCEP agreement Xinhua) 09:41, February 18, 2022 Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn attends a press conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Feb. 17, 2022. (Photo by Sovannara/Xinhua) PHNOM PENH, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Thursday reiterated their commitment to ensure the full and effective implementation of the trade agreement Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which took effect on Jan. 1, Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said. They made the pledge during the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting or AMM Retreat, which was held here in a hybrid format. Chaired by Sokhonn, the meeting was attended in person by foreign ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Laos, and online by foreign ministers of Brunei, Thailand and Vietnam, while Myanmar did not designate a non-political representative for it. Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, Sokhonn said the ministers reaffirmed the importance of strengthening ASEAN economic integration and the intra-ASEAN trade, investment and supply chain connectivity to enhance the region's competitiveness, connectedness and resilience as outlined in the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025. "On this note, my colleagues and I were encouraged by the entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement on the first of January 2022 and reiterated our commitment to ensure full and effective implementation of the agreement to enhance ASEAN's attractiveness for trade, investment and global supply chains," he said. RCEP is a mega trade agreement between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its five major trade partners of China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The pact covers about 30 percent of the world's population, accounts for about 30 percent of global gross domestic product. Apart from RCEP, the ASEAN foreign ministers also discussed ways to boost regional economy in the post-pandemic era, Sokhonn said. "To facilitate the region's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, we emphasized the importance of full and effective implementation of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework," he said. He said the ministers also commended the operationalization of the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund and stressed that timely implementation of the ASEAN Travel Corridor Arrangement Framework would facilitate cross-border movements and raise economic activities among the member states. According to Sokhonn, the ministers exchanged views on regional and international issues and reaffirmed their shared commitment to open, rules-based and inclusive multilateralism for the promotion of sustainable peace, security, stability and prosperity within and beyond the region. "To this end, we were also on the same view of the importance of strengthening ASEAN's centrality and unity in our engagement with ASEAN's external partners through ASEAN-led mechanism to build mutual trust and confidence as well as to reinforce regional architecture with ASEAN at its center," he said. Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn speaks during a press conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Feb. 17, 2022. (Photo by Sovannara/Xinhua) (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) By Nurul Ramadhani JAKARTA, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- The finance ministers and central bank governors from the world's 20 top economies (G20) are seeking sustainable international financing scheme to build global resilience in facing potential future pandemics and reduce gaps in health systems among countries. The financial leaders addressed the issues on Thursday, either in person or virtually, during a two-day G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting held in Jakarta, with Indonesia serving as the host country. Indonesia's Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati told the G20 participants in a panel discussion that the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that the global health system is not ready enough to face the pandemic and the global financing system is still inadequate. "Therefore, the G20 member countries should collaborate to build a more resilient global health system which will, indeed, require greater investment and financial resource mobilization," she said. World Bank Group President David Malpass suggested that the G20 countries build multilateral platforms that could help developing and low-income countries move forwards out of the crisis. Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pointed out that low and middle-income countries do not have enough resources to deal with the pandemic and need global support. Thus, she encouraged the G20 member countries to ensure "expeditious and equitable distributions of vaccines" as one of the simple ways to bridge the gaps in global pandemic preparedness. Norwegian International Development Minister Anne Beathe Tvinnereim said that besides vaccines, the countries must also coordinate in building stronger healthcare infrastructures by increasing international investment in health security. "We must avoid fragmentation and push for inclusiveness. We need the voices from low-income countries as well. They should be considered legitimate," Tvinnereim said. Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen proposed a new separate global health fund, directly controlled by donors, as a global investment for pandemic prevention and preparedness. Under her proposal, the fund will be used for delivering emergency funds, vaccines, and other medical needs. Yellen said the fund would also help the developing and low-income countries improve the surveillance systems to prepare for future crises and help strengthen the countries' healthcare workforces. Responding to the proposal, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that "any efforts to enhance the governance, systems and financing of global health security can only succeed if they also enhance the WHO's role." He said that the WHO, with its unique mandate, technical expertise and global legitimacy, should be made stronger and sustainably financed because the organization played a central role in strengthening the global health architecture. Indrawati said that it would not be an easy and simple process to build trust among countries. "That is why we are here to provide a platform to build trust together. We cannot do it alone. We should be open-minded to what challenges we are facing and what responsibility we can take," Indrawati said. Indrawati noted that the G20 meeting should be the momentum for parties concerned to start mobilizing health financing for the importance of public goods. A Helena man was sentenced to a lifetime hunting and trapping ban in Montana after poaching a trophy moose east of Townsend in 2019. Shiloh Berry, 41, was sentenced Friday in Broadwater County District Court, according to a news release sent Tuesday from the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Berry pleaded guilty in the fall to unlawful possession of a game animal, wasting a game animal and hunting without a valid license. Berry also received a three-year suspension of fishing privileges, will have to pay $12,100 in fines and restitution, and a suspended five-year imprisonment term. In November 2019, FWP game wardens were tipped off through a 24-hour hotline of a decapitated moose carcass abandoned about 17 miles east of Townsend on Blacktail Road. Near the carcass were distinctive tire tracks and boot prints, according to FWP. The following April, wardens received another tip that Berry owned moose antlers that he had claimed to find in the same Blacktail Road area. With a search warrant, wardens found the antlers in Berrys possession, and boots and tires that matched the tracks where the carcass had been found. During an interview with wardens, Berry confessed to poaching the moose. The mooses antlers were 56 inches wide and had a Boone and Crockett gross score of 167 and a net score of 145. A network of Yorkshire young farmers is is searching for a new leader to help set the agenda during a pivotal time for their industry. Future Farmers of Yorkshire, a large network of farmers and other industry professionals, is looking to appoint a new chair for a three-year term. Supported by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, the group consists of 1,000 members from a range of agricultural sectors, including tenants, owner-occupiers, managers and employees. The free-to-join group is now on the search for a new chair to "inspire, inform and support" members throughout the course of 2022. Outgoing Future Farmers of Yorkshire chair, Alastair Trickett said: We believe farming in Yorkshire belongs at the leading edge of UK agriculture. "Were here to provide additional development and networking opportunities for our members so they can push their careers even further. Weve built up an amazing momentum over the last 10 years that is enabling us to have a real impact within the industry." Asked what qualities the next chair should have, he said: "I think for a chairperson to be successful they need to be hard working, a good communicator and passionate about what we do. "But the reward is the opportunity to lead a nationally recognised group at a critical time for the farming industry. Driven by a voluntary management board of members, Future Farmers of Yorkshire continues to see its membership grow. Headline events, such as the networks Great Yorkshire Show Breakfast Meeting and Spring Debate, have attracted high-profile speakers such as NFU President Minette Batters. Bursary opportunities take Future Farmers to the biggest industry events in the UK, including NFU Conference, the Oxford farming conferences and Groundswell. Members also benefit from access to expert training that aid personal and professional development in topics such as financial planning, business leadership and media skills. Alastair, a Nuffield Scholar who farms at Wike near Leeds, added: It is a real privilege to lead Future Farmers of Yorkshire and to have an influential role in providing opportunities for our members to develop their skills and knowledge. "Our new chair will be joining us at a really exciting time as we help to equip our members with the skills and insights that they will need to seize opportunities that lie ahead as agricultural policies change. The chairs duties involve reviewing the networks strategy with input from the management board, allocating and managing resource to ensure objectives are met, and providing input to drive the delivery of specific projects. The chair is expected to represent the network at functions, to act as a spokesperson, to liaise with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society to ensure objectives are aligned, and chair quarterly meetings of the management team. To apply to the role, those interested are being asked to email their CV and covering letter to futurefarmers@yas.co.uk by 15 March 2022. The State has withdrawn charges before plea against former Finance Minister Simba Makoni who was facing allegations of violating the Exchange Control Act after trading products at his Power Speed Electrical shop in Harare using an exchange rate above the official rate that was at $88.55 at the time. Prosecutor Ms Shiela Mupindu said they will proceed by way of summons once investigations are complete. Harare Magistrate Mr Tinei Manuwere withdrew the charges against Makoni as per the States request. Makoni was jointly charged with his company. The Exchange Control Act prohibits selling, displaying and offering goods or services for sale at an exchange rate above the ruling exchange rate in Zimbabwe. It is said that on October 6 2021 the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe received information that some companies that are procuring foreign currency at the forex auction are selling their products above the official exchange rate. The State had it that the Reserve Bank Exchange Control Department deployed its officers to confirm the allegations by approaching a number of retail outlets. On the following day, John Mashal Chinembiri and Tanaka Lincoln Sanyamahwe from Reserve Bank Financial Intelligence Unit Department visited Makonis shop where Chinembiri bought 750ml of Benzine for $423,65 while Sanyamahwe purchased the same product for US$2,42. It is the States case that the two were issued with point of sale receipts reflecting a rate of $175 per USS1 which was above the official exchange rate of $88,55 that was prevailing on October 5, 2021. Herald Red Tractor has terminated a dairy farm from its assurance scheme after BBC Panorama showed systematic disregard for animal welfare on the farm. The programme, which aired on Monday night (14 February), detailed numerous cases of animal abuse on the Welsh dairy farm. The undercover footage leaked horrific scenes showing cows being repeatedly punched and kicked by farm workers. Following the programme, Red Tractor said it had terminated the farms dairy scheme membership with 'immediate effect'. The programme showed "serious breaches of Red Tractor standards and the law", it said, as well as a "systematic disregard for animal welfare by those with a duty of care." Red Tractor assures over 11,000 dairy farms, which are required to meet robust standards on animal welfare, environmental protection and food safety. Three other dairy farms were featured in Panoramas programme, each was Red Tractor assured and represented good farming practices. A Red Tractor spokesperson said the "unacceptable actions of staff on one farm in no way represents the vast majority of UK dairy farmers or British agricultural practice." "Red Tractors system of routine farm inspections and unannounced spot checks go a long way to ensuring compliance with our standards," the spokesperson added. "Where there is a clear violation of our membership rules and our standards are not upheld, a farm will be terminated from our scheme. "We accept that some breaches are not always detectable during inspections, which is why we have a number of ways for individuals to share their concerns with us, including our confidential Tell Us reporting service." 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! A lawyer and Justice Rekha Palli had a tough conversation at the Delhi High Court when the former kept addressing Justice Palli with the word 'sir during a case trial. Palli cut him off in the middle of his sentence to correct him, adding, "I am not Sir. I hope you can make out what I'm saying." The advocate apologised for the mistake, but his explanation was even more ridiculous. "Sorry, it's because of the chair you're sitting on," the lawyer explained. "Then that's even worse if after all this time you think the Chair is for Sirs," Palli said. She questions, What hope do we have for the future if the younger members don't stop differentiating?" Image: Shutterstock The Gender Imbalance In The Judiciary The gender ratio in the country's justice system has long been unbalanced. In the Indian courts, there were just a few female judges. In 2021, a group of female lawyers launched a public interest litigation (PIL) requesting that more women be appointed as judges in the country's courts. According to the PIL, the High Courts of Guwahati, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Rajasthan, and Sikkim each have only one female Judge. The situation was even worse in other states, including Manipur, Meghalaya, Patna, Tripura, and Uttarakhand, where the High Courts lacked even a single female judge. Image: Shutterstock Women Are Entitled To 50% Reservation In The Judiciary N.V. Ramana, Chief Justice of India, has urged for the urgent repair of the gender imbalance in the Indian court, noting that women are entitled to 50 percent reservation in the judiciary and should demand the same. CJI Ramana addressed at a felicitation ceremony last year, detailing the meagre presence of women in the judiciary in terms of numbers, claiming that women make up only 30% of the lower judiciary, 11.5% of the high courts, and 12% of the Supreme Court. Furthermore, barely 15% of the country's 1.7 million advocates are women. We hope more women will join the profession and achieve the goal of 50% shortly, he said in his speech. Hoping this will be achieved in reality soon. Also Read: Daughter Can Inherit Self-Acquired Property Of Deceased Father Without Will Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category GOVERNMENT yesterday said it had addressed teachers salary grievances, adding that civil servants should be grateful to President Emmerson Mnangagwa for improving their welfare in terms of salary adjustments and other non-monetary benefits. Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare deputy minister Lovemore Matuke told Parliament that government addressed civil servants grievances, although teachers had refused to report for duty after rejecting the 20% salary adjustment, an additional US$100 per month and other benefits announced last week. Most of the issues which were affecting the teachers were addressed. I think the teachers and civil servants had been appealing for a mixed bag so that they are not affected by the fall of the local currency, Matuke told the legislators. I think we should thank the government for providing such a good reward. I do not think going forward, we will get teachers complaining, but as our economy improves, I think we will still revert to our Zimbabwe dollar 100%. But Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) secretary-general Robson Chere said there was nothing to thank government for as they were still incapacitated and unable to report for duty. There is nothing we can celebrate and thank the government for because the figures are far below what we are demanding and the government knows that we are not asking for salary increment, but restoration of the pre-October 2018 salaries and as such, the ministers statement is a mockery, he said. The Public Service Commission (PSC) has threatened to dismiss the teachers if they do not report for duty on Tuesday, and replace them with college graduates and trained unemployed teachers. But the graduate trainees said they would not take up the offer as they were in solidarity with their counterparts. Primary and Secondary Education minister Evelyn Ndlovu also confirmed in Parliament yesterday that the college graduates were not keen on taking up the offer. We cannot guarantee that they will not strike. We are not guaranteed that the teachers are not going to strike, but we assure that some of those given a chance can do well, she said. We are saying those people are employed, they have not been employed for a long time and I hope that they are patriotic enough to feel for the children. Ndlovu made the statements after student teachers petitioned government to pay their allowances in United States dollars for them to meet their learning costs. The student teachers, who are attached at various schools, said the meagre allowances they were getting were not enough, hence they were failing to fulfil their teaching practice requirements. The students want government to increase their allowances from $16 000 to at least US$400. National Council of Student Teachers president Walter Muzamani said they are on go slow because of incapacitation. The requirements for our teaching practice need money, he said. We need classroom displays, teaching and learning aids, record books among other things and one has to spend at least $10 000. The remaining money from the $16 000 goes to fees and the student is only left with just US$75 allowance. A student teacher needs to look presentable, food, transport, so the $16 000 is not enough to cover all those expenses. As student teachers, we are not on strike. However, we are on go slow. The student teachers urged government to urgently address the concerns of the qualified teachers saying it was affecting their teaching practice. Newsday WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The former deputy prime minister of Great Britain, Nick Clegg, has been named as the head of global affairs at Meta Platforms, Inc. (FB), formerly known as Facebook. The CEO of the company, Mark Zuckerberg made the announcement through a Facebook post on Wednesday. 'I've asked Nick Clegg to take on a new position as President, Global Affairs,' Zuckerberg said. Clegg, a Cambridge University graduate, joined Facebook back in 2018 as the chief of policy and communication. The decision is driven by the current global complications that the company is facing, according to reports. Clegg was the leader of Britain's centrist Liberal Democrats party. 'Nick will now lead our company on all our policy matters, including how we interact with governments as they consider adopting new policies and regulations,' Zuckerberg said. However, the promotion is thought to be more decorative as Clegg has been handling the same tasks as the deputy head of the organization, with the only change being that he is answerable to only Zuckerberg and the COO of the company, Sheryl Sandberg, who is also known as the second-in-command to Zuckerberg. 'As Nick takes on this new leadership role, it will enable me to focus more of my energy on leading the company as we build new products for the future, and it will support Sheryl as she continues to focus on the success of our business,' Zuckerberg added. Talking about Clegg's role in handling the ongoing onslaught of foreign legal run-ins, Zuckerberg said, 'The work we do at Meta matters to a lot of people around the world. We're at the center of a lot of debates about technology and society,' added Zuckerberg. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX META PLATFORMS-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de DENVER, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Algorand Foundation today announced a $10,000,000 USD SupaGrant to be rewarded among teams that will explore and accelerate the technical work needed to deliver EVM compatibility on Algorand. This will enable those innovators looking to leverage Algorand's high performance, sustainable and cost effective blockchain but are already accustomed to building on EVM. Research and developer teams will be expected to submit their proposals no later than 18 March, 2022 outlining the methodology of their research, estimated costs and timeline through the call for proposals here . Multiple teams may be chosen with the reward being split among the competing teams. "Algorand believes in a multi-chain world and this SupaGrant will move us towards that inevitability," said Staci Warden, CEO Algorand Foundation. "Running smart contracts written for Ethereum on Algorand eliminates the barriers for popular DeFi protocols and NFT projects to serve multiple chains while significantly decreasing the costs to those who participate. We believe that incentivizing experienced developer teams to research and build long lasting fundamental technology for Algorand will benefit the entire blockchain community." Research and developer teams participating in the SupaGrant are welcome to use any technology of their choosing to achieve EVM compatibility. About Algorand's SupaGrants Program Algorand's SupaGrant is a supercharged grant program that targets experienced R&D teams and organizations to research or build secure and high-quality solutions for the Algorand ecosystem. The Algorand Foundation seeks to support these projects financially on a long-term basis, aiding them in their research costs, marketing, and other support they might need. About the Algorand Foundation The Algorand Foundation is dedicated to fulfilling the global promise of blockchain technology by leveraging the Algorand protocol and open-source software, initially designed by Silvio Micali and a team of leading scientists. With core beliefs in the establishment of an open, public, and permissionless blockchain, the Algorand Foundation has a vision for an inclusive ecosystem that provides an opportunity for everyone to harness the potential of an equitable and truly borderless economy. Contact: Ditto PR, algorand@dittopr.co Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1749344/SupaGrants.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1743761/Algorand_Foundation_Logo.jpg Pratteln, Switzerland, February 18, 2022 - Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) announces full redemption of its senior unsecured convertible bonds (the 2017/22 Bonds, ISINCH0353955195), effective February 17, 2022. The repayment reduces convertible debt by CHF 15.2 million and annual finance costs by CHF 0.8 million. Previously, in May 2021, Santhera partially redeemed its 2017/22 Bonds through an exchange offer and the issuance of new senior unsecured convertible bonds due 2024 (the 2021/24 Bonds, ISIN CH0563348744). Upon settlement of this bond restructuring effective May 4, 2021, the aggregate principal amount of the 2017/22 Bonds was reduced from originally CHF 60,000,000 to CHF 15,155,000 and new 2021/24 Bonds in the aggregate principal amount of CHF 30,270,375 were issued. The remaining 2017/22 Bonds have been fully repaid effective February 17, 2022, and will be delisted from SIX Swiss Exchange. As of January 31, 2022, 2021/24 Bonds in the aggregate principal amount of CHF 10,708,875 were converted, leaving a remaining amount of CHF 19,561,500 in circulation, and maturing in August 2024 unless converted beforehand. In addition, a private 2021/24 convertible bond, as announced on September 20, 2021, in the amount of CHF 12,730,500 remains outstanding. "This redemption represents another step in strengthening our balance sheet," commented Andrew Smith, Chief Financial Officerof Santhera. "We have significantly reduced our total and short-term convertible debt from an original amount of CHF 60 million maturing in February 2022 to approximately CHF 32 million maturing in August 2024." About Santhera Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) is a Swiss specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative medicines for rare neuromuscular and pulmonary diseases with high unmet medical need. Santhera has an exclusive license for all indications worldwide to vamorolone, a first-in-class dissociative steroid with novel mode of action, which was investigated in a pivotal study in patients with DMD as an alternative to standard corticosteroids. The Company is planning for filing for approval with the US FDA in Q1-2022. The clinical stage pipeline also includes lonodelestat to treat cystic fibrosis (CF) and other neutrophilic pulmonary diseases. Santhera out-licensed rights to its first approved product, Raxone (idebenone), outside North America and France for the treatment of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) to Chiesi Group. For further information, please visit www.santhera.com . Raxone is a trademark of Santhera Pharmaceuticals. For further information please contact: public-relations@santhera.comor Eva Kalias, Head External Communications Phone: +41 79 875 27 80 eva.kalias@santhera.com Disclaimer / Forward-looking statements This communication does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities of Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG. This publication may contain certain forward-looking statements concerning the Company and its business. Such statements involve certain risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Readers should therefore not place undue reliance on these statements, particularly not in connection with any contract or investment decision. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. # # # Attachment Lenalidomide Sandoz is indicated for use in several critical haematology-oncology conditions, per latest ESMO guidelines 1 , 4 Cost savings from Lenalidomide Sandoz canexpand treatment options for patients with haemato-oncology conditions 1 , 2 Sandoz is committed to developing and providing generic oncology therapies, to provide patients access to affordable, high-quality medicines Basel, February18, 2022 - Sandoz today announced the launch of generic oncology medicine lenalidomide, indicated for several haemato-oncology conditions as recommended by the latest European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) guidelines. The medicine will become available to patients in 19 countries across Europe. "We are proud to make life-enhancing cancer treatments more accessible by launching our affordable and effective Sandoz Lenalidomide", said Rebecca Guntern, Head of Sandoz Europe. She added: "Sandoz is committed to developing and providing generic oncology therapies, to increase patient access to affordable, high-quality medicines. Today, we offer a broad portfolio of more than 50 oncology products3, ranging from biologics to chemotherapeutics, hormones and supportive care treatments, covering a wide range of cancer indications." The cost of treating multiple myeloma patients is high and continues to rise5. Affordability of and access to new multiple myeloma treatments pose a major challenge around the world6. Cost savings from Lenalidomide Sandoz promise to expand access to treatment options for multiple myeloma patients1,2. Similar to multiple myeloma patients, cost savings from Lenalidomide Sandoz will benefit previously treated follicular lymphoma patients, adult patients with transfusion-dependent anaemia due to low- or intermediate-1-risk myelodysplastic syndromes associated with an isolated deletion 5q cytogenetic abnormality, and relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma patients1. Sandoz is the #1 provider of generic oncology medicines in Europe7 with a growing portfolio that covers an industry-leading 75% of molecules on the WHO's global Oncology Essential Medicines List8,9. Sandoz invests in development to improve the lives of cancer patients and free up healthcare resources through increased access to high-quality, affordable medicines. About Lenalidomide Lenalidomide is an oral thalidomide analogue with immunomodulatory, antiangiogenic, and antineoplastic properties used for the treatment of various haemato-oncology conditions [1]. Lenalidomide is recommended by the latest ESMO guidelines [4]. It is available only through special distribution program because of its serious side effects, including possible birth defects or death of an unborn baby [1]. Lenalidomide is available as hard capsules and need to be taken exactly as prescribed [1]. Disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "may," "could," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Neither can there be any guarantee that, if approved, such generic or biosimilar products will be approved for all indications included in the reference product's label. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; competition in general, including potential approval of additional generic or biosimilar versions of such products; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; litigation outcomes, including intellectual property disputes or other legal efforts to prevent or limit Sandoz from selling its products; general political, economic and business conditions, including the effects of and efforts to mitigate pandemic diseases such as COVID-19; safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About Sandoz Sandoz, a Novartis division, is a global leader in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars. Our purpose is to pioneer access for patients by developing and commercializing novel, affordable approaches that address unmet medical needs. Our ambition is to be the world's leading and most valued generics company. Our broad portfolio of high-quality medicines, covering major therapeutic areas, accounted for 2021 sales of USD 9.6 billion. Sandoz on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sandoz (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sandoz) Twitter: https://twitter.com/sandoz_global (https://twitter.com/sandoz_global) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandozglobal/ (https://www.facebook.com/sandozglobal/) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandozglobal (https://www.instagram.com/sandozglobal) CEO Richard Saynor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-saynor/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-saynor/) References [1] Lenalidomide SmPC [2] Sandoz. Access to Healthcare. Available at: https://www.sandoz.com/making-access-happen/access-healthcare (https://www.sandoz.com/making-access-happen/access-healthcare). [3] Sandoz. Data on file. [4] Dimopoulos MA, Moreau P, Terpos E, et al. Multiple myeloma: EHA-ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up(). Ann Oncol. 2021;32(3):309-22. [5] Rajkumar SV. Value and Cost of Myeloma Therapy. American Society of Clinical Oncology Educational Book. 2018(38):662-6. [6] Rajkumar SV, Harousseau JL. Next-generation multiple myeloma treatment: a pharmacoeconomic perspective. Blood. 2016;128(24):2757-64. [7] IQVIA MIDAS MAT_06_2021_Sales USD. IQVIA report included Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK & Ukraine. Robertson J, et al. Bull World Health Organ 2016;94:735-742. TaberneroJ et al. Biosimilars: a position paper of the European Society for Medical Oncology, with particular reference to oncology prescribers. ESMO Open 2017;1(6):e000142. # # # Novartis and Sandoz Global Communications E-mail: media.relations@novartis.com (mailto:media.relations@novartis.com) Richard Jarvis Novartis Global Communications +41 79 584 23 26 (mobile) richard.jarvis@novartis.com (mailto:richard.jarvis@novartis.com) Chris Lewis Sandoz Global Communications +49 174 244 9501 (mobile) chris.lewis@sandoz.com (mailto:chris.lewis@sandoz.com) Novartis Investor Relations Central investor relations line: +41 61 324 7944 E-mail: investor.relations@novartis.com (mailto:investor.relations@novartis.com) LONDON (dpa-AFX) - NatWest Group plc (NWG.L) on Friday reported attributable profit of 2.95 billion pounds for the year ended 31 December 2021 compared with loss of 753 million pounds for the year earlier. Earnings per share were $25.3p compared with loss per share of 6.2p a year ago. The company posted operating profit before tax of 4.032 billion pounds compared with loss of 481 million pounds a year earlier. Profit before impairment releases/(losses) excluding notable items declined to 2.509 billion pounds from 3.034 billion pounds last year. Total income, including net interest income and non-interest income was 10.512 billion pounds compared with 10.508 billion pounds last year. Net interest income rose to 7.614 billion pounds for the year, compared with 7.476 billion pounds last year. Non-interest income decreased to 2.898 billion pounds, from 3.032 billion pounds a year ago. Further, the company declared a final dividend of 7.5p per share to be paid on 4 May 2022 to shareholders on the register at the close of business on 18 March. Looking forward, the company said that economic outlook remains uncertain. It expects income excluding notable items to be above 11 billion pounds in the Go-forward group in 2022. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT (dpa-AFX) - French automaker Renault SA (RNSDY.PK, RNSDF.PK, RNT.L) announced Friday the appointment of Thierry Pieton as Chief Financial Officer with effect from March 1. Pieton, currently Deputy Chief Financial Officer and Controller, becomes a member of the Board of Management of Renault Group and will report to Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group. The company noted that Clotilde Delbos will mainly focus on her role as CEO of the Mobilize brand, around RCI Banque SA of which she is the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Delbos will work to accelerate its development in the context of the company's transformation and the next stages of the Renaulution plan. Pieton, 51, started his career as an auditor with PricewaterhouseCoopers. He joined General Electric in 1998, and became Chief Financial Officer for GE Power Conversionin 2011. In 2014, he joined Nissan Europe, as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. Since 2016, Pieton has been Senior Vice President, Controller of Groupe Renault. In February 2020, he became Deputy Chief Financial Officer and SVP, Controller, Renault Group. On January 1, 2021, he was appointed Renault Brand Finance and a member of Renault Group Corporate Management Committee. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Australian and NZ dollars advanced against their major counterparts in the Asian session on Friday, while the Japanese yen fell, amid easing geopolitical concerns as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov later next week. Russia announced a new drawdown of military forces from the Moscow-annexed Crimean peninsula and Blinken agreed to a meeting with Lavrov, raising hopes for a diplomatic resolution. Separately, the G7 nations are ready for 'a serious dialogue' with Russia on the Ukraine crisis, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said today on the eve of crunch talks in Munich with her G7 counterparts. In economic news, data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed that Japan's consumer prices were up 0.5 percent on year in January. That was shy of expectations for an increase of 0.6 percent and down from 0.8 percent in December. The aussie appreciated to 0.7209 against the greenback and 83.04 against the yen, following its prior lows of 0.7176 and 82.42, respectively. The aussie is poised to find resistance around 0.74 against the greenback and 86.00 against the yen. Reversing from its early lows of 1.5828 against the euro and 0.9123 against the loonie, the aussie moved up to 1.5768 and 0.9151, respectively. Next key resistance for the aussie is seen around 1.54 against the euro and 0.93 against the loonie. The aussie rebounded to 1.0742 against the kiwi, from a session's low of 1.0728 hit at 8:30 pm ET. On the upside, 1.09 is possibly seen as its next resistance level. The kiwi rose to 0.6716 against the greenback, 77.36 against the yen and 1.6924 against the euro, recovering from its prior lows of 0.6684, 76.78 and 1.6991, respectively. The kiwi is seen finding resistance around 0.69 against the greenback, 80.00 against the yen and 1.66 against the euro. The yen dropped to 156.93 against the pound, 125.19 against the franc and 131.01 against the euro, after rising to 156.22 and 124.72 and a session's high of 130.40, respectively. The yen is poised to challenge support around 160.00 against the pound, 127.5 against the franc and 133.00 against the euro. The yen edged down to 115.28 against the greenback and 90.82 against the loonie, off its previous 2-week high of 114.79 and a 4-day high of 90.29, respectively. The next possible support for the yen is seen around 119.00 against the greenback and 92.00 against the loonie. Looking ahead, Eurozone construction output for December is set for release in the European session. Canada retail sales for December and new housing price index for January will be published in the New York session. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de From February 28 to March 3, 2022, the Mobile World Congress returns live and in person in Barcelona. 70 French companies will participate as exhibitors with 56 of them in the French Tech Pavilion. Highly innovative in the fields of 5G, AI, Cloud, Fintech and the Internet of Things (IoT), the French companies there want to reconnect in face-to-face meetings. PARIS, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --?Once again this year, France is hitting hard and standing out as one of the largest national pavilions operating in the sectors of telecom infrastructures, IoT, mobile applications and services, artificial intelligence, hardware and software. 2022 marks the great return of the French Tech Pavilion, which will celebrate 13 years at the Mobile World Congress (MWC). With the rise of 5G, the MWC is becoming even more of a must-attend show for connectivity. "With the support of the Chamber of Commerce of Guadeloupe, the SCS competitiveness cluster and the South region as well as Bretagne Commerce International, Business France is attending this major Telecom sector meeting", says Etienne Savin, driver behind the MWC event within Business France. Customized support for French companies Organized by Business France, the La French Tech Pavilion will occupy a 344 m space in Hall 5 on stands 5B41 & 5B61. This support is part of France's export development strategy to enhance the visibility of French offerings with international decision-makers. Visitors will have the privilege of seeing demonstrations of new products and services during the four days of the event In order to optimize the exchange of contacts, Business France has set up several series of meetings between French exhibitors and professionals based in African countries. Wonderful innovative startups Among the French delegation, there is the presence of some amazingly innovative startups. IPM FRANCE will present its interactive terminals for the digitization of Telecom operator agencies, allowing them to remain open, in self-service mode, 24 hours a day. PONANT TECHNOLOGIE will provide an easy-to-use robotic solution, eTASQ Motion, which ensures the quality of products by testing them in real conditions. Click here for the complete catalogue of 70 exhibitors: https://bit.ly/Catalogue-MWC22 To follow all the news live: join us here https://twitter.com/Bonjour_MWC Contact: Etienne Savin: etienne.savin@businessfrance.fr Louis-Andrea SIGNORA (Press Officer Barcelona): louis-andrea.signora@businessfrance.fr Siham Morchid: siham.morchid@businessfrance.fr Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1749011/Business_France_Logo.jpg ENERGY and Power Development deputy minister Magna Mudyiwa yesterday urged consumers to brace for more power cuts owing to a breakdown of machinery at the Hwange Thermal Power Station. Mudyiwa was responding to questions from legislators who wanted to find out when normal supplies could be restored. This follows rolling power cuts lasting several hours that have hit the country. I dont know when this load-shedding will end, but we can only reduce it through various interventions that we are doing, she said. The electricity we are generating in the country is not enough for everyone. We have challenges at our Hwange Power Station because of breakdowns. We have three units that we are using at the Hwange Power Station that are generating less than 300 megawatts. Hwange has an installed capacity of 920 megawatts. So we are importing electricity from other countries, but we are trying by all means to make sure that the other six units are able to function to make sure that the electricity supply is restored, she added. This comes as Zesa Holdings employees have threatened to down tools as they press for a salary review. The Zimbabwe Energy Workers Union (Zewu) on Wednesday wrote to Zesa management calling for a wage increase. At the end of last year, workers in the lowest grade were earning $14 000, which was far below the poverty datum line. We are demanding the company to pay 100% salary increments backdated to last year, Zewu general-secretary Martin Chikuni wrote in a letter dated February, 14 2021. When contacted for comment, Zesa executive chairman Sydney Gata last night said he was out of office. Newsday BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - German stocks were seeing modest gains on Friday as diplomatic efforts continue to avoid a conflict in Ukraine. The U.S. Secretary of State agreed to a meeting with Russia's foreign minister, raising hopes of a diplomatic solution. Also, Russia said earlier today it was withdrawing more tanks and other armoured vehicles from areas near Ukraine's border after running war games that had raised concerns in the West. The benchmark DAX after losing 0.7 percent in the previous session. Insurer Allianz fell 1.4 percent after it took a 3.7bn hit to its pre-tax profits. Automakers were broadly higher, while banks traded mixed. Commerzbank shares were up more than 2 percent. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. BEIJING, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Wearing traditional Chinese clothing, villagers of Zhuquan Village in the mountain area of Linyi City, east China'sShandong Province put on folk performances every day from February 1 to 15 to celebrate Chinese New Year, attracting tourists from home and abroad to join. Yana, a 25-year-old dancer from Ukraine, also in traditional Chinese dress, danced delightfully with locals. Having spent Chinese New Year in different cities since she came to China three years ago, Yana went to Zhuquan Village this year to experience the festival in a rural village on her friend's recommendation. In the small mountain village, one can experience the traditional Chinese culture even more, Yana said. Yana was warmly greeted by locals when she arrived. On Chinese New Year's Eve, she even received dumplings from villagers, traditional food that families make together on New Year's Eve. On Lichun, meaning the beginning of spring and falling on February 4 this year, Yana took a bite of a radish slice with the Chinese character "spring" cut out in the middle. This ritual, called "Yaochun", expresses the wish for everything to go smoothly. To Yana, the most impressive performance was the traditional wedding ceremony, at which the Chinese bride wore a red veil and the new couple had a tea ceremony to honor their parents. This was the first time she watched such a ceremony so closely. Yana said her stay in Zhuquan Village was an unforgettable experience, adding that she wants to come next year and learn how to make dumplings. Boasting springs, bamboo forests, and ancient complexes, the picturesque Zhuquan Village has become a tourism hotspot. It receives around 1.5 million visitors each year, with 80 percent of local households' incomes relying on tourism. During the Spring Festival of 2016, the village invited African performers to join a traditional temple fair, who presented African dance along with local folk dance and other traditional performances. In the following years, the village paid more attention to planning folk performances to display local Chinese New Year culture. The efforts was paid off, as some foreign tourists made a special trip to Zhuquan Village and posted videos of playing that receive millions of views. Original Link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/326486.html Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1749558/image_1.jpg Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks were flat to slightly higher on Friday after data showed retail sales recovered at a faster than expected pace in January. Retail sales volume grew 1.9 percent month-on-month, in contrast to the revised 4 percent decline in December. This was also faster than the expected growth of 1.0 percent. On a yearly basis, overall retail sales advanced 9.1 percent, reversing a 1.7 percent fall in December. The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 10 points, or 0.1 percent, at 7,547, with lingering Russia-Ukraine tensions capping the upside. Miners Anglo American, Antofagasta and Glencore were all up around half a percent. Kingspan Group, an Irish building materials company, advanced 1.4 percent after its fiscal 2021 profit climbed 48 percent. Bank holding company NatWest Group tumbled 3.4 percent after warning of uncertain economic outlook. Multinational cinema operator Cineworld lost 2.5 percent. The company said it has reached an agreement with creditors over a disputed and delayed repayment. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. MoneyTV with Donald Baillargeon television program, Copyright MMXXII, all rights reserved. MoneyTV does not provide an analysis of companies' financial positions and is not soliciting to purchase or sell securities of the companies, nor are we offering a recommendation of featured companies or their stocks. Information discussed herein has been provided by the companies and should be verified independently with the companies and a securities analyst. MoneyTV provides companies a 3 to 4 month corporate profile with multiple appearances for a cash fee of $6,950.00 to $11,995.00, does not accept company stock as payment for services, does not hold any positions, options or warrants in featured companies. The information herein is not an endorsement by Donald Baillargeon, the producer, publisher or parent company of MoneyTV. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks were mostly higher on Friday after reports of planned talks between Russia and the U.S. over Ukraine and Moscow's claims around a troop withdrawal. Steep losses on Wall Street overnight served to keep underlying sentiment cautious to some extent. The Dow had its worst day of 2022 overnight and the S&P 500 marked its biggest daily percentage drop in two weeks due to concerns over the possibility Russia may invade Ukraine. The pan European Stoxx 600 was marginally higher at 464.94 after declining 0.7 percent on Thursday. The German DAX was little changed with a negative bias, while France's CAC 40 index and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 were up around 0.3 percent each. Swiss chemicals company Sika AG fell 1.5 percent after confirming its previous target of 6-8 percent annual growth up to 2023. Finnish drug manufacturer Orion jumped 19 percent after announcing positive trial results for its prostate cancer treatment. German insurer Allianz fell 1.6 percent after it took a 3.7bn hit to its pre-tax profits. Bayer rallied 2 percent after boosting sales estimates for Nubeqa drug. Kingspan Group, an Irish building materials company, advanced 1.4 percent after its fiscal 2021 profit climbed 48 percent. Bank holding company NatWest Group tumbled 3.4 percent after warning of uncertain economic outlook. Multinational cinema operator Cineworld lost 2.5 percent. The company said it has reached an agreement with creditors over a disputed and delayed repayment. French carmaker Renault gained 1.4 percent after it swung to profit in 2021 and announced the appointment of Thierry Pieton as Chief Financial Officer with effect from March 1. Luxury group Hermes plunged 4 percent after its fourth-quarter sales came in a tad lower than expectations. Power utility EDF lost 4.6 percent after announcing a rights issue. In economic releases, the euro area current account surplus decreased to EUR 23 billion in December from EUR 24 billion in the previous month, the European Central Bank said. U.K. retail sales volume grew 1.9 percent month-on-month, in contrast to the revised 4 percent decline in December, separate data showed. This was faster than the expected growth of 1.0 percent. On a yearly basis, overall retail sales advanced 9.1 percent, reversing a 1.7 percent fall in December. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Oil prices fell over 2 percent on Friday to extend losses from the previous session amid easing Ukraine tensions and signs of progress in negotiations to restore the Iran nuclear deal. Benchmark Brent crude futures fell 2.3 percent to $90.84 a barrel, while WTI crude futures were down 2.4 percent at $89.59. Risk assets were seeing a reprieve on hopes for diplomacy in Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are expected to meet next week in Europe over Ukraine and European security issues. Also, Russia said earlier today it was withdrawing more tanks and other armoured vehicles from areas near Ukraine's border after running war games that had raised concerns in the West. Investors were also weighing the possibility of an eventual return of Iranian oil to the global market. Even an interim deal could potentially increase oil exports by 700,000 barrel/day, according to S&P Global Platts Analytics. In preparation for the possible easing of U.S. sanctions, refiners in South Korea and Japan are mulling resuming oil imports from Iran once a deal is reached. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Gold prices fell on Friday amid easing geopolitical concerns and hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough next week to avert a feared Russian invasion of Ukraine. Spot gold dropped 0.6 percent to $1,887.37 per ounce, while U.S. gold futures were down 0.7 percent at $1,889.25. Risk assets were seeing a reprieve after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov later next week. Russia announced a new drawdown of military forces from the Moscow-annexed Crimean peninsula, raising hopes for a diplomatic resolution. Separately, the G7 nations are ready for 'a serious dialogue' with Russia on the Ukraine crisis, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said today on the eve of crunch talks in Munich with her G7 counterparts. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Accenture Security recognized for industry-specific cybersecurity knowledge and proven delivery capabilities Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has been positioned as a Leader in the latest IDC MarketScape analysis of managed security services (MSS) providers in Europe. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220218005052/en/ The IDC MarketScape 2022 names Accenture a Leader in managed security services in Europe (Graphic: Business Wire) The report, "IDC MarketScape: European Managed Security Services 2022 Vendor Assessment (Doc EUR146178820, January 2022)," assesses 14 companies based on their service capabilities including quantitative and qualitative characteristics across the MSS lifecycle, as well as their scale and geographic presence. Among Accenture's notable strengths the report cites are: "offers considerable European and global scale as a consulting provider. Its scale has enabled it to develop industry-specific knowledge, security capabilities, and expertise." "has developed a catalogue of automation assets for its portfolio of security services." "runs its global delivery excellence program for security, which leans on four main pillars relevant to European chief information security officers: process standardization; delivery governance, risk and compliance; metrics and analytics; and innovation and automation." "offers intensive onboarding MSS training program, with schools in Naples (Italy) and Prague. It is focusing on training practitioners in the latest topics, including secure automation, cloud, IT/OT, and artificial intelligence machine learning security applications." "offers myWizard dashboard, which blends intelligent analytics with integration and APIs to help clients achieve standardization of security governance processes through a more personalized experience." "Today's cyber threats are too constant, complex and costly to be tackled alone," said Paolo Dal Cin, a senior managing director who leads Accenture Security in Europe. "That's why Accenture continually invests in bringing the best of our global capabilities, including industry-specific knowledge and an understanding of diverse regional regulatory requirements, to help clients better defend against the most persistent threats and strengthen their security posture." Following its January 2020 acquisition of Symantec's Cyber Security Services business, Accenture became one of the leading global providers of managed security services. Accenture further strengthened its cyber defense and MSS capabilities as well as expanded its strong presence across multiple European countries through the acquisitions of Context Information Security in March 2020, and Sentor, Linkbynet, and Openminded in 2021. "The rapid adoption of cloud services along with remote work practices has added new layers of complexity for IT security practitioners to address," said Joel Stradling, research director, IDC European Security and Privacy. "The combination of these trends, in addition to the growing sophistication of the cyberthreats companies face, is driving strong demand for MSS in Europe. Accenture offers considerable European and global scale as an end-to-end consulting provider with a strong portfolio that can help protect businesses from these evolving threats in cybersecurity." In addition to being named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape, Accenture was recently positioned as a Leader in two Forrester reports on cybersecurity: The Forrester Wave: Global Cybersecurity Consulting Providers, Q4 2021 and The Forrester Wave: European Cybersecurity Consulting Providers, Q3 2021. More information about Accenture's Managed Security Services and its position in the IDC MarketScape report can be found here. About IDC MarketScape IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor's position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors. About Accenture Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting, Interactive, Technology and Operations services all powered by the world's largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. Our 674,000 people deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity every day, serving clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace the power of change to create value and shared success for our clients, people, shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at accenture.com. Accenture Security is a leading provider of end-to-end cybersecurity services, including advanced cyber defense, applied cybersecurity solutions and managed security operations. We bring security innovation, coupled with global scale and a worldwide delivery capability through our network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. Helped by our team of highly skilled professionals, we enable clients to innovate safely, build cyber resilience and grow with confidence. Follow us @AccentureSecure on Twitter, LinkedIn or visit us at accenture.com/security. Copyright 2022 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture, and its logo are trademarks of Accenture. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220218005052/en/ Contacts: Alison Geib Accenture +1 703 947 4404 alison.geib@accenture.com Denise Berard Accenture +1 617 488 3611 denise.berard@accenture.com BANGALORE, India, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As businesses are forced to adopt new and remote formats of operation in keeping with the times, there is growing dependency on the digital infrastructure to connect and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders. Organizations ahead in the digital transformation journey are better able to shift gears into the new economic landscape. From upgrades to the current business models, connected customer experience, automated sales or hybrid working models for contactless world, businesses will be seen harnessing new technologies and adopting the digital way of business for the future. Outlining on the theme of Digitizing Strategy to Deliver Outcomes, the CIO StraTech 2022 is a CIO initiative that facilitated diverse perspectives on the scope of digitization technologies to bring together information, experience and options to build robust technical infrastructure for every business. Scheduled on February 15, 2022 between 2.30 pm and 6 pm IST, this half day event hosted over 230 CIOs & Tech leaders from various leading organization across India and featured an agenda covering ground on topics: Digital Transformation Now and Tomorrow XaaS Operating Model as a catalyst for long term growth Unlocking the power of data Zero Trust Architecture as an Approach, not a System The expert panel of speakers at the CIO StraTech 2022 boasted experts such as Vineet Jaiswal, the Deputy CEO - Centre of Excellence (Asset Optimization, Digital, Innovation, IT, R&D, Quality) and Executive Council Member at Vedanta Resources Limited; Ambarish Singh, CISO at Godrej & Boyce Ltd; Sachin Gupta, CIO at Usha International Limited; Kader Es-Slami, Head of AI and Smart Data at Etisalat Digital; Yash Dayal, CTO at Zivame; Gopi Thangavel, Vice President at Reliance Industries Limited; Namrita Mahindro - CDO - Aditya Birla Group; and Debashish Roy, Director of Digital Excellence and Strategic Initiatives at Pfizer, to name a few. The opening key note 'Digital Transformation Now and Tomorrow' was led by Mr. Jaiswal where he elaborated on the changing phase of digital transformation in Indian businesses. He further added how having an ROI mindset was critical to the success of digital journey. This event was supported by GAVS Technologies in the capacity of Gold Partner. Balaji Uppili, the Customer Success Officer led a very passionate and informative session on 'How AI is changing business transformation'. GAVS is a global IT services provider with focus on AI-led Managed Services and digital transformation solutions. Through Cloud-based IP-led solutions that improve user experience by 10X and reduce resource utilization by 40%, GAVS helps businesses leverage Enterprise Automation as a Service with AIOps, Smart Machines, Predictive Analytics and Instrumentation enabling organizations to trend towards a Zero Incident Enterprise. Also, associated with this event as Silver Partner was Quantiphi. Founded in 2013, Quantiphi is an award-winning AI-first digital engineering company driven by the desire to solve transformational problems at the heart of business. They are passionate about customers and obsessed with problem-solving to make products smarter, customer experiences frictionless, processes autonomous and businesses safer. Cision, the PR Partner of the CIO StraTech is actively engaged in amplifying the opportunity potential of this initiative. Cision is a leading global provider of software that empowers Marketing & Communications professionals to Identify Key Influencers, Distribute Strategic Content & Measure Meaningful Impact. Digital Edge Magazine, My Tech Mag, Cyber Defense Magazine & CIO Review India have lent support to the event as media partners. This event was designed as an innovative format that successfully drove discussion, engagement and active knowledge sharing with its many interactive features. The CIO StraTech 2022 is organized by NetNex Global Private Limited. NetNex is an India registered company specializing in integrated marketing and event solutions in the B2B space, enabling clients in strategizing and building their go-to-market journeys through event initiatives. Media contact: Maya Agarwal Head - Products & Initiatives maya@netnexglobal.com Zimbabwe has the potential to produce diamonds worth US$5 billion annually, leading investors who are coming into the country, with more than 500 years in the field, have said. After meeting President Mnangagwa in Brussels yesterday, chief executive officer of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) Mr Ari Epstein said the future for Zimbabwe was exciting, especially as the country now had an investor-friendly environment under the leadership of the President. Diamonds are a good store of value in cases where we have pandemics like Covid-19, so we believe that the future looks bright for diamond producing countries and we are really looking forward to the country of Zimbabwe to increase its production in the future, Mr Epstein said. He said if the country doubled its current output Zimbabwe could be producing diamonds worth between US$4 and US$5 billion annually. From what we have discussed with the miners, we can easily go to $4 billion or $5 billion a year, of course, we need the right equipment to do so, diamonds are a symbol of love and in Zimbabwe that has been the case in its extraction, so I dont see any problem. The future looks bright because the value of diamonds is increasing. There is a huge demand for diamonds, he said. Asked when AWDC will visit Zimbabwe, Mr Epstein, who was full of praise for the countrys hospitality and tourism attractions, said they will be coming this year. With huge potential in the diamond sector, Zimbabwe is already on course to surpass its US$12 billion mining economy by 2025 and its recent election as the vice-chair of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme gives the country a chance to shine bright like diamonds as it moves towards Vision 2030 to become an upper middle class economy. Meanwhile, the President also met Siemens Healthineers senior vice president Dr Bernt Bieber whose company is eyeing to invest in the countrys health sector with a team of experts expected this year. We are looking at opportunities on how we can provide the country with healthcare to the population of Zimbabwe. I am very impressed with the thought process of the President and other members of the Cabinet, this is a really interesting pathway for the future, he said. President Mnangagwa shares a lighter moment with Siemens Healthineers senior vice president Dr Bernt Bieber in the presence of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Ambassador Frederick Shava The company produces a range of products in the health delivery sector that include the latest state of the art equipment that comes in hand as Zimbabwe is transforming all sectors through modernisation and industrialisation that leaves no place and no one behind. The President was in Belgium for the European Union/African Union summit that concluded yesterday and he used the summit to meet with potential investors and also engage and re-engage with other world leaders. The President who was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ambassador Frederick Shava, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Prof Mthuli Ncube and the Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Mr George Charamba is expected in the country today. Herald BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT (dpa-AFX) - Shares of Renault SA were gaining around 3 percent in the morning trading in Paris after the French automaker reported a profit in its fiscal 2021, compared to last year's hefty loss, with strong revenue growth. Despite the impact of semiconductor shortages and rising raw material prices, operating margin exceeded Renaulution objective, reaching two years ahead of schedule. For fiscal 2022, the company projects higher margin. Separately, Renault announced the appointment of Thierry Pieton as Chief Financial Officer with effect from March 1. For fiscal 2022, the company targets a Group operating margin superior or equal to 4 percent, and an Automotive operational free cash flow superior or equal to 1 billion euros. In an environment still impacted by the semiconductor crisis, particularly in the 1st half of 2022, and by the increase of raw materials prices, total loss is estimated at 300,000 vehicles on 2022 production. Renault's Renaulution objective is for an operating margin above 3 percent in 2023. The company plans to organize a Capital Market Day in the fall of 2022, ahead of its mid-term Renaulution objectives. The company will present an update on its strategy then. Further, the company said its Board will propose to the Assembly General Meeting, scheduled for May 25, to not pay a dividend for 2021. In 2022, Renault plans to make an early repayment of 1 billion euros of the loan from a banking pool guaranteed by the French State as well as 1 billion euros relating to the mandatory annual reimbursement. The loan will be fully reimbursed by the end of 2023 at the latest. Renault further confirmed its ambition in EV with the objective for the Renault brand to be 100 percent EV in Europe by 2030. Renault also aims to achieve carbon neutrality in Europe by 2040 and worldwide by 2050 by reducing its carbon emissions over the entire life cycle of the vehicle. Regarding the new CFO appointment, Renault noted that Pieton, currently Deputy Chief Financial Officer and Controller, will become a member of the Board of Management and will report to Luca de Meo, CEO. Clotilde Delbos will mainly focus on her role as CEO of the Mobilize brand, around RCI Banque SA of which she is the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Delbos will work to accelerate its development in the context of the company's transformation and the next stages of the Renaulution plan. Pieton, 51, became Deputy Chief Financial Officer and SVP, Controller in February 2020, and in January 2021, he was appointed Renault Brand Finance and a member of Renault Group Corporate Management Committee. He started his career as an auditor with PricewaterhouseCoopers, and later joined General Electric in 1998. In 2014, he joined Nissan Europe, and since 2016, Pieton has been Senior Vice President, Controller of Groupe Renault. For fiscal 2021, Renault's net income Group share was 888 million euros, compared to a loss of 8.01 billion euros last year. Profit per share was 3.26 euros compared to a loss of 29.51 euros. Operating income was 1.40 billion euros, compared to loss of 2 billion euros a year ago. Operating margin was 1.66 billion euros or 3.6 percent of revenue, while last year's margin was negative 337 million euros or 0.8 percent of revenues. Group revenue was 46.21 billion euros, up 6.3 percent from prior year's 43.47 billion euros. At constant scope and exchange rates, revenue increased 8 percent. From the pre-pandemic 2019, revenues declined 16.8 percent. In 2021, automotive revenue excluding AVTOVAZ was 40.40 billion euros, up 7.1 percent. Automotive operational free cash flow was positive at 1.27 billion euros. AVTOVAZ's revenue increased 10.4 percent to 2.85 billion euros, mainly due to strong price increases and a product mix effect In Paris, Renault shares were trading at 37.42 euros, up 2.99 percent. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX RENAULT-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de 18 February 2022 ChallengerX plc ("ChallengerX" or the "Company") Changes in Leadership and Board Composition The Company (AQSE: CXS) announces that John May, a UK Chartered Accountant, has been appointed as Non-Executive Chairman of the Company, effective immediately. John has significant experience and connections in the UK that will assist the Company with the execution of its strategic plan. John May has been a practicing Chartered Accountant for over 40 years providing services across a broad range of clients from SMEs to PLCs of international repute. He was a Senior Partner in the leading Chartered Accountancy firm, now Crowe UK, for 17 of those years, including 8 years on the Managing Board, where he was involved with developing marketing strategy in the capacity as National Marketing Partner, and the Chairman of the Thames Valley Offices for 9 years. More recently Mr. May has been in the board of companies which require his experience and corporate governance skills, particularly in relation to Audit Committee and statutory responsibilities. These companies are predominantly in the fintech, clean power, health-tech and ethical mining industries. Past directorships include Tomco Energy Plc, Petrolatina Energy Plc, Hayward Tyler Group Plc and London & Boston Investments. Current directorships include Pires Investments Plc, City & Westminster Corporate Finance LLP and Red Leopard Holdings Plc. Furthermore, Brian Connell, a Chartered Financial Analyst and the Company's Chief Financial Officer, will be assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Previously, Brian was the Founder and CEO of venture backed StreetFusion, a fintech company based in San Francisco, CA. Lastly, the Company is taking the appropriate steps to unfreeze approximately 660,000 of its funds held in the accounts of its wholly-owned French subsidiary SportsX SAS. These funds were mistakenly frozen by the French authorities as part of an investigation into the Company's former CEO. The Company has been advised that the process of unfreezing them is a simple procedural matter in France. The Board believes that while it may take some time to complete this process it will ultimately be successful in having the funds unfrozen. The Company's bank accounts remain unaffected, however, and the Board is confident that the Company's current financial resources of over 550,000 are more than adequate for it to execute on its plans. AQSE Rule 4.09 - Directors' Details John May holds or has held the following directorships (including directorships of companies registered outside England and Wales) within the previous five years: Director Current Directorships Previous Directorships in the last 5 years John May Score Tek Limited Mobcast Limited Coolcharm Gold Mining Co Ltd Major Broadcasting Corp Ltd The Genesis Initiative Ltd The Small Business Bureau Ltd Read 2 Write Limited Media World Networks Ltd Enterprise 24/7 Ltd The Time Traveller Company Ltd Nevada Gold Ltd Uniqorn Media Ltd Hemp.im Ltd XRApplied Ltd Ignite Africa Ltd M6 Limited The Morani Preserve Ltd The Morani Conservancy Ltd Smart Toys Technologies Ltd Silver Uniqorn Ltd Outsize Capital Limited Fitness Pods Ltd The Genesis Initiative Africa Ltd Global Osteoporosis Foundation Pires Investments Plc China Pub Companv Plc Red Leopard Holdings Plc Red Leopard Management Ltd Harrell Hotels (Europe) Ltd Defence Assets Solutions Ltd Hayward Tyler Group Pic Southbank UK Ltd Specialist Energy Group Trustee Ltd Aero Optimal Ltd BRC-IT Ltd International Consolidated Minerals Ltd City & Westminster Consultants LLP Round Top Minerals Limited Ionian Pello Tech Limited Desert Hawk Gold Corporation John May: 1. does not have any unspent convictions in relation to indictable offences; 2. has not been a director of a company which has been placed in receivership, insolvent liquidation, administration, been subject to a voluntary arrangement or any composition or arrangement with its creditors generally or any class of its creditors whilst he was a director of that company or within the 12 months after he ceased to be a director of that company; 3. has not been a partner in any partnership which has been placed in insolvent liquidation, administration or been the subject of a partnership voluntary arrangement whilst he was a partner in that partnership or within the 12 months after he ceased to be a partner in that partnership; 4. has not been the owner of any assets or a partner in any partnership which has been placed in receivership whilst he was a partner in that partnership or within the 12 months after he ceased to be a partner in that partnership; 5. has not been publicly criticised by any statutory or regulatory authority (including recognised professional bodies); or 6. has not been disqualified by a court from acting as a director of any company or from acting in the management or conduct of the affairs of a company. This announcement contains information which, prior to its disclosure, constituted inside information as stipulated under Regulation 11 of the Market Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019/310 (as amended). The directors of ChallengerX accept responsibility for this announcement. For further information please contact: Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 18, 2022) - EMX Royalty Corporation (NYSE American: EMX) (TSXV: EMX) (FSE: 6E9) (the "Company", or "EMX") is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Bullion Monarch Mining, Inc., ("Bullion") has reached a settlement with Barrick Gold Corporation ("Barrick") and Barrick affiliates and subsidiaries ("Barrick Entities") with respect to Bullion's claim of non-payment of royalties by the Barrick Entities to Bullion on production from properties in the Carlin trend, Nevada. Bullion initiated litigation in 2008, before EMX acquired Bullion in 2012. Pursuant to the settlement, Barrick will pay Bullion US$ 25 million, of which US$ 6.175 million is owed as payment of the contingency fee to Bullion's Reno, Nevada lawyers. The settlement of the lawsuit does not affect our 1% gross smelter return royalty from portions of Nevada Gold Mine's Leeville, Turf and other underground gold mining operations, which will continue to be paid. About EMX. EMX is a precious, base and battery metals royalty company. EMX's investors are provided with discovery, development, and commodity price optionality, while limiting exposure to risks inherent to operating companies. The Company's common shares are listed on the NYSE American Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "EMX", as well as on the Frankfurt exchange under the symbol "6E9". Please see www.EMXroyalty.com for more information. For further information contact: David M. Cole President and Chief Executive Officer Phone: (303) 973-8585 Dave@EMXroyalty.com Scott Close Director of Investor Relations Phone: (303) 973-8585 SClose@EMXroyalty.com Isabel Belger Investor Relations (Europe) Phone: +49 178 4909039 Ibelger@EMXroyalty.com Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain "forward looking statements" that reflect the Company's current expectations and projections about its future results. These forward-looking statements may include statements regarding completion of the transaction, perceived merits of properties, exploration results and budgets, mineral reserves and resource estimates, work programs, capital expenditures, timelines, strategic plans, market prices for precious and base metal, or other statements that are not statements of fact. When used in this news release, words such as "estimate," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "will", "believe", "potential", "upside" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which, by their very nature, are not guarantees of the Company's future operational or financial performance, and are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance, prospects or opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and factors may include, but are not limited to: unavailability of financing, failure to identify commercially viable mineral reserves, fluctuations in the market valuation for commodities, difficulties in obtaining required approvals for the development of a mineral project, increased regulatory compliance costs, expectations of project funding by joint venture partners and other factors. It is possible EMX may not complete the transaction, as a result of failure to fulfill conditions of closing, unavailability of financing or for other reasons EMX cannot anticipate at this time. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release or as of the date otherwise specifically indicated herein. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified in this news release, and other risk factors and forward-looking statements listed in the Company's MD&A for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 and the year ended December 31, 2020 (the "MD&A"), and the most recently filed Revised Annual Information Form (the "AIF") for the year ended December 31, 2020, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. More information about the Company, including the MD&A, the AIF and financial statements of the Company, is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the SEC's EDGAR website at www.sec.gov. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114178 AECI LIMITED Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa (Registration number: 1924/002590/06) Share code: AFE ISIN: ZAE000000220 Hybrid code: AFEP ISIN: ZAE000000238 Bond company code: AECI LEI: 3789008641F1D3D90E85 (AECI or the Company or the Group) CHANGE TO THE BOARD: APPOINTMENT OF AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR In compliance with paragraphs 3.59 of the JSE Limited (JSE) Listings Requirements and 6.39 of the JSE Debt Listings Requirements, AECI is pleased to announce that Ms Aarti Takoordeen will join the Group as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Executive Director with effect from 20 May 2022. In addition to these roles, her extended portfolio will include Mergers and Acquisitions, Information Technology, Enterprise Risk Management, and Strategic Projects. Furthermore, Aarti Takoordeen will be appointed Chairman of AECI Property Services. The Group confirms that the appointment of Ms Takoordeen was done in accordance with AECI's Board Nomination, Composition and Diversity policy. She succeeds Mark Kathan who takes up another key role in the Group. Aarti Takoordeen has served as Group CFO and Executive Director of the JSE Limited for the past nine years. She brings strong leadership and depth of experience in capital markets, information technology, manufacturing and professional services. Prior to the JSE she held Executive roles at Johnson Controls International and Hewlett -Packard across Middle East and Africa. She is a Chartered Accountant, Harvard Alumni and named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. "I am excited to join the AECI leadership team and look forward to being part of driving the Group's Strategic growth agenda," says Aarti Takoordeen. Khotso Mokhele, Chairman of AECI states: "It is a pleasure to welcome Aarti Takoordeen to AECI and the Board looks forward to the benefits of her knowledge and experience. Her appointment further strengthens the Board in terms of skills and diversity. Furthermore, the Board wishes to thank Mark Kathan for his valuable contribution as CFO since 2008. Mark assumes leadership responsibility for AECI Mining, the Group's largest business." Mark Dytor, AECI Chief Executive Officer, notes: "AECI has brought its exceptional core businesses under one brand and the leadership of "One AECI", which is instrumental in guiding our further expansion. AECI is proud to appoint Aarti Takoordeen who brings a rich skill set and experience which will add to the leadership that is decisively driving AECI forward." Ms Takoordeen's appointment on the relevant Board committees will be confirmed in due course. Khotso Mokhele Mark Dytor Chairman Chief Executive Woodmead, Sandton 18 February 2022 Sponsor and Debt Sponsor: RAND MERCHANT BANK (A division of FirstRand Bank Limited) Recognized for Leadership and SIMM Solution in Helping Buy-Side Meet Uncleared Margin Rules LONDON, NEW YORK and SINGAPORE, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cassini Systems, the leading provider of pre- and post-trade margin and collateral analytics for derivatives market participants and specialist in Uncleared Margin Rules (UMR) compliance, has just won the 2022 Risk Markets Technology Award for Best UMR Service of the Year. Cassini has played a significant role in helping a wide range of asset managers, insurance firms and top-tier hedge funds meet the complex requirements under UMR in Phases 4 and 5, and those firms that are captured, or potentially captured, by Phase 6, coming into effect on Sept. 1. Liam Huxley, CEO and founder at Cassini Systems, said: "We are thrilled that our fully embedded solution has been recognized by Risk.net. Our focus has always been on the bigger picture: providing the buy-side with an end-to-end Standard Initial Margin Model (SIMM) solution to help clients proactively manage collateral levels and the costs of trading derivatives. We are seeing significant demand for this capability as we edge closer to the Phase 6 deadline. We have been able to help some of the biggest asset managers, including the world's largest, manage the impact of UMR on their business and gain competitive advantage." A judging panel consisting of technology users and Risk.net editors select the winners of the Risk Markets Technology Awards. Among the reasons Cassini stood out in the category, according to the Risk.net judges, were the platform's adoption by BlackRock and other major asset managers, the "impressive" nature of the Average Aggregate Notional Amount (AANA) monitoring service available via BlackRock's Aladdin platform and the firm's novation analytics tools that "means this is more than just a margin calculator." Cassini provides the ability to calculate and monitor AANA exposure to determine if clients would be in scope for UMR, along with Notional Reduction Tools to help them stay under the Initial Margin (IM) posting threshold with any given counterparty. Cassini's platform enables firms to improve their collateral resilience and reduce derivatives carry costs through pre- and post-trade optimization of margin, collateral and funding. The solution also helps reduce system friction with seamless integration into all the leading order management system (OMS), collateral management and outsourced service providers. Huxley said: "Regulations such as UMR make it clear that buy-side and sell-side firms alike need a solution that provides transparency and optimization across all business lines including bilateral portfolios. Our tools help them reduce collateral liquidity risk, lower the cost of financing trades, and understand how and where capital is being consumed." About Cassini Systems Founded in 2014, Cassini Systems offers an award-winning derivatives margin analytical platform that provides the industry's only front-to-back margin and cost analysis across the entire lifecycle of a trade. Cassini users can calculate any margin on any cleared or uncleared derivatives asset; analyze drivers and movement in margin exposure; reduce Initial Margin levels; and maximize margin efficiency with the firm's industry leading, advanced algorithms. Cassini services have a proven track record of enhancing portfolio returns at every point in the daily business cycle, empowering traders and portfolio managers with the ability to analyze instantly in the pre-trade stage the all-in, lifetime cost of a transaction. Top-tier hedge funds, asset managers and Tier 1 banks rely on Cassini for powerful, flexible, automated tools to manage their portfolios of over-the-counter and exchange-traded derivatives products. For more information, visit www.cassinisystems.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1749279/Cassini_Risk_MT_Awards_2022.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1140538/Cassini_Logo.jpg Traditional RAN vs. Open RAN Configuration TOKYO, Feb 18, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - KDDI CORPORATION, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Fujitsu Limited announced that the companies have turned on the world's first(1) commercial 5G Standalone(2) (referred to as "5G SA" below) Open Radio Access Network (referred to as "Open RAN" below) site powered by virtualized Radio Access Network (referred to as "vRAN" below) in Kawasaki, Kanagawa on February 18, 2022, successfully completing the transmission of live 5G traffic.For the deployment of this first site, KDDI used O-RAN compliant(3) solutions, including Samsung's 5G virtualized CU (vCU) and virtualized DU (vDU) as well as Fujitsu's radio units (MMU: Massive MIMO Units).Virtualization and O-RAN technology replaces dedicated hardware with software elements that can run on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) servers. This brings flexibility and agility to KDDI's network, allowing the operator to offer enhanced mobile services to its users. Additionally, this architecture will deliver reliability, while accelerating deployment of Open RAN throughout Japan, including in rural areas.Beginning with this site, in 2022, KDDI, along with Samsung and Fujitsu, will deploy this Open RAN in some parts of Japan and continue its deployment and development, embracing openness and virtualization in KDDI's commercial network.Traditional RAN vs. Open RAN ConfigurationBackground5G technology powers new applications and use cases, such as XR, real-time services in the manufacturing sector (collection of sensor data, remote operation and factory automation) and connected services in the transportation sector (automated vehicles and traffic management). While the number of connected devices and mobile data traffic consumption is exponentially growing, due to the increase in usage, it is more important to build a network infrastructure quickly and cost-effectively.Characteristics of this siteWhile traditional RAN uses hardware-based equipment, this Open RAN site leverages fully-virtualized RAN software, provided by Samsung, that runs on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) servers. Furthermore, by pursuing an open network approach between radio units and baseband unit, KDDI used Samsung's baseband and Fujitsu's Massive MIMO Units, which are connected with an open interface.Traditional RAN vs. Open RAN Configuration- Fully-virtualized 5G RAN software can be swiftly deployed using existing hardware infrastructure, which brings greater flexibility in deployment. New 5G SA technologies--such as network slicing, Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) and others--powered by 5G vRAN, will deliver superior performance, higher speeds and lower latency, allowing KDDI users to experience a range of new next-generation services and immersive applications.- Using an open interface between radio units and baseband unit, Open RAN not only ensures security and reliability but also enables operators to implement best-of-breed solutions from different partners and build an optimal network infrastructure for maximized performance.- The virtualized network allows the use of general-purpose hardware (COTS servers) across the country, which will greatly increase deployment efficiencies. Additionally, by leveraging system automation, fully-virtualized RAN software can reduce deployment time, enabling swift nationwide expansion, including rural areas.Comments from Kazuyuki Yoshimura, Chief Technology Officer, KDDI Corporation"Together with Samsung and Fujitsu, we are excited to successfully develop and turn on the world's first commercial 5G SA Open RAN site powered by vRAN. Taking a big step, we look forward to continue leading network innovation and advancing our network capabilities, towards our vision of delivering cutting-edge 5G services to our customers."Comments from Woojune Kim, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics"Leveraging our industry-leading 5G capabilities, we are excited to mark another milestone with KDDI and Fujitsu. Samsung stands out for its leadership in 5G vRAN and Open RAN with wide-scale commercial deployment experiences across the globe. While KDDI and Samsung are at the forefront of network innovation, we look forward to expanding our collaboration towards 5G SA, to bring compelling 5G services to users."Comments from Shingo Mizuno, Corporate Executive Officer and Vice Head of System Platform Business (In charge of Network Business), Fujitsu Limited"The Open RAN-based ecosystem offers many exciting possibilities and this latest milestone with KDDI and Samsung demonstrates the innovative potential of next-generation mobile services with Massive MIMO Units. Fujitsu will continue to enhance this ecosystem, with the goal of providing advanced mobile services and contributing to the sustainable growth of our society."The companies will continue to strengthen virtualized and Open RAN leadership in this space, bringing additional value to customers and enterprises with 5G SA.(1) This is the first commercial deployment using 5G SA with Open RAN and vRAN. (Based on Samsung's market research as of Feb. 18. 2022)(2) 5G Standalone (SA) mode refers to the network architecture that pairs 5G radios with a dedicated core for 5G(3) O-RAN Alliance designated specifications for RAN interfaces that support interoperation between various vendors' equipmentAbout FujitsuFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 126,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$34 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com.Source: Fujitsu LtdCopyright 2022 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. CHICAGO, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Cell Culture Market by Product (Consumables (Media, Serum, Reagent, Vessels), Equipment (Bioreactor, Centrifuge, Incubator)), Application (Vaccines, mAbs, Diagnostics, Tissue Engineering), End User (Pharma, Biotech, Hospital) - Global Forecast to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global market is projected to reach USD 41.3 billion by 2026 from USD 22.8 billion in 2021, at a CAGR of 12.6 % between 2021 and 2026. Browse in-depth TOC on "Cell Culture Market" 690 - Tables 43 - Figures 490 - Pages Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=559 The growth of this market is majorly driven by the growing awareness about the benefits of cell-based vaccines, increasing demand for monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), funding for cell-based research, growing preference for single-use technologies, the launch of advanced cell culture products, and the growing focus on personalized medicine. On the other hand, the high cost of cell biology research is restraining the growth of this market. The consumables segment accounted for the largest share of the product segment in the cell culture market in 2020. Based on product, the market is segmented into equipment and consumables. The cell culture equipment market is further segmented into supporting equipment, bioreactors, and storage equipment. The cell culture consumables market is segmented into sera, media & reagents, vessels, and bioreactor accessories. In 2020, the consumables segment accounted for the largest share of the market. The large share and high growth of the consumables segment can be attributed to the repeated purchase of consumables and an increase in funding for cell-based research. The biopharmaceutical production segment accounted for the largest share of the application segment in the cell culture market in 2020. Based on application, the market is categorized into biopharmaceutical production, diagnostics, drug discovery & development, tissue engineering & regenerative medicine, and other applications. The biopharmaceutical production segment is further divided into monoclonal antibody production, vaccine production, and other therapeutic protein production. The tissue engineering & regenerative medicine segment is further divided into cell & gene therapy and other tissue engineering & regenerative medicine applications. The biopharmaceutical production segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR of 14.1% during the forecast period. The high growth of this segment is attributed to the commercial expansion of major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, the increasing demand for mAbs, and the growing regulatory approvals for the production of cell culture-based vaccines. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=559 The Asia Pacific region is the fastest-growing region of the cell culture market in 2020. Based on the region, the global market has been segmented into North America, Europe, the Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. The Asia Pacific market is estimated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Government initiatives for research on stem cell therapy, growing geriatric population, the rising prominence of regenerative medicine research, increasing number of researchers in Japan, growth of preclinical/clinical research in China, favorable changes in foreign direct investment (FDI) regulations in the pharmaceutical industry in India, and growth of the pharmaceutical & biopharmaceutical sectors in South Korea are the major factors contributing to the growth of the market in the Asia Pacific. Key players in the cell culture market include Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (US), Merck KGaA (Germany), Danaher Corporation (US), and Sartorius AG (Germany). Speak to Analyst: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=559 Browse Adjacent Markets: Biotechnology Market Research Reports & Consulting Browse Related Reports: Single use Bioprocessing Market by Product (Media Bags and containers, Bioreactors, Mixers, Assemblies), Application (Cell Culture, Mixing, Storage, Filtration, Purification), End User (Biopharma Companies, CROs, CMOs) - Global Forecast 2026 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/single-use-bioprocessing-market-231651297.html Stem Cell Manufacturing Market by Product (Consumables, Instrument, HSCs, MSCs, iPSCs, ESCs), Application (Research, Clinical (Autologous, Allogenic), Cell & Tissue Banking), End User (Pharma & Biotech, Hospitals, Tissue Bank) - Global Forecast to 2026 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/stem-cell-manufacturing-market-70743403.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/cell-culture-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/cell-culture.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg NEW YORK, Feb. 18, 2022, a global leader in genomics and precision medicine, today announced it has partnered with The Renato Dulbecco Foundation to deliver more personalized therapies in rare diseases, oncology and COVID-19. Protelica, the groundbreaking US biotechnology company, has licensed its library of billions of pronectines nanoantibodies and a portfolio of 12 patents to The Renato Dulbecco Foundation. As part of the drug discovery partnership, The Renato Dulbecco Foundation will leverage the Dante Platform to identify nanoantibodies and their efficacy for a wide range of applications, including for the experimental treatment of COVID-19 and all its variants resistant to traditional therapies and orphan diseases. Additional R&D activities will be outsourced to Twist Biosciences. "Personalized medicine needs personalized data, and it is through partnerships like ours with The Renato Dulbecco Foundation that we can utilize the power of genomic information to treat diseases and ultimately deliver better health outcomes for patients," said Andrea Riposati, CEO of Dante Labs. "I strongly believe that this collaboration will lead to the discovery of new pronectines that must be considered a next generation medicine and will open the avenues for the treatment of still incurable diseases," said Prof. Giuseppe Nistico, leader of the Renato Dulbecco Foundation and former member of European Medicine Agency (EMA) CHMP (Committee for Human Medical Products) and EMA management board. The partnership received the enthusiastic endorsement of Dr. Roberto Crea, scientific director of The Renato Dulbecco Foundation, the famous scientist, biotechnology pioneer and early Genentech employee. The Renato Dulbecco Foundation was selected to receive government funds of approximately USD 30 million (ca. 27 million euros) and will have employment impact for at least 100 people, including researchers, collaborators and employees. The institute is named after and celebrates Nobel Laureate Renato Dulbecco, the famed Italian-American molecular biologist and virologist who was awarded the 1975 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for his work on oncoviruses and in cancer. He is considered the father of human genome decodification. About Dante Labs Dante Labs is a global genomic data company building and commercializing a new class of transformative health and longevity applications based on whole genome sequencing and AI. Our assets include one of the largest private genome databases with research consent, a proprietary software platform designed to unleash the power of genomic data at scale and proprietary processes which enable an industrial approach to genomic sequencing. Contact GUELPH, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 18, 2022 / Zentek Ltd. ("ZEN" or the "Company") (TSXV:ZEN)(OTC PINK:ZENYF), a Canadian IP development and commercialization company focused on next-gen healthcare solutions, announces today that it has filed a provisional patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on a novel Graphene-Wrapped Silicon Anode material developed by Prof. Michael Pope, an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Waterloo along with Dr. Marianna Uceda and Dr. Zimin She. A paper on this technology has been published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces on February 17th and can be found here. Zentek CEO Greg Fenton commented: "We are very pleased to support Dr. Pope and his group at the University of Waterloo. Their innovation has the potential to improve the current lithium-ion battery by upgrading graphite to this graphene-wrapped silicon anode. Not only were the researchers able to demonstrate good performance with laboratory-scale half-cells, the performance was also validated with commercial lithium iron phosphate cathodes suggesting they could be a drop-in solution for enhancing already available battery technologies. We look forward to continuing our support of their research and development to potentially bring this technology to market. The company has begun discussions with a potential industry partner." Key characteristics of graphene-wrapped silicon anode include: At practical mass loading of 2.5mg/cm 2 , the electrode achieved 2.04 mAh/cm 2 and retained 79% of this capacity after 200 cycles against a lithium half-cell , the electrode achieved 2.04 mAh/cm and retained 79% of this capacity after 200 cycles against a lithium half-cell When paired with a commercial lithium iron phosphate cathode, the fully assembled battery retained 93.3% of its initial capacity over 100 cycles Works with current lithium-ion batteries as a replacement for graphite Requires further development and optimization work before it can be commercialized Dr. Pope added: "Silicon is poised to replace graphite as the dominant anode material in current Li-ion and future, next-generation batteries. However, silicon expands by over 300% when the battery is charged and discharged, which has limited commercialization efforts. Our lab, through ongoing efforts supported by Zentek and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, has developed an improved method to enable high capacity, high cycle-life anodes by encapsulating them in a protective, crumpled graphene shell using a simple spray drying approach often used to generate much of the world's dry powders. We look forward to our continued collaboration with Zentek which we hope will soon lead to a dominant, commercial anode technology." Zentek, along with grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), has been funding the research and development of this novel graphene-wrapped silicon anode. About Zentek Ltd. Zentek is a nanotechnology company developing and commercializing next-gen healthcare solutions in the areas of prevention, detection and treatment. Zentek is currently focused on commercializing ZENGuard, a patent-pending coating shown to have 99% antimicrobial activity, including against COVID-19, and the potential to use similar compounds as products against infectious diseases. The company also has an exclusive agreement to be the global commercializing partner for a newly developed aptamer-based rapid pathogen detection technology. For further information: Matt Blazei Tel: (212) 655-0924 Email: mattb@coreir.com To find out more about Zentek Ltd., please visit our website at www.Zentek.com. A copy of this news release and all material documents in respect of the Company may be obtained on ZEN's SEDAR profile at https://sedar.com Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although Zentek believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Zentek disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Zentek Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/689406/Zentek-Announces-Development-of-Graphene-Wrapped-Silicon-Anodes Correlate Infrastructure Partners seeks future organic growth and additional acquisitions BOISE, ID / ACCESSWIRE / February 18, 2022 / The Company today announced that a majority of its stockholders have approved a name change from Triccar, Inc. to Correlate Infrastructure Partners, Inc. via written consent. The Company has filed a Form 14C Information Statement with the SEC and will be distributing the Form 14C to all its stockholders with the record of February 17, 2022. As a majority of our stockholder base approved the name change through a written consent, the 14C Information Statement being mailed out requires no response, return of proxy or additional vote from our stockholders. Within approximately thirty days from the record date (on or about March 17, 2022), the Company anticipates being able to change its name and symbol change with applicable regulatory and marketplace authorities. CEO, Todd Michaels stated, "The change of the name to Correlate Infrastructure Partners better describes our business model and focus going forward. Since the December 2021 merger of two operating companies, Correlate, Inc. and Loyal Enterprises LLC (dba Solar Site Design), the Company has been aggressively moving to conclude its rebranding, revised web site, investor presentation materials and initiating an investor relations awareness campaign. We are excited about the potential for future growth of our firm in this market given only 3% of the buildings and infrastructure in the United States has optimized for building efficiency, sustainability, renewable energy and EV support. Additionally, our Company is in active acquisition mode during 2022 and look forward to updating shareholders as future milestones and events occur." Upon the final approvals for the name change to Correlate Infrastructure Partners, the Company will update the public with a related press release. Additionally, the Company anticipates its Annual Report on Form 10-K to be filed on or about March 30, 2022. ABOUT TRICCAR: Triccar, Inc., who's corporate name will be Correlate Infrastructure Partners, Inc. going forward, through its two subsidiaries, Correlate and Solar Site Design offers a complete suite of proprietary clean energy assessment solutions for the commercial real estate industry. Correlate is a portfolio-scale development and finance platform offering commercial and industrial facilities access to clean electrification solutions focused on locally-sited solar, energy storage, EV infrastructure, and intelligent efficiency measures. Its unique data-driven approach is powered by proprietary analytics, concierge subscription services, and a highly scalable national fulfillment network to help building owners profit from fully-funded, turnkey decarbonization and facility health programs. The Company's website is located at: https://www.correlateinc.com/ Solar Site Design is a U.S. Department of Energy Sunshot Catalyst winner that provides customer acquisition and project development tools for the commercial solar industry. Its commercial marketplace platform connects highly qualified project opportunities to leading solar construction companies nationwide. The Company's website is located at: https://www.solarsitedesign.com/ FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release may include "forward-looking statements" regarding Triccar, Inc., its subsidiaries, business, and project plans. Such forward-looking statements are within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by such sections. Where Triccar, Inc. expresses or implies an expectation or belief about future events or results, such expectation or belief is believed to have a reasonable basis. However, forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected, or implied by such forward-looking statements. Triccar, Inc. does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. Investors may contact: Market Street Capital, Inc. at (832) 447-7592 SOURCE: Triccar Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/689405/TRICCAR-INC-Announces-Name-Change-and-Filing-of-14C-Information-Statement GOVERNMENT will transport youths from across the country to attend the National Youth Day commemorations in Harare on Monday to be addressed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe yesterday told journalists that the commemorations will be held at the Robert Mugabe Square where Mnangagwa will also launch the anti-drug campaign. The day was gazetted in November 2017 in honour of the late former President Robert Mugabe. On Monday, February 21, 2022, the Youth Sport, Art and Recreation ministry and the Zimbabwe Youth Council will lead the rest of the country in commemorating the National Youth Day, Kazembe said. The event will be graced by thousands of youths drawn from the countrys 10 provinces. The ministry mobilised enough transport to ferry young people form provinces to attend this event, Kazembe said. The theme for this years commemorations is Alleviating Substance And Drug abuse by the Youths, Kazembe said. The mantra behind this years commemoration is to encourage stakeholders to join hands and advocate or come up with programmes that encourage behavioural change among youths. Failure to harness our demographic dividend means Zimbabwe will not be able to achieve Vision 2030. Newsday VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 18, 2022 / Gambier Gold Corp. (TSX-V:GGAU) ("Gambier" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Tor Bruland and Casey Forward have been appointed as directors of the Company. Mr. Tor Bruland (M.Sc., P.Geo.) is a geologist with over 40 years experience in the mineral exploration industry and has extensive experience in corporate management of public companies. His work experience covers a variety of commodities within a wide range of geological environments, including mesothermal and epithermal gold, porphyry copper, copper-zinc-lead massive sulphide, iron, rare earth elements, lithium salars, alluvial gold and industrial minerals. Mr. Casey Forward (CPA, CGA) has served in senior management positions for a number of public and private companies in his career. Casey has been a professional accountant since 1985 and has a great deal of experience in financial, accounting and audit matters, as well as regulatory filing requirements in Canada and the United States. Casey has been involved with several junior mining companies with projects in Canada, Mexico, and Colombia. Gambier also announces the resignations of Michael Burns and Rafael Vaudrin as directors of the Company. The Company wishes to thank Mr. Burns and Mr. Vaudrin for their efforts and dedication to the Company and its objectives, and wish both of them the best in their future endeavours ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Michael E. Schuss President & CEO For further information, please contact: Gambier Gold Corp. Phone: (604) 241-2254 E-mail: info@gambier.gold Website: www.gambier.gold Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Statements included in this announcement, including statements concerning our plans, intentions and expectations, which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements may be identified by words including "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "expects", and similar expressions. The Company cautions readers that forward-looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company's future operations and business prospects, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. SOURCE: Gambier Gold Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/689419/Gambier-Gold-Corp-TSX-V-GGAU-Corporate-Update WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Dollar Tree, Inc. (DLTR) said Bob Sasser plans to retire from his role as Executive Chairman of Board prior to the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Board has decided to bestow Bob Sasser with the honorary title of Chairman Emeritus upon his retirement. Sasser joined the company in 1999 as Chief Operating Officer, served as President and Chief Operating Officer from 2001 to 2003, and then as Chief Executive Officer from 2003 to 2017. He has served as Executive Chairman of the Board for the past five years. 'Dollar Tree would not be the company it is today without Bob Sasser,' said Gregory Bridgeford, Lead Independent Director. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Operational improvements increase scalability and build corporate strategy PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / February 18, 2022 / Business Warrior Corp. (OTC PINK:BZWR), the source for small businesses in America to get more customers, is today providing an update on its progress toward becoming a fully reporting company and highlighting initiatives to help the Company scale its operations. In conjunction with its ongoing audit, Business Warrior has identified shares that were not reflected by the transfer agent. This has been updated and the accurate number of outstanding shares is now shown on OTC Markets. London Finance & Investment Group PLC ('Lonfin' or the 'Company') Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial statements for the six months ended 31 December 2021 and dividend declaration The Company today announces its unaudited interim results and interim dividend declaration for the six months ended 31 December 2021 (the 'Interim Statement'). Chairman's Statement Introduction As an investment company our target is to achieve growth in shareholder value in real terms over the medium to long term while maintaining a progressive dividend policy. In the short term, our results can be influenced by overall stock market performance, particularly the valuation of our Strategic Investments. We continue to believe that a combination of Strategic Investments and a General Portfolio is the most effective way of achieving our aims. Strategic Investments are significant investments in smaller UK quoted companies where we have expectations of above average growth over the medium to longer term and these are balanced by a General Portfolio which consists of investments in major U.S., U.K. and European equities. The Company acknowledges the increased focus on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues in recent years and the benefits of socially responsible long-term investment. At 31 December 2021, we held two Strategic Investments: Western Selection PLC and Finsbury Food Group Plc. Detailed comments on our Strategic Investments are given below. Results Our net assets per share increased by 4.5% to 63.2p at 31 December 2021 from 60.5p at 30 June 2021. We sold 1,500,000 Finsbury Food shares in the period and made some changes to the General Portfolio Investments, realising cash of 2,842,000 and net profits of 1,536,000 compared to the cost of these investments. The value of our General Portfolio increased by 6.3% compared with increases of 4.6% and 6.0% in the FTSE 100 index and the FTSEurofirst 300 Index respectively, over the half year. At the close of business on 31 January 2022, our net asset value was 61.8p per share. The Group profit before tax for the half year was 561,000 including revaluation of General Portfolio investments only (2020 - 848,000). Our total comprehensive profit after tax and minority interest was 1,024,000 (2020: 1,689,000) including revaluation of all investments, resulting in earnings per share of 1.2p (2020: earnings per share 2.1p). Strategic Investments Finsbury Food Group Plc ("Finsbury") Finsbury is one of the largest producers and suppliers of premium cakes, bread and morning goods in the UK and currently supplies most of the UK's major supermarket chains. Further information about Finsbury, which is admitted to trading on AIM, is available on its website: www.finsburyfoods.co.uk During the period we sold 1,500,000 Finsbury Food shares and at 31 December 2021, Lonfin held 4,500,000 Finsbury shares, representing 3.45% of Finsbury's issued share capital. The market value of the holding was 4,500,000 at 31 December 2021 (2020 - 4,560,000) and represented approximately 23% (2020 - 26%) of Lonfin's net assets. In January 2022, we sold a further 200,000 Finsbury shares. On 20 September 2021, Finsbury announced profits on continuing operations after tax of 13,645,000 for the 52 weeks ended 26 June 2021 (2020: profits on continuing operations after tax of 107,000). A dividend of 120,000 was received from Finsbury on 21 December 2021. Western Selection PLC ("Western") The Group owns 7,860,515 Western shares, representing 43.8% of Western's issued share capital. On 17 February 2022, Western announced profit before tax of 117,000 for the half year to 31 December 2021 (2020: loss before tax of 261,000) and earnings per share of 0.64p (2020: loss per share of 1.5p). Western also announced that it was not recommending the payment of an interim dividend (2020: Nil). The market value of the Company's investment in Western at 31 December 2021 was 2,987,000 representing 15% of the net assets of Lonfin (30 June 2021: 2,712,000). Our share of the net assets of Western, including the value of Western's investments at market value, was 5,310,000 (30 June 2021 - 4,396,000). I am the Chairman of Western and Edward Beale is a non-executive director. Western's main Core Holdings are Northbridge Industrial Services Plc and Kinovo Plc. An extract from Western's interim results announcement relating to its main Core Holdings is set out below: Core Holdings Northbridge Industrial Service Plc ("Northbridge") Northbridge hires and sells specialist industrial equipment to a non-cyclical customer base. With offices or agents in the UK, USA, Dubai, Germany, Belgium, France, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Brazil, Korea and Azerbaijan, Northbridge has a global customer base. This includes utility companies, the oil and gas sector, shipping, construction and the public sector. The product range includes load banks, transformers and oil tools. Further information about Northbridge, which is admitted to trading on AIM, is available on its website: www.northbridgegroup.co.uk Northbridge's latest results, for the half year to 30 June 2021, showed a profit after tax of 77,000 for the period (2020: loss after tax of 7,295,000). No interim dividend payment was recommended (2020: Nil). During the period we sold 495,500 Northbridge shares and subsequent to the period end we sold a further 1,427,500 Northbridge shares. At 28 January 2022, Western owned 1,377,000 Northbridge shares which represented 4.74% of Northbridge's issued share capital. At 31 December 2021, the market value of this investment was 4,712,000 (30 June 2021: 3,828,000), representing 38.8% of Western's net assets. Kinovo Plc ("Kinovo") Kinovo is an award-winning provider of gas and electrical installation, maintenance and general building services to local authority and housing associations predominantly in London and South East England. It has a strategy of growing organically and by acquisition. Further information about Kinovo, which is admitted to trading on AIM, is available on its website: www.kinovoplc.com. Kinovo announced its interim results for the six-month period to 30 September 2021 on 7 December 2021 showing a profit after tax of 834,000 (2020: loss after tax - 361,000). Western received a final dividend of 37,500 on 22 September 2021. No interim dividend has been recommended by Kinovo during the current financial year. Western owns 7,500,000 Kinovo shares, which represents 12.1% of Kinovo's issued share capital. The market value of this investment at 31 December 2021 was 3,075,000 (30 June 2021: 2,775,000) representing 25.3% of Western's net assets. General Portfolio Lonfin's general portfolio is diverse with material interests in Food and Beverages, Natural Resources, Chemicals and Tobacco. We believe that the portfolio of quality companies we hold has the potential to outperform the market in the medium to long term. At 31 December 2021, the number of holdings in the General Portfolio was 38 (2020: 33). The Company repaid the full amount owed under its loan facility and therefore had unused borrowing facilities of 1,900,000 at 31 December 2021 which can be drawn on to fund additional investment. Outlook We expect to see a rotation out of growth and tech stocks and into value stocks which should benefit our portfolio positioning. We remain exposed to general market movements and the overall direction of the market in the short term remains unclear. We are ungeared and have the opportunity to take advantage of any weaknesses in the share prices of quality international stocks. Accordingly, the Board remains cautious at this time and shall continue to monitor equity and currency markets for potential future volatility that has the potential to impact further on the value of our investments. The Board has declared an interim dividend of 0.55p per share (2020: 0.55p). 18 February 2022 D.C. MARSHALL Chairman Interim Dividend The Board recommends an interim gross dividend of 0.55p per share (11.25620 SA cents) (2020: 0.55p) which will be paid on Thursday 24 March 2022 to those members registered at the close of business on Friday 11 March 2022 (SA and UK). Shareholders on the South African register will receive their dividend in SA Rand converted from sterling at the closing rate of exchange on Monday 14 February 2022, being GBP 1 = SA Rand 20.4658. JSE Disclosure Requirements In respect of the normal gross cash dividend, and in terms of the South African Tax Act, the following dividend tax ruling only applies to those shareholders who are registered on the South African register on Friday, 11 March 2021. All other shareholders are exempt. The number of shares in issue now and as at the interim dividend declaration date is 31,207,479; The interim gross dividend is 11.25620 SA cents; The interim net dividend is 9.00496 SA cents; The dividend has been declared from income reserves, which funds are sourced from the Company's main bank account in London and is regarded as a foreign dividend by South African shareholders; and and is regarded as a foreign dividend by South African shareholders; and The Company's UK Income Tax reference number is 948/L32120. Dividend dates: Last day to trade (SA) Tuesday 8 March 2022 Shares trade ex-dividend (SA) Wednesday 9 March 2022 Shares trade ex-dividend (UK) Thursday 10 March 2022 Record date (SA and UK) Friday 11 March 2022 Dividend Payment date Thursday 24 March 2022 The JSE Listing Requirements require disclosure of additional information in relation to any dividend payments. Shareholders registered on the South African register are advised that the dividend withholding tax will be withheld from the gross final dividend amount of 11.25620 SA cents per share at a rate of 20% unless a shareholder qualifies for an exemption; shareholders registered on the South African register who do not qualify for an exemption will therefore receive a net dividend of 9.00496 SA cents per share. The dividend withholding tax and the information contained in this paragraph is only of direct application to shareholders registered on the South African register, who should direct any questions about the application of the dividend withholding tax to Computershare Investor Services (Pty) Limited in South Africa. Tel: +27 11 370 5000. Share certificates may not be de-materialised or re-materialised between Wednesday 9 March 2021 and Friday 11 March 2021, both dates inclusive. Shares may not be transferred between the registers in London and South Africa during this period either. Statement of Directors' responsibility The Directors confirm that, to the best of their knowledge: the unaudited interim results for the six months ended 31 December 2021 , have been prepared in accordance with IAS 34, 'Interim financial reporting', as adopted by the EU; and the Interim Statement includes a fair review of the information required by DTR 4.2.7R and DTR 4.2.8R of the Disclosure and Transparency Rules. Neither this Interim Statement nor any future interim statements of the Company will be posted to shareholders. The Interim Statement is available as follows: on the Company's website at www.city-group.com/london-finance-investment-group-plc/; and by writing to City Group PLC, the Company Secretary, at 1 Ely Place, London EC1N 6RY This announcement contains information that was previously classified as inside information for the purposes of the UK Market Abuse Regulation. Upon the publication of this announcement, this information is considered to be in the public domain. The directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement. For further information, please contact: London Finance & Investment Group PLC JSE Sponsor to the Company: Questco Corporate Advisory Proprietary Limited +44(0) 20 7796 9060 Condensed Consolidated Statement of Total Comprehensive Income Notes Half year ended Year Ended 31 December 30 June 2021 2020 2021 000 000 000 Operating Income Dividends receivable 290 119 326 Rental and other income 75 75 154 (Loss)/Profit on sales of General Portfolio investments 6 (97) 61 245 Management service fees 169 159 304 437 414 1,029 Administrative expenses Investment operations (223) (203) (392) Management services (192) (196) (412) Total administrative expenses (415) (399) (804) Operating profit 22 15 225 Unrealised changes in the carrying value of General Portfolio investments 6 543 855 1,651 Other income - - 36 Interest payable (4) (22) (39) Profit before taxation 561 848 1,873 Tax expense (159) (167) (337) Profit after taxation 402 681 1,536 Non-controlling interest (23) (12) (26) Profit attributable to shareholders 379 669 1,510 Other comprehensive income - Profit on sales of Strategic Investments 38 - - Unrealised changes in the carrying value of Strategic Investments 658 1,020 1,911 Corporation tax expense on these items (51) - - Total other comprehensive income 645 1,020 1,911 Total comprehensive income attributable to shareholders 1,024 1,689 3,421 Basic, Diluted and Headline earnings per share 1.2p 2.1p 4.8p Interim dividend 0.55p 0.55p 0.55p Final dividend - - 0.60p Total in respect of the period 0.55p 0.55p 1.15p Condensed Consolidated Statement of Changes in Shareholders' Equity Ordinary Share Capital Share Premium Account Unrealised Profits and Losses on Investments Share of Retained profits and losses of Subsidiaries Retained Realised Profits & Losses Total Non-Controlling Interests Total Equity 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 Period ended 31 Dec 2021 Balances at 1 July 2021 1,560 2,320 4,530 4,734 5,749 18,893 129 19,022 Profit for the Period - - (253) 142 490 379 23 402 Other Comprehensive Income - - 658 (13) - 645 - 645 Transfer of gain on disposal of investments at fair value through other comprehensive income to retained earnings - - (942) 942 - - - - Total comprehensive income - - (537) 1,071 490 1,024 23 1,047 Dividends paid to shareholders - - - - (187) (187) - (187) Balances at 31 Dec 2021 1,560 2,320 3,993 5,805 6,052 19,730 152 19,882 Ordinary Share Capital Share Premium Account Unrealised Profits and Losses on Investments Share of Retained profits and losses of Subsidiaries Retained Realised Profits & Losses Total Non-Controlling Interests Total Equity 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 Period ended 31 Dec 2020 Balances at 1 July 2020 1,560 2,320 1,708 4,712 5,498 15,798 103 15,901 Profit for the Period - - 492 10 167 669 12 681 Other Comprehensive Income - - 1,020 - - 1,020 - 1,020 Total comprehensive income - - 1,512 10 167 1,689 12 1,701 Dividends paid and total transactions with shareholders - - - - (187) (187) - (187) Balances at 31 Dec 2020 - - - - 33 33 - 33 Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position 31 December 30 June Notes 2021 2020 2021 000 000 000 Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment 17 26 22 Right of use of leased offices 113 481 145 Investments at fair value through other comprehensive income 7,487 7,311 8,202 7,617 7,818 8,369 Current assets Listed investments at fair value through profit or loss 6 12,849 10,898 12,081 Trade and other receivables 183 128 125 Cash and cash equivalents 517 423 309 13,549 11,449 12,515 Current liabilities Trade and other payables falling due within one year (141) (157) (228) Lease liability (70) (53) (71) Corporation tax liability (51) - - (262) (210) (299) Net Current Assets 13,287 11,239 12,216 Non-current liabilities Lease liability (73) (491) (107) Borrowings 5 - (450) (650) Deferred taxation (949) (668) (806) Total Assets less Total Liabilities 19,882 17,448 19,022 Capital and Reserves Called up share capital 1,560 1,560 1,560 Share premium account 2,320 2,320 2,320 Unrealised profits and losses on investments 3,993 3,220 4,530 Share of retained profits and losses of subsidiaries 5,805 4,722 4,734 Company's retained realised profits and losses 6,052 5,511 5,749 Total Capital and Reserves attributable to owners 19,730 17,333 18,893 Non-controlling equity interest 152 115 129 19,882 17,448 19,022 Net assets per share 63.2 55.5p 60.5p Number of shares in issue 31,207,479 31,207,479 31,207,479 Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows Half year ended Year ended 31 December 30 June 2021 2020 2021 000 000 000 Cash flows from operating activities Profit before tax 561 848 1,873 Adjustments for non-cash items- Finance expense 4 22 39 Depreciation charges 5 5 10 Depreciation on right of use of asset 32 31 62 Lease adjustment - - (36) Unrealised changes in the fair value of General Portfolio investments (543) (855) (1,651) Loss/(Profit) on sales of General Portfolio investments 97 (61) (245) (Increase)/Decrease in trade and other receivables (58) 38 41 (Decrease)/Increase in trade and other payables (74) (67) 10 Taxes paid (16) (20) (51) Net cash inflow/(outflow) from operating activities 8 (59) 52 Cash flows from investment activity Acquisition of current investments (1,753) (856) (1,706) Proceeds from disposal of current investments 1,431 821 1,469 Proceeds from disposal of strategic investments 1,411 - - Net cash inflow/(outflow) from investment activity 1,089 (35) (237) Cash flows from financing Interest paid (12) (8) (19) Interest paid on lease liabilities (4) (14) (28) Repayment of lease liabilities (36) (26) (52) Equity dividends paid (187) (187) (326) Unclaimed dividends - 33 - Net (repayment)/drawdown of loan facilities (650) 450 650 Net cash (outflow)/inflow from financing (889) 248 225 Increase in cash and cash equivalents 208 154 40 Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period/year 309 269 269 Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period/year 517 423 309 Notes to the condensed financial statements 1.Basis of preparation The results for the half-year are unaudited. The information contained in this report does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of the Companies Act 2006. The statutory accounts of the Group for the year ended 30 June 2021 have been reported on by the Company's auditors and have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The report of the auditors was unqualified. This report has been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies contained in the Group's 2021 Annual Report and Accounts and International Financial Reporting Standards, and complies with IAS 34, 'Interim financial reporting' as adopted by the EU. The financial information contained in this report has not been audited or reviewed by the Company's auditors. The Group has only one operating lease and the right of use of asset and lease liability have been estimated based on 5% discount factor and the cash flow predicted over 5-year lease life. The Income statement has also been affected with additional depreciation and interest charges which replace the rent costs. 2.Earnings per share Earnings per share are based on the profit on ordinary activities after taxation and non-controlling interests of 379,000 (2020: 669,000) and on 31,207,479 shares (2020: 31,207,479 shares) being the weighted average of number of shares in issue during the period. There are options outstanding over 80,000 shares. Reconciliation of headline earnings Headline earnings are required to be disclosed by the JSE. Headline earnings per share are based on the profit attributable to the shareholders after tax and non-controlling interests of 379,000 (2020: 669,000) and on 31,207,479 shares (2020: 31,207,479 shares) being the weighted average of number of shares in issue during the period. 3.Going Concern After making enquiries, the Board is satisfied that the Group will be able to operate within the level of its facilities for the foreseeable future. For this reason, the Board considers it appropriate for the Group to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements. 4.Principal risks and uncertainties The principal risks and uncertainties which could impact the Group's long-term performance and its performance over the remaining six months of the financial year are disclosed on pages 8-9 of the Group's 2021 Annual Report and Accounts. The key risks and mitigating activities have not changed from these: Stock market volatility, and economic uncertainty; Possible volatility of share prices of Strategic Investments and General Portfolio investments; Dividend income; Ability to make strategic investments; and Liquidity of equity investments in strategic investments 5.Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net debt At start Cash Non-cash At end of of Period Flow Movement Period Half year ended 000 000 000 000 31 December2021 Cash at bank 309 208 - 517 Borrowings (650) 650 - - Lease liability (178) 40 (5) (143) Net cash and cash equivalents (519) 898 (5) 374 31 December 2020 Cash at bank 269 154 - 423 Borrowings - (450) - (450) Lease liability (571) 40 (13) (544) Net cash and cash equivalents (302) (256) (13) (571) 30 June 2021 Cash at bank 269 40 - 309 Borrowings - (650) - (650) Lease liability (571) 80 313 (178) Net cash and cash equivalents (302) (530) 313 (519) 6.Listed investments at fair value through profit and loss ("General Portfolio") Half year ended Year ended 31 December 30 June 2021 2020 2021 000 000 000 Cost 6,975 6,038 6,038 Opening unrealised gains 5,106 3,910 3,910 Balance brought forward 12,081 9,948 9,948 Purchases 1,753 856 1,706 Sales proceeds (1,431) (821) (1,469) Realised gain on disposal 556 277 700 Net unrealised gains transferred to realised gain on disposal (653) (216) (455) Unrealised fair value gains in the period 543 855 1,651 Balance carried forward 12,849 10,898 12,081 Composition of General Portfolio - Global Pressure Vessels Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.9% during 2021-2026 and reach US$ 8.8 Billion in 2026, reports Stratview Research. RAIPUR, India, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stratview Research, a leading market research firm has launched a report on the Pressure Vessel Market which provides an in-depth analysis of the market dynamics, current and emerging trends, industry forecast, and competitive landscape. Following is the list of reports in the Pressure Vessels Industry offered by Stratview Research: Global Pressure Vessel Market: Click Here for Sample Automotive Pressure Vessels Market: Click Here for Sample Recreational Pressure Vessels Market: Click Here for Sample Life-Support Pressure Vessels Market Gas Carrier & Storage Pressure Vessels Market Gas Carrier & Storage Composite Pressure Vessels Market To view all the above-mentioned reports in the Pressure Vessels industry, visit: https://bit.ly/3HZ4zo8 How are the Reports Helpful? The report has a very high utility for the key decision-makers and strategists in terms of accurate market insights, future growth opportunities, and key success factors. Most importantly, the report analyses the possible impact of COVID-19 on the market dynamics which offers cushioning against the uncertain business environment and helps in streamlining the resources and investment decisions in a fruitful manner. What are the Top Market Drivers? Pressure Vessel Market is driven by a host of factors, some of which are noted below: The price of gasoline has been soaring, creating a greater demand for vehicles. Increasing demand for natural gas-powered vehicles across regions. Increased demand for automobiles with alternative fueling options and large requirements of gases. The report also includes growth rate estimates based upon the intensity of drivers and constraints and provides the users with several graphical illustrations of the key insights. Which region offers the best opportunity and growth in Global Pressure Vessel Market? Asia-Pacific is expected to remain the largest as well as the fastest-growing market for pressure vessels during the forecast period. A huge fleet of passenger cars and M&HCVs paired with an increased demand for automobiles with alternative fueling options and large requirements of gases for power generation to fulfill the needs of the region's developing industrial, commercial, and residential sectors are some of the fundamental drivers of the region's exceptional growth. Increased R&D investments and more attention from governments are further benefiting the pressure vessel market significantly. COVID-19 Impact on the Pressure Vessel Market COVID-19 has put an instant halt to many industries across the globe. Lockdown norms in several countries have swiftly affected the global economy by affecting the supply chain, production, and demand in the market. Both direct, as well as indirect impacts of the pandemic, have been incorporated in this report. Who are the Top Market Players? After a thorough analysis of the market, the experts have listed few key players and discussed company profiles of below-given players - Hexagon Composites Worthington Industries, Inc. Beijing Tianhai Industry Co., Ltd. Luxfer Holdings PLC Cylinders Holding a.s. Everest Kanto Cylinder Ltd. Faber Industries SPA Norris Cylinder (A TriMas Company) Catalina Cylinders Iljin Composites Sinoma Science & Technology Co., Ltd. Shenyang Gas Cylinder Safety Technology Co., Ltd Grupo Mat The reports cover the market share analysis, profiling, and landscaping of 5-10 leading players of the market, depending upon the market concentration. The competitive landscape covers: Market share analysis Product & Service mapping Geographical presence and dominance Strategic alliances Product launches Other profiling parameters Contact us for Dataset and other specific requirements: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/contact What deliverables will you get in these reports? In-depth analysis of the Market Detailed market segmentation. Competitive-landscape analysis. Historical, present, and future market size analysis. Industry trends, technologies, and advancements. Growth and operation strategies adopted by key players. Potential segments/regions offering promising growth. Geographical presence of the key players. About us - Stratview Research is a global market research firm that offers reliable market reports, market entry strategies, strategic growth consulting, and more. The market experts compile high-quality market information to help users obtain granular level clarity on current business trends and expected future developments. Stratview Research also offers customisation of the reports. Reach out to the analysts to customize the given report according to your priority/requirement. Stratview Research has also launched 'Composights', an online portal that offers free thought leadership reports, whitepapers, market report synopsis, and much more for Composites and allied industries, worth US$ 20,000 every year. Click here to sign up (No costs involved): https://www.stratviewresearch.com/composights/sign-in Connect with the team at - Stratview Research E-mail: sales@stratviewresearch.com Direct: +1-313-307-4176 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660595/Stratview_Research_Logo.jpg MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / February 18, 2022 / Yuka E-Commerce (OTC Pink:YUKA) ("YUKA") is an E-commerce company dedicated to providing strategic sales channels that ensure brands reach their full potential and new upcoming brands looking to enter or expand new markets. Their current website WWW.BestBeautyFinds.com has showcased the best beauty brands that customers have found to be very unique, along with the best prices on specialized products. Best Beauty Finds is a beauty website that was founded on the idea that glamour stands out above the crowd with its diverse selection of skincare, bath and body, wellness products, and more, all designed to help their customers find the most finest beauty products at an affordable price that you can't find in any retail or online store. "Through our products, through our actions and through our belief that everyone is beautiful and deserves to feel their most beautiful, we work and showcase only the most luxurious and beneficial products that deliver real results and empower you to feel your most confident." said Meir Avitan, President of Yuka Group Inc. "Grossing over $1.1M since inception with products supplied by only the most exceptional brands in the beauty industry, we anticipate to increase our YOY sales by 60% by end of Q4 2022." He added. As of 2016, WWW.BestBeauty.com Finds has made it accessible to its customer to find better deals and a wide range selection that satisfies almost everyone that visits their site. From special promotions to their flash sales, they have unbeatable prices on name brands - sometimes up to 90% off. Its quality products are also hand selected by their team of specialists to make sure every order goes out as efficient as possible with only the highest quality. Yuka holds an impressive portfolio of over 150+ world-renowned brands that fall directly under this category including skincare, makeup, haircare, hair tools, and cosmetic devices/tools. About Yuka E-Commerce YUKA provides a full spectrum of brand building and sales-and-marketing services to expand a client's brand reach. Services offered include not only comprehensive sales and marketing services, but also operational sales and fulfillment logistics, and product and brand photography. For more information, visit our website at www.yukaecom.com About Best Beauty Finds At WWW.BestBeautyFinds.com, we are all about helping you be your best self. You are spectacular, and you should be able to bring out your inner glow without breaking the budget doing so! We have a huge variety of products to help you be the best you can be and some of the best deals in the industry. We offer cosmetics, skincare, bath & body, wellness products, hair products, and much more, from over eighty leading industry brands. And we offer them at discounts of up to 90% off, or more! For more information, visit our website at WWW.BestBeautyFinds.com Find out more about the company here: https://www.bestbeautyfinds.com/blogs/news/discovering-the-best-of-beauty-with-best-beauty-finds CONTACT: Yuka Group Inc. 1815 NE 144th St. North Miami, FL 33181 Office: 786-657-2446 | Contact@yukaecom.com SOURCE: Yuka Group, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/689471/Yuka-Group-Inc-Anticipates-60-Growth-Margin-with-Biggest-Beauty-Shopping-Website-wwwBestBeautyFindscom Firm recognised by Great Place to Work UK for cultivating high levels of employee wellbeing LONDON, Feb. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fisher Investments UK-the UK subsidiary of Fisher Investments, received the Best Workplace for Wellbeing recognition from Great Place to Work UK in the large company category. An independent authority on workplace culture and employee experience, Great Place to Work UK created the UK's Best Workplaces for Wellbeing recognition to acknowledge organisations that cultivate a workplace where employees experience high levels of wellbeing. "We are thrilled to receive the UK's Best Workplaces for Wellbeing recognition," said Fisher Investments' CEO Damian Ornani, adding, "Fostering high levels of employee wellbeing and engagement is a key part of our mission to help more clients plan better financial futures." Great Place to Work UK experts analyse thousands of anonymous employee surveys assessing fundamental facets of employee wellbeing to receive the recognition. These include work-life balance, job satisfaction, sense of fulfilment, psychological safety and financial security. "We are proud to be among the first organisations to receive the UK's Best Workplaces for Wellbeing recognition," said Greg Miramontes, Fisher Investments' Executive Vice President of Global Human Capital. "The recognition reflects our values of building rewarding careers and always doing what's best for our clients and employees." Over the past year, Fisher Investments UK has also been recognized by Great Place to Work UK as one of the 2021 Best Workplaces for Women and 2021 UK Best Workplaces in addition to being Certified by Great Place to Work UK for the second consecutive year. Fisher Investments is hiring for a variety of roles globally. Visit FisherCareers.com to learn more about career opportunities. For more information on Great Place to Work, please visit: www.greatplacetowork.co.uk. About Fisher Investments UK and Fisher Investments Europe Limited Fisher Investments UK is the trading name of Fisher Investments Europe Limited and is part of the global group of Fisher companies. Fisher Investments UK is authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA Number 191609) and is registered in England (Company Number 3850593). Fisher Investments Europe UK's registered office is located at Level 18, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AX. For more information on Fisher Investments Europe UK, please visit https://www.fisherinvestments.com/en-gb. About Fisher Investments Fisher Investments is an independent, fee-only investment adviser. As of 31/12/2021, Fisher Investments and its subsidiaries manage over 154 billion in assets globally-over 120 billion for private investors, 31 billion for institutional investors and 1 billion for US small to mid-sized business retirement plans. Fisher Investments maintains four principal business groups: US Private Client, Institutional, Private Client International and 401(k) Solutions, which serve a global client base of diverse investors. Not all strategies are offered/sold in all jurisdictions. Founder and Executive Chairman Ken Fisher wrote the Forbes "Portfolio Strategy" column from 1984 through 2016, making him the longest continuously running columnist in the magazine's history. In recent years, Ken's columns have run consistently in major media outlets across almost every Western European country as well as material Asian countries, spanning more countries and more volume than any other columnist of any type in history. Ken has also authored 11 books, including four New York Times bestsellers on finance and investing. For more information on Fisher Investments, please visit www.fisherinvestments.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1330249/Fisher_Investments_UK_Logo.jpg WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A top official of the World health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern over the emrgence of a new Omicron substrain of the coronavirus. 'The virus is evolving and Omicron has several sub-lineages that we are tracking. We have BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2 and BA.3. It's really quite incredible how Omicron, the latest variant of concern has overtaken Delta around the world,' Maria Van Kerkhove, Covid-19 technical lead at the WHO, said at a news conference Thursday. 'Most of the sequences are this sub-lineage BA.1. We are also seeing an increasing in proportion of sequences of BA.2,' she told reporters. BA.2 is more transmissible than the other variants, but there is no evidence that it is more lethal than BA.1, according to Maria Van Kerkhove. But a new research suggests that the Omicron variant not only spreads faster, it may also cause more severe disease. New lab experiments made by researchers from multiple Universities in Japan show that BA.2 may have features that make it as capable of causing serious illness as older variants of Covid-19, including Delta. Statistical analysis shows that the effective reproduction number of BA.2 is 1.4-fold higher than that of BA.1. The experiments show that the vaccine-induced immunity fails to function against BA.2 like BA.1. 'Cell culture experiments show that BA.2 is more replicative in human nasal epithelial cells and more fusogenic than BA.1. Furthermore, infection experiments using hamsters show that BA.2 is more pathogenic than BA.1. Our multiscale investigations suggest that the risk of BA.2 for global health is potentially higher than that of BA.1,' reads the abstract of the study. Although the Omicron-led third wave of the coronavirus pandemic is slowing down in the United States, daily Covid death toll crossed the 3000 mark for the second consecutive day. With 3223 additional deaths reporting on Thursday, the total number of Covid casualties in the country reached 931,741, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University. 96715 new cases were reported nationwide on the same day, taking the national total to 78,269,443. U.S. Covid hospitalizations have come down to 78,213, falling by 40 percent in two weeks. Out of this, 14,824 patients are admitted in intensive care units. 51,019,315 people have saso far recovered from the disease, the Worldometere tally shows. As per the latest data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 214,474,721 Americans, or 64.6 percent of the eligible population, have been administered both doses of Covid vaccine so far. This includes 88.6 percent of people above 65. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de BANGALORE, India, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ferrochrome Market is segmented By Type - High Carbon Type, Low Carbon Type, Others, By Application - Stainless Steel, Engineering & Alloy Steel, Others. Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2022 - 2028. It is published in Valuates Reports under the Chemicals Industry Category. The global ferrochrome market size is estimated to be worth USD 19150 million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 31070 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 8.4% during the review period. Major Factors Driving the Growth of the Ferrochrome Market The increasing use of ferrochrome alloy for the production of steel will increase demand for the market in the coming years. Ferrochrome is used for making steel as it provides oxidative resistance and corrosion resistance thereby enhancing the quality of the product. Thus growing demand for ferrochrome from the steel industry will drive the growth of the ferrochrome market during the forecast period. Moreover, the boom in the construction industry due to the rise in industrialization, urbanization, and population growth will drive the demand for ferrochrome in the future. Browse The Table Of Contents And List Of Figures At: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-35Z2344/global-ferrochrome TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE FERROCHROME MARKET The steel industry will propel the demand for ferrochrome in the coming years. Ferrochrome or ferrochromium is a type of ferroalloy consisting of chromium and iron as its main mixture. These two alloying agents are used extensively in the steel industry as chromium provides oxidative resistance and corrosion resistance to steel. High carbon and charge grade ferrochrome is used heavily in large proportions for the smelting of stainless steel to reduce production costs. Moreover, medium and low carbon ferrochrome is used for producing other types of steel such as carburized steel, valve plates, stainless steel, low carbon structural steel, gears, high-pressure blower blades, etc. Thus widespread application in the steel industry will bolster the ferrochrome market during the forecast period. The construction and building industry is booming due to rapid industrialization, urbanization, and population explosion. Construction activities are on the rise and ferrochrome is being used widely as an engineering alloy for pavement construction, brick manufacturing, and as an aggregate material in the concrete industry. It is also used for the construction of roads and as a part of cement. Thus the ever-expanding construction and building industry will create significant opportunities for the growth of the ferrochrome market in the subsequent years. However, high electric costs will restrain the market as ferrochrome production is an energy-intensive process wherein 3000 to 3500 KWh/T of electrical energy is consumed during the production. Get Your Sample Today: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-35Z2344/Global_Ferrochrome_Market FERROCHROME MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS Based on type, High Carbon ferrochrome will grow the fastest owing to potential benefits in the form of low cost, large availability, and extensive use in the production of stainless steel. Based on application, Stainless steel is expected to dominate the market as ferrochrome is added largely to stainless steel for oxidation resistance and enhancing the aesthetic appeal. Based on the region, Asia-Pacific will provide immense opportunities for growth due to huge stainless steel production. Inquire For Customization: https://reports.valuates.com/request/customisation/QYRE-Auto-35Z2344/Global_Ferrochrome_Market Market By Region North America Europe Asia-Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa Ferrochrome Market By Companies Glencore-Merafe Eurasian Resources Group Samancor Chrome Hernic Ferrochrome IFM FACOR Mintal Group Tata Steel IMFA Shanxi Jiang County Minmetal Jilin Ferro Alloys Ehui Group Outokumpu Inquire For Chapter Cost: https://reports.valuates.com/request/customisation/QYRE-Auto-35Z2344/Global_Ferrochrome_Market Buy Now for Single User + Covid-19 Impact: https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=QYRE-Auto-35Z2344&lic=single-user SUBSCRIPTION We have introduced a tailor-made subscription for our customers. Please leave a note in the Comment Section to know about our subscription plans. SIMILAR REPORTS The global Ferroalloys market was valued at USD 62860 million in 2020 and it is expected to reach USD 91700 million by the end of 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.4% during 2021-2027. was valued at in 2020 and it is expected to reach by the end of 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.4% during 2021-2027. The global Ferrochrome Alloy market size is estimated to be worth USD 19150 million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 30780 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 8.2% during the review period. size is estimated to be worth in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of by 2028 with a CAGR of 8.2% during the review period. The global Chromite Ore market was valued at USD 7235 million in 2020 and it is expected to reach USD 10390 million by the end of 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.3% during 2021-2027. was valued at in 2020 and it is expected to reach by the end of 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.3% during 2021-2027. The global Iron (Ferrous Sulfate) market size is estimated to be worth USD 339.1 million in 2022 and is forecast to be a readjusted size of USD 412 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 3.3% during the review period. size is estimated to be worth in 2022 and is forecast to be a readjusted size of by 2028 with a CAGR of 3.3% during the review period. In 2020, the global Ferrous Slag market size was USD 11060 million and it is expected to reach USD 16850 million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 6.2% during 2021-2027. size was and it is expected to reach by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 6.2% during 2021-2027. The global High Purity Iron market size is estimated to be worth USD 65 million in 2022 and is forecast to be a readjusted size of USD 88 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 5.3% during the review period. size is estimated to be worth in 2022 and is forecast to be a readjusted size of by 2028 with a CAGR of 5.3% during the review period. China Ferrochromium Market Report & Forecast 2021-2027 Global Chromium Mining Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021-2027 Global Chromium Oxide Sputtering Target Market Research Report 2021 Click Here To See Related Reports on Ferrochrome Market About Us: Valuates offers in-depth market insights into various industries. Our extensive report repository is constantly updated to meet your changing industry analysis needs. Our team of market analysts can help you select the best report covering your industry. We understand your niche region-specific requirements and that's why we offer customization of reports. With our customization in place, you can request for any particular information from a report that meets your market analysis needs. To achieve a consistent view of the market, data is gathered from various primary and secondary sources, at each step, data triangulation methodologies are applied to reduce deviance and find a consistent view of the market. Each sample we share contains a detailed research methodology employed to generate the report. Please also reach our sales team to get the complete list of our data sources. Contact Us: Valuates Reports sales@valuates.com For U.S. Toll-Free Call 1-(315)-215-3225 For IST Call +91-8040957137 WhatsApp: +91-9945648335 Website: https://reports.valuates.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/valuatesreports LinkedIn - https://in.linkedin.com/company/valuatesreports Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082232/Valuates_Reports_Logo.jpg An Albany insider known for his relentless defense of ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo was added Friday to a lawsuit accusing the once-powerful pol of sexually harassing a state trooper. Advertisement Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi was named as a defendant in an amended complaint in Brooklyn Federal Court one day after he said the trooper was represented by a law firm, Wigdor Law LLP, that has a reputation for shakedowns. Rich Azzopardi and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (AP) This law firm is widely known to use the press to extort settlements on behalf of anonymous claimants, Azzopardi said in a statement. That is Un-American and will not happen here. Gov. Cuomo will fight every attempt at cheap cash extortions and is anxious to have the dirty politics stop we look forward to justice in a court of law. Advertisement That prompted the law firm to fire back by adding Azzopardi, who has long repped Cuomo, to the case. The ex-Governor has continued to follow the harassers playbook of shaming and attacking his victims by falsely accusing Trooper 1 and our firm of extortion simply because she asserted her legal rights, said Valdi Licul, a lawyer at the firm. This behavior is precisely why women are so often afraid to speak out against their harassers and why our client has asked the Court to proceed anonymously in order to protect her safety. The trooper, who sued using the pseudonym Trooper 1, alleged Cuomo violated her numerous times while working on the governors security detail. Azzopardi claimed that adding him to the case was further proof the firm resorts to threats. He posted an email that the head of Wigdor Law sent Thursday night demanding that he immediately disavow the statement. Azzopardi added on Twitter that the firm was firing off messages threatening people in reaction to claims of, well, more threats. Im not afraid of these ambulance chasing hucksters, Azzopardi told the Daily News. Im no lawyer, but this will not survive a motion to dismiss. Wigdor Law has handled high profile sexual harassment and abuse cases against the likes of Harvey Weinstein, Dominique Strauss-Khan, Fox News and many others. The state troopers lawsuit alleges that the then-governor had her transferred to his elite Protective Service Unit in early 2019 and then sexually harassed her on numerous occasions until mid-2021. Advertisement Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > In one instance at Belmont Park in September 2019, the governor slid his hand from the troopers belly button along her waist until it landed on the holster of her gun, she claimed. Trooper 1 felt violated as the Governor intentionally touched her in intimate locations between her breasts and vagina, the suit reads. The trooper was one of the women who spoke with investigators for Attorney General Letitia James in her probe of sexual misconduct allegations against Cuomo. The AG report noted that Azzopardi released the confidential personnel file of Cuomos first harassment accuser, Lindsey Boylan, to numerous news outlets. Investigators with James office concluded the disclosure of Boylans file from when she worked for Cuomo retaliatory and unlawful. James bombshell report led to Cuomos resignation in August 2021. Cuomo denied all allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior. Advertisement I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances, he said. I am 63 years old. I have lived my entire adult life in public view. That is just not who I am. And thats not who Ive ever been. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 18, 2022 / Goodbody Health Inc. (CSE:GDBY) (Goodbody Health" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that following its successful rollout of Goodbody testing clinics in the UK, which undertake Blood and Covid PCR testing, it has signed the lease for its first clinic premises in Vancouver Canada. The clinic is situated in the Burrard Health Centre - a nine storey health-care oriented office building positioned directly across from St. Paul's Hospital. The building is home to numerous doctors, therapists, medical practitioners and other personal service professionals alike and so it is considered an ideal location for the Company to research future opportunities in Canada and roll out the clinic success of the UK. Geremy Thomas, Executive Chairman, said; "I am delighted to have taken Goodbody clinics across the Atlantic to Canada. I am sure the success Goodbody clinics have had to date in the UK will continue in Canada as well." The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Marc Howells Chief Executive Officer Goodbody Health Inc. +44 (0) 20 7971 1255 enquiries@goodbodyhealth.com www.goodbodyhealth.com Anne Tew Chief Financial Officer Goodbody Health Inc. +44 (0) 20 7971 1255 enquiries@goodbodyhealth.com www.goodbodyhealth.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Goodbody Health's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes" "plan is" or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur", "will be achieved" or "shortly". The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to the premises being considered an ideal location for the company to research future opportunities and roll out the clinic success of the UK. Although Goodbody Health believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this press release and include but are not limited to the premises being considered an ideal location for the company to research future opportunities and roll out the clinic success of the UK. Goodbody Health does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. SOURCE: Goodbody Health Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/689324/Goodbody-Health-Announces-Opening-of-First-Clinic-in-Canada Regulatory News: OSE Immunotherapeutics SA (ISIN: FR0012127173; Mnemo: OSE) (Paris:OSE) today announced the appointment by cooptation of Alexandre Lebeaut as an independent Director of the Company*. Alexandre Lebeaut has more than 25 years of a valuable experience and leadership both in innovation, research and development, from preclinical to post-marketing stage and with major achievements in particular in immunology, oncology, immuno-inflammation and infectious diseases. He has held various global positions, notably in the United States at Bluebird Bio, Sanofi, Novartis and Schering Plough Research Institute. Most recently, Alexandre Lebeaut served as Executive Vice-President R&D and Chief Scientific Officer at Ipsen in the US. He currently heads "I-ACT for Children" (Institute for Advanced Clinical Trials), an American non-profit organization based in Maryland which is dedicated to pediatric drug development. Alexandre is a French and US citizen and is a Doctor of Medicine (University of Paris Diderot Paris VII) and a pediatrician (University of Paris Descartes). We are very pleased to welcome Alexandre who brings an extensive American and international experience and leadership in R&D strategic positions, and particularly in immunology. His recognized expertise is in match with the Company's new phase of growth focused on advancing our preclinical and clinical diversified first-in-class portfolio in immuno-oncology and immunology inflammation", comments Dominique Costantini, Chief Executive Officer of OSE Immunotherapeutics. Alexandre Lebeautadded: I am honored to be joining OSE's Board and I thank the Directors for their confidence. Along with the management team, I will be happy to contribute to the Company's growth in this critical phase of its transformation by further establishing OSE as a recognized leader in immunotherapy and by enlarging its global visibility" On proposal from the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, the Board of Directors unanimously co-opted Alexandre Lebeaut as an independent Director. This appointment will be subject to ratification at the next annual shareholders' meeting. * Replacing Alexis Peyroles who resigned as a Board member ABOUT OSE Immunotherapeutics OSE Immunotherapeutics is an integrated biotechnology company focused on developing and partnering therapies to control the immune system for immuno-oncology and autoimmune diseases. Its balanced first-in-class clinical and preclinical portfolio has a diversified risk profile: Immuno-Oncology first-in-class products Tedopi (innovative combination of neoepitopes): the company's most advanced product; positive results for Phase 3 trial (Atalante 1) in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer patients in secondary resistance after checkpoint inhibitor failure. Other ongoing combination trials sponsored by cooperative clinical research groups in oncology: Phase 2 in pancreatic cancer (TEDOPaM), sponsor GERCOR. Phase 2 in ovary cancer, in combination with pembrolizumab (TEDOVA), sponsor ARCAGY-GINECO. Phase 2 in non-small cell lung cancer in combination with nivolumab, sponsor Italian foundation FoRT. BI 765063 (OSE-172, anti-SIRPa mAb on CD47/SIRPa pathway): developed in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim in advanced solid tumors; positive Phase 1 dose escalation results of BI 765063 in monotherapy and in combination with ezabenlimab (PD-1 antagonist); ongoing expansion Phase 1. OSE-279, anti-PD1 advanced preclinical stage. BiCKI: bispecific fusion protein platform built on the key backbone component of anti-PD1 combined with a new immunotherapy target (for example: BiCKI-IL7, preclinical stage) to increase anti-tumor efficacy. Immunity Inflammation first-in-class products OSE-127/S95011 (humanized monoclonal antibody antagonist of IL-7 receptor): developed in partnership with Servier; positive Phase 1 results; ongoing Phase 2 in ulcerative colitis (sponsor OSE) and ongoing Phase 2a in Sjogren's syndrome (sponsor Servier). FR104 (anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody): licensing partnership agreement with Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in transplantation; ongoing Phase 1/2 in renal transplant (sponsored by the Nantes University Hospital); US IND obtained by Veloxis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for a clinical trial; Phase 2 planned in an autoimmune disease indication. OSE-230 (ChemR23 agonist mAb): preclinical stage therapeutic agent with the potential to resolve chronic inflammation by driving affected tissues to tissue integrity. CoVepiT: a prophylactic second-generation vaccine activating cytotoxic T lymphocytes against COVID-19, developed using optimized epitopes from SARS-CoV2 viral proteins, epitopes non impacted by multi-variants. Shows good tolerance and very good level of T cell immune response. Results from 6-month memory T cell responses expected Q1 2022. For more information: https://ose-immuno.com/en/ Click and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn Forward-looking statements This press release contains express or implied information and statements that might be deemed forward-looking information and statements in respect of OSE Immunotherapeutics. They do not constitute historical facts. These information and statements include financial projections that are based upon certain assumptions and assessments made by OSE Immunotherapeutics' management in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. These forward-looking statements include statements typically using conditional and containing verbs such as "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "target", "plan", or "estimate", their declensions and conjugations and words of similar import. Although the OSE Immunotherapeutics management believes that the forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, the OSE Immunotherapeutics' shareholders and other investors are cautioned that the completion of such expectations is by nature subject to various risks, known or not, and uncertainties which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of OSE Immunotherapeutics. These risks could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied or projected by the forward-looking statements. These risks include those discussed or identified in the public filings made by OSE Immunotherapeutics with the AMF. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. This press release includes only summary information and should be read with the OSE Immunotherapeutics Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on 15 April 2021, including the annual financial report for the fiscal year 2020, available on the OSE Immunotherapeutics' website. Other than as required by applicable law, OSE Immunotherapeutics issues this press release at the date hereof and does not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information or statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220218005357/en/ Contacts: OSE Immunotherapeutics Sylvie Detry sylvie.detry@ose-immuno.com +33 153 198 757 Investor Relations Thomas Guillot thomas.guillot@ose-immuno.com +33 607 380 431 Media U.S. Media: LifeSci Communications Darren Opland, Ph.D. darren@lifescicomms.com +1 646 627 8387 French Media: FP2COM Florence Portejoie fportejoie@fp2com.fr +33 607 768 283 Guillaume van Renterghem LifeSci Advisors gvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com +41 76 735 01 31 Changes in the governance OF SQLI APPOINTMENT OF BEV WHITE AND ALEXIS NASARD TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Following the success of the public offering initiated by DBAY Advisors, the SQLI Group is aligning its governance and welcomes Bev White and Alexis Nasard to its Board of Directors. As part of the implementation of this new governance, the Board of Directors, which met on Friday, February 18, 2022, took note of the resignation of Veronique Reille Soult de Dalmatie and Herve de Beublain from their positions as Directors. In order to ensure their succession, the Board has co-opted Ms. Bev White, currently Head of the Harvey Nash Group. With a scientific background and an MBA in Strategy, Marketing, Finance and Management, Bev White began her professional career in 1987 in the IT department of Schlumberger. In 1994, she joined NTL, a telecoms, internet and TV company, as Information Systems Director for eight years. She then took her first steps in the world of HR by becoming Managing Director of Penna Careers Services, a group specialized in HR management, employer branding and recruitment. She joined the main Board in 2012. She was a founder of a global network of career specialists, Career star group in over 80 countries and was chair of the Board for 4 years. After a period as CEO of Intoo UK and Ireland and Gi Group UK, she became Group CEO of the Harvey Nash Group in 2020. And Mr. Alexis Nasard, Senior Business Advisor at McKinsey & Company. Alexis Nasard holds an MBA (UC Berkeley) and an MS in Engineering. He has 30 years of experience in large international groups in the consumer goods, fashion retail and consulting sectors. After spending 17 years at Procter & Gamble, he joined Heineken in 2010 to become President, Western Europe, and Global m Chief Marketing Officer. In 2016, he was appointed CEO of the Bata Group, a position he held for 5 years. In parallel with his various assignments, he sat on the Board of Directors of the BBH agency for 5 years, was an Officer of the Consumers Industries Group of the World Economic Forum, and became a member of the Advisory Board of Salvatore Ferragamo. He is also an Executive in Residence at IMD. After a period as CEO of Kantar, he joined the consulting firm McKinsey in 2022 as Senior Business Advisor. Philippe Donche-Gay, Chairman and CEO of SQLI, said: "I would like to thank Veronique Reille-Soult de Dalmatie and Herve de Beublain for their support of SQLI's development over many years. And I am pleased to welcome Bev White and Alexis Nasard, to the Board of Directors, who will benefit from their deep experience. This governance now reflects the new distribution of capital, which is majority owned by DBAY Advisors. About SQLI Digital Experience: Founded in 1990, SQLI Digital Experience is a European digital services company that defines, builds and grows the digital business value of international A-brands. Technical and creative thinkers, their teams are committed to delivering meaningful and engaging experiences by leveraging technologies, methodologies, skills and creativity to get closer to the customer or user and capture their attention. They design, develop and deploy solid and high-performing architectures that improve business agility, increase efficiencies and facilitate business growth. Their 2,100 employees are located in 13 countries: France, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, The United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, The Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Morocco, Mauritius and Dubai. In 2021, the SQLI Group achieved revenue of 226m. SQLI has been listed on Euronext Paris (SQI) since 21 July 2000. https://www.sqli.com Follow SQLI on LinkedIn Follow SQLI on Facebook ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: lpucZcZram3Fy2mblsdmmmlraJtom2ObmpKeyGFtmJ2Wb26TxZeUl8ebZnBkl25r - Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-73295-cp_gouvernance2022_vdef_eng.pdf Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 18, 2022) - Xtra-Gold Resources Corp. (TSX: XTG) (OTCQB: XTGRF) ("Xtra-Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce initial assay results from its current Zone 3 exploration drilling program targeting resource expansion opportunities along the southwestern segment of the over three-kilometre-long Zone 2 - Zone 3 anticlinal fold structure, on the Company's wholly-owned Kibi Gold Project, located in the Kibi - Winneba greenstone belt (the "Kibi Gold Belt"), in Ghana, West Africa. The assay results reported herein correspond to exploration drilling conducted since the late July 2021 database close-out date for the recently published updated Mineral Resource Estimate (see the Company's news release of November 1, 2021). The Kibi Gold Project hosts Indicated Mineral Resources containing 623,700 ounces of gold (13,893,000 tonnes grading 1.40 g/t gold) and additional Inferred Mineral Resources containing 180,700 ounces of gold (5,694,000 tonnes grading 0.96 g/t gold). Assay results reported are provided in Table 1 below and include the following highlights: Boomerang East Zone 6.0 metres ("m") at 6.19 grams per tonne gold ("g/t Au"), including 2.6 m at 13.82 g/t Au, from 52.0 m in hole KBDD21434 33.5 m at 1.22 g/t Au, including 7.5 m at 3.76 g/t Au, from 31.5 m in hole KBDD21453 16.5 m at 6.23 g/t Au, including 6.5 m at 13.74 g/t Au, from 1.5 m in hole KBDD22455 13.5 m at 1.64 g/t Au, including 6.0 m at 3.35 g/t Au, from 0.0 m in KBDD22458; followed by second interval of 21.0 m at 1.46 g/t Au from 39.0 m, including 11.0 m at 2.49 g/t Au Boomerang West Zone 29.0 m at 1.04 g/t Au, including 4.5 m at 3.27 g/t Au, from 50.0 m in KBDD21423 6.0 m at 3.12 g/t Au from 9.0 m in hole KBDD21425 Twin Zone 13.2 m at 1.07 g/t Au from 161.0 m in hole KBDD21419 4.0 m at 3.53 g/t Au from 157.0 m in hole KBDD21448 James Longshore, President and CEO remarked: "Our ongoing Zone 3 exploration drilling program continues to further delineate multiple mineralization zones along the southwest extension of the Zone 2 - Zone 3 fold structure, spanning over 1,000 m beyond the limits of the currently defined mineral resource. These latest positive drilling results, combined with recent trenching and surface mapping, are transforming our structural understanding of the Zone 3 gold mineralization, as well as further validating our 3D geological modeling. We remain steadfast in our efforts to advance these early-stage gold zones to the resource stage, as well as identifying additional targets in Zone 3, with the goal of driving the next phase of resource growth at the Kibi Gold Project." Today's Kibi Gold Project drill results correspond to the first 44 boreholes (5,898 m) of an ongoing exploration initiative targeting resource expansion opportunities along the southwestern (Zone 3) segment of the over three-kilometre-long Zone 2 - Zone 3 anticlinal fold structure. With the exploration program focussing on follow up drilling of the early-stage Boomerang East, Boomerang West, and Twin Zone (formerly JK East) targets positioned along similar second-order fold hinge structures as the neighbouring Double 19 resource body, and scout drilling of prospective litho-structural gold settings identified by recently completed detailed 3D geological modelling. The present 44 diamond core boreholes were completed by the Company's in-house drilling crews from late July 2021 to mid-January 2022 (KBDD21415 - KBDD22458), including: 6 holes (546 m) at Boomerang West, 24 holes (3,473.2 m) on the Twin Zone, 9 holes (1,250 m) at Boomerang East, and 5 scout holes (628.8 m). Exploration significant auriferous intercepts are presented in Table 1 below, with a drill plan (Figure 1) and collar details (Table 2), available at: ( Figure 1_Zone 2 - Zone 3 Drill Plan_Feb 18 2022 ) ( Table 2_Drill Collar Info_Feb 18 2022 ) Table 1: Significant Drill Intercepts Zone 3 Resource Expansion Target Generation Program (Kibi Gold Project /July 2021 - January 2022) Hole ID From (metres) To (metres) Core Length (metres) Gold Grams Per Tonne Zone ID / Target KBDD21415 3.0 10.5 7.5 1.46 Boomerang West including 7.5 9.0 1.5 3.80 and 48.0 55.5 7.5 0.45 KBDD21418 0.0 22.5 22.5 0.52 Boomerang West including 19.5 21.0 1.5 2.09 KBDD21419 161.0 174.2 13.2 1.07 Twin Zone and incl. 169.9 171.9 2.0 2.62 KBDD21420 25.5 37.5 12.0 1.04 Boomerang West including 30.0 31.5 1.5 4.37 KBDD21421 57.9 74.0 16.1 0.32 Twin Zone including 57.9 59.3 1.4 1.22 KBDD21423 50.0 79.0 29.0 1.04 Boomerang West including 53.0 54.0 1.0 4.43 including 65.5 70.0 4.5 3.27 KBDD21425 9.0 15.0 6.0 3.12 Boomerang West including 10.5 12.0 1.5 4.33 KBDD21427 113.2 114.5 1.3 2.81 Twin Zone KBDD21431 98.1 107.0 8.9 0.78 Twin Zone including 104.7 107.0 2.3 2.54 KBDD21434 52.0 58.0 6.0 6.19 Boomerang East including 53.4 56.0 2.6 13.82 and incl. 55.5 56.0 0.5 51.62 and 97.5 113.0 15.5 0.45 including 108.0 111.0 3.0 1.11 KBDD21436 103.5 110.0 6.5 1.76 Twin Zone KBDD21438 112.0 134.0 22.0 0.60 Boomerang East including 115.2 115.7 0.5 8.82 KBDD21439 104.0 115.7 11.7 0.70 Twin Zone including 105.5 106.0 0.5 4.01 KBDD21441 178.0 188.0 10.0 0.31 Boomerang East including 186.0 187.0 1.0 1.02 KBDD21445 206.5 213.0 6.5 0.47 Twin Zone including 206.5 207.7 1.2 1.47 KBDD21448 157.0 161.0 4.0 3.53 Twin Zone including 157.7 158.4 0.7 6.66 KBDD21450 29.85 45.4 15.55 0.66 Boomerang East including 29.85 34.8 4.95 1.12 KBDD21453 31.5 65.0 33.5 1.22 Boomerang East including 31.5 39.0 7.5 3.76 and incl. 31.5 32.2 0.7 15.62 KBDD22455 1.5 18.0 16.5 6.23 Boomerang East including 10.5 17.0 6.5 13.74 and incl. 10.5 12.0 1.5 36.46 and 46.0 62.0 16.0 0.38 KBDD22458 0.0 13.5 13.5 1.64 Boomerang East including 7.5 13.5 6.0 3.35 and 39.0 60.0 21.0 1.46 including 40.0 51.0 11.0 2.49 Notes: Reported intercepts are core-lengths; true width of mineralization is unknown at this time. "Significant" intercepts meet following criteria: 1 m minimum length and mininum metal factor (grade x length) of 3; with minimum 0.3 g/t gold average grade over interval or a minimum metal factor of 5 if interval less than 1 m in length. Intercepts also constrained with a 0.25 g/t gold minimum cut-off grade at top and bottom of intercept, with no upper cut-off applied, and maximum of five (5) consecutive samples of internal dilution (<0.25 g/t gold). All internal intervals above 15 g/t gold indicated. Gold mineralization within the Zone 2 - Zone 3 Mineral Resource footprint area is emplaced along the limbs and hinge of a 1st Order ("F2a"), tight to isoclinal, anticlinal fold structure, with mineralization zones further occupying 2nd Order ("F1") isoclinal fold hinges on a target scale. Mineralization consists predominantly of tensional arrays of auriferous quartz-carbonate veins hosted by folded diorite bodies with an interpreted Belt-type granitoid affinity. Over 20 significant gold occurrences hosted by Belt (Dixcove)- and Basin (Cape Coast)-type granitoids are known in Ghana, with a number constituting significant deposits. These deposits represent a relatively new style of gold mineralization for orogenic gold deposits within the West African Birimian terrain. Belt-type intrusion-hosted gold deposits include Newmont Mining's Subika deposit at their Ahafo mine and Kinross Mining's Chirano deposit within the Sefwi gold belt, as well as the former Golden Star Resources' Hwini-Butre deposit at the southern extremity of the Ashanti gold belt. At the Boomerang East target, the present drilling helped further traced gold mineralization over an approximately 400 m section across the southeastern limb of the NE-trending Zone 2 - Zone 3 anticlinal fold structure, with the mineralization predominantly being spatially associated with a series of apparent second-order (parasitic) fold structures. Holes KBDD21450 and KBDD21453 consisting of a NW-trending drill-fan pattern (-50o & -75o), undercutting recently excavated trench TAD016A designed to test an auriferous quartz vein exposure located along an apparent fold hinge structure, returned mineralized intercepts of 15.55 m grading 0.66 g/t Au, including 1.12 g/t Au over 4.95 m, from a down-hole of 29.85 m and 33.5 m grading 1.22 g/t Au, including 3.76 g/t Au over 7.5 m, from a down-hole depth of 31.5m, respectively. With the NW-trending TAD016A trench returning a channel sample intercept grading 1.06 g/t Au over a 16.8 m trench-length, including 5.01 g/t Au over 1.0 m. A second drill-fan pattern collared 25 m northeast to further test the newly define NE-trending fold hinge structure returned the following mineralized intercepts: 16.5 m grading 6.23 g/t Au, including 13.74 g/t Au over 6.5 m, from a down-hole depth of 1.5 m in KBDD22455 (-50o); and 13.5 m grading 1.64 g/t Au, including 3.35 g/t Au over 6.0 m and 21.0 m grading 1.46 g/t Au, including 2.49 g/t Au over 11.0 m, from respective down-hole depths of 0.0 m and 39.0 m in KBDD22458 (-75o). Drilling efforts further to the southeast along the limb of the anticlinal fold structure returned a mineralized intercept highlight of 6.0 m grading 6.19 g/t Au, including 13.82 g/t Au over 2.6 m, from a down-hole depth of 52.0 m in hole KBDD21434. Mineralized intercept highlights for the present Boomerang West drilling include: 29.0 m grading 1.04 g/t Au, including 3.27 g/t Au over 4.5 m, from a down-hole of 50.0 m in KBDD21423; and 3.12 g/t Au over 6.0 m from a down-hole depth of 9.0 m in KBDD21425. Gold mineralization at Boomerang West occupies a NE-plunging, tight to isoclinal, anticlinal fold hinge zone. With the mineralization preferentially occurring along the contacts between the stacked granitoid - metasedimentary rock units and/or internally within the fractured granitoid. The present drilling further established the gold mineralization over an approximately 240 m trend-length and 80 m width of the anticlinal fold structure, and down to a vertical depth of approximately 165 m, at the Boomerang West target. Drilling highlights for the Twin Zone include 13.2 m grading 1.07 g/t Au in KBDD21419 (161 m - 174.2 m); and 3.53 g/t Au over 4.0 m in KBDD21448 (157 m - 161 m). With the present drilling efforts, gold mineralization at the early-stage Twin Zone target has now been intermittently traced over an approximately 275 m down-plunge distance, and down to a vertical depth of approximately 150 m, along the limbs of two parallel, NE-trending, second-order (parasitic) fold structures. QA/QC Yves P. Clement, P. Geo, Vice President, Exploration for Xtra-Gold is acting as the Qualified Person in compliance with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") with respect to this announcement. He has prepared and or supervised the preparation of the scientific or technical information in this announcement and confirms compliance with NI 43-101. All samples in this news release were analyzed by standard fire assay fusion with atomic absorption spectroscopy finish at the ISO 17025:2005 accredited Intertek Minerals Limited's laboratory in Tarkwa, Ghana. Xtra-Gold has implemented a rigorous quality assurance / quality control (QA/QC) program to ensure best practices in sampling and analysis of drill core, trench channel, and saw-cut channel samples, the details of which can be viewed on the Company's website at www.xtragold.com. About Xtra-Gold Resources Corp. Xtra-Gold is a gold exploration company with a substantial land position in the Kibi Gold Belt. The Kibi Gold Belt, which exhibits many similar geological features to Ghana's main gold belt, the Ashanti Belt, has been the subject of very limited modern exploration activity targeting lode gold deposits as virtually all past gold mining activity and exploration efforts focused on the extensive alluvial gold occurrences in many river valleys throughout the Kibi area. Xtra-Gold holds 5 Mining Leases totaling approximately 226 sq km (22,600 ha) at the northern extremity of the Kibi Gold Belt. The Company's exploration efforts to date have focused on the Kibi Gold Project located on the Apapam Concession (33.65 sq km), along the eastern flank of the Kibi Gold Belt. The Kibi Gold Project (Zones 1-3) Mineral Resource Estimate, produced by Xtra-Gold on September 30, 2021, represents the only Mineral Resource ever generated on a lode gold project within the Kibi Gold Belt. The NI 43-101 Technical Report entitled "Xtra-Gold Resources Corporation Kibi Gold Project", jointly prepared by Pivot Mining Consultants (Pty) and Tect Geological Consulting, and dated November 16, 2021, is filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-Looking Statements The TSX does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements". These statements are based on information currently available to the Company and the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among other things, results of exploration, project development, reclamation and capital costs of the Company's mineral properties, and the Company's financial condition and prospects, could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; changes in demand and prices for minerals; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological and operational difficulties encountered in connection with the activities of the Company; and other matters discussed in this news release. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Cautionary Note to United States Investors This news release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource and reserve estimates included in this news release have been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum 2014 Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the SEC, and mineral resource and reserve information contained herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term "resource" does not equate to the term "reserves". Under U.S. standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. The SEC's disclosure standards normally do not permit the inclusion of information concerning "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" or "inferred mineral resources" or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral deposits that do not constitute "reserves" by U.S. standards in documents filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. U.S. investors should also understand that "inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimated "inferred mineral resources" may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" exists or is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. The requirements of NI 43-101 for identification of "reserves" are also not the same as those of the SEC, and reserves reported by the Company in compliance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves" under SEC standards. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR THROUGH U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES Contact Information For further information please contact: James Longshore Chief Executive Officer 416-628-2881 E-mail: info@xtragold.com Website: www.xtragold.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114143 New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - February 18, 2022) - The Meta Ruffy team has just announced the listing of the $MR Token on another major exchange, LBank. This listing accomplishes another milestone for the Meta Ruffy project. Meta Ruffy Meta Ruffy continues its commitment to reach a 1 billion dollar Market cap and to be listed on the top 100 projects on CMC (coinmarketcap) by proudly announcing the listing of the $MR token on LBank on February 25, 2022. Meta Ruffy also announced that several other top tier exchanges are in the works, all part of its initial 300K investment package to ensure that Meta Ruffy reaches the pinnacle of the crypto space. The team has been literally working round the clock since day one to make certain that only the very best is achieved for the community and their holders. CryptoExpo Dubai As part of their most recent investment, Meta Ruffy has paid and secured a premium diamond booth spot at one of this year's largest crypto showcases, "CryptoExpo Dubai." Everyone is welcome to visit with the Meta Ruffy CEO and team at booth 73. There will be a host of events happening, including an "in depth" presentation of "Ruffy World," giveaways and contests. Major Listings Continue The Meta Ruffy team has also paid for and secured the listing of the $MR token on several other major top tier exchanges, which are being finalized as we speak and will be announced to the community in the coming weeks. The $MR token is already listed on Bitmart, and as previously mentioned, will list on LBank exchange on the 25th of February. It is just the start for Meta Ruffy, as the team continues to set their milestones, they have committed to working hard and smart, to attain and accomplish their goals. Users and the community should come and experience the Meta Ruffy Metaverse, "Ruffy World" for themselves. Ruffy World is now available on PC and MAC Browsers, as well as the Google play store on Android. The additional platforms, Playstation, Xbox, Oculus, IOS, and desktop versions, are in the review and testing phases will be released in the very near future. Consult their website for details. Social Media: Telegram: https://t.me/meta_ruffy Twitter: https://twitter.com/meta_ruffy Discord: https://discord.gg/JDcXJNfMum Instagram: https://instagram.com/meta_ruffy_world Reddit: https://reddit.com/user/meta_ruffy Media Contact: Company Name: Meta Ruffy Contact Name: Metaisking Email: info@metaruffy.io Location: US/NY Website: https://www.metaruffy.io To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114235 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Following the notable advance seen in the previous session, treasuries saw further upside during trading on Friday. Bond prices moved steadily in morning trading and remained firmly positive throughout the afternoon. As a result, the yield on the benchmark ten-year note, which moves opposite of its price, fell by 4 basis points to 1.932 percent. Treasuries continued to benefit from their safe haven appeal as the Ukrainian government and Russian state-controlled media continued to exchanged accusations of cease-fire violations in the eastern part of the country. News that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken have agreed to meet in Europe next week had eased concerns about an imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine, but traders remain wary. On the U.S. economic front, the National Association of Realtors released a report unexpectedly showing a sharp increase in existing home sales in the month of January. NAR said existing home sales spiked 6.7 percent to an annual rate of 6.50 million in January after tumbling 3.8 percent to a revised rate of 6.09 million in December. The substantial rebound surprised economists, who had expected existing home sales to slump by 1.3 percent to a rate of 6.10 million from the 6.18 million originally reported for the previous month. With the unexpected jump, existing home sales reached their highest annual rate since hitting 6.65 million in January of 2021. Meanwhile, a separate report released by the Conference Board showed an unexpected pullback by its reading on leading U.S. economic indicators. The Conference Board said its leading economic index fell by 0.3 percent in January after climbing by a downwardly revised 0.7 percent in December. The dip came as a surprise to economists, who had expected the index to rise by 0.3 percent compared to the 0.8 percent increase originally reported for the previous month. Developments in Ukraine over the long weekend are likely to impact trading early next week, while traders are also likely to keep an eye on reports on consumer confidence, personal income and spending, and durable goods orders. Bond trading may also be impacted by reaction to the results of the Treasury Department's auctions of two-year, five-year and seven-year notes. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil prices drifted lower on Friday amid slightly easing Ukraine tensions and signs of negotiations to restore the Iran nuclear deal. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are expected to meet next week in Europe over Ukraine and European security issues. Russia said earlier today it was withdrawing more tanks and other armoured vehicles from areas near Ukraine's border after running war games that had raised concerns in the West. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for March ended lower by $0.69 or 0.36% at $91.07 a barrel. WTI futures shed about 2.2% in the week. Brent crude futures climbed 0.57% or 0.6% to settle at $93.54 a barrel today. A report from Baker Hughes said the number of active U.S. rigs drilling for oil rose by 4 to 520 this week. The total active rigs, including those drilling for natural gas, climbed by 10 to 645, the report said. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. CUPERTINO (dpa-AFX) - Apple, Inc. (AAPL) CEO Tim Cook has been receiving severe criticism on reports that the company is awarding him a $100 million pay package. A powerful investor rights group is urging the investors to not accept the deal in the company's upcoming shareholder meeting. Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) said that the pay package's design and its magnitude is was not clarified by the company. 'There are significant concerns regarding the design and magnitude of the equity award made to CEO Cook in FY21... Half of the award lacks performance criteria,' said the agency in a letter on Wednesday. Apple filed a proxy filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission where it said that it is going to offer the CEO $82.3 million in stock apart from his $3 million in salaries. Adding up the compensations like target hitting bonus of $12 million, Cook already receives, the total package adds up to $98.7 million. 'Given that CEO Cook will be eligible for retirement treatment after one year from the grant date, the retentive value of the award is limited,' ISS added. Cook is receiving 333,987 restricted stock units as a part of the first stock plan he received back in 2011 when he took office adding to $384 million. The agency also valued the equity award at $75 million to which it has severe objections. 'Half of the $75 million award is purely time-based, and the award would continue to vest in full in the event of his retirement,' ISS wrote. Tim Cook had received $14.8 million in the previous year. His salary of $3 million makes him by far the highest earner in the company, getting 1447 times more than the average pay of the workers. Cook is valued at $2.3 billion by Forbes. Humongous pay deals have been dealt with severe action on the part of the investors recently as the investors are voting against the deals. However, Apple is not bound to listen to the investor votes and it has maintained silence over the matter. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX APPLE-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 18, 2022 / Golden Dawn Minerals Inc., (TSXV:GOM)(FRANKFURT:3G8C)(OTC PINK:GDMRD), ("Golden Dawn" or the "Company"). The Company is pleased to announce that it has closed it's previously announced private placement of February 14, 2022. The non-brokered private placement consisted of 2,333,333 units at a price of $0.15 per unit for gross proceeds of $350,000. Each Unit consists of one common share and one transferable common share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant will entitle the holder to purchase, for a period of 18 months from the date of issue, one additional common share of the Issuer at an exercise price of $0.30 per share. All securities issued pursuant to the offering are subject to a statutory hold period ending June 19, 2022. No finders' fees were paid for this placement. The closing of the private placement financing is subject to final TSX-V approval. The net proceeds from the Offering will be used by the Company for continued exploration and maintenance of its Lexington project and other BC mineral exploration projects, as well as for general working capital purposes. The Company also announces that further to it's December 28, 2021, news release it has made the CDN $500,000. payment to Rivi Opportunity Fund LP. towards the promissory note as per the debt reorganization agreement. On behalf of the Board of GOLDEN DAWN MINERALS INC. Per: "Christopher R. Anderson" Christopher R. Anderson Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Golden Dawn Minerals Inc. - Corporate Communications: Tel: 604-488-3900 Email: Office@goldendawnminerals.com Forward-Looking Statement Cautions: This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, relating to, among other things, preliminary plans for a consolidation of the Company's Shares. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include the possibility that the TSX Venture Exchange will not approve the proposed share consolidation, and that the Company may not be able to raise sufficient additional capital to continue its business. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of securities of the Company in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The Company's securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL, OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH JURISDICTION. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Golden Dawn Minerals Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/689545/Golden-Dawn-Closes-Private-Placement FDNY veteran Jesse Gerhard was a hero in life and death. The 33-year-old Queens firefighter, who collapsed inside his firehouse one day after rushing into a burning Far Rockaway home, donated tissue for transplant into dozens of needy recipients, officials announced Friday. Advertisement This generous gift could change the lives of as many as 50 to 75 people, including those in need of the gift of sight as well as burn victims, dialysis patients (and) patients with musculoskeletal conditions, said Leonard Achan, president and CEO of LiveOnNY, the metro areas designated organ procurement organization. FDNY Firefighter Jesse Gerhard (FDNY) His Ladder 134 colleague Carl Kretkowski said the parting gift exemplified Gerhards endless concern for others. Advertisement The guy lived and breathed to be a firefighter, to help others, said Kretkowski outside the Far Rockaway firehouse. And even in death, hes helping others. It doesnt surprise me. It doesnt surprise any of these guys here. Firefighters hang purple and black bunting above Ladder 134 for fallen Firefighter Jesse Gerhard, on Friday in Far Rockaway, Queens. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News) Family members turned out Friday as the firehouse exterior was adorned by Gerhards colleagues with purple and black mourning bunting. Gerhard, who joined the department as an emergency medical technician in 2014, collapsed Wednesday night inside the house as fellow firefighters performed CPR on their colleague. He later died at St. Johns Episcopal Hospital. Members of FDNY Firefighter Jesse Gerhard's family outside his firehouse, Ladder 134 in Far Rockaway, Queens on Friday. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News) One day earlier, he was among the firefighters responding to a two-alarm blaze in a three-story home on Beach Channel Drive. Gerhard was inside and outside the residence while working the irons position responsible for opening the burning buildings door and searching for anyone inside. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > As it turned out, the residents were already outside when the FDNY arrived, with four people suffering minor injuries. Firefighters pay their respects outside Ladder 134 in Far Rockaway, Queens Friday after bunting was hung to honor of fallen Firefighter Jesse Gerhard. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News) The fact that hes not going to be here anymore, it breaks my heart, said Kretkowski. It breaks everybodys hearts. Hes going to be a legend in our minds. I dont call myself a co-worker. He was my friend. The firefighter recalled how Gerhard at one point created a firehouse memorial for a colleague who died less than two years ago. Thats the kind of guy he was, recalled Kretkowski. What Ill miss most about him, you asked him to do something, he just smiled and did it. He didnt pout, he didnt get mad. He just did it with a smile on his face. Advertisement FDNY Firefighter Carl Kretkowski, of Ladder 134 in Queens. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News) Gerhard had long aspired to join the fire department, working as a volunteer firefighter in his Long Island hometown of Islip. He became an EMT in 2014, and graduated from the Fire Academy four years later. Firefighters salute fallen Firefighter Jesse Gerhard on Friday in Far Rockaway. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News) An autopsy by the city medical examiner will determine his exact cause of death and whether it was related to the Tuesday afternoon call. He was survived by his parents and brothers, and will endure through those receiving his tissue donations. He joins the growing list of thousands of New York organ and tissue donor heroes, who will live on through their generosity to help others live on, said Achan. In global partnership with Sephora, The INKEY List plans to continue its explosive consumer growth, demystifying the beauty category through its knowledge-driven solutions NOTTINGHAM, England, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The INKEY List, the #1 trending skincare brand* that has transformed the category with intuitive and effective ingredient-led formulas, announced today a significant minority investment from Aria Growth Partners, a leading consumer-focused private equity firm. Based in the U.K. and co-founded in 2018 by Colette Laxton and Mark Curry, The INKEY List has grown nearly 600% in just 3 years to become a global leader in skincare. While deal terms were not disclosed, The INKEY List plans to use the investment to continue their rapid global growth and to continue making skincare solutions more accessible to consumers. "As we enter a seminal phase in our brand development, we felt it was the right time to bring in another external investor to support our huge growth plans for 2022," said Laxton. "We believe in the power of strong relationships, and with Aria joining our board alongside Unilever Ventures, we feel we now have a great company formula for future success and growth." "We are thrilled to partner with Mark, Colette and their outstanding team at The INKEY List," notes Trevor Nelson, Founder & Managing Partner at Aria Growth Partners. "With ingredient-led, highly effective products and a deep commitment to empowering consumers with both knowledge and accessible prices, we believe The INKEY List is the future of skincare. We're excited to help them continue their unprecedented growth." The INKEY List's portfolio of skincare and scalp care has quickly reached hero status, with bestsellers such as their Salicylic Acid Cleanser and Hyaluronic Acid serum selling out in seconds when restocked globally. Amassing a community of over 2.1 million, the brand has sold nearly 20 million products globally to date and has been innovating at a remarkable rate based on their own real-time consumer insights. The INKEY List can be found at Sephora in over 30 countries, Boots and CultBeaulty.com in the United Kingdom, and at theinkeylist.com. "We are grateful to our fantastic retail partners," notes Laxton. "We are so lucky to partner with some of the biggest retailers and to have grown into one of their top-selling brands in just three years. Our mission is to support consumers as they enter the daunting world of skincare by providing them with simple knowledge to navigate through skincare ingredients and how to use them, while providing real-time, human skincare support through our digital askINKEY team." In March 2022, The INKEY List will also evolve their human-led customer service approach with the launch of their new 'we are INKEY' positioning campaign, whilst doubling down on their consumer education supported by a collective of external dermatologists and trichologists. *SPATE (December 2021) 'Brands to watch' Report, Spate NYC, pp 6. About The INKEY List: Founded in 2018 in the U.K. by Colette Laxton & Mark Curry, The INKEY List's mission is to lead with knowledge, demystifying the beauty category through knowledge-driven solutions at an accessible price point, as well as to support consumers throughout their personal skincare journey. Their single-ingredient led skincare, hair and scalp treatments offer simple to understand and easy-to-use formulas. To date they have had nearly 4 million consumer interactions through their askINKEY service, a 24/7/365 offering that enables the curious and confused to have their skin, hair, or scalp questions answered by human experts in real-time. The INKEY List is available exclusively in Sephora/on Sephora.com in over 32 countries, as well as Cult Beauty, Boots, and on www.theinkeylist.com. @theinkeylist About Aria Growth Partners: Based in New York City, Aria Growth Partners is a leading consumer growth equity firm that provides capital and elevated partnership to extraordinary consumer brands. Aria typically invests between $5 - $25 million for minority stakes in growth-stage consumer brands. For the last decade, Aria principals have been growth partners to many of the most successful emerging brands across beauty, personal care, food, beverage, household, baby and pet products. www.ariagrowth.com. Media Contacts: Bux + Bewl Communications UK: Lauren Mills / Lauren@buxandbewl.com US: Lara Casse / Lara@buxandbewl.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1749948/The_INKEY_List_image.jpg Convictional announces $40 Million Series B Funding Led By YC Continuity Convictional, a Toronto, Canada-based supplier enablement platform provider, raised $40M in Series B funding. The round was led by YC Continuity with participation from existing major investors, including Lachy Groom and FundersClub. YC Continuity Managing Director Ali Rowghani joined the board. The company will use this funding to: Accelerate product innovation, specifically with features for wholesale trade relationships, Expand their sales and marketing efforts towards new customer acquisition, and Pursue its vision to enable every company, of every size, to automate B2B trade. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate growth, expand its sales, marketing and operations. Led by CEO Roger Kirkness, Convictional provides a Supplier Enablement Platform for enterprise retailers, marketplaces and distributors to launch new brands on their dropship, marketplace, and wholesale programs in minutes, with one-click Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce integrations and the ability to onboard classic brands via CSV and EDI files. API-based infrastructure allows buyers and sellers of products to automate trade no matter their integration preference, including API, EDI, and native platform apps. Enterprise retailers like Indigo, MADE.com, Staples and Harry Rosen can expand their product assortment, reduce inventory risk, and test new brands easily with Convictionals supplier enablement software. FinSMEs 18/02/2022 Fenbeitong, a Beijing, China-based corporate spend provider, raised $140M in Series C+ funding, reaching an unicorn status. The round, which brought total investment raised to date to $300m, was led by DST Global, with participation from Hillhouse, Ribbit, Stau, Glade Brook, Bit Rock, D1 Capital Partners, WhaleRock, Saudi Aramcos P7 Ventures, and Emergence. The company intends to use the funds to further product capabilities, opening new markets, and expanding the team. Led by CEO Henry Lan, Fenbeitong is a corporate spend startup which leverages a SaaS+Payment model. FinSMEs 17/02/2022 Spanish Food & Wine Festival: Spirits & Tapas 06:00pm The St. Augustine Spanish Food & Wine Festival's mission is to connect St. Augustine to our city's Spanish history through a series of special events that feature Spanish wine, cuisine, and culture. The festival serves to raise money for local charities, provide memorable experiences for visitors, foster international economic development, and enrich the quality of life in our community. All proceeds from the St. Augustine Spanish Food & Wine Festival will go to benefit the Flagler College Hospitality & Tourism Management Program and its talented students. The Flagler College Hospitality & Tourism Management Program is career-focused, offers a complimentary blend of hospitality and business, and is structured around the practical application of hospitality and tourism business principles. Learn more about the festival and purchase tickets here. Location 75 King St, St. Augustine, FL 32084 Google Map Tagged As Karen Hampton Exhibition Coming to Crisp-Ellert Art Museum We are pleased to announce the exhibition Karen Hampton: Origins, opening at the Crisp-Ellert Art Museum at Flagler College on Friday, March 4. Hamptons textile-based work explores stories of the African American diaspora, as well as her ancestral ties to Northeast Florida. The artist will give a walkthrough of the exhibition on Friday, March 4 at 5pm, followed by an opening reception until 8pm. A large Block-printed silk organza, linen, pigment drawing, and hand-stitching On Saturday, March 5 at 6pm Hampton will join her esteemed colleagues Dr. Kathleen Deagan, and Dr. Jane Landers in a panel discussion to contextualize where the Clarke-Garvin family fit into the histories of Spanish Florida and United States. This panel discussion will take place in the Flagler Room at Flagler College and will also be livestreamed. These events are free and open to the public, and masks are required. The Origins exhibition will continue through Saturday, April 23. Through extensive genealogical research Karen Hampton has traced her family to descendants in St. Augustine, Florida that includes the British-born George J.F. Clarke (1774-1836), who served as the Surveyor General and Lieutenant Governor during the Second Spanish Period, and his unmarried wife Flora Leslie (1771-1832), a formerly enslaved woman whom he manumitted. The fascinating story of their large, multiracial, land-owning family in the late 18th to mid-19th centuries has been the catalyst for an ongoing body of work since her first visit to St. Augustine in 2006. Hamptons work utilizes hand-woven textiles, digital prints and embroidery on cloth, and hand dyed fabrics to consider her own lineage, and how these individuals are connected to Black American history within Spanish Florida, the United States, and the African Diaspora. Often merging ancestral methods of textile production with more experimental contemporary processes, the work represents a window into the world her ancestors had to traverse, from the late 1700s to the Civil War, and the return to their homeland in Florida. A site visit in June 2021 served as further inspiration for new works Hampton has created for this exhibition. In the installation America, Now and Then, narrowly woven indigo and bast fibers unfurl and curl around vintage spools from weaving mills in Lowell, Massachusetts where the artist lives and works. Running close to twenty yards long, the work suggests an aerial view of the landscape or a map. As Hampton has explained, this piece represents the distance along the coast from Fernandina to St. Augustine as well as considers the means of production of the transatlantic slave trade and speaks to the role of northern financiers who enabled the system. Fort Mose and the Oysters is derived from a photograph the artist took of the grove of trees that stand where Fort Mose, the first legally sanctioned free African settlement, once stood. Fort Mose Historic State Park extends into a tidal creek where plentiful oyster beds are exposed at low tide. This material is abundant along the waterways of Northeast Florida, where her ancestors once traveled, and has been used more broadly as the building blocks of society in Florida. The landscape of Northeast Florida has become a poetical point of departure for Hampton to consider connections between the past and present, and through a combination of stories and historical documentation from the lives of George J.F. Clarke, Flora Leslie, and their descendants, the artist has crafted a generational story of love, dedication, and survival. Karen Hampton has held recent solo exhibitions at venues such as Michigan State University Union Art Gallery (2018), Jack Bell Gallery, London (2017), Honolulu Museum of Art (2016-17), and Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art (2015). Her work has also been included in several group exhibitions including gallery FRITZ, Santa Fe (2018), Roberts Project, Culver City, CA (2018) Pomona College (2015), Muskegon Museum of Art (2012-15), GATEWAY Art Center (2011), and Washington, D.C. (2008-11). Hampton is an Assistant Professor of Fine Art at Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. Dr. Kathleen Deagan is Distinguished Research Curator of Archaeology Emerita and the Emerita Lockwood Professor of Florida and Caribbean Archaeology at the University of Florida. Her research has focused on the archaeology of the Spanish colonial period in Florida and the Caribbean. She has conducted excavations in St. Augustine, Florida, since 1972, including the identification and excavations of Ft. Mose, Americas first free black community, and Floridas first Spanish settlement (1565-66). Since 1980, she has directed excavation programs in the Caribbean, including La Isabela, Christopher Colombuss first town in America in collaboration with Jose M. Cruxent. She has also directed archaeological programs at Concepcion de la Vega (1496-1562) in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Real, Haiti (1502-1578), and the En Bas Saline site in Haiti -- a large Taino town thought to be the site of La Navidad, Columbuss first fort, in 1492. She has been a consultant on historic preservation and archaeology in Spain, Venezuela, Panama, Peru, Jamaica, and Honduras. Deagan is the author of eight books and more than 70 scientific papers. She was named an Alumna of Outstanding Distinction by the University of Florida in 1998, and is a recipient of the Society for Historical Archaeologys J.C. Harrington Award for Lifetime Distinction. In 2016 she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and in 2018 was elected to the Academia de Historia de la Republica Dominica. She has been awarded the Order of La Florida by the City of St. Augustine in 2007 for distinguished service to the city. Dr. Jane Landers is the Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of History at Vanderbilt University. She is Director of the Slave Societies Digital Archive and since 2015 has served as the U.S. member on UNESCOs International Scientific Committee for the Slave Route Project. Landers award-winning monographs include Black Society in Spanish Florida and Atlantic Creoles in the Age of Revolutions and she is the co-author or editor of five other books dealing with the history of African and Indigenous resistance in Florida and the Atlantic World. Her research has been supported by the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Council of Learned Societies, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the British Library Endangered Archives Programme, among others. She has served as President of the Conference on Latin American History and Founding Chair of its Atlantic World Section, the Forum on Early-Modern Empires and Global Interactions, and the Latin American and Caribbean Section of the Southern Historical Association, and currently serves as Chair of the Committee on International Historical Activities of the American Historical Association. This program is supported by a grant from the Dr. JoAnn Crisp-Ellert Fund at The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida. For more information about our programming and upcoming events, please visit the website at www.flagler.edu/ceam, follow us on Instagram (@crispellertart) or Facebook (Crisp-Ellert Art Museum), or contact Julie Dickover at 904-826-8530 or crispellert@flagler.edu. Tagged As Tampa, FL (33646) Today A shower or two possible this evening with partly cloudy skies overnight. Thunder possible. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight A shower or two possible this evening with partly cloudy skies overnight. Thunder possible. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. The Floyd County Board of Education announced a change to its COVID-19 policies, effective Feb. 15, but is still requiring universal masking in its buildings, despite moves by other local districts to end the requirement. Floyd County Schools is committed to maximizing in-person learning opportunities and has implemented layered prevention strategies recommended by health and medical experts to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19 and safeguard the well-being of students, employees, and families, the district said in a statement. Throughout the pandemic, Floyd County Schools has aligned our COVID-19 protocols to the guidance of our partners at the Floyd County Health Department and Kentucky Department for Public Health. On Jan. 10, the statement said, the Kentucky Department for Public Health announced revised guidance that will reduce the amount of school that students and staff miss because of COVID-19. Their new guidelines are based on the latest findings from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing that when universal masking is in place, students and staff are less likely to contract COVID-19 at school. The decreased number of positive cases now makes it possible to adopt the new KDPH guidelines, the statement said. Beginning Feb. 15, here's what is changing in Floyd County Schools: Voluntary testing for students and employees will be available at every school in the district. Testing is voluntary but students must have a signed consent. The district's Test-to-Stay-in-School program will now be available to all students and staff regardless of where they were exposed to COVID-19. Participants in Test-to-Stay must remain symptom-free. In accordance with Kentucky Department for Public Health guidelines for school districts with universal masking, FCS students and employees will not be quarantined for in-school exposure. Schools will notify families and staff if an individual in the classroom has tested positive for COVID-19. Families and staff will be encouraged to monitor for symptoms and follow health department guidance about being tested for COVID-19 on day 5, 6, or 7 from the exposure. Those who have been placed in quarantine by the FCHD because of an out-of-school exposure will have the choice to quarantine at home or participate in the Test-to-Stay-in-School program. The district is continuing the following guidelines: The district will continue to require face masks while indoors in all district facilities and FC vehicles, including on school buses. The district will continue to follow precautionary measures including enhanced cleaning protocols, frequent handwashing, physical distancing when possible and extensive air-quality improvements. Students and employees should continue the practice of staying home if they are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever (temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or greater) or chills, a new cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, muscle or body aches, vomiting or diarrhea, and an onset of loss of taste or smell. They should not return to school until they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. Medical professionals continue to encourage all eligible students, employees, families and community members to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and receive boosters as appropriate. The district will continue to provide educational materials related to vaccines and work with health partners to offer vaccine clinics at convenient school and district locations. Local health departments and medical providers will continue to issue isolation orders for individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and schools will continue to honor their instructions. A Marine reservist from Queens charged with joining the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was busted Thursday for selling fake vaccination cards to other service members to help them avoid immunization requirements, federal prosecutors said Thursday. Months after joining the riots on Jan. 6, 2021, Jia Liu allegedly began the illegal scheme catering to anti-vaxxers, prosecutors with the Brooklyn U.S. Attorneys Office said. Advertisement Jia Liu Liu, along with Hempstead nurse Steven Rodriguez, 27, distributed at least 300 fake vaccine cards to people between March 2021 and February 2022, including other members of the Marine Corps Reserve, the feds claimed. The Marine and Rodriguez messaged each other and prospective buyers about their yearlong fraud using the encrypted app Signal, referring to the bogus vaccine cards as Cardi Bs or Pokemon Cards, according to the feds. Advertisement Rodriguez used his job as a nurse to obtain the vaccine cards, which Liu then sold to buyers, prosecutors said. When buyers wanted to be entered into digital vaccination systems, Liu on some occasions sent them to the healthcare clinic where Rodriguez worked. The nurse would destroy a vial of the vaccine before signing a card falsely stating that the buyer had received a dose, prosecutors said. I need to make an appointment for you with my buddy who will destroy a vial, scan your ID, and give you a band-aid, Liu allegedly said in a May 17, 2021 message on Signal to a prospective buyer. Liu had been running the scheme for five months when the Defense Department announced that members of the military would need to be vaccinated to keep their jobs unless they qualified for an exemption. At that point, he began getting the cards specifically for members of the Marine Corps, prosecutors 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. > By distributing false COVID-19 vaccination cards to members of the United States Marine Corps, Liu facilitated the introduction of unvaccinated persons into a military setting that had been constructed to exclude unvaccinated persons for the safety of troops, prosecutors wrote in the indictment. A nurse displays a COVID-19 vaccine card at a New York Health and Hospitals vaccine clinic in Brooklyn. (Craig Ruttle/AP) Liu and Rodriguez were each hit with two counts of conspiracy to defraud the federal government and one count of conspiracy to forge government writings. Liu was arrested in October for entering a restricted building during the Capitol riots. Hes pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors say he was caught on surveillance footage wearing an American flag hoodie and taking pictures and videos inside the Capitol. Advertisement Liu and Rodriguez each face up to 10 years in prison in the fraud case. Lius attorney in both cases, Ben Yaster, declined to comment. The charges are disturbing, said Rodriguezs attorney, Gary Farrell. But theres definitely more here than meets the eye. Hes not a bad guy, no record. Its not everything it seems. Geneva, NY (14456) Today A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low near 55F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low near 55F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Anniversary of the bus Mark just reminded me of my old ambulance and the fun of Christmas 2020 when I went to Minn to get my bus. First, hydrolocking in 10 degree Minneapolis parking lot and replacing the injector, then blowing the transmission on the way back to Texas and sleeping on the side of the road in 20 degrees. Then, going back, first to my storage lot in Dallas, where I yanked the transmission out of that ambulance, in the mud and ice, on my back. Then taking it to Oklahoma where I replaced the blown one, doing all that outside in freezing weather. So, a year later, that bus has taken me everywhere - about 45k miles - and it's still running great. Even those dang vice grips and C-clamps holding the exhaust manifolds to the downpipes, 20k miles now on them, and no sign of a leak. Through 4 feet of snow last trip, countless potholes and construction zones. I think they're rusted on now. Both ACs leak,.I don't know where. I think I'm going to build out the inside to create a cabin up front - that's how I use it - but a complete wall that let's me just heat/cool the cabin during extreme temps with the OEM in-dash A/C and not even mess with that other one, although it works great while it has freon. I also discovered that it has a broken sway bar link(?) That is prolly what's been scalloping the front tires. Looks easy to replace and doesn't cost much. I got a few weeks until my next trip so I'll get it done. Haven't checked the oil supply? Is Rotella back on shelves yet? Time to change again. I caught the flu in last month. Probably Omicron? If so, it was one of the lamest flus I've ever had. Been sicker with the same symptoms at least 20 times in my life. But, I did feel stupid, well, stupider, for about a week afterwards. Like a slight stupor. The parts on that truck I bought will let me get the 450 going. I've not wanted to do the system flush to get the oil out of the coolant and replace the cooler with no exhaust pipe.. The neighbors hate me enough. Hopefully, the cat bolts right up. Bout time to bust my hands all up again. Scabs gone, scars healing, time to twist some wrenches. A New York State Trooper who served on former Gov. Andrew Cuomos personal security detail sued the disgraced pol Thursday for sexual harassment. The woman, who filed the suit in Brooklyn Federal Court anonymously as Trooper 1, claimed that the governor violated her numerous times after she was transferred to the elite Protective Service Unit in January 2018. Advertisement In one instance on Sept. 23, 2019, when she accompanied the former governor to an event at Belmont Racetrack, he placed the palm of his hand on her belly button and slid it across her waist to her right hip, where her gun was holstered, the suit says. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo prepares to board a helicopter after announcing his resignation, Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, in New York. (Seth Wenig/AP) Trooper 1 felt violated as the Governor intentionally touched her in intimate locations between her breasts and vagina, the suit reads. Advertisement Five days after that incident, Cuomo spoke to the trooper about relationships, the suit says. He asked Trooper 1 for her age, and when she responded that she was in her late 20s, the governor said, Youre too old for me, according to the lawsuit. When she asked the governor what requirements he would have for someone he dated, the governor said someone who can handle pain, the suit says. The lawsuit also names a former top aide to Cuomo, Melissa DeRosa, as a defendant for her role in allegedly covering up the harassment. DeRosa was specifically involved in hiding the Governors behavior, the suit says. In general, throughout this period, the Governor sought out Trooper 1 to give her unwanted attention, in a way that made no sense given her professional role as part of his security staff, the suit reads. The allegations of harassment against Cuomo by Trooper 1 go all the way to mid-2021. The trooper spoke with investigators with with Attorney General Letitia Jamess office, as part of Jamess investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by Cuomo. Many of the incidents detailed in the lawsuit were already made public in the report, which detailed claims by nearly a dozen women who made claims against the governor. Advertisement Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > When the report was released, Cuomo denied all the claims. I never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances, he said. I am 63 years old. I have lived my entire adult life in public view. That is just not who I am. And thats not who Ive ever been. Despite his denials, the former governor resigned in August, shortly after James released her damning report, which concluded Cuomo had harassed numerous women. Hes since said that the investigation was tainted by political bias. Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for Cuomo, dismissed the claims. This claim relies on the AGs proven fraud of a report, as demonstrated by the five district attorneys who, one by one Democrat and Republican looked at its findings and found no violations of law, Azzopardi said in a statement. If kissing someone on the cheek, patting someone on the back or stomach or waving hello at a public event on New Years Eve is actionable then we are all in trouble. Advertisement Gov. Cuomo will fight every attempt at cheap cash extortions and is anxious to have the dirty politics stop we look forward to justice in a court of law, he added. 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. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center clinical researcher Dr. Rachel Issaka was just named the inaugural recipient of the Kathryn Surace-Smith Endowed Chair in Health Equity Research. The new endowed chair will help advance Issakas research, which focuses on reducing colorectal cancer deaths and disparities, particularly among members of racial/ethnic minority groups and low-income populations, through increased screening and follow-up of non-invasive screening tests. It is an honor to receive this endowed chair in health equity research, said the gastroenterologist and clinical researcher. Im grateful for Kathy Surace-Smith, Brad Smith and Fred Hutchs investment in my research program and health equity at large. My inspiration and resolve to address health disparities in colorectal cancer and other diseases is renewed. Issaka, who joined the faculty of the Hutch, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and the University of Washington in 2017 from the University of California, San Francisco, said the flexible funding that an endowed chair provides is especially meaningful for early-career researchers, who often face a funding gap between career development awards and large National Institutes of Health research project grants or equivalent awards. This gap can be so challenging that many clinician-scientists stop doing research altogether and return to doing clinical work, she said. Having resources that can be used as needed, for example, to support salaries or to fund high-risk pilot projects, is invaluable when building a research program, she said. It also speaks volumes about the institutions commitment. Issaka said she will use the funds to cover salaries first, then will explore expanding innovative interventions, including those that address logistical barriers to screening as revealed by her research. Hutch Director and President Dr. Thomas J. Lynch, holder of the Raisbeck Endowed Chair, said he was ecstatic about the news. Dr. Issaka has shown incredible dedication, rigor and agility with regard to her colorectal cancer research, especially during this pandemic, Lynch said. We are thrilled to have our first Hutch endowed chair in health equity, and are beyond thrilled to have our board chair, Kathryn Surace-Smith, recognize and respond so generously to this critical area of research. Structural barriers, to health and to funding As a researcher and clinician, Issaka is particularly interested in understanding the issues that cause delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Colorectal cancer, when detected and treated early, is often curable; the five-year survival rate for localized colorectal cancer is 90%. But not everyone is able to benefit from early screening programs or from treatment. Currently, 40 out of every 100,000 white people are diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 16 of those people die. Among African Americans, the incidence rate is 49 out of 100,000 and 21 of those people die. Among Alaska Natives, the incidence rate is 91 per 100,000 and 38 of those patients end up dying (a rate more than twice that of whites). While Hispanics have a lower rate overall, theyre often diagnosed at a younger age than non-Hispanics, as are many Black and Indigenous people. Fort Wayne, IN (46808) Today Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 47F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 47F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Feature: China-funded conference center to give impetus to Zambia's MICE industry Xinhua) 09:41, February 18, 2022 Photo taken on Feb. 15, 2022 shows the exterior of the Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Center in Lusaka, Zambia. Apart from adding beauty to Zambia, the completion of an ultra-modern conference center funded by China will be an added impetus to the development of Zambia's MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions) industry. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua) LUSAKA, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Apart from adding beauty to Zambia, the completion of an ultra-modern conference center funded by China will be an added impetus to the development of Zambia's MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions) industry. The construction of the Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Center in Lusaka, Zambia's capital, is 87 percent complete, with the contractor saying it will be ready for handover to the government in March ahead of the scheduled handover date in April 2022. An on-the-spot visit by Xinhua to the site found work in progress as both local and Chinese workers were busy working. Elias Mpondela, the Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at China Jiangsu International Economic Technical Cooperation Group, the Chinese firm constructing the facility, said the construction of the conference center with the state-of-the-art facilities will enable Zambia to start hosting huge conferences. While the construction of the facility is meant for the hosting of this year's African Union (AU) summit, the benefits of having such an iconic facility will outlive the summit, with the tourism sector set to benefit through conference tourism, Mpondela said. "This positions Zambia in a way that we can have conferences that run away from Zambia and go to other countries begin to come here," he told Xinhua in an interview after the tour of the facility. He, however, said there is need to construct some five-star hotels near the facility as a way to encourage more tourists in the country. According to him, the construction of the facility not only cements the bilateral relations that have existed between the two countries but also enhances people-to-people relations. "We have done extremely well. I think that the speed at which this facility has progressed is amazing. Within one year we have achieved incredible progress and we are standing at about 87 percent from completion," he added. The construction of the facility has so far brought economic benefits to the country with over 500 direct jobs while other sectors like suppliers are benefiting indirectly through supplying various services, Mpondela said. He said the Chinese workers were transferring skills to their local counterparts, a situation that will benefit the country once the Chinese nationals leave. Tadalisika Zulu, the clerk of Works at the Department of Public Infrastructure in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, said the pace at which works were moving gives optimism that the facility will be completed on schedule. She expressed happiness over the quality of works being done by the Chinese contractor as well as the work culture exhibited so far. The facility whose main conference room has a holding capacity of about 4,000 people started construction in 2020. "This ultra-modern conference center will boost Zambia's infrastructure capacity to host high-level international conferences and meetings," then-President Edgar Lungu said at the groundbreaking ceremony in February 2020. He said the people of Zambia treasure the unbreakable bond of friendship and brotherhood between Zambia and China. Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema said during the 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU in Ethiopia last week that the southern African nation was ready to host the mid-year coordinating summit in July this year. Elias Mpondela, the Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at China Jiangsu International Economic Technical Cooperation Group, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Lusaka, Zambia, on Feb. 15, 2022. Apart from adding beauty to Zambia, the completion of an ultra-modern conference center funded by China will be an added impetus to the development of Zambia's MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions) industry. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua) Photo taken on Feb. 15, 2022 shows the exterior of the Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Center in Lusaka, Zambia. Apart from adding beauty to Zambia, the completion of an ultra-modern conference center funded by China will be an added impetus to the development of Zambia's MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions) industry. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua) Photo taken on Feb. 15, 2022 shows the exterior of the Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Center in Lusaka, Zambia. Apart from adding beauty to Zambia, the completion of an ultra-modern conference center funded by China will be an added impetus to the development of Zambia's MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions) industry. (Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua) (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) The estranged husband of a woman fatally stabbed in her Bronx apartment carefully planned out the bloody attack, swiping a key to her place from their shared daughter, and laying in wait for the mother of his children after he ransacked her apartment, a prosecutor said Thursday. Victim Flora Elasia Recio Noble, 45, had moved to the Noble Ave. apartment in Van Nest after the separation, according to a friend. Advertisement A 45-year-old Bronx woman was stabbed to death early Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, during a clash with her estranged boyfriend. Cops responding to a 911 call for an assault in progress at the womans apartment on Noble Ave. near Mansion St. in Van Nest around 4:30 a.m. found the victim sprawled out on the floor. She had been repeatedly stabbed all over her body, cops said. (Nicholas Williams/New York Daily News) The two were living apart, but the spurned spouse, Exiquio Castillo, 47, managed to get a key to her place from one of their kids during a visitation, the prosecutor said. This defendant carefully planned his actions, Bronx Assistant District Attorney Allison Kline said at Castillos arraignment on charges of murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon. Advertisement He took a key from the victims daughter, who is also his own daughter, in order to gain entry into an apartment that is not his own. Recio Noble had been out to a party with a friend, and returned early Wednesday, Kline said. While Castillo was waiting he arrived when he knew no one would be home Kline said he meticulously took multiple knives and slashed through every piece of furniture that was in her living room and her bedroom. Flora Elasia Recio Noble (Obtained by Daily News) When she entered the apartment with her friend, he had the knife in hand, Kline said in Bronx Supreme Court. Her friend attempted to intercede and take that knife away. But Castillo grabbed a second knife and stabbed the victim in the back, Kline said. She fell to the ground and he continued to stab her as her friend frantically called the police in order to get help, the prosecutor said. Police responding to a 911 call reached the bloody victims residence about 4:30 a.m. to discover Recio Noble sprawled on the floor of the trashed apartment with multiple stab wounds, cops said. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Before cops arrived, Recio Nobles killer quietly exited the apartment, taking the elevator downstairs like nothing happened, according to Fatima Cruise, whose sister lives in the building and was the victims best friend. After he left the apartment, Kline said, Castillo made multiple confessions to friends and relatives. Advertisement Castillo surrendered to police later in the day, and immediately asked for a lawyer, cops said. Kline said Castillo had also planned his escape. She said he had purchased a flight to Florida that was scheduled to leave New York at 10:55 a.m. the morning of the slaying. He had sold his car earlier this week, she said. Castillo was remanded without bail. A judge said Castillo has contacts out of the state and out of the country, and a history of violent felony charges. Cops said Castillos rap sheet includes prior arrests for rape, robbery and weapons possession. Recio Noble moved into the building about two years ago, neighbors said, and was working at a Manhattan liquor store. Three Alsea School District administrators filed formal complaints this week against Superintendent Marc Thielman, citing a hostile work environment, illegal firing practices and disregard for any viewpoint that is not his own. The complaints, copies of which were obtained by Mid-Valley Media, were filed by Katie Sapp, former assistant superintendent now on paid administrative leave, elementary principal Shannon Rice and her husband, Travis Rice, the districts technology and communications manager. Travis Rice was placed on paid administrative leave the day after he filed his complaint. Together, the complaints allege staff are afraid to voice any opinion contrary to Thielman, who is running for Oregon governor and burst into the national spotlight last month when he announced his school district was taking back local control and would no longer require masking in opposition to current state protocols. The allegations paint a picture of Thielman as a bully, a man with a temper who is often distracted and even inappropriate at times. All three said they believe they are not safe in the current working environment. Reached for comment, Thielman said he couldnt discuss pending complaints. Unworkable conditions Sapp, who has worked for the district since 2012, signed a separation agreement with the district that reportedly went into effect at the Nov. 17 board meeting. But Sapp now questions the legality of that agreement, saying she could not find evidence the board authorized it in public session. She also alleges she was not invited to attend, which is her legal right. Her complaint, which names the districts Board of Directors as well as Thielman, says this is not the first time she has brought her concerns to the board. In October, she formally reported ongoing sexual harassment, intimidation and bullying by Thielman to acting board Chair Jeff Davis and board member Risteen Follett. In addition, the complaint indicates she had an ongoing complaint against Keenan Elber, head of maintenance, also for creating a hostile work environment, although it does not describe why. In his complaint, Travis Rice supported Sapps claims, citing a specific incident so out of hand that it got to the point of me getting up out of my chair to make sure nothing physical would occur between Sapp and one of her subordinates. 'Utterly disgusting' In another incident, Travis Rice accuses Thielman of making derogatory, anti-LGBTQ comments in connection with a Facebook live video. That comment was followed by a personal anecdote relayed in front of others about having sex with his wife. This was utterly disgusting and made me so uncomfortable I wanted to leave the room, but did not feel I could, Travis Rice wrote. The various incidents have made him paranoid, Travis Rice said, adding he is now living in fear of Thielman and Technology Administrator Nathan Roberts, who are working to cut me out of anything technologically related and potentially trying to track communications made by me. Shannon Rice, the only administrator who filed a complaint this week not placed on paid administrative leave, said she feels unsafe sharing her opinions or concerns unless they align with Thielmans. She emphasized this is true for other employees, especially female employees. He did not talk to all staff or admin about changing the masking rules, Shannon Rice wrote in her complaint. When I bring complaints or concerns to him, as is his request, he disregards the concern and makes things political. In January Thielman went against statewide rules set forth by the Oregon Health Authority and stopped enforcing masks in classrooms, freezing COVID-19 relief funding and facing fines from Oregon Occupational Safety and Health. The move prompted a slight controversy between the superintendent and his school board, whose members are often on board with Thielmans suggestions. At the most recent school board meeting, directors complained Thielman had not explained to them that their resolution to do away with masks would cost them money. Thielman disputed that claim. The race for governor has affected the running of the schools, Shannon Rice said in her complaint, in which she expressed concerns about Thielmans campaign manager and bodyguards presence on campus. Marc has told me that he would burn me to the ground if I challenged him, Shannon Rice wrote. To put it lightly, you could cut the tension in this building with a knife. Thielman told Mid-Valley Media he and the board cannot discuss personnel matters during the open complaint process, and will not speak to the media until an investigation has been completed. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Corvallis Gazette-Times. Each school district has its own way of handling the public complaint process. In Alsea, the superintendent would normally conduct the investigation into the complaint, according to the district's website, but because these three were filed against Thielman, board chair Ron Koetz will look into it on behalf of the board. The findings will then be presented to the board in open session, when they will decide what actions to take, if necessary. Koetz did not return four requests for comment from Mid-Valley Media. 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 0 Funny 2 Wow 2 Sad 2 Angry 9 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. Two Albany residents are facing federal charges, accused of robbing an Aumsville bank. According to a news release from the FBI in Oregon, Albany residents Dustin Michael Halvorsen, 37, and Noelle Monique Lerma, 23, were allegedly involved in the Feb. 8 robbery of the Riverview Community Bank in Aumsville. A criminal complaint filed in the case alleges a man approached a teller and handed over a note that read, you will be the first one shot if the teller didnt comply. The man is said to have kept his right hand in his coat pocket. The victim believed the robber had a gun. The man received some cash, according to the news release, left the bank on foot and traveled a short distance before a witness saw him get into the passenger side of a black sedan. Less than 10 minutes after the robbery started, Marion County Sheriffs Office deputies saw the sedan, according to the news release. After running the license plate, deputies realized the plate belonged to a different vehicle, so they stopped the sedan. Marion County Sheriffs deputies, Stayton police officers and Aumsville police took Halvorsen and Lerma into custody. The pair made their initial appearances before a federal magistrate judge on Feb. 10, according to the FBI. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon is prosecuting the case. Investigators believe Halvorsen and Lerma may be connected to other recent criminal activity in Newport and Eugene, according to the news release. Anyone with information regarding other potential criminal activity is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at www.tips.fbi.gov. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 A federal grand jury charged a Lebanon man Thursday, Feb. 17 with kidnapping and sexual misconduct after he allegedly put a developmentally disabled woman under his care in a van, then drove to a cemetery where he reportedly raped her. U.S. prosecutors indicted Zakary Glover, 28, on deprivation of rights for allegedly using his job as a state care provider to kidnap and attempt to sexually abuse the woman, who has severe autism and communicates mostly through pictures, videos and drawings, according to a court document. Glover also was indicted on kidnapping. If convicted, Glover could be sentenced to life in prison, according to a Justice Department news release. Glover was a caregiver in a state Department of Human Services 24-hour home in Lebanon for people with developmental disabilities, where one of his jobs was taking residents in a secure van to buy food at drive-through restaurants, according to an indictment. He allegedly took a woman from the facility in November to visit a Taco Bell, drove to Aumsville more than 27 miles away and down a dead-end gravel road lined with tall trees, parking the van at Aumsville Cemetery. Glover opened the passenger door, lowered his pants, grabbed the woman and attempted to sexually abuse her, the indictment states. Glover got back into the van after five minutes and eventually drove the woman back to the Human Services home in Lebanon, according to the document. The state charged Glover on Dec. 9 with first-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse, second-degree kidnapping and first-degree official misconduct. An indictment filed in Marion County alleges Glover knowingly forced sex on a woman incapable of consent on Nov. 2. Department of Human Services managers discovered the alleged assault on Nov. 12, alerting state police and putting Glover on unpaid administrative leave, according to a DHS statement. Glover worked at the state for about four years until Jan. 20, the agency said. "The Oregon Department of Human Services, the Office of Developmental Disabilities Services and the Stabilization and Crisis Unit condemn all acts of abuse and take all allegations of abuse seriously," the statement reads. Stabilization and Crisis Unit, the DHS program that runs the home in Lebanon, provides around-the-clock vocational services and support for the highest-risk Oregonians with developmental disabilities, according to a state job posting. Alex Powers covers business, environment and healthcare for Mid-Valley Media. Contact him at 541-812-6116 or alex.powers@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 4 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. Individuals on the Oregon State University campus were told to immediately evacuate Weniger Hall on Thursday, Feb. 17 because of a reported gas leak, according to OSU. The initial evacuation notice was issued around 12:55 p.m. An update at 1:19 p.m. said NW Natural Gas and Corvallis Fire Department were on scene and working to stop the leak. A final update at 1:30 p.m. indicated it was "all clear" and people could resume normal activities inside Weniger Hall. According to OSUs website, Weniger Hall houses office and classroom spaces for the physics, rangeland science, fisheries and wildlife, pharmacy, statistics, and botany departments, as well as the College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences and the College of Engineering. The building was built in 1960. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 FRIDAY Music a la Carte, noon, https://youtu.be/t-ZTukwTY-4. Students of the Oregon State University Trombone Ensemble, directed by Carson Keeble, and the OSU Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble, directed by JaTtik Clark, will perform. Hosted by the College of Liberal Arts at OSU. Information: erin.sneller@oregonstate.edu. C3 GameCon, 1 to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Corvallis Community Center, 2601 NW Tyler Ave. Live tabletop gaming; board games, miniature gaming events; cosplay costume contest with categories of Gaming, Disney, Comics/Marvel Cinematic Universe/DC Extended Universe, and Original Character; vendor hall with local artists, businesses and community partners tabling. Cost: $10 for one day; 541-766-6959 or c3.recreation@corvallisoregon.gov. TUESDAY Academy for Lifelong Learning, 9:30 a.m., online. Kim Bernard, biological oceanographer at Oregon State University, will present Small but Mighty: Krill, the Kingpins of Our Oceans, sharing results of her teams research on krill in the Antarctic, the Northern California Current and the Eastern Bering Sea. Registration: 541-737-9405 or admin@academyforlifelonglearning.org. Academy for Lifelong Learning, 1:30 p.m., online. Retired teacher and hardy traveler Louise Marquering will present The Great River Road Adventure. In September 2019, Louise and Denis Marquering drove the Great River Road, all 3,000 miles of it, from the headwaters at Lake Itasca, Minnesota, to the Gulf of Mexico. Registration: 541-737-9405. WEDNESDAY Academy for Lifelong Learning, 9:30 a.m., online. Christopher McKnight Nichols, director of the Oregon State University Center for the Humanities, will present Rethinking American Grand Strategy: The Past, Present and Future of U.S. Foreign Policy. He will discuss a tour of U.S. foreign policy history from his new book. Registration: 541-737-9405 or admin@academyforlifelonglearning.org. Soundbox5: Interstitial Spaces Collaborations and Creative Catalysts, Wednesday and Thursday, online. A mini-festival of makers in music, technology, poetry, art, engineering, science and more. Hosted by Oregon State University. Speakers: Andrew Lorish, Art and Arts, Media and Technology Program;" Paul Catanese, The Responsibility of Breath: A Conversation and VR Excursion; Claudia OSteen: The Art of Fieldwork; and Victor Villegas: Using the Arts for Cultural-Based STEM Education. Registration: liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/soundbox5. American Strings: An Evening with Allison Russell, 5 p.m., online. The Oregon State University College of Liberal Arts presents a conversation with and performance by Allison Russell, hosted by Bob Santelli. Russell is an artist, activist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She has been nominated for three 2022 Grammy awards. Registration: erin.sneller@oregonstate.edu. Oregon State Wind Symphony Winter Concert, 7:30 p.m., LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis. The symphony, directed by Olin Hannum, will feature OSU Wind Ensemble Concerto contest winner Elijah Durbin, clarinetist. Admission: free. Attendees must show valid OSU ID, or proof of COVID vaccination or a negative test from within 72 hours, plus photo ID. The performance will be livestreamed at https://youtu.be/AhC5lcYoqZU. Items for this calendar are pulled from the user-generated calendar that runs on our websites. For further information, write to jane.stoltz@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A group of Brooklyn gang members with ties to the drill rap scene turned the COVID-19 unemployment program into a bottomless ATM machine, using stolen identities to score more than $4 million, police and the feds said. Cops caught wind of the fraud when members of the NYPDs intelligence bureau noticed that members of the Canarsie-based Woo gang were making trips to California, renting houses, buying expensive cars and posing on social media with stacks of cash at the beginning of the pandemic. Advertisement Christopher Jean Pierre and Keith James. (Court Evidence) That led to a federal probe with the Department of Labor Inspector Generals office and on Thursday, the arrest of 11 suspects in a scheme to steal nearly $20 million in unemployment funds. They got away with more than $4.3 million before authorities cut off the money flow and arrested them, police allege. Advertisement They even bragged about the scheme in a YouTube rap video, Trappin, with the lyrics, Unemployment got us workin a lot. In New York State, applicants for COVID-related unemployment were given ATM cards issued by KeyBank, or got the money through direct deposits into existing bank accounts or old-fashioned paper checks. The result of this was like gang criminal magic. It was a never ending spigot of money, because when you tapped out the funds from one identity, you simply moved on to another, and to another, and to another, said NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Public Information John Miller. Imagine a bottomless ATM that was free, and just spit out cash. Early in the pandemic, the state had such a high demand for unemployment claims that its web site crashed, leading Google to help fix and re-design the site. The system helped people in need apply quickly, but it also offered an opportunity for the gang members to get rich quickly, at least early on, Miller said. One of the suspects, Romean Brown, 23, was pulled over for blowing a stop sign in Brooklyn in January 2021, and had three KeyBank debit cards on him, according to a federal complaint. Jahriah Olivierre and Romean Brown (Court Evidence) He posted a message months earlier on Facebook, asking if he should open a new chat on Telegram so he could get even more IDs to use. S--- is too easy, he said, according to the compliant. Individual gang members were purchasing hundreds of names from the dark web, the deep web and criminal sources that included social security numbers, Miller said. Advertisement The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Theyd also get drivers licenses, often for $150 a piece, according to federal court documents. The gang members would cycle between dozens of KeyBank cards at a clip, withdrawing as much as they can at an ATM machine before moving onto a new identity, A lot of this money was pulled out in cash almost immediately, Inspector William Viscardi of the NYPD criminal intelligence division said. That money was either spent as cash, or quickly transferred to an app like Venmo, making it impossible to recover, he said. The suspects were showing off Ferraris and other luxury cars, houses with palm trees and flights on private airplanes, authorities said. Theyd also brag about their prosperity in rap videos, challenging their rivals over who had the better cars or jewelry, police sources said. The Woo gang and its rival Cho gang has ties to the violence tearing through the drill rap scene. In 2019, Rising Brooklyn rapper Pop Smoke, who has ties to the Woo gang, was gunned down in a rental house in Los Angeles. Earlier this month, Tajay Dobson, 22, better known by his stage name Tdott Woo, was shot dead just hours after signing a recording contract. Advertisement The fraud suspects Brown, Tyrek Clarke, 21, Kennith Desir, 20, Stephan Dorminvil, 21, Kai Heyward, 22, Keith James, 20, Oneal Marks, 20, Jahriah Olivierre, 22, Christopher Jean Pierre, 21, Roleeke Smith, 20, and Christopher Topey, 21 all face charges in Brooklyn federal court. Gillette, WY (82718) Today Cloudy with gusty winds. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 58F. Winds SE at 20 to 30 mph.. Tonight Overcast with rain showers at times. Low 39F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Hungry New Yorkers may be waiting a bit longer than 15 minutes for Fridge No More groceries. A crew of crooks have been targeting the popular app-based delivery service, breaking into 10 of the companys cloud stores in the last two months and stealing more than 20 mopeds, scooters and e-bikes workers use to make good on a 15-minute delivery promise, police said Friday. Advertisement The burglary spree began on Dec. 17, when someone broke into a Fridge No More store on E. 23rd St. in Gramercy Park. When employees opened the store at 7:10 a.m., they realized that someone had taken three Arrow e-bikes, a Zoom bike and three MacBook Airs, cops said. Advertisement Police released surveillance video images of suspected thieves who have stolen more than 20 mopeds, scooters and e-bikes from an app-based delivery service. (NYPD) That same day, thieves broke into a second Fridge No More cloud store on Third Ave. near E. 91st St. on the Upper East Side, taking three Ninebot scooters valued at $3,000, according to police. Before December came to an end, the crew also broke into stores on Grand St. in Williamsburg and Norfolk St. in the Lower East Side, taking seven more e-bikes and scooters, as well as laptops the company uses to process orders. E-bike batteries and chargers were also swiped. The thieves returned to the Williamsburg location on Jan. 3, taking two more scooters and an e-bike, cops said. The crooks then bounced to four different cloud stores in Greenpoint and Long Island City over the next month, taking e-bikes, scooters and electronics. Fridge No More promises grocery deliveries in 15 minutes. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) The last burglary was on Jan. 29 when the bandits broke into a Freeman St. store in Greenpoint, where they removed a scooter, iPad and a MacBook air valued at $5,000, cops said. At least one of the thieves was recorded taking the stolen scooter into a nearby subway station, cops said. No injuries were reported. It was not immediately clear how the thieves broke into the stores. Customers are not allowed to go into the cloud stores, which are used to warehouse micro-mobility devices used by delivery workers, as well as the groceries hauled to city residents ordering products on the app. A delivery person at the Gramercy Park location said employees do all they can to protect their pricey electric bikes. Advertisement We do all we can by locking up stuff in the back, said Kush Gyasi, 23. Theres not a lot of traffic when were not open. Were basically a warehouse. Only one worker who spoke to the Daily News was aware of the burglary spree. Staff turnover was constant. Workers said most staff only stayed around for a few weeks before finding another gig. Fridge No More promises 15 minute grocery deliveries with no minimum fees and subscriptions. The company which serves all of Manhattan up to Harlem and affluent parts of Brooklyn and Queens opens cloud stores throughout the service area, so customers are no more than a mile from a store. Fridge No More had plans to open 40 cloud stores as of fall 2021. It did not respond to an inquiry. Cloud stores started gobbling up real estate amid a wave of vacancies during the pandemic. One big new player, Jokr, had 10 mini warehouses in New York City as of fall 2021, according to the Real Deal, with dozens more in 10 other cities. Advertisement The Fridge No More on Third Ave. between E. 91st St and E. 92nd St. in Manhattan. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) The new business model has been drawing scrutiny from local lawmakers, who say the cloud stores threaten conventional grocers and bodegas and create potential safety concerns for delivery workers. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Councilwoman Gale Brewer (D-Manhattan) has asked city agencies to determine whether the stores comply with zoning laws. She condemned the recent string of burglaries, saying they appear to highlight safety issues. Theres no security, theres no sense of a store, Brewer said, though she clarified that she hasnt been to a Fridge No More. Brewer said some cloud stores have begun welcoming customers in a bid to comply with zoning laws. In a very haphazard way, customers are welcomed in, she said. Whereas at a grocery store, they usually have a lot of employees who are paying attention...Its different. Advertisement Police on Friday released released images of two thieves involved in the Jan. 29 break-in the hopes someone recognizes them. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is urged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. TORONTO and KNOXVILLE, Tennessee, Feb. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Solar Alliance Energy Inc. (Solar Alliance or the Company) (TSX-V: SOLR, OTCQB: SAENF) is pleased to announce that Brian Timmons has been appointed Chairman of the Companys Board of Directors, effective immediately. Mr. Timmons was appointed to the Companys Board of Directors on September 13th, 2021. Mr. Timmons replaces Michael Clark, who continues in his roles of Director, CEO and President of Solar Alliance. I am really excited to accept this appointment as Chairman of Solar Alliance, a company on the cusp of sustained, dynamic growth in this rapidly growing industry, said Chairman Brian Timmons. We fully intend to realise this potential for the benefit of the company, our shareholders and the planet. Building a strong, independent board of directors is imperative for our future growth and appointing Mr. Timmons as independent Chairman contributes to that process, said CEO Myke Clark. Serving Solar Alliance as Chairman has been an honour and I look forward to working closely with Mr. Timmons and the rest of our board of directors as we continue to grow this company. Mr. Timmons is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, with over 30 years of experience in senior positions within companies across a range of industries, including fund management, investment banking (in Irish Life Assurance Co. and AIB Capital Markets PLC respectively), healthcare technology, bioscience, alternative energy and resource companies, e-commerce, telecoms and software IT. Myke Clark, CEO For more information: Investor Relations Myke Clark, CEO 416-848-7744 mclark@solaralliance.com About Solar Alliance Energy Inc. (www.solaralliance.com) Solar Alliance is an energy solutions provider focused on residential, commercial and industrial solar installations. The Company operates in Tennessee, Kentucky, North/South Carolina and Illinois and has an expanding pipeline of solar projects. Since it was founded in 2003, the Company has developed $1 billion of renewable energy projects that provide enough electricity to power 150,000 homes. Our passion is improving life through ingenuity, simplicity and freedom of choice. Solar Alliance reduces or eliminates customers' vulnerability to rising energy costs, offers an environmentally friendly source of electricity generation, and provides affordable, turnkey clean energy solutions. Statements in this news release, other than purely historical information, including statements relating to the Company's future plans and objectives or expected results, constitute Forward-looking statements. The words would, will, expected and estimated or other similar words and phrases are intended to identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Companys actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different than those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include but are not limited to: uncertainties related to the ability to raise sufficient capital, changes in economic conditions or financial markets, litigation, legislative or other judicial, regulatory and political competitive developments and technological or operational difficulties. Consequently, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release." Beverly Hills , Feb. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robert Massie says the core mission of his businessesBrightStar Care of Fairfax, an in-home healthcare service provider, and Eclipse Health Solutions, a remote patient monitoring serviceis to provide high-quality, cost-effective healthcare services that people can receive in the comfort of their own home. Listen to the complete interview of Robert Massie with Adam Torres on Mission Matters Innovation Podcast. How did you get started in the healthcare industry? Massies life was running smoothly, living in Chicago and working as a senior vice-president at a large consulting firm, until a family emergency brought him to a crossroads. His wife's mother suffered a fall and was hospitalized for a lengthy period of time. After her discharge, it was nearly impossible for Massie and his wife to arrange appropriate, high-quality healthcare services for her in her home in Florida, even though the state is known for its abundant population of retirees. The frustrating experience of trying to coordinate those arrangements remotely led to the couples decision to start an in-home care service, he says. So, they relocated from Chicago back to their hometown in Northern Virginia and opened a Brightstar franchise there to offer affordable in-home healthcare options to seniors. The goal, he explains, is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of patients in their homes while giving family members, near and far, peace of mind. Now that the pandemic has changed so many aspects of our lives, how is in-home healthcare changing? In-home care used to be seen as a luxury, Massies notes, but since the pandemic began, its become an absolute necessity as people are less willing and/or able to leave their homes. Traditional healthcare services across the board have moved quickly toward using technology to provide home-delivery, and more people than ever now rely on telehealth services. A natural offshoot of this movement, he says, is the fact that people are now looking more for in-home care services as an alternative to traditional hospital and clinic visits to treat a wide range of concerns- from mild, fleeting illness to chronic conditions. What led you to take up a Brightstar franchise? Noting that his professional experience was steeped in leadership outside of the healthcare industry, Massie says he wanted to enter the industry with a company that knew exactly what it was doing. Brightstar, he explains, had already been in business for many years, providing a seamless array of private-duty personal care and skilled care services. The BrightStar approach was unique in the industry and focused squarely on care quality. Further, he notes, Brightstar is accredited by The Joint Commission, ensuring a high level of excellence. What in-home healthcare services does your Brightstar franchise provide? Massie explains that Brightstar Care of Fairfax offers a wide range of in-home services ranging from personal and companion care to skilled care. Personal care often includes errands and light chores, assistance with daily routines like medications, personal hygiene, bed/chair transfers, and exercising, while skilled care is delivered by certified nursing professionals who provide prescribed treatments like infusions, wound care, oxygen assistance, and tube feedings. Tell us about your other company, Eclipse, and how it fits with Brightstars offerings. Not everyone desires in-home care services, Massie notes, as some people may value more privacy or solitude, but still require a certain level of assistance or care. Thats where Eclipse Health Solutions comes in, offering remote health monitoring systems. "Eclipse is primarily a technology company, he says, but plugged into Brightstar, and with a call center that can monitor all of the data trends, or respond if necessary, and inform physicians and clients what's going on. We felt that it was a need that wasn't being well met. And so we thought of Eclipse. It's about two and a half years old now, and it's beginning to pick up a great deal of steam." Massie says patients are expected to follow their daily routines, monitoring their own blood pressure, sugar level, weight, pulse rate, and so on; these routines are logged via a Bluetooth connection that transmits the data to Eclipse, which helps doctors and nurses keep tabs on how the patient is doing at home. When something notable has changeda blood sugar drop, an irregular pulse reading an alert is triggered, resulting in a check-in to determine appropriate next steps. What's next for Eclipse and Brightstar? In preparation for oncoming COVID variants, Massie says the companies are diligently working to increase their effectiveness and quality of service, introducing innovations to help people stay home and stay safe, no matter their circumstance. To learn more, visit www.brightstarcare.com/fairfax and www.eclipse-health.com. Media Communications Inquiries: adamtorres@missionmatters.com Publicist for Adam Torres and Mission Matters Media KISS PR Brand Story PressWire. Brand Publicity Partners KissPR.com Media contact az@kisspr.com Attachment Beverly Hills , Feb. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adrienne Denese talks with Mission Matters about leading her skincare brand, Dr. Denese SkinScience. Listen to the complete interview of Dr. Adrienne Denese with Adam Torres on the Mission Matters Luxury Podcast. What mission matters to you? Led by a goal to create skincare that truly and visibly reduces signs of aging, Dr. Denese, a Cornell trained Medical Doctor says, My mission is to give you top of the line luxury, best of the science skincare at a price that nearly anyone can afford. Her brand, Dr. Denese SkinScience, is a skincare line focusing on delivering visible results. Good skincare is a right, not a privilege, she says. How did your journey begin? Raised in Hungary at the height of communism, Denese always excelled academically. Her first exposure to skincare was through her aunt, who made face creams with bee pollen and had to sell them in secret, given that any private enterprise was against the law. At age 23, Denese decided to escape socialism and left by herself to the USA with $40 in her pocket and with a burning desire to study medicine. She finished her medical studies at Cornell Medical School with a full scholarship, completed residency at Cornell and started an anti-aging practice on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in the late 90s. What advice would you give to people who are just starting out? Discussing the importance of giving people a reason to buy, she says: It is all about the product. My clinically tested, clinically proven skin care is able to deliver truly visible, obvious clinical results. If your skin care is able to deliver visible results to your customers, you have them for life Asked how she was able to keep customers throughout the pandemic, she responds, If I serve them really well, and if I can deliver the results they seek, they will stay with me for good, and that is exactly what happened during these tough times. Tell us about your products. The basic principle of my skin care is to use a huge amount of active ingredients because this is what delivers the positive change to the skin, she says. I use double or triple the industry standards quantities of active ingredients in my products because I know that this is the only way to deliver clearly visible results." As for distribution, she notes, Close to 70% of our total income comes from automatic shipments where people sign up in advance in fear of running out. That is a huge testimonial for us. To learn more, visit Dr. Denese online. Media Communications Inquiries: adamtorres@missionmatters.com Publicist for Adam Torres and Mission Matters Media KISS PR Brand Story PressWire Brand Publicity Partners KissPR.com Media Contact: Az@kisspr.com Attachment Beverly Hills , Feb. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In this interview, marketer Ellen Didier talks with Mission Matters about the importance of using advanced integrated marketing approaches that support business goals and generate leads.. Listen to the complete interview of Ellen Didier with Adam Torres on the Mission Matters Marketing Podcast. What mission matters to you? Didier says shes driven by a desire to deliver results by helping clients align their marketing strategy to their business goals, executing a wide range of traditional and digital services focused on raising brand awareness and driving revenue.. Her marketing company, Red Sage Communications, helps its clients grow through results-oriented brand visibility and lead generation services. We align our marketing with our clients goals so that at the end of the day, marketing spend is focused, tracked, and effective. she says. How did it all start? Red Sage was founded in 2006 and grew to become the largest communications agency in northern Alabama. The name indicates the companys dedication to helping clients stand out and be visible in their industries, as the color red stands out, while providing sage, practical and strategic advice. Didiers professional background began with a small marketing company focused on providing marketing services to pump distributors and other industrial and B2B clients. Red Sage worked with B2B clients long before social media and the need for a digital presence became important tools in the toolbox.. In the beginning, Red Sage originally focused on branding and traditional media, then aggressively expanded its services as the digital marketing world began to develop and evolve, rapidly growing the company. Tell us more about Red Sage. Red Sage is a value-driven, full-service, integrated agency focused on developing and using a wide range of marketing tools to strengthen brands and connect clients to their audiences, Didier explains. Its 17 team members include account service professionals, as well as specialists in design, video, social media, digital marketing, web design, and public relations. Thanks to its breadth and depth of expertise, she explains, Red Sage is the perfect agency partner for companies looking to expand through goal-driven marketing executed by a trusted team of experts. We have specialized account executives who build strong relationships with clients while serving as extensions of the clients leadership team, she says, noting that good marketing requires deep understanding of a companys goals, industry, and competitive landscape.. What are your thoughts on the range of social media platforms? Linkedin is the best tool for most B2B companies, she says, due to its advanced ability to target prospects and potential employees. Other suitable platforms for growing your business and supporting recruitment efforts are Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, depending on the audience a business is targeting. Tiktok is being utilized by B2B companies in recruiting efforts to reach the youngest members of the workforce and recent high school graduates. Whats next for Red Sage? Red Sage is on a trajectory of continued growth and investment in its team, Didier notes. Its also focusing on incorporating the most up-to-the-minute tools into its offerings as it grows its team, continuing to develop new business while serving existing clients and helping them grow, too. To learn more, visit Red Sage Communications online. Media Communications Inquiries: adamtorres@missionmatters.com Publicist for Adam Torres and Mission Matters Media KISS PR Brand Story PressWire Brand Publicity Partners KissPR.com For more details, visit Kisspr.com. KISS PR Digital PR & Marketing powers the Mission Matters Business podcast with brand storytelling. T: 972.437.8942 Media contact az@kisspr.com Attachment Washington, D.C., Feb. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the New Civil Liberties Alliance filed a response to the Connecticut Statewide Bar Counsel and the Chair of the Statewide Grievance Committees Motion to Dismiss our lawsuit on behalf of two Connecticut-licensed attorneys who say their speech is being chilled. Mario Cerame and Timothy Moynahan have challenged Rule 8.4(7), a recently adopted provision of the Connecticut Rules of Professional Conduct for attorneys licensed in the State, which took effect on January 1, 2022. The First Amendment forbids content-based restrictions on speech. The chilling effect created by Rule 8.4(7), an unconstitutionally vague speech restriction, is severe and should concern attorneys nationwide. The Rule expands the definition of professional misconduct to include verbal or physical conduct that the lawyer reasonably should know constitutes harassment or discrimination on the basis of any one of 15 categoriesincluding race, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The Connecticut Statewide Bar Counsel and the Chair of the Statewide Grievance Committee argue in their Motion to Dismiss that the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut lacks jurisdiction to hear the claims. They also contend that Mr. Cerame and Mr. Moynahan lack standing to challenge the Rule because they will not suffer any injury unless and until they are charged with violating Rule 8.4(7). But the Plaintiffs facial challenge involves an enactment which, if invoked against them, could result in the loss of their licenses to practice law. Moreover, the Second Circuit has repeatedly held that chill allegations suffice to establish standing to raise First Amendment claims so long as the fear of enforcement action is actual and well founded. NCLAs original Complaint provides detailed factual allegations demonstrating that both attorneys speech has been chilled by Rule 8.4(7)s enactment and that the chill arises from the well-founded fear that their speech could generate a misconduct complaint. In the past several years, scores of lawyers have been penalized for expressing divergent views. Mr. Cerame and Mr. Moynahan regularly speak out on issues of public concern as part of their practice of lawboth in connection with legal proceedings and in forums unconnected to their representation of clients. While they do not intend to make statements that would constitute discrimination or harassment on the basis of any of the enumerated categories, they reasonably believe that those holding opposing points of view may well, on occasion, construe their criticisms as personally derogatory or demeaning. NCLA released the following statements: Connecticut argues that any First Amendment challenge to its new speech code for lawyers should be deferred until the State decides to prosecute a lawyer for violating the code. But attorneys are being injured right now; they have no choice but to censor their own speech based on a well-founded fear that speaking too freely will lead to a misconduct charge. That injury suffices to give them the standing necessary to challenge the law right now. Rich Samp, Senior Litigation Counsel, NCLA Connecticuts existing rules of professional conduct already prohibit unlawful discrimination. This new rule, by allowing attorneys to be grieved for speech not meant to offend but to which others take offense, creates a here-and-now chill on lawyers speech for fear of cancellation-by-grievance. Peggy Little, Senior Litigation Counsel, NCLA, and Connecticut-licensed attorney For more information visit the case page here. ABOUT NCLA NCLA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civil rights group founded by prominent legal scholar Philip Hamburger to protect constitutional freedoms from violations by the Administrative State. NCLAs public-interest litigation and other pro bono advocacy strive to tame the unlawful power of state and federal agencies and to foster a new civil liberties movement that will help restore Americans fundamental rights. ### Albuquerque, NM, Feb. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Monday, February 21, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman , head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for Americas 32.5 million small businesses in President Bidens Cabinet, will visit Albuquerque and meet with economic development and community leaders, as well as local SBA Resource Partners, to discuss ongoing support for small businesses as well as opportunities created by President Bidens Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This visit marks the Administrators first official visit to the Albuquerque area. Since May 2021, Administrator Guzman has visited 25 states and U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico. Media are invited to attend OPENING REMARKS but must RSVP by 5 p.m. CST on Sunday, February 20, 2022, for credentialing and further information. WHEN: Monday, February 21, 2022 WHERE: Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce (AHCC) 1309 4th St SW, Albuquerque, NM WHO: Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman , U.S. Small Business Administration , U.S. Small Business Administration Ernie CdeBaca , President/CEO, Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce , President/CEO, Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce Theresa Carson , President, African American Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce , President, African American Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce Marvis Aragon , Executive Director, American Indian Chamber of Commerce of NM , Executive Director, American Indian Chamber of Commerce of NM Johana Nelson , Strategic Programs Manager, NM Economic Development Department , Strategic Programs Manager, NM Economic Development Department Russell Wyrick , State Director SBDC , State Director SBDC Agnes Noonan , President, WESST , President, WESST Richard Coffel , Director, VBOC , Director, VBOC Samantha Lapin , Albuquerque Chapter Chair, SCORE , Albuquerque Chapter Chair, SCORE Charles Ashley, Economic Development Director, City of Albuquerque Economic Development Director, City of Albuquerque Lawrence Rael, Chief of Staff, City of Albuquerque Other local economic development and community leaders WHY: Administrator Guzman is traveling to Albuquerque, to highlight continued economic recovery efforts for small businesses and discuss new opportunities from President Bidens Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. MEDIA RSVP: Please RSVP to Mercedes Chavez at mercedes.chavez@sba.gov with a reporters name and press outlet. Small businesses are the engine of our national economy, with 32.5 million small businesses nationwide. There are around 160,000 small businesses in the state of New Mexico and they employ about 340,000 workers, according to the U.S. Office of Small Business Administrations Office of Advocacy. ### About the U.S. Small Business Administration A fraudulent online glasses vendor is getting a third prescription for prison. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan on Friday slapped Vitaly Borker with mail, wire fraud and identity theft charges for running a phony online glasses shop, noting he didnt learn his lesson after doing time twice for the exact same thing. Advertisement Vitaly Borker, who ran an online eyewear store selling counterfeit frames and then cyberbullied customers who posted complaints on the Internet complaining about him, is pictured in New York City in 2012. (Marcus Santos/for New York Daily News) My predecessor posed the rhetorical question of whether federal prison will impress upon this shady businessman that seeking to make money by fraud and intimidation is a path to prison, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. Apparently, it has not, he continued. As alleged, just after his release from federal prison, serial fraudster Vitaly Borker reverted back to his illegal conduct connected to online eyewear businesses. Advertisement In 2019, Borker was sentenced to two years in prison in connection with his website Opticsfast.com. After selling knockoffs and getting victims to send in their glasses for repairs, he sent threatening messages demanding exorbitant fees for their return. Borker wrote one unsatisfied customer hundreds of emails per day, stating in one, Very soon we are going to send this to collections. Be happy for now its [sic] just an email. After another person wrote a negative online review about getting damaged knockoff Ray-Bans, Borker called her about 35 times per day and barraged her with emails calling her a total degenerate. He also menaced the family of a former business partner who cooperated with the authorities. Hows the yearly family shindig going? ... Lying to the court and prosecutors while stealing from friends isnt going to work. Next year will certainly NOT be better. It will be exponentially worse. Next year will be filled with strip searches, visitation, Corlinks, lockdowns, marshal transports, handcuffs and leg irons and of course many tears, Borker allegedly texted the ex-partners sister days before Thanksgiving 2018. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Prior to that, Borker, now 45, did three and a half years in prison for fraud and horrific threats against customers who complained that expensive glasses they bought from a site called DecorMyEyes.com were cheap imitations. In one instance in that case, Borker threatened a violent sexual act, emailed the victim a photo of her house and later wrote her in all caps, I am watching you! Your honor, most people learn from their first mistake. For me, it has taken two. There will never be a third, Borker wrote a judge in asking for leniency before his 2019 sentencing. I will NEVER re-offend again. But right after being released from his latest stint in the clink, Borker allegedly got up to his old tricks. Starting in at least June 2020, while living in a residential reentry center, Borky set up a site called EyeglassesDepot.com boasting brand new and 100% authentic designer eyeglasses and sunglasses, prosecutors said. He allegedly assumed two other individuals identities to run the site. EyeglassesDepot.com filled orders by buying similar items on third-party marketplaces and trying to pass off the used and/or counterfeit goods as the real thing, according to prosecutors. Borkers site also provided shoddy repair work, they said. Advertisement Borker could not immediately be reached for comment. He faces up to 40 years in prison for the mail and wire fraud charges, plus up to two years for aggravated identity theft. Make no mistake, each time Mr. Borker breaks the law, postal inspectors have no problem with bringing him to justice for his continued criminal activity, Darnell Edwards, the U.S. Postal Inspection Servicess acting inspector in charge for New York, said in a statement. Washington, Feb. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHAT: SBAs Elevating Small Business Series Webinar: Celebrating Black History Month In celebration of Black History Month, the U.S. Small Business Administration will host a virtual fireside chat with SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman and Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Jr., President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, on financial wellness, creating generational wealth through entrepreneurship, and the importance of increasing equity and access to opportunities to help uplift and support Black-owned small businesses. There will be an audience Q&A where Dr. Chavis will be joined by SBAs Chief of Staff Antwaun Griffin and SBA St. Louis District Director Maureen Brinkley to discuss SBA initiatives and resources that support existing small businesses and new startups as they pivot and grow in a post-COVID world. The event will be moderated by Kendall Corley, the SBAs Deputy Chief of Staff of External Engagement. WHEN: Thursday, February 24, 2022 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. (EST) WHO: Isabella Casillas Guzman , Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Jr., President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association Antwaun Griffin , Chief of Staff, U.S. Small Business Administration Kendall Corley , Deputy Chief of Staff of External Engagement, U.S. Small Business Administration Maureen Brinkley, St. Louis District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration HOW: Registration is required. Click here to register or visit https://sbabhm.eventbrite.com This event will be recorded. --- All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. SBAs support of or participation in this event is not an endorsement of any product, service, or entity. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least four (4) days in advance of this event. Please send an email to reasonableaccommodation@sba.gov with the subject header ACCOMMODATION REQUEST. ### About the U.S. Small Business Administration Pune, India, Feb. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global diesel generator market size is forecasted to reach USD 23.77 billion by 2028, growing at a 5.5% CAGR during the forecast period. The soaring energy demands and the swiftly developing industrial infrastructure are anticipated to be the key factors driving the market growth. Fortune Business InsightsTM has presented this information in its report titled Diesel Generator Market, 2021-2028. The market size stood at USD 15.59 billion in 2020 and USD 16.35 billion in 2021. Additionally, the key players operating in the market emphasize product advancements. They focus on developing and launching new products that can withstand harsh atmospheres effectively. The new product advancements are likely to bolster the market growth in the coming years. COVID-19 Impact- Slowdown in Industrial Operations to Hamper Market Development The sudden emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in stagnated industrial processes globally. The shutdowns of industrial operations during the lockdowns and curfews implemented by the governments of several nations have affected the market growth. Disruptions in construction, mining, exploration, and other industries have aggravated the situation. Nonetheless, the major vaccination drives across the globe are helping the market recover with eased restrictions. The market is likely to prosper in the forthcoming years. Request Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/sample/diesel-generator-market-100587 Segments- On the basis of power rating, the Diesel Generator Market is fragmented into above 750 kVA, 375-750 kVA, 75-375 kVA, and below 75 kVA. On the basis of portability, the market is bifurcated into portable and stationary. On the basis of application, the market is trifurcated into standby load, peak load, and continuous load. On the basis of end-user, the market is segmented into utility, telecom, commercial, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, residential, construction, marine, oil & gas, mining, and others. Geographically, the market is classified into Latin America, the Middle East & Africa, Europe, Asia Pacific, and North America. Report Coverage- The report offers valuable insights into the markets regulatory scenarios. It assimilates information on the latest market trends and industry developments. It incorporates SWOT Analysis for precise prediction. It sheds light on the COVID-19 pandemics effect on the market. It highlights strategies adopted by key players to acquire the market share. Ask For Customization: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/diesel-generator-market-100587 Drivers & Restraints- Soaring Energy Demand to Foster Market Growth The increasing oil and gas consumption across diverse industry verticals and the rising discoveries of new hydrocarbon reserves are anticipated to augment diesel generator market growth. Additionally, the growing offshore well exploitation is likely to fuel market growth. The soaring energy demand worldwide due to surging production activities is expected to amplify the market growth in the coming years. Additionally, the rising investments and expenditures to provide efficient energy management in various sectors are anticipated to stimulate the market diesel generator growth. The key market players emphasize product advancements to launch new products that can withstand harsh atmospheres effectively. The new product advancements are likely to bolster the market growth during the forecast period. Lastly, the rising efforts by private and public entities to combat power outages, cable faults, grid system malfunctions, and others are anticipated to boost the market growth. However, the strict regulations and rising integration of clean energy alternatives are expected to restrain the market growth. Regional Insights- Swift Industrialization to Augment Growth in Asia Pacific Asia Pacific is anticipated to dominate the global diesel generator market share. The high migration of people from rural to urban areas, swift industrialization, new facility constructions, and vast infrastructure development targets are anticipated to be the key factors fuelling the regions market growth. The Middle East & Africa is likely to witness substantial growth in the global market due to growing expenditures to revolutionize industrial, commercial, and residential infrastructures. Additionally, low explorations costs of bulk reserves and abundantly available natural resources are expected to fuel the market growth. North America is predicted to experience significant growth due to increasing investments across pharmaceuticals, construction, mining, oil & gas, and other end-use industries. Latin America and Europe are expected to exhibit steady growth due to rising consistent energy requirements owing to high industrialization. Have Any Query? Speak To Analyst: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/diesel-generator-market-100587 Competitive Landscape- Major Players Adopt Innovative Strategies to Amplify Market Presence The market is consolidated and comprises several key players operating at country, regional, and global levels. The key players adopt ingenious strategies, including partnerships to extend their geographical presence and product reach. They adopt other strategies such as new product launches, technological advancements, patents, mergers, acquisitions, and others to augment their rankings in the global market. In July 2021, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee mandated all 125 kVA rating diesel generator users to install emission control devices to control pollution levels in the city to be cited as industry development. Industry Developments- June 2020: Caterpillar Inc. launched three new power nodes for its Cat C18 diesel generator sets. The generator sets offer high power density and occupy less floor space. Major Key Players in the Global Diesel Generator Market: Caterpillar Inc. (U.S.) Aggreko (U.K.) Cummins Inc. (U.S.) Himoinsa (Spain) John Deere (U.S.) Kohler-SDMO (France) Wartsila (Finland) Kirloskar Electric Co. Ltd. (India) Generac Power Systems (U.S.) FG Wilson (U.K.) Atlas Copco (Sweden) American Honda Motor Company, Inc. (U.S.) Briggs & Straton (U.S.) Inmesol S.L.U. (Spain) HiPower Systems (U.S.) Buy Now - Diesel Generator Market: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/100587 DIESEL GENERATOR: GLOBAL MARKET ANALYSIS, INSIGHTS AND FORECAST, 2021-2028 Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions Executive Summary Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities Key Insights Key Emerging Trends For Major Countries Latest Technological Advancement Regulatory Landscape Porters Five Forces Analysis Qualitative Analysis Impact of COVID-19 Impact of COVID-19 on the Diesel Generator Market Steps Taken by the Government to Overcome the Impact Key Developments by Industry Players in Response to COVID-19 Potential Opportunities and Challenges due to COVID-19 Outbreak Global Diesel Generator Market Analysis (USD Billion), Insights and Forecast, 2017-2028 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Portability Stationary Portable Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Power Rating Below 75 kVA 75-375 kVA 375-750 kVA Above 750 kVA Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Application Continuous Load Peak Load Standby Load Diesel Generator Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By End-User Mining Oil & Peak Load Construction Residential Marine Manufacturing Pharmaceuticals Commercial Telecom Utility Others Diesel Generator Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa TOC Continues! Have a Look at Related Research Insights: Power Monitoring System Market Growth , Size, Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Component (Hardware, Software, Services), By Application (Utilities & Renewables, Manufacturing & Process Industry, Datacenters, Public Infrastructure, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028 Transmission Line Market Size , Share and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Overhead, Underground, and Submarine), By Voltage (130kV-220kV, 221kV-660kV, and Above 660kV), By Application (Industrial and Utility), and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028 Smart Infrastructure Market Size , Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Smart Grid, Smart Water Network, Intelligent Buildings, Intelligent Transportation Network, and Others), and by End-user (Utility, Transport, Communications, and The Built Environment) and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028 Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Market Size , Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Portable Battery, Stationary Battery), By Application (Automotive, Industrial, Energy Storage System, Consumer Electronics, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028 Virtual Power Plant Market Size , Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Technology (Demand Response, Distributed Generation, and Mixed Asset), and by End-user (Industrial, Commercial, and Residential), and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028 About Us: Fortune Business Insights delivers accurate data and innovative corporate analysis, helping organizations of all sizes make appropriate decisions. We tailor novel solutions for our clients, assisting them to address various challenges distinct to their businesses. Our aim is to empower them with holistic market intelligence, providing a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. 308, Supreme Headquarters, Survey No. 36, Baner, Pune-Bangalore Highway, Pune - 411045, Maharashtra, India. Phone: U.S.:+1 424 253 0390 UK : +44 2071 939123 APAC : +91 744 740 1245 Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fortune-business-insights Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FortuneBusinessInsightsPvtLtd Twitter: https://twitter.com/FBInsightPvtLtd New York, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Soybean Fungicide Seed Treatment Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19, Forecasts (2021 - 2026)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06231680/?utm_source=GNW The restriction in movements of shipments and high air, sea, or land freight was observed to be a major factor disrupting the businesses, including seed treatment fungicides. In the long run, increasing food demand, the rising innovation in crop protection technology, the increasing demand for biological seed treatments, and increasing government support would drive the global market of soybean fungicide seed treatment. Rising demand for biological seed treatment products has been observed in recent years. Recognizing this demand, the players are actively launching new biological seed treatment products in the market. In 2021, a new biological seed treatment, CeraMax, was registered under EPA to protect soybean crops from sudden death syndrome(SDS) produced by Ceradis BV. Furthermore, the rising demand for higher yield due to the rapid increase in the consumption of crops has increased the demand for the seed treatment market in north America and South America. However, as as soybean plants grown in fields are highly prone to phytophthora root and stem rot and increasing awareness about the quality and safety of the seeds to protect from disease infestation, seed treatment practice in Asia-Pacific is also advancing at a faster rate. Thus, the importance of treated seed, coupled with the strategies adopted by players, such as expanding market and innovating new technologies, is bound to lead to the growth of the soybean fungicide seed treatment market. Key Market Trends Rapidating Demand for Biological Seed Treatment The rising environmental concerns, especially in many developed regions, the demand for biological seed treatment is rising, fueling the markets growth during the forecast period. Hence, more chemical companies are offering biological seed treatments to capture the market demand. Major players are selling soybean seeds treated with a combination of biologicals and chemicals to the growers in the United States. For instance, several pioneer soybean seed products sold in North America are treated with biological seed treatments to improve stand, plant vigor, and yield. Biological seed treatments use active ingredients, including living microbes, fermentation products, plant extracts, phytohormones, and even hard chemistry, to have a favorable impact on plants. Owing to their ability to optimize plant growth, minimize stress, and boost overall yield by empowering the genetic potential of the plant, biological seed treatments are witnessing increasing demand. Recognizing the potential, more companies are entering the biological seed treatment market space. In 2021, the FMC corporation entered into distribution agreements with Syngenta Crop Protection to commercialize Draco, a biological seed treatment for corn and soybean in Canada. The product has a unique mode of action that combines bacillus licheniformis and bacillus subtilis to offer Canadian farmers protection against yield-robbing root pests, such as rhizoctonia and nematodes. South America Dominates the Market In 2020, Brazil was the top producer of soybean in the world acoording to the Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO). This, coupled with increasing fungal diseases, leads to the hiher application of seed treatment fungicide and is anticipated to be increase in the coming years. Soybean rust, caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi, is the major fungal infestation in the country. However, soybean is majorly affected by insects, compared to other pests. Increasing farm size and decreasing crop rotation, coupled with rising awareness on Bio agribusiness are some of the factors contributing to the continuing strength of Brazils seed sector which leads to the rapid adoption of high-value seeds. With Brazilian crop production narrowly focused on soybeans along with maize, virtually every seed gets treated, often more than once before it is planted. ? In recent years, increased adoption of advanced technologies and management practices in agriculture can be witnessed, including biological seed treatments that significantly improve implantation and reduce costs. In this regard, in 2018, Syngenta launched Vibrance Maxx, a soybean seed treatment in the Argentine market. Therefore, being a major producer and exporter for soybeans, increased adoption of innovating technologies, coupled with the active participation of players, the soybean fungicide seed treatment market is anticipated to grow during the forecast period. Competitive Landscape The global market for soybean fungicide seed treatment is highly consolidated, with major players such as Syngenta International AG, BASF SE, Bayer Crop Science AG, Corteva Agriscience, UPL, and Kureha Corporation, among others. Syngenta International AG occupies the largest market share, followed by BASF SE and Bayer Crop Science AG. Additional Benefits: The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format 3 months of analyst support Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06231680/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Pune, India, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global electronic health records market size stood at USD 26,200.48 Million in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 39,913.16 Million by 2026, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.4% during the forecast period. The market growth is attributed to the high acceptance of advanced technologies to cater to growing customer needs. Speech-recognition software with natural language processing improves interaction of medical professionals with EHR. It enables more patient engagement with reduced time of professionals in paperwork. Get Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/electronic-health-records-ehr-market-102660 Electronic Health Records Market Report Scope & Segmentation Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2018 to 2026 Forecast Period 2021 to 2028 CAGR 5.4% 2026 Value Projection USD 39,913.16 Million Base Year 2018 Market Size in 2018 USD 26,200.48 Million Historical Data for 2015 to 2017 No. of Pages 135 Segments covered Product, Types, End-Users and Geography Growth Drivers Higher Adoption of EHR Solutions by Hospitals to Enable Dominance of the Segment Clinically Proven Effectiveness of Integrated EHR to Aid Dominance of the Segment Web-Based electronic health records to Dominate the Global Market In terms of product, the market is grouped into on-premise and web-based. Out of these, the web-based segment is expected to showcase significant Electronic Health Records Market revenue and lead throughout the forecast period. It is attributable to their easy installation process where technicians dont have to work with complex infrastructure to host data. All these works can be easily done through the Internet and hence, it doesnt require IT support and lowers additional cost. The on-premise segment is likely to exhibit slow growth because of the requirement of in-house servers. For more information in the analysis of this report, visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/electronic-health-records-ehr-market-102660 Geographically, the Electronic Health Records Market is divided into Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, North America, Latin America, and Europe. Amongst these, in 2018, North America procured USD 12,123.12 million EHR market revenue. This growth is attributable to the presence of flexible regulatory scenario, favourable government policies, and rising digitalization in the healthcare sector in the U.S. Since the past few years, in many countries, the adoption of electronic medical record is upsurging at a fast pace. It is occurring because of the realization of the masses that to gain top-quality care at lower costs, implementation of a robust health information technology (HIT) is extremely vital. EHR is used extensively in clinical applications, such as decision supports, results management, order entry and support, and health information and data. It is also used in healthcare financing, as well as administrative applications. However, deployment of EHR involves a lot of money spending. It may hinder the electronic health records market growth during the forthcoming period. Quick Buy - Electronic Health Records Market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/102660 Competitive Landscape: Key Players Focus on Unveiling State-of-the-art Products by Joining Hands with Others The Electronic Health Records Market comprises of countless enormous, medium, and little organizations that are endeavoring steadily to acquire share. To accomplish their business objectives, they are zeroing in on innovative work exercises to present state of the art items on the lookout. Some of them are additionally collaborating with other nearby players. The following are two or three the most recent key industry advancements: October 2019 : Northwell Health and Allscripts announced signed an agreement to develop the next-generation EHR that would be AI-based, voice-enabled, and cloud-based. : Northwell Health and Allscripts announced signed an agreement to develop the next-generation EHR that would be AI-based, voice-enabled, and cloud-based. September 2015: Meditab Software, Inc. joined hands with CoverMyMeds to broaden its unique range of EHR solutions. It would also aid the companies in integrating electronic prior authorization (ePA) feature to the e-prescribing workflow of all the users of the intelligent medical software (IMS) platform. Speak To Our Analyst: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/electronic-health-records-ehr-market-102660 Fortune Business Insights presents a list of all the reputed companies operating in the electronic health records market. They are as follows: Medical Information Technology, Inc. (MEDITECH) Cerner Corporation MEDHOST Epic Systems Corporation eClinicalWorks CareCloud Corporation Allscripts Healthcare, LLC NextGen Healthcare Athenahealth Other prominent market players Market Segmentation: By Product Web-based On-premise By Type Stand-alone Integrated By End User Physicians Office Hospitals Others By Geography North America (U.S. and Canada) Europe (U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia, and Rest of Europe) Asia-Pacific (Japan, China, India, Australia, Southeast Asia, and Rest of Asia- Pacific) Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, and Rest of Latin America) Ask for Customization of this Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/electronic-health-records-ehr-market-102660 About Us: Fortune Business Insights delivers accurate data and innovative corporate analysis, helping organizations of all sizes make appropriate decisions. We tailor novel solutions for our clients, assisting them to address various challenges distinct to their businesses. Our aim is to empower them with holistic market intelligence, providing a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: US :+1 424 253 0390 UK : +44 2071 939123 APAC : +91 744 740 1245 New York, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Metrology Software Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06231652/?utm_source=GNW Measurements are conducted in the production process rather than measuring rooms, fostering the demand for metrology used in a modularized method in plants and production lines and impacting the demand for standard measuring instruments. Key Highlights The use of metrology software to inspect manufactured products is one of the critical factors expected to drive the growth of the global metrology software market in the next five years. The principal factors driving demand for metrology solutions in electronic manufacturing are advanced nanotechnology, smart materials, flexible electronics, and green manufacturing. Currently, everything is being digitized; even the metrology field has noticed the need to change digitally. As the world shifts toward digital transformation, the industry also embraces the transformation, allowing the metrology software market to grow more during the forecast period. Metrology software connects the dots among CAD, ERP, MRP, and PLM. Metrology is one of the first challenges one encounters when working down the design/build process. Post-CAD measurement data is often necessary to collect missing feature data, create geometry for complex surfaces profiles, and support manufacturing, engineering, toolmaking, assembly guidance, and quality verification. With the outbreak of COVID-19, there has been a significant impact on the technology sector. Disruptions of an electronic supply-value chain and raw material supply have adversely impacted the technology industry. According to the Korea Automotive Technology Institute, or Katech, the global shortage of automotive semiconductors that started around the end of 2020 would continue to affect the global car industry for the first half of 2022. Even after 2023, some companies may still feel its effects.? Key Market Trends Aerospace Sector to Witness Significant Growth Since the dawn of flying, technology has advanced at a breakneck pace, and planes are now vastly more sophisticated. The use of metrology in aerospace has been critical to this progress, and metrologys importance is expected to only rise in the following decades, thus driving the market for metrology software. Aircraft that are lighter, more efficient, and safer are made with composite materials, which are essential to the continued development of aerospace production. Composite materials are light and incredibly robust, and long-lasting. They may also be molded into more intricate shapes than typical metals like steel and aluminum, which has two benefits. To begin with, fewer fasteners and joints are required, resulting in fewer weak points. Second, because there are fewer pieces, assembly times are reduced. In order to construct lighter, more efficient planes, the usage of composite parts is critical in the future of aerospace manufacturing. While composite-part airplanes have reduced operational costs, their production costs are often higher. Composites are more expensive than steel and aluminum because they are lighter, stronger, and more durable, and metrology-assisted assembly is crucial for keeping the production process cost-effective. As composite parts grow increasingly common, metrologys significance as a value-added component is becoming more widely recognized. The disadvantage of composite materials is that they are more expensive than their metallic counterparts. However, metrology comes into play here, supporting the assembly process in developing more cost-effective production procedures. The crucial significance of metrology in aircraft is expected to only grow as the usage of composite materials develops among the significant commercial plane builders. Despite its numerous advantages, composite is tough to work with material requiring precise assembly with very tight tolerances. Using metrology in the manufacturing process may help one avoid costly mistakes and scrap or rework material. With the aerospace industry presently demanding 100% inspection from their tier-1 suppliers, companies need to deliver accuracy, repeatability, and dependability for the most challenging measurement tasks. Asia Pacific Occupies the Largest Market Share Due to the presence of various automotive giants and aerospace establishments in the region and their increasing interest in high-accuracy metrology solutions, Asia Pacific is expected to have the highest growth of metrology software solutions. China is a global manufacturing hub. Since the precision and complexity in manufacturing processes have been increasing rapidly, the metrology software market is expected to boost this area, as China currently has several national and international manufacturing facilities. With support from Huawei and China Mobile, Haier has successfully applied innovative manufacturing solutions combining 5G and mobile edge computing in its smart factories. These solutions integrate 5G edge computing with artificial intelligence and machine vision in manufacturing environments. These apply to various manufacturing scenarios where they can perform various functions. The metrology software solutions can save manufacturing costs by rapidly performing QC checks with over 99% accuracy, at least 10% more accurate than without the function. Such instances are expected to drive the markets growth in the region. Companies have had various partnerships and collaborations in Japan by companies to enhance their measurement and inspection solutions further and improve their presence and customer base. Various companies have been seeking an effective technology that can help to fully automate and enhance better cost-effective visual inspection and measurement solutions that significantly improve quality control and reduce manufacturing costs. For instance, in February 2021, Mitutoyo, a company specializing in measuring instruments and metrological technology, announced a partnership agreement with Kitov, enabling Mitutoyo to integrate Kitovs technologies across its metrology solutions. The agreement also brought a framework for joint development of new solutions that combine Mitutoyos measurement technologies and Kitovs planning and inspection technologies. Competitive Landscape The metrology software market is moderately competitive with the presence of many players in the market. The market is moderately concentrated, with the major players applying strategies, like product innovation and mergers and acquisitions. October 2021 - 3D System Corporation announced the release of Geomagic Control X 2022.0.0. The latest release offers new features and functionality to improve workflow and automation. The latest update includes new tools and performance improvements, reducing the time required to finish a workflow. October 2021 - Creaform announced the latest additions to its R-series lineup, including the new MetraSCAN-R BLACK | Elite HD with improved performance. This suite of solutions also includes a new version of the VXscan-R module specifically created to support custom automatic 3D cancel layouts while maintaining the ease of use of digital twin programming software. Additional Benefits: The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format 3 months of analyst support Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06231652/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ New York, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Data Center Power Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06231638/?utm_source=GNW Virtualization dramatically improves hardware utilization and enables firms to reduce the number of power-consuming servers and storage devices. Key Highlights The rising adoption of cloud computing is also aiding the market growth leading to the rise of vast hyperscale cloud data centers. According to Cisco, data center traffic is growing fast and is expected to reach 19.5 zettabytes (ZB) per year by 2021 with factors such as the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) applications like smart cars, smart cities, and connected health devices. Microsofts Azure cloud has been carbon-neutral, and half of the energy it uses already comes from 1.2 gigawatts of wind, solar, and hydro-electric sources, which the company expects to make 60 percent by 2020 and 100 percent at some point down the line for their data center infrastructure. Further, the increase in greenfield and brownfield facilities, along with modular data center deployment, is anticipated to drive the demand for power systems. The emergence of edge computing and expansion of facilities in the secondary data center market is driving the need for modular and efficient power infrastructure solutions. The increasing electricity costs, carbon emission, and initiatives to integrate renewable energy sources by hyperscale operators are expected to transform the market. The facility operators are adopting innovative and efficient power infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions and OPEX costs in the market. Many of the data centers across the global market are adopting 2N redundant UPS systems to exist with various feed designs of the facility and frequent failure. Factors such as cost, reliability, efficiency, and maintainability impact the adoption of UPS systems and generators in the global market. The intelligent rack PDU solutions are designed to facilitate smooth operations in complex facilities with high rack power density. Datacenter colocation providers are looking for modern infrastructure solutions that require less maintenance and less space, with 99.99% uptime. These diverse demands are expected to boost the vendors to offer innovative power solutions. PDU is the biggest and most established product category in the data center power market, which is expected to register a much more moderate growth level during the forecast period. However, higher investment is restraining the market growth as primary areas of investment are cabling, power facility, and data center infrastructure management (DCIM) solutions which require high cost during the initial investment. Key Market Trends The Information Technology Segment is Expected to Hold a Major Market Share The IT industry requires on-premise private data storage centers and hyperscale data centers for its operations, as per the organizations size. Additionally, the adoption of cloud storage has increased over the years due to growth in SaaS providers, enabling cloud storage providers to expand their capacities. Hence, the increasing data load requires more power. This creates a requirement for efficient power solutions in IT applications. According to the Data Center Survey, recently published by Vertiv, 98% of the participants voted for IT utilization be above 20% by 2025, which witnessed significant growth from its 2014 survey, in which the figure was 88%. This indicates that IT companies are focusing on deploying an efficient power source for their data centers and increasing their utilization rate. Uptime Institute, in its 2020 report, by studying 300 data centers, they have stated that, due to the aging IT equipment, it is the consumer of over 66% of the energy but only contributes around 7% of the computing energy. This indicates the need for efficient IT infrastructure and is estimated to increase the demand for a power solution for data centers used in the IT industry. In the recent report by SuperMicro, surveying over 2,000 IT professionals concluded that over 10% to 20% of energy saving could be extracted by coupling power and power data center infrastructure, which can be achieved with a single central cooling unit and single power supply. Cloud storage providers, like AWS, Microsoft, and Google, are expanding their storage capabilities to offer more efficient workflow on the cloud. These companies are making investments in hyperscale deals. For instance, in June 2021, Amazon Web Services Inc. (AWS) announced opening data centers in Israel. The company aims to enable more developers, startups, enterprises, government, education, and non-profits in the region to run their applications and serve end-users from data centers located in the country. Also, in November 2021, AWS announced plans to open an infrastructure region in Alberta, Canada, in late 2023/early 2024. The new AWS Canada West (Calgary) Region will consist of three Availability Zones (AZs) at launch and join the existing AWS Canada (Central) Region in Montreal, which also consists of three Availability Zones. The new AWS Canada West (Calgary) Region will enable even more developers, startups, enterprises, education, government, and NPOs, to run their applications and serve end-users from data centers located in Canada. Moreover, other companies are also planning data center expansion across various regions. For instance, in June 2021, Stockland, an Australian real-estate firm, announced to build a new data center in Sydney. The data center is to have an end value of AUD 264 million. Moreover, it will include 6,300 sqm of data halls, 3,215 sqm of office space, and more than 13,000 sqm for electrical and mechanical services. Such developments in the data center industry are anticipated to propel the growth of the data center power market during the forecast period. Some new entrants, like SpaceDC, Keppel Data Centres, and Princeton Digital Group, are also making moves to invest in hyperscale facilities and data center investments. As of April 2020, Princeton Digital Group has been planning two additional greenfield builds, one in Jakarta and one in Surabaya, as well as upgrading their five existing facilities. Although the industry is rapidly moving with the adoption of the cloud, the dependency on on-premise and hybrid data centers is significantly present. These companies are trying to expand their own data storage capacities, which is expected to demand an efficient power solution for data centers. Moreover, the trend of the IT industrys agile and DevOps operational frameworks is increasing the need for more efficient data storage solutions. The Asia Pacific Region is Expected to Witness a High Market Growth According to Cloudscene, China currently has 447 data centers and 112 service providers. The presence of a large number of data centers is driving the demand for data center power systems in the country. Furthermore, the increasing number of new data center developments and upgradation of existing data centers is also expected to drive the markets growth. According to a report published in 2019 by Greenpeace and North China Electric Power University, Chinas data centers consumed 161 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2018. It is 2% of Chinas total usage. Moreover, data center power consumption is projected to grow 66% by 2023, to 267 billion kilowatt-hours. In April 2021, Apple officially announced the opening of a new data center in Guizhou, China. Apple and Guizhou-Cloud Big Data Industry Co. Ltd jointly built this data center. Such new developments of data centers in the country are further anticipated to promote the demand for data center power solutions. As most of the data centers are powered by polluting coal, the governments of the countries are undertaking a huge transition shift toward clean and renewable sources of energy. China has installed the largest amount of renewable energy, with solar power reaching over 174GW and wind power over 184GW. Furthermore, the surge in investment in data center development is expected to fuel the demand for data center power solutions. Further, the Japanese government has announced its plan to subsidize 50% of the building costs toward new zero carbon-emissions data centers and upgrade existing facilities as part of a new USD 7.3 billion initiative to innovate the industry and reduce carbon emissions. According to a study by DataSpan, in up to 55% of data centers, energy consumption is used to run cooling and venting systems. Thus, to reduce carbon emissions and the amount of energy used by data centers, which is mainly required to maintain server-suited temperatures, Japan is planning to build more new facilities in its colder regions. In November 2021, AirTrunk opened its first data center in Japan to support the growing number of companies in the country shifting into the cloud. The company has built a 300MW data center campus in Inzai and is set to begin operations with a 60MW phase. Colt also launched its Inzai three data center in 2021, a 27MW facility next to its existing two Inzai buildings, which, in turn, is expected to create lucrative opportunities for the data center power solution market in the country. There is a tremendous impetus in Japan for green power, and a lot of activity toward an improved regulatory framework to buy green power in the market is expected to be witnessed. Market vendors are looking to work with third-party providers on green energy in Japan. Players like Google, Microsoft, and Digital Realty are looking for other companies to fund renewable power through power purchase agreements to build solar and wind farms. Competitive Landscape The data center power market is highly fragmented in nature, with the presence of several vendors. Players are adopting several strategies, such as mergers and acquisitions (M&A), collaborations, partnerships, etc. Various initiatives are undertaken by the governmental bodies as well as private data center construction which is creating high rivalry. Key players are Schneider Electric SE, Fujitsu Ltd, Cisco Technology Inc., etc. Recent development in the market are - January 2022 - Tripp Lite by Eaton business introduced practical options for connecting and controlling network equipment in demanding industrial environments, such as factories and warehouses. The new managed, and lite managed industrial Gigabit Ethernet switches have an IP30-rated ruggedized metal case that can withstand vibration, shock, and the low and high temperatures often found on the factory floor. The switches also offer protection from electrostatic discharge (ESD) that can interfere with normal operation. An included rail clip enables mounting to standard 35 mm DIN rail. The switches can also be wall-mounted September 2021 - ABB Limited announced that it had been selected as a technology partner to support the CMC Creative Space data center with its critical power for delivering reliable, efficient services to fulfill the demand for data and digitalization services. ABB will safeguard critical power and ensure uptime for CMC Creative Space, a cloud computing infrastructure provider. April 2021 - Schneider Electric announced the launch of the Galaxy VL 200-500 kW (400V/480V) 3-phase uninterruptible power supply (UPS), the newest addition to the Galaxy family. It is a compact UPS that offers up to 99% efficiency in ECOnversion mode for a full ROI within two years for medium and large data centers and commercial and industrial facilities. Additional Benefits: The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format 3 months of analyst support Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06231638/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Iceland Seafood will publish its Consolidated Financial Statement for the year ending 31 December 2021 after closing of markets on February 22nd 2022. The same day at 4.15pm, the company will host a meeting for investors and market participants, where management will present and discuss the results. The meeting will be held at the companys premises at Kollunarklettsvegur 2, 104 Reykjavik. The meeting will also be webcasted live in Icelandic, a link to the webcast and investor presentation will be provided before the meeting commence. Participants to the online meeting can send questions in writing prior and during the meeting to the email investors@icelandseafood.com. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gold Bull Resources Corp. (TSX-V: GBRC) (Gold Bull or the Company) is pleased to report that the drilling program is progressing as planned at its 100% owned Sandman Project (Sandman or the Project) located in Humboldt County, Nevada, USA. Assays from the initial batch of samples submitted to the laboratory are anticipated to be received in March. HIGHLIGHTS & UPDATE: Sandman drilling program progressing to plan and is ongoing Nine holes completed for 1,722 m (5,648 ft) of a total planned 4,035 m (13,238 ft) First batch of assay results expected soon, in March Gold Bull CEO, Cherie Leeden commented: The Sandman drilling program is progressing very well on the ground. We eagerly await assay results. In the meantime, the exploration team is working through surface geochemical and geophysical results from the Windmill target area, as well as newly recovered paper records from historic drilling at the Ten Mile prospect. It is nice to see gold hit $1900 in the middle of our drill program. Background The current drilling program at Sandman commenced on January 12th and continues according to plan. A total of nine holes have been completed for 1,722 m (5,648 ft) of a total planned 4,035 m (13,238 ft), with one additional hole in progress at the time of writing. Holes have been completed at North Hill, including a scout hole west of the Mineral Resource Estimate, the Midway target area, and at Silica Ridge (Figure 1). The rig will move to Abel Knoll after the next break. No assay results have been received from the current drilling program. Assays from the first batch of samples submitted to the laboratory are expected around the second week of March, based on prior lab performance. Figure 1 Sandman project location plan, with Mineral Resource Estimate surface projections and target areas: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cfc4fc03-d761-4baf-97a5-dc0eabf65e53 Next Steps Drilling commenced at Sandman on January 12, 2022 and is expected to continue until the end of March. Samples are being submitted to the lab in small batches, which will result in assays being provided to us over several weeks. A small drilling program at the Big Balds project may follow Sandman, depending upon ground conditions and weather Laboratory assay results from lag geochemical samples collected in the Windmill target area have been received and are being integrated with the CSAMT results to generate new drill targets A lag geochemical sampling program has been completed over the northern part of the Midway target area, together with extensions to the Windmill sampling. Assay results are awaited. Paper records from historic drilling at the Ten Mile deposit have been recovered and are being digitized to enable modeling of the mineralized intercepts, which is expected to lead to planning of a follow-up/confirmation drilling program. The Ten Mile underground workings contain high grade gold mineralization (refer to press release High grade gold (up to 37g/t) assayed from Sandman rock chip samples dated March 16, 2021) About Sandman In December 2020, Gold Bull purchased the Sandman Project from Newmont. Gold mineralization was first discovered at Sandman in 1987 by Kennecott and the project has been intermittently explored since then. There are four known pit constrained gold resources located within the Sandman Project, consisting of 21.8Mt @ 0.7g/t gold for 494,000 ounces of gold; comprising of an Indicated Resource of 18,550kt @ 0.73g/t gold for 433kozs of gold plus an Inferred Resource of 3,246kt @ 0.58g/t gold for 61kozs of gold. Several of the resources remain open in multiple directions and the bulk of the historical drilling has been conducted to a depth of less than 100m. Sandman is conveniently located circa 25-30 km northwest of the mining town of Winnemucca, Nevada. Qualified Person Cherie Leeden, B.Sc Applied Geology (Honours), MAIG, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has read and approved all technical and scientific information contained in this news release. Ms. Leeden is the Companys Chief Executive Officer. Cherie Leeden relied on resource information contained within the Technical Report on the Sandman Gold Project, prepared by Steven Olsen, a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, who is a Qualified Persons as defined by the National Instrument NI 43-101. Mr Olsen is an independent consultant and has no affiliations with Gold Bull except that of an independent consultant/client relationship. Mr Olsen is a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) and is the Qualified Person under NI 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Appointment of Corporate Secretary The Company also announces that Ms. Jennifer Hanson has been appointed to the role of Corporate Secretary. Mr. Gavin Cooper will step down as Corporate Secretary but will remain as Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Hanson has over 20 years of corporate finance, accounting and regulatory experience in several industries. She currently is Corporate Secretary for several Canadian-listed public companies. About Gold Bull Resources Corp. Gold Bulls mission is to grow into a US focused mid-tier gold development Company via rapidly discovering and acquiring additional ounces. The companys exploration hub is based in Nevada, USA, a top-tier mineral district that contains significant historical production, existing mining infrastructure and an established mining culture. Gold Bull is led by a Board and Management team with a track record of exploration and acquisition success. Gold Bulls core asset is the Sandman Project, located in Nevada which has a 494,000 oz gold resource as per 2021 43-101 Resource Estimate. Sandman is located 23 km south of the Sleeper Mine and boasts excellent large-scale exploration potential. Drilling at Sandman is currently underway. Gold Bull is driven by its core values and purpose which includes a commitment to safety, communication & transparency, environmental responsibility, community, and integrity. Cherie Leeden President and CEO, Gold Bull Resources Corp. For further information regarding Gold Bull Resources Corp., please visit our website at www.goldbull.ca or email admin@goldbull.ca. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words expects, plans, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, projects, potential, indicates, opportunity, possible and similar expressions, or that events or conditions will, would, may, could or should occur. Although Gold Bull believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such material risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the Companys ability to raise sufficient capital to fund its obligations under its property agreements going forward, to maintain its mineral tenures and concessions in good standing, to explore and develop its projects, to repay its debt and for general working capital purposes; changes in economic conditions or financial markets; the inherent hazards associates with mineral exploration and mining operations, future prices of copper and other metals, changes in general economic conditions, accuracy of mineral resource and reserve estimates, the potential for new discoveries, the ability of the Company to obtain the necessary permits and consents required to explore, drill and develop the projects and if obtained, to obtain such permits and consents in a timely fashion relative to the Companys plans and business objectives for the projects; the general ability of the Company to monetize its mineral resources; and changes in environmental and other laws or regulations that could have an impact on the Companys operations, compliance with environmental laws and regulations, dependence on key management personnel and general competition in the mining industry. Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Companys management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that managements beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Dublin, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Smart Retail Market" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Smart Retail Market is estimated to be USD 23.47 Bn in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 51.48 Bn by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 17.01%. Market Dynamics The Global Smart Retail Market is driving due to retailers' increasing use of automation and robots to offer shopping convenience to their customers. The deployment of Robots in supermarkets and hypermarkets helps simplify the product finding process. The rising adoption of new software technologies such as big data analytics, blockchain, machine learning, etc., by retailers, helps facilitate inventory management and improve store operations, which will drive the market's growth. Also, shifting demand and expectation of customers towards smart shopping solutions allow retailers to increase usage of smart technologies will help in fuelling the market's growth. On the other hand, high maintenance costs associated with advanced high-end computing systems will increase retailers' expenditure and restrict the market's growth. Furthermore, increasing shoplifting instances will always be a challenge and negatively affect the market's growth. However, the growing number of conversions into smart stores leads to self-delivery vehicles. The rising use of technologies such as innovative sensors to improve connectivity availability of communication solutions in connecting with end-users to offer after-sale services or provide customer feedback by the retailers will create opportunities for the market. The Global Smart Retail Market is segmented based on Application Type, Product Type, Technology Type, System Type, Offering Type, and Geography. Company Profiles Some of the companies covered in this report are Amazon.com, Inc, Cisco Systems, Inc, Google, Inc, Huawei Technology Co Ltd, International Business Machine Corporation, Intel Corporation, Microsoft, Nvidia Corporation, NXP Semiconductors, PTC, Inc, and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, etc. Countries Studied America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas) Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe) Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific. Competitive Quadrant The report includes a Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Why buy this report? The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Smart Retail Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies. The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry. The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report. The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies. The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's competitive positioning tool. Key Topics Covered: 1 Report Description 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Market Influencers 4.1 Drivers 4.1.1 Increasing Adoption of Robots to Offer Shopping Convivences 4.1.2 Rising Adoption of New Software Technological by Retailers 4.1.3 Changing Customer Expectations Leading Smart Retailing Adoption 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 Theft Risk for Customer Data 4.2.2 High Maintenance Cost of Advanced System 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Rising Adoption of Self-Delivery Vehicles 4.3.2 Growing Usage of Technologies for Connecting End-Users 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 Increase in Shoplift Instances 5 Market Analysis 5.1 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.2 Impact of COVID-19 5.3 Ansoff Matrix Analysis 6 Global Smart Retail Market, By Applications Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Foot-Traffic Monitoring 6.3 Inventory Management 6.4 Loyalty Management and Payment 6.5 Predictive Equipment Maintenance 6.6 Brand Protection 6.7 Smart Fitting Rooms 7 Global Smart Retail Market, By Product Type 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Hardware 7.3 Software 8 Global Smart Retail Market, By Technology Type 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Virtual Recognition 8.3 Mobiles 8.4 Blockchain 8.5 Artificial Intelligence 9 Global Smart Retail Market, By System Type 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Digital Signage Solutions 9.3 Smart Labels 9.4 Smart Payment Systems 9.4.1 NFC-Ready POS Terminals 9.4.2 NFC-Ready MPOs Terminals 9.5 Intelligent Vending Machines 9.6 Augmented Reality Solutions 9.7 Virtual Reality Solutions 9.8 Smart Carts 9.9 Robotics 9.10 Analytics 10 Global Smart Retail Market, By Offering Type 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Apparel and Accessories 10.3 Fast-Moving Consumer Goods 10.4 Hardlines and Leisure Goods 10.5 Others 11 Global Smart Retail Market, By Geography 12 Competitive Landscape 12.1 Competitive Quadrant 12.2 Market Share Analysis 12.3 Strategic Initiatives 12.3.1 M&A and Investments 12.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 12.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 13 Company Profiles 13.1 Albert Heijn 13.2 Alibaba Group Holding Limited 13.3 Amazon.com, Inc 13.4 AWM Smart Shelf 13.5 Bossa Nova Robotics 13.6 Broadcom, Inc 13.7 Caper AI 13.8 Cisco Systems, Inc 13.9 Cozy Infosystems Pvt Ltd 13.10 Diebold Nixdorf 13.11 Estimote, Inc 13.12 Five Elements Robotics 13.13 First Data Corporation 13.14 Focal Systems, Inc 13.15 Google, Inc 13.16 Honeywell International, Inc 13.17 Huawei Technology Co Ltd 13.18 Infineon Technologies AG 13.19 International Business Machine Corporation 13.20 Intel Corporation 13.21 LG Display Co Ltd 13.22 Microsoft 13.23 NCR Corporation 13.24 Nvidia Corporation 13.25 NXP Semiconductors 13.26 Par Technology Corporation 13.27 PAX Global 13.28 Probiz Technologies Pvt Ltd 13.29 Pricer 13.30 PTC, Inc 13.31 Robert Bosch GmbH 13.32 Samsung Electronics Co Ltd 13.33 SES-Imagotag 13.34 Smartcart 13.35 Standard Cognition, Corp 13.36 STMicroelectronics 13.37 Texas Instruments, Inc 13.38 Walmart, Inc 14 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/u5pulg Attachment Dublin, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Intent-Based Networking Market (2021-2026) by Component, Deployment, Application, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Intent-Based Networking Market is estimated to be USD 1.27 Bn in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 5.09 Bn by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 32%. Market Dynamics Key factors such as the rising implementation of virtual and software-defined networking, increasing data breaches over the network, and expanding the adoption of cloud-based services are boosting the market growth. In addition, the advent of machine learning algorithms capable of providing network automation is expected to drive market growth. Integration of automation, cognitive computing, and machine learning and providing improved automation and speed are offering growth opportunities to the market. However, complex design and initial capital investment factors are likely to restrain the market growth. Moreover, conjunction with AI to offer high security for the applications is a major challenge in the market. The Global Intent-Based Networking Market is segmented based on Component, Deployment, Application, and Geography. Company Profiles Some of the key players operating in the industry include Anuta Networks, Capgemini Engineering, Cisco Systems, Ericsson, FireMon, etc. Countries Studied America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas) Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe) Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific) Competitive Quadrant The report includes a Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Why buy this report? The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Intent-Based Networking Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies. The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry. The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report. The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies. The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's competitive positioning tool. Report Highlights: A complete analysis of the market, including parent industry Important market dynamics and trends Market segmentation Historical, current, and projected size of the market based on value and volume Market shares and strategies of key players Recommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the market Key Topics Covered: 1 Report Description 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Market Influencers 4.1 Drivers 4.1.1 Rising Implementation of Virtual and Software-Defined Networking 4.1.2 Increasing Data Breach Over the Network 4.1.3 Increasing the Adoption of Cloud Based Services 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 Complex Design and Need to Validate 4.2.2 Increased Used in Web Traffic Filtering and Provide Real-Time Visibility 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Increasing Adoption of Advanced Technologies 4.3.2 Improved Automation and Speed 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 Intent-Based Networking (IBN) System is Entirely Dependent on API's 5 Market Analysis 5.1 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.2 Impact of COVID-19 5.3 Ansoff Matrix Analysis 6 Global Intent-Based Networking Market, By Component 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Networking Hardware Components 6.2.1 Router 6.2.2 Switch 6.2.3 Firewall 6.3 Software 6.4 Service 6.4.1 Professional Service 6.4.2 Managed Service 7 Global Intent-Based Networking Market, By Deployment 7.1 Introduction 7.2 On-Premise 7.3 Cloud 8 Global Intent-Based Networking Market, By Application 8.1 Introduction 8.2 IT & Telecom 8.3 BFSI 8.4 Healthcare 8.5 Manufacturing 8.6 Government & Defense 8.7 Others 9 Global Intent-Based Networking Market, By Geography 10 Competitive Landscape 10.1 Competitive Quadrant 10.2 Market Share Analysis 10.3 Strategic Initiatives 10.3.1 M&A and Investments 10.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 10.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 11 Company Profiles 11.1 A10 Networks 11.2 Anuta Networks 11.3 Capgemini Engineering 11.4 Cisco Systems 11.5 Ericsson 11.6 FireMon 11.7 Fortinet 11.8 Forward Networks 11.9 Google 11.10 Huawei Technologies 11.11 Indeni 11.12 Intentionet 11.13 Jupiter Networks 11.14 ManageEngine 11.15 Microsoft Azure 11.16 Pluribus Networks 11.17 Veriflow Systems 11.18 Wipro 12 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/rmee2r Attachment A Bronx man wanted for killing his live-in lover in front of her 9-year-old son nearly a dozen years ago was finally busted in Las Vegas, police said Friday. Hector Ramirez, who has been on the run since knifing his girlfriend Elia Zamora to death inside their Kingsbridge Heights apartment in 2010, was nabbed in January, cops said. Advertisement Following a lengthy extradition proceeding, Ramirez, 41, was brought back to New York on Thursday, where he was charged with murder, manslaughter and weapons possession. Advertisement Elia Zamora (Schwartz for News) Police responding to Zamoras Webb Ave. apartment at 5 a.m. on Aug. 29, 2010 found the 28-year-old woman sprawled out on the floor with multiple stab wounds in her chest. EMS rushed her to New York Presbyterian Hospital, where she died. Her 9-year-old son was in the apartment at the time of the slaying, but wasnt harmed, cops said. Zamora was one of four New Yorkers killed in a bloody 25-hour span across the city, police said. Cops identified Ramirez as the stabber almost immediately, but the murder suspect had already fled the Bronx. In 2017, seven years after the homicide, a grand jury indicted Ramirez for murder and a warrant was issued for his arrest. A judge ordered Ramirez held without bail following a brief arraignment proceeding in Bronx Criminal Court Thursday night. New York, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Managed Services Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06231635/?utm_source=GNW 44% during the period of 2022-2027 (henceforth, referred to as the forecast period).? SMBs are expected to be the driving factors that are positively impacting the market growth, as more and more SMBs are looking to outsource non-core activities. According to Datto, on average, MSPs report a client base of 122 clients, and about 60% of the MSPs clients have between 1-150 employees; also, only 5% of the MSPs reported clients with over 500 employees. Key Highlights Managed services offer various benefits that are proven to positively impact the development of the organization that adopts such services as they can focus on their core expertise. It is estimated that successful deployment of managed services will help in reducing IT cost by 25-45% and will also increase the operational efficiency by 45-65%. Also, 25% of organizations said downtime costs averaged between USD 301,000 and USD 400,000 per hour (source: Intelligent Technical Solutions). Moreover, the year 2022 will be all about application deployments matched to the speed of development. The application maintenance and support services will be pivotal to the managed services in IT. Application performance monitoring (APM), for instance, will imbibe a quick feedback mechanism for developers. Front-end monitoring (for studying user behavior), ADTD (for application discovery, tracing, and diagnostics), and AIOps analytics (for detecting application lifecycle patterns and anomalies) will all be parts of APM. These solutions will help the DevOps team to analyze business problems better. It will cut down on their mean time to repair (MTTR). With industry requirements, standards, and consumer needs changing by the day, businesses are now seeking result-based outcomes. They require possession of pre-defined or expected criteria documented clearly, in real-time. The MSP will now be seen using advanced analytics and reporting to state the impact of technologies implemented and present factual data. Further, the Blockchain and IoT technologies are set to create better opportunities for the managed services providers, as these organizations require expertise to implement these technologies. To get a hold of these opportunities and stay relevant and keep up with the competition, the managed services providers are increasingly acquiring essential skillsets for these, among other innovative technologies, like AR, VR, and AI. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the demand for cloud-based solutions has seen significant growth owing to remote working models being adopted by enterprises. As more IT decision-makers look to take advantage of modern cloud environments, theyre increasingly running into longer project runways and the need for bigger budgets. In fact, nearly half (48%) of the United States and the United Kingdom IT decision-makers say the average length of time it takes them to complete a single multi-cloud application migration successfully is 1-2 months (source: Wanclouds). Key Market Trends Manufacturing is Expected to Hold a Significant Market Share In the current technology-driven business environment, big data stands as one of the primary drivers of productivity and efficiency for manufacturers. With the high rate of adoption of sensors and connected devices and the enabling of M2M communication, there has been a massive increase in the data points that are generated in the manufacturing industry. Industries are pitching hard and fast to switch to a smart industry, where data generation and visualization can become real-time. From descriptive to predictive, the evolution of analytics has made the industry aware of the benefits that it can reap from this volume of data. The motto of the manufacturing industry is moving toward a metrics-based industry, which can improve decision-making based on the data-driven use of statistics. With the concept of Industry 4.0 influencing production establishments in the manufacturing industry, the amount of data produced from the manufacturing industry has snowballed, as they have been able to create data from each process point, varying from temperature, pressure, humidity, stress, strain, and quality, among multiple others. There are several applications in the field of semiconductors, consumer electronics, and the automotive industry, where manufacturers have to monitor numerous variables to ensure the quality of end products, wherein big data analytics has emerged as an effective solution to the traditional methods. As most of the small and medium manufacturing industries are more concentrated on hardware equipment and lack expertise in software solutions, they are outsourcing these big data analytic solutions. Outsourcing the software services is further reducing their expenditure. This trend of outsourcing other software services, such as field service management and ERP, would boost managed services during the forecast period. Asia Pacific is Expected to be the Fastest Growing Market The digital transformation has become a top priority in the country and moving at a rapid pace, as a greater number of companies are implementing formal strategies to support their efforts. In January 2021, Chinas State Council released a proposal to help the digital economy flourish throughout the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). According to the plan, Chinas digital transformation of industries will reach a new level by 2025, while digital public services will become more inclusive, and the digital economy governance structure will visibly improve. The managed service providers in China are focusing on reducing security risks and optimizing operations for the end-users by keeping up with the latest technologies. The managed services market is majorly offered by the telecommunication companies in the country. Also, these companies are strategically acquiring companies offering managed services to gain more market share. Further, the banking sector in India is experiencing a colossal change due to the rapid evolution of technology in their vertical, which led to the adoption of cloud computing services by these organizations for addressing their issues. Further, the managed storage providers in the country are investing in developing an integrated cloud storage platform dedicated to the BFSI sector. Moreover, the ongoing extensive investments by the Indian government toward physical infrastructures, like smart cities, are expected to create more opportunities for the deployment of managed services, like data storage, security, and network management, in the country. Currently, the Indian smart cities program is focused on transforming 100 cities. In January 2022, KPMG India and Qualys have announced a partnership to add Qualys solutions to KPMGs Managed Security service. KPMGs industry-leading and globally recognized cybersecurity services in India will be combined with Qualys world-class cybersecurity innovations to enable enterprises to protect their network, applications, endpoints, and cloud workloads from security vulnerabilities, provide visibility, and ensure compliance. Whereas, with the service industry taking up the largest portion of its GDP, Japan has much to share in the area of managing the service industry. Japan has always been a market-oriented economy and represents the second most developed economy in the world. Currently, the country is focusing on the manufacturing sectors, including the production of hybrid vehicles, robotics, and optical instruments. Competitive Landscape The Managed Services Market is consolidated, as major players dominate it. Some of the major players in the market are Cisco Systems Inc.?, IBM Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Fujitsu Ltd, and Wipro Ltd, among others. The market players are forming strategic collaborations with a view to enhancing their market presence. January 2022: Rackspace Technology and BT announced a partnership agreement to transform BTs multinational customers cloud services. Under the terms of the agreement, BT hybrid cloud services will be based on Rackspace Technologys solutions, which the company will deploy in BT data centers along with its Rackspace Fabric management layer. December 2021: Verizon Business announced enhancement in its Network as a Service (NaaS) digitization strategy with the addition of Cisco-managed SD-WAN services, including options for 4G/5G connectivity. With these new solutions, enterprises can leverage Verizons 4G and 5G networks, as well as the network as a service strategy, giving them the ability to scale, adopt the latest technology and remain agile to meet ever-changing customer demands. September 2021 - IBM announced that Virescent Infrastructure, a renewable energy platform backed by leading global investment firm KKR, is collaborating with IBM Global Business Services (GBS) and SAP to deploy RISE with SAP, an SAP offering that brings together what businesses need to pursue digital transformation objectives and accelerate their move to the cloud. Virescent Infrastructure chose RISE with SAP to completely redesign their processes for better business outcomes Business Network, and core business applications. Additional Benefits: The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format 3 months of analyst support Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06231635/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Dublin, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Market (2021-2026) by Ingredient, Synthesis Type, Molecule Type, Product Type, Manufacturing Type, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Market is estimated to be USD 199.25 Bn in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 271.97 Bn by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 6.42%. Market Dynamics Key factors such as the increasing incidence of chronic diseases with a rising geriatric population have significantly increased the Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) market. Similarly, the growing dependence on API formulation in developing nations with lower costs and the rising investments of the pharmaceutical companies in API drugs also benefit market growth. Moreover, the advancements in API manufacturing with improvements in the API synthesis process and the evolving biosimilars market is expected to create opportunities in the Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Market. However, the price control policies and high costs of manufacturing API drugs are restraining the market's growth. The Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Market is segmented based on Ingredient, Synthesis Type, Molecule Type, Product Type, Manufacturing Type, And Geography. Company Profiles Some of the companies covered in this report are Cipla, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Albemarle Corporation, Pfizer Inc, Novartis, Sanofi, Abbvie, Aurobindo Pharma, Viatris Inc., etc. Countries Studied America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas) Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe) Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific) Competitive Quadrant The report includes a Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Why buy this report? The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies. The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry. The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report. The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies. The report also contains the competitive analysis using IGR Positioning Quadrants, Infogence's Proprietary competitive positioning tool. Report Highlights: A complete analysis of the market, including parent industry Important market dynamics and trends Market segmentation Historical, current, and projected size of the market based on value and volume Market shares and strategies of key players Recommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the market Key Topics Covered: 1 Report Description 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Market Influencers 4.1 Drivers 4.1.1 Increasing Incidence of Diseases 4.1.2 Growing Baby Boomers and Millennials Medical Expenditure 4.1.3 Growing Demand of API Formulation and Generics in Developing Countries 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 High Manufacturing Costs 4.2.2 Regulatory Policies and Unfavourable Drug Price Control Policies 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Companies Investemnt in Development of New Drugs and Precision Medicine 4.3.2 Growth In The Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs) 4.3.3 Emergence Of Biosimilars Market 4.3.4 Growing Artificial Intelligence (AI) Adoption for Drug Discovery 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 Drug Price Control Policies Across Various Countries 5 Market Analysis 5.1 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.2 Impact of COVID-19 5.3 Ansoff Matrix Analysis 6 Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Market, By Ingredient Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Branded Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients 6.3 Generic Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients 7 Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Market, By Type 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Synthetic 7.3 Biotech 7.3.1 Monoclonal Antibodies 7.3.2 Hormones & Growth Factors 7.3.3 Recombinant Vaccines 7.3.4 Therapeutic Enzymes 7.3.5 Others 8 Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Market, By Molecule Type 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Small Molecule 8.3 Large Molecule 9 Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Market, By Potency Type 9.1 Introduction 9.2 High Potent APIs 9.3 Low Potent APIs 10 Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Market, By Manufacturer Type 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Captive API 10.3 Merchant API 11 Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Market, By Geography 12 Competitive Landscape 12.1 Competitive Quadrant 12.2 Market Share Analysis 12.3 Strategic Initiatives 12.3.1 M&A and Investments 12.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 12.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 13 Company Profiles 13.1 AbbVie, Inc. 13.2 Albemarle Corporation 13.3 AstraZeneca plc 13.4 Aurobindo Pharma Limited 13.5 Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH 13.6 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company 13.7 Cipla, Inc. 13.8 Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd 13.9 Eli Lilly and Company 13.10 Glaxosmithkline Plc 13.11 Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. 13.12 Merck & Co., Inc. 13.13 Novartis Ag 13.14 Pfizer, Inc. 13.15 Roche Holding AG 13.16 Sanofi 13.17 Shenzhen Hepalink Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. 13.18 Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. 13.19 Teva Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients 13.20 Viatris Inc 13.21 Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd 14 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/k7uvw9 Attachment Pittsburgh, PA, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Locomation, a leading provider of autonomous trucking technology solutions, today announced the hiring of industry veterans Michelle Chaka as Director of Safety Assurance and Standards and Ro Stoltzfoos as Director of Quality. In her new role, Chaka will oversee Locomations comprehensive and evidence-based approach to safety assurance. In addition, she will lead the development and implementation of safety metrics, policies, standards and procedures to help ensure Locomations products meet all safety regulations and industry best practices. Stoltzfoos will be responsible for overseeing the development of Locomations quality systems, risk management, process optimization, external-facing quality teams, and technical training. In addition, Stoltzfoos will ensure that quality is woven throughout the companys processes and products to meet the highest standards. Together Michelle and Ro will add a new level of depth and experience to our operation as we develop our Autonomous Relay ConvoySM technology, said Dr. Cetin Mericli, Locomations CEO and co-founder. With their leadership, we will continue our progress towards commercial deployment while prioritizing safety and quality in every aspect of our work. Locomations ARCSM system is a human-led convoy of two trucks that are electronically tethered. The Human-Guided AutonomySM solution enables one driver to operate the lead truck while a second driver rests in the follower truck. Periodically, the trucks swap places to allow each driver to take turns leading and resting in compliance with U.S. Department of Transportation Hours-of-Service regulations. Locomation will enable carriers to safely operate two trucks for 20-22 hours per day, delivering 2x the cargo, 2x farther, 2x faster. Safety and transparency are integral to Locomations culture and the ARCSM system will improve efficiency to address some of the most critical challenges facing the transportation of goods. This is an opportunity to have a positive impact on the global supply chain, Chaka said. Im very pleased to be joining the team at this historic time. Locomation's human guided convoy system is the safest near-term way to get autonomous trucks running commercially at scale, Stoltzfoos said. I couldn't be more excited to be a part of it. About Michelle Chaka Prior to Locomation, Chaka was Division Director at the Data and Analytics Division at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) specializing in collaboration with industry, academic, and government partners to translate large-scale data collections into robust and timely guidance and decisions. Her over 25 years of transportation safety experience at VTTI, Ford Motor Company, and General Motors have elevated her to the top of the field and benefited the safety community at large. Chaka was recently honored by being named as the recipient for the International 2021 J. Cordell Breed Award for Women Leaders by the SAE Women Engineers Committee. She is well versed in the areas of automated driving systems, crash avoidance, occupant protection, regulatory compliance, and safety assurance. She holds an M.S. in Automotive Engineering Technology from the University of Michigan and a B.S. from Michigan State University in Mechanical Engineering. About Ro Stoltzfoos Before coming to Locomation, Stoltzfoos was the Senior Supplier Quality Engineering Manager at Motional where she built the entire Supplier Quality Organization from ground zero. She had a similar role at Uber ATG and has spent more than 20 years in Quality, mostly in the automotive industry, including Tesla, Marquardt Switches, and ZF. She has experience ranging from being an OEM or Tier 1 supplier and working with Tier 2 or Tier 3 suppliers, start-up, tech and non-tech. She is a certified lead auditor and a certified VDA 6.3 process auditor and trainer. She has a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Kettering University along with co-op experience at General Motors and General Electric. About Locomation Locomation is re-engineering the worlds supply chain for autonomy with a portfolio of AV products and a suite of tools that enable our clients to implement an operating model for autonomous vehicles. Launched in 2018 by veterans of Carnegie Mellons National Robotics Engineering Center, the Locomation team includes some of the worlds foremost experts in robotics technology, artificial intelligence, trucking, freight optimization, safety, and automotive. Learn more at https://locomation.ai or follow us on Twitter at @LocomationAI or on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/locomation. Attachments New York, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Protein Expression Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06229164/?utm_source=GNW , Becton, Dickinson & Company, Lonza Group Ltd, Accelagen Inc., Geneva Biotech, Viva Biotech, Becton, Dickinson & Company, Sengenics, ARTES Biotechnology GmbH, Addgene Inc, Profacgen, ProteoGenix, Peak Proteins Ltd, Domainex Ltd, Jena Bioscience GmbH, EMD Millipore and Oxford Expression Technologies Ltd. The global protein expression market is expected to grow from $2.58 billion in 2021 to $2.87 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.4%. The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $4.39 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 11.2%. The protein expression market consists of sales of protein expression vectors, competent cells, reagents, equipment and related services.Protein expression is a process in which proteins are synthesized, modified, regulated and controlled in living organisms according to the host cell. Protein expression included yeast expression, insect expression, and bacterial expression, algal expression and mammalian cell expression. The main product types of protein expression are reagents, competent cells, expression vectors, services, and instruments.A reagent is a material or compound that is added to a system to produce a chemical reaction or to determine whether or not a reaction occurred. The various forms of protein expression include yeast expression, mammalian expression, algae expression, insect expression, bacterial expression, and cell-free expression that are used for therapeutic, industrial, and research applications. The different end users involve pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies, academic research, and contract research organizations. Increase in demand for biologics to counter various genetic disorders and chronic diseases is one the major factors driving the research and sales of protein expression market.Biologics is a medicine produced from living organisms or contains components of living organisms such as protein, tissue, genes, allergens, cells, blood components, blood, and vaccines. The increasing use of biologics (therapeutic protein and others) to cure chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular conditions and genetic disorders, is increasing the demand for protein expression devices and equipment.According to the World Health Organization, chronic disease prevalence rose by 57% globally, in the year 2020. Hence the rising demand for biologics is driving the protein expression market.For instance, according to an article published by Chemistry World, analysts stated that the biologics market hold a market share of more than a quarter of the entire pharmaceutical market in 2020. The global biologics market is expected to grow at 14.7% during 2021-2023. Government regulations related to protein therapeutics and production of biologics may hinder the protein expression market growth.Government regulations on biologics to undergo rigorous preclinical and clinical trials prior to regulatory approval, and time-consuming process for approval of biologics with regards to health and the safety of any individual are restraining the market growth. Marketing and distribution of biologics including insulin, hormones, therapeutic antibodies, and vaccines depends upon the successful completion of clinical trials, which is a long, expensive, and uncertain process. According to FDA, for an approval of new biologic, Under the regulations (21 CFR 314.81(b)(2)(vii) and 601.70, a clinical trial approval usually takes 10- 12 months where firms are required to submit a report annually on the status of clinical safety, clinical efficiency, clinical pharmacology, and nonclinical toxicology study. Companies in the industry are increasingly adopting Microfluidics technology to enhance protein expression tests in order to reduce the time, cost, labor, and increase the accuracy and performance.The microfluidics technology effectively analyzes biological samples than the traditional (macroscale) instruments. Microfluidics technology is used to measure the expression of proteins on cells and optimizes the output to generate results regarding protein expression.Therapeutics-on-a-chip (TOC) uses microfluidic platform and is able to synthesize proteins in a point of care setting to reduce cost associated with storage and transportation of therapeutic proteins. For instance, companies such as MissionBio, NanoCellect Biomedical, RainDance Technologies and Sphere fluidics have implemented this technology in protein expression test. The Protein Expression market in the U.S. is governed by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that lays down a series of guidelines for the manufacturers and retailers of this industry. Within FDA, Center for Drug Evaluation and research (CDER) regulates biological products under FDA 101 which includes gene therapy products and vaccines. These regulations ensure quality, safety and efficacy of biological therapeutics products, and speed up innovations that make these products safer, and effective. The USs FDA announced a fast-track initiative to review its drugs and biologics policy to speed the availability of therapies to patients with serious conditions, orphan drugs for rare disease, while preserving the safety and efficacy standards. FDA also removed a rule (Section 610.21 of the FDA code) which specified minimal potency limits for certain antibodies and antigens. The European Medicines Agency has also introduced policies which include a provision to waive the scientific advice fee, which encourage more academic groups and small companies to propose candidates for biologics. The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the protein expression market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK and USA. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06229164/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ New York, NY, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Museum of the City of New York launched a new, free digital guide on Bloomberg Connects, the arts and cultural app created by Bloomberg Philanthropies available for download from Google Play or the App Store. Featuring collection highlights, exhibition content, and in-depth multimedia experiences, the guide complements on-site visits and makes the Museum accessible from anywhere, offering insights for global digital visitors. The digital guide includes signature experiences from the Museum including highlights from New York At Its Core, Activist New York, and Timescapes, as well as hit exhibitions, New York, New Music: 1980-1986 and Puppets of New York. The guide aims to expand access to the Museum's collections, including key exhibits not regularly on view. Visitors are treated to a welcome from the Museums director, and helpful tools for a visit like an interactive map, safety guidelines, shop highlights, and more. Our Bloomberg Connects guide makes it easy to learn and enjoy the multitude of New Yorks stories past, present, and future, said Whitney Donhauser, Ronay Menschel Director and President of the Museum of the City of New York. For those visiting New York with family and friends, were excited to offer this enhanced digital content, and with the guide, you can also access the Museums rich collection from anywhere, right in the palm of your hand. The Bloomberg Connects guide builds on the Museum of the City of New Yorks recent digital expansion. The Museums innovative digital initiatives, including its virtual education hub, podcast series, live virtual programs, educational video content and global social media campaigns, have been recognized with Communicator Awards, AAM Muse Awards, and a New York Festivals Award, highlighting the institutions achievements in creative digital content. These initiatives support the Museum of the City of New Yorks mission to foster understanding of the distinctive nature of urban life in the worlds most influential metropolis. Bloomberg Connects offers free digital guides to cultural organizations around the world. The app platform is part of Bloomberg Philanthropies longstanding commitment to supporting digital innovation in the arts. Bloomberg Connects makes it easy to access and engage with arts and culture from mobile devices when visiting in person, or anytime from anywhere. With dynamic content exclusive to each partner organization, the app provides a range of features including video, audio and text; expert commentary; and way-finding maps. Follow Bloomberg Connects on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for updates on new guide launches, exhibit highlights, and more. About the Museum of the City of New York The Museum of the City of New York fosters understanding of the distinctive nature of urban life in the worlds most influential metropolis. It engages visitors by celebrating, documenting, and interpreting the citys past, present, and future. With its award-winning exhibitions, public, education and digital programs, Museum connects global audiences to New York. To connect with the Museum on social media, follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @MuseumofCityNY and visit our Facebook page at Facebook.com/MuseumofCityNY. For more information please visit www.mcny.org. About Bloomberg Philanthropies Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 941 cities and 173 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloombergs giving, including his foundation and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a pro bono consultancy that works in cities around the world. In 2022, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $1.66 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter. Attachment MOSCOW, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The international conference The Arctic: Developments from the Perspective of the Humanities took place February 15-16 as part of the main events of the Russias chairmanship of the Arctic Council. The conference was organized and managed by the Roscongress Foundation. The discussions were attended by top Russian and foreign scientists as well as representatives of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science; the Russian Ministry for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic; the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; diplomatic missions from Arctic countries; the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia, and the Far East; the Arctic Athabaskan Council; the Saami Council; the Aleut International Association and the Inuit Circumpolar Council. Presentations were given by 180 speakers from the member countries of the Arctic Council, Italy, Hungary and Estonia. The event brought together 40 universities, 20 research centers and laboratories, eight public organizations and independent researchers and artists. The experts discussed such issues as history, linguistics, art, ethnography and humanitarian aspects of natural sciences in an effort to find solutions to urgent problems facing the people of the Arctic and ways to preserve their cultural heritage. Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Senior Arctic Officials Committee Nikolay Korchunov stressed that the Arctic region is an important part of the national and international humanitarian space and noted the need to preserve the cultural and historical heritage of the indigenous peoples of the North. Russias chairmanship implies a special emphasis on the human dimension and improving the quality of life of people who live in the Arctic. This is precisely why Russia, in June 2020, initiated the project Digitalization of the Linguistic and Cultural Heritage of the Indigenous Peoples of the Arctic, which aims to support the humanitarian aspect of the regions development. The project was supported by the Arctic Councils Working Group on Sustainable Development. Culture is an integral part of the humanitarian dimension of Arctic cooperation, in which museums play an important role. In this regard, we support the prospect of combining the museum collections of Arctic countries into a single online exposition, Korchunov said. Today, the world community is concerned about climate change and preventing emergency situations in the Far North. However, in order to find answers to the main geopolitical, socioeconomic and cultural challenges of our time, we need interdisciplinary approaches that take into account all the key factors in the regions development. The ethnocultural factor deserves special attention, which requires Arctic research to pivot towards humanitarian knowledge. This is reflected in the priorities of Russias chairmanship of the Arctic Council, including the development of human capital, support for indigenous minorities and the preservation of their cultural heritage, international scientific cooperation and Arctic tourism, Moscow State Linguistic University Rector Irina Krayeva said. Russian Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education Natalya Bocharova said the admission quotas for higher education organizations located in Russias Arctic zone have been set at 5,830 state-funded openings for the 20222023 academic year, a figure that is 10% higher than the amount approved for the current academic year. The conference program includes sections on the art and folklore of ethnic groups of the North as well as reports by prominent linguists on ways to preserve the languages of the people of the North. I believe the conference could become an international and interdisciplinary platform for exchanging experience and summarizing the results of cultural, folklore, historical, and linguistic research in the Arctic region, Bocharova said. Alexander Petrov, a professor at Moscow State Linguistic University and chief researcher of the Center for North American Studies at the Institute of World History of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), pointed out the vast potential for Arctic research between Russian and foreign specialists. There is a long tradition of joint conferences. First of all, this includes the study of the historical and cultural heritage of Russian America. I think it makes sense to include the Arctic zone in such discussions. This would be an excellent occasion to bring numerous countries together. Science and education could help resolve many issues related to the current international situation, Petrov said. Director of the Fulbright Programme in Russia Joel Ericson also noted the importance of international cooperation in the Arctic region. The Arctic is a microcosm of nature and culture. We want to make sure this region is economically sustainable. And we hope that the indigenous peoples will feel protected, Ericson said. The conference was organized by the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education and Moscow State Linguistic University. The co-organizers were the RAS Institute of Linguistics, the RAS Institute of World History, and the Institute of Translation. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MAX Power Mining Corp. (MAX Power or the Company) is pleased to provide a corporate update after trading of its common shares commenced Wednesday, February 16, 2022 on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) under the symbol MAXX. Highlights: Drill crews will be mobilizing to the Nicobat Property in early March to carry out a program that will test geophysical conductors potentially related to massive sulphide mineralization; Due diligence is being carried out on multiple properties to potentially add another project to the Companys portfolio; Mr. Mark Scott, who has a strong track record of success with both senior and junior mining companies, has joined the MAX Power Board of Directors. Mr. Rav Mlait, CEO of MAX Power, commented: On behalf of the Board and the entire team at MAX Power, Im very excited that we are now a publicly traded company on the CSE through a successful initial public offering (IPO) that raised $1.5 million. This is a significant milestone in the development of MAX Power after it was launched as a private exploration entity in early 2021. We have a dynamic retail shareholder base and a team dedicated to success both on the ground and in the market. Mr. Mlait continued, Our immediate focus is the under-explored Nicobat Project in Northwest Ontarios Rainy River district, host to New Golds Rainy River gold mine. Nicobat is our listing property acquired from Sassy Resources which currently owns 18% of MAX Power. Our upcoming drill program will be targeting high-grade nickel-cobalt-copper-PGE mineralization based on geophysical conductors never previously tested at Nicobat. The Company is also evaluating additional potential high impact opportunities in the broader resource space that could be a strategic fit for MAX Power during this commodity bull cycle. We welcome Mark Scott to our Board of Directors. Hes an accomplished industry veteran who was Vice President of Vale Canada and head of its Manitoba Nickel Division before becoming the founding CEO for three successful juniors - Sassy Resources Corporation (Sassy), Gander Gold Inc. (a reporting issuer to be listed on the CSE) and privately held Galloper Gold Corp. Mark will help us immensely as we leverage MAX Powers advantages to the max, Mr. Mlait concluded. MAX Power Share Structure MAX Power features an attractive share structure with a total of only 27,781,250 shares currently issued and outstanding including 6 million from the 25-cent IPO. A total of 10,556,250 shares (38% of the issued and outstanding) are subject to escrow provisions. The only warrants outstanding are 540,000 broker warrants related to the IPO, and 1 million warrants held by Sassy that formed part of the terms for the Nicobat Project acquisition (refer to May 31, 2021 Sassy news release for further details). The MAX Power Team Rav Mlait (CEO, Director) has extensive experience in managing and raising capital for public and private companies in the technology and mineral exploration sectors; has extensive experience in managing and raising capital for public and private companies in the technology and mineral exploration sectors; Mark Scott (Director) is the founding CEO of CSE-listed Sassy Resources. Prior to leading Sassy which became public in 2020, he was Vice President of Vale Canada and oversaw all aspects of the companys Manitoba nickel operations; is the founding CEO of CSE-listed Sassy Resources. Prior to leading Sassy which became public in 2020, he was Vice President of Vale Canada and oversaw all aspects of the companys Manitoba nickel operations; Bryan Loree (CFO, Corporate Secretary, Director) has held various senior accounting roles for public and private companies in multiple industries including renewable energy, exploration, and construction; has held various senior accounting roles for public and private companies in multiple industries including renewable energy, exploration, and construction; Thomas Clarke, P.Geo, PrSciNat. (Director) is an entrepreneur and professionally registered geologist who holds a Master of Science degree from the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa). His focus has been on gold, platinum group metals, copper, and energy projects; is an entrepreneur and professionally registered geologist who holds a Master of Science degree from the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa). His focus has been on gold, platinum group metals, copper, and energy projects; William deJong (Director) is a lawyer at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLPs Securities and Mining practice groups. He advises in matters relating to financings, mergers/acquisitions, corporate governance, continuous disclosure, stock exchange listings and other matters; In addition, Ronacher McKenzie Geoscience based in Sudbury, Ontario, provides MAX Power with industry leading expertise in data integration, analysis and interpretation, geophysical interpretation, and machine learning. Qualified Person The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Thomas Clarke, P.Geo., and Director for MAX Power Mining Corp. Mr. Clarke is the Qualified Person responsible for the scientific and technical information contained herein under National Instrument 43-101 standards. Corporate Presentation MAX Powers corporate deck is available on the home page of the Companys website (MaxPowerMining.com) and can also be viewed by visiting the following URL: https://maxpowermining.com/MaxPowerMiningCorp.pdf About MAX Power MAX Power is a dynamic exploration stage resource company currently engaged in the identification, acquisition and exploration of high-grade projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions. Its current focus is the Nicobat Project in Northwest Ontarios Rainy River district that hosts New Golds Rainy River gold mine. Contact: Bryan Loree, info@maxpowermining.com or 778-655-9266 Cautionary Statements Forward Looking Statements: This press release contains forwardlooking information or statements within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, which may include, but are not limited to statements relating to the date of first trading in the Company's common shares and its future business plans. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words expects, plans, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, projects, potential and similar expressions, or that events or conditions will, would, may", could or should occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements do not guarantee future performance and actual results may differ from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update forwardlooking statements or forwardlooking information, except as required by law. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES Toronto, ON, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Congratulations to the students from the University of Waterloo, School of Accounting and Finance for their compelling research which earned them the winning title at the local level of the CFA Institute Research Challenge. The student team members, Ziming Gao, Alice Qin, Murtaza Zaidi, and Muhammad Sadiq will each receive a thousand dollar prize and will be advancing to the sub-regional competition of the CFA Institute Research Challenge. Winners of each sub-regional level will advance to the regional semi-finals on 07 April 2022. The CFA Research Challenge is where hard work and passion for finance intersect! This was no ordinary case competition. We explored the depths of primary research to create a product that was original but most importantly convincing. Countless hours were spent researching technicals and interviewing subject experts. What we got out of it was an in-depth view of the true value Transcontinental offered. To know such detailed knowledge feels exhilarating and we are proud to understand one company in this much depth. The presentation cannot have been done without the help of the University of Waterloo Alumni and those who volunteered to listen to us present. Everyone provided great insights and made us rethink our pitch. Through this process, we became more effective in both presenting and responding to questions. Overall, this case competition experience is unrivaled! said Ziming Gao on behalf of the team. The CFA Institute Research Challenge is an annual global competition that provides university students with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis. Students work in teams to research and analyze a publicly-traded company, and each team writes a research report on its assigned company with a buy, sell, or hold recommendation. The University of Waterloo is very proud of Ziming, Muhammad, Alice, and Murtaza for all of the hard work and dedication they put into preparing for the 2022 CFA Institute Research Challenge. The team spent many hours conducting in-depth research and analysis, which resulted in a presentation that delivered a compelling thesis, accompanied by a unique valuation approach. Throughout the months of preparation, it was impressive to see how well the team worked together. This was on clear display during the question-and-answer session where the team worked collaboratively. Also, the team would not have been able to achieve this success without the invaluable guidance and support from their industry mentor, Jeannine LiChong. said Steve Balaban, CFA, Faculty Advisor. We would like to congratulate the winning team and all the local CFA Institute Research Challenge participants for their diligence and hard work. We were impressed by the quality of the research performed and by the insights demonstrated by the students. We also would like to thank CFA Society Toronto and CFA Society Ottawa for having chosen TC Transcontinental as the subject company this year said Donald LeCavalier, Chief Financial Officer of Transcontinental Inc. Student teams from around the world will meet at the global finals of the competition on 16 May 2022 where they will present and defend their analysis to a panel of industry professionals. Students learn from experienced industry experts and peers from the worlds top business schools. The research presentations we judged today [17 February 2022] would put much if not most of Wall Street and Bay Streets professional analysts to shame. Todays competitors can be very proud of the hard work theyve done and can be confident they have very bright professional futures ahead of them indeed. Directors of research, CIOs and hiring managers mark your calendars - and send your top talent scouts to this event next year and every year. said Brian Madden, CFA, CFP, CIM. For more information visit CFA Institute Research Challenge About CFA Society Toronto Founded in 1936, CFA Society Toronto is part of the worldwide network of CFA Institute member societies that lead the investment profession globally by promoting the highest standards of ethics, education and professional excellence for the ultimate benefit of society. CFA Society Toronto represents the interests of over 10,000 investment professionals in the Greater Toronto Area through advocacy, education, events, and professional development. For more information visit http://www.cfatoronto.ca or follow us on Twitter @cfatoronto and on LinkedIn CFA Society Toronto. Chartered Financial Analyst and CFA are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute. -30- Attachment Window Rock, AZ, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Tuesday, February 22, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman , head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for Americas 32.5 million small businesses in President Bidens Cabinet, will visit Window Rock, AZ. Administrator Guzman will meet with Navajo Nation leadership, highlighting the economic impact of President Bidens American Rescue Plan and opportunities presented by President Bidens Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This visit marks the Administrators first official visit to Navajo Nation. In her first year in office, Administrator Guzman has visited 26 states and U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, and over 41 cities. Media are invited to attend this meeting, which is open to the press for OPENING REMARKS ONLY, but must RSVP by 5:00 p.m. CT on Monday, February 21, 2022, for credentialing and further information. WHEN: Tuesday, February 22, 2022 WHERE: Window Rock, AZ WHO: Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, U.S. Small Business Administration Jonathan Nez, President of the Navajo Nation WHY: Administrator Guzman is traveling to Window Rock to meet with Navajo Nation leadership and small businesses to highlight the opportunities presented by President Bidens Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. MEDIA RSVP: Please RSVP to Miryam Barajas at miryam.barajas@sba.gov with a reporters name and press outlet. ### About the U.S. Small Business Administration Dallas, Texas, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Puration, Inc. (OTC Pink: PURA) has launched an initiative to expand the utilization of hemp worldwide under the brand name Farmersville Hemp. PURA is building a co-op of hemp growers and processors to raise market awareness around the multitude of yet to be realized uses of hemp and build a brand name to benefit all co-op participants under the name Farmersville Hemp. Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published the first ever survey on the newly legal hemp industry. The report drew on over 20,000 surveyed growers. PURA anticipates generating at least $1 million in revenue in 2022 with the potential to reach $10 million in revenue. The $10 million revenue opportunity outlook is improving based on the recent progress of PURAs co-op partners. PURA is scheduled to publish a report next week on the companys progress to date on the execution of its 2022 strategic plan. The update will be published on Tuesday, February 22nd. PURAs 2022 strategic plan overview detailing the companys strategy to grow revenue and increase shareholder value by driving market wide demand for the multitude of yet to be realized uses of hemp can be viewed by following the link above. Current PURA co-op partners include Alkame Holdings, Inc. (OTC Pink: ALKM), PAO Group, Inc. (OTC Pink: PAOG), North American Cannabis Holdings, Inc. (OTC Pink: USMJ), and UC Asset LP (OTCQX: UCASU). For more information on Puration, visit http://www.purationinc.com Disclaimer: This News Release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from any these statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any those forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date of this news release. None of such forward-looking statements should be regarded as a representation by us or any other person that the objectives and plans set forth in this News Release will be achieved or be executed. Victim Sara Perez waited for the dark colored 2006 Ford F-150 pickup truck to back out of the garage on Northern Blvd. near 107th St. in Jackson Heights about 4:50 p.m. Thursday before she was struck. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News) A flustered 16-year-old driver struck and killed a 18-year-old woman as he backed a pickup truck out of a Queens auto repair shop, police said Friday. Cat lover Sara Perez, carrying a bag of food for her kittens, waited for the grey 2006 Ford F-150 pickup truck to back out of the garage on Northern Blvd. near 107th St. in Jackson Heights about 4:50 p.m. Thursday, video obtained by the Daily News shows. Advertisement When the truck backed off the sidewalk, Perez started walking. A moment later the teen motorist suddenly threw the car into drive, hit the gas and rammed into her at a high rate of speed. The truck slammed Perez against the fence, the video shows. Advertisement The teen driver quickly backed the truck up as horrified witnesses raced over to render aid, the video shows. Blood stained a large dent in the middle of the grill. Another motorist yanked open the truck door and pulled the teen out of the cabin, pinning his arms behind his back. A flustered 16-year-old driver struck and killed Sara Perez (pictured) as he backed a pickup truck out of a Queens auto repair shop on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. (GoFundMe) Witnesses said the teen driver panicked as he tried backing into heavy traffic on Northern Blvd. It was a green light, said a witness who wished not to give his name. The guy was backing up the (truck) and almost hit a car. He was a 16-year-old. So he put it in drive, and thats it. What I saw, I cant see that again, he said. A flustered 16-year-old driver struck and killed a 18-year-old woman as he backed a pickup truck out of a Queens auto repair shop Thursday afternoon. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News) Perez was around the corner from her home when she was hit, cops said. Oren Marquez, who works near the auto shop, also witnessed the horror. She was waiting on the sidewalk for them to pull the car out, Marquez, 43, said. He didnt brake at all. Advertisement Scene where pick-up truck crashed and struck a woman on Northern Blvd. near 107th St. in Jackson Heights on Thursday, Feb. 17. (Liam Quigley/for New York Daily News) EMS rushed Perez to Elmhurst Hospital, but she couldnt be saved. Perezs younger sister Frangella said Sara turned 18 in October. She was a great person, Frangella, 16, said. She loved cats, she had 10 cats. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Perezs love of animals, particularly cats, knew no bounds, her cousin Sandy wrote on a GoFundMe post as the family scrambles to pay for funeral expenses. Sara deeply cared for those she loved and especially animals, Sandy wrote. She would take in stray cats and rehab them in her family home providing them with love. Other relatives were too grief-stricken to talk to reporters Friday. Advertisement The driver remained at the scene. No charges were immediately filed. The NYPD Highway Patrol investigates after a pedestrian was struck by a pickup truck on the sidewalk on 107th St. and Northern Blvd. in Queens on Thursday. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News) It was not immediately clear if the young motorist had a driving permit or a junior drivers license. While teens as young as 16 can get a junior drivers license in New York State, they are not permitted to drive within the five boroughs alone until they are 18 years old. They can drive to and from work or school during the day with an adult in the vehicle, according to state law. No one was in the pickup truck with the teen at the time of the crash. Public records on HowsMyDriving.com show the truck had eight traffic violations since September. The two most recent violations, which were filed in January, were for speeding in a school zone, though it cant be confirmed if the teen was driving the truck at those times. MIAMI, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Relief, the personal finance startup committed to helping everyday people achieve financial freedom by eliminating credit card debt, announced today it has raised $15 million in Series A funding, bringing its total funding to date to $17 million. The round was led by Nava Ventures and includes a range of strategic investors, including Ken Chenault, former CEO and Chairman of American Express; Vikram Pandit, former CEO of Citigroup and The Kraft Group. Other leading venture capital groups include Interplay, Animal Capital, Necessary Ventures, and Brand Foundry Ventures, among others. Relief is a startup working to lift people out of crippling credit card debt by negotiating with credit card companies on their behalf. The company uses a personalized approach with advanced machine learning technology. Relief's app seamlessly negotiates with debt providers after analyzing a user's personal finances and can cut credit card debt in half or more on behalf of the user - for free. "We are thrilled to partner with Relief in their mission to help consumers with unsustainable debt. The company's deep founder-market-fit is a hallmark of Nava's investment thesis, and Relief's consumer-first approach is a much-needed innovation in the debt settlement industry. We see Relief as a long-term partner for consumers looking to improve their financial well-being," said Freddie Martignetti, Partner at Nava Ventures. This latest round of funding will go towards providing Relief with resources to strengthen its platform and scale to support a rapidly growing waitlist. The company expects to release the app to the public later in 2022. Relief is founded by Jason Saltzman, Bryan Okeke, and Ram Berrouet - three seasoned entrepreneurs with deep market knowledge in advanced technology, finance, and executive leadership. "Relief stands poised to be the go-to platform that people turn to in order to tackle their debt and return to building their financial future. We believe that access to new technology and services addressing financial challenges should be accessible to all - especially the communities most affected by toxic debt. That is our mission; that's why our app is free, and that's why we won't rest until we can finally take on the credit card debt crisis," said Jason Saltzman, CEO and Co-Founder. Scheduled to launch later this year, Relief has already struck a chord with consumers; over 100,000 people have signed up for the waitlist, representing a cumulative $750 million in credit card debt - a reflection of the continued uncertainty for so many throughout the COVID-19 era. "Each day, we hear from our own communities that people need help managing their debt. With both myself and Ram being Black founders, we are proud to help solve such a huge problem at scale, while also growing the trend of investing into minority-owned companies," said Bryan Okeke, Co-Founder and CTO of Relief. The company is ramping up quickly. Consumers can sign up for the Relief waitlist at www.relief.app and earn $40 toward paying off their credit card debt for each friend they invite. For inquires please contact: hello@relief.app Related Images Image 1: Relief Founders Founders Bryan Okeke, Jason Saltzman, Ram Berrouet This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment SALISBURY, N.C., Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Food Lion Feeds presented Feeding America, Kentuckys Heartland (FAKH) with a check for $50,000 to help rebuild the Purchase Area Development Districts (PADD) Mayfield, Ky., warehouse destroyed by last Decembers devastating tornadoes. PADD, a partner distribution organization of FAKH, and their Mayfield warehouse is the main storage and distribution center serving partner agencies in the eight most western Kentucky counties. We appreciate our long-standing partnership with Food Lion, said Jamie Sizemore, executive director of Feeding America, Kentuckys Heartland. They continue to demonstrate their commitment to fighting hunger as we work to feed our hungry neighbors in need. Food Lion cares about the towns and cities we serve, and our neighbors who live in them, said Kevin Durkee, Manager, Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion. Feeding America, Kentuckys Heartland does an outstanding job of fighting food insecurity, and we are proud to lend a helping hand to help them rebuild and continue to serve neighbors after this natural disaster. Food Lion responded quickly to support impacted communities shortly after the tornadoes occurred in December. Food Lion Feeds donated $26,000 in food to Feeding America Kentuckys Heartland; 39,000 bottles of water to disaster relief agencies; and $10,000 to an emergency relief fund established by Pilgrims Pride, one of Food Lions suppliers with operations in the area. Additionally, in partnership with customers, Food Lion Feeds donated $130,000 to the American Red Cross for disaster relief efforts. About Food Lion Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, has more than 1,100 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and employs more than 82,000 associates. By leveraging its longstanding heritage of low prices and convenient locations, Food Lion is working to own the easiest full shop grocery experience in the Southeast, anchored by a strong commitment to affordability, freshness and the communities it serves. Through Food Lion Feeds, the company has donated more than 900 million meals to individuals and families since 2014 and has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025. Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com or job applicants may visit www.foodlion.com/careers. About Feeding America, Kentuckys Heartland Feeding America, Kentuckys Heartland (FAKH) is a regional food bank that provides assistance to more than 223,000 people in 42 counties each year. Through support from individuals and organizations, FAKH distributes more than 21 million pounds of food to approximately 240 food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters. FAKH also sponsors various hunger relief programs including the BackPack Program and the Senior Box Program (CSFP). FAKHs main office and warehouses are located on Peterson Drive in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. For more information or to volunteer, sponsor a fundraiser or a food drive, or to make a secure online donation, visit their website at feedingamericaky.org. CONTACTS: Food Lion Media Relations 704-245-3317 publicrelationsteam@foodlion.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e2870103-479c-4060-aa66-096395c4db0f LAS VEGAS and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC. (CSE: TAAT) (OTCQX: TOBAF) (FRANKFURT: 2TP) (the Company or TAAT) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a letter of intent (LOI) with a U.S. subsidiary of Shanghai Shunho New Materials Technology Co. (Shenzhen: 002565) (Shunho) to undertake development work for a white-labelled heat-not-burn device as well as heatable sticks containing TAATs proprietary tobacco-free and nicotine-free Beyond Tobacco material in all three flavours (Original, Smooth, and Menthol). Heat-not-burn tobacco products first became commercially available in the 2010s as an alternative to combustible tobacco cigarettes, addressing many of the weaknesses of e-cigarettes which deliver nicotine through vapour instead of smoke. As heat-not-burn has proven to retain users exceptionally well compared to other tobacco cigarette alternatives, TAAT has identified the opportunity to build upon its existing international market share in the tobacco industry by planning an expansion into the heat-not-burn category with a tobacco-free and nicotine-free offering that would be among the first of its kind in the United States. In addition to procuring heatable TAAT sticks made using the Companys Beyond Tobacco material, Shunhos U.S. subsidiary is to supply a proprietary heat-not-burn device on a white-label basis, which is to be commercialized in the United States under the TAAT brand name. Uniquely, this device will offer reverse compatibility with heated tobacco sticks offered by the Companys competitors, as well as the TAAT Original, Smooth, and Menthol heatable sticks. Headquartered in Shanghai, Shunho is a renowned tobacco ancillary service company that has worked closely with international tobacco companies. Under Shunho, there is a portfolio of firms that are currently developing next-generation electronic cigarette and vapourizing products. TAAT will be the first foreign third-party with whom a Shunho subsidiary has partnered for white-label production of heat-not-burn products. Additionally, distribution services will be provided for the TAAT heat-not-burn offerings through various in-house and third-party e-commerce channels in the United States. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bd2d85f2-0f3d-4ff2-8dbf-218da7b99597 Readers using news aggregation services may be unable to view the media above. Please access SEDAR or the Investor Relations section of the Companys website for a version of this press release containing all published media. TAAT Chief Executive Officer Setti Coscarella commented, Our mission is to provide consumers better alternatives to tobacco cigarettes, giving them the option to leave nicotine behind while keeping the experiences they love. After just over one year of selling TAAT with launches all over the United States, we have realized exceptional success in offering consumers the novel concept of a combustible product that largely resembles the experience of smoking a tobacco cigarette, but with no tobacco or nicotine. Although this credibly positions us to capture market share in the largest segment of the tobacco category, it is important to remember that there are several niche tobacco segments besides cigarettes. The reason we chose to pursue the heat-not-burn segment is because it is the most sticky option out of all commercially available alternatives to cigarettes. The tobacco industry has invested heavily in cultivating a user base for heat-not-burn to the point that it may even replace major brands of tobacco cigarettes altogether in certain markets. We are excited to be leveraging innovative technologies to create a unique nicotine-free and tobacco-free experience using heat-not-burn for consumers who currently use and prefer this method. Because the TAAT heat-not-burn device will work with TAAT sticks as well as certain competitors heatable tobacco sticks, we believe this strategy authentically embodies our values as a company by providing consumers the choice and flexibility they deserve to have. On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company, TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC. Setti Coscarella Setti Coscarella, CEO and Director For further information, please contact: TAAT Investor Relations 1-833-TAAT-USA (1-833-822-8872) investor@taatglobal.com THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE (CSE) HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE, NOR HAS OR DOES THE CSES REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER. About TAAT Global Alternatives Inc. The Company has developed TAAT, which is a tobacco-free and nicotine-free alternative to traditional cigarettes offered in "Original", "Smooth", and "Menthol" varieties. TAAT's base material is Beyond Tobacco, a proprietary blend which undergoes a patent-pending refinement technique causing its scent and taste to resemble tobacco. Under executive leadership with "Big Tobacco" pedigree, TAAT was launched first in the United States in Q4 2020 as the Company seeks to position itself in the $814 billion1 global tobacco industry. For more information, please visit http://taatglobal.com . References 1 British American Tobacco - The Global Market Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking information and information can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, estimates, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur, or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding the anticipated performance of TAAT in the tobacco industry, in addition to the following: Successful development of TAAT heat-not-burn sticks for commercial-scale manufacture, confirmed compatibility of heat-not-burn sticks (by TAAT and/or competitors) with the licensed heat-not-burn device, launch of the TAAT heat-not-burn offering in the United States, Shunhos U.S. subsidiary providing long-term manufacturing and distribution services for the TAAT heat-not-burn offering as described in the press release. The forward-looking information reflects managements current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed timeframes or at all. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include: (i) adverse market conditions; (ii) changes to the growth and size of the tobacco markets; and (iii) other factors beyond the control of the Company. The Company operates in a rapidly evolving environment. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Companys management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Companys business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. The statements in this news release have not been evaluated by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As each individual is different, the benefits, if any, of taking the Companys products will vary from person to person. No claims or guarantees can be made as to the effects of the Companys products on an individuals health and well-being. The Companys products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This news release may contain trademarked names of third-party entities (or their respective offerings with trademarked names) typically in reference to (i) relationships had by the Company with such third-party entities as referred to in this release and/or (ii) client/vendor/service provider parties whose relationship with the Company is/are referred to in this release. All rights to such trademarks are reserved by their respective owners or licensees. Statement Regarding Third-Party Investor Relations Firms DENVER, Feb. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DCP Midstream, LP (NYSE: DCP) has filed its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A copy of the Form 10-K, which contains our audited financial statements, is available on the investor section of our website at www.dcpmidstream.com. Investors may request a hardcopy of the Form 10-K free of charge by sending a request to the office of the Corporate Secretary of DCP Midstream at 6900 E. Layton Ave, Suite 900, Denver, Colorado 80237. About DCP Midstream, LP DCP Midstream, LP (NYSE: DCP) is a Fortune 500 midstream master limited partnership headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with a diversified portfolio of gathering, processing, logistics and marketing assets. DCP is one of the largest natural gas liquids producers and marketers and one of the largest natural gas processors in the U.S. The owner of DCPs general partner is a joint venture between Enbridge and Phillips 66. For more information, visit the DCP Midstream, LP website at www.dcpmidstream.com. Investor Relations Mike Fullman 303-605-1628 MFullman@dcpmidstream.com A promising Queens College student killed during a botched weed robbery was mistakenly shot by one of his friends, who blasted a hole in the wall of a Jackson Heights apartment during the hold-up. Two men have been arrested in the Feb. 10 killing of 18-year-old Gregory Campos, but the man who cops say fired the fatal shot is facing manslaughter rather than murder charges. Advertisement The shooter, Joe Donias, 36, is also charged with keeping roughly 10 pounds of marijuana in the apartment where Campos was killed. Campos went to his brothers second-floor apartment on 74th St. near 30th Ave. to smoke pot with some friends when robbers busted in, cops said. At some time during the stickup Donias, who lives in the apartment, fired a bullet at a wall but it struck Campos, who was on the other side. Advertisement Gregory Campos Neighbors said the apartment was being used as an illegal barbershop, but the criminal complaint against Donias describes the flat as more of marijuana stash house, with 14 pot plants in the living room, and 50 more bags of weed in a bedroom. Donias also had ammo in the closet, prosecutors allege. Cops said Campos brother rushed him to Elmhurst Hospital with a gunshot to the chest. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Prosecutors have Donias listed as Campos acquaintance or friend. It wasnt immediately clear if he was the brothers roommate. Police arrested Donias Tuesday, and caught up with one of the alleged robbers on Thursday. Though police say he didnt fire the fatal shot, Joseph Barahona, 19, is charged with Campos murder, along with attempted robbery, burglary, and weapon possession charges. In New York State, a suspect can be charged with murder if they commit a felony that leads to someones death. Donias remains held on $200,000 bond or $75,000 cash bail. Campos recently graduated high school and was enrolled in Queens College, with aspirations of becoming an air traffic controller. For the past two years, he worked in a Forest Hills orthodontic office where he was beloved by his co-workers. Advertisement He had a bright future ahead for him. For a kid that age, he really had a vision of where he wanted to go and what he wanted to be, Campos cousin, Antonio Toro, told the Daily News. Goshen, IN (46526) Today Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low around 45F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low around 45F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%. A Florida woman accused of taking out a hit on a TSA agent, who also dated her ex-boyfriend, used a $15,000 pandemic relief loan to pay the man who gunned down her romantic rival, police said. Jasmine Martinez, a self-described owner of a one-employee salon, obtained the federal payroll protection loan on April 20, 2021, just two weeks before LeShonte Jones was shot and killed outside her Miami apartment in broad daylight. Her 3-year-old daughter was also injured in the attack, which occurred on May 3. Advertisement In the days leading up to the deadly violence, the suspect made withdrawals from her bank account totaling more than $10,000, according to arrest warrants obtained by the Miami Herald. Authorities said Martinez used the funds to pay alleged hitman, an ex-con named Javon Carter, to kill the Miami airport worker. Carter recorded a cellphone video hours before the shooting of himself counting a large sum of money. Advertisement Jasmine Martinez is facing a murder rap. (Miami-Dade Police Dept.) Just another day at the office, he said in the clip. Both Martinez and Carter were arrested on Tuesday along with another man, Romiel Robinson, who had been in a romantic relationship with Martinez. Attorneys for both men have denied their clients played a role in the slaying. They are each facing first-degree murder charges while Martinez and Robinson also face additional charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Investigators said Martinez and Jones had several encounters before the slaying, the first of which occurred in April 2016. Martinez was accused of striking Jones, who was dating her ex-boyfriend at the time, but the case was later dropped. Just two years later, she was again arrested for attacking Jones. Following her arrest, Jones was attacked in the courthouse parking lot by two men, including Martinezs then-boyfriend Kelly Nelson. She was going to testify against Nelson in the case, but later reported being harassed and offered a payoff. Grand Haven, MI (49417) Today A shower or two possible this evening with partly cloudy skies overnight. Low 42F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight A shower or two possible this evening with partly cloudy skies overnight. Low 42F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%. A stabbing incident inside a dorm at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania has left one person dead and two injured, authorities said. The three Lincoln University students were stabbed inside a dorm on Wednesday at around 9:30 p.m., the Chester County District Attorneys Office said in a news release Thursday. Advertisement One of the victims died at the scene, authorities said. The other two were taken to Christiana Hospital in Wilmington, Del., for treatment, but they have since been released. Three students at Lincoln University were stabbed during a fight in one of the dorms, Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan said in a video call shown by NBC Philadelphia. One student who was 21 years old died at the scene. Advertisement A video obtained by CBS Philly appears to show a fight involving a few students taking place in a staircase. One person can be heard saying hed been stabbed. This is every parents nightmare, Ryan said. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones impacted as a result of this tragedy. Located in Chester County, Pa., Lincoln University was founded in 1854 as the nations first degree-granting Historically Black College and University, according to its website. Its main campus is located 45 miles east of Philadelphia. Around 1,900 students enrolled in fall 2020. We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred on campus last night, school officials said Thursday in a written statement. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We take the safety of our students seriously and are working with local authorities as there is an ongoing investigation. We have no further comment at this time. According to the D.A.s office, authorities believe that what happened was an isolated incident, and that theres no danger to the community. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Chester County Detective John DiBattista at 610-344-6824 or Lincoln University Public Safety at 484-365-7211. A Texas grand jury indicted 19 Austin police officers in connection with their actions against racial justice protesters during the summer of 2020, according to multiple reports. All 19 cops are charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, sources told the Associated Press. Almost all the indictments are connected to officers firing beanbag rounds, the Austin American-Statesman reported. Advertisement The police officers have not been publicly identified because under Texas law their identities cant be released until arrests are made. Police keep watch as demonstrators gather on June 4, 2020, in downtown Austin, Texas, as they protest the death of George Floyd. (Eric Gay/AP) Higher-ups in the police department, along with officers attorneys, will tell the accused cops when and where to turn themselves in, according to the American-Statesman. Advertisement Though no details about the charges have been released, multiple authority figures spoke about the case Thursday. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > Our community is safer when our community trusts enforcement, Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza said. There cannot be trust if there is no accountability when law enforcement breaks the law. Unsurprisingly, Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon didnt agree with Garzas assessment of the case. I am not aware of any conduct, that given the circumstances that the officers were working under, would rise to the level of a criminal violation by these officers, Chacon said. But despite Chacons defiance, Austin City Council approved $10 million in settlement payments on Thursday to two men who were shot by beanbag rounds during the protests. Justin Howell, a 20-year-old Texas State student at the time, was left with a cracked skull and brain damage after he was hit with one round. He got $8 million from the city. Anthony Evans, 26 at the time, had his jaw broken by a beanbag round and got a $2 million settlement. Its unclear if the Howell and Evans cases are among those that led to the 19 indictments. Austin police have since banned the use of beanbag rounds. With News Wire Services In 2021, 54% of battery capacity deployed onto roads globally in new plug-in electric vehicles was powered by high nickel cathode chemistries (i.e., NCM 6-, 7-, 8-series, NCA, NCMA); 26% by low nickel cathodes (i.e., NCM 5-series and lower); and 20% by no nickel cathodes (i.e., primarily LFP), according to Adamas Intelligence. Regionally, deployment of high nickel chemistries was most prevalent in the Americas on the back of Tesla, VW, Ford, Hyundai and others, while deployment of no nickel cells was most prevalent in Asia Pacific, and particularly China, on the back of Tesla, BYD, SGMW, Great Wall and a long list of others. Like the Americas, Europe saw miniscule deployment of no nickel cells onto roads in 2021 but unlike the Americas saw a greater proportion of its watt-hours deployed powered by low nickel cells, albeit high nickel still dominated the region. While no nickel chemistries (mainly LFP) captured one-fifth of the global plug-in electric vehicle market in 2021 by watt-hours deployed, they were present in nearly one-quarter of all vehicles sold. In Asia Pacific specifically, no nickel chemistries seized 34% of the plug-in electric vehicle market by battery capacity deployed onto roads in 2021 albeit no nickel cells were present in more than 41% of all vehicles sold. This disparity stems from the smaller sales-weighted average pack capacities of LFP-powered EVs relative to low and high nickel alternatives, Adamas said. With varying levels of use across chemistries and regions comes varying levels of demand for lithium chemical precursors. In the Americas, more ethan 86% of all lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) units deployed onto roads in 2021 were in the form of lithium hydroxide. In Europe, this proportion amounted to a lower 51% and in Asia Pacific just 30%, speaking to the regional preferences for high, low and nickel chemistries, Adamas said. At the global level, 45% of all LCE units deployed onto roads globally in 2021 were in the form of lithium carbonate and 55% lithium hydroxide. In 2021, a record 173,641 tonnes of LCE were deployed onto roads globally in newly sold passenger EVs, up 110% year over year, according to Adamas Intelligence data. EV-maker Faraday Future announced the arrival of intelligent manufacturing equipment from Guangzhou MINO Equipment Co., Ltd., a top-tier automotive supplier offering advanced manufacturing solutions. Included in the shipment is critical equipment for the body assembly production line of the FF 91. Guangzhou MINO Equipment has been deeply involved with the FF 91 program since the vehicles inception and helped to create an efficient and reliable intelligent manufacturing solution for the FF 91. Matt Tall, Vice President of Manufacturing at Faraday Future Guangzhou MINO Equipment Co., Ltd. was incorporated in 2008. MINOs main product lines include Body In White (BIW) automatic welding lines, powertrain and new energy manufacturing equipment, electrical automation and robotics application integration and services. In China, MINO provides BIW intelligent manufacturing lines for Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Ford, Volkswagen, General Motors, Great Wall, Geely, GAC, SAIC, BAIC as well as other Chinese domestic and foreign automotive manufacturers, and exports products to the United States, Germany, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Malaysia and other countries. Next week, FF will unveil the first production-intent FF 91 at its plant in Hanford, Calif. This achievement marks production Milestone #4: production intent builds for final engineering validation and certification. Nissans Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant in Mississippi will become a center for US EV production, including the INFINITI brand. The company is investing $500 million in Nissan Canton to support production of two all-new, all-electric vehicles. Production is expected to begin in 2025. Nissans investment is supported by strong partnerships with state, county and local governments. The announcement supports Nissan Ambition 2030, calling for 23 electrified models for the Nissan and Infiniti brands globally, including 15 all-electric vehicles, by 2030. Nissan has set the goal to achieve carbon neutrality across the companys global operations and the life cycle of its products by 2050 by pursuing further innovations in electrification and manufacturing technology. As part of this effort, Nissan is targeting 40% of its US vehicle sales volume to be fully electric by 2030, with even more to be electrified. Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant is celebrating 19 years of manufacturing operations in 2022. The plant employs approximately 5,000 people and has built nearly 5 million vehicles since opening in 2003. The plant currently builds four models: Altima, Frontier, TITAN and TITAN XD. With this announcement, Nissan now has invested $4 billion in the facility. The company has invested more than $13 billion in its US manufacturing operations collectively. 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. Jonah Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch and the host of The Remnant podcast. Copyright 2022 Tribune Content Agency. Full transition to other methods will take time Madhu Anderson speaks to a small group of protesters outside of Green River City Hall Jan. 4 critical of the city's use of a gas chamber to euthanize animals. The city plans to eliminate use of the gas chamber in the Green River Animal Control Shelter, but is still working out details in order to make the transition complete. The option of eliminating the gas chamber has been discussed among the city council in the past, but no specific action had been taken. A group of protestors stood outside City Hall Jan. 4 to urge the council members to take the gas chamber out of animal control. Addressing this topic was not on the agenda, but at the end of the meeting Mayor Pete Rust said he would like to mention "the gas chamber issue" and said he believed there was general consensus among the council members. "We would like to direct the staff to move forward on this issue with the primary focus being, as it has been for us in terms of our concern all along, and that is our employee's safety," Rust said. Police Chief Tom Jarvie asked the council for a raise of hands so he could see the consensus of the members and let his staff know what direction they were being asked to move in. Five council members raised their hands in support. George Jost and Robert Berg did not raise their hands, and Jost said he wasn't sure after recently talking to animal control officers and wanted to wait before saying yes or no. "We're simply going to suggest that that needs to happen," Rust said during the meeting. "And then it'll be a two-way discussion in developing it as they go." Since the informal vote, those most heavily involved in implementing the decision to remove the gas chamber have begun doing research into what changes that decision will require, from talking to local vets about their ability to help with euthanasia to looking into what equipment and training animal control will require. "We will implementing [sic] an immediate stop to all gas chamber euthanasia," City Administrator Reed Clevenger originally told the Rocket-Miner newspaper. Clevenger also stated not using the gas chamber at this time could mean sending animals elsewhere "if the equipment we have, or the veterinarian partnerships we have cannot accommodate our needs." Other city officials have since expressed uncertainty regarding whether immediately stopping use of the gas chamber is possible before other options and methods are more established, but council members and city employees interviewed by the Star agree ending use of the chamber is the direction the city is headed, and other options will be used as much as they can be while the transition is implemented. "What we really meant was effective immediately that we're going to try to move away from it as fast as we possibly can, but to do that we've got to put some other things in place," Chris Meats, the city's financial director, said. "They're trying to use it as little as possible, especially when other methods are there. Of course, they've always done that." Knowing Green River is one of only two cities in Wyoming still using a gas chamber was one of the main factors leading to the council's decision, according to the mayor. "We understand that lots of people are changing," Rust said. "Our thought is there must be a reason so maybe we should be changing too." Councilman Jim Zimmerman also expressed his belief the gas chamber is an outdated method and moving away from it is a natural progression. "I just think it was obvious times are changing," Zimmerman said. "To me it was a no-brainer." Rust also noted the position of the American Veterinary Medical Association is gas chambers are a legitimate method for animal euthanasia, but not the preferred method. However, Animal Control Officer Tracy Wyant believes the gas chamber is a humane way of euthanizing animals and disputes allegations about the state of the gas chamber and how it is used. "We do everything right," Wyant said. The gas chamber is located in a large, well-ventilated room at the Green River Animal Shelter. The machine, which features windows into the chamber, is flanked by carbon monoxide detectors and near a vent that brings air into the room from outside the building. The chamber operates by bringing a burst of carbon monoxide into the chamber from a gas cylinder located outside the building. Wyant said animals euthanized in the chamber are sedated before they're placed inside and disputes claims about several animals being loaded into the chamber at one time. She said after about two minutes inside the chamber, the animal dies. "It's very quick," she said. "I don't feel it's inhumane or unethical." She said she has had the opportunity to correct a number of people about the shelter's euthanasia procedures who had read what she described as horror stories from the internet. Wyant admits incidents people have read about may be taking place at facilities in other places, but asserts the animal control in Green River follows the rules and guidelines associated with using the gas chamber. Wyant also said the chamber isn't the sole means of euthanasia at the facility, with officers being trained in utilizing lethal injections to animals. Wyant said while an animal control facility may get a bad reputation for euthanizing animals, much of the blame should be placed on irresponsible pet owners who let their pets' health decline or don't correct aggressive behaviors until someone is injured by the pet. Wyant said she was been bitten on the face by a dog which required several stitches, and other animal control officers have been attacked or injured during calls as well. "There's been a lot of emotions here, but it comes down to irresponsible pet owners," she said. Wyant also said the use of euthanasia is the last resort and reserved for situations where the animal is ill with a terminal disease or is a documented threat to people. Wyant said all of the animal control employees are compassionate, but have an obligation to keep Green River's residents safe. "We've all shed tears over these situations," she said. Wyant said the shelter accepts dogs and cats from other shelters, often saving them from euthanasia at those facilities. Animals that have a hard time being adopted in Green River are sent to other facilities as well as some dog breeds which are more quickly adopted out in other locations. Part of the decision to remove the gas chamber is also a continued effort to explore other options which can save animals, according to the mayor. He expressed his desire for the city to be even more involved with animal transports or programs such as one he heard about from Wyant where animals needing training are paired with penitentiary inmates. Being able to give animals more chances in other places could cut down on the need to euthanize in general. "I think it might behoove the people that are the strongest proponents of eliminating the gas chamber to maybe get involved in the discussion in terms of what can be done to eliminate animals completely from this happening," Rust said. Among the proponents of eliminating the gas chamber in Green River, and stopping animal euthanasia in general, is Madhu Anderson, who led the protest at City Hall the night the council decided to proceed with eliminating the gas chamber. Anderson expressed her excitement over the decision to eliminate the gas chamber, but said she's waiting for the day when she can see the gas chamber machinery being removed from the shelter. China opposes attempts to undermine Kazakhstan's stability: envoy Xinhua) 09:46, February 18, 2022 UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- China is opposed to attempts to undermine Kazakhstan's stability and threaten its security, a Chinese envoy said here Wednesday. Large-scale anti-government acts of violence that broke out in Kazakhstan have caused heavy casualties and loss of life and property, raising China's concern, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations. China supports all measures that are conducive to restoring stability in Kazakhstan. At the same time, China is firmly opposed to attempts to threaten the country's security, said Zhang. China is against attempts of external foreign forces to create turmoil and promote a so-called Color Revolution in Kazakhstan, Zhang told a Security Council meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). It was at the request of the Kazakh government that the CSTO went to Kazakhstan to assist the latter in maintaining law and order, and the CSTO played a positive role in stabilizing the situation in Kazakhstan, said Zhang. "As a friendly neighbor and permanent comprehensive strategic partner of Kazakhstan, China looks forward to Kazakhstan's achievement of lasting peace and stability, and supports the country in restoring stability, developing its economy and improving people's livelihoods," he said. "We believe that the Kazakh authorities are capable of resolving the problem properly and keeping the country on the path of steady and healthy development," Zhang said. "We also hope that the international community can fully respect Kazakhstan's sovereignty and play a constructive role in maintaining stability and development in Kazakhstan and in the region." (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) The unidentified woman accusing former Saturday Night Live comic Horatio Sanz of sexual assault told the Daily Beast that NBC also bears responsibility for what she said happened to her at an after-party for the show when she was 17 and again on a later occasion. Horatio certainly is the main character here, but he didnt abuse me in a vacuum, the woman identified as a Jane Doe claimed. He abused me all over Saturday Night Live. Advertisement Actor Horatio Sanz arrives for the premiere of the new Showtime comedy series "Black Monday" in Los Angeles on Jan. 14, 2019. (VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images) The alleged victim said Sanz and former castmate Jimmy Fallon reached out to her when she was 15 to thank her for creating an SNL fan page. Jane Doe claims that led to her becoming a regular guest of Sanzs at the shows after-parties, where she openly used drugs and alcohol. A lawsuit against Sanz was filed in August 2021. Advertisement [ SNL alum Horatio Sanz sued for alleged sex assault, denies claim ] The woman says Sanz first presented himself as a mentor of sorts, then started asking her for photographs. According to the alleged victim, those requests became increasingly graphic. The Daily Beast said it spoke to two of Jane Does friends, who corroborated accusations in her lawsuit with their own experiences. One of the womans friends said she attended an SNL party where her friend, Sanz and Fallon hung out together. Another of Jane Does pals saved what she says were electronic exchanges she had with Sanz in which he spoke of partying with the alleged victim. The lawsuit against Sanz allegedly includes a written confession from the comedian to the plaintiff in which he is said to have told her, If you want to metoo me you have every right. Sanzs attorney calls the ludicrous accusations against his client categorically false and claims the totally meritless charges are about money. Jane Doe said she find it especially disheartening that Fallon her former idol shared an office with Sanz and witnessed interactions between the alleged victim and the funnyman. To what extent Fallon was aware of Sanz sexting her, she said she would like to know. Attorneys for NBC and Fallon declined to comment on the active lawsuit. A sleepy Southern town will find its home in Sweetwater County when the Actors Mission puts on their upcoming production of the play Second Samuel. In order to bring the story and characters to life, the Actors Mission is hosting auditions to cast the 11 roles featured in the play. Second Samuel, written by Pamela Parker, tells the story of a town in South Georgia in the 1940s which is turned upside down after Miss Gertrude dies and dark secrets in the town are revealed. This show gives us an opportunity to cast a wide range of ages and diverse identities, Directo... When competing in the Mrs. America pageant in Las Vegas, Green Rivers Mrs. Wyoming American Bree McMullen was inspired following a dinner with Michael DeLeon, who speaks to schools and students about drug prevention, which was presented through the Victorias Voice foundation. The foundation, founded by David and Jackie Siegel, was named after their daughter Victoria, who had died at age 18 of a drug overdose. The couple published Victorias diary to help give parents insight into how addiction develops and help curb the desire for drug experimentation and change the way people see d... Greensburg, IN (47240) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 51F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 51F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. GREENWICH New and improved traffic lights will be coming to Route 1 in Greenwich to alleviate traffic congestion, thanks to a $4 million state grant. The smart traffic lights will use upgraded technology known as signal optimization to help traffic flow more smoothly on the congested Post Road corridor through town. Greenwich Department of Public Works spokeswoman Renee Wallace said a timeline and schedule for the new lights is still in the planning stages with the state. The work will install 29 new traffic lights from the town line at Stamford to the other boundary at Port Chester, N.Y. The funding is being channeled to local municipalities through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program. According to the town DPW, the improved lights respond to real-time traffic conditions. A software program determines the best use of red lights and green lights to keep cars moving as fast as possible through intersections. The town of Greenwich was very excited to hear the news that we have been included in the CMAQ grant. The towns project is a $4 million dollar grant to update the signals along U.S. Route 1 and install new adaptive signal technology that should improve traffic flow, improve pedestrian safety and reduce congestion in the corridor, said Jim Michel, the town DPW deputy commissioner. The town will start working with the state to determine the next steps to get the project into design in the coming months. Gov. Ned Lamont said of the grants, These strategic investments will not only help eliminate traffic bottlenecks in certain communities and build out electric vehicle chargers in others, but they will also help move Connecticut towards cleaner air and a cleaner transportation system. The improved traffic flow will minimize traffic jams and therefore cut down on air pollution from idling cars, according to the state environmental officials. The adaptive signal technology is also be installed along Arch Street in central Greenwich, to reduce back-ups from cars coming off Interstate 95 at exit 3. The new lights are expected to become operational this spring, according to the DPW, after numerous delays. The lights and the stanchion poles are already in place. Before we arrived in the legislature, Connecticut established an ambitious goal: to cut 45 percent of carbon pollution by 2030. The problem? We are fast approaching this important marker and recent data shows that not only are we failing to meet our target we are actually headed in the wrong direction. Thankfully, all hope is not lost. The largest contributor to those emissions is the transportation sector, so we believe its impossible to talk about the environment without addressing transportation, and impossible to talk about transportation without addressing the environment. Thats why our committees are teaming up to pass Senate Bill 4, the Connecticut Clean Air Act. We have a proposal that drives to the intersection of transportation emissions and clean air and seeks to ensure they move in concert, or symbiotically. This ambitious legislation would make it possible for Connecticut to achieve its climate goals and ensure an equitable transition to a greener future. The bill would accelerate our adoption of electric vehicles, incentivize green infrastructure investments, expand the availability of charging infrastructure and ensure Connecticut is at the front of the line for federal infrastructure dollars. In short, we are fighting to improve a broken rebate system that only helped 10 working class families afford an electric vehicle last year. We are working to secure necessary funding to replace diesel transit buses and school buses with zero-emission alternatives. We are setting aside dollars to modernize stoplights, reducing congestion by making them responsive to the flow of traffic. And while President Bidens historic infrastructure package will help install charging stations along some corridors, we are stepping up to make sure no community gets left behind in this transition. We are fortunate that Connecticut is poised to invest in our transportation infrastructure at a level not seen since the Eisenhower administration. Now, the Legislature must make sure that those investments are oriented toward mass transit, zero-emissions fleets, bike paths, pedestrian walkways and other green projects. Senate Bill 4 would require any infrastructure improvement that received state funding to be evaluated for its impact on emissions. If it would increase emissions, a commensurate investment must be made to reduce emissions. If you believe kids should travel to and from school without inhaling dangerous exhaust, this bill is for you. If you think electric cars and bikes shouldnt be a privilege reserved for the wealthy, but instead an investment directed toward our most economically and environmentally distressed communities, this bill is for you. If youre a business owner wanting to make the more economical and greener switch, but need help getting there, this bill is for you. If youre tired of waiting and idling your car at a stoplight that always seems to cause backups, this bill is for you. Quite frankly, if you breathe air in the state of Connecticut, this bill is for you. In the future, we will all be asked by our children and grandchildren what we did to address the defining challenge of our era climate change. Lets tell them that our state stepped up to cut pollution, reduce lung disease and protect clean air. State Sen. Christine Cohen represents the 12th District, which includes Branford, Durham, Guilford, Killingworth, Madison and North Branford. State Sen. Will Haskell represents the 26th District, which includes Bethel, New Canaan, Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, Westport and Wilton. Samsung announced yesterday the prices for the Galaxy S22 series in India. We knew pre-orders begin on February 23, and today we can also reveal when the open sale is scheduled for, which is usually also the shipping date. Customers in India will be able to receive their pre-ordered phones on March 11, or they can buy them from retail stores, Samsung Exclusive stores, the web store, and at Amazon.in. Samsung is throwing some bonuses to users who decide to pre-order. Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ owners will be able to get the Galaxy Buds 2 for INR999 (less than $15) extra, while the Galaxy S22 Ultra customers can buy a Galaxy Watch 4 for just INR2,999 ($40). There are also some extra bonuses for current Galaxy S and Galaxy Note owners that can pocket up to INR8,000 ($107). The vanilla Samsung Galaxy S22 starts at INR72,999 ($980), while the Plus can be purchased for at least INR84,999 ($1,140). The Galaxy S22 Ultra is either INR110,999 (just shy of $1,500) or INR118,999 (right under $1,600), depending on the storage choice. Indian users will get the Snapdragon-powered variants and not the ones with Exynos 2200, for the first time since Samsung started splitting the chipsets across various markets. Source The former Minnesota police officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright after mistaking her gun for a Taser, was sentenced on Friday to two years behind bars a term ripped by the dead mans family as too lenient. A jury convicted Kim Potter of first- and second-degree manslaughter in December for the killing during a traffic stop in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center last year. Potter, 49, will be required to serve two-thirds of that time or about 16 months and will be eligible for release any time after with good behavior. Advertisement Wrights mother, Katie Wright, said Potter murdered her son, and with the light sentence, Today the justice system murdered him all over again. Kim Potter got a sentence of just two years. (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office) Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu was emotional as she handed down the punishment, which was significantly lower than the state guideline for the crime. A suspect without criminal history, like Potter, would typically get a sentence between six and 8 years in prison. Advertisement She never intended to hurt anyone, Chu said. Her conduct cries out for a sentence significantly below the guidelines. In this screen grab from video, former Brooklyn Center Police Officer Kim Potter speaks during a sentencing hearing Feb. 18, 2022 at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis. (AP) Potter, who is white, pulled over 20-year-old Wright, who was Black, for expired license plates on April 11, 2021 and realized there was a misdemeanor warrant out for his arrest. When officers tried to take him into custody, he escaped their grasp and managed to get back into his car. Footage from Potters body-camera showed her yelling Taser, Taser before she shot Wright. April 13, 2021: Minnesota cop pulled gun instead of Taser. Fatal error reignites Floyd tinderbox. Body cam footage released Monday captures moment when Brooklyn Center, Minn., cop shot dead Daunte Wright (inset) during traffic stop. (New York Daily News) Wright drove a short distance and crashed. He was pronounced dead on the scene. His girlfriend, who was in the passenger seat, was injured. The jury deliberated for about four days before finding Potter guilty on Dec. 23. Daunte Wright was shot dead in April. The Wright family asked that Chu impose the maximum amount of prison time for Potter. Advertisement In this screen grab from video, Katie Wright, mother of Daunte Wright, wipes away a tear as she speaks during the sentencing hearing of former Brooklyn Center Police Officer Kim Potter Feb. 18, 2022 at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis. (AP) Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > In a fiery speech before the court, Daunte Wrights mother Katie said she would never forgive Potter, adding at no point during the trial did the ex-officer refer to her son by name. Advertisement She referred to Daunte over and over again as the driver, as if killing him wasnt enough to dehumanize him, she said. She never once said his name, and for that, Ill never be able to forgive you. And Ill never be able to forgive you for what youve stolen from us. Daunte Wright's parents, Aubrey Wright and Katie Wright, react after former Brooklyn Center Police Officer Kim Potter was sentenced to two years in prison Friday in Minneapolis. (Nicole Neri/AP) Wrights death reignited protests against racism and police brutality nationwide, particularly because it happened just outside of Minneapolis, where the trial of Derek Chauvin, a former police officer who was convicted of murdering George Floyd, was taking place at the time. Members of the New Black Panthers stand with signs calling for a maximum sentence for former Brooklyn Center Police Officer Kim Potter, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022 in Minneapolis. (Nicole Neri/AP) Just ahead of her sentencing, Potter issued an emotional apology to the Wright family, at times speaking directly to his mother. Katie, I understand a mothers love, and I am sorry I broke your heart. My heart is broken for all of you, she said. I do pray that one day, you can find forgiveness, only because hatred is so destructive to all of us, Potter continued. And that I pray peace will always be with you and your family. Again, I am so sorry. And to the community of Brooklyn Center, I owe you all an apology to you. I loved working for you and I am sorry whats happened to our community since the death of Daunte. And the men and women who work for you still are good, honorable people and will work hard for you. Drake Royce Quintanilla Fejerang was charged with four counts of aggravated assault in connection to separate attacks. On Jan. 13, Fejerang allegedly chased a neighbor and threw objects at him, according to a magistrates complaint. Fejerang hit the neighbor, which caused him to fall. Fejerang punched the man until he was unconscious and left before the man woke up, according to the complaint. On Feb. 25, 2021, Fejerang reportedly hit a man with a stick, breaking his arm, according to the complaint. On May 6, 2020, a man said Fejerang asked about a phone and then attacked him, the complaint stated. Fejerang got a knife and struck a concrete window sill and wooden shelf before calling the man to fight. As the man walked out of a bedroom, Fejerang allegedly threw a can at the mans face, cutting the bridge of his nose, the complaint stated. Fejerang then said, Yeah, I got him, and fled the scene, according to the complaint. Fejerang was arrested Thursday. He was charged with four counts of aggravated assault as third-degree felonies, with two of them having special allegations of possession and use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony. Past charges Fejerang was previously charged with terrorizing, criminal mischief and assault after being accused of harassing Mangilao residents multiple times between Aug. 17, 2018, and April 2, 2019, PDN files state. He was also charged in February 2018 with terrorizing as a third-degree felony, two counts of criminal mischief to a vehicle as a third-degree felony and two counts of criminal mischief as a misdemeanor. A man who pleaded guilty to his involvement in a series of armed robberies in 2018 will spend about two more years in prison. Jesse Joe San Nicolas Delgado appeared Friday morning in the Superior Court of Guam for a sentencing hearing. It was decided he would serve the remainder of his six year sentence after he followed the conditions of his plea agreement taken in 2018. He was first at Department of Corrections on May 24, 2018. Part of the terms of the plea included Delgado cooperating with the prosecution and possibly testifying against co-defendant in the robberies, Jeremy Allen Evaristo. In the hearing, Assistant Attorney General J. Basil OMallan said Delgados cooperation was critical as Evaristo has been serving time since entering his own plea agreement. Delgado and Evaristo were arrested in connection to armed robberies of Lucky Land Game Room in Dededo, a Yigo store and tourists near Ritidian Beach, court documents state. Delgado had previously told police he was part of the robberies while Evaristo planned them and pointed a gun at the victims. Delgado pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree robbery all as second-degree felonies. He will be released from prison on May 24, 2024 after receiving credit for time already served. Senators of the 36th Guam Legislature are willing to fund the creation and maintenance of a registry for all native CHamorus, if necessary. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero on Friday said preliminary estimates put the annual cost to operate the registry between $1.5 million and $2 million. The registry would be mandated under the Native Pacific Islanders of America Equity Act, now sitting in Congress. The act would include CHamoru-owned businesses in a Small Business Administration Program that provides preferential access to federal contracts. The registry would be required to verify ancestry. But the registry, which would be federally approved and codified in the Organic Act if passed, could be used for more than just the SBA program, said Del. Mike San Nicolas, one of the sponsors of the Equity Act. Examples are identifying CHamorus for eligibility in other federal programs and eligibility for a native political status plebiscite. Local senators on Friday voted to approve Speaker Therese Terlajes Resolution 260 supporting the Equity Act, with a provision from Sen. Chris Duenas that the governor could request funding to create and operate the registry if needed. There were no objections. Our duty The governor at a congressional committee hearing for the Equity Act on Friday requested federal funding for the program. Duenas said that asking Congress for money could potentially slow adoption of the Equity Act. In the face of the billion dollar budget that this Legislature will be entertaining in August, madam chair, with all due respect, I believe this should be our duty, he said of the registry. The Office of the Governor would be responsible for the registry, and Leon Guerrero said it would require an independent office and staff to manage. To be registered as CHamoru under the Equity Act, a person would have to provide birth certificates to demonstrate that one or more of a persons direct ancestors resided on Guam before Aug. 1, 1950. The Public Auditor would be required to audit the registry every three years. The most recent attempt by GovGuam to track native CHamorus for the purposes of a plebiscite was the Decolonization Registry. It was started by the Guam Election Commission in 2002 but shut down in 2017 after a federal court struck down the law authorizing the plebiscite for being illegally race-based. Residents were slow to sign up and the registry had just over 13,000 people listed by the time it shut down, PDN files show. Solo rower Erden Eruc breaks down his journey across the Pacific during a press conference at the Marianas Yacht Club in Piti Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022. Haiti - News : Zapping... Switzerland pledges 15 million As part of the International Conference for Financing the Reconstruction of the Southern Peninsula of Haiti (Wednesday, February 16, 2022), Switzerland announced a commitment of up to 15 million US dollars to support the Haitian population in the efforts to recovery and reconstruction of the Great South following the earthquake of August 14, 2021. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35978-haiti-flash-the-pm-obtains-promises-of-international-commitment-of-$600-million.html Former Senator Pierre holds a State generator for 5 years On Thursday, the President of the Senate Joseph Lambert informed that several former senators who had official vehicles have handed them over, inviting those who have not yet done so to do so, the deadline granted to them having expired on February 15. In addition, Senator Lambert enjoins the former senator and current Minister of Planning, Ricard Pierre [member of the radical opposition of the Democratic and Popular Sector (SDP)], to hand over to the Senate the generator of the State that he has in his possession since 2017. Nearly 22,000 children screened for acute malnutrition Through mobile clinics set up by the Ministry of Public Health and UNICEF, more than 21,800 children under the age of 5 were screened for acute malnutrition in the departments of Grand 'Anse, Nippes and Sud . OPL ready to support The Struggling People's Organization (OPL) says it supports "any dialogue initiative capable of unblocking the country" adding "Only a broad consensus with the participation of various sectors of national life can allow someone or an authority at the head of the country to work on major issues such as insecurity, the revision of the Constitution, the reform of justice, the establishment of an Electoral Council [...]" The EU commits more than 30 million euros The EU pledges more than 30 million euros to support the population of the Southern Peninsula and their reconstruction needs following the earthquake of August 14, 2021. The EU remains ready to step up its support for a sustainable future of Haiti. See also: https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35978-haiti-flash-the-pm-obtains-promises-of-international-commitment-of-$600-million.html New Barbancourt ambassador DJ Tony Mahotiere alias "Tony Mix" is the new ambassador of the Rhum Barbancourt brand. HL/ HaitiLibre Mayor Adams vowed to tackle homelessness on the citys subway system on Friday with an ambitious new plan that will rely, in part, on more funding from the state for shelter and medical treatment. Standing next to Gov. Hochul at the Fulton Street station in Lower Manhattan, Adams announced the plan will involve sending teams of cops, mental health workers, and homeless services specialists throughout the transit system to engage and, in some cases, remove people in need of help. Advertisement You cant put a Band-Aid on a cancerous sore. That is not how you solve the problem, he said as he stood flanked by several top city and state officials. You must remove the cancer and start the healing process. Adams promised that his approach is not about arresting people, but about arresting a problem. Advertisement New York Governor Kathy Hochul (left) and New York City Mayor Eric Adams (right) announce plans for subway safety and homeless outreach on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022 in lower Manhattan, New York. (Don Pollard/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul) Rules of conduct will now be strictly enforced, though, he noted, saying that the NYPD would no longer turn a blind eye to straphangers who smoke, get high, or flop on trains and in subway stations. No more smoking, no more doing drugs, no more sleeping, no more doing barbeques on the subway system. No more just doing whatever you want, Adams said. No. Those days are over. The city, he added, will also be taking a more aggressive approach to homeless people who use trains and stations as shelter. Theres one case where a woman has been living under a stairway in the system for months. This is not acceptable, he said. That is not dignity. That is disgusting. And thats not who we are as a city. New York Governor Kathy Hochul (left) and New York City Mayor Eric Adams (right) announce plans for subway safety and homeless outreach in lower Manhattan, New York on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. (Don Pollard/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul) For decades, local and state officials, as well as homeless advocates, have been confounded with how to provide help to homeless people many of whom are mentally ill or struggling with substance dependence who refuse to accept it. Theyre also afraid to sleep in the citys congregate shelters, which often prove to be dangerous themselves. To address those fears, as well as peoples mental health needs, Hochul said shes proposing $27.5 million in additional funding for psychiatric beds statewide, $12 million more for supportive housing beds and a $10 billion plan to shore up hospitals and the states health care workforce. Hochul also plans to increase the state reimbursement to hospitals and other health care providers by 10% when addressing long-term mental health needs. She called on the federal government to do likewise and bring the total reimbursement for such services up to 20%. Governor Kathy Hochul speaks during a press conference to announce plans for subway safety and homeless outreach on Friday in Manhattan. (Don Pollard/Office of the Governor) While a dearth of beds has undoubtedly been a problem over the years, so has the inability to convince people to come in off the streets. To reverse that trend, Hochul said the state will clarify guidelines around when someone is a danger to themselves or others, and when that warrants them being institutionalized and receiving treatment. Advertisement We need to talk about whats involved in the removal and involuntary commitment for the highest need individuals, individuals who truly have demonstrated theyre not capable of taking care of themselves, she said. We need to issue regulations thatll give those who witness this behavior, those who are in the subways, the law enforcement ... the experts give them more authority to take some steps to get people out of those circumstances and into a place so they could begin the healing. And this is long overdue. Martial Simon (left) and Michelle Go (right). Simon is accused of shoving Go in front of a subway train in an unprovoked attack in Manhattan, New York last month. (Jeff Bachner for NYDN; LinkedIn) Dr. Ann Marie Sullivan, the states mental health commissioner, said the new and more transparent standards for involuntary commitment would be issued to emergency rooms and hospitals. Doctors would ultimately decide whether someone requires hospitalization. We have commitment laws in New York State. They are good commitment laws, she said. Its the way that you look at the laws, and I think you can interpret these laws with a little more room, and theres case law to support that. Part of his plan would also involve revisiting and possibly expanding Kendras Law, which allows for court-ordered outpatient treatment. New York Governor Kathy Hochul (left and New York City Mayor Eric Adams (right) announce a subway safety plan at the Fulton Street Subway Station in lower Manhattan, New York on Friday, February 18, 2022. (Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office) While Adams and Hochul framed the new subways plan as an act of practical compassion, others were quick to criticize it, or at least parts of it. A deputy executive policy director with the Coalition for the Homeless, Shelly Nortz, called the plan a repeat of already failed police-based outreach strategies and slammed Adams for the cancer analogy he used. Advertisement They are human beings, she said. We urge great caution with respect to any regulatory or statutory expansion of involuntary commitment or outpatient treatment standards, including Kendras Law. Current statutes provide ample legal authority to transport and involuntarily hospitalize those who endanger themselves or others. Expansion of the legal criteria will not solve the problem. Front page for Feb. 17, 2022: Crime battle key to Adams' $98B budget. Sewell unveils plan vs. subway violence. Schools losing hundreds of safety agents. Police commissioner Keechant Sewell and Mayor Adams said Wednesday they are ramping up the fight against crime, but Adams' budget would provide the NYPD with the same or less funding as last year. (New York Daily News) But Nortz also noted she was pleased to learn that 600 psychiatric beds used to treat COVID were being restored as part of the plan. City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Comptroller Brad Lander both praised some aspects of the plan, but voiced criticisms as well. Speaker Adams noted that while there are parts of the mayors subway safety plan that seem positive, other aspects like NYPD enforcement of MTA rules of conduct need to be examined in greater detail. We need to be very careful that those efforts arent counterproductive by criminalizing people who are in need of housing or treatment, she said. Lander also bristled at parts of the plan that involve the police department. Advertisement There is little evidence to suggest that increasing the presence of police officers in our subways will meaningfully break the cycle of homelessness, hospitalization, & incarceration, he said in a tweet. These are anxious timesbut we cant allow our fears to lead us to violate civil rights and fill up our jails with people who need services, not cells. All New Yorkers in our public transit system deserve to feel safe. A homeless man is given assistance by a homeless outreach worker in the 207th Street station for the A train, Thursday, April 30, 2020, in the Manhattan borough of New York. (John Minchillo/AP) Tony Utano, the president of Transport Workers Union Local 100, praised Adams announcement and said he hopes Hizzoner and the governor will successfully remove riders who push around large shopping carts. The carts were formally banned from the system in 2020 after train operator Garrett Goble was burned to death after a homeless rider lit a shopping cart on fire. Goble was overcome by smoke in the fire as he helped usher riders to safety. He left a little baby, said Utano. This is very important to TWU. This is very important to the public. We need the system to operate safely. Additional reporting by Clayton Guse and Chris Sommerfeldt Published on 2022/02/17 | Source Actor Kwon Dong-ho has confirmed his appearance in "Military Prosecutor Doberman". Advertisement The agency Sol & People said on the 15th, "Kwon Dong-ho has been cast as Seol-ak in tvN's new Monday-Tuesday drama "Military Prosecutor Doberman"". Seol-ak is a role of constantly dreaming of revenge with resentment against Bae-man (Ahn Bo-hyun). "Military Prosecutor Doberman" is Korea's first military court drama. It is a work that tells the story of Bae-man, who becomes a military prosecutor for money, and Cha Woo-in (Jo Bo-ah), who becomes a military prosecutor for revenge, meeting to break down the black and rotten evil in the army and growing into real military prosecutors. Kwon Dong-ho expressed his extraordinary determination through his agency, saying, "It is an honor to be with him in the work, and I want to show another side of me as an actor through the character called Seol-ak". Kwon Dong-ho made a strong impression by making a special appearance in tvN's Saturday-Sunday drama "Bulgasal: Immortal Souls", which recently ended. In addition, he performed in a number of works, including dramas tvN's "Voice 4", SBS's "Racket Boys", KBS 2TV's "Sell Your Haunted House" and the movie "Hi, See You Again Tomorrow". Meanwhile, "Military Prosecutor Doberman" is written by Yoon Hyeon-ho who is recognized for his court dramas such as "The Attorney", "Remember" and "Lawless Lawyer". The drama is also directed by Jin Chang-gyoo, recognized for his sensuous and sophisticated directing skills. Meanwhile, "Military Prosecutor Doberman" will premiere at 10:30 PM on the 28th. 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. Written By Reporter Sophia Voight is a reporter for the Hastings Star Gazette. She is from Oshkosh, WI and graduated from the UW Oshkosh with a bachelor's degree in Multimedia Journalism in 2021. She can be reached with any news tips at svoight@orourkemediagroup.com | Arizonas clemency board has declined to recommend that the death sentence of a prisoner be delayed or reduced to life in prison in what would be the states first use of the death penalty in nearly eight years. The decision marks one of the last steps before Clarence Dixons execution in the 1978 killing of college student Deana Bowdoin. The execution is scheduled for May 11. The boards decision keeps the execution on track, at least for now. A hearing is scheduled Tuesday in Pinal County to consider whether Dixon is mentally fit to be executed. Prosecutors have said the hearing will likely lead to a delay in the execution. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit Hillary Clinton suggested Thursday that a desperate former President Donald Trump hopes to divert attention from his deepening legal trouble by spreading ludicrous lies about her. Its funny, the more trouble Trump gets into, the wilder the charges and conspiracy theories about me seem to get, Clinton said, drawing laughs as she delivered the keynote speech at the New York State Democratic Convention. Advertisement His accountants have fired him, Clinton added. And investigations draw closer to him. And right on cue, the noise machine gets turned up. Sec. Hillary Clinton speaks during the 2022 New York State Democratic Convention at the Sheraton Midtown on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) Clinton, who lost to Trump in the 2016 presidential election, delivered her speech on the same day that a judge ruled Trump must sit for questioning in the New York attorney generals civil investigation into possible fraud by the Trump Organization. Advertisement Liz Harrington, Trumps spokeswoman, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Clintons speech. On Saturday, Trump issued a blustery statement claiming that Clintons campaign spied on his campaign during the 2016 race. Then-President Donald Trump gestures as he arrives to speak at a rally in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) This is a scandal far greater in scope and magnitude than Watergate and those who were involved in and knew about this spying operation should be subject to criminal prosecution, Trump said in the statement. The next day, he added in an all-caps statement: THEY SPIED ON THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES! He has never publicly accepted that he lost the 2020 election to President Biden, instead sowing dangerous falsehoods about widespread voter fraud. Sec. Hillary Clinton speaks during the 2022 New York State Democratic Convention at the Sheraton Midtown on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) Clinton said Americas fight to maintain its democracy remains unfinished, pointing disapprovingly at the Republican Partys decision to declare that the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was legitimate political discourse. We must reject the big lie about the 2020 election and the coverup of the insurrection of last Jan. 6, Clinton said in her speech at the Democratic convention in Midtown Manhattan. And we cant get distracted whether its by the latest culture nonsense, or some new right-wing lie on Fox or Facebook. Fox News, which was broadcasting the speech live, cut away. There are no easy ways to address the severe shortage of housing. Land is scarce, Montana State University-Northern Provost Neil Moisey speaks Thursday in the Student Union Building Ballroom on the Montana State University campus during Bear Paw Development Corp.'s annual meeting. Bear Paw Development Corp. held its annual meeting Thursday at the Student Union Building of Montana State University Northern where Northern Provost R. Neil Moisey gave a presentation on the university's effect on the local economy and their ambitions for the future. Bear Paw Development Executive Director Paul Tuss said he's happy they're able to do this event in person again after last year, where they had to have a much smaller event remotely. Before Moisey's keynote Tuss talked briefly about his organization's accomplishments over the past year, one marred by the pandemic, but also one where they were able to continue providing a great amount of support to the local community. "I can proudly report that 2021 was a banner year for Bear Paw Development," Tuss said. He said the COVID-19 related investments Bear Paw helped coordinate, on top of the $13.1 million in other funding they dealt with, will impact the region for decades to come. He said for every one dollar contributed to them by local government partners they were able to leverage 125 for the community. Tuss also said he wanted to recognize Bear Paw's staff and board of directors for everything they do day in and day out, not only making the organization and community better, but making his job as executive director immeasurably easier. After a round of applause for the people of Bear Paw, Tuss introduced Moisey and apologized that Northern Chancellor Greg Kegel, who was originally set to give the presentation, wasn't able to make it due to illness. Moisey also apologized of Kegel's absence and said he'd do the best he could to fill in. He said Northern, coming up on its 100th Anniversary in 2029, continues to be a massive part of the community and a driver of economic activity not just locally, but through the state, and its impacts have been impressive given its size. "This is a very significant institution despite its size relative to (Montana State University) or University of Montana," he said. Moisey said that, in 1929, the university was considered something of an educational frontier and while the Hi-Line has changed a lot in the almost hundred years since then, they aim to remain on the frontier, pushing boundaries and giving students unique opportunities, in particular lower-income students. He said Northern is structurally similar to many other universities in the state, but they stand out in that they have a huge number of Pell Grant-eligible students. He said these students tend to be first-generation college goers, come from lower-income backgrounds, and have less academic preparation than their peers and the university continues to do a great job working with those students. Moisey said of all universities in the state, Northern's students demonstrate the most economic mobility, and they're doing pretty well compared to other U.S. universities in that respect. He said the university continues to provide the community with workers during a time of critical staff shortages. "We are the generator of the workers who go and work with you and work for you and provide work for you," he said. Beyond that, he said, Northern's students also bring a significant amount of economic activity to the area and the university is continuing to work with the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce to get students active in the community, which is a huge benefit to everyone, especially in such a rural and remote area of the U.S. Moisey said Northern also remains the fourth-biggest employer in the area and its presence still drives economic development in the region. He said one of the main things Kegel has been talking about lately is how to make sure the university continues to evolve and stay on top in these rapidly changing times. "What are we going to do as a campus to stay relevant so we are proving the students with the best opportunity," he said. Moisey pointed to the university's Bio-Energy Research Center, which continues to generate research dollars from around the U.S. and the world, a testament to the cutting-edge research they are doing. He also talked about their efforts to expand their programs into areas like equine studies and meat production and processing. The university has also pushed the limits when it comes to how they deliver their education, adapting to the pandemic along with their students. Moisey said he's heard stories of students in Turner driving over an hour to a place with internet and cell service just to attend remote classes, an indication of the devotion of their students. He implored the audience to continue supporting the institution so they can keep supporting the community. "Help us help the Hi-Line," he said. On Friday, The deputy-President of the Co - Presidency in the Department of Foreign Relations in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, Fanar Al-Kait issued a statement to public opinion in which he welcomed the efforts that lead to stability in Syria. At statement read: "We have followed the statements of the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov on the issue of the Constitutional Committee in Syria, where he touched on the necessity of the participation of the Autonomous Administration regions in it. These statements express the reality of the Syrian need at this stage, as these statements are consistent with the vision of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria about the need to see the Syrian reality as it is; With the need for all Syrians to participate in the Syrian solution dialogue and in the committee drafting a constitution, which expresses the needs of the Syrians and guarantees them a just and equal future. The statement added: "While we see Mr. Bogdanov's statement as positive and encouraging, so we renew our position in our full readiness for any efforts to ensure the achievement of a Syrian solution and consensus. We also affirm that Russia has an important role in this framework, and we welcome its role as a guarantor of all Syrian efforts that lead to stability." and any other efforts for everyone who wants to contribute in this field, with our full assurance, as components of northern and eastern Syria, that we are not with any prejudice to the Syrian unity, neither geographical nor societal. A.K ANHA ShareBar Comments must be on-topic and civil in tone (with no name calling or personal attacks). Any promotional language or urls will be removed immediately. Your comment may be edited for clarity and length. Democrats accept state House maps, pan Senate and congressional lines The N.C. House and Senate gave final approval to redrawn or remedial legislative electoral maps Thursday, after last-minute adjustments delayed the Senate session several times. The House gave largely bipartisan approval to its own map, 115-5, Wednesday night, with five Democrats voting no. The Senate approved the House maps, as well, with a 41-3 vote and no comment or change. Tension was higher over the Senate map, with Democrats opposing the plan and offering multiple amendments that were tabled in party-line votes. Ultimately, the Senate approved its own map with no Democrats voting in favor, 26-19. Democrats in the House followed suit, voting against the Senate map, which was adopted in 67-52 vote. While the legislative maps avoid double-bunking current members of both parties, the total number of competitive seats grew from nine to 15 in the remedial House map and six to seven in the Senate map. "I think neither side will be happy with the maps," said Andy Jackson of the Civitas Center for Public Integrity at the John Locke Foundation. "They diminish Republican power and lessen the odds of them getting a super-majority capable of overturning Gov. [Roy] Cooper's vetoes in the next election. Democrats have an improved chance of winning a majority under the new maps, but those new maps do not help them fully overcome the geographic disadvantage of their supporters being relatively concentrated in a handful of urban areas." House boosts competitive and 'safe' Democrat seats Using calculations from a relatively new program called davesredistricting.org, data and analysis of the new maps have been widely available faster. Jackson and Jim Stirling, also of the John Locke Foundation, estimate that the new House map has 16 competitive seats, twice as many as the previously enacted map, plus 54 "safe" Republican seats and 41 "safe" Democrat seats. Four seats in the new map lean Republican, while five lean Democrat, defined as being within a 5%-10% swing. This distribution gives Democrats more of an edge than the previous maps that featured 38 "safe" seats for Democrats, and 12 that leaned Republican. On Wednesday in the House Redistricting Committee, Democrats on the committee criticized the timeline to pass a new House map, objecting to the quick turnaround between releasing the maps and holding votes. That tight timeline was driven by the N.C. Supreme Court order and by Cooper's veto rejecting legislative leaders efforts to push the 2022 primaries to June. That bill had been designed to give more time for the process. While most House Democrats ended up supporting the House plan, five voted no, they say, based on process. I appreciate these improvements to the previously enacted map that was found to be partisan gerrymandering, said Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford, during the committee meeting. I think there is still a better way to do this. I, too, am frustrated with this process, said Rep. Destin Hall, R- Caldwell, chair of the House Redistricting Committee. Ultimately, negotiations across the aisle led to the bipartisan support for the final map, which included six amendments proposed by Democrats. Senate 'clusters' spark dissent Meantime, in the N.C. Senate, Sen. Warren Daniel, R-Burke, and Sen. Paul Newton, R-Cabarrus, described in detail the criteria used to draw the legislative maps for "partisan fairness" and how they used mean-median and "efficiency gap" data to meet requirements set out by the high court. The "efficiency gap" refers to the number of votes that each party wastes in an election if either party has a set advantage in the district. A lower number indicates a district in which one party is not advantaged. Remedial N.C. Senate Map passed February 17., 2022. from ncleg.gov[/caption] For the Senate map, Jackson and Stirling find that the old map was likely to produce a 32-18 Republican advantage. The new, or remedial, Senate map favors Republicans, 29-21, putting it in line with Supreme Court recommendations. Seven key regional clusters, which blend urban areas with their more suburban surroundings, including Wake, Mecklenburg, Cumberland, and New Hanover counties, drew fire from Democrats who objected that the areas did not all lean blue. In the previous map, only Guilford, Forsyth, and part of Mecklenburg's clusters leaned Democrat. In the new remedial map, the clusters around Wake and Granville counties now tilt blue, as does the northeastern cluster of the state. Mecklenburg/Iredell, Cumberland/Moore, and New Hanover/Brunswick/Columbus tilt slightly Republican in the new map, but within the mean-median and efficiency gap criteria. The controversy was largely stirred by the Supreme Court opinion itself, which left the order vague and the door open to tense debate. Associate Justice Robin Hudson wrote in the majority opinion, "We do not believe it prudent or necessary to, at this time, identify an exhaustive set of metrics or precise mathematical thresholds which conclusively demonstrate or disprove the existence of an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander." Still, Daniel, Newton, and legislative staff wanted clear metrics with historic election data to set the three criteria. The used election results from 12 races in 2020 and 2016 to determine the leaning of each area of the state. Those races included the presidential, gubernatorial, lieutenant governor, Senate, and attorney general races, saying that the election results of those races closely match the results of the N.C. Senate races. "Mean-median and efficiency gap analysis are the broadly used political science techniques that produce a quantifiable metric to analyze," Daniel told fellow lawmakers. Senate leaders say the final remedial congressional map has a mean-median score of about -0.61%. The mean-median score is well within the court's proposed standard of plus or minus 1.0%. The efficiency gap is about -5.3%, which lawmakers say is well within the court's requirement of plus or minus 7.0% Democrats in the Senate led by Sen. Dan Blue, D-Wake, the Senate minority leader, repeatedly objected to the process and the criteria for drawing the maps. Democrats proposed multiple amendments to the Senate map attempting changes to the districts that were reviewed and voted on in committee Wednesday. Sen. Jay Chaudhuri, D-Wake, tried to amend the Senate map three times; twice to change or eliminate what he referred to as the "Wilmington Notch" and once to change the lines in Wake County that created a Senate district near the capital that leaned Republican. Blue proposed several amendments as well, arguing that clusters in the map did not meet the N.C. Supreme Court's court's intent. "Senator Newton said that every district was changed in favor of Democrats," said Blue. "You studied the Wake districts, and if they changed by one-half a point I don't think they meet the court's order." All amendments were tabled by votes along party lines. "During the remedial map-drawing process we set out to draw maps that scored well based on the requirements of the Supreme Court's order and included as many competitive districts as possible," Newton said. "We accomplished that. Our proposed remedial Senate map fully complies with the court's order." What's next? The maps must be presented to a three-judge Wake County Superior Court panel by Friday. That same panel of two Republican judges and one Democrat approved the previous maps passed by the legislature in November. That panel must approve a set of maps by Wednesday, Feb. 23. Its decision can be appealed back to the state Supreme Court. "While Democrat-run states like New York and Illinois are further entrenching their political power, this remedial map reflects North Carolina's voters and political landscape, not a predetermined partisan outcome," Daniel said in a statement released Thursday. "In doing so, our state will have what we believe to be four of the most competitive districts in the nation. That's a far cry from redistricting efforts we've seen in recent months in those blue states. The remedial congressional map fully complies with the court's order and scores well on mandated tests." The maps were redrawn at the direction of the 4-3 majority-Democrat state Supreme Court, which gave the legislature until Friday to pass new maps to replace the enacted ones, which the high court ruled were examples of unconstitutional partisan gerrymandering. The process is running a tight timeline. Candidate filing is scheduled to reopen Thursday, Feb. 24, with primary elections scheduled May 17. Student leaders pledge to combat substance abuse Student leaders who have pledged to educate their peers on the dangers of substance abuse listen to a proclamation recognizing 'We Are Hope' week. Henderson County high school students who have pledged to combat drug abuse stood and listened to a proclamation read by County Commissioner Rebecca McCall on Wednesday ahead of "We Are Hope" substance abuse awareness week March 7-11. There were 100,306 drug overdose deaths in the year ending in April 2021, including 75,673 from opiods. In North Carolina high schools in 2019, 37.8 percent of students smoked cigarettes or e-cigarettes, 24.2 drank alcohol, 22.1 percent smoked marijuana, 4.8 percent used alcohol and 16.6 percent used prescription drugs without a doctor's prescription, according to the CDC's High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The student leaders pledged to remain substance-free themselves and educate their peers on the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and prescription drug use. The students were from Apple Valley, Flat Rock, Hendersonville and Rugby middle schools, East Henderson, Henderson County Career Academy, Henderson County Early College, Hendersonville High School, North Henderson High School, West Henderson High School and the home school community. The student leaders attending the Board of Commissioners meeting were Nathan Rhodes, Nic Knox, Ivy Juarez, Destiny Simotics and Jordan Brown of East Henderson High School, Ryan Seward, Jackson Cannon and Ben Geiser of Hendersonville High School, Lauren Young and Karsyn Andress of West Henderson High School, Madison White and Jonathan Torres-Tomas of North Henderson High School, Fatima Torres and Ella Neve of Henderson County Early College, Bella Geiser of Mountain Community School and Caleb Harris, representing home school students. A client enjoys a drink at the bar in the Sanctuary Mandela hotel in Johannesburg on Nov. 19, 2021. (GUILLEM SARTORIO/AFP via Getty Images) The former home of South Africas first Black president has been turned into a luxury getaway. After a massive renovation, the Johannesburg property Nelson Mandela reportedly lived in for six years with his family is now the location of a boutique hotel. Advertisement This aerial view shows the the Sanctuary Mandela hotel in Johannesburg on Nov. 22, 2021. (GUILLEM SARTORIO/AFP via Getty Images) Hidden on a quiet street in a wealthy Sandton suburb of Houghton, Sanctuary Mandela recently opened to the public for bed and breakfast accommodations boasting nine rooms and the 36-seater Insights restaurant with a menu inspired by the anti-apartheid revolutionary, who died in 2013 at 95. Accentuated by artwork and artifacts in tribute to Mandela, the luxury hotel has four room types decorated in modern yet simple style. Advertisement Rooms range in pricing from $260 to nearly $1,000 per night for the Presidential Suite, which is said to be Mandelas former bedroom. A general view of the presidential suite, and one-time bedroom of former South African President Nelson Mandela, at the Sanctuary Mandela boutique hotel in Johannesburg, on Nov. 19, 2021. (GUILLEM SARTORIO/AFP via Getty Images) Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > Unique finishes also include window frames bearing his nickname Madiba and his Robben Island prison number 466/64. According to South Africa Tourism, the home was Mandalas primary residence following his release from prison after 27 years. The beloved political leader hosted the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson, Magic Johnson former First Lady Michelle Obama and Former President Bill Clinton at the estate, which was later used as the headquarters for the Nelson Mandela Foundation. In this May 9, 2009 photo, South Africa's former President Nelson Mandela attends the inauguration ceremony of President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria, South Africa. (Themba Hadebe/AP) Sanctuary Mandela is managed by Motsamayi Tourism Group, considered the oldest black-empowered South African tourism group with a significant portfolio in attractions, accommodation and experiences. Conceived by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, which is tasked with preserving Mandelas legacy and with sharing that legacy across the globe, the Sanctuary is perfectly set up to achieve these goals, Motsamayi CEO Jerry Mabena told The Independent. Most of our visitors are people who have heard about the place and want to have a look around and enjoy a cup of coffee. These people have been welcomed at all times. The venue is open to everyone, and we encourage anyone to visit the venue and see our work to preserve Mandelas legacy for themselves. The hotel is located a short walk from The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory. West Virginia college students who receive the Promise Scholarship will get a little extra help next school year. A little. The Higher Education Policy Commission says Promise scholars will receive $5,000 next year, up from $4,750 this year. It helps, but not by much. As noted by HD Medias Ryan Quinn, tuition at West Virginia University tuition grew from $5,300 in the 2009-10 academic year to $9,100 now. At Marshall University, tuition increased from $5,200 to $8,600. According to data published by the HEPC, in the 2020-21 school year, 9,936 students at West Virginia public and private colleges received Promise scholarship grants. Of those, 5,072, or more than half, attended West Virginia University. Another 1,904 attended Marshall University and 170 attended West Virginia State University. At the two-year schools, 38 attended Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, 32 attended BridgeValley CTC and eight attended Mountwest CTC. The University of Charleston, a private school, had 188 students receiving Promise money. The average award for the 2020-21 school year was $4,536. Three years earlier, 10,403 students received an average award of $4,545. So the number of recipients and the average award went down as tuition rose. Thats not how the program was supposed to work. As with many programs, Promise started out with good intentions and good results, but things have changed the past two decades. Then-Gov. Bob Wise sold the Promise scholarship program to the Legislature in 2001 as a way of paying 100% of college tuition in exchange for making widespread but illegal video poker machines legal. The state would regulate the video poker business, and it would use the proceeds from limited video lottery to pay eight semesters of tuition for high school graduates with top grades and top standardized test scores. Money from video lottery would also pay for other programs, but the Promise scholarship was the primary selling point. Those limited video lottery locations are everywhere now. They are so much of the background that they are easily overlooked. Yet there are not enough of them to fulfill Promises original intent, partly because other programs get part of that revenue, too, and because tuition continues to climb. If West Virginia wants more of its young people (adult learners, too) to earn two-year and four-year degrees, it must either reduce the cost of going to college or else provide more financial aid. The first seems the most logical. Schools know students can borrow more money and schools have no incentive to ensure students will be able to repay those loans, so they have little incentive to either hold costs down or ensure students get a good return on their investments. This $250 per year increase in Promise scholarships will help, but really not by much considering the ever-rising price of tuition. Anderson, IN (46016) Today Isolated thunderstorms and gusty winds during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 49F. WNW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Isolated thunderstorms and gusty winds during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 49F. WNW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. The main takeaway from Mayor Adams first budget is what it is not: In contrast to his predecessors profligate habits, Adams slows down spending, with $98.5 billion planned for fiscal year 2023, with a proposed increase of 2.3% in city-funded spending as compared to de Blasios annual average of 4.4%. Costs are limited by the sensible application of program-to-eliminate-the-gap (PEG) cuts, which allow agencies to proactively find efficiencies instead of facing the indiscriminate ax when times get lean. Big Bill didnt bother with those. A good start. (YouTube) There are questions left to answer. The plan doesnt quite lay out where the city will find the revenues to backfill federal funds currently paying for programs like expanded 3-K, which will soon run out, nor incorporate cash for expected city worker raises. Yet these arent questions that will keep us up at night, as these gaps are fillable. Advertisement Where there is new spending, it isnt going to balloon the municipal headcount in fact, the budget intends to eliminate thousands of city positions through attrition, without resorting to layoffs. Instead, its funding positive and financially prudent programs like an expanded income tax credit for low-income New Yorkers, greater summer youth employment to give young people something productive to do and the Fair Fares program. Those kill multiple birds with one stone, helping people in need while spurring the economy to boot. The mayor has been gifted with higher-than-anticipated tax revenues, but none of us should forget that were in a period of high volatility, driven in part by deep uncertainties around job growth and the extent to which workers will return to their physical offices. Its wise to keep spending down, and also wise to assume that this wont be the last major downturn well be seeing in the near term. Advertisement The $6.1 billion slated for the citys budget reserves might be the biggest commitment in history, but that was a low bar to clear. If (or when) New York is hit with another catastrophe, it would do well to have more in the piggy bank. Southwest Michigan school districts are closer to looking like they did in February 2020. This week, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Berrien County Health Department have rolled back COVID-19 restrictions. But conversations about loosening safety measures have been in the works since the beginning of February, health officials say. As both health organizations have rescinded their mask advisories for all indoor spaces, school districts which have been at the center of masking debates have started to ease masking and quarantine measures. Were managing it like were managing any other communicable disease, said Berrien RESA Superintendent Eric Hoppstock. At a Berrien County Board of Commissioners meeting Thursday, Hoppstock said all districts will move to make masking optional by next Monday. Prior to this week, only a handful of districts still had mask mandates in place: Lakeshore Public Schools, St. Joseph Public Schools, Benton Harbor Area Schools, Bridgman Public Schools and Berrien RESA. Lakeshore rescinded their mandate on Monday, and Bridgman followed suit on Wednesday. St. Joseph schools informed parents on Thursday that students would not be required to wear masks on Friday, Superintendent Jenny Fee told The Herald-Palladium. Were not public health experts, so we rely on those people, said Shane Peters, Bridgmans superintendent. And (if) they say that theres no reason to require masks or strongly recommend masks and that they should be optional, then we need to follow that guidance. As one of the remaining holdouts to the latest changes, Benton Harbor Superintendent Andrae Townsel told The HP there would be no change to the districts masking policy. The health department and district superintendents have been paying attention to case counts and other metrics, Hoppstock said, and as downward trends became evident, they started preparing to shift. The whole county has worked together on this and has tried to work in unity on this stuff, Coloma Community Schools Superintendent Dave Ehlers said. This whole pandemic, weve been that way. No exclusions for asymptomatic students Districts maintained universal masking, largely because it allowed districts to avoid quarantining asymptomatic students. Now schools are authoring letters informing students of COVID-19 exposure, not the health department. Because only the health department can quarantine students, when a school bars a student from attending class, it is by definition excluding that student. Coupled with Interim Health Officer Guy Millers statements that quarantine rules are recommendations and not requirements, multiple school districts have changed how they navigate a close contact. Those who test positive for COVID-19 must still stay home from school. That has not changed. However, when a student is a close contact of someone who tests positive for COVID-19 at districts like Coloma, Bridgman and Berrien RESA, the school will notify parents and ask them to monitor symptoms. The student does not need to stay home. Superintendents said this protocol is similar to how districts handle diseases like mumps and the flu, and parents have been following district requests to keep sick kids at home. Were really switching the focus to looking for symptoms now, and so thats been a shift and a change, Peters said. We dont exclude anyone that is not showing symptoms. Ehlers, Peters and Hoppstock all said their principals and office staff were looking forward to reduce their workload with regards to COVID-19. Contact tracing had forced some administrative staff to work overtime to accommodate the additional work. Berrien RESA will continue to conduct temperature and symptom checks at the door in the coming weeks, Hoppstock said, and will adjust should cases continue to fall. Uniontown, PA (15401) Today Thunderstorms likely. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 61F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 61F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. In ordering Donald Trump to sit for questions from state Attorney General Tish James within the next two weeks (and Don Jr. and Ivanka within the next three weeks), Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron did the nation a service but not because the under-oath depositions are going to shine a bright light on what the former First Family knows about the rotten inner workings of The Trump Organization. The always litigious Donald and his kids will probably appeal, dragging things out, or they will actually appear for their sit-downs, then proceed to rampantly invoke their right to refuse to answer. Advertisement Try the truth. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Eric Trump gave his sworn statement to the AGs lawyers on Oct. 5, 2020, and more than 500 times during the course of six hours, he refused to answer anything while invoking his rights under the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and 14 Amendments. Were surprised he couldnt work in the Second (about guns) and the 21st (repealing Prohibition). If Eric can remember to say I decline to answer that question again and again for a couple of hours, so can his older siblings and dad. Still, the mere order that the Trumps must at least go through these motions, given the reams of compelling evidence James investigators have already accumulated, is itself a healthy assertion that no one is above the law. Advertisement Engoron stresses in his order that this is strictly a civil proceeding and not a grand jury matter examining crimes. Thats being handled by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. For his part, Trump (Donald, that is) went off against both James and Bragg for harassing his accountant who has now disowned Trump and ignoring street crime. Were confident that the DA has enough competent lawyers to both prosecute killers and pursue racketeering scams disguised as real estate companies. After a lifetime of lies, what would be truly refreshing is if Trump and his offspring would tell the whole truth to the AG. Though were sour on gambling, this is one wager we would confidently place. Wed put everything on never going to happen. Offer a personal message of sympathy... By sharing a fond memory or writing a kind tribute, you will be providing a comforting keepsake to those in mourning. If you have an existing account with this site, please log in to leave your message. Otherwise, you can create an account by clicking on the Log In button at the top of the page and then register to create your account. Very, we have an emergency plan and complete emergency supply kit. Somewhat, we have a complete emergency supply kit. Little, we have incomplete plan and/or supply kit. Not at all. Vote View Results The New York City Police Department was roundly scolded on Twitter for posting a photo of shoplifted items that they had seized, including diapers, cough medicine and laundry detergent. The tweet was removed after an avalanche of comments pronouncing the post cruel. The commenters realized that every baby has the right to be clean, dry and healthy. The real crime here is that our economy leaves one in three young families unable to afford the diapers that they need. Ive been in the business of addressing diaper need for 18 years, first by starting a community-based diaper bank and now as CEO of the National Diaper Bank Network. I spent about the first five years of this work explaining to people that diaper need was a thing and a common thing at that. Then there were the years of getting the public, press and policymakers comfortable with talking about it. People made inane jokes. As the NYPD tweet shows, those days are not entirely behind us. Its time to move on and turn all that Twitter outrage into real action that will create a society where no parent is desperate enough to shoplift diapers. Advertisement An NYPD tweet meant to highlight a big Bronx shoplifting bust backfired when New Yorkers took a gander at the recovered goods: diapers, cough medicine, soap and other health necessities. The official @NYPDNews Twitter account quietly deleted the post but that didn't stop an online furor from growing. (NYPD News / Twitter) Nonprofit diaper banks make a life-changing difference for hundreds of thousands of families. But the scale of diaper need is so enormous that it cannot be solved without the intervention of the largest player in our economy: government. We can and should be making far more public investments to ensure that every child has the basic material necessities that they need to thrive. This is not entirely altruistic. Diaper need is associated with rashes, infection and maternal depression. It is an unnecessary cost for our health-care system. On the other hand, weve demonstrated that families who get diapers from a diaper bank thrive on multiple levels. Child-care providers generally will not accept children unless parents supply diapers for them. Diaper need translates into lost days for adults at work or in school lost pay and lost opportunities. A study in Connecticut showed that families gained $11 in economic benefit for every $1 spent on diaper aid. Parents who receive diapers report less stress and more positive interactions with their children. Does government currently do anything that returns that rate on investment? Advertisement The first legislative effort I know of to address diaper need was a bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro in 2011; it would have provided free diapers through daycares that served low-income families. Rush Limbaugh thought that was hilarious. I mean this gives a new meaning to the term pampering the poor. Just absurd, he gushed. (Whats next, helping low-income people afford food? Whoops, we already do that though not at the level we should.) Blowhards on talk radio may have stepped away from diaper jokes, but DeLauros bill evolved into the End Diaper Need Act, which has been submitted by various members many times without passage. This week, Sen. Joni Ernst introduced a bill that would allow families to use their flexible spending and health savings accounts to buy diapers. Note that DeLauro is a Democrat and Ernst a Republican. Getting babies clean diapers is such an inarguable good that people on both sides of the aisle support it. The real crime here is that our economy leaves one in three young families unable to afford the diapers that they need. (ValeStock // Shutterstock) I know people care. Donors send us notes about their own rough childhoods, their horror at finding that an out-of-work neighbor couldnt afford to change the baby often enough, or their realization that their own good fortune needs to be shared. They are wonderful, and they make a difference. But there are not enough of them. Its easy to make the economic case for government intervening in diaper need. But the reaction to the NYPDs tweet shows another reason we must address diaper need. It is, to me, the most compelling reason. Our response to diaper need says something about who we are as a nation. Are we okay with babies sitting in filth because their parents dont have the resources to buy diapers? We know that helping families get diapers will more than pay for itself. And yet we dont do it. What the NYPD did was disgraceful, and I hope it leads to the police better educating themselves about how poverty affects the people they are sworn to protect and serve. No one should get a laugh out of children living without the basic material necessities of life. But quietly ignoring the problem is not much better. Goldblum is CEO of the National Diaper Bank Network and co-author of Broke in America: Seeing, Understanding and Ending U.S. Poverty. An elderly neighbor recently suffered a fall accompanied by rapidly progressing dementia, necessitating a residential assisted-living facility. Another neighbor said his wife isnt taking it well. How can anyone could take this terrible situation well? I replied. And what did taking it well here entail? After all, many people, especially elderly people, have suffered pandemic-exacerbated loneliness while separated from loved ones. Advertisement Taking things well typically means taking unwelcome events in stride remaining calm, getting on with your life, rolling with the punches. I took my neighbors statement to reflect our culture of positivity think Norman Vincent Peales 1952 bestseller, The Power of Positive Thinking. Unlike the countless self-help books since Peales, the now two-decades-and-growing positive psychology movement bases its claims about the effects on happiness such as cultivating optimism and gratitude on the scientific research positive psychologists have themselves conducted. Advertisement Taking things well typically means taking unwelcome events in stride remaining calm, getting on with your life, rolling with the punches. (panitanphoto // Shutterstock) The taking-it-well expectation may also reflect societal inroads of positive psychology, owing to its ongoing, positive press and heavily enrolled happiness/well-being/positivity courses at elite universities like Yale, Harvard and NYU. Less tony institutions (e.g. SUNY Erie) have followed suit. The expectation that were supposed to greet hardship with a smile, or at least without many complaints, frequently arises in the context of frightening news about our personal health. When a local business owner was diagnosed with breast cancer, those reporting the bad news often added, But shell be okay; shes got a positive attitude. Ah, the weighty but. Upon learning from me that my sisters recurrent ovarian cancer had returned, a well-meaning friend inquired, But her spirits are good, right? (Again that but.) I resisted saying, How good would your spirits be if you just learned that your ovarian cancer had returned? Utterances like these illustrate how deeply the importance of having a positive attitude is rooted in our culture. Positive psychology has amplified our culture of positivity. In a scientific article entitled Positive Psychology in Cancer Care: Bad Science, Exaggerated Claims, and Unproven Medicine, psychologists James Coyne and Howard Tennen challenged the value of a fighting spirit and the finding of silver linings in adversity (including cancer) two tenets of positive psychology. Ive called this the tyranny of the positive attitude: Those in tough circumstances can be made to feel bad (guilty and defective) about feeling bad, as though they should instead express gratitude for what they do have. Ive also called this the it-could-be-worse pronouncement. Proponents of positivity risk blaming the victim: Did your cancer fail to remit owing to your negative attitude? Did your negativity cause your cancer? The logic of positivity movements popular and scientific is this: You can be happy if you follow our prescriptions. So if youre not happy, its your own fault. Never mind your cultural, socio-economic and medical circumstances. Tyranny indeed. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Positive psychologist/scientist Barbara Fredrickson, in her self-help book, Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3-to-1 Ratio that Will Change Your Life, claims that her positivity ratio, in which 2.9 positive emotions to each negative emotion is the tipping point that predicts flourishing over languishing, is key to building your best future. Mind over matter. Psychologists Nick Brown, Alan Sokal and Harris Friedman convincingly challenged Fredricksons 3:1 positivity ratio. Noting problems in Fredricksons methodology, they also found astonishing the unlikely coincidence that human emotions should turn out to be governed by exactly the same set of equations that were derived...decades ago as a deliberately simplified model of convection in fluids. Nonetheless, the luster of Fredricksons pearl of positivity has remained undiminished. Advertisement Although seemingly ironic, I end on a (somewhat) positive note. Taking things well can be given another meaning: Instead of Be upbeat in the face of adversity, it could be taken to mean Know the facts of your situation as well as possible, or literally take in reality well. Then youre better equipped to make rational decisions about the steps you might take to reach the best possible outcome, given the circumstances. To be sure, many in our truth-challenged society happily turn a blind eye on realities they prefer to ignore like the fact that COVID-19 persists in intolerably high numbers, with more than 100,000 new case and 2,000 deaths per day. Taking in reality well in the service of well-being (or at least of not making matters worse) does not require taking things well, looking on the bright side, and/or finding benefit in adversity. Our goal should be to make space for people to feel bad in the face of adversity, without feeling bad about feeling bad. Yes, that may make us feel worse in the short term. But many of the tough realities that now challenge us as individuals and as a society require playing the long game. Held is Barry N. Wish Professor of Psychology and Social Studies Emerita at Bowdoin College. Chelsea Clinton wants kids to learn what they can do to help save the planet one book at a time. The best-selling author and mother of three will soon launch a new nonfiction book series about animal conservation for kids ages 6 to 9, Philomel Books, a kids lit imprint of Penguin Books, announced Friday. Advertisement Each volume of the Save the series will focus on one animal, and teach young readers what they can do to help protect them. Chelsea Clinton will write intros to the books, which begin coming out in the fall. (Charles Sykes/Charles Sykes/Invision/AP) Clinton will write introductions for each book. Advertisement The first three titles, which will be available on Sept. 13, are Save the... Elephants, by Sarah L. Thompson; Save the... Tigers, by Christine Taylor-Butler; and Save the... Whale Sharks, by Anita Sanchez. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > My hope is that young readers and their families will enjoy and learn as much from the books in this series as I have, whether about whale sharks, frogs or more animals that could disappear if we dont all work together to save them, Clinton said in a statement. Publishing plans for the daughter of former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, wont stop there, according to her publisher. This cover image released by Philomel Books shows "Welcome to the Big Kids Club: What Every Older Sibling Needs to Know" by Chelsea Clinton and illustrated by Tania de Regil, available Sept. 13. (AP) Philomel Books also announced Friday that the 41-year-old author of the She Persisted childrens book series will soon publish a new book. Welcome to the Big Kids Club: What Every Older Sibling Needs to Know, written by Clinton and illustrated by Tania de Regil, is being described as a humorous book about what every older sibling needs to know, filled with information about the new baby at your house. I couldnt be more excited about this book and the newest Save The series, Clinton said. The Big Kids Club book, directed at kids ages 4 to 8, will also be available on Sept. 13. With News Wire Services IHG Hotels & Resorts today announces the opening of Hotel Indigo Karuizawa, the region's first globally-branded lifestyle boutique hotel, and the second property in Japan under the Hotel Indigo brand. Inspired by the town's sophisticated sensibility and abundance of nature, Hotel Indigo Karuizawa is a stunning example of how the brand captures the true spirt of a neighborhood through its design, amenities, F&B and service. It boasts truly modern appeal with intriguing local design to beautifully capture the true spirt of this neighborhood, where East meets West. The 155-room hotel sits across in three design-buildings, and features the wood-fired Italian restaurant KAGARIBI, an all-day dining restaurant that serves dishes that incorporate local ingredients, and The Spa by HARNN, which offers three treatment rooms and fitness facilities. It also offers meeting facilities for business events to meet the needs of both leisure and business travelers. Surrounded by the region's natural beauty and just 2.6km from Karuiazawa station, the hotel will be a perfect escape for travelers who are looking to experience everything Karuizawa has to offer. The opening ceremony was attended by Yoichiro Nakai, Executive Vice President of Tokyo Century Corporation, the owner of the hotel, Shin Kiyota, COO of IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan, Megumi Hara, General Manager of Hotel Indigo Karuizawa, Yoshiharu Tsuchiya, Chairman of the Karuizawa Tourism Association, Mr. Junichi Nakazato, Chairman of the Karuizawa Commerce and Industry Association, and Mr. Takeo Suzuki, President of the Karuizawa Ryokan Association. Hotel website The Houston Chronicle has named three executives to help lead its newsroom and business operations as the news organization accelerates its transition to digital platforms. Jennifer Chang, the Houston Chronicles director of audience, was promoted to managing editor. She will be joined by Chris Fusco, former executive editor of the Chicago Sun-Times. Together, the two managing editors will oversee digital and newsroom operations. Publisher Nancy Meyer also named Paul Pham, general manager of the Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel, as the Chronicle vice president of finance. Chang and Fusco will work closely together as the Chronicle continues the shift from print to digital and expands its audience, said Executive Editor Maria Reeve. The Chronicles digital subscriptions recently surpassed its print subscriptions. Its an exciting time because weve got two talented journalists who are going to help me lead this transformation, Reeve said. Its something weve been talking about, but we really have to figure out how to make the work we do reach more people plain and simple. Chang, 33, joined the Chronicle in 2018 after running editorial growth initiatives at Arianna Huffingtons startup, Thrive Global, and a stint as the growth editor of Quartz, a national business news outlet. During her tenure in Houston, she helped launch the Texas Dev Hub, a team of developers and data reporters that create interactive journalism for both the Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. On HoustonChronicle.com: Nancy Meyer, Miami Herald president, named publisher of the Houston Chronicle Chang, who grew up in Houston, said she read the Chronicle as a child, specifically the new defunct Yo! section, which catered to teens and preteens in the 1990s. That section is helping to inspire some of her new work in trying to help the paper attract younger, more diverse and digitally savvy readers to its subscriber-only website, HoustonChronicle.com. She said becoming a managing editor of her hometown paper is the honor of my life. Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer I love my city. Ive worked at other national outlets and theres a lot of really great journalism out there, and they do great work, but its only the Houston Chronicle that makes our city a better place, she said. I take that honor very seriously. Polk award Fusco, 49, helped bring the Chicago Sun-Times back from the brink through digital initiatives. He reorganized the newsroom spearheading efforts to produce new newsletters, podcasts and other digital products and launched a Spanish-language news website. He also worked to improve racial diversity within its reporting ranks and its coverage. Before becoming executive editor at the Sun-Times, he worked as an investigative reporter, winning the prestigious George Polk Award for a series that led to the manslaughter conviction of a nephew of former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley 10 years after the crime. After leaving the Sun-Times in 2020, he served as executive editor of Lookout Local, a startup aimed at bringing journalism to so-called news deserts across the United States. At the startup, he said he learned the challenges that come with attracting readers to news sites and tools for keeping them coming back for coverage. He said hes eager to learn more about Houston and the Chronicle and is especially excited to leave behind Chicago winters. This is a place that has been providing great journalism to a great city for more than a century, Fusco said. What Im going to try to do is take the experiences Ive had both with the start-up and legacy newsroom, and work with Jennifer and Maria to figure out the formula for supersizing that. On HoustonChronicle.com: Maria Reeve named top editor at Houston Chronicle Pham moved to Illinois from Vietnam in the late 1980s, when his family was sponsored by a church. He said coming to America showed him the value and importance of hard work, which helped him to move up from a financial planner and analyst at the Chicago Tribune to overseeing sales, finance and strategy for the entire Tribune Publishing network until it was bought by the Alden Investment Group last year. Yi-Chin Lee, Photographer / Staff photographer Bright spot Since then, he has been general manager of both the Orlando Sentinel and the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Pham said he sees the move to Houston as a promotion. He said Hearst Corp., the Chronicles parent company, is a bright spot in an industry that has been upended by layoffs and budget cuts. Im very grateful for being selected for the opportunity, he said. In my mind, Hearst is the number one company to work for in the publishing industry. It still has the mindset of investing in growing revenue instead of just cost savings. Meyer, the Chronicles publisher, said she got to know Pham after he succeeded her at the Sun Sentinel. She said she was impressed with his work in Florida and believes he will help the Chronicle reach more readers and engage with them. Paul to me is a great substantive financial leader, she said. And as I look at this, especially as were in the middle of major transformation, Paul brings years of experience in analytics, in strategy, in revenue development, that will be a great asset to the Houston Chronicle. Provided by Paul Pham shelby.webb@chron.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Climbing onto an oil field pump jack in nothing but skivvies and pasties is not the worst thing a candidate for statewide office has done lately. Sarah Stogner, an oil and gas attorney and self-described Lady Godiva of the Permian Basin, has spent more time on drilling rigs than incumbent Wayne Christian, who rakes in campaign donations from the entities he regulates. Texas elections have always circled around money, oil and sex. Stogners semi-nude campaign video ironically brings them all together. Its proof that a spirited West Texas mom must go to extremes to challenge the oil and gas industrys routine installation of lackeys. TOMLINSONS TAKE: Republican voters need to fire Texas Railroad Commission chair They said I needed money, she wrote with a laughing emoji on Twitter. I have other assets. Attend any outdoor music festival and youll see thousands of millennials in equally revealing outfits. Celebrities who have appeared nude routinely have run for high office. Bawdy, irreverent humor is a mainstay of the oil fields. Her crime against good taste is a misdemeanor compared to the felonious policies promoted by other candidates. Stogner, 37, is running for railroad commissioner, a deliberately misleading title for an elected regulator of the oil and gas industry. Oil and gas entities have provided two-thirds of the campaign donations to the three serving commissioners, creating an unmistakable conflict of interest. Christian is expert at raising industry money. Recently, I wrote about how a company from his hometown of Center wanted to build an oil sludge dump near the Ogalala Aquifer north of Midland, but Railroad Commission scientists thought it was a bad idea. However, the CEO of the High Roller Group was a past donor, and Christian overruled staff to approve the dump. Four days later, the High Rollers gave Christians campaign $100,000. An act truly worse than taking your shirt off, though, is Christians denial of man-made climate change and his lies about the economic impact of mitigating it. When presented with independent, scientific reports by private-sector energy industry consultants, he still refused to accept the truth. I have a feeling the report is too good to be true, Christian wrote about a study on the benefits of reducing flaring. A feeling? That is how the chairman of a commission that regulates energy determines facts? Consulting firm Rystad Energy is anything but a granola-eating environmental group. His commentary reveals his lack of real-world experience in the oil patch. His electoral success comes in the Legislature, from opposing abortion and LGBTQ rights, not protecting Texas landowners. Stogner is running against Christian in the Republican primary and early voting is underway. Despite the pump jack stunt, she is a conservative lawyer with nearly 15 years of experience in oil and gas. She says she got into the race after an old well blew out near her home. She says the railroad commissioners let oil companies abandon their wells, mistreat landowners and damage groundwater. She represented landowners before the commission on Aug. 24, asking for help with a blown-out well spewing contaminated, radioactive water across the landscape. We have an active landowner who is trying to be involved, and weve been blocked by the railroad commissioner from having access to their internal people who are working with Chevron to determine the plugging procedures, she testified. The landowners are being left out. On social media, Stogner strikes a populist pose against what she considers corrupt politicians. She complains of crony capitalism, promises to hold big corporations accountable and demands greater protection for average Texans. TOMLINSONS TAKE: Natural gas companies failed again, showing Texas energy system still vulnerable She casts herself as an ally of gubernatorial candidate Allen West, lieutenant governor hopeful Daniel Miller and U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, who is running for attorney general. I wont sit quietly while our current regulators take money in exchange for favors (ahem toxic waste permits), she tweeted. We are not protecting our groundwater. We must be stewards of all natural resources. Stogner, whose Instagram account demonstrates her generations promotion of positive body image, acknowledges her video was a Hail Mary for an outsider campaign. But she stands by the Lady Godiva analogy. The 900-year-old legend tells the story of a noblewoman betrothed to Leofric, the Earl of Mercia. When Godiva tells her husband she hates how he overtaxes his subjects, he mocks her and says hell lower them if she rides through the village nude. Godiva agrees but asks the villagers to remain indoors. When only one man, named Tom, peeps through a doorway, he is struck blind and creates a nickname for voyeurs. Is Stogners lack of modesty worse than Christians lack of ethics? One is a media stunt to break through our corrupt politics, the other damages Texas forever. Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and politics. twitter.com/cltomlinson chris.tomlinson@chron.com WASHINGTON - For years, politicians here have anticipated the day when Congresss authority over a contentious mandate requiring millions of gallons of ethanol to be blended into the nations fuel supply each week would come to an end, leaving the program in control of whoever wins the White House. The belief was always a grand compromise could be reached before that date, somehow satisfying the various political constituencies in play, from corn farmers in the Midwest, to refineries along the Gulf Coast to environmentalists worried about ethanols carbon footprint. But less than 11 months from the final day of Congresss authority over what is known as the Renewable Fuel Standard, there is little sign politicians can find common ground. At a hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Wednesday, senators huddled in their respective camps, taking turns criticizing the biofuels program with little in the way of a common thread. On HoustonChronicle.com: Will Biden come to refineries' aid on ethanol Oil state Republicans wanted to know why the Environmental Protection Agency was no longer exempting small refineries from the mandate, as it had under former president Donald Trump. Midwesterners wanted to know why the EPA wasnt setting the mandate for ethanol blending higher. And coastal Democrats worried why lower-carbon biofuels hadnt yet been developed to replace corn-based ethanol, whose emissions are actually worse than gasoline, according to a recent study by the National Academy of Sciences. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a Republican from North Dakota, an oil state which also has a growing ethanol industry, seemed to sum up the state of play when he commented, 2022 is here now. For 10 years people looked at me like dont worry, thats in the future. Well, its not in the future anymore, he said. We have to come up with something, and Id rather come up with it with everyone in the room, if you know what I mean. The problem is the various constituencies are so divided on biofuels there are not enough votes to pass an overhaul of the mandate. The Biden administration tried to thread the needle in December when it both lowered the requirement about how much ethanol gets blended to compensate for reduced fuel demand due to Covid-19 while also rejecting small refineries request for exemptions for the mandate. And it ended up angering just about everyone. The question now is what to do before the existing renewable fuel program expires at the end of this year. Some Democrats, such as Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., chairman of the Senate environment committee, have suggested they might like to see a biofuels program that rewards producers based on how much they reduce carbon emissions, as California and Oregon already do. Fuel Fix: Get energy news sent directly to your inbox Sometimes states come up with some pretty good ideas we would benefit from, Carper said following testimony from the manager of Oregons clean fuels program. It would seem to make sense to incentivize products such as biodiesel and cellulosic ethanol that not only have much lower emissions, but dont rely on crops used for food particularly given climate scientists warnings of the need to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Only such a proposal is unlikely to get the support of midwestern senators, for whom corn-based ethanol has become a focal point of the local economy. Or of Republicans like Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who has proposed phasing out the biofuels mandate all together. Theres an old adage in Washington that Congress will never give up control over something if it can help it. But unless Congress can come together over the next 11 months a tough proposition in any year, let alone with midterm elections coming up the ethanol program will soon fall under the control of EPA. The will leave whichever president is in office to determine production and blending requirements, with the possibility that they would swing wildly every four years. The EPA will carte blanche in my opinion, Cramer said. Where are we going to go if nothing happens? james.osborne@chron.com For nearly eight hours one day in late January, the power to Sam Bryans house blinked off after a transformer near his greater Third Ward lot blew a fuse. The same transformer has long had issues, he said, leading to blackouts at Bryans house and those of his neighbors several times a year. But in January, Bryans lights stayed on, thanks to 43 photovolatic solar panels bolted onto his roof and a battery system stored in his garage. Instead of comforting his 4-year-old, who had grown anxious during power outages since the freeze of February 2021, they played a game. It was a pretty neat experience, he said. Part of the fun was that I dont have to explain why we cant turn the lamp on. Bryan is among thousands of Texans who have turned to solar power and battery storage, creating so-called microgrids, as a solution to blackouts. With a venture creating the same little power plants for apartment buildings, Texas has become a national leader in residential solar power installations. From 2019 to 2020, small-scale solar capacity in Texas grew by 63 percent, to 1,093 megawatts from 670 megawatts, according to the Energy Information Administration. In the first three quarters of 2021, another 250 megawatts of residential solar were installed in the state, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. In last years third quarter alone, Texas ranked second behind California in the amount of power from new installations during the period, the industrys Washington, D.C. trade group said. On HoustonChronicle.com: Biden looks to extract critical minerals from coal waste, to aid clean energy goals Surging demand for residential solar power in Texas after the February 2021 freeze put pressure on installers to keep up, said Abigail Hopper, president and CEO of the association. The race to buy new rooftop panels has slowed some, she said, but Texas remains among the top three states for new installations. And the shrinking price of solar cells will help support its growing popularity, Hopper said. I think as more and more Americans really struggle with the impact of severe weather everything from fires, the cold, hurricanes, droughts and see the impacts on power and power outages, youre going to continue to see folks looking for resiliency, Hopper said. A house as its own microgrid Rooftop solar systems and other residential generators like those powered by diesel or batteries can create microgrids to power an individual house or be linked to others in a neighborhood. They can operate as part of the main power grid like the one managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas that almost collapsed last year or they can disconnect and be managed autonomously during a power outage. The flip of a switch can disconnect a microgrid from the larger utility, says Stephen Bayne, department chair of electrical and computer engineering at Texas Tech University. It can be as simple as a breaker in a garage or a computer system that automatically disconnects from the grid when theres a disruption. More advanced microgrid systems, sometimes known as virtual power plants, can track usage, generation and battery storage across multiple buildings. It also prevents the microgrids power from flowing to the wider grid during emergencies. So lets say the grid has to turn off for some reason, say in Houston you had flooding and part of grid is underwater, but not a certain community, Bayne said. That area could still lose power for days, but if the community had a microgrid, it could disconnect and use a diesel generator, battery storage, solar it could keep grid going, or at least keep critical loads going for a while. On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas grid survives winter storm, but no stress test While connected to the wider system, some microgrids can reduce strain on the utility grid, Bayne said, even when power is flowing normally. Think about it: If every household has an electric vehicle and that has to charge at night, especially in rural areas, is the infrastructure ready for that? What if a natural disaster comes through and wipes out part of that infrastructure and peoples cars cant work? he said. Microgrids could handle some of that, and its cheaper sometimes to build distributed generation than run new transmission lines. The power of batteries For solar installations, that kind of resiliency requires large-capacity batteries that are charged during the day and provide power at night. But the batteries became scarce last year amid limited stockpiles of mined lithium and the soaring demand for electric vehicles. Without storage options, some potential clients of residential solar company Sunnova backed out of deals, said John Berger, founder and CEO of the Houston-based company. You can imagine if you have a customer saying, Id love to get a battery and solar, and you have to say, Well actually we cant get batteries, it limited sales severely, Berger said. Now were quite optimistic and are seeing a further increase in solar sales. On HoustonChronicle.com: Solar poised to double footprint in Texas, grow worldwide, report finds No longer written off Until now, the vast majority of the nations solar system sales were to homeowners, since leases usually prevent renters from installing panels on their roofs. But PearlX, which is based in Virginia, and the Israeli firm Solar Edge announced last month they aim to provide rooftop solar to 1,300 renters across Texas, starting with about 10 at the 2410 Waugh Apartments in Montrose. PearlX will pay the landlord to lease roof space for the solar panels, batteries and other equipment provided by Solar Edge, and tenants who tap these virtual power plants for electricity will pay a fee split between PearlX and the landlord. Tenants wont need to provide credit scores to be eligible, just proof of paid electric bills, said Michael Huerta, CEO of PearlX. Renters have been blocked out of solar, but were trying to change that, he said. The tenant experience is so important. we have to make sure they all feel good about this, not just when the lights go out. In addition to the protection renters will have during power outages, PearlXs Project TexFlex also will help them slash their electric bills without the large upfront costs of the system. For instance, Bryan, paid about $66,000 for his solar and battery storage system, though a federal tax credit it will cut the total cost to about $40,000. But, he said, his electric bill in December was $5, compared with about $200 a year earlier. If the solar unit produces more electricity than Bryan and his family can use, it will send that power to ERCOTs grid and hell receive a credit from his electricity retailer. Bryan estimates that it will take about 9 years for the system to pay for itself, but he said the system gives him peace of mind. He no longer worries whether hell have power when the weather gets bad. Were in Houston, we get a lot of storms and power goes out all the time, Bryan said. And its doing some good for the world, making all these kilowatt hours from the sun for free and not from burning carbon. It felt really cool to make a good contribution to the world and to ourselves. shelby.webb@chron.com WASHINGTON - After years of debate the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission voted to subject natural gas projects to tougher review of future greenhouse gas emissions before approval. The move, which was opposed by Republicans on the committee, formalizes a more rigorous approach to climate change since FERC Chairman Richard Glick took over the commission last year, requiring developers of gas pipelines and liquefied natural gas terminals to consider not only their own project's emissions but those of the customers they supply natural gas to. "If we continue to turn a blind eye to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, we are only going to add more legal uncertainty," Glick, a Democrat, said Thursday. "My hope is this policy statement provides developers, consumers, land owners and residents of impacted communities with a more legally durable path forward." RELATED: Climate reviews on pipelines drive tension at FERC The move stands to add momentum to efforts by the Biden administration and many world leaders to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, further imperiling the economic future of places like Texas, where oil and gas is a central part of the economy. While oil, natural gas, and coal continue to supply the majority of the world's energy, nations worldwide are shifting towards wind, solar and other clean energy sources in a bid to reduce emissions. Oil and gas companies castigated the decision as likely to delay the construction of new gas infrastructure, raising energy costs at a time natural gas is already selling at its highest levels in eight years. "FERCs actions today unfortunately insert more uncertainty into the process and will only add more delays on top of an already overly bureaucratic process that is hampering the vital pipeline and other energy infrastructure needed to deliver and export natural gas," Robin Rorick, a vice president at the American Petroleum Institute, said in a statement. Sen. Joe Manchin, the centrist Democrat from West Virginia, called the decision "reckless" and said it, "puts the security of our nation at risk." Since the Supreme Court ruled in 2007 the federal government must regulate carbon dioxide emissions, the question of how FERC should consider pipelines and other facilities that transport natural gas has been the subject of regular litigation. Last summer the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals found that FERC failed to adequately consider greenhouse gas emissions in approving the Texas LNG Brownsville facility on the Gulf Coast, though allowed the project to move ahead. Under the interim policy approved by FERC Thursday, developers will be required to provide FERC detailed analysis of future emissions along with plans to offset those emissions, potentially by capturing carbon dioxide and storing it underground, a technology many oil and gas companies are pursuing. Environmental groups had pushed for such a policy from FERC for years, arguing that whatever short-term economic benefits a new pipeline might bring were far outweighed by their contribution to climate change. "This is a historic day where FERC is starting to make the transformational change it knows it has to make to comport with the law," said Gillian Giannetti, an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. "For too long, these reviews have just been a rubber stamp exercise. In its decision Thursday, FERC did not set a limit on how much greenhouse gas a natural gas project could produce. Glick said emissions would be weighed against a project's benefits, like providing needed energy for society. But developers will now face a tougher bar than they did in years past, potentially lengthening the timeline on what is already a long and costly process to get natural gas infrastructure projects approved and survive legal challenges from environmental groups. Commissioner James Danly, a Republican, who along with Commissioner Mark Christie, voted against the policy change, questioned whether pipeline developers would even bother submitting applications under the new rules. "Imagine being in the shoes of one of the project sponsors and ask yourself after reading this policy statement whether you actually have an idea of what the commission requires of you," he said. "What lengths would you go to in order to try and satisfy the commission's inarticulate and ambiguous standards where they say we encourage you to go and conduct as much mitigation as you can and say, 'come back, and we'll tell you if it is good enough.'" For those developers that decide to go ahead, far more rigorous analysis will be required on climate impacts, considering not just a pipeline or LNG terminal's emissions but any increase in natural gas consumption they might facilitate. For an LNG terminal that might ship out more than 15 million tons of LNG a year - enough to produce more than 40 million metric tons of carbon dioxide - convincing FERC that such a project is in the public interest could be a tough sell. "It's going to be a balancing test where the emissions go into a blender along with a number of other factors and FERC makes an assessment," said Giannetti. "And when you give (climate) the weight it deserves, it could play a role in determining that some projects get denied." From your favorite yoga pants to your cozy fleece or trusted sneakers, chances are you wear a little bit of plastic every day. The fashion industry is awash with plastics with some studies finding nearly half of fast-fashion womens clothing brands are made of new plastics like polyester, acrylic, nylon and elastane. The ubiquitous presence of plastics in fashion didnt sit well with Zimri T. Hinshaw, who was studying economics at Temple University in Pennsylvania when he was setting out to start a luxury fashion company. While researching, Hinshaw stumbled on the idea of making materials from kombucha a type of fermented tea. Specifically, the base of kombucha known as SCOBY, a rubbery ingredient made when bacteria or yeast form a culture in the right environment. With some experimenting, Hinshaw found you could combine this material with other plant-based ingredients and polymers to create a leather-like substance. He started drying out sheets of SCOBY under his roommates bed in his dorm room, eventually launching his own startup in 2019, called Bucha Bio Inc. He became a self-taught novice scientist, and participated IndieBio, a startup accelerator by the venture capital firm SOSV aimed at providing biotech startups with funding and mentorship. What started as a fashion company quickly broadened as Hinshaw found the substance could be modified and used in place of polyurethane, latex, vinyl and epoxy in packaging and even hard construction materials. Now, with fresh funding and recruits from oil and chemical firms, Bucha Bio is setting a new headquarters in Houston, laying the groundwork of what Hinshaw hopes will become a growing biotech brand. Were in Houston because were trying to tap into the existing chemical infrastructure here, said Hinshaw, 22, in an interview. Were actually using the same equipment that plastics manufacturers use, but our materials are ones that dont kill the planet. Hinshaw is relocating from New York City, but he became familiar with Texas when he spent part of his junior high school years in San Antonio. But it wasnt just his Texas connections that made him interested in Houston. After consulting with some mentors, he realized Houston could put him at a hub for the plastics industry where hed have access to the tools and talent to support his startup. A business-friendly environment and burgeoning green-tech ecosystem in the city helped too. Houston is such a gem for business entrepreneurship, climate tech and bio tech, he said. MORE HQ MOVES: Renewable energy firm Archaea Energy to move to M-K-T in The Heights Bucha Bio is in the process of setting up its headquarters at East End Maker Hub, the industrial startup incubator in Houstons East End. Since opening in 2021, East End Maker Hub has now grown to house about 50 companies, according to Urban Partnerships Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit real estate firm that co-developed the project with TxRX Labs. Bucha Bio also has some desk space and a membership at Greentown Labs, the green technology incubator in Midtown Houston across from The Ion that opened last spring and is now home to 60 companies. Bucha is positioned to tap into a diverse talent pool from universities such as Rice, University of Houston, and Texas A&M, [and] a wealth of extant talent which is looking to transition their careers, said Jason Ethier, senior director of memberships at Greentown Houston, in a statement. Already Bucha Bio has hired a handful of scientists looking to transition their careers -- including Alex Kalin Ph.D, formerly with Halliburton, and Carolina Amin Ferril Ph.D, who worked with a major global shoe company at her time at Novation iQ. RELATED: Hard to recycle plastics gets new life at Houston facility Bucha Bio is setting up a 1,000 square-foot wet lab space at East End Maker Hub, where in what Hinshaw hopes will be a permanent prototyping space for the company. In October, Bucha Bio closed a $550,000 pre-seed funding round led by Houston-based venture capital fund New Climate Ventures. To date, Bucha Bio has raised about $813,000 and is in the process of raising more to help it start up. New Climate Ventures was attracted to Bucha Bio because of its efforts to advance the sustainable materials industry, said Eric Rubenstein, New Climate Ventures Managing Partner, in a statement. Bucha Bios move to Houston marks a milestone for their ability to keep up with the growing demand for their products and for our shared vision of a clean environment for generations to come, said Rubenstein said. Monday Creating a Sales Plan: Webinar hosted by SCORE. 10 a.m.-noon. Registration: www.houston.score.org. JS101 Work Teams A Weekly Accountability Group: Hosted by JS101, 2-4 p.m. Registration: JS101.org/workshops. Tuesday CCIM Houston/Gulf Coast Chapter: Young Professionals networking happy hour. 5-7 p.m., Moonshine Deck, 1239 W. 19th St. Information: https://ccimhouston.org/event-4691717. Association of Commercial Real Estate Professionals: Kick Off to Cook Off Happy Hour. 4:30-7 p.m., Kirby Ice House Memorial Location, 1015 Gessner. Information: acrp.org. Visegrad Four: Recharging Europe Business Forum: The Greater Houston Partnership will host an event for members with the ambassadors of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. 2-3 p.m., Partnership Tower, 701 Avenida de las Americas. Information: houston.org/events. Registration: Gabby Aslaksen at gaslaksen@houston.org or (713) 844-3606. Advanced Legal Research: Online class hosted by Fort Bend County Law Library, 10-11 a.m. Registration: fortbend.lib.tx.us or call 281-341-3718. The Art of Marketing Yourself to People: Hosted by JS101, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Registration: JS101.org/workshops. Wednesday Small Business Administration 8(a) Certification and Doing Business with City, Port and METRO: Webinar hosted by SCORE. 10 a.m.-noon. The 8(a) program can be a valuable tool for socially and economically disadvantaged small business owners who have been in business for at least two years. Registration: www.houston.score.org. Building Your Brand Story: Hosted by the San Jacinto College SBDC. 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Clear Lake Chamber Of Commerce, 1201 E. NASA Parkway. Information: www.sbdc.uh.edu. French-American Chamber of Commerce: Online Business Talk with Geostock Sandia and Vallourec. 9-10 a.m. Topic: Challenges to Bring the Underground Hydrogen Storage to Scale. Information: facctexas.com. Interviewing in Todays World, Closing the Deal: Hosted by JS101, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Registration: JS101.org/workshops. Goal Planning Start to Finish, Why Dreaming Isnt Enough: Hosted by JS101, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Registration: JS101.org/workshops. Thursday Formatting in MS Word: Online computer class for legal professionals hosted by Fort Bend County Law Library. 10-11 a.m. Registration: fortbend.lib.tx.us or call 281-341-3718. LinkedIn 101: Hosted by the Houston Center SBDC. 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 1455 W. Loop South. Information: www.sbdc.uh.edu. LinkedIn Company Research and Job Boards: Hosted by JS101, 10 a.m.-noon. Registration: JS101.org/workshops. Coping Skills, Stress and the Unknown: Hosted by JS101, 2-4 p.m. Registration: JS101.org/workshops. Friday Personality Assessments - Revealing Your Superpowers: Hosted by JS101, 10 a.m.-noon. Registration: JS101.org/workshops. Journaling Your Way to a Better Mindset: Hosted by JS101, 10 a.m.-noon. Registration: JS101.org/workshops. katherine.feser@chron.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate If I were a space scientist, I know where Id get my burger fix. Its a brightly decorated little slot of a joint catty-corner from the gates of the NASA Space Center in the Bay Area, where you order both old-school numbers and personally customized burgers from big modern digital screens. The choices range from standard to wild, along the lines of Flaming Hot Cheetos, grape jelly, peanut butter or Philadelphia cream cheese. Burger Nation boasts the kind of origin myth in which Houston seems to specialize. To wit: a trio of mixed international backgrounds brothers Tony and Mike Mistry, plus their buddy Jesse Rojas start a restaurant based on a foundational American food genre. The wrinkle, in this case, is that the trio did this in Victoria, the small city on the Coastal Bend thats 125 miles from Houston down Interstate 69. Four years later, in 2015, they were successful enough to start a second store across from NASA, with a Houston address and a physical location on the edge of Nassau Bay. Thats the spot I hit this week on my burger rounds. Burger Nation has another, newer location in the Silverlake area of Pearland, too, that opened just last summer. Burger Nation 1400 E. NASA Pkwy., Suite F; 281-549-7090 See More Collapse I did quirk a jaded urban eyebrow at the company slogan, which is Awesome burgers for awesome people by awesome people. Thats a lot of awesome. But I was curious to see what coals Burger Nation had brought to the Greater Houston Metropolitan Statistical Area, where we are well supplied with burgers native and imported. Heres what I discovered. PRICE: $7.52 for the All-American cheeseburger; $5.39 for a chocolate shake, for a tax-but-not-tip-included price of $12.91. ORDERING: Step up to the counter, where two large digital screens allow you to scroll easily through the menu and pick from the many signature burgers, customized build your own options and sides. Theyll call your name when your food is ready. Or you can order online through the Toast app. ARCHITECTURE: Salad stuff on the bottom; checkerboard tissue swaddling. On a griddle-toasted sourdough bun goes a swipe of mustard and mayo, a layer of thin dill pickle slices, circles of red onion, sliced tomato and a big leaf of romaine lettuce. Next comes the beef patty, topped with melted American cheese, and some more mustard and mayo to finish. A fancy toothpick holds the stack together. QUALITY: Lots of fresh crunch and frisky mustard-and-pickle action give this burger its welcome oomph. On a sandwich level, the All-American really works, and it rings the archetypal Texas flavor profile bells. The beef involved was nothing earthshaking, but it was good in its quiet fashion, it is never frozen, and I was happy with my choice of a single patty instead of a double. And the sourdough bun was dense and springy enough to do its job admirably. It felt different enough from the usual soft-crumbed buns to give the whole package a distinct personality. In short, I would be very happy even eager to eat this burger again. OOZE RATING: Fair. Even cooked well done, the patty shed enough meat juices to sluice around with the mustard and mayo and tomato water and spill onto my shirt in an impressive splash, no matter how carefully I tried to handle the tissue-wrapped package. LETTER GRADE: A minus VALUE: Very good. This acts like a premium burger at a relatively modest price. VEGETARIAN OPTION: Yes. Says the menu: This is a not the regular frozen black bean patty. We make it fresh everyday with real Idaho potatoes, bell peppers, cheese and our signature seasoning. (Keto adherents can get their burgers wrapped in a griddled cheddar cheese crisp.) BONUS POINTS: The shakes are made with actual ice cream, a blessing in this age of gluey soft-serve versions. Those little chunks of icy cream you encounter as you work your way down? Theyre like souvenirs of childhood. MINUS POINTS: I thought it would be fun to order the Green Fries, green beans lightly blanched in hot oil. It was not. The exteriors ended up with a chewy texture that felt positively chitinous. LOCAL COLOR: The strip center in which Burger Nation sits is puro Houston. Theres a pho shop, a nail boutique, a Starbucks, a dry cleaners and a Mediterranean restaurant complete with arbored-and-umbrellad patio out front. If you crane your neck, you can spot the Independence space shuttle replica that greets visitors to the Space Center. alison.cook@chron.com China's Zhejiang vows to expand middle-income group Xinhua) 09:54, February 18, 2022 BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- China's Zhejiang Province Thursday pledged a slew of measures to expand its middle-income group, aiming to spearhead the country's pursuit of common prosperity. "The goal is to form an olive-shaped social structure with the middle-income group as the mainstay," Xie Xiaobo, deputy chief of Zhejiang Provincial Development and Reform Commission, told a press conference. By 2025, 80 percent of households in the eastern province will see their annual disposable income reach 100,000 yuan (about 15,793 U.S. dollars) to 500,000 yuan. The proportion of households with an annual disposable income of 200,000 yuan to 600,000 yuan will reach 45 percent, Xie said. Special attention will be given to nine key groups such as technical workers, research personnel, college graduates, and migrant workers, said Xie. For instance, Zhejiang now provides preferential employment policies for college graduates, including lifting most restrictions on household registration, offering living and housing subsidies, and providing loans for entrepreneurial activities. Having long been high on the government agenda, common prosperity has gained particular attention since 2021 from both home and abroad as the leadership has put it in a more prominent position. An essential requirement of socialism and a key feature of Chinese-style modernization, common prosperity refers to affluence shared by everyone both in material and cultural terms. China also rolled out a guideline in 2021 to build Zhejiang into a demonstration zone for achieving this prosperity, making it an example for efforts in this regard. Looking forward, China will work on an implementation plan to expand its middle-income group, Chang Tiewei, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission, said during the same press conference. Efforts will be made to unveil measures tailored for primary groups, increase the incomes of both urban and rural residents, and help more low-income people join the middle-income group, said Chang. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) And the welcome to the Oscars goes to vaccinated nominees. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is reportedly requiring guests and nominees attending this years Oscars ceremony at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood to show proof of vaccination against COVID and at least two PCR negative tests. Advertisement Presenters and performers wont be required to do the same, but they will have to be tested. An Oscar statue stands on the red carpet outside the Kodak Theatre as preparations continue for the 82nd Academy Awards in Los Angeles, Calif., on Friday, March 5, 2010. (Amy Sancetta/ASSOCIATED PRESS) The announcement comes just a week after it was reported that the Academy had decided that guests would not be required to show proof of vaccination to attend the ceremony just a negative COVID test. Advertisement That was quickly slammed on social media by movie lovers, celebrities and politicians. Actor and producer Seth MacFarlane, who hosted the Oscars in 2013, called the decision a colossal abdication of responsible management. For this years COVID-conscious ceremony the Academy is inviting 2,500 guests to the Dolby, which normally sits around 3,300 people. Guests could be required to wear face masks according to where they are sitting. Those in the orchestra, near the stage, and the parterre, which is just behind the orchestra, wont be required to wear masks but they will be seated with more spacing than usual. The 94th Oscars will be held on March 27 at the theater, which is in Hollywood. The ceremony will be hosted by Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes. It comes after last years most unusual ceremony, which was held at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. In her spacious living room, Sheri Bailey talks about what makes her new Memorial-area home special: its bones. Most of the floors are lined with wide-plank white oak reclaimed from Fall River, Mass.; white oak beams decorate the ceiling in several rooms, too. Walls have plaster finish, and the exterior brick is covered in a lime wash and plaster wash that show a European influence. Oversized glass windows and doors add to the allure. The bones of the house were super important, said Sheri, 47, of the home she shares with husband, attorney and businessman Camp Bailey, 48, and their three children, sons who are 20 and 18, and a 13-year-old daughter. Those are the things that make the home, more than the decor. The Baileys 10,000-square-foot house finished just as the pandemic was beginning, and it provided everything they needed, with large spaces for relaxing indoors and equally comfortable outdoor spaces, with a kitchen, living/dining area, covered and uncovered patios, a pool and lush landscaping. Early on they hosted friends outdoors, socially distanced and in the fresh air. They still do, but indoor spaces include an onyx-covered bar with an adjacent refrigerated wine room. Sheri laughs that the wine room comes in handy; because its cool, she can store flowers, cakes and other things there when she hosts a party. European influences Newberry Architecture designed the house with a deft touch that blends European characteristics perfect for todays transitional style. Its roof pitches and dormers are French influenced, the exterior washes on brick and stucco is a Belgian nod. Principal Ken Newberrys focus was creating a beautiful home thats functional, with places to gather with family and friends. I am really big on designing backyard spaces like theirs so I can step back and look at the architectural detail, Newberry said. Its just as important as indoor details. You want outdoor spaces to feel like theyre flowing from the inside to the outside, so you cant just drop the details. There were other considerations for a busy family that likes to hunt and fish. They have a lot of big boy toys cars, trucks and trailers, Newberry said. They didnt want to have to back up a truck and trailer. We planned it so they can turn around in the back. Sheri can drive straight through, make a U and drive out the other side. Other details include trellises that run over arches in the motor court and the arched opening of the backyard patio, bringing greenery to places that otherwise would be plain. Inside, Newberry shows his love of ceiling treatments, using groin vaults in the foyer and nearby dining room. Im a ceiling treatment guy, Newberry said. I love groin vaults, but I like them big. I will play with walking through shorter spaces to taller spaces so a human visitor has an experience of the spatial relationships while walking through. Joining forces Sheri Bailey and her friend and business partner, Maggie Vermillion, went through every detail, a big project for their Bailey Vermillion Interiors firm. The two met several years ago when their daughters were in preschool. Not only are their daughters both 13 now still best friends, so are Sheri and Maggie. Maggie, a UT business grad with public relations experience, also attended the New York School of Interior Design when she and her husband, a hedge fund manager, lived there. When they returned to Houston, Abigail was 2, and when she took her to preschool, she met Sheri, and the two instantly clicked. Both over the years have helped a variety of friends decorate their homes. Maggie was contemplating shifting into business mode, formally opening a design firm and knew she wanted her friend Sheri as a partner. But would Sheri want to take that step? We were already doing design work for free for people, Sheri said. We had paint chips and libraries of samples. My husband would say, You could have a paying job for the amount of work youre doing. It wasnt just about the money, it was the reward of creating something, they both said of their now 5-year-old business. The interiors The dining room, which you see almost on entering the home, has a massive table with oversized chairs Sheri explains that everything needed to be bigger. Not only is the room large, but Camp is 6 feet, 6 inches tall and shes 5 feet, 9 inches tall, without heels. When they use the dining room, they always have at least 10 people, so theres another good reason for the scale. A chandelier with metalwork that looks like foliage, a custom-made piece from Cox lighting in London, hangs over the table. Walls and ceiling have a dark gray plaster finish by the artists at Segreto. Maggie points to the print fabric in the draperies to prove how two minds are better than one. When looking at fabric, Sheri first was drawn to something more traditional. Maggie shook her head: Thats just not you. You need something more contemporary. In the open main living area, you can move from the living room to the bar and wine room, a cozy room, breakfast area and the kitchen. Beyond the kitchen theres a substantial butlers pantry/caterers kitchen, so the work of hosting can be kept out of sight. The kitchen is finished with Calacatta marble, with Rose Uniacke pendant lights. The cabinets here and in the butlers pantry are painted Farrow & Balls Down Pipe, a deep gray that in this house has distinct blue undertones. A pair of settees in the middle of everything comprises their cozy space, where the family often gathers, similar to a morning or keeping room. This one brings in subtle color in a pair of settees along with a rug in muted coral and neutrals. The living room, with a pair of large sofas and a couple of chairs, gets more use when they have company, but its also perfect for game day, when two chests flanking the fireplace reveal their true contents: TVs on hydraulic lifts. Hanging over it all is a massive iron chandelier, which grew in size after they marked their original plan on the floor during construction and knew it was just not big enough. The primary bedroom grew in size, too, when Camp walked into the home under construction and felt cramped. They extended the back wall out about 8 feet, having to pour more foundation for it. But it also opened the opportunity to have two entrances to the suites bathroom, that has separate spaces for sinks for Sheri and Camp with an adjoining space for the shower and bathtub. They each have their own closets, with hers finished boutique style and his with a leather top for the built-in island-style dresser. The only real places Camp was concerned about were the garage and his man cave, a room they all call the Trophy Room. Its where he displays trophy mounts in a way that satisfies him and keeps Sheri happy that theyre not all spread throughout the rest of the home. The powder bath at the front of the home was one of the first rooms finished and remains one of Sheris favorites. Theres another wall by Segreto, inspired by a wallpaper pattern but looking much more like plaster. The floors have beautiful Kelly Wearstler tile found at the now-shuttered Walker Zanger store here, and a long soapstone counter with wall-mount faucet, sconces and a simple mirror are the perfect combination. diane.cowen@chron.com Melissa Lucios family is torn apart over the 2007 death of her toddler that landed her on Texas death row. Her mother, sisters and some of her children say there is no evidence of a murder, and it was an accident that Lucios 2-year-old daughter Mariah fell down a flight of rickety stairs outside their Harlingen home. But two daughters say Lucio abused and neglected Mariah and is responsible for her death. Lucio, a 52-year-old mother of 14, is on death row. She is scheduled for execution April 27, and if she is put to death she would be the first Latina in Texas history to be executed in the modern era, and the first Texas woman in nearly a decade. Several family members spoke in Houston on Friday as part of a statewide tour to promote a 2020 Hulu documentary that makes a case that the state is on the brink of executing an innocent woman. Interviews and archival footage in the film back her post conviction lawyers argument that she confessed under duress, in part to shield one of her older daughters from responsibility for Mariahs death. Evidence not presented by Lucio's defense lawyer indicated that one of the daughters told an investigator she was the one responsible, according to deleted scenes from the documentary shared with the Houston Chronicle. At the Houston rally, a small group of Lucios family members, along with the documentary director and members of Death Penalty Action, gathered downtown with signs and flyers asking the public to watch the film and sign a petition requesting a stay of execution. Yi-Chin Lee, Photographer / Staff photographer Yi-Chin Lee, Photographer / Staff photographer Yi-Chin Lee, Photographer / Staff photographer Yi-Chin Lee, Photographer / Staff photographer Yi-Chin Lee, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Lucios 5-year-old grandson, Elijah, was among them. He pranced around his relatives as they chanted, handing out flyers. My sister is innocent, Sonya Valencia Alvarez said at the rally, her voice breaking. This is an innocent woman. This is a loving mother of 14 children who was sent to death. Lucios lawyers say a history sexual abuse, domestic violence, poverty and drug addiction made Lucio especially vulnerable to police interrogation tactics. They believe that, like many others unversed in the legal system who spend hours in interrogation rooms, Lucio made a false confession. They say Lucios prosecution was hampered by unexplored evidence, corruption as well as echoes of bigotry and oppression. The documentary, The State of Texas vs. Melissa, reveals harrowing details of the Cameron County mothers struggle to raise her children while living in abject poverty, and sometimes without a home. She was sexually abused as a child by family members and later endured domestic violence. Her son recalled that she locked herself in the bathroom of their too-small apartment every day to get away from her children and get high. Police and medical examiners said the 2-year-olds autopsy showed severe signs of trauma and abuse due to significant bruising, a broken arm, pulled patches of hair and bite marks, according to the documentary. Experts concluded her death was due to head trauma and severe child abuse. The film director lays out evidence of how police used Lucios distant behavior during a lengthy interrogation while she was pregnant with twins to push her to reenact her alleged abuse of the 2-year-old on a doll. They used it before the jury as evidence that she was guilty of extreme abuse and neglect that led to her daughters death. Lucios case is also awaiting consideration before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The film, and a mountain of legal filings by the Innocence Project indicate a Texas Ranger may have coerced her confession and she was prosecuted by a district attorney under a cloud of corruption. The film also makes the case that her defense lawyer did very little to defend her. Lucio turned down a plea offer before trial that came with a 30-year prison term, saying she was innocent. A jury convicted her of capital murder in 2008. Lucios lawyers argue that exculpatory evidence the defense lawyer had in hand was not presented at her trial. They have also raised concerns that her case was prosecuted under former Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos, who was later sentenced to 13 years in prison for bribery and corruption. Yi-Chin Lee, Photographer / Staff photographer Yi-Chin Lee, Photographer / Staff photographer Yi-Chin Lee, Photographer / Staff photographer Yi-Chin Lee, Photographer / Staff photographer Yi-Chin Lee, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Her lawyers won a January 2019 federal court ruling by a three-judge appellate panel who found she was denied her constitutional right to present a complete defense at trial. The full panel of 17 judges later heard the case. Some 5th U.S. Circuit judges agreed Lucio was denied a fair trial, but the majority concluded that due to procedural technicalities, she was barred from retrial, and they upheld the execution. The Supreme Court declined to review her petition last summer. Officials from the Cameron County DA and Texas Attorney Generals Office did not respond to requests for comment. While its clear Lucio was not a perfect mother, her family says she didnt abuse the children and she should not be facing the death chamber for failure and neglect. Her sister Sonya said she believes Lucio was a pawn. I believe Melissa was guilty to them from the first time she walked into the Harlingen police department, Alvarez said. To me this trial was staged. She didnt stand a chance. rebecca.hennes@chron.com Editor's Note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Melissa Lucio would be the first Latina put to death in Texas in the modern era. Each week, Chronicle health reporters field questions about the latest on COVID-19, vaccines and pandemic living. In this weeks COVID Help Desk: Whether animals catch COVID, what you should know about vaccination during pregnancy and where omicron is still raging. As COVID-19 infections plummet across much of the globe, new cases are on the rise in Southeast Asia. Indonesia reported skyrocketing positivities last week, leading officials to renew travel restrictions. Malaysia and Thailand also saw sharp increases. Cases in Singapore tripled. Medical experts say one holiday is to blame: Lunar New Year. The festival, celebrated in China and other Asian countries on the first new moon of the lunar calendar, fell on Feb. 1 this year. Soon afterwards, COVID infections began to tick upward, presumably due to holiday gatherings. In Hong Kong, authorities reported ballooning case counts, despite its strict "zero-COVID" containment policies. The citys healthcare system has been overwhelmed by the sudden surge, with BBC reporting that some patients are being treated outside crowded hospitals. Edwin Tsui, an official with Hong Kongs Centre for Health Protection, called the spike an after-effect of the Lunar holiday and said health officials expect more cases in the coming days. In the U.S., just one state is reporting massive increases in COVID cases. As of this week, Maine is averaging more new infections than at any time during the pandemic. The Pine Tree States cases appear to be climbing like a staircase. But health authorities there have an excuse for bucking the nationwide trend. There has not been some remarkable super-spreader event in Maine, Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. The reason for the increased number of cases is we have been working through the backlog of positive test results that were awaiting processing. Can pets get COVID? In short, yes. The virus that causes COVID-19 can spread from people to animals during close contact, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. While rare, infections have been reported in both cats and dogs throughout the pandemic. Luckily, the risk of pets spreading COVID to people is low. Cats and dogs with COVID have reportedly experienced mild symptoms that include fever, coughing and lethargy. Most have fully recovered. The CDC urges anyone who thinks their pet may have the virus to consult a veterinarian. The federal health agency issued an urgent plea to owners: Do not put masks on pets. White-tailed deer in Iowa are also susceptible to COVID. A joint study by Houston Methodist and Penn State University found that 80 percent of white-tailed deer sampled across Iowa at the height of last years deer-hunting season tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Scientists believe the original strain may have spread from humans to deer hosts early in the pandemic. Its unknown if white-tailed deer in Texas harbor COVID. Scientists are encouraging hunters and those living in close proximity to deer to be vigilant when handling or field-dressing the animals. How does vaccination during pregnancy affect the newborn? Expectant mothers who get vaccinated while pregnant give their babies some immunity against COVID-19, according to a new CDC study. Newborns were 61 percent less likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 in their first six months of life if their mother had received at least two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine during pregnancy, researchers found. The shots were especially effective when given 21 weeks into the pregnancy or later. The study of 480 babies, published Tuesday, is the first real-world evidence that maternal vaccination protects the babies too. Until this study, we have not yet had data to demonstrate whether these antibodies might provide protection for the baby against COVID-19,Dr. Dana Meaney-Delman, an obstetrician and CDC researcher said during a briefing. Doctors across Houston and southern states reported an uptick in pregnant COVID patients during the delta and omicron surges. But vaccination rates among pregnant women remain very low. Many mothers worry about the effects the vaccine will have on their unborn child, and doctors are struggling to dispel fear from soon-to-be parents. Pregnant women who contract COVID are more likely to experience preterm birth, stillbirth, and other complications. nora.mishanec@chron.com Texas experienced a spike in deaths the week of the February 2021 winter storm unlike any other in the past six decades, another data point that suggests fatalities attributable to the disaster are far higher than the states official count. The Texas Department of State Health Services in December said the storm killed 246 people, from various causes, including hypothermia, carbon monoxide and medical emergencies caused by the loss of electricity. A Houston Chronicle analysis of weekly deaths in Texas since 1964, however, found more than 1,000 deaths during the third week of February in 2021, that could not be explained by historical patterns or COVID-19. Its clear something is going on there, said Dr. Bob Anderson, chief of mortality for the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, which also tracks excess death data. Thats a pretty big jump in February that seems to correlate with the blackout. Its theoretically possible that something else could be driving that, but it seems pretty compelling. Texas communities from the Panhandle to Rio Grande Valley experienced below freezing temperatures for several days. Widespread blackouts beginning Feb. 14 left more than 4 million homes and businesses without power; for many, electricity was the only source of heat. Freezing pipes led to boil water advisories for more than 12 million Texans. In the Houston area alone, Rodrick Draper, 47, froze to death in a vehicle in Acres Homes; Pramod Bhattarai, 23, died from carbon monoxide after using a charcoal grill indoors, and four members of a family perished in Sugar Land after a fireplace blaze they had started for heat grew out of control. Texas, like every state, has experienced far more deaths than expected since March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, which further obscures the increase in fatalities the week of the freeze. The Chronicle examined weekly deaths since 1964, when the state health department began keeping those records, to view the freeze week in a historical context. The winter storm and outages occurred during the winter 2021 COVID-19 wave in Texas. A total of 6,484 Texans died during the seven-day period, the eighth-deadliest week during the pandemic, according to state health department data. Excluding the coronavirus deaths makes the spike in fatalities clearer. Without them, the freeze week stands not only as the deadliest of the pandemic, but perhaps the deadliest in Texas history, except for the second week of September 1900, when a hurricane struck Galveston and killed 6,000 to 12,000 people. Raw numbers are a flawed metric because as the population of Texas grows, so does the annual number of deaths. The freeze, however, also stands alone when measured by deviation from historical trends. Two stand out. The first is the size of the one-week spike in deaths. Past years saw periods of elevated deaths, especially during winter flu seasons. However, only the week of the freeze, excluding COVID deaths, had at least 15% more fatalities than the preceding and following weeks. The second shatters the expected number of deaths based on historical patterns. Comparing different parts of a single year is difficult because of the cyclic seasonality of deaths in Texas, which peak in winter and dip in summer. So, the Chronicle compared the number of deaths each third week of February from 1964 through 2019. On average, deaths grew at a rate of 2.0% during that period; prior to 2021, the highest single-year increase was 15%. During the week of the 2021 freeze and blackouts, deaths jumped 29% from the year before. Excluding virus deaths, no other week of the pandemic saw an increase that high. Of the 2,860 weeks between 1964 and 2019, only six had a greater year-over-year jump in deaths. So, how many Texans died because of the blackouts and winter storm? Experts say that question, because of all the variables surrounding deaths that week, is difficult to answer. Based on historical trends, deaths for the week of the winter storm should have increased slightly more than 4 percent compared to 2019 the last pre-pandemic year. This produces a projection of 4,142 deaths. However, Texas tallied 6,484 deaths that week. Subtracting 1,212 recorded COVID-19 fatalities, leaves 1,130 deaths unexplained. Is 1,130 the death toll from the blackouts? Probably not, said Anderson of the CDC. He said other potential drivers of deaths must be factored in, including undiagnosed COVID deaths and non-virus deaths caused by the pandemics strain on the health care system. These occur every week, however, and cannot account for the surge in deaths during the freeze. Some of these excess deaths are going to be due to these other causes, for sure, Anderson said. You just wouldnt expect those to spike in a single week. This week, Israeli statistician Ariel Karlinsky presented to the Legislature his research that concluded an extra 814 Texans died during the storm and blackouts than otherwise would have based on historic trends. Karlinsky said he believes the states tally of 246, which the health commissioner said included deaths directly and indirectly attributable to the storm, is inaccurate. He expressed disappointment the death toll has become a partisan point of contention between Republicans and Democrats. What is to be done whether its winterizing, connecting the power grid, subsidizing it, thats a political and economic question, Karlinsky said. The number of people who died is not. zach.despart@chron.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Houston Police should accept the countys new library card as a form of identification, following a similar initiative in San Antonio, a group of immigrants said at a protest Thursday. The Harris County Public Library plans to roll out an enhanced library card in about a month that will include the holders photo, printed name, address, date of birth and gender marker. It will also feature an expiration date, a UV-design security feature, and a machine-readable barcode. Traditional library cards will still be available, but the new one can serve as a supplemental photo ID for those who need it, said Linda Stevens, division director of Programs, Partnerships & Outreach at the library. It would help the most vulnerable communities that cannot obtain a state ID, said Damaris Gonzalez, immigration rights organizer for the civic nonprofit Texas Organizing Project. TOP organized a protest Thursday urging HPD Chief Troy Finner to accept the new card as a form of identification when HPD officers interact with residents,. Finner reportedly told TOP leaders last summer that he would conside accepting the new cards as identification. The San Antonio Police Department agreed last year to accept a Bexar County enhanced library card as a supplemental form of identification. But Houston has not made a decision, Gonzalez said. We are still waiting, and (Finner) is not responding to our numerous calls, she said. On HoustonChronicle.com: Treated like animals: Immigrants offer look inside smuggling operation HPD didnt respond to a request for comment Thursday. The Harris County library system requested a legal opinion from the Harris County Attorneys Office to determine whether the cards can be used as legal identification. Stevens said they are awaiting a response. The Houston Police Department already accepts some consular identification cards, including those issued by the consulates of Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua. Over half of the citys foreign-born population came from those countries. However, Houston has over 90 diplomatic representations and foreign-born residents from other Latin American countries, Africa, Europe, Asia and other regions that can face difficulties to obtain forms of identification accepted by HPD and other governmental institutions. On HoustonChronicle.com: Harris County hosts 2nd-largest population of immigrants fighting deportation I am a member of the community who is not able to obtain a state identification due to my immigration status, said Josefina Zuniga, a migrant from Mexico at the demonstration who said that she lived in fear of being arrested and deported every time she drives or cannot provide an ID issued by a Texas or U.S. institution. I am a single mother of five beautiful children, and I work hard to provide for my kids, said Zuniga, who works selling food and kitchen supplies on her own. No children should live with the fear of being separated from their parents. According to TOP, even people whose countries issue consular cards accepted by the HPD can face difficulties obtaining them. Maria Brecedra, a woman from Mexico, said that her adult daughter hasnt been able to get a consular ID in Houston because her name is misspelled on her birth certificate. They told us at the consulate that mistakes need to be corrected in Mexico, said Brecedra. The family doesnt have relatives that could help them fix the issue in their country of origin and traveling back is not an option for undocumented people, she said. TOP is exploring similar initiatives in Dallas and other Texas cities. olivia.tallet@chron.com Twitter.com/oliviaptallet Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has put a temporary hold on a preliminary injunction that had blocked enforcement of a rule that keeps local election officials from encouraging voters to request mail-in ballots, according to Harris County officials. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez last week halted enforcement of a provision of Senate Bill 1 that made it a crime for election officials to solicit mail-in ballots. The judge said the law likely violates the First Amendment. Kendall Jenner's new tequila brand, 818 Tequila, is accused of ripping off a Texas-based brand in a new lawsuit. ClipBandits, LLC, the seller of Austin-based tequila company 512 Tequila, is suing 818 Tequila, Jenner's fairly new tequila brand which is owned by K & Soda, LLC, for trademark infringement, false designation of origin, and unfair competition. The suit alleges Jenner's brand "blatantly" copied 512 branding. ClipBandits, LLC said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court in the Central District of California that the "Kardashian-Jenner family strikes again." The suit calls out the 818 brand's similarities to the 512 brand's "distinctive and immediately recognizable" logo and color scheme, referring to its 512 mark in black lettering inside a vertical yellow rectangle. "Out of the entire world of colors and shapes to use for product design, Defendant chose to copy Plaintiffs distinctive black lettering inside a vertical yellow rectangle that has acquired so much goodwill over the years," the lawsuit states. Valle Makoff LLP The lawsuit also points out how close the names are, with both being based area codes. 818 is a popular northern Los Angeles area code, and 512 is a popular Austin area code. "Out of the entire world of naming options open to it, Defendant chose a 3-digit brand name with a central 1 that, like Plaintiffs 512, is a prominent area code," the lawsuit says. By doing so, ClipBandits, LLC alleges that 818 Tequila, owned by K & Soda, LLC, is aiming to steal 512's customer base by confusing and deceiving them into falsely believing that the two are affiliated. RELATED: Travis Scott loses Cacti spiked seltzer deal with Anheuser-Busch following Astroworld tragedy 818 Tequila offers Blanco, Reposado and Anejo tequila made out of 100 percent blue weber agaves and handcrafted in Jalisco, Mexico, according to its website. Blanco retails at $45 in Texas, Reposado sells for $59 and Anejo retails at $69. With a focus on sustainability, its distillery doesn't use fossil fuels but instead runs on biomass and solar power, according to its website. "The area code 818 is home to me, but the earth is home to all of us," said Jenner on the brand's website. 512 Tequila is less expensive, with its Blanco tequila retailing at $30.99, its Reposado at $35.99, and its Anejo at $40.99 something that ClipBandits LLC alleges in the lawsuit adds to the confusion between the products. ClipBandits, LLC also pointed out an alleged incident in May 2021 in which 818 Tequila promoted its tequila as a virtual produce that could be purchased on Jenners sisters mobile app game, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood, but an image of a bottle of 512 Tequila was used instead, according to the lawsuit. "Plaintiff did not authorize this use in any way," the lawsuit states. "Either Defendant intentionally used Plaintiff's bottle, hoping to further blur the lines between the two products, or Defendant was itself confused about the difference between the two brands. Either way the incident further shows how invidious Defendant's infringement is, and that it must be stopped." A spokesperson for 818 Tequila did not immediately respond to requests for comment. When Jenner announced the launch of 818 Tequila on Instagram in May 2021, she was quickly met with accusations of cultural appropriation, with social media users questioning the model and entrepreneur's motives behind making the brand. She defended her brand by talking about the company's sustainability efforts and how it is helping the community in Jalisco, Mexico. "At our distillery, which I was just at the other day, we found a way to take the agave fibres and water waste and build sustainable brick that were are actually donating back to the community of Jalisco," she told The Tonight Show's Jimmy Fallon in September last year, according to an Elle report. "Along with saving the planet, it's important for us to be friendly to the community as well. We're donating them and building homes for people that need homes." Black History Month is almost over, which makes this a good time to admit the 96-year-old rite of February isnt what it used to be. That doesnt mean we should pull the plug on the annual observance, but it desperately needs a serious reboot. Instead of focusing our interest on trailblazing people, from Harriet Tubman to Barack Obama, we need to place more emphasis on significant events, from the Hayes-Tilden Compromise to the Pullman Porters Strike. And if you dont know what those are, please look them up. A survey four years ago by the Southern Poverty Law Center showed only 8 percent of Americas high school seniors knew slavery was the main cause of the Civil War. Nearly 70 percent didnt know the Emancipation Proclamation didnt formally end slavery; it took a constitutional amendment to do that. Theres no reason to believe those statistics will improve amid current efforts by conservative zealots, aided and abetted by what I want to think are manipulated parents, who are removing books and criticizing history lessons that detail the abuses African Americans have suffered by calling it critical race theory. It was historian Carter G. Woodsons idea in 1926 to celebrate the seven days that included the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln, Feb. 12, and Frederick Douglass, Feb. 14. He called it Negro History Week. Initially, only North Carolina, Delaware, West Virginia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., signed on to the idea and only for their Black schools, but thats all Woodson wanted. Most schools were segregated by law in the South and traditionally in the North, so Woodsons concern wasnt white students learning Black history. He wanted Black children growing up with the yoke of inferiority that white people insisted they wear to know why they should take pride in their ancestors. Woodson later explained in his 1933 book, The Mis-Education of the Negro, why Americas bigoted education system didnt provide a thorough understanding of Black history. If you make a man feel that he is inferior, you do not have to compel him to accept an inferior status, for he will seek it himself, he said. Woodson also criticized Black schools for not spending more time on the accomplishments of African Americans. If you teach the Negro that he has accomplished as much good as any other race he will aspire to equality and justice without regard to race, he said. Such an effort would upset the program of the oppressor in Africa and America. Younger Black activists today might describe Woodson as woke, but so were many of his contemporaries, as well as other Black men and women who decades ago fought the same fight still being fought today for equal justice. My formal education began in 1959 in a segregated elementary school in Birmingham, Ala. Negro History Week was celebrated religiously every February. We wrote book reports, illustrated posters and attended assemblies featuring musical and dramatic productions stressing that we, as a people, had a glorious history despite slavery. Negro History Week was ours alone, but like many things originating in African American culture we didnt keep it to ourselves. Inspired by the Black power movement, students at Kent State University organized the first Black History Month in 1970. Six years later, President Gerald Ford made Black History Month part of the nations bicentennial celebration. Formerly all-white schools also began observing Black History Month. But the lessons at both those schools and traditionally Black schools have largely focused on important dates and personalities without paying enough attention to context and relevancy. Its shameful that nearly 100 years after Negro History Week was first observed, school children still arent being given a more complete understanding of the African American experience. That could happen if more school districts followed Philadelphias lead, which in 2005 began requiring all high school students to take an African American history course to graduate. If schools are instead going to continue to limit any focused instruction of Black history to one month, they need to do more with that month than teach children what a laundry list of Black people did to become famous. Schools need to connect the dots between slavery and segregation and the poverty found in too many Black communities today. They need to use Black History Month to point out the distortions in textbooks written by white historians who underplayed the Souths manipulation of the writing of the Constitution. That document didnt acknowledge slaves as human yet allowed states to use a fraction of their slave population to calculate their congressional representation. Many of those same history books ignored how the federal governments abandonment of Reconstruction after the Civil War fertilized the ground for the rise of Americas own system of apartheid. Use Black History Month to teach children how the Supreme Courts Plessy v. Ferguson decision in 1896 codified the belief that Black people were not as human as whites. That ruling in effect justified the existence of the Ku Klux Klan, promoted rampant lynching, endorsed poll taxes and literacy rules to suppress the Black vote, redlining by banks to perpetuate segregation, and put the nations stamp of approval on white privilege generally. Im not saying Black History Month should focus only on the mistreatment of African Americans. Nor do I believe only African Americans should be featured in Black History Month observances. After all, the martyrs of the civil rights movement also include Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, two Jewish men from New York, who with fellow activist James Chaney, a Black man, were killed by the Ku Klux Klanfor registering African Americans to vote in Mississippi in 1964. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson deserve credit for the 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act, but some attention should also be afforded President Harry S. Truman. His 1948 executive order desegregating Americas armed forces was the nations first big step toward some sense of equality in the workplace, public accommodations, schools and housing. The only limit to an Americans achievement should be his ability, his industry, and his character, Truman said. There is no justifiable reason for discrimination because of ancestry, or religion, or race, or color. If teaching Americas children what Truman said about race relations is critical race theory, then thats exactly what we need in Americas schools. Its better that our children know the truth than to keep trying to deny it. Visiting Germany several years ago, my family took a sightseeing trip to the Birkenkopf war memorial in Stuttgart, a city bombed relentlessly by the Allies during World War II. After the war, the people of Stuttgart piled tons of bricks, stones, concrete and plaster from the bombings on the tallest hill overlooking the city. Attached to one huge piece of the rubble is a plaque with an inscription that roughly translates as: This mountain piled up after World War II from the rubble of the city stands as a memorial to the victims and a warning to the living. Instead of denying their history, the people of Stuttgart embraced it. So too did people in my hometown, Birmingham. After decades of cringing at TV film footage and old newspaper photos of snarling police dogs biting civil rights demonstrators in the 1960s, the citys cultural, educational, religious and political leaders decided it was better to accept Birminghams anguished history than try to deny it. That led to creation of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, a museum and learning center that opened in 1992. For too long, too many of Americas schools have used Black History Month to go through the motions of teaching children about the African American experience. They have been leaving out the context needed to make the connection between all those dead Black people their students are learning about and what is happening in this country today. Lets reboot. Lets shift Black History Months focus from people to events. Lets give students, Black and white, what is typically missing from their American history books. History should never be watered down to make our children feel good. They need thorough lessons in Americas history to help them understand why racism remains this nations most persistent illness. Jackson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and retired Houston Chronicle editorial writer. It is hard to believe that just a year ago, nearly 5 million American households were left in the dark across Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana due to the worst winter storm in nearly 100 years. The snow and ice paralyzed fuel resources, while soaring demand for home heating drove the power grid offline in many communities. Tragically, hundreds died as a result of these conditions. Within days of this catastrophe, partisan scapegoating ensued. But whatever narrative you heard, the truth is that no single person, policy or resource could have prevented that terrible energy crisis. The reliability of our countrys electric supply cannot be a Republican or Democrat priority; it must be a national priority. Important lessons were learned last year and Texans should know that real actions have been taken in both Austin and Washington to prevent another such energy disaster. However, more can be done. Maintaining and expanding access to diverse energy sources must be a strategic and national security priority. Still, Texas is proud to be a leader in integrating renewables and ranks first in the nation in wind energy, which accounts for at least 20 percent of the states energy generation. We can and must do both things at once. We should continue to invest in carbon-reducing energy resources and technologies, while also ensuring the resilience and reliability of our power grid through coal, oil and natural gas, and nuclear energy resources. And the American people agree according to a poll by Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, 74 percent of voters favor increased government support for clean energy development as well as meaningful, all-of-the-above climate solutions. The Texas Legislature, as a first step, passed two bills to address the grid reliability issue. Senate Bill 2 reorganized the Electric Reliability Council of Texas ERCOT, which operates the electric grid and manages deregulated electricity markets for 75 percent of the state. Senate Bill 3 required utilities to upgrade power plants and transmission lines to withstand more extreme weather, as well as mapping our critical natural gas supply and requiring the Railroad Commission to establish rules to further weatherize the system. Gov. Greg Abbott signed both bills into law last summer, but implementing these changes will take time and require critical capital infrastructure investments. While no individual was entirely responsible for last years failures, Texas needed a clean slate of decisionmakers. Therefore, in addition to reforming ERCOT, every member of the Public Utility Commission resigned, and we have new leadership at both organizations. Their first order of business? PUC formally adopted new winter weatherization requirements for power generation and transmission service providers. Utilities that neglect these standards face a fine of up to $1 million per day per violation. Additionally, the joint Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and North American Electric Reliability Corporation report on last years disaster stated that natural gas-fired units represented 58 percent of all generating units that experienced unplanned outages or failures to start. Prior winterization standards were based on a storm Texas experienced in 2011, which was 10 degrees warmer than the one we experienced in 2021. With the changing climate, all Texas power generators wind, solar and natural gas need to continue their hard work to winterize the electric system to ensure grid reliability and resilience. Fortunately, this winter has not been as harsh as last, and our new grid operators watched closely as the improved power supply passed its recent stress test when temperatures dropped earlier this month. However, we cannot overlook the fact that last years deep freeze was only the latest weather event due to a changing climate. Thats why Washington also worked to address grid resilience. Instead of pushing toward nationalizing the Texas grid, a solution that even FERC stated in its report would not have prevented the 2021 blackouts,Burgess along with Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson introduced the Preventing Outages with Enhanced Resilience and Operations Nationwide POWER ON Act, which is now law. POWER ON established a Department of Energy electric grid resilience program to fund research, development and commercial application of technologies to strengthen emergency response and management of the electric system grid. Finally, lets also remember and appreciate that Texas energy sector remains the worlds best; it works every day to improve grid reliability and resiliency. While Texas is most famous as an energy producer and regaining our energy independence is indeed critical to our future the Lone Star State also develops and exports energy efficient technologies and best practices used around the world. In fact, local oil and gas companies pioneered technologies used to reduce emissions today. Despite Americas population growth and ever-expanding economy, weve managed to cut emissions more than any other country this century. Texas energy industry should be commended for constantly leveraging its expertise to deliver affordable, reliable energy while improving our quality of life, our health and our environment. We can keep the lights on, warm and cool our homes, and continue growing the economy while still addressing climate change and lessening our environmental impact. This week, its important to reflect on the events of February 2021, so we can learn and improve as we move to a cleaner, more resilient energy future. Burgess has served as U.S. representative of Texas 26th District since 2003. He serves on the House Energy and Commerce, Rules, and Budget Committees and is a member of the Conservative Climate Caucus. Reams is president for Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit founded in 2013 to engage Republican policymakers and the public about responsible, conservative solutions to address our nations energy, economic and environmental security while increasing Americas competitive edge. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Harris County leaders on Thursday asked the U.S. Department of Justice to examine the alarmingly high number of vote-by-mail ballots and applications flagged for rejection under the voting bill passed by the Texas Legislature last year. County Judge Lina Hidalgo, County Attorney Christian Menefee and Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria, who signed the letter Thursday, said 41 percent of mail-ballot applications have been flagged for rejection because of the laws new voter identification requirements, compared to a 7 percent rejection rate at the same point in the 2018 primaries. Hes getting back to where he once belonged. Paul McCartney is going out on tour for the first time since 2019, hitting more than a dozen U.S. venues this spring and wrapping with a June 16 show at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., his first there since 2016. Advertisement The Got Back tour will kick off April 28 in Spokane, Wash., and include stops in Los Angeles on May 13, Hollywood, Fla., on May 25 and Syracuse on June 4. I said at the end of the last tour that Id see you next time, the 79-year-old ex-Beatle said in Fridays announcement. I said I was going to get back to you. Well, I got back! Advertisement Paul McCartney performs live on stage at the O2 Arena during his "Freshen Up" tour on Dec. 16, 2018 in London. (Jim Dyson/Getty Images) The news comes about three months after the documentary series, The Beatles: Get Back, premiered on Disney+. For the nearly 8-hour series, director and producer Peter Jackson pulled mostly unused footage that was shot for the 1970 documentary Let It Be, which had an 80-minute running time. Get Back gave an intimate look at the English rockers working on their 1970 album, Let It Be, and rehearsing for the accompanying rooftop concert in London. The footage, filmed in 1969, about a year before the Beatles officially broke up, showed the band both bickering and joking around together. The upcoming Got Back shows follow McCartneys 39-date Freshen Up tour, which spanned 12 countries and ended in July of 2019, about eight months before the COVID-19 pandemic began shutting down events across the globe. Tickets for all tour dates go on sale Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. local time. A leading Republican challenger to Gov. Greg Abbott has accused him of mismanaging the Texas National Guard so badly that some soldiers are reportedly trying to unionize to demand better conditions and treatment. Allen West, a former Florida congressman who recent served as chairman of the Texas Republican Party, said hes appalled at a new Army Times report that showed soldiers deployed to the border as part of Abbotts Operation Lone Star have resorted to unionizing. As Governor of Texas, I will not relegate our (Texas National Guard) to this abhorrent level resulting in their seeking to unionize, said West, a retired Army lieutenant colonel. Abbott has deployed more than 10,000 Guard members to patrol the Texas-Mexico border. But the mission has been beset by problems. Problems with the payroll system have delayed paychecks for some soldiers and tuition assistance programs have been cut back. In addition, there have been reports of poor living conditions and soldiers not having the equipment they need. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Michael Wyke / Contributor Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Jerry Lara / San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less In December, the Army Times also first reported that at least four soldiers connected to Operation Lone Star had committed suicide. Abbott has said those deaths are being investigated and that not all of those deaths occurred during Operation Lone Star. West, who served in the Texas National Guard, has been sharply critical of Abbotts handling of the soldiers. In December, West demanded an investigation of the Texas Military Department, which oversees the Texas Guard. West isnt the only one raising alarms. He and former State Sen. Don Huffines, who is also running against Abbott in the March 1 GOP primary, have accused Abbott of deploying the 10,000 soldiers for political optics. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto ORourke, a former El Paso congressman, has made similar statements. At a press conference in San Antonio last month, however, Abbott pushed back at his critics, saying they are just playing politics. The life of a soldier is far more valuable than the words of a politician playing politics, Abbott said then, assuring that payroll problems have been fixed and that the suicides and their circumstances were being investigated. Abbott is facing seven Republican primary challengers as he seeks a third term as governor. Early voting is underway and runs through Feb. 25. jeremy.wallace@chron.com Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Friday he wants to end eligibility for tenure for all new hires at public universities, saying the long-established practice and the job security it affords allow professors to embrace critical race theory. At a state Capitol press conference, Patrick said he also plans to introduce legislation next year to designate the teaching of critical race theory as good cause for tenure revocation. He is also suggesting moving up tenure reviews to every year instead of every six years. The announcements were prompted by the Faculty Council at the University of Texas at Austin, which on Monday approved a non-binding resolution affirming professors academic freedom to teach about race and gender theory. We are not going to allow a handful of professors who do not represent the entire group to teach and indoctrinate students with critical race theory, said Patrick, a conservative Republican, adding that it would be a top issue for the 2023 legislative session. Critical race theory is an academic movement-turned-buzzword among Republicans who dispute the existence of white privilege and systemic racism in society. It has become a flashpoint in Texas politics, with the Republican-led Legislature last year approving a measure that would ban the subject from being taught in K-12 schools. THE BATTLE OVER BOOKS: Katy ISD students organize to distribute books about racism, LGBTQ+ issues But critics, alongside higher education experts, have noted that the theory is not taught below the college level and any efforts to limit the discussion of racism in the classroom could have broader negative impacts. Patricks push comes as he airs campaign ads touting the K-12 law, and it also coincides with the nations celebration of Black History Month. Representatives for Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan, both Republicans, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Patrick, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, previously bashed the Councils resolution, pledging on Twitter earlier this week that he would not stand by and let looney (sic) Marxist UT professors poison the minds of young students. The Council passed the resolution 41 to 5, asserting that any legislative proposals to limit the discussion of racism in the classroom chill the capacity of educators to exercise their academic freedom and use their expertise to make determinations regarding content and discussions that will serve educational purposes. The Faculty Council resolutely rejects any attempts by bodies external to the faculty to restrict or dictate the content of university curriculum on any matter, including matters related to racial and social justice, and will stand firm against any and all encroachment on faculty authority including by the legislature or the Board of Regents, the resolution reads. Patrick on Friday said he defines the theory as everything that happens in life is based on racism. 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. Youre not going to teach a theory that says were going to judge you when you walk in the classroom by the color of your skin, said Patrick, who is white. That if youre white, youre born a racist. That thats normal, not an aberration, and youre an oppressor. And if youre a person of color, youre a victim. ... Our professors are paid to help teach young men and women how to think critically, not what to think. FROM ERICA GRIEDER: Please keep talking, Dan Patrick. It's illuminating. Asked whether it was appropriate to intervene at public universities, where adult students pay tuition and choose their own courses, Patrick said parents have the option to send their child to another school. Go to a private school, let them raise their own funds to teach, but were not going to fund them, he said. Im not going to pay for that nonsense. Critics, including Democrats and academics, immediately decried Patricks proposal as an attack on both teachers and students. Patrick is running for re-election this year. Mike Collier, a Democrat who hopes to unseat Patrick in the fall, said that if Patrick has his way, major Texas universities will all see an exodus of our states best and brightest, doing irreparable damage to our economy. We will lose thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in business, and forever tarnish the prestige of Texas. Just to say this directly, if this proposal actually makes its way into law, it will simply destroy the University of Texas at Austins ability to compete with any other research university in the country, tweeted Steve Vladeck, the Charles Alan Wright Chair in Federal Courts at the University of Texas School of Law. Tabitha S. Morton, an assistant professor of political science at Prairie View A&M University, said limiting tenure may send Texas academics to the private sector. Tenure is attractive not only because of the academic freedom it provides, but also because it gives professors time to build their research agenda and become experts on a topic, she said. Combined with restrictions on critical race theory, changing the tenure structure in Texas would undermine the purpose of higher education and complicate teaching at historically Black colleges and nniversities, she said. Morton, who is on the tenure-track, specifically teaches courses about race, gender and public policy that rely on critical race theory in the curriculum. When these students come to us (at HBCUs), theyre looking for answers, she said. What happens to the students that are not only missing tenured people of color but are not having experts who can teach them the critical race theory that explains their experience? William T. Hoston, a professor of political science at Prairie View, added that most professors dont extensively incorporate race into their curriculum. He said Patricks discussions on critical race theory mislead white, Republican voters into thinking otherwise. Hes provoking a form of moral panic directed to Republican voters, Hoston said. But the idea that critical race theory is being taught heavily in these colleges really is an egregious notion. This is not Patricks first effort to prescribe what can be taught or discussed at state-run institutions. In addition to the critical-race theory bill that the Legislature passed last year, Patrick last summer moved to cancel a planned discussion of the book Forget the Alamo at the Bullock Texas State History Museum. The book challenges the common narrative about the Battle of the Alamo that 180 Texan rebels died defending the state in its war for independence from Mexico and makes the case that its less-often-discussed cause was also a desire to preserve slavery. Patrick, a Baltimore native, called the book a rewriting of Texas history. cayla.harris@express-news.net Sarah Stogner was struggling last year to call attention to leaking oil wells near her home in West Texas when some friends suggested she try TikTok, the video sharing platform popular with teens and young adults. I started doing a little digging and was like, wow, this is great, the 37-year-old Republican lawyer said. This is how Im going to communicate to the masses about whats happening out here, because people are visual. Her footage of rusted wellheads and murky groundwater, often set against playful music and the occasional provocative dance, were popular enough to convince Stogner she could unseat the states top oil and gas regulator, and do so without the hundreds of thousands of dollars a statewide campaign typically takes. But what started as a lighthearted digital approach is turning away some supporters after Stogner posted a five-second clip last week of herself semi-nude atop a pump jack. They said I needed money, she wrote in the post, with a laughing face emoji. I have other assets. KNOW YOUR CANDIDATES: Houston Chronicle voter guide Fellow Republicans criticized the move and the San Antonio Express News has since pulled Stogners lone endorsement, calling it disgraceful. We expect candidates for public office to model civil discourse and decorum worthy of the publics trust, the papers editorial board wrote. This was neither. Stogner, however, has no regrets, insisting that while the video was a joke, her candidacy for Railroad Commission is not. We have confirmed radium 226 and 228 in our groundwater and people are more concerned that I got up on a pump jack in pasties last weekend to call attention to it, she told a group of Republican Women in Ector County this week, to light applause. Yall, I will use what I got. Im not accepting money. Stogner said the clip was shot in November by a documentary crew she had hired to chronicle the campaign. She hadnt planned to release it, she said, but with early voting starting this week and a University of Houston poll showing her only a few points behind the frontrunner, incumbent Wayne Christian, the risk seemed worth it. Christian has far outraised his Republican opponents and has been bankrolled in the past by oil and gas interests. I knew it would be controversial, she said. I didnt realize it would incite the rage and anger that it did from the press. Neither Christian nor a second Republican challenger, Tom Slocum, responded to requests for comment. Dawayne Tipton, who is now endorsed by all three of the states biggest papers, including the Express News, said he doesnt fault Stogner. It was a Hail Mary to energize her campaign, Tipton said. Its not something that I would personally do or undertake. As a lawyer who works regularly in the male-dominated oil and gas industry, Stogner said she is used to being objectified. I understand that when I walk into a room or a space people dont assume that Im a lawyer or that Im competent on anything to do with oil and gas, she said. But I am, and have I got your attention now? So lets put our clothes on and talk about the issues. Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston, said sexualizing a campaign is rare because it hasnt worked with voters in the past, especially female voters. But he said campaigns in general are increasingly pushing the envelope on provocation in order to rise above the din of the internet from Dan Crenshaw attacking anti-fascist protesters with an Avengers-style video to Marjorie Taylor Greene blowing up a Toyota Prius, and Gary Chambers smoking marijuana on camera. I dont think youre going to see a lot more people posing nude in their ads, but you will see a lot more of this guerilla-style marketing thats very edgy, he said. Stogner is prepared for whatever the outcome. Winning a powerful regulatory seat as an outspent and unknown candidate was never going to be easy. At least next time, she said, people will know who she is. Wait! Before you go Please sign up for our Evening Digest and Breaking Newsletters Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 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! 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Credit: MPL Communications Ltd / Photographer: MJ Kim Paul McCartney is coming back to Orlando for the first time in almost a decade as part of his just-announced 13-city Got Back tour, which will stop at Camping World Stadium on May 28. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Feb. 25, but fans who are either American Express cardholders or sign up for McCartneys official newsletter will gain early access during a pre-sale event that runs from 10 a.m. Feb. 22, through 10 p.m. Feb. 24. Advertisement I said at the end of the last tour that Id see you next time. I said I was going to get back to you. Well, I got back! McCartney said in a statement. Sir Paul McCartney performs live on stage at the O2 Arena during his 'Freshen Up' tour, on Dec. 16, 2018, in London. (Jim Dyson/Getty Images) This will be McCartneys first show in Orlando since 2013s Out There tour stopped at the Amway Center. Advertisement The full list of dates and venues for the Got Back tour is now available at paulmccartney.com/live. Want to reach out? Email me at akondolojy@orlandosentinel.com. For more fun things, follow @fun.things.orlando on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Kanye West to release Donda 2 only on his $200 stem player Kanye West announced overnight that fans would not find his upcoming Donda 2 release on any streaming music service. The only way to listed to Donda 2 will be on his own $200 stem player. West created the Stem Player in conjunction with tech startup Kano Computing. The Verge describes Stem Player this way: (it) has no screen, meaning you listen and mess with music using a few buttons and four touch-sensitive stems on the device. Together, they can be used to manipulate the stems (different aspects of a track like the vocals or the drums) thanks to machine learning, it can pull off the same trick with any album you put on it. The original Stem Players came pre-loaded with the first Donda album which was also released on traditional streaming services. This time Kayne West is taking a more radical approach with a self-release exclusively in his own $200 device. In a string of posts West reiterated a claim that he turned down a $100 million Apple deal and chided the streamers for making music available practically free. Jay Z made Tidal and fake media attacked him, West posted overnight. Well in the words of my big brother. Come and get me. Im willing to die standing cause I aint living on my knees no more. God please cover me. I run this company 100% I dont have to ask for permission. This is our 2nd generation stemplayer We have more things we working on. I feel like how I felt in the first episode of the documentary. West also shared what appeared to be the Donda 2 tracklist. Bruce Houghton is Founder and Editor of Hypebot and MusicThinkTank and serves as a Senior Advisor to Bandsintown which acquired both publications in 2019. He is the Founder and President of the Skyline Artists Agency and a professor for the Berklee College Of Music. Share on: Big Y Distributing Free N95 Masks SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Big Y will soon offer free N95 masks to communities across Massachusetts and Connecticut. Big Y is actively working with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to distribute more than 230,000 high-quality face coverings to shoppers. Masks will be available in all of the markets, Table & Vine and Big Y Express Gas & Convenience locations on Saturday, Feb. 19. There will be employee-staffed tables set up between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to distribute up to three masks to each customer, while supplies last. In mid-January, the federal government announced an initiative to distribute 400 million N95 face coverings through retailers around the country, intended to slow the spread of COVID-19. Big Y's membership in the Topco buying cooperative's aggregation capabilities are helping to meet the government's requirements. Big Y Foods and other participating Topco members were able to partner to acquire free masks to distribute. Big Y Pharmacy and Wellness Centers have also worked with HHS and/or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on other COVID-19 support entities, including testing and vaccinations. Williamstown Elementary School's 2022 Renzi Award winners, from left, Rose Rudin, Parker Langenback, Fiona Whaley and Jackson Sheehy. Mount Greylock District Requiring COVID-19 Vaccines for Staff WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Mount Greylock Regional School District and its union have agreed to require vaccinations against COVID-19 for employees of the PreK-12 district. Through the end of the current school year, all teachers, paraprofessionals and cafeteria workers must provide proof of vaccination within a reasonable time as a condition of employment, according to a memorandum of agreement ratified by the School Committee last Thursday. The agreement allows for religious and medical exemptions. The former requires an affidavit from the employee attesting to their "sincerely held religious beliefs"; the latter requires documentation from a medical professional. Any employee who receives such a waiver must participate in the district's weekly pooled testing program, the MOA reads. "The vaccination mandate is a mandate that impacts all the bargaining units the union represents," Superintendent Jason McCandless told the committee. "Our intent is that it is absolutely a condition of employment across the entire district. "It applies to everyone who is not covered by the CBA, including the superintendent and everyone in the organizational chart." In a separate vote last Thursday, the School Committee also approved an MOA that modifies the union's contract to allow more teacher lunch duty at the middle/high school during the remainder of the 2021-22 school year. The change is designed to take some of the burden off staff currently overseeing lunch periods. The MOA notes that the lunch period duty at Mount Greylock, "has placed an undue burden on the paraprofessionals assigned to cover these duties." McCandless in the meeting thanked the teachers for joining in the effort to relieve that burden on their colleagues. The district's contract with the Mount Greylock Educators Association limits a teacher's lunch room duty to one assignment every other week. Under the agreement ratified last week, that restriction is lifted through June 2022. In other COVID-related business last week, the School Committee agreed unanimously to authorize McCandless to draft a letter to the member towns' representatives in Boston encouraging permanent changes to the Open Meeting Law to allow virtual or "hybrid" meetings. The OML allows members of public bodies to participate remotely, but it requires that a quorum of that body be present physically at a meeting location; in other words, the statute would allow for up to three members of the seven-person School Committee to participate remotely, but the body cannot meet without at least four members in the same room. That provision of the OML was suspended in 2020 by executive order, a move that generated countless Zoom meetings across the commonwealth. Last year, the governor's emergency came to an end, but the legislature enacted its own temporary provision to allow for suspending that one provision of the OML. The Mount Greylock panel on Thursday decided to ask its lawmakers to support legislation to make the virtual option permanent. "It makes your lives doable and your service [to the committee] doable," McCandless said of the ability to meet remotely. "It will increase the diversity of people willing to step up and serve. I would suggest it actually increases public interaction with the business of the School Committee. "I would suggest this is one of the opportunities the pandemic has thrust upon us." School Committee members commented that the ability to meet remotely has eased child-care concerns for parents who might want to serve on the committee and has eliminated the need for residents of Lanesborough to make the trip to Williamstown if they want to attend committee meetings. It also eliminates the need to worry about winter travel conditions on meeting nights, Steven Miller noted. The committee's February meeting also was the time for Williamstown Elementary School Principal Cindy Sheehy to announce to the wider community the sixth-grade pupils who were chosen by the school's faculty to receive the annual Helen Renzi Citizenship Award. Rose Rudin, Parker Langenback, Fiona Whaley and Jackson Sheehy are this year's recipients, giving them the honor of selecting a book to be included in the WES library. "Helen Renzi was a longtime Williamstown teacher and administrator," Cindy Sheehy said. "She believed ultimately the most important thing you could be is a good person. "With our fifth- and sixth-grade teachers as well as with our specialist teachers, they got together to determine which of our sixth-grade students best exemplified those qualities of being a good citizen and the qualities that are really important to us at WES working on kindness, enthusiasm and helping others." As a bill that would shrink the time someone can have an abortion progresses toward the governors desk, data suggest it may disproportionately impact underprivileged populations and women who dont know they are pregnant or whose fetuses have serious genetic abnormalities all groups more likely than others to get later abortions. The proposal bans most abortions after the fetus reaches 15 weeks of gestation defined in the bill as 15 weeks from the first day of a persons last normal menstrual period is headed to the Florida Senate after the Florida House passed it early Thursday. Advertisement Floridas current cut-off is 24 weeks. The bill makes exceptions if doctors attest the termination of a pregnancy is necessary to save the mother from death or serious injury, or if the fetus has a fatal fetal abnormality, defined as a condition that will result in death at birth or immediately after. Advertisement Floridas Senate is expected to pass the bill and Gov. Ron DeSantis has voiced his support for the legislation. It will take effect July 1 if DeSantis signs off. Why an abortion after 15 weeks? The majority of women who terminate pregnancies in Florida do so before the proposed cut-off time: 2% of abortions happen more than 15 weeks after the first day of a womans last normal period, according to 2019 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People in their second trimester are more likely to get an abortion due to a serious fetal abnormality, according to data from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. In 2021, about 484 abortions done in Florida because of genetic defects were done in the second trimester, which doctors report as the beginning of the 12th week from fertilization through the 23rd. (Unlike the bill, the AHCA data uses fertilization as a pregnancys starting point, not the first day of a womans last normal period.) About 273 of the 757 abortions performed due to a serious fetal abnormality were done in the first trimester, through week 11. Danielle Tallafuss in Oviedo made the difficult decision to terminate her pregnancy in July 2020. She already had one child when she got pregnant. She and her husband had been looking forward to the birth of their son, whom they named Nathaniel. She was not able to get a specific type of ultrasound that detects potential heart defects until week 20. Her fetus was then diagnosed at week 22 with a defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The rare condition leaves the left side of the heart under-developed, according to the National Institutes of Health. Her doctor said her baby would likely be in pain once he was born, be hospitalized, and would require multiple surgeries that have no guarantee of survival, she said. Advertisement The NIH says there is a 70% chance of surviving 3 to 5 years after surgery and children who do survive these surgeries often still have complications and die young. My husband and I talked about this in-depth and our doctors sat with us for hours on end, she wrote in an email. Ultimately, we decided to move forward with termination. All things considered, it was the pain and uncertainty this baby would have to endure that lead us to our decision. Tallafuss is still emotional about the decision. It was not easy mentally or logistically. She drove three hours to a clinic in Florida that performs abortions at 22 weeks. The surgical procedure requires two days . Under the 15-week abortion bill, she wouldnt have been able to make the decision: hypoplastic left heart syndrome is not considered a fatal abnormality. The bills exception for a fatal fetal abnormality does not cover all serious and life-threatening fetal conditions, said Dr. Sujatha Prabhakaran, chief medical officer at Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida and a practicing OB-GYN in Sarasota. Prabhakaran has publicly spoken out against the proposed 15-week limit. It will significantly limit the access of care for women who have ... a severe fetal anomaly that may not quite qualify for the definition but that most physicians and patients would agree is the reason that they might want to end a pregnancy, Prabhakaran said. Advertisement Who gets second-trimester abortions? The majority of people who get abortions in Florida are unmarried and have previously given birth, according to 2019 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of the women surveyed, 58%, said this abortion was their first. Florida women getting abortions in the second trimester last year were more likely to report social or financial issues as the reason for wanting the procedure: 27% in the second trimester versus 21% in the first, according to the AHCA. A 2017 analysis of national data by the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research and policy organization, found that Black women were more likely than white women to get abortions in the second trimester, replicating prior research. In addition, women without high school degrees, women relying on financial assistance to pay for an abortion, and women who didnt realize they were pregnant were more likely to get an abortion in their second trimester when compared to women without these characteristics. A past study found that, in addition to Black women and women with less education, women with health insurance and women with higher incomes were more likely to get a second-trimester abortion; however, this was in 2008. The 2017 analysis also found that the further a patient lived from the abortion facility, the more likely they were to obtain a second-trimester abortion, which is backed up by previous data. Advertisement These are just populations that have reduced access to health care, including reproductive health care, including health care that allows them to prevent pregnancies or decide when they want to become pregnant, and once they are pregnant, figuring out what their options are, said Guttmacher Principal Research Scientist Rachel Jones, who led the analysis. People who need financial assistance to pay for an abortion may be more likely to get a second-trimester procedure than people paying out-of-pocket because they go through an application process and wait to be approved, Dr. Prabhakaran said. In Florida, women get financial assistance from funds such as the Florida Access Network. The Health Report Weekly A weekly update on health news in Florida. > Understanding that there is even financial assistance, some people struggle to find that out, Prabhakaran said. If you dont have reliable access to the internet or a way to even navigate our healthcare system, that can be really hard. Its also easier than many might think for a woman not to know shes pregnant, Prabhakaran added. In the Guttmacher study, 29% of women who did not recognize they were pregnant until at least the seventh week of pregnancy obtained second-trimester procedures, compared to 5% of those who recognized the pregnancy earlier. She recently had a patient who didnt know she was pregnant until she was 14 weeks along. Her patient had irregular periods. As many as one in four women do, according to the NIH. The patient also had an IUD, a contraceptive device implanted into the uterus, which prevents pregnancy in more than 99 out of 100 cases, according to Planned Parenthood. By the time the patient scheduled an abortion, she was at 16 weeks, past the cut-off of this bill. Advertisement As a doctor, Im taking care of the people that are going to have their lives be ... more difficult, Prabhakaran said. When youre in the situation, you understand how awful it really is. This story has been updated to reflect that abortion at 22 weeks of pregnancy requires two days of surgery. ccatherman@orlandosentinel.com Driver's Licenses For All Bill Passes House of Representatives BOSTON The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed H.4461 An Act relative to work and family mobility, filed by Representatives Tricia Farley-Bouvier (D-Pittsfield) and Christine Barber (D-Somerville), enabling all Massachusetts residents to apply for a Standard driver's license regardless of immigration status. An issue worked on by advocates for 18 years, Representative Farley-Bouvier made it her number one priority. "I am deeply appreciative for the bold leadership of Speaker Mariano who is the first House leader to take up a major immigration bill in over two decades," said Representative Farley-Bouvier. "Together with the inspiring work of the Driving Families Forward coalition, the House Progresive Caucus, and the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, we were able to get to this milestone in passing this commonsense bill." The bill allows all Massachusetts residents to apply for a standard driver's license, regardless of federal immigration status. To apply for a standard driver's licenses, applicants must provide proof of identity and proof of residency in Massachusetts. "The Work and Family Mobility Act will make Massachusetts roads safer and more accessible for all, ensuring all drivers have the same safety training, standardized identification, and insurance." continued Farley-Bouvier. The standard Massachusetts driver's license is different from the REAL ID and does not allow license holders to fly or to access federal buildings, per REAL ID federal guidelines. Massachusetts would not be the first state to implement this policy. 16 other states, plus the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have all implemented the policy to allow all residents to receive driver's licenses regardless of immigration status. Neighboring Connecticut, New York and Vermont all have this policy in place. "The Work and Family Mobility Act is a step towards making Massachusetts a more equitable and supportive home for all. Immigrants without federal status are integral members of our local communities and our larger Commonwealth; they are your neighbors, they work in your downtowns, their children go to school with your children, they get their medicine at the same pharmacy as you, but doing these same actions you do is made even more difficult and fearsome while they drive without proper driving credentials" Farley-Bouvier further added. The passage of this bill will be a revenue gain for the commonwealth with over $5 million per year in RMV fees and taxes according to Mass Budget and policy. And it will help all drivers as with a larger pool of insured drivers, rates will decrease. It also protects any driver from the particularly unfortunate experience of getting in a collision with an uninsured driver. "This bill is good for all of us," said Farley-Bouvier. "Every driver, you or anyone in your family, is safer when all drivers are trained, licensed and insured. The bill is now headed to be voted on in the Senate. When the Broward School District learned that hackers may have accessed the personal data of thousands of people from district servers, its response was to hide and delay. The district took extraordinary steps to keep the public, including 50,000 potential victims, from learning about ransomware attacks that took place from November 2020 to March 2021, a South Florida Sun Sentinel investigation has found. Advertisement Among these efforts, the district: Waited five months to report key information to affected individuals as well as to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, three months longer than a federal rule allows. The department is investigating the districts response. three months longer than a federal rule allows. The department is investigating the districts response. Alerted the public in November it had conducted its own investigation into the data breach but later said the findings of the investigation were never put in writing. Used a public relations firm to help dodge questions from the news media and persuade the public that personal data wasnt at risk. Rejected a public records request for emails related to the ransomware, with a district lawyer saying it is not worth any of our time to review the emails to see if they were exempt under state law. Lobbied the state Legislature for a law that would keep any cybersecurity investigations hidden from the public. The ransomware attack and the issues it posed spanned two schools superintendents. Robert Runcie was in charge when the breach happened and hackers posted 26,000 district files online after failed ransom negotiations. Vickie Cartwright, who started with the district in August, was in charge when the deadline to notify the federal government passed, the districts investigation was completed and when affected employees were finally notified. Advertisement Cartwright, who recently was chosen as the permanent superintendent, said there is a reason for the districts efforts: to avoid exposing the districts vulnerabilities to those who want to cause more harm. [ RELATED: About 50,000 students and employees may have had their personal info stolen. Theyre getting told now. ] That is best practice when it comes to security, because you do not want to expose what and how it occurred because then youre exposing the potential for someone to repeat that, Cartwright said. Were not going to show the public our security protocols because it only dramatically increases the likelihood of it being done again. The school district wouldnt specifically address why it wouldnt put the findings of its ransomware investigation in writing. The district undertook a time-consuming review of the data that might have been accessed by the unauthorized party to determine who was impacted, the office of Chief Communications Officer Kathy Koch said in late November. Ultimately, the investigation could not identify all of the individuals affected, Kochs office said. The districts actions raise alarm from some security experts and advocates of open government who say the secrecy appears to be more about protecting the districts image than its network servers. Their efforts have deprived employees, other agencies and the public of knowing what went wrong and what lessons were learned to prevent a future attack, these experts say. Knowing is half the battle, said Brett Callow, a threat analyst for Emsisoft, a software company that specializes in cybersecurity. If the security community understands why attacks succeed, steps can be taken to prevent other attacks from succeeding for the same reasons. Information sharing is, therefore, a very good thing. It helps keep everybody safer. [ RELATED: After Broward schools data breach, some helpful tips for the 50,000 whose personal info could be exposed ] The delays in releasing details didnt go over well with many of the 50,000 employees, former employees, students and others who received letters in late November or early December about the breach. Advertisement As someone whos been a victim of identity theft three times in the past, it pissed me off that the district waited months to say a word about who may have been compromised, said Jeffrey West, a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing at South Plantation High. West said so far hes not aware of his personal information being misused from this incident. A ransomware attack The school district first discovered the data breach on March 7, 2021. After the district learned of the incident, it secured the systems involved and commenced an investigation, the school district has said. On March 9, employees received a notice saying certain programs had been shut down temporarily due to recently identified cybersecurity risks. On March 11, the hackers told the district they had personal data of students and employees. [ RELATED: Ransomware hackers launch 300 attacks in only months ] The district had begun receiving media inquiries the morning of Monday, March 8. But the district wouldnt respond to questions until 7:20 p.m. Friday, March 12, when it would only acknowledge a service disruption in a statement issued to reporters. The district only acknowledged the ransomware attack weeks later, on March 31, after hackers posted a transcript of failed ransom negotiations online, and the district received more media inquiries. On that day, in a message to employees, it encouraged them to stay vigilant by reviewing their account statements and credit reports for any unauthorized activity, while saying there was no evidence at the time that anyones personal information had been accessed. Advertisement The hackers demanded as much as $40 million, and the district offered $500,000, but no ransom was paid. On April 19, the hackers posted 26,000 files online, which the district acknowledged in response to reporters questions. The Sun Sentinel, after a quick review of some documents, reported that same day that some files contained confidential employee and student information. But at the time, the district wouldnt answer questions from the Sun Sentinel about anything related to personal data being breached. Reporting the cyberattack The districts response to the data breach is now being reviewed by federal officials. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services breach notification portal lists the school district among cases currently under investigation by its Office of Civil Rights. Broward school district officials say they learned June 29 that the hackers had access to employee health plan information. [ RELATED: Hackers release 26,000 Broward schools files online ] Because the breach involved health data, there are federal reporting requirements as part of HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which was created to protect patient privacy. Advertisement If an agency or business believes personal health data of 500 or more people has been illegally accessed, they are required to report this to the Department of Health and Human Services within 60 days, according to the departments breach notification rule. But the school district didnt share the information it had learned in June with the state or federal government, those affected or the public for 154 days: It finally disclosed the full extent of the attack on Nov. 29 through a notice on its website, and reports to the Department of Health and Human Services and state Attorney Generals Office. That day, the district sent an email about the breach to the Sun Sentinel and started sending out letters to 50,000 employees, former employees, family members of employees and students saying their data may have been compromised. The district was aware of the federal governments reporting rules but doesnt believe it violated federal law, according to a statement from Kochs office. [ RELATED: Hackers demand $40 million from Broward shcools. ] The notification to individuals and to [Health and Human Services] required the gathering and sorting of significant amounts of data in order to determine the individuals to be notified, the statement said. That process was complex and took substantial hours. Under the circumstances, notification was made in an expeditious manner. A spokeswoman for the federal department said it doesnt comment on open or potential investigations. Advertisement A school district shouldnt hold off on reporting the breach to the federal government just because it hasnt identified every victim, said Steve Alder, editor-in-chief of the trade magazine HIPAA Journal, who wrote an article this month about health-related data breaches. Notifications to the HHS should not be delayed unnecessarily and must be issued within 60 days of the discovery of a data breach, even if the total number of individuals affected is not known at the time, Alder told the Sun Sentinel. There are sometimes valid reasons to delay notifications, such as a request from law enforcement, but few agencies have cited this as a reason for the delay when they finally alert the public, Alder said. The Broward school district reported the incident to the FBI and U.S. Department of Secret Service, school district emails show. The districts public statements about the breach dont say whether law enforcement agencies asked the district to delay telling victims. [ FROM 2018: Hide, Deny, Sprin, Threaten. How Broward Schools tried to mask failures that led to Parkland shooting ] The potential penalty is fines, but enforcement for late reporting is rare, experts say. A slow response plan also can lead to investigations by state attorneys general, said Michael Hamilton, chief information security officer for Critical Insight, a Seattle-based cybersecurity company that works with health care organizations and governments. Advertisement Hamilton said the Rhode Island attorney general, for example, is investigating a data breach involving a large insurance company and public transit authority. The transit authority notified the FBI on Aug. 11, but didnt send notices to the 22,000 people affected or the attorney general until late December, according to the Boston Globe. Rhode Island law requires notification within 45 days. Florida law is not clear on whether school districts must report data breaches to the state. A spokeswoman for Attorney General Ashley Moody said her office is aware of this security incident and cannot provide further comment at this time. An investigation but no written report When the Broward school district finally did issue the required public notice on Nov. 29, it said multiple times the district learned that personal data was breached through an investigation. But when the Sun Sentinel requested a copy of the investigation report, a school district lawyer said the investigation wasnt placed in writing. [ RELATED: School systems at risk, technolology chief says. ] Our Office has been advised that while an on-the-ground investigation was conducted, no written investigation report was produced by either the district or any outside persons acting on the districts behalf, district lawyer Bob Vignola wrote to a Sun Sentinel lawyer on Jan. 12. Advertisement The Sun Sentinel later reviewed minutes of a Jan. 10 Technology Advisory Committee, which said a final report about the data breach was received in September 2021. Vignola then said he reached out to three district employees listed as speakers at the meeting. Each has informed me that they have not received a written report regarding the matter ... and that they did not indicate at that meeting that any such written report existed, Vignola told a Sun Sentinel lawyer on Jan. 31. This alarmed School Board member Sarah Leonardi, a former teacher who received one of the letters saying her data may have been compromised. The fact there is no written investigation report is concerning in the context of how poorly communicated this whole situation has been to both myself as a School Board member and impacted employees and families, Leonardi said. Before November, she said she only knew that peoples data was breached, because the Sun Sentinel reported finding confidential information online April 19. [ RELATED: Broward Health involved in data breach. ] I would like us to learn from this situation. And the fact that theres not a written investigative report, it makes me wonder whats going to happen in the future, she said. Advertisement It just leaves the public in the dark Doug Levin, a school cybersecurity expert, said school districts will often share as little as possible about breaches, largely out of fear of looking poorly to their community. But Browards actions are particularly unusual, said Levin, who runs the K-12 Cybersecurity Resource Center to help school districts combat cyberattacks. He said hes never heard of a school district saying it doesnt have any kind of written investigative report, regardless of whether its made public. Its sort of implying, We dont need one, he said. Virginia Hamrick, a lawyer with the First Amendment Foundation, which advocates for open government in Florida, also questioned the districts decision to conduct a non-written investigation. It just leaves the public in the dark about what was done for the investigation, Hamrick said. Was anything done? Who did the investigation and what did they do? [ RELATED: Pembroke Pines deals with ransomware attack ] The Sun Sentinel asked Kochs office a series of questions on Jan. 18 about the investigation, including what caused the attack, what an on-the-ground investigation means, why the investigation wasnt put in writing and if that could hurt efforts in the future to prevent another attack. Advertisement You have received all the information that is available pertaining to this investigation, the office responded. District officials would like the states help in concealing information in the future. They drafted a proposed law, which they shared with the state Legislature, to exempt school districts from having to release cybersecurity investigations to the public. Some state agencies, as well as colleges and universities, already have this exemption. The district wants to get those benefits other government entities have and not have to release information that is confidential, Interim General Counsel Marylin Batista told the Broward School Board in August. No such bill has been filed in the Legislature, said John Sullivan, the districts director of legislative affairs. Downplaying the breach Without state protection, the school district has taken numerous steps to withhold information about the breach. The districts decisions to shield information were at least partly guided by the public relations firm, Edelman. The contract was signed by Aston Henry, the districts director of risk management, with Koch listed as the billing contact. Advertisement According to its contract, Edelmans role was to assist the district with such issues as crisis communications and reputation risk services related to cybersecurity issues. London-based Brit-Lloyds Syndicate provided public-relations and legal services as part of the districts cybersecurity insurance. These services, as well as ones to negotiate with the hackers, recover data, make fixes and provide a year of credit monitoring to potential victims were free to the district after a $250,000 deductible, Kochs office said. The breach happened about the same time the district was facing another crisis a grand jury investigation that had scrutinized the districts purchase of classroom technology. On April 21, two days after hackers posted 26,000 district files online, Runcie was indicted by the grand jury on a perjury charge, and Barbara Myrick, then general counsel, was charged with illegally sharing confidential information from the grand jury. Myrick resigned in late June, Runcie in early August. On multiple occasions in April, the districts communications office shared little except that it didnt plan to pay a ransom and that there was no evidence that any personal data was breached. Edelman officials provided a daily review of news coverage and advice on how to handle media questions. Most concerning, unsurprisingly, is the [Sun Sentinels] piece, which casts doubt on the districts position that no personal data was at risk, and notes there has been no communication with parents, Aidan Ryan, a crisis and risk administrator with Edelman, wrote to communications manager Keyla Concepcion on April 1. An outside PR official @browardschools used to help it put the best spin on a ransomware attack, criticized my coverage in April emails. Most concerning, unsurprisingly, is the Scott Travis piece, which casts doubt on the districts position that no personal data is at risk. https://t.co/eA8ATO1CK2 pic.twitter.com/l5cH3JT7i0 Scott Travis (@smtravis) November 30, 2021 The Sun Sentinel asked the school district why there hadnt been widespread public notice similar to when such companies as Amazon and Target faced data breaches. Advertisement Atlanta lawyer John Hutchins, of BakerHostetler, a national law firm the district received assistance from, offered advice to Concepcion on how to respond to the reporter. On background, maybe someone can explain to him ... that the primary purpose of paying a ransom in an incident like this is to get decryption tools from the threat actor, not to prevent publication of exfiltrated data, Hutchins wrote April 1. Also, he doesnt distinguish between a consumer data breach, like Target, and a ransomware event. The latter is primarily about encrypting data to make it unusable, not about stealing personal information. Callow, the Emsisoft threat analyst, disagrees. The fact is that when personal information is accessed, it may be used either by the hackers or by other actors who obtain access to it, Callow said. There is no way to know whether or when that may happen. Hutchins did not respond to requests from the Sun Sentinel for comment, despite multiple attempts by phone and email. Concepcion never shared Hutchins information with the Sun Sentinel. Less is more with this particular outlet, Concepcion responded to Hutchins in the April 1 email exchange. I do believe it would be a slippery slope. Advertisement After a Sun Sentinel reporter kept asking questions that went unanswered for two weeks, Concepcion received advice on April 14 from Ryan. My initial thought is it would be in the districts interests to provide a short response here, aiming to put a cap on local coverage by indicating the story is effectively over, Ryan wrote. Thank you for your response, Aidan. I completely agree, said Concepcion, who sent the reporter a response that repeated information already shared and said the district would provide nothing else in the interest of protecting the integrity of our data security. It is not worth any of our time During April, the school district refused to fulfill a Sun Sentinel public records request pertaining to emails about the cybersecurity attack. Myrick, the then general counsel, told the school district to deny all emails without reviewing them to see if they were exempt. I simply think we should say that any of the emails during this period are exempt from public records under the security exemption, Myrick wrote to district administrators April 1. It is not worth any of our time to pull the emails and for each of us to go through them for the few emails that would not be exempt. However, there isnt actually a specific exemption in the statute related to IT security for school districts. Advertisement On April 20, the district denied the request for emails, saying files maintained by a school districts risk management program the department that tries to protect the districts assets and reduce liabilities are exempt until termination of all litigation and settlement of all claims arising out of the same incident. Breaking News As it happens Be the first to know with email alerts on important breaking stories from the Orlando Sentinel newsroom. > Its unclear what litigation the district was referring to. The district did comply in June with a Sun Sentinel request for emails about how the public records and communications offices responded in April to questions from the newspaper. A search for answers The school district discussed the breach at length on Jan. 10 during a meeting of its Technology Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations to district administrators and the School Board on how technology is used in the district. Although these public meetings are normally recorded, the school district chose not to record for this meeting, due to the sensitive nature being presented, the minutes said. The school districts information technology staff had a good grasp on the data breach and were making fixes required by its insurance company to maintain its coverage, said Beth Anne Carr, chairwoman of the committee. But she said committee members were frustrated with how poorly the school district communicated information with those directly impacted and the public. District staff informed the committee that many decisions related to disclosure were made by companies hired by the districts insurance company, Carr said. Advertisement Carr told the Sun Sentinel she felt that created competing interests: The insurance company was trying to protect its private interests and reduce liability while the school districts interest should be protecting employees, students and the public, she said. When youre perceived as someone who is trying to obscure facts, its going to make people want to look further, Carr said. It draws more attention than if you just say, Here is what happened and who is affected and here is what were doing to deal with it. Novelists from Joseph Conrad, Herman Melville, Ernest Hemmingway and more recently Kiran Millwood Hargrave have been moved by the sea. Its mystery, danger, power and beauty are the perfect setting for stories of adventure but also powerful friendships and relationships. Those that work on or with the sea form a powerful affinity with the deep blue. The nature of the work, long periods away from home, crew changes, and the impact of the pandemic have often left seafarers marooned. As a result, CIO Nicola Gribbin decided to take her technology leadership knowledge and co-found and develop an online social network dedicated to seafarers and the maritime community. My Ocean Life set sail in December 2021 at a time when the shipping industry is under enormous pressure and, like many other sectors, is facing a global skills shortage. The skills shortage and help with seafarers welfare is what my Ocean Life aims to alleviate, which in turn will benefit the industry. "It is an idea that has been around for a while, and there was a growing feeling that there was not enough support for seafarers," says Gribbin. The site is open to shipping crew members and offshore workers in the oil, gas and wind farm sectors, which share similar characteristics. Members of my Ocean Life can share insights into what to do when on shore leave at the world's famous port locations, including Singapore, Hamburg, Portsmouth, Hong Kong and many more. In addition, members can help one another by sharing insights into vessels so that a crew member can prepare for their role. They can catch up on the latest shipping news and forecast their career trajectory by joining training and mentoring programmes. "Seafarers can be on a vessel for over two years. During the Coronavirus pandemic, they have struggled to get home if they cannot get off a vessel. With online connectivity, they knew how difficult and worrying things were at home for their families," Gribbin says of the welfare challenges seafarers have faced during the pandemic. The Seafarers Happiness Index, collated by The Mission to Seafarers, for the third quarter of 2021 found an increasing number of crew members planning on abandoning their careers. Western Shipping, a major tanker ship operator, discovered that 20% of its 1000 mariners will not get back on a ship once they have completed their current journey. Anglo-Eastern Univa Group, a Hong Kong-based operator of 600 ships, reports a similar problem, 5% of its 30,000 mariners have told the firm they have no interest in a new contract. My Ocean Life aims to showcase the incredible talents of Seafarers to attract newcomers to the maritime industry. Covid-19 has had a major impact on crews. Trade organisations report that there are 1.5 million crew members around the world, and many are not vaccinated because few nations treat seafarers as essential workers. Yet the world's economy relies on them to deliver the goods that homebound knowledge workers and businesses rely on. Seafaring is a unique career too. Visit my Ocean Life, and you can read the personal stories of what it was like to be on board a vessel that sailed through the debris of the 2004 Tsunami. Spending time looking for survivors to a major natural disaster will affect a sailor. As we have learned during the pandemic, sharing our experiences and caring for team members' welfare is vital to recovery and long-term health. Engine room My Ocean Life uses the freemium business model that is popular and successful amongst social media businesses. Seafarers and crew welfare charities can join the site for free, whilst revenue is generated by advertising, training offerings and a marketplace that will provide images and videos of shipping. "There are so many seafarers welfare charities, each offering something different, so we hope to bring them all together," Gribbin says of providing the industry and its crew members with a single platform to find the welfare information and help they need. With the industry facing a serious skills shortage, My Ocean Life also provides a recruitment network where agents and ship operators will be able to advertise for the crew members they require. Gribbin has used the WordPress open source content management technology to build my Ocean Life, and the site is hosted on Amazon AWS to ensure it has scale and flexibility to grow. WordPress can pose challenges in terms of support for the vast library of plug-ins available. Gribbin hired an AWS Expert and a WordPress specialist developer via Upwork, the freelance recruitment platform. "The biggest challenge we had was that the different plug-ins can conflict with one another, and our developer was invaluable at making sure this didn't happen," she says. With the site live, in 2022 My Ocean Life has begun an ambassador programme, which has seen industry leaders such as Dr. Binay Singh becoming the Ambassador for Seafarers Welfare. Dr Singh has written a wealth of books both on seafaring and how to be a successful mariner, but also titles addressing business and self-development. Alongside his writing Dr Singh is a motivational speaker. The Odessa, Ukraine based entrepreneur and author is the founder and CEO of Singh Marine Management, a recruitment services provider and the Founder and President of the Federation of Global Maritime Community. Captain Nishant Kumar has also joined the ambassador programme to focus on seafarers wellbeing, recognition, recruitment and training. As well as captaining major vessels, Captain Kumar has been involved in accident and commercial losses investigations, project management, business development and data and trend analysis. CIO sets sail Gribbin co-founded my Ocean Life in April 2021, following over three years with a major London headquartered international ship management firm where she led the digital transformation of the business. "The shipping industry has been so amazing to me," she says. "We decided to create my Ocean Life as a way of giving back to the global seafaring community, providing them with their own platform in which to connect, discover and prosper. For us, this has been a journey of purpose and passion, an opportunity to empower, to support and to give back. We hope seafarers find it as rewarding to use as we have in creating it Sailing into a skills shortage and the disruption to productivity this can cause, the shipping industry looks to be in need of a social network that improves the welfare of its seafarers and, at the same time, provides a platform for educating crew members. Like so many sectors, shipping is undergoing significant change in order to reduce its impact on the environment and make better use of technology, my Ocean Life could be the tide that raises all ships. Convicted felon found with 4 firearms, ammunition near Bridgeport gets nearly 6 years in federal prison The Osceola County School Board, after investigating one of its own, determined board member Jon Arguello likely abused his position by harassing and intimidating the school districts lobbyist. The board asked Gov. Ron DeSantis to determine if Arguello should face sanctions or suspension from office. It also voted to reprimand and censure Arguello, who won his seat in 2020. Advertisement I want to be very clear I consider this a very serious offense, said board member Clarence Thacker during the boards Feb. 1 meeting. This is not the way I believe we should act as a school board or an individual school board member. The board said Arguello, who denies any wrongdoing, sought a campaign contribution for his sister, who is running for another seat on the school board, from Mike Horner, the districts lobbyist. When Horner declined, Arguello then attacked and harassed Horner, and bad-mouthed him to other clients using his consulting firm, the board said, citing the findings of the Gainesville law firm tapped to investigate. Advertisement Jon Arguello represents District 3 on the Osceola County School Board. - Original Credit: Courtesy photo (bwp / Courtesy photo) Those intimidating and hostile acts are likely a violation of school board policy, the law firm determined. That policy requires cases involving the misuse of an elected political office to be referred to the governor for possible punishment. The board voted 4-0 with Arguello abstaining to send the investigative report to DeSantis. We are asking you to review this matter and take whatever actions you deem appropriate to protect the public and prevent this from happening in the future, Chair Terry Castillo wrote in a Feb. 2 letter to DeSantis. Taryn Fenske, DeSantis communications director, said in an email this week that the Osceola complaint is under review. Arguello sent his own letter to DeSantis on Feb. 4, calling the accusations against him false in every sense of the meaning and noting his support of the governors rules banning mask mandates and the teaching of critical race theory. During the boards Feb. 1 meeting, Arguello called the investigation against him a work of fiction to the greatest degree and a sham. Gov. Ron DeSantis has been asked to consider whether Jon Arguela, a member of the Osceola County School Board, should face sanctions because of his behavior toward the district's lobbyist. DeSantis is shown reacting during a roundtable discussion at the American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora in Miami's Coral Way neighborhood on Monday, February 7, 2022. (Matias J. Ocner/The Miami Herald) He added, The governor is not going to remove me for this B.S. Some of his supporters in the board room cheered and applauded his remarks. Advertisement Arguello also said he would contact the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to urge it to investigate corruption in the school district. School board members can be removed from office by the governor for malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, permanent inability to perform official duties, or commission of a felony, according to the Florida Constitution. But historically governors have only removed school board members because of criminal acts, according to the Florida School Boards Association. The investigation against Arguello began when Horner, a former state lawmaker now working as the school districts lobbyist, complained that Arguello was attacking him and his company, Macy Island Consulting, because Horner did not contribute to Jennifer Arguellos school board campaign. Horners attorney urged the school board to investigate and stop the political acts of coercion, retaliation and harassment against Horner and his business. The school district hired the Dell Graham law firm to investigate. The firm found that after Horner declined to contribute to his sisters campaign, Arguello contacted two other clients of Macy Island with the intent to harm Mr. Horner professionally and publicly criticized Horner at a July meeting in ways that were not factually accurate. Advertisement The criticism focused on Horners failure to file a lobbyist disclosure form with the Florida House. Others interviewed by the law firm said the paperwork was a new requirement and other lobbyists had failed to file it on time, too, but that they and Horner had quickly done so when notified. Arugello, the law firm said, did not criticize another district lobbyist who had also failed to turn in the form, yet severely criticized Horner for the same oversight and in ways that misstated what Horner had done. Horner, hired by the district in 2015, was praised by other board members and the superintendent for helping Osceola schools secure additional funding in recent years, the law firm noted. At the board meeting and in his letter to DeSantis, however, Arguello referenced Horners departure from the Florida Legislature in 2012. That came after Horner, a Republican from Kissimmee, was named as a client of a brothel in Orange County, though he was not charged. Breaking News As it happens Be the first to know with email alerts on important breaking stories from the Orlando Sentinel newsroom. > All you have to do is Google Mr. Horners name, Arguello said at the meeting, later adding, Im not ashamed to go tell Mr. Horner to go to hell. In his letter to DeSantis, Arguelo wrote that it is my belief that Osceola is overcome with a dishonorable, corrupt, pestilence of leadership that cares more about their self-interest, than our state, our county, and our community. Advertisement He asked DeSantis to come visit and meet with Osceola residents who feel as he does. Please choose our students over these brothel going lobbyists. Please choose the people over corruption, he wrote. Thacker, the board member who recommended his colleagues send the matter to the governor, said the law firms report on Arguellos behavior fit with troubling behavior he had seen in the board room. Ive witnessed some of this intimidation of school district employees at our meetings, he said. I know there is a fear of coming forward and getting on Mr. Arguellos bad side. Thacker added, Its embarrassing to have to be having this public discussion instead of meaningful discussion about students. lpostal@orlandosentinel.com Out with the old, in with the new: TikTok wedding trends in 2022 Senior journalist Mohsin Jamil Baig was arrested by Islamabad Police under the Anti-Terrorism Act on February 16 after a raid on his residence by Pakistans Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Pakistan affiliate, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), urge the authorities to immediately drop the charges against Baig and condemn the rising attacks on journalists in Pakistan. The journalists residence was stormed by the FIA at 9:30 am due to an alleged cybercrime complaint lodged by Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed. Baig, who is the owner and editor of newspaper Daily Jinnah and Online News Agency, was later apprehended by Islamabad police. During the raid, Baig allegedly held a pistol and pointed it towards FIA officers, a police inspector said. Two separate cases have been registered against Baig under sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Anti-Terrorist Act (ATA), with a First Information Report (FIR) filed at Margalla police station. The FIA Cyber Crime Wing in Lahore also filed a separate case against the journalist under the Cybercrime Act. A spokesperson for Baig said that the FIA had no warrant for his arrest and claimed that Baig was beaten and his family members were harassed during the raid. According to the FIA, Baig, who has been openly critical of the Pakistan governments policies, had used immoral and abusive language when discussing Minister Saeed on a talk show, alleging that Baig had shattered the federal ministers public image. Following the arrest, Baigs lawyer filed a petition against the illegal detention of the journalist and claimed that the FIA officers who raided his home were not authorised to do so. Baigs arrest, which drew widespread criticism from Pakistani journalists, can be further linked to Pakistans Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, which criminalises free speech and gives law enforcement authorities overarching powers to clamp down on free speech. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) expressed deep concern over the incident, with Secretary General Rana Muhammad Azeem demanding that the Interior & Information Ministers share any allegations against Mohsin and ensure that he is given justice. The PFUJ said, Such arrest without a warrant gives an impression that the country is not ruled by law. We demand a judicial probe into the matter. The IFJ said: The increasing number of charges against journalists for their legitimate reportage raises serious concerns for the suppression of press freedom in Pakistan. The IFJ calls on the authorities to withdraw all charges against Mohsin Jamil Baig and urges the Pakistani government to take action against the rising attacks on journalists in the country. The Supreme Court of Sudan has overturned the dismissal of 79 journalists and employees of the Public Authority for Radio and Television, the Sudanese public broadcaster. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Sudanese Journalists Union (SJU) welcome the 17 February ruling that gives jobs back to dozens of journalists who were unfairly dismissed. On 10 December 2020, 79 journalists of the state National Authority of Radio and TV were dismissed due to alleged loyalty to the regime of former president Omar Al-Bashir and administrative irregularities in their hiring process. Many of the fired media workers claimed that the decision had no basis and that they were given no opportunity to defend themselves. A group of them, with the support of the SJU, appealed the decision, claiming it was an act of intimidation against media workers and an attack on press freedom. Now, the Supreme Court has ruled the layoffs were illegal and ordered the reinstatement of all the fired workers. In a statement, the SJU welcomed a ruling that does justice to public media workers and called on the Sudanese judiciary to address other arbitrary firings both in public and private media institutions, such as the 105 workers of Tayba news dismissed in August 2020. Since the removal of ex- president Omar al Bashir in 2019, the transitional authorities have arrested media workers and prevented agencies from doing their work in Sudan, while several media outlets, such as Al Jazeera's Mubasher, have been suspended. IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: We welcome the Sudanese Supreme Court ruling and congratulate all the public media workers for getting their jobs back. We support the SJUs call on the Sudanese judiciary to deliver justice to the hundreds of media workers whose labor rights have been violated." Toy trends may come and go, but one thing remains consistent: Kids love to ride in wagons. Never was this made clearer to Adam Garone than when his then 3-year-old niece, Charlie was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2018. During her eight-month stay in the Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego, the medical staff shuttled her around to chemotherapy treatments and MRI scans in a Radio Flyer wagon. "The wagon was an integral part of normalizing and allowing Charlie to feel a little bit like a kid," says Garone, who serves as CEO of the Starlight Children's Foundation. "She could smile and have fun." Garone did not know it then, but this personal experience would greatly inform his involvement with Radio Flyer the following year. Radio Flyer is a four-time Inc. 5000 honoree and pulled in $200 million in revenue last year. While the company has worked with Starlight since 2001 to donate wagons to more than 800 hospitals around the country, in 2019 Garone and Radio Flyer CEO Robert Pasin decided to collaborate to adapt the wagons for hospital settings. This month, they will launch the newly patented design, the Hero Wagon, retrofitted specifically to transport sick children safely. The new Hero Wagon features a medical-grade, easy-to-disinfect fabric exterior, instead of the classic, but bulky, metal frame. The design is foldable, allowing hospital staff to collapse the wagon for storage and keep more on site. The Radio Flyer team added an IV bracket and clamp on the back so that a nurse or family member can pull the wagon without also needing to hang on to equipment poles or monitors. The handle now features a spring so that it won't fall down when you let go. Lastly, the team included a clear plastic pouch for the exterior--a dedicated spot for kids to slip in a drawing or photo, thereby giving them a sense of ownership over their wagon. The Hero Wagon redesign came about largely because the two organizations began to hear how hospital staff were customizing the wagons themselves to fit their needs, says Pasin. So Radio Flyer assembled a team of designers, researchers, and engineers to visit children's hospitals and conduct interviews with nurses and families to learn firsthand about the user experience. These in-person customer discovery sessions were crucial to the product's eventual design, Pasin notes. During the redesign process, the team made use of Radio Flyer's prototype shop where they were able to experiment with sewing, metal fabrication, welding, and 3-D printing. They deployed various wagon prototypes at the Advocate Children's Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois, to gather feedback on the new features and ideas for tweaks. The Radio Flyer and Starlight teams collectively poured more than 1,000 hours into the charitable project, estimates Mark Johnson, vice president of product development for Radio Flyer. The Hero Wagon is now in hospitals in 82 cities across 33 U.S. states and counting--each year, the organizations donate 1,000 wagons, with half going to medically underserved communities. Consumers also can donate money to the Hero Wagon project. When the first wave of Covid-19 broke over the United States in March 2020, Scott Oxarart vowed he'd stop shaving until the pandemic went away. More important, Oxarart decided that he would handle the additional workload resulting from the Covid pandemic himself. He wouldn't call in any reinforcements for the communications department he manages at Nevada's Washoe County Health District. Three months later, Oxarart was sporting a scraggly, disgusting beard. And he was well on his way to professional burnout as he encountered sometimes-hostile or poorly informed users of social media. He conducted as many as three full-blown media briefings a week, arranged untold numbers of interviews with local news outlets, and developed hundreds of press releases to inform residents of the Reno, Nevada metropolitan area--home of the Washoe County Health District--about new developments in the pandemic battle. Facing Covid-19's stark toll Oxarart, who had moved from a demanding private-sector communications job into the public-health position just a few months before the arrival of Covid-19, soon found himself in a crisis unlike any other. Part of his job, for instance, was reporting Covid-related deaths, sometimes as many as 15 a day. Needing to accurately report the ages and genders of those who died, Oxarart routinely ran a search for the word "death" in the hundreds of emails he received daily. "I really didn't take notice of how grim and disturbing that was until I told my wife. She started crying," he recalled in an email interview. "Burnout can be defined by doing things out of the ordinary and not noticing because you're so buried with work." He knew it was time for a new approach, despite his pledge to continue working as a one-person communications shop. "I had reached a point emotionally when I knew I had to get some help or stop saying, 'Yeah, I can do that' instead of no," Oxarart recalled. "Eventually, I kept my commitment to inform the public to the best of my ability but wouldn't take on additional challenges. I was so stressed that I wasn't my usual self. It kills me to think about that. With two young daughters and the most supportive wife, no more neglecting the people who mean the most to me." Getting help Oxarart called in support, asking colleagues to handle the many other jobs of public health communication while he focused exclusively on the pandemic response. He also refocused on the critical elements of the situation. "In an emergency response, the goal is to inform as many people as possible about the current situation with facts, data, and recommendations," he said. Oxarart was quick to acknowledge that the demands on public health professionals aren't the same as those faced by nurses, doctors, and hospital staff on the frontlines of the battle against Covid. But the stressful demands on public health agencies are real. "Our response team is filled with good-hearted people trying to slow the spread of the virus by conducting disease investigations, setting up testing and vaccine distribution infrastructure, answering phone calls from our call center, making sure test results get notified ASAP, informing the public, and so much more," he said. Staying above the fray For Oxarart, the demand for effective communication resulted in preparation and distribution of more than 500 Covid-related press releases. He worked parts of nearly every weekend. Dinners with his family often were interrupted by urgent phone calls. The job was complicated by the noise generated by a vocal minority who used social media and public meetings to discredit the work of health-district personnel. "It's best to focus on what you can control, which is listening to as much feedback as you can, and forming proactive communications efforts to answer those questions and inform people with facts, data, and recommendations," Oxarart said. He also decided that he wouldn't get involved in arguments on social media with frequent commenters who sought to discredit health professionals. "The key is identifying comments or questions that are reasonable in nature and addressing them, one by one. Some people, for instance, have issues scheduling vaccine or testing appointments and they genuinely need help--we need to help them," he said. The Washoe County Health District quickly established an email group to deliver Covid-related information directly to subscribers. Within a month, more than 30,000 people had signed up. Oxarart organized a virtual media briefing every week, more often when needed, and made sure that a public-health professional was available for interviews at each briefing. He explained, "A press release is always a must, but having someone for media to interview, especially for broadcast outlets, allows for more prime position on the telecast, which equals more viewers understanding your message." The challenges of COVID-19, Oxarart said, also reinforced other best practices of effective crisis communications: Surround yourself with talented people who think differently than you. Always analyze how the situation is affecting those in different races and ethnicities and focus on better communication with them. Always update social media first but use a variety of media and methods to push out accurate information quickly. Get media briefings going as quickly as possible. In preparing for media briefings and writing press releases, think like a reporter. If you don't understand something, have the courage to ask your leadership so that you're not faced with a media question that you can't answer. Oxarart's work was noticed by the journalists with whom he works. This Is Reno, an online publication, recognized him as its Communicator of the Year for 2021. Employers are exposed to a number of legal and reputational risks resulting from wrongful termination, or not following due process. Employers should, therefore, plan to construct contracts and human resource (HR) materials to ensure that senior management, HR personnel, and employees are fully apprised of their rights and responsibilities. Laws governing termination of employees in India In India, labor law is a concurrent subject in the Indian Constitution, which implies that labor and employment regulations in the country are governed at both the federal and state levels. The main federal statutes that regulate the termination of employment include the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act (IESA), 1946 and the Industrial Disputes Act (IDA), 1947, as amended. Additionally, the Indian labor is regulated by the Shops and Establishments Act, which is enacted in most states with minor differences in rules of implementation. The Shops and Establishments Act regulates labor and employment in all premises where a trade, business, or profession is carried out. Further, the implementation of respective state laws differs according to the area of operations of the employerthese are outlined in the laws and their supporting rules. Given the structure of Indian labor laws, there is no standard process to terminate an employee in India. An employee may be terminated according to terms laid out in the individual labor contract signed between the employee and the employer. Equally, the terms may be subject to the countrys labor laws. Here, employers should note that Indias labor laws supersede the provisions of labor contractsany termination policy or clause outlined within a contract should be checked against the law by a professional. In the case that there is no labor contract, or the labor contract does not define a method of termination, then the employer has to follow the state law. In this scenario, an employer needs to abide by Indias distinct, state-specific labor legislation in order to terminate the employee. In cases where there is no labor contract, or the labor contract does not define a method of termination, the matter comes under the jurisdiction of the specific states labor legislation. This is because Indian federal law does not explicitly require that employment contracts be in written form. The new labor codes, which are yet to be notified soon by the federal government, further make the termination process more flexible for the employers. Types of employees and employers recognized in India Indian law mainly recognizes two types of employers and two types of employees. The types of employers include: Establishments This term takes all kinds of employers under its umbrella. This term takes all kinds of employers under its umbrella. Factories This term specifically refers to employers in the manufacturing sector. Types of employees include: Employees A term which refers to all employees in any kind of job position A term which refers to all employees in any kind of job position Workmen This term was defined in 1947. Employees who are not employed in administrative, supervisory, or managerial roles are termed as workmen. Types of termination of employment Voluntary termination Voluntary termination means that an employee voluntarily terminates his/her employment with a company. This might involve personal reasons on behalf of an employee, such as getting a new and better job, resigning from a field, or starting up their own venture. This might also be due to professional reasons, as a result of constructive dismissal. Constructive dismissal refers to a situation where an employee is dissatisfied with his/her workplace. They may be facing harassment, low wages, long work hours, long commute, etc. Forced discharge of employees from an organization also falls under construction dismissal. An employee facing a forced discharge may be eligible for some form of unemployment benefits. Voluntary termination requires an employee to hand in a formal letter of resignation to the employer. The standard notice period is 30 days. But this term may be shorter depending upon the organization. Involuntary termination Involuntary termination is when an employee is made to leave an organization against their own free will. A company may opt for involuntary termination during layoffs, firing employees, downsizing, etc. Layoffs and downsizing Layoffs and Downsizing refer to a company reducing its workforce. Employees who are downsized are usually let go without their own fault. Companies downsize to save costs and restructure their workforce. Downsizing is common when a company is bankrupt or goes for a merger. Layoffs may also happen because an employees skill set is no longer useful for a company in the present day. Getting fired Employees may be fired from their jobs due to unsatisfactory work performance, or because their behaviors and attitudes cause trouble at the workplace. In many countries, including India, an employee who is fired for misconduct need not be given a 30-day notice. Employees that are fired for violating company policies must be given a chance to explain themselves before they are fired. Illegal dismissals An employer is in complete charge of hiring and firing people in his/her organization. However, an employer cannot fire an employee without sufficient cause or reason. Terminating an employee based on caste, race, color, gender, etc. are illegal causes of termination in many countries. An employee who has taken maternity leave or a leave of absence, or has reported wrongdoings in an organization cannot be fired on these grounds. If ones company is found guilty of wrongfully terminating employees, you would be liable to compensate them and restore their job positions or offer similar ones. Companies might also be penalized if found guilty of wrongful termination. Termination under contract In most cases, employment contracts are very specific about the process for terminating employment. This is mostly the case when the termination is by mutual agreement, and in particular cases where contractual employment is set for a fixed period. For instance, consultants with international organizations or interns at private organizations, often have defined employment periods. An employee is considered terminated at the conclusion of such a contract, unless a new contract is offered or the clauses in the initial contract are amended. As in most countries, employees that are terminated by employers are often given one month notice or payment of one month of wages in lieu thereof. Termination by law As previously mentioned, any termination needs to comply with federal and state law because these laws supersede contract provisions. However, state law becomes particularly important when no defined procedure for termination exists. In such scenarios, state law becomes the rule of thumb for terminating an employee. State law itself is dependent on the area of operations of the employer. Labor legislation governing termination of employees in Indian states In the following section, we examine state laws for termination in several prominent investment destinations in India. State labor law in Delhi Union Territory Under The Delhi Shops and Establishments Act of 1954, an employer cannot terminate an employee who has been with the corporation for more than three months without giving the employee at least 30 days of notice or a salary in lieu of such notice. The employer need not give notice if misconduct is the cause for termination. However, the employee, in such circumstances, should have an opportunity to reasonably explain the charge against them prior to termination. State labor law in Maharashtra Under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments Act, an employer cannot terminate an employee who has been with the company for more than a year without giving the employee at least 30 days of notice in writing. If an employee has been with the company for more than three months but less than a year, the employer needs to give at least 14 days of notice. The notice is not necessary if the employee is being terminated for misconduct. State labor law in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Under The Karnataka Shops and Establishments Act, 1961 and the Tamil Nadu Shops and Establishments Act, 1947, an employer cannot terminate an employee that has been with the enterprise for more than six months, except for a reasonable cause. In addition, an employer must provide a one-month notice. If misconduct is the cause for termination, no notice or associated payoff is required. State Labor Law in Andhra Pradesh According to the Andhra Pradesh Shops and Establishments Act, 1988, The notice period of an employee who has given the service of at least 6 months, there would be no notice period. The employee has the right to tell and explain the Separation in the notice of Resignation letter. State Labor Law in West Bengal The employer shall give a notice period to the employee of 30 days according to the law. Even if there is no employee eligible for gratuity payment, the Act is still applicable to the establishment. This can take place within 30 days of termination. State Labor Law in Rajasthan According to the Rajasthan Shops & Commercial Establishments Act, 1958 no employee how has been in continuous employment for a period of fewer than 6 months can leave the organization without giving him a months notice period. Rules governing termination of employees in India The employee termination decision most probably falls under one of the reasons described above. Whatever the cause of firing the employees, certain federal and central rules must be followed by every organization. Here are the 6 important rules that one must abide by before terminating ones employees. A 30-to-90-day notice period is standard for terminating the workforce in ones organization. Stated under the Industrial Disputes Act of 1947, the law mandates that when terminating more than 100 members working in a manufacturing plant, mine or plantation unit, government approval is required. Terminating employees in other sectors requires only a government notification. Under the Indian labor laws, an employee can be lawfully terminated from an organization for one of the following reasons: Disobedience or will full insubordination Fraud, dishonesty, or theft Loss or Damage to the employers goods willfully. Taking bribes or illegal gratifications. Absence without applying for leave for more than 10 days. Late attendance. Disorderly behavior during work. Negligence of work. When organizations terminate their workforce for convenience, the policy regulates that the last person to join the organization must be the first one to leave. Also, when the organization rehires for the same or similar job roles, the terminated workforce should be prioritized. When an organization fires an employee for convenience who is pregnant or seeking maternity leave, they run the risk of non-compliance with the Maternity Benefit Act of 2017 in the Indian constitution. Non-solicitation clauses can be used in a limited fashion, whereas non-compete agreements cannot be enforced according to Indian law. Most states in India have laws that allow for up to 10-15 days of paid leave in a year. In addition, employees can get up to 10 days of sick leave, and another 10 days of casual leave. Employees seeking leave under these criteria cannot be considered terminated. HR checklist for employee termination Heres a quick checklist that outlines some of the procedures that one must follow when terminating employees. Consult the companys HR policies Before serving a notice of termination to any employee, one must take a look at ones companys HR rules and policies. Every company has a specific set of procedures for dealing with different scenarios. Refer to the employee agreement The employee agreement will contain provisions relating to the notice period, severance pay, compensation and so on that must be offered to the employee upon termination. This agreement is often signed at the beginning, and it serves as an important reference that holds up in a court of law. Serve a notice Serving a notice is a crucial part of employee termination. The severance notice must be given 30 to 90 days before termination. This notice must be given in writing, stating a clear reason as to why the employee is being terminated. Settle the severance pay Severance pay is offered to employees who retire, are laid off, or reach the end of the contractual agreements. One months salary must be paid to employees who have worked for a year or more. For mass termination in protected sectors, 3 months of wages must be offered to employees. Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 entitles employees to gratuity payment after five years of continuous service. The Industrial disputes Act of 1972, also states that retrenched ( involuntarily dismissed) workmen must be given 15 days of severance pay for each year of service that they have completed. Conduct an exit interview Exit interviews help an organization to gain feedback and evaluate their work culture, environment, ethics etc. It also helps organizations to narrow down their areas of improvement when it comes to enhancing employee experience in the office. Employee protection and court jurisdiction in case of disputes An employee who has been dismissed has a legal right to appeal to his/her jurisdictional authority. The employee could appeal to a court for one of the following reasons- The employer has terminated an employee without stating a specific reason. The employee has not been proven to be guilty of misconduct and pleads innocence. The employee feels that their dismissal was based on unfair grounds. When an employee seeks redressal of any of the following grievances, they have to first establish a case and seek the approval of their local labor authorities. Once the approval is granted, the case may be overseen by jurisdictional conciliation officers, industrial tribunals or labor courts. The Indian Industrial Act of 1947 seeks to address grievances for workmen in an industrial workforce. Most workforce disputes in India take anywhere between six months to two years to get resolved. Protections that employees have against dismissal All dismissals on grounds of misconduct must be superseded by a domestic inquiry conducted in accordance with the principles of natural justice. The employee must be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard as part of the enquiry process. If the services of a workman (who has completed continuous service of at least one year) are terminated on grounds other than misconduct, in addition to Notice of Retrenchment, the employer is also required to serve notice to the appropriate government. Further, retrenchment compensation equal to 15 days average pay for each completed year of continuous service or any part thereof in excess of six months (Retrenchment Compensation) shall be payable to the workmen. Compliance with Maternity Benefits Act In addition to the protection afforded by the Industrial Disputes Act to workmen, the Maternity Benefits Act also prohibits dismissal or discharge of women during their maternity leave. Additional obligations for employers An employer with a workmen headcount of more than 100 is required to obtain prior permission of the appropriate government for dismissing workmen. Further, workmen shall be entitled to three months notice (or salary in lieu of notice) along with Retrenchment Compensation. Further, the employer shall ordinarily be required to retrench the workman who was the last person to be employed in a particular category. Impact on employers Wrongful termination, or not following due process as defined by the respective state laws, will result in legal punitive consequences for the employer. In addition, the courts may order the employer to pay fines and award additional compensation to an employee that was terminated. Employers that review labor laws and, explicitly, state procedures for terminating employees in their contracts, significantly reduce the potential for labor disputes related to the termination of an employee. Beyond this, however, employers must ensure that management teams and HR professionals are fully briefed on termination procedures. Contracts can protect employers; yet, management teams and HR professionals must ensure labor law compliance to protect them from any adverse litigation. This article was originally published June 2017. It was last updated September 9, 2021. Investment Rationale Consolidated (Rs in cr) FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 Revenue 789 804 786 478 YoY growth (%) 24.28 1.87 -2.20 -39.15 EBITDA 162.8 151 96.4 58.4 EBITDA margin (%) 20.53 17.84 12.06 11.74 PAT 96.5 105.2 52 50 EPS 9.4 10.3 5.1 4.9 With over 16 years of experience and has established itself as a trusted global tech-enabled services partner for governments and citizens, BLS International is amongst the top three global players in this domain. The company is a preferred partner for Embassies and Governments across the world, having an impeccable reputation for setting benchmarks in the domain of visa, passport, consular, e-governance, attestation, biometric, e-visa and retail services. It also provides citizen services to state and provincial governments across Asia, Africa, Europe, South America, North America & the Middle East.The company has strong balance sheet with zero debt and Cash and equivalent of over Rs371 crore. Driven by opening up of economies and pick up in travel industry across the globe. The company saw a significant growth of 78.6% in its operational revenue from Rs333.8 crore in 9MFY21 to Rs596 crore in 9MFY22, reflecting on the EBITDA and PAT which were up by 142.9% and 177.4% respectively as on Q3FY22.BLS is a preferred customer in India as well as in the international markets due to its robust technical infrastructure and ability to provide maximum data security through its personal as well as cloud-based platform. Services includes verification and attestation of documents, biometrics, e-visa and other value-added services.BLS is currently operating in 66 countries with a network of 12,287 application centers globally. Company has the ability to win marquee contracts with having $1.5 billion worth contracts under renewal in next 2 years across the countries. Recently the company has bagged contracts with royal Thai embassy for visa services and signed contract with embassy of India in Kuwait for consular, passport and visa services.With the opening up of the global travel industry and reduction in positive cases, being a leading global player in the visa outsourcing service industry with over ~52 million applications processed and winning contracts across the globe, BLS International will continue to see the growth in upwards trajectory in their Visa and Consular services, E-governance service in India and other countries and other citizen services like banking correspondent and assisted e-commerce.BLS can find significant opportunities and high growth potential in helping the governments across the globe for managing their visa processing. In 2010, 78% of the visas were processed by the government itself, the ratio declined to 69% in 2018 and it is expected to further decline to 50% by 2025.The visa processing industry is niche and has high entry barriers which gives advantage to players like BLS International. Most services offered by governments across the globe are still semi-automated with a low penetration of cutting-edge technologies, outsourcing to a specialized partner can reduce delivery time, increase efficiency which is win-win proposition for the government both from the cost point and service quality point.Third wave of Covid-19: Tourism activities might act as a catalyst for the expected spread of covid-19. If there are travel restrictions placed again, the business would get affected.Although travel industry is significantly impacted due to Covid-19, recovery is visible and vaccination drive would further propel it. Given its lean business model, net cash positive, high FCF, huge growth opportunity with strong balance sheet, the outlook looks positive. The Florida Senate removed controversial provisions Thursday from a bill on the distribution of water from Lake Okeechobee, backing down from a fight with environmentalists and Gov. Ron DeSantis. The original bill (SB 2508) would have helped sugar growers and city water utilities at the expense of the Everglades and coastal communities by requiring state water managers to take steps to hold the lakes water level higher. Advertisement Critics say the amended bill still prioritizes the needs of agriculture over the environment, and its unclear whether the changes will satisfy the governor. DeSantis denounced the bill last week, saying it saying derails progress toward restoring the Everglades and reducing polluted discharges to the coasts. In a statement Thursday, the governors office said no deal has been made. Advertisement We received the bill late last night and are reviewing, the statement said. The Governor remains committed to protecting the Everglades. At a Tallahassee rally of fishing guides and environmentalists Thursday before the Senate went into session, a mood of victory prevailed. This is a monumental day, said Eric Eikenberg, chief executive officer of the Everglades Foundation. The bad stuff is being removed. The mobilization that happened within hours of that sneak attack, within hours of that bill being filed, the phone calls, the emails, they have worked. They have listened. [ RELATED: Holding South Florida ecosystem hostage. Control of Lake Okeechobee water pits DeSantis against state Senate ] The amended bill, approved 37-2, is a grab-bag of water policy items that now no longer includes a provision that would have required the South Florida Water Management District to protect water supplies for existing legal users in its discussions with the Army Corps of Engineers, which controls the water level in the lake. Although existing legal users include West Palm Beach and a few other cities, the lions share of the water goes to farms around the lake, which are primarily sugar growers. Breaking News As it happens Be the first to know with email alerts on important breaking stories from the Orlando Sentinel newsroom. > With more water in the lake, farms could be more certain of supplies. But the requirement would have come at the expense of water deliveries to the Everglades, where lack of water has driven a decline in wading birds and other wildlife. And it would have put coastal communities such as Stuart at risk of additional discharges of polluted water from the lake, which fertilizes algae blooms that foul beaches and kill seagrass, ruining fishing and causing manatees to starve to death. Everglades Foundations Eric Eikenberg and conservationists rally at state Capitol after the Florida Senate, under intense public pressure, scales back a controversial water bill. The days of getting rolled are over, Eikenberg said on Thursday. (Steve Bousquet/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Sen. Ben Albritton, R-Bartow, a citrus farmer, the bills sponsor, said its intent was misunderstood but that he welcomed the opportunity to remove language that created unnecessary controversy. I, for one, was very encouraged that the clarification and the clarity thats provided with this amendment will let everybody else to agree to understand really what were asking for, some accountability where it relates to your interaction with the federal government on state water rights. Advertisement Voting against the bill were Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, and Sen. Gary Farmer, D-Fort Lauderdale. Captains for Clean Water, which represents fishing guides, said the amendment is an improvement but the bill remains problematic because it codifies in state law an existing water management rule that prioritizes water supplies for farms over reducing polluted discharges to the ocean. David Fleshler can be reached at dfleshler@sunsentinel.com and 954-356-4535. In its regulatory filing, ICRA Ltd. informed the exchanges that the company has appointed Ms. Shivani Priya Mohini Kak as an Additional Director under the category of "Non-Executive and Non-Independent Director". Her appointment shall be effective from February 18, 2022.Ms. Kak currently is the Head of the Investor Relations Team and is in charge of managing effective communications with the analytical community, as well as existing and potential shareholders. Before this role, Ms. Shivani managed the US Structured Finance Relationship Management team within the Commercial Group.In 2008, she joined Moody's as a European RMBS analyst in the Structured Finance team. Later in 2011, she moved to the Commercial department, to emphasize on Structured Finance business development, including secondments to both the Hong Kong and New York offices.She also worked in the Product Management Group with global responsibility for product related requests and initiatives linked to Structured Finance and investor requested products.ICRA was trading 1.15% lower at Rs3,639.50 against its previous closing price of Rs3,681.90. So far, it touched days high and low of Rs3,700 and Rs3,620 respectively. 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. As a tribute to late Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar whose sudden demise due to a heart attack had left fans and family in shock last year, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has announced to name a 12-kilometre stretch of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) between Nayandahalli Junction and Vega City Mall Junction on Bannerghatta Road to be named after him. The road will be called Sri Puneeth Rajkumar Road BCCL The BBMP had sought objections in the matter in December. "The public had 30 days to file objections. In these 30 days, eight residents welfare associations (RWAs) with as many as 700 members submitted a signed approval for the proposal," reports deccanherald.com. The civic administrator has accepted the proposal. Now it needs approval from the state government. Puneeth Rajkumar Recently, Pushpa fame actor Allu Arjun had visited Puneeth Rajkumar's family in Bengaluru and paid homage to the late Kannada superstar. As he met with his brother Shivarajkumar and his wife, he also showered flowers on a portrait of the late star. My Humble respects To Puneeth Garu . My respect to the rajkumar garus family , friends , well wishers & fans . pic.twitter.com/6qRzv4NyX4 Allu Arjun (@alluarjun) February 3, 2022 OTT platform Amazon Prime Video has announced that it will release his last three films that can be viewed by audiences worldwide. His last three films with PRK Productions include Man of the Match, One Cut Two Cut and Family Pack. Apart from that, the OTT streaming platform has also made his five films free to watch for fans. These five films are Law, French Biryani, Kavaludaari, Mayabazaar and Yuvarathnaa. (For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment, and let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments below.) What started as a protest in a small college in Udupi, Karnataka last month after a group of students began wearing Hijab seems to be spreading across the country. Even as the Karnataka High Court is continuing to deliberate on whether Muslim students can wear Hijabs to colleges and schools, more educational institutions are banning it. A college in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh is the latest to do so. Reuters While it doesn't say that hijab has been banned, the Dharma Samaj College in Aligarh has issued a notice, banning entry of students without the prescribed uniform. The directives come two days after a group of students wearing saffron scarves held a protest in the campus, demanding ban of 'hijab' in the college premises. What the principal said The principal of the college, Dr Raj Kumar Verma, said, in view of the college discipline, the administration has issued a notice in this regard. "We will not allow students' entry in the premises with covered faces, as some students were recently spotted wearing hijab and burqa in the campus," he said. He further said that saffron scarves will also not be allowed inside the college. Reuters Earlier this week, a post-graduate government college in Datia district of Madhya Pradesh had banned students from wearing hijabs within the college premises. All the admitted students/girls in the college are informed that they will not be allowed to enter the college in clothes belonging to any particular community or other special dress like hijab etc. All students should enter this temple of education in a decent dress, principal DR Rahul said in the order. The college had seen protests by some students after two Muslim girls came to the campus wearing hijabs. Today in Datia,Madhya Pradesh, people of Hindu organization raised slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram' in front of Muslim girls wearing hijab-burqa in PG College. After which the college administration banned from wearing a burqa to the college. #HijabRow #Hindutva pic.twitter.com/FNJTgikckc Mister J. (@Angryoldman_J) February 15, 2022 Last week, the Kasturi Devi College in Chaksu near Jaipur, Rajasthan had stopped some students from entering the campus after they wore burqas. According to the college authorities, there was no ban on Muslim students wearing Hijabs, but they took action after some girls began wearing burqas on the premises for the first time. AFP Last week, Haryana Home Minister, Anil Vij had said that a person, who doesnt want to follow the dress code of school or college, should stay at home. Meanwhile, in Karnataka, the Principal of Empress College of Tumakuru lodged an FIR against 15 to 20 students for violating prohibitory orders and coming to colleges wearing hijab, which the High Court had banned till it comes up with a verdict in the ongoing case. For more on news, sports and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Researchers have discovered that the COVID-19 pandemic has played a considerable role in increasing the risk of mental health disorders. Unsplash Also Read: One In Three COVID-19 Survivors Face Mental Health Issues, Shows Study The study, published in the BMJ on Wednesday showed that COVID-19 infection was found linked with an increased risk of mental health disorders which included anxiety, depression, substance use, sleep disorders etc. Researchers looked at data involving 153,848 individuals (mostly white men with an average age of 63 years) from the US Department of Veterans Affairs national healthcare databases for analysing the risk of mental health outcomes in people who survived at least 30 days after a positive RT-PCR test between March 2020 and January 2021. Individuals were split into two different control groups without COVID-19. One group was a contemporary controls group that consisted of 5,637,840 users of the -US Department of Veterans Healthcare System with no evidence of COVID-19 and a historical control group, before the COVID-19 pandemic involving 5,859,251 users of the healthcare system during 2017. The COVID-19 group was then further split into those who were or were not admitted to the hospital with serious cases of the disease. Additional info was collected on factors like age, race, sex, lifestyle and medical history. Also Read: COVID-19 Is Having A Major Impact On Our Mental Health, Reveals Study The researchers tracked all three groups for one year to understand the risks of a list of predefined mental health outcomes which included anxiety, depression and stress disorders like substance abuse, sleep disorders and neurocognitive decline. When compared with non-infected control groups, individuals who were COVID-19 positive were associated with sleep disorders at one year in an additional 24 per 1,000 people, depressive orders in 15 per 1,000. Neurocognitive decline was found in 11 per 1,000 infected individuals and substance abuse in 4 per 1,000. shutterstock Also Read: Pandemic Effect: Over 20% Of US Adults Had Mental Health Treatment In 2020, Finds Study Scott Weich, professor of mental health at the University of Sheffield explains, "The worst of the pandemic might be behind us in terms of mortality and social restrictions. Taking stock, it could be argued that much of the research concerned with the mental health impacts of COVID-19 represents more hindsight." He added, "While epidemiological research has flourishedat least in terms of scientific publicationswe are guilty of them failing to prioritise evaluations of mental healthcare interventions, including clinical trials, just when these are most needed." Keep reading Indiatimes.com for the latest science and technology news. 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. MINNEAPOLIS The former suburban Minneapolis police officer who said she confused her handgun for her Taser when she fatally shot Daunte Wright was sentenced Friday to two years in prison, a penalty below state guidelines after the judge found mitigating factors warranted a lesser sentence. Kim Potter was convicted in December of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April 11 killing of Wright, a 20-year-old Black motorist. She was sentenced only on the more serious charge in accordance with state law. Advertisement For someone with no criminal history, such as Potter, the state guidelines on that charge range from slightly more than six years to about 8 1/2 years in prison, with the presumptive sentence being just over seven years. Prosecutors said the presumptive sentence was proper, but defense attorneys asked for a sentence below the guidelines, including a sentence of probation only. Advertisement Judge Regina Chu imposed the sentence after hearing from Wrights family and Potter. Wrights mother said she will never be able to forgive Potter and would only refer to her as the defendant because Potter only referred to her 20-year-old son as the driver at trial. She never once said his name. And for that Ill never be able to forgive you. And Ill never be able to forgive you for what youve stolen from us, a tearful Wright said. A police officer who was supposed to serve and protect so much took so much away from us ... My life and my world will never ever be the same again, she said, adding later: Daunte Demetrius Wright, I will continue to fight in your name until driving while black is no longer a death sentence. Wright was killed after Brooklyn Center officers pulled him over for having expired license tags and an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror. The shooting, which came in the midst of Derek Chauvins trial on murder charges in George Floyds killing, sparked several days of demonstrations outside the Brooklyn Center police station marked by tear gas and clashes between protesters and police. Potter was convicted in December of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April 11 killing. Shell be sentenced only on the most serious charge of first-degree manslaughter, which carries a presumptive penalty of just over seven years in prison. Prosecutor Matt Frank said Friday that he believed the presumptive sentence is appropriate, given the loss of life and Potters culpable negligence. His life mattered, and that life was taken, Frank said. His name is Daunte Wright. We have to say his name. He was not just a driver. He was a living human being. A life. Advertisement A group of demonstrators stand outside of Hennepin County Government Center calling for Kim Potter's release on probation on Feb. 18, 2022, in Minneapolis. (Nicole Neri/AP) Defense attorney Paul Engh told the judge that Wrights death was beyond tragic for everybody involved. But, he added: This was an unintentional crime. It was an accident. It was a mistake. Engh held up a box displaying what he said were among thousands of letters and cards of support for Potter. People took the time to write her, Engh said. This is unheard of for a defendant. I dare say no one in this room has ever seen anything like this. He urged the judge to sentence Potter to probation, saying sentencing guidelines are often not followed because they are too high for many defendants, including first-time offenders. He said Potter would be willing to meet with Wrights family and to speak to police officers about Taser mixups. If Potter is not sentenced to probation, then she should get a lower-than-usual sentence because Wright was the aggressor, Engh said. The testimony of other officers on the scene showed it was a dangerous situation because Wright was attempting to drive away, he said. This was an aggressive act. I dont know how it couldnt be an aggressive act, said Engh, who also said Potter had the right to defend other officers and that she never should have been charged with first-degree manslaughter. Advertisement Evidence at Potters trial showed officers learned he had an outstanding warrant for a weapons possession charge and they tried to arrest him when he pulled away. Video showed Potter shouted several times that she was going to use her Taser on Wright, but she had her gun in her hand and fired one shot into his chest. Potter has been at the states womens prison in Shakopee since the guilty verdict. Her attorney said Friday that her mental and physical health has declined because she is isolated for her safety. If you send her to prison, you will harm her, Engh said. We are not in the business of harming defendants. Potter was also expected to make a statement. Breaking News As it happens Be the first to know with email alerts on important breaking stories from the Orlando Sentinel newsroom. > Wrights father and siblings earlier addressed the court to speak of their loss. The mother of Wrights son, Chyna Whitaker, said Friday that Wright would never have a chance to play ball with his son, or see him go to school. Advertisement My son shouldnt have to wear a rest in peace shirt of his dad, Whitaker said. For someone with no criminal history, such as Potter, the state sentencing guidelines for first-degree manslaughter call for a penalty ranging from slightly more than six years to about 8 1/2 years in prison, with the presumptive sentence being just over seven years. In Minnesota, its presumed that inmates who show good behavior will serve two-thirds of their sentence in prison and the rest on supervised release, commonly known as parole. That means if Potter gets the roughly seven-year presumptive sentence, she would serve about four years and nine months in custody, with the rest on parole. ___ Webber contributed from Fenton, Michigan. top story Brooke Blakey to lead new office focused on advancing Saint Pauls Community-First Public Safety framework The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Thursday that it would file a lawsuit aimed at stopping the merger of Rhode Islands two largest health care providers, Lifespan Corp. and Care New England Health System. The agency, which voted unanimously to oppose the deal, said it and the Rhode Island attorney generals office were concerned the merger would create a healthcare conglomerate with outsized power. This proposed merger is a bad deal for patients who are likely to see higher hospital bills, lower quality of care, and fewer cutting-edge medical services, said FTC Bureau of Competition Director Holly Vedova in a statement. The FTC said its complaint would allege that the deal would give the combined company at least 70 percent of the Rhode Island market for treatments that require a hospital stay and an equally high share of the market for in-patient behavioral health services. Care New England President James Fanale said in a statement that the companies were disappointed. I will say that we can truly know that we did everything we could over the past few years of hard work to get this done. We thought it was the right thing to do, but now we will need to move on to a new path forward, he said. A spokeswoman for the company declined to say if a decision had been made to terminate the transaction. (Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by David Gregorio) Topics Lawsuits Mergers & Acquisitions Fifteen retired and active-duty firefighters from Massachusetts say in a federal lawsuit filed against two dozen companies that so-called forever chemicals in their gear and in firefighting foam manufactured by the businesses contributed to their cancer diagnoses. The firefighters from the Worcester, Norwood, Brockton, Fall River and Boston departments allege in the suit filed Tuesday that the class of chemicals known as PFAS were a substantial factor and proximate cause of the cancers, serious illnesses and bodily injuries. All the plaintiffs recently found out that they have significantly elevated levels of PFAS in their blood, according to the lawsuit. The companies for decades were aware of the toxic nature of PFAS and the harmful impact these substances have on human health, yet continued to manufacture and distribute them without informing firefighters or the public of the risks of exposure to the chemicals. The firefighters, and the wife of one of them, are seeking unspecified monetary damages for, among other things, negligence, unfair or deceptive practices, and loss of consortium. No attorneys were listed for the defendant companies. PFAS are known as forever chemicals because they do not break down in the environment, and have been linked to multiple health problems in humans. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Massachusetts Chemicals Canada roped in banks to help cut funding to protesters against COVID-19 mandates this week, but the requested speed and broad scope of the measures leaves financial institutions to their own devices in enforcing most of them, industry-watchers said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday invoked the rarely used Emergencies Act, imposing sweeping measures that require banks to freeze accounts linked to the protest without court orders, ask insurers to suspend coverage on vehicles used in blockades, and bring crowdfunding platforms under terror financing oversight. Regulations released late on Tuesday widened that net, ordering banks, credit societies, investment firms, crowdfunding and donation platforms to stop providing financial services to people suspected of furthering the protests. The Canadian Bankers Association said all financial institutions will need to diligently implement the required measures, adding it would not affect the majority of customers. Protestors against Canadas pandemic restrictions have gridlocked the nations capital and blocked U.S. border crossings, prompting Trudeau to turn to the emergency powers to take control of the situation. Canadian law enforcement has been sharing information with financial institutions, who have already taken action based on it, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters on Thursday. The emergency measures we put in place are being used, she said. They are having an impact and they will have a growing impact in the days to come. But some industry-watchers expressed concerns with, and confusion about, the measures. It is framed in a very vague way its a broad transfer of responsibility from the government to the private sector, said Marius Zoican, assistant professor of finance at the University of Toronto. This would not be easy on the banks. Theyre caught in between the order and public opinion. The rules are framed similarly to existing regulations dealing with sanctioned individuals or entities, said Jacqueline Shinfield, co-lead of the Financial Services Regulatory group at law firm Blake, Cassels & Graydon. But the challenge lies in the speed with which it comes into effect essentially immediately Shinfield said. The lack of clarity around which clients would be subject to the measures and who makes this determination is also a potential hurdle, she said. Multi-layered Increase To comply, banks must ensure payment processors are abiding by the regulations; payment processors in turn will want to ensure crowdfunding platforms do the same, creating a multi-layered increase of regulation that companies will need to meet in a short period of time, said Vanessa Iafolla, financial crime consultant with Antifraud Intelligence Consulting. Trudeau said the emergency measures, which need to be approved by Parliament within seven days and cannot exceed 30 days, will be time-limited. This is going to be probably more symbolic than something with a lot of teeth to it, said Brian Madden, chief investment officer at First Avenue Investment Counsel. This creates a short-term urgent project. But its not of such a magnitude and duration that (financial institutions) start hiring 500 people to do anti-truck blockade compliance regulation. Even so, banks will have to update their systems to flag and manually scour transactions, particularly those related to cryptocurrencies and crowdfunding platforms, that would not have been deemed suspicious earlier, Zoican said, which could lead to some short-term costs. The lack of defined parameters, such as on dollar-amount thresholds for suspicious transactions, mean banks actions are unlikely to be as exhaustive as the government would like, both Madden and Zoican said. If you donate C$10,000 or C$20,000, then youre really involved; if youre just putting C$25 in a GoFundMe account, you cant really be treated as a terrorist financier, Zoican said. This is taking a hammer to swat at a fly. (Reporting by Nichola Saminather in Toronto; editing by David Holmes and Matthew Lewis) Photograph: Trucks are parked on Metcalfe Street as a rally against COVID-19 restrictions, which began as a cross-country convoy protesting a federal vaccine mandate for truckers, continued in Ottawa, Ontario, on Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022. Photo credit: Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Carriers Legislation Canada Trucking Civil Unrest A British high court judge ruled on Wednesday in favor of broker ED&F Man in a claim against Singapore commodities trader Straits and four other defendants about fraudulent warehouse receipts for nickel stored in Singapore. Justice Calver said in a written judgment that the defendants were liable for $283 million because they committed deceit and unlawful conspiracy in providing fake documents to ED&F Man. Metals Financing Fraud Lawsuits Reveal Risks of Relying on Paper Receipts Commodities Trader Mercuria Buys $36M of Copper, but Gets Cargo of Painted Rocks The amount of claims for each defendant will be determined later, he added. The practice of using metal as collateral in warehouse financial deals came under increasing scrutiny after a $3 billion fraud in 2014 at Qingdao port in China. Straits had actual knowledge from possibly as early as January 2015 but certainly by February 2016 that(the defendants) were engaged in a scheme to obtain finance fraudulently, Calver said in the judgment. Commodities Broker Files $284M Suit Alleging Metals Fraud in Echo of Natixis/Marex Case Straits said in a statement that it was disappointed and did not agree with the judgment. We are studying the grounds of the decision carefully and we are currently taking urgent legal advice, including as to appeal. ED&F Man Capital Markets (MCM) and Straits agreed that warehouse ownership documents provided to MCM in 2016 were forged, but they disputed who was responsible. MCM is a unit of private commodities merchant ED&F Man, which brought civil cases in London against the defendants to recoup the cash it paid for the warehouse receipts. MCM accused Straits (Singapore) PTE Ltd of providing scanned warehouse receipts to two Hong Kong based companies which MCM said later sent fraudulent documents based on them to MCM. Todays judgment is an important victory for ED&F Man, chief executive Rafael Muguiro said in a statement. We have always maintained that we have been the victim of a carefully constructed fraud, and that we would take all means possible to recover any losses. Straits Singapore is a unit of Straits Financial, itself owned by logistics group CWT International Ltd 0521.HK. When MCM originally filed the case in 2017, it sued two Hong Kong firms, Come Harvest Holdings Ltd and Mega Wealth International Trading Ltd, which provided 92 warehouse receipts to MCM. MCM later added Straits and other defendants to the lawsuit, which along with the two Hong Kong firms had all denied responsibility for fraudulent activity. Only MCM and Straits participated in the London trial. Reuters could not immediately identify representatives of the Hong Kong firms and other defendants to request comment. (Reporting by Eric Onstad; editing by Jason Neely, Kirsten Donovan) Topics Fraud As a journalist working for the Arab news network Alaraby, Rania Dridi said shes taken precautions to avoid being targeted by hackers, keeping an eye out for suspicious messages and avoiding clicking on links or opening attachments from people she doesnt know. Dridis phone got compromised anyway with whats called a zero-click attack, which allows a hacker to break into a phone or computer even if its user doesnt open a malicious link or attachment. Hackers instead exploit a series of security flaws in operating systems such as Apple Inc.s iOS or Googles Android to breach a device without having to dupe their victim into taking any action. Once inside, they can install spyware capable of stealing data, listening in on calls and tracking the users location. With people more wary than ever about clicking on suspicious links in emails and text messages, zero-click hacks are being used more frequently by government agencies to spy on activists, journalists and others, according to more than a dozen surveillance company employees, security researchers and hackers interviewed by Bloomberg News. Once the preserve of a few intelligence agencies, the technology needed for zero-click hacks is now being sold to governments by a small number of companies, the most prominent of which is Israels NSO Group. Bloomberg News has learned that at least three other Israeli companies Paragon, Candiru and Cognyte Software Ltd. have developed zero-click hacking tools or offered them to clients, according to former employees and partners of those companies, demonstrating that the technology is becoming more widespread in the surveillance industry. There are certain steps that a potential victim can take that might reduce the chances of a successful zero-click attack, including keeping a device updated. But some of the more effective methods including uninstalling certain messaging apps that hackers can use as gateways to breach a device arent practical because people rely on them for communication, said Bill Marczak, a senior research fellow at Citizen Lab, a research group at the University of Toronto that focuses on abuses of surveillance technology. Dridi, who is based in London, said the hack forced her to shut down some of her social media accounts and left her isolated and fearful for her safety. They ruined my life, said Dridi, who suspects she was targeted because of her reporting on womens rights in the Arab world or her connection to other journalists who are high-profile critics of Middle Eastern governments. I tried to just go back to normal. But after that I suffered from depression, and I didnt find any support. Its not known how many people have been targeted with zero-click hacks, because they are done in secret and the victims are often unaware. Human rights groups have tied zero-click technology from NSO Group to attacks by governments on individuals or small groups of activists. A 2019 lawsuit filed by Facebook accused NSO Group of using a zero-click hacking method to implant spyware on the devices of 1,400 people who used its WhatsApp service. NSO Group has disputed the allegations. The attacks can be difficult for security experts to detect and pose new challenges for technology giants such as Apple and Google as they seek to plug the security holes that hackers exploit. With zero clicks, its possible for a phone to be hacked and no traces left behind whatsoever, Marczak said. You can break into phones belonging to people who have good security awareness. The target is out of the loop. You dont have to convince them to do anything. It means even the most skeptical, scrupulous targets can be spied on. Sometimes a zero-click hack doesnt go as planned and leaves traces that investigators can use to identify that a device has been compromised. In Dridis case, administrators at Alaraby noticed suspicious activity on their computer networks and followed a digital trail that led them to her phone, she said in an interview. Attackers use zero-click hacks to gain access to a device and then can install spyware such as NSO Groups Pegasus to secretly monitor the user. Pegasus can covertly record emails, phone calls and text messages, track location and record video and audio using the phones inbuilt camera and microphone. Marczak and his colleagues at Citizen Lab analyzed Dridis iPhone XS Max and found evidence that it had been infected at least six times between October 2019 and July 2020 with NSO Groups Pegasus. On two occasions in July 2020, Dridis phone was targeted in zero-click attacks, Citizen Lab concluded in a report, which attributed the hacks to the United Arab Emirates government. Dridi is now pursuing a lawsuit against the UAE government. Her solicitor, Ida Aduwa, said she will be seeking permission from a High Court judge in London in the next few weeks to proceed with the case. We want an acknowledgement that this is something that states cannot get away with, Aduwa said. A representative for the UAE Embassy in Washington didnt respond to messages seeking comment. Marczak, from Citizen Lab, said most of the documented cases of zero-click hacks have been traced back to NSO Group. The company began deploying the method more frequently around 2017, he said. NSO Group, which was blacklisted by the U.S. in November for supplying spyware to governments that used it to maliciously target government officials, journalists, businesspeople, activists and others to silence dissent, has said it sells its technology exclusively to governments and law enforcement agencies as a tool to track down terrorists and criminals. The cyber intelligence field continues to grow and is much bigger than the NSO Group, a spokesperson for the company said in a statement to Bloomberg News. Yet an increasing number of experts who claim to be familiar with NSO Group are making allegations that are contractually and technologically impossible, straining their credibility. The spokesperson said that NSO Group has terminated customer relationships due to human rights issues and wont sell cyber intelligence products to approximately 90 countries. The misuse of cyber intelligence tools is a serious matter, the spokesperson said. In December, security researchers at Google analyzed a zero-click exploit they said was developed by NSO Group, which could be used to break into an iPhone by sending someone a fake GIF image through iMessage. The researchers described the zero-click as one of the most technically sophisticated exploits weve ever seen, and added that it showed NSO Group sold spy tools that rival those previously thought to be accessible to only a handful of nation states. The attacker doesnt need to send phishing messages; the exploit just works silently in the background, the Google researchers wrote. While NSO Group has attracted the most media attention, several competing companies in Israel are offering similar tools to help governments spy on mobile phones. At least four other Israeli companies have obtained or developed zero-click hacking technology, according to employees of those companies, surveillance industry professionals and other media reports. Tel Aviv-based Candiru, a surveillance company that employs more than 120 people, partnered with another Israeli firm, Cognyte, to offer governments zero-click spyware that can be installed on Android and iOS mobile devices, according to two former Candiru employees. Paragon, a firm founded by former members of Israelis Unit 8200 surveillance agency, has developed its own zero-click hacking technology that it has marketed to governments in Europe and North America as a means to gain access to encrypted messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal, according to two former Paragon employees. A fourth Israeli company, QuaDream, also has the ability to compromise Apple iPhones using zero-click hacks, Reuters reported earlier this month. Hila Vazan, a spokeswoman for Candiru, said the company hadnt developed or sold any zero-click hacking technology, though she acknowledged that Candiru had explored a collaboration with Cognyte to offer it to customers. The U.S. also blacklisted Candiru in November for supplying spyware to governments that used its technology maliciously. Paragon declined to comment. Representatives for Cognyte and QuaDream didnt return messages seeking comment. There is a thriving marketplace in which hackers and brokers sell the latest zero-click vulnerabilities direct to government agencies, sometimes for seven-figure sums, according to surveillance industry professionals. One of the leading brokers is Zerodium, an exploit acquisition platform that offers to pay up to $2 million for a zero-click exploit that can break into the latest versions of Apples iOS software, according to its website. Zerodium also offers up to $2.5 million for a zero-click that can be used to hack Android phones, and up to $1 million for a zero-click that can be used to compromise Microsofts Windows computers. Zerodiums website says it has worked with more than 1,500 security researchers and paid out more than $50 million in bounties fees paid to security researchers who discover software security vulnerabilities that can be used to hack into computers or phones. Once Zerodium has acquired the latest zero-click exploits from security researchers, it then sells them to governments, mainly in Europe and North America, according to its website. A representative for Zerodium didnt respond to requests for comment. The company was incorporated in Delaware in 2015, but its not clear where its offices are currently located. In an interview with Bloomberg, one Asia-based security researcher said he had made several million dollars selling a series of zero-click exploits that could be used to hack iOS, Android and BlackBerry phones, in addition to Windows computers. The researcher, who requested anonymity due to confidentiality agreements, said he had sold some of his zero-click exploits to Zerodium. He identified one European country whose government or law enforcement agencies hacked phones using an exploit he sold. Other suppliers of zero-click exploits include Arity Business Inc., an operator based in Latvia and Estonia. Alex Prokopenko, an executive at Arity, said in an email that the company was founded in 2015 and works to identify a variety of software security vulnerabilities, including zero-clicks. Arity then sells the security vulnerabilities to government agencies and to companies that work with intelligence and law enforcement agencies so they can be used to hack Windows computers, in addition to iOS and Android phones, he said. Prokopenko declined to name specific customers but said that Arity had sold its exploits in countries including Ireland, Italy, Spain, Poland, Ukraine, Israel, UAE, Turkey, India and Singapore. Most of the companys sales, he added, were in the range of $200,000 and $600,000. Now exploits are much more popular with governments, intelligence and private military companies, since earlier this tool was not as accessible as it is now, Prokopenko said. The exploit is a digital weapon, and its use must be regulated. The spread of encryption technology, which protects the privacy of conversations sent through chat apps such as WhatsApp or Apples iMessage, has made it harder for law enforcement and intelligence agencies to snoop on peoples conversations, said Prokopenko. One of the only ways investigators can get access to encrypted communications is to hack into a device, he said. That is why there are all these companies popping up because theres a market for it, said Fionnbharr Davies, a security researcher who formerly worked for U.S. and Australia-based Azimuth Security, another company that he said develops zero-click exploits and sells them to governments. It only costs a couple million dollars to hack any iPhone that is so cheap from the perspective of a nation state. A representative for Azimuth Security didnt return a message seeking comment. Carine Kanimbas experience shows how difficult it can be to prevent a zero-click hack. For the last two years, she has been campaigning for the release of her father, Paul Rusesabagina, a critic of the Rwandan government who was forcibly disappeared in August 2020, according to Human Rights Watch. Last year, Rusesabagina, who was the subject of the movie Hotel Rwanda, was convicted of terrorism charges in a Rwandan court, a proceeding his supporters say was politically motivated. Kanimba, a joint U.S.-Belgian citizen, said she knew there was a possibility that she might be under surveillance. In October 2020, her security advisers were so concerned that they destroyed her mobile phone. She purchased a new iPhone, but last spring, researchers at Amnesty International informed Kanimba that it had been breached in a zero-click hack and infected with NSO Groups Pegasus. A forensic analysis of her device, reviewed by Bloomberg, found that an attacker had used iMessage to send malicious push notifications. I never saw any message, Kanimba said. The message arrives and disappears straight away, or it arrives and you cannot see it. So there are no clicks, no action from you. It just infects. A representative for the Rwandan government didnt respond to a message seeking comment. Nedal Al-Salman, the acting president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, spoke of a similar experience. Al-Salman said that she and four of her colleagues were informed last year that their phones had been compromised, some of them in apparent zero-click attacks. According to Al-Salman, two of her mobile phones an iPhone 11 and a Samsung Galaxy Note were hacked. Citizen Labs Marczak said he had not forensically analyzed Al-Salmans devices, but said he had confirmed three of Al-Salmans colleagues had their phones infected with NSO Groups spyware. Al-Salman said she and her colleagues have faced repression in Bahrain, where the government has cracked down on human rights and pro-democracy activism. Al-Salman said she has in the past been blocked from traveling outside of Bahrain, and other current and former members of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights have been jailed or forced to live in exile. According to a Citizen Lab report published last year, Bahrains government has deployed NSO Groups spyware to target activists and opposition political figures. A representative for the Embassy of Bahrain in Washington didnt respond to a request for comment. Everyone has personal information on their phones, Al-Salman said, whether it be messages that show arguments with a family member or videos of dancing with friends. But normally, she said, its only you who knows about it. Top photograph: Red light illuminates the keys of a laptop computer. Photo credit: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. This edition of International People Moves includes appointments at AXA XL, International General Insurance Holdings and MGA Aqueous Underwriting. A summary of these new hires follows here. AXA XL to Promote De Rosa to Head of Construction & Engineering, Reinsurance AXA XL announced plans to promote Francesca De Rosa to head of Construction and Engineering, Reinsurance, effective June 1. In her new role, De Rosa will lead AXA XLs construction and engineering treaty and facultative portfolio for international and U.S. clients. She will be responsible for outlining and executing the portfolio strategy. De Rosa, who is based in Zurich, succeeds Toni Vukadinovic. De Rosa has more than 15 years of underwriting experience in downstream energy, property and engineering in both insurance and reinsurance, across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America. Most recently, she held the position of underwriting manager and deputy head of Construction/Engineering Treaty and Facultative. She has held progressively senior roles since joining AXA XL (then Catlin) in 2011. Prior to this, she held a variety of underwriting positions at various companies in the industry, including Infrassure, Munich Re Italia Spa, and Zurich Insurance Company. De Rosa is also a member of the executive committee of the International Association of Engineering Insurance and leader of the Statistics Permanent Working Group. Bertrand Romagne, chief executive, Europe, and chief underwriting officer for Property and Casualty, Reinsurance, thanked Vukadinovic for his valuable contributions to the business and wished him well for the future. The construction industry has faced huge disruption due the global pandemic. Delays to projects, shortages of materials and a lack of skilled workers has brought and continues to bring new challenges to this industry, Romagne added. Ensuring we remain at the forefront of these evolving risks is key to us delivering on our payer to partner strategy for our clients. *** IGI Appoints Archs Tsielepis as Chief Risk Officer International General Insurance Holdings Ltd. announced the appointment of Stav Tsielepis as chief risk officer of the IGI group. Based in the companys London office, Tsielepis will work with the executive team with responsibility for administering IGIs risk management framework including the exposure management and capital modelling functions across the group. He will report to Andreas Loucaides, chief executive officer of IGI UK. Tsielepis, who has 18 years industry experience, joins from Arch Capital Groups London-based subsidiary Arch Insurance International, where he was chief risk officer with responsibility for key projects such as implementing Brexit plans and working closely with regulators, including the Central Bank of Ireland. During his tenure, he was a board member of Arch Underwriting at Lloyds Australia. Prior to his time at Arch, Tsielepis was an actuarial consultant for Towers Watson Ltd. With nearly two decades of experience, Stav joins us in a key senior management role at IGI, bringing a hands-on approach to international risk management and will help us continue to expand and execute our strategic objectives, said Loucaides. Established in 2001, IGI is an international specialty risks re/insurer with a worldwide portfolio of energy, property, general aviation, construction & engineering, ports & terminals, marine cargo, marine trades, contingency, political violence, financial institutions, general third-party liability (casualty), legal expenses, professional indemnity, D&O, surety, marine liability and reinsurance treaty business. The company is registered in Bermuda, with operations in Bermuda, London, Malta, Dubai, Amman, Labuan and Casablanca. *** MGA Aqueous Hires 3 Underwriters: Redmond, Farman and Wilson Specialist MGA Aqueous Underwriting has appointed three new underwriters: Louise Redmond, Debbie Farman and Liam Wilson. Senior underwriter Redmond and underwriter Farman join the MGAs professional indemnity (PI) team, while trading underwriter Wilson joins the e-trade team, specializing in package business for small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SME). Redmond has more than 20 years market experience and joins Aqueous from BC Underwriting where she was senior PI underwriter. Previously she has held underwriting roles at AXA, QBE Europe and AIG Europe. Farman also joins the PI team at Aqueous, from Square Mile Underwriting. Wilson joins the MGAs e-trade team from Thistle Underwriting, and has previously worked at QBE Europe and Ageas. Aqueous currently writes PI for a wide range of trades and professions while its SME package business covers material damage, business interruption, employers & public liability cover. The appointments strengthen Aqueous underwriting team as it looks to grow its footprint within the UK market. Aqueous Underwriting is a trading name of Aqueous Management Ltd., an appointed representative of Davies MGA Services Ltd., a company authorized and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority. Topics Underwriting Reinsurance Agribusiness Europe Insurance Wholesale AXA XL London Construction The next head of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will face challenges overseeing Boeing Co. and a series of reforms mandated by Congress in the wake of two fatal 737 MAX crashes. The job opened late Wednesday when the FAA announced administrator Steve Dickson, 64, would resign effective March 31, about halfway through his five-year term. Among those mentioned by congressional and industry officials as potential replacements are former pilots C. B. Sully Sullenberger and Lee Moak. Sullenberger, the current U.S. representative on the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), rose to fame in 2009 when he safely landed an Airbus A320 on New Yorks Hudson River after hitting a flock of geese known as the Miracle on the Hudson flight. Moak, a former president of the Air Line Pilots Association, is currently a member of the U.S. Postal Board of Governors. Dickson headed the FAA as it oversaw a comprehensive review of the then-grounded Boeing 737 MAX. He took a hard line, warning in late 2019 that Boeing was pursuing a return-to-service schedule that is not realistic. Dickson even piloted the plane in September 2020 for a test flight before approving its return that included extensive training and software updates. The best-selling, single-aisle airplane was grounded for 20 months after two crashes killed 346 people in the space of five months, returning to service in late 2020. Congress approved sweeping legislation in December that year, boosting the FAAs oversight of aircraft manufacturers, requiring disclosure of critical safety information and providing new whistleblower protections. Senate Commerce Committee chair Maria Cantwell said in a statement on Thursday there is much work still to do to maintain Americas leadership in aviation- implementing congressionally-mandated safety reforms, training a workforce skilled in advanced technology, and furthering aerospace research and development. The incoming administrator will also face the headache of the deployment of 5G wireless on the C-Band spectrum, an issue that saw major international airlines scramble to cancel or rejig U.S flights last month amid warnings the network could interfere with sensitive aviation electronics like radio altimeters. Telecommunications companies AT&T T.N and Verizon VZ.N agreed to keep 5G towers off last months network rollout, postponing their deployment until early July, and to take additional steps to minimize energy coming from 5G base stations both nationwide and to an even greater degree around public airports and heliports. The FAA recently conducted test flights with active 5G, carrying AT&T and Verizon engineers onboard, and the agency is still doing the analytics right now, Dickson said. Its really unprecedented for us to be working with an industry that we dont regulate. That is part of what needed to happen. Dickson said on Thursday Boeing has made significant changes in recent years and with the FAA the airplane manufacturer really improved the discipline within their engineering organization and I am confident in our oversight of their product. The FAA is still scrutinizing a number of issues involving Boeing airplanes and on Tuesday said it would not allow Boeing to self-certify 787 Dreamliners. Boeing agreed to a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department in January 2021 including $2.5 billion in fines and compensation stemming from the 737 MAX crashes. House Transportation Committee chair Peter DeFazio said President Joe Biden must now nominate a new leader committed to the highest standards of aviation safety and hold Boeing accountable for the tragic consequences of their decision to put profits over people when rolling out the 737 MAX. Dickson said Thursday his safety team knows that I have their back. (Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Jane Wardell) Topics USA Aviation Aerospace Financial data and analytics company Verisk announced that Scott G. Stephenson, chairman, president and chief executive officer, will be retiring following the companys 2022 shareholder meeting. Stephenson will be succeeded as CEO by Lee M. Shavel, who is currently chief financial officer and group president. At the same time, Mark V. Anquillare, currently chief operating officer and group president, will become president of Verisk. The annual shareholder meeting, which was held in May last year, has not yet be scheduled, according to a spokesperson. Stephenson joined Verisk in 2001 and since his appointment as COO in 2008, president in 2011 and CEO in 2013, the company has become more data analytic and software intensive. According to the company, during his tenure, the company has nearly doubled its annual revenue and tripled its market capitalization and the number of countries in which it operates. During his tenure as CEO, Verisk became a part of the S&P 500 Index. In connection with his retirement from the company, Stephenson will step down from the Verisk board of directors. The roles of chair of the board of directors and CEO will be separated effective following the 2022 annual meeting. The company said Shavels replacement as CFO will be named at a later date. The soon-to-be new CEO, Shavel, joined Verisk in 2017 and has served as CFO since that time, driving the companys financial strategy and capital management philosophy. In 2021, he also became group president of the companys energy and financial services segments. Anquillare has been with Verisk for nearly 30 years. He served as CFO during the companys initial public offering in 2009 and through 2016. Since 2016, Anquillare has served as Verisks COO and led the companys insurance vertical.helping to grow this segment vertical. Verisk serves the insurance, energy, real estate and financial services industries. It is the leading provider of statistical, actuarial and underwriting data for the U.S. property/casualty insurance industry. Verisk was established to serve as the parent holding company of Insurance Services Office, Inc. upon the completion of the initial public offering in 2009. ISO was formed in 1971 as an advisory and rating organization for the property/casualty insurance industry to provide statistical and actuarial services, develop insurance programs, and assist insurance companies in meeting state regulatory requirements. Over the past decade, Verisk has entered new markets, placed a greater emphasis on analytics, and pursued acquisitions. Among its acquisitions are Data Driven Safety, ACTINEO, Jornaya, Franco Signor, FAST, BuildFax, Genscape and Keystone Aerial Surveys, Rulebook, PowerAdvocate, Sequel, LCI, Fintellix, G2 , Greentech Media, Validus-IVC, MAKE, MarketStance, Arium, Healix Risk Rating, The GeoInformation Group, Analyze Re, Risk Intelligence Ireland, Emergent Network Intelligence and 4C Solutions. Top Photo: Scott Stephenson A Texas generation and transmission cooperative is suing its insurer for failing to defend the company against multiple lawsuits stemming from 2021 Winter Storm Uri. Golden Spread Electric, a G&T cooperative based in Amarillo, claims breach of contract, declaratory judgment and violations of the Texas Insurance Code against Hartford. Golden Spread says Hartford has a duty to defend the company under a general liability policy that covers bodily injury or property injury caused by an occurrence during the policy period. Golden Spread is a defendant in several lawsuits resulting from the February 2021 severe weather event, which caused below freezing temperatures in Texas, leading to a failure of the state power grid. Golden Spread is one of multiple power generator defendants in the Turner Action, a suit filed by a half dozen plaintiffs who claim to have suffered loss of life and/or sustained personal injuries, damage to their property and/or other losses during Uri. The Turner plaintiffs allege negligence and gross negligence against Golden Spread the power generator defendants, who failed properly weatherize their facilities and equipment, train personnel, and properly design their facilities. Another suit, filed by Texas resident Danny Martin and the estate of four others, alleges Golden Spread and other power generation companies failed to properly prepare for a worst-case scenario cold weather event, causing bodily injury and property damage. Golden Spread says it has been named in a number of additional lawsuits that have been consolidated in the Winter Storm Uri Multidistrict Litigation Panel. Golden Spread is seeking monetary damages for breach of contract, a declaration that Hartford has a duty to defend in all lawsuits, and a penalty interest at the rate of 18% per year pursuant to the Texas Insurance Code. Topics Lawsuits Texas State Sen. Ben Albritton, right, chats with fellow senators in the Florida Senate, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022, in Tallahassee. A citrus farmer, Albritton had championed a bill that would have required the South Florida Water Management District to recommend to the Army Corps of Engineers that water levels in Lake Okeechobee remain high, a priority of major agribusiness interests. Money that would go toward a reservoir project crucial to Everglades restoration would have been tied to this requirement. For now, that language is gone. But budget conference committees could allow for its return. (Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat/AP) The Florida Senate was one vote away from passing the worst environmental bill in state history and creating a political dilemma for Gov. DeSantis. But on Thursday, The good side won, said Everglades Foundation Executive Director Eric Eikenberg. It was a resounding victory. Advertisement At least for now. As first written, Senate Bill 2508 would have sabotaged Everglades restoration. It would have made Lake Okeechobee the heart of southern Floridas water system a private reservoir for farmers. Advertisement DeSantis has justifiably touted his record on the environment compared with Rick Scotts. Most notably, DeSantis replaced the anti-environmentalists Scott had appointed to the board of the South Florida Water Management District. Its the lead state agency on Everglades restoration. If SB 2508 had passed in its original form, DeSantis might have had to veto the entire budget to kill it. Letting it become law would have undercut his record on an issue that has broad bipartisan support. The original bill would have done two horrible things. It would have ordered the water management district to recommend to the Army Corps of Engineers which manages the lake that changes in policy did not diminish the quantity of water available to existing legal users. Heres why that language is important. Starting next year, the Corps will follow new rules for how high it allows the lake to rise. Higher levels restrict growth of helpful grasses. Higher levels raise the chance of the Corps having to discharge lake water to the east and west coasts. That water is polluted from years of the state allowing the lake to be a drainage pond. So the discharges damage the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries. They contribute to red tide in the Gulf of Mexico. Farmers, however, like higher levels because they consider the lake their backup water supply. As things stand, the Corps new rules for the first time would balance all interests tied to the lake, including the environment. The original bill would have aligned the water management district with the old rules. The district opposed it. The other horrible thing is that SB 2508 would have held hostage the annual $64 million payment toward the new reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee. A separate spending bill made that money contingent on SB 2508 or similar legislation becoming law. Advertisement That reservoir will greatly reduce or eliminate those coastal discharges. It will hold and filter water that then will go farther south to the Everglades. That water will help wildlife and marine life all the way to Florida Bay. It will help drinking water well fields in Broward County. State Sen. Ben Albritton, R-Bartow, a citrus farmer, sponsored SB 2508. He blamed half-truths for criticism of the legislation. In fact, the truth was out there. SB 2508 is a conforming bill. Such legislation amends state law to align with spending bills. Conforming bills are not vehicles for major policy changes. The bill arose halfway through the session, well past the point for major legislation. Eikenberg said the bill had Sugars fingerprints all over it. Clearly, Albritton hoped to force SB 2508 through the Legislature. Clearly, he had support from Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, who is running this year for commissioner of agriculture. SB 2508 was filed on Feb. 4. Its first and only hearing, before the Appropriations Committee, came just five days later. It passed, 16-4, with the shameful support of two South Florida Democrats Lauren Book and Bobby Powell. Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. > But backlash was building. Members of Captains for Clean Water a coalition of charter fishing operators, recreational boaters and tourist industries showed up to protest. Senators were bombarded with emails opposing the bill. Advertisement The version before the full Senate on Thursday had changed dramatically. It does not contain the damaging language about Lake Okeechobee. Money for the reservoir does not depend on the bill passing. The Senate approved it, 37-2. Still, Eikenberg and others are pushing for additional changes. There are one or two lines to get out that relate to Lake Okeechobee. Because SB 2508 is part of the Senates budget, the House did not have to act on it. Each chamber now will appoint members to a budget conference committee to work out differences. Mischief is still possible. For now, though, Thursdays vote represents the sugar industrys biggest defeat in Tallahassee since 1994, when the Everglades Forever Act set standards for farm runoff. Credit goes to all opponents, including DeSantis, who publicly opposed it. The Legislature now must uphold that victory. DeSantis said his office is reviewing the amended bill. He should make clear that if any bad language remains in, his signature wont be on the budget. Its that important. The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Editorial Page Editor Dan Sweeney, and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. Editorials are the opinion of the Board and written by one of its members or a designee. To contact us, email at letters@sun-sentinel.com. In a case that went all the way to the federal appeals court level, a panel of judges has found that GEICO General Insurance adequately investigated a Florida claim after an insured motorist killed a cyclist, and did not act in bad faith. Driver Jonathan Ellis, who fled the scene after slamming into the man on a bicycle in 2014, argued in a lawsuit that GEICOs delay in addressing the claim, and paying out on his insurance policy, caused the victims family to reject the settlement offer, ultimately resulting in a $479,000 judgment against him. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in an opinion posted this week that some delays did occur, partly due to slowness by the police in providing an accident report, but also because Ellis did not respond to repeated calls and letters from GEICO adjusters. The plaintiffs were Ellis and Joyce Brobeck, the wife of the deceased cyclist. The attorney for the plaintiffs contended that the adjusters could have done more to find Ellis and to uncover information about the accident, including scouring his car while it was in a tow yard. The circuit judges disagreed, pointing out that GEICO offered to pay the limits of the policy as soon as it obtained the accident report six weeks after the fatal crash. Ellis overlooks the efforts GEICO did take to investigate the claim and confirm coverage, the Circuit Court opinion noted. Given the undisputed facts of this case, we agree with the district court that no reasonable jury could conclude that GEICO operated in bad faith under the totality of the circumstances. The court further explained that an insurer is allowed a reasonable time to investigate a claim; no obligation exists to tender policy limits in advance of a settlement offer without time for investigation. The decision also gives some insight into what obstacles insurers and their adjusters face after an accident, and the grounds that some lawyers will use to argue that insurers may be guilty of acting in bad faith. After Ellis struck cyclist Timothy Brobeck on Sept. 7, 2014, Ellis immediately left the scene, the court explained. He was arrested three days later and remained in jail for two weeks. Ellis later said that the police kept his cell phone, forcing him to get a new one with a new number. He also moved into the home of a friend or relative, and, on the advice of his lawyer, would not discuss the case with anyone, including his insurance company, he told the court. One GEICO adjuster said she was unable to reach Ellis or the attorney for the victims family. GEICO also said it never received a letter from the lawyer. Another adjuster said she attempted to find Ellis at his place of employment, but did not feel safe entering the windowless building. Ellis lawyer made that a key point in the bad-faith claim, and said the woman should have tried a little harder. The adjuster said she went to Ellis apartment but no one was home. Finally, on Oct. 29 that year, GEICO obtained the accident report from the state police. The adjuster and her GEICO supervisor immediately decided that Ellis, GEICOs policyholder, was 100% at fault. GEICO quickly dispatched an adjuster to hand-deliver a check for the limits of the policy. The policy provided $10,000 in coverage per person and $20,000 per accident. Two weeks later, the family rejected the offer, saying it was a week too late. Hyram Montero, the Fort Lauderdale attorney for the Brobeck family, held the opinion that GEICO did not act in good faith towards Ellis and did not treat this case with the urgency it required because it failed to follow up on leads that would have enabled it to make a timely tender of policy limits, the Circuit Court recounted. Brobeck had a 16-year-old daughter with cerebral palsy. She and her mom had moved to Argentina before the accident so that the mom could care for her ailing mother. Florida insurance attorneys have long complained that some plaintiffs lawyers are too quick to file bad-faith claims, and that Florida law sets a low bar to bring such cases. In this case, the federal judges acknowledged that Florida courts have long recognized the good-faith duty that insurers owe to their insureds in handling claims. Because the insured has surrendered to the insurer all control over the handling of the claim, including all decisions with regard to litigation and settlement, the insurer must assume a duty to exercise such control and make such decisions in good faith and with due regard for the interests of the insured,' the court wrote, citing a 2018 Florida case that involved GEICO. Some cases are considered ticking financial time bombs due to the threat of a lawsuit, and delays in making offers, even when theres no guarantee that the settlement will be accepted, could be viewed as evidence of bad faith, the circuit judges said. But the court said it also had to look at the totality of the circumstances. The key question is whether the insurer diligently and with the same haste and precision as it would if it were in the insureds shoes worked on the insureds behalf to avoid any excess judgment. GEICO did, in fact, act diligently, and immediately began an investigation into the claim after the accident, the judges said. The insured also has some responsibility, the court noted. GEICOs efforts in timely confirming coverage were frustrated by Elliss lack of communication, the per-curiam opinion reads. While GEICOs actions, not Ellis, are the focus of the bad-faith case, Elliss lack of communication with GEICO can be considered when determining the totality of the circumstances. The three-judge panel included Adalberto Jordan, Kevin Newsom and Susan Black. Topics Carriers Florida The Liberty Insurance Brokers named Sonia Ahuja chief operating officer. Ahuja has more than 25 years of experience in the industry, with prior stops at Venbrook Insurance Group, Farmers Financial Services, Cetera Financial Group, Wells Fargo Advisors, and AIG. The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers is a privately held insurance broker. Kinetic Insurance named Jose Cruz regional vice president of business development with responsibility for leading business development and broker distribution in California, Arizona and Nevada. Cruz has more than 15 years of commercial insurance experience in business development, point of sale activities and revenue generation strategies. Based in San Diego, Cruz will be working with agents and brokers to present the benefits of Kinetics wearable technology. Prior to joining Kinetic, Cruz was a business development executive with commercial insurance carriers and brokers, including WCF Insurance, Pacific Compensation Insurance Co., Willis, and Atlas General Insurance Services. Kinetic Insurance, backed by Nationwide, offers workers compensation coverage combined with a technology-driven approach to worker safety. Topics California Agencies The waters off the west coast of Ireland are among the great "superhighways" of the world for migrating whales, a major new study on the travelling patterns of the various species has revealed. A report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and its partners has been described as the "first truly comprehensive look at whale migrations". It analysed the "threats they face across all oceans, highlighting how the cumulative impacts from industrial fishing, ship strikes, pollution, habitat loss, and climate change are creating a hazardous and sometimes fatal obstacle course for the marine species". According to the analysis, off the west coast of Ireland is one of the most important corridors for fin whales. The WWF says the fin whale is an endangered species, with an estimated global population between 50,000 and 90,000. "Next to the blue whale, the fin whale is the second-largest mammal in the world," the WWF's description of the mammal says. "They have a distinct ridge along their back behind the dorsal fin, which gives it the nickname razorback. Fin whales have a very unusual feature: the lower right jaw is bright white and the lower left jaw is black. The fin whale has been severely impacted worldwide by commercial whaling, according to the WWF. "Nearly 750,000 animals were killed in areas of the Southern Hemisphere alone between 1904 and 1979, and they are rarely seen there today. Their current status is unknown in most areas outside of the North Atlantic," it says. The coast of Ireland was one of a number of global corridors mapped out by the study, which used 30 years of scientific data from more than 50 research groups, as well as marine scientists from Oregon State University, the University of California Santa Cruz, the University of Southampton, and others. 'Next to the blue whale, the fin whale is the second-largest mammal in the world,' the WWF's description says. Entitled Protecting Blue Corridors, the study visualised the satellite tracks of 845 migratory whales worldwide, showing areas where they feed, mate, give birth, and nurse their young, but also where they face the greatest threats. Chris Johnson, global lead for whale and dolphin conservation at WWF, said: "Cumulative impacts from human activities including industrial fishing, ship strikes, chemical, plastic and noise pollution, habitat loss, and climate change are creating a hazardous and sometimes fatal obstacle course. The deadliest by far is entanglement in fishing gear killing an estimated 300,000 whales, dolphins, and porpoises each year. Whats worse, this is happening from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Six out of the 13 great whale species are now classified as endangered or vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, even after decades of protection after commercial whaling, the WWF said. "Among those populations most at risk is the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, a species that migrates between Canada and the US," the organisation said. It is at its lowest point in 20 years numbering only 336 individuals. Some 86% of identified North Atlantic right whales are estimated to have been entangled in fishing gear at least once in their life, which the WWF described as "alarming". "Just one death jeopardises this populations survival. Between 2017 and 2021, 34 North Atlantic right whales died off the Canadian and US coasts from ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear," it said. The mother of a young woman who spent 17 hours on a trolley at University Hospital Limerick before her tragic death has said continued record overcrowding in the hospital is devastating for her family. Eve Cleary, 21, died in 2019 from a blood clot, just four hours after being discharged from UHL, where she had spent 17 hours on a trolley after a fall in Limerick city centre. An inquest recorded a verdict of medical misadventure in the case last October and the coroner accepted harrowing evidence about overcrowding in the A&E. Eve's mother Melanie Cleary said she mistakenly believed her daughter's death would lead to improvements to the Limerick emergency department. It seemed like things would change but nothing happened afterwards, she said. Ive written to everybody since Eves death, the previous minister for health, the new minister for health. Nobody seems to come back with a concrete answer, there is no accountability really. We believe if UHL was put in the middle of Dublin something would be done, Ms Cleary said. Eve Cleary, 21, died in 2019 from a blood clot, just four hours after being discharged from UHL, where she had spent 17 hours on a trolley after a fall in Limerick city centre. Her memory of being in the hospital with her daughter is of trolleys lining the corridors. It was like a train, like carriages of trolleys, all basically up on top of each other, she said. One of the patients there, he was drunk and he urinated in a sink. The smell of that was there when Eve was on the corridor. Her impression was the emergency department was backed up waiting for beds to become available. That day, there were 50 patients on trolleys, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO). Just a few weeks ago, on January 26, the INMO counted 111 admitted patients on trolleys in UHL. I feel, as a parent in this city, that I never want to see that happen to another family again, she said. Limerick deserves a better system, it is chaotic. The Cleary family would like to see an external investigation team examine emergency care in the hospital. They should come in and see what is going on there, why isnt this getting any better? I think Eve deserves that. Three years on and it is worse than it ever was, she said. A hospital spokesman said: We would like to express our sincere sympathy with Eves family on their terrible loss. "We regret that for Eve and her family their experience in the emergency department was unsatisfactory and we apologise unreservedly for the distress and upset this has caused. The Cleary family also want a separate investigation into their daughters care following the inquest findings and an internal hospital review of Eves case. Just this week, the Oireachtas health committee raised the ongoing issues at UHL with HSE chief executive Paul Reid. Mr Reid responded by saying he had confidence in the UHL chief executive and the clinical team but accepted they have "some real challenges in terms of demographics". He highlighted two issues adding pressure, including the extremely high number of Covid-19 patients, and the shortages of respite and nursing home beds locally, meaning patients often spend longer in UHL than they medically require. The committee was told the HSE was working to boost services in nearby smaller hospitals, such as Ennis. Increasing emergency care coverage in these smaller hospitals is something campaigners often raise as one solution. Ms Cleary said it was upsetting to hear local radio adverts advising people against going to UHL unless it is a serious emergency due to the overcrowding. Last July, the Irish Association of Emergency Medicine found nine of the 29 emergency departments in Ireland do not have a named consultant in emergency medicine available and are clinically accountable for patients at all times of opening. They described this as unacceptable and said to provide safe cover in EDs and across the 11 local injury units, 252 consultants are needed, when Ireland has just over 100. Ms Cleary said she has had enough and has joined with the Mid-West hospital campaign and organised street protests about overcrowding in early 2020. Every day I check the trolleys, the numbers. It was utter chaos the day Eve was there, it doesnt seem to have changed, she said. I have the energy for this now, I hope that people will take to the streets again. I will always continue with this. The daughter of a 92-year-old woman who died after getting Covid-19 in hospital during the second wave of the pandemic says she feels let down by the system. Agnes Arundels daughter, Mary Holland, told Cork City Coroners Court she and her family were upset that their mother was transferred on a freezing cold night in January 2021 from Cork University Hospital (CUH), just a few days after testing positive for Covid, to the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH). Ms Holland also told coroner Philip Comyn that a doctor in SIVUH told her that her mother had arrived from CUH in poor condition. She said she and her family were upset by a number of aspects of the care afforded to their mother, and that it had been compounded by visitor restrictions that prevented them from seeing her. The inquest into Ms Arundels death heard that she was living independently, with family support, at Ballycurreen on the Kinsale Road in Cork when she fell at home on the night of January 4, 2021, and called for help using a personal alarm. Family members found her conscious but upset on the floor near her bed. She had suffered a fractured left femur. She was taken by ambulance to CUH where, the following day, she underwent surgery to repair the fracture. Sequence of events The inquest was told that she tested negative for Covid-19 on admission, and tested negative repeatedly during her post-operative recovery period on January 7, 9, 11, 18, 20 and 26, during which time her mobility improved. By January 27, her discharge home was being planned but there was a Covid outbreak on her ward, 2B, and she was deemed to be a close contact of a patient with the virus. Nurse Kavitha Baskaran said Ms Arundel was moved to a designated room for close contacts in a Covid ward, 2A, where on January 29, she tested positive for Covid-19. Ms Holland told the coroner that she spoke to her mother by phone the next day. Her voice was weak and she said she was afraid she wouldnt survive, she said. But Ms Arundel rallied and by February 8, consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Colm Taylor, said in a report to the coroner that Ms Arundel was considered fit for transfer to SIVUH for physio and rehab. Ms Holland finally got a physical visit with her mother in SIVUH on February 9 and had to wear full PPP. She told the inquest that she noted an infection in her mother's mouth, associated with her dentures, and did her best to address it. But tragically, Ms Arundels condition deteriorated and she died in the hospital two days later. Is that medical care? The familys solicitor, David Williams, told the coroner that it was CUH policy at the time to avoid transfers of Covid patients unless they required medical care. The family understood she was being moved for rehab. Is that medical care? This was an acute patient who died soon after the transfer, he said. But solicitor for the HSE, Eamon Harrington, said rehab is medical care and the transfer was appropriate. Mr Comyn also pointed out that CUH deals with acute patients, and that during the second wave of the pandemic in January 2021, there would have been huge pressure on CUH and its staff to make beds available. Dr Margaret Bolster said Ms Arundel died from Covid-19 pneumonia, but she said femur fractures in elderly patients are also a significant injury, with a 20% mortality rate within a year of the injury. Mr Comyn said while the terminal event was Covid-19, the precipitating factor was the fall, and he recorded a verdict of accidental death. He also suggested that management of the two hospitals would meet Ms Arundels family so that they could air their concerns. In her speech after winning Artist of the Year at the newly gender-neutral Brit Awards, Adele said: I understand why the name of this award has changed but I really love being a woman and being a female artist. A fairly innocuous comment, one might have thought. Not to Fox News and other right-wing outlets who gleefully reported on the backlash against the singer, claiming social media users were criticising Adeles speech as anti trans. Fox News proceeded to round up eh, two tweets calling her a TERF (trans exclusionary radical feminist), the second of which was written by a woman who declares herself Radfem and Gender Critical in her bio. All in all, a storm in a teacup. No trans person I know, nor anyone who considers themselves an ally, would take any notice of Adeles speech; primarily because we dont believe the act of declaring yourself a woman can be anti-trans. Trans women are women. Its reminiscent of the outcry over Minnie Mouses new polka dot pantsuit (theyre taking all of these things that nobody was offended by, Candace Owens raged on Fox News, and feel they have to get rid of them and destroy them they are trying to destroy the fabrics of our society, pretending theres issues,) or the decision to take away the Green M&Ms white go-go boots and fluttering eyelashes to make her more progressive. (Will M&Ms still melt in your hands if they identify as trans? a Fox presenter asked and dont worry, I dont understand what point he was attempting to make either.) The whole furore feels like yet another attempt to discredit the trans community, to make them seem ridiculous and demanding. As if trans people wont rest until every beloved cartoon figure and Santa, of course identifies as non-binary. Like, how much free time do you think trans and non-binary people have? Anyone I have ever met from the community is just trying to live their lives with dignity and in peace, the same as we all are. I was reminded of a speech the author and activist, Juno Dawson, gave at a London protest in 2020, in which she said there were three things trans and non-binary people needed. I think its simple, she said. First of all, we want safety second of all, we want healthcare and last of all, we need a simple and easy system to be able to apply for legal recognition. Safety, healthcare, and recognition. Is that so much to ask for? Well, apparently it is because as outlined in a recent Vice article, an unpublished guidance pack from the EHRC (Britains equalities watchdog) advised businesses and other organisations to protect women by banning trans people from single-sex spaces such as bathrooms and changing spaces unless they had a Gender Recognition Certificate, which less than 1% of trans people in the UK do. The myth of the transgender predator roaming public bathrooms in search of victims is a prevailing one, despite a rigorously tested 2018 study from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law which found there was no evidence to support the idea that allowing trans people use facilities according to their gender identity increased safety risks. To the contrary, according to a study carried out on LGBTQ teenagers in 2019 (and subsequently published in Pediatrics journal), it was trans students in schools with bathroom restrictions that were at the higher risk of sexual assault, with one in four students reporting sexual violence in the previous 12 months. BUT whenever you present these facts to opponents of more inclusive spaces, they often respond by listing the very few cases of trans people raping and harming women in single-sex jails and bathrooms. And while those stories are utterly devastating, they cannot be used to punish an already marginalised community. Consider what it would sound like if you applied the same logic to different circumstances. If you said, this one lesbian couple abused their adopted child, so now we will not allow any other lesbian couples to adopt ever again. Or if you said, well, this white Irish man attacked a Polish woman in a park so now we must ban white Irish men from every park in the country. Doesnt that strike you as nonsensical? Even discriminatory? A violation of human rights, one could argue. The insistence that any of this is an immutable fact of biology seems misguided to me. If that is true, how do we explain babies who are born intersex? Intersexuality has been found in the animal world, too, showing up in grizzly and polar bears, as well as baboons, deer, moose, buffalo, and kangaroo. Even as far back as 1999, a book called Biological Exuberance detailed that more than 50 species of coral-reef fish possessed the ability to change their sexual organs from male to female. There is so still so much that we must learn about the difference between sex and gender, but in the meantime, I dont think its too much to hope for that we treat trans and non-binary people fairly. To agree they deserve those three things: Safety, healthcare, and recognition. Louise Says: Listen: Celebrity Memoir Book Club is my new favourite podcast. Two comedians, Ashley and Claire, dissect a new memoir every week with razor-sharp wit. Read: In Love in Colour, Bolu Babalola retells mythical tales from around the world. Its a beautiful collection. Burma Both Sides Sustain Casualties as Fighting Rages Between PDFs and Myanmar Junta A Loikaw PDF resistance fighter in Mobye, Shan State, on Thursday. / Loikaw PDF Around 20 junta soldiers and 20 resistance fighters were reportedly killed in Mobye town, southern Shan State, leading to airstrikes on Thursday. Myanmars regime reinforced the town this week, sparking fierce clashes on Wednesday with several peoples defense forces (PDFs), the Karenni National Defense Forces and Karenni Army from Pekon Township in Shan State and neighboring Demoso and Loikaw townships in Kayah State. Mobye PDF claimed resistance fighters killed many junta troops after more than 100 reinforcements arrived and damaged two armored vehicles on Thursday afternoon. The regime fired artillery and two fighters jets provided about eight airstrikes, leaving many houses damaged and civilians injured. On Thursday, seven Mobye PDF fighters were killed and six injured, according to the group. The Karenni Democratic Front (KDF), which is involved in the fighting, told The Irrawaddy on Friday that Dr. Aung Gyi, the groups medic, was killed by junta artillery while he was treating injured resistance fighters. The striking doctor from Yangon joined the armed resistance in Kayah State after being detained for six months by the regime, the KDF said. The group said 20 resistance combatants were killed on Thursday. The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the reports. Karenni Generation-Z, another resistance group, claimed to have killed 11 regime soldiers and injured five others on Thursday, while two of its combatants were injured by junta artillery. On Thursday, at least seven civilians, including a female resident and a child, were injured when junta forces indiscriminately shelled civilian targets, including a building sheltering displaced civilians, according to Mobye Rescue Team charity. Since Wednesday, almost all of Mobyes 28,000 residents have fled the town. Rescue teams have evacuated many residents trapped in the town. Clashes continued in Mobye on Friday while a 40-vehicle military convoy carrying reinforcements from the Shan capital, Taunggyi, is reportedly heading to Mobye. On Friday morning, the regime torched houses in Wari Suu Palaing village outside Mobye. The town is at a road linking Kayah State, which is largely controlled by Karenni resistance groups, and Shan State. Clashes will intensify as we all cannot allow regime forces to enter areas controlled by the PDFs, said a KDF representative. The KDF has asked the civilian National Unity Government and domestic and international donors to fund the Karenni resistance. It urged residents to follow instructions from resistance forces and avoid areas where fighting might occur. The military regime is facing daily attacks from PDFs and many ethnic armed groups across the country. You may also like these stories: New ASEAN Envoy to Myanmar Says He Wants to Meet Junta Opponents Allied Forces Seize Myanmar Junta Artillery Outpost Civilians Flee as Myanmar Junta Fights to Secure Strategic Town Near Capital Burma Myanmar Junta Denies Medical Treatment to Political Prisoners The regime released convicted criminals from Insein Prison on February 12 to mark the 75th anniversary of Union Day. / Nay Myo Political prisoners detained in Yangons Insein Prison say that they are being denied proper medical treatment for injuries caused by junta beatings, and many are now at risk of developing serious health complications. A letter sent on behalf of political prisoners detained at Insein circulated on social media on Wednesday. In it, a political prisoner details the condition of his ailing fellow detainees and urges local and foreign organizations to help provide proper medical treatment and medical supplies for those jailed by the military regime. One detainee who suffered a stroke is not receiving any proper treatment in the prison hospital, and prison authorities have denied him access to treatment at an outside hospital, said the letter. Another prisoner who often loses consciousness after his nerves were damaged in a junta beating is not receiving any treatment, it added. Ma Mya Kyu Kyu Thin, a female protester who was detained in December, is suffering from persistent headaches and nose bleeds after being beaten during her arrest. She has only been allowed to receive treatment at the prison hospital. We know these cases only because they happened before our eyes. We dont know how many other similar cases have happened without our knowledge. These cases are testimony to the lack of responsibility shown by the prison authorities and the regime, the letter said. An engineering student and Red Cross member, Ma Mya Kyu Kyu Thin was one of several protesters injured when a junta vehicle rammed a flash mob protest in Yangons Kyimyindaing Township. She also suffered head injuries when regime forces beat the demonstrators. She wants to receive treatment at an outside hospital because she was hit in her head and she wants to have a CT scan. CT scans are not available at the prison hospital. But she has been denied treatment at an outside hospital, said her lawyer. An x-ray has revealed that certain nerves in her brain have been damaged, said the lawyer. Ma Hmu Yadanar, who was detained along with Ma Mya Kyu Kyu Thin, had her left leg broken and is being detained at Kyimyindaing Township police station with her leg in a cast. At Dawei Prison in southern Myanmars Tanintharyi Region, Ma Khin Kay Khaing is in urgent need of treatment for stomach problems as her condition is worsening as a result of the prison food and a lack of proper healthcare, according to the Dawei Political Prisoners Network. Ma Khin Kay Khaing was sentenced to seven years in jail for anti-regime activities. She is in a serious condition. The prison authorities have a responsibility to provide treatment as per the rights for prisoners. But they just give out painkillers. Her life could be at risk if her condition gets worse, said a member of the Dawei Political Prisoners Network. One lawyer acting for detained activists said: As everyone knows, there is no healthcare service in prison. I heard paracetamol is the only medicine available in prison. The detainees have told me that many of them have fallen sick with COVID-19 symptoms. Like in the past, the majority of prisoners do not have full access to healthcare services. They are still being denied fundamental human rights and basic healthcare facilities. Restrictions and rights violations have increased in Insein Prison since last June, when civilian wardens were replaced by military personnel, a former political prisoner told The Irrawaddy. Most importantly, healthcare services have significantly deteriorated. I am afraid they [the junta] are doing this deliberately. [Prison authorities] have been displaying a more negative attitude towards political prisoners, said the former prisoner. The parallel civilian National Unity Government (NUG) said it has been monitoring prison conditions under the military regime, and has received evidence of torture and extrajudicial killings in jails in September, November and December last year. Action is being taken to hold the perpetrators accountable, the NUG said. As of February 15, 1,557 people including children have been killed by the junta since last years coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. More than 9,100 people have been detained, with over 700 of them given prison sentences. You may also like these stories: Both Sides Sustain Casualties as Fighting Rages Between PDFs and Myanmar Junta New ASEAN Envoy to Myanmar Says He Wants to Meet Junta Opponents Allied Forces Seize Myanmar Junta Artillery Outpost Revenge porn is illegal in Florida. If only the state could outlaw revenge politics. The latest attempt at it comes from State Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay. He wants to strip $200 million from the budgets of 12 school districts including Orange, Volusia and Brevard counties that last year refused to follow Gov. DeSantis ban on mask mandates. The money would go to districts that complied. Advertisement Fine is wrong on policy and wrong on the facts. Yet the House voted Wednesday to include it in its version of the budget, and DeSantis flip-flopped on his previous opposition. Its up to the Senate to see through this nakedly vengeful move. Somebody has to say no Fines ridiculous assertion that mask mandates were the second-largest state-sponsored act of child abuse in the history of Florida. Advertisement Fine told the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board that he was speaking broadly of mask mandates nationwide. The biggest state-sponsored child abuse, he said, is the extended forced closure of schools in other states and reliance on remote learning. Students pick up masks during arrival at Maitland Middle School on the first day of classes after the winter break, Tuesday, January 4, 2022. Orange County is one of 12 districts that could lose funding because it defied Gov. Ron DeSantis and told students to wear masks. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) Either way, the districts broke no law. They defied the governor after citing ample evidence that DeSantis had no authority to issue such an executive order under the so-called Parents Bill of Rights. In November, having to act because DeSantis case was so shaky, Fine and other Republicans approved a ban keeping school districts from imposing mandates. Once that happened, all districts complied. So when Fine barks that districts must follow the laws that weve passed, they did. At this point, the Senate contains no such penalty in its budget. For that reason, one might be tempted to dismiss Fines idea. Floridians, though, never should underestimate this Legislatures capacity for bad ideas, especially when it comes to public education. Fines plan calls for taking the money from non-teaching staff who make at least $100,000. But local officials in Palm Beach County arent even sure if that description would include principals. Under current calculations, however, Orange County would lose $16.5 million. Brevard County would lose $4.5 million and Volusia County would lose nearly $3.2 million. Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. > Leon County Superintendent Rocky Hanna, whose board defied the governor, correctly called Fine a childish, immature bully who simply hates public schools. Fine responded, I think its pretty clear who is immature and childish here. Perhaps the next time career politicians like Hanna are considering breaking the law, they will think twice. Again, the districts did not break the law. And superintendents like Hanna are not career politicians, though that is a favorite slur of right-wing Republicans who seek to privatize public education. Advertisement Fine is the tip of the GOP spear in Tallahassee that hopes to harass Floridas sensible school board members, teachers and administrators until they quit. He is so obsessed that hes willing to penalize his own county, Brevard. Other Republican-sponsored legislation would cut or eliminate the salaries of school board members and set term limits for them. Legislators want to require cameras in each classroom to videotape teachers, no doubt to help parents claim indoctrination in critical race theory. Back in Brevard, the public defender who sits on the charter review committee wants to allow recall of school board members. Florida doesnt have a way even to recall the governor. In a functioning Legislature, Randy Fine would be an outlier. In Florida, the fringe is in control. We ask the Senate to reject this attempt at revenge politics. The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board includes Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Editorial Page Editor Dan Sweeney, and Anderson. Contact us at insight@orlandosentinel.com. Burma Myanmar Junta Jails Ousted NLD's Bago Chief Minister for 20 Years Ousted Bago Region Chief Minister U Win Thein. / The Irrawaddy A junta court has sentenced Bago Regions ousted chief minister, U Win Thein, to 20 years imprisonment with hard labor for alleged corruption. A statement in a junta-controlled newspaper on Friday said the National League for Democracy (NLD) chief minister, who was detained during the last years coup, was found guilty on all seven charges he faced. The junta accused U Win Thein of misusing state funds, bribery and breaching financial procedures in managing regional development and preventing COVID-19 under the Anti-Corruption Law. On Thursday, Bago Region High Court handed down 20 years in jail for all the cases, the newspaper reported. Of the 14 state and regional chief ministers appointed by the NLD government, 13 were detained on Feb. 1, 2021, and are still in military custody, prison or under house arrest. The Chin State chief minister was reported to have fled across the border into India. Almost all the chief ministers have been charged under Article 55 of the Anti-Corruption Law and face tough jail terms. Many of them also face other charges. Yangon Region chief minister U Phyo Min Thein is the only one who has not been hit with any legal charges by the junta. Karen State chief minister Daw Nan Khin Htwe Myint was sentenced to 80 years in prison on corruption and incitement charges, which was halved on February 12. Dr. Zaw Myint Maung, the detained Mandalay chief minister and NLD deputy chairman, was sentenced for allegedly breaching COVID-19 rules and incitement. You may also like these stories: Notorious Junta General Removed from Upper Myanmar Command as Resistance Intensifies Myanmar Junta Denies Medical Treatment to Political Prisoners Both Sides Sustain Casualties as Fighting Rages Between PDFs and Myanmar Junta Burma New ASEAN Envoy to Myanmar Says He Wants to Meet Junta Opponents Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn speaks during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat press conference in Phnom Penh on Feb. 17, 2022. / AFP A regional special envoy to Myanmar on Thursday urged the countrys military junta to allow him to meet a shadow government it has branded a terrorist organization in order to break a deadlock between the military and opponents of the coup. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has led diplomatic efforts to end the chaos unleashed by last years putsch in Myanmar, which triggered mass protests and a deadly crackdown on dissent. Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, ASEANs new special envoy to the country, told a meeting of the blocs foreign ministers he planned to visit in March and meet with top junta officials. He added a request to be allowed to meet with members of the National Unity Government (NUG), which is dominated by lawmakers from Daw Aung San Suu Kyis ousted National League for Democracy (NLD), and which is working to overthrow the junta. If Naypyitaw is not speaking with the NUG let the special envoy be the bridge, he said, referring to Myanmars capital. The junta has declared the NUG to be terrorists and has jailed several high-ranking members of Daw Aung San Suu Kyis party. Most NUG members are in exile or in hiding and Prak Sokhonn gave no details on where or when any future meeting might take place, or whether he had discussed his plans with the junta. The junta did not respond to a request for comment. Myanmars top diplomat was barred from Thursdays meeting in Phnom Penh over a lack of progress in defusing the violence, although Prak Sokhonn said junta representatives had been allowed to listen in on discussions. The foreign ministers appeal to Naypyitaw follows a Jan. 7-8 trip to Myanmar by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen that was widely criticized as lending legitimacy to the regime, in part because he met only with the junta leadership and failed to meet with representatives of the NUG or NLD. Cambodia is the current holder of the ASEAN chair, which rotates annually between bloc members. In public remarks on Wednesday, Hun Sen appeared pessimistic on his chances of persuading the junta to implement ASEANs Five-Point Consensus on resolving the crisis in Myanmar, and seemed to have given upless than two months into his chairmanshipon making any progress. RFA quoted him as saying that there are only 10 more months and 14 days left and my duty [as ASEAN chair] will be finished, and suggesting that the next chair of ASEAN take care of the issue. More than 1,500 people have been killed and over 12,000 arrested in a military crackdown since the coup, according to a local monitoring group. You may also like these stories: Allied Forces Seize Myanmar Junta Artillery Outpost Civilians Flee as Myanmar Junta Fights to Secure Strategic Town Near Capital Over 4,500 Homes Torched by Myanmar Junta Forces Since Coup Burma Notorious Junta General Removed from Upper Myanmar Command as Resistance Intensifies Lieutenant General Than Hlaing. One of the Myanmar juntas most notorious commanders, Lieutenant General Than Hlaing, has been removed from his position leading clearance operations against civilian resistance groups in the countrys most restive region. His removal from the role based at northwestern command in Monywa, Sagaing Region is an indication that the military regimes attempts to crush armed resistance in Upper Myanmar are failing. Lt-Gen Than Hlaing was appointed as chief of the Myanmar Police and deputy home affairs minister the day after last years February 1 coup. Since then, he has earned notoriety for commanding lethal crackdowns against peaceful anti-regime protesters and striking civil servants. One of his victims was his own brother. Lt-Gen Than Hlaings younger brother Ko So Moe Hlaing, 53, a veteran pro-democracy activist, was tortured to death last May while in military custody in Bago Region. In October, Lt-Gen Than Hlaing was assigned to command the mission to crush Peoples Defense Forces (PDF) in Sagaing and Magwe regions and Chin State. However, Upper Myanmar remains the most restive part of the country, despite thousands of junta reinforcements arriving in the region since his appointment. Fighting between regime forces and resistance groups has intensified in recent months, with the Myanmar military suffering heavy casualties. In response, junta forces have escalated their attacks against civilian targets in the areas where PDFs are most active. Lieutenant General Than Tun Oo will replace Lt-Gen Than Hlaing as head of clearance operations in northwestern command. However, Lt-Gen Than Hlaing will remain as chief of the Myanmar Police and deputy home affairs minister. The European Union, United States, United Kingdom and Canada have all imposed sanctions on Lt-Gen Than Hlaing for overseeing the regimes brutal crackdowns on civilians. A senior position such as leading clearance operations is normally only assigned to generals who are being considered for further promotion. Some military sources are speculating that Lt-Gen Than Hlaings removal could mean a fall from grace for one of the juntas most aggressive commanders. Previously, the junta also ousted Brigadier General Phyo Thant from his position as chief of the northwestern regional command. He was replaced by Major General Than Hteik. Brig-Gen Phyo Thant was subsequently appointed as deputy minister for border affairs. As of February 11, 1,557 people have been killed by the junta since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Over 12,000 people have been detained by the regime or are the subject of arrest warrants. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Junta Denies Medical Treatment to Political Prisoners Both Sides Sustain Casualties as Fighting Rages Between PDFs and Myanmar Junta New ASEAN Envoy to Myanmar Says He Wants to Meet Junta Opponents Burma Resistance Fighters Suffer Heavy Losses During Sagaing Clash With Myanmar Junta A village in Pale Township, Sagaing Region, burns on Friday after a junta raid. / CJ At least 12 resistance fighters were reportedly killed during a clash with Myanmars regime forces in Khin-U Township, Sagaing Region, on Thursday. Resistance forces, mostly armed with homemade weapons, attacked about 80 regime troops who were looting and torching houses in Myothit village in the west of Khin-U township, according to media and resistance groups. The regime forces looted houses and stole bags of rice using three trucks, according to the Armed Revolutionary Force (ARF) of Khin-U that was involved in the attack. A spokesman for the group said six ARF fighters were confirmed killed and there were other casualties. The military casualties are unknown. The flat land and improvised firearms meant the resistance fighters were vulnerable to the regimes automatic weapons, said the spokesman. Photos show the bodies of resistance fighters with their firearms. We dont mind fighting in an open field. Our main problem is having no proper weapons so we suffered heavy losses. Please can people and the National Unity Government supply us, he said. We all vowed to fight until the military dictatorship falls. During the junta raid on Myothit village more than 1,000 residents fled their homes. The junta is facing daily attacks from peoples defense forces and many ethnic armed groups across the country. The military regime continues atrocities including torture, burning people alive, massacres, arbitrary killings, using civilian detainees as human shields, shelling residential areas, looting and burning houses, especially in Magwe and Sagaing regions and Chin, Kachin, Shan, Kayah and Karen states. You may also like these stories: Notorious Junta General Removed from Upper Myanmar Command as Resistance Intensifies Myanmar Junta Denies Medical Treatment to Political Prisoners Both Sides Sustain Casualties as Fighting Rages Between PDFs and Myanmar Junta Trinity, TX (77320) Today Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Ithaca, NY (14850) Today A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 53F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 53F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. An international team of researchers from Australia, New Zealand and India has created a way to allow a person's expression to manipulate objects in a virtual reality setting In what is claimed to be a world first, the University of Queensland led team of human computer interaction experts used neural processing techniques to capture three types of expression smile, frown, clenched jaw and used each to trigger specific actions in virtual reality environments, avoiding the need for a handheld controller or touchpad. University of South Australia Professor Mark Billinghurst, one of the researchers, explained that the system recognises the different facial expressions via an EEG headset. "A smile was used to trigger the 'move' command; a frown for the 'stop' command and a clench for the 'action' command, in place of a handheld controller performing these actions," he said. "Essentially we are capturing common facial expressions such as anger, happiness and surprise and implementing them in a virtual reality environment." The researchers point out that this technique will also allow people with disabilities including amputees and those with motor neurone disease to interact hands free in VR, and that it may also be used to complement handheld controllers where facial expressions are a more natural form of interaction. This would be an especially convenient approach if the EEG function could be built into a VR headset. Billinghurst noted that relying on facial expressions in a VR setting is hard work for the brain but gives users a more realistic experience. "Hopefully with some more research we can make it more user friendly." The researchers created happy, neutral and scary virtual environments, and measured participants' cognitive and physiological states in each scenario. In the happy environment, the task was to catch butterflies with a net. Users moved when they smiled and stopped when they frowned. In the neutral environment, participants were tasked with navigating a workshop to pick up items strewn throughout. The clenched jaw triggered an action in this case picking up each object while the start and stop movement commands were initiated with a smile and frown. In the scary environment, participants navigated an underground base to shoot zombies. "Overall, we expected the handheld controllers to perform better as they are a more intuitive method than facial expressions, however people reported feeling more immersed in the VR experiences controlled by facial expressions," said Billinghurst. The study findings have appeared in the International Journal of Human-Computer Studies. Image: Nick Webb via Flickr, CC BY 2.0. South Africa: SA participates in the 58th Munich Security Conference International Relations and Cooperation Minister Dr Naledi Pandor will participate in the 58th Munich Security Conference (MSC), which gets underway in Germany today. During the conference, Minister Pandor will participate in and deliver the opening remarks at a roundtable discussion on pandemic preparedness. The roundtable aims to explore what reforms should be introduced and new instruments or initiatives should be developed to make sure that the world is better prepared for the next pandemic, said the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in a statement. The MSC, which runs from Friday and will conclude on Sunday, is an annual conference on international security that has taken place in Munich since 1963. It is the worlds largest gathering of its kind and is normally attended by Heads of State, government and international organisations, Cabinet Ministers, parliamentarians and high-ranking representatives of the armed forces. Minister Pandor will be joined on the panel by Karl Lauterbach, the Minister of Health of Germany, John Nkengasong, the Director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and by Sir Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust. Minister Pandor will also attend a breakfast engagement with female Foreign Ministers, which will be hosted by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of Germany and Foreign Minister Marise Payne of Australia. The breakfast engagement will focus on the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda. South Africa and Switzerland are the co-chairs of the WPS Network for 2022. Minister Pandor is also expected to have several bilateral engagements with other Foreign Ministers attending the conference.-SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-02-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Chinese mainland reports 40 new local COVID-19 cases Xinhua) 10:23, February 18, 2022 BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland on Thursday reported 40 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said on Friday. Of the new local infections, 22 were reported in Inner Mongolia, nine in Liaoning, four each in Jiangsu and Guangdong, and one in Yunnan, the commission said in its daily report. Thursday also saw eight provincial-level regions reporting 47 imported COVID-19 cases, said the commission. Six new suspected cases arriving from outside the mainland were reported in Shanghai, and no new deaths from COVID-19 were reported on the day, it added. A total of 45 asymptomatic cases were newly reported Thursday, 25 of whom arrived from outside the mainland, according to the commission. As of Thursday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reported on the Chinese mainland, both local and imported, had reached 107,375. There were 1,423 patients still under treatment on Thursday, of whom seven were in severe condition. A total of 4,636 patients had died of the virus on the mainland since the outbreak of the disease. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) TALLAHASSEE Theres an old axiom in the Florida Legislature: When all else fails, read the bill. Not enough people read bills all the way through anymore, or the laws themselves, as the pace of life moves ever faster. But to her credit, state Rep. Kelly Skidmore of Boca Raton did this week. She was shocked at what she saw, and it led to a very moving scene at the Capitol. Advertisement There, buried in Floridas child welfare laws, in a section about placing foster children for adoption, are decades-old definitions of a special needs child. They include eight years of age or older, developmentally disabled, or of Black or racially mixed parentage. Steve Bousquet, South Florida Sun Sentinel Opinion Editor and columnist. (Mike Stocker/Sun Sentinel) A review of legislative records shows that in 1976, well-intentioned lawmakers most of them Democrats classified Black children, for purposes of adoption and leaving foster care, as having special needs because of their race. Advertisement It must be noted that this period has come to be known as the Golden Age of Florida politics, a period of enlightened liberalism and a post-Watergate emphasis on ethics in government. Its also true that in 1976, there were only three Black legislators. Two well-respected legislators at the forefront of childrens issues that year were Sen. Jack Gordon of Miami Beach and Rep. Elaine Gordon of North Miami, and Gov. Reubin Askew signed the bill into law (HB 3612). No governor other than LeRoy Collins was a more compassionate leader on racial justice. Former Florida Rep. Elaine Gordon of North Miami was a leading feminist and child advocate. She died in 2000. (FloridaMemory.com) The times were different. Historical context matters. Floridas child safety net has never been adequately funded, and those legislators were trying to create pathways for more kids to be adopted. The term special needs also had a different context then than it does now. In todays Florida House, those black-and-white words on a page cut very deeply. This, Skidmore said in an interview Friday, is institutionalized racism. She was horrified. So was Rep. Patricia Williams, D-Pompano Beach, who was determined to do something about it. WIlliams, herself a foster parent, said she has cared for more than 50 foster children. What is important to me is the skin that Im in. It didnt sit well with me, Williams told House members. I dont think a child thats Black or racially mixed should be considered as special needs. Advertisement Williams hurriedly drafted an amendment changing the term special needs to difficult to place, and asked that it be added onto a bill being debated that comprehensively addresses the crisis of families without a father figure, one of the factors leading to at-risk Florida children. The stigmatizing inference of Florida Statute 409.166 quickly captured the attention of other lawmakers, too. They demanded a response. It didnt say white kids are special needs kids, said Rep. Dotie Joseph, D-North Miami. The fatherhood bill (HB 7065) is a high priority of House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, and is one of the few bills in the 2022 session that enjoys overwhelming bipartisan support across racial, demographic and party lines. Sprowls deserves praise for following through on such a critically important initiative that he emphasized three years ago when his colleagues chose him as a future speaker. The sponsor of the fatherhood initiative, Rep. Thad Altman, R-Indialantic, said he shared Williams concern, but he opposed her amendment to his bill. Altman called it cumbersome and a little too late and said it wasnt precisely relevant, either. Advertisement Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. > Tensions were rising on a sensitive issue involving race. Its already a highly tense time in Tallahassee amid divisive Republican-sponsored bills about critical race theory and dont say gay in public schools. The House Democratic leader, Rep. Evan Jenne, D-Dania Beach, could be seen conferring intently with Sprowls at the speakers rostrum. I swear to each and every one of you, the wheels are already spinning, Jenne told the House, calling the offending passage hateful. Then Jenne added: The speaker has always been a man of his word to me. Moments later, Sprowls announced that staff members had found a different piece of legislation that was a better fit for Williams amendment, and the House speaker received a standing ovation from the entire membership. For once, a rare glimpse of trust and bipartisan teamwork between a Democrat and a Republican defused a highly emotional situation. Thats how its supposed to work. Advertisement Steve Bousquet is Opinion Editor of the Sun Sentinel and a columnist in Tallahassee. Contact him at sbousquet@sunsentinel.com or (850) 567-2240 and follow him on Twitter @stevebousquet. GUEST OPINION: Information and security professionals face the uncomfortable and bleak reality that ransomware will only get worse in 2022: increasing in its sophistication, frequency, and volume. Ransomware continues to be aided by the consistent disruption caused by the pandemic, the adoption of new technologies that increase data generation and information sharing, and the ongoing remote working by millions who are based outside the perimeter defences of their offices network. The numbers paint a sobering picture, with the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) finding there was a 15% increase in ransomware cybercrime reports in 2020-21, and the average cost of ransomware doubling in the last year to over US$2.34 million, according to Sophos. Many organisations understand the threat ransomware poses to their operational continuity. For some, it is a harder challenge to manage, often not knowing where to start or who must lead the charge, and for others, there are alternative challenges considered to be of higher priority or urgency. However, the federal government is taking greater notice, with the federal minister for Home Affairs, Karen Andrews, warning in Parliament this past fortnight, that cyber-crime poses significant challenges, to major elements of Australias economy, infrastructure, and financial system. Put simply, the stakes have never been higher. To combat this increasing challenge of ransomware, CISOs and CIOs - along with their CEOs and boards - must make themselves aware of the threats facing their data and IT environments. This starts by adopting an unprecedented level of focus to find gaps that exist in their management and governance of data, so they can deploy the right strategies to comprehensively protect their technology infrastructure and the data it houses. However, the obstacle for many is how to do this without disrupting their older technology or eliminating the productivity benefits of new technology, such as cloud applications, which have been introduced since the onset of the pandemic, and without disrupting remote or flexible working. Ransomware and cyber criminals are growing up Ransomware continues to mature by becoming more sophisticated and targeted. Ransomware as a Service, also known as RaaS, is a relatively recent form of ransomware that is significantly increasing in presence globally. Rarely seen in Australia prior to 2021, RaaS has now become easily accessible and available to the point that malicious actors are making it available to non-technical cybercriminals. In the past fortnight, five leading cyber securities bodies CISA, the FBI and NSA (US), Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), and the UKs NCSC issued an advisory alert focused on ransomware and the key methods threat actors are likely to use in 2022, with RaaS a key callout. The advisory also reveals that malicious actors are now leveraging cybercriminal services for hire, demonstrating the criminal business opportunities being generated by ransomware, to help negotiate payments, assist victims with making payments, and arbitrate payment disputes between themselves and other cyber criminals. In fact, the UKs NCSC has found that some ransomware threat actors offered their victims the services of a 24/7 help centre to expedite ransom payment and restoration of encrypted systems or data. Turbo-charge your organisations data protection capabilities To combat and counter this evolving threat of ransomware, a new approach must be taken to data security. Proactively protecting against cyber threats, especially ransomware, and enhancing security postures go beyond simply improving network or endpoint security you must focus on what the attackers seek, your data. The double blow for most organisations is that not only is ransomware becoming even trickier to handle, but many also rely on legacy data management technology which forces them to a take a DIY approach to managing and protecting data due to having to manage multiple products from multiple vendors. This causes time sinks for already stretched IT teams. Higher costs of total ownership, is not designed to run as a part of an integrated technology environment and does not stack up against the sophisticated cyberattack techniques of today. In fact, the attack surfaces of organisations are significantly extended by this isolated and old technology, which doesnt share common security policies or provide visibility to IT teams of irregular behaviour and potential threats present within organisations technology ecosystem. The good news is that some organisations are maturing in their data protection and security approach, and as a result strengthening their overall security posture, by adopting next-gen data management platforms that align to their needs of today and are built upon capabilities that deliver simplicity at scale, zero trust security principles, AI-powered insights, and 3rd-party extensibility. These capabilities help bring together security, data intelligence, and risk management, which all play a vital role in protecting data. The right next-gen data management technology will have immutability baked-in, and not be an afterthought, will detect anomalies via AI and machine learning, reduce data proliferation or duplication, and support an automated or rapid recovery should the worst happen. Additionally, organisations should embrace the 3-2-1 rule to data backups, ensure data is encrypted both at transit and at rest, enable multi-factor authentication, and employ zero trust principles. Ransomware and its rapid proliferation are only going to get worse with attackers as focused as ever on stealing valuable data and extorting their victims as revealed by a warning from some of the worlds leading cybersecurity bodies. Relying on what has always been done or what has always been used will only leave your organisation in a state of regret when ransomware strikes and disrupts your operations, damages your reputation, and decreases your revenue. With ransomware attacks occurring globally almost every 10 seconds, can you afford to be left behind? Digital lifestyle device brand BenQ is now the worlds first stand-alone displays to achieve Pantone SkinTone Validated for selected DesignVue PD and PhotoVue SW models. Having forged Aqcolor Technology to deliver accurate colours for the global community of colour professionals, we look forward to incorporating Pantone SkinTone Validated for technology products that are more inclusive than ever, says BenQ product marketing manager Grace Tran. Pantone SkinTone Validated gives designers and photographers confidence in displaying authentic real-world colours and accurately representing the worlds palette of skin tones. Leveraging the Pantone SkinTone guide, the first science-based system for matching and reproducing human skin tones, the Pantone SkinTone Validated comprises 110 discrete skin tones based on thousands of human skin measurements from a diverse range of ethnicities and age groups. Pantone SkinTone Validated assures colour professionals that certified devices comply with the pantone matching system (PMS) and reproduce lifelike skin tones to represent equality and inclusivity for all consumers. The Pantone SkinTone Validated program exemplifies inclusivity in technology and we are thrilled to be working with BenQ to help realise skin tone colour accuracy in their products and services for a better and more accurate experience. We look forward to further collaborating with the BenQ team on this for years to come, comments Pantone director of licensing and business development Iain Pike. As the worlds first professional monitors to become Pantone SkinTone Validated, BenQ DesignVue and PhotoVue professional displays were also exhibited at CES 2022. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. Jacksonville, TX (75766) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Donate Now As a public service during this pandemic, the Jewish News is providing free, unlimited access to all articles. Jewish News is a nonprofit publication that is owned by the community and relies on community support. Dear Scott, thanks so much for the column today. [Florida legislators want to videotape teachers. I say we put body cams on lawmakers.] This bill is an insult to good teachers everywhere. If this bill passes, I can see more teachers quitting and adding to the shortage. Judy Judy, some Florida lawmakers would consider that an added bonus. Advertisement I think all politicians should have to wear body cameras the kind that automatically turn on when lobbyists come around. Joan Good idea. The cameras would rarely shut off. Advertisement Blow it out your a**. No one listens to your propaganda. Jamie Jamie, here at the Sentinel, we strive to offer the most a**-blowing propaganda in town. Thank you for your column today on the death penalty. [With 324 on death row, Florida is among small number of states still executing people] Its hard to believe that this is still being debated among modern and civilized people. In 1994, Justice Harry Blackmun strongly objected to capital punishment because of possible errors in sentencing and the difficulty of trying to provide fairness and consistency and said, The path the Court has chosen lessens us all. Nancy A lot of the support for capital punishment seems based on emotions more than thoughtful analysis. The death penalty doesnt deter crime. Its not doled out evenly among race, economic status and even mental fitness. And we have concrete evidence people have been wrongly sent to death row dozens of times in Florida alone. Execute one a day and it will be empty in under a year. Think of all that saved money. Glenn M Hi Glenn. Id genuinely like to know more about your thinking here. You just read a piece that said, for every three people executed, Florida later learned another was wrongly put on death row. Some of the people on death row now still have pending appeals for DNA tests. And your proposed solution is just to kill them all anyway? (Glenn M. never responded.) I was for the death penalty in Florida until I read your article. I agree, theres just too much uncertainty about it. Glenn C Advertisement Glenn, I dont get many notes like this one. Especially from guys named Glenn. Thank you, sir Merry f***ing Christmas, a**hole. Art Art, you have a unique way of honoring our saviors birth. Scott, you should consider running for office: mayor, governor, president? Susan I think Id have trouble securing Arts vote. Hi Scott. My husband and I are longtime subscribers. I am equally horrified and embarrassed by the current effort of legislators to help white folks who are made uncomfortable by talks about racism. [Targeting Disney: Floridas anti-woke law is for whiny snowflakes. Its also unconstitutional.] Ive worked at two large local companies. Both had a day of mandatory training to learn about the companys values and also videos about how to stay safe during an active shooter incident. Perhaps the folks in Tallahassee could pass some legislation to protect me from BEING SHOT AT WORK. The idea of that makes me a lot more uncomfortable than talking about legitimate American history. The Goodwins Advertisement I appreciate the perspective. But GOP legislators seem more scared of history lessons about segregation than criminals ability to buy high-capacity rifles without background checks. Hey Scott. So, in the interest of free enterprise, you would also be okay with Disney promoting Wiccanism or Scientology? Its the same bathtub as wokeism. Joe Joe, the only people who ask: Well, would you allow this speech or that speech? are people who dont truly support free speech. If Disney wants to tell its employees it believes in anything from unicorns to tyranny, thats the companys business. When government starts telling individuals and businesses what they can and cant say and think, you should be worried. Even if youre not, I am. Scott, is a civics class still mandatory in school? The Larsons Yes. And it has been for years even when Florida politicians were claiming we needed to put civics back in the classroom! Some of those politicians need the civics classes more than the kids. When will we all realize that the greatest threat to democracy is public schools being denigrated? To be successful at sowing fear and distrust requires a public not educated enough to think or believe there is a better way. Paul Advertisement Sounds like propaganda to me. ORLANDO SENTENIAL PLACE THE RACE CARD. A.P. A.P., this was a rare instance where I needed an interpreter for something allegedly written in English. Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. > Scott, thanks for putting a spotlight on these rotten people. [Florida education scandal reveals conflicts, money-grubbing for tax dollars.] I despise people who undermine public education while pursuing their selfish interests. Shame on them. R.M. This case seemed particularly unseemly. The states top education officials pushed to privatize an entire public school district and then some tried to personally profit off the contracts. Your column today is the best Ive read to date concerning the Jefferson County education scandal. Today, with so many examples of blatant yet publicly unacknowledged corruption in government operations, we are numb to it. We almost expect it. Randa Advertisement I sadly agree. This scandal was at the highest levels of Floridas education. Yet most Floridians barely blinked. The governor and education commissioner seemed eager to sweep it all under the rug, and the citizenry has been pretty accommodating. You are the reason I wont read the Orlando Slantinal. Richard Richard, Im grateful for non-readers. Theyre some of the most loyal followers we have. Some write over and over to complain about pieces they claim they didnt read and to let me know they wont be reading the pieces theyre sure to complain about in the future. smaxwell@orlandosentinel.com Johnson City, TN (37604) Today Scattered thunderstorms. Low 62F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms. Low 62F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Hillary Clinton suggested Thursday that a desperate former President Donald Trump hopes to divert attention from his deepening legal trouble by spreading ludicrous lies about her. Its funny, the more trouble Trump gets into, the wilder the charges and conspiracy theories about me seem to get, Clinton said, drawing laughs as she delivered the keynote speech at the New York State Democratic Convention. Advertisement His accountants have fired him, Clinton added. And investigations draw closer to him. And right on cue, the noise machine gets turned up. Sec. Hillary Clinton speaks during the 2022 New York State Democratic Convention at the Sheraton Midtown on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) Clinton, who lost to Trump in the 2016 presidential election, delivered her speech on the same day that a judge ruled Trump must sit for questioning in the New York attorney generals civil investigation into possible fraud by the Trump Organization. Advertisement Liz Harrington, Trumps spokeswoman, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Clintons speech. Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. > On Saturday, Trump issued a blustery statement claiming that Clintons campaign spied on his campaign during the 2016 race. Then-President Donald Trump gestures as he arrives to speak at a rally in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) This is a scandal far greater in scope and magnitude than Watergate and those who were involved in and knew about this spying operation should be subject to criminal prosecution, Trump said in the statement. The next day, he added in an all-caps statement: THEY SPIED ON THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES! He has never publicly accepted that he lost the 2020 election to President Biden, instead sowing dangerous falsehoods about widespread voter fraud. Sec. Hillary Clinton speaks during the 2022 New York State Democratic Convention at the Sheraton Midtown on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) Clinton said Americas fight to maintain its democracy remains unfinished, pointing disapprovingly at the Republican Partys decision to declare that the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was legitimate political discourse. We must reject the big lie about the 2020 election and the coverup of the insurrection of last Jan. 6, Clinton said in her speech at the Democratic convention in Midtown Manhattan. And we cant get distracted whether its by the latest culture nonsense, or some new right-wing lie on Fox or Facebook. Fox News, which was broadcasting the speech live, cut away. Weather Alert ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible. * WHERE...Portions of southeast Kansas, including the following areas, Bourbon, Cherokee and Crawford. Portions of Missouri, including the following areas, Barry, Barton, Benton, Camden, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Hickory, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Ozark, Polk, St. Clair, Stone, Taney, Vernon, Webster and Wright. * WHEN...From Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. * 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. && House Republicans advanced a map for new congressional lines Friday that includes a disputed North Florida district closer to what the Senate proposed than what Gov. Ron DeSantis has sought. Still, the Republican-controlled House Congressional Redistricting Subcommittee voted along party lines to approve a plan (PCB CRS 22-01) that could split apart two districts in Central Florida and add two seats for the GOP in Floridas congressional delegation. Advertisement Democrats and other critics contend the proposed map would not fully reflect the growth of Hispanic and Black populations in Central Florida and South Florida. But subcommittee Chairman Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island, said the House has engaged lawyers and outside experts to provide assistance with statistical analysis in anticipation of litigation. Advertisement This is a legally sound map. Its a constitutionally compliant map, Sirois said. The House proposal could increase the Republican seats by two to 18. The states overall number of districts is increasing from 27 to 28 this year because of population growth over the past decade. The Senates proposal, which was approved last month, could lead to 17 Republican seats. Among the differences between the House and Senate plans are the futures of Central Floridas Congressional District 7, held by Democrat Stephanie Murphy, and District 10, held by Democrat Val Demings. Murphy is not seeking re-election this year, while Demings is running for U.S. Senate. The House would merge most of the two districts, potentially reducing Democrat seats in the Orlando area from three to two, while the Senate would keep most of the existing lines in place. Both chambers appear to craft the new 28th district in the Polk County area, which has long elected Republicans. The Senate considered District 10 in Orange County as a Black-performing district. The House doesnt consider it a Black-performing district because of what it views as a population that has remained stagnant. That is something that will be reconciled with the Senate, but again, according to our analysis, that has not been recognized as a protected district, Sirois said. The proposal would need approval from the House Redistricting Committee, which is scheduled to meet Thursday, before it could go to the full House. Ultimately, the Senate and House will have to reach agreement on a congressional map that then would go to the DeSantis. Fridays meeting came after the once-a-decade process of redrawing congressional districts stalled because of issues involving Congressional District 5, a minority-access district that stretches across a swath of North Florida and is held by Democrat Al Lawson. Advertisement Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. > The Senate passed a proposed map that largely would keep the same design of the district, which goes from Jacksonville to west of Tallahassee. But DeSantis offered a proposal that would have dramatically changed the configuration and then sought an advisory opinion from the Florida Supreme Court. The Supreme Court last week rejected DeSantis request for an opinion, a move that restarted the Houses map-drawing efforts. DeSantis has refused to back down from his push to redraw the North Florida district, though the Houses new proposal is similar to the Senates design. Robert Popper, a senior attorney for the conservative Washington, D.C.-based group Judicial Watch, appeared at Fridays meeting on behalf of DeSantis and said the Houses proposal for the district will torpedo the ability of Florida to submit a set of districts that it can call narrowly tailored, if the district is submitted, I believe, in its present form. As lawmakers redraw districts, they have to take into account the 2010 Fair Districts constitutional amendments, which set guidelines for reapportionment. In his request to the Supreme Court, DeSantis sought an opinion on a non-diminishment standard in the Constitution that prevents districts from being drawn that will hinder the ability of minority voters to elect candidates of their choice. Miranda Galindo, senior counsel with LatinoJustice PRLDEF, contended the proposal fails to take into account an increase in the number of Hispanic voters, particularly in Central Florida. DeSantis could veto the congressional map that lawmakers ultimately produce. But Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, said he wasnt concerned at all about not completing districts before the June candidate-qualifying period for this years elections. Advertisement I presume, and this is completely not been decided on, but I presume we will have conferees (legislative negotiators) that will get together with staff and determine if either one of those maps are singularly the one we want to go with, or do we want to make changes to blend those maps, Simpson said Thursday. House Speaker Roger Hanshaw told members of the press Thursday that many of the bills being worked on by the Legislature take lessons learned from successful recruitment of large manufacturers to the state this year. Providence, KY (42450) Today A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 51F. NW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 51F. NW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Perhaps youve gazed up at Sunshine State trees and noticed long, curly strands of organic material dangling and swaying in the breeze. Maybe youve wondered, What are those scraggly strings? Or perhaps you already know that its Spanish moss, an air plant seen far and wide from southern Virginia to the Bahamas to tropical regions of Latin America. The bromeliad thrives in areas with high humidity and rain, gathering what it needs to survive from the environment around it. Advertisement Here are a few things you might not know about Spanish moss. Spanish moss is a bromeliad that was named due to its appearance like the beard of early Spanish explorers. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel) Legend has it Whats in a name? When the French arrived in what we now call America, Native Americans told them this natural material was called tree hair. The French then called it Spanish beard, as it reminded them of the facial hair of earlier explorers. Advertisement Legend has it that the Spanish took to calling these strands French hair, and another name was gray beard. One tall tale describes the story of a villain named Gorez Goz, a Spaniard who chased a Native American woman and got his beard stuck in a tree. In Hawaii, where it was introduced in the 19th century, Spanish moss is sometimes known as Peles hair, which refers to a Hawaiian goddess. Otherwise, this magical dangling flora also serves as a signal of both natural and cultural life in the south as its seen from Virginia to Texas. Spanish moss hangs from the branches of a live oak tree overlooking Lake Ivanhoe in Orlando on Feb. 16. The bromeliad was named due to its appearance like the beard of early Spanish explorers. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel) Moss or not? Spanish moss actually isnt a moss, technically speaking. Its an epiphyte, an organism that grows on the surface of another plant that absorbs nutrients and water from the air and rain. When zooming in on the surface of Spanish moss, you might notice silver-gray scales that trap water until the plant can absorb it. It may be possible to spot tiny flowers which disperse seeds, which are designed (naturally, of course) to catch the wind and land in the bark of new trees. Birds can also aid in spreading Spanish moss as they use it for nest material or carry seeds. Pineapples are actually related to Spanish moss, as theyre both members of the bromeliad family, which encompasses succulents and other flowering tropical plants. Advertisement Spanish moss produces small flowers that contain seeds. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel) Coexist Spanish moss is not parasitic and only uses the bark of mostly southern live oak and bald cypress trees as a place to hang and gather minerals. Travel Unraveled Weekly Get away from it all with vacation ideas, trip planning help and money-saving tips. > The only time the epiphyte may pose a problem is if it becomes so thick that it shades and slows the growth of a tree. It can actually be beneficial to the natural environment as nesting material for birds, food for deer and turkeys, or a home for insects, spiders, snakes and lizards. Spanish moss hangs from a live oak tree near Lake Ivanhoe in Orlando on Feb. 16. (Patrick Connolly) Putting it to use Spanish moss was once harvested commercially and used as a stuffing material for car upholstery, furniture and mattresses, which were known for being especially cool. The epiphyte has also found use as building insulation, mulch and packing material. Historically, the fibers were used for Native American dresses, as an ingredient in mortar for houses and as tinder for fires. Modern-day crafts, wreaths and floral arrangements can benefit from small amounts of Spanish moss, which can be propagated and grown or bought from some nurseries. Advertisement However, sometimes the best way to enjoy this bromeliad is to simply watch it dangle from branches and sway in the breeze. Find me @PConnPie on Twitter and Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com. For more fun things, follow @fun.things.orlando on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Sri Lankas High Court on Friday acquitted two top officials accused of crimes against humanity for failing to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 279 people. The state had indicted the two men in November for failing to act on early warnings from an Indian intelligence agency that local jihadists were planning a string of suicide bombings in April 2019. The three-judge panel dismissed all 855 charges against Hemasiri Fernando, then secretary to the ministry of defence, as well as then inspector general of police Pujith Jayasundara. A court official said the judges in a unanimous decision exonerated the suspects and released them without calling defence witnesses. The attacks, blamed on a homegrown Islamic extremist group, targeted three churches and three hotels in the capital and killed 279 people, including 45 foreigners, leaving more than 500 wounded. Fernando and Jayasundara were arrested in 2019 and held in custody for four months before being released on bail. Jayasundara was the most senior police official to be arrested in the 155-year history of the force. The then chief prosecutor Dappula de Livera had told the court that negligence by the two top officials amounted to grave crimes against humanity and laid murder charges against them. A lower court had earlier refused to charge them with murder as prosecutors were unable to establish any links with the bombers, or a motive. The first Indian intelligence warning was given on April 4, nearly three weeks before the bombings. The Islamic State group said it had backed the attackers. Local Muslim groups had also alerted police and intelligence units over the threat posed by radical cleric Zahran Hashim, who led the suicide bombings. Jayasundara and Fernando have testified to a parliamentary inquiry that then-president Maithripala Sirisena failed to follow established protocols in assessing national security threats ahead of the bombings. They also alleged that Sirisena who was also minister of defence as well as law and order did not take the threats seriously. Sri Lankas Roman Catholic church is pressing for action against Sirisena, a key ally of his successor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who came to power in November 2019 pledging to end extremist attacks on the island. On January 24, 2022, between two hearings, Gibril Massaquoi agreed to speak to us in the presence of his lawyer, in a small room of the court in Tempere, southern Finland. It is the last day of his trial. The former Sierra Leonean rebel of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) was arrested in March 2020 in this host country, where he was granted a residence permit in reward for his loyal service to the Special Court for Sierra Leone. From 2002 to 2008, Massaquoi served as a key informant for the office of the prosecutor of this UN tribunal, whose mandate was to try those most responsible for crimes committed during the ten-year Sierra Leonean civil war from 1991 to 2001. By providing incriminating testimony, helping to get some of his former comrades-in-arms arrested and recruiting other RUF turncoats, Massaquoi probably escaped prosecution at the tribunal. In exchange for his services, he was relocated and granted exile in Finland with his family. Since his arrest in Tempere, Massaquoi has been kept in pre-trial detention. He describes particularly strict prison conditions, alone in his cell 23 hours a day, without access to the Internet. For a long time, his visits were monitored by the police, but then they were stopped because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet neither he nor his lawyer ever asked for his release before trial. The defence did not want to run any risk of being suspected of contacts or threats against witnesses in the case. Massaquoi apparently put up with his prison conditions with the endurance of one who has seen it all. His only complaint is that his eyesight has deteriorated as a result of living in a cell. I have nothing to worry about At the end of the war in Sierra Leone, Massaquoi was jailed for a year and a half in Pademba Road prison in Freetown, famous for its terrible conditions. You cant compare here to a Sierra Leone prison, he stresses. He recounts how he slept well the night after his arrest. The police had told him he was accused of crimes committed in Liberia, a neighbouring country of Sierra Leone, and that was enough to reassure him. The police said they were surprised. With the kind of charges theyve put on me it would seem I would be crying in the cell or sitting down lonely and meditating. I went and slept very well because I told them I am innocent, I have nothing to worry about. His fate is now in the hands of the judges. I dont have my own way. Im a prisoner. I will go by their decision, whatever the decision. Three weeks after this interview Massaquoi, accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes that he allegedly perpetrated in Liberia between 1999 and 2003, can perhaps start thinking he was right to have confidence. On Wednesday February 16, the Finnish judges trying him decided to release him. An hour later, he was freed from jail. The judges gave no indication in their order as to the meaning of this release, only a few weeks before pronouncing their verdict (expected no later than April 29). But speculation has been rife and many observers of the trial see it as a sign of likely acquittal. Sign of imminent acquittal? Its not completely unusual for an accused to be released at such a stage of the proceedings, says Kimmo Nuotio, professor of criminal law at the University of Helsinki. The crucial wording is that it would not be reasonable to keep him in jail. In an ordinary case of murder or grave crimes, the first instance court would continue the detention if it has decided to convict. If [Massaquoi] was convicted, the sentence would be much more than two years. It wouldnt be a problem to continue the detention. This is a bit of speculation because [in its decision] the court doesnt deal with the merits of the case. But my personal analysis is that there is a slight indication that he is not going to be convicted. The day after his release, Massaquoi visited his defence team at the office of his lawyer, Kaarle Gummerus. Massaquoi would not comment. And his lawyer is understandably very cautious. We asked that if the court finds it unfair to keep him, they should release him before the verdict, he says, although this was not a formal request for release. The court, in this situation, thinks it is unfair. Sometimes it means not guilty; sometimes it doesnt. This is a strange case anyway. But of course, it was good for us, replies Gummerus, who is clearly in a good mood. Massaquois defence has never flirted with the idea of a strategy challenging the system that is trying him. I am a permanent citizen of Finland and so even though I dont understand the law they have a right to try me if somebody says I have killed people in another country. Every European country can do that its not only Finland, Massaquoi tells us in the interview. I believe in the Finnish judicial system. I think they will go through the evidence and see. I only have doubt in one person and his team and that is Thomas Elfgren. I dont trust them. The role of Thomas Elfgren Thomas Elfgren is the police officer who led the investigation in this case. More than that, he has been the lynchpin and mastermind of the trial in its logistics, negotiations with the authorities, media relations and behind the scenes hearings. His role and influence in the process is probably unthinkable in other judicial systems or circumstances than this case in Finland. In Massaquois eyes, he and his team are primarily responsible for his plight and the unfairness that he denounces. When asked which three moments from the trial he will remember, the first that immediately comes to mind is: Thomas Elfgren rushing to me after I sacked my lawyer, to ask me why I sacked the lawyer that he has given to me. He went beyond the boundary. He has no right to question why I changed their own lawyer they had given to me. The second moment arises from the first. He did everything to win the case. Hes going to retire this year or next, so he wanted to retire with a gold medal, says the accused. Massaquoi takes time to come up with the third moment he will remember from his trial. Any good moment? we ask. Combative, even quarrelsome, Massaquoi remembers times when he was happy and laughed. These were the times when witnesses alleging to have seen him committing atrocities in the Liberian capital Monrovia changed their testimony in court. There are not stories of theirs, there have played those stories into their mouth to say it, he claims. He thinks this trial has not been fair. It has not been fair because of the way the police and the prosecutors have been dealing with it. After their first batch of witnesses, they went for a second batch of witnesses, then to a third batch, he says. They have amended the charges. I told my lawyers: they want to win the case by whatever means. The only time I was moved during the trial was when the prosecutor sent me new charges in July. I was a bit moved. This is [when I thought]: they want to win this case by force, even when they dont have evidence. That whole day I couldnt eat. At the hearings, the investigations conducted by the Finnish police were never questioned. When concerns were raised about the collection of evidence, they always targeted the Global Justice Research Project (GJRP), a Liberian NGO and partner of the Swiss NGO Civitas Maxima, the two organizations which filed the complaint that brought Massaquoi to trial. The man the defence has consistently accused is one of the GJRP investigators whom the Finnish police recruited to their investigation team. Massaquoi is quick to point out his enemy. In Liberia, the [Finnish] police did not do their job as police officers, he says. There have been killings that I participated in Since 2003 when we interviewed him in Freetown as he secretly began to betray his former friends, Massaquoi does not seem to have changed either physically, in his quick temperament or in his unshakeable conviction that he is blameless. He was a notorious commander in the RUF and later its spokesman. That movement has been accused of the worst atrocities in Sierra Leone. He was a member of a short-lived but particularly bloody military junta in his country. In 2004, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in Sierra Leone accused him of numerous summary executions within the rebellion in 1993, and highlighted his duplicity in the rebellions hostage taking of hundreds of UN soldiers in 2000. Both this commission and several members of the UN Special Courts office of the prosecutor deplored his lack of honesty about his real responsibilities in RUF crimes. In short, they said, Massaquoi got off lightly considering his role and responsibilities in a rebel movement that left the people of Sierra Leone with little more than a litany of atrocities and destruction. I read the TRC report, everything. In the initial stage of the RUF there were killings I participated in. And the reasons I stated to the Special Court, he told Justice Info. These executions, he said, were targeted at Liberian members of the rebellion, who had formed the vanguard at the beginning of the fighting. They came from Liberia, they killed our people. And they started killing those they had trained as junior commandos. I told the TRC I was part and parcel of it! But he denies being the one responsible, as alleged in the TRC report. It was a group of commanders from Pujehun district and I was one of them. It was the only thing we could do to remove the pressure on us. Beside that nobody in Sierra Leone will tell you I saw Gibril Massaquoi killing anybody. Massaquoi is like that. I dont regret anything that I have done, he says. I dont regret being a member of the RUF. I dont regret anything in my life. I regret what the RUF did, but not to have been one of its highest-ranking officials despite being well aware of the atrocities that his movement was committing. Nice fat compensation? One consequence of an acquittal in this already upside down trial would be the financial benefit that Massaquoi would receive. Compensation for the number of days spent in prison is provided for by Finnish law. Gummerus says this represents at least 100 euros per day of incarceration but that in this case, it would of course be more, given the length of his detention, the rigour of his isolation and the national and international media coverage of the case. Such compensation, explains Professor Nuotio, is a regular thing in Finland. Its part of the rule of law. In this case it would be a pretty sum. Massaquoi did not want to say in our interview what he would do if he were acquitted. He is in his 50s and is already a grandfather. His children are well settled in Finland. Sierra Leone, for them, has become a rather foreign land. They have never been back. Would he consider returning to his native country? If I am free maybe I will visit my mother who lives in Bo, Sierra Leones second biggest city, he says. He says he would not have any fears. Would he also go to Liberia? To Liberia? he asks. What would I go and do in Liberia? Now that Song Kang is finally back with his new romance drama "Forecasting Love and Weather," the handsome K-drama star is confirmed to have his solo fan meeting this March. What's more? The actor proves he's "Netflix's Son" as the streaming platform will host the event! Song Kang, the 'Son of Netflix' On February 18, The Swoon made a big announcement confirming that the "Son of Netflix" and trendy actor Song Kang will hold a fan meeting for his international fans. The male celebrity, who is proving his popularity as a global rising star through his previous series "Love Alarm,""Sweet Home," "Navillera," and "Nevertheless," is scheduled to meet his beloved fans around the world this coming March 4. Song Kang made a successful comeback with "Forecasting Love and Weather." The drama is also available on Netflix every Saturday and Sunday. Just a week after its release, he immediately succeeded in transforming into a new character and sees potential of the new K-romance trend. Although only the first two episodes have been released, attention is focused on Song Kang and his character transformation in the drama, as well as his character's relationship development with Park Min Young's. YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: Is it True? K-Drama Heartthrobs Nam Joo Hyuk, Song Kang to Enlist in Military This Year With his consecutive achievements in career, expectations for his online global fan meeting increases as he is also hailed as the "Son of Netflix" and maintains his image as the trendy star. Netflix Announces Song Kang's First Solo Global Fan Meeting In partnership with Netflix and The Swoon, the much-awaited first solo global fanmeeting of Song Kang is finally happening. The virtual event can be streamed in Korea's real time on The Swoon's official YouTube channel on March 4. The streaming party starts at 8 p.m. (KST) and anyone abroad can freely enjoy Song Kang's first solo fan meet. In addition, the fan meet will be filled with various contents and activities such Q&A, comments, and simple quizzes for the global fans. According to the report, the upcoming Song Kang's fan meeting will run for almost an hour and will also have English subtitles, in order for the international fans to understand the event. While waiting for his much-anticipated online event, you can watch Song Kang and his newest leading lady, Park Min Young in "Forecasting Love and Weather." New drama episodes will be released this February 19 and 20. Are you excited for Song Kang's first solo global fan meet? Share your comments with us! For more Korean drama, movie and celebrity updates, keep your tabs open at Kdramastars. Kdramastars owns this article. Shai Collins reported this. A Ukrainian serviceman looks through a spyglass on the front line with Russia-backed separatists, near Novolugansk, in the Donetsk region, on February 17, 2022. Juba, South Sudan (PANA) - Reported incidents of violence against civilians fell by around 42 per cent in 2021 compared with the previous year, according to a new report released by the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Thursday Hopkinsville, KY (42240) Today Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 78F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 51F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. U.S. Rep. Andy Barr wants to waive the cost for U.S. citizens if they must evacuate Ukraine because of the Russian invasion. Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - Militia groups across eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are continuing to target displaced civilians in a growing number of deadly attacks this month, the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, said on Friday Ketchikan, AK (99901) Today Rain. High 47F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Occasional rain. Low near 40F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. John "Ski" Sygielski, President and CEO of Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC), is among those who have endorsed the Nellie Bly proposal. Looking to update your home? Watch the KHQ Spring Home Design Guide featuring the areas top home improvement businesses on Sat, May 7 at 4:30pm on KHQ. And click here to win a $500 VISA gift card, courtesy of our presenting partner - VPC Electric! Kilgore, TX (75662) Today Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. To subscribe, click here. Already a subscriber? Click here. The Agri Aware Farm Walk & Talk series has returned as a live in-person experience for the first time since 2019. Farm Walk and Talk is an interactive series of events for second-level, agricultural science students throughout early March on ten research farms across the country. An event will be held in Kilkenny in March. Dates and details below. While Farm Walk & talk was a brilliant success in its virtual format in 2021, with over 18,000 students involved, everyone is excited to get back to a hands-on experience. This year, all schools that attend the Farm Walk & Talk Events get access to a suite of educational videos from a variety of contributors alongside the comprehensive study notes. The full event price is 10 per student and registration is open, schools can sign up here. There is also a virtual-only package where students can avail of the videos and notes only available for just 5 per student. The series of events is a longstanding collaboration between Agri Aware, Teagasc, UCD, the Irish Farmers Journal, and I.A.S.T.A. Dr. Anne-Marie Butler, Teagasc Head of Education, said: Teagasc is delighted to partner with Agri Aware again this year on the Farm Walk and Talk series. The series offers tremendous insights and learning opportunities for second-level students preparing for their Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science exam. Our Teagasc college network and research centres actively demonstrate the practical elements of modern agriculture to students and their teachers, and we look forward to welcoming all to the events. After a challenging two years, its wonderful to return to a vibrant learning environment for the Farm Walk and Talk series. Alan Jagoe, Agri Aware Chairman said: Agriculture is hands-on and events like the Agri Aware Farm Walk and Talk provide thousands of students with an insight into the practicalities of farming and the hard work that farmers do each day. Farm Walk and Talk shows the students the theory of agricultural science in action. The students get a brilliant opportunity to see some of the best farming techniques and cutting-edge research up close. We hope those who take part will leave with a greater understanding of what a future in agriculture could be and how these students might shape it. Dates and Venues Kildalton Teagasc Research College, Co. Kilkenny March 11th (Fri) Mountbellew Teagasc Agricultural College, Co. Galway Feb 28th (Mon) Clonakilty Teagasc Agricultural College, Co. Cork March 2nd (Wed) Ballyhaise Teagasc Agricultural College, Co. Cavan March 3rd (Thurs) Gurteen Teagasc Agricultural College, Co. Tipperary March 4th (Fri) Irish Farmers Journal Farm Tullamore, Co. Offaly March 8th (Tue) Moorepark Teagasc Research College, Co. Cork March 9th (Wed) Pallaskenry- Salesian Agricultural College, Co. Limerick March 10th (Thur) UCD Lyons Farm Lyons Estate, Co. Kildare March 15th (Tue) Grange Teagasc Agricultural College, Co. Meath March 16th (Wed) There is a maximum capacity of students allowed to attend the events this is a first come first served basis by location. Ambers One Million Stars LOVE star installation launched recently in Market Cross Shopping Centre. The LOVE installation, which contains thousands of stars woven by individual weavers and weaving groups in Kilkenny, will be at Market Cross until the Summer. This follows the projects successful partnership with Yulefest Kilkenny late last year when hundreds of additional stars were woven and added to the installation by local star weavers. Locals are urged to register as a star weaver at www.onemillionstarsireland.ie, weave a star and tie their stars to LOVE at Market Cross. An online tutorial on how to weave stars is available on the website. Stars can be woven in any weatherproof material and weavers can choose to personalise their stars with their name or a message. Amber Womens Refuge, in partnership with Market Cross Shopping Centre and with the support of the public aims to add an additional 1,000 stars to LOVE throughout its display at the Centre. Each eight-point star represents light, hope and solidarity against domestic, sexual and gender based violence, while promoting the projects eight points of healthy love within relationships. Ambers LOVE installation is designed to spread love and hope for a future free from violence and abuse for all in our community. Speaking at the launch, Siobhan McQuillan, Project Lead, Amber One Million Stars Ireland said We are so grateful to Lesley Cleere and her team in Market Cross for the opportunity to display LOVE for the coming months. Market Cross is a wonderful high traffic location for us to spread the projects message and continue raising awareness of the issue of domestic, sexual and gender based violence. Engagement with and support from the local community is vital for our project, which connects us all in solidarity against all forms of violence. Recent tragic events have again brought the issue of violence, specifically violence against women, to the fore and touched us all. Ambers One Million Stars Ireland project raises awareness of the issue of violence in an engaging and inclusive way. Were delighted to extend the Centre as a location for the LOVE star installation. We would urge our customers and visitors to weave stars to help the project reach its one million stars goal and to use LOVE as a way to start conversations about safety, respect, consent and healthy relationships. said Lesley Cleere, Manager, Market Cross Shopping Centre. Ambers One Million Stars Ireland project is an inclusive community arts project connecting communities across Ireland in solidarity against domestic, sexual and gender based violence (DSGBV). Founded in 2019, the project was brought to Ireland and is being directed here by Art Therapist Siobhan McQuillan and Amber Womens Refuge. It is part of the global One Billion Stars project, founded in Australia in 2012 by artist Maryann Talia Pau after the rape and murder of an Irish woman living in Melbourne. Ambers One Million Stars Ireland project works with diverse groups, businesses and individual star weavers across the country. There are now star weaving communities in 18 counties across Ireland, who collectively have already woven 100,000 stars to end violence in Ireland. The youngest star weaver is five years of age, the eldest is 89. www.onemillionstarsireland.ie A woman walks among trucks parked in front of the Canadian parliament in protest of COVID-19 restrictions in Ottawa, Ontario, on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted) Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Chinese Wisdom in Xi's Words: Fragrant plum blossoms in bitter cold Xinhua) 11:29, February 18, 2022 BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- "There will be no fragrant plum blossoms without freezing cold weather." Chinese President Xi Jinping has quoted this line from a poem of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) to encourage athletes to train hard to achieve good results in the ongoing Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The Chinese share a particular fondness for plum blossoms because they bloom in the winter when almost all other plants wither in the bitter cold. They admire the flower for its perseverance and tenacity in the face of adversity. Writers of later generations continued to use the similar metaphor. For instance, a popular couplet paralleled plum blossoms with the blade of swords -- "good honing gives a sharp edge to a sword; bitter cold adds fragrance to plum blossoms." For most athletes, Beijing 2022 saw their years of dedication and resolute practice bear fruits. "To persevere in the sport that I love. That's what I've been doing over the past two decades," said veteran free skier Xu Mengtao, who bagged the gold in women's aerials earlier this week. The 31-year-old skier had suffered injuries and missed the top step of the podium in three consecutive Olympic outings before realizing her dream by winning the gold. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Two Easy Ways To Subscribe! The Kodiak Daily Mirror offers full-service, five-day a week subscriptions with home delivery in addition to unlimited access to our online services (including our e-Edition). Online-access-only subscriptions include unlimited access to the Mirror's online services without delivery of the printed newspaper. (Note: New users: You must register and login before purchasing a subscription. Kokomo, IN (46901) Today Isolated thunderstorms and gusty winds during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Low 47F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Isolated thunderstorms and gusty winds during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Low 47F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter testified in her own trial. Potter is due back in court February 18 to be sentenced. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) talks to reporters with Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and other GOP leaders following the weekly Senate Republican policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on December 14, 2021 in Washington, DC. Angola, IN (46703) Today Overcast with rain showers at times. Low near 45F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Overcast with rain showers at times. Low near 45F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Showers with a possible thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low around 45F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Showers with a possible thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low around 45F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Congress will continue with its protest in the Assembly against Karnataka Minister K.S. Eshwarappa's saffron flag at the Red Fort remark, party President D.K. Shivakumar said on Friday. The agitation will be launched in all district headquarters and taluk centers from Monday, he added. Demanding strict against the minister, Shivakumar said: "We don't want Eshwarappa's resignation in this matter. Resignation is a respectable word. We seek his dismissal. Henceforth, we do not demand his resignation anymore. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai should dismiss Eshwarappa," he stated. Shivakumar further stated that representatives tender resignation on high moral grounds when tragedies occur. In this case, Eshwarappa has insulted the national flag by stating that the saffron flag will be hoisted on the Red Fort. Attacking Eshwarappa in singulars, the Congress leader stated that he will give a call to the party workers in all district and taluk centres to take up the protest from Monday onwards. "BJP does not know what the national flag is," he said. State Congress leaders are on a day and night dharna at state legislature demanding resignation of Eshwarappa from Thursday. Eshwarappa had kicked up a political storm by stating that one day the saffron flag will replace the tricolour at the Red Fort. Congress MLAs led by Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar had given a deadline for the ruling BJP to sack Eshwarappa. Bommai, former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and the Speaker Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri personally went and met Congress leaders in the Assembly and requested them to take back the agitation. However, Congress leaders refused to soften their stand. Speaking to reporters on the hijab row and Hindu students coming to colleges wearing saffron shawls to protest against wearing of hijab by Muslim students, Eshwarappa had stated that the saffron flag might become the national flag of the nation. Saffron flag has already been declared as a national flag, he added. Auburn, IN (46706) Today Showers with a possible thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 46F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Showers with a possible thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. Low 46F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. ARMYs was surprised to see the name and cover art for an alleged BTS album, but it's not all that it seems. Here's what happened. Is BTS Releasing an Album Called 'BTS Forever'? To ARMY's surprise, a new BTS album presumed to be called "BTS Forever" was released this week, complete with cover art and a list of the group's most popular songs. At first glance, the supposed new BTS album seemed legit, especially since it seemed as though HYBE was the one that released it. ARMYs were confused whether HYBE mistakenly released the upcoming album of BTS or if it was their intention to really surprise fans with it. But knowing how attentive the ARMYs are when it comes to everything BTS-related, they started doing their research. It didn't take them long to realize that the album was not legit, and it didn't also come from HYBE. Instead, the album was released by a record label called "J Records." The release date was also listed as Feb. 15. With this, ARMYs couldn't help but think that the account was hacked or it was just all a glitch. BTS FOREVER?! Did Hybe accidentally posted something ?! Is this the new album? pic.twitter.com/CZlzMSTf4r (@LheyaSB) February 17, 2022 Following more thorough research, ARMYs also found out that YouTube is undergoing some tweaks on how an artist's account is set up. So, it's possible that it was all just a glitch, and "BTS Forever" isn't an album that the K-pop group would release this year - or any other time for that matter. BTS Album 2022 - When Will They Release It? In January, BTS revealed they will release a new album this year, and will once again meet their fans through "Permission To Dance" in Seoul. While dates for their Seoul concerts have been revealed, details regarding their forthcoming album are still kept under wraps. BTS has not performed as much as they used to because of the pandemic, so ARMYs are hoping that 2022 is finally the year that they'd go back to performing for their fans live on stage. But even without an official album release date announcement, ARMYs still couldn't help but speculate on when they would hear new music from their idols. My ARMY Theory (bc I love being a ) Dec 2021 - BTS Vacation Jan 2022 - Comeback announced Feb 2022 - Album drop & World Tour announcement Mar 2022 - BTS World Tour Kickoff In the meantime, REST WELL Tannies. You deserve this. sarang (@mahalhaeyo) December 6, 2021 In December 2021, there were predictions that a new BTS album will be released sometime between January to March. Obviously, BTS did not release an album in January, and we're not halfway through February. So, only time will tell if their predictions are correct. READ MORE HERE: BTS RM Reacts to Olympian Kwak Yoon Gy Dancing to 'Dynamite' Camille Heimbrod wrote this. KpopStarz owns this article. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will release the first part a 'Ungalil Oruvan' (One among you), the autobiography of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on February 28. This was announced by the Chief Minister's office in a statement on Thursday night. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and leader of opposition in Bihar legislative Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav will also attend the function. Senior DMK leader and Minister for Water Works in M.K. Stalin government, S. Duraimurugan will preside over the function. Tamil actor Satyraraj will introduce the book. Stalin in his book, according to information, has mentioned his foray into politics as a schoolboy and also mentioned how he learned the basics of politics and service to society through great leaders like Periyar, C.N. Annadurai, and his father Kalaignar Karunanidhi. In the book, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister also has mentioned the struggles undertaken by the founding leaders of the Dravidian movement including Periyar, Annadurai, and Karunanidhi. He also has, in the book written about the growth of the DMK after long struggles for the people's causes. A Special court awarded death sentence to 38 out of 49 convicts in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts case on Friday. The 11 other convicts were sentenced to life imprisonment until death. The court had on February 8 convicted 49 people in the serial blasts case which had claimed 56 lives and left over 200 injured. Special judge AR Patel acquitted 28 accused. MONTANA - A bipartisan resolution celebrating Yellowstone National Park's 150th anniversary was passed in the United States Senate Friday. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester introduced the resolution. The following is a statement from Sen. Daines, via a release from his office: 150 years ago, Yellowstone became our very first national park, and ever since, it has been inspiring folks from across the world to come see the great outdoors and what Montana and the West have to offer, Daines said. Our parks set us apart from the rest of the world, and they are an essential part of our Montana way of life. Im glad to join the celebrations for Yellowstones 150th anniversary! The following is a statement from Sen. Tester, via release from Daines' office: Creating the National Park System was one of the best ideas that the Federal Government ever had, and Montanans are fortunate to have a slice of the oldest park in our backyard, Tester said. Yellowstones significance as an important area for the history and traditions of Tribal Nations throughout the West dates back far beyond its designation as a National Park, and in the 150 years that followed, it has created countless memories for families from all over the world. It continues to drive Montanas $7.1 billion outdoor recreation economy by creating thousands of good paying jobs in southwest Montana, and its my honor in the Senate to help champion our National Parks so that we can preserve them for generations to come. UPDATE FEB. 17 AT 1:51 PM: The Yellowstone County Coroner has released the name of the man shot by a Billings Police Officer Tuesday. The man has been identified as 39-year old Raymond D. Dupree Jr. of Billings The cause of death has been determined to be multiple gunshot wounds and the manner is homicide, which the coroner says is the standard for officer involved shootings. UPDATE AT 12:11 PM: Billings Police Chief, Rich St. John held a press conference Wednesday after an officer-involved shooting on 7th St. West. Chief St. John noted that the investigation is still in its early stages and that it could take some time to complete, and that at this time, law enforcements understanding of the incident could change as more evidence is gathered. Around 8:00 pm Tuesday night, Billings Police Officers were sent to the area of 7th St. and Broadwater Ave. for a report of a man with a handgun walking down the middle of the street. Chief St. John reports the caller watched the man walk down the middle of the street, and specified that he was holding and displaying a handgun. Officers first arriving on the scene did not see the man and began to search the area. Officer Brett Hilde, who has worked with the Billings Police for five years, arrived a few minutes later in the area of 7th St. and St. Johns Ave. where he saw the man standing in the street. The officer then reportedly saw the man point a handgun at the driver of an unrelated vehicle before turning and pointing the gun towards a group of people outside a residence. Officer Hilde pulled forward to intervene, stopping in the middle of the street about 40 feet from the man. When Officer Hilde opened the cars door, he drew his department-issued handgun. Before any orders were given, the man turned towards Officer Hilde and pointed the handgun at the officer. Chief St. John says Officer Hilde, fearing he was going to be shot and for the safety of others in the area, fired a total of eight rounds at the man. At this time, Chief St. John reports he does not know how many rounds struck the subject, but he was hit and collapsed on the street. Other officers arriving on the scene secured the area before securing the subject. Live saving measures were attempted, however, the man died on the scene. Near the subject, officers found a pellet-gun replica of a Glock-17 semi-automatic handgun according to Chief St. John. The mans name has not yet been released, however, he has been identified as a 40-year-old Billings resident who is well known to local law enforcement. Officer Hilde was wearing a body camera at the time, however, it was not activated until immediately after the shots were fired. Per policy, Officer Hilde is on critical incident protocol and will be on administrative leave for at least two weeks. The Billings Police Departments Detective Division and agents from the Montana Department of Criminal Investigation are investigating the shooting. The Montana Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) will ultimately assume the lead on the case. When the investigation is complete, the DCI and Billings Police will refer the case to the Yellowstone County Attorneys Office for review. The attorneys office will ultimately schedule a coroners inquest. This was a rapidly involving incident that took place in just seconds, and it could have been disastrous, Chief St John said. I am very relieved that Officer Hilde and no other citizens were injured, and my thoughts are with those who are affected. Previous coverage: Billings Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting on the 100 block of 7th Street West. BPD has confirmed one man was killed in the altercation. 22-10033: 2950 Hrs 100 Block of 7thW. Officer Involved Shooting. Detectives on-scene. One male deceased. Officers ok. Investigation ongoing. -LT Wooley BillingsPD (@BillingsPD) February 16, 2022 This investigation is ongoing and Montana Right Now has a reporter live on the scene. Have a news tip or would like to report a typo? Email Anthony Victor Reyes at areyes@kvoa.com. Security of former Aam Aadmi Party leader and poet Dr Kumar Vishwas is being reviewed following his claim that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wanted to become the Prime Minister of "Independent Khalistan". Sources in the security network said that in view of the threats, the Centre is likely to provide VIP security cover to him after a thorough review and based on intelligence inputs. Reacting to the allegations levelled against him, Chief Minister Kejriwal on Friday said that he is the world's sweetest terrorist who builds hospitals. Recently, a video clip going viral showed Vishwas alleging that Arvind Kejriwal wanted to become either chief minister of Punjab or PM of an Independent Khalistan without naming him. Kejriwal also hobnobbed with the separatist elements during 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, he added. The Election Commission banned the circulation of the video clip on Wednesday but lifted the ban on the next day. AAP termed the video false, misleading and a handiwork of rival political parties who have been trailing in the Assembly election in Punjab. Reacting to the rival political parties, the AAP chief on Friday said: "This is comedy. If their allegations are to be believed, I am a big terrorist and in this case what were security agencies doing in the last 10 years," he asked. "I must thank the poet(Kumar Vishwas) for identifying me, I would be the world's sweetest terrorist, a terrorist who provides schools, hospitals, electricity, roads, water...," Kejriwal further said. Polling for the Punjab Assembly will be held on February 20. An English lecturer working as a guest faculty has resigned from her post as she was asked to shun the hijab while teaching in Tumakuru district of Karnataka on Friday. "It is a matter of my self-respect. I can't teach without the hijab," the lecturer Chandini said after quitting. "Since three years I am working in Jain PU College as a guest lecturer. In these three years I did not have any problem and I worked normally with ease. But, yesterday my Principal called me and told me that classes must be conducted without a hijab or any religious symbols. Since the last three years, I am lecturing wearing a hijab, it hurt my self-respect and I didn't want to work in that college anymore. Hence, I resigned voluntarily," she stated. In her resignation letter Chandini has said that she is resigning as she was asked to remove her hijab which she has been wearing for three years in the college. "Right to religion is a constitutional right which nobody can deny." She stated that, "I condemn your undemocratic act." The college authorities refused to comment on the issue. Meanwhile, many netizens who came across her resignation letter have raised questions over the lecturer's language skills. BURLINGTON Statewide, school districts have wrestled with how to make the best use of federal COVID-19 relief funding. For the Burlington Area School District, that includes a state-of-the-art anatomy table. As a part of the American Rescue Plan Act, the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund was made available to schools in three rounds. The third round required community feedback. During Mondays meeting, the BASD School Board sought to move forward with its $3,436,703 ESSER III fund spending plans after seeking community input. At the meeting, the School Board approved the plan, including the anatomy table, in a 6-1 vote. The state Department of Public Instruction will have to approve the districts plan. Original plan vs. feedback In December, the district presented its tentative plan to the public. This included a three-tiered approach, with a focus on hiring support staff and curriculum materials. But at the center of Mondays discussion was whether to move forward with including a $100,000 Anatomy 3D Virtual Cadaver Table in its plan. With just 95 survey respondents, feedback was limited. Respondents were asked to consider whether they believed the identified priorities would impact students with the greatest unmet needs, and if not what would? the survey feedback summary read. Few gave a relatively definitive answer, making summarizing comments challenging. The feedback summary noted that a number of respondents spoke outright that this should not be included, because it impacted too narrow of a group of students. School Board members Barry Schmaling and Taylor Wishau were proponents of the tables inclusion, and have been pushing for the purchase of the table before ESSER funds were available. Both spoke in support of the move. While some of the survey feedback was directly against the measure, Wishau emphasized the limits of the survey and positive feedback he had personally heard. Those are six comments out of 93 responses out of a district that probably has almost 25,000 people in there, Wishau said. I shared this online, I probably got quadruple the amount of positive responses than what came back on the survey on this. Incredible piece of technology School Board President Peter Turke cautioned against moving forward with the table at the immediate moment, but did note it was an incredible piece of technology. Community member and school board candidate Aaron Melby also encouraged the district to set the money aside in case new needs should arise. I think, from a fiscally responsible standpoint, setting aside that money in case we need it and then when we get through the next two years, and all of our bills are paid and were in the black, buy the table with that money we set aside, Melby said. The table would become a key part of Burlington High Schools anatomy and physiology course, taught by Troy Everson. As a dual enrollment course with Gateway Technical College, according to BHS Principal Eric Burling, it is the only high school course in the state from which two-year and four-year college programs accept credits. Burling also emphasized other medical professional pathway opportunities at the high school that could possibly benefit from the table, such as the Certified Nursing Assistant certification program that is made available through the Start College Now program. While recognizing the problems brought up by survey respondents, Schmaling noted that the one-time ESSER funds wouldnt be enough to fix them. Rather, this money could be used to bolster a program in a way that might not otherwise happen without immense fundraising efforts. If we dont do the table, you know, its $100,000, we can put something else. But thats not going to fix all of our problems, Schmaling said. I think the recurring theme were hearing from everyone in this room is that we have issues we need to address, but we dont have the money to address them. We cant hire the staff we need because we dont have the money to do it. That comes from the state level. Updated with a comment from Sheboygan's district attorney. RACINE Four Wisconsin district attorneys are now considering whether five of the states elections commissioners should face criminal charges for how they advised clerks in the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election. Bob Spindell, the only Wisconsin Elections Commission member Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling has not alleged committed a crime leading up to the 2020 presidential election, declined Wednesday to weigh in on whether he thinks the other five WEC commissioners should face criminal charges. Thats not for me to decide, he said, deferring to the judgment of district attorneys and other prosecutors when asked by a reporter during a meeting of the group H.O.T. (Honest, Open, Transparent) Government in Racine on Wednesday night. When asked by another meeting attendee why he thinks his fellow commissioners voted to suspend the law despite not actually having the power to, Spindell replied: I think they got caught up in the whole COVID thing. These people have committed a crime, Jim McClain, a leader of H.O.T. Government, alleged earlier in the meeting, and they are being given a pass right now. DAs to consider Following an 11-month investigation set in motion by a complaint that the WEC referred to Racine County, Schmaling called for five of Wisconsins six appointed elections commissioners to be charged with four crimes: felony misconduct in public office, felony election fraud as an election official assisting with violations, misdemeanor party to the crime of election fraud-receive ballot as a non-election official and misdemeanor party to the crime of election fraud-solicit assistance in violation of Wisconsin statute. Those five appointed commissioners are: Marge Bostelmann, Republican-appointed, of Green Lake County. Julie M. Glancey, Democratic-appointed, of Sheboygan County. Ann S. Jacobs, Democratic-appointed, of Milwaukee County. Dean Knudson, Republican-appointed, of St. Croix County. Mark L. Thomsen, Democratic-appointed, of Milwaukee County. The request for charges came based on the allegation that the WECs directive to local elections officials at the height of the pandemic to not have Special Voting Deputies carry out absentee voting in nursing homes as is required by state law was tantamount to a crime. After the initial allegations were brought into the public eye by the Racine County Sheriffs Office in October, those five commissioners responded in a letter in which they stated their opposition to, and strenuous disagreement with the allegations. In the letter, Jacobs, an attorney, had said: To put it simply, we did not break the law. In fact, without action from the Commission, many residents in Wisconsin care facilities could have and would have been disenfranchised and not able to vote in the 2020 elections. Last week, Racine County District Attorney Tricia Hanson said she would not be filing charges because she does not have the jurisdiction to charge those five commissioners. Hanson said she believes they committed a crime, but since they were not in Racine County when they voted to tell elections officials to not send SVDs into nursing homes, she cannot charge them. Racine County Sheriffs Lt. Michael Luell, who led the investigation, said he has had conversations with the four district attorneys in the home counties of the five commissioners the RCSO is seeking to have charged. They are: Gerise Laspisa of Green Lake County, who was appointed to the post by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in April 2021. Joel Urmanski of Sheboygan County, a Republican first elected in 2016 John T. Chisholm of Milwaukee County, a Democrat who took office in 2006. I have forwarded the materials from my files to each office and recommended charges that appear to fit the facts, he said in a Thursday email. Two of the four district attorneys offices had responded to a request for comment Friday. Urmanski said in a phone call "It's too early to say" if charges will be filed. He said he has spoke with a defense attorney for the accused, but doesn't expect to make a charging decision for at least a week. We have just begun our review of this matter, and there is no timeframe yet for its completion, Kent Lovern, Milwaukee County chief deputy district attorney, said in an email. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat seeking re-election this fall, has refused to charge the commissioners. He has called the Racine County Sheriffs Offices investigation a publicity stunt. Schmaling and Hanson are Republicans. Votes In the first vote regarding SVDs and the pandemic in March 2020, Spindell had voted in line with the other five commissioners. They unanimously voted to advise local elections clerks to not send SVDs into nursing homes, citing COVID-19 concerns and the concern that the SVDs may be denied entry because of the pandemic. But in subsequent votes on the matter, Spindell was the lone nay vote while the other five commissioners voted to waive the SVD requirement. In early 2021, the commissioners had voted to revoke their advisory and instructed that SVDs be sent into long-term care facilities again, which they are doing as the spring 2022 election season continues. Spindell on Wednesday referred to the other five commissioners as his compatriots, showing no animosity toward them. Earlier Wednesday, the WEC retracted its guidance that had allowed drop boxes to be used in the spring primary election, bringing the commissions advisory in line with a state Supreme Court decision. Spindell endorsed that move on Wednesday night. 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. People who own property near pedestrian pathways in the City of Lake Geneva may not be required to remove snow and ice from those areas after all. Members of the Lake Geneva City Council approved an updated snow removal ordinance, Nov. 22, 2021, which requires people who own property near a pedestrian or multi-use path to remove snow from those pathways. However, City Attorney Dan Draper announced during the Feb. 1 finance, licensing & regulation committee that after reviewing case law, he does not feel the city can require property owners to remove snow from adjacent pathways, because the pathways are for the benefit of the public and not the property owner. Draper said there also is no statutory authority which requires people who own property near a pathway to clear the area of snow and ice. However, property owners are still required to remove snow from city sidewalks. The short answer is I dont believe we can require people adjacent to pathways to clear those, Draper said. Thats a city obligation, because it serves more than the individual property owners adjacent to those pathways. Draper said the issue is similar to people who own property near a public park. Its like a park, Draper said. People who are adjacent to a park dont have to clear those, because that is a public facility. Public Works Director Tom Earle said his staff does remove snow from pedestrian pathways when time allows, but they are a low priority compared to other areas that city crews plow. We clear certain areas of the bike paths. There are certain areas we do not, Earle said. They are very low on our priority list. Earle said the issue with city crews clearing pathways near peoples property is if the property owner removes snow from their driveway then the snow is plowed back near their driveway. You think we get calls putting snow at the ends of their driveways from the roadway, wait until their driveways are clear, and they have two windrows of snow on each side of the path which crossed their drives, Earle said. Its going to be a nightmare. City aldermen are set to discuss and further review the snow removal issue during the Feb. 28 public works committee meeting. 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. 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. Ravyn Bashore, Pennsylvania FFA state sentinel, reflects on the lessons she has learned over the last few challenging years and why agriculture is so important. New England ag officials and organizations are convening to find new markets for 89 dairies that are being dropped by Horizon Organic. The farms, in multiple states across the region, will lose their current market on Aug. 3, 2022. In addition to a 1,500-cow dairy operation, Hemdale Farms has two other focuses or silos a greenhouse and vegetable operation, and their own shop where maintenance and repairs are done on all the equipment. On the hemp podcast this week, hemp industry advocate Geoff Whaling returns to the show to talk about his latest endeavor to inject much needed capital into the hemp space to build out the supply chain, develop processing capacity and develop markets. Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], February 18 (ANI/PR Newswire): Woxsen University officially signed the MoU with HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management for the jointly formed Centre of Excellence (CoE). The event took place at the Woxsen University campus on February 16, 2022. The centre which is formed to specifically drive advancements in the field of Entrepreneurship and Business Development will be headed by Dr Raul Rordriguez, Vice President, Woxsen University and Dr Stephan Stubner, Dean, HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, Germany. The centre will be functional with immediate effect. "Woxsen's Centre of Excellence has been established with a vision to provide leadership, best practices, research, training, and skill development to effectively cater to the evolving industry requirements. The Centre will also engage in high-quality research to contribute to the knowledge economy of the said domain," says Dr Raul Rodriguez, Vice President, Woxsen University. Also Read | The Cutest Athletes You Will Ever See! Whats Your Favourite Winter Sport as Told by Latest Tweet by Olympics. Named the Centre of Excellence for Entrepreneurship and Business Development, it will act as a robust platform and one-stop resource centre to conduct influential and advanced research. The centre will deploy latest technology, requisite infrastructure, highly qualified research faculty and scholars for an effective output, provided by both the universities. The universities will extend complete assistance in terms of knowledge sharing, academic support, human resource, training, and industry liaisons. Committed to their core, both Woxsen University and HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management will leverage this platform for the holistic development of their students of Undergraduate, Postgraduate and PhD levels. Along with providing research opportunities, CoE for Entrepreneurship and Business Development will offer vocational training, apprenticeship, and internship to students of the respective universities. Also Read | Weather Forecast: North India Witnessing Rise In Minimum Temperatures; Rainfall Predicted In Several States Over Next 2-3 Days. Towards building a strong nexus between academics and the industry, the centre has already laid plans for continuous engagements with avenues like seminar's, interactive sessions and live projects with leading corporates and successful Unicorns. The centre will also be backed by Woxsen's incubation centre - the Trade Tower a platform that supports budding start-ups and innovative solutions. About building pivotal relationships between the two countries, governments, academics, and industry, Dr Dominik K. Kanbach adds "Strengthening the entrepreneurial spirit is a global task and I am happy that we bring researchers and founders in Germany and India closer together to build great businesses for future challenges." Instrumental in setting-up the CoE, he is Leader of the Strategic Entrepreneurship Research Group and Assistant Professor at HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, Germany. Woxsen University, located in Hyderabad is one of the first private Universities of the state of Telangana. Renowned for its 200 acre state-of-the-art campus and infrastructure, Woxsen University provides new-age, disruptive programs in the fields of business, technology, arts & design, architecture, liberal arts and law. With 60+ Global Partner Universities and strong Industry Connect, Woxsen is reckoned as one of the top universities for academic excellence of international standards, industry exposure and global edge. Rank #14, All India Top 100 B-Schools by Times B-School Ranking 2021, Rank #16, All India Top Pvt. B-School by BusinessWorld Ranking Survey 2021. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1748967/Woxsen_University.jpg This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PR Newswire) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) The Supreme Court on Friday directed that properties of anti-CAA protesters, which were attached by Uttar Pradesh government should be restored to them, and also if they had paid money to the authorities concerned for the alleged damages should be also refunded. At the outset, the Additional Advocate General Garima Prashad, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, informed the top court that the state government has withdrawn notices sent to the anti-CAA protesters to recover damages to the properties. A bench comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Surya Kant said if recoveries have been made following the notices, then those have to be paid back, as the government has withdrawn the notices. Prashad said the state government has come to the court with clean hands and urged the top court to maintain status quo in connection with properties attached in the matter. Advocate Nilofar Khan, representing the petitioner, said there were many people, including vegetable sellers, rickshaw pullers, etc., from whom recoveries have been made following these notices and the state government should issue refunds, after withdrawal of these notices. Justice Chandrachud said there shall be a refund of the damages recovered in the meantime, however it will be subject to the claim's tribunal, under new law. Prashad requested the bench to maintain status quo and added that certain properties have been taken into custody by the state government already. The bench replied it is against the law and the court cannot go against the law. Prashad submitted that the model code of conduct has been placed in the state. The bench told Prashad this does not stop them from following the law and "when you have to implement a judgment of the Supreme Court how does the model code of conduct stop you". The bench said if an attachment has been done against the law and if such orders have been recalled, how can attachment go on? Justice Chandrachud said: "Once orders are recalled, then how can attachment continue..." Prashad said this order of the top court will have an impact on the deterrence and cited there has been no incident in the state in the past two years. However, the top court was not convinced with Prashad's arguments. She further submitted that the court is looking at small vendors, etc., but that is not the case and the entire law will be frustrated if refund is ordered. "No, law cannot be frustrated...as you bought a new law. All deference against the evasion of law has to be within four corners of law and it cannot lie outside the four corners of the law," said Justice Chandrachud. The Uttar Pradesh government has issued two government orders (GOs) on February 14 and 15, withdrawing all show cause notices, which were issued in 274 cases in the destruction of public and private properties during the anti-CAA protest. The new law -- Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Property Act, 2020 -- empowers the state government to set up tribunals to decide claims for damage to property. On February 11, the top court had told the Uttar Pradesh government to withdraw these notices, otherwise it would quash them. Citing the top court's verdicts in 2009 and 2018, the bench said judicial officers should have been appointed in claim tribunals, but the state government appointed Additional District Magistrates. New Delhi [India], February 18 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday assured Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi that the Centre has taken the matter of the alleged links between the banned organisation 'Sikhs for Justice' and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) seriously and he would personally ensure that the matter is looked into in detail. Earlier, the Punjab Chief Minister had written to Shah alleging that the banned organization Sikhs for Justice is in touch with AAP. Also Read | NSE Scam: Veda Missing From Email Id of Himalayan Yogi Who Guided NSE Former CEO Chitra Ramakrishna. The Union Home Minister said Punjab Chief Minister had requested an investigation against the Aam Aadmi Party taking the help of banned separatist organization Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) for Punjab Assembly polls. "A political party maintaining a connection with a banned, anti-national and separatist organization and seeking help in elections is a serious concern for national security. This kind of agenda is in accordance with agenda of the country's enemies. It is condemnable that these people are joining hands with separatists and working towards threatening Punjab as well as nations' security in the greed of power," Shah said in his letter to the Punjab Chief Minister. Also Read | Hijab Row: Arrest Those Creating Ruckus in Schools, Colleges, Says Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. The Union Home Minister assured the Punjab Chief Minister that the central government took cognizance of the matter and will not allow anyone to threaten the country's unity and integrity. "I personally will ensure that the matter is looked into in detail," said Shah. In his letter to the Union Home Minister, the Punjab Chief Minister said, "Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), which is a banned organization, is in constant touch with Aam Admi Party. The SFJ has given support to AAP in the elections to the State Assembly in 2017 and similarly in these elections too. The SFJ has exhorted the electorate to vote for the Aam Aadmi Party. This is a serious issue of compromising the security and integrity of the country and thus needs to be investigated. I would urge upon you to immediately get this matter investigated for taking appropriate action in this regard." Assembly polls for 117 assembly seats in Punjab will be held on February 20. The results will be declared 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) New Delhi [India], February 18 (ANI): Days ahead of Assembly elections in the state, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National General Secretary Tarun Chugh on Friday said that the party is committed to Punjab's all-round development which would ensure the resurgence of industry and protection of the farming community. In a statement, Chugh said Punjab needed to be immediately taken out of the hold of drug mafias and the BJP would ensure that it happens within six months of the party's win. Also Read | COVID-19 Vaccination in India: Over 2 Crore Adolescents Fully Vaccinated Against Coronavirus. The BJP would also make sure that law and order is restored in the state, particularly in view of the repeated attempts being made by the Pakistan ISI to disturb peace in Punjab, he said. Chugh assured the business community in the state that the BJP would soon introduce a package for the industries so that there was an immediate halt of industrial migration from the state. He said special care would be taken to promote small scale units that have suffered due to pandemic conditions. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Air India to Operate 3 Flights to Help Indians Fly Out Amid Tensions. Similarly, a package would be announced for agriculture so that farming would become a profiteering profession and Punjab could go back to the days of the Green Revolution with the hard work and commitment of farmers. Farmers have been the spinal cord of Punjab and the BJP would make sure that farmers get back to prosperity and progress., He said that the BJP would also announce a package for students to improve their job opportunities in the state. New start-ups would be launched in a big way to enable the youth to capitalise on his enterprise and hard work. He said the departure of students to other countries must be checked and new avenues would be opened in Punjab to ensure that there was no more flight of youth from Punjab. Political parties have been aggressively campaigning in Punjab. Congress is the incumbent government in the state. Assembly polls for electing 117 assembly seats in Punjab will be held on February 20. The results will be declared on March 10. In the 2017 Assembly polls in the state, the Congress had won an absolute majority by winning 77 seats, ousting the SAD-BJP government, which had been in power for 10 years. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 18 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday filed its reply before a Special CBI court on Sheena Bora murder case prime accused Indrani Mukerjea's plea seeking a probe into her claim that Sheena is alive. The next date of hearing is on March 3. Also Read | Apple iPhone 14 Pro Likely To Come With 8GB of RAM: Report. Earlier on February 10, Mukerjea filed a bail plea in the Supreme Court. Mukerjea is in judicial custody of Special CBI court in connection with the Sheena Bora murder case. Also Read | Sheena Bora Murder Case: Supreme Court Seeks CBI Response on Indrani Mukerjea's Bail Plea. Earlier in February, a special court accepted the application of Mukerjea stating that one Asha Korke had met Bora in Kashmir and it directed the CBI to file a reply over the matter. The application was moved in the Court by Mukerjea's lawyer Sana R Khan. Earlier on December 16, Mukherjea had also written to the CBI and said that she will move the CBI court to record a statement of a jail inmate who claimed to have met Sheena in Kashmir. Indrani Mukherjea, the mother of Sheena Bora, in her letter to the investigating agency stated that an inmate in Byculla prison at present had told her that she had spotted Sheena in Kashmir some time ago. In her letter, Indrani has requested the CBI to look into the possibility of Sheena being alive. Mukherjea has always maintained that Sheena has not been murdered and is alive and had gone abroad for her education in 2012, although Indrani could never prove her claims in any way. Mukherjea, who is currently lodged in the Byculla jail of Mumbai, had also sent a letter from the jail to CBI stating that Sheena Bora is alive. A source close to Indrani confirmed that the letter was written based on input given by another jail inmate. The CBI has been investigating the Sheena Bora case since 2015, after taking over the case from Mumbai Police. According to the case registered by Mumbai Police, Sheena Bora was kidnapped and murdered by strangulation in April 2012. This case first came to light after the arrest of Indrani's driver, Shyamvar Rai in another case in August 2015. During the investigation, he confessed to having murdered Sheena Bora in April 2012 and said that he dumped her body in the Raigad district of Maharashtra. He also told Mumbai Police that Sheena's mother, Indrani Mukerjea and Sanjeev Khanna (ex-husband of Indrani) were also involved in this murder. According to CBI's case before the court, Indrani Mukerjea killed Sheena Bora because she was furious over the relationship between Sheena Bora, whom she introduced as her sister to everyone, and Rahul Mukerjea, son of Peter Mukerjea (third husband of Indrani Mukerjea) from his first marriage. According to the CBI, Indrani killed Sheena Bora as Sheena was threatening to expose her in public over the fact that she was not her sister, but her daughter, CBI said. Driver Shyamvar Rai turned approver in this case. Peter Mukerjea was given bail by a special CBI court in March 2020. During the trial of the case, Indrani and Peter decided to end their relationship too. They were given divorce by a family court in Mumbai in October 2019. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], February 18 (ANI): Karnataka Congress leader Siddaramaiah, party state president DK Shivakumar and other MLAs continued their protest that they started on Thursday night in the state Assembly demanding the resignation of Minister KS Eshwarappa over his saffron flag remark. The protest began after Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday accused Congress of violating the flag code in the Assembly when they held a protest against the Minister who purportedly said that the saffron flag in the future could become the national flag and it will be unfurled at the Red Fort. Also Read | India Reports 25,920 Fresh COVID-19 Cases, 492 Deaths in Past 24 Hours; Active Cases Dip Below 3 Lakh. The Chief Minister said that the Congress leaders were selectively quoting a part of the minister's statement and were misleading the Assembly and people. "Eshwarappa has issued a clarification. He did not say that the saffron flag would be hoisted at the Red fort immediately but in another 300 or 500 years. He said it may or may not happen. He also added that we have accepted the national flag and no one must disrespect it. Legally, Eshwarappa has not committed any mistake and no action can be taken against him," he said. (ANI) Also Read | Twitter Rolling Out Pinned Direct Messages to Android, iOS & Web Users. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], February 18 (ANI): Union Minister Smriti Irani asked people in Manipur on Friday whether they expect the Congress, which could not build toilets in the state, to shape their future. During a public interaction, BJP Manipur incharge Sambit Patra and Smriti Irani urged people in Manipur to boycott Rahul Gandhi's scheduled rally on February 21 because the Congress party always "ignored the North East region and used it as an ATM to fill their pocket." Also Read | Maharashtra: 16-Year-Old Boy Killed by Leopard, Woman Mauled to Death by Tiger in Chandrapur. Irani, who was in Manipur to campaign for a BJP candidate, joined artistes performing traditional Kabui dance at an event in Wangkhei area of Imphal East on Friday. She was campaigning for BJP candidate Okram Henry Singh, the nephew of former Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, who is contesting from the Wangkhei constituency. Also Read | COVID-19 Vaccination in India: Over 2 Crore Adolescents Fully Vaccinated Against Coronavirus. "The Congress party couldn't construct toilets. You expect it shape your future?" she asked. "BJP can only bring prosperity to the state and can ensure people live with dignity. BJP will bring first AIIMS in Manipur after February 28. Girls are the pride of Manipur. We will give them scooty and laptop for their studies," she said. "The Gandhi family did politics in Manipur with selfish motives. Manipur people suffered blockades where youth queued at fuel stations for long hours and parents used to send their children to other cities as they did not see any future for them," she said. "The Congress government was unfair to Manipur. PM Modi constructed toilets at each house. Toilet was never part of the agenda in politics but Modi did it," she added. PM Modi has come 54 times to NE region and Dr Manmohan Singh, who was Rajya Sabha MP from Assam, never visited Manipur during his tenure, said Patra while addressing the public meeting. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jammu, Feb 18 (PTI) The BJP was on Friday accused by its rivals of scripting in its office a draft report of the Delimitation Commission after an audio of a purported conversation between the party's Jammu and Kashmir unit chief Ravinder Raina and ex-minister Shakti Parihar surfaced on social media. While the rival parties cast aspersions on the independent working of the commission, the BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit chief Raina termed it a "conspiracy" against the party and claimed the audio was "fabricated and concocted". Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Shocker: Woman Gets Hubby Arrested for Covering up Daughters Rape in Dhar. Demanding a probe, the Jammu and Kashmir Congress said the leaked audio has vindicated its stand that the administration "scripted the delimitation report in their (BJP party) office". "It is against the autonomy of the constitutional and autonomous independent institutions of the country and cast aspersions on its independent working," JK Congress chief Gulam Ahmed Mir told reporters here. Also Read | India-UAE Economic Pact Will Be Foundation Stone for Next Era of Success, Says UAE Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri. The Congress demanded the delimitation commission should review and redraw its report before putting it in public domain while taking into account various parameters, physical features and public convenience as well as the means of communication. PDP said the audio has proved as correct the allegation that the report was prepared on the directions of BJP leaders. In the audio, Raina is purportedly heard pointing towards the inclusion of some area in his Doda Constituency. Rejecting the draft report of the Delimitation Commission, General Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura alleged the panel has "brazenly followed BJP's divisive agenda". "It appears the report of the Delimitation Commission was drafted at Dr Shyama Prashad Mukherjee Bhawan in Trikuta Nagar and was only signed by the members of the panel," he said at a press conference at Jammu. "Every section of the society has opposed the draft report which is a clear indication that it was prepared only to pursue the BJP's agenda in Jammu and Kashmir." Hanjura said erasing the Habbakadal constituency from the political map of Jammu and Kashmir is a clear indication of BJP's "nefarious designs to deprive Kashmiri Pandits of their representation in the Assembly". Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Raina, however, claimed that the audio clip was edited as a "conspiracy against the BJP". "It is fabricated and concocted. The audio clip has been edited and three versions joined together," he told PTI. Raina claimed that he had talked to Parihar about the issue eight months ago when the delimitation commission had issued a notification that there will be no overlapping of areas of districts. "I was referring to Assar area, which is part of Doda district but is part of Ramban assembly constituency", he clarified. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], February 18 (ANI): As part of India's efforts to showcase the country's investment-friendly policies and growth opportunities in agriculture and allied sectors at EXPO2020 Dubai, Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, invited the startups and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to submit their proposals to the ministry, and assured them that they would be considered for providing equity grants, management costs, and other available support measures. As per the ministry, the 'Food, Agriculture and Livelihood' fortnight (February 17th - March 2nd) will comprise various sessions which will be presided over by representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Cooperation. In addition, an array of activities has been planned during the fortnight under the key themes of millets, food processing, horticulture, dairy, fisheries, and organic farming and the vast investment opportunities these sectors offer. Also Read | Madhya Pradesh: 39-Year-Old Man Stabbed and Robbed by Four People in Bhopal's Kamla Nagar. Likhi said, "The primary purpose of our participation at Expo2020 is to benefit the small and marginal farmers who need economies of scale, collectivization, and more forums to come together, create synergies connect with markets both domestic and international." Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shubha Thakur, said, "Indian farmers produce food that not only sustains India but also provides food security to the world." On the theme for the first week of the fortnight, that is, millets, she said, "Millets is an important area for us, and we would like to utilize this global platform to learn about the health and nutritional aspects of millets and bring back the glory of millets." Also Read | Kerala Gold Smuggling Case Prime Accused Swapna Suresh Joins RSS-Backed NGO HRDS India. India produces all the nine commonly known millets and is the largest producer and second-largest exporter of millets globally. The U.N. General Assembly recently adopted a resolution sponsored by India and supported by more than 70 countries, declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets. During the launch of the 'Millet' theme as part of the 'Food, Agriculture and Livelihood' fortnight at the sector floor at the India Pavilion, the delegation led by Likhi unveiled the Millet Book comprising nutritious and delightful recipes made using millets. The delegation also launched the first 'Millet food festival', during which the visitors will get to relish the healthy and nutritious delicacies prepared using the millets. The agriculture and allied sector is the backbone of the Indian economy and accounts for about 19 per cent of the total exports. As per the second advance estimate released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare on Wednesday, record foodgrains production of 316.06 million tonnes is estimated for the 2021-22 crop year (July-June). (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], February 18 (ANI): The government has approved the scheme of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) for continuation till March 31, 2026, or till further review, whichever is earlier, informed by the Ministry of Education on Friday. The proposal entails an expenditure of Rs. 12929.16 crore out of which the central share is Rs. 8120.97 crores and the state share is of Rs. 4808.19 crores. It has been envisaged to support around 1600 projects under the new phase of the scheme. Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Shocker: Woman Gets Hubby Arrested for Covering up Daughters Rape in Dhar. Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) is an overarching scheme, operating in mission mode for funding the state government universities and colleges to achieve the aims of equity, access, and excellence. The new phase of RUSA targets to reach out to the unserved, underserved areas; remote/ rural areas; difficult geographies; LWE areas; NER; aspirational districts, tier-2 cities, areas with low GER, etc., and to benefit the most disadvantaged areas and SEDGs. Also Read | India-UAE Economic Pact Will Be Foundation Stone for Next Era of Success, Says UAE Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri. The new phase of the scheme has been designed to implement some of the recommendations and aims of the New Education Policy, which suggests some key changes to the current higher education system to revamp and re-energize it and thereby deliver quality higher education, with equity and inclusion. Under the new phase of the scheme, state governments will be supported for Gender inclusion, Equity Initiatives, ICT, Enhancing employability through vocationalisation and skill upgradation. States will also be supported for the creation of new Model Degree Colleges. The state universities will be supported for Multi-Disciplinary Education and Research. Grants will be provided for strengthening both accredited and non-accredited Universities and Colleges for undertaking various activities including teaching-learning in Indian languages. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) By Shalini Bhardwaj New Delhi [India], February 18 (ANI): Highlighting India's fight against the COVID pandemic, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said the government had denied accepting objectionable negotiation terms raised by the top vaccine manufacturers of the world for vaccine supply to the country. Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Shocker: Woman Gets Hubby Arrested for Covering up Daughters Rape in Dhar. Mandaviya on Friday launched the book titled "A Nation To Protect" authored by Priyam Gandhi Mody. Speaking at the book launch, the Union Minister said, "We told them to do business here in India but on India's terms and conditions. We clearly denied liability waiver and other objectionable terms in the contract. They also wanted sovereign guarantee waiver. PM Modi visited vaccine manufacturer companies, motivated scientists and manufacturers. We launched make in India vaccine in the country in nine months." Also Read | India-UAE Economic Pact Will Be Foundation Stone for Next Era of Success, Says UAE Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri. Dr V K Paul, Member (Health) Niti Aayog said, "We always invited other vaccine manufacturers to join hands with us to develop and manufacture vaccines on our soil. We have always been conveying this. But their conditions were on liability waiver and sovereign immunity waiver that was not accepted by the government, and therefore the negotiations could never get floated. By that time we had our own generous supply of vaccines." "A Nation To Protect" is Priyam Gandhi Mody's third book. She said the country fought well against the COVID pandemic. The book highlights the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India's fight against COVID-19 in the past two years. Notably, Mansukh Mandaviya is another name that prominently features in Priyam's book, especially with the role that he played as the Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister during the second wave of COVID-19 when India was grappling with supplies of essential medicines and Remedisvir. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Rajouri (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], February 18 (ANI): Industrial Training Institute (ITI) is providing training to more than 800 unemployed youths from far-flung hilly areas in different trades under the Government's Skill India Programme. "Training is being imparted for more than 20 different trades to the youths of the remotest areas so that they can become independent. We have courses on becoming fashion designer, computer operator and programming assistant, electrician, welding, carpenter, stenographer, plumber as well as mechanic," said Asiya Manzoor who is the employability skill instructor at ITI, Rajouri. Also Read | Infinix Zero 5G Now Available for Sale on Flipkart, Check Offers Here. "Our aim is to get rid of the unemployment among youths and impart practical training so that they can earn their livelihood," she added. Basic training is also being imparted to the people who are currently working under the Jal Shakti mission regarding the basic tools, motor wiring and transformers, said an instructor. Also Read | Dry Days In Uttar Pradesh, Punjab For Assembly Elections 2022: Alcohol Sale To Remain Banned From February 18-20 In Constituencies Going For Polls On Sunday. One of the students told ANI, "I have completed my graduation and I am here to learn stenography. I want to be independent and hence, I am here to get hands-on knowledge regarding the subject." (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Two-thirds, or 66 per cent, of Canadians support Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for invoking the Emergencies Act to give the federal government extra powers to handle the truckers' protests across the country, according to a new survey. The survey, conducted February 14-15 by Maru Public Opinion among a random selection of 1,518 Canadian adults, showed that a vast majority, or 82 per cent, say that there is no way this protesting should have gone on as long as it has, reports Xinhua news agency. Some 67 per cent of people surveyed believe that it's time to clear out the protesters in Ottawa, even if it means people who will not leave may get hurt, or worse; And 71 per cent believe Canada is an international embarrassment for not being able to run its own country, according to the survey. However, the underlying dynamic for that support is driven by a mix of pent-up emotion, resolve, and unsettling admissions, the Maru Public Opinion said. On February 14, Trudeau declared the public order emergency for the first time in the country's history to support provinces in ending the ongoing blockades caused by the ongoing anti-Covid truckers protests. Addressing the media here on Monday, Trudeau said that he invoked the Emergencies Act to give the federal government extra and "temporary" powers to handle the issue, adding the move targets to those areas in need, not the whole country. The Emergencies Act, which replaced the War Measures Act in the 1980s, provides special powers to respond to emergency scenarios affecting public welfare (natural disasters, disease outbreaks), public order (civil unrest), and international emergencies or war emergencies. In late January, thousands of Canadian truckers and their supporters descended on Ottawa to oppose the government's Covid-19 vaccine requirement for truckers crossing the border into the US, which has the same policy. On February 11, Ontario province, where Ottawa is located, declared a state of emergency to quell the convoy protests. Thiruvananthapuram, February 18: Opposition led by Congress raised slogans against Governor Arif Mohammad Khan when he arrived in the House to address the Budget session of the Kerala Assembly. Raising slogans, Kerala's Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan demanded a discussion on the reappointment of Kannur University Vice-Chancellor Gopinath Ravindran and the Governor's assent for the controversial Ordinance to amend the Kerala Lokayukta Act, 1999. Kerala Govt Reduced Price of Consumables As COVID-19 Cases Dip, Says State Health Minister Veena George. The Governor looked visibly angered at the continuous sloganeering by the Opposition leaders in the Assembly. Later, he told Satheesan, "You are a responsible person and a leader of Opposition. You will have time to discuss these issues." Following this, the Opposition leaders staged a walkout from the Assembly and continued with the protests outside the House. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], February 18 (ANI): Congress leader Manish Tewari on Friday compared the "Bhaiya controversy" in the country with the "Black issue" in the US and said that it is reflective of an unfortunate systemic and institutionalised social bias against migrants stretching back to the inception of the Green Revolution. The "Bhaiya controversy" emerged after the Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi made a controversial remark asking the people of the state not to let the "bhaiyas" of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar enter the state. Also Read | Twitter Rolling Out Pinned Direct Messages to Android, iOS & Web Users. Taking to Twitter, the Congress MP said, "De-Horse Politics- The Bhaiya controversy is like the Black issue in the US. It is reflective of an unfortunate systemic and institutionalised social bias against migrants stretching back to the inception of the Green Revolution." "At a personal level despite my mother being a Jat Sikh and my father being the foremost exponent of Punjab - Punjabi- Punjabiyat who laid down his life for Hindu- Sikh amity because of my Sir name it is said behind my back 'Eh Bhaiya Kithon Agha' peppered with the choicest expletives in Punjabi - We have to root it out. Such thinking should have no place in the Secular ethos of Punjab grounded in the idiom - Manas Ki Jaat Sabhe Ek Pechan," he added. Also Read | AQFiT W9 QUAD BT Affordable Smartwatch Launched at Rs 2,999. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister on Thursday clarified his 'UP-Bihar Ke bhaiya' remark and said that his statement was being misconstrued. "My statement is being misconstrued. All migrant workers who came to Punjab till date, have toiled and taken it on the path to development. We have only love for them, nobody can change it," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hit out at the Congress over Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi's 'UP, Bihar ke bhaiya' remark and said that the party always pits people of one region against another. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also slammed his Punjab counterpart Charanjit Singh Channi for his reported exhortation -- 'Don't let UP, Bihar ke bhaiya enter Punjab' -- made during a roadshow with the Congress national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Addressing an election rally in Abohar, PM Modi also said that the BJP government will assure the security and development of Punjab. On Wednesday, Charanjit Singh Channi, while addressing a roadshow, said, "Priyanka Gandhi is the daughter-in-law of Punjab. Will not let the 'Uttar Pradesh, Bihar de bhaiye', who have come here to rule, enter the state. While he made the remark, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi could be seen standing by him smiling and applauding. (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 (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], February 18 (ANI): Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi concluded his three-day visit to the Kashmir valley where he reviewed the situation along the border, said Indian Army officials. Lt Gen Dwivedi was on his maiden visit to the Kashmir valley after taking over as Northern Army Commander where he was briefed on the operational situation. Also Read | Sheena Bora Murder Case: Supreme Court Seeks CBI Response on Indrani Mukerjea's Bail Plea. The Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi was on a three days visit to Kashmir from February 14 to 16. "He interacted with the senior officers of Chinar Corps. He lauded the strong counter-infiltration grid along the Line of Control. He also appreciated the strict control exercised by the formation to abide by the Ceasefire understanding between the DGMOs of both India and Pakistan, which will complete one year on 25 February 2022," said the Army officials. Also Read | Infinix Zero 5G Now Available for Sale on Flipkart, Check Offers Here. He also paid homage to the 40 Bravehearts of CRPF who had made the supreme sacrifice during an attack on the convoy on February 14 three years ago. During the three day visit, the Army Commander also visited the Division Headquarters at Kupwara and Baramulla and was briefed on the prevailing security situation on the Line of Control. He was briefed on the operational situation by Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen DP Pandey on measures instituted to counter adversaries' design. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a Bio-CNG plant in Madhya Pradesh's Indore on Saturday via video conferencing, his office said. The prime minister recently launched the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0, with the overall vision of creating Garbage Free Cities, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi to Inaugurate Gobar-Dhan Bio-CNG Plant in Indore Tomorrow. The Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0 is being implemented under the overarching principles of waste to wealth and circular economy for maximising resource recovery -- both of which are exemplified in the Indore Bio-CNG plant. The plant, to be inaugurated by PM Modi at 1 PM on Saturday, has a capacity to treat 550 tonnes per day of segregated wet organic waste, the statement said. Also Read | Tamil Nadu Shocker: Man Kills Wife and Two Daughters in Nagapattinam, Commits Suicide After Eldest Daughter Marries Dalit. It is expected to produce around 17,000 kg of CNG and 100 tonnes of organic compost per day. The plant is based on zero landfill models, whereby no rejects would be generated, the statement said. Additionally, the project is expected to yield multiple environmental benefits, viz. reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, providing green energy along with organic compost as fertilizer, it said. Indore Clean Energy Pvt Ltd, a Special Purpose Vehicle created to implement the project, was set up by Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) and Indo Enviro Integrated Solutions Ltd. (IEISL) under a Public Private Partnership model, with 100 per cent capital investment of Rs 150 crore by IEISL. Indore Municipal Corporation will purchase a minimum 50 per cent of CNG produced by the plant and in a first-of-its-kind initiative, run 400 city buses using it. The balance quantity of CNG will be sold in the open market. The organic compost will help replace chemical fertilisers for agricultural and horticultural purposes, the statement said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], February 18 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday reviewed the preparations for the 12th edition of DefExpo-2022 which is scheduled to be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat in March this year, informed the Ministry of Defence (MoD). "Rajnath Singh appreciated the arrangements made by Ministry of Defence in collaboration with the Government of Gujarat and exuded confidence of a safe and successful DefExpo-2022," said the press release issued by the ministry. Also Read | Gujarat Shocker: Two Men Booked For Raping Minor Multiple Times in Surat. As per the ministry, Singh also used the occasion to launch the DefExpo-2022 Mobile app. The app provides information on the exhibitors, schedule, speakers, venue maps, driving directions, publications as well as notifications to visitors and exhibitors. DefExpo-2022 will now be held between March 10-14,2022 and will be held in a hybrid format featuring both physical and virtual stalls, said the ministry. Also Read | Goa Board SSC, HSSC Term 2 Exam Dates Announced; Check Details. "The exhibition is being planned in a three-venue format - exhibition at the Helipad Exhibition Center (HEC); Events and Seminars at the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Center (MCEC) and live demonstration for the public at Sabarmati Riverfront. Safety protocols such as the compulsory wearing of facemask, non-contact interactions, respiratory hygiene, etc will be implemented at all venues in line with the prevailing health protocols," read the press release. DefExpo is Asia's largest exhibition on land, naval, and homeland security systems. 930 exhibitors have registered for the event so far, with significant attendance of Foreign Defence Ministers as well. The press release said, "To instill a sense of pride, the theme of the event has been christened, 'Path to Pride'. In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the event will showcase India's resolve to be first amongst firsts". It further said, "With indigenous technological and logistic prowess at the forefront, the event will invigorate the defense industry, start-ups, and MSMEs to cement solid partnerships with attending foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The DefExpo-2022 is symbolic of India's resolve to further its business interests and take global initiatives towards furthering peace and security in the region." Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt, Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar, Vice Chief of the Army Staff Lt Gen Manoj Pande, Financial Advisor (Defence Services) Sanjiv Mittal and other senior civil and military officials of MoD were present on the occasion. The last edition of the event was held in Lucknow in February 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], February 18 (ANI): Alleging an unholy nexus between the Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and the state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Opposition leaders on Friday staged a walkout in the Assembly. The Opposition leaders staged the walk-out when Governor was addressing the Assembly on the first day of the Budget session. The Opposition staged protest and indulged in sloganeering to press for discussions on the issues of the Governor's nod to the reappointment of Kannur Vice-Chancellor Gopinath Ravindran and the amendment to the Lokayuktha Act, 1999. The Opposition leaders also questioned the Kerala government's nod to the appointment of the Governor's personal staff Hari S Kartha, who is a BJP leader. Also Read | 2008 Ahmedabad Serial Bomb Blast Case: 38 Sentenced to Death, 11 Get Life Imprisonment, 28 Acquitted by Gujarat Court. According to sources, the secretary of General Administration Department (GAD) wrote a dissent letter while approving the appointment of the personal staff of the Governor. Taking note of the dissent note, Governor raised objections against the secretary of GAD, which allegedly led to his removal from the post. During the Governor's address to the Assembly, Opposition leaders raised slogans "Governor go back". Later, they staged a walkout. Also Read | OnePlus India CEO Navnit Nakra Says Smart TVs Herald Connected Experiences for Indians. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan said, "The honourable Governor has supported the illegal activities of the Kerala government, including the reappointment of Kannur University Vice-Chancellor. The Governor is acting as a political agent of the BJP as he has a political worker in his personal staff. After the secretary of GAD raised the objection against the appointment of the BJP leader, he refused to address the Assembly. But now he is addressing the Assembly. This is unconstitutional. As per Article 163 of the Indian Constitution, the Governor is bound to sign the address approved by the Cabinet." He further said, "Definitely, there is an unholy nexus between the Governor and the Chief Minister as well as between the BJP and CPM. There are middlemen working among them and settling the issues." (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, February 18: Air India will operate three flights between India-Ukraine next week on February 22, 24 and 26. The flights will take off from Boryspil International Airport and bookings are open through Air India booking offices, website, call centre and authorised travel agents. "#FlyAI : Air India will operate 3 flights between India-Ukraine (Boryspil International Airport) India on 22nd, 24th & 26th FEB 2022 Booking open through Air India Booking offices, Website, Call Centre and Authorised Travel Agents," Air India said in a Tweet on Friday. Earlier, Indian Embassy in Ukraine asked its citizens, particularly students whose stay is not essential, to leave Kyiv temporarily. In an advisory issued on Tuesday, India also requested its nationals to keep the Embassy informed about the status of their presence to enable the Embassy to reach them where required. Tensions over Ukraine have increased in recent months, with Russia and NATO accusing each other of amassing troops on the Russian-Ukrainian border. Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Threat of Russian Invasion 'Very High', Says US President Joe Biden. The United States and Ukraine accuse Russia of planning to invade. But Moscow continues to deny such claims and maintains that it has no intention of attacking any country. White House spokesperson had earlier said that the US would welcome any country's attempt to play a role in de-escalation of mounting tensions between Russia and Ukraine, including India. Russia's recent build-up of around 150,000 troops just over the border from the Donbas region in the east, in Belarus to the north and Crimea to the south, which began in the autumn, has escalated tensions. On Thursday, the US Embassy in Kiev informed that Russia's shelling of Stanytsia Luhanska in Ukrainian government-controlled territory in Donbas hit a kindergarten, injured two teachers, and knocked out power in the village. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Athens, February 18 : All passengers and crew of the Euroferry Olympia ship that caught fire near the Greek coast in the Ionian Sea have been evacuated to rescue ships, the AMNA news agency reported on Friday. Earlier in the day, media reported that a blaze erupted on an Italian cruise ship with 237 passengers and more than 50 crew members on board while it was heading from the Greek city of Igoumenitsa for Italy's Brindisi. Indian Coast Guard Rescues Seven Fishermen Off Coast of Diu in Inclement Weather. All the people aboard left the vessel in lifeboats, the news agency said, adding no injuries were recorded. The cause of the blaze is yet to be established. (ANI/Sputnik) Ottawa, Feb 18 (AP) Police arrested two of the leaders of hundreds of truckers who clogged the streets of Canada's capital on Thursday, standing their ground and defiantly blasted their horns as police threatened to break up the nearly three-week protest against the country's COVID-19 restrictions. Busloads of police arrived near Ottawa's Parliament Hill, and workers put up extra fences around government buildings. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: India at UNSC Emphasises Quiet, Constructive Diplomacy, Backs Minsk Agreements. Police also essentially began sealing off much of the downtown area to outsiders to prevent them from coming to the aid of the protesters. The action is imminent, said interim Ottawa Police Chief Steve Bell. We absolutely are committed to end this unlawful demonstration." Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Threat of Russian Invasion Very High, Says US President Joe Biden. Police arrested organisers Tamara Lich and Chris Barber around Parliament Hill, but officers were not moving in force on the demonstrators. Police took Lich into custody late Thursday. Police continued negotiating with the protesters and trying to persuade them to go home, Bell said. We want this demonstration to end peacefully, he said, but added: If they do not peacefully leave, we have plans. Many of the truckers in the self-styled Freedom Convoy appeared unmoved by days of warnings from police and the government that they were risking arrest and could see their rigs seized and bank accounts frozen. I'm prepared to sit on my ass and watch them hit me with pepper spray, said one of their leaders, Pat King. As for the trucks parked bumper-to-bumper, he said: There's no tow trucks in Canada that will touch them. King later told truckers to lock their doors. Amid the rising tensions, truckers outside Parliament blared their horns in defiance of a court injunction against honking, issued for the benefit of neighbourhood residents. Ottawa represented the movement's last stronghold after weeks of demonstrations and blockades that shut down border crossings into the US, inflicted economic damage on both countries and created a political crisis for Trudeau. The protests have shaken Canada's reputation for civility and rule-following and inspired similar convoys in France, New Zealand and the Netherlands. It's high time that these illegal and dangerous activities stop, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared in Parliament, not far from where the more than 300 trucks were parked. They are a threat to our economy and our relationship with trading partners, he said. They are a threat to public safety. Ottawa police began locking down a wide swath of the downtown area, allowing in only those who live or work there after they pass through one of more than 100 checkpoints, the interim chief said. Police were especially worried about the children among the protesters. Bell said police were working with child-welfare agencies to determine how to safely remove the youngsters before authorities move in. Early this week, the prime minister invoked Canada's Emergencies Act, empowering law enforcement authorities to declare the blockades illegal, tow away trucks, arrest the drivers, suspend their licenses and take other measures. On Thursday, Trudeau and some of his top ministers took turns warning the protesters to leave, in an apparent move by the government to avert a clash, or at least show it had gone the extra mile to avoid one. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said the government began freezing truckers' accounts as threatened. It is happening. I do have the numbers in front of me, she said. Ottawa police likewise handed out leaflets for the second straight day demanding the truckers end the siege, and also helpfully placed notices on vehicles informing owners how and where to pick up their trucks if they are towed. The occupation has infuriated many Ottawa residents. We've seen people intimidated, harassed and threatened. We've seen apartment buildings that have been chained up. We have seen fires set in the corridors. Residents are terrorised, said Canadian Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino. The protests by demonstrators in trucks, tractors and motor homes initially focused on Canada's vaccine requirement for truckers entering the country but soon morphed into a broader attack on COVID-19 precautions and Trudeau's government. The biggest, most damaging of the blockades at the border took place at the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit. Before authorities arrested dozens of protesters last weekend and lifted the siege, it disrupted the flow of auto parts between the two countries and forced the industry to curtail production. The final blockade, in Manitoba, ended peacefully on Wednesday. The movement has drawn support from right-wing extremists and veterans, some of them armed one reason authorities have hesitated to move against them. Fox News personalities and US conservatives such as Donald Trump have egged on the protests. Trudeau complained on Thursday that roughly half of the funding to the barricaders here is coming from the United States. Some security experts said that dispersing the protest in Ottawa could be tricky and dangerous, with the potential for violence, and that a heavy-handed law enforcement response could be used as propaganda by antigovernment extremists. Trucks were parked shoulder-to-shoulder downtown, some with tires removed to hamper towing. There is not really a playbook, said David Carter, a professor at Michigan State University's School of Criminal Justice and a former police officer. I know there are police chiefs in the US looking at this and developing strategic plans and partnerships to manage a protest like this if it should occur in their cities. The presence of children also complicated the planning. As a showdown seemed to draw near, Canadian Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said: To those who have children with them, this is no place for children. Take them home immediately.(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 18: UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri on Friday said the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed today with India will be the foundation stone for this next era of success. Al Marri made these remarks after India and UAE signed CEPA today. Speaking at joint press conference, UAE Minister of Economy, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said, "By signing this agreement, the United Arab Emirates and India are writing a momentous new chapter in our shared history." Al Marri said that the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement is a milestone for both nations that builds on decades of enterprise and exchange to establish a new era of progress and prosperity for people in both countries. India-UAE CEPA Will Lead to Glorious, Shared Future: EAM Jaishankar. Al Marri highlighted that last summer, in preparation for the nation Golden Jubilee, the UAE government launched a series of bold initiatives to pave the way for the 50 years of growth and opportunity. "The goal was clear to double the size of our economy from 1.4 trillion Dirham's to 3 trillion Dirhams by 2030," he said. "This required bold new strategies for diversification, including embracing the Fourth Industrial Revolution, integrating advanced technology across the economy, enhancing our research and development capabilities when incubating the industries of the future," the UAE Minister said. As the world enters into the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, UAE Minister said the pandemic impact on the free flow of goods has affected every aspect of economic life, from manufacture to construction, from retail to medicine. It understood the importance of strong reliable transparent global supply chains. It challenged us to expand international trade ambitions, he added. Talking about India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, Al Marri said, our agreement on terms of a deal of this size, scope and importance within five months demonstrates the power of our shared vision. He further said that he is confident that the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement will be regarded as an achievement. Al Marri highlighted that the leaders of the G-20 summit in 2020 said that "trade is now more important than ever." "And as we emerge from the global pandemic, this CEPA will uphold our commitment to a free, fair, inclusive and non discriminatory, transparent, predictable, stable, trade and investment environment," he added. UAE Minister further noted "the UAE and India are going to keep our markets open. And together we can help redraw the global economic map. The benefits for both parties are clear. And we are confident that will be shared by the whole Middle East, North Africa and South Asia region." PM Narendra Modi, UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Usher in New Era of Ties with India-UAE CEPA. "The UAE has turned the page on next 50 years. We're entering the third phase of our economy story. We're transitioning to new industries, new capabilities, new partnerships. This CEPA with our last long lasting, trusted ally will be the foundation stone for this next era of success," he said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) At an estimated distance of 130.5 light-years, CWISE J014611.20-050850.0AB has a projected separation of 129 AU (astronomical units), or 129 times the distance between the Sun and the Earth, making it the widest-separation brown dwarf pair found to date. Brown dwarfs are cool, dim objects that have a size between that of a gas-giant planet and that of a Sun-like star. Sometimes called failed stars, these objects are too small to sustain hydrogen fusion reactions at their cores, yet they have star-like attributes. Typically, they have masses between 11-16 Jupiters (approximate mass at which deuterium fusion can be sustained) and 75-80 Jupiters (approximate mass to sustain hydrogen fusion). While stars are often found in binary systems, brown dwarf binaries are much rarer. Because of their small size, brown dwarf binary systems are usually very close together. Finding such a widely separated pair is very exciting, said studys first author Emma Softich, an undergraduate student at Arizona State University. In the study, the researchers inspected images of brown dwarfs discovered by the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 citizen science project, where companion brown dwarfs may have been overlooked. In doing so, they discovered CWISE J014611.20-050850.0AB (CWISE J0146-0508AB for short), a wide brown dwarf binary located 130.5 light-years away in the constellation of Cetus. Based on its significant proper motion, one of the system members, CWISE J0146-0508A, was previously submitted as an object of interest by citizen scientists Nikolaj Stevnbak, Sam Goodman, Melina Thevenot, Dan Caselden, and Frank Kiwy. The astronomers then used data from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) to confirm that it was indeed a brown dwarf pair. Wide, low-mass systems like CWISE J014611.20-050850.0AB are usually disrupted early on in their lifetimes, so the fact that this one has survived until now is pretty remarkable, said studys co-author Dr. Adam Schneider, an astronomer with the U.S. Naval Observatory and George Mason University. To measure the spectral types of CWISE J0146-0508A and CWISE J0146-0508B, the researchers observed both components with the Near-Infrared Echellette Spectrometer (NIRES) located on the Keck II telescope. They confirmed the brown dwarfs have spectral types L4 and L8, and that they have a projected separation of 129 AU. Binary systems are used to calibrate many relations in astronomy, and this newly discovered pair of brown dwarfs will present an important test of brown dwarf formation and evolution models, said studys co-author Dr. Jennifer Patience, an astronomer at Arizona State University. The discovery is described in a paper published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. _____ Emma Softich et al. 2022. CWISE J014611.20-050850.0AB: The Widest Known Brown Dwarf Binary in the Field. ApJL 926, L12; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ac51d8 New Delhi [India], February 18 (ANI): India and UAE issued a joint vision statement after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a virtual summit on Friday. The Prime Minister's Office said both leaders expressed deep satisfaction at the continuous growth in bilateral relations in all sectors. Also Read | Prince Harry Lawyers Say He Feels Unsafe Bringing Kids to UK. The Prime Minister and the Crown Prince issued a Joint Vision Statement "Advancing the India and UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: New Frontiers, New Milestone". The Statement establishes a roadmap for a future-oriented partnership between India and UAE and identifies focus areas and outcomes. The shared objective is to promote new trade, investment and innovation dynamic in diverse sectors, including economy, energy, climate action, emerging technologies, skills and education, food security, healthcare and defence and security. Also Read | Storm Eunice: Red Weather Alert Issued for Most of UK as Cyclonic Storm Hits England, Wales. A major highlight of the Virtual Summit was the signing and exchange of the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and Minister of Economy of UAE, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri in the virtual presence of the two Leaders. The Agreement will provide significant benefits to Indian and UAE businesses, including enhanced market access and reduced tariffs. It is expected that the CEPA will lead to an increase in bilateral trade from the current USD 60 bn to USD 100 bn in the next 5 years. The two Leaders also released the Joint Commemorative Stamp on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of India's independence and 50th year of UAE's foundation. Two MOUs signed between Indian and UAE entities were also announced during the Summit. These are, MOU between APEDA and DP World and Al Dahra on Food Security Corridor Initiative and MOU between India's Gift City and Abu Dhabi Global Market on cooperation in financial projects and services. Two other MOUs - one on cooperation in Climate Action and the other on Education have also been agreed between the two sides. The Prime Minister thanked the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi for taking care of the Indian community during Covid-19 pandemic. He also invited him to pay an early visit to India. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New York [US], February 18 (ANI): Ukrainian Ambassador to United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya on Thursday warned Russia of a decisive consolidated response by the international community over its military build-up in the Donbas region. Speaking at United Nations Security Council meeting on Ukraine, Kyslytsya said, "Russia has a choice to embark on the path of de-escalation and diplomatic dialogue or experience a decisive consolidated response by the international community." Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: India at UNSC Emphasises Quiet, Constructive Diplomacy, Backs Minsk Agreements. Russia started shelling Stanytsia Luhanska in Ukrainian government-controlled territory in Donbas. "Ukraine wants peace, security, and stability not only for itself but also for entire Europe. At the same time, I reiterate that in the event of Russia opting for escalation, Ukraine will defend itself," said Kyslytsya. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Threat of Russian Invasion Very High, Says US President Joe Biden. The Ukrainian Ambassador to the UN said that it remains up to Russia to implement all the resolutions in the Minsk agreements. "We urge Russia to abandon its strategy on Ukraine. Ukraine remains committed to resolving differences diplomatically. We will do everything to ensure de-escalation," said Kyslytsya. As world leaders scramble to find a diplomatic solution over the ongoing Russia-Ukraine tensions, talk has turned to the 2015 Minsk Agreement as a possible way out of the crisis. The agreement, the second of its kind (and the one that matters), was hammered out in the Belarusian capital in a bid to end what was then a bloody 10-month conflict in eastern Ukraine. But Minsk II has never been fully implemented, with its key issues still unresolved. A rare meeting between Russian, Ukrainian, German and French leaders in February 2015 sought to bring peace to areas of Ukraine that had been taken over by pro-Russian separatists the year before. Those areas, in Ukraine's Donbas region, became known as the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) and the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). The Ukrainian government in Kyiv asserted the two regions were in effect Russian-occupied. The talks also aimed to work towards a political settlement for the region. The result, Minsk II, was signed by representatives of Russia, Ukraine, the separatist leaders and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). It was subsequently endorsed by a UN Security Council resolution. "Ukraine expects Russia to deliver on the commitments of the Minsk agreement. The Minsk II agreement outlines steps to end the conflict in Eastern Ukraine," said Sergiy Kyslytsya. (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 18 (AP) The US Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday to show unwavering support for an independent Ukraine and "condemn" Russian military aggression toward its neighbour as fresh fears emerged of a possible invasion that could spiral toward a European war. Action in the Senate came after President Joe Biden said the US has "every indication" of a potential Russian attack on Ukraine in a matter of days. US officials have outlined stark scenarios of President Vladimir Putin's potential plans as Russian troops remain massed at the Ukraine border. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: India at UNSC Emphasises Quiet, Constructive Diplomacy, Backs Minsk Agreements. The resolution from the senators does not carry the force of law but puts the US legislative body on record with "unwavering United States support for a secure, democratic, and independent Ukraine" and "denounces the Russian military buildup" on Ukraine's border. The vote was unanimous, without objection or the formal roll call. "This Congress is united in its support of Ukrainian independence and sovereignty," said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, in introducing the measure with Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and others. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Threat of Russian Invasion Very High, Says US President Joe Biden. Senators have been racing all week to mount a response to rising tensions in the region, many eager to go even further by imposing devastating sanctions on Putin that would send shockwaves through the Russian economy. Ukraine has strong allies in the Senate, where there is broad support for sanctions on Russia as a powerful foreign policy tool to be used if Putin furthers his aggression toward Ukraine. Amid high-stakes diplomatic efforts to pull Russia off any plans to invade, senators held back on legislation sanctioning Russia, deferring to the White House's own strategy for easing out of the crisis that could spread across Europe. The resolution Thursday encourages Biden to have the US government exhaust its tools available to impose "significant costs" on Russia and "restore peace in Europe." The final text said the resolution was not to be construed as an authorization for the use of military force against Russia or for the introduction of US armed forces in Ukraine. Senators have said the administration can impose sanctions on its own, regardless of congressional action. "It is not a question of if' but how' we will respond to Putin," said Shaheen in a statement. Earlier this week, Senate leaders, along with the Democratic chairmen and top Republicans on the foreign relations and other committees, issued a bipartisan statement ahead of the resolution. Despite widespread backing from the senators for legislation that would sanction Russia over its behaviour toward Ukraine, they have had debates over the details and timing. There have also been differences over the Nord Stream 2 energy pipeline between Russia and Germany, although those may have become resolved after Biden said last week the energy line would not continue if Russia invades Ukraine. Still, senators were eager for a unified show of support for Ukraine at this moment, and before the Senate recessed. Several senators and House lawmakers were headed to an annual security conference in Munich. (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 18 (ANI): Amid Russian build-up in Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday left for Germany to participate in the Munich Security Conference 2022. "En route to Germany for #MSC2022. I'll also meet with @NATO Allies and partners on our coordinated, ongoing efforts to urge Russia to deescalate and choose diplomacy, as well as our readiness to impose severe costs should Russia further invade Ukraine," Blinken tweeted. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: India at UNSC Emphasises Quiet, Constructive Diplomacy, Backs Minsk Agreements. MSC is an annual conference on international security policy that takes place in Munich, Germany since 1963. This year the conference will take place from February 18-20. Meanwhile, US Vice President Kamala Harris is also travelling to Germany to hold a whirlwind series of talks with European leaders to bolster unity as concern grows about Russian troops at Ukraine's border. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Threat of Russian Invasion Very High, Says US President Joe Biden. Harris plans to meet with about 13 heads of state over the course of the weekend in Munich, and also will give an address to an annual conference of the world's top national security officials. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III also arrived in Poland on Thursday amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis. "US has a deep appreciation for our Alliance and our shared values, and I'm especially thankful for their gracious hosting of US forces," he tweeted. Russia on Thursday started shelling of Stanytsia Luhanska in Ukrainian government-controlled territory in Donbas. US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the US is "deeply concerned" that Russia has chosen the path of confrontation with Ukraine, instead of de-escalation. President Joe Biden said he believes an invasion of Ukraine could happen "within the next several days," with the US secretary of state warning the UN that Russia is planning to manufacture a justification for an attack and has not withdrawn troops, despite Moscow's claims. Meanwhile, US-Russia diplomatic tensions continue. Russia expelled the second-most senior US diplomat in Moscow, a State Department official said, calling it an "escalatory" move. Russia has expelled the US Deputy Chief of Mission Bart Gorman from Moscow, the State Department confirmed on Thursday. The move was announced shortly after the US said it had received a response to Washington's response about security proposals and guarantees demanded by Russia. The expulsion comes during a months-long standoff over a Russian buildup of more than 150,000 troops near its border with Ukraine. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Apple, the American tech giant, is expected to launch the iPhone 14 Series in September this year. Last month, we heard rumours online regarding the specifications of the upcoming iPhone 14 lineup. Previous reports had also leaked the display, camera setup and design. Now, it is reported by a Korean blogger 'yeux1122', that the iPhone 14 Pro model will come with 8GB of RAM. In addition to this, the blogger also shared that Apple will begin the mass production of the upcoming iPhone 14 Series soon. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Models Likely To Feature Punch-Hole Display: Report. As a reminder, Apple iPhone 13 Pro reportedly come with 6GB of RAM. Jeff Pu of Haitong International Securities, who had previously revealed that the iPhone 14 Pro will come with 6GB of RAM has now supported the Korean blogger's statement. This hints that Apple would provide extra RAM on the Pro models as compared to the vanilla variant. In terms of specifications, iPhone 14 Pro is rumoured to come with a 48MP primary camera module, new design, smaller cutouts. Apple iPhone 14 Series will comprise iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. The Cupertino-based company is said to ditch the Mini model from this year due to its less demand in the market. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 18, 2022 02:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). London, February 18: Storm Eunice is set to make landfall in southwest England on Friday morning. The United Kingdom's meteorological service issued a red warning as storm Eunice is bracing for the landfall with a wind speed of around 160 km per hour. The storm is forming unusually far south and east in the Atlantic. Notably, the cyclonic storm will reach peak intensity over areas that rarely witnessed such violent winds. Storm Eunice Set To Make Landfall in Southwest England On Friday, British Army On Standby. The British Army has been put on standby to counter the untoward situation. Schools and colleges have been closed. The Environment Agency, on Thursday, issued 10 severe flood warnings for western England, reported news agency AFP. These warnings have been issued mostly for the Severn estuary. Meanwhile, four people were killed by storms in central Europe on Thursday. About 170 Flights Cancelled in Netherlands over Looming Storm. Here Is The Live Tracker Of Storm Eunice: In the wake of storm Eunice, the Dutch flagship airline KLM said it had cancelled 167 flights scheduled for Friday over a looming storm. "Due to stormy weather in Amsterdam on Thursday 17 February and Friday 18 February 2022, our flights to, from, or via Amsterdam Airport Schiphol may be disrupted," the company said in a statement, adding that 167 flights had been cancelled. The UK MeT office said that the storm is expected to cause significant damage. Ireland's meteorological office also issued an alert for storm Eunice. Meanwhile, another storm, Dudley hit Britain on Wednesday. It caused transport disruption and power outages and was less severe than storm Eunice. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 18, 2022 09:51 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). After cruising along for more than two years, Californias vaunted cap-and-trade program to cut carbon emissions has run into a few recent snags. A state appeals court has signaled that it has doubts about how officials are spending billions in revenue from the program or even if they have the right to collect the money at all. Disagreements have erupted in Sacramento over whether environmental regulators can unilaterally extend the program past 2020 or need to get the legislatures permission to do so. More questions arose at the states most recent auction of emission permits in May. The permits are the linchpin of the system, which requires businesses to cap their greenhouse gas emissions or buy sufficient permits to cover any excess. For the first time since February 2013, when the quarterly auctions began, bidders stayed away in droves. Only 11% of the available permits were sold. That punched a hole in the state budget, for state finance officials expected that more than $500 million would be raised from the May sales. Instead only about $10 million came in. Weve reduced greenhouse gases so much that businesses dont need all the available allowances. Economist Frank Wolak of Stanford, explaining the low demand for carbon allowances at the states most recent cap-and-trade auction Even environmentalists who support the program have acknowledged that the program faces headwinds and uncertainty. The auction results have prompted critics to go further, forecasting the demise of cap-and-trade. Advertisement For some, the collapse couldnt come soon enough. The California Chamber of Commerce, which brought the lawsuit under review by the appeals court, says the mandate that industries buy emissions permits amounts to an illegally levied tax that imposes massive financial burdens on a small segment of Californias business community. Others point to evidence that the program has driven up gasoline prices by as much as 11 cents per gallon (though thats a fraction of the increase the oil industry originally predicted). Legislators are irked that the program may not produce all the revenue that was promised and squabble over how to distribute the money that does come in. But the programs supporters, including the state Air Resources Board, which runs the program, say cap-and-trade is doing exactly what its supposed to do, achieving its goals without holding back economic growth. Theyre right. The state is on course to meet its goal to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 to their 1990 levels. Regulators are confident that the utilities, refineries and other industries covered by the cap-and-trade program will meet the goal of reducing their own emissions to 334.2 million metric tons by 2020, a reduction of more than 15% from 2015. As part of a sheaf of state anti-pollution programs, cap-and-trade isnt responsible for all that reduction. But it probably plays a significant role. Indeed, the board reported in November that 2014 emissions from covered industries came in 9% below the mandated limit for that year, prompting Air Resources Board Chairwoman Mary Nichols to declare the program officially a success. The public appears to be on board. A recent poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found that 69% favor the states mandated pollution reduction goals and that more than 50% favor cap-and-trade. And Gov. Jerry Brown says hes determined to protect the program from attacks by the oil industry and other polluters. So whats the problem? To understand that, its important first to understand how cap-and-trade works. Regulators basically have two primary ways to reduce pollution. They can order industrial emitters to take a specific step such as installing clean-air equipment a system known as command and control or they can offer incentives to get industries to act voluntarily. Under cap-and-trade, the Air Resources Board established a statewide limit on emissions from the industries covered by the law, which are the source of about 85% of the states output of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Companies were assigned individual targets based on their emissions history. Companies can choose to meet their targets by cutting back operations, installing anti-pollution equipment, or buying emission permits, or allowances, via the cap-and-trade system. The law requires the proceeds from the allowance auctions, which were projected to be $2.4 billion in 2015-16, to be used on programs devoted to battling climate change. A large share of the funds, for example, is designated for construction of the high-speed rail system. Each year, the allowances are reduced and their price is increased a key tool for reducing statewide emissions. This year, the statewide cap is about 382 million metric tons of carbon dioxide or its equivalent, and the minimum price of a permit is $12.73 per ton. A company that figures its cost for pollution control equipment would be less than $12.73 per reduced ton presumably would install the equipment; if the cost would be higher than that, it would buy the needed allowances instead. The goal is to hold businesses to their emissions targets while giving them flexibility in how to do so. One other factor: Businesses can buy allowances either at the quarterly auctions or in a secondary market, where traders hope to turn a profit by reselling them at a higher price than they paid. Starting with the first auction in November 2012, there were almost always more bids than available allowances, so the state collected its expected revenue and prices remained stable. In a surprise ruling Feb. 9, however, the U.S. Supreme Court suspended the Obama administrations clean power plan mandating cuts in emissions from fossil-fueled electric plants until further judicial review. The case didnt specifically deal with California, but the decision rattled energy traders who buy and sell California carbon permits. Then, on April 8, a California appeals court unexpectedly asked for additional briefs in the California Chamber of Commerces 2012 lawsuit challenging the states right to raise money via cap-and-trade. The request hinted that the court might be looking more favorably on the chambers position than observers thought. Throw in uncertainty about the programs fate after 2020, and traders felt the urge to bail. Folks in a buy-and-hold mode liquidated their holdings rather than risk exposure to a program that might be terminated, says Michael Gibbs, a top state air board official. Suddenly there were abundant allowances for sale in the open market. Prices fell below the minimum auction price. So industries bought up the allowances they needed in the open market and skipped the May auction. But thats the way the trading part of cap-and-trade is supposed to work. Those who argue that the program is failing merely because allowance sales arent generating the income the state expected have their eyes on the wrong ball. Cap-and-trade needs to be judged first and foremost on how it reduces emissions, says Erica Morehouse, who monitors the program for the Environmental Defense Fund. Raising revenue is not a measure of its success. Its anyones guess how long the oversupply of permits could last, dampening auction results. But theres little reason to expect it to continue indefinitely. The Air Resources Board can hold unsold allowances off the market for at least nine months, squeezing the supply and forcing participants back to the auction. Some experts take the May auction result as a sign that the cap-and-trade program is working better than expected, or at least that California industry is more adept at cutting pollution than anyone expected when the system was enacted in 2006. The reality is, this is a very innovative economy, says Frank Wolak, an energy economist at Stanford. Weve reduced greenhouse gases so much that businesses dont need all the available allowances. The key to the programs continued success, Wolak adds, is its extension beyond 2020, along with more stringent requirements for emissions reductions. Since greenhouse gas reductions affect the climate over long periods, its crucial to give industry the assurance that the investments they make today in anti-pollution technology will continue to yield benefits for the long term. Cap-and-trade is the best way to communicate that, he says. It would be a tremendous shame to not extend the program to 2030, he says, unless you dont think we should address climate change. Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com. Return to Michael Hiltziks blog. Gabby Petito's killing and death paved the way for authorities to call for action on Idaho's part of Yellowstone, called "Zone of Death." According to The Independent, the "Zone of Death" is an area of Yellowstone in Idaho, where no crimes have been reported, and no one could be prosecuted there even for violating the law, due to the Sixth Amendment of the constitution. Under the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a person has a right to an impartial jury of the "State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed." However, Michigan State University Law Professor Brian Kalt theorized that since there was no resident in the "Zone of Death," no one could be prosecuted in the Idaho part of the Yellowstone. That would change as Petito's death prompted calls from Idaho House to pass a memorial voice vote, which is slated to be determined by a Senate committee in the coming weeks. According to CBS News, Boise Democratic Representative Colin Nash is sponsoring the joint memorial to formally ask Congress to address the loophole in the "Zone of Death." It is known that Congress can promote state legislation that would return the Idaho portion of the Yellowstone under the Idaho jurisdiction, while the Montana portion of the Yellowstone to the Montana jurisdiction. "It's the most encouraging development in this story in the 17 years I've been working on this [Zone of Death]," Kalt said. As the memorial calls were made by the authorities from the Idaho House, the spokesperson for Idaho's senior Republican Senator Mike Crapo said that the senator has not yet taken a position on the measure. However, the spokesperson said that they "will monitor" the issue closely. READ NEXT: Brian Laundrie Admits Killing Gabby Petito in His Notebook: FBI Says What is the Zone of Death? According to Professor Kalt's book entitled "The Perfect Crime," the "Zone of Death" is an area where a person could commit a federal crime in the roughly 50 square miles of Yellowstone located in Idaho because there are no residents in the area that would allow a violator to be tried, per NNY 360. Kalt pointed out that the Yellowstone National Park, including the small portions of the park in Idaho and Montana are under the jurisdiction of the District Court of Wyoming. However, the professor underscored that was no single major crime reported from the "Zone of Death" since he published his paper in 2005. The "zone of death" also became a focus of several arts as the area was featured on television and books, increasing its profile. The Independent mentioned that the Idaho area of the Yellow stone was featured in the hit Paramount Network show, "Yellowstone." It was also featured in the thriller book entitled "Free Fire," where the protagonist search for a mass murderer in Yellowstone. Brian Laundrie and Gabby Petito's Connection on the "Zone of Death" Most recently, Gabby Petito's disappearance in the Grand Teton National Park, which is a part of the Yellowstone, gathered traction, paving the way for the topic about the "Zone of Death" to be opened once again. It can be recalled that Petito went missing on a cross-country road trip with his fiance, Brian Laundrie, to Oregon. She lost contact with her family in late August while in Wyoming. Her remains were then discovered in the Spread Creek Dispersed Campground of Grand Teton National Park on September 19. A coroner ruled out that she died of strangulation. Meanwhile, Laundrie's remains were discovered in a swampy area of Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in Florida, along with his notebook on October 20. An autopsy revealed that he died from a single gunshot wound in the head and the manner of death was suicide. Last month, the FBI revealed that the notebook they recovered contained a written statement from Laundrie claiming responsibility for Petito's death. READ NEXT: Gabby Petito-Brian Laundrie Update: Here's Where the Murderer's Bank Fraud Charges in Wyoming Stand Now This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Can you get away with murder in Yellowstone's "Zone of Death?" - From 48 Hours A California wildfire that erupted near an airport in Inyo County scorched nearly 4,000 acres of land as of Thursday, prompting evacuation. According to Fox News, the blaze dubbed as "Airport Fire" is still zero percent contained despite the vast land it already charred, per Yahoo! News. USA Today noted that the California Wildfire near the airport prompted evacuations by Thursday afternoon as it eluded containment from the authorities. READ NEXT: Colorado Pilot Fighting Wildfire Dies in Plane Crash After Making One Final Pass Over the Blaze, Officials Say California Airport Wildfire Prompts Evacuation Reports noted that the wind-driven wildfire near the airport prompted authorities to issue evacuation from the Owens Valley Radio Observatory and White Mountain Research Center. However, the evacuation was later expanded and include the small town called Big Pines, which is home to under 2,000 people. The said community is located east of U.S. 395. It was unclear where the residents were evacuated by the authorities. On Thursday, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said that at least 150 structures were threatened by the wildfire, but the department pointed out that no communities have been harmed by the blaze so far. "We were lucky to not sustain any damage to our facility. Though the fire was close, about 200 yards from our fence," University of California White Mountain Research spokesperson Gaylene Kinzy said in an email to AP, per USA Today. Meanwhile, The California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the owner of the Owens Valley Radio Observatory, said in a statement that the main threat to their facility had passed. Caltech previously said that they assessed the observatory's antennas, field surrounding, instruments, and main facility structure. California Airport Wildfire According to reports, "Airport Fire" erupted outside the Eastern Regional Airport in Inyo County on Wednesday, NBC Los Angeles reported. The said airport is located outside the town of Bishop which houses 3,800 people. Reports highlighted that winds drove the blaze south to Big Pine, as it doubled its size from 50 acres to 100 acres within 45 minutes. As the fire continued to scorch lands on Thursday, Cal Fire said in a statement that firefighters are "actively" engaged in controlling the perimeters and defending structures in the area. Cal Fire also mentioned that firefighters try to sustain the blaze as winds remain steady and "will continue at 10-15 mph out of the northwest." Furthermore, more than 430 personnel, six air tankers, and 66 engines responded to the Airport Fire in an attempt to contain the blaze. Furthermore, a helicopter was also dispatched to the scene to help in controlling the fire. The Airport Fire is the latest wildfire California faced this year. It can be recalled that a brush fire also erupted in Laguna Beach earlier in February. Around 375 firefighters were dispatched as the fire threatened the Emerald Bay community, as well as helicopters that helped control the situation. READ NEXT: California to See Worsening Forest Fires for the Next Decade: Study This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Wildfire Forces Evacuations In Eastern Sierra - From CBS Sacramento U.S. Coast Guard has offloaded on Thursday more than 30 metric tons of cocaine and marijuana with an estimated cost of over $1 billion. The narcotics were seized at sea during months-long deployment off the coast of South America. U.S. President Joe Biden administration's top anti-narcotics officials went to South Florida to welcome back the Coast Guard's vessel's crew and took pride in the agency's role in seizing illegal drugs before it reaches American soil, according to an Associated Press news report. Dr. Rahul Gupta, head of the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy, said that the Biden administration is looking to increase the U.S. government's budget to establish the nation's addiction treatment infrastructure. The budget would also reduce the supply of synthetic opioids like fentanyl and other drugs. The recent drug bust highlights a recent surge in narcotics coming from Colombia, which is the world's top producer of cocaine. In 2020, coca cultivation in Colombia jumped to 245,000 hectares, enough to produce 1,010 metric tons of cocaine, according to the White House's recent report on the Andean region. Coast Guard's Drug Bust in Florida The agency seized 54,500 pounds of cocaine and 15,800 pounds of marijuana, officials announced during a briefing at Port Everglades in Florida. South Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said that the drug bust means a lot of "sad walks to doors that will never have to occur," according to Miami Herald News report. Schultz was accompanied by U.S. Coast Guard Cutter James during the media briefing. The James crew said that the recent drug offload is a "national security cutter." Gupta said that the country is losing an American every five minutes around the clock with the usage of drugs, which could lead to fatal drug overdoses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that fatal drug overdoses topped more than 100,000 annually from April 2020 to April 2021, which is an almost 30 percent increase from the previous 12-month period. Officials have not released details regarding how many people were arrested in connection with the drugs. However, 30 people have been indicted in the U.S. Southern District of Florida Court since Wednesday on charges related to drug distribution. Capt. Todd Vance, commander of the James, said that it is not just the drugs that are collected as evidence. Vance noted that matchbook covers, pieces of paper, and satellite phones are also seized to help government agencies put together cases targeting the top officials of international drug trafficking organizations. READ NEXT: Texas CBP Officers Confiscated $3 Million Worth of Methamphetamine Along U.S.-Mexico Border Coast Guard's Largest Illegal Drugs Seizure Last February, the Coast Guard has offloaded the largest number of illegal drugs in its history, costing more than $1.4 billion. James crew offloaded about 59,700 pounds of cocaine and 1,430 pounds of marijuana, according to a USA Today report. The Coast Guard noted at the time that it was the biggest offload in the vessel's history, with several Coast Guard units assisting, along with the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and Canadian partners. Vice Adm. Steven Poulin, commander of the Atlantic area, noted at the time that the offload was a result of the combined efforts of their interagency partners and the dedicated international coalition. Ten American, Dutch, and Canadian ships stopped the smuggling vessels. READ MORE: Cocaine Found in Christmas Cards Bound for New York at Guyana Post Office This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: U.S. Coast Guard offloads $1 billion worth of narcotics - from News4JAX Taiwan's New Party chairman to attend Beijing 2022 closing ceremony: mainland spokesperson Xinhua) 15:23, February 18, 2022 BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Wu Cheng-tien, chairman of Taiwan's New Party, will attend the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, a mainland spokesperson said Friday. Confirming Wu's attendance, Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, noted that Wu and his visiting delegation have already arrived in Beijing. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Page Content In light of a recent press statement published in the media concerning the joint controls being carried out by the Immigration and Border Protection Services (IBP), the Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM), Customs Sint Maarten and the Inspectorates of TEATT and VSA, the multidisciplinary team hereby reacts via this joint press statement. On January 27, the multidisciplinary team embarked on a continuous operation to clean up the countrys image whereby an increase in compliance would be the order of the day. The joint controls serve as a means to enforce compliance with residence and work permits, illegal substances, business licenses and to eliminate barkers in the Philipsburg area. These actions have not only been praised by the community but are now being questioned. It is a fact that the benefits of a compliant society are, but are not limited to reduced legal issues, improvement in business operation efficiency and safety, enhanced public relations, fostering customers trust and better employee engagement and retention. Ignoring government-mandated regulations can be costly for businesses and the country at large. The multidisciplinary team continued joint controls on February 2, in Philipsburg, on February 5, in St. Peters and on February 11, in Simpson Bay accompanied by controllers of SZV with the same objective; compliance. The results of which have been persons overstaying their limit in St. Maarten, employees performing business activities for an extended period of time without a work or residence permit, employers operating businesses without the updated or valid business licenses, persons carrying weapons in public and the abuse of employees by their employers who fail to pay their wage taxes or apply for a work permit for them as required by law. Business owners are hereby advised to ensure that their business is in possession of a business license from the Ministry of TEATT to operate and that all their employees are legally authorized to work and reside on Dutch St. Maarten. It is also essential that all employed persons within a business are insured as proper registration with SZV is mandatory. All non-nationals seeking to work and/or live on Dutch Sint Maarten must be in possession of a valid work permit and residence permit. You are strongly advised to contact the Immigration Department to gain information. The multidisciplinary team hereby makes it known that they are executing their duties by law. With an expected 500,000 airline passengers and 1 million cruise visitors to St. Maarten by the end of 2022 amidst the pandemic, now is the right time to carry out the joint controls. As such, the overall joint controls will continue throughout various communities to ensure compliance. The public is reminded that in accordance with Article 11.3 of the guidelines which is law, persons from age 12 and older are to have a valid form of identification in their possession while using the public streets. Within short, the multidisciplinary team will be meeting together with the respective Ministers to discuss the way forward with phase 2 of the joint controls. The multidisciplinary team hereby thanks the community for their support and cooperation. Brazil recorded a rising death toll as its mountain city Petropolis was hampered with flooding and mudslides caused by heavy rains that started on Tuesday. As of Thursday, local officials told CBS News that around 117 people were confirmed dead, while 116 people remain unaccounted for following the tragedy. Local officials added that the death toll for the tragedy is expected to rise, per ABC News. "We don't know the full scale of this... It was a hard day, a difficult day" Petropolis Mayor Rubens Bomtempo said on Wednesday. According to Rio police in a statement on Thursday, around 200 agents were dispatched to check the lists of the living, the dead, and the missing by visiting checkpoints and shelters and the city's morgue. READ NEXT: Brazil: Heavy Rains Leave 19 Dead and 9 Injured, 5 More Missing Amid Flooding and Landslide Brazil Flooding and Mudslide: Families Continue Search for Missing Loved Ones Aside from flooding caused by the heavy rains on Tuesday, a landslide also occurred in the area, reports noted that survivors were digging in the rubbles of the tragedy to find their loved ones who disappeared after the mudslide. One of the people looking for their loved ones under the land was salesman Felipe de Oliveira, who is looking for his brother and grandmother, CNN reported. "They are buried, but we don't know if they are dead or alive... I tell myself that I find them alive. But I am prepared for the worst," Oliveira said. On Wednesday, Rio de Janeiro's public prosecutor's office said that they compiled a list of 35 people yet to be located since the landslide occurred. Search and Rescue teams were reportedly wading through the mud since Wednesday, as they scan for wreckage and survivors. In a statement, Rio de Janeiro State Governor Claudio Castro said that their work will continue in connection to the tragedy. "We will do the possible and impossible to save lives," Castro underscored. Aside from the missing and death recorded in the mountain city of Brazil, Castro said that the flooding and mudslide caused by the heavy rains also left almost 400 people were left homeless. "It's very sad to see people asking for help and having no way of helping, no way of doing anything," Rosilene Virginia, a Petropolis resident, said. Authorities said that more than 180 residents who live in the at-risk areas were taking shelter in schools. Brazil Flooding and Mudslide According to reports, the flooding and mudslide occurred after Brazil's mountain city was hampered with heavy rains on Tuesday. The state's fire department emphasized that 10 inches of rainfall showered the mountain city in just three hours. Governor Castro said in a press conference that the rains were the worst Petropolis experienced since 1932. A video recording showed that two buses sunk into a swollen river as its passengers clambered out of the windows to save their lives. However, the report stressed that some of the passengers were washed away out of sight as they did not make it to the banks. Please send your prayers to my adopted home of #Petropolis Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We were hit with massive rain, flooding, and mud slides yesterday. The town is destroyed. My family is safe, but many aren't. pic.twitter.com/R5RunTduXi Christopher Hassan (@ChrisDHassan) February 16, 2022 Another footage shared by a Twitter user @ChrisDHasan showed cars submerged in the flood. Governor Castro that no one "could predict" the rain that hampered the mountain city. According to forecasters, more rain is expected to hit Brazil's mountain city through the rest of the week. On Wednesday, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said that he spoke to the ministers and asked "for immediate assistance" that will be given to the victims. Bolsonaro is expected to arrive in Petropolis on Friday. READ NEXT: Ecuador Landslide Caused by Heavy Rains Kills 24 in Country's Capital This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Brazil Mudslides: Rescue Workers Search for Survivors in Petropolis as Death Toll Tops 100 -- From Global News Mexican authorities have intercepted more than 1,200 migrants bound for the U.S. in the past 24 hours, Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM) said Thursday. The Mexican government is trying to curb the entry of undocumented travelers seeking to enter the U.S. as pressure mounts from the U.S. According to INM, 1,266 migrants were detained in operations carried out in 22 states in Mexico, with about 10 percent of them minors and many traveling alone. In the last 24 hours, the INM said it had detained migrants from "different continents that were transiting irregularly," DW reported. The migration agency identified migrants from at least 33 countries, but many came from Colombia, Guatemala, Cuba, Honduras, and El Salvador. Others were from countries like Afghanistan, Armenia, China, Canada, Ethiopia, Ghana, Italy, Pakistan, Somalia, Russia, Switzerland, and Turkey, Reuters reported. The INM noted that 741 of these migrants were men, 322 were women, and 203 were minors. They were unable to present legal travel documents in the cities where they were found Wednesday. More than 100 migrants found inside a locked tractor-trailer by authorities near a highway toll booth in Cuitlahuac at Veracruz state were among 1,266 individuals stopped from transiting to the U.S. border on Wednesday. Footage of an operation released by INM also showed the moment 59 migrants were found Wednesday inside a flatbed truck in Allende, Nuevo Leon, at least three hours from the border with the U.S.-Mexico border. The discovery happened after police assigned to the northeastern state's attorney general office heard voices coming from the flatbed area when the driver was stopped for a routine inspection. Nineteen minors were found inside. The driver and two companions were arrested. READ NEXT: New York City Mayor Eric Adams Calls Ban on Unvaccinated Kyrie Irving in Games at Barclay's Center Unfair, But Changing Rule May 'Send Wrong Message 100 Migrants Trapped Inside Abandoned Tractor Trailer The INM lauded the state police and military for avoiding a tragedy and saving 100 migrants left inside the locked tractor-trailer. According to Daily Mail, the migrants were identified as residents of Cuba, Colombia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. In a separate incident, immigration officers stopped a tour bus in Acajete, Puebla, with 120 migrants from Cuba, Guatemala, and Honduras, who were being smuggled to the U.S.-Mexico border. In total, the INM said it had taken custody of 303 Colombians, 268 Hondurans, and 181 Guatemalans. There were also 143 Cubans and 100 more migrants from El Salvador. Mexico's INM Ensures Safety Migration In a statement, the INM reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining safe, orderly, and regular migration while fully respecting and safeguarding the rights of people in transit through national territory. According to government figures, the migration agency apprehended 16,740 undocumented migrants last month compared to 9,406 in January last year. At least 10,443 of these migrants were from Central and South America, with the remaining 6,297 coming from Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. The number of migrants fleeing violence, poverty, and other issues in their home countries have risen dramatically in recent years. Many were forced to wait up to a year in southern Mexico for approval from authorities to cross the country without being detained before reaching the U.S. READ MORE: Dr. Dre Talks About Controversial Eminem 'Kneel' at NFL Super Bowl, Says 'There Was No Problem With That' This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Jess Smith WATCH: Immigration Policies Create Path of Uncertainty for Migrant Families, Officials - From ABC News Authorities in Venezuela on Thursday said that more than half a ton of cocaine had been seized from a drug cartel that operates in Colombia. In his speech on the Venezuelan state television channel (VTV), Attorney General Tarek William Saab said that after authorities carried out 49 raids in the states of Anzoategui, La Guaira, Merida, Falcon, Tachira, Trujillo, and Carabobo, 490 kilos of cocaine and 19 vehicles were confiscated. Since November, Saab noted that authorities had arrested 21 people, including several former Chavista officials, for alleged links to drug trafficking. READ NEXT: NBA All-Star 2022: DJ Khaled to Headline Star-Studded Performances on All-Star Saturday Night Venezuela's Cocaine Bust Result to Series of Arrests According to Tarek William Saab, the first arrest took place last November 7 when former legislative assistant Luis Alfonso Viloria Chirinos and six others were apprehended while transporting 336 kilos of cocaine in three pickup trucks, AFP reported. As a result of the investigations, former deputy Jeycar Perez and former legislative councilor Jean Silva were also found to participate in this drug trafficking network, and they were arrested on January 5 and 7, respectively. On January 27, eight others were apprehended, including former deputy Taina Gonzalez and Jesus Maria Semprun mayor Keyrineth Fernandez, who were traveling in three vans, one of them with a secret compartment in which they found six kilos of cocaine. Gonzalez and Fernandez are both members of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela. Saab said those arrested were "at the disposal of a Colombian criminal organization and used their credentials" to avoid searches at police checkpoints to transport large quantities of drugs to Venezuela. He noted that two citizens posing as officials of the government of President Nicolas Maduro were also apprehended for drug trafficking on February 2. "They didn't have the quality of being officials, but they passed themselves off with false credentials," the attorney general said, adding that the two were members of the "same referred criminal group." Authorities in Venezuela Conduct More Anti-Drug Operations Close to Colombia Border Tarek William Saab said Venezuelan anti-drug agents recently conducted two operations in the municipality of Jesus Maria Semprum in the western state of Zulia, bordering Colombia, which led to the destruction of several camps producing narcotics. Saab noted that authorities eradicated 341,000 coca plants that occupied 31 hectares in Zulia in these two operations, EFE Agency reported. "This is very important as a victory for the Venezuelan state and all the civil and military forces that are united in this fight, 341,000 coca plants were eradicated that spread over 31 hectares," Saab said. On February 6, Saab noted that authorities destroyed "an illicit drug production camp" in Jesus Maria Semprum, where there was a 17-hectare field of coca bushes. In this camp, authorities found 4,710 kilos of cocaine base paste, 90 liters of chemicals, and 1,100 liters of fuel, which were destroyed, while 187,000 coca bushes were eradicated in the field. In a second operation carried out on February 8, Saab said the security forces found a 14-hectare field with a total of approximately 154,000 coca plants in the same municipality that were also destroyed. The attorney general noted that this is a significant blow to the Colombian drug cartel that intends to bring "chaos" to Venezuela. "We are not going to allow it. We are sure that this intention they promote from the neighboring country Colombia will not going to materialize in Venezuela," Saab said. The official noted that the Prosecutor's Office would investigate the alleged link between the crops, laboratories, and the drug trafficking network that recruited Venezuelan officials, who will face charges of drug trafficking, and money laundering, among others. READ MORE: NBA All-Star Draft: Who's Playing in Team LeBron and Team Durant? This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Jess Smith WATCH: How Venezuela Became 'the Cocaine Capital of the World' - From Yahoo! Finance Page Content Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (Minister of TEATT) Hon. Roger Lawrence met with Lucky Cosmetics managing director Prakash Menghani on Wednesday February 9th, 2022, for a tour of the companys recently constructed facility in Cay Hill, expected to be completed by April 2022. The facility houses a new all in one concept that will offer an array of cosmetic products for retail and wholesale, combined with other in-house departments such as clothing, jewelry, and watches, cell phones, a cafeteria, salon, and spa, as well as a supermarket. Our goal with the new establishment was to create a one-stop shop for the community, as it adds a new and different environment that everyone in the family can visit and enjoy. Even though we are still recovering from the pandemic, I am positive that Sint Maarten will bounce back, and the economy will be rolling again, stated Menghani. During the tour of the facility, Minister Lawrence observed an opportunity to stock shelves at the future supermarket with home grown produce. The minister stated the importance of sourcing from local producers, not just in the agricultural sector but also possibly retail items such as clothing and accessories, as he believes one of the key roles of government is to facilitate opportunities for small business owners to develop and thrive. Menghani welcomed the suggestion, expressing his interest and willingness to source organic produce grown in Sint Maarten. Menghani also mentioned that additional manpower would be needed once the facility is operational, indicating more employment opportunities at Luckys in the near future from the local labour pool. With a sale strategy reaching beyond the local market, Luckys has also managed to successfully export cosmetic products to neighboring islands, utilizing its Sint Maarten operation as a distribution hub for the Caribbean region. Lawyers for the media have told a judge that there is no reason for preventing the identification of a public servant accused of falsely imprisoning and sexually assaulting a woman at his workplace. The man, aged 35, with an address in Co Laois, appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Friday morning, having been sent forward from Dublin District Court to face trial. The man is charged with three counts of sexual assault on a woman at his workplace in the east of the country on September 29, 2020. He faces an allegation of false imprisonment of the woman at the same place and on the same date. The fifth charge is for engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature at another location in the same Leinster county between August 23, 2019, and February 25 last year. Last October, on foot of an application at a district court appearance by defence solicitor Martin Moran, Judge Treasa Kelly made an order that the mans name or occupation were not to be published. Tom Murphy BL told Judge Melanie Greally on Friday, February 18 that he was instructed by RTE, Independent News and Media, the Irish Times and the Daily Mail Group to apply to have that order lifted. Mr Murphy said that an application by the media was previously made before Judge Kelly challenging the order last December but Judge Kelly refused to vary the order. He said on that occasion Judge Kelly said the best course of action was for the media to make an application before the circuit court as the case was going forward for trial there. Mr Murphy submitted on Friday that there was no basis to restrict the identification of this defendant and that the defence had failed to put forward any grounds of substance to justify doing so. He said that the defendant's personal right to privacy was not a basis for restricting the Constitutional right for justice to be done in public. Mr Moran told the court that an application was made to Judge Kelly on the basis of the sensitivity of the allegations and that she was then quite satisfied to make the order. Mr Murphy said that it was very clear from previous judgements that there were only two grounds for imposing reporting restrictions. He said the first was legislative provisions restricting publication and the second was where there is a real identifiable risk of an unfair trial arising from publication. He said there was no evidence that identifying this accused would impair his right to a fair trial. He said that the rights of the media have been, and continue to be, restricted since October. John Berry BL, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, told the court that the it was the view of the DPP that reporting of the defendant's name would not give rise to identification of the complainant, which would be the grounds for an anonymity order. He said the DPP did not see any potential for the fair trial rights of the defendant being interfered. Judge Melanie Greally said that she was minded to lift the restrictions but she would leave over her decision until next Thursday, February 24. She said she consider the relevant case law and in the meantime she would maintain the status quo. A Mountmellick was given the honour of raising the flag recently at an memorial event to mark the famous departure of the British from Tipperary after Ireland won its independence from the Crown. John Lawlor raised the tricolour at the centenary commemoration marking the take over of Nenagh military barracks from the Empire. John is the grand nephew of captain Terance Byrne from Mountmellick who formally took over the barracks in February 1922 on behalf of the state. Terance led the Laois brigade which had the honour of formally taking command of the building for the new Irish Free State. On February 14, 1922, the North Staffordshire regiment left Nenagh for the last time. A similar withdrawal took place at the then Richmond Barracks in Templemore on the same day, while Newport Barracks was evacuated later that week. Nenagh had been earmarked for evacuation by the North Staffordshire regiment on February 7. However, it was delayed by a week. At 1.30pm on Tuesday, February 14, the Union Jack was lowered for the final time at the barracks and the band of the North Staffordshire Regiment led the parade as the local garrison marched to Nenagh railway station, where they departed by train to Limerick. The regiment would be moved from Tipperary to Gibraltar eventually ending up in India until that country, too, gained independence from the British empire in 1948. Their leaving was probably not just a cause for celebration among local republicans, but also the general population as not only with the withdrawal came peace, but the regiment was noted for its use of profanities, which, no doubt, grated on the ears of the local ladies and gentlemen. On February 14, 1922, at 2pm, IRA units from Laois and north Tipperary formed up at Nenagh Courthouse and paraded to the barracks. The Laois men were led by Capt Byrne, who formally took possession of the site on behalf of the State. The honour of leading the local contingent was given to Capt Tom Walsh from Crowle, Cloughjordan, on account of he being the youngest captain in the 1st Tipperary Brigade. The parade from the courthouse to the barracks was led by Thomas Gill, Dublin Road, who carried the flag. The parade was accompanied by large numbers of townspeople, cheering loudly. The North Staffordshires evacuated Newport Barracks that week also and it was taken over by the IRA under the command of Comdt Bill Hoolan, Nenagh. Tipperary in the Decade of Revolution, in conjunction with ONE (Oglaigh Naisiunta na hEireann), mark the centenary of the handover of the barracks with a parade from Nenagh Courthouse to the barracks in Summerhill. A parade retraced the route taken by members of the IRA from Laois and Tipperary who took over the barracks on behalf of the State. At the barracks there was ceremonial lowering of the British flag and the Tricolour will be raised in its place. The flag ceremony was performed by descendants of people who were involved in both the British and Irish sides on that historic day. The taking over of the barracks and seeing the Tricolour raised on the building was the first tangible effect for the people of Nenagh of the Treaty that had ben signed in London the previous December. The memorial parade was be led by piper Gerard Neville of the Moycarkey Pipe Band and members of One from Tipperary, Limerick and Laois. The event was non-political and the organises particularly welcomed former members of the Defence Forces and their families. A commemorative booklet has been published as part of the event. The government is seeking public consultation on a new national strategy to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. The announcement was made yesterday (Thursday February 17) by Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, who confirmed the final strategy will be published in April. The consultation, which will reportedly run for three weeks, will ask people's views on the matter and what they would like to see in the new strategy. Minister McEntee said, "We are committed to tackling domestic, sexual and gender based violence. I will shortly publish a new strategy, with input from across government, to support victims, strengthen our laws and bring about the change in attitudes needed to deal with this awful violence and abuse. "The overall goal of the new strategy is clear - zero tolerance in our society of domestic sexual and gender based violence." Participants will be asked whether Irish laws are strong enough to provide justice to victims, among other questions including how supports for victims can be improved. According to Minister McEntee, it will emphasise four key pillars including prevention, protection, prosecution and policy co-ordination. She said, "We want to hear from you." The final strategy will be accompanied by an action plan defining how the aims of the consultation will be achieved as well as timeframe for delivery. The consultation is available as an online survey through the Department of Justice website. The St Patricks Day Committee has announced that for the first time ever, a two-day Street Festival will be held in Portlaoise to celebrate the St Patricks day bank holiday. The street festivities will be held on Main Street, Portlaoise from 2pm to 6pm each day on Thursday 17th and Friday 18th March 2022. The two-day festivities will consist of street traders, Irish music: jugglers; acts; bands, baton twirls, buskers, street entertainers and much, much more. The newly elected Chairperson of St Patricks Day Committee is Dominic Dunne who said: This is going to be a great event. It will be not just a major boost financially to the town, but we are all looking forward to getting out and about again after the experiences of the last two years, commented Mr Dunne. The St Patricks Day committee consists of old and new members who meet weekly in Portlaoise Parish Centre. The members include Chairperson, Dominic Dunne; Secretary, Pauline Flanagan; Events Co-Ordinator, Michael Delaney; Treasurer Eugene McDonagh, PRO Paul Downey, Christy Bannon MC for the two day event, Frank Ward, Councillors Catherine Fitzgerald and Noel Tuohy. The members will continue to meet leading up to the event in order to ensure maximum enjoyment and safety for all concerned. The committee are grateful to all local businesses and communities who are helping to make this a memorable event. Particular mention was given at the committee to Portlaoise Tidy Towns for agreeing to help in the clean up each evening following the festivities. A fundraising table quiz will be held in Kavanaghs Bar, Portlaoise on Thursday 10th March to help raise funds for this two-day event. The death has been announced of a Laois woman, Rosheen (Roxy) Phelan, who was a part of a national campaign group founded to raise awareness of cervical cancer provide support and advice to those with the disease. Roxy passed away peacefully at home in Rathmoyle, Abbeyleix on Thursday, February 17 in the presence of her family after a long illness bravely borne. Roxy leaves behind loving and heart broken husband and soulmate Jason, her loving and amazing sons Cathal and Setanta. Roxy, who is originally from Rathdowney, was first diagnosed in 2017 with stage 1B2 Cervical Cancer. She went through various treatments and some time later later it was believed that she had beaten cancer. However, a routine scan in 2019 revealed that it had returned. By 2021 Roxy has persevered on palliative chemotherapy which fought back some of the cancer and she was then put on to the Pembrolizumab to try to prevent the remaining cancer from spreading. She lived life a fully as possible with her family and also joined the Cervical Cancer Awareness Ireland (CCAI). Working with this group, Roxy has provided valuable information, a shoulder to lean on and a firm friendship for many many women who have been unfortunate enough to struck by cervical cancer. However, her health had badly deteriorated in late 2021. This led to a big fundraising campaign to fund further treatment on a clinical trial. It was called Roxys Miracle, Finding A Clinical Trial For Roxy. More than 30,000 was raised from various fundraisers in Abbeyleix and beyond. A big weekend of events in the Laois town in November 2021 played a big part in raising the funds to give Roxy another chance at life Many tributes have already been paid by on RIP.ie while Cervical Cancer Awareness Ireland paid tribute on its facebook page. "It comes with sadness and immense grief to announce the passing of our beautiful, kind and inspiring Admin Roxy Phelan...Many of you would have had conversations and contact with Roxy in the past as she was always a very present and active admin and even though she was fighting her own battle, she would always go above and beyond to find answers to your questions and always eager to lend a shoulder when needed. "Some of us were lucky enough call Roxy a friend or even a best friend and to say she will be missed is a massive understatement. "If you would like to join us by lighting a candle and saying a prayer for our gracious friend then that would be greatly appreciated and if you would like to share a picture of your candle then we can take the images and make a card for Roxy's family so they can take pride in seeing how many lives their wife and Mammy touched within this group. "We will love you and miss you forever Roxy, thank you for your help, your kindness, your hours spent researching for answers and all the laughs and side splitting giggles. Rest easy now our angel, your fight is finally over," the said. Apart from her beloved husband and sons, her death notice said Roxy is also deeply missed by her loving sister Victoria and partner Lori, ever caring father-in-law Ger, mother-in-law Anne, brothers-in-law Aaron and Mark, sisters-in-law Debbie and Nicole and nephew Charlie, all extended relatives and especially her ever supporting and wonderful circle of friends and neighbours and the special people she met on her journey who loved and cared for Roxy. A public reposal takes place in The Church of The Most Holy Rosary, Abbeyleix on Sunday, February 20 at 6pm with recital of the Rosary at 7pm. Her remains will be removed from her residence on Monday at 11.40 am to The Church Of The Most Holy Rosary for 12 noon Requiem Mass. Removal afterwards to Newlands Cross Crematorium for 2.20pm Service. Family flowers only by request. The Requiem Mass can be viewed on https://abbeyleixparish.ie/.webcam A woman from war torn Afghanistan was granted a barring order against her husband at a Naas District Court sitting on February 9. The 22 year old, who gave evidence in broken English, was commended by Judge Desmond Zaidan for initiating court action. The woman, who was accompanied by a volunteer who works with a group assisting people who are at risk, married at 15 years and had a child at 16. She arrived in Ireland five months ago, shortly after US armed forces left the country precipitating a takeover by the Taliban and a rush to leave the country. Read more Kildare news She told the court her husband who lives with her and their daughter sometimes beats her badly with a slap or a fist and this had been going on for a long time, including when they lived in Afghanistan. She said her husband is angry and when she asks why he tells her to shut up and this happens daily. She told Judge Desmond Zaidan that she didnt go to school in Afghanistan and she has no other family members in Ireland. The court heard that is no help for a woman in Afghanistan and her marriage was an arranged one. She sought a protection order which prohibits threats of violence though the judge granted a barring order which prohibits the man from entering the home. And the judge directed that the order be delivered by a garda accompanied by a translator fluent in Dari or Persian - the languages used in Afghanistan. The judge urged her to go to school, adding that education will allow her to fend of herself. She is vulnerable and has her whole life ahead of her. The people of Ireland have done the right thing by giving her a chance, he said. Describing the case as distressing and disturbing, Judge Zaidan said the womans decision to come to court was brave. Theres no excuse for beating anyone, let alone your wife, the mother of your child, he said. He added it appears to be normal for some men to behave like this in Afghanistan. Youre doing the right thing in very difficult circumstances, the judge told the woman. He appointed a solicitor to assist her. The court was heard that the Refugee Council will liaise with her husband in the event of barring order being granted. A judge at Naas District Court sentenced a man to five months in prison for a driving offence on Thursday, February 17. Judge Desmond Zaidan made the decision in the case of Karl Fogarty, with an address listed at 6 Corduff Close in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. The 33-year-old, who was accompanied by his parents in the court, pleaded guilty to having no insurance and no driving licence at the M7 Southbound near Prosperous on November 15, 2020. DISQUALIFICATIONS Garda Sergeant Brian Jacob said that Mr Fogarty was serving three concurrent disqualifications. These included: one from 2018 for ten years, one from 2019 for six years, and one from 2021 for 10 years. He added that the defendant had 66 previous convictions, five of which were for driving with no insurance. Mr Fogarty was represented by Barrister Mark Gibbons, who told Judge Zaidan that his client is a father, and has found steady employment. "PERIOD OF FOOLISHNESS" He also said that the defendant volunteers twice a week at a Baptist Church. "My client is over this period of foolishness, and accepts the consequences of his actions," Mr Gibbons added. After consideration, Judge Zaidan sentenced Mr Fogarty to five months in prison. The judge further imposed another 10 year driving disqualification on the defendant. One person has died and tens of thousands of people remain without power as Storm Eunice caused damage across the island of Ireland on Friday. Gardai confirmed that a man in his 60s died in Co Wexford after being struck by a falling tree. The man, an employee of Wexford County Council, had been attending the scene of a fallen tree in the north Wexford area. A spokesperson for the council expressed deep regret and sadness at the news. He said: The employees family, An Garda Siochana and the Health and Safety Authority have been informed. Our thoughts and prayers are with the employees family, work colleagues and friends at this very difficult time. A post-mortem examination is expected to take place at Waterford University Hospital. Meanwhile, around 80,000 homes, farms and businesses remain without power on the island as Storm Eunice felled trees, blocked roads and caused damage and disruption across swathes of the Republic of Ireland. Counties Cork, Kerry and the south of the country have borne the brunt of the major storm, as high winds of more than 100km per hour wreaked havoc on homes, buildings and businesses. However, heavy snow also caused significant disruption in parts of the north-west. Difficult driving conditions were reported on parts of the Glenshane Pass in Co Derry due to snow. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed officers attended the scene of several crashes on the stretch of road on Friday. #StormEunice has brought wind gusts of over 130km/h to parts of Cork this morning Relatively calm in the east at present but winds will strengthen abruptly this morning with strong & gusty winds extending eastwards across Ireland Here's the latest wind observations pic.twitter.com/nHkijCIGAu Met Eireann (@MetEireann) February 18, 2022 A PSNI spokesperson said no-one required hospital treatment. The Glenshane Road remains open and is passable with care at present, they added. Red and orange storm warnings for parts of the Republic of Ireland have now lapsed, although a yellow warning remains in place. It is expected that winds will persist in the southern half of the Republic in the coming hours, even as the storm moves over beyond the island. Met Eireann said gusts of more than 130kph had been recorded in Cork, while another weather station in the county recorded wind speeds of 106kph. Across the south of the island, there have been numerous reports of fallen trees and blocked roads after high winds hit the region. Schools and colleges across the Republic of Ireland remain closed on Friday, following advice from the Department of Education. In total, schools in nine counties were closed due to the dangerous conditions. Brian Tapley, from ESB, said on Friday morning: We will know the extent of the damage to our network probably by midday, because the storm is passing so quickly. He told RTE radio that ESB workers would aim to restore everyone as quickly as possible and safely as possible. As of midday on Friday, ESB said it hoped that the majority of customers would see power restored by the end of the day. However, it warned that some customers in south Kerry and west Cork may be without power overnight. Snow has reportedly fallen in parts of Donegal and the north-west, with more sleet and snow possible later on Friday. Local council staff have been working to clear any blocked roads. Gardai urged the public to heed warnings for their local areas. Status Yellow Weather Warnings Updated View all warnings here https://t.co/Xg3aMJlyuS pic.twitter.com/hVB8Me1Dxh Met Eireann (@MetEireann) February 18, 2022 Those living in the worst-affected areas have been advised to stay indoors for the duration of the storm and to remain cautious even when the worst conditions have abated. Bus Eireann confirmed that following the lifting of the red warning, services in Cork, Kerry and Clare have now returned to a normal schedule. Irish Rail said services on all routes are operating as normal, with reduced speed in some locations. In Dublin and Cork airports, a significant number of flights were cancelled. The HSE said it hopes to experience little or no disruption to services on Friday. Anne OConnor, chief operations officer for the HSE, said patients should hopefully only experience a brief disruption to planned appointments and services. Irelands National Emergency Co-ordination Group met on Thursday to finalise planning, with chairman Keith Leonard predicting a high-impact, multi-hazard weather event. On Friday morning, he urged people to take precautions as the storm continues to track across the country. Theres a significant number of trees now down, blocking roads in Cork, Kerry and Clare. On the positive side, the high tide passed off along the south coast, he said. Tommy Ryan, from the County and City Management Association, said on Thursday night that crews are on standby, as well as Civil Defence if necessary. Each local authority is scaling the response at an appropriate level depending on the level of warning, whether it is red, orange or yellow, he said. The local government sector is prepared and ready to respond. A yellow wind and rain warning covers the rest of the country until 6pm, with a snow and ice warning in place until 10am on Saturday. In Northern Ireland, a yellow wind and snow warning is in place until 6pm on Friday. Meanwhile, a yellow rain warning has been issued for Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo for 24 hours from 4pm on Saturday. It comes with a warning from Met Eireann of the potential for localised flooding in the north-west. 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The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has urged caution and suggested a lifting of mask-wearing measures outside healthcare settings could eventually lead to increased pressure on them in hospitals around the country. INMO General Secretary, Phil Ni Sheaghdha said: The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation is urging Government to take serious caution when it comes to implementing this advice and take on board the current ability of the public health system to cope with additional pressure that the removal of the mask requirement may have on the health system. There is a clear link between reduced transmission and mask wearing. Removing the mask requirement in congregated settings particularly with poor ventilation, such as public transport, could have a detrimental impact. Our hospitals are under severe pressure. As of this morning, 15,705 patients have been without a bed in our hospitals so far this year. Our nurses and midwives have been dealing with overcrowding coupled with COVID transmission and are burnt out and exhausted. We cannot have a case of increased COVID transmission within our hospitals at this juncture. The pandemic is far from over for nurses and midwives. Government needs to exercise caution when it comes to your easing mask requirements. Until Government makes headway into dealing with the trolley crisis, the mask mandate should remain in place. Hello, its lunchtime in Paris and Trotskyist candidate Philippe Poutou (Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste) is on the campaign trail in Brittany (West). He still has no guarantee of obtaining the necessary number of sponsors to be on the ballot. Far-right candidate Eric Zemmour, faced with the same problem, decided to cancel a trip to La Reunion, an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France, to refocus on this issue. What happened yesterday? France and its allies agreed to withdraw their forces from Mali after relations with the West African nations government deteriorated following a series of military coups. Why does it matter? Foreign affairs dont usually play much role in a French presidential campaign but the announcement was used by Emmanuel Macrons opponents, from the right to the left, to denounce a loss of French influence abroad during his mandate. They all acknowledged that France had no choice but to withdraw, but said it should have been done earlier. Pivoting is a delicate art in politics and the future will tell if Marine Le Pen masters it. On Thursday, the far-right candidate tried to clean her desk about a sensitive issue: the retirement age. Her position had long been a trademark. While the other right-wing candidates advocated for pushing back the current legal age (62) by two or three years for the sake of the whole pension system, Marine Le Pen was going alone with her proposal to bring it forward to 60 for all, whatever the cost. Its no longer the case. If she is elected, only those who started their career before 20 will benefit from this return to the Socialist social breakthrough of 1981. The employees who began working between 20 and 25 will see little change and the people who entered the workforce later will see no change at all. Why on earth would a populist candidate do that? Because Marine Le Pen cares about her credibility, which is usually not a major concern for populists. When he was running for election, Marine Le Pens father, Jean-Marie, couldnt care less about the achievable aspects of what he was talking about. To be fair, Marine Le Pen already pivoted big time in 2017 when she gave up ditching the euro currency. In January, she also changed her mind when she backed away from ending dual citizenship, a proposal deeply rooted in the far rights agenda. When asked, she answered that such a measure "unnecessarily worries the French of foreign origin." The same month, she met a group of businessmen and businesswomen and they felt she had done her homework compared to five years ago. She played her cards when she said in an interview with Le Figaro, a few days ago, that she was "tired of the noise and fury." "I want efficiency and serenity," she said. True, her softer tone on Islam, her silence on same-sex marriage, and her critics about her rival Eric Zemmours "brutality" do not make her a progressist. She is simply running a totally different campaign. More on this topic: French presidential election, how does it work? In a two rounds election, voters usually start to back their favorite before eliminating the one they dislike the most in the runoff. The far-right firebrand Eric Zemmour focuses on the first round, hitting all the nerves he can. A newcomer, he is building a base straddling far-right and conservative right. As he denounces immigration and the malignant influence of Islam, he trumpets the fear of the "Great replacement," a racist theory suggesting people of French descent are being replaced by people of migrant descent. In the meantime, he speaks like any conservative candidate about the burden of taxes and bureaucracy. For months, Marine Le Pen ran a second-round campaign with her eyes set on a rematch with Emmanuel Macron. At first, she assumed that the national-populist part of voters was a captive market for her, expanded to include blue-collar workers and low-income households. She was able to attract voters with her reaffirmation of the importance of public services, especially in rural areas. She felt that she had to do her best to reach out to new voters, such as those on the right who could be afraid of the ruinous cost of her retirement-at-60 plan. The unexpected irruption of a far-right rival and the consolidation of his hold didnt make her change her plan. Every time an elected official or an executive leaves her party, pointing that they are going back to basics with Eric Zemmour, she is convinced that they validate her strategy. Numbers support her. Its difficult to see how the former Le Figaro polemicist could find a path to victory. After Conservative Valerie Pecresses misstep, Marine Le Pen can even claim that she is the most dangerous opponent of the outgoing president in a runoff. The only problem is that there is still a first-round ahead and with Eric Zemmour at her heels, advancing to the runoff wont be a walk in the park. More on this topic: Whos who in the 2022 French presidential election Number of the day 7,4 The unemployment rate fell sharply in the fourth quarter of 2021 to 7.4% of the labor force in France, according to figures published Friday by lInstitut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques (Insee). In the fourth quarter, the number of unemployed people in France reached 2.2 million, 189,000 less than in the previous quarter. In the four previous quarters, the unemployment rate had remained almost stable, between 8.1% and 8%, recalls Insee. This is good news for Emmanuel Macron, who could announce that he is running for reelection before the end of the month. Graphic of the day Six candidates or likely candidates are already qualified The deadline for the 500 sponsors needed to be on the ballots is March 4 Countdown 51 Days until the presidential elections first round 65 Days until the presidential elections second round Thanks for reading, see you tomorrow Read the previous column: Waiting for Macron Gilles Paris(Columnist) WHEN A Cappamore man offended, he did it spectacularly a judge has said. Andy Murphy, aged 35, of Shanacloon, Cappamore pleaded guilty to seven counts of dangerous driving and no insurance. Kilmallock Court heard that Mr Murphy was spooked by gardai investigating a separate incident, took off and crashed into a ditch. He then reversed into a garda jeep and fled on foot. Inspector Pat Brennan said at around 9am on Sunday, May 2, 2021, an armed support unit was on patrol in Murroe village. They saw and followed a vehicle that was acting suspiciously. The car drove off on the Liscreagh Road and failed to stop. It was being driven at excess speed, and culminated with the vehicle going into a ditch on a narrow bend. The car then reversed into the garda armed support unit. The driver fled on foot. No persons were injured. A female was apprehended at the scene, said Insp Brennan. Kilmallock Court heard that Mr Murphy was subsequently arrested and questioned by gardai. Insp Brennan said the defendant made full admissions. He has 17 previous convictions - all for road traffic offences. Judge Patricia Harney asked what were the suspicions the gardai had prior to the offending. Insp Brennan said there was a separate incident going on in Murroe which the armed support unit were investigating. He (Mr Murphy) took off, said Insp Brennan. Kevin Power, solicitor for Mr Murphy, said it was a coincidence. Judge Harney noted there were seven dangerous driving summons before the court and that the defendant had reversed into the garda jeep. Mr Power said his clients previous convictions are for minor road traffic offences. He said Mr Murphy does have a full policy of insurance but not for the vehicle he was driving on the morning of May 2. He drives for a living, said Mr Power, who handed in a letter from Mr Murphys employer to the judge. The solicitor said when the vehicle came to a halt it was close to Murroe village. It wasnt a high speed chase for miles. He has a partner, is the father of two children and has a very good job. He never came to garda attention before this apart from minor road traffic matters, said Mr Power. Insp Brennan said that Mr Murphy drove in a circle of the village. Judge Harney said when Mr Murphy offended he did it spectacularly. Mr Power said while there was no good time to do it, it was a Sunday morning and the roads would be quiet. Insp Brennan said he doesnt know why the defendant took off. He got spooked, said the inspector. Mr Power said it was because he was aware he had no insurance. Judge Harney convicted and fined Mr Murphy on one of the dangerous driving summonses. He was disqualified from driving for four years. The other six counts were taken into consideration as they essentially were all part of the one event. Mr Power asked for his clients disqualification to be deferred for six months as driving is an integral part of his work. There was no objection by Insp Brennan on behalf of the State. Judge Harney also took into consideration Mr Murphy reversing into the garda jeep. Mr Power there was nobody injured and Insp Brennan said the damage was of a superficial nature. Judge Harney said it was a most unfortunate series of events. GARDAI are investigating a burglary at a private home in County Limerick that occurred while the owner was attending a funeral. The house in Askeaton was entered and searched sometime between 9am and 2pm on Sunday, February 13. Gardai believe some property was taken but not cash as the owner did not have money in the house. "As terrible as it is, this is not the first time a house was broken into while a family were at a funeral or indeed a wedding. We all know how easy it is to discover when a funeral is taking place and unfortunately, this includes criminals," said divisional crime prevention officer Sergeant Ber Leetch. Gardai say, where possible, it is a good idea from a security point to have a neighbour or a friend stay in the house while it is not occupied or to at least keep an eye on it. Anyone with information on the burglary in Askeaton is asked to come forward. THE Limerick Chamber has urged the University of Limerick (UL) to bring forward its vision for its city centre campus in Sarsfield Street at the earliest opportunity. It comes after the third-level college unveiled ambitious plans to create a strategic development zone on the north-bank of its campus, stretching into south east Clare. Theres been a welcome in some quarters for this project, but concern has been expressed at the impact these plans could have on the city centre. Now, the chief executive of the Limerick Chamber Dee Ryan has upped the ante, calling on the college to flesh out its plans for the old Dunnes Stores complex in Sarsfield Street which welcomed its first students last month. We note ULs commitment to deepen its investment in its city centre campus which we hope to see advanced at the earliest opportunity and look forward to ULs vision for its campus development at the key site in the world-Class Waterfront project at Arthurs Quay, she said, Some 73m in state funding has been pledged for waterfront development in the city and I would urge that UL and Limerick City and County Council, as well as other stakeholders, work collaboratively and quickly to ensure we get master-planning completed and the project underway as soon as possible. THE POLISH Ambassador in Ireland has made her fourth visit to Limerick, a city she says she feels 'very welcome' in. Ms Anna Sochanska took on the role in August 2019 just months before the start of the pandemic, however she managed to visit Limerick before Covid-19 hit. The Ambassador says that something that hasn't changed since her last visit is the people. Her Excellency said: Everyone is very nice, willing to co-operate and open. I will be here for five years so my experience might be different to those who live here but I feel very welcome. You have migrants here from all over the world, not just Eastern European countries. The country has changed in the last 30 or 40 years. Ms Sochanska is based in Dublin but she has travelled around the country with hopes to explore more of Ireland. I managed to do a little bit of travelling before the pandemic. I went to Galway, Cork, Limerick, Kilkenny and Athlone. I had the chance to meet my Irish friends and visit the Polish diaspora as well. I went hiking in the Wicklow Mountains which is a beautiful place. I am very happy that restrictions have been lifted and we can travel freely. I am definitely hoping to travel more. I have only been to the Cliffs of Moher on the west coast but that is not enough for me, I need to see more!. The Ambassador was in Limerick to attend the launch of an exciting new exhibition which features artwork from all 27 countries of the EU and the UK. Belonging features 82 artworks and is on loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) Art Collection. These contemporary pieces will be displayed across eight locations spread throughout Limerick City until April 24 A CITY man was successfully prosecuted before Limerick District Court for not informing the council how he disposes of his rubbish. However, there was no appearance by Paul ODonoghue, of Clarina Avenue, Ballinacura Weston when the case, brought under the Waste management Act, was called. Paul McAnespie, an environmental inspector with Limerick City and County Council, said there is an ongoing process of sending out questionnaires regarding bin services. The court heard the council is particularly focusing on areas which are blighted by dumping. Mr McAnespie said a response was received from Mr ODonoghue, who indicated that he shared a bin We do accept that if they provide details and the person gives permission for the use of their bin. The details given showed the account was out of use. We dont know how he disposes his waste, said Mr McAanespie. Will Leahy, solicitor for the local authority, said essentially he needs to tell us how he disposes his rubbish. Mr Leahy asked Mr McAnespie if there was a prosecution for dumping waste. No. Not for dumping, he replied. Mr Leahy said the councils costs were 752. Judge Patrica Harney queried if that was a little high for failing to complete a form. The solicitor said there was two days in court and costs associated with the issuing of the summons. Judge Harney convicted and fined Mr ODonoghue 20 and she ordered that he pay the council's costs in full. Recognisance was fixed in the event of an appeal. A LIMERICK student has started a new business making emergency kits to help people feel safer while out and about. Rachel Shinners only recently launched Rachel's Refuge Kits however they have already been a hit with customers. The 19-year-old decided to start making the kits after she was searching online for something that she could buy to protect herself. She was dismayed with the cost of options online and decided to make her own kit for herself and some of her loved ones. The kit includes a personal alarm/torch, CPR face shield, window breaker/safety seatbelt cutter, bottle opener, lanyard, chapstick holder, small pom-pom and a complimentary scrunchie. The Castletroy native soon discovered it was easier to buy the items she was looking for in bulk and so Rachel's Refuge Kits was born. She said: I made some for my friends and family and they loved them. I am studying Social Sciences in UL and I decided that now was the time to take risks and start the business. It has been going well so far. I have only just launched but the orders have started to come in and I have been getting some great feedback. The recent public attacks on women in Ireland spurned Rachel on with her business idea however she says her kits aren't just for major emergencies. She said: Recent events have flared up the idea even more, especially the torch and the alarm but I wanted to make a multi-functional keychain that could be used in everyday situations. From minor to major emergencies. I have had a lot of engagement so far with them and people are quite interested. People are saying that it does make a difference and they can go for a walk and feel safer. Find out more on rachelsrefugekits.com. Over the last decade, Ireland has led by example, strengthening democracy through citizens assemblies. This has inspired the Conference on the Future of Europe - a citizens-led series of debates, which is now coming back to Ireland for more inspiration. The Conference takes place across borders and languages, across cultures and histories, aiming to leave no one behind. This weekend, Dublin Castle will host around 200 citizens from across Europe. These citizens, from all walks of life, will discuss Europes future, from the perspective of a stronger economy, social justice, jobs, education, culture, sport, digital transformation. Being European, means you are part of a unique, living project that enables everyone to reach their full potential and exercise their rights. It means living in societies that aim to maintain peace and unity, while appreciating and protecting our diverse backgrounds, cultures and languages. However, we cannot take this for granted. Democracy is not static and we should be able to respond to a constantly changing and evolving world. We need to make our democracy fit for the future. This is what the Conference on the Future of Europe is doing. The Conference is an innovative exercise in deliberative democracy. It underpins representative democracy. Parliaments are places for decisions. The Conference, however, is a place of deliberation - which takes time - because it is not about changing peoples minds, but about coming to consensus in a transparent and inclusive process. It is an ideal way to address issues and chart a path towards our common future. Here, I would like to especially thank the Irish people for demonstrating how to engage with modern deliberative democracy through citizens assemblies, which have set the example for European citizens to participate in the Conference and shape the future of the EU. European Citizens Panels such as the one in Dublin, provide considerable insights and innovative ideas. They gather randomly selected people from across Europe of different generations and backgrounds. One third of participants are aged between 16 and 25, because we cannot discuss the future without young people. The 200 Europeans in Dublin Castle have the chance to voice their concerns and recommend how the EU can deal with the challenges ahead. Then, 20 citizens will present and debate their proposals with MEPs, national politicians, European Commissioners, and other EU bodies and civil society in March and April, in Strasbourg, France. By summer, the Conference will reach conclusions and provide a vision on the future of Europe. Then, it is for EU leaders and institutions to act, to construct our shared future. This Conference is a unique and historical opportunity. We must grab it with both hands and, together, shape the European Union that our citizens want for themselves and generations to come. A whole of society approach is required to get this right. We must get this right if we want to leave to future generations a democracy that is worthy of the name. Homestead, FL (33030) Today Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Russia today hailed India's response to the crisis persisting in Ukraine as tensions between Moscow and NATO allies rises over the possibility of an attack on Ukraine. Russia's reaction came after India said at the UN Security Council that only "quiet and constructive diplomacy" can solve the crisis and that steps leading to escalation should be avoided at all cost. "We welcome #India's balanced, principled and independent approach," the Russian embassy in India tweeted. Also read: Ukraine crisis LIVE updates: Russia announces nuclear drills, Putin to oversee We welcome #Indias balanced, principled and independent approach https://t.co/nnlSLQaVlN Russia in India (@RusEmbIndia) February 18, 2022 India's Permanent Representative to the UN, TS Tirumurti, had on Thursday said that there was a need for immediate de-escalation of the situation. He was addressing the UN Security Council on the Ukraine situation. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had also said India supports immediate de-escalation of tensions and vouched for diplomatic dialogue between the countries. Control rooms in Delhi, Kyiv amid Russia-Ukraine crisis: Control rooms have been set up in the Indian embassy in Kyiv as well as in the Ministry of External Affairs in the national capital to respond to queries of Indian nationals in Ukraine and their families in India. A 24-hour helpline has also been established at the Embassy of India in Ukraine, the ministry said on Wednesday. Notably, Russia has over 100,000 troops along the border with Ukraine and hundreds of warships in the Black Sea. Though Russia said the movement of troops was a part of a military exercise with Belarus, the US and other NATO allies have alleged that Russia could attack Ukraine at any given moment. Russia has, however, been denied that it plans to invade Ukraine. With PTI inputs Britains Met Office issued a rare red weather warning for parts of the U.K., saying hurricane-strength gusts of 90 miles (145 kilometers) an hour are set to hit the country on Friday. The weather service said the most dangerous winds are likely to affect the southwest coast with damaging gusts expected inland too. The Energy Networks Association is advising people to prepare for possible blackouts by charging their phones and keeping a torch ready. The Dutch flagship airline KLM said it had cancelled 167 flights scheduled for Friday over a looming storm. "Due to stormy weather in Amsterdam on Thursday 17 February and Friday 18 February 2022, our flights to, from, or via Amsterdam Airport Schiphol may be disrupted," the company said in a statement, adding that 167 flights had been cancelled. On Thursday, the meteorological service of the Netherlands issued a warning over the storm Eunice, which is expected to hit the country on Friday. The speed of the wind currently reaches 139 kilometres per hour (86 miles per hour) in some parts of the country. US treasury secretary Janet Yellen urged her counterparts from leading industrialized countries to support the establishment of a new World Bank fund intended to prevent and prepare for future global health crises. A new financial intermediary fund" under the auspices of the World Bank would help address gaps in preparedness, particularly among low-income countries, Yellen said, according to prepared remarks shes scheduled to deliver virtually on Thursday to a meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors from Group of 20 countries. We dont see this as a pool of money that sits idly waiting to respond to the next pandemic," Yellen said. It will be used in the near term to incentivize countries to make investments to fill existing gaps in their ability -- and our collective capacity -- to prevent and prepare for the next crisis." Her remarks essentially endorsed a proposal made last year by a committee created by the G-20, known as the High Level Independent Panel, to study pandemic preparedness. The panel called for governments to commit at least $75 billion over the next five years to fighting pandemics. Yellen was one of a number of finance ministers who decided not to attend in person the G-20 meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, because of a surge in infections from the Covid-19 omicron variant. Her remarks were part of an event focused on strengthening global health-related cooperation. Hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibius) are large, round, water-loving animals that are native to Africa. The word "hippopotamus" comes from the Greek word for "water horse" or "river horse," although hippos and horses aren't closely related. The closest living relatives to hippos are pigs, whales and dolphins, according to the San Diego Zoo . Size Common hippos, also known as river hippos, are very rotund animals and are the third largest living land mammals, after elephants and white rhinos , according to the African Wildlife Foundation . They grow to between 10.8 and 16.5 feet (3.3 and 5 meters) long and up to 5.2 feet (1.6 m) tall at the shoulder. The average female weighs around 3,000 lbs. (1,400 kilograms), while males weigh 3,500 to 9,920 lbs. (1,600 to 4,500 kg), according to the San Diego Zoo. These enormous animals are related to the much smaller and rarer pygmy hippo (Choeropsis liberiensis), which only grows to be 2.5 to 3.2 feet (0.75 to 1 m) tall and about 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.75 m) long, according to the San Diego Zoo . Pygmy hippos can weigh between 350 and 600 lbs. (160 and 270 kg). Habitat and behavior Common hippos live in sub-Saharan Africa. They live in areas with abundant water, as they spend most of their time submerged to keep their skin cool and moist. Considered amphibious animals, hippos spend up to 16 hours per day in the water, according to National Geographic . Hippos are social beasts, hanging out in groups called schools, bloats, pods or sieges. Schools of hippos usually consist of 10 to 30 members, including both females and males, although some groups have as many as 200 individuals. No matter the size, the school is usually led by a dominant male, according to the San Diego Zoo. Hippos are loud animals. Their snorts, grumbles and wheezes have been measured at 115 decibels, according to the San Diego Zoo about the same volume you'd hear when 15 feet (4.6 m) from the speakers at a rock concert. The animals' signature noise, called the "wheeze honk," can be heard from more than half a mile (1 kilometer) away, Live Science previously reported . These booming creatures also use subsonic vocalizations to communicate. Hippos are aggressive and are considered very dangerous. They have large teeth and tusks that they use for fighting off threats, including humans. Sometimes, their young fall victim to adult hippos' tempers. During a fight between two adults, a young hippo caught in the middle can be seriously hurt or even crushed, according to PBS . Though hippos move easily through the water, they can't actually swim. According to the San Diego Zoo, these animals glide through the water by pushing themselves off other objects. And they can stay underwater for up to 5 minutes without coming up for air, according to National Geographic. (Image credit: Andreas Lippenberger/Shutterstock) Hungry, hungry hippos Hippos have a healthy and mostly herbivorous appetite . Adults eat about 80 lbs. (35 kg) of grass each night, traveling up to 6 miles (10 km) in a night to get their fill. They also eat fruit that they find during their nightly scavenging, according to National Geographic. If food is scarce, hippos can store food in their stomachs and go up to three weeks without eating. Although hippos were long believed to be exclusively herbivorous, in a 2015 study published in the journal Mammal Review , scientists reported that hippos occasionally feed on the carcasses of animals, including other hippos. Baby hippos Female hippos have a gestation period of eight months and have only one baby at a time, according to the San Diego Zoo. At birth, the calf weighs between 50 and 110 lbs. (23 and 50 kg). For its first eight months, the calf nurses while its mother is on land, or it swims underwater to suckle. When it dives, the calf closes its nose and ears to block out water. All hippos have this ability. Hippos also have membranes that cover and protect their eyes while they are underwater. At 5 to 7 years old, a hippo calf is fully mature, according to the San Diego Zoo. The average life span of a hippo in the wild or in captivity can range from about 40 to 61, according to the University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web . Related: What animal has the longest pregnancy? Attacks on humans The hippopotamus is considered the world's deadliest large land mammal. These semiaquatic giants kill an estimated 500 people per year in Africa, according to the BBC . Hippos are highly aggressive and are well-equipped to deliver considerable damage to anything that wanders into their territory. For example, in 2014, a hippo attacked a small, unsuspecting boat filled with Nigerian school children, killing 12 students and one teacher on board, ABC News reported . Conflicts between humans and hippos also occur when hippos wander onto land in search of food. Hippos have big teeth. Don't mess with them. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Conservation status According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the common hippo isn't endangered, but it is vulnerable to extinction. The IUCN estimates that between 115,000 and 130,000 common hippos remain in the wild. Poaching and habitat loss reduced the hippo's global numbers during the late 1990s and early 2000s, but the population has since plateaued thanks to stricter law enforcement, according to the IUCN. Invasive hippos (Image credit: Photo by Juancho Torres/Getty Images) Notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar famously kept hippos , giraffes, elephants and other exotic animals on his estate in northwestern Colombia. When Escobar was killed in 1993, the Colombian government seized all of his assets, including his menagerie. Most of his animals were transferred to zoos and aquariums, but his four hippos were left to fend for themselves. Those four animals made their way into Colombia's waterways, where they multiplied. An estimated 80 hippos now inhabit the river networks near Medellin, Colombia, where Escobar's Hacienda Napoles estate was located, Live Science reported in October 2021. Wildlife officials in Colombia began sterilizing the hippos in 2021, because this invasive population poses a threat to the community, in that the massive beasts occasionally trample crops and charge at humans. The hippos also threaten native wildlife populations and their presence degrades the local ecosystem, as each individual hippo gobbles down dozens of pounds of vegetation a night and generates formidable quantities of poop . However, many Colombians have grown fond of the uninvited ungulates and vehemently oppose their removal. Some scientists, though, fear that the animals' continued presence could have unintended consequences. "The risk to native species such as manatees , turtles and fish is high, and the environmental effect is unpredictable," Nelson Aranguren-Riano, biologist at Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia, said in a statement . Additional resources and readings Bibliography AFP. (2014, November 19). Thirteen people, including 12 children, killed in Hippopotamus attack. ABC News. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-20/hippopotamus-attack-kills-13-in-boat-in-niger/5904646 African Wildlife Foundation. (n.d.). Hippopotamus. African Wildlife Foundation. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/hippopotamus BBC. (2016, June 15). What are the world's deadliest animals? BBC News. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-36320744 Dudley, J. P., Hang'Ombe, B. M., Leendertz, F. H., Dorward, L. J., Castro, J., Subalusky, A. L., & Clauss, M. (2015). Carnivory in the common hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius: implications for the ecology and epidemiology of anthrax in African landscapes. Mammal Review, 46(3), 191203. https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12056 IUCN. (n.d.). Hippopotamus. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/10103/0 National Geographic. (n.d.). Hippopotamus: National Geographic. National Geographic. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/hippopotamus Public Broadcasting Service. (2020, July 9). Hippo fact sheet. PBS. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/blog/hippo-fact-sheet/ San Diego Zoo. (n.d.). Hippo. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Animals and Plants. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/hippo San Diego Zoo. (n.d.). Pygmy hippopotamus. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Animals and Plants. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/pygmy-hippopotamus UC San Diego. (2018, April 26). A drug lord and the world's largest invasive animal. UC San Diego News Center. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/feature/a-drug-lord-and-the-worlds-largest-invasive-animal This article was last updated on Feb. 14, 2022 by Live Science staff writer Nicoletta Lanese. Live Science contributor Annie Roth also contributed reporting. Originally published on Live Science. The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is one of the most unusual creatures in the animal kingdom. The platypus has a paddle-shaped tail, like a beaver ; a sleek, furry body, like an otter ; and a flat bill and webbed feet, like a duck. In fact, the first time a stuffed platypus was brought from Australia to Britain, people couldn't believe it was a real animal; they thought a trickster had sewn two animals together, according to London's Natural History Museum . Platypuses (which is the correct plural form, not "platypi") are among the few venomous mammals. Males have a spur, connected to a venom-secreting gland, on each hind foot. More venom is secreted during mating season, leading researchers to think that the spurs and venom help males compete for mates, according to the Australian Platypus Conservatory . The venom is not life-threatening to humans, but it can cause severe swelling and excruciating pain. Related: Egg-laying mammals and peacock spiders: Meet some of Australia's weirdest creatures All of the monotremes, or egg-laying mammals such as the platypus and echidna, lost their stomachs during the course of evolution. Shutterstock) (Image credit: worldswildlifewonders Size and appearance Adult male platypuses can range between about 15.7 inches to 24.8 inches (39.8 to 62.9 centimeters) long, from the tip of the bill to tip of the tail, according to the Australian Museum . Adult females range from 14.5 to 21.6 inches (36.8 to 54.8 cm) long. Adult males weigh about 1.7 to 6.6 lbs. (0.8 to 3 kilograms) and females weigh about 1.3 to 3.7 lbs. (0.6 to 1,7 kg). Scientists have found fossils that suggest that ancient platypuses were significantly larger than the modern variety, at about 3.3 feet (1 meter) long, Live Science previously reported . Platypuses have dense, thick fur that helps them stay warm underwater. Most of the fur is dark brown, except for a patch of lighter fur near each eye and lighter-colored fur on the underside. Under ultraviolet light, however, platypuses' drab brown fur glows green and blue, Live Science previously reported . It's possible that this biofluorescence helps reduce the animals' visibility to predators, but the eerie glow may serve little or no ecological function. Scientists are still investigating this question. A platypus's front feet have extra skin that acts like a paddle when the animal is swimming. When platypuses are on land, their webbing retracts, making the claws more pronounced, according to National Geographic . The animals walk on their knuckles to protect the webbing, according to a 2001 report in the Journal of Experimental Biology . The bill of a platypus resembles that of a duck and has a smooth texture that feels like suede. It is also flexible and rubbery. The skin of the bill holds tens of thousands of sensory receptors that help the platypus navigate underwater and detect movement of potential food, such as shrimp, according to the Australian Platypus Conservatory. (Image credit: Mammalia 2020; 10.1515/mammalia-2020-0027) Venom Male platypuses carry venom glands, located near their pelvises, that connect to hollow spurs on their hind legs, according to a blog written by Bianca op den Brouw, a toxinologist at the University of Melbourne in Australia. Young females also have these spurs, but they lose them in the first year of life. The venom glands of adult males fluctuate in size throughout the year, reaching their maximum size during breeding season, when males use their venom to compete for mates. To inject its venom, a male wraps its legs around its victim and drives the spurs through the animal's flesh, according to op den Brouw. The venom itself contains a cocktail of more than a dozen proteins that belong to three major classes of toxins, op den Brouw wrote. This venom is not lethal to platypuses or humans, but it causes swelling and excruciating pain, and it can disrupt wound healing and the function of cell membranes, she noted. In humans, the pain from a platypus sting can be treated with nerve blockers, which block specific nerve cells from sending signals to the brain . Habitat Platypuses live in Australia in a range that extends from western Victoria to about as far north as Cooktown in Queensland, meaning they occupy a large stretch of the east and southeast coast of the country, according to the Australian Platypus Conservatory . The creatures can also be found on Tasmania and King Island, as well as on Kangaroo Island, where platypuses were introduced by humans in the early 1900s. Platypuses occupy freshwater systems including river basins, lakes, ponds and streams throughout their habitat range. The animals spend about 10 to 12 hours a night in the water, hunting for food; they are most active during nighttime and dusk, because they are nocturnal. They can stay underwater for only 30 to 140 seconds, the Australian Museum notes. During the day, they hide out in burrows on the shore, where earthen tunnels open up into oval-shaped underground chambers, according to the San Diego Zoo . Platypuses also take shelter under rock ledges, roots and debris, according to the Australian Platypus Conservatory. Though they exist on only one side of one continent, platypuses weather many climatic extremes. They have been found in plateaus, lowlands, tropical rainforests, and the cold mountains of Tasmania and the Australian Alps. Platypuses' waterproof, thick fur keeps them warm in chilly weather, and their big tails store extra fat for energy, according to the Australian Platypus Conservatory. (Image credit: Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation.) Diet Platypuses are carnivorous, which means they eat meat but not plants. They hunt for their food in the water where they live. As they swim, they detect food along the muddy bottom of the river, stream, pond or lake using only their sensitive bills, since the animals actually close their eyes, ears and nostrils while foraging underwater, according to the Australian Museum. When platypuses find something interesting, like insect larvae, they scoop it up in their bills, store it in their cheek pouches and swim to the surface. The animals also eat shrimp, swimming beetles, water bugs and tadpoles, as well as the occasional worm, freshwater pea mussel or snail. Platypuses have even been observed eating cicadas and moths that they catch at the water's surface, according to the Australian Museum. After coming up from a dive, platypuses float atop the water and chew their food using "grinding plates" in their mouths. The animals sometimes pick up mud and sand in their cheek pouches, and as they eat, they expel this inedible sediment, along with excess water, through grooves in their lower jaws, according to the Australian Platypus Conservatory. Baby platypuses Most mammals give birth to live young. Platypuses, however, lay eggs. Mammals that lay eggs are known as monotremes, and besides the platypus, the only other monotremes are echidnas , or spiny anteaters, according to the University of Melbourne. Echidnas are found only in Australia and New Guinea. When female platypuses are ready to have their young, they burrow inside the ground on the riverbank and seal themselves into tunnel rooms. Each female then lays one to three eggs and places them between her rump and her tail to keep them warm. After about 10 days, the eggs hatch and the bean-size babies nurse for three to four months inside their burrow, according to the Australian Museum. Around the time of weaning, baby platypuses can swim on their own, according to the Australian Platypus Conservatory. Taxonomy Here is the taxonomy of the platypus, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS): Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Monotremata Family: Ornithorhynchidae Genus and species: Ornithorhynchus anatinus (Image credit: Laura Romin and Larry Dalton) Conservation status Platypuses are not endangered, but the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists them as "near threatened," meaning the species may be vulnerable to extinction in the near future but does not currently qualify as threatened. The platypus was first listed as near threatened in 2016 after scientists observed a decline in the species' overall numbers, "although the decline is poorly defined and inconsistent across the platypus's range," the Australian Platypus Conservatory notes on its website. Additional resources and readings Watch this video about how scientists discovered that platypuses glow under UV light, from SciShow . Explore the scientific debate over whether platypuses were real animals, in the book " Platypus: The Extraordinary Story of How a Curious Creature Baffled the World " (Smithsonian Books, 2001), by Ann Moyal. " (Smithsonian Books, 2001), by Ann Moyal. Learn about platypuses' weird genetic quirks, via NPR . Bibliography Australian Platypus Conservancy. (n.d). Platypus biology. Australian Platypus Conservancy. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://platypus.asn.au/biology/ Australian Platypus Conservancy. (n.d.). Distribution & numbers. Australian Platypus Conservancy. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://platypus.asn.au/distribution-numbers/ Divljan, A. D. A. (2021, June 16). Platypus. The Australian Museum. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/platypus/ Fish, F. E., Frappell, P. B., Baudinette, R. V., & MacFarlane, P. M. (2001). Energetics of terrestrial locomotion of the platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus. Journal of Experimental Biology, 204(4), 797803. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.204.4.797 Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). (n.d.). Ornithorhynchus anatinus (Shaw, 1799). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=552524#null International Union for Conservation of Nature. (n.d.). Platypus. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/40488/21964009 National Geographic. (n.d.). Platypus. National Geographic. Retrieved February 18, 2022, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/platypus op den Brouw, B. (2020, July 17). Wide world of venom - the platypus. The University of Melbourne, School of Biomedical Sciences. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://biomedicalsciences.unimelb.edu.au/departments/department-of-biochemistry-and-pharmacology/engage/avru/blog/wide-world-of-venom-the-platypus Osterloff, E. (2018). The platypus puzzle. Natural History Museum. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/the-platypus-puzzle.html San Diego Zoo. (n.d.). Platypus. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Explorers. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://sdzwildlifeexplorers.org/animals/platypus This article was last updated on Feb. 18, 2022, by Live Science staff writer Nicoletta Lanese. Originally published on Live Science. A Texas Politics Project/UT Austin poll released Feb. 14 found incumbent Republican officials in Texas popular among registered Republican voters. The poll sampled 1,200 registered voters, including 375 registered Republican voters who have voted in at least one of the last three primary elections, between Jan. 28 and Feb. 7. Of those registered Republicans, three out of five said they intend to vote for incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott in the March 1 primary. The rest of the voters were split between the remaining candidates, including 15% intending to vote for Allen West and 14% for Don Huffines. In the Democratic primary for governor, Beto ORourke is the overwhelming favorite, with 93% of registered Democrats indicating they will vote for the former congressman in the primary. In a hypothetical matchup between Abbott and ORourke, the poll found 47% of registered voters would vote for the incumbent governor compared to 37% for ORourke. Additionally, independents favor Abbott over ORourke two-to-one, with 42% of independents indicating they would vote for the Republican candidate. In the race for lieutenant governor, the poll found four out of every five Republicans supporting incumbent Dan Patrick. The attorney generals race on the Republican side is more competitive, with 47% of registered Republicans planning to vote for incumbent Ken Paxton, while 21% support Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, 16% support Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman and 15% support Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX). If one candidate does not receive more than half of the votes in the primary election, it triggers a runoff between the top two candidates receiving the most votes. For the Democratic primaries for lieutenant governor and attorney general, more than half of Democratic voters they did not know who they would support in each primary. When asked to choose a candidate, 47% of Democrats said they would vote for Mike Collier for lieutenant governor. Collier previously ran against Patrick in 2018, coming within five percentage points of ousting him. For attorney general, 41% of Democratic voters said they would vote for former American Civil Liberties Union attorney Rochelle Garza. Both nominating contests look in danger of going to run-offs, giving those Democrats who eventually emerge a delayed start in the respective campaigns against the eventual GOP nominees, Jim Henson and Joshua Black wrote in the poll. A Sureno gang member was arrested while entering the country illegally near Laredo College South Campus, according to the U.S. Border Patrol. During the early hours of Feb. 13, Laredo South Station agents apprehended two migrants near LC South Campus. One migrant was identified as Pedro Heriberto Reyes-Alvarado, a 34-year-old Mexican national. Lockport, NY (14094) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. Low near 50F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with periods of rain. Low near 50F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 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. Longfords economic recovery is being impeded by Irish Waters management of the countys day to day water infrastructure, it has been claimed. Longford / Westmeath Fianna Fail TD Joe Flaherty cited how huge challenges affecting key areas such as housing and inward investment have come amid growing concerns over the state of Longfords water network. Deputy Flaherty said the knock on effects over those misgivings was especially evident in both the south of the county and the broader Longford town area. There are huge challenges ahead in relation to the future growth of the county particularly when it comes to housing and this is being hampered by Irish Water especially in the mid Longford and Ballymahon electoral areas, he said. Longford lunch club makes for a healthy bunch! Cloontagh National School in Cloontamore, Killashee has been named Healthy Heroes School of the Month for January 2022, thanks to the students efforts in promoting healthy eating. The Lanesboro native was speaking in the wake of a Longford Leader investigation this week which revealed how over 13.5m of taxpayers money has been spent over the past two years fixing leaks and carrying out upgrades at various water treatment plants across the county. The biggest of those outlays came at the Lough Forbes Water Treatment Plant which, towards the latter end of last year, was at the centre of a four and a half week boil water notice. Deputy Flaherty, speaking at the time, stressed the need for Longfords general public to be provided with a safe and secure water supply in the midst of the countrys ongoing battle to contain the spread of Covid-19. He said the figures obtained by the Leader were alarming given the broader level of ill-feeling that continued to exist among homeowners and local businesses. Its a staggering amount of money, he said. We are all well aware of the issues with Irish Water in terms of the capital structure of the county, but there is also a huge level of dissatisfaction out there with Irish Water in how it deals with complaints not only in relation to water, but also in relation to sewage. Longford Fine Gael Senator Micheal Carrigy said while commitment towards seeing funding being allocated towards upgrade work was heartening, greater emphasis was required in addressing problems linked to wastewater. These are issues that need to be tackled particularly in the Longford town area where there are ongoing concerns in a number of estates, he said. Senator Carrigy said while much annoyance was still being felt by last November's boil water notice, the situation was made worse when news of the interruption was made known. I think a lot of people realised that the notice was put in to ultimately bring about a better water supply and drinking water supply, he said. People need to be told the facts. not some of the false promises that were put out there. Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Peggy Nolan said questions remained surrounding the seven figure investment of public monies in maintaining the countys water supply network. On that basis, the Fine Gael local politician said the council would be seeking fresh talks with Irish Water chiefs to address those concerns over the coming weeks. In light of the information its an interesting figure, she said in response to the 13.6m overall spend by Irish Water over the 2020-21 period in Longford. Obviously they are spending money investing in the upgrade of the system and I have requested them to attend a meeting of the council so we can get a total breakdown of their spend because we all know the breakdown we encountered at the end of last year was totally unacceptable. I look forward to affording myself and my colleagues the chance to ask Irish Water about their plans into the future and how that will impact on consumers in the county of Longford. As eyecare providers go, Stephen Olwell Opticians is very much an exception to the rule. Innovative and forward thinking, its a name synonymous with distinction, thanks chiefly to the unique and committed approach it takes towards its loyal and ever growing customer base. A key factor behind that modus operandi is the exclusive and meticulous Eyewear Styling Consultation Service it offers clients. As opposed to the stereotypical methods employed by its mainstream rivals, Stephen Olwell Opticians provides its customers with a unique styling experience thats tailored to individual needs and personality traits. When people come into Stephen Olwell Opticians what they get is an experience in styling, said the stores proprietor Stephen Olwell. Instead of being provided with racks upon racks of glasses, what we do is we take time to sit down with our clients in a relaxed warm atmosphere, with coffee and a smile, in order to match glasses to that persons own personality, what they like, the shape of their face and eyebrows to even how they like to be perceived at work and at home. Throw in the fact store representatives attend and buy directly from some of Europes leading fashion shows while also sourcing all of its in-house lenses directly from industry leading German manufacturer Zeiss, its not hard to see why Stephen Olwell Opticians enjoys such a lofty repute among the wider independent optician marketplace. Recognition of that standing arrived at Christmas when the firm was crowned Irelands number one independent optician in Corporate Livewires Republic of Ireland Prestige Awards. We provide an excellence in glasses, added Stephen. After six months, we offer each of our clients a sort of MOT, a deep clean of the glasses to make sure they are no issues with them and that they are fitting perfectly. Instead of people coming into us, simply getting their glasses, getting up and going, we like to have a long term relationship with people and deliver a service that offers both longevity and excellence. Stephen Olwell Opticians are open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5:30pm. To find out more visit www.stephenolwellopticians.com, contact (043) 3342653; email: info@longfordopticians.com or you can find them on Facebook and Instagram. Lawyers for the media have told a judge that there is no reason for preventing the identification of a public servant accused of falsely imprisoning and sexually assaulting a woman at his workplace. The man, aged 35, with an address in Co Laois, appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Friday morning, having been sent forward from Dublin District Court to face trial. Longford car dealer, wife and brother charged with alleged PUP fraud A Longford car dealer who is subject to a 4.9m tax judgement has been charged together with his wife and brother of multiple counts of alleged Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) fraud. The man is charged with three counts of sexual assault on a woman at his workplace in the east of the country on September 29, 2020. He faces an allegation of false imprisonment of the woman at the same place and on the same date. The fifth charge is for engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature at another location in the same Leinster county between August 23, 2019, and February 25 last year. Last October, on foot of an application at a district court appearance by defence solicitor Martin Moran, Judge Treasa Kelly made an order that the mans name or occupation were not to be published. Tom Murphy BL told Judge Melanie Greally on Friday, February 18 that he was instructed by RTE, Independent News and Media, the Irish Times and the Daily Mail Group to apply to have that order lifted. Mr Murphy said that an application by the media was previously made before Judge Kelly challenging the order last December but Judge Kelly refused to vary the order. He said on that occasion Judge Kelly said the best course of action was for the media to make an application before the circuit court as the case was going forward for trial there. Mr Murphy submitted on Friday that there was no basis to restrict the identification of this defendant and that the defence had failed to put forward any grounds of substance to justify doing so. He said that the defendant's personal right to privacy was not a basis for restricting the Constitutional right for justice to be done in public. Mr Moran told the court that an application was made to Judge Kelly on the basis of the sensitivity of the allegations and that she was then quite satisfied to make the order. Mr Murphy said that it was very clear from previous judgements that there were only two grounds for imposing reporting restrictions. He said the first was legislative provisions restricting publication and the second was where there is a real identifiable risk of an unfair trial arising from publication. He said there was no evidence that identifying this accused would impair his right to a fair trial. He said that the rights of the media have been, and continue to be, restricted since October. John Berry BL, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, told the court that the it was the view of the DPP that reporting of the defendant's name would not give rise to identification of the complainant, which would be the grounds for an anonymity order. He said the DPP did not see any potential for the fair trial rights of the defendant being interfered. Judge Melanie Greally said that she was minded to lift the restrictions but she would leave over her decision until next Thursday, February 24. She said she consider the relevant case law and in the meantime she would maintain the status quo. 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!) Weather Alert ...The Flood Warning is extended for the following rivers in Louisiana... Mississippi River At Red River Landing affecting West Feliciana, East Baton Rouge and Pointe Coupee Parishes. For the Lower Mississippi River...including Red River Landing... Minor flooding is forecast. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars through flooded areas. Caution is urged when walking near riverbanks. Additional information is available at www.weather.gov/lix. Click on the Rivers and Lakes menu for forecasts and observations. The next statement will be issued when updates are needed. && ...FLOOD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL SATURDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE...Mississippi River At Red River Landing. * WHEN...Until Saturday evening. * IMPACTS...At 48.0 feet, Access roads will be inundated and evacuation of all river islands must be complete. Protection of people and property in the river bottom land on the river side of the levees must be complete. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 12:00 PM CDT Tuesday the stage was 50.0 feet. - Forecast...The river will is expected to fall below flood stage Saturday afternoon. - Flood stage is 48.0 feet. - Flood History...This crest compares to a previous crest of 48.8 feet on 04/22/2014. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood && Manchester, VT (05254) Today Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 47F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 47F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. ARISS Europe to perform special Digital SSTV experiment Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is planning for a special SSTV experiment. ARISS is the group that puts together special amateur radio contacts between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses on the International Space Station (ISS) and develops and operates the amateur radio equipment on ISS. As part of its ARISS 2.0 initiative, the ARISS International team is expanding its educational and life-long learning opportunities for youth and ham radio operators around the world. ARISS Slow Scan Television (SSTV), which is the transmission of images from ISS using amateur radio, is a very popular ARISS mode of operation. To expand ARISS SSTV capabilities, the ARISS Europe and ARISS USA teams plan to perform special SSTV Experiments using a new SSTV digital coding scheme. For the signal reception, the software "KG-STV" is required, as available on internet. We kindly request that the amateur radio community refrain from the use of the voice repeater thin this SSTV experiment on 20th of February 2022 over Europe. This is a unique and official ARISS experiment. We kindly request keeping the voice repeater uplink free from other voice transmissions during the experiment time period. Also note that ARISS is temporarily employing the voice repeater to expedite these experiments and make a more permanent, more expansive SSTV capability fully operational on other downlink frequencies. The first experiment in the series will utilize ARISS approved ground stations in Europe that will transmit these digital SSTV signals. These will be available for all in the ISS footprint when SSTV transmissions occur. The first SSTV experiment is planned for 20 February 2022 between 05:10 UTC and 12:00 UTC for five ISS passes over Europe. Please be aware that this event depends on ARISS IORS radio availabilities and ISS crew support, so last-minute changes may occur. To promote quick experimental SSTV investigationsto learn and improve--the ARISS team will employ the ISS Kenwood radio in its cross-band repeater mode. The crossband repeater operates on a downlink of 437.800 MHz. Each transmission sequence will consist of 1:40 minute transmission, followed by 1:20 minute pause and will be repeated several times within an ISS pass over Europe. The used modulation is MSK w/o error correction. For the decoding of the 320 x 240 px image, the software KG-STV is required. The KG-STV software can be downloaded from the following link: " http://amsat-nl.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/kgstv_ISS.zip " The ZIP file contains the KG-STV program, an installation and setup manual, some images and MP3 audio samples for your first tests as well as links for additional technical information about the KG-STV use. The members of the ham radio community youth and the public are invited to receive and decode these special SSTV signals. Experiment reports are welcome and should be uploaded to " sstvtest@amsat-on.be " More information will be available on the AMSAT-NL.org web page: " https://amsat-nl.org/?page_id=568 " ( for the team: Oliver Amend, DG6BCE) About ARISS: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab-Space Station Explorers, Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) and NASAs Space communications and Navigation program. ARISS Europe is in close cooperation with the European Space Agency and its national space agencies, the space industry and the amateur radio member associations. The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org and www.ariss-eu.org . Oliver Amend, DG6BCE (oliver.amend (at) gmx.de) Heil Sound has new top leadership WIA News report that microphone manufacturer Heil Sound has new top leadership for the first time in its 56-year history The Illinois-based company said Bob and Sarah Heil have transferred ownership to current President/CEO Ash Levitt and Director of Operations Steve Warford. Sarah Heil has retired, but Bob will continue to do outreach work and product design within the amateur radio space under the title Founder and CEO Emeritus, it stated. The company said Levitt and Warford each began working with Heil Sound as teenagers, building and packaging products. Levitt took a different career path in academia for a number of years, but continued to regularly consult with Heil Sound during that time. He returned to the company full-time in 2017 and assumed the role of president in 2020. Warford worked his way up in the company during his tenure and has been responsible for daily operations for the past several years. WIA Meadville, PA (16335) Today Scattered thunderstorms this evening, then cloudy with rain likely late. Low 54F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms this evening, then cloudy with rain likely late. Low 54F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. In a relationship, there are always certain things that can end up posing as deal-breakers, or what people often refer to as red flags. For some it might be doing drugs, abusing or anything at all that youre not comfortable with, but for actress Mrunal Thakur, that trait is dishonesty. The Toofan actress who will next be seen alongside Shahid Kapoor in the upcoming film Jersey, recently opened up during a chat with YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia where she ended up bringing into conversation certain ghosts from the past. And that ghost was infidelity. Having suffered at the hands of a cheating partner, in todays date, Mrunal puts her prime on one and only one trait alone, which is honesty. For her, it doesnt matter whether the guy is signing up on various dating sites, as long as he is being upfront and honest about it She said, Even if he doesnt feel anything for me, he should come and tell me, Mrunal, I am not feeling the same love as I felt before. This is what it is. That is my biggest fear, the fact that my partner would be cheating on me with someone else. Even if you come and tell me I have been in a long-distance relationship where I was absolutely okay if my partner was on Bumble . She went on to explain the idea behind it as she shared, I think I am very different in this case and it was very difficult for my boyfriend then to digest also. But its also needed. I am not able to travel to Europe all the way. The only thing I can offer at that point in time is emotional, verbal communication. Thats it, thats all I have. I was okay. I said, Just dont tell me but when I am with you, I am with you. It was at that point in time, maybe I am not okay now. Mrunal Thakur And as far as her present is concerned, it turns out that Mrunal is not the one to put a hard stop on non-monogamy. She admitted that if her boyfriend were to go on a date with someone else, it wouldnt matter until he doesnt make it a habit. She defended her stance by saying, Honestly, I am very understanding. I feel like if a person tells me that this is the circumstance that I am in and I cant do certain things, I will understand. Just dont hide it from me. Guess she understands that life and relationships both can be nuanced and its always better to be in the know and choose to stay (or leave) rather than be put in the dark and be made to stay. Yuan rising in global payments By SHI JING in Shanghai (China Daily) 15:30, February 18, 2022 A teller counts cash at a bank in Nantong, Jiangsu province. [Photo by Xu Jingbai/for China Daily] Renminbi retains fourth position on strong exports, world's confidence The renminbi saw its share of global payments by value hit a record high of 3.2 percent in January, up from 2.7 percent in December. This helped the Chinese currency to retain fourth place in the global list, behind the US dollar, the euro and the British pound. The data were disclosed by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, known as SWIFT, a global financial messaging services provider, on Thursday. Experts attributed the renminbi's strong performance in global payments to China's rising value of exports and the international community's increasing willingness to use the Chinese currency. In December, the renminbi had risen one position to become the fourth most active currency for global payments by value, dislodging the Japanese yen. The last time it was in fourth place was in September 2015. Measured by payment value, renminbi payments in January rose by almost 11 percent from a month earlier, while that of all the other currencies contracted by 6.48 percent during the same period, SWIFT said. Wang Youxin, a senior researcher at Bank of China, said that the renminbi's bigger share is largely associated with China's rising role in international trade. The global supply chain has met with many difficulties, especially due to the COVID-19, with trade and logistics services disrupted in overseas markets. But orders have been pouring in to China thanks to its resilient supply chain. As China's imports and exports grow, renminbi-denominated settlements have been more frequently used in international trade. Against the US dollar's rising volatility, the renminbi's stable foreign exchange rate has strengthened international investors' confidence in using the Chinese currency for cross-border trade, investment and financing, Wang said. Data provided by the General Administration of Customs earlier this month showed that the total value of China's goods imports and exports in 2021 expanded more than 21 percent year-on-year to top 39 trillion yuan. Zhou Maohua, an analyst from China Everbright Bank, said the renminbi's position as a reserve currency worldwide has also been rising steadily over the past few years, showing the world's central banks' increasing confidence in the Chinese currency. As the renminbi's foreign exchange rate is expected to remain steady, yuan-denominated assets will be more favored, given their rising safety. Also, they are used to hedge risks. In this sense, there is more room for growth for the renminbi as a reserve currency, he said. Morgan Stanley predicted that the renminbi will become the world's third-largest reserve currency in 2030. The currency already ranks fifth in the International Monetary Fund's latest data. However, the renminbi's international position at present does not match the size of China's economy, said Zhang Chun, a professor at the Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance. The US accounted for the largest share of 24.4 percent of the world's GDP in 2021, while China came in second with 17.9 percent. But the US dollar accounted for nearly 40 percent of global payments in January, according to SWIFT, in contrast to the renminbi's 3.2 percent. Such mismatches may exert negative impact on Chinese companies and institutions' global operations and resource allocation. Chinese individuals may encounter certain difficulties when they plan to invest globally, said Zhang. Addressing a forum in early December, Zhu Jun, head of the international department of the People's Bank of China, the central bank, said the offshore renminbi market should play a bigger role so that the Chinese currency can be better accepted globally. To that end, Hong Kong, where over 70 percent of the offshore renminbi payments are completed every year, should enrich the offshore renminbi product portfolio and explore the issuance and trading mechanism of yuan-denominated stocks, Zhu said at the forum. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) The United States made it clear during the administration of President Barack Obama that both Russia and China must stay within their borders and know their place in the world order. by Vijay Prashad On January 21, 2022, Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schonbach attended a talk in New Delhi, India, organized by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses. Schonbach was speaking as the chief of Germanys navy during his visit to the institute. What he really wants is respect, Schonbach said, referring to Russias President Vladimir Putin. And my god, giving someone respect is low cost, even no cost. Furthermore, Schonbach said that in his opinion, It is easy to even give him the respect he really demands and probably also deserves. The next day, on January 22, Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba summoned Germanys ambassador to Ukraine, Anka Feldhusen, to Kyiv and expressed deep disappointment regarding the lack of German weapons provided to Ukraine and also about Schonbachs comments in New Delhi. Vice Admiral Schonbach released a statement soon after, saying, I have just asked the Federal Minister of Defense [Christine Lambrecht] to release me from my duties and responsibilities as inspector of the navy with immediate effect. Lambrecht did not wait long to accept the resignation. Why was Vice Admiral Schonbach sacked? Because he said two things that are unacceptable in the West: first, that the Crimean Peninsula is gone and never [coming] back to Ukraine and, second, that Putin should be treated with respect. The Schonbach affair is a vivid illustration of the problem that confronts the West currently, where Russian behavior is routinely described as aggression and where the idea of giving respect to Russia is disparaged. Aggression U.S. President Joe Bidens administration began to use the word imminent to describe a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine toward the end of January. On January 18, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki did not use the word imminent, but implied it with her comment: Our view is this is an extremely dangerous situation. Were now at a stage where Russia could at any point launch an attack in Ukraine. On January 25, Psaki, while referring to the possible timeline for a Russian invasion, said, I think when we said it was imminent, it remains imminent. Two days later, on January 27, when she was asked about her use of the word imminent with regard to the invasion, Psaki said, Our assessment has not changed since that point. On January 17, as the idea of an imminent Russian invasion escalated in Washington, Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rebuked the suggestion of the so-called Russian invasion of Ukraine. Three days later, on January 20, spokeswoman for Russias Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova denied that Russia would invade Ukraine, but said that the talk of such an invasion allowed the West to intervene militarily in Ukraine and threaten Russia. Even a modicum of historical memory could have improved the debate about Russian military intervention in Ukraine. In the aftermath of the Georgian-Russian conflict in 2008, the European Unions Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia, headed by Swiss diplomat Heidi Tagliavini, found that the information war in the lead-up to the conflict was inaccurate and inflammatory. Contrary to Georgian-Western statements, Tagliavini said, [T]here was no massive Russian military invasion underway, which had to be stopped by Georgian military forces shelling Tskhinvali. The idea of Russian aggression that has been mentioned in recent months, while referring to the possibility of Russia invading Ukraine, replicates the tone that preceded the conflict between Georgia and Russia, which was another dispute about old Soviet borders that should have been handled diplomatically. Western politicians and media outlets have used the fact that 100,000 Russian troops have been stationed on Ukraines border as a sign of aggression. The number100,000sounds threatening, but it has been taken out of context. To invade Iraq in 1991, the United States and its allies amassed more than 700,000 troops as well as the entire ensemble of U.S. war technology located in its nearby bases and on its ships. Iraq had no allies and a military force depleted by the decade-long war of attrition against Iran. Ukraines armyregular and reservenumber about 500,000 troops (backed by the 1.5 million troops in NATO countries). With more than a million soldiers in uniform, Russia could have deployed many more troops at the Ukrainian border and would need to have done so for a full-scale invasion of a NATO partner country. Respect The word respect used by Vice Admiral Schonbach is key to the discussion regarding the emergence of both Russia and China as world powers. The conflict is not merely about Ukraine, just as the conflict in the South China Sea is not merely about Taiwan. The real conflict is about whether the West will allow both Russia and China to define policies that extend beyond their borders. Russia, for instance, was not seen as a threat or as aggressive when it was in a less powerful position in comparison to the West after the collapse of the USSR. During the tenure of Russian President Boris Yeltsin (1991-1999), the Russian government encouraged the looting of the country by oligarchsmany of whom now reside in the Westand defined its own foreign policy based on the objectives of the United States. In 1994, Russia became the first country to join NATOs Partnership for Peace, and that same year, Russia began a three-year process of joining the Group of Seven, which in 1997 expanded into the Group of Eight. Putin became president of Russia in 2000, inheriting a vastly depleted country, and promised to build it up so that Russia could realize its full potential. In the aftermath of the collapse of the Western credit markets in 2007-2008, Putin began to speak about the new buoyancy in Russia. In 2015, I met a Russian diplomat in Beirut, who explained to me that Russia worried that various Western-backed maneuvers threatened Russias access to its two warm-water portsin Sevastopol, Crimea, and in Tartus, Syria; it was in reaction to these provocations, he said, that Russia acted in both Crimea (2014) and Syria (2015). The United States made it clear during the administration of President Barack Obama that both Russia and China must stay within their borders and know their place in the world order. An aggressive policy of NATO expansion into Eastern Europe and of the creation of the Quad (Australia, India, Japan and the United States) drew Russia and China into a security alliance that has only strengthened over time. Both Putin and Chinas President Xi Jinping recently agreed that NATOs expansion eastward and Taiwans independence were not acceptable to them. China and Russia see the Wests actions in both Eastern Europe and Taiwan as provocations by the West against the ambitions of these Eurasian powers. That same Russian diplomat to whom I spoke in Beirut in 2015 said something to me that remains pertinent: When the U.S. illegally invaded Iraq, none of the Western press called it aggression. 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. A Memorial Service of Christian Burial will begin at 2 p.m., Saturday, May 7, 2022, at Robert Barham Family Funeral Home Chapel. Robert Barham Family Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements. Mrs. Cobb, 68, of Meridian, passed away Sunday, May 1, 2022, at Bedford Care Ce The war hysteria that has rolled in like a tidal wave in recent weeks and months is the most striking example. Known by its jargon, shaping the narrative, much if not most of it is pure propaganda. by John Pilger Marshall McLuhans prophecy that the successor to politics will be propaganda has happened. Raw propaganda is now the rule in Western democracies, especially the U.S. and Britain. On matters of war and peace, ministerial deceit is reported as news. Inconvenient facts are censored, demons are nurtured. The model is corporate spin, the currency of the age. In 1964, McLuhan famously declared, The medium is the message. The lie is the message now. But is this new? It is more than a century since Edward Bernays, the father of spin, invented public relations as a cover for war propaganda. What is new is the virtual elimination of dissent in the mainstream. The great editor David Bowman, author of The Captive Press, called this a defenestration of all who refuse to follow a line and to swallow the unpalatable and are brave. He was referring to independent journalists and whistleblowers, the honest mavericks to whom media organizations once gave space, often with pride. The space has been abolished. The war hysteria that has rolled in like a tidal wave in recent weeks and months is the most striking example. Known by its jargon, shaping the narrative, much if not most of it is pure propaganda. The Russians are coming. Russia is worse than bad. Putin is evil, a Nazi like Hitler, salivated the Labour MP Chris Bryant. Ukraine is about to be invaded by Russiatonight, this week, next week. The sources include an ex-CIA propagandist who now speaks for the U.S. State Department and offers no evidence of his claims about Russian actions because it comes from the U.S. Government. The no-evidence rule also applies in London. The British Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, who spent 500,000 of public money flying to Australia in a private plane to warn the Canberra government that both Russia and China were about to pounce, offered no evidence. Antipodean heads nodded; the narrative is unchallenged there. One rare exception, former prime minister Paul Keating, called Trusss warmongering demented. Truss has blithely confused the countries of the Baltic and Black Sea. In Moscow, she told the Russian foreign minister that Britain would never accept Russian sovereignty over Rostov and Voronezhuntil it was pointed out to her that these places were not part of Ukraine but in Russia. Read the Russian press about the buffoonery of this pretender to 10 Downing Street and cringe. This entire farce, recently starring Boris Johnson in Moscow playing a clownish version of his hero, Churchill, might be enjoyed as satire were it not for its willful abuse of facts and historical understanding and the real danger of war. Vladimir Putin refers to the genocide in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine. Following the coup in Ukraine in 2014orchestrated by Barack Obamas point person in Kyiv, Victoria Nulandthe coup regime, infested with neo-Nazis, launched a campaign of terror against Russian-speaking Donbas, which accounts for a third of Ukraines population. Overseen by CIA director John Brennan in Kyiv, special security units coordinated savage attacks on the people of Donbas, who opposed the coup. Video and eyewitness reports show bussed fascist thugs burning the trade union headquarters in the city of Odessa, killing 41 people trapped inside. The police are standing by. Obama congratulated the duly elected coup regime for its remarkable restraint. In the U.S. media the Odessa atrocity was played down as murky and a tragedy in which nationalists (neo-Nazis) attacked separatists (people collecting signatures for a referendum on a federal Ukraine). Rupert Murdochs Wall Street Journal damned the victimsDeadly Ukraine Fire Likely Sparked by Rebels, Government Says. Professor Stephen Cohen, acclaimed as Americas leading authority on Russia, wrote: The pogrom-like burning to death of ethnic Russians and others in Odessa reawakened memories of Nazi extermination squads in Ukraine during World War II. [Today] stormtroop-like assaults on gays, Jews, elderly ethnic Russians, and other impure citizens are widespread throughout Kyiv-ruled Ukraine, along with torchlight marches reminiscent of those that eventually inflamed Germany in the late 1920s and 1930s The police and official legal authorities do virtually nothing to prevent these neo-fascist acts or to prosecute them. On the contrary, Kyiv has officially encouraged them by systematically rehabilitating and even memorializing Ukrainian collaborators with Nazi German extermination pogroms, renaming streets in their honor, building monuments to them, rewriting history to glorify them, and more. Today, neo-Nazi Ukraine is seldom mentioned. That the British are training the Ukrainian National Guard, which includes neo-Nazis, is not news. (See Matt Kennards Declassified report in Consortium News on February 15.) The return of violent, endorsed fascism to 21st-century Europe, to quote Harold Pinter, never happened even while it was happening. On December 16, the United Nations tabled a resolution that called for combating glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism. The only nations to vote against it were the United States and Ukraine. Almost every Russian knows that it was across the plains of Ukraines borderland that Hitlers divisions swept from the west in 1941, bolstered by Ukraines Nazi cultists and collaborators. The result was more than 20 million Russian dead. Setting aside the maneuvers and cynicism of geopolitics, whomever the players, this historical memory is the driving force behind Russias respect-seeking, self-protective security proposals, which were published in Moscow in the week the UN voted 130-2 to outlaw Nazism. They are: NATO guarantees that it will not deploy missiles in nations bordering Russia. (They are already in place from Slovenia to Romania, with Poland to follow.) NATO to stop military and naval exercises in nations and seas bordering Russia. Ukraine will not become a member of NATO. the West and Russia to sign a binding East-West security pact. the landmark treaty between the U.S. and Russia covering intermediate-range nuclear weapons to be restored. (The U.S. abandoned it in 2019.) These amount to a comprehensive draft of a peace plan for all of post-war Europe and ought to be welcomed in the West. But who understands their significance in Britain? What they are told is that Putin is a pariah and a threat to Christendom. Russian-speaking Ukrainians, under economic blockade by Kyiv for seven years, are fighting for their survival. The massing army we seldom hear about is the 13 Ukrainian army brigades laying siege to Donbas: an estimated 150,000 troops. If they attack, the provocation to Russia will almost certainly mean war. In 2015, brokered by the Germans and French, the presidents of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France met in Minsk and signed an interim peace deal. Ukraine agreed to offer autonomy to Donbas, now the self-declared republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. The Minsk agreement has never been given a chance. In Britain, the line, amplified by Boris Johnson, is that Ukraine is being dictated to by world leaders. For its part, Britain is arming Ukraine and training its army. Since the first Cold War, NATO has effectively marched right up to Russias most sensitive border having demonstrated its bloody aggression in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya and broken solemn promises to pull back. Having dragged European allies into American wars that do not concern them, the great unspoken is that NATO itself is the real threat to European security. In Britain, a state and media xenophobia is triggered at the very mention of Russia. Mark the knee-jerk hostility with which the BBC reports Russia. Why? Is it because the restoration of imperial mythology demands, above all, a permanent enemy? Certainly, we deserve better. This article was produced by Globetrotter. John Pilger is an award-winning journalist, filmmaker, and author. Read his full biography on his website here, and follow him on Twitter: @JohnPilger. Gabi Martinez doesnt feel like she has to work a day in her life, because she truly enjoys her job as the Daviess County Public Schools migrant recruiter and advocate. As a migrant recruiter and advocate, she works with migrant families new to the area who have children ready to enroll in area school systems. While DCPS students are her focus, she assists other area school systems if there is a student in need and she is available. She works with families to see if their children qualify for the Migrant Education Program, which is a federal program aimed at providing additional resources for highly mobile children through age 21, according to the Kentucky Department of Education. Eligibility is determined by the lifestyle of parents/guardians of children. For example, families who move into school districts, counties or states to seek temporary or seasonal employment in agriculture or commercial fishing opportunities can qualify for the program, according to KDE. Martinez helps those families enroll students in school, and she obtains information about the student, like where they are from and how much schooling they have had. Oftentimes, she is a migrant familys first contact with a school district, something she takes very seriously, she said. It can be intimidating coming to a new area, especially if you dont speak the language, she said. We work to help make that process easier. Martinez is bilingual in Spanish and English, having learned both as a child while growing up in a south Texas border town. She said that from an early age, her parents taught her and her siblings to always use their bilingualism to help others when they could. She and her family moved around a lot as she was growing up, so she knows what a lot of migrant families are going through. As a child of migrant workers, Martinez knows the struggle of feeling disconnected from a community, which is why she works hard each day to help make lives easier. Her mother was born in Mexico and became a U.S. citizen after marrying her father, who is from Texas. She and her 12 siblings were all born in different states. I would start school in Indiana and finish in Texas sometimes, because we traveled so much for my parents work, she said. I think thats what makes it easy for me to understand and how I can make these connections with our families. Martinez said a lot of people think she only assists Hispanic families, but she provides aid to any migrant student, regardless of race or ethnicity. She most recently was instrumental in helping Afghan families who arrived in Daviess County. She has been working with the school system for about 10 years, six in her current position. She has two daughters who attend Daviess County schools. She has been in Kentucky for about 20 years and considers it home, but she goes to Texas to visit her family as often as she can. One of the most difficult aspects of her job has been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Being face-to-face with families when they first arrive in the area is crucial, so having to switch to virtual meetings was challenging, she said. When she was unable to have in-person meetings with families, having to organize Google Meets and Zoom calls just made the process more complicated, she said. Aside from that, she said, her job has always been a joy. I love my job, and that makes it easy for me, she said. Bobbie Hayse, bhayse@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7315 Owensboro Public Schools is offering a new Employee Assistance Program that will provide additional mental health and counseling services for its employees. The program is in partnership with Compass Counseling and Counseling Connections for contracted OPS employees. OPS employees are encouraged to seek assistance at either organization if and when necessary. The service is confidential, and contracted employees will be given six free visits. Carlie Brown, OPS personnel director, said the district wanted to ensure its employees had access to professional and confidential mental health services that were not linked to their employment. We do so much for our students as far as mental health, but we want to be able to support our employees as well, she said. Thats why we are working on making this better and working with local mental health providers that can give our employees immediate access. Summer Bell, OPS mental health coordinator, said district officials are excited to be able to offer this to staff. She said staff members can choose to see counselors in-person or through telehealth. Both of the agencies the district is partnering with are excited to be involved, Bell said. They are looking forward to getting our employees in as soon as possible to provide them with this much-needed support, she said. Last week, the Kentucky Department of Education reported the results of the 2022 Working Conditions Survey, which showed that 75% of educators who participated say they are concerned for the emotional well-being of their colleagues. Sixty-four% of the educators who took the survey also said they were concerned with their own emotional well-being. Bell said EAPs are common among school systems, but this is the first time OPS is able to provide the services. We hope our staff take advantage and get those services they think they need, she said. We have tried to make this user friendly, so hopefully its simple. Staff members dont have to contact anyone within the district to receive services, Bell said, but if they do need help navigating the opportunity, they can feel free to contact Brown or Bell. To participate, staff are asked to contact Compass Counseling at 270-215-4000 or Counseling Connections at 270-240-1076. Employees must have an OPS badge and be an active, contracted employee to receive services through the program. Bobbie Hayse, bhayse@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7315 RiverValley Behavioral Health is working to extend mental health care access to those experiencing homelessness by removing barriers to care, according to CEO Wanda Figueroa-Peralta. There are several populations of individuals who, according to Figueroa-Peralta, have difficulty accessing mental health care. Those populations, she said, may include children, farmers, low-income individuals and those who are experiencing homelessness. Some barriers that factor into these populations not receiving mental health services, she said, include financial instability and the high cost of healthcare services, lack of insurance, lack of employment or being underemployed and lack of transportation. When someone has that level of instability (homelessness), their mental health is affected, she said, and they are more prompted to use substances to kind of self-medicate their situations and their vices. The goal of expanding its substance abuse services to the homeless population, she said, is to remove barriers to health care. RVBH plans to partner with homeless shelters throughout the community to set up a plan for assisting clients who are experiencing a mental health crisis. Were looking at working where the homeless people are, she said. First and foremost, she said, all services provided to individuals through the new initiative will be free. Technology will also be provided to shelters that will give those experiencing a mental health crises to connect with the RVBH Mobile Crisis Unit through telehealth services. This will immediately remove both financial and transportation barriers, she said, and allow those in need to receive care right away. It also decreases the number of police runs for mental health-related emergencies, as well as emergency room visits, Figueroa-Peralta said. Through telehealth, they can access the service immediately from where they are, she said. Through the Mobile Crisis Unit, clients will be connected with a clinician who will perform an assessment and determine what that persons individualized needs are, whether they need de-escalation in that moment or more long-term care with mental health residential services or regular access to therapy and counseling. The clinician is going to assess them at that particular time, but the relationship is not going to end that day, she aid. The relationship continues, because we will connect them with the services they need. Figueroa-Peralta said RVBH hopes to have the service active by April 1. RVBH will meet with local shelters throughout the next several weeks and develop individualized plans to help extend access to mental health services at the shelter for clients who need them. She said RVBH also plans on developing an advisory council with shelters to create a line of communication for input on the partnership moving forward. RVBH received $180,000 in grant monies from the Kentucky Opioid Response Effort to assist with the extension of substance abuse services to homeless shelters. The pandemic brought to light the importance of addressing mental health as part of our overall health, Figueroa-Peralta said. Children and adults, healthcare providers, schools and businesses are exhausted and suffering, and we are committed to leverage more resources to help. Christie Netherton, cnetherton@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7360 We're sorry, but we're unable to locate the page you requested. The page may have been removed, renamed, or deleted. You can try searching for the topic using the search button in the right hand corner above. Its not often that you get to drink delicious Michigan beers out in the cold with 6,000 of your new best friends, but on Saturday, February 26 the Michigan Brewers Guild's 16th annual Winter Beer Fest is back, in all of its icy glory after a two-year hiatus. This is one of the most popular festivals that the Guild puts on, which is kind of surprising, since it happens in the dead of winter, outside, and pretty much no matter what the weather is. Held at the newly renamed LMCU Ball Park in Comstock Park, located just minutes from downtown Grand Rapids, the Winter Beer Fest somehow makes drinking in the freezing cold super fun. Typically, this festival sells out in mere hours. This year, as people are still dealing with the pandemic, tickets are still available. If youve never been before, this is your year to give it a try with minimal effort. If youve gone before, you know how enjoyable this event is, and you can still make plans to attend. This year, you can expect 119 Michigan breweries, serving up 708 beers, with 92 different styles represented. If there is a better place to get a true sampling of what is happening in the Michigan craft beer world, I have no idea where that would be. For those of you who have attended before, you probably have your whole game plan prepared, proper winter clothing laid out, pretzels ordered, and rides set up and ready to go. For our new attendees, or for those of us who are trying to remember exactly what they need to do for this event after a two-year break (this girl!), Ive got a couple of tips for attending Winter Beer Fest for you. Ive also picked out a few beers Im interested in attempting to try. Amy Sherman/For Hearst Midwest I talked with Ben Darcie, a long-time expert in the West Michigan beer community about his tips and tricks for Winter Beer Fest. Darcie, a beer writer and educator, currently also works at Speciation Cellars and Two Guys Brewing in Grand Rapids. As I predicted, we were on the same page. Make sure you have the right equipment, he said. Youve got to have really good gear. And rubber boots! Like the first couple of Winter Fests I went to I didnt have good boots and its one of the greatest regrets of my life. Michigan Brewers Guild Winter Beer Fest: Saturday, February 26 from 1-6 p.m., Enthusiasts get in at noon. Tickets: $55 in advance, $65 at the door (if available) Purchase tickets here. See More Collapse Ill concur with this. Its Michigan, so you never know exactly what you are going to get, but warm and waterproof boots are a no-brainer. There might be slick ice, piles of snow, or a flooded parking lot to slosh through, so boots are most welcome. Even on a sunny day, theyll help keep you warm, and comfort is your main goal with your outfit. Dress in layers, you can always take off, but you wont be able to add. And please do wear the craziest warm hat you can find, youll see that youll fit right in. Another key tip from Darcie lay down a base. Eat breakfast for heavens sake, he said. Youve got to have a really good base going, and then plan on eating at least once at the festival, if not twice. This will be easy, because there are plenty of food options at the beer fest, including the massively popular smoked turkey leg that for some reason just tastes better after a couple of hours of sipping some barrel-aged stouts. Darcie also highly recommends that guests make sure to drink water throughout the day. This is such an amateur move, he said with a shake of his head. People will drink big, big beers all day and never have any water. A recipe for disaster for sure, and one that Ive seen first hand. One particularly icy year, my best friend happened to wipe out upon exiting a port-a-john. As she scrambled around on her back on the ice, unhurt, but highly embarrassed, I asked if shed had any water that day. No! Amy Sherman/For Hearst Midwest Well, that explains this situation of you on the ground, and me laughing so hard Im on my knees and cant help get her up. And while it wasnt a great situation, it did lead to a beer named in her honor the next year by Jay Clancey of Cognition Brewing in Ishpeming, who dubbed it the Nae Nae. He even had a sign made for the festival that made a disclaimer that said Consumption of Nae Nae impairs your ability to operate a port-a-john and can lead to falls so hilarious that laughter may render your friends incapable of providing assistance. One big component of Winter Beer Fest is the snack necklace, and the most popular item on them is the soft pretzel. I highly recommend you order some pretzels ahead of time from a local bakery, so youve got the freshest possible and to assure availability. In Grand Rapids, look to Nantucket Bakery, Field and Fire Bakery, or Sugar Momma. Also, refrain from unwrapping any type of meat stick. Otherwise, your winter coat will have an unpleasant grease slick on it for all future days to come. Amy Sherman/For Hearst Midwest With over 700 beers to choose from, many attendees will try to map out a plan. Both Darcie and I agree, while it's nice to think this way, there is no way that youll actually make it to each selection, and you really shouldnt try. Most of the fun of beer fest is the spontaneity that can occur, and the fabulous beers you might try with new friends. Just let that plan go, Darcie said. And go with what happens. Darcie and I are always up for the shortest line, or the new breweries that we havent visited yet. Have a favorite brewery? For sure, stop by. But dont just visit all the beers that you drink on a regular basis. This is your chance to try something different, whether its a new style or a new brewery. Like every year, tickets to Winter Beer Fest are non-refundable. However, if you test positive for COVID, you can upload your test to the Guild and they will refund your money. If you are not feeling well, please stay home. You can transfer tickets to another guest. Designated driver tickets are available for $10, please dont even think about drinking on this ticket, you will be ejected promptly from the festival if you do. Please comply with state rules and use a token for each and every pour. The festival is staffed with mostly volunteer pourers, so dont give them a hard time, just give them the token. You may bring non-alcoholic beverages, folding chairs and food to the festival. However you tackle Winter Beer Fest, Im pretty sure youll have a great time. And please say hello if you see me. Ive met some of my greatest friends at beer fests, and I look forward to making a few more on February 26. Beers and breweries Im excited to try at Winter Beer Fest: Stiggs Brewing collaboration brew with Life in Michigan Camping with Uncle Charlie This beer was brewed together at Stiggs with the brewery and Life in Michigan owners Brenda and Chuck Marshall, who are long-time Michigan beer supporters. In fact, I first met them at Winter Beer Fest about 10 years ago. This is a sweet stout that they actually cooked over an open campfire a few weeks ago. Well be trying this one early in the day, so if you want to catch up, meet me at Stiggs around 1 p.m. Amy Sherman/For Hearst Midwest Railtown Brewing BBA I Am The Machine Stout I recently stopped by Railtown and tried their KDL-Ale coffee stout, which was brewed in support of the local Grand Rapids library system. While theyre not bringing that one, they have a great line-up of sweet stouts and this barrel-aged one. Winter Beer Fest seems prime for drinking deep and dark beers, and this one fits the bill. Supernatural Sheep Shagger Scotch Ale Im a loser and havent made it to Supernatural Brewing yet, but have heard that they make really great beers. You dont see many Scotch Ales out there, and it seems like the winter warmer we deserve. Barrel + Beam/Courtesy Photo Barrel + Beam Star Plum Stout This sounded so interesting to me, so I reached out to the brewery to get the story. Star Plum Stout is a farmhouse-style black ale brewed with a complex malt bill featuring ingredients from both Belgium and Michigan, said Nick Van Court and Marina Dupler, owners of Barrel + Beam. This batch was aged in Maple Whiskey barrels from our great friends at Iron Fish Distillery and finished on three varieties of Plums from Starz Orchard in Menominee County. The pour is jet black with a sticky tan foam. The aroma is complex with notes of chocolate, oak, maple, caramel, funky wild yeast and, of course, U.P. grown plums. The flavor is rich with malt, including toasty caramel, chocolate, and subtle toffee sweetness, with plum at the core. The mouthfeel is deceptively light. The finish reprises Maple Whiskey and leaves plum upon your tongue. Expect medium funk and medium acidity. Barrel + Beam/Courtesy Photo Sounds utterly fantastic. Also, note that Nick and Marina are from Menominee, so they are thrilled to get to offer something made from their hometown. New-to-me breweries Im looking to try at Winter Beer Fest: Unexpected Craft Brewing, Oak Park Sleepwalker, Lansing And just so you are completely ready and prepared, here are the lyrics to The Michigan Beer Fight Song. Penned by Fred Bueltmann, a stalwart of the brewing industry here in Michigan, the song is always sung at each brewers guild festival, in a rousing, possibly slightly drunken way. Look like a total pro by joining in and belting it out. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 Life In Michigan/Courtesy Photo Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Barrel + Beam/Courtesy Photo Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Amy Sherman/For Hearst Midwest Show More Show Less 5 of 5 The Michigan Beer Fight Song Written by Fred Bueltmann Lets drink Michigan beer From coast to coast, from far and near. Its local and delicious, Any styles that you wishes, Raise your glass and toast your friends Lets drink MICHIGAN BEER! Lets drink Michigan beer Raise your glass and toast your friends Lets drink MICHIGAN BEER! Lets drink Michigan beer Bring it home or drink it here From the U.P. to the mitten Theres no tellin what youre gettin From Motown to the Soo Find a beer that pleases you Get tipsy down in Ypsi Lets drink MICHIGAN BEER! Recent national holiday celebrations in Bosnia and Herzegovinas Republika Srpska were attended by Russian and Chinese officials, raising Western fears that independence is gaining traction as tensions with Moscow and Beijing intensify. by John P. Ruehl The fragile geopolitical nature of the Balkans has allowed Russia to consistently undermine Western integration attempts in the region. While foreign interference is nothing new in Europes underbelly, it has historically been limited to regional powers and the U.S. But Chinas recent collaboration with Russia in supporting ethnic separatism in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) reveals that Beijing is happy to challenge the West and to highlight EU and NATO vulnerabilities within Europe. If Western pressure over Chinas policies in Xinjiang and Taiwan increases, Chinas enhanced coordination with Russia will further erode the Wests delicate balancing act in the Balkans. Late last year, the current Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik, intensified his claims that the Republika Srpska, the countrys Serb-populated entity, would seek an independence referendum. BiHs tripartite presidential system, put in place by Western states in 1995 under the Dayton peace agreement, has afforded Dodik considerable power. Alongside his calls to withdraw from numerous agreements reached after the civil war, the parliament of Republika Srpska passed a series of laws that included enabling the territory to form its own parastatal institutions and its own army by May [2022]. Days after Dodik announced the possibility of secession, U.S. Western Balkans envoy Gabriel Escobar met with the Republika Srpska leader. After the threat of sanctions were brought up, Dodik stated, Fuck the sanctions. I already went through that. If you want to talk to me, then stop threatening me, revealing his growing disregard for U.S. diplomacy. Republika Srpskas Statehood Day, held on January 9, commemorates its declaration of independence from BiH in 1992. Though celebrating the day was ruled unconstitutional by a top court order in 2015, Bosnian Serbs have continued to mark the anniversary of the founding of Republika Srpska. On top of growing calls for independence within Republika Srpska, this years parade was also attended by Chinese and Russian embassy representatives (alongside Serbian officials), prompting immediate criticism from Sarajevo. But Russia and Chinas true intention was to send a message to the West. Rising tensions over Ukraine, Taiwan and Xinjiang have incentivized Moscow and Beijing to exploit Western geopolitical vulnerabilities. The affair on January 9 was simply the latest measure taken by Russia and China to challenge the West in BiH. In July 2021, Russia and China drafted a UN Security Council resolution that declared the services of the Bosnia High Representative, who oversees the implementation of the 1995 peace agreement in the region and is a position dominated by Western European and U.S. officials, were no longer required. Though the resolution was rejected, it was a clear swipe at Western efforts to regulate the divisions within BiH. And while Moscow and Beijing are keen to discredit the existing international mechanisms that regulate Bosnian affairs, their efforts to assist Republika Srpska to achieve statehood are bolstered by the precedent already set by the West. In addition to supporting the self-determination of various states from Yugoslavia in the 1990s, the U.S. and the EU were also supportive of Montenegrin and Kosovan bids for independence in 2006 and 2008, respectively. For years, Dodik has been able to count on support from Moscow to bolster his secession aspirations. But sensing the benefits of a partnership with China, Dodik has increased his public support for Beijing. In June last year, Dodik declared that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina was not authorized to sign a joint statement regarding [the] human rights situation in China. While criticizing the action by the ministry as inadmissible and unacceptable, he extended his support to China, stating, I fully support the territorial integrity and integrity of the Peoples Republic of China, as well as all actions it undertakes to preserve its sovereignty. Concern persists that a Republika Srpska bid for independence could inflame a new round of violence in BiH. Alongside Republika Srpska forces, foreign volunteers, provocateurs and mercenaries could also be sent in under the facade of travel or be flown into the region if conflict breaks out. Members of the Night Wolves, a Russian motorcycle gang that has fought in Ukraine, marched with Republika Srpska armed forces during the January 9 celebrations, and have made frequent road trips to the region in previous years. Several hundred fighters from Republika Srpska and Serbia have in turn traveled to Ukraine in recent years. Western attempts to resolve instability by force also run the risk of confrontation with both the Serbian and Russian militaries. Emboldened by its actions in Ukraine and Syria over the last decade, the Russian military is also a far more formidable and competent adversary than it was in the 1990s. Western populations have largely lost their appetite for intervening in civil warslet alone the specter of a renewed military confrontation with a nuclear power like Russia in another theater of Europe. Any indication of military support from China would further dampen the Western willingness to intervene. Additionally, growing calls for Republika Srpska statehood would cause further delays to the EU and NATO expansion in the Balkans. Last October, Dodik stated during an interview with German news website Der Spiegel that the Western Balkans have never been further from the EU [membership] than they are now. This reflects the notion that while BiHs accession to the EU hinges on the treatment of Serbs in the country, Serbia is similarly unlikely to join the EU if the institution unduly prevents a bid by Republika Srpska for secession. A move toward secession and the ensuing unrest also has the potential to unravel the entire fragile post-Yugoslav ecosystem. In addition to emboldening Croatian calls for independence in BiH, Republika Srpskas secession could inspire Albanians in North Macedonia and Serbs in northern Kosovo to increase their own attempts at seeking independence. While agreements on local self-government, territorial autonomy and power-sharing in national institutions have been common strategies for conflict management in divided countries, they have also granted Republika Srpska the building blocks to independence. With growing support from Moscow and Beijing, Republika Srpskas attempts to secede have become far more realistic. The recent declaration by Russia and China of a no limits partnership between these countries, among other areas of cooperation, called for an end to NATO expansion. Coupled with the efforts in BiH, it is clear that complicating NATO and EU growth in Europe is a key area where Russia and China can push back against the West and are likely to continue to do so in the future. This article was produced by Globetrotter. John P. Ruehl is an Australian-American journalist living in Washington, D.C. He is a contributing editor to Strategic Policy and a contributor to several other foreign affairs publications. He is currently finishing a book on Russia to be published in 2022. As protesters gathered Thursday morning outside of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Michigan office in Lansing demanding that ABC of Michigan President Jimmy Greene resign, Greene was on the phone with the Daily News saying that is not going to happen. It is absolutely, zero percent, not going to happen, Greene, of Saginaw Township, said Thursday when asked if he would resign. A diverse group of about 100 people had also rallied in front of the ABC of Greater Michigan office in Midland on Feb. 1, demanding the same thing Greenes resignation because of his opposition to a lawsuit citing obscene racism and discrimination against six former workers. At that time, there were six plaintiffs, known as the "United Six," but more people are stepping forward saying that United Electrical Contractors (UEC), of Lansing, was racist toward them. Those six workers filed a federal lawsuit against UEC on Jan. 20, citing rampant racism and discrimination at UEC. The plaintiffs, five of whom are minorities, allege that UEC supervisors and employees routinely discriminated against them based on their color and used names like the N-word and wetback, and made comments such as, Hurry up before I pull out my whip and Go back to your plantation. United Six spokesperson Jen Eyer said in a news release that Greene had told people over the phone that he would resign. But Greene said that was not true. Greene, who is Black, told the Daily News that one cant turn a blind eye to racism. But he said as a Black man, it worries him that people use the charge of racism when its unwarranted. One of the attorneys for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Richard Mack of Miller Cohen, P.L.C., said Greene deemed the lawsuit bogus about three hours after it was filed. Mack said Greene didnt even investigate the claims against United Electrical, which is a member of ABC, a trade association of non-union contracting companies. A Jan. 20 news release from ABC of Greater Michigan, titled "Bogus Lawsuit Filed against United Electrical Contractors," includes a statement from Greene which reads, in part: It has come to my attention that building trades unions are using disparaging and libelous accusations of racism or racist behaviors directed at United Electrical. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have been CEO & President of Associated Builders & Contractors for 13 years and lead the State of Michigan's contractors not just on policy and workforce issues but in developing a culture embracing diversity and I lead that initiative across the nation." Mack said Greene isnt named in the lawsuit. He said UEC didnt respond after the lawsuit was filed. He said instead, they took the issue to ABC and used Greene to respond to the lawsuit. If Greene hadn't spoken out against the lawsuit, Mack said, Greene wouldnt have been singled out by the protesters. Eyer also said two additional employees have come forth citing racism. At Thursdays rally, Mack introduced Hillary Coleman. She worked for UEC from 2016 to 2020, during which time she said she was subjected to racist language and behavior from her supervisor and co-workers. She was hired as an administrative assistant and later given human resource duties with no experience. She said her daily encounters with racist actions toward her led to daily panic attacks. Coleman said she also found that Black employees and others of color were paid less than white employees and didnt get the same training. Also attending Thursdays rally were members of the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus and the Michigan Legislative Labor Caucus. To watch Thursdays rally, visit https://www.facebook.com/justiceforunitedsix CROMWELL National discount retail chain Five Below will soon be opening its newest location in the Cromwell Square shopping plaza. The store will fill the vacant gap between Shop Rite and Chicago Sams in the plaza located on the corner of Shunpike Road and West Street. Town Manager Anthony Salvatore praised Director of Planning and Development Stuart Popper, as well as plaza owners Nitkin Group, for their work bringing a new business to town. Im glad to see the group was able to bring in another store that is offering something different, Salvatore said. Larry McHugh, president of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, said the shop will fill a hole in the Cromwell Square shopping center, and is likely to benefit other nearby businesses. We think thats very important for that plaza, McHugh said. Itll bring a lot of traffic in there for other stores. Hes already noticed a growing excitement for the coming establishment. Theres a group of people that really enjoy shopping at Five Below, McHugh said. Salvatore, on the other hand, admitted he was not familiar with the franchise before it came to town, but after learning more about it, said he is eager to check it out. Im looking forward to heading there when it opens, and seeing what they have to offer, Salvatore said. The first Five Below opened in Pennsylvania in 2002, and has since grown to more than 1,200 stores nationwide. They offer an array of merchandise, including toys and games, technology, beauty and fashion products, pet supplies and more. The majority of items, as the name suggests, are priced at under $5. While the store mainly targets teens and pre-teens, there are products for people of all ages. There is no set opening date yet, but Salvatore said that day should be coming soon. Theyre in there now, renovating the space, and getting pretty close to opening, he said. The last business to move into The Shops at Cromwell Square plaza was Barbs Pizza, which, Salvatore said, also offers multiple reasons to visit. Their breakfast pizza is amazing, he said. Positions are still open for anyone looking to work at the new Five Below location. Visit fivebelow.com for information. MIDDLETOWN Every Eversource employee has a role during storms, including line crews, logistics personnel, customer services representatives and safety specialists. Restoration can last days, and crews often work around the clock to get the power back on for customers, according to a press release. Also playing a critical role in supporting restoration efforts are local businesses such as Sweet Harmony Cafe and Bakery, 330 Main St., Eversource said. Co-owners and sisters Laura Conley and Trang Tran have become accustomed to watching the weather, the utility company said. Theyre always great to work with, Christa Simmons, a member of Eversources procurement team, said in a prepared statement. ... The food is always made with love and care. I see Laura as a modern-day version of the culinary ambassador Edna Lewis. In 2021 alone, local vendors such as Sweet Harmony Cafe and Bakery worked closely with Eversource during storms to provide nearly 72,000 meals for employees working in Connecticut. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were delivered to work centers, staging sites, offices, and hotels where crews were staying across the state, the news release said. Our partnership with Eversource helped us to weather the decrease in traffic to our shop during the pandemic, and weve learned a lot from serving the employees morning and night during these storm situations, she added. Its challenged us but also made us grow as a business, Conley said in the statement. During these unprecedented times, its critical that we support diverse businesses, said Eversources Simmons. When diverse businesses are given an opportunity like here at Eversource, it enables them to expand and more importantly, make an impact on the community. Music icon Paul McCartney brings his One On One tour to the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami. Miami, FL. 7/7/17. Staff Photographer Jim Rassol. (Jim Rassol / Sun Sentinel) South Florida fans of rock icon Paul McCartney will get a unique close-up of their hero when his 2022 arena-stadium tour makes a detour to the intimate, 7,000-seat Hard Rock Live in Hollywood. McCartney on Friday announced he will bring his Got Back Tour to the concert venue at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on Wednesday, May 25. Advertisement Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 25, at MyHRL.com. McCartney fan club members and American Express card members will have presale access to tickets beginning 10 a.m. Tuesday. A venue presale will run 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday via the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywoods Facebook and Twitter pages. Advertisement Rock icon Paul McCartney salutes a sold-out crowd at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami on his 2017 One On One Tour. (Jim Rassol / Sun Sentinel) The performance at Hard Rock Live will be the most personal of the 14 stadium and arena dates announced by McCartney, which include stops at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Fenway Park in Boston and Met Life Stadium in New Jersey. The tour also includes a May 28 concert at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. In celebration of the announcement, the 450-foot Guitar Hotel facade will feature a special presentation highlighting McCartneys music at 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Friday. [ CONCERT REVIEW: In Miami, Paul McCartney's still fab ] The Hard Rock Live concert will be the 79-year-old McCartneys first in South Florida since a sold-out show at the former AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami opened the U.S. leg of his 2017 One On One Tour. [ WEEKEND THINGS TO DO: Taking a spin at Carousel at Gulfstream Park, new Bodega on Clematis, Delray Beach Open cocktails ] That performance found McCartney, always the engaging showman, in fine vocal form, easily rising to the challenging highs and lows on Maybe Im Amazed and the graceful warmth of And I Love Her. For more information, visit PaulMcCartney.com. Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. A Russian-language website alleged Wednesday that locals had found "a sonar countermeasure device" washed up on the shores of Urup Island, south of Vladivostok on Russia's western coast. The story went on to suggest that the device had been launched by a Virginia-class submarine after the vessel allegedly was discovered in Russian waters on Feb. 12. The article featured a photo of a long, torpedo-like device lying on a beach, partially submerged in water. Read Next: Austin Sends Warning to Putin Ahead of Trip to NATO's Eastern Flank None of it appears to be true. The image -- which is of a piece of Russian hardware, not American -- was apparently taken several months ago on a different beach thousands of miles away. And the U.S. Navy insists the alleged run-in between one of its subs and Russian forces never happened. It's just one example of the escalating information war being waged by Russian operatives, a tactic designed to muddy the waters and potentially give Russian forces a justification to invade Ukraine, according to experts. Hours after the post first appeared online, the tale made it over to social media posts in English, with a few added details. Now, the same photo was being described as having been "released by the Russian Ministry of Defense" and that the submarine fired the device "to mask the acoustic signatures of the sub in order to facilitate an exit from the area." The story hinges on Russian allegations that an American submarine was chased out of its waters over the weekend -- something the U.S. has strongly denied. "To be clear, there was no engagement or interaction between U.S. and Russian forces Saturday as claimed by Russia," Capt. Kyle Raines, a spokesman for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, told Military.com in a statement Wednesday. The "evidence," in the form of the included image, has more obvious issues. The photo cited in both the Russian and English versions of the story is old and doesn't actually show American equipment. A reverse image search revealed that the photo in question, along with similar images from other angles, first appeared on the internet around October 2021. Captions for the photo of a washed-up Russian submarine countermeasure described it as having been taken on the shores near Severodvinsk in northern Russia. Raines echoed Military.com's analysis of the image's origins and noted that "as [office of the Secretary of Defense] mentioned this week, this Russian information campaign appears to be a piece of their playbook aimed at laying a foundation for military action." Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, noted that he "wouldn't be surprised if the Russians had found a U.S. submarine and played a little hide and seek." "I believe that there's an element of truth on which they have built a story and maybe it's part of the broader narrative that they're trying to build for action in Ukraine," he added. An earlier statement from Raines did note that he would "not comment on the precise location of our submarines but we do fly, sail, and operate safely in international waters." The U.S. military has struggled to push back against the flood of Russian-driven narratives that have percolated across the internet during the last few weeks of the standoff with Ukraine. U.S. officials have repeatedly warned of Russian efforts to lay the groundwork for a "false flag" attack that could justify pushing its massed troops across the border with Ukraine. The situation has gotten so murky that it's not clear whether the conflict is even escalating or cooling. On Tuesday, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said that many of the troops dug in near Ukraine's border would be leaving following the completion of military exercises. Yet the U.S. Ministry of Defence said that they "have seen no evidence that Russian forces are withdrawing from Ukrainian border regions" in a tweet this morning. On Wednesday, the U.K. intelligence chief, Lt. Gen. Sir Jim Hockenhull, said that there have been "sightings of additional armoured [sic] vehicles, helicopters and a field hospital moving towards Ukraine's borders." "Russia has the military mass in place to conduct an invasion of Ukraine," Hockenhull added. To Cancian, this buildup is an important context through which to consider events like the alleged submarine incident. However, he is quick to note that "the Russians have a long history [of information warfare] that is probably more elaborate than most countries -- you go back to the Soviet era and even back into the czars." Cancian notes that this history can sometimes make it challenging to tell whether an incident like the one alleged in the Pacific is a one-off incident or part of "a single tapestry" in which the Russians take an event and "weave it into a couple of themes of Russia as victim and also the competence of their armed forces." -- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin. Related: The Navy Wants to Talk About Deep Sea Salvage, But Not the F-35 Sitting at the Bottom of the South China Sea Students at the U.S. service academies filed 131 reports of sexual assault during the 2020-2021 academic year -- the highest number since the Defense Department began closely tracking the problem in 2006. The reports represent a 7.4% increase from the 2018-2019 academic year, which was the last time students spent a full year in class before the pandemic. It marks a 43% increase from 2019-2020, when students were sent home in March to protect them from contracting COVID-19. Read Next: Austin Sends Warning to Putin Ahead of Trip to NATO's Eastern Flank While the increases are troubling, they still only represent a fraction of sexual assaults at the academies, according to data released Thursday by the DoD's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office. Students listed 747 sexual assaults at the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Military and U.S. Naval Academies in a survey conducted by the office covering the 2017-2018 school year, yet just 92 were formally reported. The survey is collected every two years. The expansive gap indicates that the academies are a "long way off" from their public goal of encouraging all victims to report sexual assault and to reduce how often the crime occurs, according to Nate Galbreath, the offices acting director. "We recognize that this is a troubling problem," Galbreath said during a call with reporters on Thursday. "It's a horrible thing to have to experience and we are here to help make sure that it happens less often and that victims get the kind of care and support they need to recover." Retired Navy Capt. Lory Manning, director of government relations for the Service Womens Action Network, called the information in the most recent report disheartening, given that the academies exist to educate the future leaders of the armed forces. As the Service Academies initiate the changes recommended last July by the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Misconduct and approved by Congress in December, I hope reports of sexual assaults committed by students at our Service Academies will become a thing of the past, Manning wrote in an email to Military.com. For the second year in a row, the Air Force Academy had the highest number of reports, at 52, up from 38 during the shortened pandemic year. The U.S. Military Academy at West Point had 46 reports in the 2020-2021 school year, twice the number it had in the truncated previous year. The U.S. Naval Academy reported 33 sexual assaults, up from 27. Although the shortened academic year makes comparing the trend more challenging, since cadets and midshipmen were sent home in spring 2020 to complete their semesters, the number of reported sexual assaults is clearly on an upward trend despite training and education initiatives at the schools. Galbreath said the academies have worked hard to encourage students to report incidents of sexual harassment and assault and the increases could be an indication that students are comfortable reporting, but they also may indicate that such crimes are on the rise. He added, however, that the more students come forward, the more opportunity to hold service members accountable. Were putting all the policies in place to encourage greater reporting, he said. Galbreath said the academies have a solid foundation for addressing sex crimes on campus, with sexual assault response coordination offices that act independently and staff that assesses risk and prevention among the student body. But while the academies have done some "excellent work" in growing their awareness programs, they need to make changes, he said. "Their comprehensive prevention plans ... address not only sexual assault, but also sexual harassment and other behaviors that give rise to sexual assaults. These comprehensive prevention plans are in place but they are at risk because right now they are just words on paper," Galbreath said. The Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office is asking the academies to figure out how to implement the plans and hire a "prevention champion" to run the programs that address sexual assault and violence at the academies, he added. Of the 131 reports of sexual assault reported during the academic year, 67 were "restricted," meaning the victim did not want to pursue an investigation or prosecution, and 64 were unrestricted. When factoring in all reports, including those made at the academies prep schools and civilian allegations filed against students, 19 males and 130 females filed reports. Eleven of those cases resulted in court-martial charges, while others found that the evidence could only prove a non-sexual assault offense, the victim dropped the case or there was insufficient evidence to prosecute, Galbreath said. In addition to the incidents among midshipmen and cadets, 14 students reported that they had been sexually assaulted before they joined the military and 16 civilians, students or active duty service members filed reports alleging they'd been assaulted by an academy students. New this year, under the fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, cadets and midshipmen who made unrestricted reports of sexual assault had access to expedited transfers to another academy if they requested one. Three students requested transfers and received them, including one who transferred during their senior year and was able to graduate and commission on time, Galbreath said. The increase in reports comes as the Department of Defense moves to change how sexual assaults are handled within the U.S. military, with new laws stipulating that attorneys trained in special victims crimes have prosecutorial authority instead of commanders. Galbreath said that transition should come more easily for the academies, which have not experienced the "undue influence" on the reporting process as the active duty forces. "It's a matter of fact, all three academies have their sexual assault response coordinator offices, well positioned and free from any kind of inappropriate influence," Galbreath said. Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. Related: Experiencing Sexual Assault Doubles Odds That Troops Will Leave Military, Report Finds The militarys response to the water contamination crisis caused by Navy fuel storage in Hawaii is poised to get a $350 million boost after Congress cleared a stopgap spending measure containing the funding. In addition to providing funding to respond to the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility spill, the continuing resolution, or CR, keeps the government open through March 11, giving lawmakers three weeks to reach a deal on funding for the rest of the fiscal year and averting a shutdown that would have started at midnight Saturday. The Senate approved the CR on Thursday night in a 65-27 vote. The bill was previously approved by the House, meaning it now goes to the desk of President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it before government funding runs out at the end of the day Friday. Read Next: US Will Sell Poland Tanks to Bolster NATO Against Putin Usually, CRs just extend existing funding plans and prevent government agencies from starting any new programs. But lawmakers can include so-called "anomalies" that provide new funding. Among the anomalies in this CR, the Navy, Marine Corps, Army and Air Force will get $250 million to cover expenses related to the Hawaii water contamination. The CR also gives $100 million to the Defense Department to comply with a Hawaiian order to drain the fuel tanks at Red Hill, an order the department is currently fighting in court. Navy officials said in January that cleanup costs associated with the spill had already exceeded $250 million. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, has described the CR as a first round of possible funding to defuel Red Hill and vowed to push for more in future spending bills. Military families at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and Aliamanu Military Reservation started reporting in late November that their water smelled like fuel and had a visible, oily sheen. The Hawaii Department of Health and the Navy later confirmed that fuel had spilled from the Red Hill storage facility earlier in the month and contaminated a well and shaft below the property. Thousands of military families and civilians have been displaced because of the spill, while others are bringing in outside water to stay in their homes. Thousands have also been treated for nausea, headaches, rashes and other conditions. Earlier this week, the Hawaii Department of Health declared one neighborhoods water is now safe to drink, but 18 other neighborhoods remain under an advisory not to drink their water. Defense officials have promised to fix the situation, but are currently locked in a battle with Hawaii over the state's order to drain the fuel stored at Red Hill. Another anomaly in the bill is $1.6 billion to prevent delays in the Columbia-class submarine program, which the Navy had warned was possible if it was forced to live under a full-year CR. Defense officials had fretted this could be the first year Congress funds the government with a CR for the entire year, which they warned could wreak havoc on training, permanent change of station orders, recruitment goals, bonuses and more. But lawmakers in recent weeks have expressed optimism they will reach a deal on regular government funding for fiscal year 2022 by the new March 11 deadline, which will be nearly six months after the fiscal year started. The top Democratic and Republican appropriators in the House and Senate last week announced they had agreed on a framework for a government funding package and are now working to fill in the details before March 11. Lawmakers have been tight-lipped about what specifically is in the framework, including how much would go toward defense funding. -- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel. Related: Stopgap Spending Bill with $350 Million for Hawaii Water Crisis Clears House The Pentagon is offering to sell NATO ally Poland 250 M1A2 Abrams tanks -- considered the most advanced battle tank in the world -- as the alliance girds for a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Friday. Austin said the foreign arms sale will be requested through Congress in a joint press conference with Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak during an eve of war trip to NATO's eastern flank. The U.S. has deployed 4,700 soldiers to Poland amid the Ukraine crisis, in addition to a rotational force of 4,000 that was already in the country. The U.S. has continued moving forces to Europe in recent days as Russian President Vladimir Putin has massed more than 150,000 troops around the border of Ukraine. A dozen Air Force F-35 fighter jets and 350 airmen from Utah's Hill Air Force Base arrived in Germany this week, and Austin announced Thursday that a U.S. Army Stryker company is going to NATO member Bulgaria as part of a joint training agreement. Read Next: Texas Guardsmen Could Unionize. What Does That Mean? Austin has repeatedly warned Putin that his demands to keep Ukraine out of NATO and pull back the alliance are backfiring during the secretary's trip this week to the alliance headquarters in Belgium and to Poland, where he will visit with U.S. troops. "This is the most modern version of the Abrams and will provide Poland with a highly advanced tank capability," Austin said during the Friday joint press conference. "It will also strengthen our interoperability with the Polish armed forces, boosting the credibility of our combined deterrence efforts and those other NATO allies." The timeline for getting the armor to a key ally in the east is still unknown. The Pentagon and State Department have notified Congress they intend to sell the Abrams to Poland, according to Austin, and lawmakers have a chance to block the deal as part of the foreign arms sale process. The tanks will add to Polish military forces that already include Patriot batteries to defend against ballistic missile attacks and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, a truck-mounted missile launcher. The country has also signed a deal to purchase the F-35A, considered the most advanced fighter jet in the world. Russian forces were within 200 miles of Poland's border, according to Austin. The U.S. and NATO allies have pledged to protect member states from Russia, but President Joe Biden has made clear that American forces will not fight in Ukraine, which is a former Soviet republic and not a member of the alliance. Blaszczak said the continent is on the verge of the most dangerous conflict in generations. Gen. Mark Milley, the Joint Chiefs chairman, and Austin have warned of massive casualties and suffering among both Ukrainians and Russian forces in the event of an invasion, as well as the potential for large numbers of civilian casualties and a surge of refugees fleeing to Poland and other areas of Europe. "Poland is a country that has experienced war, the Second World War. We also experienced the cruelty of occupiers," Blaszczak said through an interpreter. "We are ready to support all those who need this support." The Army's 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, began deploying to Poland earlier this month, and the 101st Airborne Division from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, began sending troops to Europe this week. About 6,000 soldiers are expected to deploy to the continent as part of the Ukraine response. The U.S. has also been rotating about 7,000 troops to Poland and elsewhere in Europe since 2014, when Russia annexed Ukraines Crimea peninsula amid global condemnation. The armored rotations have included 80 Abrams tanks, 130 Bradley fighting vehicles and 15 Paladin tracked artillery support vehicles. Fears over Ukraine have increased in the past few days as the eastern part of the country has seen a surge in shelling that many believe could be used by Russia as a pretext for invasion. The fire hit a school along the border of a breakaway region where Moscow-backed separatist forces have been fighting with Ukrainian forces for years. Cyber attacks on Tuesday disrupted the websites of Ukraine's army, defense ministry and banks, according to the Associated Press. Such moves have been predicted to be Putin's opening in a war that seeks to bring Ukraine back under the influence of Moscow as it was during the Soviet Union and the Cold War. Meanwhile, Putin has continued to add thousands of troops around Ukraine's borders this week despite claims of pulling back, and made more preparations for war, such as building up supplies of blood for transfusions. -- Travis Tritten can be reached at travis.tritten@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @Travis_Tritten. Related: Air Force Moves F-35s from Utah to Germany as Ukraine Faces Possible Invasion In the early 1950s, American Jack Turner was captured in Cuba by government troops. He was caught smuggling weapons into the island nation. The regime of Fulgencio Batista, the U.S.-backed dictator of Cuba, tortured and killed Turner. His body was then fed to sharks. It was a fatal mistake for Batista. Years later, his best friend, William Morgan, visited Cuba as a tourist but made his way to Fidel Castro's insurgent army in the jungles of the Sierra Maestra mountains. Morgan, a U.S. Army veteran, would become one of only two foreigners to join the Cuban Revolution and reach its highest rank, "Comandante." Cuban revolutionaries marching during the memorial service for the victims of the La Coubre explosion in March 1960. From left to right: Fidel Castro, Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado, Che Guevara, Augusto Martinez Sanchez, Antonio Nunez Jimenez, William Alexander Morgan and Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo. (Museo Che Guevara) Batista had been a longtime ally of the United States. During his first term as a democratically elected president, Cuba declared war on Japan two days after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. After eight years out of the office and running for a second term in 1952, Batista led a coup against the elected leader and seized power. The Americans recognized his government just weeks later, but that didn't bring stability. After World War II, Ohio-born William Alexander Morgan joined the U.S. Army and was sent to Japan with the 35th Infantry. He quickly divorced his wife and went AWOL. After escaping from Army custody by overpowering his guard, he was captured and court-martialed before receiving a dishonorable discharge in 1948. Meanwhile, little changed in Cuba between the previous regime and the rise of Batista in 1952. Corruption was rampant, police brutality was widespread and the government cared little for providing education and medical services to Cubans. Enemies of the regime, like Turner, were summarily executed. By November 1956, some Cubans had had enough of Batista. That year, a former lawyer named Fidel Castro was leading an amphibious landing from Mexico with just 81 men, including Argentinian Che Guevara. Almost as soon as the would-be revolutionaries landed, they were dispersed by Batista's troops. Forced to flee into the Sierra Maestra, their revolution almost ended before it ever began. Yet, when Morgan came to Cuba in 1957, the island was filled with Castro's troops and agents. He met one of Castro's men in Florida before arranging to meet again in Havana, so Morgan could join the fight against Batista and avenge his friend's death. He told the rebels he was an Army veteran and would help train their troops. Morgan's guerrilla unit was called the Second National Front of Escambray, after the mountain range in Cuba. He proved his worth (and that he wasn't a CIA operative) to the rebels, who eventually accepted him. The American trained the rebels in guerrilla warfare, judo and how to use explosives. He soon began to rise in rank, commanding miles of rebel-held territory. Eventually, stories from the mountains began to spread across the island, stories of an American fighting alongside the Cuban rebels, killing hundreds of Batista's soldiers. Batista troops were brutal to the Cuban countryside, burning villages and torturing citizens. Castro's revolutionaries were not yet declared communists, and anything was better than Batista. "El Americano," as Morgan came to be known, was hailed a hero. In July 1958, he was promoted to comandante, the highest rank in the rebel army, commander of the Second National Front and Batista put a $20,000 bounty on his head. He honestly believed he was fighting for freedom for Cubans, and for a Western-style democracy, according to journalist Herbert Matthews, who covered Morgans exploits in Escambray. By December 1958, a decade after leaving the U.S. Army, he began coordinating with Guevara's troops. As Guevara captured the Cuban city of Santa Clara on New Year's Day, Morgan and the Second Front had captured many villages, advancing within 160 miles of Havana. Morgan was preparing an assault on Cienfuegos when he heard the news: Batista had fled Cuba and the rebels won. On Jan. 6, 1959, Morgan met Castro for the first time as Castro made his way to Havana. As the war was ending, Morgan married a fellow rebel, Olga Maria Rodriguez. After the war ended, he settled down and became a frog farmer, harvesting legs and skins for sale in the U.S. William Morgan and wife Olga Maria Rodriguez Farinas in the Escambray Mountains of Cuba. (Morgan Family Collection) The revolution did not end the way Morgan expected, however. Castro, in spite of everything Morgan believed during the fight against Batista, pulled Cuba into the sphere of communist countries under the influence of his brother, Raul, and Guevara. Morgan was accused of smuggling weapons and ammunition to Cuban counter-revolutionaries. Morgan's friends had returned to Escambray, taking up arms once again against the Castro government, which increasingly leaned communist, but Comandante William Morgan swore he never aided them. For his efforts in the Cuban Revolution, he was executed against a wall in Cuba's La Cabana prison in 1961 as Fidel and Raul Castro looked on. Comandante William Morgan being led through Cuba's La Cabana Prison in 1961. He was executed by the Castro regime on March 11, 1961. -- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook. Want to Learn More About Military Life? Whether you're thinking of joining the military, looking for post-military careers or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to Military.com to have military news, updates and resources delivered directly to your inbox. As a current print subscriber, you receive 24/7 access to our website and online e-edition at no additional charge. All you have to do is activate your access. To activate digital access, you will need your account number. You can find your account number on any recent subscription notice or bill. HOLLYWOOD A no-swim advisory for parts of Hollywood beach was lifted Friday after water samples showed safe levels of bacteria, the the Department of Health in Broward County said. Samples collected from Harrison Street and Minnesota Street earlier this week did not meet state requirements, the health department said. Samples dated Thursday received a good designation. Advertisement Bacteria in the water could cause gastroenteritis. [ RELATED: Were Browards beaches really clean enough to swim in for most of 2019? ] Advertisement Results from samples at all other beaches in Broward were satisfactory, with designations of good or moderate, the department said. In early 2020, the South Florida Sun Sentinel found that public health officials rarely issue advisories for beaches in Broward, while Palm Beach and Miami-Dade told people not to swim in the contaminated waters for more than 200 days throughout the year. Organizers of of African most beautiful USA, Abofrem Area Foundation Inc.are set to launch the second edition on March 12, 2022 at Palmyra Harbour Banquet Hall in New Jersey, USA. The launch is expected to bring together a number of personalities in the showbiz industry, and individuals from the business community among others. The African Most Beautiful USA pageant is organized by the Abofrem Area Foundation Inc. with the goal of celebrating the diverse yet beautiful culture from all parts of the African continent in the USA. According to the Chief Executive Officer of Abofrem Area Foundation, Nana Obaahemaa Nkrumah Akosua Adasa Ill, the winner of the African Most Beautiful USA will become a star and a Goodwill Ambassador, giving back to all African-centric societies and championing the course of young African women who wish to strive higher and become whatever they want to be to achieve their goals and objectives. Last year Christelle Awa from Congo beat nine other beautiful ladies to be crowned winner of the maiden edition of African Most Beautiful USA pageant held at the Ritz Theatre in New Jersey, USA. She took home a brand-new car, crown and cash prize. Veteran actor William Addo has opened up on circumstances that led to his total loss of sight. The actor, popularly known as Akpats3 in his hay days told media personality and philanthropist MzGee that he together with some renowned actors and actresses were scheduled to travel abroad after a movie that attracted a lot of accolades. I was all set to travel to the United States; my passports and five-year stay permit was granted and that was when I started feeling the pain in my eye so I proceeded to see a doctor who told me it was nothing major with my eye, he stated. He added that after a painful period of operation, he had to forfeit the trip when his eye began to deteriorate. The veteran stated that ironically he was not free after the operation on the left eye but saw the healthy eye begin to hurt him too which saw him losing both eyes. Appealing for any form of support from the state Mr. Addo stated that there was massive support from some media personalities and former President John Dramani Mahama who donated lump sums with which was used to support his medical bills. Despite the trials and attempts by medical teams to sustain his sight, all proved futile leaving him totally blind. The actor who is hopeful of seeing once again before his eventual demise now lives in his own house in Tefle in the Ga Adanmge district pleaded with the general public to help him pay his electricity bills which amount to almost 5,000 Ghana cedis. Mr. William Addo was a formidable figure who stood tall in the movie industry and the fight towards the liberation of the Ghana Actors Guild. He revealed that he had to forgo his stay overseas to help improve the movie industry despite the fact that he received his acting training there. Akpats3 expressed great distaste at the current administration of the Ghana Actors Guild saying that it is now full of self-seeking individuals. While announcing on Thursday that France would withdraw its troops from Mali, President Emmanuel Macron made his strongest condemnation yet of the shadowy Russian mercenary group Wagner whose alleged arrival in West Africa has infuriated Paris. The French leader made clear that a suspected deal between the Malian military regime and Wagner was a crucial factor in pushing Paris to withdraw its 2,400 troops after a nine-year deployment against local jihadist groups. Macron said that Wagner was "arriving in Mali with predatory intentions, but why?" "Because the junta which is in power after two coups d'etats considers them to be the best partners they can find to protect their power, not to fight against terrorism," Macron said. He said Wagner was previously guilty of "taking resources that should belong to the Libyan people" after their deployment in Libya and had also been responsible for "awful abuses against the civilian population" in the Central African Republic. In Mali, they were "essentially there to secure their own business interests and protect the junta itself," Macron added, calling on Mali's leaders to explain how they were paying the secretive organisation reportedly founded by oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin. Stephen Townsend, head of the US Africa command, said earlier this month that he believed Mali was paying Wagner $10 million a month, partly in gold and gemstones. A French soldier in Mali: Macron announced Thursday that France will withdraw its forces from the jihadist-plagued nation. By Daphn BENOIT AFPFile Mali's military rulers, who seized power in 2020, have always denied any such deal, but Macron said that the Russian group had deployed "around 800" fighters in the landlocked country that is home to growing al-Qaeda and Islamic State-aligned groups. UK Defence Minister Ben Wallace said Thursday that Wagner was "effectively in bed with the junta." Russian denials Mali's leaders admit to having relations with the Russian state, which they say has provided military trainers. Mali was "only involved in a state-to-state partnership with the Russian Federation, its historical partner", according to a statement from the government in Bamako at the end of December. The regime has also stressed that they were left with no choice but to look for new security partners after Macron announced in 2021 that France would be drawing down its forces in the Sahel region. Malia's interim Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga accused Paris of a "sort of abandonment" at the UN general assembly in September last year. Russian mercenaries in Africa. By Cla PCULIER AFP Western officials have claimed for months that Russian transport planes have been spotted delivering Wagner fighters and arms, as well as Russian geologists known for their association with the group. Russian President Vladmir Putin denies any link with Wagner despite Western suspicions that it is a Trojan Horse used to advance Moscow's interests, including in Ukraine. "The Russian Federation has nothing to do with private military organisations that are operating in Mali," Putin told a press conference with Macron in Moscow on February 7. Abuses The existence of Wagner is hard to pin down, with investigators unable to find formal traces such as company registration, tax returns or an organisational chart. When the EU wanted to sanction it in 2020 for "serious human rights abuses", it targeted Prigozhin, an oligarch nicknamed "Putin's chef" because his company once catered for the Kremlin. Jason Blazakis from the New York-based Soufan Group think-tank said that Wagner was following in the footsteps of other mercenary operators in Africa, notably South Africans. "The Wagner folks are walking through a door that has long been open to their ilk," he added. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a think-tank in Washington, has found evidence since 2016 of Russian soldiers of fortune in more than a dozen countries including Sudan, Madagascar, Botswana, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Macron had previously condemned Wagner's role in the Central African Republic (CAR), saying last May that it was exploiting mines and that CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera was now a "hostage". Made made clear that a suspected deal between the Mali and Wagner was a crucial factor in pushing Paris to withdraw its 2,400 troops. By Philippe DESMAZES AFPFile UN chief Antonio Guterres this week denounced "human rights abuses" by CAR's army and its foreign supporters, an allusion to Wagner. Djallil Lounnas, a researcher at Morocco's Al Akhawayn university, said that part of the appeal of Wagner is that there is less concern about the scrutiny that comes with working for Western partners. "Russia has its interests. It doesn't ask questions," he told AFP. But Wagner's results do not always measure up to the hopes invested in them. In Libya, its mercenaries are thought to have suffered heavy losses while working for warlord Khalifa Haftar during his unsuccessful attempt to conquer the capital Tripoli. And in Mozambique, they retreated in the face jihadists linked to the Islamic State. Belgium on Thursday gave the DR Congo an inventory of tens of thousands of art objects from the former Belgian Congo held in its colonial era museum, the latest step in the restitution of looted artefacts. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo handed the catalogue to his Congolese counterpart Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde at a ceremony in the museum on the outskirts of Brussels held on the sidelines of an EU-Africa summit. From the inventory, Kinshasa will be allowed to lodge, as early as this year, requests for restitution which will be examined by a Belgian-Congolese team of researchers soon to be in place, officials said. Sama Lukonde hailed "a historic moment". "It is not only a transfer of objects but also of knowledge and experience necessary for the conservation of these elements," he said. The Royal Museum for Central Africa, opened in 1898 as a legacy of Belgian King Leopold II who administered the Congo as his personal property from 1885, contains one of the world's largest collections of looted African artefacts. The inventory covers some 84,000 objects -- including sculptures, masks, utensils and musical instruments -- that arrived in Belgium up to 1960, the year of the country's independence. The stock represents about 70 percent of the museum's collection. De Croo urged Belgians to "not be afraid to look our past in the face". He recalled that in 2020 King Philippe had expressed "regret" for acts of violence and cruelty during the colonial period in Congo. The Ghana Education Service (GES) has acknowledged the challenges that teachers go through in Afram Plains and in all other parts of the country. These challenges include snakebites especially in rural areas and also accommodation issues. To that end, the GES said measures have been put in place to deal with these issues. Deputy Director General of the GES, Mr Anthony Boateng, who admitted that these are real challenges indicated that the issues need a multi stakeholder approach to solve them. His comments come after tTwo teachers in Afram Plains in the Eastern Region of Ghana, are reported to have died as a result of snakebite and also their inability to receive medical care. The Basic Education Coordinator for the Afram Plains North District, Taihdu Mohammed, while speaking in an interview with TV3's Komla Adom in the 'Education Reforms' documentary produced by TV3, attributed the situation to the lack of electricity in most communities in the area. Taihdu Mohammed told Komla Adom that the teachers died because there were no anti-Snake venom serum in the health facilities at Donkokrom where they were sent to for medical attention. He further revealed that parents of the other teachers who were fortunate to have survived snakebites have evacuated them from the area to their respective hometowns to ensure their safety. Because there is no light, there is no solar and other things most of the children come there and they are getting snakebite and when they send them to Donkorkrom hospital they don't even have the medicine to treat them. Two teacher have died because of this snakebite on the islands , three of them were cured and later, their parents came that they will not allow their children to stray in Afram Plains so quickly they took them from this place TReacting to this development, Mr Anthony Boateng also told Komla Adom that in the documentary that These are issues that must be tackled holistically and across agencies and across sectors. I can assure you something is being done. For example, as I speak to you, there is a committee that is working on identification of what we call deprived schools. So that some motivations can go to teachers who are accept postings to these areas. We expect the committee to finish its work and present its report in the coming weeks. We are also aware of efforts by government to provide housing for teachers. So it is our prayer and hope that all these initiatives will materialise. 3news.com A District Judge of the United States Federal Court in Chicago, Illinois, Thomas M. Durkin, has dismissed an appeal filed by Birim Group against Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom and 18 others. Judge Durkin said, having reviewed the parties' submissions, the Court finds that amendment would be futile and denies Plaintiff's motion. For these reasons, Plaintiff's motion for leave to amend its complaint, R. 26, is denied. Except as otherwise stated in the Court's prior order, dismissal of all claims is without prejudice to refile in an appropriate forum. Civil case terminated, he said. The Court on November 23, 2021, dismissed Birim Group's complaint in full, finding that it had not alleged a domestic injury necessary under Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations (RICO) and had failed to state a claim under most of its common-law theories. The Court further held that any remaining claims against the Ghanaian institutions were properly dismissed under forum non conveniens. Birim, the California Limited Liability Company, whose sole member was the lawyer, who filed the complaint, purchased $52,219 and $30,000 claims against companies in Ghana from two citizens of its citizens Ms. Sekyere and Mr. Barimah. Although neither GN Bank, Dr. Nduom nor any of the GN Bank directors were alleged to have themselves taken any action against these Ghanaian citizens, the complaint named each of them as defendants based on allegations of a vast international conspiracy for, which the Court found no supporting facts had been alleged. GNA Apparently, the brassbound supporters of NDC have a penchant for threatening and abusing those who matter in the country with an abashed disgust. . If you may remember, sometime in 2016, the infamous Montie 3 disgustingly hurled invectives and issued threats to the Justices of the Supreme Court, including threat to rape. How pathetic? And more recently, the Medina Constituency Member of Parliament, Francis-Xavier Sosu, dishonourably issued threats to the judges in the country with no apparent reason. Sometime in August 2010, the then NDC Chairman, Dr Kwabena Adjei of blessed memory, during a press conference, frighteningly issued a threat to the judges: there are many ways of killing a cat. So it was nothing new when the NDCs Communication Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, seemingly immersed in a gamut of emotions, audaciously came out during the 2020 voter registration exercise and issued threats to the security forces, whose only crime was to discharge their constitutionally mandated duty (see: We'll deal with you mercilessly when we come to power - Sammy Gyamfi threatens recalcitrant soldiers, policemen - ABC News, 23/07/2020). Sammy Gyamfi is said to have asserted somewhat brashly and impertinently: Notice is hereby served to all unscrupulous Security Officials who have lent themselves to the despotic Akufo-Addo government as plaint agents of violence against innocent citizens, that the next NDC government will fish them out and deal with them mercilessly when power eventually shifts. What the plan is and we are telling them all the people there they are makingthe Police officers there, they are making their Police Career The Military Officers, they are making their career in the Military, that respected State Security Agency coterminous with that of President Akufo-Addo. The day President Akufo-Addo will exit office will be the last day they will serve as Policemen and Military men and we will deal with them mercilessly. That is the message we are sending across to them, a furious Sammy Gyamfi at a press briefing on Wednesday- July 22 2020 (SOURCE: www.Ghgossip.com). I would like to submit that it is only in Ghana where politicians harbour an isolated thinkers view that electorates remain their bona fide commodities and therefore can be threatened, hoodwinked, and manipulated at their own convenience. If that was not the case, how on earth can a so-called communication officer of a political party threaten a section of the voting public with unabashed disgust? Election, so to speak, is a social contract whereby a candidate solicits for an electorates mandate in exchange of better living conditions, among other things, security and protection of life and property. The adult universal suffrage, as a matter of fact, is a sacrosanct exercise and cannot and must not be trampled upon by some manipulating political geezers. In fact, it was not surprising that the NDC lost the 2020 general elections. Of course no right thinking person would want to lose his/her livelihood, so it was a step in the right direction for the aggrieved security personnel to vote in protest of Sammy Gyamfis somewhat preposterous and incoherent statement. Although the unhappy security forces cannot block Sammy Gyamfi and his cohorts from coming into power in the near future, they can ventilate their fury in condemnation over the ridiculous statement. In any case, we can only hope and pray that the security personnel will stencil the revoltingly ugly statement at the back of their minds and make Sammy Gyamfi and his cohort pay for his fecklessness in the future elections. K. Badu, UK. [email protected] Prof. Ransford Gyampo 18.02.2022 LISTEN The Secretary to the University of Ghana (UG) Chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Prof. Ransford Gyampo has stressed that UTAG will not be pressured by anyone to call off its strike. In a post on his Facebook page, the lecturer who is away in Dubai said the association will not bow to pressure from any politician. He further notes that no sponsored propagandistic media reportage can pressurize UTAG to rescind its strike action and return to the lecture rooms for academic work. Note this: No Politician can call off the UTAG strike. No Sponsored Propagandistic Media Reportage can pressurize anyone. Only members can rescind their decision after they are convinced. If they do, they will communicate, the post on the Facebook page of Prof. Gyampo reads. The post followed media reportage of a meeting that ended successfully between UTAG and the Education Committee of Parliament on Thursday, February 18, 2022. After the meeting, Mr. Peter Nortsu-Kotoe who is a ranking member on the Education Committee of Parliament told journalists that UTAG has agreed in principle to call off the strike. After listening to the cases, we realised that there will be the need for more dialogue. We finally appealed as a committee to UTAG to call off the strike which they agreed in Principle. We expect they call off the strike today and then continue with the negotiations, Mr. Peter Nortsu-Kotoe shared. The National Executive Council of UTAG is expected to hold a meeting before a decision to return to work or otherwise will be taken. Mr. Felix Kwakye Ofosu 18.02.2022 LISTEN Former Deputy Minister of Communications, Mr. Felix Kwakye Ofosu has described as senseless and utter nonsense the motion filed by some four New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament requesting an inquest into the death of former President, John Evans Atta Mills. In a Facebook post, the former Deputy Minister of Information said the demand for the probe is to waste precious time while diverting attention from critical matters confronting the country. The NPP MPs motion for an inquest into the death of President Mills is complete and utter nonsense. "It is a senseless attempt at wasting precious time while diverting attention from the most important issues of the economy and the livelihoods of Ghanaians, Felix Ofosu Kwakye said in a posted on his Facebook wall. On Thursday, February 17, 2022, four NPP MPs led by Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh Dompreh filed a private members motion to demand a bi-partisan probe into the death of President John Evans Atta-Mills. The other three NPP MPs include Tolon MP Habib Iddrisu, Mpraeso MP Davis Opoku Ansah, and Tema Central MP Yves Hanson Nortey. The MPs want to have clarity on what led to the death of late Prof. Mills who died on July 24, 2012. Outspoken Ghanaian musician and political activist, Kwame Asare Obeng, known in public circles as Kwame A Plus has lambasted the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party for the constant crusade against the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy). Speaking to Metro TV in an interview, A Plus said he has no doubt the same NDC when in power after the next general election would find justification for why the E-Levy is important. He said Ghanaians should not be surprised when the tables turn and the NDC goes to the extent of increasing the charge of the levy when it manages to wrestle power from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). Those leading the anti-e-levy crusade should stop that. I have friends in NDC and NPP and nobody influences the way I want to think. Those leading the anti-e-levy thing [should stop it]. These guys [NDC] will make all the noise about e-levy, will come to power, and the same people will come and sit here [and justify it]. E-levy will be increased," A Plus said. He further stressed, When NDC comes to power, they will not abolish e-levy. Somebody will sit on this show and explain to you why e-levy is now very important. The Electronic Transaction Levy was introduced to Parliament in 2021 when the Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta presented the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Police proposal of the government. Discussions in Parliament by MPs ended in a brawl before the house went on recess for the Christmas break. All efforts to have Parliament approve the levy have failed due to the continuous opposition to the levy by the Minority who argue its implementation will bring untold hardships on Ghanaians. The gray-area world of dog rescue facilities doesnt have many rules or regulations. But Thursdays attack that ended with the death of a 71-year-old volunteer at 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida, an Oakland Park rescue, might spark new debate. Advertisement Michele Lazarow, a Hallandale Beach commissioner and animal advocate, strongly opposes government oversight and said its not necessary. This was an anomaly, Lazarow said. Advertisement As a lawmaker I wouldnt create an entire policy because there were one or two instances. There has to be a significant issue. That doesnt seem to be the case here. [ RELATED: Woman killed in dog attack at Oakland Park dog rescue ] Ana Campos, a Fort Lauderdale private investigator and animal activist, strongly favors government oversight and said its 100% necessary. Campos said shes been in touch with friends who intend to reach out to legislators to get the regulation ball rolling. There is the good, the bad, and the ugly of rescues, she said. Cherie Wachter, vice president of marketing for the Humane Society of Broward County, said many rescues do a good job. Having a volunteer killed is rare. You really dont hear of situations like this happening, she said. Broward Sheriff's Office deputies at the scene of a fatal dog attack Thursday in Oakland Park at 100+ Abandoned dogs of Everglades Florida. One volunteer at the rescue organization was killed and another injured. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel) There are differences among an animal rescue facility, an animal shelter, and an animal adoption facility. An animal shelter is usually run by the county or city and subject to its rules, and an animal adoption facility gets inspected by the county and is subject to those rules. Animal rescues in Florida must register with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services if they are operating as a charitable organization, according to spokesperson Erin Moffet. Beyond that, theres no government oversight, regulation, or inspection, according to those in the animal business. Campos, who has investigated numerous dog rescues and testifies in court as an expert witness, said some rescues dont have qualified workers or volunteers handling the dogs. Advertisement It is the wild, wild west, she said. Animal rescues need to be regulated. Nobody should ever die in animal rescue. Thats negligence. Training for workers and volunteers is up to each facility. Every rescue develops their own standard operating procedures and protocols, said Deven Soto, board member of Good Karma Pet Rescue in Pompano Beach, adding, If protocols are followed, no one should get hurt. [ RELATED: 54 cats found in Sunrise home of animal rescuer ] Michelle Reichler, director of Saving Sage Animal Rescue Foundation, said they dont always know the background of dogs they accept so theyre careful about who handles a particular dog. She said theyve had dogs thrown over their fence, tied to their fence, left in garbage bags, and shoved into bird cages. Beyond that, sometimes people lie about whether an animal was a fighting dog, neglected or aggressive, so the rescue is careful about allowing volunteers handle certain dogs. If we know a particular dog is potentially aggressive its only going to be handled by our trained dog manager, those kinds of special volunteers and behaviorists, she said. [ RELATED: Broward rescue group aims to save hundreds of dogs abandoned in the wild ] The mixed-breed dog that attacked volunteer Pam Robb at 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida on Thursday has been placed in the care of the Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Center. A spokesperson didnt return a call or an email Friday inquiring about the dogs fate. Advertisement Robb was working with the dog when it became aggressive, a Broward Sheriffs Office spokeswoman said. A second woman witnessed the attack and tried to help. She had minor injuries. The dog was a large mixed-breed rescue that recently was taken to the center at 345 E. Commercial Blvd. from the Everglades. The founder of the 100+ rescue group declined to be interviewed on Friday, saying she was too emotional to talk. Without more oversight, dog rescue facilities are on the honor system regarding which dogs they accept and who handles those dogs. And sometimes its a tough call. To be a responsible rescuer you want to only rescue the dogs you are capable of responsibly taking care of, Soto said, and its a fine line when you rescue not to get in over your head. Chris Perkins can be reached at chperkins@sunsentinel.com. President Nana Akufo-Addo has said Ghanas target is to establish a COVID-19 vaccine plant within two years. This manufacturing plant will deal with the fill and finish aspect of the vaccine. Speaking at a COVID-19 forum in Germany, Nana Akufo-Addo said Ghana is ready to help fight the pandemic on the African continent. In the short term, that is in two years, our goal is to set up one domestic vaccine manufacturing plant to fill, finish and package COVID-19 and other vaccines and to strengthen research and development for vaccine production, he said. This target comes as Ghana, alongside Rwanda and Senegal, are partnering with German biotechnology company, BioNTech SE, to fill, finish, and package BioNTech mRNA vaccines in Africa. This is expected to be the first step in the chain of domestic vaccine production, which will improve vaccine supply in Africa. The agreement came after a meeting in Marburg, Germany, on Wednesday, where President Akufo-Addo, together with Presidents Macky Sall and Paul Kagame of the Republics of Senegal and Rwanda respectively, witnessed the presentation of a BioNtech modular production facility solution for the production of mRNA vaccines in Africa. The government plans to invest $25 million as seed money towards the establishment of a National Vaccine Institute to spearhead the country's efforts at producing vaccines locally. The Institute will also work towards Research & Development for vaccines in Ghana and building the human resource base for vaccine discovery, development, and manufacture. The establishment of the institute forms part of recommendations by a committee established by the government to formulate a concrete plan for vaccine development and manufacturing in Ghana. The Presidential Vaccine Manufacturing Committee has already indicated that Ghana would need $200 million to fully manufacture COVID-19 vaccines locally. The project is envisioned to be a private-public partnership arrangement. Africa is almost totally dependent on vaccine producers outside the continent, as it produces just 1 percent of the vaccines it administers. By Citi Newsroom Founding President of Imani Africa, Mr Franklin Cudjoe has asked government to undertake reshuffle among his cabinet ministers. He also called for cuts and re-alignment of ministries. If done, these measures will help deal with the challenges facing the local economy, he said. Cabinet reshuffle, cuts and re-alignment of ministries & the Economic Management Team s game plan for dealing with the economic atrophy needed now, Mr Cudjoe said in a Facebook post. It is recalled that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo reduced the number of his ministers drastically in his second term to 85. This was down from the 120 ministers who served in his previous administration. However, governance experts said he could have further reduced the number below 85. For instance, a Local Governance Expert, Dr Eric Oduro Osae told TV3 that It is good he is reducing to about 85 but, I would have wished that he even reduced it further to about 80. But that notwithstanding, with the 85 it is a very good reduction. He added I have also noticed that he is not appointing Deputy Regional ministers, I applaud him for that. Because the position of a deputy regional minister is gradually becoming irrelevant in our governance architecture. A Professor at the University of Ghana Professor Ransford Gyampo has also said the new number of ministers was still huge. Professor Gyampo said In terms of size of government, an optimum size of 40 would have been felt by all as a drastic response. But it is rumored that the size of government in the next administration is likely to hover around 85. This to my mind, is still big. President J.A. Kuffour vehemently criticized President Jerry Rawlings for appointing 82 Ministers in the lead up to the 2000 elections. But when he (Kufuor) became President, he appointed 88 ministers. President Atta Mills downsized the government to 75 Ministers and we still criticized him. President John Mahama increased the size of government to over 90 Ministers (including his three or five wise men) and we used this as a campaign tool against him. President Akufo Addo ballooned the size to over 120 ministers and maintained this number in spite of several calls for downsizing. ---3news.com The government through the Ministries in charge of Information and Finance will on Monday, February 21, 2022, hold a town hall meeting on the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) in the Upper West Region. Already, three town hall meetings have been held in Koforidua, Kumasi, and Tamale to provide education on the much-opposed levy. After the wide engagements, the Ministry of Information and the Minister of Finance have decided that the next destination should be the Upper West Region. Among Ken Ofori-Atta and Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, other officials of government have been billed to speak at the townhall meeting include the Upper West Regional Minister Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih as well as the Minister for Interior, Hon. Ambrose Dery. Mondays townhall meeting will be held at the Wa Regional Library and streamed Live on the various Facebook pages of the Ministries of Information and Finance. The meeting is scheduled to start at 1pm. The Electronic Transaction Levy was introduced to Parliament in 2021 when the Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta presented the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Police proposal of the government. Discussions in Parliament by MPs ended in a brawl before the house went on recess for the Christmas break. All efforts to have Parliament approve the levy have failed due to the continuous opposition to the levy by the Minority who argue its implementation will bring untold hardships on Ghanaians. William Ato Essien, former Chief Executive Officer of defunct Capital Bank, has denied that Capital African Group, MC Management and Britling Services were solely set up to facilitate the dishonest transfer of monies from Capital Bank for his personal use. Essien also denied that some management members complained about his behaviour of transferring huge monies from Capital Bank under the guise of placement. He was answering questions during further cross-examination by State Prosecutors led by Mrs Evelyn Keelson, Chief State Attorney at an Accra High Court. Mr Essien and two others are standing trial in the GHC620 million cedis offered to Capital Bank as liquidity support by the Bank of Ghana. He disagreed with the prosecution that he did not offer an explanation to management when they demanded to know the whereabout of GHC130 million he allegedly took from the Bank. The accused explained that a bank's money could not be moved from the bank without the approval of the authorising bodies and described it as untrue, claims he collected GHC100million cedis from the Bank of Ghana. This is GHC100m and how can somebody in his or her wildest imagination alleged that GHC100 million cedis was taken from the Bank of Ghana. I find it very difficult to understand. It is false and same cannot find place in the court. Essien further explained that Capital Bank was highly governed, and managers exhibited professional competence. He further denied that he and Tettey Nettey of MC Management and the third accused person succeeded in dishonestly taking monies from Capital Bank. Essien admitted that between June 2015 and August 2016 when Capital Bank took the GHC620 Million liquidity support from the Bank of Ghana he was not a member of the management of Capital Bank. The former CEO of the defunct Capital Bank told the court that he knew the conditions under which liquidity support was offered to Capital Bank. The Board of Capital Bank was aware that the liquidity support was a commercial loan, which had commercial interest and security by way of collateral. He disagreed with the prosecution that the liquidity support, which was granted to Capital Bank was for the sole purpose of addressing the Bank's liquidity challenge. Essien explained that Capital Bank had the right to utilise the money from BoG in a manner that would position the Bank to honour its obligation to the Bank of Ghana. Question: I put it to you that you have no idea of the conditions of the liquidity support that was granted to Capital Bank because you did not play any role in the Bank's acquisition of the support. Answer: My Lord I knew the conditions. This is because the information was made available by the Management to the board. Secondly, as a shepherd of the Institution, the finance subcommittee engaged me as part of the leg work to complement the effort of Management to succeed in the requisition of the liquidity support. Sitting has been adjourned to February 24 by the court presided over by Mr Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, a Court of Appeal Judge sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court Judge. Essien is standing trial with Fitsgerald Odonkor, the former Managing Director of Capital Bank, Tetteh Nettey, MC Management Service, a company owned by Essien. They are jointly being held for the collapse of Capital Bank. The accused persons have denied conniving and stealing GHC620 liquidity support offered by the Bank of Ghana to the defunct Capital Bank. GNA Tony Lithur, Defense Counsel for Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, National Chairman for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), says the third prosecution's witness has no evidence that the accused persons plotted against the public officers in the ongoing trial prior to their meeting. In cross-examination, Mr Lithur told the Commercial High Court One trying the matter that, So if I understand you, you have no evidence whatsoever that, either Mr Ofosu Ampofo (A1) or Mr Kwaku Boahen (A2), had hatched such a plan prior to the meeting. Correct? Chief Inspector Bernard Berko, the investigator as well as the witness answered no. And you have no evidence that A1 and A2 had planned to meet at that meeting, the Counsel stated with Mr Berko answering, No. He further stated that: It will be safe, therefore, to say that your reasons for saying that A1 (Ofosu Ampofo) and A2 (Boahen) have hatched the plot you claim they did was among others that they were in the same group on that day. Correct? It was at that meeting that the plan was made, the prosecution witness answered. Mr Lithur questioned: As I understand you, that even though you have a transcript of the meeting, A2 did not utter a word at the meeting but the witness said: A2 had stated that he was part of the meeting, and he supported the plan. 'From your own exhibit D and from any other investigation that you may have carried out did A2 (Boahen) speak at the meeting where you claim the plot was hatched? Witness: I didn't hear him but that does not mean when you support the idea to commit a crime, you cannot be charged for a crime to stand before the court. Defense Counsel You have exhibited the transcript of the meeting at which he said the plot was hatched as exhibit D. Is it your case that, at that meeting, a plot was actually hatched? Prosecution witness: It was at the said meeting that they planned to put others' lives in danger and also to take the Chair of EC and Peace Council to the cleaners was made. Mr Lithur asked: In your earlier testimony, on Nov 1, 2021, you stated that A2 (Boahen) was charged because he was part of a plot, did you at any time see or hear A2 plotting against anyone? My lord, in an open interview, on Dwaso Nsem on Adom FM, A2 said, he was part of the meeting where the plot was made and he totally supported whatever A1 said, the witness explained. What do you mean by a plot? the lawyers asked, and the witness said: A plan to cause harm to some other people. A plan to take the Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) and the Peace Council to the cleaners. Mr Ofosu Ampofo and Mr Boahen are standing trial for conspiracy to cause harm. Additionally, Mr Ofosu Ampofo, is facing an assault charge for allegedly inciting NDC communicators against public officers Chairpersons of the National Peace Council and Electoral Commission. They have both denied the offences and are on a GH100,000.00 bail with a surety each. The prosecution had earlier told the Court presided over by Justice Samuel K. Asiedu, a Court of Appeal Judge, with additional responsibility as a High Court Judge, that the accused persons had been captured in an audio recording of the proceedings of a meeting on February 3, 2019, planning a roadmap of criminal activities targeted at the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) and the Chairman of the National Peace Council, among others. The meeting was held after January 31, 2019, Ayawaso West-Wuogon by-election, which turned violent following a clash between some National Security operatives and supporters of the National Democratic Congress suspected to be vigilantes. The audio recording was played on some radio stations and according to the prosecution, the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police Service later intercepted the tape. The prosecution said Mr Boahen had confirmed being at the said meeting and confessed on a radio station that the information on the tape was true. The trial has been adjourned to March 16, 2022. GNA The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) will soon go on strike unless names of teachers deleted from the governments payroll unfairly are restored. This has been hinted by NAGRAT President Angel Carbonou. Speaking to journalists in Accra on Thursday, February 17, 2022, the NAGRAT leader described the reasons given by the Ghana Education Service (GES) to remove the names of the affected teachers as flimsy. He said some of the members of the association affected have not received a salary for up to 15 months although some are less. The reason for some of these deletions are flimsy and the procedure of going through the prescription of the code of conduct is usually violated. we have teachers who have done without salaries for three months, six months and we even have a case from secondary technical who has gone without salaries for the past fifteen months, Angel Cabonou shared. The NAGRAT president further stressed, The leadership of the NAGRAT calls for the immediate restoration of the names. Angel Cabonou while bemoaning several other issues that need to be addressed in the education sector gave the indication that NAGRAT could soon lay down tools to demand better. There are a lot of issues in the educational sector that must be addressed but we are all pretending as though there are no issues. One of them is the decision by the Ministry of Education to appoint headmasters and headmistresses and they are starting with STEM schools but the Ministry has no power to appoint headmasters or headmistress. It is the function of the Ghana Education Service (GES), the GES has that power to appoint headmasters and headmistresses, not the Ministry of Education, the NAGRAT President noted. Already, the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) are on strike over the failure of the government to meet demands in relation to the condition of service of members. If NAGRAT goes on strike, the education sector is bound to suffer more and will come under stress. 18.02.2022 LISTEN Communications Team Member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Kofi Ntiamoah, has defended Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu as demands for his resignation grow over the botched Sputnik V vaccination deal. Nana Kofi Ntiamoah claims that Ghanaians are uncaring, despite the Health Ministers attempts to obtain vaccinations for the country at the time people lives were on the line. The Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu has come under heavy criticism for his involvement in the failed procurement of Sputnik V vaccines from a middle man in Dubai. The issues came up after the Ad-hoc Committee of Parliament was set up to investigate the unsuccessful procurement of the vaccine by the Health Minister. According to a report of the committee, the Ministry of Health did not comply with the requirement of Article 181(5) of the constitution in respect of its agreement with Messer Al Maktoum the vendor of the vaccine. But Nana Kofi Ntiamoah in an interview with Original FMs morning show believes calls for Agyeman-Manus dismissal are unfortunate. He maintained that the beleaguered Ministers leadership at the Health Ministry has been exceptional in the critical stages of the pandemic - hence, a need for Ghanaians to forgive him. He did what he did on behalf of Ghana so we must be patient with him. He is the same person who helped manage the COVID. He has erred but he should be forgiven. Calling for his dismissal shouldnt be an option, he intimated. The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. A. S.K Bagbin, has said as Leader of the House, he can only be impartial but he cannot be neutral. Speaking in reference to current issues before Parliament concerning the 2022 Budget and Financial Statement, the Speaker said the concept of majority rule should give way to participatory inclusiveness. Given the current changes, Parliament cannot continue to apply the old rules, procedures, culture and conduct whilst going through the transitional period, else the march towards democracy will be halted. He was speaking to the British High Commissioner in Accra, H.E. Harriet Thompson, who paid a courtesy call on him at Parliament with a delegation to understand the times in which Parliament finds itself, the need for a bi-partisan approach, and the experiences worth sharing. She also wanted to understand Parliaments perception of the various engagement with, and support for the institution. The Speaker underlined the need for continuous support for Ghanas Parliament in order to strengthen the institution in its work, and said democracy will thrive in the West African sub-region only if Ghanas democracy succeeds. If Ghana fails, others would fail as well, he said. Rt. Hon. Bagbin called for a mutually beneficial relationship between Ghana and the United Kingdom to ensure that the two countries support one another in their national agenda. He said Ghanas Parliament remains committed to strengthening ties with the United Kingdom, which had existed since Independence. That commitment, he said, transcends to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), whose mandate, Rt. Hon Bagbin believes must be reviewed. The CPA, he explained, must cease to exist as a charity organization and transition into an international diplomatic organization, facilitates economic diplomacy, strengthening of democracy and the promotion of fundamental human rights among member associations. Ultimately, he said, the CPA should create progressive links between member countries and the United Nations. Speaking on the nature of Ghanas hung parliament, the Minority Leader, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu saw the current composition of the House as a unique opportunity for Ghanas legislature to become more assertive and enhance the concept of checks and balances in the governance process. He stressed the need for more dialogue and consensus building between the two sides of the House in Ghana's democracy to be sustained and the interest of the citizens served. He expressed disquiet about the constant negative attacks by the majority group targeted at the person of the Speaker and said, that will not only traduce the Speakers character, image and reputation, but will only make consensus building difficult to attain and impact negatively on the ethos and integrity of the House. Hon. Ablakwa, was of the view that the interest demonstrated by Ghanaians in the work of Parliament will lead to a gradual shift of public perception from the belief that Ghanas legislature is a lame duck, weak institution and a rubber stamp for governments policies. Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has made a case for a review of the law that established the National Media Commission (NMC) to make it more powerful. This, he said will enable the commission function well in keeping journalists checked in accordance with the laws of the land. The speaker raised concerns against attempts by politicians to regulate the media through the Police. He said the Police cannot assume the role of ensuring responsible and ethical journalism. Often times, in your quest as journalists to try and disseminate the information in a timely manner to beat the deadline you make some mistakes. Information sometimes turn out not to be entirely accurate, you end up making some misrepresentations, at times impugning the integrity and reputation of others. The legal space and the legal regime for the media anticipated this and has prescribed a way out. That is why we have the National media commission (NMC) and Parliament will focus on the NMC. We need to urgently revise the law for the NMC for the commission to be effective. As a lawyer, in the early days of my practice and also my political life, I was compelled to take a number of media houses to court using the rule of law, not the rule of man. I dare say that any attempt by any politician hiding behind the Police institution to act as the standard bearer of ethical and professional journalism or a regulator of journalism practice in this country is not only a pretender, but also megalomaniac. The Police cannot assume the responsibility for responsible media practice in Ghana by scanning newspapers and news portals and arresting journalists for errors and misrepresentations, the Speaker said while speaking at the inauguration of the media centre in parliament. A Professor of Journalism, Kwame Karikari, has also said the Ghana Police Service is not the right institution to determine what false news is. He indicated that the Police is likely to be arbitrary in the act of determining what false news is hence, that should not be their function. Reacting to the recent arrests of some journalists in the country, the Former Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) said The law has been around for ages. Let me just say that there has been a lot of recklessness in our media and in public communication by too many people, both the media and politicians. There is a lot of recklessness. When we are defending people's freedoms of speech and media that is not to say that we are unaware of the unprofessionalism, the recklessness and the abuses of those freedoms. We are aware of them and we don't condone them but this law has been around for a very long time, why is it now that the Police are waking up this law and arresting journalists left and right? The kind of things or expressions that the Police are basing the law on to arrest these people, examples abound. When the Police is policing speeches, the tendency is for them to be arbitrary because in the cases we are talking about, you will notice that these expressions, based on which the people had been arrested, are all targeted at the Executive or government. But is the Police telling us that those media that belong to politicians favouring the government don't make any reckless statements against people in opposition and so on? In other words, in using such a law, the Police is the not right instrument to define what is false news. The Police intervening in matters of speech will almost always tend to be arbitrary and selective. In our part of the world, they are likely to do so only when it is in the interest and favour of the ruling government. He also refuted claims that Ghana is returning to the dark days of the culture of silence with these arrests. I will not say we are going back necessarily, to the very dark days of the culture of silence but when the Police intervene in policing speech their very participation in such an act drives so many people into silence because the image of the police is fear. I do not know what has happened that our police, especially now that Dr Dampare's administration, are beginning to gain quite some public approval and acclaim, they are suddenly on this mission of silencing media, he told Accra-based Citi on Monday, February 14. Meanwhile, the Police has said it is not putting fear into journalists and preventing them from doing their work following the arrests. The Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, ACP Kwesi Ofori for his part said the Police is only seeking to ensure responsible journalism in the country. The Police is not doing anything to put fear into the media or to prevent the media in its operations. All that we are saying is that the journalists must be responsible, should make sure that things put out are in line with good practices, he also said on the same platform. The Police received flak for arresting journalists including Accra FM's Bobie Ansah and Media General's Captain Smart for utterances they made in the line with their duties. For instance, three Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), IMANI Africa and Africa Center for International Law & Accountability (ACILA) expressed concerns about what they believed was the subtle re-introduction of the abolished Criminal Libel Law in Ghana. 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, a statement issued by the three CSOs said. ---3news.com It is now abundantly clear that the name of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has become synonymous with good delivery and success everywhere he has served since the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration came into office in 2017. He was made the Minister of Education during the first term of the administration and the records of his impeccable handling of Ghana's education will continue to remain in the minds of the current generation. Nana Akufo-Addo, after winning the 2020 presidential election, decided to make Dr. Prempeh, who is also the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South in the Ashanti Region, the Minister of Energy, and that decision has turned out to be very good, first for the current administration and second for the nation. The medical doctor, who is allergic to failure, has placed the energy sector on a pedestal such that the sector will no doubt soon witness the needed growth to promote Ghana's development. The minister, together with the heads of the various agencies under the energy sector, set some key objectives for the 2021-to-2024 period and commenced working on them one after the other. The objectives include stable, realistic and universally accessible electricity, availability of fuel and realistic pricing of petroleum products, increase crude oil reserves to improve revenue, local content and local participation in the energy sector and Ghana's energy transition. With the unambiguous game plan, the minister set to work and made additions to Ghana's total installed capacity for electricity. In 2020, it was 5,018 megawatts. It moved to 5,231 megawatts in 2021. New additions of Bridge Power generating 150 megawatts, Bui Solar generating 50 megawatts and Volta River Authority (VRA) Kaleo Solar generating 13 megawatts have been under the watch of Dr. Prempeh. To increase the availability of electricity generation and achieve price competiveness, the Ministry of Energy renegotiated all power purchasing agreements (PPAs) and shifted from capacity-based PPA to energy purchase on procurement of electricity. For power to be transmitted very well, power quality was highly improved in 2021 by introducing more Bulk Supply Points (BSPs), such as Kasoa and Pokuase, to improve the quality of power supply. Improving technical losses was also a major pre-occupation of the Minister of Energy, making him to make swift moves to upgrade power lines which became the 'Dum Sie Sie' agenda to reduce losses and increase transmission capacity. Power stability in the middle belt of Ghana was so crucial to Dr. Prempeh that the AMERI plant has been relocated to Kumasi to ensure that there is grid stability for the people in those areas. Losses associated with power distribution are being dealt with and in 2021, the minister designed various strategies to deal with the ugly situation. To improve revenue collection from electricity users beyond the 50% average for the two distribution companies, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), the Ministry of Energy introduced private sector participation to address commercial losses in the power distribution sector. The ministry and for that matter government also committed through the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) to improve transmission and distribution of electricity. In addition to that, there were Boundaries Metering for nine ECG operational regions to help reduce commercial loses. To increase reserves under petroleum upstream, Dr. Prempeh supervised government's full payment to Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) partners for the cost of the Takoradi-Tema interconnection project and with that Ghana will benefit from savings on Gas Price of at least $70million per annum. Under the petroleum upstream activities, the Ministry of Energy in 2021 supervised preparatory studies towards drilling of a well in the Voltarian Basin, unitisation of Afena and Sankofa fields to reduce cost of development and improve, in addition to Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), acquisition of 7% each of Anadarko's stake in Jubilee and TEN Field. In addition to that, Dr. Prempeh was deep in Eni's discovery of Oil in Eban-1X Well, as well as the invitation to tender for new blocks to increase oil and gas reserves, negotiations on acquisition of AKER Field and Tullow Oil's drill of seven wells. 2021 saw lots of activities in the downstream petroleum development, with the Cylinder Recirculation Model programme to improve safety and increased access to clean gas being implemented, as well as the National Petroleum Authority (NPA)'s aggressive strategy to reduce fuel smuggling and dumping. Under the watch of Dr. Prempeh, there are well- orchestrated plans to develop and improve gas infrastructure in the country and also, to increase the availability of petroleum products. On top of Dr. Prempeh's agenda was NPA's regulation of natural gas condensate fuel, integration of natural gas activities across the value chain to boost efficiency, an increase in the utilisation of gas in the country and increased investment in the downstream. There is a gas commercialization game plan under which the Tema LNG project, a strategic project to diversify and boost security of gas supply to the nation, is expected to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2022. The terminal will have the capacity to receive, re-gassify and deliver up to 400 mmscfd. Negotiations have commenced with N-Gas, the supplier of gas in the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), as part of government's effort to renegotiate existing gas agreements to lessen the take or pay burden. To rationalise electricity tariff, the Ministry of Energy is collaborating with the Public Utilities Regulatory (PURC) to rationalise electricity tariffs to achieve equity for all consumer categories, in addition to shifting from capacity-based PPA to energy purchase on procurement of electricity. The minister's commitment to local participation in the petroleum industry is clear, as he is supervising the Energy Commission in the establishment of Legislative Instruments (LI) to increase participation in the energy industry. LI 1835 will be for the power sector, while LI 2204 would cater for petroleum upstream. Renewable and Nuclear Energy Development is dear to the heart of Dr. Prempeh such that, in 2021, there were various steps to strengthen that area with data collection and assessment, to select a preferred site for the development of a nuclear power plant. The evaluation of the expressions of interest is ongoing to select a vendor country for the development of a nuclear power plant. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is committed to Ghana's nuclear power programme and has promised technical support. In 2021, the National Energy Transition Committee was commissioned to draft a transition plan for Ghana by the end of the first quarter of this year. The construction of three mini-grids at the Azizakpe, Aflive and Alorkpem islands in the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region has commenced as part of efforts to electrify 50 island communities and hard-to-reach areas with renewable energy technologies, while the Scaling Up Renewable Energy Programme (SREP) is being extended to include prioritized projects, such as solar streetlights and off-grid solar power projects for isolated communities. There is no gainsaying the fact that Dr. Prempeh took off smoothly in 2021 and with various strategies put in place, Ghana's energy sector will definitely blossom under his watch. By Ohenenana Kwaku Djan One of the two Broward deputies who took down teenager Delucca Rolle during a Tamarac melee in 2019 was justified in his use of force under the states stand your ground law, an appeals court ruled this week. The decision affirms the October 2020 ruling of Broward County Judge Jill K. Levy, who found that Sgt. Greg LaCerra was justified in spraying the teenager in the face with pepper spray and bringing the then-15-year-old boy to the ground to subdue him. Advertisement A second deputy, Christopher Krickovich, is still facing trial for battery after Levy found his conduct during the same arrest exceeded what was necessary to neutralize any perceived threat that Rolle posed. As it did with LaCerra, the Fourth District Court of Appeal last week upheld Levys ruling. [ RELATED: Appeals court denies stand your ground defense in Tamarac takedown ] Civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, who represents Rolles family, issued a statement condemning the ruling. Advertisement Floridas Stand Your Ground law was not created to justify clear excessive force by police officers against children, he said. It was to further the rights of citizens to defend themselves from bodily harm. We will not stop our fight for justice for Delucca. Defense lawyer Eric Schwartzreich, who represents LaCerra, was also the lawyer who defended Broward Sheriffs Deputy Peter Peraza, the first law enforcement officer in Florida to successfully invoke the Stand Your Ground defense for an on-duty use of force. Before that case, the law was interpreted to apply only to civilians. Rafael Olmeda may be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457. Follow him on Twitter @rolmeda [ RELATED: How Trayvon Martin case fueled attorney Ben Crump's rise as America's civil rights lawyer ] 18.02.2022 LISTEN Corporal Samson Kweku Darfour, a police officer involved in the Lamashegu shooting incident has been remanded into police custody by the Tamale Circuit Court. This was after he was put before the court and charged with unlawful discharge of weapons and causing harm. Officer Darfour is standing trial for allegedly shooting the driver of the Toyota Camry salon car at the Lamashegu chief's palace causing mayhem as a result. He is expected to reappear in court on February 24, 2022. Meanwhile, another police officer, Monney Koranteng has been put before the Tamale Circuit Court and granted a GHS5,000 bail with two sureties. The police officer is also alleged to have used derogatory comments on the Lamashegu chief palace. He has been charged with offensive conduct conducive to the bridge of peace and will reappear in court on February 28, 2022. A Facebook post by the police officer Monney Koranteng sighted by DGN Online read Kamal Frantic God will punish you for telling lies here. Nobody brutalized anyone because I'm here. You abducted a police officer in your dirty palace and seized his rifle. When re-enforcement came you were throwing stones Moa. This statement by the police officer angered the chiefs and people of Tamale who subsequently called for his immediate arrest for disrespecting the chief. Meanwhile, one of the shooting incident victims, 18-year-old Abdul Hakim Yakubu, a Junior High School (JHS) graduate who was hit and killed by a stray bullet during the riot has been laid to rest according to Islamic rites. It would be recalled that on February 13, 2022, there was a clash between some youth of Lamashegu, a suburb of Tamale, and the police in the Northern region. The clash started when a driver of an unregistered white salon car refused to stop for the police to carry out routine checks which resulted in the police chasing the vehicle and shooting the driver in the waist. This infuriated the youth in the area and they mobilized at the Lamashegu chief's palace, where the driver of the vehicle was shot, to attack the police who also started firing warning shots that hit another person in the mouth. Interdiction In a swift reaction, the police administration has interdicted six officers and ordered an investigation into the incident. The six interdicted officers are Corporal Samson Kweku Darfour, Corporal Prosper Mormesimu, General Constable Harrison Twum Danso, Constable Matthew Sah, Constable Nuhu Muntari, and Constable Doris Serwaa Bonsu. --- The Central regional arm of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on Ghanaians to treat with contempt the motion filed by some New Patriotic Party (NPP) members of parliament asking for a probe into the death of Prof. John Evans Atta Mills. The NDC accuses Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh and his three other NPP colleagues of pushing for the probe into the passing of the former Ghana president to cover up their incompetence. "Parliament and all well-meaning Ghanaians to roundly treat with contempt the preposterous call for a probe into the death of H.E Professor J. E. A. Mills by Hon. Annoh-Dompreh and his frustrated colleagues. We want to put on record that, a shake-up of the NPP leadership in parliament is imminent, the NPP is considering changes in their parliamentary leadership because of their shambolic and abysmal performance. This is certainly pushing Frank Annoh-Dompreh to pretend to be working in order to protect his majority Chief Whip position in parliament, a statement from the NDC in the Central Region issued on Thursday, February 17, has said. The statement adds, It is trite knowledge that Annoh-Dompreh goes into history as the first Majority Chief Whip of a ruling party under the 4th Republic to have failed to elect a Speaker of Parliament as well as his inability to leverage his position for the approval of the government's budget. In fact, the depth of his lack of success and incompetence as a Chief Whip are immeasurably woeful. Like a drowning man trying to clutch at a straw, it is not surprising he is adopting such a roguish and jaundiced approach to save his face. Read the full release from the NDC in the Central Region below: We call on the Speaker of Parliament and all well-meaning Ghanaians to roundly treat with contempt the preposterous call for a probe into the death of H.E Professor J. E. A. Mills by Hon. Annoh-Dompreh and his frustrated colleagues. We want to put on record that, a shake-up of the NPP leadership in parliament is imminent, the NPP is considering changes in their parliamentary leadership because of their shambolic and abysmal performance. This is certainly pushing Frank Annoh-Dompreh to pretend to be working in order to protect his majority Chief Whip position in parliament. It is trite knowledge that Annoh-Dompreh goes into history as the first Majority Chief Whip of a ruling party under the 4th Republic to have failed to elect a Speaker of Parliament as well as his inability to leverage his position for the approval of the government's budget. In fact, the depth of his lack of success and incompetence as a Chief Whip are immeasurably woeful. Like a drowning man trying to clutch at a straw, it is not surprising he is adopting such a roguish and jaundiced approach to save his face. It is also important to put on record that: 1. Prof. Mills' death was adequately investigated and a copy of the autopsy report was made available to the family. A copy of the report is with the brother of President Mills, Hon. Samuel Atta Mills, Member of Parliament for the KEEA Constituency who is a colleague member of Parliament. The most prudent decision to take as a responsible Member of Parliament and a leader of his Caucus in Parliament was to contact his colleague MP for information pertaining to the cause of death of his brother if his intent for calling for this probe was not diabolical. 2. We challenge Annoh Dompreh and his colleagues to marshal the courage to also call for a probe into the mysterious death of Mr Kwabena Boadu, an aide to Dr Alhaji Bawumia who died under very bizarre circumstances. There were a lot of hanging issues surrounding the tragic death of Kwabena Boadu and an NPP Member of Parliament, Hon. JB Dankwa which Ghanaians are equally interested in unravelling the mysteries behind those tragic deaths. There would, therefore, be the need for Annoh-Dompreh and his fiendish cohorts to gather the courage to request for a bipartisan probe into those unfortunate and untimely deaths as well. The first fittingkey plant will be delivered to either Senegal or Rwanda in the second half of this year, according to BioNTech. BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin, his wife and company co-founder Ozlem Tureci, and Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo. They met in Marburg, Germany, where BioNTech on Wednesday unveiled the modular design, which consists of shipping containers equipped with the necessary equipment to produce the company's mRNA-based coronavirus vaccine. The German vaccine maker BioNTech, which partnered with Pfizer to develop the first generally approved vaccine against COVID-19, unveiled plans on Wednesday, the 16 February, to set up production facilities in Africa that would improve the availability of much-needed drugs on the continent. The modular concept, unveiled at a ceremony in Germany, consists of shipping containers equipped with the equipment needed to produce the company's mRNA-based vaccine, except for the "fill and finish", thus the final step of filling the doses into bottles. "Our goal is to enable mRNA production on all continents," BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin told The Associated Press. BioNTech has been criticized by some campaign groups for refusing to suspend its vaccine patents and let competitors manufacture the vaccines to make them more available, especially in poor countries. The company argues that mRNA vaccines are difficult to produce and that it prefers to work with local partners to ensure consistent quality of vaccines worldwide. "Even when working with world-class companies, it takes three to four months to ensure that they are fit as to the "know-how" for filling and processing is transferred," Sahin said. And of course, we have limited capacity to do all the technology transfer." The first fittingkey plant will be delivered to either Senegal or Rwanda in the second half of this year, according to BioNTech. The goal is to begin producing up to 50 million doses of vaccine per year within 12 months, subject to approval by local authorities. That's just a fraction of the 1.2 billion doses the company produced in Marburg last year. But the vaccines produced in the target country would likely be used there and in other African Union nations at a non-profit price, BioNTech CEO said. According to BioNTech, it would initially staff and operate the facilities, but would later transfer expertise to local partners to enable independent operation. The system, which consists of 12 containers, could easily be expanded and modified in the future to produce drugs for other diseases such as malaria, cancer or tuberculosis as they become available. CEO, Sahin said, the modular system would also allow customization of the vaccine manufacturing process. We could end up with vaccines that require a lower dose or a different formulation. World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed BioNTech's plan to increase vaccine production on the continent, saying it would complement the World Health Organization's efforts to promote the use of mRNA technology in South Africa and elsewhere. WHO last year took the unusual step of partnering with local companies and scientists to essentially replicate U.S. company Moderna's mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine. Sahin said BioNTech has no problem with other approaches. "The more solutions that are available, the better the situation," he told the Associated Press. We want to make our innovation available to people worldwide, If others have similar goals, that's perfect. Despite efforts to bring millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Africa through an international donor mechanism, only about 11 percent of the continent's population has received the vaccination, compared to the global average of about 50 percent. "Given the emergence and spread of variants, the pandemic will not be over until it is over everywhere," said Michel Sidibe, the African Union's special representative for the African Medicines Agency. This initiative will hopefully expand mRNA vaccine production in Africa. Francis Tawiah (Duisburg - Germany) The Central Regional arm of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has challenged the four NPP MPs that have filed a motion for a probe into the death of Prof. John Evans Atta Mills to do same to unravel the mystery behind the killing of JB Dankwa. On Thursday, February 17, 2022, four NPP MPs led by Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh filed a private members motion to demand a bi-partisan probe into the death of John Evans Atta-Mills. The other three NPP MPs include Tolon MP Habib Iddrisu, Mpraeso MP Davis Opoku Ansah, and Tema Central MP Yves Hanson Nortey. The MPs want to have clarity on what led to the death of late Prof. Mills who died on July 24, 2012. In a statement reacting to the motion, the NDC in the Central Region has described it as a move by Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP Annoh-Dompreh to cover up his incompetence. According to the NDC, there was closure to the investigations into the death of Prof. John Evans Atta Mills and hence the NPP MPs should rather file for a probe into the unsolved murder case of the late JB Dankwa. We challenge Annoh Dompreh and his colleagues to marshal the courage to also call for a probe into the mysterious death of Mr. Kwabena Boadu, an aide to Dr. Alhaji Bawumia who died under very bizarre circumstances. There were a lot of hanging issues surrounding the tragic death of Kwabena Boadu and an NPP Member of Parliament, Hon. JB Dankwa which Ghanaians are equally interested in unravelling the mysteries behind those tragic deaths. There would, therefore, be the need for Annoh-Dompreh and his fiendish cohorts to gather the courage to request for a bipartisan probe into those unfortunate and untimely deaths as well, parts of the NDC statement reads. The NDC wants Ghanaians to treat the motion filed by the four NPP MPs for an inquest into the death of Prof. Mills with contempt. We call on the Speaker of Parliament and all well-meaning Ghanaians to roundly treat with contempt the preposterous call for a probe into the death of H.E Professor J. E. A. Mills by Hon. Annoh-Dompreh and his frustrated colleagues, the statement adds. Read the full statement below: We call on the Speaker of Parliament and all well-meaning Ghanaians to roundly treat with contempt the preposterous call for a probe into the death of H.E Professor J. E. A. Mills by Hon. Annoh-Dompreh and his frustrated colleagues. We want to put on record that, a shake-up of the NPP leadership in parliament is imminent, the NPP is considering changes in their parliamentary leadership because of their shambolic and abysmal performance. This is certainly pushing Frank Annoh-Dompreh to pretend to be working in order to protect his majority Chief Whip position in parliament. It is trite knowledge that Annoh-Dompreh goes into history as the first Majority Chief Whip of a ruling party under the 4th Republic to have failed to elect a Speaker of Parliament as well as his inability to leverage his position for the approval of the government's budget. In fact, the depth of his lack of success and incompetence as a Chief Whip are immeasurably woeful. Like a drowning man trying to clutch at a straw, it is not surprising he is adopting such a roguish and jaundiced approach to save his face. It is also important to put on record that: 1. Prof. Mills' death was adequately investigated and a copy of the autopsy report was made available to the family. A copy of the report is with the brother of President Mills, Hon. Samuel Atta Mills, Member of Parliament for the KEEA Constituency who is a colleague member of Parliament. The most prudent decision to take as a responsible Member of Parliament and a leader of his Caucus in Parliament was to contact his colleague MP for information pertaining to the cause of death of his brother if his intent for calling for this probe was not diabolical. 2. We challenge Annoh Dompreh and his colleagues to marshal the courage to also call for a probe into the mysterious death of Mr Kwabena Boadu, an aide to Dr Alhaji Bawumia who died under very bizarre circumstances. There were a lot of hanging issues surrounding the tragic death of Kwabena Boadu and an NPP Member of Parliament, Hon. JB Dankwa which Ghanaians are equally interested in unravelling the mysteries behind those tragic deaths. There would, therefore, be the need for Annoh-Dompreh and his fiendish cohorts to gather the courage to request for a bipartisan probe into those unfortunate and untimely deaths as well. The Minority in Parliament says the consistent absence of the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and his Deputy, Alexander Afenyo-Markin from the house to present business statements worrying. According to the Minority, the failure of the Majority leadership to be present and punctual in recent times affects the conduct of business in the house. Expressing his concern on the floor of Parliament on Friday, February 18, 2022, the Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka offered to read the business statement on behalf of the Majority Leader since he serves as a member of the business committee. It may sound like proving too difficult, but the challenge is that, you can't have a majority side that knows that we are to sit at 10 o'clock, and you only have the Majority Chief Whip there. Look at the Majority side, how many people are there? And when they come they still want to be varying the business and be doing things at will, time and convenience, he said. But the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, appealed to the Minority Chief Whip to exercise restraint for the leadership of the Majority. He explained that since the Minority Chief Whip is not part of government, he may not be able to address some issues regarding the business statement, hence he cannot be made to present the statement on behalf of the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu. Under the circumstances, I would want to plead with you to exercise some patience At the appropriate time I know if the Majority Leader himself doesn't come, the deputy will come so that he can come and take the business statement. [If you take the statement] The follow-up questions may not be answered perfectly because you do not know how the government is working, he pleaded. ---citinewsroom Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum says French and European special forces can cross into its territory from neighbouring Mali to combat jihadists and boost security near the border with the West African state. Bazoum's comments came a day after France announced it would begin withdrawing troops from Mali, along with its military allies Bazoum said the forces would be able to respond to threats from jihadist militant groups in the area. "Our goal is for our border with Mali to be secure," Bazoum said on Twitter on Friday, adding that he expected threats from the militant groups to rise in the area following the departure of the troops. "This area will be even more infested and the terrorist groups will strengthen. We know that they are destined to extend their influence," Bazoum said. Some 2,400 French troops that were part of the forces deployed in Mali to combat groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State, and around 900 special forces in the French-led Takuba task force, are expected to leave Mali in the next six months. Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have struggled to contain the armed groups that have killed hundreds, displaced millions and made swathes of territory in the tri-border West African Sahel area ungovernable. Maikol Zodi, a leader of a movement that has been leading protests against foreign troops in Niger, said on Thursday that their presence was illegal. "It is unacceptable and intolerable to accept this redeployment on our territory. If they do, we will treat them as an occupying force," Zodi said. New threats Bazoum said countries, including those in the coastal areas that participated in discussions on Wednesday in Paris, were unanimous in their decision which would lead to the presence of foreign troops in a number of countries who request it. Benin and other coastal states have seen increased attacks in recent weeks from militants along the border area with the Sahel countries. "In view of recent developments in Benin, it is clear that these countries have needs. It is foreseeable that a certain number of these forces will be deployed in these regions in the face of these new threats, as well as in Niger," he said. On Friday, French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Mali's capacity to fight against armed groups on its territory is now a Malian issue. "This is a Malian problem, no longer a French problem", he told LCI television. (with Reuters) The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has said the call for a probe into the death of President John Evans Atta Mills is a diversionary tactic by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to sway attention from the controversial e-levy, which has been topical in Ghana for weeks. Its a diversionary move, he told Accra100.5FMs morning show Ghana Yensom on Friday, 18 February 2022, adding that the NPP are very good at employing that strategy in terms of difficulty. He wondered what mystery the NPP was seeking to unravel, for which the party wants to have Prof Mills death probed. Some four MPs of the majority caucus filed a private members motion to demand a bi-partisan probe into the death of Prof Mills. Led by Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the other three among the group include Tolon MP Habib Iddrisu, Mpraeso MP Davis Opoku Ansah, and Tema Central MP Yves Hanson Nortey. Prof Mills died on 24 July 2012 after returning from a trip to the US where he had undergone medical checks. He was 68 years old. It is still not clear what killed Prof Mills since there have been various accounts from family members, close associates, and his political allies. In recent times, his aide, Koku Anyidoho, who is the Executive Director of the Atta Mills Institute, has been demanding a probe into the late presidents death ---Classfmonline.com The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour-Awuah has indicated that while there is no doubt that Ghana is faced with a big issue of unemployment, the situation here is far better than in other places in Europe. Speaking on the floor of parliament, the minister explained that the West African sub-region has a better situation and should not be considered as a bad one. Another revealing fact is that I do not deny the fact that we have unemployment situation on our hand but [the] unemployment rate in Sub-Sahara Africa than in North Africa and in Europe, he said. Ignatius Baffour-Awuah further explained that the only difference with these situations in the sub-region and other places like Europe is that the latter has systems that effectively document such statistics on jobs. The reason being that in those advanced countries, they have systems of reporting and indeed, any person that is not employed can access unemployment benefits whereas in Sub-Sahara Africa, these things are not there so even if the person is unemployed, any work he or she lays hands-on, they avail themselves for it, he added. ---happyghana.com Communication Team Member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Emmanuel Anyimah a.k.a Ellembele K.K, has touted former President Mahama for having made immense contributions to Ghanas development in 4 years as compared to President Akufo-Addos 5 years. He claims President Mahamas achievements were vast right from the economy to infrastructure making him comparable to none. President Mahamas achievements are vast than that of Nana Addo. What he achieved in 4 years Nana Addo has not achieved in 5 years and will not achieve by the end of his 8-year term. Comparing former President Mahama to President Akufo-Addo is like comparing an iPhone to a China phone. The difference between their accomplishments is big and I am surprised this comparison is made, he told Happy98.9FMs Don Kwabena Prah in the Epa Hoa Daben political talk show. According to him, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is filled with hypocrites who always fail to acknowledge how well former President Mahama managed the economy. The NPP has now destroyed the sound economy we left them and I prefer they focus on reviving it and making it better. Former President John Dramani Mahama has taken on the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) over what he calls a total collapse of the economy. Former President Mahama said President Nana Akufo-Addo and his head of the economic management team had failed to make pragmatic decisions aimed at salvaging Ghanas fragile economy. He said the government had also resorted to unhelpful political posturing over suggestions on how to stem the downward spiral, ensure discipline, and help the economy recover. The former Presidents comment comes in the wake of Moodys and Fitch downgrade of Ghanas credit rating. Moodys downgraded Ghanas long-term issuer and senior unsecured debt ratings to Caa1 from B3, and changed the outlook from negative to stable. It said the new rating reflects the woes of Ghana in fixing its liquidity and debt challenges. The government has declared intentions of revitalizing the economy through the introduction of the electronic transfer levy. ---happyghana.com Some concerned members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Assin South Constituency have described the alleged ongoing clandestine moves to prevent some members of the Party from contesting in the upcoming polling station election as a recipe for disaster. According to them, the woes of the party will further deepen if the "wicked and evil manipulations" of the nameless and self-serving puddles are not stopped before it consumes the party. Briefing the media on Friday at Nyankomasi-Ahenkro, Mr Nathaniel Koomson, the spokesperson for the aggrieved members called on the national leadership of the Party to immediately intervene. "The party must stop the ongoing devilish moves to prevent the scores of enthusiastic party faithful who have worked tirelessly for the party your years from contesting. We demand sincere leadership that is impartial and dedicated to upholding the tenets of democracy, particularly fair elections. We know they are determined to go all out to prevent many from contesting but we only plead for the processes before, during and after the election fair. It should not be overlooked that, the results of this impending election has huge potential on subsequent elections. We know they want to stop many people in major communities along the highway extending from Nyankoma-Darmang-Adubiase for reasons best known to them but that will not happen, he said. He also appeal to Mr Frederick Owusu Aduomi, Constituency Chairman, Mr Daniel Appiani, Chairman, Assin South Elections Committee, Mr Elvis Bosomtwe, Secretary to the Elections Committee, Mr Vincent Darkwa, Research Officer among others to immediately intervene to save any electoral catastrophe in the constituency. He said: "We know all their plans, several meetings, conference calls and shameless messages in their whatapp groups." "It is unfortunate and heartbreaking that the cruel and insensitive political manipulations are led by so-called " men of God and some experienced and respectable seasoned politicians who have sold their political conscience. We have our searchlight on them and we will meet them squarely," the group said. Mr Koomson expressed surprise about how some constituency executives among other faceless people are spearheading the unfortunate and mind-boggling agenda. He expressed their unflinching resolve to resist all political oppressors whose personal and parochial interest override their sense of fair judgement. "The Party prides itself as the pioneer of Ghanas democratic dispensation with development in freedom as its accolade, hence it should not subvert the Constitution," he stated. Mr Koomson said Article 3(f) of the party constitution states that: A Member may be suspended from membership of the Party, or holding any office in the Party, pending an inquiry into his or her conduct by a Disciplinary Committee. According to him, any decision to suspend a member shall not be taken unless the nature of the complaint has been communicated to the Member in writing, and disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against such member. Mr Koomson called on all prospective polling station aspirants to remain dedicated to the course of the party. They should also impress upon their constituency executives to ensure all members are not denied the opportunity to serve their party and Ghana. TALLAHASSEE A proposal that would increase homestead property-tax exemptions for teachers, military members and first responders is ready to be considered by the Florida House. The State Affairs Committee on Thursday approved a pair of linked measures (HJR 1 and HB 1563) that could reduce non-school property tax revenue by more than $90 million a year. Advertisement Sponsor Josie Tomkow, R-Polk City, said the proposal is one piece to the puzzle in making Florida the most desirable state for homeownership for not only these individuals but everyone who wants to come to our great state. Rep. Dotie Joseph, a North Miami Democrat who voted for the measures, said the state needs to do more to make Florida affordable for all residents. Advertisement The issues being addressed in this bill are not just faced by the professions that were selected in this bill, Joseph said. Bob McKee, a Florida Association of Counties lobbyist, said the proposal would shift more of the tax burden to non-homeowners, businesses and some people in the targeted professions who are renters. Currently, homeowners can qualify for a homestead tax exemption on the first $25,000 of the appraised value of property. They also can qualify for a $25,000 homestead exemption on the value between $50,000 and $75,000. Any higher property value is taxable. Under the proposal, residents could receive an additional $50,000 exemption if they are teachers, law enforcement officers, correctional officers, firefighters, child-welfare services professionals or members of the U.S. armed forces or the Florida National Guard. The exemption would apply to the propertys value between $100,000 and $150,000. The current exemption for the value between $50,000 and $75,000 doesnt apply to property taxes collected for school districts, and neither would Tomkows proposal. If lawmakers pass the proposal during the legislative session that will end next month, it would need to receive voter approval during the November elections. The Senate version (SJR 1746 and SB 1748) has been approved by one committee. Ghana's Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has added his voice to growing concerns over the arrest of journalists in recent times. He says detaining journalists over allegations of false publications and misreporting is archaic and must not be entertained. For the Speaker, such incidents are not criminal matters, but civil. Speaking at the commissioning of the Parliamentary Press Corps Centre, the Speaker urged the police to use the appropriate means in dealing with such issues. If the writings of journalists affect people, they know what to do. Do they have recourse to the law? These are civil matters; they are not criminal. I am not for the moment holding brief for the unprofessional conduct of journalists. There is a cure for it in our current legal regime. The increasing tendency on the part of the police to arrest journalists for what they describe as mistakes is old-school, its anachronistic. It is sending this country into the dark ages of media persecution. Within three weeks, four journalists and activists have been arrested by the police, often for allegations they made on radio or on social media, which according to the police are false. The arrested persons include; Accra FM's Bobie Ansah, Power FM's Oheneba Boamah Bennie, and the Executive Director of the Alliance For Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mensah Thompson who were all slapped with the charge of publication of false news and offensive conduct. The development has reignited conversations on whether Ghana has returned to the dark days of criminal libel where many journalists were incarcerated over publications they made. Police Service not targeting journalists for arrest The Director-General of Public Affairs at the Ghana Police Service, DCOP Kwesi Ofori, has debunked claims that the police are targeting journalists for arrest in a wave of actions to intimidate them. According to him, the police's actions are purely based on their compliance with the law. DCOP Kwesi Ofori said the police have remained fair, firm and professional in their handling of cases of arrests, not limited to journalists . All that we are saying is that the journalists must be responsible and make sure that things put out are information that is true and accurate. When things are done haphazardly, it creates a problem for everyone, he said. I think the police are being fair to all manner of persons in this country. When a case is lodged and it can be referred to in our criminal code, the law is there and they have not been repealed, it is not about people in authority, anybody can report that case, he said. The police officer said to the extent that Section 207 and Section 208 of the Criminal offences code are active and not repealed, the police has a duty to enforce it and hold those who fall foul accountable. He said the police believes that the court is the final and a credible arbiter, and so persons who are aggrieved or believe the police do not have the power to effect an arrest in some of the circumstances can sue. citinewsroom The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, has called for an urgent revision of the law to make the work of the National Media Commission (NMC) more effective. According to the Speaker, Parliament will focus on the work of the NMC to enable it work effectively as the regulator of journalism practice across the country. Speaking at the inauguration of the Media Centre in Parliament on Friday, 18 February 2022, Mr Bagbin noted that journalists, sometimes, err in their reportage while trying to be the first to break the news and the NMCs duty is to ensure that such occurrences are minimised. Often times, in your quest, as journalists, to try and disseminate the information in a timely manner to beat the deadline, you make some mistakes. Information, sometimes, turn out not to be entirely accurate. You end up making some misrepresentations, at times impugning the integrity and reputation of others. The legal space and the legal regime for the media anticipated this and has prescribed a way out. That is why we have the National Media Commission (NMC) and Parliament will focus on the NMC. We need to urgently revise the law for the NMC for the commission to be effective. The Speaker also condemned the recent attempts by politicians to regulate the practice of journalism in Ghana, instead of allowing the rule of law to work. As a lawyer, in the early days of my practice and also my political life, I was compelled to take a number of media houses to court using the rule of law, not the rule of man, he said. I dare say that any attempt by any politician hiding behind the Police institution to act as the standard-bearer of ethical and professional journalism or a regulator of journalism practice in this country is not only a pretender but also megalomaniac, the Speaker stated. -classfmonline.com Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, has condemned the use of the police service by megalomanic politicians to enforce ethical and professional journalism through arrests. Three journalists have suffered that fate in less than a month. Media Generals radio and TV presenter Captain Smart was recently arrested and put in cells for alleged extortion despite being granted bail by a court of competent jurisdiction. A few days ago, Power FM and TV XYZ, Mr Oheneba Boamah Bennie, was also jailed for 14 days in connection with some statements he made about the president and his family. Just last week, another presenter with Accra100.5FM, Mr Kwabena Bobie Ansah, was also arrested for false publication. Condemning the arrests at the inauguration of the Media Centre in Parliament on Friday, 18 February 2022, Mr Bagbin said for allegations of misreporting; allegations that can be considered as misdemeanours; you proceed to arrest the person, hijack the person by the dress, got the person into cells. That belongs to yesteryears not today. He said people who feel aggrieved by the comments or publications of journalists have a constitutionally guaranteed right to use civil procedures to seek redress at the appropriate quarters and, so, the arrests of the police are needless. Those who know the writings of journalists, when it offends them, know what to do. They have recourse to the law. Those are civil matters. They are not criminal, he noted, but clarified: Im not for a moment holding brief for irresponsible and unprofessional conduct of journalists. I am simply saying that there is a cure in our current legal regime, Mr Bagbin explained, noting: The tendency on the part of the police to arrest journalists for what they describe as mistakes, is old school. Its turning this country into the dark ages of media persecution. The former Nadowli-Kaleo MP also said the police cannot in any way be used to enforce ethics and professionalism in journalism practice. I dare say that any attempt by any politician hiding behind the police institution to enforce ethical and professional journalism or use the law enforcement body as the regulator of journalism practice in this country, is not only a pretender but also megalomanic. The police cannot assume responsibility for responsible practice in Ghana by scanning newspapers and news and arresting journalists for errors and misrepresentations. I dont know how our Police CID was trained that if there is an allegation made against a citizen, the first thing is to arrest that citizen. I dont know where they got that law from. We invite the citizen and the citizen would voluntarily appear before you and discuss the situation but when the citizen is refusing or failing to do so. And you have evidence that the citizen wants to escape from the ambit of the law that you can proceed and arrest the citizen, he added. -Classfmonline.com The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin has condemned the recent Police arrest of journalists in the country. Speaking at the inauguration of the Media Centre in Parliament on Friday, February 18, 2022, the Speaker said the arrests are taking Ghana back to the dark ages of media persecution. According to Speaker Bagbin, while he will not support the unprofessional conduct of journalists, civil cases should not be made criminal. The allegations of misreporting, allegations that can be considered as misdemeanors you proceed to arrest the person hijack the person by the dress the got the person into cells. That belongs to yesteryears not today. Those who know the writings of journalists when it offends them, know what to do. They have recourse to the law. Those are civil matters they are not criminal, Im not for a moment holding brief for irresponsible and unprofessional conduct of journalists, Speaker Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin shared. The Speaker continued, I am simply saying that there is a cure in our current legal regime. The tendency on the part of the Police to arrest journalists for what they describe as mistakes is old school. Its turning this country into the dark ages of media persecution. In recent times, the Police have arrested several media personnel including Media General Radio and TV presenter, Captain Smart, as well as Kwabena Bobie Ansah of Accra FM. 18.02.2022 LISTEN Beneficiaries of the governments Youth in Afforestation programme say they are yet to receive their allowances as promised by government. Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, John Alottey, on February 15, 2022, assured the youth that they will be paid this week after they had picketed in front of the Forestry Commission. The assurance is that by this week, you will be paid. By the close of the day, I will be able to confirm the number of months, he said. But the youth say they are yet to receive payment from the Commission. The Convener of the Youth in Afforestation, Bossman Adu Twum Annin, told Citi News the group was promised two months allowance this week and the other two months to be paid later. Yesterday [Thursday], I called to confirm, and they said today [Friday]. I made another call this [Friday] morning, and they said I should wait till the close of day. I told them by 5:00 pm, I will check our accounts to confirm whether the money is in the accounts, if not, we would meet with our members on Monday again to see the way forward. Some personnel of the program on Monday, February 14, 2022, picketed in front of the Forestry Commission office in Accra to press home their demands over stipends owed them for more than 4 months, and also demand better working conditions. They wielded placards with inscriptions such as: No long talk, pay us our money o, No allowance, No Green Ghana, We are hungry, no money to feed our families, pay us oo, amongst others to express their concerns. Adding to the complaints, the Convener stated that each person is to plant 300 trees a day to aid government achieve its aim of planting more trees. We are not slaves, the government should pay us. Imagine people coming from far distances to work. We are suffering from hunger and facing humiliation from our landlords. We need to pay schools fees as well. They warned that if their stipends are not paid them, they would sabotage the government's Green Ghana Project. ---citinewsroom The leader of Tanzania's main opposition party will stand trial for terrorism, a high court judge ruled Friday, in a case his supporters brand a politically-motivated move to crush dissent. Chadema party chairman Freeman Mbowe was arrested last July 21 along with a number of other senior party officials, in a night-time police raid just hours before they were to hold a public forum to demand constitutional reforms in the East African country. The 60-year-old, who has accused police of torturing him during nearly seven months in custody, was charged with terrorism financing and conspiracy. After prosecutors finished filing evidence against Mbowe earlier this week, speculation mounted that the court in Dar es Salaam might release the politician, ending a saga which has raised concerns about the state of democracy and rule of law under President Samia Suluhu Hassan. But on Friday, Judge Joachim Tiganga said Mbowe and three other suspects would have to face trial, a ruling denounced by Chadema. Supporters wore white T-shirts in solidarity with Tanzanian opposition leader Freeman Mbowe. By ERICKY BONIPHACE AFP "I have spent two days to go through the evidence provided by the prosecution... The court believes that all the accused have a case to answer," the judge said. The next hearing is scheduled for March 4, when Mbowe and the other suspects will open their defence. Crowds of supporters cheered Mbowe as he arrived at the court, with representatives from foreign embassies also present at the hearing. 'Bad day for justice' Chadema vowed it would continue to fight for "justice" for Mbowe. "Today is another bad day in the history of Tanzanian justice," party secretary general John Mnyika told journalists at Chadema headquarters, where he and other supporters wore white T-shirts emblazoned with the words "No case to answer". "This is a clear result of having a bad constitution that does not guarantee freedom of the judiciary." Mbowe's arrest dimmed hopes that Hassan would turn the page on the autocratic rule of her predecessor John Magufuli, nicknamed the "Bulldozer" for his uncompromising style and crackdown on dissent. Chadema has accused Hassan's government of meddling in the case and said the arrests reflected a deepening slide into "dictatorship". In recent days however, the government has made seemingly conciliatory overtures to the opposition. On Wednesday, Hassan met in Brussels with Chadema's deputy chairman Tundu Lissu, who was the party's candidate in the 2020 presidential election but lives in exile in Belgium following an attempt on his life in 2017. Last week, the government lifted a Magufuli-era ban on four Swahili-language newspapers, including Daima -- a daily owned by Mbowe. During former president John Magufuli's rule, the increasingly autocratic ruler had cracked down on the media and free speech. By Daniel Hayduk AFPFile Prosecutors had said the allegations against Mbowe do not relate to the constitutional reform conference Chadema had planned to hold in the port city of Mwanza in July last year, but to alleged offences last year in another part of Tanzania. Chadema has said prosecutors accuse Mbowe of conspiring to attack a public official, and giving 600,000 Tanzanian shillings ($260, 230 euros) towards blowing up petrol stations and public gatherings and cutting down trees to block roads. Desperate people do desperate things as we know, therefore, the hopeless and incompetent NPP government has once again brought the topic to investigate the circumstances leading to the death of former Ghanaian president, John Atta-Mills. However, it seems this time they have got it wrong since the ex-presidents brother has come out to speak against that decision. According to him, its completely wrong for one Annoh Dompreh to do that and asked why every year they like to remind them of a painful experience? You see, I dont know why the NPP always resorts to such dirty propaganda against John Mahama as the only means to deny him the chances of becoming president again. However, the majority of Ghanaians are now very smart, they don't fall to such cheap propaganda anymore. While all such things are taking place daily, nobody cares about the problems it can cause in the country. Yet, the so-called Christian elders went to see Mahama over the fraudulent E-Levy to be passed by parliament. What has become of Ghana as a country? And which destructive point does the NPP want to drive the country to again despite all the harm they have already done? Those who claim to be prophets in Ghana cant see the real carnage taking place to speak about it? Or are they scared to speak because they have been warned? Oliver Barker-Vormawor has been arrested and accused of threatening to stage a coup against the government if the E-Levy is passed by Parliament. He has been denied bail but the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye was given bail after accusing the ex-president of collaboration with Al-Qaida, to plot a coup. This is a very serious accusation that should have denied Abronye any bail but he was given because he is an NPP politician, while Oliver Barker-Vormawor was denied because he is for the NDC. That is the kind of law practiced in Ghana and they are proud of doing a great job of denying people equal rights and justice. Imagine what Ken Agyapong said against Ahmed Hussein-Suale before he was brutally killed. The NPP Member of Parliament for Assin Central said he will pay anyone who will beat up the journalist, yet no one arrested him. Ken Agyapong also said the Inspector General of Police, Dampare, knows the one who killed J. B. Danquah but he wasnt arrested for that. He further threatened to burn down the houses of John Mahama and Asiedu Nketiah, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress and as we know he wasnt arrested for that threat. So we need to ask if any law exists in Ghana and if it exists is anyone above the law? We also want to know if the law in Ghana needs to incarcerate NDC offenders and release NPP offenders. I have no power or authority to do anything about the political injustices taking place in Ghana but I will remind them that whatever goes around comes around, therefore, they will get their payback at the right time. Residents in Enchi in the Aowin Municipal Assembly of the Western North Region have appealed to the chiefs and elders in the Aowin Traditional Area to forge ahead in unity to facilitate development and improve upon the quality of life of the citizens. They pointed out that the government alone could not bring the needed development to the area and that it was only through unity that the people could build a formidable traditional state. According to the residents who spoke in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, the levels of chieftaincy disputes were fast destroying the security in the area and therefore expressed worry over the rising levels of chieftaincy disputes. They said the few troubled spots in the Municipality were because of chieftaincy disputes and pointed out that the Municipality, which had an enviable reputation of being very peaceful, was losing grounds on that title due to some of these conflicts, the cost of which was huge and a detriment to development. Oyoko Abusuapayin Kofi Assan, who spoke to the GNA lamented that the issues of chieftaincy disputes were the major problem bedeviling the Traditional Area and called on the chiefs to help find a lasting solution to it. The more we fight, the more people cannot even have access to lands for development. Now when you get to the Traditional Council and they are fighting, who will have the time to register your land for you? So how can people have access to lands if they wanted to invest? he asked. He said for the past three years they have witnessed several chieftaincy disputes in the area and the worrying situation is where chiefs from different areas under the Traditional Area attempt to assume superiority over other chiefs. Nana Oti Cascar, an Elder of the Traditional Area called on stakeholders in the chieftaincy institution to work quickly to resolve all chieftaincy disputes in the Region to pave way for peace and development. He said the days Aowin Traditional Area was known for conflicts are over as they are going to work tirelessly together with the queen mothers, elders, and the other chiefs to bring the desired development the people require. According to him, even though some of the chiefs are in disputes, the Council of Elders in consultation with their legal team and, the Regional and National House of Chiefs were working tirelessly around the clock to resolve all outstanding conflicts to have a united front to fight for development. He noted some conflicting issues in the Chieftaincy Act where acting chiefs can continue to exercise their duties when there was an installed but yet to be gazetted chief and called on the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to consider the Act for an amendment to avoid some of these disputes. Nana Cascar, therefore, called for concerted efforts to address the issues to enhance progress and development in the Traditional Area and the region at large. GNA A research has recommended the need for the government to continue to support local governments like the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA) with COVID-19 relief packages until the disease is completely eradicated. The research has also recommended the need for TaMA to use available platforms to provide feedback to the general public on its implementation of social interventions with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on beneficiaries and how they were selected. The research, undertaken in the last quarter of 2021 as part of COVID-19 Accountability Bridges: Providing Platforms for Engaging Government on Transparent and Accountable COVID-19 Expenditure project funded by the United States Embassy, was released at a forum in Tamale. The project provided government with the platform to account for COVID-19 policy implementation and expenditure while availing same platform to citizens to scrutinise governments accountability on COVID-19 expenditure. The research was carried out by the Local Accountability Networks of TaMA, a network of local civil society bodies, with support from RUWA Ghana and the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition. As part of the research, data were collected from the TaMA, Tamale Metropolitan Health Directorate, selected health facilities and citizen groups. It found that TaMA did not receive any financial packages in 2021 for its COVID-19 response work. It also found that while the Tamale Metropolitan Health Directorate reported that logistics such as personal protective equipment were supplied on regular basis to health facilities, the health facilities reported that such logistics were not supplied on regular basis. The research also emphasised the need for TaMA to continue to enforce the COVID-19 safety protocols to keep the population safe and reduce the spread of the disease in the area. It recommended that public education programmes should consciously cater for the needs of persons with disabilities through the use of sign language and minority languages. Mr Peter Apetorgbor, Tamale Metropolitan Disease Control Officer lauded the report saying it was an important intervention in ensuring accountability in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic in the area. Mr Salifu Mohammed Mutala, Assembly Member for Agric/Mohiyabihi Electoral Area, who represented the TaMA during the forum, said despite the challenges, TaMA was committed to continuing the fight against the spread of COVID-19 within its jurisdiction. Modern societies do not seem to really have evolved from the classical period of witch hunt between the 1450s and 1750s. This era saw the summary executions of an estimated 50,000 persons accused of sorcery, voodoo, or having extra-terrestrial powers in Europe and America. There were evidence of witch hunt in Africa and Asia even after the Europes last recorded execution in the 18th century. For the most part, several persons were executed just for being the wrong place or looking like a witch. This is why, witch hunt, in modern times, means an action done tailored to indict or convict ones opponents with elements of moral panic or mass hysteria. In recent times, the idea of witch hunt has been replaced by the cancel culture. In other words, someone can be cancelled or blocked from having a prominent public platform just by them making an innocent mistake. The cancel culture, as it is now known, has a pattern: a popular figure does or says something offensive or an innocent mistake which is followed by a public backlash, often fueled by social media. After the public figures goof comes heavy calls to cancel the person meaning to effectively end their careers or unfollow their social media accounts or boycott their contents or for their employers to institute disciplinary actions against their person. To many people, cancelling is about a call to accountability where other means have failed to achieve that purpose. Recent examples of the use of cancel culture in Nigeria have shown that it actually has more evil intentions than useful purposes. Like the witch hunt of old, which starts with the intention of disinfecting societies of witches, social media mobs hardly (thats if they ever do) give fair hearing to the other parties. At times, cancel culture can lead to lawless behavior such as arson and violate civil discussions or conflict resolutions. One of the cases that demonstrates how cancel culture can lead to chaos came after a disturbing video of a boy Sylvester Oromoni, a pupil of Dowen College, writhing in pain was posted online in December 2021. Sylvester later died just before his 12th birthday. In what looks like a normal reaction, a certain Perry Oromoni a relative of the deceased - did series of tweets on Twitter suggesting that Dowen College was culpable being a haven for teenage cult members recruiting other pupils into their gang. No further proof was needed by tweeps with notoriety for passing judgments just after the first accusers make their case. Understandably, the College came under a barrage of criticism on social media. Many people felt the school management did not do enough to curb bullying among its pupils. Some tweeps pushed for burning down the College as a measure to prevent future occurrence. Soon, professional activists or protest merchants, in series of emotionally-charged messages, went on marches at the radius of the school. What were they really protesting after the state Government has ordered the school to shut down pending the outcome of the Coroner's Inquest? A recent Premium Times investigation found that Sylvester could have been given dangerous concoctions when he was taken to the church for a miracle healing. All through the outrage on social media, nobody ever mentioned this. It is normal for parents to become overtly emotional over the loss of a child. The familys emotional outbursts are well understood. It is also natural for people to demand accountability for some actions. But is never a good idea to join the mob. Sylvester's story nearly got Down College burnt by a mob of professional protesters. They'd have just burnt down the institution on the basis of crude lies and emotional blackmails. Will burning down the College have revived the dead? Nothing I said here should be (mis)interpreted as me suggesting that or absorbing Dowen of possible culpability either. Another example of apparent mob action in recent time happened when Nigerian skit maker, Maryam Apaokagi (better known as Taaooma) and some of her colleagues to pay a courtesy visit to the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo (SAN) in November 2021. While I am not privy to what led to or happened during the said meeting, I honestly see nothing wrong in anyone meeting an elected state official or a countrys sitting Vice President. More importantly, I see nothing wrong in these skit makers trying to give publicity to their Nigeria Skits Industry Awards (NSIA) by meeting the VP. According to the comedian, she met the VP and urged for the actual lifting of the Twitter ban and as well, stressed on the issue of police brutality which hasnt gotten any bit of change even after all the promises." Even though engagement with elected or appointed government officials is part of activism all over the world, the ever-ready rampaging social media mob do not seem to seem to care. They were hoping either Taaooma or any member of her delegation would have met the VP and rain heaps of insults on him for her to be described as an activist. For this lot, activism means just insulting or destroying people unprovoked. Not surprisingly, Taaomaa and her team were dragged (a favourite word for the apostates of the cancel culture) on social media. She was literally coerced and mobbed into apologizing for what was no offence really. The cancel culture largely thrives on heavy emotional blackmails, collective rage, double-faced morality, and pure mortal hatred. Its typical of jungle justice syndrome where the victims side of the story is rarely heard or understood. This cancel culture syndrome has the capacity to affect their victims mental health. But, really, can one wake persons who are pretending to be asleep? A recent poll carried by the Harvard Universitys Center for American Political Studies , cancel culture is a threat of freedom of expression. This is because it curtails many persons from genuinely expressing their views on social media for fear of being mobbed. There is also evidence of increasing cases of anxiety and depression as a result of the cancel culture. This is because, the victims often tend to result to isolation or feel lonely thinking everyone else has given up on them or increase the feeling of being hopeless even before they apologized or corrected their mistakes. Another problem with the cancel culture is that it does not pick and choose its victims. It has no degree of tolerance and can resort to violent behavior against the victims physical or mental well-being. Anyone can just be a victim of the insanity of cancel culture especially in Nigeria where social media has become polarized by party politics. I have been a victim of mass cyber bullying before on Twitter. My response was standing firm and never to back down or give in. It takes serious mental strength to stand up firmly against mass bullying. Unfortunately, not everyone can muster the strength against the ravings of mobs! There is the urgent need to curb this culture which incubates and replenishes evil, encourages the destruction of other peoples lives or means of livelihoods just because of some mobs that are antithetic to rational thoughts. If an estimated 50,000 people accused or suspected sorcery could have been killed in the era of witch hunt, lets imagine the number of people cancel culture might have killed emotionally or physically! Olalekan Adigun, an Accidental Writer, sends this piece from Lagos. He can be followed on Twitter using @MrLekanAdigun Kow Essuman, a legal Counsel at the office of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been sworn in as notaries public. Mr Essuman together with 52 others were sworn in at the Supreme Court on Friday, February 18, 2022. A Notary Public is a person authorised by a State to administer oaths, certify documents, attest to authenticity of signatures and perform official acts in commercial matters such as protecting negotiable instruments. The Chief Justice, His Lordship Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, administered the oath at a brief ceremony. He admonished the newly appointed Notaries Public to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of their office since they are officers of the court. Also present at the event were Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, the Judicial Secretary, Justice Cynthia Pamela Addo and National Secretary of the Ghana Bar Association, Gyau Baffour. Under the Notaries Public Act, 1960 (Act 26) the Chief Justice is empowered to appoint to be a Notary Public, any person whom he considers fit and proper to discharge the duties assigned to that office by law or by practice of commerce. The practice therefore has been, and continues to be that, only a Lawyer of high moral character, and proven integrity, and not less than ten years standing as a lawyer is appointed as a Notary Public. Kow Essuman is an international lawyer specialized in corporate and commercial litigation and arbitration. He is currently serving as counsel at the office of the President of Ghana, Akufo Addo. He was born and raised in Ghana until he left the country for England after he completed Prempeh College. Kow Essuman obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree (LL.B. Hons) from the University of Westminster in 2007. While at university, he made the decision to become a barrister instead of a solicitor because there were fewer black barristers in England. He applied and was accepted into the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, one of the four Inns of Court. He completed BPP Law School with a Very Competent and was admitted to the Bar of England and Wales on 24 July 2008. In 2009, Kow obtained a Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) with Honors in International Mergers and Acquisitions and Financial Institutions, from Cornell University, one of the eight Ivy League institutions in the United States of America. He then took the New York Bar Exam in July 2009 and passed on a first attempt a feat rarely chalked by foreign lawyers. According to the New York State Board of Law Examiners, the passing rate for all foreign-educated candidates who took the examination was 38.5% while foreign educated first time takers was 46.2%. Kow was then admitted to the New York State Bar in January 2010 as an attorney and counselor-at-law. ---DGN online The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) says it has positioned itself to support Ghanaian manufacturing companies to export their products to countries they import from. This is to support the Government's One District-One Factory (1D1F) initiative, promote Ghanaian products, help in shoring up the country's foreign exchange and address the free fall of the cedi. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Friday, Dr Joseph Obeng, President of GUTA said: We want to do what we call the income in-income out programme to export goods from Ghana to the destinations that we go and import the goods. He explained that it would be like a barter trade system, where the produce from the 1D1F companies would be exported to other countries, we're traders so we'll be the same people to export these goods and when it is turned into forex then we can use it to also do our importation. He said: This will be a win-win situation for us; we send these goods to the destination of import when we're going to buy our goods, sell it, get the money and use the money that we get to buy the goods we want to import. Dr Obeng pointed out that the 1D1F was important to Ghana's economic transformation, and urged all stakeholders in the agriculture value chain, financial institutions, and importantly, the government to give it all the needed support. He said: For the trading community, we give all our support to it, and we know this is the way forward to be able to export more goods so that we can have more forex, and depreciation of the cedi will be a thing of the past. The GUTA president said manufacturing was not complete unless it reached the final consumer, noting that traders served as the vehicle to send the goods to consumers to complete the chain. He asked the government to engage traders in the 1D1F projects to help them know the products, where they were located, the quality and prices. The president said they had been engaging the Ministry of Trade and Industry and hopeful that support from the Ministry would help generate much interest for the trading community to think about export. He called on the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) to assist them with information on goods for specific countries. The 1D1F initiative by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is to help change the nature of Ghana's economy from one which is dependent on import and export of raw material to one focused on manufacturing, value addition and export of processed goods. The private sector led initiative is to create the necessary conducive environment for businesses to access funding from financial institutions and other support services from government agencies to establish factories. The programme was designed to create job opportunities for the youth, thereby increasing their income levels and standard of living. It is also expected to help in reducing rural-urban migration. Data provided by the sector Minister, Alan Kyerematen, to Parliament as of July 2021, showed that of the 278 1D1F projects at various stages of implementation, 104 1D1F projects were in operation nationwide, and had created 150,000 jobs in their catchment areas. He added that 150 were under construction and 24 at the mobilisation stage. A total of 165 of them are new projects, representing 60 per cent whilst 113 companies are existing projects, representing 40 per cent. GNA Ghana has already submitted her commitments ahead of the total ratification of the African Disability Protocol by Africa Union (AU) member States, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said. He said African countries had to join forces to tackle disability exclusion head-on and deeply with a sense of urgency. The President disclosed this while addressing participants at the 2022 Global Disability Summit that he co-hosted with the Norwegian Prime Minister, Mr Jonas Gahr Stre, and the International Disability Alliance. The protocol, when ratified by 15 AU-Member States, would direct Member-States to operationalise it with a legal framework by enacting laws and policies to promote disability rights in their respective countries. President Akufo-Addo said 82 per cent of Persons with Disability (PWDs) were estimated to be living on less than a dollar a day. We need to break the cycle of poverty and bridge the inequality gap to contribute to greater economic growth, he said. He noted that would improve equality and social justice and called on all African States to let their humanity manifest in enhancing PWDs access to all forms of human development. PWDs must be given ample opportunities in participating, contributing and to benefit from development interventions as it makes more ethical and economic sense. This would help to achieve the SDG mantra of leaving no one behind. The SDGs must be prioritized in the cabinet. The PWDs must be given the opportunity to engage actively in the process of defining and finding solution to their needs, President Akufo-Addo said. Mr Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, in his submission at the Summit, said disability groups were the most marginalised and the COVID-19 pandemic had spread widely the inequality gap. If the SDGs are to be achieved, social and economic development must be achieved, and the economic space must be inviting. We must leave no one behind, he said. He expressed optimism that the summit provided a platform for countries to protect the lives of PWDs. I am optimistic because given the number of commitments and participants, I feel confident that we can succeed. We must continue to fight against barriers such as stigmatisation, and discrimination and promote equal access to social services and participation, he added. Mr Guterres entreated countries to ensure a meaningful engagement of PWDs in all works of life, fight to totally eradicate stigmatisation against PWDs and protect their rights. GNA Chadian journalist Evariste Djailoramdji was recently killed in the town of Sandana. Photo: Arnaud Djimounoum 18.02.2022 LISTEN Chadian authorities should thoroughly and transparently investigate the killing of journalist Evariste Djailoramdji and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalist said Friday. On February 9, unidentified people in the southern village of Sandana shot and killed Djailoramdji, a reporter working for the local broadcaster Lotiko Radio,while he covered a conflict in the area, according to local media reports and Arnaud Djimounoum, a manager at Lotiko Radio, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app. Violence broke out that day in Sandana due to a dispute between herders and farmers, according to media reports. Djimounoum told CPJ that Djailoramdji was among at least 11 people killed that day. In the afternoon of February 9, Djailoramdji transmitted a report to his colleagues that people draw arms everywhere in the village and the population flees to take refuge in the bush, Djimounoum said. He told CPJ that the station lost contact with Djailoramdji about half an hour later. Local media and the Union of Chadian Journalists (UJT), a local trade group, reported that the journalist had been shot and killed. Authorities in Chad should swiftly investigate the violence in Sandana during which journalist Evariste Djailoramdji was killed, and make public their findings, said Angela Quintal, CPJs Africa program coordinator. The tragedy of a journalists death is deepened when those closest to them and the broader public do not know exactly what happened. A portion of Djailoramdjis radio report was posted on Facebook by the local outlet Le Visionnaire, which noted he had covered similar violence in the village in 2019. A statement by the UJT alleged that members of an armed group had deliberately targeted Djailoramdji and shot him in the head as he relayed information to Lotiko Radio. However, a manager at the station, whose name was not released, was quoted by local news website Tchad Infos as saying they did not know whether Djailoramdji had been specifically targeted. Residents of Sandana and the Chadian Convention for the Defense of Human Rights (CTDDH), a local rights group, have called for those responsible for the violence last week to be held accountable, according to media reports. Djailoramdji also worked as a teacher at a local school and had seven children, according to biographical information shared with CPJ by Djimounoum. Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Bagbin may have spoken like a street political hawker whose understanding of freedom of speech means freedom to speak anyhow at any time and anywhere. He should be reminded that journalists are not thin gods who are above arrest when they breach the law. Freedom of speech does not guarantee anyone to speak as though he/she is above the law. A journalist who speaks unethically and without virtue shall have the law to dine with. On record, journalists such as Kwame Adinkra, Kwame Sefa Kayi, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Nana Aba Anamoah, Bernard Avle, Paul Adom Otchere, Gifty Anti, Francis Abban, Samson Lardi Anyenini, Randy Abbey, Bismark Brown, Evans Mensah, Kofi Adomah, Nathaniel Attoh, Omanhene Kwabena Asante, Manasseh Awuni Azure, Patrice Amegashie, Selikem A. Acolatse, Umaru S. Amadu, Omanhene Yaw Adu Boakye, Kwame Tanko, and many others have been on TV screens, Radio waves and print outlets over decades hosting, reporting and publishing various news items making the national discourse. It is interesting to note that none of these seasoned journalists has been arrested for making their views known on issues of national interest. The above justifies the arrests of some supposed journalists who hide behind freedom of speech to incite or attempt to incite the general public against the peace, sanity, sanctity and stability of this country. Freedom of speech has been well-grounded and guarded in the President Akufo-Addo led government and more so in this fourth republic except that the laws, as to be enforced by the Ghana Police Service under the broader canopy of the executive arm of government would not countenance any unethical state crippling politicking which hides behind a journalism smokescreen to ferment state chaos. Research organized by Avance Media to throw the spotlight on Ghanaian newsmakers, newscasters and the evangelists of credible information in the media both locally and internationally identifies that "the basis of journalism as the fourth estate and a watchdog for corruption and injustice brings an unequivocal responsibility for journalists to be equally skilled and hard-working as they are virtuous and ethical". It is thus clear in this research that, though journalism is considered in modern-day democracy as a fourth estate and a watchdog, the practice of this fourth estate must not relegate ethics to the background. Ethics form the backbone of credible journalism and without it will this fourth estate be deficient in trust and the support of democracy. In short, any well-meaning citizen must appreciate the extent to which we have come as a people in growing our democracy, making conscious efforts not to plunge this country into the ditch of mobocracy, authoritarianism and militarism. Freedom of speech is highly guaranteed in Ghana but that freedom is not exclusive. Even the first gentleman of the land, the President, uses this freedom wisely so should anyone of us. BY Reindolf Amankwa Head of Research and Communication, Critical Thinkers International (CTI) - Middle Belt 18.02.2022 LISTEN Two NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) want their names removed from the private member's motion sponsored by some members of the Majority in Parliament seeking to probe the mystery surrounding the death of former President Prof. John Evans Atta Mills. The two MPs, Davis Opoku of Mpraeso and Yves Nii Noi Hanson-Nortey of Tema Central said they were not aware of such motion being filed under their instructions. In a memo to the Majority Leader cited by ModernGhana News, they said their names and signatures, which suggests were forged should be removed. "Our attention has been drawn to a private member motion inviting the Honorable House to constitute a bi-partisan committee to investigate the circumstances that led to the demise of the late President Mills. The said private member motion purportedly suggests that we, Hon. Davis Ansab Opoku, M.P., Mpraeso, and Hon. Yves Nii Noi Hanson-Nortey, M.P., Tema Central, are part of the sponsors of the motion. "Though we are aware of a broader discussion on the motion, we are unaware of any such motion being filed under our instructions and in our names. We, therefore, call on your high office to expunge our names as co-sponsors of the said motion," the memo stated. Four members of the Majority group in Parliament this week filed a private members motion seeking the constitution of a bi-partisan group to probe the death of the late President. The group behind this motion is led by Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh Dompreh. Tolon MP Habib Iddrisu, Mpraeso MP Davis Opoku Ansah and Tema Central MP Yves Hanson Nortey are members seeking the intervention of the house to resurrect the ghost of the late President. Professor Evans Atta Mills died on July 24, 2012. Find memo below: A lot of ink has been spilled on the controversial issue of the Prime Ministers Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund, including on the debate on whether it is a public authority at all. However, its audit statement uploaded on the website is full of discrepancies that contradict the governments official press releases and replies under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. RTI activist commodore (Cmde) Lokesh Batra, who has been pursuing this issue through a series of RTI applications seeking information on the expenditure and disbursal of ventilators, oxygen plants and procurement of vaccines, states: Besides the discrepancies, there are shockingly no details of financial activities, which are recorded under the financial statement in any of the audit reports. Although the audit report includes Accompanying notes to Financial Statement -1 to 10 pages, nothing is there. Why? This amounts to PM CARES Funds incomplete audit report placed in the public domain. This is indeed strange. Further, a press release issued by the press information bureau (PIB) on 13 May 2020, states: The PM CARES (Fund Trust today decided to allocate Rs3,100 crore for a fight against COVID-19 for various expenditures of the pandemic emergencies. However, says Cmde Batra, the audit report under these headings do not match the information disseminated to citizens through such press releases or RTI replies. Ventilators The PIB press release states: Out of the total allocation of Rs3,100 crore, 50,000 made-in-India ventilators will be purchased from PM CARES Fund at the cost of approximately Rs2,000 crore. These ventilators will be provided to the government-run COVID hospitals in all states and Union territories (UTs), for better treatment of the critical COVID-19 cases. Regarding the Rs2,000 crore allotted for ventilators, Cmde Batra states: PIB report: Ventilators to government hospitals run by the Union, state and UTs (50,000 made in India ventilators) Amount Disbursed as shown in the audit is: Rs13,11,33,84,112 (Rs1,311 crore). Cmde Batra says this sends the wrong message that the cost of 50,000 made in India ventilators, is Rs1,311 crore odd, while the PIB release mentions Rs2,000 crore allotted for 50,000 ventilators from PM CARES Fund. As per the ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW)s RTI Response of 9 July 2021, the total amount of 50,000 ventilators is Rs2,147.20 crore, the amount released being, Rs1,497.34 crore to Bharat Electronics Ltd and Rs35.36 crore to HLL Lifecare Ltd. COVID Vaccine Issue As per the audit statement: For procurement of 6.6 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine, the disbursal amount is : Rs13,92,82,50,000 (about Rs1,393 crore) As per the RTI response - The procurement cost of 6.6 crore doses of COVID -19 vaccine - works out to be Rs1,485.74 crore. Cmde Batra says, Initially, the government of India through PM CARES Fund was procuring the COVID-19 vaccines, Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute of India (procured 5.6 crore doses) at the unit cost of Rs210 including taxes (Rs200 + 5% GST) and Covaxin manufactured by Bharat Biotech International Ltd (procured one crore doses) at the unit cost of Rs309.75 including taxes (Rs295 + 5% GST). However, the government, through the Union budget, is procuring the COVID-19 vaccines (Covishield 10 crore doses and Covaxin 2 crore doses) at the unit cost of Rs157.50, including taxes (Rs150 + 5% GST). It must be noted here that the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine is an ongoing process. Refund from NDMA The audit statement from PM CARES FUND shows, Refund of unspent balance with interest from NDMA: Rs25,03,122. Cmde Batra says, What is the NDMA Fund? Is it a public fund or a voluntarily created fund? Why is the unspent balance with interest from NDMA transferred to PM-CARES Fund? Is there any notification in this regard? How this refund has seeped into the audit report is a big mystery. Number of PSA Plants As per the audit statement, Installation of and operationalisation of 162 pressure swing absorption (PSA) plants inside public health facilities: Amount disbursed is Rs2,01,58.785 (Rs201 crore odd). As per the RTI reply of 15 June 2021 from MoHFW, As on 6 June 2021, out of Rs201.56 crore received, which includes maintenance cost of equipment of Rs54.96 crore. So out of the remaining Rs141.75 crore, Rs63.86 CR. (approx.) have been spent. New Vaccine Testing Facilities As per the audit report, funding of two independent institute laboratories under the department of biotechnology for up-gradation as Central Drug Laboratory (CDL) for test and release of the batches of COVID-19 vaccine, the disbursal amount is Rs20,41,60,000 (Rs20 crore odd). Read: PM CARES Fund: The Mystery of Rs100 Crore Allocated for Vaccine Development ) However, the RTI response received from Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), shows it did not receive any funds from PM CARES Fund. And as per RTI response from the department of biotechnology (DBT), it did not accept having received funds from the PM CARES Fund. ( Cmde Batra says, It is worth recalling that on 13 May 2020, the PIB release on the subject PM CARES Fund Trust had stated that to support the COVID-19 vaccine designers and developers, an amount of Rs100 crore will be given from the PM CARES Fund as a helping hand to catalyse vaccine development, which will be utilised under the supervision of the principal scientific advisor. It, therefore, raises the big question was the DBT bypassed while allotting PM CARES Fund to two of the autonomous institute laboratories under the department? Such is the mess of a public fund that was much respected by citizens and hundreds of government offices and institutions that donated to the cause besides private organisations! ON RECEIPTS SIDE Christine Foreman Christine Foreman has received the Women in Science Distinguished Professor Award, which honors outstanding faculty women in the sciences who have excelled in their research accomplishments, teaching, mentorship and contributions to MSU and the state of Montana. The award, which is given every two years, is sponsored by the Office of Academic Affairs and carries an $8,000 honorarium. Foreman, professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering in MSUs Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering, is known as a leader who balances scientific exploration, teaching, statewide outreach and research mentorship, making her an exceptional role model to students. For her research on microbial life in cold environments, she has served as a field team leader for 11 Antarctic expeditions as well as studies in Greenland and Alaska. Involving collaborations with physicists, chemists, biologists and other engineers, her work has been published in 57 peer-reviewed papers cited more than 3,370 times. Her research has involved mentoring three doctoral students, two masters students and two dozen undergraduates. She currently supervises an interdisciplinary research group that includes five graduate students. In the course of teaching several courses, Foreman has earned a reputation for creating an inclusive, empathetic environment and making herself readily available as an instructor. She has made mentorship of female and minority students a priority and serves as the program director for MSUs Women in Engineering Program. Under her leadership, MSUs enrollment of female engineering students has grown from 430 in 2012 to 680 today. Among her other outreach activities, she has led MSUs coordination of the annual First LEGO League, which offers a unique STEM team-building experience to dozens of teams all around Montana. Foreman is an exemplary woman in engineering and an ideal leader, commented one student. She is one of my greatest inspirations. UPDATE: MARCH 23 AT 9:36 A.M. The City of Helena Commission released a statement Wednesday on former Helena City Manager Rachel Harlow-Schalk's resignation. The following is the statement via press release from the City of Helena: "In late January and early February of 2022, Ms. Harlow-Schalk raised concerns with the City Commission regarding her Employment Agreement. The City Commission and its appointed Ad-Hoc Committee took these concerns seriously, reviewed them, and on February 15, 2022, provided a detailed and lengthy response. It is disappointing that Ms. Harlow-Schalk issued her statement without also providing a copy of the Commissions letter. The Commission urges review of that letter, which was recently produced in response to several public record requests. The Commission disagrees with Ms. Harlow-Schalk that there is a conflict between the City Code and the City Charter. The City Commission denies it is violating the City Charter, nor asked Ms. Harlow-Schalk to violate ethical obligations she held as City Manager. The City Charter specifically provides that the City Commission acts legislatively to make policy and the City Manager carries out those policies. See Charter, Article II, Section 2.02 and Article III, Section 3.02(2)(d). The decision regarding whether and how to amend City policy, including the City Code provision at issue, is squarely within the City Commissions authority. In addressing Ms. Harlow-Schalks concerns, the Commission engaged in the appropriate process consistent with the Employment Agreement and City policy. As the February 15 letter, and subsequent communications with Ms. Harlow-Schalk specifically advised, it was always the Commissions intent to work collaboratively with Ms. Harlow-Schalk. The Commissions collaborative proposals included setting a date for a strategic planning session to further discuss matters raised by Ms. Harlow-Schalk. Rather than move forward, Ms. Harlow-Schalk made the decision that she was no longer the right person to serve as City Manager and communicated her intent to resign. The Commission respected this decision. The Helena City Commissioners remain grateful for Ms. Harlow-Schalks work on behalf of the City and wishes her well in the next phase of her career. The Commission is now focused on moving forward in the appointment of an Interim City Manager and serving the citizens of Helena." HELENA, Mont. - Helena City Manager, Rachel Harlow-Schalk announced her resignation, effective Friday, Feb. 18. Harlow-Schalk was offered the permanent city manager position in August of 2020, and she has served in government at both the state and local levels for over 25 years. Rachel joined the City during challenging times, Mayor Wilmot Collins said. She repaired strained relationships with the Commission, City staff, and community partners. I wish her well in the next phase of her career. Commissioner Emily Dean said she is grateful for Harlow-Schalks steadfast commitment to Helena. She offered creative solutions. Dean said, I thoroughly enjoyed working with her and know she will excel in her next role. A release from the City of Helena says other Commissioners also praised the outgoing City Manager for her work. I thank our city manager for her service to our community during an extraordinarily challenging time for everyone. I wish her the best in whatever comes next in her professional and personal life. -Commissioner Eric Feaver I have appreciated Rachels energy and professionalism in moving the Citys operation, leadership, and employees forward. I will miss her and wish her the best in her future endeavors. Commissioner Sean Logan Rachel was a stabilizing force for Helena when the City needed it. Shes extremely organized and helped the City navigate the intricacies of the American Rescue Plan Act. -Commissioner Melinda Reed MISSOULA, Mont. - As the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival kicks off this weekend, it will feature about 150 non-fiction films from all over the world, including one with a special Montana tie. Return to the Big Skies: Miss Montana to Normandy is about dozens of people coming together in Missoula to restore a 75-year-old World War II plane and get it to fly to Normandy in time for the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Except it's so much more than that. "If you think it's about aviation, it's not," Bryan Douglass, a pilot and organizer of the project, said. "It's full of airplanes, but it's not about aviation. If you think it's about history, it's not. It's full of history, but it's not about history. It really is about the triumph of the human spirit and what just average people in Missoula, Montana were able to pull off." Local filmmaker Eric Ristau began shooting video after learning about the restoration project. It started form an interest in World War II and aviation, but then became more about the stories of volunteers and the race against the clock to get it flight ready for Europe in just a matter of months. "I hope audiences take away the idea that with hard work, passion and dedication, people can pull anything off," Ristau said. "Many people said this was an impossible feat, yet people did it, and made it happen. The Montana spirit, Montana work ethic and grassroots effort really paid off. " Looking ahead, volunteers are maintaining the plane with plans for it to continue to fly and be an active part of the Missoula community. It's currently on display at the Museum of Mountain Flying. The documentary will have one of its first big screenings during the festival at the iconic Wilma. The showing is Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Limited seats are available so people are encouraged to buy tickets in advance. The documentary will then be available online for virtual screenings next week. To buy tickets for Return to the Big Skies: Miss Montana to Normandy, click here. Both in-person and virtual screenings information available. To buy tickets for other in-person and virtual screenings, click here. To view the schedule, click here. For more information on how to fest, click here. To visit the festival's website, click here. Issue April 28, 2022 - At age 25, Pacific Groves David Steinberg has already ascended the heights of the puzzle world. Whats next? Veteran Winter Olympians: Embodiments of the Olympic Spirit 15:43, February 18, 2022 By Wu Chaolan ( People's Daily Online As the world descended on China for the Winter Olympics Games, the spotlight always goes to gold medal favorites or rookie talents. It is also important to remember that the Olympics Games aren't just about winners, records, and medal tables. Medals may soon gather dust, while records may be quickly broken and forgotten. The golden Olympic moments that resonate through the ages barely matter, including who won or lost, but involve something more profound than results: the human instinct for participation and achieving something beyond themselves. Peoples Daily Online has picked six veteran winter Olympians, unraveling the true Olympic Spirit behind their stories. Claudia Pechstein: "The result of today was not so important, it was just to race and to be here. I am super proud." Decades into a decorated speed skating career, Claudia Pechstein is still achieving firsts. The 49-year-old German speed skater Claudia Pechstein became the oldest woman ever to compete at the Winter Olympic Games and the second athlete and the only woman to compete in eight Winter Games when she raced in the 3,000-meter speed skating event at the Beijing 2022. In the women's 3,000 meters, Pechstein competed with young athletes, some of whom are at their twenties. Although she finished more than 20 seconds behind Dutch gold medalist, Irene Schouten, who broke the record that Pechstein had held for 20 years, Pechstein raised her arms and looked relieved as she crossed the finishing line, the gesture that she would often make when she took a spot on the podium in previous Winter Games. "I was not too fast, but I smiled because today I got my goal to race in my eighth Olympic Games. This was important for me," Pechstein told the Reuters. "The result of today was not so important; it was just to race and to be here. I am super proud," Pechstein said. (Web editor: Wu Chaolan, Liang Jun) The UAE and India on Friday signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that is likely to boost the bilateral non-oil trade from $40 billion, which is a pre-pandemic figure, to $100 billion in the next five years. The strategic agreements were signed in the virtual presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi, by senior officials in Indias capital New Delhi. CEPA was signed during a meeting between the Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and UAE delegation led by Minister of Economy, Abdulla bin Touq Al-Marri and Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi. The UAE-India CEPA is expected to usher in a new era of economic cooperation and unlock greater avenues for trade and investment. The two countries had signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2017. HH Sheikh Mohamed and Premier Modi discussed various aspects of the strategic partnership between the two countries and new prospects for its development. During the summit, the two sides discussed cooperation opportunities in various fields, especially development, investment, economic and health, in addition to advanced technology, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, food security, transport and other aspects that both nations consider to be priorities in their current and future development plans, within the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, signed by the two countries in 2017 and their common interest in developing it, based on the strong historical relations. Sheikh Mohamed and Indias Prime Minister also reviewed a number of regional and international issues and exchanged views on strategic topics of common interest. Prime Minister Modi added that the unprecedented negotiations between the two countries have led to the conclusion of the CEPA in less than four months, adding that both countries share the same approach of converting crisis into an opportunity and synergising complementarities and strengths. He expressed his confidence that this agreement will set out a new era in bilateral ties between the UAE and India, expressing his pleasure to join Sheikh Mohamed in witnessing the signing of CEPA. The Prime Minister expressed his admiration for the UAE's projects and plans for the next 50 years, and said that India also intends to maximise its efforts for the next 25 years to realise the vision of Swarnim Bharat. He pointed out two important areas where the UAE and India can collaborate to realise their goals: "First, Start-ups. We need to encourage India and UAE based start-ups coming up in new and emerging technologies through joint-incubation programs, joint-financing, etc. Second, skills and mutual recognition of qualifications." He stressed that the common desire to work with like-minded partners opens up new frontiers of cooperation, expressing his confidence that the India-UAE-Israel-USA Quartet will enhance their collective goals, with a potential for a tripartite between India, UAE and France. "We can direct our officials to explore opportunities in this regard, and we will continue to cooperate in the UN Security Council on issues of global importance," he added. For his part, Sheikh Mohamed pointed out that the signing of the agreement in 2017 marked a historic shift in the course of their relations in the fields of trade, investment, energy and other vital areas, noting that non-oil trade between the UAE and India increased by 66% in 2021 compared to 2020. His Highness added that the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement today represents a qualitative leap in both countries' economic and developmental march and demonstrates a strong will to devote all available opportunities for the benefit of our peoples. Sheikh Mohamed said that the agreement, which is the first of its kind, is among the economic projects set by the UAE for the next 50 years, which include concluding comprehensive economic partnership agreements with eight global strategic markets, foremost of which is the friendly nation of India. His Highness expressed his thanks and appreciation for the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in strengthening relations between the two countries over the past years and his keenness to develop them further across various fields. "All these great successes in the course of our bilateral relations could only have been achieved as a result of the close historical, cultural and social ties that exist between the UAE and India. This provides a strong basis for always moving forward to expand the basis of our common interests for the good of our people and fulfill their aspirations for development and prosperity," said Sheikh Mohamed. Moultrie, GA (31768) Today A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Texas law requires anyone who suspects that a child or other vulnerable individual is being abused or neglected must report such incidents. That was the message from the Midland Rape Crisis and Childrens Advocacy Center on Thursday, one day after five Midland Christian School administrators and employees were charged with failure to report with intent to conceal neglect or abuse, a state felony. The incident related to the arrests had to do with the failure to report an alleged sexual assault of a child in January. Teachers, administrators and other school employees are classified as professional reporters by the state of Texas, the Childrens Advocacy Center stated in a release This designation requires that they report suspected abuse within 48 hours. The center refers to Family Code Section 261.101, which goes on to state: A professional may not delegate to or rely on another person to make the report. In this subsection, "professional" means an individual who is licensed or certified by the state or who is an employee of a facility licensed, certified or operated by the state and who, in the normal course of official duties or duties for which a license or certification is required, has direct contact with children. The term includes teachers, nurses, doctors, day-care employees, employees of a clinic or health care facility that provides reproductive services, juvenile probation officers, and juvenile detention or correctional officers. Texas Family Code Section 261.101 section A states, "A person having reasonable cause to believe that a child's physical or mental health or welfare has been adversely affected by abuse or neglect by any person shall immediately make a report. The center suggests abuse or neglect can be reported at 800-252-5400 or online at TxAbuseHotline.org. Texas law also provides the right and responsibility to report suspected child abuse or neglect free from retaliation, the center reported. Your report is confidential and is immune from civil or criminal liability as long as it is made in good faith and without malice, the center stated. As far as how the five MCS employees were charged with state jail felonies, Section 261.109 of the Family Code states, an offense under subsection (a-1) is a Class A misdemeanor, except that the offense is a state jail felony if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the actor intended to conceal the abuse or neglect. Both sections of the Family Code 261.101 and 261.109 are referenced in the affidavit for arrest -- the first for the failure to report the incident and the second to conceal the allegation, according to the affidavit for arrest. In the emails (between school officials and the initial complainant), it was made clear that a sexual assault had occurred, and the school had a duty to report the incident, the affidavit states. The complainant told the school administration if they did not report the incident, he would have to as a mandatory/professional reporter. There were multiple emails exchanged. Several administrators refused to report the incident as shown in the emails when communicating and responding to the complainant. Reporting child abuse in the state of Texas is everyone's responsibility and should not be taken lightly, the MRCCAC states. It is important for us as a community to provide a safe place for child victims to disclose abuse, whether that abuse takes place in the home, at school, or elsewhere. If you see something or suspect abuse, report it. Childrens Advocacy Center warning signs The most common warning signs of child abuse are: 1. Unexplained injuries, 2. Changes in behavior, 3. Fear of certain places or people, 4. Changes in eating, 5. Changes in sleeping, 6. Changes in school performance and attendance, 7. Lack of personal care or hygiene, 8. Risk-taking behaviors, 9. Inappropriate sexual behaviors. -- Online: MRCCAC.org The Midland Rape Crisis and Children's Advocacy Center (MRCCAC) is urging West Texans to report suspected child abuse Texas law requires anyone who suspects that a child or other vulnerable individual is being abused or neglected must report such incidents. Teachers, administrators, and other school employees are classified as professional reporters by the State of Texas. This designation requires that they report suspected abuse within 48 hours (Texas Family Code 261.l0l(b)). Texas Family Code Section 261.101(a) states "A person having cause to believe that a child's physical or mental health or welfare has been adversely affected by abuse or neglect by any person shall immediately make a report ... " Abuse or neglect can be reported at (800) 252-5400 or online at TxAbuseHotline.org Texas law also provides the right and responsibility to report suspected child abuse or neglect free from retaliation (Texas Family Code 261.110). Your report is confidential and is immune from civil or criminal liability as long as it is made in good faith and without malice (Texas Family Code 261.106). Further, teachers and school employees are not required to first report suspicion to a peer, colleague, or supervisor. They are also may not delegate that duty to any other person (Texas Family Code 261.lOl(b)). MRCCAC offers training and education for individuals, organizations, schools, and companies on the warning signs of child abuse, the most common of which are listed below: 1. Unexplained injuries 2. Changes in behavior 3. Fear of certain places or people 4. Changes in eating 5. Changes in sleeping 6. Changes in school performance and attendance 7. Lack of personal care or hygiene 8. Risk-taking behaviors 9. Inappropriate sexual behaviors Reporting child abuse in the state of Texas is everyone's responsibility and should not be taken lightly. It is important for us as a community to provide a safe place for child victims to disclose abuse, whether that abuse takes place in the home, at school, or elsewhere. If you see something or suspect abuse, report it. Richard Williams Photography/Getty Images Hunting-related accidents in Texas are at an all-time low since Hunter Education became mandatory in 1988, according to the 2021 Texas Hunting Accident Report released by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Of more than 49,000 certifications in 2021, Texas experienced only one fatality and 11 accidents statewide. In 2021, three-quarters of the incidents were what we call swinging on game outside of a safe zone of fire, Hunter Education Coordinator for TPWD Steve Hall said in the release. This is the most common mishap in Texas besides careless handling in and around vehicles. The cardinal rule of hunting and shooting safety is keeping the muzzle of a firearm always pointed in a safe direction. Opening of Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality Initiative March 2 at UW Efforts by the University of Wyoming and the states community colleges to support Wyomings second-largest economic sector are taking a big step forward with the opening of the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality (WORTH) Initiative. A kickoff ceremony for the WORTH Initiative is scheduled Wednesday, March 2, at 11 a.m. in Legacy Hall at UWs Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center. The public is invited to attend, and a livestream will be available here. One of several new initiatives tied to the Wyoming Innovation Partnership initiated by Gov. Mark Gordon, UW President Ed Seidel and community college leaders, WORTH is a new hub for the states tourism, hospitality and recreation industry. WORTH is launching with $3.14 million allocated by the governor through the partnership. WORTH is designed to provide real-world experiences for students; courses, training and certificates via distance technologies to working professionals; outreach services such as market analyses; and applied research in collaboration with industry. The WORTH Initiative will be extremely valuable in continuing to grow and support the states second-largest industry, tourism and hospitality, says Diane Shober, executive director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism and one of the members of WORTHs advisory committee. We need to foster the next generation of hospitality industry leaders, as they will be vital in strengthening and diversifying our local and state economies going forward. UW currently offers a minor in hospitality, and WORTH is working to grow that program to offer a bachelors degree focusing on the business side of tourism and hospitality management. At the same time, it will offer expanded coursework to students in UWs existing outdoor recreation and tourism management degree program, and vice versa. Students will be able to do both majors concurrently. These two degree programs are partnerships between UWs College of Business and the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources. It was always our No. 1 goal to expand and diversify Wyomings economy by ensuring WORTH industries are supported and thriving, says Dan McCoy, coordinator of the outdoor recreation and tourism management degree program. Our industry partners are very excited about the possibilities of the WORTH Initiative, and I cannot wait to see what we accomplish. Unlike some hospitality programs that focus on hotel management or culinary arts, this new program focuses more broadly on the industry itself and the business of it. As part of the WORTH Initiative, UW personnel met with industry leaders around the state to gauge their needs. The collaboration of the WORTH Initiative with industry partners from throughout our state has been tremendous, says Jim Waldrop, another advisory board member who is the president and general manager of Silver Dollar Inc., the parent company of Jacksons The Wort Hotel, The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar and The Wort Plaza Shops. The initiative has been thoughtful and strategic in support of our states second-largest industry. To bring all of our resources together with the WORTH Initiative is overdue and timely, and will truly help our industry by providing a skilled, work-ready workforce. Partnering with community colleges is a key aspect of the Wyoming Innovation Partnership and WORTH. Not all jobs require a bachelors degree but, for community college students who want to go on to UW, transfer planning guides make transferring a seamless process. Online offerings also are key for those around the state looking to learn new skills and advance their careers without relocating. These could include webinars and certificate courses, in addition to the degree offerings. To aid the industry, WORTH will offer services such as market analyses and applied research projects led by faculty and students. It will conduct detailed business analysis and studies for the industry. Companies, towns or organizations can approach WORTH for help evaluating their ideas. For more information about WORTH, email McCoy at dan.mccoy@uwyo.edu or call (307) 766-5009. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Contact us Muskogee, OK (74401) Today Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 52F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 52F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Most of the students who attend San Gabriel High School, part of the Alhambra Unified School District in Alhambra, Calif., are socioeconomically disadvantaged. In all other areas, individuals have the option to wear a mask on campus if they choose. Those individuals released from quarantine or isolation must wear face coverings or masks indoors on campus and outdoors when around others during their assigned precautionary period, university staff said. The mandate, which ended on December 13, 2021 but was reinstated just before the beginning of the spring semester, required all individuals regardless of vaccination status to wear face coverings when indoors, except in private offices and individual residence halls. Between July 29 and Feb. 9, CCU saw 1,112 positive cases of COVID-19 among both faculty, staff and students. According to the universitys website, 58% of faculty and staff are vaccinated while 44% of students are vaccinated as of Feb. 9. CCU is strongly encouraging their community to use personal discretion in taking COVID-19 precautions and said they will continue to monitor conditions and make changes to mitigation measures if needed. Stolen pizzas Saturday at about 7:45 p.m., Conway police were called to Dominos on Sixteenth Avenue where a man wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt had walked in, gone past the counter, grabbed three pizzas and left without paying. The person who called police said he watched the suspect run toward Pine Street. He also pointed out that the pizzas were not prepared for the suspect, and they cost $40.61. Someone at the business sent a still shot of the man to the officer who forwarded it to others hoping to get an identification. Not grape juice A Whittemore Park Middle School official called police after she was told that three preteen students, two girls and one boy, were believed to be drinking alcohol on the school bus Friday morning, according to a Conway police report. The assistant principal told police she had the three students separated and they were writing statements. The bottle believed to be holding the alcohol was a Great Value water bottle containing a purple liquid that smelled of fermented fruit, according to the report. The complainant told an officer that one of the children told her it was alcohol. The three suspects all ride the same bus. The driver says she saw them drinking from the bottle and told one of them to bring the bottle to her, according to the police report. There was another bottle that was also taken to the police. The boy told police that when he got on the bus, he was asked by one of the two girls to take a sip. He said he thought it was grape juice, but after taking a tiny sip he realized that it was not grape juice. He said one of the girls brought it on the bus telling him she found it at the bus stop. One of the girls said the other girl brought it on the bus and she took a sip because she thought it was a water packet added to the bottle, but said it tasted weird when she drank from the bottle. When her father arrived at the school, he was given the opportunity to see and smell the bottle. He took a drink and said it tasted like wine. A former Horry County Schools spokeswoman insists she was fired from her job because she provided media outlets with public information that HCS officials did not want her to release, according to a lawsuit filed this week. Teal Britton, who worked for HCS from 1993 until her termination in 2020, filed the wrongful termination suit in Horry County on Wednesday. In her lawsuit, Britton contends that she drew the ire of top HCS officials because she released records about the districts controversial school construction program in response to S.C. Freedom of Information Act requests. Plaintiff was terminated in violation of the following clear mandates of public policy found within the South Carolina Freedom of Information act and South Carolina Procurement Code, the lawsuit states. Horry County Schools spokeswoman Lisa Bourcier said the district wouldnt comment on the lawsuit, but former school board member Holly Heniford said board members weren't happy with Britton because they needed someone to speak for them in a timelier manner than she did. Heniford was no longer on the board when Britton was terminated but recalled the boards frustrations. Heniford wasn't sure of the exact reasons Britton was fired. We were not getting questions answered in a timely fashion from the district office, if at all, Heniford said. We hired Lisa [Bourcier] so we could make sure the information got out in a timely fashion and we had more control over that. The district was throwing us under the bus. Folks would say stuff about the board that needed to have a comment. The districts building program came under scrutiny after HCS leaders deviated from their normal procurement practices to choose a builder for five new schools. The company that received the contracts, Firstfloor K-12 Solutions, had responded to the districts solicitation for conceptual design services in 2013 but wasnt chosen for the work. The following year, the district sought qualified vendors for design services and production architecture for the new schools. However, Firstfloor did not respond to the HCS request for qualifications. In addition to a flock of turkeys found to have highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Indiana on Feb. 9, the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed the presence of HPAI in birds in two states including a flock of commercial broiler chickens in Fulton County, Ky. and and a backyard flock of mixed-species birds in Fauquier County, Va. The birds in Kentucky, numbering around 240,000, were infected with the same H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian flu as the turkeys in Indiana, the USDA found. The Kentucky flock is owned by Tyson Foods, Inc. According to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, avian influenza is a highly contagious viral disease affecting the respiratory, digestive and/or nervous system of many species of birds caused by a Type A influenza virus. Wild birds are the natural hosts for the virus and avian flu viruses circulate among birds worldwide and are highly contagious among birds. Human cases of Avian Influenza have been reported among persons who handled affected poultry, the IDoA stated. In rare cases outside of the United States, some instances of human infection have resulted in death. If transmission of avian influenza from human to human begins and is sustained, a pandemic may result because most humans will not have antibodies to the new strain. The Virginia and Kentucky cases were confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. APHIS is working closely with state animal health officials in Kentucky and Virginia on joint incident responses, USDA stated. State officials quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the properties will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Depopulation is complete in Virginia. Birds from the flocks will not enter the food system, USDA wrote. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these avian influenza detections do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected so far in the United States. The proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit kills bacteria and viruses, USDA stated. The United States has the strongest AI surveillance program in the world, USDA stated, and the department is working with its partners to actively look for the disease in commercial poultry operations, live bird markets and in migratory wild bird populations. All bird owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to state and federal officials, USDA wrote, either through their state veterinarian or through APHIS' toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593. APHIS urges producers to consider bringing birds indoors when possible to further prevent exposures. The United States is the world's largest poultry producer and second-largest export of poultry meat, with Kentucky the seventh biggest chicken-meat producing state. About 18% of U.S. poultry production is exported, according to Reuters. Poultry supplies are currently down due to strong demand, Reuters reported, and labor shortages at meat plants during the COVID-19 pandemic have also left a shortage of poultry meat. U.S. frozen chicken supplies were down 14% from a year ago at the end of December with turkey inventories down 23%. On Thursday, the Dow dropped more than 500 points due to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, as President Biden told reporters on Thursday that every indication the United States has is that Russia is prepared to attack Ukraine. U.S. and NATO officials have said there's been no signs of de-escalation at the border, as officials have said Russia has added thousands of new troops near the border. How did this situation arise to the level of a potential crisis and war in Ukraine? Here are five things to know about the crisis. 1. Ukraine wants to be a part of NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a group of 30 countries including the U.S., U.K., France and Germany, has said it is open to making Ukraine a member of the organization, something that Ukraine wants, but that Russia doesn't, as it would allow NATO to move closer to Russia, according to business news publication Mint. In case of an external attack, a member country of NATO would be eligible for collective support by all members, per the principle of collective defense. Russia has already annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and Ukrainian officials worry another attack could happen soon, Mint reported. However, Vox reported that both the U.S. and Russia know Ukraine is not going to be a member of NATO in the near future, and that Vladimir Putin has demanded NATO stop its eastward expansion and deny Ukraine's membership, as well as roll back troop deployment in counties that joined the organization after 1997, nonstarters for the U.S. and its allies. NATOs open-door policy says sovereign countries can choose their own security alliances, Vox reported, and giving in to Putin's demands would allow Russia veto power over the organization's decision-making. Ukrainian public opinion has also swung strongly to support joining Western bodies like the European Union and NATO, Vox reported. Russia and Putin may also sense weakness in various NATO countries including the U.S., Vox reported, and wish to act on those weaknesses in attempts to cover up its own internal divisions including a weakened economy and unsuccessful response to the coronavirus. 2. Both Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of breaking a cease-fire Separatists backed by both Ukraine and Russia accused each other Thursday of violating a cease-fire in the eastern part of the country, the Washington Post reported, in what could be preparations for a possible attack orchestrated by Russia, which continues to amass forces near Ukraine's borders. "Russia will be forced to respond, including through the implementation of military-technical measures," Russia responded to U.S. proposals regarding Moscow's demands halting NATO expansion. Russian officials did not elaborate on what they meant by military-technical measures, the Post reported. The Ukrainian military reported 29 cease-fire violations along the border involving weapons that violate previous agreements, including an attack that blew a hole through a kindergarten building, with three adults suffering concussions and no children reported as injured. 3. U.S. has responded by sending troops to Poland The Russian government also expelled the U.S. Embassy's second-ranking diplomat to Russia, Deputy Chief of Mission Bart Gorman, the Post reported. The U.S. said it is considering its response to the expulsion and called the move "unprovoked." The last of nearly 5,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division arrived in Poland on Thursday, the New York Times reported, as Pentagon officials have stated that the troops would not enter Ukraine but could help the Polish government deal with a possible influx of refugees fleeing the country. Another 1,000 American troops are moving from Germany to Romania and are scheduled to be in place by Saturday, the Times reported. The Air Force has sent more than a dozen additional fighter jets to Eastern Europe in recent days to bolster aerial defenses. 4. There are two drastically different accounts of Russian troop movement According to the Russian Defense Ministry, troops had redeployed hundreds of miles away from the Ukrainian border areas after conducting military exercises on Thursday, while Biden said the possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine remains "very high" and that he expected an invasion within several days. However, Biden also said he believes a diplomatic resolution was possible and that "there is a path. There is a way through this," according to the Times. America believes the Russian threat continues to grow while Moscow offered its most detailed accounting of what it describes as partial troop withdrawal on Thursday, the Times reported. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said Russia continued to move troops closer to Ukraine's borders, and that Russia was adding combat aircraft and stocking up on blood supplies, the Times reported. 5. War could shake up a long-peaceful Europe The New York Times reported the open military threat to Ukraine by Russia is "shaking a sense of complacency" among Europeans who have had a largely peaceful 30 years as the threat of war becomes real. Europeans have had to pay relatively little in money, lives, resources or attention for their defense as the continent has sheltered under the American nuclear umbrella. European strategic and defensive weaknesses have been exposed due to the crisis, the Times reported. "Were having in Europe and Germany a status quo problem," Ulrike Franke, a defense analyst in Germany, told the Times. "Were very comfortable with this version of European security, and most people dont realize that to defend this status quo we need to act." An appeals court late Thursday dismissed Gov. J.B. Pritzkers appeal of an order that blocked schools from enforcing state mask mandates. Sangamon Circuit Judge Raylene Grischow issued a temporary restraining order Feb. 4 against the mandate for more than 700 parents and staff members at more than 140 school districts who sued the state. Parents in Carlinville, Staunton, North Mac, Southwestern, Carrollton and Jersey Community school districts were among those who were defendants in the lawsuit, which challenged the state's authority to require masks in schools. Pritzker and Attorney General Kwami Raoul appealed the order. Pritzker also announced that Illinois planned to lift its mask mandate for some indoor locations on Feb. 28 but that the rule would remain in place for schools. The bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules on Tuesday denied an Illinois Department of Public Health request to renew the order that required all who entered schools to wear masks. Pritzker on Wednesday acknowledged confusion, but maintained his executive order requiring masks in schools still was in effect. But just before midnight, a three-justice panel of the Illinois Fourth District Appellate Court said it had no actual controversy to decide because of the joint committee's action, and that the court would not take up the appeal. Because the emergency rules voided by the (temporary restraining order) are no longer in effect, a controversy regarding the application of those rules no longer exists, the justices wrote. Thus, the matter is moot. The question of whether K-12 schools in Illinois can continue to enforce mask mandates and other COVID-19 mitigations remained unclear Wednesday as all three branches of state government tried to grapple with it. Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday that his executive order requiring those measures remains in place, at least in districts not named in a pending lawsuit even though a legislative panel voted Tuesday not to renew a set of emergency rules that were meant to implement that executive order. Meanwhile, the 4th District Court of Appeals in Springfield asked attorneys in the lawsuit to explain how the vote by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules affects that lawsuit and whether the court still needs to review a temporary restraining order pertaining to the mandates. That order was issued by a Sangamon County judge earlier in the month, blocking enforcement of the mandates in the roughly 170 school districts involved in the case. As I've said, the ruling by the Sangamon County judge created an enormous amount of confusion, which is why we've asked the appellate court to move quickly to respond, Pritzker said at a news conference Wednesday. The executive order requiring masks is still in place. School districts that aren't part of the lawsuit should follow the executive order. At the center of the confusion are a set of lawsuits filed by parents and students in about 170 school districts across the state challenging the mitigation mandates. Beginning last fall, Pritzker issued a series of executive orders requiring face masks to be worn in school buildings, that school staff be fully vaccinated or submit to regular testing, and that schools exclude from their buildings any student or employee who had a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 or who had been in close contact with someone else with a confirmed or probable case. In addition, the Illinois Department of Public Health issued a set of emergency rules to implement that executive order. The cases were eventually consolidated and assigned to the Sangamon County Circuit Court where, on Feb. 4, Judge Raylene Grischow granted the plaintiffs request for a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of the mandates until the case is decided on its merits. That decision is now on appeal before the 4th District Court of Appeals. Currently, the restraining order applies only to the districts named in the lawsuits. The emergency rules that IDPH issued last fall expired on Sunday, Feb. 13. As a result, the agency reissued those rules on Monday. But the General Assemblys Joint Committee on Administrative Rules voted Tuesday to object and suspend those rules, citing the temporary restraining order and the confusion over which school systems the rules would apply to. Later Tuesday, the 4th District Court of Appeals issued an order directing attorneys in the cases to explain how the JCAR vote affected the appeal. On Wednesday, attorneys on both sides indicated that the appeal should go forward. Because JCARs action related only to the IDPH renewed Emergency Rule, it does not affect the (executive orders), Attorney General Kwame Raouls office wrote in its brief. The validity, legality, and enforceability of the EOs continues to present a live case or controversy. William Gerber, an attorney for the plaintiffs, made a similar argument, that JCARs decision only affected the emergency rules, not the underlying executive orders, which schools continue to rely on to enforce the mitigation mandates. The JCAR ruling was only directed at the IDPH and did not appear to be directed specifically at local schools, he wrote. As such, under an abuse of discretion analysis, the appellate court may still answer the question of whether plaintiffs had shown a likelihood of success that local school districts lacked authority to mandate masking, testing, and vaccinations because the (Illinois Department of Public Health Act), rather than the Illinois School Code, applied to the issues at hand. Tuolumne County Public Health reports two men in their 70s have died due to Covid. There have been 168 deaths in total, 20 reported since January 1st, 2022. There are 50 new Covid cases since Wednesdays report, 40 are community cases, active community cases decreased 5 to 169 including 8 people who are hospitalized. There are ten newly identified inmate cases at the Sierra Conservation Center. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) reports 73 currently active inmate cases. The newly reported community cases include ten cases age 17 or younger and nine cases age 60 or older. The new Covid cases demographics: two girls and eight boys age 11 or younger, two women and one man age 18 to 29, three women and three men in their 30s, four women and two men in their 40s, three women and three men in their 50s, two women and two men in their 60s, one woman and three men in their 70s, and one woman in her 80s. The total current case rate, a 14-day average for Tuolumne County decreased to 44.8 from 48 per 100,000 population. The case rate reached a high of 174.8 on January 24th. A total of 41 were released from isolation in all 10,021 have been released from isolation. The 7-day test positivity rate is 7.5% and 62% of the population eligible to get vaccinated has been vaccinated. Vaccination details per case are no longer reported by Tuolumne Public Health. As seen in the image 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 11 new cases since Tuesdays report, active cases decreased nine to 46 including four Covid hospitalizations. There are 20 more counted as recovered for a total of 6,920 and 57.11% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated in the county. Masks are currently required on public transit, in schools (update here), in care/hospital settings, and indoors for those not vaccinated. Surgical masks or higher-level respirators (e.g., N95s, KN95s, KF94s) with good fit are highly recommended. The updated masking order and information can be found here: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/guidance-for-face-coverings.aspx Mega events guidance, long-term care, hospital visitation, skilled nursing and care facilities visitation guidance are here. Public health recommends fully vaccinated individuals continue indoor masking in high-risk settings. COVID-19 Testing Public health recommends getting tested 5 days after possible exposure and if you are having any symptoms, get tested right away. The LHI State testing site at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds will be closed on Monday, February 21 for the Presidents Day Holiday, usually, the testing site is open 7 days a week from 7 AM to 7 PM. 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. COVID-19 Vaccine 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 2/14 (M/Th) 64 139 (11) 1,602 5,768 (68) Calaveras 2/17 11 46 (4) 2,373 7,074 (108) Mariposa 2/17 4 47 (22) 1,040 2,903 (20) Mono 2/17 1 N/A 983 2,953 (8) Stanislaus 2/17 239 5,217 (141) 32,337 117,142 (1,609) Tuolumne 2/17 50 169 (8) 4,714 12,774 (168) Reported cases at end of 2021 and 2020 Amador updates Monday and Thursday. The last day to file for a seat on the Plainview City Council or the Plainview ISD School Board is Friday. There are four terms up for council seats up for election in May including District 1, District 2, District 3 and District 4. Those seats are currently occupied by Nelda VanHoose, Larry Williams, Norma Juarez and Teressa King, respectively. Williams, Juarez and King are not eligible to rerun for their seats as theyve exhausted the maximum number of terms allowed. As of Thursday afternoon, six individuals had filed to run for the four positions. Two districts, so far, have contested races. Mary Elizabeth Dickerson has signed on to run against VanHoose for District 1. David Greve and Gary House will face off for the District 4 seat. As of Thursday around 3 p.m., Steve Martinez was the only candidate who had filed for District 2 and John M. Mike McDonough was the only candidate to file for District 3. As of Feb. 11, three people had filed to run for the Plainview School Board including Tyler James (incumbent) and Ted Baker for precinct 3 and Amber Bass (incumbent) for Precinct 4. Other positions up for election include Precinct 5, currently occupied by JoAnn Rey, and Precinct 2, currently occupied by Sofia Rivera. The Herald will provide an update on all candidate filings for both school board and the City Council in Saturdays edition. Those interested in adding their name to the ballot have until Friday. Applications to run for City Council must be picked up from and turned in to City Secretary Belinda Hinojosa. Those interested can call (806)296-1100 or visit www.plainviewtx.org and search for elections. Those interested in running for the Plainview School Board can pick up and return packets at the districts administration office. The cutoff time is 4 p.m. for those interested in a school board position. Maps of the districts are available on both the citys website (for council positions) and the districts website (for school board positions). Early voting for this election is set for April 25-May 3 with Election Day happening May 7. To be eligible for positions on either governing body, candidates must meet the following criteria: The Democratic Party-controlled state legislature voted recently to extend some of Gov. Ned Lamonts remaining pandemic-related executive orders, including a statewide mask mandate for schools and child care centers Lamont has said he wants lifted Feb. 28. Many Republicans have argued that parents should now be the ones deciding whether their children should wear masks in school, not state or local government officials, given the states improving COVID infection rate. The one generation that was least impacted physiologically by the virus has been affected most by the restrictions from state government, House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora said. Democrats today opposed our amendment to give parents the power to opt their children out of school mask mandates, and they approved the extension of executive orders from Gov. Lamont despite the concerns of so many frustrated residents who say it's time to move on. Candelora represents the 86th House District, which is comprised of North Branford, Guilford, Durham and Wallingford. Restoring traditional operating procedures at the capitol should be a bipartisan goal, as should making the lives of schoolchildren normal again, Candelora said. Another local Republican lawmaker, state Sen. Paul Cicarella, also voted against extending the governors executive orders. Cicarellas district the 34th includes the communities of Durham, East Haven, North Haven and Wallingford. Our job is to be the voice of the people. This caucus heard the voice of our constituents loud and clear, and parents want the decision to mask or unmask their children to be their own. Its imperative that parents are able to make decisions that they believe to be best for their kids, Cicarella stated. Its also alarming the decisions that were made by the government with a lack of data on the benefits and consequences of masking our children. With that said, this is another reason why it is vital to leave this type of important decision up to parents. Besides the masking requirement, other executive orders being extended include requiring vaccination or testing for nursing home visitors, relaxing certain training and hiring requirements for medical professionals to address staffing shortages, and waiving bidding requirements to procure goods and services needed to respond to the pandemic. The legislation also provides a 30-day stay of eviction proceedings in cases where landlords are still awaiting approval for financial assistance under a state program, and it continues an order requiring that nursing home staff be fully vaccinated with a booster shot. Most of the executive orders are scheduled to expire April 15. The Senate debated a separate resolution that continues the states public health and civil preparedness emergencies through June 30. Supporters have stressed that the resolution doesnt extend Lamonts extraordinary powers, something the GOP has strongly opposed. Rather, Democrats say the states of emergency are necessary so Connecticut can keep getting federal pandemic relief funds, including roughly $31 million a month in extra benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Associated Press reporting is included in this article. Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images Williams-Sonoma is days away from reopening in San Antonio after shuttering a store at The Shops at La Cantera during the pandemic. The cookware and home goods giant is opening at the Alamo Quarry Market, near Sephora and Whole Foods Market. A grand opening weekend is planned for Friday, February 25 through Sunday, February 27. Multiple attempts to reach Williams-Sonoma were unsuccessful, but the store's grand opening celebration details are promoted on social media. The schedule offers the shoppers the opportunity to get a first look at the location, meet local culinary leaders like Diego Galicia and Rico Torres of the acclaimed Mixtli and Pearl culinary director, Page Pressley. Guests will also have a chance to snack on small bites and enjoy sips from Woodford Reserve Whiskey. The San Antonio installment of Kura Revolving Sushi Bar is open at the Alamo Quarry Market after so(y) much anticipation. After spending my lunch hour there, I think it's fair to say it was worth the wait. The nonstop cycle of sushi plates was a fantastical foodie experience. Rotary-style sushi restaurants are nothing new and many may have experienced the conveyer belt-style service in other cities, but Kura was my introduction and I can't wait to go back. Kura hosted media along with the public for its two-day opening on Wednesday, February 16 and Thursday, February 17. We dropped in on Thursday and were wowed from the jump. It's a dining experience you're going to want to have your phone out for. Let's dig in. Some background on Kura Sushi Madalyn Mendoza, MySA.com The new restaurant at the Alamo Quarry Market takes over the space that formerly housed Papouli's Greek Grill. The San Antonio location is the first for the city, the 36th in the country, and the ninth in Texas. The revolving sushi concept, which started in 2008, is a subsidiary of Kura Sushi, Inc. The parent company was founded in Japan in 45 years ago. Before the San Antonio installment, the closest location for locals was in Austin. How does Kura Sushi work? Madalyn Mendoza, MySA.com As we were seated, a very helpful Kura employee named Bri provided a quick rundown of how the interactive restaurant works. A never-ending menu of sushi plates rolls by each table in containers named "Mr. Fresh." Once a customer sees the sushi or nigiri they want, they're able to pull the small plate out of the container, off the belt, and on to their table. Bri let us get some practice on a Mr. Fresh capsule that she was holding. Madalyn Mendoza, MySA.com Each booth is also equipped with a user-friendly tablet which allows parties to place their orders if they choose not to wait for the sushi they're looking for to roll by. Appetizers, soups, desserts, and drinks can also be ordered on the tablet. The technology also simplifies the checkout process. Another component of the Kura Sushi experience that drew plenty of "oohs" and "aahs" from my table was the drinks and condiments-delivering robots called "Kurabots." A few minutes after we ordered our lemonade and soda, the robot seamlessly glided to our table, did an about-face and revealed a shelved backside carrying our drinks. Floor Manager Santana Aguirre-Myers showed us a few features to the robot like she "cries" if she gets lost in the restaurant that warmed our hearts. Getting ready to roll Madalyn Mendoza, MySA.com After our practice with Bri and Mr. Fresh, we were ready to start picking sushi off the belt. Lauren Murakami, who works in Kura's corporate office and was on hand for the opening, suggested the Texan Roll and the Seared Scallop Japanese Mayo. I made a plan to go for those two first, but as a fleet of Mr. Fresh containers whizzed by, my head was on swivel and I couldn't resist snagging a Golden crunchy roll and seared beef with yakiniku sauce. I'm a '90s kid, so the best way I can describe my first reaction is likening it to a Disney movie. Remember the "Be Our Guest" scene in Beauty and the Beast when desserts, desserts, and more desserts dazzle and dance to Belle's delight. That's what sitting in the Kura booth surrounded by sushi felt like. That's not just me waxing poetic. My coworker's wife Connie Viera put it succinctly. "You come here if you want to feel alive again," she joked. She's right. The intuitive experience is embellished with Sanrio decorations lining the walls, opportunities to win Bikkura Pon prizes for eating more food, and fun animations. For every 15 plates finished (our table combined for about 18) and tossed into the disposal plate slot, a themed trinket is dispensed from a tube attached to the ordering tablet. We won a Sanrio-themed microfiber towel. Sure it's fun, but is the sushi good? Yes. Kura is a Japanese heavyweight. The menu includes nigiri, rolls, hand rolls, gunkan, soups, and noodles. In addition to the plates I mentioned above, I also pulled the aburi salmon with cream cheese, garlic ponzu salmon, rainbow roll, Philadelphia roll, lobster roll, and honestly, I lost track of what else. We joked that our approach was a "rapid fire" gobbling process. Standouts were the Texan, which is spicy tuna, avocado and cream cheese wrapped in rice and topped with spicy mayo and yuzu cream. The Golden crunchy roll with avocado and shrimp topped with spicy mayo and panko was another favorite. More to chew on Madalyn Mendoza, MySA.com The online excitement surrounding the restaurant's opening is evident in real life. A line of excited fans gathered at the entrance waiting for their table. As each new party came in, I saw the same wide-eyed looks I'm sure that I had when I first saw the stacked conveyer belts. Kura also offers dessert. We ordered mochi and an Instagram-worthy taiyaki ice cream which comes with a waffle-like fish mold filled with red bean paste for a sweet and savory end to the visit. Currently, Kura does not offer reservations, but after about a month, guests will be allowed to check-in ahead of time to cut down on wait times. On average, Kura parties finish 25 to 35 plates (and we were proud of our 18). Aguirre-Myers said she's seen parties clear more than 100 at a sitting. Prices vary for different menu options, but the set price for sushi is $2.90 per plate. Kura is located at 255 E Basse Road, Suite 384. Hours are 11:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11:30 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Mike Sutter /San Antonio Express-News Las Palapas, a San Antonio go-to for tacos and other Tex-Mex eats since 1981, is expanding again. Last year, the restaurant pushed out of the San Antonio area for the first time and opened in College Station. Now Shavano Park, Boerne and Austin are going to get a bite. The restaurant was not immediately available to comment on the upcoming restaurants, but filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation show locations near Shavano Park, Lake Travis in Austin, and in Boerne are registered. Las Palapas also recently opened a restaurant in Keller, which is near Fort Worth. El Chistoso Elotes Robert Reyes A free elote festival is popping back into San Antonio, returning for a second year on March 26 with more fun and corn. The organizer and owner of El Chistoso Elotes, Robert Reyes, tells MySA he's excited to welcome the public back for the festival, which runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 6750 Rigsby Avenue, a property near China Grove. Reyes originally planned to have the Roasted Corn Festival in March 2020, but postponed it due to the pandemic. For the festival's first year in March 2021, guests had to have an RSVP ticket to get into the venue. This year, however, that isn't the case, Reyes says. If you are looking for things to do in San Antonio, there are a plethora of indoor activities and outdoor options. But if you're looking to escape the city, there's a San Antonio weekend getaway for everyone. From waterfall hikes to visiting the famous Boot Whisperer to eating world-famous pickles, keep reading for seven road trips within a 75-mile radius of San Antonio. Boerne, Texas Boerne (pronounced Bernie) is just 30 miles northwest of San Antonio along Cibolo Creek and features a stunning nature preserve with three miles of trails. Culinary highlights include the Salisbury steak and homemade biscuits at Peggys on the Green and the world-famous homemade pickles from Carousel Antiques and Fickle Pickles. For shopping, check out Dienger Trading Company. Built in 1884, the building was originally a grocery store and now houses a boutique, bookstore and bakery/bistro. For a unique experience, rent a room in a former schoolhouse or church at The Kendall. The Kendall via Yelp Wimberley, Texas Wimberley is the perfect San Antonio weekend getaway or day trip. Stop for a dip in the Blue Hole, a shaded swimming area with rope swings, or the natural spring at Jacobs Well. Grab lunch at the Leaning Pear before going to visit The Wild West Store to see Ulli Johnston, the local Boot Whisperer. Johnston is famous for fitting most people with a pair of boots in three tries just by looking at their feet. Afterwards, stop by Papa Hoos Hill Country Popcorn and catch a live glass blowing demonstration at Wimberly Glass Works. The perfect place to wrap up the day is at The Corrall Theatre, an outdoor movie theater open seasonally from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Courtesy of Andrew Y. via Yelp Guadalupe River State Park Theres no better place to spend time on the water than this state park that boasts four miles of river frontage. Visitors can swim, fish, tube, kayak and canoe. Dont miss the new five-mile Guadalupe River State Park Paddling Trail that begins in the park. Those that want to stick to land can hike or bike 13 miles of trails, geocache and enjoy bird watching. Some trails are also open to horseback riders. Over 90 campsites are available for visitors to spend the night. Sign up for one of the guided tours of the Honey Creek Natural Area, which is adjacent to the park. The one-and-a-half-mile spring-fed creek and natural area is filled with Spanish moss-draped live oaks and Ashe junipers and is only accessible by tour. Cassidy H. via Yelp Fredericksburg, Texas Founded in 1846, this German town is located in the heart of Texas Hill Country. Main Street is lined with a variety of shops, art galleries and restaurants. History lovers shouldnt miss the Pioneer Museum, which tells the story of the towns German heritage, and the National Museum of the Pacific War, an in-depth look at World War II in the Pacific. The museum was founded by Fredericksburg native Chester W. Nimitz, who served as the Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces, Pacific Ocean Area during World War II, and later became Fleet Admiral. There are over a 100 wineries and vineyards in Texas Hill Country, and the epicenter is Fredericksburg with over 20 wine tour companies. Courtesy of Visit Fredericksburg Comfort, Texas The small town of Comfort is the perfect romantic getaway near San Antonio. The historic town, founded by German immigrants, is designated as a National Historic District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Browse the antique shops, sip a glass of wine at one of the three local wineries and visit the local distillery. One of the best places to stay is Camp Comfort, a vintage 1860s bowling alley that was converted into a boutique bed and breakfast. It is located 48 miles northwest of San Antonio on Cypress Creek. The original bowling alley was turned into four suites that have desks made from the original flooring. The property also includes five cabins, one airstream trailer and a private swimming hole. Camp Comfort via Yelp Pedernales Falls State Park Located 75 miles north of the city, this 5,212-acre state park is a tranquil San Antonio getaway. The park is located along the banks of Pedernales River, which cascades across steps of layered limestone to create Pedernales Falls. The land was acquired from private owners in 1970 by the State of Texas. Visitors can hike, mountain bike, geocache, bird watch and ride horses. Trails range from the half-mile Twin Falls Nature Trail to the challenging six-mile Wolf Mountain Trail. Swimming, tubing and fishing are allowed on the river. However, the swimming area is only accessible by a strenuous mile hike with steep rock stairs and no handrail. Theres a wide variety of camping options ranging from primitive sites to ones with water and electricity. Courtesy of Lori D. via Yelp Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park Operated by the National Park Service, this historic site tells the story of the life of the 36th President of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson. The park contains several notable sites including the LBJ Ranch where he was born, lived, died and was buried. Visitors can take a self-guided driving tour and stop at his birthplace, the family cemetery and the ranch house, known as the Texas White House. Be sure to download the free National Park Service app for an audio tour of the drive. Other highlights include the Johnson Settlement where his grandfather and great-uncle established cattle operation in the 1860s and his boyhood home. And if that's not enough, there are also two visitors centers with exhibits including one in his former airplane hangar. Witthaya Prasongsin/Getty Images A San Antonio jury ordered Peripheral Vascular Associates to pay $8.1 million in damages for fraudulent Medicare claims after several whistleblowers brought evidence to court. The jury ordered Peripheral VA to pay exactly $2.7 million in damages on February 15 back to the federal government, but that total has tripled to $8.1 million under the False Claims Act, according to a news release and court documents. Justin Berger, attorney for the whistleblowers, says the False Claims Act allows these former Peripheral VA employees to bring fraudulent acts to court. Barrelman Brewing Company 103 Ranger Drive Ste. A Boerne, TX 78006 Barrelman Brewing Company is a family-owned and -operated nano brewery. They brew high quality, small batch craft beer. Its goal is to create a chill, down to earth, relaxed experience that appeals to beer enthusiasts as well as amateur hop heads. Barrelman Brewing Company is family oriented environment, where kids and dogs are welcome, according to Barrelman Brewing Company's website. The brewery is open on Thursday from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. Barrelman Brewing Company is closed Sunday through Wednesday. They host a cigar night every other Thursday. The food menu includes items like bratwurst and charcuterie boards to pair with their craft beers. The Islamic Center has increased the reward for missing 3-year-old Lina Khil as her family, volunteers, and authorities enter the second month of searching. Here's what you need to know. The reward was increased to $120,000 on Wednesday, according to a post on the Islamic Center of San Antonio's Facebook page. Along with a $50,000 reward from Crime Stoppers, this brings the total award to $170,000. Lina has been missing since December 20, last seen at the playground at the Villas del Cabo apartment complex at 9400 Fredericksburg Road. Since then, San Antonio police and the FBI have searched the area around the apartment, including a creek near Babcock Road that was searched by FBI divers on January 5. Eagles Flight Advocacy and Outreach, a nonprofit, searched with Lina's family along a San Antonio greenbelt on Sunday, February 13. If you have information, call SAPDs Missing Persons Unit at 210-207-7660. Here's some other news you might have missed. Boerne will wait a little longer for Buc-ee's Boerne residents have been eagerly looking forward to their chance at jerky and Beaver Nuggets, but a change in the design for the upcoming store will have them waiting a little longer. Read more here. We tried the return of Lulu's legendary cinnamon rolls When we heard about the return of Lulu's giant cinnamon rolls at another local institution, we had to send our very own Camille Sauers out to try one. Do they still hold up? More anti-Semitic flyers pop up in San Antonio Just two weeks after anti-Semitic flyers popped up on the yards of Alamo Heights homes, more appeared in a neighborhood in Helotes. Read more here. Spurs fans clap back at Lakers fans After Lakers fans on TikTok decided to disrespect the Spurs, San Antonio made sure to put them in their place. Read more here. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Friday that he wants to end professor tenure for all new hires at Texas public universities in an effort to combat faculty who he says indoctrinate students with teachings about critical race theory. Go to a private school, let them raise their own funds to teach, but were not going to fund them, Patrick said. Im not going to pay for that nonsense. Patrick, who is running for reelection in the Republican primary, also proposed a change to state law that could make teaching critical race theory grounds for revoking tenure. His announcement signals a major fight at the Texas Capitol over how college students learn about the history of race and racism in the United States. Conservatives over the past year have used critical race theory as a broad label to attack progressive teachings and books at both college and K-12 levels that address race and gender. Patrick also proposed changing the tenure review period from every six years to annually. Patrick said his latest priority is in response to the University of Texas at Austin Faculty Council after the group passed a nonbinding resolution Monday to reaffirm their academic freedom to teach on issues of racial justice and critical race theory. Legislative proposals and enactments seek to prohibit academic discussions of racism and related issues if the discussion would be divisive or suggest blame or cause psychological distress, the resolution stated. But fail to recognize that these criteria chill the capacity of educators to exercise their academic freedom and use their expertise to make determinations regarding content and discussions that will serve educational purposes. Patricks desire to ban the teaching raised major concerns among professors who worry that it sets a dangerous precedent if state lawmakers place restrictions on what can be taught in the classroom, as well as violating the tenet of academic freedom. Academic freedom ensures that professors have the right to discuss their subject matter expertise in the classroom, which the University of Texas Board of Regents and most universities have approved as part of its rules and regulations. The proposal to end tenure, a protection put in place to allow professors to pursue research and teachings without threat of termination or political pressure, would fundamentally change the way Texas universities operate in terms of hiring, teaching and research. And it could impose major challenges for Texas universities to recruit and retain researchers and scholars from across the country. Theres always been attempts to interfere in higher education but I have never seen anything as egregious as this attack, said Irene Mulvey, president of the American Association of University Professors. This is an attempt to have government control of scholarship and teaching. That is a complete disaster. Ive never seen anything this bad. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The omicron wave that assaulted the United States this winter also bolstered its defenses, leaving enough protection against the coronavirus that future spikes will likely require much less if any dramatic disruption to society. Millions of individual Americans immune systems now recognize the virus and are primed to fight it off if they encounter omicron, or even another variant. About half of eligible Americans have received booster shots, there have been nearly 80 million confirmed infections overall and many more infections have never been reported. One influential model uses those factors and others to estimate that 73% of Americans are, for now, immune to omicron, the dominant variant, and that could rise to 80% by mid-March. This will prevent or shorten new illnesses in protected people and reduce the amount of virus circulating overall, likely tamping down new waves. Hospitals will get a break from overwhelmed ICUs, experts agree. We have changed, said Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle. We have been exposed to this virus and we know how to deal with it. The coronavirus the current variant or future ones that are sure to pop up remains a dangerous germ. It is still infecting more than 130,000 Americans and killing more than 2,000 every day. Tens of millions of people remain vulnerable. And there will be future outbreaks. The notion of a herd immunity that could stop the virus has slipped away under the harsh reality of new variants, waning immunity, and the rejection of vaccines by some Americans. But the coronavirus is no longer new. Two years ago it arrived in a nation where nobodys immune system had seen it before. The entire population 330 million people were immunologically naive, that is, susceptible to infection. "I am optimistic even if we have a surge in summer, cases will go up, but hospitalizations and deaths will not, said Mokdad, who works on the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation model, which calculated the 73% figure for The Associated Press. With varying degrees of relief and caution, many Americans are starting to return to their pre-pandemic lifestyles. Sarah Rixen, 41, of Bismarck, North Dakota, started singing again with a civic chorus after taking a year off. Now, with omicron winding down, she said she feels more confident than at any time since the crisis began. But I am still a little leery that there could be another variant around the corner, said Rixen, noting that her family and most of her relatives are fully vaccinated. I am still going to wear a mask. As mask mandates ease, workers return to offices and flights fill up, experts are trying to understand whether this return to normal can last, or if another setback is looming. To address that, researchers are trying to answer questions about the virus, the vaccine, and how our bodies respond: How fast is booster protection waning against omicron? How long does protection from infection last? How many mild infections were never reported? How many people got infected but had no symptoms? To find clues, they use health data from other countries such as Britain, Denmark, South Africa and Qatar to project what could be in store. Scientists at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health estimate that about three out of four people in the United States will have been infected by omicron by the end of the surge. We know its a huge proportion of the population, said Shaun Truelove, an epidemiologist and disease modeler at Johns Hopkins. This varies a lot by location, and in some areas we expect the number infected to be closer to one in two." That means different regions or groups of people have different level of protection and risk. In Virginia, disease modelers are thinking about their population in terms of groups with different levels of immunity. They estimate about 45% of Virginians have the highest level of immunity through boosted vaccination or through vaccination plus a recent infection with omicron. Another 47% have immunity that has waned somewhat; and 7% are the most vulnerable because they were never vaccinated and never infected. In all, the vast majority of Virginians have at least some immunity, said Bryan Lewis, a computational epidemiologist who leads University of Virginia's COVID-19 modeling team. Thats going to be a nice shield of armor for our population as a whole, Lewis said. If we do get to very low case rates, we certainly can ease back on some of these restrictions." Still, while the population is better protected, many individuals are not. Even by the most optimistic estimates for population immunity, 80 million or so Americans are still vulnerable. That's about the same as the total number of confirmed infections in the U.S. during the pandemic. The 26% who could still get omicron right now have to be very careful, Mokdad said. Andrew Pekosz, a virus researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is concerned that people particularly unvaccinated omicron survivors may have a false sense of security. In an ideal world, unvaccinated individuals infected with omicron would be lining up for a vaccine shot, he said. Also, estimating protection is far from an exact science. Its a moving target, as immunity wanes and new variants circulate. Protection varies widely from person to person. And its impossible to know for sure how many people are protected at all. The IHME model estimates a wide range from 63% to 81% of Americans. Weve reached a much better position for the coming months, but with waning immunity we shouldnt take it for granted," Mokdad said. ___ AP writer Dave Kolpack in Fargo, North Dakota, contributed. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Yves here. Some countries, notably Germany, have technical tracks to train secondary school students for jobs in industry. Some of those are designed to place graduating students with particular employers. While this may sound like a sensible idea, count on US corporations to come up with a more predatory implementation. As this article describes, major companies are increasingly dictating the design of these schemes. As this article warns, these programs too often give the students only narrow skills that are very likely to have a short term life in the workplace. Such shallow training, needless to say, is also cheaper than making sure students have a broad enough set of foundational skills to increase their odds of being able to adapt to changing employer needs. What is also alarming is the way these projects often include a big dose of indoctrination as well as granting employers undue access to student information. By Jeff Bryant, a writing fellow and chief correspondent for Our Schools who is also is a communications consultant, freelance writer, advocacy journalist, and director of the Education Opportunity Network, a strategy and messaging center for progressive education policy and Velislava Hillman, a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics who is a founder and partner of Education Data | Digital Sovereignty (EDDS), a social enterprise that aims to empower and protect childrens data. Produced by Our Schools Nearly all public schools in the United States (98 percent) offer some form of career and technical education (CTE), and these programs, which were previously called vocational education or voc-ed, arent new to public schools. But what is new is the extent to which CTE programs have become exploited by big businesses and powerful actors in the marketplace to serve their own needs rather than those of students. With the 2018 revision to the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education (Perkins IV) Act of 2006 (the main source of federal funding for CTE training)which was replaced by the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century (Perkins V) Act of 2018and other legislation, there are new pressures that these programs of study must align with industry and, as a result, ensure CTE is opening the door for businesses to exploit education resources and get unfettered access to students beginning as early as kindergarten. From January to June 2021, we (the authors of this article) carried out extensive research (currently awaiting peer review) across the United States, which involved speaking with families, children, and teachers to understand their concerns related to CTE and the web of policy that is paving the way for powerful corporations and technology companies to influence school curriculum design and the future of millions of children and young people. Specifically, we looked at the gradual annexation of CTE by big corporations through their development of tech-talent and data extraction pipelines. We identified that advanced digital systems further enable data extraction for student profiling and prediction, which can lead to the development of worker pipelines and a hyperspecialized career pathway for students. Career tracking through the use of these data extractive technologies can ultimately lead to locking children in prescribed futures that ultimately lead to long-term job insecurity. We interviewed families, children, and teachers from Virginia, Colorado, Tennessee, Ohio, Utah, and New York and analyzed curriculum proposals for CTE programs from big tech companies, presentations by education authorities, news reports, policy documents, white papers, and meeting agendas. Our conclusion is that the increasing influence of corporations in CTE will ultimately lead to a more oppressive learning environment in which powerful corporations will exert more influence over what children are taught in schools and how they will be trained for their future work lives. Further, the potentially harmful influence corporations have in public schools is being intensified by data extracting systems of precision that use predictive analytics that students and parents generally dont understand, cant access, and have no personal control over. How Big Corporations Assimilate Schools Businesses are naturally attracted to public education because students are a source to meet their future labor demand, and schools can be places to inculcate students and families to become loyal customers. For these reasons alone, educators have traditionally resisted the idea of businesses having a disproportionate role in defining education programs. However, the already thin wall separating businesses from public schools has for years been getting gradually worn away. In a 2011 report titled Partnership Is a Two-Way Street: What It Takes for Business to Help Drive School Reform, Frederick Hess and Whitney Downs of the American Enterprise Institute declared, Business can provide the leverage, expertise, and leadership that will help educators and public officials make tough decisions and take hard steps they may not take on their own. In 2014, meanwhile, then-CEO of ExxonMobil Rex Tillerson echoed similar views about the role of public schools in shaping the future workforce for corporations, saying, according to an article in the Washington Post, Im not sure public schools understand that we, the business community, are your customer. That same year, then-president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation John R. McKernan assigned the public education system the task of providing businesses with a steady pipeline of talent and declared, Business is the largest single consumer of the education system. We cant afford to be passive consumers. This thinking has welcomed the lobbying of powerful business leaders to assume that public education is up for grabs and can be molded depending on the workforce requirements for their future streams of operations at any point in time. Well-funded lobbying has led to legislation being passed that backs corporate influence and even promotes the idea of marketing K-12 students as a potential workforce to attract companies like Amazon to set up shop. For instance, to attract Amazon to build its East Coast headquarters in Virginia, president and CEO of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Stephen Moret consulted economist Enrico Moretti, who advised that the best way to lure more tech employers was to build out the pipeline of highly skilled employees through investments in education, according to Washingtonian. How did Virginia win Amazon HQ2? Moret askedduring a 2019 Education Summit after the deal was inked. Other states pitched incentives; we pitched our educated workforce, he said, according to a tweet by Chamber RVA, the chamber of commerce representing the entire Richmond area. Business interests that seek to further control public education have also been enhanced by powerful data systems imposed by legislatures of both the Democratic and the Republican parties and backed by countless enterprises and education technology companies to enable greater individual surveillance, profiling, predictions, and recommendations for developing school-based career pathways that leave children with fewer education choices. Less Voice and Choice for Students Despite the growing corporate influence in CTE, our research found that parents were generally concerned about the idea of having their childrens education, beginning as early as kindergarten, and the education curriculum being steered toward supporting someones money-making enterprise. Elly (the names of our subjects have been changed to protect their identity), a mother of two teenagers, described to us how her friends 13-year-old daughter found a corporations presentation in her school to be similar to a cult in the way that it described the childrens future as being part of its workforce solutions. I just dont think thats what public education should be, she said. It should be teaching my child how to do all kinds of things. So that if after working for Amazon for five years, he wants to do something else, he can; hes not stuck working for Amazon. Similarly, Lilian told us about how Proseal, a provider of tray sealing technology, which was acquired in 2019 by the global technology solutions provider JBT Corporation, is making its way into her daughters school CTE effort under the guise that students would be given a course in environmental studies. The promotional material provided by the school was so convincing, Lilian said, adding that her daughter was shown video clips of some of the field trips [other students had] gone [on] in the past where students would go to a nearby bay or lake and [were told] how clean the water was based on the life that was [at] the bottom [of the water body]you know, all these really cool things. However, when her daughter started the course, she learned that the only field trip that the students would take would be to the Proseal factory. My mouth just fell open, said Lilian. Her daughter said that the company is trying to make more environmentally sustainable packaging for food, so Proseal is the [company] we keep hearing about that the county wants to partner with. Many parents we spoke with felt disheartened when the school curriculum was changed in a way that forced their children to pick a path to college or a CTE course of study predetermined by data pipelines and career portfolios. John, a high school teacher, said, [When] you go to [CTE], and youre trained to work [for] Cisco Systems [a technology conglomerate], youre not trained more generally in networking. I dont want students to be trained to work in Amazon Some of the technical education we have is good. I just dont think its expansive enough. Similarly, Nadia, another parent, said, [The public school system is] making it so specific so specialized [that] someone would graduate high school and [would] have spent two years learning how to be a lineman operator for the electric utility. In my county, Cisco Systems is being taught [in] CTE. Miranda, a mother of four children who are all under 16 years of age, while speaking about the experiences of her youngest daughter in the new school system based on career profiling, said, They told my child she shouldnt be a vet tech, or they told my child she should be a baker. And Im like, none of my kids are interested in that. It makes no sense. Recalling how all four of her children grew up in the school system, she said, It wasnt like that with my three eldest kids. Before the career portfolio existed, her children would have a year-round orchestra This career investigation thing wasnt a thing. So, her youngest child is the first one who got caught in the new system of career profiling. Even if a child doesnt want to take on the option of career exploration, and take a year-long arts music class instead, another parent explained, [the child will] have to take [the career exploration option] in seventh or eighth [grade]; [they] have to take it by the time [theyve] finished eighth grade; there is no opt[ing] out. Miranda said, Career orientations and explorations are not in themselves poor ideas in education; however, like other families and teachers, she found it wrong to have corporations presenting a field of studiesand a future job option for her childrenthrough the prism of their products. Colonizing Students for Corporate Employment The tailoring of K-12 education programs to the needs of corporate workforce preparation has a geographical dimension as well when businesses and government entities collaborate in drawing up borders within states to align education programs to the needs of local employers. Like plans that were used by Western colonial powers to carve up whole continents into arbitrarily drawn nation-states, these arrangements pair assumptions about family demographics, such as income and education attainment, with the labor needs of major employers in the region to develop an industry-aligned education program. One such example from Washington divides the state into 12 regions each with a local workforce development council that ensures a workforce education plan for the region is aligned with the state plan developed by government bureaucrats and representatives of the business community. Another example, in Virginia, divides the state into nine regions based on priority industry clusters in each region. In each of these examples, a region dominated by technology, finance, and consulting services is aligned to an education program that is very different from a region dominated by agriculture, mining, and manufacturing. A parent of two teens said, These career clusters, you know, [are] how the county public school is going to channel you to whatever career cluster your county has been selected to specialize in. How Big Data Enhances Corporate Power New data extracting technologies further defy any walls protecting schools and students from being co-opted by corporations and policymakers in order to create a seamless learn-to-earn loop in which data is used to evaluate how students perform and enable corporations and policymakers to sort students based on the skills businesses desire. Parents raised several concerns about how corporate influence in education has been further empowered by data tracking systems and predefined career pathways that have several long-term negative consequences. First, hyperspecializing education can lead to long-term job insecurity. Its one thing to study computer science with subjects that span from philosophy to history to ethics; its quite another to be trained in corporate technology systems, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), which can change unpredictably over time. Second, hypernarrow training can lead to societal subjugation. When individuals become hyperspecialized in one area, they remain highly vulnerable to the changes in the market. Accelerating technological development leaves them with no sense of security. This subjugation comes not from the top, but from the selfwhen the individual, insecure about his or her job, becomes self-focused and apolitical, demotivated, and de-opinionated, and thinks about that rooftop above his or her head and never beyond it. Third, specific CTE programs, and even whole academies, funded by corporations such as Ford, IBM, Dominion Energy, and others invest in education by selling the idea of personalized, in-demand, and accessible curricula as improving education. However, parents we interviewed questioned whether these businesses are investing in education because of genuine concerns over good education or out of interests connected to their companies. When AWS foresaw the need to hire workers with cloud skills, Amazon announced in 2020 it would offer cloud computing skills training to more than 29 million people worldwide through its AWS CTE courses, virtual classroom training, and digital courses. In October 2020, Arizona announced plans to train and certify more than 5,000 high school students across the state in cloud computing skills by June 2022. In December 2021, Washington state and AWS announced an agreement to have more than 2,000 students freely access AWS training programs to earn computer-tech certification in high school. Fourth, hyperspecialization, and the long-term job insecurity that comes with it, hit the poor particularly hard. The social connotation of vocational training with poor-quality education has been historically a result of the social class inequalities imposed by cultural hierarchies. These dominant cultural hierarchies also determine who will be hired. This dynamic reproduces the system of social inequality and associates social class with ones training and education. The development of artificial intelligence further enhances corporate interests in cherry-picking workers and generating an even greater sense of insecurity among them that leads to individuals feeling a constant threat of extinction if the knowledge and skills they had obtained during their school years havent guaranteed them employment and therefore security. That long-term sense of insecurity can further lead to a sense of unworthiness and a perverted version of lifelong learning that suggests individuals seem to never have learned well enough to deserve financial security. What strikes us in this research is the voices of so many families who want a well-rounded education for their children, the ability to play an instrument, to not feel the pressure of what work theyll do one day, and to study science that isnt just computers but also all other thingsbotany, zoology, microbiology, earth. Also, to our knowledge, there is a lack of empirical evidence for the effectiveness of CTE reforms influenced by corporations, with some researchers saying that CTE is seriously understudied. In our conversations with parents, children, and teachers, it became clear that a top-down approach of aligning public education programs with business demands is destroying any good intentions of CTE programs. Corporate influence is expanding well into the earliest years of schooling, turning public schools into agents of surveillance capitalism rather than protected spaces for unfettered learning and personal and intellectual development. Is there more to this story than we are being told? [Update: On early afternoon Friday afternoon, the US Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced that it was resuming its inspection program in Michoacan, Mexico and that avocado exports to the United States could recommence] The U.S. governments decision, on February 11, just three days before the Superbowl, to block all imports of avocados from the Mexican state of Michoacan following a threatening phone call to a US Department of Agriculture official has caused serious problems for Mexican growers and traders. More than 25,000 tons of inventory are at risk of being lost if the trade ban continues. Even if the suspension lasts just one week, it would mean the loss of an estimated $70 million in sales. On the other side of the border avocado prices are expected to rise in the coming days. While avocados that had already been inspected can still be shipped north, there are signs that supplies are beginning to tighten. Wholesalers in the U.S. that import avocados may have to look beyond Mexico, which currently supplies around 80% of U.S. imports of the fruit. Thousands of Workers Going Hungry But the real economic pain is being felt in Michoacan, one of Mexicos poorest states, where thousands of avocado pickers have lost their only source of income. Many have spend the last few days lining a roadside on the outskirts of the city of Uruapan, Michoacan, requesting donations from passing drivers. Since last Wednesday we havent picked anything, said one of the workers, who refused to give his name because of the widespread violence in the state. In the meantime, you die of hunger. Although Mexico has expressed optimism that the situation would be resolved promptly, the US responded Thursday that its position has not changed. The Biden administration has said from the beginning that it will not resume imports until the safety of the more than 70 US inspectors who work in Mexican fields is guaranteed. Among the proposals outlined is the creation of an investigation and security unit in Michoacan, which has already received the support of the governor of Michoacan, Alfredo Ramirez Bedolla, the municipal authorities and producers in the region. Green Gold For Mexicos economy, avocados have become so valuable that they are often referred to as oro verde (green gold). And Michoacan is ground zero for the industry, employing some 300,000 workers to cultivate, tender, harvest and process the cash crop. Mexico is the worlds largest supplier of avocados. Its avocados account for roughly a third of global sales. Over two-thirds of those avocados are grown in the state of Michoacan. Michoacan growers are the only suppliers included in the US Department of Agriculture certified export program. This has led to clashes in the past between growers from other regions and those in Michoacan. In 2018 two thirds of Michoacans avocado growers shut down their orchards and blocked many of the roads used to transport the produce as the growers accused packing firms of using inferior quality, lower priced produce from other regions to ship to the US market. Since the turn of this century the total value of Mexicos global exports of avocado has ballooned from 73 million to over $3 billion today. Between January and November 2021 Mexico exported a total of 1.27 million tons, with a value of 3,049.4 million dollars. The country exports 97% of its production to eight countries: the United States, Canada, Japan, Spain, Honduras, the Netherlands, El Salvador and France. That industry is now facing a major threat, and all apparently due to one phone call. As Mexicos Department of Agriculture recounted at the beginning of this week, U.S. health authorities made the decision after one of their officials, who was carrying out inspections in Uruapan, Michoacan, received a threatening message on his official cellphone. This is apparently not the first time Mexican drug gangs have threatened USDA inspectors. In 2019, members of a criminal organization threatened a USDA team of inspectors in Ziracuaretiro in Michoacan and stole the car they were travelling in. The U.S. agency then wrote a letter warning that if there was another threat to their inspectors in Michoacan, they would suspend the avocado program. Which is exactly what has happened. However, it is hard to shake the feeling that there may be just be a little more to this story than first meets the eye. For a start, the timing of the ban is suspicious, coming just three days before Superbowl, when millions of Americans sit down for their time-honored bowl of Guacamole and watch the Avocados from Mexico commercial. This is the biggest moment in the calendar year for Mexicos avocado trade, when American minds and bellies are most focused on the succulent green, buttery fruit. Michoacan: A Vital Strategic Cog Another curious aspect of the timing is that Michoacans avocado industry has been ruled with bloodthirsty zeal by narcotraficantes for well over a decade yet its only now that U.S. authorities are taking action. Michoacan is a vital strategic cog in the narcotics supply chain for two main reasons: the strategically located Pacific-coast port of Lazaro Cardenas, where much of the cocaine from Colombia and fentanyl from China arrives and which rival gangs have been vying to control for decades; and the regions extensive opium fields. But the gangs have been diversifying into other sectors, spreading a thick trail of gory bloodshed and mayhem in the process. Eight years ago, the LA Times reported that the states two biggest cartels, the Knights Telmpar and the Familia Michoacana, were sticking their hand deep in the [avocado] industrys pockets: For each hectare of land used by growers, according to El Economista, they demand a quota of 2,000 pesos (about $152). Then they extort the fruit sellers between 1 and 3 pesos (8-23 cents) for each kilo. If they dont pay, theres retribution: last April, two avocado packing plants were burned after the owners refused. Before the Knight Templars hit the scene, Los Zetas were bossing the business, as the Mexican daily Excelsior reported in 2016 (translation my own): The narcos have controlled much of this market since 2007, when Los Zetas intimidated, extorted and robbed producers. After violently displacing Los Zetas, the Familia Michoacana and the Knights Templar took over the extortion of growers, who had found in avocado cultivation sufficient reason to stay in Mexico and not emigrate as undocumented immigrants to the northern neighbor of Mexico, as thousands of Michoacanos do. There have been numerous reports corroborating this situation. The Knights have stolen land with entire plantations and killed families who didnt want to pay the feeor for other related reasons. The narcos have intervened to raise the prices in dollars of avocados. In addition to charging the producer a fee for the land they work, they are said to keep a dollar for each avocado sold. In other words, Mexican drug gangs have been heavily involved in Mexicos avocado trade for around 15 years, but its only now that the U.S. government has decided to take action against it. So, what gives? According to some reports, one of the reasons for the abrupt change of policy is that the Knights Templar are growing increasingly sophisticated in their use of violence, using trenches, pillboxes, homemade armored cars, rocket-propelled grenades and drones modified to drop small bombs. In the last month an army vehicle was disabled by an IED planted on a road, injuring a number of soldiers. It was the first known successful use of IEDs against a military target in Mexico. Another Possible Reason: U.S. Commercial Interests But there could be another reason why this is happening right now: to counter Mexicos President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors proposed energy reforms, including his plan to nationalize Mexicos reserves of lithium, a vital mineral for the green energy transition the world is supposed to be moving through in the coming years. As I reported last week, Mexico is one of an increasing number of governments in Latin America, including Chile, Brazil and Peru, that are considering taking greater control of their natural resources as their value surges on global markets. Just a month ago, the U.S. Senates Committee on Foreign Relations called on the Biden Administration to act with force against AMLOs plans to favor State energy companies while excluding from Mexicos energy sector private companies that are committed to renewable sources. Shutting down one of Mexicos most important and fastest growing export sectors is certainly a forceful way of doing that. And as readers of this site well know, Washington has a long, storied history of using trade as a diplomatic weapon. AMLO himself has blamed USDAs decision to ban imports of Michoacan avocado on local U.S. growers wanting to compete with Mexican products, as well as political factors though he hasnt actually divulged what those factors are. In all of this there are also a lot of political interests and there is competition; they dont want Mexican avocados to get into the United States, right, because it would dominate in the United States because of its quality, Lopez Obrador said. There are other countries that are interested in selling avocados, as in the case of other farm products, so they lobby, they look for senators, professional public (relations) people and agencies, to put up obstacles. Big Scandal for AMLO, Partly Paid for by USAID Washingtons ban on avocado imports from Mexico also coincides with the eruption of a scandal involving AMLOs two sons and their ties to the U.S. oil field service company Baker Hughes, which has juicy contracts with Mexicos state-owned oil giant Pemex. It is the biggest corruption scandal AMLO has faced and it was first broken by the organization Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity, which as I previously reported receives some of its funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), an offshoot of the U.S. State Department with a long history of financing opposition groups in Latin America. It is impossible to know to what extent, if any, Washingtons import ban on Mexican avocados is being driven by its own commercial interests. Even AMLO is not spilling the beans, if indeed there are any to spill. For the moment, it is all just one big fat coincidence. But the damage to Michoacans economy is increasing by the day. As I have previously pointed out, the biggest obstacle AMLO faces in trying to rebalance Mexicos economic model, by, say, nationalizing lithium, promoting domestic, non-GMO production of staple crops such as corn or prioritizing Mexicos crude oil for the domestic market, is that it threatens the commercial interests of its number one trading partner. And Mexicos economy is totally dependent on the deeply unbalanced trading relationship it has with the US, which buys up more than 80% of all its exports while also providing Mexico with a large share of its staple foods, thanks, of course, to NAFTA. A new pre-print study in BioRxIv by a team of Japanese researchers, plus emerging data from the UK and South Africa, point in the same direction: that the Omicron variant BA.2 is not just outcompeting original Omicron, variant BA.1, but is also more pathogenic. The article estimated BA.2 as 1.4 times as contagious as BA.1, which is consistent with BA.2 managing to gain a lot of ground against an already fabulously contagious variant. From the abstract: Statistical analysis shows that the effective reproduction number of BA.2 is 1.4-fold higher than that of BA.1. Neutralisation experiments show that the vaccine-induced humoral immunity fails to function against BA.2 like BA.1, and notably, the antigenicity of BA.2 is different from BA.1. Cell culture experiments show that BA.2 is more replicative in human nasal epithelial cells and more fusogenic than BA.1. Furthermore, infection experiments using hamsters show that BA.2 is more pathogenic than BA.1. Our multiscale investigations suggest that the risk of BA.2 for global health is potentially higher than that of BA.1. This study is consistent with worrisome real-world BA.2 sightings, such as: Omicron: BA2, South Africa, the deaths rise almost perfectly in line with the dominance of BA2: pic.twitter.com/GmJZjvvHuZ Chris Turnbull (@EnemyInAState) February 16, 2022 CFR is not that far away from previous peaks now: pic.twitter.com/EG9uli1TFT Chris Turnbull (@EnemyInAState) February 16, 2022 If you read the thread, you will also see that South African officials were nevertheless trying to spin BA.2 as no worse than mild BA.1. And from the UK: UK Health Security Agency has reported that BA.2 has an increased growth rate compared with the original omicron variant (BA.1) in all regions of England where there were enough cases to assess. the apparent growth advantage is currently substantial. https://t.co/E6tm9OuygF Dr. Claudia William MD, MScHAL (@DrCSWilliam) February 16, 2022 This writer is unhelpfully melodramatic, but the simple point is BA.2 is on the march in countries credited with heretofore doing a pretty good job of Covid containment: 1) There are at least two jurisdictions that are now in the grip of rising #COVID deaths from the so-called #Omicron stealth variant BA.2 Denmark and Hong Kong. Each has taken a different approach to managing the #pandemic. In this thread, I will show the failings of each. pic.twitter.com/kF0JbA9MkP Aaron Derfel (@Aaron_Derfel) February 17, 2022 Now to the new paper, which is getting a lot of media play. Keep in mind that this study performed a considerable number of in vitro tests to try to understand the mechanics of BA.2, plus also infected hamsters to approximate in vivo effects in humans. So on the one hand, these findings are not yet dispositive. But on the other, these various tests pointed generally in the same direction, that BA.2 is both more evasive of existing immunity (vaccine and infection conferred) and more dangerous than BA.1. Consider this discussion: BA.2 was almost completely resistant to two therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, Casirivimab and Imdevimab, and was 35-fold more resistant to another therapeutic antibody, Sotrovimab, when compared to the ancestral D614G-bearing B.1.1 virus (Fig. 2d). Moreover, both BA.1 and BA.2 were highly resistant to the convalescent sera who had infected with early pandemic virus (before May 2020; Fig. 2e), Alpha (Extended Data Fig. 3a) and Delta (Extended Data Fig. 3b). These data suggest that, similar to BA.1, BA.2 is highly resistant to the antisera induced by vaccination and infection with other SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as three antiviral therapeutic antibodies. Admittedly, humans may be less susceptible to BA.2 lung damage than hamsters, but the hamster results indicate that BA.2 attacks the lungs more than BA.1 did. We could be back to the old normal of long stays in hospitals to try to contain Covid-induced viral pneumonia: As shown in Fig. 4b, viral RNA loads in the two lung regions, hilum and periphery, of BA.2-infected hamsters were significantly higher than those of BA.1-infected hamsters. These data suggest that BA.2 is more rapidly and efficiently spread in the lung tissues than BA.1 To investigate the pathogenicity of BA.2, the right lungs of infected hamsters were collected at 1, 3, and 5 d.p.i. and used them for haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and histopathological analysis12, 23. All histopathological parameters including bronchitis/bronchiolitis, haemorrhage, alveolar damage, and the levels of type II pneumocytes, of BA.2-infected hamsters were significantly higher than those in BA.1 Recall that it was not just the number of Covid infections but also their duration that pushed hospitals to the brink during pre-Omicron-BA.1 surges. Covid cases then were often hospitalized for 2-3 weeks, tying up capacity and draining staff, not just due to worry about contracting Covid but also due to the acute distress these patients often exhibited. As scientist GM put it: As suspected, BA.2 is more severe than BA.1. And to be noted, this is just the spike, they dont have a clinical isolate for BA.2 so just cloned the spike into whatever virus they had. So whatever effect the ORF6 mutation has, its not in this comparison. What wasnt suspected is how much more severe it is, at least in hamsters. I suspect this is actually an exaggerated difference relative to the difference in BA.1/BA.2 severity in actual people, but the hamsters are not vaccinated, while the people mostly are, so that might have something to do with it. And it is more fusogenic, but not because of increased cleavage, its some other mechanism. So the trend towards worse variants is resuming. Basically evolution just resumed its usual course for these viruses. BA.1 seems to have benefited initially from a founder effect relative to BA.2, although they appeared around the same time. Those early superspreader events in Pretoria must have been all BA.1, and from then on it got an early start around the world. And it swept through because of its gigantic advantage on immune escape. It is not actually more contagious than Delta in a naive population (there was a study from Denmark on secondary attack rates in unvaccinated households, and that was shown there), its just that Delta never encountered a naive population in India itself half the population had been infected prior to the Delta wave, and everywhere else it went, it found a population that had been some combination of infected+vaccinated. And with Delta you do get a 50-80% (depending on the time point and the age group) protection from reinfection, so vaccines did actually reduce transmission. And NPIs had not yet been completely dropped. So you never saw it exploded the way it could have, the R_t was always dampened by a factor of at least two. Then BA.1 comes and it has a shorter serial interval but actually has a lower viral load and its not all that fit of a variant in absolute terms, but it is a complete escape variant. And it encounters a population that has given up on NPIs and relies entirely on vaccines, vaccines that now have precisely zero effect in terms of infection control. So it spreads like wildfire and looks unstoppable because nobody tried to stop it (curiously the Chinese are not having all that much difficulty putting out the fires with their usual methods). But that is the new starting point, from here on the trend is toward higher viral load, once again back to more cell-to-cell fusion, and thus more severity. Because higher viral load means both more transmissibility and higher severity. And thus BA.2 displaces BA.1 What comes next is anyones guess. So even assuming not all of the negative findings in this study pan out, two things do seem clear. First, BA.2 is more contagious and just about entirely scapes current vaccines and prior infection. That alone translates into a new big wave of infections which will overload hospitals by virtue of raw number. Second, BA.2 is more severe, which means on the same number of infections, more hospitalization and probably other morbidity. Even not that much worse will have a big impact. With this background, its hard to find words sufficiently caustic to describe the abject negligence of officials who have the temerity to depict themselves as in the business of public health. There was already evidence that BA.2 was more contagious than BA.1, and no reason to think it was less dangerous, public health officials were prepping citizens to get ready to eat, drink, and be merry because BA.1 was abating. Some are willing to call out the mismanagement and the bad incentives behind it: BA2 is looking more pathogenic than omicron. And more intrinsically contagious. But still no talk in the West on how to make our countries resilient to the constant threat of new VOCs as we open up. Endemic delusion continues. Dr. Lisa Iannattone (@lisa_iannattone) February 16, 2022 It is. They actually want people to take masks off because they (Zients/Klain) think it's bad optics bad for the economy. Reality is DEAD people are bad for the economy. Chronically ill people are bad for the economy Melpomene (@MelpomeneMel) February 17, 2022 Based on how public health officials and politicians are responding to Omicron, and Covid generally, its hard to think that what we call civilization has actually advanced. The key actors genuinely seem to believe that reality will deliver up their most optimistic scenario. They might as well be New Age prosperity hucksters: if you visualize and believe, the Universe will deliver what you desire. From their Panglossian hit parade: Getting Covid would confer durable immunity (a nonsensical idea to anyone who had done cursory research on coronaviruses) The vaccines would protect recipients from infection, even when clinical trial data said no such thing A two-shot, and then recall per Fauci, a three shot regime would provide immunity (refer again to the statements above) The Covid death count is not so bad, so why should we change our lives? Covid will (soon) evolve into something harmless, as in mere nuisance level for most people Delta would be the last variant But the public is not as dumb as those in charge think. The dogs are less willing to eat the dog food. A new Pew survey found that only 29% of Americans have a great deal of confidence that medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public. Thats a fall from 40% in November 2020, although this new level is on par with January 2019. Its as if we are collectively caught in a pastiche of movie cliches: looming monster about to devour extraneous cast member meets Dont go into the haunted house meets Groundhog Day. But we dont get to flip the dial. ASEAN foreign ministers reiterate commitment to ensure full, effective implementation of RCEP agreement 00:00:00 Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn attends a press conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Feb. 17, 2022. (Photo by Sovannara/Xinhua) Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Thursday reiterated their commitment to ensure the full and effective implementation of the trade agreement Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which took effect on Jan. 1, Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said. They made the pledge during the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting or AMM Retreat, which was held here in a hybrid format. Chaired by Sokhonn, the meeting was attended in person by foreign ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Laos, and online by foreign ministers of Brunei, Thailand and Vietnam, while Myanmar did not designate a non-political representative for it. Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, Sokhonn said the ministers reaffirmed the importance of strengthening ASEAN economic integration and the intra-ASEAN trade, investment and supply chain connectivity to enhance the region's competitiveness, connectedness and resilience as outlined in the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025. "On this note, my colleagues and I were encouraged by the entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement on the first of January 2022 and reiterated our commitment to ensure full and effective implementation of the agreement to enhance ASEAN's attractiveness for trade, investment and global supply chains," he said. RCEP is a mega trade agreement between 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and its five major trade partners of China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The pact covers about 30 percent of the world's population, accounts for about 30 percent of global gross domestic product. Apart from RCEP, the ASEAN foreign ministers also discussed ways to boost regional economy in the post-pandemic era, Sokhonn said. "To facilitate the region's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, we emphasized the importance of full and effective implementation of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework," he said. He said the ministers also commended the operationalization of the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund and stressed that timely implementation of the ASEAN Travel Corridor Arrangement Framework would facilitate cross-border movements and raise economic activities among the member states. According to Sokhonn, the ministers exchanged views on regional and international issues and reaffirmed their shared commitment to open, rules-based and inclusive multilateralism for the promotion of sustainable peace, security, stability and prosperity within and beyond the region. "To this end, we were also on the same view of the importance of strengthening ASEAN's centrality and unity in our engagement with ASEAN's external partners through ASEAN-led mechanism to build mutual trust and confidence as well as to reinforce regional architecture with ASEAN at its center," he said. (Natural News) During the past few decades, a quiet but all the more important divergence has begun to evolve between Asia und Europe: their respective attitudes towards climate change and nuclear energy. In their crusade against what they perceive as a looming climate catastrophe, most European nations are focusing on reducing carbon emissions. Among them, Germany has taken the lead. Its first step was to scrap its fleet of nuclear power stations. Moreover, coal-fired plants are being decommissioned one after another even before the nuclear decommissioning is completed. The ultimate goal is a net zero society exclusively powered by renewables, mainly solar and wind. Its a greens dream that is slowly morphing into a nightmare for ordinary people. (Article by P Gosselin republished from WattsUpWithThat.com) Asian countries barrel ahead with nuclear power In stark contrast, the far more pragmatic Asian countries have preferred instead to pay lip service and care about their people. Instead of fatally crippling their energy infrastructure, they are increasingly opting for nuclear power. Clear leader Russia takes the lead More and more nations have already installed or are on the brink of installing nuclear power stations. In this field, Russia has clearly taken the lead, followed by China, South Korea and Japan. These four nations have mastered and developed native nuclear technologies of their own and are now exporting them. Among them, two behemoths stand out: Russia as the clear world leader in the field of exporting nuclear power generating plants, and China, a rather new kid on the block but with a high potential to quickly evolve as another key player in this field. Russia With respect to nuclear high-tech, Russia has three decisive advantages: it does not fall for the CO 2 climate hoax of the big cats in the US financial industry 2), and as one of the earliest and biggest player in the field of nuclear power and arms technology, it has a large nuclear industry. This industry masters all stages of the nuclear cycle such as mining, enrichment and fuel processing, engineering, machine building and power generation equipment through to nuclear services, maintenance, fuel reprocessing and a closed fuel cycle. Another aspect is that the vast nation has an incredible wealth of mineral and natural resources of all types, including some of the worlds largest reserves of fossil fuels. Russia is thus a first-tier energy and resources giant, and it has systematically used these advantages to carve out a leading role when it comes to energy exports including the export of nuclear power installations. Russias energy riches and technological prowess Lets first look at Russias energy assets as detailed in an International Atomic Energy Associaton (IAEA) report3) updated to 2021: Currently Russia is operating 38 reactors at 11 nuclear power plants contributing 20.7% to the production of electric power. The biggest contributor is natural gas, but the country would rather prefer to sell it abroad, where it fetches much higher prices. The latest Federal Target Programme thus envisages a 2530% nuclear share in electricity supply by 2030, 4550% by 2050 and 7080% by the end of the century. The reactors in service range from older soviet-era models through state of the art Gen. III models and to advanced designs such as fast reactors e.g. the BN 600-800-1200 series. A next generation of fast models cooled by sodium and lead-bismuth is already on the drawing boards. The list is complemented by small modular reactors such as those in the floating power plant Akademik Lomonosov. Design lifetime for new reactor models is generally 60 years. Ample supply of well-trained human resources is secured by training centres and technical colleges with a yearly throughput of some 18,000 technicians and academics Impressive array of expertise, technologies and services The countrys nuclear industry offers a level of skills, technologies and services hard to match by other countries. Prices are in the lower range. In a survey assembled by the World Nuclear Association 4), domestic prices ranging from 2050-2450 US$/kW and a construction time of 54 months are mentioned. For the BN 1200 fast reactor, an energy price of 2.23 ct/kWh is given, while for export reactors of the VVER type, 50-60 US$ per MWh in most countries is indicated. The Russian one-stop-shop, full service packages from cradle to grave are very attractive, especially for emerging and third world countries. Even take-back and disposal of spent nuclear fuel are taken care of. Risks are minimized since all design projects meet modern international requirements and IAEA recommendations. Compare this to the deplorable state of the industry in the Western world, where the likes of Siemens, Areva or Westinghouse grapple with frightening delays and cost overruns. No wonder thus the State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) holds first place in terms of the number of simultaneously implemented nuclear reactor construction projects (35 units abroad at various implementation stages). In 2020, Rosatoms package of foreign orders exceeded US$138 billion. Emerging China The prospective next best competitor will probably be China, though the country started much later and still has not the same wealth of experience and technology bandwidth. Notwithstanding these shortcomings, China has demonstrated astonishing prowess in its learning curve and has in the meantime developed and brought on stream a variety of modern reactor designs such as the Gen. III pressurized water reactor Hualong one. After receiving a first order from Pakistan, China has just succeeded at convincing Argentina to opt for this model too. And further interesting developments including the first commercially active high-temperature gas-cooled pebble bed reactor (PBR) nuclear power plant 5) as well as a small modular reactor are in the pipeline. Given the impressive track record of Chinese machinery and construction work deliveries in many countries around the globe, they will probably soon gain a solid foothold in this field. Massive market on a world-wide scale Western countries, including the US, will find out that their policy of obstructing the natural resources sector, including the fossil fuel industry, with their leave it in the ground policy is backfiring seriously. In order to boost their economy, create jobs and feed their growing population, third world and developing countries desperately need cheap, reliable energy supplies. The net zero campaign strangling fossil fuel producers by cutting their financing off has led to dramatic increases of energy and raw material prices. The current level will probably not ease away in the near future, forcing politicians worldwide to rework their energy supply strategies. Bright nuclear future Renewable sources such as solar and wind are no alternative for countries in need of reliable und steady supplies. The consequence will be a boom in demand for nuclear energy. And thanks to the Greens and Gretas of our times, Russia and China are in an ideal position to reap these fruits. Demand will be so massive that only countries with a big, well-oiled industry base, sufficient financing power and a well-organized supply of human resources will be able to fully participate when demand will overwhelm smaller suppliers. For people not believing in this scenario, a look at France might be enlightening. Despite already having 56 nuclear power plants, president Macron has just decided to order the construction of up to 14 additional ones. With some 65 million inhabitants, the country counts for slightly less than one percent of the worlds population. Scaling this figure up on a world-wide scale delivers a market potential of possibly 1,500 nuclear power plants over the next 28 years. Smart money shifting to uranium miners? In view of these developments and factoring in the current political tensions around Russia and Ukraine, one might wonder why Russia should be impressed by sanctions directed at its gas pipelines to Europe such as North Stream 2. While there are lots of competitors in the oil and gas market, no European country will be able to match the clout of Russia and China in this emerging world-wide market. Russia could probably survive losing the German or even the whole European gas market and focus on selling nuclear technology, while on the other hand, Europe would suffer enormously. The prospects of this emerging renaissance of nuclear power seem to have already attracted the attention of smart money investors growing tired of technology stocks such as Tesla or Facebook. In this context, it is interesting to note that the combined relative valuation of a bundle of Canadian uranium mining stocks has, shown a marked upward trend since March/ April 2020, after an initial long-term decline, see Figure 6. Fred F. Mueller Read more at: WattsUpWithThat.com (Natural News) Freedom Project Academy Director Dr. Duke Pesta told host Alex Newman during the February 11 episode of The Sentinel Report that child sexual emancipation is the next big thing after transgenderism. Heres whats coming and I mark my career on this watching these people. The next big thing besides normalizing sex with children is child sexual emancipation. I dont know if youve heard that word before. But we are going to [see] the progressive left try to emancipate children to be allowed to make their own sexual decisions, said Pesta, host of the Dr. Duke Show podcast and a tenured English professor at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. It is the next thing, and youre going to forget immediately about [transgenderism] when this comes. This is how the Left works. Pesta recalled that more than a decade ago, former President Barack Obama gave his support to pro-gay rights and this led to gay marriage. Before Americans started the fight against gay marriage, the issue of transgenderism was already on the scene. According to Pesta, there is going to be a push for pedophilia in the next two years that people will immediately forget the transgender debate. Authorities will no longer come after the pedophiles when this happens. He added that the Left, which now controls every aspect of Americas education from preschool to graduate school, has put their focus on the kids by teaching them about radical sexuality in elementary school, teaching techniques of sexuality and telling them sex has a bodily function that has no morality, no trust or love, no marriage attached to it. Pesta noted that teaching young children about the nature and the process of sex would hinder parents from telling them not to do it. Florida HB 1557 bans propaganda about sexual orientation and transgenderism in elementary schools The Freedom Project Academy director also talked about the recent Florida House bill that would ban propaganda and promotion of discussion about sexual orientation and transgenderism in elementary school. You mentioned elementary school. Theres a reason we never taught heterosexuality to children at the ages of seven, eight, nine and 10. It was just inappropriate for little kids. They dont understand it, Pesta explained. Now with the insurgency that we have about trans and LGBTQ rights, they want to make sure that your kids are getting brainwashed as young as possible. So this is very common sense when you look at what Florida did through HB 1557. Its called the Parental Rights and Education bill. He explained that the bill proposes that a school district may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students. If youre going to talk about subjects like abstract sexuality to little kids, youre not going to be able to argue or reason with them. Youre just going to indoctrinate them, the tenured university professor said. Pesta also mentioned that the progressive Left is trying to force gay and transgender issues into schools. (Related: LGBT education pack features six-year-old engaging in sexual activity, as pedophilia becomes normalized.) More related stories: Minnesota sex ed program asks students to role play gay, transgender sex scenarios. California parents speak out after teachers brainwash their 12-year-old child into transgenderism, call CPS on parents for using wrong pronouns. Woman at Michigan School Board meeting blows whistle on LITTER BOXES placed in school bathrooms for students who identify as CATS. When teachers become LGBTQ predators who target children: one mothers story. Watch the full February 11 episode of The Sentinel Report below. This video is from The Sentinel Report channel on Brighteon.com. Follow EducationSystem.news to know more about Americas education system. Sources: Brighteon.com FreedomProject.com CNBC.com (Natural News) The premier of Canadas Ontario Province walked back on Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine mandates and restrictions. Ontario Premier Doug Ford suddenly reversed course on restrictions despite previously lauding them. LifeSiteNews elaborated on Fords sudden reversal, with the Ontario leader claiming that getting the COVID-19 vaccine is a choice and that everyone is done with the measures. Ford told reporters on Feb. 15 that it doesnt matter if someone was injected with one shot or ten shots. You can go to Costco [or] Walmart, you can go shopping. You dont know if the person beside you has a shot or not, but we also know that it doesnt matter if you have one shot or ten shots, you can [still] catch COVID, he said. The Ontario premier also insisted that his government is about freedoms and liberties. He added: I bet if I asked every single person in this room: Do you want these masks or do you want them off? They want them off, they want to get back to normal. This is about, again, democracy and freedoms and liberties. Everyones done with this. We are done with it. Ford made his remarks in response to a question about when the provinces vaccine passport scheme will end. He first announced the mandate in September 2021 that required Ontarians to show proof of vaccination before entering bars, restaurants and other venues. However, he did not give a definite date for the vaccine passport systems end. Ford also did not give a date as to when mask mandates in Ontario will be over. [We need to] move forward. We cant stay in this position forever. Weve got to learn to live with this [virus] and get on with our lives. (Related: WOW: Canadian provincial leader actually admits officials got it wrong with widespread COVID lockdowns in tearful apology.) Ford espouses shaky stance on mandates Back in September 2021, the Ontario premier announced the province-wide vaccine passport mandate that became effective on Sept. 22. Proof of vaccination was required before Ontarians can enter all indoor settings where face masks cannot be worn for the duration of the visit. Ford has defended mask mandates in Ontario as recently as the last week of January. During an interview with Ontario radio station CJBQ, the premier claimed he could not say face mask requirements will be lifted anytime soon. Ford justified prolonging mask mandates in the state by saying that it really protects people from COVID-19. Fords shaky stance toward COVID-19 vaccine mandates contrasted with that of Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe. The premier of the western Canadian province once imposed lockdowns on the population. But seeing the error of his ways, Moe assured citizens that no more new restrictions would be put in place. Were avoiding the economic and psychological harm and the infringement on personal freedoms that are often caused by lockdowns, the Saskatchewan premier told reporters on Jan. 23. He added that while COVID-19 is not going away, many other diseases exist that are often addressed without locking down, taking away peoples freedoms and disrupting everyones life. Moe added that the province would no longer impose significant restrictions that cause significant harm, for no significant benefit. The only COVID-related action Saskatchewan took was an extension of its mask mandate. Originally set to end on Jan. 31, the provincial government moved its end date to Feb. 28. More related stories: Ontario closes schools, citing rising omicron cases as the excuse. Saskatchewan premier says ENOUGH of harmful Covid restrictions. Canadas COVID-19 lockdowns have not provided any benefits to Canadians. Watch the video below of Ontario Premier Doug Ford during his Feb. 15 press briefing. This video is from the In Search of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. Deception.news has more stories about politicians doing a sudden turn-around on COVID-19 restrictions. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com 1 RebelNews.com Toronto.CTVNews.ca LifeSiteNews.com 2 Brighteon.com (Natural News) Former Trump administration official Catharine ONeill is blowing the whistle on how former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo allowed the deep state to target patriots and Trump loyalists and looked the other way. (Article by Shane Trejo republished from BigLeaguePolitics.com) ONeill, who worked at the Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development in the Trump administration, was targeted by the deep state because of her patriotic political beliefs for a revocation of her security clearance. Pompeo did nothing to stop this from happening. ONeill blew the whistle in response to a question from journalist Mike Cernovich. How many of you know that [former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo] pulled the security clearances of Trumps most loyal supporters? Cernovich asked in a Twitter post. Unfortunately I was one of those people. I almost lost my clearance because I was politically targeted. Secretary [Mike Pompeo] and his team did NOTHING to help me, ONeill wrote in response. Ultimately, it was the patriots over at Judicial Watch who intervened on ONeills behalf as Pompeo shirked his duties as an American and exposed himself as a Pence-tier traitor and enemy of the Republic. It was [Judicial Watch] that came in and stood up for me and helped me get my clearance back, she wrote, promising to share the full story in the near future. The entire Twitter exchange can be seen here: Unfortunately I was one of those people. I almost lost my clearance because I was politically targeted. Secretary @mikepompeo and his team did NOTHING to help me. It was @JudicialWatch that came in and stood up for me and helped me get my clearance back. Full story soon. https://t.co/cVMCoJg3jx Catharine ONeill (@cathponeill) February 13, 2022 Big League Politics has reported on Pompeo being a stealth Never Trumper who wormed his way into the Presidents inner circle through shameless brownnosing: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has created the facade that he is one of President Donald Trumps most loyal proponents, but he was a vicious Never Trumper before he became an administration official. You know, Donald Trump the other day said that, in quote, if he tells a soldier to commit a war crime, the soldier will just go do it. He said theyll do as I tell them to do, said Pompeo, who was stumping for Little Marco Rubio in the Kansas GOP presidential caucus when he made the statement in 2016. Weve spent seven and a half years with an authoritarian president who ignored our constitution, Pompeo added, comparing Trump to former President Obama. We dont need four more years of that. Pompeo, who was serving in the U.S. House of Representatives at the time, also said that military personnel dont swear an allegiance to President Trump or any other President They take an oath to defend our Constitution, as Kansans, as conservatives, as Republicans, as Americans. In his role as Secretary of State, Pompeo has opened up the pipeline for fellow Never Trumpers to obtain prestigious roles within the administration. Mary Kissel, who Trump once called a major loser, was hired by Pompeo as a senior adviser in the State Department despite opposing her boss on every single one of his policies. Pompeo also hired James Jeffrey as his envoy for the Syrian war despite the fact that he was a Never Trumper who signed a pro-Hillary Clinton letter arguing that Trump was a dangerous president [who] would put at risk our countrys national security and well-being in 2016. In Pompeos most outrageous betrayal of Trump, he hired Elliott Abrams the disgraced figure who supported the Iraq War and perjured himself by lying to Congress over the Iran/Contra scandal as the Venezuelan envoy despite Abrams long-stated goal for the GOP establishment to seize the party machinery back immediately from Trumps control. Pompeo actually revels in his ability to lie to the American public and protect the deep state, something that he did proudly while serving as CIA Director. He admitted as much in a chilling clip to a group of students at Texas A&M University earlier this year. Hiring Pompeo was one of Trumps worst mistakes as chief executive. He must be blacklisted from the administration of any future America First President. Read more at: BigLeaguePolitics.com (Natural News) Below is my column in the Hill on the government and media campaign against the Canadian truckers. The Canadian government has now cleared the Ambassador Bridge. However, there was lasting damage done to the rights of free speech and association after an alliance of the government, corporations, and the media sought to isolate the protesters politically and financially. The most disturbing element was the freezing of donations by companies and the courts. Most recently, the TD Bank joined in blocking support from thousands of citizens. The organized effort to cut off access to donations is alarming, particularly in conjunction with efforts to curtail social media and other informational avenues for the protesters. (Article by Jonathan Turley republished from JonathanTurley.org) Here is the column: Canada appears to be facing its greatest threat since Benedict Arnold came close to seizing Ottawa in 1775. The source of this insurrection and attack on democracy, however, is not a foreign government but Canadians who have descended on their own capital to protest continuing COVID-19 mandates. The protest has been peaceful and highly successful in cutting off key highways. But the most alarming development has not come from the convoy but from the commentary about it, including calls for mass arrests and even vigilantism. The Ottawa Police Services Board chairman has called it a nationwide insurrection, adding, Our city is under siege. CNN analyst and Harvard professor Juliette Kayyem was apoplectic at the thought of truckers shutting down roads and interfering with trade. She tweeted out a call to slash the tires, empty gas tanks, arrest the drivers, and move the trucks. CNN correspondent Paula Newton said this act of civil disobedience was nothing less than a threat to democracy. An insurrection, sedition. Blocking streets, occupying buildings and shutting down bridges have long been tactics of protesters. Yet what constitutes a protest or an insurrection often seems to depend on the cause involved. When rioters caused billions of dollars in damages, burned police stations and occupied sections of American cities in the summer of 2020, for example, few in the media declared them to be terrorists or a threat to democracy. But CNNs Kayyem once called conservative protesters occupying a state capital domestic terrorists. GoFundMe, which previously helped in the funding of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protesters, froze more than $10 million raised for Canadian truckers to prevent it from being used to support them. After the money was frozen by GoFundMe, supporters switched to GiveSendGo to adopt a trucker. The Canadian government then moved successfully to freeze millions of donations to the truckers, and the Supreme Court of Canada approved the freeze in a major blow to free speech and associational rights in Canada. In the meantime, the government has demonized the convoy. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who praised truckers just two years ago as heroes, has denounced them as trying to blockade our economy, our democracy. This is the same Trudeau who praised BLM protesters and stressed that I have attended protests and rallies in the past when I agreed with the goals, when I supported the people expressing their concerns and their issues, Black Lives Matter is an excellent example of that. Protesters are routinely arrested for blocking roads, of course, and Canada certainly can enforce its public safety laws. But government responses, in the U.S. and now in Canada, seem heavily dependent on protesters viewpoints just as much of the media coverage of Canadas trucker movement could not contrast more strikingly with how protests across the U.S. in 2020 were often reported. Back then, many of these same journalists praised the civil disobedience legacy of the late congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis, who charged the next generation to go out and make good trouble. In cities such as Washington, D.C., police allowed BLM protesters to take over streets and stood by as some protesters toppled historic statues. When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was asked about the destruction, she shrugged and said, People will do what they will do. In Seattle, the seizing of a police station and the occupation of an entire section of the city was tolerated by the Democratic mayor, who likened it to a summer of love. And when BLM protesters flouted COVID-19 mandates, health experts lined up to declare they should be exempted from pandemic rules because racism is a health crisis too. What is most concerning now is the unwillingness to consider Canadian truckers as anything other than knuckle-dragging, racist insurrectionists. Like so much in our age of rage, our political opponents cannot be anything but caricatures or cutouts, because reason no longer has a place in our national discourse. Yet it is precisely the isolation of dissenting voices and groups that leads to such acts of disruption and disobedience. Canadas truckers obviously feel marginalized and dismissed by their government. That feeling was magnified when Trudeau fled to a secure location and refused to meet with them. Officials then threatened anyone giving aid or gas to the truckers. There is a worldwide movement against COVID-19 mandates and rising complaints over the censorship of those with opposing views of these policies. Many of those objections are now being treated as mainstream questions, from the efficacy of masks to the value of lockdowns, from the origins of the virus to the protection of natural antibodies. Once again, an alliance of government, social media companies and the mainstream media is fueling public divisions, even as such condemnation of the truckers appears to be having less and less impact. Rage gives a license to treat opposing views as unworthy of expression or tolerance. But people who feel marginalized tend to get mad and find their own outlets for speech. I believe the truckers are wrong to continue the blockade unless the government yields to their demands. But the government also is wrong in how it has dismissed the truckers and cracked down on fundraising and other support for the movement. The freezing of funds supporting the truckers laid bare the anti-free speech trend sweeping across the world, including in the U.S. There is no principled basis for cutting off the ability of citizens to support other citizens in a campaign of civil disobedience. Although ignored by most in the media, the same claim used by the Trudeau government today could have been used to freeze support for the civil rights eras freedom marchers or for BLM protesters in 2020. Ottawa is not under siege; the roads can be cleared. However, our politics and media have become bunkered and blockaded. Free speech is being curtailed through government actions, including the freezing of these funds, or through corporate censorship now embraced by the left. And lost in all this is an outlet for our political tensions and channels for dialogue. Acts of civil disobedience like these will remain part of political movements. However, if we want to reduce the impulse to take to the highways to protest, then we need to open up the information superhighway for full political expression and dissent. Read more at: JonathanTurley.org (Natural News) Audit the Vote PA co-founder and Public Relations Director Toni Shuppe believes there is a lot more corruption going on at certain levels of the government. Shuppe made the remark in her interview with Dr. Alan Keyes during an episode of Lets Talk America on Brighteon.TV. I think that theyre just afraid. Nobody really wants to be the first person to stand up and say, Okay, we really do need to take a look at this. Thats just my opinion based on the people that we have met with. But you know, perhaps it goes much deeper, perhaps there is a lot more corruption going on at certain levels of our government, said Shuppe, who noted that some people are afraid to expose the cheating, fraud and tampering that happened during the 2020 election. But thats exactly why we advocate for a full forensic audit and full transparency in our election system. Every other industry in our country requires audits in order to be able to function. And yet when it comes to our votes in our election system, they want everything to be kept secret. Im baffled along with you, it doesnt make much sense to me. But were continuing to push and continuing to the best of our ability to bring these issues to light so that they cant hide behind it much longer. Shuppe added their organization is still looking for people who want to take a closer look at the 2020 election and give answers to the American public. According to Shuppe, the biggest challenge America is facing right now is that people dont want to vote anymore. And thats the worst thing that could possibly happen. Because thats essentially quitting. And I understand, I feel the frustration. I have days when I feel the same way. Whats the point of voting? But at the same time, when you take a step back from your emotions, youll realize thats quitting, Shuppe said. And thats a slap in the face to the Founding Fathers and everybody that have gone before us that have shed their blood for us to have these freedoms. And Im just not willing to give up. And weve seen entirely too much at this point to say, Forget it, its not worth it.' Audit the Vote PA exposing election irregularities Shuppe, along with Karen Taylor and Jamie Sheffield, formed the grassroots organization Audit the Vote PA after seeing what happened in the 2020 election and knowing that something wasnt right. (Related: Election integrity watchdog outlines proof of election fraud straight from three whistleblowers.) She said the state of Pennsylvania had so many unanswered questions about the 2020 election, such as the many anomalies in the data and the eyewitness accounts of people at the polls. Shuppe cited the mail-in ballots that were being opened by machines and being ripped as they were opened, and the people not being allowed or being kicked out of the polling stations supposedly due to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). Audit the Vote PA decided to take action because it believes America will never have another free and fair election if the people behind the election fraud are allowed to get away with it. So we dug our heels in, we got connected with a ton of good people on the ground. I think we were just the first ones to really stand, be willing to stand up with a voice and make enough noise that we kind of just started connecting all the people that felt the same way that wanted to do something connected with us, Shuppe explained. Shuppe revealed that with the help of a data analyst, they were able to put together a ton of data on their website under the statewide data tab. She added that they have everything on the website by county and people can see what happened in their county such as the anomalies, the number of supposedly registered voters, duplicate registrations and other issues. Audit the Vote PA, according to Shuppe, is advocating for investigations and full forensic audits before the ballots and evidence of the election will be legally destroyed per federal law in September this year. And so the clock is running out. But we are still pushing as hard as we can for them to open up the records and take a look at things so that we can get answers to some of these egregious anomalies that we have found, Shuppe said. On 16 February 2022, Mr. Kunio Mikuriya, the WCO Secretary General visited the headquarters of the General Directorate of Customs and Excise (DGDDI) in Paris for a meeting with Ms. Isabelle Braun-Lemaire, the Director General of French Customs. During the meeting, the two parties discussed the recent developments in their respective organizations, cooperation activities and other topics of mutual interest. They also examined the topics of managing and leveraging data as well as trafficking of cultural objects. Ms. Braun-Lemaire presented the Customs strategic plan for 2022-2025, which envisages strengthening Customs in terms of two core components: borders and goods, and improving conditions to fulfill Customs missions by means of developing tools and working methods, whereby the leveraging of Customs data plays a central role. Mr. Mikuriya took the opportunity to introduce the work carried out by the WCO Secretariat on its global data strategy, which was presented to the WCO Policy Commission in December 2021. He underlined that the Secretariat was still working on it with a view to presenting an enhanced version to its Members at the Council Session in June 2022. The meeting continued at the Louvre museum, where an exhibition on looted archaeological objects from Libya and the Middle East, seized by Customs, was taking place. The objects are now on display in the museum to draw public attention to the scourge of this international trafficking and to raise awareness of the crucial role that Customs plays in combating it. At the exhibition, Ms. Braun-Lemaire stated: I would like to thank Mr. Mikuriya for his visit honouring French Customs in its role of protecting our shared cultural heritage. This exhibition at the Louvre, with its international standing, bears witness to the strategic role of Customs in combating trafficking of cultural objects and, more generally, countering organized crime on the international level. It is the day-to-day work of the 17,000 French Customs women and men and the international cooperation among Customs officers, particularly with the support of the Secretary General of the WCO, that has made it possible for these cultural goods to be seized and displayed in a museum for everyone to enjoy. Raising public awareness of the threats posed by the trafficking of cultural objects from regions affected by violence, instability and conflicts is an effective way of combating this type of crime, said Secretary General Mikuriya. This also demonstrates the important role played by Customs in countering this illicit trade, which is often linked to other crimes, such as money laundering. (Natural News) A tribute mosaic portrait of Dr. Anthony Fauci, comprising hundreds of images of monkeys and beagles he and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) are accused of being responsible for having tormented and killed in cruel experiments, was unveiled by animal rights group PETA after a recent glimpse into the top infectious diseases experts office revealed large portraits and other memorabilia portraying himself. (Article by Joshua Klein republished from Breitbart.com) In a Wednesday press release, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) described its recently created image as a fitting portrait for White House Chief Medical Advisor and NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Faucis home office tribute to himself. No one likes Anthony Fauci more than Anthony Fauci, the group stated, claiming that proof of it could be seen in a recent peek inside the world headquarters of the Anthony Fauci Fan Clubhis home office. The group was referencing footage of Faucis office that appeared in the Disney+ feature documentary in October, and which drew criticism recently after stills began circulating online pointing to the various items depicting the veteran immunologist. Fauci in his office, surrounded by pictures of Fauci, watching that scene from Fauci where Fauci is in his office surrounded by pictures of Fauci. pic.twitter.com/3ALQOETaRK Karl Dierenbach (@Dierenbach) January 19, 2022 His walls, festooned in various shades of Anthony Fauci, including a life-size portrait and his own bobblehead, indicate that the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) really likes images of himself, the group said. As a result, PETA announced it had created the newest addition for Faucis collection of memorabilia: a high-resolution photomosaic made of hundreds of tiny photographs of the monkeys and beagles he and NIAID have tormented and killed in cruel experiments. Heres an accurate reflection of Faucis legacy. Zoom in to see whos suffering because of his bad decisions. https://t.co/UyfPkQFv5Lpic.twitter.com/6jzmD67hxf PETA (@peta) February 10, 2022 If Anthony Fauci is going to surround himself with images of himself, they may as well be accurate, said PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo. Fauci has overseen the torment and death of countless animals in colossally ridiculous, wasteful experiments that help no one but kill animals by the score. He should be reminded of that constantly, she added. The group concluded by urging Fauci to adopt its strategy, which includes phasing out animal experiments. PETA urges Fauci to implement its Research Modernization Deal, a strategy developed by PETA scientists to replace failed animal experimentation methods with organs-on-a-chip, supercomputers, three-dimensional tissue models, and other high-tech research methods, it said. The creation of the mosaic comes as animal experimentation by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) along with billions invested in studies such as attempts at creating transgender monkeys and experiments involving the tormenting of beagles, have come under fire, with the international nonprofit deeming them both cruel and illogical. NIH is currently facing a congressional probe after reports emerged last month alleging the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) spent millions of taxpayer dollars on cruel experimentation involving injecting beagle puppies with cocaine. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is now leading the investigation into the allegations. Last month, Guillermo called for Faucis dismissal, accusing him of perpetuating the problem and being in the way. In December, PETA senior vice president of cruelty investigations Daphna Nachminovitch accused the NIH of involvement in a $1.2 million contract to purchase beagles for cruel experiments. Read more at: Breitbart.com (Natural News) Will justice ever come for the plandemic tyrants who have committed crimes against humanity, including mass murder? Attorney Thomas Renz says so. In a recent interview on Brighteon Conversations with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, attorney Thomas Renz explained how he and many other lawyers are gearing up to drop the hammer on those who have defiled our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness with nearly two years of Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) fascism. Everything from the lockdowns to the mask mandates to now the vaccine mandates are criminal activities that require punishment. The perpetrators include names like Tony Fauci, Rochelle Walensky, Joe Biden and many others. We the People always have the power, Renz stated during the interview. We have always had the power. We will always have the power. No government can govern without the consent of those whom it governs. As We the People stand, it doesnt matter how corrupt they are because if enough of us stand up and say, Im sorry, were not accepting this, were changing this, it will change. This video is from channel Health Ranger Report on Brighteon.com. This is not new information For months, Renz has been sounding the alarm about how the plandemic is a fraud in terms of the fear and manipulation surrounding it. Sure, people are getting sick. But is the governments response warranted? Hardly. Time and time again, science has shown that the remedies the government has put forth to flatten the curve center around control, not health. And even if they did promote health, these unconstitutional measures simply cannot be forced on people against their will, especially when they come with deadly side effects such as in the case of the jabs. Right this moment, people everywhere who got injected are suffering from things like VAIDS (vaccine-induced AIDS). Some of them are also developing cancer due to the deadly spike proteins that have flooded their bodies. These are war crimes because in the fight to eradicate covid, the government forced people with no other option to get jabbed in order to keep their jobs, for instance. So, this is a coverup, its a fraud, its a lie, Renz says about how the government is now trying to conceal the true number of injuries and deaths that have occurred because of the injections. It is a highly unfortunate situation for those who fell prey to the programming, or who felt as though they had no other choice but to take these jabs. It is for these people that Renz and his supporters are fighting for justice, and to try to prevent this type of travesty from ever happening again. I think that there are an awful lot of people and I do think that theres complicity I think when you cover up, I think theres liability, Renz says about where we go from here. I think the media, Big Tech, yeah, theres liability and guess what: were coming for you. It may take a while to get there, but weve got millions of people who are going to be suffering from lifelong health issues and early deaths, and Im guessing that them and their families are going to be very eager to see it happen, and weve just got to make sure that theyre aware. Adams agrees. He envisions a time when every corporation that profited from this genocide has its assets seized, as well as every principal, every manager, and every CEO of every corporation that profited from this also having their assets seized. To learn more about how you can help Renzs efforts, be sure to visit his website. More of the latest news about the plandemic can be found at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: Brighteon.com NaturalNews.com Renz-Law.com (Natural News) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently invoked the Emergencies Act, which gives the government sweeping powers to fight ongoing protests against the countrys Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine mandate and other restrictions as the U.S.-Canada Bridge reopens. The Ambassador Bridge serves as a trade gateway between Canada and the United States. World Alternative Media CEO and host Josh Sigurdson told his viewers that the prime minister had said there were no plans to deploy the military during his meeting with the Liberal caucus. If that is the case, then why did he find the need to unleash the Emergencies Act in the first place? Sigurdson asked. He noted that the Canadian government is already loosening up some things, but it could get crazier before it gets better. Trudeau said the Independent Regulators Group (IRG) discussed further actions that the government can take to help end the blockades and occupations. According to Sigurdson, the governments actions are shutting down the Canadian economy and destroying countless lives as people got shunned from their families or fired from their jobs over their defiance at getting vaccinated. Were told that were the extremists when theyre the ones perpetrating all this stuff against us, against the truckers, against everyone, Sigurdson said. (Related: President Trump tweets Martial law = Fake News because he knows the Insurrection Act isnt martial law.) The idea that the unvaccinated are hurting the vaccinated has not been quantified anywhere, Sigurdson said, especially because the COVID vaccines are not even real vaccines. He noted that COVID-19 is something that is 99.97 percent survivable based on PCR tests, which show false-positive results 94 percent of the time anyway. The Emergencies Act gives the federal government a carte blanche to cope with a crisis, including the ability of the president to enact emergency powers that would allow it to prohibit travel within a specified area or remove personal property while imposing fines. It could also call jail time on people who contravene with the new orders. This ability is basically a sort of selective martial law. Upon invoking the sweeping emergency police powers, the Canadian leader told reporters the protests are not peaceful. The federal government is stepping in because local police authorities have had difficulty enforcing the law, he said. He also insisted that he is calling for emergency powers to keep Canadians safe, protect peoples jobs and restore confidence in different institutions. Canadians not fully behind Trudeaus invocation of emergency powers Enacting emergency powers effectively gives Trudeau martial law control over everyone, and many Canadians are not supporting his acts. Trudeaus first order was to choke off funding for the protesters by broadening the anti-money laundering rules to cover crowdsourcing sites and threatening them with financing terrorism. According to him, by broadening the scope to cover crowdfunding platforms, they are following the money and stopping the financing of the illegal blockades. The new law applies to personal and corporate accounts. It also covers all forms of transactions, including cryptocurrencies. The anti-money laundering rules will also allow a bank or other financial service providers to immediately freeze or suspend accounts without a court order, while banks will be protected against civil liability for actions taken in good faith. Canadian officials already cleared the roadway and arrested Freedom Convoy demonstrators, who held the line and blocked the busiest U.S.-Canada border for nearly a week. Officials also confirmed that the bridge reopened Monday morning, February 14, with Trudeau expected to squash protesters in the country. (Related: VACCINE MARTIAL LAW IS HERE: Austria announces total police state lockdown, mandatory covid vaccination for entire population.) As the Ambassador Bridge reopens, protesters continue blockade movements across the country. More related stories: MEDICAL MARTIAL LAW: Major newspaper editorial board calling on governor to deploy Natl. Guard against unvaccinated citizens. MEDICAL MARTIAL LAW: Bill filed in Washington to create strike force to hunt down and involuntarily detain the unvaccinated. Militarization of Americas health care infrastructure is rapidly accelerating in preparation for medical martial law. Canadas Freedom Convoy invokes waves of protests against Canadas COVID mandates. Canada is turning into a COVID Police State, warns constitutional lawyer. Watch the full episode of the World Alternative Media below. This video is from the World Alternative Media channel on Brighteon.com. Follow Tyranny.news for more news about people in government abusing their power. Sources include: Brighteon.com ZeroHedge.com (Natural News) Older Italian workers who have not been injected with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine will essentially be banned from entering their workplaces beginning Feb. 22. The ban on unvaccinated workers will apply to all residents aged 50 and older who work in both the public and private sector. The unvaccinated worker ban is part of new mandates announced on Jan. 5 and published two days later, alongside the countrys super green pass requirement. The pass, which serves the same function as a vaccine passport, is required to enter most establishments in Italy. Anyone living in Italy who is 50 years old and above including those set to turn 50 by June 15 would be required to show their super green pass as proof that they have been injected with the COVID-19 vaccine. Foreign nationals, freelance workers and unemployed individuals are subject to the new rules. In line with this, employees wishing to work on site need to show their super green pass to enter. Unvaccinated people who attempt to enter can face fines between 600 ($680) and 1,500 ($1,700) with repeat offenses meriting double the amount of penalties. Employers who refuse to enforce the vaccine passport mandates can also face fines between 400 ($453) and 1,000 ($1,133). According to the New American, Italian workers aged 50 and older were initially given the option to show a negative COVID-19 test back in September 2021. The new mandate nullified this option for older workers. Only those with confirmed medical exemptions and those who recently recovered from the mandate are permitted to enter without the need to show a super green pass. The Italian governments sentiment against unvaccinated persons appeared to have bled through the population. One Italian woman who has not received the vaccine said new social norms targeting the unvaccinated have emerged over the past few months. Fifty-five-year-old Patrizia Bianco lamented: People wont say hello to me anymore on the street. If I take a step toward them, they take a step back. Its sad. (Related: Italys expanded COVID-19 vaccine mandate BANS unvaccinated people from work and public life.) Italy committing medical fascism against its unvaccinated older population Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza doubled down on the vaccine mandate for those aged 50 and older. We must still insist on vaccination. The more we dry out the unvaccinated areas, the safer the country is, he told Italian media outlets. Speranza also defended making the COVID-19 vaccine compulsory for older Italians, saying the move is a correct decision that puts us in a position to look to the coming months with greater confidence. Back in January, Speranza defended the mandate as necessary during cabinet meetings that month. He claimed that the Italian government took the decision to reduce hospitalizations from COVID-19. According to the health minister, two-thirds of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals were unvaccinated. Italys vaccine mandate for older individuals is similar to that of Greece. In January, the Greek government made vaccination compulsory for citizens 60 years old and above from Jan. 17 onward. Older Greeks who insist on turning down the shot will be fined 50 ($56) on the first month and 100 ($113) on the succeeding months. Greek Health Minister Thanos Plevris said the countrys tax service will take care of collecting the penalties, which will then be directed to state-run hospitals. The age factor is important because of its impact on the public health service, he said on Jan. 16. Meanwhile, Greek government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said those with valid health concerns that prevent them from getting vaccinated are exempt from the mandate. He continued that those who had delayed home vaccination appointments and those who recently recovered from a bout with COVID-19 are likewise exempted. More related stories: Italy imposes more covid fascism on citizens, says they must get vaccinated to work and enjoy public life. Amnesty International urges Italy not to discriminate against the unvaccinated. Unvaccinated elderly Greeks to face FINES for turning down Covid clot shots. Watch Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis insisting that the fines on unvaccinated Greeks is not a punishment. This video is from the Iynikas World channel on Brighteon.com. MedicalFascism.news has more about the discrimination faced by unvaccinated Italians. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com TheNewAmerican.com APNews.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) The U.S. government has suspended all imports of avocados from Mexico after a safety inspector for a U.S. plant received a threat while working there. Drug cartel turf battles and extortion of avocado farmers are common in the western state of Michoacan, which is the only state in Mexico that has gained full authorization to export avocados to the U.S. market. Avocados are currently the states most lucrative crop. A U.S. plant safety inspector received a threatening message on his work-issued cell phone in Mexico, according to a statement by the Mexican agriculture department. In response, the government has suspended all imports of Mexican avocados in a move that will be in effect until further notice. The department stated: U.S. health authoritiesmade the decision after one of their officials, who was carrying out inspections in Uruapan, Michoacan, received a threatening message on his official cellphone. The U.S. embassy emphasized that the safety of agricultural inspection personnel is paramount and added that they are working with the Mexican government to guarantee security conditions that will enable American personnel in the area to resume operations. In a statement, the USDA said: The suspension will remain in place for as long as necessary to ensure the appropriate actions are taken, to secure the safety of APHIS personnel working in Mexico. U.S. inspectors go to Mexico to ensure that avocados exported from the country do not carry diseases that could compromise American crops. In fact, pests, scabs and weevils meant that Mexican avocados were banned from the U.S. from 1914 to 1997. The inspectors working there now are part of the U.S. Department Of Agricultures Animal And Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS). The unexpected suspension was confirmed on the eve of the Super Bowl, which is traditionally one of the biggest sales days for Mexican avocados, but it came too late to have an impact on game-day consumption. It also came at a time when the countrys biggest association of avocado farmers spent a significant sum on an ad campaign featuring their produce during Super Bowl Sunday. Avocado prices, supply could be affected Its a big blow to a crop that enjoys around $3 billion a year in annual exports, but its not the first time such an incident has threatened avocado exports. In Michoacan, the Jalisco cartel is constantly engaged in turf wars against local gangs known as the United Cartels. In August 2019, a team of inspectors from the U.S. Department of Agriculture was directly threatened in the town of Ziracuaretiro, which is west of Uruapan. The agency did not elaborate on the incident, but local authorities reported that a truck in which the inspectors were traveling was robbed at gunpoint by a gang. At that time, the USDA warned that they would not tolerate this type of activity, writing: For future situations that result in a security breach, or demonstrate an imminent physical threat to the well-being of APHIS personnel, we will immediately suspend program activities. In Michoacan, many avocado growers say that drug gangs have been threatening them or their loved ones with death or kidnapping, forcing them to pay protection money to avoid unpleasant outcomes that can equal thousands of dollars per acre. In 2020, a Mexican employee of APHIS was murdered near Tijuana by drug traffickers; prosecutors believe the traffickers may have mistaken the APHIS employee for a policeman. It is not yet known how long the import sanction will last or how it will affect supplies and prices of avocados in the U.S. Avocado prices had already hit a high point before the pause, with the price of a 20-pound box of avocados coming in from Mexico hitting $26.23 on February 3, which is $6.29 more than the price recorded on the same day in 2021. Sources for this article include: Breitbart.com CNBC.com NYPost.com (Natural News) Dr. Peter McCullough warned that the Vatican must drop its support for Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines and mandates because this makes it complicit in vaccine deaths. Likewise, it is in direct violation of a critical code of bioethics. The Vatican started its mandate in October, when it began requiring a green pass or an equivalent vaccine passport for all employees. The passport verified an employees status as fully vaccinated or recently recovered from a COVID-19 infection. Since then, the Vaticans mandate has gotten more restrictive. In December, the COVID-19 vaccine was mandated for all employees, as well as visitors and users of Vatican offices and services. Employees and visitors who could prove that they have recovered from the infection and who could cite medical reasons to not get vaccinated were exempt from this rule. Starting December, Vatican employees who were unvaccinated, had not recovered from a previous infection and had no medical reason to not get vaccinated were not allowed to go back to work. Their pay was withheld from them, but their benefits and family allowances could still be accessed. This mandate was once again updated on Jan. 5, when it started requiring the use of FFP2 face masks similar to N95-grade masks within the Vatican City, regardless of whether or not a person is inside a building or in open spaces. The updated regulations also made vaccinations and booster vaccinations mandatory for all employees and visitors. In an attached document, the Vatican warned that it will begin issuing fines for people who do not abide by the more restrictive regulations. The fines for employees who fail to wear masks, refuse to respect social distancing protocols or any other quarantine measures range from over $28 to $1,700. Vatican responsible for thousands of COVID-19 vaccine deaths McCullough, an expert internist, cardiologist and epidemiologist who has published dozens of peer-reviewed studies on COVID-19, was recently interviewed. During this interview, he called on the Vatican to drop its support for COVID-19 vaccines and mandates and to immediately start a public interest campaign on vaccine injuries and vaccine deaths. He pointed out that the Vatican, in its support for the experimental and deadly COVID-19 vaccines, has violated the Nuremberg Code, which is a set of ethical principles that make it clear that no medical practitioner should ever use pressure, coercion or threat of reprisals for medical treatment, especially if it is new and experimental like the COVID-19 vaccines. If the Vatican continues to support vaccinations, McCullough said it will be responsible for potentially hundreds of thousands of lives lost due to the vaccine worldwide. As we sit here today, we are at 21,000 deaths in our CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] vaccine safety reporting system, said McCullough. So I am telling you, death under no circumstances can be considered rare. Now, the correct way to describe this is that this is the most dangerous and lethal biological product ever used in human history period. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a Catholic institution founded to promote and defend Catholic doctrine, has already stated that vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation and that, therefore, it must be voluntary. (Related: SATANS PUPPET: Pope Francis calls getting the abortion-tainted COVID-19 vaccine an act of love.) Pope Francis, the head of the Vatican and the worldwide Catholic Church, continues to advocate for vaccinations, claiming that it is the most reasonable solution to the COVID-19 pandemic. More recently, the pope has lashed out against what he called COVID-19 misinformation. According to him, coronavirus vaccine misinformation, not the mandates, violates human rights. During a meeting with Catholic journalists, the pope condemned the distortion of reality based on fear. To be properly informed, to be helped to understand situations based on scientific data and not fake news is a human right, he said. We can hardly fail to see that these days, in addition to the pandemic, an infodemic is spreading. The pope added that those who have fallen for so-called conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and the vaccines need to be treated with respect and helped to understand what he called actual facts. Fake news has to be refuted, but individual persons must always be respected, for they believe it often without full awareness or responsibility, he said. Reality is always more complex than we think and we must respect the doubts, the concerns and the questions that people raise, seeking to accompany them without ever dismissing them. More related stories: Archbishop Vigano slams Pope Francis for pushing covid vaccines, warns about aborted baby tissue ingredients. Pope Francis completes Vaticans submission to satanism by mandating spike protein injections for all visitors and workers. Pope Francis calls for a New World Order inhabited by fully vaccinated slaves. Pope Francis pushes globalist Communism as solution for COVID-19 pandemic in latest encyclical. Pope Francis says New World Order needs to happen now with United Nations in charge. Watch this video and learn more about how Pope Francis has sold out to Big Pharma for the COVID-19 vaccines. This video is from the Deplorable Preacher channel on Brighteon.com. Read more stories about COVID-19 vaccines and mandates at Vaccines.news. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com CatholicNews.com 1 CatholicNews.com 2 ReligionNews.com APNews.com EuroNews.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Yet another Western-style democracy is slowly devolving into just another leftist dictatorship using the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as an excuse to go full authoritarian. According to an image posted on social media, a court in New Zealand is threatening to seize a citizens property over alleged non-compliance with COVID testing, as reported by the United Kingdom-based Daily Expose. If you dont pay or arrange payment the court can issue a warrant for your arrest; suspend your drivers license; seize and sell your property, or take money from your income or bank account; report your overdue fine as part of your credit reference check meaning you may or may not be able to get a loan, credit card or hire purchase; restrict your ability to sell property; and stop you from traveling overseas. The fines were first imposed by the New Zealand Ministry of Health chief Caroline McElnay, who claimed it was necessary to move from monitoring for compliance to enforcement in order to keep the virus from spreading or showing up at all. Border controls are a key tool for stopping the introduction and spread of new cases from overseas and remain central to our elimination strategy, which has served us so well, she said after 18 border security employees failed to get tested properly. The Daily Expose reported: For not taking a test, for not being obedient to the state, a person could lose the right to drive, travel, obtain a credit card or loan and /or may be restricted in selling property. In essence, if a person does not obey, they risk having fewer rights. This has the look and feel of a Chinese-style social credit system. Carol Sakey of Wake Up New Zealand said she believes the Chinese Communist Social Credit System is already operating in the island-nation. The Communist Chinese regime is anti-human rights, atheist and opposed to Christianity. Noticeably these are similar characteristics as to Arderns Marxist Socialist politically ideology, she said last year. Notably, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern attended Klaus Schwabs World Economic Forum for Young Global Leaders, all of whom are schooled in the ways of anti-democratic governance. Since Jacinda Ardern became Prime Minister of New Zealand, our human rights, civil liberties, freedoms have become seriously eroded and our democratic rights targeted. Because of this, I believe that New Zealand has become fertile land to seed, grow the Communist Chinese Credit System, Sakey noted. This is the same Ardern who, in August 2020, vowed to put citizens who tested positive for COVID-19 in quarantine camps, as Natural News reported. New Zealanders admitted to these camps will be monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Their every move will be tracked, and health staff will reportedly be present at all times to look after people. In an announcement, New Zealands Director-General of Health Dr. Ashley Bloomfield explained that these so-called quarantine facilities represent a major departure from what health officials were doing in the country at its last level-three reopening phase, Natural News reported. Initially, New Zealanders who tested positive or who contracted the virus were simply told to self-isolate, but that changed quickly after the WEF-trained Ardern understood she could exploit the virus to dramatically expand her own authority and that of her government. [It] shows how serious we are about limiting any risk of ongoing transmission even in self-isolation and including to others in the household, Bloomfield explained at the time. A reminder, these facilities have been set up specifically and have excellent processes and resources in place to look after people with COVID-19, including health staff on site at all times, he added. It will help us avoid any further inadvertent spread into the community as part of our overall response. Real democracy is dying around the globe, and it will take unconventional methods to get it back. Sources include: DailyExpose.uk NaturalNews.com (Natural News) As we have continually documented, the U.S. government is completely rogue. Worse, too few members of Congress are willing to do the hard work to include defunding agencies completely to bring it back under the control of we the people. The latest example involves the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and, in particular, one of its satellite agencies, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which has been run since the first term of Ronald Reagan by none other than Dr. Anthony Fauci. According to the National Pulse, the NIH has repeatedly refused to comply with congressional demands for documents linked to its funding of research at Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology, where COVID-19 was likely developed and escaped (or was intentionally released). Instead, it is compelling staffers to shred notes and other documents related to the agencys work with the lab during the Obama regime. The outlet reported: Members of the Republican House Committee on Oversight and Reform wrote a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Director Xavier Becerra urging the release of the documents, which could prove highly relevant to the origins of COVID-19. Rather than be transparent with Committee Republicans, HHS and NIH have chosen to hide, obfuscate, and shield the truth. The letter notes that an adviser to the national institutes was forced by NIH to shred notes and other documents pertaining to the WIV grants as early as 2014. An email from someone whose name has been redacted that was sent to a committee staff member on Nov. 5 last year also revealed: I signed a confidentiality agreement in which I agreed not to discuss any grant with anyone except with other members of the study section, and once the meeting was over that I would destroy any notes that I had taken during the meeting (we did this by tossing them in shred box in the meeting room). In addition, the letter explains how, to date, HHS and NIH have refused to produce any responsive documents or information. The GOP members have demanded documents from former NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins regarding an Obama-era grant awarded in 2014 by Faucis agency to EcoHealth Alliance and the WIV in May and June of last year. But despite repeated attempts by GOP oversight committee staff to amend and update requests to make them broader in scope and easier for the federal agencies to fill, both have continued to refuse to hand over any documents. The letter says: Since our July 15, 2021 request invoking 2954, Republican Committee staff have provided the following accommodations to HHS and NIH: time extensions, reducing the scope of the request, prioritizing certain documents and engaging in in camera review of certain documents. Throughout this time, Republican Committee staff made clear to HHS staff that Committee Republicans may, at a later date, request full, unredacted copies of the documents reviewed in camera and all other documents responsive to the Requests. A series of events documented in communications from February to April 2020 raise serious concerns about conflicts of interest and abuse of government resources. On February 1, 2020, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Francis Collins and at least eleven other scientists convened a conference call to discuss COVID-19. On this conference call, Drs. Fauci and Collins were first warned by top virologists that COVID-19 may have leaked from the WIV, and further, may have been intentionally genetically manipulated. It is unclear if either Dr. Fauci or Dr. Collins ever passed these warnings along to other government officials or if they simply ignored them. Rather than be transparent with Committee Republicans, HHS and NIH have chosen to hide, obfuscate, and shield the truth. This stonewalling is particularly troubling considering NIHs direct involvement in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the agencys policy or practice to destroy potentially pertinent documents related to grant making decisions. The fact of the matter is this: Unless and until Congress stops rubber-stamping agency budgets and cuts funding to rogue federal agencies, there will never be any oversight. Sources include: NaturalNews.com TheNationalPulse.com (Natural News) A shocking report linked face masks to a patients death in 2020 after they aggravated communication problems between doctors. The error caused the administration of a fatal overdose to a patient named John Skinner, ruled a coroners report. The victim was admitted to one of Britains socialized National Health Services hospitals in May 2020 after suffering from seizures. An unnamed junior doctor administered 50 mg/kg instead of 15 mg/kg of phenytoin, which is an anti-epileptic drug, after he misheard a senior doctors orders. It was determined that the doctors instructions were muffled by the mask he was wearing. According to a report, Skinner later died of acute heart failure and phenytoin toxicity within 15 minutes of being given the fatal dose of the medication at Watford General Hospital. The junior doctor gave Skinner 3,500 mg of phenytoin, which significantly exceeded the recommended daily dose of 200 mg to 500 mg a day, which should be taken as one or two doses. Face coverings and a failure in verbal communication Graham Danbury, the assistant coroner for Hertfordshire since 1987, reported that the doctors face coverings had contributed to a failure in verbal communication that resulted in the overdose. Danbury submitted a prevention of future deaths report, where he wrote that the foreseeable tragedy could happen again unless the NHS updated its procedures. While Danbury did not push for the removal of masks for healthcare staff, he suggested that hospitals create procedures that made use of clearer and less confusable means of communication and expression of number to prevent the risk of future deaths in patients. (Related: Medical professionals, students decry mask mandates and other Covid measures in schools.) West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, the trust responsible for Watford General Hospital, released a statement in response to Skinners death. The trust said they now have a comprehensive action plan in place to prevent similar incidents in the future. To date, there are no reports of any arrests or criminal investigations that occurred following Skinners death. Face masks also interfering with communications in schools The U.K. government has already acknowledged that masks can hinder communication. To address this, the government lifted the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) mask mandate for students at schools. Secretary of State for Education Nadhim Zahawi said the move was necessary because face masks inhibit learning. In January 2022, Britains Department of Education also released a report which revealed that 80 percent of pupils think masks made it difficult to communicate. Additionally, 55 percent of students reported that wearing one made learning more difficult. Almost all secondary school leaders and teachers agree with the students and 94 percent of them believe face coverings at school made communication between teachers and students more difficult. The 2022 report also found that masks concealing a speakers lips were linked to lower performance, lower confidence scores and increased perceived effort on the part of the listener. Updated mask mandates in the UK People in Northern Ireland and England are no longer legally required to wear face masks in most public spaces, but face coverings are still recommended in some places. Meanwhile, masks are still required in many situations in Scotland and Wales. In England, face masks are still required in healthcare settings, like care homes and GP surgeries. The government advises citizens to wear face coverings in enclosed or private spaces where they interact with people they do not know. Masks are also required on public transport in London, including the Tube (the London Underground). Passengers can be refused entry or told to leave for not complying. A lot of major retailers, such as John Lewis, Lidl, Sainsburys, Tesco and Waitrose, have asked staff and customers to keep wearing face masks inside store premises. More related stories: California reinstates mask mandates in indoor public spaces even for the vaccinated. Fauci says people will have to wear masks inside airplanes FOREVER. SURVITUDE: Sydney residents continue to wear masks even after NSW dropped mask mandate. Dr. Jane Ruby: Masks CANNOT prevent COVID-19 spread Brighteon.TV. PA school district apologizes for incident involving teacher taping mask to students face. Watch the video below to learn why wearing masks all day can be bad for your health. This video is from the Free4eva Media channel on Brighteon.com. For more stories about in-hospital deaths, visit HospitalHomicide.com. Sources include: Breitbart.com BBC.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) For World View Report host Brannon Howse, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is now a supreme dictator. Howse mentioned an article from LifeSiteNews about a civil liberties group in Canada denouncing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for using overarching government power against the Freedom Convoy truckers. According to the piece, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) denounced the countrys leader on Feb. 15 for invoking the Emergencies Act without meeting the necessary threshold for what counts as a legitimate national emergency. By invoking this act the first time its ever been Trudeau has essentially declared himself supreme dictator over the nation. Invoking the Emergencies Act is a form of martial law over a select group of Canadians. Bank accounts are reportedly being frozen with no due process, licenses [are being] suspended and people [are being] arrested, said Howse during the Feb. 15 edition of the World View Report on Brighteon.TV. The CCLA said in a tweet that the Emergencies Act can only be invoked when a situation seriously threatens the ability of the government of Canada to preserve the [countrys] sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.' It added that the measure can only be invoked when the situation cannot be effectively dealt with under any other law of Canada. Governments regularly deal with difficult situations and do so using powers granted to them by democratically elected representatives. Emergency legislation should not be normalized. It threatens our democracy and our civil liberties, the group warned. CCLAs condemnation followed Ottawa invoking the act for the first time in Canadian history in order to address the Freedom Convoy protests against Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions in the country. The blockades are harming our economy and endangering public safety. We cannot and will not allow illegal and dangerous activities to continue, Trudeau said in a press conference. (Related: Trudeaus latest attack on peaceful Freedom Convoy is straight from Communist Chinas playbook.) Beijing has newer, deadlier bioweapon in the works From Canada, Howse jumped over to Asia with a report on the Winter Olympics happening in China. He cited rumors about a potential bioweapon that Beijing is planning to release on the world, two years after COVID-19. Howse said: Will hemorrhagic fever be the next pandemic used to terrorize the world into submission to the globalist great reset? Is the [Chinese Communist Party] developing another bioweapon? The answer to these questions is almost certainly yes. The Brighteon.TV host took it a step further by revealing an admission by virologist Dr. Li-Meng Yan, who claimed that Beijing had already performed a test run of the hemorrhagic fever pandemic. She added that it was already released through the Winter Olympics in the nation capital. Yan first made headlines in 2020 by revealing that the pathogen responsible for COVID-19 had laboratory origins. Before the Winter Olympics, we heard about a hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Xian [in Shaanxi Province] if you check the news back in December of last year. At that time I was always asked by many people what exactly happened in Xian and why they locked down [the city.] They want to control COVID-19 and there is also hemorrhagic fever. So based on the source, what I can tell you is that lockdown is not only for COVID. Its actually another trial using people in Xian to test the hemorrhagic fever viruses and working antidotes, she said. A December 2021 report by Vision Times touched on this outbreak. It mentioned that Xian, Shaanxi Provinces capital, had reported several hemorrhagic fever cases and deaths. Locals in the city have suspected that an infestation of rats was responsible for the infections. As hemorrhagic fever shares similar symptoms with the common cold, people often mistake it for the latter. In a separate interview with conservative commentator J.D. Rucker, Yan said the hemorrhagic fever bioweapon released by Beijing has a much higher fatality rate compared to COVID-19. While initially limited to within Chinas borders, cases of the disease recently appeared in the United Kingdom. More related stories: Trudeaus COVID-19 vaccine mandate violates Canadas Charter of Rights and Freedom, says charter signatory. Chinese virologist who claims COVID-19 intentionally released now in Beijings crosshairs. Chinese scientist who fled to U.S. says coronavirus was created in military lab. Watch the full Feb. 15 edition of World View Report with Brannon Howse below. Tune in to World View Report from Monday to Friday at 9-9:30 p.m. on Brighteon.TV. BigGovernment.news has more stories about government oppression. Sources include: Brighteon.com LifeSiteNews.com VisionTimes.com Airbus to deliver 600th China-assembled A320 family aircraft in 2022 Xinhua) 15:44, February 18, 2022 BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Airbus plans to deliver the 600th A320 family aircraft assembled at its Asia final assembly line in north China's Tianjin municipality in 2022, according to Airbus China Friday. Airbus is ramping up production of the single-aisle A320 series aircraft to meet demands from the global market. The Tianjin final assembly line is also adapting to serve the recovering Chinese civil aviation market better, said George Xu, executive vice president Airbus and chief executive officer of Airbus China. "Airbus is confident in the Chinese market. We are committed to deeply integrating into the market and getting prepared together with local partners," said Xu. By now, the Airbus Asia final assembly line in Tianjin can work on the A319 and A320 aircraft of the A320 family. After completing the adaptation work, the production facility here will also conduct the final assembly on A321 aircraft, the largest member of the family. Airbus expects to deliver the first China-assembled A321 aircraft from Tianjin this year, according to Airbus China. In 2021, Airbus delivered 142 commercial aircraft into the Chinese market, a more than 40 percent year-on-year increase. The figure accounted for more than 23 percent of its global delivery. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) The 21st Session of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Integrity Sub-Committee (ISC) was held on 10 and 11 February 2022. The Session was held at WCO Headquarters in Brussels in a hybrid format, enabling delegates who could not travel to participate remotely via an online platform. Over 200 delegates representing WCO Member Customs administrations, development partners, academia, observers and other stakeholders took part in the first day of the Session. The second day was reserved for participants from WCO Member administrations. The 21st Session of the ISC was chaired by Mr. Marcellin Djeuwo, Director of Information Technology in the Cameroon Customs Administration. The WCO Deputy Secretary General, Mr. Ricardo Trevino Chapa, welcomed delegates to the Session and stressed that integrity in Customs was important for fostering global trade. In his opening remarks, Mr. Trevino Chapa underscored the fact that a lack of integrity undermined the work of Customs, weakened the international supply chain and created adverse consequences for societies. As a result, it was crucial to address such problems on a permanent basis, including through promoting integrity. He acknowledged that integrity challenges could be met more effectively when there was a strong sense of collaboration not only between Customs administrations but also with other stakeholders. Mr. John Bescec, Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce Global Customs and Trade Facilitation Commission, was invited to participate as a special guest and delivered a keynote address on Maintaining commitments to Customs integrity in the supply chain during the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the points noted by Mr. Bescec was that the pandemic had caused massive disruption to the international supply chain, creating Customs delays leading, in turn, to increased risks of corruption. He highlighted three priority areas to maintain the integrity of the international supply chain: trust, digitalization, and the need to improve the harmonization and ensure consistent implementation of standards and guidelines. Taking a collaborative approach to strengthening integrity in Customs was one of the key Agenda items discussed during the first day of the ISC Session. In this connection, the WCO Secretariat gave participants a general overview of the Organizations work in terms of collaboration by emphasizing the WCOs instruments and tools supporting the adoption of a collaborative approach to advance the work of the Organization, including in the area of integrity. In addition to the WCO Secretariats presentation on the Organizations collaborative approach, two different approaches in this domain were presented. The first was shared by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the second by two WCO Members. The UNODC outlined some of important ways of promoting integrity across government institutions such as Customs. On their part, the two WCO Members summarized the efforts by their respective Customs administrations, in collaboration with other stakeholders, to promote integrity in Customs. During the second day of the Session, the ISC discussed other high-profile and sensitive topics, namely preventive vigilance to curb corruption in Customs through internal controls; data-driven measurement of integrity in Customs; a proposal to enhance the WCO Guide to Corruption Risk Mapping; and the future Work Plan for the ISC due to be approved in the course of 2023. (Natural News) Officials ordered a partial shutdown of Suzhou, a major industrial city in China, after the omicron variant of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVD-19) was detected in the area. The government is now ramping up their testing, along with other pandemic measures. A top city official said the trading and industrial hub located in the eastern province of Jiangsu has reported 35 infections with confirmed symptoms. Considering that the Chinese regime is known for grossly underreporting its numbers, the official number is not likely to reflect the true total. The new infections are said to be linked to the Suzhou Industrial Park, a key high-tech development zone that hosts over 100,000 companies. It also accommodates the manufacturing facilities of many foreign firms, including Samsung, Bosch and Eli Lilly. In response to the outbreak, authorities immediately shut down 15 highway entrances into the city one day after suspending long-distance bus services. It also locked down buildings, urging citizens not to leave their homes for non-essential reasons. Local officials also labeled the park as a risk area, and started mass screenings early Monday morning, February 14. COVID containment measures could worsen global chip shortage Experts suggest that the COVID containment measures of the park may send ripples across the global supply of semiconductors, which is already in a crunch after the pandemic-related disruptions in production. The world-leading chipmaker, United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), said production was temporarily suspended at its eight-inch wafer fabrication subsidiary in the park. Its unit operating the Suzhou plant, Hejian Technology, is required to take a company-wide PCR test because one employee is suspected of having COVID-19 infection. Some clients like China-based Silergy Corp. are affected by the temporary closure. If Hejian is unable to resume due to the pandemic, it will cause significant impact on the companys production and operation, the company said. (Related: VAX FAIL: Spanish study finds omicron spreads AT THE SAME RATE among vaccinated and unvaccinated people.) If the chip supply falls short of demand, the temporary closure of the plant and the production suspension of the industrial park will impact the supply chains. However, the effects remain unclear as the length of the suspension and the scale of the lockdown are still to be determined. There had been two rounds of testing completed as of Wednesday, February 16, and around 6,000 individuals were sent to centralized quarantine, according to the parks deputy director. Automotive supplier Robert Bosch also said that they are expecting a short-term impact on manufacturing and logistics operations in Suzhou, as local office staffers were working from home. Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics Co. halted production after an employee tested positive. Officials have locked down affected buildings and have urged people to stay at home. They also organized mass screenings and limited highway access as part of Chinas zero-COVID strategy. (Related: Forced covid lockdowns in China are starving people to death.) The city closed 18 more highway entrances on Wednesday. People who want to leave the city will need to present proof of negative test results within 48 hours. To prevent further flare-ups from spilling into other cities, Suzhou also suspended subways and bus services to the neighboring city of Shanghai. Jiangsu Province Chinese Communist Party Secretary Wu Zhenglong demanded departments to improve their political awareness and make every effort in combating the virus. He also required officials to take better measures as two important political meetings will be held in the next month. More related stories: The next plandemic? Chinas Peoples Liberation Army launches hemorrhagic fever viral attack during Olympics, says source. Wuhan is CENTRAL to Chinas transportation system, with major railways feeding millions of people to all of Chinas major cities. China now trying to rewrite world history by claiming the Wuhan coronavirus never originated in China. Chinas health code surveillance system now used to monitor citizens and RESTRICT their movement. On the brink of economic collapse: How Chinas fall will affect the world. Watch the video below to learn more about the isolation camps in China, which is a big part of the countrys COVID containment measures. This video is from the Take down CCP channel on Brighteon.com. Follow Pandemic.news for more updates. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com Reuters.com (Natural News) Pathologist Dr. Ryan Cole defended ivermectin from attacks by government agencies, noting that many studies conducted worldwide have proven its effectiveness as treatment for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). Cole said ivermectin is much more than just an anti-parasitic drug for animals. Its a molecule and fascinatingly, it works against viruses, too. Not just [SARS-CoV-2], but a bunch of other viruses as well, he said. Four billion people on the planet have taken this medication since the 1980s. This medication won the Nobel Prize for the discoverer. It is on the worlds safest and most essential drugs list. [Ivermectin] only [had] one or two deaths out of four billion, and those people had a genetic disorder. According to Cole, countries around the world conducted trials on ivermectin. Many of them eventually adopted the drug as part of their COVID-19 protocols. While we said Everybody, go home and let your lips turn blue and [then] come to the hospital, the rest of the world said Well, lets try it.' As an example, Cole shared how the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh managed to control COVID-19 by means of ivermectin. They put little blister packs together for two cents, gave it out to their entire population. Theyre at their grocery stores and theaters, walking around there. Theyre back to normal life, he said. An October 2021 report by the Gateway Pundit attested to this. According to the piece, Uttar Pradesh saw its COVID-19 cases plummet following its use of ivermectin. Seventy-one of the 75 districts in the northern Indian state, which is home to more than 200 million people, reported zero COVID-19 infections 24 hours after adopting the ivermectin protocol. Furthermore, the COVID-19 recovery rate in Uttar Pradesh increased to 98.7 percent. Despite the fact that it has the lowest vaccination rate among all Indian states, it has also recorded the lowest number of COVID-19 infections among the group. (Related: Ivermectin documented as miracle drug for COVID-19 that could save millions of lives so why arent health officials endorsing it?) Government agencies have doubts on ivermectin In August [2020], we found out that it killed the coronavirus 99.9 percent in petri dish studies. The NIH [National Institutes of Health], what did they do? They recommended against it. They did [in vitro studies] on monkey cells instead of human lung cells. They were like Oh, the dose would have to be too high. They fudged the data, said Cole. He also criticized how the NIH focused on studies that showed ivermectin may have had no benefit at all when it comes to COVID-19. Some of the data from the world was presented. The NIH hemmed and hawed; they only looked at 11 studies instead of the tens of other studies, and theyre like Well, theres one that shows maybe no benefit.' It is an approved medication, it is safe. Is it off-label? Yes. Is the [Food and Drug Administration] approving it yet? No. Because the smart doctors around the world, theyre like Oh, theyre not smart enough. Only American doctors are smart; we have to do the trials here,' Cole continued. Meanwhile, Pfizer got their approval from studies overseas, not done here. Its absolutely hypocritical of our three-letter agencies to be approving certain things that were done overseas, and then not approving things that were done overseas. Had government officials approved ivermectin for use against COVID-19 instead of suppressing it, the more than 500,000 COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. could have been reduced by around 375,000, Cole argued. There is blood on the hands of bureaucrats in Washington, [D.C.] who have suppressed this life-saving medication, he said. More related stories: Same ivermectin that US government doesnt want Americans to receive is saving lives across India. Widespread ivermectin use has caused a 97% drop in coronavirus cases in Delhi, India. Brazilian city cuts COVID hospitalizations, mortality in HALF by using ivermectin. Study finds preventive use of ivermectin reduces COVID deaths by 90 PERCENT. Watch Dr. Ryan Cole espousing the benefits of ivermectin below. This video is from The Big Logic channel on Brighteon.com. IvermectinScience.com has more stories about the use of ivermectin against COVID-19. Sources include: Brighteon.com TheGatewayPundit.com (Natural News) The Third Reich never really ended. Although Hitler himself was destroyed, the Nazi regime of the 1920s / 30s / 40s simply went underground and morphed into a global movement of infiltration and influence thats now emerging as globalism. The World Economic Forum is the training ground for modern-day Nazis, who include national leaders Macron (France), Merkel (Germany) and Trudeau (Canada). Notably, the Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, named Chrystia Freeland, is the granddaughter of an actual Nazi collaborator and propagandist named Michael Chomiak. As The Gateway Pundit reported, Chomiak was a target of a post-war Polish intelligence search for Nazi collaborators. Polish intelligence suspect Chomiak arrived in Cracow soon after Hans Frank (who was executed for crimes against humanity) became the governor, offering himself as an agent of influence to inform the Germans on what fellow Ukranians and anti-Russian nationalists then active in and around Lviv were thinking and planning. His work as a journalist was likely a cover for espionage on behalf of the Germans. Chomiaks daugher was Halyna Chomiak, who is the mother of Chrystia Freeland, now Deputy Prime Minister of Canada (just under Trudeau). Compilation photo via TGP: Heres a photo of Christia Freeland, Justin Trudeau and George Soros, meeting at a World Economic Forum event in Davos in January of 2016. Beneath that youll see an historical image of pregnant women lined up for execution by the Nazis, carried out in Ukraine by Nazi collaborators. In one massacre depicted below, 33,771 Jews were executed on September 29 30, 1941. (Image compilation courtesy The Gateway Pundit / XR Vision) Actual Nazis (globalists) are carrying out the eugenics / depopulation agenda of Adolf Hitler Understand that the vaccine mRNA depopulation scheme now being pushed on the world is nothing new. It is merely the continuation of the Nazi eugenics program of the 1930s / 40s which sought to exterminate certain ethnic groups in the name of progress for humanity. Today, the same effort is now underway in an expanded context, where the targets are now predominantly Caucasian-dominated nations across the planet. Note that Africa has seen very little in the way of vaccine uptake, and Africans arent dying in huge numbers from vaccines. The mass vaccine deaths are taking place in so-called white countries across Europe, North America, Australia, etc., while many nations such as India are offering their people ivermectin for prevention (which is drastically reducing the deaths). Note, too, that in the United States, the same Joe Biden who demanded that all American citizens be vaccinated as a condition of holding a job simultaneously declared that illegal immigrants needed to vaccines whatsoever. Even right now in Canada, it has been revealed that Justin Trudeaus order prohibiting protests against the government specifically exempts refugees, immigrants and ethnic minorities, as reported by Summit.news. In other words, youre only prohibited from protesting if youre White. This is the racist reality of the fascist Canada regime that is nearly 100% aligned with the Third Reich and Adolf Hitler. Ivermectin is not allowed in Caucasian countries. All citizens in those nations are condemned to die by the medical fascists such as the FDA, who deliberately withhold ivermectin and other lifesaving interventions from the American people. Ivermectin is readily available in Africa, Central America, South America, Asia and India, but not in North America or Western Europe. Its all restricted by the fascist governments which now function as biological and medical terrorists targeting the people. Much of the modern US government is run by actual fascists who derive their philosophies from the Nazis Under Operation Paper Clip, the US government brought Nazi scientists to the United States and gave them new identities to run NASA and the Apollo program. Actual Nazis infiltrated NASA from the very beginning, and they slowly worked their way through the intelligence community and government regulators, to the point where a surprising number of those who have run the FDA, NIH or NIAID are working seamlessly with the Nazi agenda of mass extermination. Just consider the last five FDA commissioners and how much pain, suffering and destruction they brought upon the world, reflecting the philosophy of fascist and human extermination: Stephen M Hahn Scott Gottlieb Robert M. Califf Margaret Hamburg Andrew C. von Eschenbach Every one of these people oversaw the FDAs suppression of nutrition and natural medicine while the agency pushed monopoly protections for deadly prescription pharmaceuticals, almost always approved under outright fraud. The current head of the NIAID is Fauci, of course, and the head of the CDC is Walensky. All these people take their orders from globalists, and the globalists seek to exterminate most of the human race and claim the planet for themselves. Globalists now see human beings as fleas to be removed with a flea bath on a planetary scale. As this meme shows, every sector of modern society has a motivation to support depopulation: The globalists, the governments, the corporations and even Wall Street (finance and investing). The entire abortion movement was part of the eugenics / depopulation scheme The abortion industry in America which was founded by an anti-Black eugenicist who spoke of Blacks as human weeds has long targeted Blacks for extermination via infanticide. This was the early effort to reduce global population through so-called womens health initiatives, which even now have been abandoned by progressives in favor of transgenderism which denies the existence of biological women altogether. What many people dont realize is that Adolf Hitler was inspired by the eugenics movement in America, which started in California where state lawmakers spearheaded laws to approve government-coerced sterilization of the mentally impaired, among other initiatives. An article by Edwin Black, author of, IBM and the Holocaust, authored an article in 2003 titled, The Horrifying American Roots of Nazi Eugenics. That article is published at HistoryNewsNetwork.org and states: Eugenics was the racist pseudoscience determined to wipe away all human beings deemed unfit, preserving only those who conformed to a Nordic stereotype. Elements of the philosophy were enshrined as national policy by forced sterilization and segregation laws, as well as marriage restrictions, enacted in twenty-seven states. In 1909, California became the third state to adopt such laws. Ultimately, eugenics practitioners coercively sterilized some 60,000 Americans, barred the marriage of thousands, forcibly segregated thousands in colonies, and persecuted untold numbers in ways we are just learning. Before World War II, nearly half of coercive sterilizations were done in California, and even after the war, the state accounted for a third of all such surgeries In its first twenty-five years of eugenic legislation, California sterilized 9,782 individuals, mostly women. Many were classified as bad girls, diagnosed as passionate, oversexed or sexually wayward. At Sonoma, some women were sterilized because of what was deemed an abnormally large clitoris or labia. As Edwin Black reveals, the financing for the eugenics movement involved many of the usual suspects who are right now engaged in pushing vaccines and depopulation in the 21st century: Eugenics would have been so much bizarre parlor talk had it not been for extensive financing by corporate philanthropies, specifically the Carnegie Institution, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Harriman railroad fortune. They were all in league with some of Americas most respected scientists hailing from such prestigious universities as Stamford, Yale, Harvard, and Princeton. These academicians espoused race theory and race science, and then faked and twisted data to serve eugenics racist aims. The Rockefeller Foundation helped found the German eugenics program and even funded the program that Josef Mengele worked in before he went to Auschwitz. Importantly, eugenics was justified under the label of science in the same way that vaccines are justified today. From the article: n 1863, Sir Francis Galton, a cousin of Charles Darwin, theorized that if talented people only married other talented people, the result would be measurably better offspring. At the turn of the last century, Galtons ideas were imported into the United States just as Gregor Mendels principles of heredity were rediscovered. American eugenic advocates believed with religious fervor that the same Mendelian concepts determining the color and size of peas, corn and cattle also governed the social and intellectual character of man. In an America demographically reeling from immigration upheaval and torn by post-Reconstruction chaos, race conflict was everywhere in the early twentieth century. Elitists, utopians and so-called progressives fused their smoldering race fears and class bias with their desire to make a better world. They reinvented Galtons eugenics into a repressive and racist ideology. The intent: populate the earth with vastly more of their own socio-economic and biological kindand less or none of everyone else. Death camps were constructed in America with functional gas chambers while US Army experts openly talked about using bioweapons for population control in 1918 To carry this out, death camps were constructed in America with functional gas chambers. These are almost exactly like the covid concentration camps currently being launched in Washington State and other regions across America. A US Army doctor even authored a book called, Applied Eugenics (in 1918) in which he argued that biological weapons could be used to achieve selective depopulation: The most commonly suggested method of eugenicide in America was a lethal chamber or public locally operated gas chambers. In 1918, Popenoe, the Army venereal disease specialist during World War I, co-wrote the widely used textbook, Applied Eugenics, which argued, From an historical point of view, the first method which presents itself is execution Its value in keeping up the standard of the race should not be underestimated. Applied Eugenics also devoted a chapter to Lethal Selection, which operated through the destruction of the individual by some adverse feature of the environment, such as excessive cold, or bacteria, or by bodily deficiency. Do not forget, by the way, that the so-called Spanish flu epidemic of 1918 began at a military base in the Midwest. By some accounts, it was all a biological weapon experiment run by the military itself. The United States Supreme Court, in a landmark 1927 decision, gave its approval for eugenics / depopulation programs, proving that even SCOTUS will side with mass murder when it seems politically convenient to do so: Even the United States Supreme Court endorsed aspects of eugenics. In its infamous 1927 decision, Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote, It is better for all the world, if instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime, or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind. Three generations of imbeciles are enough. This decision opened the floodgates for thousands to be coercively sterilized or otherwise persecuted as subhuman. Years later, the Nazis at the Nuremberg trials quoted Holmess words in their own defense. Finally, Adolf Hitler invoked science and medicine (just like Fauci today) to justify his eugenics / Holocaust programs. From Edwin Black: Hitler studied American eugenics laws. He tried to legitimize his anti-Semitism by medicalizing it, and wrapping it in the more palatable pseudoscientific facade of eugenics. Hitler was able to recruit more followers among reasonable Germans by claiming that science was on his side. While Hitlers race hatred sprung from his own mind, the intellectual outlines of the eugenics Hitler adopted in 1924 were made in America. Nazi eugenics would ultimately dictate who would be persecuted in a Reich-dominated Europe, how people would live, and how they would die. Nazi doctors would become the unseen generals in Hitlers war against the Jews and other Europeans deemed inferior. Doctors would create the science, devise the eugenic formulas, and even hand-select the victims for sterilization, euthanasia and mass extermination. What we are all witnessing today with Fauci, Big Pharma, vaccines, hospital homicide and abortion is merely the Third Reich reborn as the FOURTH Reich with a new label of the science Understand that Fauci is just the modern-day rendition of the Nazi eugenicists of the Third Reich. Hes nothing new, just evil recycled under the banner of the science. The science has long been aligned with extermination, mass death, genocide / democide and depopulation. mRNA injections have simply given these same anti-human scientists a new weapon to assault the human race through needles rather than by shooting them with bullets and dumping their bodies in mass graves. Now they can murder billions while claiming to be involved in public health. The hospitals have been transformed into murder factories, and mainstream doctors are now complicit in genocidal crimes against humanity. But they continue to push forward because, like the Nazi doctors of World War II, they believe they are superior human beings who get to decide who lives and who dies. I cover all this and much more in todays Situation Update podcast, which details the Nazi influences of globalist leaders like Trudeau and Freeland, who are rapidly turning Canada into a tyrannical dictatorship. Is it just a coincidence that Canadas covid concentration camps are ready for full operations as extermination / death camp facilities at the same time Trudeau and Freeland are nullifying all civil rights, human rights and due process rights of the Canadian people? There are no coincidences. This is all part of an actual Nazi plan now being rolled out in Canada (and planned for the entire world). Get full details here: Brighteon.com/19458f8a-bd7e-4b18-939a-730d6f9527e0 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) Just as he promised to do, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is now freezing the bank accounts of the protesters defying his Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine mandates. Using the Emergency Economic Measures Order, also known as the Emergencies Act, for cover, Trudeau is targeting the truckers and their supporters who are engaging in the Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa and elsewhere. One man, Shaun Zimmer, recently traveled from Winnipeg to the Canadian capital to show his support for the trucker convoy. He did nothing illegal and simply expressed his free speech and freedom of movement. As punishment, the Trudeau regime cut off Zimmers access to his bank accounts. The government deemed that he was there, either directly or indirectly, to protest, and consequently punished him by restricting his funds you can watch the video below: .@ShaunJZimmer travelled from Winnipeg to Ottawa to show his support for the truckers convoy. His bank account is now frozen. Full report coming. https://t.co/8hpC710hZK pic.twitter.com/txhQPogwQ5 Lincoln Jay (@lincolnmjay) February 16, 2022 Zimmers is among the first accounts, if not the first account, of a Canadian protester having his or her bank account frozen, which the Trudeau regime had threatened would happen just days prior. Even so, the trucker convoy is stronger than ever as protesters and their supporters double down in opposition to Trudeaus tyranny, which is now becoming global news. The Ottawa Police Service continues to tyrannize protesters, including by ordering them to leave the area under threat of arrest. They are standing strong, however, in resistance to the fascism. Trudeau is fast-becoming the most hated dictator in the world The bridge that connects Detroit to Canada is also seeing continued protests due to Trudeaus tyranny, which threatens to upend the North American automobile industry. Because Trudeau refuses to back down in trying to force truckers to get jabbed for the Fauci Flu, there is now a shortage of transports for car parts, not to mention the fact that said bridge is being blocked by big rigs. All of this would stop immediately if Trudeau would simply back off and let Canadians make their own medical decisions. Because he refuses to do so, the protests will continue and likely escalate. If they can freeze your bank account, imagine what they can do next, wrote someone at Rebel News about the situation. Indeed too much power in the hands of people who do not represent the majority of voters, said someone else. The time to act, chimed in someone else, is now, unless people want to see the tyranny both continue and get worse. We the People, including the people of Canada, need to say enough is enough and put an immediate stop to this. TD Bank, which has frozen bank accounts, was the last and only bank that continued to work with Jeffrey Epstein after all the other banks turfed him due to suspicious activity, pedophile convictions, and blackmail, said another person. Protesters, peaceful and lawful? Worse than that? One way to fight back against the rogue banks that are freezing peoples accounts is for customers to withdraw their cash en masse, suggested another reader. Sometimes the best way to make ones voice heard is with his wallet. And if enough Canadians did this to the banks, perhaps they, too, would back off. True-Dope and your minions: youre done and your days are coming to an end, said someone else about how Trudeau and his fellow tyrants will soon see their reign of terror come to an end. More related news about Trudeaus abuses of power can be found at Fascism.news. Sources for this article include: RebelNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) For the fourth time since the plandemic began, Canadian pastor Artur Pawlowski has been arrested by police for violating Canadas Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions. And this time around, he has been thrown into solitary confinement without a proper trial. A video update from his brother watch below explains the horrific and humiliating conditions in which Artur is now suffering: Hes on his third day of fasting, Arturs brother explains. He says that hes standing strong, however he is treated horribly. It has nothing to do with justice or law. He was strip-searched twice and checked for contraband. He was forced to go to the bathroom with an officer present and watching. They locked him twice in a small cage resembling a dog kennel with no air circulation suffocating him for many hours, all without water to drink. After that he was subjugated to a hard bench three times for hours on end all without any water to drink. Artur was then taken back to his room, only to discover that it has been flipped upside down and search for contraband. Guards stole Arturs Bible, as well as a narrated letter that was written to his lawyer. He had no running water in his cell for two days, his brother says. However, he has seen other inmates awarded these privileges, books, and writing material. This is not justice but punishment and an absolute abuse of power. He has been moved to the back of the prison so that he cannot see or hear his supporters outside. The conditions of the cell are filthy and disgusting. Artur needs your help. He is asking all of you for help. A few months back, Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, spoke with Artur in an interview watch below: This video is from channel Health Ranger Report on Brighteon.com. Support pastor Artur in any way you can, including with prayer Right now, Artur is a political prisoner. He is not waiting for sentencing, but has, in fact, already been sentenced. He is now serving time in a maximum security prison in solitary confinement, all for doing what God called him to do. He is already punished to the fullest of their ability, his brother says. Pastor Artur is in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day with only one hour to speak with lawyers and family. Without Artur home, it is causing great strain on the entire family. He is a husband, he is a father and a pastor to many, many people. For the past many years, Artur has been fighting for the rights and freedoms of Canadians. Now he needs you to start fighting for him and his family. He is thankful for all of your support. Artur has supporters all around the world who love and pray for him daily. Those in Canada who live in the area are also showing up in person to support him and attend daily vigils in solidarity to express their disgust with his arrest and imprisonment. Hell is way too good for these fascist cops, wrote one outraged commenter about how Artur is being treated by the Canadian police state. Entering the lions den, this man walks with God and the government believes it is Pontius Pilate, wrote someone else. PIG has a new face: Trudeau. Nebuchadnezzar: Look! he answered, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and They Are Not Hurt, and the form of the fourth is like The Son of God, wrote another, quoting Daniel 3:25. More of the latest news about Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) tyranny can be found at Fascism.news. Sources for this article include: CitizenFreePress.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada has invoked the Emergencies Act in response to the trucker Freedom Convoy, which is demanding an immediate end to the countrys Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine mandates. With this invocation, Trudeau has authorized Canadian banks to unilaterally freeze peoples accounts based on suspicion alone no order required and with full legal immunity. I hope everyone realizes how much more dangerous this is than the military, tweeted the Viva Frei account. The point, of course, is to try to deter the truckers and their supporters from continuing to peacefully protest against Trudeaus tyranny. According to Trudeau, the protests are not peaceful, though. They upset him, so he has ordered the police to criminalize free speech. The federal government is stepping in because local police authorities have had difficulty enforcing the law, Trudeau announced. This is about keeping Canadians safe, protecting peoples jobs, and restoring confidence in our institutions. The Emergencies Act is new, by the way, and has never before been used. Trudeaus invocation of it is a historic act that enables full martial law should he choose to go that route. Premiers of Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec and Saskatchewan express opposition to Trudeaus invocation of Emergencies Act Not everyone is on board with Trudeaus decision to invoke the Emergencies Act, however, including the premiers of Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec and Saskatchewan. On Valentines Day, they all denounced Trudeau for abusing his power in this way, treating those who oppose him like terrorists. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland basically admitted to this when she announced that Canadas anti-money laundering and terrorist financing rules are being broaden[ed] to cover Canadians who oppose Trudeaus tyranny. We are broadening the scope of Canadas anti-money laundering and terrorist financing rules so that they cover Crowd Funding Platforms and the payment service providers they use, she said. This is about following the money. This is about stopping the financing of these illegal blockades. Thanks to Trudeau, banks and financial institutions can selectively block people out of their accounts under the mere suspicion that it might be getting used to further the illegal blockades and occupations. A bank or other financial service provider will be able to immediately freeze or suspend an account without a court order, it was explained. Banks will be protected against civil liability for actions taken in good faith. Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair expressed his own excitement about Trudeaus move, calling it an act of appropriate caution rather than reticence. Under the Emergencies Act, Canadians can also be prohibited from traveling to certain areas of the country, or be forced to remain in a certain area at all times. Violators can have their property removed, be fined, or be put in jail. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), meanwhile, is openly condemning Trudeau for invoking the Emergencies Act, explaining that the Canadian federal government has not met the threshold necessary to legally do so. The Emergencies Act can only be invoked when a situation seriously threatens the ability of the Government of Canada to preserve the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Canada & when the situation cannot be effectively dealt with under any other law of Canada, the group tweeted. This law creates a high and clear standard for good reason: the Act allows government to bypass ordinary democratic processes. This standard has not been met. In a separate tweet, the CCLA added that governments everywhere regularly have to deal with difficult situations, but do not immediately jump to martial law the moment things get a little rough, which is what Trudeau has now done. Emergency legislation should not be normalized, the group further said. It threatens our democracy and our civil liberties. More related news about Justin Trudeau can be found at Fascism.news. Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii is once again blasting her old nemesis, Hillary Clinton, following a filing by special counsel John Durham indicating that Clinton masterminded the Russian collusion lie against then-GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump by hiring a company to infiltrate servers at Trump Tower and later, the White House. The Durham investigation has shown that the biggest threat to our democracy is not some foreign country, but rather the Power Elite led by the likes of Hillary Clinton and her co-conspirators in the mainstream media & security states who work to undermine our democracy from within, Gabbard tweeted on Tuesday. The Durham investigation has shown that the biggest threat to our democracy is not some foreign country, but rather the Power Elite led by the likes of Hillary Clinton and her co-conspirators in the mainstream media & security state who work to undermine our democracy from within Tulsi Gabbard ? (@TulsiGabbard) February 15, 2022 The Durham investigation makes clear that Hillary Clinton and the power elite spied on the Trump campaign and White House, undermining our democracy, launching us into a new Cold War, endangering America and the world. Clinton and her warmongers must be held accountable, she added in another tweet. The Durham investigation makes clear that Hillary Clinton and the power elite spied on the Trump campaign and White House, undermining our democracy, launching us into a new Cold War, endangering America and the world. Clinton and her warmongers must be held accountable. pic.twitter.com/uDaeo6ak5a Tulsi Gabbard ? (@TulsiGabbard) February 15, 2022 In a subsequent interview with Fox News anchor Jesse Watters, Gabbard, who was accused of being a Russian asset when she ran against Clinton for the 2016 presidential nomination, also blasted members of the Biden regime, including National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who pushed the Trump-Russia collusion lie as a surrogate for Clinton during her campaign. He was one of the key voices in advocating for this Russian collusion lie and a lot of the things being exposed now through this special counsel are pointing to his role alongside Hillary Clinton and others in propagating this lie to the American people, she said, adding that he ought to resign which, of course, he wont do. What is being revealed here, Jesse is the truth. Hillary Clinton and the power elite in this country manufactured this Russian collusion lie, actively undermining our democracy and stoking the fires moving us into this new Cold War with Russia. The damage that they did to the American people, our democracy, and others around the world is immeasurable. Its impossible to measure and it leads us to this point where we sit today where we have people who were integral in making this happen. People like Jake Sullivan now holding very influential positions of power and shaping our countrys foreign policy, the former Democratic lawmaker said. What they are doing is telling the American people, they are telling us saying hey, youve got to be ready to go war with Russia or other countries to, you know, spread democracy to protect democracy and, yet, they are actively undermining our democracy here at home. This is their hypocrisy being exposed. And the American people deserve accountability. Hillary Clinton and her warmongers need to be held accountable. And Jake Sullivan, who is in a very influential position now in the Biden administrations White House, he needs to resign immediately for his role in this, Gabbard noted further. In an earlier tweet, Gabbard rapped the warmongers actually WANT Russia to invade? So that we can levy draconian sanctions on Russia and firmly establish a new Cold War which will reap the Military Industrial Complex endless profit for decades to come? Gabbard is a liberal in the traditional sense of the word, but she is also a patriot and she knows what Hillary Clinton and her ilk really are traitors to America. Sources include: BizPacReview.com CitizenFreePress.com (Natural News) Well-known physician Dr. Vladimir Zelenko said the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines are changing people into transhumans. These vaccines change who you are and what do they mean? They go ahead and explain it that after the mapping of the human genome and the development of CRISPR technology, which is gene splicing and editing [its] basically cut and paste you can cut out a gene fragment and then place in a fragment from a horse. You can do anything you want. And so they are making transhumans, or human 2.0, Zelenko told host Pastor David Scarlett during the February 11 episode of His Glory on Brighteon.TV. So, if thats the case, youre made in the image of Bill Gates or in the image of Klaus Schwab. Now, I prefer the human 1.0 version, the one God made. So thats what I mean, youre no longer human. Youve been artificially modified by human beings to fit their own agenda. The doctor, who developed the now-famous Zelenko Protocol, also cited a leaked 2004 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) presentation about a jihadi gene, a gene associated with religious extremism, and how technology was developed to turn the gene on and off. Now that technology, we may agree or disagree about its application. But the point is they are able to turn on and off and select out the traits and the genes for some reason. Lets say they like green eyes. So they can suppress blue eyes and black or brown eyes if they want. Or if they wanted to control other aspects of your personality, they could change and alter it, so I would not give access to my genetic code, Zelenko explained. COVID-19 antidote information suppressed The New York-based doctor, who promotes the use of hydroxychloroquine as COVID-19 treatment, added that Dr. Ralph Baric, who was involved every step of the way in the development of the COVID bioweapon from 1998 to 2015, was the same person who did the research that Zelenko built his treatment protocol on. (Related: Dr. Vladimir Zelenko tells Ann Vandersteel: COVID-19 is a bioweapon Brighteon.TV.) In 2010, Zelenko said, Barics team created an antidote to defuse the bomb called COVID-19. But that information was suppressed from other doctors like Zelenko, who discovered that information and is now trying to make it available to the average Americans. Zelenko said everything was done to vilify hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin in order to delay treatment. COVID-19 vaccines destroy the human immune system Aside from discovering that Baric had created an antidote, Zelenko also found evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines destroy the human immune system. He said there are over 30 papers that attributed real damage to the T-cells or the innate immune response to COVID vaccines. And so in concept, someone whos taken the vaccine has acquired an immune deficiency syndrome. Im not saying that this is HIV. Im saying that this is an attack on the immune system, and a person acquires immune deficiency and that causes an increase in autoimmune diseases, Zelenko explained. He said Americans should punish all the people responsible for this global genocide. Zelenko, who lost only three out of over 7,000 patients due to COVID-19, lamented the death of thousands of people. Its hard to process. But what I take away from that is to get motivated to have the energy, the fortitude, the strength and the resolve to inspire, try to inspire everyone to do their part. Im only one person, [but] people are waking up and their level of consciousness is rising, the physician said. And what many people are realizing is that they have to return to God in order to be able to process what is going on. Because its the lack of faith that leads many people down the path of anxiety and mass psychosis. More related articles: Mysterious white clots found in deceased vaccinated individuals. The Stew Peters Show: Vladimir Zelenkos life-saving, effective COVID-19 protocols demonized in favor of vaccines Brighteon.TV. Report: COVID vaccines inflicting far more deaths than previously thought: Could be looking at hundreds of thousands more dead. Cancers coming back with a vengeance is very common after the COVID vax. Watch the full Feb. 11 episode of His Glory below. Catch new episodes of the program every Friday at 5-6 p.m. on Brighteon.TV. Follow VaccineHolocaust.org for more stories about COVID-19 vaccine-related deaths. Sources include: Brighteon.com VladimirZelenkoMD.com The major storm system in the United States that has been developing over recent days has turned into a multi-hazard and cross-country weather phenomenon. The storm has already caused widespread, chaotic travel disruption and life-threatening risks in multiple states across the country. Plowing through Central US, the large-scale storm continues to head towards the Eastern US-bringing multiple severe weather phenomena, including torrential rain, flooding, heavy snow, and strong winds. Thousands of flights have been canceled and road traffic disruptions have been reported in major routes. The US weather authorities have issued multiple severe weather warnings for flash floods, thunderstorms, and tornadoes in different areas. So far, there were no immediate reports of casualties amid the storm, which is expected to continue at least in the coming hours or days. US meteorologists are considering it as a record-breaking storm due to its effect in some areas across the US that have not been seen in decades, including the thick accumulation of snowfall and the current damage it has brought. Thousands of Flights Cancelled and Delayed More than 1,000 domestic and international flights across the US have been canceled and over 4,000 flights have been delayed due to the raging storm, as per the FlightAware tracker website. Based on the latest weather forecasts, further cancellations or delays are expected. The most affected airports are the Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago, Illinois; and the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) in Romulus, Michigan. Due to the persisting storm, flight disruptions are likely to affect other airports across the US. Also read: Meteorologists Issue Storm Alert for Thunderstorms and Tornadoes to Central US from Midweek Road Traffic Movement Disrupted The severe weather has made it nearly impossible for a normal road traffic movement in some parts of Central US, as per AccuWeather. There have been multiple incidents reported of disruption along major roads and highways in several states and they are the following: Kansas - A highway patrol trooper got into an accident along the eastbound of Interstate 70 in the Wichita area. In addition, Kansas City experienced slow traffic on the morning of Thursday, Feb. 17. Missouri - A snowstorm vehicles were stuck on the northbound of Route 61 in Hannibal. Indiana - Another snowstorm caused a multi-vehicle pileup along Interstate 65. Warnings for Flash Floods, Thunderstorms, and Tornadoes The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - National Weather Service (NWS) issued a flash flood warning in the Ohio Valley for Thursday. In Ohio, emergency operations for high water and swift water rescues were deployed in Vermilion. Due to a reported ice jam near Lake Erie, the river water level has increased dramatically. The NOAA - NWS issued advice to the public to avoid traversing flooded roads to avoid getting drowned. In Mississippi, the US weather authorities issued a tornado warning for areas north of the state capital city of Jackson on Thursday, Feb. 17. The warning was issued due to the intensification of the severe weather brought by the major storm system. Furthermore, additional tornado warnings are possible in Nashville, Tennessee; Jackson, Mississippi; and Huntsville, Alabama. In Tennessee, strong winds and severe weather prompted some schools to be closed. A large part of the state went under tornado or severe thunderstorm warnings. Related article: More Snow Incoming: Storm From Canada Will Make US Northeastern Regions Colder A group of scientists from the United States and Canada collected samples from the Great Lakes during the winter to better understand global warming and its effect on the freshwater ecosystem. Also called the Great Lakes of North America or the Laurentian Great Lakes, the Great Lakes is a body of water interconnected by large freshwater lakes between the Canada and United States borders. It is part of a collective campaign across all five lakes namely: Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and Lake Superior. These lakes are considered to be the largest freshwater ecosystem on Earth. The campaign is called the winter grab. The scientists are determining how deep the snow is before they make a hole and insert their instruments into the waters to study it. The winter grab campaign is the first of its kind as scientists normally wait until after the winter when the lakes are free of ice sheets. The campaign has been driven by the heating effects of climate change and global warming over the past several decades, leading to the decrease of ice coverage in the Great Lakes. Although the fieldwork part of the campaign is done, the scientists would still need to do an analysis of the collected samples from the lakes. The Great Lakes of North America Important to millions of people, the Great Lakes account for 20% of Earth's surface freshwater equivalent to approximately 6 quadrillion gallons, as per the Denver Channel. Situated in the Canadian-US borders, the Great Lakes is comparatively bigger than the entire UK landscape. According to the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), the Great Lakes of North America are also crucial sources for drinking water, irrigation, and transportation. The NWF added that it is also a site for recreational opportunities, including fishing, hunting, and boating. However, the water level in the Laurentian Great Lakes since 1860 has fluctuated and surface water temperatures have slightly increased since 1995 due to climate change and global warming, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Also read: 38 Million Residents in Great Lakes Region Threatened by Worsening Climate Change Winter Grab Campaign Dozens of US and Canadian scientists participated in the rare winter grab campaign throughout the week. Some of the scientists belong to the Cooperative Institute for Research at the University of Michigan. Previously, most scientific fieldwork in the lakes was held between May and October. However, climate change is forcing scientists to urgently sample and collect data from the Great Lakes since it will further their understanding of the correlation between global warming and changes in the freshwater ecosystem. Pollution in the Great Lakes and US Policies Pollution in the Great Lakes is increasing as plastic materials, sewage waste, and chemicals such as mercury have accumulated over the years. Still, efforts are being made to protect and preserve the lakes. On Thursday, Feb. 18, White House officials reportedly stated the US government would provide $1 billion worth of funds for the "Great Lakes Restoration" restoration program, a cleanup effort for the Great Lakes, as per NBC News. The funds will come from US President Joe Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan-known as the bipartisan infrastructure package. Specifically, the cleanup operation on the Great Lakes will focus on sterilizing toxin-contaminated industrial harbors and tributaries. Also read: Nearly 22 Million Pounds of Plastic Pollution Enter the Great Lakes Every Year On 17 February 2022, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), met with H.E. Ms. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania, on the occasion of her visit to Brussels. During their bilateral discussions, the President expressed her appreciation for the WCOs support with the process of modernizing the Tanzania Customs Administration and sought further advice on the way forward. Secretary General Mikuriya responded by stressing the importance of having Customs administrations implement international standards. WCO instruments such as the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) and Harmonized System (HS), to name but a few, were key to simplifying and harmonizing procedures and thus enhancing connectivity at borders. Dr. Mikuriya also highlighted the need to apply technology to facilitate paperless trade, while ensuring interoperability with different IT systems. This could be achieved through the use of the WCO Data Model, a tool that supported cross-border data exchange. He went on to underline the importance of training and human resource development as an enabler to implement tools and technology. Through the approach described above, Customs could enhance its professionalism and integrity which would in turn contribute to developing trust across the supply chain. This enhanced trust, especially with compliant businesses, would ultimately form the basis for developing an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programme. President Suluhu Hassan expressed her gratitude to Dr. Mikuriya for his advice and assured him that she would look into expediting her countrys RKC ratification process. Secretary General Mikuriya praised the President for her strong political commitment, her dedication to enhancing partnerships, her people-centric approach and her support for the modernization of Tanzania Customs. Sign up to get breaking news, weather forecasts, and more in your email inbox. Sign Up Now New Castle, PA (16103) Today Showers and thundershowers this evening, then cloudy with rain likely overnight. Low 57F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Showers and thundershowers this evening, then cloudy with rain likely overnight. Low 57F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit Newburyport, MA (01950) Today Mostly cloudy skies early then periods of showers late. Low 43F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies early then periods of showers late. Low 43F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. 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. Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo HAMDEN A man was shot in the foot overnight on Dixwell Avenue, according to police. Officers saw several vehicles leaving the parking lot of the Dixwell Social Lounge, located at 940 Dixwell Ave., around 1 a.m., Detective Sean Dolan said in an email. Hartford Police / Contributed HARTFORD A man was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after a shooting on Eastford Street late Wednesday, according to police. Officers responded to St. Francis Hospital around 11:25 p.m. for a report of a person with a gunshot wound showing up for treatment. Police said the victim, a man in his 20s, was listed in stable condition. COLOMBO, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's health authorities on Friday said with a rise in the number of Omicron infected patients, the new variant was soon becoming dominant that would overtake the Delta variant in the country. To date, over 160 people have been infected with the Omicron variant, but the number was much higher than recorded, officials from the Health Ministry said. Health authorities have urged people to curtail their movement to avert a massive COVID-19 outbreak in the country and to strictly follow all health guidelines. "The sudden increase in the number of COVID-19 cases implies that Omicron is rapidly spreading in the country and the current situation could be a sign of a major outbreak in the near future. Hence, it is imperative that people brace themselves," COVID-19 Coordinator Anwar Hamdani was quoted by local media as saying. "The couple of things that people should do is to wear a mask properly and get the booster dose as soon as possible," Hamdani added. Sri Lanka has seen a rise in daily COVID-19 cases with over 800 reported on Thursday and over 700 reported on Wednesday. According to official figures, Sri Lanka has recorded 599,363 positive COVID-19 cases and 15,255 deaths since March 2020. Pikeville, KY (41501) Today Isolated thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 63F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Isolated thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 63F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, on Wednesday agreed in a telephone conversation to deepen cooperation between China and France, as well as to advance China-European Union (EU) relations. The talk marked the eighth phone conversation between the two heads of state since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, and also an important exchange between the two presidents since France took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU. The phone call also took place in the first month of the Year of the Tiger and coincided with the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The "New Year" call between the Chinese and French leaders is of great significance, which steers the relations between the two countries and China-EU relations, experts say. CHARTING COURSE FOR BILATERAL TIES In their conversation, Xi recalled that in 2021 he and Macron talked over phone twice, attended two China-France-Germany video summits, and actively promoted the development of bilateral ties. Macron said that as the current international situation is fraught with tension and turbulence, such a backdrop has strengthened France's hope to deepen its comprehensive strategic partnership with China. Feng Zhongping, the director of the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that during the phone conversation, Xi and Macron identified new key areas of cooperation, which is conducive to the steady development of China-France and China-EU relations. The phone conversation between the two leaders has set the general direction for China-France and China-EU relations for some time to come, he added. Lyazid Benhami, vice president of the Paris Association of French-Chinese Friendship, called the promotion of the bilateral relationship "a priority for the two presidents" amid the ravaging pandemic. He pointed to bilateral support for such concrete projects as aerospace and aeronautics, noting that this was an opportunity to deepen the strategic and global partnership between France and China. Christine Bierre, an expert at the Schiller France Institute, described the tone of conversation on both sides as frank and forward-looking, adding that the multiple agreements reached by the two sides focus on win-win cooperation and will continue to allow for progress in important sectors. PROMOTING CHINA-FRANCE COOPERATION In the new year, Xi said, China and France should keep up with the positive, healthy and upward trajectory, adhere to the principle of mutual respect and equality, strengthen dialogue and exchanges at all levels, enhance mutual understanding and trust, and push for new achievements in bilateral cooperation. For his part, Macron said that France is satisfied with the major achievements the two countries have made over recent years in bilateral cooperation in such fields as technology, agriculture, aviation and nuclear energy. He said his country is ready to work with China to explore ways to overcome the impact of COVID-19, strengthen personnel exchanges, enhance friendship and mutual trust, and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation. Zhang Bei, assistant research fellow with the China Institute of International Studies, noted that during the phone conversation, the two heads of state announced multiple important agreements covering agricultural products, green cooperation, finance and third-party markets, among other areas. These cooperation agreements fully demonstrate that as China deepens reform and opening-up and the Chinese economy continues to achieve high-quality development, the sky is the limit for China-EU cooperation, which will bring tangible development opportunities for French and other European companies and strengthen the internal driving force of Europe's cooperation with China, she said. BOOSTING CHINA-EU TIES Xi said he has repeatedly stressed that China and the EU should uphold a correct understanding of each other, and stick to mutual respect, dialogue and cooperation, and mutual benefit. The two sides should work together to build the greatest common ground and steer China-EU relations towards new development, he added. China, he said, stands ready to work with France to make a success of the China-EU leaders' meeting and the new round of high-level dialogues on strategic, economic and trade, green, digital and people-to-people affairs, and advance the ratification and implementation of the China-EU investment agreement, so as to bring tangible benefits to the people on both sides. During its EU presidency in the first half of this year, Macron said, France will make every effort to advance the positive agenda between the EU and China, and work with China to ensure the success of the EU-China leaders' meeting and push forward the development of EU-China relations. As France assumed the rotating presidency of the EU in the first half of this year, strengthening China-France relations will give a stronger boost to China-EU relations, Feng said. Noting that the phone conversation also covered European security issues, changes in the international landscape, he said that in-depth communication between the two leaders will play a positive role in strengthening bilateral economic and trade cooperation and promoting global peace and stability. BUILDING PEACEFUL WORLD Xi pointed out that the fact that the Beijing Winter Olympics has unfolded smoothly as scheduled demonstrates that the international community yearns for peace, unity and progress. Noting that it is a quite demanding task for China to host the event as scheduled under the current circumstances, Macron said the French side has always supported and will continue to fully support the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Maximilian Krah, a member of the European Parliament, said that the Olympic Games are an event which brings people from around the world together and stands for peace and cooperation, adding that cooperation is possible and feasible insofar as the Beijing Winter Olympics is being held successfully. Jian Junbo, an associate professor at the Center for China-EU Relations of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University, described the Olympic Games as an event for peace. The fact that France and other countries support the Beijing Winter Olympics under the guidance of the Olympic spirit is conducive to creating a peaceful atmosphere in the international community together with other participating countries and is of positive significance to easing international tensions, Jian said. Enditem (Xinhua writers Li Jizhi in Brussels and Xing Jianqiao in Paris also contributed to the story.) There's no change for now to the rules for students but starting Friday, vaccinated and boosted staff members and "certain visitors" can go mask-free in rooms where no students are present, the door is closed and at least 6 feet of distance is kept between all present. LeConte Nix: We have to normalize that going to therapy is great and is needed just like going to a movie or your regular doctors appointment. We all have stuff that we hide mentally or avoid. Now, think about a young adult who only knows how to deal with anger by violence of some sort, because he or she has never been taught how to handle certain situations." Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). Champaign, IL (61820) Today Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 44F. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 44F. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph. Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death. Submit Longview, TX (75601) Today Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Acting chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines Al-Hajj Sakhi Ahmad Paiman (R) speaks during a press conference in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on Feb. 17, 2022. The Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines has described the recent decision of U.S. President Joe Biden on Afghanistan's frozen assets as unjust, and called for the return of the assets. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) KABUL, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines has described the recent decision of U.S. President Joe Biden on Afghanistan's frozen assets as unjust, and called for the return of the assets. "On behalf of 5,000 factories and hundreds of mine extracting companies, I today describe the recent decision of President Biden as unjust and stealing our national assets and we denounce it," acting chairman of the association Al-Hajj Sakhi Ahmad Paiman told reporters. Paiman said some 400,000 people directly and around 1.5 million others indirectly are working for the factories, mines and businesses run by the Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines. The United States, following its completion of forces evacuation in August last year, has frozen more than 9 billion U.S. dollars assets of Afghanistan's central bank, which led to economic crisis and poverty in the war-torn country. Biden reportedly in a decree issued on Friday allocated 3.5 billion of the sum to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. "America claims itself as a defender of human rights and freedom. The claim would be undermined at home and abroad if it continues to hold or steal Afghanistan's assets under any pretext," Paiman said. On Tuesday, thousands of Afghans staged demonstrations, denouncing Biden's decision and demanding the return of the frozen assets to the war-torn country. The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to the exodus of millions upon millions of students from schools worldwide, as they were thought to be at risk for the virus, and even more, were considered to be potential spreaders to their household members. As the months passed, governments revised their policies, allowing students to return to school in a staggered manner. In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, a test-to-return approach for students in isolation is explored for its utility in sorting out students who can safely return to school without jeopardizing others, from those with a high viral load. Study: Evaluation of test to return after COVID-19 diagnosis in a Massachusetts public school district. Image Credit: Michele Ursi / Shutterstock.com Introduction The US faced a heterogeneous response to the closure of schools once the first wave of the pandemic was over. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued updated recommendations in December 2021, dealing with this issue. The new guidelines call for people with a positive test for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to stop isolating on day 6 from either the positive test, if asymptomatic, or symptom onset, given that the person is able to wear a mask until and through day 10, and has experienced symptom relief. The fact remains that some people, at least, still shed viruses at this point, as has been shown in culture experiments. For this reason, rapid antigen test (RAT) positivity is considered a possible way out. Furthermore, the RAT not only correlates well with higher viral loads in the subjects but with culturable replicating virus, making it a good marker of infectiousness. Within a month of this guideline, the CDC revised it again, allowing schools to ask for a RAT towards the close of the 5-day isolation period. If the test is negative, the student is released from isolation. Conversely, a positive result indicates continued isolation until day 10 is completed. However, the outcomes with this test-to-return (TTR) policy remain to be examined for their utility. The current study attempts to explore this aspect of the policy. What Did the Study Show? The researchers chose a public school district in Massachusetts, where TTR commenced in January 2022. All individuals at the school could return from isolation on days 6-10, in the absence of fever without requiring antipyretics, if their symptoms were better, and if a RAT performed at school-by-school staff, any day between days 5-9, resulted in a negative result. If the test was positive, they continued to isolate until day 11, as did those who refused TTR. All this data was used for the study to obtain positivity rates by grade, test type (first test), vaccination status, symptomatic status, and duration of symptoms at the point of testing. There were 636 test-positive students in the study, of which 68% had known symptoms. Just over 400, accounting for almost two-thirds of the study, had a TTR, and 128 returned a positive RAT result. The scientists failed to identify any effect of grade level, test type, or vaccination status. Test to return positivity rate according to day of infection on which TTR was conducted, stratified by presence or absence of symptoms at any time during infection, among those with available symptom status. Chi-square tests of trend were performed for each group. Error bars show 95% exact binomial confidence intervals. However, students who had symptoms during their illness were always more likely to test positive during their test to return, compared to asymptomatic, at 435 vs. 17%. With each day of infection, the TTR lost sensitivity. In comparison, a public school district had many students out with Omicron infection. In this setting, the RAT was positive at 5-6 days from positive test or symptom onset, irrespective of symptom relief. These findings closely agree with earlier modeling predictions. In this study, there was no way to find out if the students deliberately changed the time of TTR to ensure it would be negative, thus changing the results of this analysis. If all persons meeting time and symptom criteria had tested on day 5 or 6, the positivity rate would likely have been higher. Also, the correlation of RAT and culture positivity for Omicron is unclear. However, available data seem to indicate that even with this variant, RAT continues to have a high sensitivity if the viral load is high. The use of a TTR policy in schools may reduce the spread of the virus in schools and increase missed days if adopted widely on day 6. Without such testing, the student could reduce missed days by returning on this day, but at the cost of a potential increase in the transmission of the virus. Another option is to isolate through day 10. The TTR policy is beneficial to shorten this period without risking higher transmission rates. However, even without this, using masks as instructed has prevented most possible transmissions in schools. Secondly, nobody knows what the risk of transmission is after day 6 but before day 10. This should drive authorities to infer that a minority of students may still carry the virus during this period when TTR is not adopted. Therefore, the authors conclude, For students on days 6-10, strict adherence to masking (consistent with CDC guidance) and safe distance during unmasked periods, including lunchtime, are essential. *Important notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. A future vaccine providing protection against a wide range of coronaviruses that jump from their original animal hosts to humans -; including SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19 -; may be possible, say Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers, based on findings from their recent study. In a paper posted online Jan. 21, 2022, in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the research team focused on a peptide, or protein fragment, on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein -; the target of the two available messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines for COVID-19 -; called S815-827. Homologs (equivalent peptides) can be found on the spike proteins of MERS-CoV (the virus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, more commonly known as MERS, and believed to have been passed from camels to humans) and other animal coronaviruses. The researchers were particularly interested in studying the S815-827 homologs seen in coronaviruses hosted by bats because SARS-CoV-2 is believed to have risen from a bat species. Additionally, bat-borne coronaviruses are considered a major threat for producing future zoonotic (animal-to-human) diseases. Previous research studies looking at a variety of human coronaviruses that cause the common cold have shown that homologs of the S815-827 peptide -; also known as an epitope (a protein or portion of a protein that elicits an immune response) -; are recognized by infection-fighting cells of the immune system called CD4+ T lymphocytes. In the first part of their study, the Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers evaluated T cell response to the S815-827 epitope in 38 people who had received two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. They found that T cells specific to the peptide were produced by 16 (42%) of the study participants. This suggests that a significant portion of the vaccinated population might have T cells that produce an immune response to the epitope. Since this particular spike protein component is believed to have an important functional role in SARS-CoV-2 infections and is considered less likely to change because of mutations, it's an appealing target for future vaccines -; especially if it also can protect against animal coronaviruses that might migrate to humans." Joel Blankson, M.D., Ph.D., study senior author, professor of medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine CD4+ T lymphocytes are immune system cells, also known as helper T cells, because they assist another type of immune cell, the B lymphocyte (B cell), in responding to surface proteins -; antigens -; on viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. Activated by the CD4+ T cells, immature B cells become either plasma cells that produce antibodies to mark infected cells for disposal from the body, or memory cells that "remember" the antigen's biochemical structure for a faster response to future infections. Therefore, a CD4+ T cell response can serve as a measure of how well the immune system responds to a vaccine and yields humoral immunity. The mRNA vaccines provide genetic instructions to a person's immune system to recognize the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and start production of antibodies against the virus. Since S815-827 -; a very stable component of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein -; potentially is a more specific target for future vaccines, the researchers wanted to see if the epitope-specific T cells (ones that recognize and respond to S815-827) they found in their vaccinated study participants would act the same with the homologous peptides found on other coronavirus spike proteins. "Using the lymphocytes we obtained from our study participants, we were able to grow a line of T cells that would only recognize and respond to S815-827 and its homologs," says Blankson. "We then used a variety of tests to see if those T cells also would recognize the epitopes on a number of bat coronaviruses -; perceived as the greatest danger for producing another disease transmissible to humans." The results excited the research team, Blankson says. "We found that the T cells produced an immune response against the majority of the bat coronaviruses," says Blankson. "This supports our hypothesis that the current mRNA vaccines elicit T cell responses that can cross-recognize bat coronaviruses, and thus might induce some protection against future zoonotic outbreaks." In another experiment, says Blankson, the team showed that the S815-827 homologs for MERS-CoV and a feline coronavirus also triggered epitope-specific CD4+ T cell activity. "This finding, combined with the main revelation that epitope homologs for many bat coronaviruses stimulate an immune response, means that we may one day be able to develop a multivalent vaccine that could protect against a broad spectrum of animal coronaviruses," says Blankson. The study was supported by the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Vaccine-related Research Fund, the Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Chemotherapy, the Johns Hopkins University provost, the Immune-Viral Landscape in COVID-19 Pneumonia-ARDS: IVAR Study and three grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA006973, grant U54CA260492 and grant R37CA251447. Along with Blankson, the members of the study team from Johns Hopkins Medicine are lead author Beza Woldemeskel and co-authors Arbor Dykema, Caroline Garliss and Kellie Smith. Study co-author from Hunter College, City University of New York, is Saphira Cherfils. Blankson, Dykema and Smith have filed for patent protection on subsets of the technologies described in the study. Smith receives commercial research funding from Bristol-Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca and Enara Bio, and has received travel support and honoraria from Illumina Inc. Commercially viable biofuel crops are vital to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and a new tool developed by the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) should accelerate their development -; as well as genetic editing advances overall. The genomes of crops are tailored by generations of breeding to optimize specific traits, and until recently breeders were limited to selection on naturally occurring diversity. CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology can change this, but the software tools necessary for designing and evaluating CRISPR experiments have so far been based on the needs of editing in mammalian genomes, which don't share the same characteristics as complex crop genomes. Enter CROPSR, the first open-source software tool for genome-wide design and evaluation of guide RNA (gRNA) sequences for CRISPR experiments, created by scientists at CABBI, a Department of Energy-funded Bioenergy Research Center (BRC). The genome-wide approach significantly shortens the time required to design a CRISPR experiment, reducing the challenge of working with crops and accelerating gRNA sequence design, evaluation, and validation, according to the study published in BMC Bioinformatics. "CROPSR provides the scientific community with new methods and a new workflow for performing CRISPR/Cas9 knockout experiments," said CROPSR developer Hans Muller Paul, a molecular biologist and Ph.D. student with co-author Matthew Hudson, Professor of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. "We hope that the new software will accelerate discovery and reduce the number of failed experiments." CROPSR developer Hans Muller Paul, a molecular biologist and Ph.D. student with co-author Matthew Hudson, Professor of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign To better meet the needs of crop geneticists, the team built software that lifts restrictions imposed by other packages on design and evaluation of gRNA sequences, the guides used to locate targeted genetic material. Team members also developed a new machine learning model that would not avoid guides for repetitive genomic regions often found in plants, a problem with existing tools. The CROPSR scoring model provided much more accurate predictions, even in non-crop genomes, the authors said. The goal was to incorporate features to make life easier for the scientist." Hans Muller Paul, CROPSR developer Many crops, particularly bioenergy feedstocks, have highly complex polyploid genomes, with multiple sets of chromosomes. And some gene-editing software tools based on diploid genomes (like those from humans) have trouble with the peculiarities of crop genomes. "It can sometimes take weeks or months to realize that you don't have the outcome that you expected," Muller Paul said. For example, a trait may be regulated by a collection of genes, particularly one involving plant stress where backup systems are useful. A scientist might design an experiment to knock out one gene and be unaware of another that performs the same function. The problem may not be discovered until the plant matures without altering the trait in any way. It's a particular issue with crops that require specific weather conditions to grow, where missing a season could mean a year-long delay. Using a genome-wide approach allowed the scientists to tailor CROPSR for plant use by removing built-in biases found in existing software tools. Because they are based on human or mouse genomes, where multiple copies of genes are less common, those tools penalize gRNA sequences that hit the genome in more than one position, to avoid causing mutations in places where they're not intended. But with crops, the goal is often to mutate more than one position to knock out all copies of a gene. Previously, scientists sometimes had to design four or five mutation experiments to knock out each gene individually, requiring extra time and effort. CROPSR can generate a database of usable CRISPR guide RNAs for an entire crop genome. That process is computationally intensive and time-consuming -; usually requiring several days -; but researchers only have to do it once to build a database that can then be used for ongoing experiments. So, rather than searching for a targeted gene through an online database, then using current tools to design separate guides for five different locations and doing multiple rounds of experiments, scientists could search for the gene in their own database and see all the guides available. CROPSR would indicate other locations to target in the genome as well. Researchers could select a guide that hits all of the genes, making it much easier and quicker to design the experiment. "You can just hop into the database, fetch all the information you need, ready to go, and start working," Muller Paul said. "The less time you spend planning for your experiments, the more time you can spend doing your experiments." For CABBI scientists, who often work with repetitive plant genomes, having a gRNA tool that allows them to design functioning guides with confidence "should be a step forward," he said. As the name implies, CROPSR was designed with crop genomes in mind, but it's applicable to any type of genome. "CROPSR is also based on human genes, as the data availability for crop genes just isn't there yet," Muller Paul said, "but we're looking into some collaborations with other BRCs to provide a more capable prediction based on biophysics to help mitigate some of the issues caused by the lack of data." Going forward, he hopes researchers will record their failed results along with successes to help generate the data to train a crop-specific model. If the collaborations pan out, "we could be looking at some very interesting advancements in training machine learning models for CRISPR applications, and potentially to other models as well." Late one night in January, Jonathan Coffino, 78, turned to his wife as they sat in bed. "I don't know how much longer I can do this," he said, glumly. Coffino was referring to the caution that's come to define his life during the covid-19 pandemic. After two years of mostly staying at home and avoiding people, his patience is frayed and his distress is growing. "There's a terrible fear that I'll never get back my normal life," Coffino told me, describing feelings he tries to keep at bay. "And there's an awful sense of purposelessness." Despite recent signals that covid's grip on the country may be easing, many older adults are struggling with persistent malaise, heightened by the spread of the highly contagious omicron variant. Even those who adapted well initially are saying their fortitude is waning or wearing thin. Like younger people, they're beset by uncertainty about what the future may bring. But added to that is an especially painful feeling that opportunities that will never come again are being squandered, time is running out, and death is drawing ever nearer. "Folks are becoming more anxious and angry and stressed and agitated because this has gone on for so long," said Katherine Cook, chief operating officer of Monadnock Family Services in Keene, New Hampshire, which operates a community mental health center that serves older adults. "I've never seen so many people who say they're hopeless and have nothing to look forward to," said Henry Kimmel, a clinical psychologist in Sherman Oaks, California, who focuses on older adults. To be sure, older adults have cause for concern. Throughout the pandemic, they've been at much higher risk of becoming seriously ill and dying than other age groups. Even seniors who are fully vaccinated and boosted remain vulnerable: More than two-thirds of vaccinated people hospitalized from June through September with breakthrough infections were 65 or older. The constant stress of wondering "Am I going to be OK?" and "What's the future going to look like?" has been hard for Kathleen Tate, 74, a retired nurse in Mount Vernon, Washington. She has late-onset post-polio syndrome and severe osteoarthritis. "I guess I had the expectation that once we were vaccinated the world would open up again," said Tate, who lives alone. Although that happened for a while last summer, she largely stopped going out as first the delta and then the omicron variants swept through her area. Now, she said she feels "a quiet desperation." This isn't something that Tate talks about with friends, though she's hungry for human connection. "I see everybody dealing with extraordinary stresses in their lives, and I don't want to add to that by complaining or asking to be comforted," she said. Tate described a feeling of "flatness" and "being worn out" that saps her motivation. "It's almost too much effort to reach out to people and try to pull myself out of that place," she said, admitting she's watching too much TV and drinking too much alcohol. "It's just like I want to mellow out and go numb, instead of bucking up and trying to pull myself together." Beth Spencer, 73, a recently retired social worker who lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with her 90-year-old husband, is grappling with similar feelings during this typically challenging Midwestern winter. "The weather here is gray, the sky is gray, and my psyche is gray," she told me. "I typically am an upbeat person, but I'm struggling to stay motivated." "I can't sort out whether what I'm going through is due to retirement or caregiver stress or covid," Spencer said, explaining that her husband was recently diagnosed with congestive heart failure. "I find myself asking 'What's the meaning of my life right now?' and I don't have an answer." Bonnie Olsen, a clinical psychologist at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine, works extensively with older adults. "At the beginning of the pandemic, many older adults hunkered down and used a lifetime of coping skills to get through this," she said. "Now, as people face this current surge, it's as if their well of emotional reserves is being depleted." Most at risk are older adults who are isolated and frail, who were vulnerable to depression and anxiety even before the pandemic, or who have suffered serious losses and acute grief. Watch for signs that they are withdrawing from social contact or shutting down emotionally, Olsen said. "When people start to avoid being in touch, then I become more worried," she said. Fred Axelrod, 66, of Los Angeles, who's disabled by ankylosing spondylitis, a serious form of arthritis, lost three close friends during the pandemic: Two died of cancer and one of complications related to diabetes. "You can't go out and replace friends like that at my age," he told me. Now, the only person Axelrod talks to on a regular basis is Kimmel, his therapist. "I don't do anything. There's nothing to do, nowhere to go," he complained. "There's a lot of times I feel I'm just letting the clock run out. You start thinking, 'How much more time do I have left?'" "Older adults are thinking about mortality more than ever and asking, 'How will we ever get out of this nightmare,'" Kimmel said. "I tell them we all have to stay in the present moment and do our best to keep ourselves occupied and connect with other people." Loss has also been a defining feature of the pandemic for Bud Carraway, 79, of Midvale, Utah, whose wife, Virginia, died a year ago. She was a stroke survivor who had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heartbeat. The couple, who met in the Marines, had been married 55 years. "I became depressed. Anxiety kept me awake at night. I couldn't turn my mind off," Carraway told me. Those feelings and a sense of being trapped throughout the pandemic "brought me pretty far down," he said. Help came from an eight-week grief support program offered online through the University of Utah. One of the assignments was to come up with a list of strategies for cultivating well-being, which Carraway keeps on his front door. Among the items listed: "Walk the mall. Eat with friends. Do some volunteer work. Join a bowling league. Go to a movie. Check out senior centers." "I'd circle them as I accomplished each one of them. I knew I had to get up and get out and live again," Carraway said. "This program, it just made a world of difference." Kathie Supiano, an associate professor at the University of Utah College of Nursing who oversees the covid grief groups, said older adults' ability to bounce back from setbacks shouldn't be discounted. "This isn't their first rodeo. Many people remember polio and the AIDs epidemic. They've been through a lot and know how to put things in perspective." Alissa Ballot, 66, realized recently she can trust herself to find a way forward. After becoming extremely isolated early in the pandemic, Ballot moved last November from Chicago to New York City. There, she found a community of new friends online at Central Synagogue in Manhattan and her loneliness evaporated as she began attending events in person. With omicron's rise in December, Ballot briefly became fearful that she'd end up alone again. But, this time, something clicked as she pondered some of her rabbi's spiritual teachings. "I felt paused on a precipice looking into the unknown and suddenly I thought, 'So, we don't know what's going to happen next, stop worrying.' And I relaxed. Now I'm like, this is a blip, and I'll get through it." We're eager to hear from readers about questions you'd like answered, problems you've been having with your care and advice you need in dealing with the health care system. Visit khn.org/columnists to submit your requests or tips. In a recent study published in the latest issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study in Israel to assess the rate of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reinfection in patients who had recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Study: Effectiveness of the BNT162b2 Vaccine after Recovery from Covid-19. Image Credit: BaLL LunLa/Shutterstock Vaccine hesitancy might have stemmed from personal safety concerns in patients who wanted reassurance that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and beneficial. Moreover, the data evidence of vaccine efficacy in patients who had recovered from COVID-19 is still limited. Although current guidelines recommend vaccination for everyone, including those previously infected, it is crucial to assess how long protective immunity lasts. In Israel, although taking a COVID-19 vaccine is a personal choice, the Israel Ministry of Health issues the Green Pass, an immunity passport, from October 2021 onwards, only to those who get immunized within six months after recovering from COVID-19. About the study The researchers reviewed data from electronic medical records of members of Clalit Health Services, Israel, which has the health data of ~52% of the population to assess reinfection rates in patients who had recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection in not less than 100 days before receiving any COVID-19 vaccine. They compared the rate of recurrent infection between patients vaccinated with the BNT162b2 vaccine and unvaccinated patients; identified reinfection by the date of the SARS-CoV-2-positive quantitative reverse-transcriptasepolymerase-chain-reaction (RT-qPCR) test at least 100 days after the primary infection. As per the Israeli Ministry of Health, the 100-day cutoff allows recovered patients to receive their COVID-19 vaccination after the recommended time lag of three months post-primary infection. Additionally, they estimated the association between vaccination and reinfection after adjustment for demographic factors and other time-varying covariates using the Cox proportional-hazards regression model. In a secondary analysis, they assessed vaccine effectiveness, estimated as one minus the hazard ratio (HR), among patients who had received one and two doses of vaccine. All the eligible study subjects were between 16 and 110 years, had contracted primary SARS-CoV-2 infection between August 23, 2020, and May 31, 2021, identified by the date of the first SARS-CoV-2-positive RT-qPCR. During the study period, the population of vaccinated and unvaccinated groups was dynamic. Up to seven days after receiving the first vaccine dose, participants remained in the unvaccinated group; later, they moved into the vaccinated group. Two previous studies, one a large observational study regarding the BNT162b2 booster dose and another a randomized, controlled trial of the BNT162b2 vaccine, have validated that the 7-day time lag is ideal for the analysis of vaccine efficacy. Study findings Among the vaccinated patients, those in the age group of 16 and 64 years and over 65 years had the adjusted HR for reinfection of 0.18 and 0.40, respectively; subsequently, the observed vaccine effectiveness among patients of these two age groups was 82% and 60%, respectively. Although the vaccine effectiveness was lower among patients over 65 years than the younger patients, vaccination still offered substantial immune protection. Contrastingly, the reinfection rate among the older patients was much lower, with only 3.02 cases per 100,000 persons per day versus 10.79 cases per 100,000 persons per day among the younger patients. The adjusted HR for reinfection among the patients who had received one vaccine dose and two doses was 0.98, suggesting that two vaccine doses offered no additional protection than one vaccine dose to previously infected SARS-CoV-2 patients. It is worth noting here that only 19% of the vaccinated patients received more than one vaccine dose during the study period; however, prior SARS-CoV-2 exposure combined with the one vaccine dose helped them mount a more robust and persistent immunogenic response. Conclusions The study observations showed that among patients who had recovered from COVID-19, one dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine reduced the risk of recurrent infection by 60%-82% across all age groups. Moreover, the second dose of vaccine offered no additional benefit against reinfection compared with one vaccine dose. More importantly, the data evidence gathered in this study supports a public health policy of mandating vaccination of patients who have recovered from COVID-19 in Israel. Rory Adams did not know that Christmas in a small rural hospital in West Virginia would be the last time he saw his wife alive. She'd entered prison in early January 2021 to serve a 42-month sentence for failure to collect payroll taxes. She was supposed to return to North Carolina, their two adult children, and their quilting business this summer. But when he saw her, she was heavily sedated. A ventilator was helping her breathe as she struggled with covid-19. Rebecca "Maria" Adams, 59, died 18 days after Christmas in the same hospital bed. The pandemic has proved especially deadly behind bars. Inmates are more than twice as likely to die of covid as the general population. And the deaths continue to pile up. Adams was the second of three women incarcerated at Alderson Federal Prison Camp to die of covid in less than a week in January. The prison that holds fewer than 700 inmates had 50 cases as of Feb. 8. When U.S. case numbers surged in December because of the omicron variant, an understaffed and still underprepared federal prison system was once again swamped by covid cases. The deaths of these three women imprisoned in West Virginia reflect a federal prison system plagued by chronic problems exacerbated by the pandemic, including understaffing, inadequate medical care, and few compassionate releases. The most recent statistics from the Federal Bureau of Prisons report 284 inmates and seven staff members have died nationwide because of covid since March 28, 2020. Medical and legal experts say those numbers are likely an undercount, but the federal prison system lacks independent oversight. Alderson, where Adams was incarcerated, was one of the first federal prisons to have a covid outbreak in December in this latest national surge. But as of the first week of February, 16 federal facilities had over 100 cases. More than 5,500 federal inmates and over 2,000 BOP staffers had tested positive for covid, according to BOP data. At one prison in Yazoo City, Mississippi, over 500 inmates almost half the prison tested positive in late January. Including the three women from Alderson, 12 federal inmates died while sick with covid in January. The Bureau of Prisons has come under fire in the past few months after investigations by The Associated Press and The Marshall Project alleged widespread corruption and called the agency a "hotbed of abuse." In January, before all three Alderson inmates died, the head of the BOP, Michael Carvajal, announced his resignation, although he remains in charge until a successor takes the helm. The criticism of the agency continued in congressional testimony in January after the deaths at Alderson. Legal and medical experts specializing in the federal system, as well as members of Congress, accused the BOP of hiding covid deaths and cases, repeatedly failing to provide adequate health care, and failing to properly implement the compassionate release program meant to move at-risk inmates to home confinement. Five recently released inmates, two incarcerated inmates, and six family members of women incarcerated at Alderson, confirmed these allegations to KHN. The Alderson inmates and their families reported denial of medical care, a lack of covid testing, retaliation for speaking out about conditions, understaffing, and a prison overrun by covid. Absences by prison staff members sickened by the virus led to cold meals, dirty clothes, and a denial of items like sanitary napkins and clean water from the commissary. In an email, BOP spokesperson Benjamin OCone said the agency does not comment on what he called "anecdotal allegations." He said the BOP follows covid guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. O'Cone pointed to the BOP's online dashboard about covid statistics when asked how many inmates have died since Dec. 1 and how many had tested positive for covid before death. A day after KHN emailed the BOP about the deaths of the three inmates from Alderson, two appeared on the dashboard and news releases were published. The women had been dead for almost a week. All three women Adams, Juanita Haynes, and Bree Eberbaugh had sought compassionate releases because of preexisting medical conditions that made them more susceptible to dying from covid, including Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure, obesity, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Nationwide, over 23,000 people were released from the federal system from March 2020 to October 2021, but more than 157,000 people are still imprisoned. After early pandemic releases, the prison population in the U.S. is climbing back to pre-pandemic levels. Some of the early drop was due to inmate deaths, which rose 46% from 2019 to 2020, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. For people like Adams, compassionate release never came. The BOP reports that only two women have been granted compassionate release from Alderson since the outbreak began in December. One was Haynes, who was granted release while intubated. She died four days later, in the hospital. "They will literally be released so they don't die in chains," Alison Guernsey, clinical associate professor of law at the University of Iowa, said in congressional testimony in January. She called BOP facilities "death traps," referring to the BOP's "inability or reticence to control the spread of covid-19 behind bars by engaging in aggressive evidence-based public-health measures." Guernsey testified that the BOP death data is "suspect" because of delayed reporting, the exclusion of deaths in prisons run by private contractors, and those released just in time to "die free." Haynes' death, for example, is not counted in BOP data even though she got sick with covid while incarcerated because she was freed through compassionate release right before she died in January, months after her first applications were denied. Guernsey questions the BOP's covid infection numbers because the agency does not report the number of tests administered, just the number of positive tests. "The BOP can hide whether low infection rate is due to low covid cases or inadequate testing," she said. All these factors mean the numbers of deaths and cases are likely "substantially" greater than reported, Guernsey said. The impact of incorrect data trickles down to the denial of compassionate release requests. One factor that judges consider is the level of covid cases and risk within that prison. Eberbaugh, the third inmate from Alderson to die in January, applied in March 2020 for compassionate release from her 54-month sentence, citing preexisting medical conditions. In August 2020, a court denied Eberbaugh's motion, in part citing the lack of covid cases in the prison. A few days later, she responded in a handwritten letter, appealing for legal counsel from the public defender's office. "Your honor, it is only a matter of time before it reaches here and I am in fear of my life," she wrote. The court denied that appeal in April 2021. Within nine months, she had died of covid. In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* server, researchers conducted a descriptive meta-analysis to estimate the seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in Africa. Limited vaccine coverage in a geographically and demographically diverse nation such as Africa that faces challenges in diagnostic reporting, surveillance measures, healthcare capacity, and policies for prevention and control of infections warrants ascertaining coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevalence and incidence. Previous studies had limitations such as under-represented populations, small sample sizes, low geographical coverage, and lacked regional comparison. This knowledge gap prompted the researchers of the current study to conduct a meta-analysis to estimate nationwide as well as regional COVID-19 prevalence as well as the proportion of uncharted infections by deriving prevalence-incidence ratios. This epidemiological information would benefit the Public Health and Social Measures (PHSM) department to devise tailor-made protection strategies suited to the diversified African continent. About the study In the present study, cross-sectional and cohort African seroprevalence studies including males and females below 60 years of age, published from January 2020 to December 2021 before the Omicron variant emerged, with at least 90% sensitivity and 97% specificity were included. The databases searched were Web of Science, Medline, Europe PubMed Central (PMC) pre-prints, Embase, World Health Organization (WHO) studies, media releases, and grey literature. The study was commensurate with the World Health Organization (WHO) seroepidemiological investigation protocol (SEROPREV). Differences in seropositivity were evaluated based on demographic groups, time, and place. Studies lacking clear numerical fractions, prevalence estimates, duration, studies excluding individuals with previously diagnosed COVID-19 infections, and studies with closed population samples (schools, prisons, etc.) were excluded from the analysis. Two reviewers independently screened data in two phases. The study titles and abstracts were screened initially, followed by an entire text screening. A third reviewer resolved conflicts. Data pertaining to the journal, publication date, demographic data, eligibility criteria, duration, sampling procedures, study design, sample size, geographical coverage, seroprevalence estimates, and testing procedures were retrieved. Critically appraised studies with bias risk as moderate or low, assessed on the basis of Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) ratings were selected. Results and discussion From a total of 73,348 articles in primary screening, 4,221 were chosen for the second stage. Out of these, only 54 research papers, inclusive of 151 national seroprevalence studies, fulfilling the eligibility criteria were selected for the analysis. The team observed that 95 (63%) studies had a low (23%) or moderate (40%) risk of bias. There was a sharp rise in African seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections from 3% to 65.1% within a year. The number of undetected infections was high, with an overall ratio of 97:1. The results demonstrated a 67% asymptomatic and heterogeneous prevalence with more infections in the urban population and adults. Across regions, high-population density areas in Middle (75.5%), West (73.3%), and East (70,1%) Africa, especially Ethiopia and Ghana, showed higher seropositivity. As of September 2021, true infections were 97 times higher (800 million infections compared to 8.2 million cases) with the highest under-ascertainment in Nigeria and Malwai. Infections diagnosed by lateral flow immunoassays (LFIA) were lower than those using chemiluminescent immunoassays (CLIA). The surge in undetected infections could be attributed to the emergence of new COVID-19 transmissible variants. The asymptomatic and elusive spread of disease combined with lack of healthcare infrastructure and surveillance measures contribute to inadequate testing and reporting, which explains a large number of undetected cases. COVID-19 was more prevalent in population-dense urban areas where social distancing was relatively low. As immunity decreases with age, infections were higher in adults compared to children. Lastly, prevalence rates were higher for cases diagnosed using LFIA owing to its low sensitivity compared to CLIA. Conclusion In the present study, high seropositivity rates of undetected as well as confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections with a heterogeneous pattern were observed in the African continent. Increased health infrastructure with advanced diagnostic equipment, enhanced supply of medications, robust surveillance strategies for prevention and control, along with increased healthcare investments and well-trained personnel, could enable a better and tailor-made standard of care to affected individuals. Future studies with constantly updated, evidence-based data and more uniform geographical representations, including island nations, are needed to aid the PHSM department to enhance policies for increased protection against the COVID-19 pandemic. *Important notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) led to the development and rollout of the worlds fastest and largest global vaccination programs. However, the waning of immunity over time, along with the emergence of several SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs), highlights the requirement of better informative testing that will in turn help to determine the need and timing of a booster vaccination. Although first-generation tests were rolled out, they were found to overestimate the actual protective immunity against the VOCs. Current technologies that measure neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) were found to have poor clinical utility while serological approaches (ELISA or ECLIA) were found to measure only a part of the antibody response. A new study published in the pre-print server medRxiv* developed a bait and capture system which was further followed by a multiplexed and targeted proteomic liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analyses for the comparison of immune correlates in response to vaccination, natural infection, as well as protection against the VOCs. About the study The current study was performed using serum samples from the COVIDsortium study where longitudinal immunological analysis had already been performed. The study included 25 healthcare workers (HCWs) with previous laboratory evidence of wild-type SARS-CoV-2 infection and 26 HCWs with no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thereafter, SARS-CoV-2 immunocomplex assay was carried out followed by immunocomplex protein digestion. Targeted LC-MS/MS analysis was carried out using the digested samples. Finally, an authentic virus neutralization assay was carried out. Findings The results reported the presence of immunoglobulins IgG1, 2, 3 & 4, IgA1, IgM, and the complement factors C1q, C4b, and C9 in the serum samples obtained from SARS-CoV-2 positive HCWs. An increase in the immunocomplex was observed with increasing exposure to SARS-CoV-2 VOCs except for the Beta variant. A wide variation in immunocomplex was reported in individuals with 2 or more antigen exposure with one individual having a dominant IgG4 response. The results indicated that IgG1 showed the strongest correlation with live virus neutralization data (NAbs). The second strongest correlation was shown by C1q. The IgG1 reactivity against the Alpha variant was found to be 37 to 51 percent higher than the Wuhan Hu-1 strain, for Delta similar reactivity was observed between this variant and the Wuhan Hu-1 strain, and for Beta, the reactivity was 52 to 55 percent of the original strain. Changes in the IgM levels were observed only in the infection naive group following vaccination while in some individuals changes in levels of IgG2 and IgG4 were observed. A higher IgA1 response was observed in individuals with only natural infection. Furthermore, a higher IgM response accompanied by greater complement C4 and C9 binding was observed for Delta and Alpha VOCs. However, C1q binding was found to be independent of C4 and C9 since it showed a reduction in binding against Delta and Beta VOC. Also, it was observed that C1q had an overall stronger correlation with NAb as compared to IgG1. The current study was, therefore, able to demonstrate the antibody responses in non-hospitalized healthcare workers approximately 3 weeks post-vaccination. Although LC-MS/MS multiplex assay is a research standard assay, it was designed so that it could be easily translated into clinical laboratory settings. Further research needs to be carried out to determine the effect of antibody response over time, the severity of infection from different variants, and the change in immunocomplex with age that would provide a better understanding of the evolving antibody-mediated immune response to SARS-CoV-2. Limitations The study had one significant limitation. It could not determine functional complement activation. *Important notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. In a recent study posted to The Lancet* preprint server, researchers evaluated the efficacy of a messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine booster dose against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) during the Omicron surge. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections have recently increased to record-high numbers across many regions, including countries where vaccination coverage is considerably high. The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is responsible for the latest wave of COVID-19 infections, since it carries over 35 mutations, many in its spike (S) protein, that impart enhanced pathogenic characteristics to the variant. The emergence of mutants throughout the pandemic is alarming because the amino acid substitutions they harbor might impair the available therapeutic and prophylactic measures. Several vaccine breakthrough infections and reinfections due to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant have been documented. Moreover, studies observed reduced effectiveness of therapeutic antibodies used for COVID-19 treatment against the Omicron variant. Although the currently used COVID-19 vaccines provide significant immunity against severe disease, their efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 variants is diminished given that vaccines are based on the ancestral or wildtype isolate of SARS-CoV-2. Vaccine-elicited antibody responses wane after a certain period, and therefore, several countries have approved booster doses to enhance immunity. The study In the present study, researchers assessed the efficacy of booster shots of mRNA (BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273) vaccines in Spain for people aged 40 years during the latest surge of infections driven by the Omicron variant. The core objective was to investigate COVID-19 diagnosis between January 1, 2022, and February 6, 2022. mRNA vaccinees were eligible for a booster dose six months after primary vaccination and subsequently recipients of Ad26.COV2.S and ChAdOx1 vaccines were approved for mRNA boosters (heterologous immunization). Data on vaccinations and diagnostic test results available on REGVACU and SERLAB registries, respectively, were linked with the national health system registry using the national identification number. SERLAB hosts all COVID-19-related polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and rapid antigen test results, and from December 21, 2021, self-reported antigen test results were also included in the database. Upon meeting the matching criteria, boosted subjects were matched randomly with individuals from the control cohort (no-booster). A head-to-head comparison was made between the recipients of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 booster vaccines. Findings More than half of 7 million eligible subjects received an mRNA booster, with over 52 % of them taking a COVID-19 test since the pandemic. Among the boosted individuals, around 47,104 SARS-CoV-2 infections were recorded during the study compared to >93,000 in the no-booster group. COVID-19 infection risk stood at 2.7% for booster recipients and 5.4 % for control subjects. The test positivity rate was 25.4% for the booster group and 37% for the control group. Overall, the efficiency of booster shots was 51.3% in seven to 34 days of the follow-up period, reflecting protection of 186 subjects per 10,000 individuals. Females and people aged between 60 and 69 years demonstrated higher booster effectiveness than males and those aged between 40-49 years. For people who received ChAdOx1 or mRNA-1273 vaccines in primary vaccination, booster efficiency was 55-59% and in Ad26.COV2.S or BNT162b2 vaccinees was 48-50%. A longer interval between primary and booster vaccination was associated with improved efficacy. Boosting with the mRNA-1273 vaccine (52.5 %) had higher efficiency than with the BNT162b2 vaccine (46.2 %). Further analysis estimated 13% higher protection for mRNA-1273 booster recipients over BNT162b2-boosted subjects. Conclusions The study findings show that the calculated effectiveness of mRNA booster vaccines was 51% against COVID-19 diagnosis. Moderna's mRNA-1273 vaccine was 13% more effective than Pfizer's BNT162b2 vaccine. The authors reported that the efficacy of mRNA vaccines was lower than that observed during the period of Delta variant predominance. The administration of booster shots after six months since primary vaccination resulted in 52% efficiency in contrast to 44% if the boosters were provided within six months of the complete vaccination course. Notably, the present research could not address the booster efficacy against the severe clinical course of COVID-19 and COVID-19-related deaths as the registries used for the study lack regular updates of such information. Taken together, the findings demonstrate that mRNA booster vaccines could moderately protect the recipients from Omicron infection for up to 30 days. More research is needed to estimate the full duration of immunity conferred by booster shots against the Omicron variant. *Important notice Preprints with The Lancet publish preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. Jeffersonville, IN (47130) Today Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 54F. W winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 54F. W winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Airbus plans to deliver the 600th A320 family aircraft assembled at its Asia final assembly line in north China's Tianjin Municipality in 2022, said Airbus China Friday. Airbus is ramping up production of the single-aisle A320 series aircraft to meet demands from the global market. The Tianjin final assembly line is also adapting to serve the recovering Chinese civil aviation market better, said George Xu, the executive vice president of Airbus and the chief executive officer of Airbus China. "Airbus is confident in the Chinese market. We are committed to deeply integrating into the market and getting prepared together with local partners," said Xu. By now, the Airbus Asia final assembly line in Tianjin can work on the A319 and A320 aircraft of the A320 family. After completing the adaptation work, the production facility here will also conduct the final assembly on the A321. It is the largest member of the family. Airbus expects to deliver the first China-assembled A321 aircraft from Tianjin this year, said Airbus China. In 2021, Airbus delivered 142 commercial planes into the Chinese market, a more than 40 percent year-on-year increase. The figure accounted for over 23 percent of its global delivery. Airbus Asia's final assembly line completed and delivered 53 A320 family aircraft in 2021. The European plane-maker in 2008 inaugurated the A320 family's final assembly line in Tianjin. By the end of 2021, Airbus had assembled and delivered 555 A320 series aircraft from the facility. According to Airbus' forecast in November 2021, the global commercial aircraft market is expected to recover to pre-COVID-19 levels between 2023 and 2025, led by the single-aisle aircraft segment. China will be a vital engine for the recovery of the global civil aviation market. The country's continuously growing market would need around 8,200 new commercial aircraft over the 2020-2040 period, accounting for more than 20 percent of the global demand. 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 574-583-5121 or email cgrace@thehj.com. (Newser) Update: A plastic surgeon has been arrested in Colorado after an 18-year-old patient died following breast augmentation surgery. Emmalyn Nguyen died 14 months after the August 2019 surgery left her in a vegetative state. After a "lengthy criminal investigation," the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office said it issued arrest warrants for Dr. Geoffrey Kim, who turned himself in, and anesthetist Rex Meeker, who was not yet in custody, per NBC News. Both are charged with reckless manslaughter, per KCNC. Kim, now out on bond, is also charged with first-degree aggravated assault. They previously agreed to pay $1 million each to the family. Our original story from December 2019 follows: The parents of a Colorado teen are suing her plastic surgeon after her breast-enhancement surgery went horribly wrong, NBC News reports. Emmalyn Nguyen, 18, suffered cardiac arrest and was severely brain-damaged during the August procedure, the family says. They blame the doctor, Geoffrey Kim, and anesthetist, Rex Meeker, who allegedly left Emmalyn "unobserved" for 15 minutes after applying anesthesia, which the parents say goes against proper practice. They also accuse the pair of waiting five hours to call 911 from their plastic-surgery clinic in Greenwood Village even though she had turned blue, needed CPR, was "neurologically unresponsive," and likely had brain damage. "She still has some awareness of her environment," says the family's attorney, David Woodruff. "She will cry when she hears her mothers voice; she responds to pain stimuli. But otherwise she can't communicate at all. ... She basically just lays there." People reports that Kim won't comment, and Meeker's lawyer says "complications in Ms. Nguyen's surgery were not related to inappropriate care on his behalf." Back in 2009, Meeker was sued in a similar brain-damage case that was settled confidentially, per KDVR. Now, it's the Nguyens' turn: "We thought it was going to be easier everyday but it [isn't]," says the mother, Lynn Pham. "It's really hard to see her this way. I feel like she [has] no future left." She says Emmalyn saved $6,000 for the procedure to boost her self-image. (Read more plastic surgery stories.) (Newser) Apple shareholders are urged to raise a stink about a $99 million pay package awarded last year to CEO Tim Cook, who's already reportedly worth more than $1 billion. In a letter to shareholders published Wednesday, proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services said there are "significant concerns" about the "design and magnitude" of the package, which is worth 1,447 times the wage of an average Apple employee, per the BBC. Cook received $98.7 million in total. According to Reuters, that included $3 million in salary, $82 million in stock awards, a $12 million cash bonus for hitting Apple's targets, and "$1.4 million for air travel, 401(k) plan, insurance premiums, and others." In comparison, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella received $49.9 million in compensation in 2021, per TheStreet. However, Apple's board previously noted revenues and profits "significantly exceeded" company targets in 2021, which marked Cook's 10th anniversary at the helm, per the Financial Times. Shares have risen 1,000%, from $13.34 when Cook took over in August 2011 to $172.55 as of Wednesday. The increase from Cook's 2020 remuneration of $14.8 million coincided with a nearly 30% increase in share prices in the last year. His cash bonus came as Apple's total shareholder return reached 192% in the three years ending August 2021, per the Times, which notes Cook sold $752 million in shares that same month. Yet ISS points out that half of Cook's equity award "lacks performance criteria," per the BBC. The firm adds Cook's perksincluding $630,630 in personal security costs and $712,488 for personal use of a private jet"significantly exceeded" those from comparable companies. ISS is now urging shareholders to vote against the pay package at the company's annual shareholders meeting in the first week of March. However, Apple's board is ultimately in charge of pay packages, as shareholder votes are "only advisory," per the BBC. Though "a record number of S&P 500 companies last year failed to garner 50% support for a pay vote at annual meetings," some 95% of Apple shareholders backed the pay, per the Times. (Read more Tim Cook stories.) (Newser) The latest tit-for-tat involving Elon Musk, his company, and the Securities and Exchange Commission could again test the patience of the federal judge who oversaw the 2018 settlement limiting Musk's tweets. When the SEC complained the next year that new tweets from Musk had broken the rules, US District Judge Alison Nathan told the opposing sides to "put their reasonableness pants on" and settle their differences. On Thursday, Tesla wrote to Nathan complaining that the SEC's oversight of its CEO's compliance with the deal amounts to harassment, the Wall Street Journal reports. "The SEC seems to be targeting Mr. Musk and Tesla for unrelenting investigation largely because Mr. Musk remains an outspoken critic of the government," the letter says. Musk has expressed that criticism through mocking tweets, even immediately after he settled the case. He's attacked federal regulators in general, sometimes crudely, per the Journal. The case began with Musk's tweets in 2018 saying he planned to take Tesla private; the stock price jumped, and the SEC accused him of fraud. The letter says the SEC has collected $40 million in fines over the damage to shareholders but not sent the money to shareholders yet, which is out of sync with the agency's usual practices. The SEC hasn't responded to the letter yet. The deal also required Musk to run tweets and certain other public statements through lawyers first. That might not have happened Wednesday night, when Musk tweeted a meme likening Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Adolf Hitler, per Business Insider. The post, which has since been taken down, responded to an article saying Trudeau was going to block cryptocurrency donations to the protesters who have clogged Ottawa and Canada-US border crossings. Along with a photo of Hitler, the meme said: "Stop comparing me to Justin Trudeau. I had a budget." Musk didn't answer a request for comment about the meme. (Read more Elon Musk stories.) (Newser) A Texas grand jury indicted 19 Austin police officers on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for their actions during 2020 protests over racial injustice that spread nationwide following the killing of George Floyd, according to people familiar with the matter. Multiple people spoke to the AP on Thursday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly. The indictments rank among the most involving a single police department in the US over tactics used by officers during the widespread protestsmethods that led to the resignation or ouster of several police chiefs across the country. Word of the indictments came hours after Austin city leaders approved paying $10 million to two people injured by police in the protests. Jose Garza, district attorney for Travis County, which includes Austin, spoke to journalists Thursday about the grand jury investigation but gave no specifics about it, including how many officers are facing charges, and for what crimes. "Our community is safer when our community trusts enforcement," Garza said, adding, "There cannot be trust if there is no accountability when law enforcement breaks the law." Ken Cassidy, president of the Austin Police Association, said he didn't know yet how many officers were indicted. He called the move "devastating" for city law enforcement but also said he's confident that no officer will be convicted. The settlements approved Thursday are among the largest reached nationally with people injured by police during the protests that followed Floyd's killing. Justin Howell, who was a 20-year-old college student when Austin police shot him with a beanbag round, was awarded $8 million. His family said Howell suffered a cracked skull and brain damage. The city will pay $2 million to Anthony Evans, who was 26 when an officer shot him with a beanbag round, which resulted in extensive medical treatment in his jaw. (Read more protests stories.) (Newser) House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Thursday joined former President Donald Trump in endorsing Rep. Liz Cheney's opponent in upcoming Wyoming GOP primary. McCarthy is the biggest House name so far to back Harriet Hageman, the Hill reports. Party leaders have censured Cheney, and Trump has attacked her, for joining a House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol. "The most successful Representatives in Congress focus on the needs of their constituents," McCarthy said in a statement, a reference to Republican criticism that Cheney has been more concerned with opposing Trump than with Wyoming's needs. It's unusual for party leaders to work against the reelection of one of their own, but McCarthy has been under pressure from Trump supporters in the House, per Politico. Some want him to kick Cheney out of the conference entirely. McCarthy's statement called his endorsement "bold and historic." Hageman welcomed McCarthy's support, saying that when she's elected, she'll "do the job I was sent there to do." A spokesman for Cheney was dismissive of the help the endorsement will be for Hageman. "Wow, she must be really desperate," Jeremy Adler said. "Kevin did the right thing," said Rep. Ralph Norman, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, adding that "Cheney has long left the Republican Party and aligned herself with the socialist Democratic Party." On the other side of the Capitol, Sen. Rand Paul has endorsed Hageman. Cheney looks likely to have a big spending advantage in the campaign. She had $4.7 million in the bank at the end of 2021, while Hageman had $381,000. (Read more Kevin McCarthy stories.) RAMALLAH, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday complained to a high-ranking U.S. official that the unilateral Israeli practices in the Palestinian territories undermine the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Abbas made the remarks during a meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah with Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the United States House of Representatives, reported the official Palestinian news agency (WAFA). He told Pelosi that it is necessary to stop these practices "in a bid to promote implementing the peace agreements signed between the two sides and launch a real political process based on international resolutions." The Palestinian leader briefed Pelosi on the latest developments in the Palestinian territories and called for ending the occupation of the land of the state of Palestine and freezing Israeli settlement activities. Abbas also urged Pelosi to stop the assaults of Israeli settlers on Palestinians and their properties, mainly in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, and end the Israeli deduction from the Palestinian tax revenue dues. He called on Pelosi to keep working on boosting the bilateral ties between Palestine and the U.S. and remove all obstacles that hinder their relations. For her part, Pelosi informed Abbas that the U.S. is committed to making peace based on the principle of the two-state solution and the importance of joint cooperation to achieve security, stability, and peace in the region. On Wednesday, Pelosi arrived in Israel on an official visit, leading a high-ranking U.S. delegation that comprises Congress members and other officials. She visited the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, and met with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. On Thursday, Pelosi took part in a ceremony of renewing the USAID funding of projects in the Palestinian territories. The USAID provided a grant of 40 million U.S. dollars to fund small Palestinian projects. Political ties between the U.S. and the Palestinian Authority (PA) were severed during the former U.S. administration led by then President Donald Trump, who recognized the disputed holy city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to the city. (Newser) Update: The Food and Drug Administration has updated its warning on infant formulas made at a Michigan plant after the death of another child. The FDA warned against using Similac PM 60/40 with lot code 27032K800 on the case and 27032K80 on the can, NPR reports. Manufacturer Abbott said in a statement that it voluntarily recalled the product Monday after learning of the death of an infant who had consumed the product tested positive for the dangerous germ Cronobacter sakazakii. The company added that the case is being investigated and the source of the infant's infection has not been confirmed. The FDA said last month that it was investigating four reports of infants who were hospitalized after consuming formula from the Abbott plant, including one who died. Our story from Feb. 17 follows: US health officials warned parents on Thursday not to use three popular powdered infant formulas manufactured at an Abbott plant in Michigan that investigators recently linked to bacterial contamination. The FDA said it's investigating four reports of infants who were hospitalized after consuming the formula, including one who died, per the AP. The agency said one of the cases involved salmonella and three involved Cronobacter sakazakii, a rare but dangerous germ that can cause blood infections and other serious complications. Abbott, one of the country's largest infant formula-makers, said it's recalling all potentially affected products manufactured at the facility. The recall affects certain lots of Similac, Similac Alimentum, and EleCare with expiration dates of April 1, 2022, or later. The product was distributed throughout the US and overseas, the company said in a statement. FDA workers are now inspecting Abbott's plant in Sturgis, Mich., where environmental samples tested positive for the Cronobacter bacteria. Inspectors have also uncovered potential manufacturing problems, as well as past records showing the destruction of formula due to bacterial contamination. The FDA said it's working with federal and local authorities in Minnesota, Ohio, and Texasthe states where the infant infections were reported. Abbott couldn't specify how many units the recall includes, but brands like Similac are among the best-selling formulas in the US and overseas. Abbott said parents can identify the recalled products by examining the number on the bottom of each container. The affected formulas have a number starting with 22 through 37; have K8, SH, or Z2 in that number; and have an expiration date of April 1, 2022, or later. The company has also set up a website where parents can check if their products have been recalled: www.similacrecall.com/us/en/home.html. The company said its own testing of finished product didn't detect any contamination. The recall doesn't affect liquid infant formulas or any other Abbott products. (Read more recall stories.) (Newser) When Joe Rogan signed a multiyear deal with Spotify in 2020, industry insiders estimated it was worth around $100 milliona record for the podcasting industry and a pay rise for a man who was already the world's highest-earning podcaster. Sources tell the New York Times and Pitchfork that the deal was actually worth at least twice that figure. The Times' sources say the deal, which followed an "intense courtship" of Rogan, covered three and a half years and was worth $200 million with the possibility of more. According to company filings, Spotify bought entire companies, including Gimlet Media and the Ringer, for less than what the Rogan deal cost them. But while the deal brought Rogan's content exclusively to Spotify, giving the company an edge on competitors and boosting its share price 17%, it also took more controversy than it may have bargained for, the Times notes. Artists including Neil Young and Joni Mitchell pulled their music from the platform last month to protest COVID misinformation from some of Rogan's guestsand others, including India Arie, cited his use of the n-word in earlier podcasts as a reason for leaving. Spotify pulled some old Rogan episodes but said it was standing by its commitment to free speech. The Verge notes that Spotify CEO Daniel Ek promised earlier this month to spend $100 million on content from "historically marginalized groups"an amount that was, at the time, widely thought to be how much it spent on Rogan. (Read more Spotify stories.) (Newser) A family that died of heat exhaustion during a grueling summer hike in Northern California sent a last, desperate text pleading for help, authorities said Thursday. The Mariposa County Sheriff's Office released information pulled from the cellphone of Jonathan Gerrish after months of work with an FBI forensics team, the AP reports. One text made shortly before noon on Aug. 15 to a person whose name wasn't released asked: Can you help us and added: No water or ver (over) heating with baby," the San Francisco Chronicle reported. But the area had bad cellphone service and the text never went through. Neither did five phone calls to various people, investigators said. Ellen Chung, 31, her 45-year-old husband, their 1-year-old daughter Aurelia Miju Chung-Gerrish, and their dog Oski were found dead on a hiking trail near the Merced River last August. Last fall, investigators concluded that the family died of extreme heat stroke. Temperatures that afternoon reached 109 degrees Fahrenheit in the steep mountain terrain and the family had run out of water. A wildfire had burned off any shade canopy. Officials found the family two days later after relatives had reported them missing. The family had hiked 6.4 miles with the baby in a backpack-type carrier. They were 1.6 miles away from their car. They had an 85-ounce water container with them that was empty. The cellphone was found in Gerrish's pocket. KMJ Now has a rundown of what was found on the phone: various photographs of the scenery were taken between 7:44am and 10:29am, including several family selfies. They attempted to send the above-mentioned text at 11:56am, and took a screenshot showing their location at 12:25pm. At 12:09pm, they tried to make a phone call, and then tried to make four more in rapid succession between 12:35pm and 12:36pm, to various numbers but not 911. None of them connected. (More on the family's deaths here.) (Newser) A Democratic candidate for mayor of Louisville says the fact that the man charged with trying to kill him on Monday was able to walk out of jail on Wednesday shows that "our criminal justice system is clearly broken." Social activist Quintez Brown, 21, was released Wednesday after a group co-founded by Black Lives Matter put up $100,000 bail, the BBC reports. "Sadly, like others who suffer from a broken system, my team and family have been traumatized again by the news," Greenberg said in a statement Thursday. Police say Brown opened fire with a handgun Monday in Greenberg's campaign office. Nobody was injured, but Greenberg's clothing was grazed by a bullet. Brown faces charges including attempted murder. Brown's release was strongly criticized by politicians from both parties. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who owns a home in Louisville, called it "jaw-dropping" that Brown was released while his mental state was still being investigated, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports. "A left-wing bail fund partnered with BLM Louisville to bail him out," McConnell said on the Senate floor Thursday, per the Washington Post. "Less than 48 hours after this activist tried to literally murder a politician, the radical left bailed their comrade out of jail." Adam Edelen, a close friend of Greenberg's and a former Democratic candidate for Kentucky governor, tweeted that there is "simply no defense for a would-be assassin to be released on bail, 60 hours after firing on his intended target." Attorney Rob Eggert said Tuesday that Brown, a former Courier-Journal intern who was running for a council seat, has "serious mental health issues" and hadn't slept for days or weeks before the shooting. He denied that the attack on Greenberg, who is Jewish, was a hate crime. The Courier-Journal reports that Black Lives Matter Louisville co-founder Chantelle Helm, who is involved with the Louisville Community Bail Fund, says the group is "concerned for his mental health" and didn't believe he would get the necessary help in jail. She says the fund often helps people awaiting trial find mental health counseling. Last month, Republican state lawmakers introduced a bill to ban "charitable bail organizations" like the Louisville fund. (Read more Kentucky stories.) (Newser) It seems it would be an elaborate scheme to fake one pregnancy, let alone several. But that's exactly what a government worker in Georgia is accused of doing, allegedly to secure paid time off. A release out of the state's Office of the Inspector General says 43-year-old Robin Folsom, now the ex-director of external affairs for the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, informed HR in October 2020 that she was pregnant; she told her office she'd had the baby on May 1, 2021. The Washington Post cites an indictment in reporting that five days later, a man named Bran Otmembebwe contacted the GVRA via email, said he was the father of Folsom's baby, and said Folsom had been ordered "several weeks of rest" to recover from childbirth. Due to that correspondence, the GVRA OKed about seven weeks of paid leave for Folsom that "it otherwise would not have approved." But Folsom's story came apart, per the indictment. Two months prior to the supposed birth, a co-worker had noticed "something baffling," notes WSB. The co-worker saw "the lower portion of Folsom's stomach 'come away' from her body," leading the colleague to think Folsom had on a phony pregnancy belly, the release notes. Suspicions were further raised when Folsom shared photos of the baby with co-workers, which "appeared to be inconsistent and depicted children with varying skin tones," per the release. Authorities say Folsom also had said she'd given birth in July 2020, and that she claimed in August 2021 she was pregnant yet again. An investigation by the state's OIG established that Otmembebwe didn't exist, State Inspector General Scott McAfee tells WSB. Further probing uncovered that there were no birth certificates on file with the state that had Folsom listed as a mother, and there were no insurance or medical records indicating she had given birth. Folsom, who resigned in October after OIG investigators confronted her and she refused to modify her story, was indicted last week by a Fulton County grand jury on one count of identity fraud and three counts of making false statements, all felonies. She could see up to 25 years in prison if convicted, as well as be made to pay more than $100,000 in fines. (Read more pregnancy stories.) (Newser) An otherwise mundane legal filing led to a political maelstrom this week, with outlets such as Fox News asserting that it was proof Hillary Clinton's camp spied on the Trump White House. Critics shot back that right-leaning sites were badly misinterpreting the filing by special counsel John Durham, and now Durham himself is distancing himself from the media coverage he ignited, reports the New York Times. "If third parties or members of the media have overstated, understated, or otherwise misinterpreted facts contained in the governments motion, that does not in any way undermine the valid reasons for the governments inclusion of this information," he wrote in a new filing Thursday. However, Durham pledged to make future filings of this nature under seal if they contain "information that legitimately gives rise to privacy issues or other concerns that might overcome the presumption of public access to judicial documents." Hillary Clinton: "Trump & Fox are desperately spinning up a fake scandal to distract from his real ones," she tweeted. "The more his misdeeds are exposed, the more they lie." "Trump & Fox are desperately spinning up a fake scandal to distract from his real ones," she tweeted. "The more his misdeeds are exposed, the more they lie." Donald Trump: The former president called this "bigger than Watergate" in a statement and criticized a lack of coverage in mainstream media. The former president called this "bigger than Watergate" in a statement and criticized a lack of coverage in mainstream media. Context: All of this goes back to the Trump-era investigation Durham undertook into the government inquiry of alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 election. (The AP has a background story.) The filing that ignited the controversy involves Democratic attorney Michael Sussman, who was charged by Durham with lying to the FBI. Sussman's legal teamwhich wants the charge dismissed, per the AP accused Durham of including information in his original filing "plainly intended to politicize this case, inflame media coverage and taint the jury pool. (Read more Durham stories.) (Newser) Lawyers for Prince Harry told a court hearing on Friday that the British royal is unwilling to bring his children to his homeland because it is not safe. Harry has launched a legal challenge to the UK governments refusal to let him personally pay for police protection when he comes to Britain. His legal team says Harry wants to bring his childrenArchie, who is almost 3, and 8-month-old Lilibetto visit his home country from the United States but thinks it would be too risky without police protection, the AP reports. Harry, who lives in Santa Barbara, California, with the children and his wife, Meghan, did not attend Fridays preliminary hearing. Senior members of Britains royal family are given taxpayer-funded police protection, but Harry lost that when he and Meghan stepped down as working royals and moved to the US in 2020. The couple said their decision was due to what they described as unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. Harry, also known as the Duke of Sussex, wants to be able to pay for the protection, saying his private security team in the US doesnt have adequate jurisdiction abroad or access to UK intelligence information. Harrys lawyer, Shaheed Fatima, told the hearing at the High Court in London the prince "does not feel safe when he is in the UK given the security arrangements applied to him." "It goes without saying that he does want to come back to see family and friends and to continue to support the charities that are so close to his heart," Fatima said. "Most of all, this is and always will be, his home." A lawyer representing the British government, Robert Palmer, called Harrys claim "unarguable and unmeritorious." Palmer said in a written submission that Harry's offer to pay for police security was irrelevant because "personal protective security by the police is not available on a privately financed basis." (Read more Prince Harry stories.) (Newser) The US is lifting a ban on inspections of Mexican avocados, freeing the way for exports to resume. Ambassador Ken Salazar said in a statement the decision came after Mexico and the United States agreed to enact the measures that ensure the safety" of agricultural inspectors who are in charge of making sure Mexican avocados dont carry diseases or pests that would harm US orchards, per the AP. The inspections were halted last week after one of the US inspectors was threatened in the western state of Michoacan, where growers are routinely subject to extortion by drug cartels. The US Department of Agriculture said Thursday that the inspector had received a threat against him and his family. It said the inspector had questioned the integrity of a certain shipment, and refused to certify it based on concrete issues. Michoacan is the only Mexican state certified as pest-free and able to export avocados to the US market. There have been frequent reports that some packers in Mexico are buying avocados from other, non-certified states, and trying to pass them off as being from Michoacan. The temporary ban threatened to send prices soaring. (Read more avocado stories.) (Newser) Women, children, and elderly people were ordered to evacuate to Russia on Friday by pro-Russian leaders in eastern Ukraine. The separatist leaders charged that Ukraine is preparing a military offensive, which the country denied, per Axios, saying it's the separatists who are increasing tensions with artillery shelling. "We categorically refute Russian disinformation reports on Ukraine's alleged offensive operations," the defense minister tweeted. Social media posts showed buses in the city of Donetsk lining up for evacuees, and air raid sirens could be heard on the files. Russian President Vladimir Putin sent an official to the border and said each evacuee would be paid more than $100, per the Guardian. Ukraine and other nations, including the US, have warned that Russia might be stoking tensions to give it a pretext for an invasion. On Friday night, the Russian separatists reported that a car exploded close to their government building in Donetsk without causing any injuries. The car appeared in a video to have been in an empty parking lot, per the Guardian. Ukrainian and US officials said the explosion was staged, per CNN. Russia has said Ukraine forces are killing civilians in Donbas, calling it a war crime. A US official said that's another false claim intended to provide a pretext for charging into Ukraine and make it appear that Russia isn't the aggressor. The head of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic, who said he was organizing evacuations, told Russian media that the situation is moving toward "major war." The Luhansk People's Republic, another separatist state, said it also was launching evacuations to Russia. Residents of the area received texts saying: "Attention! Citizens! An emergency evacuation has been announced! Stay calm, do not give in to panic!" (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.) (Newser) Kim Potter is going to prison for killing Daunte Wright, but for nowhere near as long as his family hoped. "The justice system murdered him all over again," said Katie Wright on Friday outside Hennepin County Court in Minneapolis, reports NBC News. She spoke after Potter, a former police officer in suburban Minnesota, was sentenced to two years in prison for killing the 20-year-old Black man at a traffic stop. Potter, who was convicted of manslaughter, said she fired her gun thinking it was her Taser. She is expected to serve the standard two-thirds of her sentence behind bars, or 16 months, per the AP. The sentence is more than the defense team hoped but less than the approximately 8-year term prosecutors wanted. During Friday's hearing, Katie Wright also took exception to a prison intake photo of a smiling Potter after her conviction. How do you show remorse when youre smiling in your mug shot after being sentenced to manslaughter?" she asked, per a separate AP story. "After taking my sons life? How do you say youre sorry with no tears? Potter's attorney said his client meant no disrespect in the photo and was just following the instructions of prison staff. Potter, for her part, offered an apology in court for the killing. Katie, I understand a mothers love," she said. "Im sorry I broke your heart. ... My heart is broken and devastated for all of you. Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu called this one of the saddest cases Ive had on my 20 years on the bench. (Read more Daunte Wright stories.) QUITO, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador's National Emergency Operations Committee decided on Thursday to stop using the color-coded risk monitoring system and further relax restrictions from Feb. 21, following a "clear" drop in COVID-19 infections. After the peak of the pandemic in the second week of January, the number of infections has dropped and hospitals have been decongested in recent weeks, thanks to the high vaccination rate among the population, Health Minister Ximena Garzon said during a press conference on Thursday. Garzon said that related deaths are also "minimal," despite a spike in infections at the end of December due to the Omicron variant. "We have very good news. We are reopening again. We are activating our country, our economy," she said. Starting from Feb. 21, Ecuador will suspend the color-coded monitoring system which was launched on May 4, 2021, to serve as a kind of traffic light for regions to assess when and how rapidly to lift restrictions. In addition, the capacity limit of indoor spaces will be increased to 80 percent, and that of outdoor spaces will be removed. Civil servants will stop teleworking, and university students will also return to in-person classes. Among other measures, the committee, which has managed the health crisis at the national level, decided to reopen the land border between Ecuador and Peru on Friday. (Newser) A new bill in California would allow private citizens go after gun-makers in the same way Texas lets them target abortion providers, though gun advocates immediately promised a court challenge if it becomes law. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday backed legislation that would let private citizens enforce the state's ban on assault weapons. It's modeled after a Texas law that lets private citizens enforce that state's prohibition on abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, the AP reports. Newsom said he hopes the proposal forces the US Supreme Court's hand on the Texas abortion law. "There is no principled way the US Supreme Court cannot uphold this California law. None. Period full stop. It is quite literally modeled after the law they just upheld in Texas," Newsom said. The Firearms Policy Coalition, an advocacy group, pledged a court challenge should the California bill become law. The proposed firearm restrictions are "really just modern-day Jim Crow laws designed to suppress the exercise of human rights the tyrants who run California dont like," the group said. "I look forward to rushing a new bill to the governor's desk to take advantage of that United States Supreme Court guidance," said Democratic state Sen. Bob Hertzberg, the author of the proposal. The measure fulfills fears from some gun rights groups that opposed the Texas abortion law because they worried states would use the same principle on guns. Another California bill would limit firearms advertising and marketing geared toward children and youth. Newsom specifically criticized a company called Wee1 Tactical that markets the JR-15, patterned after the adult AR-15 assault-style semi-automatic rifle. The company's logo is a skull sucking on a baby pacifier, available on hats, shirts, patches, and stickers. (Read more gun laws 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. Paratroopers from C Company, 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment attack the Combined Arms Collective Training Facility in the Donnelly Training Area on Feb. 11, 2021, as part of Exercise Arctic Warrior. Arctic Warrior 21 is a cold weather training event that incorporates airborne operations, situational training exercises, and live fire exercises, near Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The exercise helps Soldiers prepare for operations in extreme cold. The Army released its first Climate Change Strategy on Feb. 8, 2022. (John Pennell) Vice Chief of Staff, Gen. Joseph M. Martin, (center), and Commanding General of United States Army Alaska, Maj. Gen. Brian S. Eifler (far right) pose for an image with Soldiers invited to participate in a listening session with the Vice Chief, Thursday, Feb. 10 at the Aurora Community Activity Center. (Photo by Jim Verchio, Fort Greely Public Affairs) German soldiers from the 401st Panzergrenadier Brigade coordinate an assault during Allied Spirit 22 at the Hohenfels Training Area in Germany, on Jan. 31, 2022. Allied Spirit 22 is a U.S. Army Europe and Africa directed, 7th Army Training Command conducted, Joint Multinational Readiness Center hosted training exercise for NATO Allies and partners from 11 Jan 22 to 05 Feb 22. The exercise develops and enhances NATO and partner interoperability and readiness across specified war-fighting functions. (Spc. Uriel Ramirez) Cant get your hands on a Bing Dwen Dwen? Come see real giant pandas instead to discover this national treasure 16:22, February 18, 2022 By Zhou Yu, Annemarie Li, Zhang Wenjie ( People's Daily Online Bing Dwen Dwen, the chubby panda mascot for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, has become a smash hit. Prior to Beijing 2022, pandas have also featured as mascots for other significant sporting events, including the Asian Games in 1990 and the Summer Olympics in 2008. Did you know that the giant panda is dubbed China's "national treasure" a fact of which might not be simply because of its rare appearance in the wild? According to animal researchers, an adult giant panda is physically strong but has a relative lack of natural predators in the wild, which symbolizes the creature's innate characteristics of peace and harmony, values that Chinese people have long cherished. Last year, the status of wild giant pandas in China was downgraded from "endangered" to "vulnerable" as the population of giant pandas living in the wild now exceeds 1,800, reflecting the country's active efforts towards biodiversity protection and ecological restoration. Join Anne in this episode of #didyouknow as we visit the giant pandas at the Beijing Zoo together! (Web editor: Zhang Wenjie, Liang Jun) Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 18, 2022. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) will convene its 33rd session from Feb. 27 to 28 in Beijing. The decision was made on Friday at a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee, which was presided over by Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee. An important task of the standing committee session is to make preparations for the upcoming fifth annual session of the 13th NPC, which will open on March 5. According to the proposed agenda, lawmakers will review at the two-day standing committee session the work report of the NPC Standing Committee, which will be submitted to the annual assembly of the legislature in March. Lawmakers will review the draft agenda for the NPC annual session, the draft name list of the session's presidium and secretary-general and the draft name list of members invited to sit in on the annual session as non-voting participants. In addition, they will deliberate draft decisions on the military's title and ranking system and establishing a financial court in southwest China. They will also review an enforcement report on handling cases related to intellectual property rights, a deputy qualification report and personnel-related bills. Bahrain Public Prosecution releases Delmon Post official on bail in fake news case Bahrain Public Prosecution releases Delmon Post official on bail in fake news case TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Public Prosecution said it is investigating Delmon post, an online news website, for allegedly publishing a fabricated news piece on a meeting between local societies and a foreign party. Without naming the person under investigation, the Prosecution said they had released the person on bail, pending further investigation. The statement said he gained his release on the guarantee of his place of residence. Interior Ministry, in a statement, earlier announced referring a person in charge of an online news website to the Public Prosecution for publishing fake news. The investigation follows the statements issued by members in the said meeting denying claims made by the Delmon Post. The Public Prosecution statement said that the news published on the website is bound to inflict damage to the public interest of Bahrain. Prosecutors questioned the man facing the accusation in the presence of the President of the Bahrain Journalists Association. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Health Minister Faeqa bint Saud Al Saleh received a delegation from Bahrain Nursing Society, led by chairperson Dr Jameela Jassim Mukhaimar. The meeting was also attended by Bahrain Nursing Society Vice-Chairperson Mahbouba Zainal, Secretary-General Hameeda Abdulwahab and Treasurer Lamees Dawood. The meeting focused on issues related to the profession in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in addition to the invitation which was extended to the minister to attend the forthcoming world nursing conference. The conference which will be held in the Kingdom of Bahrain in December 2022 will be held under the patronage of Supreme Council for Health (SCH) President Lieutenant General Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa. Themed Invest in Nursing for Health Security, the conference is expected to be attended by 500 participants, including researchers, keynote speakers and officials. JERUSALEM, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Israel and Costa Rica have signed the first-ever agricultural cooperation agreement, the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said in a statement on Thursday. The agreement, signed by the agricultural ministers of the two countries, would lead to a significant increase in trade relations between the two countries, the Israeli ministry said. The agreement would constitute an important foothold for Israel's agriculture and agrotechnology in Central America, and will also benefit Costa Rica in its agricultural technologies, especially in advanced solutions for major crops in Costa Rica, including coffee, pineapple and papaya, it added. The agreement will serve as a basis for signing commercial contracts and will allow Israeli companies to receive financial support from the Costa Rican government, including tax exemption. Under the agreement, the two countries will also exchange policy and regulation information on sustainable and efficient use of water resources for agriculture, and promote agricultural research collaborations, especially advanced solutions for growing and producing food in changing climatic conditions. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW MILFORD When Dianne Littlefields late father John Stripp was diagnosed with Parkinson's dementia, her familys life turned upside down. He would get lost within the house. He would be screaming for my mother, who was in the next room, she said. He had taken two falls and me and my husband would drive to my parents home in Weston to help him off the floor, said Littlefield, a New Milford resident, about her father, a Vietnam War veteran, former selectman and state representative for the 135th District in Bridgeport for 18 years. Stripps Alzheimers eventually progressed to a point when it became clear her family couldnt handle it on their own. Through the New Milford Senior Center, Littlefield learned about the Alzheimers Association, reached out to them and got help, for which she said shes very grateful. She now wants to give back, and is doing so through a fundraising event at her business Housatonic River Brewing on 30 Kent Road in New Milford. She and her husband Dave are bottling a new beer with a special label. Proceeds of the beer, a limited edition Remedy Imperial Forget Me Not Beer, will benefit the Alzheimer's Associations Connecticut Chapter. The beer will be debuting at Housatonic River Brewing from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 3 during a Western Walk to End Alzheimer's team recruitment event. At the event, people can learn about the walk and about the Alzheimers Association. Western Walk to End Alzheimer's This year, the Western Walk to End Alzheimer's will be on the New Milford Green on Sept. 24. To register or for more information, visit alz.org/walk. Kristen Cusato, director of communications for the Alzheimer's Associations CT Chapter, said the walk is the associations largest fundraising event of the year. The money raised at the walks helps us provide free services for caregivers, for those with the disease, and for those interested in brain health, Cusato said. The Alzheimers Association of Connecticut has held walks for 30 years. There are six walks planned for the fall. The two - to- three- mile walks are held rain or shine. Last year, the seven Walks to End Alzheimer's raised more than $1 million for care, support and research. It goes toward research to learn how to reduce the risk of getting the disease and toward understanding the different types of dementia, Cusato said. Alzheimers is the most common of the diseases that cause dementia. Sixty to 80 percent of those diagnosed with dementia are diagnosed with Alzheimers. Other types of dementia include vascular, Lewy Body and Parkinsons. Cusatos mother had Lewy Body dementia, which can cause changes in alertness and attention, hallucinations, and confusion. There are 80,000 people in Connecticut living with Alzheimers and there are twice as many caregivers, Cusato said. Friday is U.S. National Caregivers Day. The day honors those who selflessly provide personal care, and physical and emotional support to those who need it most. Many of the caregivers are unpaid family members. Caregiving is incredibly taxing not only financially, but also physically and emotionally. It is very hard to watch your loved one go away, bit by bit, Cusato said. Littlefields father, a Weston resident, died in 2020 at the age of 82. Littlefield said by holding the fundraiser, shes honoring his memory. Its very, very difficult to watch a loved one deteriorate, she said. My brother and I were losing our dad and my kids were losing their beloved Poppy, but my mom lost her husband, which is a completely different dynamic, she said. Information provides power and allows for a game plan. The Alzheimers Association was a very valuable resource for me so I just want to be able to give back to them, for all the help they gave me and my family. The 24-7 Alzheimer's Association helpline is 1-800-272-3900. sandra.fox@hearstmediact.com 203-948-9802 REDDING A nearly nine-year court battle over the towns tax assessment of the Meadow Ridge retirement community may be over following a ruling by a state Superior Court judge earlier this month. Superior Court Judge John Cordani found the towns valuation of the property to be excessive, but said those submitted by Redding Life Cares multiple expert witnesses at a December trial to be unreliable. Town officials have yet to decide whether they will file an appeal. In a lawsuit filed in June 2013, Redding Life Care, LLC claimed the town owed the company money after it improperly assessed the value of its sprawling, 136-acre campus in Redding the prior year thus collecting an excessive amount in property taxes between 2012 and 2016. The town collected the taxes based on a $112.5 million assessment; but in an appeal to the Redding Board of Assessors in February 2013, the retirement community owner asserted its land, which includes nearly 800,000 square feet of buildings, held a value of $84 million, according to court documents. The court, however, made its own calculation, to arrive at a final valuation of $92,367,043, which the court rounded down to $92 million, reads a copy of the judges Feb. 4 ruling. Certainly, there was a judgment that the towns valuation was high, but there was also a judgment that property owners valuation was too low, Redding First Selectwoman Julia Pemberton said Thursday. With 415 apartments spread over 136 acres in Redding, Meadow Ridge is the largest employer and biggest taxpayer in town. According to Pemberton, the new, court-ordered valuation means Redding Life Care is owed roughly $2.5 million by the town, but the judge has yet to dictate how that sum would be paid. Is it an overall loss and are we disappointed? Yes, she added. But on balance, the towns valuation was slightly on the right side. Pemberton noted the court case, which began months before voters elected her in November 2013, and has been an experience that even included hiring a private investigator to track down a key witness around the country in order to depose him and that went to the Supreme Court. According to court documents filed last fall, the towns private investigator eventually caught up with David Salinas in Florida to issue him a subpoena to appear for a deposition scheduled for January 2015. Subsequently, Salinas, who had been hired by Redding Life Care to perform property appraisals in 2010 and 2011 that showed valuations higher than those brought to court, filed a motion for a protective order in Connecticut Superior Court to prohibit the deposition from taking place. After a series of appeals, the states Supreme Court took up the matter, striking down the request for the protective order and pointing to the deposition process, which would allow him to object to specific questions before a trial court could decide what, if any, he needed to answer. As the record now stands, Salinas is requesting this court to decide this issue in a vacuum, wrote Judge Arnold W. Aronson in the decision. Ultimately, Salinas testimony would not be included in the trial, which took place over three days in early December. Now, with the Feb. 4 judgment in place, the town must decide on whether to file an appeal on the matter by Feb. 24, but the Board of Selectmen and town attorneys have yet to decide whether to move forward, Pemberton said Thursday. We are looking thoroughly at the decision before we make any determination, she added. A spokesperson for Redding Life Care declined to comment. The next scheduled court date is set for Feb. 28. At least twice in the past year, serious crashes off major Connecticut highways have gone unnoticed for hours, records show, with three people dying and another person suffering lifelong injuries. Claims filed this week against Connecticut State Police, two troopers and state leaders, show that two women were left for hours in a crashed red Nissan off a busy stretch of Interstate-84 near the Southington-Cheshire border last February. The claims, which are seeking $200 million, accuse the trooper trainee of failing to investigate after being called for a report of debris on the highway. The crash, which killed 25-year-old Middletown resident Jayan Bryan, had largely gone unreported publicly despite the death on a major state highway. Last month, two men were found dead in a car off Route 8 after troopers were called to the area of the Old Stratford Road on-ramp in Shelton for a suspicious incident around 11:30 a.m. Jan. 27. At the time, state police said they believed the crash happened before that day, but offered no specific timeline for when the incident may have occurred. When asked if its common for crashes to go unnoticed for periods of time and why this might occur, state police said its something that happens nationwide. Situations involving severe crashes, which are not found for an extended period of time, occur nationwide. This can occur when there are no witnesses to the crash, lack of evidence/indicators (like) tire marks, property damage at the scene, or based on weather conditions and line of sight, the state police public information office said in an emailed statement. While state police provided information about the Route 8 incident after the crash was discovered, the agency still has not released details about the I-84 accident, which became public this week when attorneys filed claims against the state. The state police public information office said it does not release information on every accident. State police said each barrack maintains a log of accidents and they typically only release information widely when it garners substantial attention. When asked Wednesday for the I-84 crash report, state police said a request would need to be made under the Freedom of Information Act. State police did not immediately respond to Hearst Connecticut Medias request on Wednesday. Like the Route 8 incident, it remains unknown when exactly the I-84 crash occurred. In the I-84 legal filing, the crash occurred sometime between 10 p.m. on Feb. 19, 2021, and 1:47 a.m. the following day when a trooper was called after another vehicle struck debris in the road. However, the legal filing argues, the trooper did not adequately investigate the matter. And the crashed car and the victims were not found until the same trooper was dispatched again around 7 a.m., lawyers for the victims claim. According to a report from the Cheshire Fire Department, the driver, later identified as Bryan, was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the legal claim, a passenger, DYonna Wallace, was flown by LifeStar Helicopter to St. Marys Hospital and suffered lifelong injuries as a result of the crash and ensuing delay in receiving help. Nearly a year later, when troopers were called to the Old Stratford Road on-ramp to Route 8 in Shelton, they found the crashed vehicle, but Jose Rosario, 32, of Bridgeport, and Raul Calderon, 33, of North Branford, had died. State police could not offer an exact time when the crash occurred, but said in a report they did not believe it happened the day it was discovered. Officials said at the time the incident was connected with a Bridgeport police investigation, but little other details were offered. The one-page accident summary offered few details about the nature of the crash and what may have caused it. When asked if state police have modified any procedures to avoid instances when crashes go undiscovered for lengthy periods of time, the agency said it conducts frequent patrols in between calls for service. The state police have always practiced conducting frequent patrol checks throughout the shifts between calls for service. Patrolling the highways serves a variety of purposes, to check the highways for crashes, stranded motorists and disabled vehicles, and as part of everyday enforcement and monitoring of traffic, the agency said in a statement. The state police has also practiced increasing patrols and patrol checks ranging from severe weather conditions to holiday weekends and anticipated high traffic conditions in addition to broadcasting awareness of these conditions through media outlets and social media. BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent a message of condolence to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro over the heavy casualties caused by the heavy rains disaster in the country. In the message, Xi said he was shocked to learn the heavy rains disaster in the Rio de Janeiro state, which had caused heavy casualties and property losses. The Chinese president offered his deep condolences to the victims and sincere sympathies to the families of the victims and the missing, as well as to the people in the disaster-hit areas. He also wished an early recovery to the injured. One large item still remains from the now demolished Greenbaum building The IED was disposed off in a controlled explosion by pressing it into an eight-foot-deep pit at a safe place, which triggered a loud sound and smoke. A Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) of the NSG diffused the IED soon after it arrived at the spot. A timer device with Ammonium Nitrate and RDX was used in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) recovered from a house in northeast Delhis Old Seemapuri on Thursday, said National Security Guard (NSG). The elite NSG wing under the Ministry of Home Affairs also told ANI that the IED was recovered from the second floor of a house and its weight was approximately 2.5 kg to 3 kg. A Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) of the NSG diffused the IED soon after it arrived at the spot around 2.45 pm following information regarding the explosive received from the Delhi Police. The IED was disposed off in a controlled explosion by pressing it into an eight-foot-deep pit at a safe place, which triggered a loud sound and smoke. The NSG also said that a detailed post-analysis chemical report of the explosive will be submitted to the Delhi Police soon. The Delhi Police informed the NSG soon after the IED was recovered from an unattended bag. The recovery of the IED left security agencies into a tizzy as a similar kind of explosive was recovered from east Delhis Ghazipur Flower Market on January 14. It was a major security threat just two weeks ahead of Republic Day celebrations then. Officials from the Special Cell of Delhi Police have started an inquiry and multiple agencies also engaged meanwhile to get inputs regarding the recovery of the IED. EAST HAVEN Taco Bell is looking to potentially open a location at a property on Frontage Road, town officials said. The fast food chain, which does not yet have a location in East Haven, might move into one of the vacant properties between the Home Depot at 75 Frontage Road and Car Max at 121 Frontage Road, said Joe Budrow, the towns zoning enforcement officer, during a recent Economic Development Commission meeting. One is long and skinny and I believe it had a car wash in the back and I think Dunkin Donuts in front, Budrow said at the meeting about the proposed location. Thats the property theyre looking at for a potential Taco Bell. Currently, the closest Taco Bell, which is owned by Yum! Brands, is either in Branford or in New Haven. Budrow wrote in an email Friday that the town is awaiting more details from the applicant. We await a return of the potential applicant to bring a more detailed site plan for a meeting with staff officials to assess their site proposal, Budrow said in the email. The applicant will need approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission, Budrow said. The town has been holding meetings fairly frequently and successfully when it comes to planning projects, according to Budrow. Several other businesses are also discussing coming to East Haven, and some are in the process of finalizing their plans. Aleias Gluten Free Foods based in Branford is moving to East Haven, Budrow said. Aleias sells gluten free cookies, breadcrumbs, stuffing mix, croutons and more and was created by a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef who worked to ensure celiac disease did not get in the way of her eating good food, according to the companys website. The business is moving to 133 Commerce St., where Budrow said major changes will be made for a major food processor. There was a preview meeting with some some staff and they went to Planning and Zoning for a site plan review, got approved for their use to go in and their offices and some storage, Budrow said. The business then went back to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a major business expansion and parking lot improvement, he said. I await a zoning permit application as a final approval, Budrow wrote in an email Friday. TJ Maxx has been looking to possibly expand their location, but the company has not contacted the town in some time about that project, Budrow said. Another company was looking at an industrial zone property on Laurel Street and Budrow owed them a report on the property, he said. The company was looking to use the property for warehousing and potential light manufacturing, the zoning officer said. Calabro Cheese was sold this past fall to an Italian company, Granarolo S.p.A., for $25 million, but this does not mean the company is leaving East Haven, Budrow said. Once the sale is finalized, the business may expand and stay in East Haven, he said. Well look forward to working with them there, Budrow said. Budrow said another company was looking at a property near Ocean State Job Lot, where Rockin Jump Trampoline Park used to operate, but he did not share any specific details. As of right now, theyre crossing ts, dotting is and checking out state law as to how to go forward on that one, Budrow said at the meeting. That one does have a big restaurant component to it. ANSONIA Mayor David Cassetti says he doesnt regret cursing out a woman on Facebook over traffic issues in the city. The mayors comment came this week after a person complained in an Ansonia community Facebook group about traffic on Main Street. The street became one-way last year as the city expects an influx of new apartments and businesses. As usual the mayor promises but never follows through, the person wrote. The Facebook user also asked when the nightmare of traffic on Main Street near Bridge Street would be resolved. The woman also added that East Main should never have been made into a one way for a parking lot that nobody uses. Cassetti responded from his personal Facebook account, telling the user, you got s for brains. I have nothing to do with this, he continued in his comments. It was a fatal accident on route eight [sic] what do you want me to do numb nuts. The comment has since been deleted. There were significant traffic delays in the area Wednesday after a head-on crash shut down Route 8 in Seymour. One person involved in the incident was sent to the hospital with serious injuries, state police said. I was very upset that a person on Facebook was using a personal tragedy as an excuse to launch a political attack against my administration over a traffic issue, Cassetti said in a emailed statement. I am a man that speaks his mind, Cassetti said in a phone interview with Hearst Connecticut Media Thursday. I dont think I was out of line. Cassetti said the posts came from opponents in previous elections. I beat them down and they are still coming after me, he added. John Feddern, an Ansonia resident and former Democratic alderman candidate for the First Ward, said this isnt the first time the mayor has thrown insults at constituents. Im always taken aback and disgusted by it, Feddern said. You should not be talking down to constituents and calling them names. Its childish and just not what I expect from a leader. WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Anti-Asian hate crimes are on the rise in Washington, D.C., as Asian communities continue to be blamed for the COVID-19 pandemic, news portal Axios reported on Wednesday. In 2021, there were a total of 91 hate crime incidents involving ethnicity/national origin or race, and 23 of them targeted Asians, the report said, citing the latest figures from D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-Asian racism has increased "all across the country," with people blaming Asians for the spread of the virus, it added. The report also quoted a recent study by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, which found that anti-Asian hate crimes in major U.S. cities rose 339 percent in 2021. WEST HAVEN The scandal surrounding former Democratic state Rep. Michael DiMassa and the alleged theft of the citys federal pandemic relief funds is growing, with two more individuals arrested and more allegations against the former lawmaker and City Hall staffer. Lauren Knox, DiMassas 37-year-old, pregnant wife, and 50-year-old business owner John Trasacco were arrested and appeared in federal court for the first time Friday. Both pleaded not guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in separate alleged schemes, both allegedy connected to DiMassa. Both were released on bond. Meanwhile, in back-to-back appearances in federal court via Zoom Friday afternoon, DiMassa and former city staffer John Bernardo both pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud in connection with the alleged theft of more than $600,000 in federal funding through the use of a shell company and fraudulent invoices submitted to the city. Both were previously arrested and presented in federal court in October 2021, but did not file pleas at that time. According to court documents, Trasacco founded L & H Company LLC on March 20, 2019, and JIL Sanitation Solutions LLC on June 24, 2021. Between January 2021 and November 2021 it is alleged that Trasacco participated in a scheme to submit fraudulent invoices to the city of West Haven and DiMassa then authorized payments in the form of a check, to either L & H Company or JIL Sanitation Services. Court documents allege that five checks worth approximately $431,982 were delivered to Trasaccos two businesses. Federal investigators allege in the documents that DiMassa included charges for goods and services that the city did not receive, including thousands of units of personal protective equipment, maintenance to heating and air-conditioning units at multiple municipal locations, COVID supplies for the Board of Education and cleaning services for various municipal and school buildings including a charge for cleaning a school building that had been vacant and abandoned for several years. In court Friday, U.S. District Judge Robert M. Spector set Trasaccos bond at $100,000. It was debated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller and Trasaccos count-appointed attorney as to whether Trasaccos convictions for crimes such as first-degree robbery and first-degree assault from roughly 20 years ago made him a risk to the public. Those convictions are quite old, Spector said, imposing no curfew and limiting Trasaccos travel to the state of Connecticut with exceptions for doing business in California. In court documents, it was alleged Knox and now-husband DiMassa made multiple requests for payment for a youth violence prevention program and for expenses associated with responding to youth violence related to COVID-19. These invoices listed charges for in-home counseling, cleaning supplies, special needs hourly service, wi-fi assistance for low/moderate income families, counseling services, license fees, a fall youth clinic, meals, support group supplies, equipment rental, and youth clinic support group, acording to the documents. It is alleged that checks issued to Knox totaled approximately $147,776.10, and that during the period of time outlined in the invoices, Knox never provided any services to the City of West Haven. Knox was released on a $50,000 bond and was ordered to have no contact with her co-defendents except for DiMassa. Her next court date is scheduled for April 2 for jury selection in Hartford federal court. Bernardo was represented on the Zoom call by his attorney, Tara Knight. DiMassa was represented by Alec Gulash, brother of his attorney, John R. Gulash. Knight requested that Bernardo, a former West Haven employee and retired New Haven firefighter, not be required to hold a full-time job, which was one condition of his release, arguing that he was fully retired and collecting a pension. Assistant States Attorney Ray Miller said the government would have no objection as long as the probation office had no objection. Spector, who said the six-count indictment was returned Thursday by a federal grand jury in Hartford, accepted DiMassas plea after advising him of his rights and asking him a number of questions to make sure he was prepared to go forward via video, was not impaired in any way and understood the indictment and the possible ramifications of his plea. DiMassa, 31, wearing a black suit or sport jacket over a black shirt and sporting a mustache and small beard, agreed to go forward via video. He said his attorney had explained the indictment to him. Gulash waived reading of the indictment, which alleged three different conspiracies, and DiMassa pleaded not guilty to all six counts. Spector set DiMassas next court date for April 2, 2022, at 10 a.m. before Judge Omar A. Williams in U.S. District Court in Hartford. At Spectors request, Miller advised DiMassa that should he be found guilty he could face a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison plus up to three years of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine, plus a $100 special assessment per charge. He also could be required to pay restitution. Miller said there is a $1 million loss in the case. Miller declined to comment on further details of the case, such as whether more arrests or charges are anticipated. A Connecticut independent book publisher that got its start in the late 1940s is returning to its roots this summer, relocating its headquarters to Essex. Globe Pequot is in the process of renovating two office buildings located at 64 South Main St. in Essex. The two buildings, which have 7,000 square feet between them, had previously been leased to Morgan Stanley for a decade and before that had been the Candlewood gift store. Globe Pequot had previously been based in Essex between 1967 and 1970 when it moved into the historic Pratt Village Smithy, a repurposed blacksmith shop founded in 1678 by William Pratt. The company was known as The Pequot Press at the time and was relocated to Chester in 1970 when the company was purchased by Robert Wilkerson. Shana Capozza, a spokeswoman for Globe Pequot, said the lease at the companys current headquarters on Goose Lane in Guilford is set to run out later this year and that current owner Jed Lyons wants the company to return to its roots. He has family living in the Essex area, Capozza said. Lyons lives in Maryland. Norman Needleman, first selectman of Essex, said the buildings that Globe Pequot is relocating to are something of a rarity in the the communitys downtown. Those buildings havent been occupied for a while, Needleman said. But pretty much everything else is filled. Globe Pequot employs 47 people and is expected to hire more workers after the move is completed this summer, she said. The number of books we publish annually has doubled over the past 10 years, Capozza said. The company, which publishes 600 new titles annually, has about 30,000 previously published titles and annual sales of close to $30 million. Being an independent publisher at a time when the publishing industry is consolidating at a rapid pace has its challenges, she said, It is a difficult time, Capozza said. Many of the smaller independently owned publishers are selling. The U.S. Department of Justice is concerned enough about consolidation of the industry that last November it filed an antitrust lawsuit challenging the proposed acquisition of Simon & Schuster by Penguin Random House. The deal would reduce the so-called Big Five of American Publishing, which also includes HarperCollins, Hachette Book Group and Macmillan, to four. Globe Pequots main publishing focus is specialty and regional publishing, she said, and it is now the largest publisher of regional interest books in the nation. The companys imprints, which is a publishers trade name for a specific group of works, includes Falcon Guides, Lyons Press, Prometheus Books, Stackpole Books, Gooseberry Patch, Backbeat Books and Applause Books. Globe Pequots imprints also publish nonfiction, fiction and childrens books. The book publisher was originally named Pequot Press and was founded in 1947 by Williams Haynes in Stonington. Haynes owned Stonington Printing Co. and wrote historical treatises that he printed himself. The companys original niche was publishing Connecticut town histories and genealogies. Pequot Press expanded to become a publisher for historical societies around New England and, according to Capozza, assisted nearby towns and other local groups with their publishing needs. During the 1970s, Pequot Press published an average of 15 books a year, she said. After relocating to Essex and then later to Chester, Wilkerson sold the company to The Boston Globe in 1981, Capozza said. Officials at the newspaper changed the name of its new book publishing subsidiary to Globe Pequot Press. Over the next five years, the company grew at an average annual rate of 25 percent, she said. That level of growth attracted the interest of McCaw Cellular Communications of Kirkland, Wash. A McCaw subsidiary bought Glob Pequot Press from the newspaper in 1988, according to Capozza. While owned by McCaw, Globe Pequot Press relocated once more, this time to Old Saybrook, where the company consolidated its publishing and fulfillment operations in a 30,000-square-foot facility. At that point in the early 1990s, Capozza said Globe Pequot Press was publishing 300 titles a year and employed approximately 40 people. Telecommunications giant AT&T in 1994 bought McCaw, which later became known as AT&T Wireless Services. Three years after being acquired by the cellular company, Globe Pequot Press was sold to an Augusta, Ga.-based company, privately held Morris Communications. Morris has nationwide holdings in newspaper and magazine businesses, including Grays Sporting Journal and Alaska Magazine. Globe Pequot Press moved once again in 1999, according to Capozza, this time to Guilford and added a new dedicated warehousing facility in Tennessee. Morris Communications sold Globe Pequot Press to the Maryland-based Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, which changed the name of its Connecticut subsidiary to Globe Pequot. Lyons, Globe Pequots current owner, owns Rowman & Littlefield, which is one of the largest independently owned book publishers in the country, Capozza said. When Rowman & Littlefield bought the Connecticut company, it relocated its warehousing operations to Pennsylvania, she said. Globe Pequot is considered part of Rowman & Littlefields trade publications group. Rowman & Littlefield also publishes college textbooks and academic books, according to Capozza. In addition, Rowman & Littlefield also publishes scholarly books under Lexington Books and elementary school educational books under its Sundance-Newbridge imprints in Marlborough, Mass. Globe Pequots corporate parent also owns National Book Network, which is one of the industrys oldest and largest independent distributors of trade publishers. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com NEW HAVEN As far as the city knows, no one has come down with COVID-19 after having received one of hundreds of vaccine doses that were improperly stored at the health department on Meadow Street, officials said Thursday. But the fact that the doses were given still has community members calling for answers, and action. Approximately 2,900 doses had been left in the freezer for longer than is recommended; of those, 656 doses were administered to 625 patients, said Health Director Maritza Bond. According to state records, none of the affected individuals have reported having caught COVID-19, Bond said. Mayor Justin Elicker, Bond and CSA Administrator Mehul Dalal provided an update on the ongoing inquiry into the Pfizer vaccine doses that suffered a temperature excursion after remaining in a freezer for weeks longer than recommended. The city has made contact with 61 percent of those patients, she said, and the city had sent letters to or called them all. Only 19 of the affected people, she said, had returned to a city clinic to get another shot. Elicker said Pfizer, as well as the state, had recommended the individuals in question get vaccinated again. There is no evidence that (such an excursion) impacts people from a health perspective, said Elicker. It may impact the strength of the vaccine. The city had hired an outside firm to conduct interviews and investigate the actions of employees in the matter, he said, seeking to fully understand the errors made. Were reluctant to get into a lot of detail on personnel issues, said Elicker. While its tempting to jump to conclusions and want to say that this person did this or that person did that, we want to be very cautious that we review properly. Bond said there was a lack of clear communication as to the responsibility for checking the time for moving the vaccine among health department staff. In response to questioning, Bond said she had been informed that vaccine doses had gone through a temperature excursion last Tuesday, but, after investigating, received a list of affected individuals on Friday and informed Elicker. I did not know the extent of the issue, other than there was a temperature excursion, said Bond. And so we needed to gather that information. The Rev. Boise Kimber, head of the Greater New Haven Clergy Association, held a press conference earlier in the day to call for closer examination of the matter, saying he believed the city had been negligent in administering the doses and failed to notify the public with appropriate speed. The mayor and Health Department are pushing this to the side, said Kimber. It should have been an all-out alarm. Elicker, asked about the timing of when he was alerted to the situation, said there is a necessary balance involved in when to notify him of aspects of city business and when not to, but noted he likes to learn things as soon as possible. Dalal said the Department of Public Health had reviewed the citys vaccine management practices Thursday, finding no issues other than a circuit breaker that should be labeled do not disconnect. Former aldermanic candidate Rodney Williams said the issue likely would have caused greater furor in other communities, noting officials had engaged in an effort to convince people of color to get the vaccine. He and Kimber called for someone to be fired over the issue. Its about accountability, said Williams. Why do we always have to be the guinea pigs? Elicker said he believed it was a big deal, and said the city had acted quickly to share information and correct the issue. It is vital that people have confidence in our health system, and I know that the team here is working hard, and has been doing so for two years, to keep our community safe, Elicker said. One incident like this can erode confidence and my hope is that people see that we are committed to correcting the error. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com Yale University Police Department / Contributed photo NEW HAVEN A graphic artist in Yale Universitys Office of Public Affairs and Communications has been missing since Feb. 4, Yale Police Chief Ronnell Higgins said this week. Anton Sovetov, 44, of New Haven, has not been heard from since that time, while both Yale and New Haven police, along with other agencies, have been pursuing leads, Higgins said Thursday. Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media FARMINGTON A local woman was given a one-year prison sentence for stealing over $100,000 from customers at a bank where she worked, prosecutors said. Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven on Thursday sentenced 59-year-old Lee Blanchette to 12 months and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. SHELTON Wearing masks will become optional in schools starting Feb. 28. Superintendent Ken Saranich informed the school community Thursday that starting on that date students and staff would no longer required to wear masks in school buildings a sight that has become the norm for more than two years since the onset of the pandemic. Although masks are still recommended, we are now at a time to offer a mask option for our students and staff, Saranich said. A lot has been learned on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 since the start of this pandemic, Saranich added. We are now in a good place where our students and staff may use their best judgment in determining whether a mask is appropriate for them given a particular setting and situation. Earlier this month, Gov. Ned Lamont recommended that requiring masks in schools by students and staff end on Feb. 28. The state legislature, after votes in both the House and Senate, approved the extension of the governors executive order on masks until Feb. 28. With those votes complete, Lamont this week officially eliminated the statewide school mask requirement. Saranich said that while masking is not required in schools, federal regulations still mandate face coverings on public transportation, which includes school buses. Saranich said this mandate is not within the control of local or state officials. Board of Education Chair Kathy Yolish said goal of the Shelton Public Schools is to follow the executive orders and do the best we could to keep our students and staff healthy and safe. Yolish said once Lamont officially lifted the mandate, Saranich reconvened the COVID Operations Committee to discuss all the input and information that was received. This was not a subject to be taken lightly as we not only received many emails for mask choice but also received input from those who felt that masks should be continued to be worn in the schools, Yolish said. The committee comprised of Saranich, Yolish, Chief of Staff Carole Pannozzo, the schools medical adviser, head nurse, members of emergency management and Echo Hose, building administrators and members of the central office leadership team met Thursday to finalize the decision. We will be meeting again to discuss and address additional concerns as well as updates from the state Department of Health and the state Department of Education as soon as we receive them, Yolish said. Our goal is to continue the priority of educating our students with continuity, sensitivity and safety. In accordance with the CDC guidelines, Saranich said individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, who are no longer experiencing symptoms after five days of isolation, and wish to return to school, are recommended to continue wearing a mask for the additional five days. For parents who wish for their child to continue wearing a mask while in school, this will be allowed and welcomed, Saranich said. However, school staff will not be required to monitor or correct mask wearing for these students. The Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Connecticut State Department of Education are in the process of providing public health guidance for Connecticuts schools. Saranich said the guidance will advise schools on how to manage COVID-19 safely as part of a routine disease prevention model and will be communicated to our community once received. brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com MACAO, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Friday held a ceremony to honor 22 individuals and organizations in recognition of their achievements, outstanding contributions or distinguished services to the SAR. Kiang Wu Hospital, a major private hospital in Macao, and Chui Sai Cheong, a member of the Legislative Assembly of Macao, were awarded the Decoration of Honor - Golden Lotus. In addition, seven types of Medal of Merit were awarded to individuals or entities that have made major or excellent contributions in their respective fields, covering professions, industry and commerce, tourism, education, culture, philanthropy and sports. WEST HARTFORD The town will use funds received from the state to help purchase its first electric vehicle and add a new charging station at the town hall. The state awarded $24 million to 10 Connecticut communities for a variety of projects. The funding comes through the Department of Transportation and from the Federal Highway Administration's Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program. West Hartford is slated to receive $20,952. The town said the purchase of the vehicle falls in line with a climate change resolution the town council recently approved. West Hartford recently adopted a climate change resolution that will impact all future town actions in an effort to achieve net-zero carbon emissions as quickly as practicable, said Mayor Shari Cantor in a statement. We are thankful for Governor Lamonts investment in West Hartfords goals to improve our air quality by helping us fund our first EV vehicle and expand our public charging stations. The electric vehicle charging station - which will be for public use - isnt the towns first. Renee McCue, the towns public relations specialist, said they already have electric vehicle charging stations at the town hall, in parking garages at Blue Back Square and in municipal lots. Acting Town Manager Rick Ledwith also said the timing of the funding lines up well with recent action taken by the town council. We appreciate the governors support to help further our work in improving air quality through the use of EV vehicles and charging stations, Ledwith said in a statement. The timing is perfectly aligned with the Town Councils recent action to improve air quality through the implementation of projects, practices and policies that eliminate or counteract the emission of greenhouse gases. State Sen. Derek Slap said hes encouraged by the funding. It's encouraging that West Hartford will receive support benefitting electric vehicles and reducing local air pollution, Slap said in a statement. This investment in local services will help the town acquire its first electric vehicles and make it easier for any resident with an electric vehicle to charge and go in the center of town. I'm grateful to the Department of Transportation and the governor for supporting our community. Niagara Falls, NY (14301) Today Rain likely. Low 49F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Rain likely. Low 49F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Kingsley Moghalu, former Central Bank of Nigerias Deputy Governor, has disclosed that he would be contesting 2023 presidential election t... Kingsley Moghalu, former Central Bank of Nigerias Deputy Governor, has disclosed that he would be contesting 2023 presidential election to succeed the President, Muhammadu Buhari, based on vision. Moghalu, who was the 2019 presidential candidate of the Young Progressives Party, stated this in a post on his Twitter page on Friday, noting that he was capable like any other candidate. He said contrary to the clamour in the country for the presidential candidate to come from a particular region, he would be contesting based on vision rather than ethnic identity politics. He tweeted, Im running for President of Nigeria. Im not waiting for anyone to (fake) call on me, or until the presidency is zoned to anywhere. Im running on a vision, not on ethnic identity politics. Im as good as anyone in Nigeria, north or south, to be President. Moghalu had urged Nigerian youths to join forces with younger politicians in order to dislodge the old brigade politicians from the scene in 2023. He explained that to take the mantle of leadership, there was a need for the youth to actively participate in politics beyond rhetorics on social media by joining viable third force platforms excluding All Progressives Congress and People Democratic Party. The presidential hopeful noted that the only way to win against old and money-bags politicians was to be united, adding that replacing known politicians requires working together. Olakunle Churchill, ex-husband of Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, has slammed critics who trolled his wife, Rosy, over her birthday wish to ... Olakunle Churchill, ex-husband of Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, has slammed critics who trolled his wife, Rosy, over her birthday wish to the actress son. Tonto Dikehs son, Andre, turned six years old on Thursday and Rosy had celebrated her stepson on her Instagram page. Rosy came under fire for her posts as trolls criticised for celebrating the child without having a good rapport with his mother. Responding to the trolls, Churchill on Friday asked the critics to let his wife breathe, adding that the birthday wish was just a goodwill post. He went on to detail how much his wife came through for him when he was depressed. Sharing Rosys picture, Churchill wrote, The past few years of my life on this platform were quite tumultuous. Luckily I found my happy place and thats with Rosy, my wife, which will NEVER change regardless of what anyone concludes, designs, thinks, or wishes. Speculations and rumors we know make social media interesting and people have the freedom to cook up stories about us. I cant change the narrative. People have left their life issues to make other peoples story their priority. Know this: Anyone or anything that is important to me is also important to my wife, Rosy. Looking back at all the problems I faced, I thank God who opened my eyes to see that the Angel for me was around me for a very long time. I was very depressed, shamed, trolled, my business was going down and everything around was going wrong! No one fought for me on this platform, no one was there for me except Rose! I thank God that helped us go from being very good friends to husband and wife. She is my soldier and my guy, my best friend, the mother of my child, and many other beautiful things. She only made a goodwill post! Let her breathe. Tonto married Churchill in 2015 and they welcomed their son in 2016. In 2017, the couple divorced and Churchill married the Gambian-born actress, Rosy, in 2019. Rosy and Churchill welcomed a son together in 2021. JINAN, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese lawmaker Wang Chen has told deputies of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, to well perform their duties to develop whole-process people's democracy. Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, made the remarks this week during a two-day tour in east China's Shandong Province. Wang visited grassroots national lawmakers on improving their capability to perform their duties and serve the people. He called on them to serve as bridges between the Party and the state and the people. As the NPC annual session approaches, Wang urged the lawmakers to carefully prepare their proposals and suggestions, keep the major tasks of the Party and the state in mind, and practice developing whole-process people's democracy in the performance of their duties. A legal practitioner, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has asked the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to parade Abba Kyari and others arreste... A legal practitioner, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has asked the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to parade Abba Kyari and others arrested for alleged involvement in a cocaine deal. Kyari, a suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), and four officers have been in custody since Monday. They are ACP Sunday Ubuah, ASP James Bawa, Inspectors Simon Agrigba and John Nuhu. Wanted ASP John Umoru is still at large. In his reaction, Olajengbesi said security agencies were yet to demonstrate equal lawlessness they carry out in investigating and embarrassing citizens. The rights activist reminded them that suspects are usually interviewed on camera and snapped while holding boards with incriminating inscriptions. Olajengbesi wondered why Kyari and his men have not been paraded with recovered items like in the cases of common criminals. We need the NDLEA to bring Abba Kyari to answer questions on TV with the display of the 25kg cocaine. Let us not be hopeless in this country!, the lawyer wrote on Facebook. On Thursday, the Police Service Commission (PSC) suspended the officers indicted for links with an international drug cartel. DCP Abba Kyari, who prior to this allegation was on suspension, shall remain so. The IGP is requested to inform of the arrest of ASP John Umoru, the PSC wrote. The letter to Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba (Ref CB: 4099/FHQ/ABJ/Vol16/151), copied NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa, a retired Army General. Earlier, the anti-narcotics agency revealed the statements Kyari made to undercover operatives investigating the cocaine seizure. The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministries in Enugu, Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka, has debunked reports that he was kidnapped recently.... The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministries in Enugu, Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka, has debunked reports that he was kidnapped recently. Reports had emerged online claiming that Mbaka was recently abducted by some gunmen. Some quarters also claimed that the Enugu-based priest was also invited by the Department of State Service, DSS. However, in a statement on Thursday that he personally signed, Father Mbaka denied the reports. Mbaka said that he was not kidnapped at any point by unknown gunmen nor invited by the DSS. The terse statement read, The trending rumour that I was kidnapped is not true. No DSS person invited me. Right now, by the special grace of God, Im peacefully, joyfully, amicably and gracefully praying in the Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria arena. The Lagos state government has shut down Unic Vilos Montessori school after a two-year-old pupil was allegedly brutalised by her teacher. ... The Lagos state government has shut down Unic Vilos Montessori school after a two-year-old pupil was allegedly brutalised by her teacher. According to Channels TV, Folashade Adefisayo, the states commissioner for education, confirmed that the ministry has ordered the closure of the school. Adefisayo disclosed that the affected school operates without approval. She also said the state government is on the verge to to clamp down on such centres of learning. Last week Friday, a relative to the pupil had alleged that the yet-to-be-identified teacher brutally flogged the little girl because she could not recite the English alphabet. The incident had attracted a wave of criticism on social media platforms, with several Nigerians condemning the teachers action. It also raised concerns over the rising cases of teachers subjecting their pupils to hostile treatments. In his reaction, Jubril Gawat, special assistant on new media to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos governor, said the case is already under probe. According to him, the issue is being investigated by a joint team consisting of the ministries of education, justice as well as youth and social development. The incident occurred at about the same time when another teacher in Delta was accused of subjecting a 19-month-old pupil to brutal flogging. The toddler was said to have died a few days after the beating. Senator Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna Central at the 8th National Assembly, has called on the Nigerian government to learn from Mozambi... Senator Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna Central at the 8th National Assembly, has called on the Nigerian government to learn from Mozambique and Rwanda how to tackle Boko Haram and Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgency. In a tweet on his official Twitter handle on Friday, the Kaduna State governorship aspirant revealed that the duo countries sought help when they were overwhelmed by terrorism in their countries. According to him, African countries need to emulate the aforementioned nations in a bid to end all forms of insurgencies in the continent. He said, Mozambique invited Rwanda to help in dislodging terrorists in its territory; Mali invited Russian mercenaries to help in dislodging terrorists in its territory; African states should learn from Mozambique. It was reported that there have been calls from stakeholders urging President Muhammadu Buhari to seek help from the United States to crush the Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters who are causing havoc in the northern part of the country. An association of Imolites in Germany, Ndi Imo Na Germany (NINAG), has urged Governor Hope Uzodinma to wade into the unnecessary bloodshed a... An association of Imolites in Germany, Ndi Imo Na Germany (NINAG), has urged Governor Hope Uzodinma to wade into the unnecessary bloodshed and consequent loss of lives and properties in and around Imo State in recent times. The non-partisan group appealed to the Imo State Government and its agents at the local governments to reconcile all warring factions and institute policies aimed at uniting all sections. The group said, the pressure for the survival of their families in Imo State is hinged on our shoulders over here in Europe and the burden has become unbearable for us. NINAG made this appeal on Friday in a communique signed by Chief Romanus I. Igwe, Coordinator, and Anumihe Samuel Elvis, Secretary, made available to journalists in Owerri, Imo State capital. The group said, The attention of Ndi Imo Na Germany (NINAG) has been drawn to the unnecessary bloodshed and consequent loss of lives and properties in and around Imo State in recent times. NINAG members are so worried that our serene and versatile Imo State, the Heart of Igboland, has been virtually turned into a land filled with blood, brigandage and banditry, including demonically induced ritual killings unheard-of in our nascent history of existence. NINAG hereby call for a total halt to all forms of hostilities and disorder from every individual, groups or personalities so as to create a good atmosphere for drawing peaceful initiatives where all stakeholders shall come together to embrace peace for the benefit of all Imolites, our children and future generations. We appeal to the Imo State Government both state and local governments, to reconcile all warring factions, institute policies aimed at uniting all sections. We know peaceful initiatives are a difficult step but once undertaken, the results are always a celebration of triumphant victory. We are not apportioning blame on any faction, but our objective is to Let There be Peace in every community in Imo State. NINAG recalled that in Imo State, there are no incessant incidences of communal clashes ab initio, but it presently has cases that must be nipped in the bud. They said, if possible we ask for a Committee to be quickly set up to investigate the remote and immediate causes of these ugly insurrections and recommend lasting solutions. The group implored all Imolites to embrace their advice with the spirit of love, peace and unity and join hands together with them to build a better and sustainable state, saying it should be known that only Imo people can build and secure the state to be a place to live. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Periods of rain. Low 52F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 52F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch. BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland on Thursday reported 40 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said on Friday. Of the new local infections, 22 were reported in Inner Mongolia, nine in Liaoning, four each in Jiangsu and Guangdong, and one in Yunnan, the commission said in its daily report. Thursday also saw eight provincial-level regions reporting 47 imported COVID-19 cases, said the commission. Six new suspected cases arriving from outside the mainland were reported in Shanghai, and no new deaths from COVID-19 were reported on the day, it added. BEIRUT, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon will not accept a maritime border demarcation plan that gives Lebanon an area less than 860 square km in the disputed area with Israel, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said on Friday. "We want to protect our interests in this area rich in natural gas and the most important thing for Lebanon is to start oil and gas exploration," the minister was quoted as saying by Lebanese al-Jadeed TV. Bou Habib said that the 860 square km area offered by Line 23 is very important as it achieves Lebanon's interests while the Frederick Hoff line previously suggested by the United States was rejected by Lebanese authorities as it only gives Lebanon 490 square km in the disputed area. U.S. Envoy Amos Hochstein visited Lebanon earlier in February to hold negotiations with Lebanese officials on border demarcation but no final deal was made about the line that will be adopted in demarcation. "There was a verbal offer and not a written one from the American mediator, but Hochstein's latest offer was more acceptable and positive compared to previous demarcation suggestions," Bou Habib said, adding that negotiations are still going on. In 2020, Israel and Lebanon began U.S.-mediated negotiations concerning their maritime border but talks stalled when Lebanon expanded its demands, increasing the disputed area from 860 square km to 2,300 square km, which would include at least part of the Karish North field, initially claimed by Israel. When Britney Kelly boards her float on Mardi Gras, the word grateful will describe how she feels. During the pandemic, I wasnt sure if I was ever going to be queen, said Britney, 19. I definitely had my doubts, so I am grateful for this to finally happen. It makes me really happy that things are finally starting to get back to normal. Britney, the daughter of Todd and Neille Kelly of River Ridge, will reign as the queen of the Krewe of Argus. The theme of the 48th annual Fat Tuesday parade at 10 a.m. in Metairie is Wont You Be My Neighbor? A graduate of St. Marys Dominican High School, Kelly was a member of the ecology club and the student ambassadors. She was also a member of the Jesuit High School cheerleading team, serving as captain her senior year. As a sophomore at LSU, Kelly is majoring in business with a minor in marketing. My college experience did not start off the best because of the pandemic, but Ive made the best of it, said Kelly, a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. Ive made some wonderful friends and my college experience this year has been so much better than the first. Kelly is no stranger to royal duties. She has been a princess, a lady in waiting, a junior maid and a maid with Argus. She was also a maid this year in the Krewe of Mars, a group that honors the military. Kelly also has a family history with Argus her mother, Neille, was queen in 1996, and her sister, Brooke, was queen in 2016. Mardi Gras has always been a huge part of my family legacy, she said. To finally be queen like my mom and sister is a moment we have all been waiting for. The Argus coronation ball was held last August, the queens luncheon was in December and the Argus Galaxy Ball on Feb. 4. All three were meaningful to Kelly. The coronation ball was my first event as queen and it was so exciting, an awesome experience, she said. The luncheon was very special because the Argus Queens Club honored my mom, my sister and myself as a legacy family. There were photos and mementos over the years of past queens. The ball was an amazing experience. It was awesome walking out and seeing all my family and friends cheering me on and supporting me. It was just a perfect evening. Kelly designed her own queens gown, a gold silk A-line dress of imported lace with handset Austrian rhinestones. The gown is styled with a traditional Medici collar of matching lace, trimmed with drop crystals and rhinestones. Completing the ensemble is a gold mantel. My crown and scepter are so special because both my mom and sister carried both they were Argus queens, Kelly added. Reigning as King of Argus is Lee Giorgio, CEO of Select Properties. Lee has shown me such kindness at all the events, Britney said. Hes helped me relax and enjoy everything. Kellys parents said it has been a joyful experience to be part of the Argus family. My mother and father started this tradition for our family when I was a maid in Argus in 1994 and then queen in 1996, Neille Kelly said. There is a feeling that rushes over you when the curtain opens at the ball and your daughter steps out. It is just wonderful. We have told Britney to take it all in, have fun and enjoy every minute of it because it goes fast. Coming up next for the Argus organization is the annual Lundi Gras celebration in Kenners Rivertown from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 28, when the king and queen of Zulu, Randolph Rudy Davis and Crystal Monique Guillemet, arrive to meet the Argus court. Riding with Britney on the queens float on Mardi Gras will be her father, Todd, her godfather and uncle Sean Bernard, and family friend Collin Brown. The rest of the family will be on the reviewing stand waiting to toast me, Britney said. And many of my sorority friends have never been to Mardi Gras so they are excited to come and support me. I plan to enjoy my ride to the fullest and take in every moment of the day, Kelly said. And my hope is that everyone has a fun and safe Mardi Gras. Are you an avid reader who wants to branch out into something new? Consider something within the fairly new genre of creative nonfiction. It can be rather elusive. Creative nonfiction employs the creative writing techniques of literature, such as poetry and fiction, to retell a true story. It is focused on story, meaning it has a narrative plot with an inciting moment, rising action, climax and resolution, just like fiction. However, nonfiction only works if the story is based in truth, an accurate retelling of the author's life experiences. For a text to be considered creative nonfiction, it must be factually accurate, and written with attention to literary style and technique. Forms within this genre include memoir, diary, travel writing, food writing, literary journalism, chronicle, personal essays, and other hybridized essays, as well as some biography and autobiography. Many people consider the first creative nonfiction book to be "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote, published in 1965. Its the story of actual people and actual events told with the dramatic techniques of a novel. Following are five more recent examples of creative nonfiction, popular works that are checked out regularly from Jefferson Parish Library. "The Orchid Thief" by Susan Orlean. The book is an examination of a man obsessed with a rare ghost orchid, and of the flower-selling subculture he became a part of. "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer. This is the true story of Chris McCandless, a young man who walked deep into the Alaskan wilderness in 1992 and whose SOS note and emaciated corpse were found four months later. "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver. The author gives an account of a year spent eating only locally sourced foods. "Cork Dork" by Bianca Bosker. The author leaves her day job behind in order to learn the mysterious ways of the sommelier. "Reading Lolita in Tehran" by Azar Nafisi. The author writes of the secret book group she led, made up of her most committed female students, using the forbidden Western classics. FRIENDS UPDATE: The Friends of the Jefferson Public Library are always seeking new members to help them in their support of the Jefferson Parish Library system and to help with the next Big Book Sale, tentatively scheduled for March 18-20 at the Pontchartrain Center. Here are some of the organizations most recent activities. The jigsaw puzzle sale in late October 2021 netted $1,813, and the cookbook/holiday items/DVD sale in November 2021 netted $906. A quilt raffle brought in $250. Catholic Women in Action, a local philanthropic organization, raised $1,000 to purchase 100 boxes of childrens books to give to needy schools, especially those affected by Hurricane Ida. The Amazon ladies the women who list books online report that sales in November 2021 netted more than $5,100 in sales. The Friends continue to provide Raise-a-Reader packets to new mothers at East Bank Ochsner to encourage their children to become lifelong readers. For more information, or to become involved with the Friends of the Jefferson Public Library, go to www.friendsofjeffersonlibrary.org, or call (504) 455-2665. JANE AUSTEN'S 'SANDITION': The New Orleans chapter of the Jane Austen Society of North America meets from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, March 12, at the River Ridge Library, 8825 Jefferson Highway, to discuss "Sandition," a 12-chapter fragment that was left incomplete when Austen died in 1817. Through the years, there have been several completions of the novel by various authors and the story was adapted to television on PBS Masterpiece in 2019. A second season of the television series will premiere on March 20. The original unfinished text as well as other completions will be discussed. Free of charge and open to the public. 'MAUS' BANNED: A school district in Tennessee banned the use of Maus, a Pulitzer-winning (1992) graphic novel by Art Spiegelman about the Holocaust, in its middle school classes, citing the works profanity and nudity. The vote of the school board was 10 to 0. The story details the killing of infants, Nazi gas chambers and forced labor, among other atrocities that the German regime committed during World War II. Spiegelman, a cartoonist, wrote and illustrated Maus based on interviews with his father, a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor. (Maus is the German word for mouse.) The graphic novel, drawn in black and white, depicts Holocaust victims as mice and their Nazi oppressors as cats. The Jefferson Parish Library has copies of "Maus" in its collection, as well as several sequels, an a study guide for educators. COMPUTER CLASSES: Receive free computer training at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie, or at the West Bank Regional Library, 2751 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey. Seating is limited, and online registration is required. Visit the Computer Classes page at www.jplibrary.net/training and click East Bank Regional Schedule or West Bank Regional Schedule. Upcoming Metairie classes include: Microsoft Word 2 - 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 23. Upcoming Harvey classes include: Basic Computer Skills 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 26. Basic Computer Skills 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 26. Chris Smith is manager of adult programming at the Jefferson Parish Public Library. The service hours for the Algiers ferry have been extended starting Friday for Mardi Gras, officials said. The ferry takes passengers from Algiers Point to the Canal Street ferry terminal. Riders can pay at the ferry or buy tickets in advance through the RTA GoMobile app. Officials said they expect the ferry to be busier than usual during Carnival, so advance passes are encouraged. Masks are required on all RTA buses, streetcars, and ferries. New ferry schedule Here's the new ferry schedule for Mardi Gras: Friday, Feb. 18, and Sat., Feb. 19: The first trip will leave the Algiers Point ferry terminal at 6 a.m. with the last trip leaving Canal Street at 12:15 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 20, through Tuesday, Feb. 22: Ferry service will begin at 6 a.m. with the last trip leaving Canal Street at 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, through Monday, Feb. 28: The last ferry will leave the temporary Canal Street terminal at 12:15 a.m. Mardi Gras day (March 1): The first ferry will leave Algiers Point at 6 a.m. and the last ferry will leave the Canal Street ferry terminal at 9:45 p.m. Normal ferry service will resume on Wednesday, March 2. See more updates from RTA about public transit schedules and detours during Mardi Gras. Tracing the roots of New Orleans Carnival terms is like playing a game of telephone, Tulane University researcher Nathalie Dajko says. If every player spoke a different language, that is. Many of these words have no official spellings and are offshoots of multiple different languages, given the citys long history as a port city. Dajko estimates that up to 50 African languages, German, English, English-based Creole and a French-based Creole all influenced language in the city today. Then add that to the fact that multiple generations of New Orleanians have passed these words down to their children, often who no longer speak the language(s) of origin, and youll see where the difficulty lies. New Orleans status as a melting pot is evident in every aspect of our culture, and Carnival is obviously no exception, with French words and phrases like mardi, lundi and boeuf gras, and krewe names ranging from classical Greek mythology (Bacchus, Proteus and Hermes) to African history and mythology (Zulu, Oshun, Nefertiti and Cleopatra). Even the term Carnival is a Latin word meaning farewell to meat, referring to the last indulgences before Lent. That's from having Ash Wednesday as the start of Lent, when you give up meat and give up other things, so Carnival season is sort of the feast before the famine, says Katie Carmichael of Virginia Tech, Dajkos research partner. Then, you also have the Mardi Gras Indians tradition, which Black people started with the name itself a nod to the indigenous people who helped enslaved people escape slavery. Though we dont know exactly when the masking Indian tradition started in the city, it goes back to at least the late 19th century. Dajko says there are similar masking traditions in Trinidad and Tobago as well. By then, the African languages are very much sort of fading away, but that doesn't mean that there aren't memories of them or fragments of them in various different ways, Dajko says. Mardi Gras Indian call and response chants have also changed throughout the years and there are many differing accounts of their origins. Take Jockamo-fi-na-nay, for instance. Author Emanuel Drechsel traces the phrase which we now sing while belting the chorus of Iko Iko to what linguists call Mobilian Jargon, a common language between indigenous tribes and others living along the Gulf of Mexico stemming from their respective native languages. One theory is that the phrase stemmed from the Chickasaw language, an indigenous language spoken by the Muskogean family. In the language, chokma means its good and finha means very. Theres also the responses to Hey Pocky A-Way, which Dajko says have shifted from What do you say? Oo-tawn-day, to now Hell out the way and other variations. Dajko and Carmichael are conducting a study on language, culture and traditions in New Orleans as part of a joint research project with Tulane University and Virginia Tech, and theyre looking for lifelong New Orleanians to interview. To learn more, visit 504voices.com or email 504voices@gmail.com. +6 Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans and Metairie on Feb. 18-20 The parade season kicks into high gear this weekend with more than 15 parades in Orleans and Jefferson parishes. After a year away from the pa After searching for over 14 hours, the U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for a woman who went overboard from the Carnival Valor on Wednesday, officials said. The Coast Guard called off its search at 5:37 p.m. Thursday after searching 2,514 square nautical miles near Southwest Pass. The search began when Coast Guard personnel in New Orleans received a call around 3 p.m. Wednesday that a cruise ship passenger had gone overboard into the Gulf of Mexico. Passengers aboard the Valor say the 32-year-old woman who went missing scuffled with the cruise ship staff before she broke loose from security and jumped over the railing on the 10th deck of the 11-deck ship. The decision to suspend a search-and-rescue case is never one we come to lightly, Chief Warrant Officer Tricia Eldredge, command duty officer at Sector New Orleans, said in a statement. We offer our deepest sympathies to the family during this difficult time. Authorities have not released the woman's name or said where she's from. Martin Regan, a lawyer who represented some of the New Orleans region's most high-profile criminal defendants during his 46-year career, died Thursday after suffering a stroke, friends and associates said. He was 73. Regans client list included St. Bernard Parish President Dave Peralta, legendary Baton Rouge rapper Boosie, and Curtis Kyles, who was tried five times for the same New Orleans murder. But there was more to Regan than just headline-grabbing cases, said members of the New Orleans defense bar. He trained hundreds of criminal defense lawyers until his flagging health forced him to stop practicing last year. Martin took on impossible cases most lawyers refused to take on, the Regan Law Firm said. His life was a testament to the Constitution and the idea that everyone should have the right to a fair trial. Colleagues described Regan as zealous. Kevin Boshea, a former law partner, said he was a legal "missile." That made for occasional tangles with judges, like the time a New Orleans jurist ordered him to make a $100 donation to the Louisiana SPCA for uttering what she thought were inappropriate statements in front of a jury. Criminal defense attorney John Fuller called him the last of a breed. Among Regan's most consequential cases was that of Kyles, who was charged with fatally shooting 60-year-old Delores Dye outside a Schwegmanns supermarket in 1984. The first trial resulted in a hung jury. But in a second, Kyles was convicted and sentenced to death. With Regan assisting with Kyles' appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the conviction in 1995, saying the state had failed to disclose evidence that could have been used to prove his innocence. District Attorney Harry Connicks office tried Kyles three more times, with each ending in a deadlocked jury and mistrial, before prosecutors dropped the case in 1998. Another case that generated big headlines for Regan was the 2012 acquittal of Baton Rouge rap artist Torence Boosie Hatch on charges that he paid $150,000 to arrange the murder of a man three years earlier. The following year, Regan defended Peralta against allegations of sexual assault lodged by his wife. Regan and Peralta, who died in 2018, argued the activities were consensual. Ultimately, Peralta pleaded no contest to stalking, malfeasance in office and abuse of office. 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 In 2019, Regan prepared an appeal for Trung Le, who was sentenced to 60 years behind bars for his role in a Bourbon Street shootout that killed Hammond nursing student Brittany Thomas and wounded nine others. Les sentence was tossed by the court, and he is now serving 20 years. A native of Metairie, Regan graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and got his law degree from LSU. He was admitted to the state bar in 1975. Regan spent his first five years as a U.S. Air Force judge advocate general based in England. In 1980, he returned to New Orleans and began his own practice. Former law partner James Manasseh said he was especially proud of Regan for pursuing his passion despite difficult personal circumstances: Three of his four children had muscular dystrophy, which required him to balance their care with his ambitions. Its amazing that he was able to do all the things he did, Manasseh said. Regans own health took a turn for the worse last year causing him to give up his law license, citing an unspecified disability. He had a stroke Feb. 11 before going into home hospice care Monday, three days before his death. Regans survivors include his wife, Lilliam; a son, Mickey; and a daughter, Amy Zoeller. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Victoria, as well as sons Bryan and Gavin. Funeral arrangements were incomplete Thursday. Staff writer Matt Sledge contributed to this report. Correction: This post was updated to correct the name of the University of Southwestern Louisiana. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (3rd, R) visits the Osipovichi training ground, where the military exercises "Allied Resolve 2022" are taking place, in Belarus, Feb. 17, 2022. (President of the Republic of Belarus official website/handout via Xinhua) MINSK, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- If the West takes actions that threaten Belarus, nuclear weapons can be deployed in the country to protect it, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told the media on Thursday at the Osipovichi training ground, where the military exercises "Allied Resolve 2022" are taking place. Lukashenko noted that if there are no threats to Belarus, no nuclear weapons will appear in the country. He said that he wants an Iskander missile systems training center to be created in Belarus. According to the president, three military training centers have been created in cooperation with Russia. The Belarusian side is also interested in training sailors in Kaliningrad or Murmansk, and in deploying Russian S-400 missile systems. During the trip to the Osipovichi training ground, Lukashenko observed the course of the drills, which will continue on Friday and Saturday. Lukashenko is scheduled to visit Russia and meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. He said they would discuss next steps for Russian-Belarusian integration and the issue of recognizing self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic" and "Luhansk People's Republic" in eastern Ukraine. Russia and Belarus began joint military exercises "Allied Resolve 2022" on the territory of Belarus on Feb. 10, which will continue until Feb. 20. Military units from Siberia and the Russian Far East, as well as troops of the Armed Forces of Belarus, are taking part in the drills. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (C) visits the Osipovichi training ground, where the military exercises "Allied Resolve 2022" are taking place, in Belarus, Feb. 17, 2022. (President of the Republic of Belarus official website/handout via Xinhua) Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (2nd, L) visits the Osipovichi training ground, where the military exercises "Allied Resolve 2022" are taking place, in Belarus, Feb. 17, 2022. (President of the Republic of Belarus official website/handout via Xinhua) A man was killed in a shooting in Algiers early Friday, New Orleans police said. He's one of two people killed Friday morning in gun violence in the city. The Algiers shooting was reported to police at 6:48 a.m. in the 2100 block of Cobblestone Lane (map). The man was found inside an apartment on the block, police said. He had been shot and died at the scene. His name and age have not been released. Man killed near South Broad and Tulane 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 About an hour later, a man was killed in a shooting near the intersection of South Broad Street and Tulane Avenue, New Orleans police said. The shooting was reported to police at 7:55 a.m. in the 400 block of South Broad (map). He died at the scene. His name and age have not been released. No other details were immediately available in either killing, including a possible motive or a description of a suspect. Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111. At the request of Mayor LaToya Cantrell, three New Orleans City Council members introduced an ordinance on Thursday to severely roll back local restrictions on law enforcement surveillance that were put in place only 14 months ago. The proposed ordinance, if passed, would largely reverse the councils blanket bans on the use facial recognition and characteristic tracking software, which is similar to facial recognition but for identifying race, gender, outfits, vehicles, walking gait and other attributes. One provision also appears to walk back the citys ban on predictive policing and cell-site simulators which can intercept cell phone calls to locate people suspected of certain serious crimes. That provision could, for the first time, give the city explicit permission to use a whole host of surveillance technology in certain circumstances, including voice recognition, x-ray vans, through the wall radar, social media monitoring software, tools used to gain unauthorized access to a computer, and more. The current restrictions on surveillance were passed in December 2020, shortly after The Lens reported that the New Orleans Police Department was secretly using facial recognition despite years of denials. Those restrictions, contained in an ordinance sponsored by then-councilmember and current district attorney Jason Williams, represented the citys first real attempt to regulate government surveillance at the local level. But from the moment it passed, NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson wanted the council to reverse it, especially the ban on facial recognition. Earlier this month, as the city grappled with a violent crime surge, Cantrell came out in support of rolling it back as well. Council member Eugene Green agreed to sponsor an ordinance on the administrations behalf, and Council members Oliver Thomas and Freddie King have signed on as co-sponsors. A setback for privacy advocates If the council approves the ordinance, it would come as a major blow to advocates with the Eye on Surveillance Coalition, a local privacy and anti-surveillance group that led the effort to pass the 2020 regulations. The group said last month that the technologies "have been proven rife with racial bias and have resulted in the wrongful arrest and imprisonment of people of color across the country." A federal study of 189 different facial recognition algorithms found that the software was 10 to 100 times more likely to misidentify non-white faces. Predictive policing software has also been seen as perpetuating bias by relying on historic police data. And the coalition has raised concerns about the potential for these technologies to violate civil rights, while arguing that there isnt sufficient evidence to show they make communities safer. The current regulations are far less restrictive than what was originally proposed by Williams and privacy advocates. Still, the version enshrined in law was a landmark moment for privacy legislation in New Orleans, putting the city on a short but growing list of places that actively regulate surveillance at the local level. But privacy advocates argue that it still didnt go far enough, and that the reversal proposed by Cantrell would send the city in the wrong direction. At minimum, the technology ordinance passed in 2020 must remain in place we cannot afford to go backward, the Eye on Surveillance statement said. 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 For more than a year, Ferguson has said that if the surveillance bans were reversed, the NOPD would write a policy governing its use of facial recognition. According to Cantrell spokesman Beau Tidwell, that policy isnt finished yet, and the NOPD is working with the U.S. Department of Justice and a monitoring team appointed as a part of the police departments long-running federal consent decree. Tidwell echoed past statements from Ferguson that although facial recognition has the potential for racial bias, so too does releasing a suspect photo and asking for citizen tips. Like a CrimeStoppers tip, evidence obtained from surveillance technology alone shall not be sufficient to establish probable cause for the purpose of effectuating an arrest. In a written statement, Greens Chief of Staff Sandra Thomas said that introducing the ordinance begins the process of review, gathering more info, and possible amendments. We look forward to the process and hope to achieve an end which productively assists law enforcement and makes New Orleans a safer city, Thomas said. Ordinance details The four pieces of surveillance technology in the 2020 ordinance are currently banned in practically all situations. The amendment under consideration would carve out exceptions for all of them, and explicitly allow the city to use new forms of surveillance that werent previously addressed. Facial recognition would be allowed in any investigation into violent crimes, sex crimes or crimes against a juvenile. The technology would also be allowed for the purpose of authenticating a city official on an electronic device, such as a cell phone or tablet. Another part of the proposed ordinance says that city officials cant be prohibited from using any surveillance technology, as defined in city law, when trying to locate subjects of arrest warrants for violent crimes, sex crimes or crimes against a juvenile. That could include otherwise banned technologies like cell-site simulators and predictive policing software. It could include other technologies as well. The definition of surveillance technology in New Orleans municipal code is broad, and provides other examples such as x-ray vans and tools used to gain unauthorized access to a computer. The proposal would further allow the city to use facial recognition and characteristic tracking software to investigate any crime whatsoever as long as the city doesnt own and use the software directly. For the two years that the NOPD previously used facial recognition, it did so indirectly, by submitting requests to a state agency called the Louisiana State Analytic and Fusion Exchange, or Fusion Center. The amendment would allow the NOPD to restart those requests. The city has shown it has a fairly liberal interpretation of what it considers to be a criminal investigation. Recently, the Lens reported that the city used its surveillance camera system to contest a city employees workers comp claim and fire employees. Although the evidence was not gathered as part of an NOPD criminal investigation, the city argued it was justified because the conduct in question was still a potential crime. St. Tammany Parish public schools will no longer require quarantining for students or employees who have come into close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. The school district will also discontinue contact tracing. The protocol changes, which take effect Monday, were announced on the school district's website Thursday and in robocalls that went out to parents. The school district pointed to a decline in COVID cases in schools. The state Department of Health announced this week it was easing school quarantine guidelines. Parents who choose to self-quarantine a child who has a close contact "will receive the same support as they have in the past," the St. Tammany school district said, adding that parents should continue to keep children who are sick or showing symptoms at home. Like most public school districts in the region, St. Tammany had been following the state guidelines, which required students to quarantine for five days after they had been exposed to someone with the virus unless they were vaccinated, which was in line with CDC guidance. 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 Those quarantine and isolation guidelines allowed schools to bypass a mask mandate for K-12 schools. In St. Tammany, where a group of people had loudly protested the state mask mandate for schools, the School Board in October unanimously voted to trade the masks for the quarantines. In the New Orleans metro area, the Orleans Parish public school district is the only district to still require wearing masks on campus. Orleans Parish is also the lone public school district in the state to require COVID vaccinations for students ages 5 and older. In New Orleans, school leaders say they have been pushing to get students vaccinated but have said students not vaccinated by the district's Feb. 1 deadline are not being turned away. Thursday's announcement in St. Tammany comes days after the parish's public school campuses and offices were reopened to non-essential visitors. At the Feb. 10 School Board meeting, Superintendent Frank Jabbia said cases were continuing to drop, with positive student cases falling from 201 to 58 and faculty/staff cases dipping from 56 to 17. Jabbia said that parents had been calling to say that they are eager to return to volunteering at schools. As I can confirm from experience, it is impossible to offer even the mildest criticism of the New Orleans Archdiocese without being branded anti-Catholic. Bum rap though it is, I am risking perdition today. Here is the FBI's definition of a criminal enterprise: a group of individuals with an identified hierarchy, or comparable structure, engaged in significant criminal activity. No group of individuals on the face of the earth is more hierarchical than the church. Its ecclesiastical structure is the very definition of hierarchy. And its criminal activity is not only significant but varied. We have known for years that since time immemorial priests who habitually raped young boys enjoyed the connivance and protection of the hierarchy, but only recently did an alleged archdiocesan multimillion-dollar fraud on the American taxpayer come to light. These offenses or sins, if you prefer have been thoroughly documented. At least the perps should have had no trouble finding someone to hear their confession and grant absolution. As I can also confirm from experience, any knock on the archdiocese will elicit howls of cheap shot from the faithful, whatever the level of turpitude on display. For its part, the archdiocese does not admit scamming FEMA for $46 million. But then losers always deny wrongdoing when settling lawsuits, although they can never explain how come they are coughing up a bunch of money. Here the archdiocese is paying a fine of more than $1 million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit claiming that it pocketed FEMA compensation for property damage during Hurricane Katrina that was entirely imaginary. The suit was filed by a former employee of an engineering firm that allegedly helped the archdiocese cook the books. According to the lawsuit, the archdiocese was paid $10 million to rebuild the St. Raphael School cafeteria, although the actual cost was $401,000. The other inflated project was repairing allegedly catastrophic damage to four floors of the Villa St. Maurice assisted living center, when in reality only the ground floor was affected. According to the lawsuit, the result was a $36 million overpayment. The Justice Department joined the suit in hopes of recouping some of the loot, but the archdiocese is not exactly flush these days. The lawsuit settlement required the approval of a bankruptcy judge because so many victims of sexual abuse sought compensation that Chapter 11 was the archdiocese's only option. The archdiocese was hardly alone in exploiting Katrina for illicit financial advantage according to the U.S., Government Accountability Office, fraudulent claims cost the taxpayer as much as $1.4 billion but the impact of dishonesty in that quarter takes on extra significance. The church is such a dominant institution around here, and Christian faith central to so many lives, that belief in the integrity of the archdiocese becomes a psychological necessity. That it requires discounting evidence of child abuse and fraud is a leap of faith well within the capabilities of the flock. That is why any mention of the archdiocese's moral failings will be branded anti-Catholic. But unless the archdiocese cleans up its act, the conviction that it is always a moral force requires a cognitive dissonance that can only have a corrosive effect on the civic spirit in the longer term. That's why we all, Catholic or not, have to be honest about the archdiocese's shortcomings. Unique is a funny and over-used word. There are no comparatives for unique no uniquer or uniquest, no more unique or most unique. It means one of a kind, nothing else like it, alone in the universe. The text of a Supreme Court opinion and even the justices votes can change, sometimes dramatically, between the time they take a first vote on the case during a private conference following oral arguments and when the decision is announced. That happened in the 1992 abortion case Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which reaffirmed the right to abortion. Initially, as Evan Thomas recounted in his biography of Justice Sandra Day OConnor, it seemed there were five justices willing to overrule Roe v. Wade. But that May, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote to Justice Harry Blackmun that there had been some developments. Kennedy and OConnor and Justice David Souter had been meeting secretly to save a womans right to abortion, Thomas wrote. Loyalsock Twp., Pa. -- A large crane and semitruck blocked a portion of the parking lot in the TJ Maxx plaza on Tuesday. The equipment was there to help remove a large piece of machinery from the former Open MRI, located next to Little Ceasars Pizza. The MRI machine was so large workers had to remove the storefront to get it out of the building. The Williamsport Open MRI location has closed, according to a company spokesperson. Bill Burdett, Loyalsock Township manager, said there is not currently a new tenant for that site. Meanwhile down the street at 1713 E. Third Street, construction has progressed quickly on Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen. Walls are up, windows are installed, and the structure is under roof. The 2,400 square-foot restaurant will include a drive-thru. Popeye's, with more than 2,700 restaurants in the U.S. and worldwide, is expected to open next month. Plans continue to move forward for the Chipotle to begin construction at 1955 E. Third Street, next to MedExpress, pending a few construction conditions they need to meet for the lot, including easements for storm water. Related Reading: NorthcentralPa.com's Melissa Farenish contributed to this story 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. UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The issue of aging should not be seen through a negative lens only, as it is not necessarily a bad thing even in economic terms if managed properly, an expert with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) told Xinhua on Thursday. Aging means higher life expectancy coupled with lower fertility rates. Living longer is a good thing for individuals, while the decline in birth is not certainly a bad thing if it is by choice, said Michael Herrmann, a senior adviser on population and economics with the UNFPA. "I think what is really important here is -- from a UNFPA perspective, from a rights perspective -- women and men should be empowered to have the number of children they want to," he said. Most of women and men, who want to have two children, have fewer than two. The discrepancy shows that there is a space for policies to help women and men have more children, the expert said. "It's really about, in summary, three balances: work and life, the income and the costs of having a child, and gender balance -- how much women and men share responsibilities in housework. If we get these balances right, people will have more children," he said. There are also occasions where some people do not want children even if the conditions are balanced. "We see a bit of a culture shift, attitude shift. People also have anxieties about the future. We have seen studies that people are worried about the environment. They don't want to have children because they fear global warming; they fear environmental collapse," he said. Herrmann pointed out that fears for aging are often exaggerated. There are many tools to address skills shortage or labor shortage, he said, including activating those inactive people in the labor force, engaging women to participate more, recruiting older people in different ways, involving immigrants and so on. Germany, for example, has a very old population. But the increase in labor productivity in Germany offsets the contraction of the labor force. Many other countries are in the same situation. Also, there is uncertainty in future labor demands, he said, noting that economies are undergoing major changes with the development of artificial intelligence, robotics and other technologies which may lead to change in the labor demand in the future. Worries about the consequences of aging on the economy are largely unfounded, said Herrmann. Aging has implications for more pension funds and health care financing. But these implications can be fixed through three variables: increased contributions, decreased benefits, or a combination of the two. It is not a question of whether economies can finance pensions or health care, but who pays for it. It's a distributive question, he said. Herrmann said people always focus on the problems and threats of aging, while completely overlook the economic benefits of aging such as a second demographic dividend and the silver economy. Countries that invest in human capital throughout the life course which increase labor productivity are able to realize something called the "second demographic dividend." They can benefit from human capital, labor productivity growth, capital accumulation, thus accelerating economic growth. The second demographic dividend is even bigger than the first demographic dividend, which came with an expansion of the labor force in countries at an earlier stage of the demographic transition, according to an earlier report by the UNFPA. "This is an opportunity," he said. The economy related to aging is a billion-dollar business. Older people get pensions, but they also spend their money, he said, noting that they may spend it on all kinds of things including health care, which is a promising business that creates jobs and feeds back into the economy. Herrmann said what worries him is that the response to aging is mostly "negative, reactive and fragmented." To address the problems of pension funds and health care financing, more integrated and flexible systems that are resilient to demographic changes are needed. "We have systems that are complementing a linear life path -- I go to school, I work, I retire. But in the future, our life path will be completely different. Random. We will do all kinds of things at all kinds of times. And it will be schooling in between. We move from employment to self-employment, unemployment, and entrepreneurship," he said. "We need systems that complement such a life path. So we have to really think of integrated systems: How do you connect this to pensions? How do you connect this with health care? With social security benefits? How do you invest in people so that they get back on their feet and can participate in society?" Herrmann said aging changes everything: the way people live, move, think, the household structures, the real estate markets and the financial markets. The problems with aging are real. But by just focusing on the problems, people lose perspective of what aging is and lose perspective of the positive side. The anxieties are exaggerated because people are overlooking the positive aspects. And there is a need for a holistic approach. Only in this way can countries come to terms with aging. Bloomsburg, Pa. -- Bloomsburg University and Mansfield University will each receive four upright, Steinway pianos from Lock Haven University, which once held a total of 22 Steinway pianos. Lock Haven University received its collection through a donation by 1966 alumna and current vice chair of the Lock Haven Council of Trustees, Margery Dosey, and her late husband, Dr. Seymour Krevsky. Lock Haven, with Dosey's blessing, transferred 11 of the Steinway pianos to locations where they will be played and enjoyed for years to come. Embracing the integration of LHU with Bloomsburg and Mansfield universities, and building on the established relationships with area school districts, four pianos each will go to Bloomsburg and Mansfield universities and one each will go to Keystone Central and Williamsport Area School Districts, with one going to Faith United Methodist Church in Bellefonte. The performance at Bloomsburg University will feature BU piano students Kallie Koch and Jack Heroux-Skirbst performing the Suite from The Sleeping Beauty Waltz for four hands by Tchaikovsky (arranged by Rachmaninoff). Lock Haven professor Dr. David Curtin will then perform pieces by Domenico Scarlatti, Franz Schubert, Franz Liszt, and Liszt/Robert Schumann. Curtin has served on the faculty of Lock Haven University since 2004, where he has taught piano, music theory, music history, sight singing/ear-training, and Intro to Music. He holds a Doctor of Music Arts degree in Piano Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He has performed and taught throughout the United States and the UK, as well as in Mexico, Ireland, Korea, and China. In 2015 he was awarded Lock Haven University's highest award for Outstanding Scholarship. In 2021 he was appointed Director of the Global Honors Program at Lock Haven. Curtin is a Steinway artist and performs exclusively on Steinway instruments. "I am so pleased that Lock Haven University has found a way to make sure these magnificent instruments are able to be relocated to their new homes, so music majors and music lovers alike will be able to play and enjoy them as they are intended," Dosey said. "This is what integration looks like. The giving of one to another. And also to foster young musicians' love and passion for the arts by giving them the opportunity to have access to one of these pianos at their school or church fills me with joy." Dosey also has an endowed fine arts scholarship, The Margery Brown Dosey Scholarship for the Arts, which is awarded each year to an art major at Lock Haven. Following the integration of Lock Haven, Bloomsburg and Mansfield universities, Dosey plans to open the scholarship up to a student at any one of the three campuses. 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. More from this section Abortion rights rally to take place Tuesday evening at federal courthouse Wellsboro, Pa. -- 258 people voted on their favorite chili recipe before top-three finishers were selected at the annual Chili with A Chance for Chocolate Taste-Off, the seventh taste-off held since the first one in 2015. Jim Howe, organizer of the 2022 event, and Second Chance Animal Sanctuaries president, announced the first through third place taste-off winners over the weekend. Anyone who bought a $5 taste-off passport had the opportunity to try all or some of the 13 different types of chili beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday. They cast their votes and then turned in their passports at any taste-off location by 2 p.m. Taking first place was Kyle Bower with his Chocolate Chili with Almonds Ice Cream. He is the ice cream maker for The Main Street Creamery. Second place winner was Zack Luczak with his Wine-ing for Chili made with Cabernet Sauvignon. He is an employee at Oregon Hill Winery at 87 Main Street in Wellsboro. Taking third place was Jason Coons who made his own version of Pennsylvania Chili, for which Nevada Annie was named the Chili World Winner in 1987. He is an employee at Wild Asaph Outfitters at 71 Main Street in Wellsboro. I grew up in the Hudson Valley of New York and had moved to Portland, Oregon where I worked for an ice cream company for five years, said Bower. "I was the warehouse manager and had nothing to do with actually making the ice cream. They would come out with five unique flavors each month. I eat lots of ice cream and was interested in what they did and how they did it." "Both of my parents are Wellsboro natives and we had property here. During a visit to Wellsboro on Thanksgiving in 2019, I spoke with Rick and Lori Beckwith and they talked me into coming to work for them making ice cream." He continued: Lori and I had talked about making a special chili ice cream for this years Taste-Off. I remembered eating a chili and cinnamon infused chocolate bar that I loved and used that for the basis of the recipe. I started with a dark chocolate base, added a bit of cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Then I roasted almonds with sugar, cinnamon, and chili powder and added a milk chocolate fudge. Each person sampled two ounces and would say they couldnt taste the spice at first but did after a few bites. We received amazing feedback about Kyles chili ice cream, Lori said. We will probably incorporate it into our regular lineup of flavors. Main Street Creamery is open from mid-March to mid-December. I think the plan is to reopen Main Street Creamery for the 2022 season around St. Pattys Day, Bower said. I will be back at work making ice cream whenever it does. All 13 chili chefs received a bottle of honey from Draper's Super Bee Apiaries, Inc. in Millerton. In addition to the honey, the top three winners each received a gift certificate. The gift certificates were provided by Oregon Hill Winery at 87 Main Street, Seniors Creations at 75 Main Street and Garrisons Clothing at 89 Main Street. Proceeds from the sale of the passports will benefit rescued animals and programs offered by Second Chance Animal Sanctuaries. 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. Local featured $100 million tax credit bill moving again; controversial GARJA program panned in state audit Sen. Chuck Hufstetler Shaw Blackmon A controversial rural jobs tax credit bill is moving through the Georgia House again after a similar measure was blocked in the state Senate last year. HB 500, the Georgia Agribusiness and Rural Jobs Act, would set aside up to $100 million in tax credits for entities that invest in eligible small businesses with less than 250 employees in certain rural counties. Its a second round of funding for the program approved in 2017. A state audit of the first round, in which $60 million was awarded, showed it would take at least 72 years for a return on the investment. State Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome, blocked the proposed 2021 bill in the Senate Finance Committee he chairs. He said Thursday that the nonexistent payback is not the only problem with the program. The (Georgia) Department of Community Affairs policy of not auditing any of these companies but letting them self-report their numbers leaves the program wide open for fraud, Hufstetler said. Letting companies that get this money get away with not reporting to our auditors and still keeping the money is inexcusable. There is a reason that every other state has discontinued this program. There are more effective ways to help small businesses in rural counties, he contended. Gov. Kemp put $40 million into rural Georgia for loans to companies last year. That is the right way to do it, Hufstetler said. The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute expressed similar misgivings in a statement released Thursday, noting that eight other states tried similar programs and reported failures. Most of the states counties were ineligible for the program, the release said, and only 23 received any investment. In Northwest Georgia, only Polk, Haralson, Chattooga, Dade and Murray counties were eligible. None received investment. Danny Kanso, GBPI senior tax and budget policy analyst, suggested an Earned Income Tax Credit would be a better investment of state resources. Danny Kanso Rather than spending tens of millions to enact a convoluted tax break scheme that uses taxpayer dollars to enrich lobbyists and opportunistic corporate interests, lawmakers should pass targeted legislation that puts money back in the pockets of hardworking Georgians, Kanso said. GARJA calls for the Department of Community Affairs to monitor the program based on what the participants report on investments and jobs created or saved. The state audit came about through legislation passed last session that allows the chairs of the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees to ask for reviews of up to five tax exemptions a year. Hufstetler and his counterpart House Rep. Shaw Blackmon, R-Bonaire, put GARJA on the list. Blackmon is also a cosponsor of HB 500, which passed out of his committee Thursday. If it passes the full House, it moves to the Senate and, almost certainly, Hufstetlers committee. Spring ploughing underway across China to provide strong start on the way to securing bumper harvests People's Daily Online) 16:40, February 18, 2022 Staff members distribute and deliver agricultural production materials at a smart warehouse for a company in Feidong county, Hefei city, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 16, 2022. (Photo/People's Daily Online) A meeting recently held by China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) outlined the all-out efforts of the country to ensure smooth progress for the key work regarding agricultural production in the run-up to the spring season, including farmland management in the spring, preparatory work for spring ploughing and sowing, and expansion of the production of soybean and oil plants. Currently, spring ploughing is underway in many places across China. At an agricultural production materials warehouse for a company based in Feidong county, Hefei city, east China's Anhui Province, staff members were busy distributing and delivering various agricultural production materials. "During the spring ploughing season this year, our warehouse can handle more than 200 metric tons of agricultural production materials on a daily basis, up 120 percent compared with the slack farming season," introduced the head of the warehouse. About 940 million mu (626,667 square kilometers) of fields will be planted with crops during the spring ploughing season, accounting for more than half of the total area for ploughing throughout the year, according to Lyu Xiutao, deputy head of the Department of Crop Production with the MARA. Customs staff members in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province inspect imported vegetable seeds. (Photo courtesy of the General Administration of Customs of China) Credible sources indicated that there are sufficient supplies of agricultural production materials for the spring ploughing season. The planting pattern is stable and relevant preparatory work for the spring ploughing and sowing season is being advanced in an orderly manner. Recently, the customs department of Guangzhou in south China's Guangdong Province has seen a surging volume of imported materials for agricultural production and animal husbandry. "The customs staff members will carry out quarantine inspection over the imported seeds upon their arrival to guarantee that the seeds can be delivered to farmers as quickly as possible," noted an executive from an international logistics company based in the city. Photo shows drones spraying pesticides on rapeseed plants in a field in Hekou village, Huzhou city, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 4, 2022. (Photo/People's Daily Online) The customs department in Lianyungang city of east China's Jiangsu Province has launched a special mechanism to reduce the customs clearance time for agricultural production materials and to make sure that the products can be delivered to farmers in a timely manner. An official stressed at the MARA meeting that technological and policy support will be strengthened so as to push for three-dimensional agricultural cultivation, develop a complete industrial chain, build smart supporting facilities and improve land use efficiency. "This year, we aim to guarantee the production of summer grains, develop oil crops, and secure a bumper harvest, making sure that the grain cultivation throughout the year stands at 1.17 million square kilometers and above, and meeting an annual grain production target of 650 million metric tons and above," said Lyu. (Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Liang Jun) BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- China will suspend the prepayment of value-added tax (VAT) on air transport firms throughout 2022 to prop up the civil aviation industry, the country's top economic planner said Friday. To increase financial support for the construction of civil aviation infrastructure, the central government will continue to subsidize air routes, airports and safety capacity building projects through an aviation development fund, according to the National Development and Reform Commission. Financial institutions will be encouraged to step up credit support for hub airports, while qualified airlines are encouraged to issue corporate credit bonds to expand access to capital, the commission said. Civil airlines and airports severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic will enjoy easy access to the registration and issuance of debt financing instruments. The country is also mulling consultations between the China National Aviation Fuel Group Limited and upstream companies on scrapping the components of maritime shipping insurance and port charges in the jet fuel price, currently standing at two U.S. dollars per barrel and 50 yuan per tonne, respectively. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the country's civil aviation regulator, released a plan last month for the industry's development. It says that by the end of 2025, China will have over 270 civil transport airports, handling 17 million takeoffs and landings a year. The civil aviation sector will handle 930 million passenger trips and 9.5 million tonnes of cargo and parcels annually by 2025, said the plan. The latest CAAC data showed that China's air cargo transport rebounded to near pre-pandemic levels in January, with the volume of cargo and mail transported by air standing at approximately 654,000 tonnes, or 97.3 percent of the amount recorded in the same period in 2019. Microsoft has released the first big Windows 11 update to devices not enrolled on the Windows 11 Insider Program, as we discussed separately . Arguably, it has distributed a more substantial update to the Insider Program's Dev Channel, though. Released as Preview Build 22557, Microsoft has previously stressed that it may not release all features and experiences that it brings to the Dev Channel. You can view the full list of changes made in Preview Build 22557 via the same blog post. Understandably, the build contains several known issues too, including that the taskbar may flicker when switching input methods. Moreover, Microsoft has decided against offering Preview Build 22557 to ARM64 PCs. The company hopes to offer a new build for Insiders on ARM64 PCs soon, although it has not stated when this will be the case. A former police officer who fired shots that killed a fleeing man in Minnesota in 2021 was sentenced on Feb. 18 to two years in jail. Kim Potter, who worked for the Brooklyn Center Police Department, faced up to 8 1/2 years in prison, but Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu said the lesser sentence was warranted because Potter was in the line of duty and doing her job in attempting to lawfully arrest Daunte Wright when Potter fired the shots. Potter has said she believed she was drawing her Taser when she unholstered her firearm and pulled the trigger as Wright slipped from another officers grasp, entered his vehicle, and started driving away. Potters attorneys pushed for no jail time while prosecutors asked the judge for the presumptive sentence, which would have been just over seven years. His life mattered, and that life was taken, prosecutor Matt Frank said before the sentencing. His name is Daunte Wright. We have to say his name. He was not just a driver. He was a living human being. A life. Defense attorney Paul Engh told the judge that Wrights death was beyond tragic for everybody involved. But, he added, this was an unintentional crime. It was an accident. It was a mistake. Chu said she believed Potter was trying to protect another officer who could have been dragged and seriously injured if Wright drove away, which played a role in the sentencing decision. Officer Potter made a mistake that ended tragically. She never intended to hurt anyone. Her conduct cries out for a sentence significantly below the guidelines, Chu said. This is one of the saddest cases Ive had on my 20 years on the bench, the judge also said. On the one hand, a young man was killed and on the other, a respected 26-year veteran police officer made a tragic error by pulling her handgun instead of her Taser. Potter was sentenced after being convicted of two counts of first- and second-degree manslaughter charges in the shooting of Daunte Wright on April 11, 2021. Wright was pulled over because his vehicle registration was not up to date. Before being sentenced, Potter told family members that she was regretful that she caused the death of Wright. Katie, I understand mothers love and I am sorry I broke your heart. My heart is broken for all of you. Earlier when you said that I didnt look at you during the trial, I dont believe I had a right to. I didnt even have the right to be in the same room with you. I am so sorry that I hurt you so badly. My heart is broken, devastated for all of you, she said. Wrights mother, Katie Wright, said in the court room that she would never forgive Potter. Speaking to reporters after the sentencing, she said the officer murdered my son. Today the justice system murdered him all over again, she added. To sit there and watch pouring my heart out in my victim impact statement that took so long to write that I rewrote it over and over again, to not get a response out of the judge at all. But then when it came down to convicting, or to sentencing Kim Potter, she broke out in tears. Benjamin Crump, the Wright familys attorney, alleged Potter received a light sentence because she is white, comparing her sentence to the one received by Mohamed Noor, a black former Minneapolis police officer who was sentenced to 57 months in jail for shooting a woman in 2017. Chu acknowledged some would take issue with the downward departure but said Potters case was different from that of Noor and another high-profile case, such as that of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. This is not a cop found guilty of murder for using his knee to pin down a person for 9 1/2 minutes as he gasped for air. This is not a cop found guilty of manslaughter for intentionally drawing his firearm and shooting across his partner and killing an unarmed woman who approached his squad, Chu said. This is a cop who made a tragic mistake. Chauvin, who is white, was sentenced to over 22 years in prison for killing George Floyd, a black man, in Minneapolis in 2020. The Associated Press contributed to this report. From The Epoch Times TEHRAN, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian foreign minister said on Friday that the talks between Iran and the world powers on reviving a 2015 nuclear deal in Vienna are "very close to a good and accessible agreement," official news agency IRNA reported. Hossein Amir Abdollahian made the remarks upon arrival in Germany for the 58th Munich Security Conference, where he also noted Iran has already "put its active initiatives on the negotiating table." The Western sides have to submit their initiatives and show real flexibility, as "it is them who, through their approach toward Iran's initiatives, will determine if the talks would come to fruition within of a few days or a few weeks," Abdollahian said. "We are still facing a number of unresolved issues in the Vienna talks," he added. After signing a possible agreement, talks should be held to ensure the return to commitments under the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Iranian minister noted. Former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the JCPOA in May 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran, which prompted the latter to drop some of its nuclear commitments one year later and advance its halted nuclear programs. Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in the Austrian capital between Iran and the remaining parties, namely Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany, with the United States indirectly involved in the talks, to revive the landmark deal. CROWN POINT A Lake Criminal Court judge ordered a woman Thursday to serve a five-year sentence for leaving the scene of a crash in 2019 that killed one of her friends and left another woman in a coma for about two months. Kayla N. Norwood, 27, of Indianapolis and formerly of Gary, was ordered to serve four years in the Lake County Community Corrections alternative placement program and one year on probation. Norwood wept while receiving a hug from the mother of Jerome L. Moore Jr., who was killed in the crash Norwood caused April 19, 2019, on U.S. 20 at Interstate 90 in Gary. Valerie Duncan, who suffered life-threatening injuries, told Judge Natalie Bokota the crash robbed her of her quality of life and traumatized her and her family. Duncan said she, Moore and Norwood were childhood friends, but a distance had grown between her and Norwood before Norwood invited her to go to a bar to celebrate Norwood's birthday. Duncan said she would have said no, but Moore wanted to spend time with Norwood. She spent about two months in a coma after she was injured in the crash, which she could not remember, she said. "There will never be another Jerome," Duncan said. Moore was like a brother to her, she said. "I lost a part of me forever," Duncan said. Moore's mother, LaTanya Johnson, said she had a breakdown because she was missing her son and also spent several months in a coma. "I'm confused and lost without him," Johnson said. "That was my baby boy." Norwood pleaded guilty in December to leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, a level 5 felony, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious bodily injury. Defense attorney Susan Severtson said Norwood endured abuse as a child, spent time in the foster care system and lost an unborn child as a result of domestic violence. As a result, Norwood suffers from mental illness, she said. Severtson said Norwood was among the most remorseful clients she's worked with in her 30 years of practice. "She's cried as many tears as those who were adversely affected," Severtson said. In a tense exchange, Severtson asked Duncan if she placed a gun on a table during a meeting with Norwood after Norwood was released on bond. Duncan said she had a license to carry a gun and denied she was attempting to intimidate Norwood. The defense attorney recommended a four-year sentence to be served on probation or in the Lake County Community Corrections program. Alternative placement or probation would allow Norwood to continue with her medications and counseling, she said. Lake County Deputy Prosecutor Douglas Shaw recommended a seven-year sentence, which was shorter than an 8 1/2-year cap negotiated by attorneys in his office. Shaw said he'd reviewed documentation of Norwood's "problems." "But nothing is going to bring back Jerome, and nothing is ever going to make Valerie's life easier," he said. Norwood said she has tried to get her life together since she posted bond by seeking counseling and attending college. "I'm not a bad person. I try to do right," she said. "This was not my intention. Valerie was more than my friend. She was like my sister. Jerome he loved me, and I loved him." Bokota allowed Johnson to stand up and give a hug to Norwood, who cried while repeatedly saying, "I'm so sorry." Bokota found Norwood had a "profoundly traumatic childhood" and was likely to respond well to short-term imprisonment or probation. The judge ordered Norwood to complete mental health treatment as part of her sentence. 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. CROWN POINT A man charged with murdering two people in separate shootings last year in Gary was transported this week from the Porter County Jail for an initial appearance in Lake Criminal Court. Robert E. Simms III, 33, who gave a Chicago address but also has a Gary address listed in court records, requested a public defender. Lake Criminal Court Magistrate Kathleen Sullivan granted Simms' request and entered not guilty pleas on his behalf. Simms is being held without bond in both murder cases and on a petition to revoke his probation in a 2015 robbery case in Lake County. He also told a Porter Superior Court judge last month he wanted to be held without bond on a robbery case filed there. Sullivan advised Simms that even though he filed a pro se motion for a speedy trial in his murder cases, his lawyer could waive a speedy trial if the lawyer could not effectively represent Simms under an expedited timeline. Simms asked to orally withdraw his motion, and Sullivan granted his request. Simms also asked for copies of discovery materials, which would include the names of witnesses in his cases and other evidence police have gathered. Sullivan said prosecutors will be ordered to hand over discovery to Simms' attorney, who will have the discretion to show him the information. "I don't know if your attorney will want you to have it," Sullivan said. "There are lots of reasons why you shouldn't have it in the jail." The magistrate set Simms' formal appearance for Thursday before Judge Samuel Cappas. Simms is facing murder, robbery and arson charges in two separate homicides in Gary. Lyft driver Glynon Nelson, 38, of Crown Point, was found shot to death Sept. 23 along a road in Gary's Miller section. The vehicle Nelson had been driving was later found burned in Gary, according to court records. Police found 29-year-old Nicholas Kowalski's body in a shallow grave Oct. 10 at a home in Gary's Miller section. Kowalski, of Park Forest, had been reported missing and a van he had been driving before his disappearance was found burned in a cornfield near Lowell, records state. Simms' co-defendant Isiah Darnell-Lenburg has pleaded not guilty in Kowalski's homicide to charges of assisting a criminal and arson and a misdemeanor count of unlawful disposition of a dead human body. In Nelson's homicide, Darnell-Lenburg pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder, robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, armed robbery and arson. Thomas Foster, 40, of St. Charles, Missouri, has pleaded not guilty in Kowalski's homicide to charges of felony assisting a criminal and arson. Simms has been in custody since Oct. 11, when he was arrested by Portage police during an investigation into a robbery at the Super 8 hotel, 6118 U.S. 20, a day earlier. Simms and Darnell-Lenburg were later charged in connection with that robbery. Simms also is facing felony resisting law enforcement and criminal recklessness charges in Porter Superior Court linked to his arrest Oct. 11. He's accused of fleeing from police into a wooded area and firing a gunshot while officers were searching for him. Love 0 Funny 2 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. CROWN POINT A man charged with attempting to murder a Gary police officer last week made a formal appearance in court Thursday, one day after posting a $14,000 cash bond. Kameron T. Cooks Jr., 22, of Gary's Aetna section, is accused of firing more than 45 rounds from a semi-automatic rifle and a handgun altered to function as a fully automatic weapon at Detective Sgt. William "Bill" Fazekas on Feb. 7 during a traffic stop in the 400 block of Johnson Street. Fazekas was shot twice in the left shoulder and lost half of the blood in his body before other officers came to his aid and he was transported to a Chicago hospital for surgery, police said. Cooks was bitten by a K-9 and taken into custody after police tracked him to an abandoned building near West Fifth Avenue and Buchanan Street, according to court documents. Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez affirmed Cooks' not guilty pleas to felony attempted murder, aggravated battery, two counts of resisting law enforcement and misdemeanor counts of striking a law enforcement animal and resisting law enforcement. The judge told Cooks he had posted a considerable amount of bond and asked if he would be hiring a private attorney. Cooks said he was working on it. "I would be lying if I tried to give you a timeline," he said. Lake County Supervisory Deputy Prosecutor Michelle Jatkiewicz asked Vasquez to set a jury trial because of the nature of the case. Cooks' public defender, Roseann Ivanovich, objected. Jatkiewicz asked Vasquez to extend the state's deadline to turn over its evidence to the defense because there was "no attorney of record." Ivanovich said, "I am the attorney of record." Vasquez initially appeared inclined to wait 30 days before setting a jury trial, but he granted the state's requests after further argument from Jatkiewicz. The judge scheduled a hearing for March 17 to determine if Cooks plans to hire a private attorney, an omnibus hearing for April 7 and a pretrial hearing for Oct. 20. Cooks' jury trial was scheduled for the week of Nov. 14. Jatkiewicz estimated the trial would take three to four days. Love 1 Funny 2 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. CROWN POINT Attorneys for Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. asked a judge Wednesday to dismiss an indictment against the sheriff because they say the grand jury proceedings that led to the indictment were "defective" and violated the sheriff's due process rights. In the motion, defense attorneys Paul Stracci and Michael Woods accused Special Prosecutor Stanley Levco and an Indiana State Police commander of unduly influencing "the neutral and detached atmosphere" of the grand jury proceedings. The alleged imposition on the grand jurors' will or independent judgment was so "flagrant," a dismissal of the indictment is required, the attorneys wrote. Levco has not yet filed a written response to the motion to dismiss, and Special Judge Jeryl Leach has not yet scheduled a hearing on the motion. Martinez was indicted Jan. 6 by a Lake Criminal Court grand jury on a felony charge of resisting law enforcement and a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving. The allegations stem from an incident in September in Crown Point and Merrillville. Martinez denied the allegations and pointed out he's not accused of political corruption. The sheriff said the allegations don't prevent him from holding office, and he characterized the indictment as a "political witch hunt" by a "rival politician." In their motion, Stracci and Woods took issue with testimony from the police commander when asked if he had determined if any potential criminal charges were appropriate in the case. "In virtually every county I have ever worked in, which is a lot over the years, a vehicle that's 50-plus miles an hour over the speed limit is going to be considered a reckless driver," the commander said. "Once a vehicle fails to stop for a police officer that's got lights and sirens activated and continues on at that rate of speed not stopping, that would be an indication, the prosecutor's indication, fleeing in a vehicle, which is a level 6 felony." According to the defense's motion, Levco went on to tell the grand jurors they could indict the sheriff for speeding, but that Levco didn't want him to be charged with speeding. "My thought is if you don't think it's reckless driving, I guess for a lack of a better word, I just think it's petty to charge him with speeding," Levco said. "If you don't think it's serious enough for reckless driving and resisting, I would I would be embarrassed to go in front of a jury with simply a speeding charge." In an exchange with a grand juror, Levco said he personally would prefer "not to do it." "Having said that, I chose to have a grand jury, and I chose to do what you want me to do," he said. "There's six of you, and if that's what you all think is a better thing for me to do, then I'll do it." The defense said Levco's statements discouraging the grand jury from indicting for speeding and the police commander's testimony about what constitutes a reckless driving and fleeing "invaded the province of the grand jury to determine whether and for what probable cause existed." Stracci and Woods accused Levco of further imposing on the grand jury's will and independent judgment by asking the commander for his "legal opinion." In response to questions about whether there was a particular speed for which the commander would seek reckless driving charges, the commander said Indiana State Police didn't have any specific policies and worked with prosecutors in each of the state's 92 counties. "I've never worked in a county where 51 miles an hour over the speed limit was not reckless driving," the commander testified. "And in that situation, we would incarcerate on-site. We would stop the vehicle, put the person in handcuffs, put him in jail." The commander went on to testify a video from Nick's Liquor store showed the alleged pursuit as the vehicles headed north on Taft Street. "There's two police vehicles right behind him when he gets up to the intersection that have clearly visible bright lights flashing," the commander said. "You can hear on the radio transmission their sirens going. It would be nearly impossible when you're that close behind somebody to not know there's two police cars right behind you that are attempting to stop you. That video tells me that it would be virtually impossible not to know." When the commander was asked if it would still be reckless if a person were trained to drive at a high rate of speed, he said it would be. "If it's Dale Earnhardt driving, it's still reckless, because there's other vehicles in the roadway that are not used to adapting to that speed," he said. According to a news release issued by Crown Point police shortly after the incident, officers were conducting a traffic stop in the 9000 block of Taft Street about 11:30 p.m. Sept. 18 when they noticed the driver of a black SUV traveling north on Main Street "well above the 45 mph posted limit." The SUV's driver continued at that speed onto Taft Street and passed by the stopped officers, the release states. The officers attempted to catch up to the SUV to stop the driver for speeding. "The SUV was observed making a right-hand turn onto U.S. 30, now traveling eastbound," the release said. "As officers were nearing the still-moving car, the driver activated emergency red and blue lights, giving notice that it was an unmarked car. In seeing this, officers disregarded their actions any further." At the time, Crown Point police said the identity of the driver and the specific nature of any police call were unknown, so they did not request any assistance from other agencies. The investigation was turned over to Indiana State Police for the Fort Wayne post in October, Levco previously told The Times. 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. CROWN POINT A man linked to the slaying of a Merrillville teenager robbed of an Xbox in 2019 pleaded guilty Thursday to robbing a pizza delivery driver days before the homicide. Dezman C. Dukes, 21, of Gary, admitted in a plea agreement he called Domino's Pizza June 9, 2019, to lure a delivery driver to the 5000 block of Pennsylvania Street in Gary and rob the driver. Detectives discovered evidence of the robbery while investigating the June 12, 2019, robbery and shooting death of 17-year-old Johnny Peluyera in the 5000 block of Maryland Street in Gary, Lake Criminal Court records show. Dukes and Garry L. Higgins IV, 19, of Gary, initially were charged in connection with Peluyera's homicide. The charges against Dukes were rejected in 2019 for lack of probable cause, and prosecutors later withdrew them. Dukes initially cooperated with the state, but a judge sentenced him in 2021 to 30 days in jail for failing to comply with orders to participate in court proceedings in the case against Higgins. Higgins was sentenced in September to 28 years in prison and two on probation for killing Peluyera. Dukes pleaded guilty in the robbery of the Domino's driver during a court appearance Thursday with attorney John Cantrell. Lake County Deputy Prosecutor Jacob Brandewie said his office attempted to notify the delivery driver of the plea agreement but was unable to reach him. If Judge Natalie Bokota accepts Dukes' plea agreement, she would sentence him to two years in the Lake County Community Corrections alternative placement program. Bokota granted Cantrell's motion to order Dukes be transferred from Lake County Jail to Community Corrections ahead of his sentencing, which was scheduled for March 24. 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. CROWN POINT A Lake Criminal Court judge sentenced a 25-year-old woman Thursday to 20 1/2 years in prison for killing her boyfriend in 2019 by running him over with her vehicle. Briana D. Rice, of Hammond, made choices April 24, 2019, that affected her boyfriend's family, her own family and everyone the courtroom, Lake Criminal Court Judge Gina Jones said. Terrondy S. Jones, 25, of Hammond, died from multiple skull fractures, a broken leg and internal bleeding after he was struck in the 1700 block of East 135th Street in East Chicago, according to court records. Two eyewitnesses testified they saw Rice driving slowly alongside Jones as he walked and the two of them argued. Jones told Rice, "Go about your business, (expletive)." Testimony showed Jones was dragged by a vehicle and had bruise marks all over his body, the judge said. "He died a very painful death," she said. Jurors considered a murder charge against Rice during a trial in July, but they ultimately convicted her of voluntary manslaughter, domestic battery with a deadly weapon and leaving the scene of an accident causing death. Jones' family members told the judge he left behind a young son who needed him. Jones' cousin, Damien Cole, said it was difficult to accept that Jones was killed because he tried to walk away from an argument he was having with Rice. "Terrondy was taken away from us because he did the right thing," Cole said. "The horrendous result was a death that did not need to happen." Lake County Deputy Prosecutor Jessica Arnold said Rice didn't call 911 and didn't report Jones had been injured. Instead, Rice drove to a relative's home in Chicago and got rid of her vehicle, Arnold said. She returned hours later to give a statement to East Chicago police, but her vehicle was never recovered. "Today, she still blames Terrondy and is still not taking full responsibility for her actions," the deputy prosecutor said. Arnold asked for a 30-year sentence, the maximum for voluntary manslaughter. Defense attorney Scott King said a maximum sentence would be "totally inappropriate," partly because Rice had no criminal history. Rice truly believes she didn't intend for Jones to die, King said. Rice has a young daughter with whom she wants to reunite and already has served about three years in jail, he said. King recommended a sentence of 10 years, with all but time served to be suspended and completed on probation or in a work-release program. "Let her start the process of rebuilding the relationship with her child, rebuilding her life," King said. Rice said she regretted leaving the scene and should have called 911. However, she could not accept her conviction for voluntary manslaughter, she said. "I would never get so angry that I felt the need to take someone's life," Rice said. Rice told the judge she planned to appeal. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A long-planned sewer project intended to keep human waste out of Lake Michigan is at risk of being flushed down the toilet due to secretive, last-minute opposition bubbling up at the Indiana Statehouse. Officials in the LaPorte County town of Long Beach have been working since 2004 on a plan to replace the individual septic systems at the towns 1,200 residences by installing sewer pipes initially along Lake Shore Drive and eventually to the entire town and connecting to the Michigan City Sanitary District. The initiative took on new urgency in 2017 when rising lake levels began causing septic systems at homes along Lake Shore Drive to fail, and in some cases, to fall into the lake itself. That spurred the Indiana Department of Health to recommend a swift conversion to a sanitary sewer system for the 260 properties nearest the lakeshore to protect the drinking water used by millions of residents of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, and to preserve recreational uses of Lake Michigan. The LaPorte County Health Board that year also issued a moratorium on new septic systems at lake-adjacent Long Beach homes, forcing some Lake Shore Drive residents to regularly pump and dump their holding tanks by taking the waste elsewhere, records show. According to John Wall, a member of the Long Beach Town Council, the town partnered with the Michigan City Sanitary District in January 2020 to craft a $7 million to $8 million plan to extend sewer service to the 260 Lake Shore Drive-area residences. He said public hearings were held in September 2020 and November 2021, the issue repeatedly was discussed at town council meetings over the past two years, details are clearly posted on the towns website, and registered letters were sent to Lake Shore Drive homeowners letting them know the sewer project was in the works. There were numerous public opportunities for remonstrance and comment, Wall said. The town is trying to do the right thing. Its stewardship, its an environmental issue, its very sad to see whats going on up there in terms of the lake water with the pollution coming from these systems. Records show the Indiana Department of Environmental Management gave its approval for the project in September 2021. Requests for bids are slated to go out in March, NIPSCO is due to begin gas line relocation in April, and Wall said the goal is to complete the project by 2024. However, all that effort could be for naught if House Bill 1245 is enacted in its current form. The legislation, sponsored by state Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie, would allow homeowners in Long Beach, and across the state, with recently installed septic systems to opt-out of this kind of sewer project for up to 20 years hiking the costs for everyone else connecting to the sewer. The estimated per-residence cost of the Long Beach sewer connection, either with or without the opt-out option, was not specified during Thursdays meeting of the Indiana Senate Committee on Utilities. But Wall said if the measure becomes law, and a significant number of the 260 Lake Shore Drive homeowners opt-out, the sewer project will be dead in the water. The town also would be on the hook for some $400,000 in preliminary engineering expenses, he said. The primary advocate for the opt-out option is an organization known as Hoosiers for Action LLC that state records show was established Nov. 11 on behalf of an unnamed principal by South Bend attorney Matthew C. Deputy, a former staffer at the Indiana Republican Party and former finance director for U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Elkhart. Malika Butler, director of public affairs at the Taft law firm in Indianapolis, told the Senate panel the group, which she once erroneously referred to as Citizens for Action, is a coalition of private property owners with diverse geographic locations in the state of Indiana, including 10 Long Beach property owners. She insisted the measure is pro-consumer legislation that brings parity to public policy and sanitary operations by allowing homeowners with working septic systems to keep their septic systems and not be forced to connect to a sewer system at a considerable expense. Were not asking to kill the project," she said. "Were just asking for some time to pause, and lets leverage federal funding and think of way to treat this project equitably and fairly among all consumers. That argument appeared to resonate with state Sen. Chip Perfect, R-Lawrenceburg, who suggested the cost of the Long Beach sewer project should perhaps be spread across all the residents of Northwest Indiana since everyone will benefit from a cleaner Lake Michigan. In fact, a 2018 Indiana Supreme Court ruling confirmed Lake Michigan is owned by the state, up to the ordinary high-water mark on the shoreline, and is held in trust for the benefit of all Hoosiers, not solely Northwest Indiana residents. That decision stemmed from a lawsuit filed by residents of Long Beach's Lake Shore Drive who were seeking to claim private ownership of the beach along Lake Michigan, as well as the right to exclude the general public from "their" property. Pressel, meanwhile, described his legislation as a statewide consumer protection issue for septic system users, and not focused specifically on residents of Lake Shore Drive in Long Beach where home prices routinely reach seven digits. When I started down this path, in the House, I had no idea Long Beach was involved. This is about fairness across the board. This is about seeing everybody playing by the same rules, said Pressel, whose House district includes the city of LaPorte and points south. If Ive got a 2-year-old system and its working fine, and I can prove that by the inspection, should I have to connect at that point, or should I be able to get the life of my system back out of it? I would argue the consumer should at least be able to make the decision. In response, state Sen. Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, insisted its in everyones interest to get Long Beach homes off of septic systems because a system may be failing for a while and that might only be discovered when the property is sold and an inspection conducted. We do know public health is better served if we are weaning ourselves off of septic systems and connecting, Yoder said. Now were saying (to Long Beach), were going to pull that rug out from underneath you and were changing the rules, and that project will die. The Republican-controlled committee did not immediately act on Pressels legislation. Its expected to consider amendments to the proposal Feb. 24 before deciding whether to advance it to the full Senate for further review. 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. Whiteout conditions and slick roads resulted in multiple crashes Thursday as snow layered on Northwest Indiana. The snow piled up quickly, said Matt Holiner, chief meteorologist in the Midwest for Lee Enterprises. Snow accumulation totals are still being determined, with official totals coming Friday morning. However, as of Thursday evening, Michigan City reported 4 inches and Valparaiso reported 3 inches. Once the snowfall ends early Friday, totals are still expected to range from 4 to 7 inches, with the highest totals in Newton and Jasper counties and smaller amounts approaching Lake Michigan, Holiner said. As of Thursday night, Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton and Jasper counties were on a "travel watch," which means that conditions are threatening to the safety of the public, according to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. Under a travel watch, only essential travel for work or emergencies is advised. According to ISP, the majority of crashes were reported on southbound I-65 between mile markers 202 and 247. On Thursday afternoon, a multi-vehicle pile-up on southbound I-65 south of Lowell's exit 240 made the area of the crash impassible for hours, said Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield. As of Thursday night, only one lane was open in that area. Police were not immediately able to give details on the conditions of those involved in the crashes. "We are in no way encouraging travel on I-65 as the roadway hasn't been plowed due to the closure," troopers said in an announcement Thursday night. "In other words, Avoid I-65." Roads were not the only danger residents contended with, as sidewalks, stairs and ramps iced over in the cold. In one instance Thursday afternoon, Gary Mayor Jerome Prince happened upon a group of women heading to their vehicle at the Lake County Courthouse. Because the ramp had not been salted yet, Prince helped 79-year-old Annie Lark down the ramp in her wheelchair, while the other women in her group pulled the car up, to ensure she was able to navigate the walkway safely, said Janette Sanders. "Mayor Jerome Prince is not only the mayor of Gary, Indiana," Sanders said. "Hes a servant to all people, humble man, one who is always showing and doing a good deed. Im speechless." The National Weather Service's winter storm warning was in effect until 9 p.m. Thursday. Region residents were cautioned against traveling Thursday due to the reduced visibility with the snowfall and wind gusts of up to 40 mph. The last flurries were expected to leave the area by 3 a.m. Friday, according to Holiner. On Thursday, the main area of power outages in Northwest Indiana recorded was Hammond with 1,058 outages, according to NIPSCO. As of 7 p.m. power had been restored to Region customers. In addition, a flood watch is in effect for areas of the Kankakee River near I-65 until Saturday morning. A lake shore flood advisory also warns of large waves of up to 10 to 14 feet that could cause flooding, dangerous conditions at Lake Michigan's shores and shoreline erosion. Freezing spray could create ice accumulations on surfaces near the lake. Friday will be a clear, windy day with possible light flurries in the night. A cold front will bring temperatures Friday to the high 20-degree range. Saturday will also be a clear day in the low 20-degree range. Sunday is expected to have a significant warm up with temperatures in the low 40s with some gusty winds. To keep up on road conditions, the Indiana Department of Transportation updates its website at 511in.org with images from highway and snowplow cameras. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Bob Kasarda Porter/LaPorte County Courts and Social Justice Reporter Bob is a 23-year veteran of The Times. He covers county government and courts in Porter County, federal courts, police news and regional issues. He also created the Vegan in the Region blog, is an Indiana University grad and lifelong region resident. Follow Bob Kasarda 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 Northwest Indiana communities saw as much as 9 inches of accumulation after a winter storm left another hefty coating of snow Thursday into early Friday. The majority of the Region's snow totals ranged from 5 to 7 inches, said Chief Meteorologist Matt Holiner, of Lee Enterprises. The highest totals recorded include 8 inches in Crown Point and Rensselaer. Newton County had the highest reported total with 9 inches of snow recorded as of Friday morning. The Region still isn't out of the woods yet when it comes to weather hazards. A winter weather advisory remains in effect until 9 a.m. Saturday for Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties. Friday afternoon is bringing a cold front with gusty winds and moderate snow showers are predicted from 8 p.m. to midnight. "Additional snow accumulation will be minimal," Holiner said. "The bigger concern is the wind. With gusts around 35 mph, all the fresh snow that's already on the ground will be blown around. Visibility will be reduced in spots and some roads could become snow covered again. Winds will slowly decrease after midnight, but it looks to stay breezy through the early afternoon Saturday." Holiner said individuals driving this evening should use caution and give extra traveling time, as well as be aware of snow-covered roads. Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield said the host of interstate crashes began at 1 p.m. Thursday and stretched into Friday afternoon. In this period, ISP responded to a total of 131 calls for crashes. Out of those crashes, 84 were for property damage, 37 were spin-offs and slide-offs and 10 were crashes with injuries. Fifield said no one was seriously or fatally injured. In addition, police responded to calls to assist citizens who ran out of gas on the interstates. Fifield said the hardest hit areas were on Interstate 65 from the 205 to 220 mile markers, south of the ISP Lowell Post. Northbound traffic along a stretch of Interstate 65 just south of the Region began to flow again Friday afternoon after crashes and jackknifed trucks closed it overnight, stranding motorists. "Some people were stuck overnight because we could not get to them due to jackknifed semis, visibility and other conditions," Fifield said. "We could get a large number of them to truck stops, hotels, gas stations really anywhere they could be inside and warm." Fifield said those stranded overnight were found unharmed when first responders came to their aid. Region residents awoke Friday morning to news that driving on the busy north-south highway remained treacherous as a result of the heavy snowfall and winds that moved through the area Thursday. Motorists were previously urged to avoid the highway, while closed northbound lanes in the area of Rensselaer made passage impossible. "It was a very challenging effort," Fifield said. "We had tow operators going nonstop until they reached a point of exhaustion and couldn't go on any longer. We reached out to an agency in Kokomo who came to help us and once some tow companies in northern Lake County heard we needed assistance, they came out. We are really thankful to all of them." Fifield said though warnings of hazardous travel conditions were announced ahead of time, not enough people heeded the warnings. "I think one thing that could have helped, was if folks listened when we told everyone to stay off of I-65," Fifield said. "Warnings were not heeded and people became stranded. We were met with blizzard conditions out there, and when we ask people to stay off the roads, we do it for real safety reasons." In winter weather events, Fifield encouraged motorists to stay updated on road conditions and to be sure to have a full tank of gas, blankets, food, beverages and other essential and emergency items in their vehicles if they must travel. A travel watch was lifted early Friday afternoon for Porter County, but an advisory remained in effect in Lake County and Newton County Friday night. Watches also remained in place for LaPorte, Jasper and Starke counties, according to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. An advisory "means that routine travel or activities may be restricted in areas because of a hazardous situation, and individuals should use caution or avoid those areas," the state said. A travel watch means that conditions are threatening to the safety of the public, IDHS said. "During a 'watch' local travel advisory, only essential travel, such as to and from work or in emergency situations, is recommended, and emergency action plans should be implemented by businesses, schools, government agencies, and other organizations," the state said. In addition, a flood watch is in effect for areas of the Kankakee River near I-65 until Saturday morning. A lake shore flood advisory also warns of large waves of up to 10 to 14 feet that could cause flooding, dangerous conditions at Lake Michigan's shores and shoreline erosion. Freezing spray could create ice accumulations on surfaces near the lake. Low temperatures will reach around 8 degrees Friday night with high temperatures only around 18 degrees Saturday, which is set to be a clear, sunny day. Sunday is expected to have a significant warm up with temperatures in the low 40s with some gusty winds. To keep up on road conditions, the Indiana Department of Transportation updates its website at 511in.org with images from highway and snowplow cameras. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 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. Bob Kasarda Porter/LaPorte County Courts and Social Justice Reporter Bob is a 23-year veteran of The Times. He covers county government and courts in Porter County, federal courts, police news and regional issues. He also created the Vegan in the Region blog, is an Indiana University grad and lifelong region resident. Follow Bob Kasarda 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 LOWELL Following a chase from Lowell to Newton County, officers confiscated suspected cocaine, suspected heroin and more than a dozen hypodermic needles from an SUV, police said. Many thanks to officers from both Lake and Newton Counties for their courageous efforts to end this situation safely," said Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. "I applaud the spirit of cooperation between law enforcement agencies. Just before 7 a.m. Tuesday Lake County Sheriff's police attempted to pull over an SUV for a traffic violation at East 181st Avenue and Colorado Street near Lowell, police said. The SUV did not stop and led chase west on 181st Avenue, where it continued south to Shelby, Indiana. During the pursuit, the suspect drove through the yard of a house near the area of Harrison Street and Shelby Road in Shelby. The suspect then drove into a utility pole off the roadway at Indiana 55 and County Line Road, but continued to drive on south in Newton County. The Newton County Sheriff's Department deployed tire deflation devices at Route 10 and U.S. 41, however the driver struck a civilian vehicle and nearly hit a Newton County officer standing outside of his vehicle. The civilian vehicle left the scene of the crash. The SUV hit the devices and came to a stop with deflated tires about one mile west of U.S. 41 and Route 10, in the outskirts of Schneider, Indiana. Officers confiscated suspected cocaine, suspected heroin and more than a dozen hypodermic needles from the vehicle, Martinez said. Police arrested a 25-year-old man from Momence, Illinois who had a felony warrant for a firearm violation out of Kankakee, Illinois, Martinez said. The man's name has not yet been released pending formal charges. Police questioned a 24-year-old woman in the vehicle but she was released. The man is currently in custody at Lake County Jail. 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. Record wind batters Britain on Friday, killing three people while causing massive power cuts, flight cancellations and school closures across the country. LONDON, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Seen as one of the worst storms in three decades, Eunice has brought record high wind to Britain Friday, killing three people while causing massive power cuts, flight cancellations and school closures across the country. A woman in her 30s in north London was killed when a tree fell onto her car, a man in his 20s died when his truck collided with a fallen tree in southern England, and a man in his 50s in northwestern England died due to flying debris, local media reported. Photo taken on Feb. 18, 2022 shows people clinging onto a tree during Storm Eunice in London, Britain. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua) Some 200,000 homes have been left without power in Britain as wind speed reached nearly 200 km per hour on the Isle of Wight, provisionally the highest one-off wind gust recorded in England, according to the Met Office. The Met Office had earlier issued a rare red weather warning for Eunice. An amber warning, meaning there is a potential danger to life, remains in place in parts of England and Wales after the top level warning was lifted. Photo taken on Feb. 18, 2022 shows waves breaking over the seawall during Storm Eunice at Newhaven, in Britain. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua) The British police and London Ambulance Service confirmed that several others had been taken to hospital after being hit by debris in separate incidents. London's O2 Arena, which hosts concerts and sporting events, was closed Friday after the storm ripped off sections of fabric from its roof. Around 1,000 people were evacuated and a concert scheduled Friday night has been cancelled. Photo taken on Feb. 18, 2022 shows roof of London's O2 Arena ripped off during Storm Eunice in London, Britain. (Xinhua/Li Ying) Hundreds of schools were closed in much of Wales and storm-affected areas of England, including in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Dorset and Bristol. The storm has also brought widespread travel disruption. All train services in Wales have been suspended on Friday and more than 400 flights from or within Britain have been cancelled. The Met Office said significant impacts from Storm Eunice would still be felt for the weekend across southern and central areas of Britain as the low-pressure system moved eastwards. Photo taken on Feb. 18, 2022 shows a fallen tree caused by Storm Eunice in London, Britain. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua) The British government held an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss the response to the storm. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the army was "on standby" to support those affected. Eunice is the second storm in a week to hit Britain after Storm Dudley battered parts of Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland, leaving thousands of homes without power. ST. JOHN Plans are still being finalized for a mixed-use development looking to call the southwest side of St. John home. The developers of the St. John Commons mixed-use development have attended Plan Commission meetings almost monthly for about a year. Commissioners were largely concerned about the housing density within the mixed-use planned unit development (PUD). The project would turn a 20-acre parcel of land at 10201 Calumet Ave. into a mix of retail, housing and office space. The St. John Plan Commission heard a revised plan from Nick Georgiou, senior project leader with SUMAC Architects, during a Wednesday night special meeting. Over the past 12 months St. John Commons has "evolved," dropping from about 36 housing units to 22, and now, opting for 13 cottage home lots instead of 10 duplex villa lots Georgiou said. Two retail buildings would sit on 25,000 square feet at the front of the development. The middle of St. John Commons includes 12,000 square feet of office space, topped by 10 condos, what Georgiou calls the "live-work" component. Behind the live-work area, the 13 cottage homes will replace the proposed 10 duplex villa lots. Two plots for single-family homes sit in a cul-de-sac on the south end of the property line. The 13 cottage home lots will be 60 feet wide. The project will cost about $18 million to $20 million, Georgiou estimated. The developer, Summer Winds Commercial, LLC, hopes to break ground in spring of 2022. The existing PUD will need to be amended before the Plan Commission can make a recommendation to the Town Council. In a study session immediately following the Plan Commission special meeting, commissioners heard a presentation for a Planet Fitness proposed for a vacant lot at the intersection of Earl Drive and 93rd Avenue, located near the Shops of Ravenwood Square. The proposed Planet Fitness would be 18,000 square feet. The commission also heard a presentation for the Streamside subdivision, which would bring 54 single-family homes to 37 1/2 acres of land at 12811 109th Ave. On Wednesday, the Plan Commission also approved a stack of 11 meeting minutes dating back to January of 2021. The approval comes after the Indiana Public Access Counselor released an opinion that the town violated both the Open Door Law and the Access to Public Records Act by not having a number of meeting minutes. As of Jan. 25, the town was missing Town Council and Redevelopment Commission minutes dating back to July 2021. Board of Zoning Appeals minutes dating back to April 2021, and Plan Commission minuting date all the way back to October 2020. The Open Door Law requires attendance, general information discussed and all votes taken be recorded after every public meeting. In a study session immediately following the Plan Commission special meeting, commissioners heard a presentation for a Planet Fitness proposed for a vacant lot at the intersection of Earl Drive and 93rd Avenue, located near the Shops of Ravenwood Square. The proposed Planet Fitness would be 18,000 square-feet. The commission also heard a presentation for the Streamside subdivision, which would bring 54 single family homes to 37.5 acres of land at 12811 109th Ave. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. PORTAGE The citys bond rating has dropped to B as Mayor Sue Lynch, the City Council and others in the city work diligently to resolve the dire straits inherited when she took office in 2020, Lynch said. The first two years of this administration have been challenging, to say the least, she said Thursday during her State of the City Address at a Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Woodland Park. We came into office with a mere $11,600 in our general fund and couldnt even meet payroll, she said. A heavy debt load, lack of transparency and other issues in the past were driving Portage toward becoming a distressed city, Lynch said. We are working hard to move our city onto stronger financial footing, but that takes time. Lynch credited Director of Community Development AJ Monroe for keeping the Redevelopment Commission focused on its goals and sticking to the budget. When she took office, the commission had just over $1 million in its bank account. That balance has grown to more than $7.5 million. Last year the RDC sold some 20 acres of property, which was helpful in getting us back on an even keel, she said. At the same time, the commission has provided funding for road projects and the purchase of the former Portage Little League fields. The commission and redevelopment department have been able to adhere to a budget by not wildly spending funds or by using the Redevelopment Commissions bank account as a city slush fund, Lynch said. Looking back to last year, Im amazed at what we have accomplished, despite the obstacles we have had to overcome, she said. Looking ahead, Lynch said the City Hall renovations are on schedule. The furniture delivery is delayed, however. When the project is finished, the City Council and other boards and commissions will finally have a permanent meeting space. They have been homeless for nearly seven years, since a previous administration turned the council chambers into office space, she said. Even better, the addition of an elevator will mean City Hall is finally fully ADA-compliant, Lynch said. No one will be excluded from participating in their citys governmental process or from accessing any services. Two major road construction projects will begin this year Central Avenue west, which will include a new bridge and realign the sharp curve at Willowdale, and the Willowcreek/Crisman bypass. The Central Avenue project is expected to take two years, so plan your detour so you can avoid getting caught in a traffic jam, she advised. Another major project this year is the sanitary sewer interceptor project. The city is paying about $470,000 of the $1.65 million project, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers paying about $1.25 million of the cost. The pipe is approximately 50 years old and has recently been found to have inflow infiltration meaning water from the outside is seeping into the pipe, causing excess flow being carried to the plant, Lynch said. The interior of the interceptor pipe, which runs from U.S. 6 to the treatment plant just south of U.S. 20, will be coated to plug the leaks. I felt it was important to let you know that despite our financial woes, and while we have been in a sleepy COVID state for two years, we continue to work hard to keep our city moving forward in a positive direction, she said. 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. In speeches, he favors the nation and the people over the ummah, or community of believers, a term preferred by Irans clerics, who constantly guard against any revival of pre-Islamic nationalism. He has also said he is ready for talks with the United States, something other Iranian leaders strongly oppose under current circumstances. Mr. Ahmadinejad regularly brings up the topic of corruption by other officials, and he hints that they have accumulated wealth and power because of their positions. Some of the relationships, which had been formed as a result of groupings and power-mongering pursuits in the country, have come to an end, and with the help of God will be purged from the revolution and the holy Islamic republic, he asserted recently. The president has also taken to using the slogan long live spring in his speeches, which some have interpreted as an allusion to the Arab Spring uprisings. This way of thinking and talking about Human Awakening is political mischief and dangerous, one newspaper wrote in an editorial. Mr. Ahmadinejads maneuvering is all about his legacy, experts say, an effort to preserve both his political power and his allies. In effect, the president has created a new current in Irans political establishment, said Reza Kaviani, an analyst at the Porsesh Institute, which is aligned with Irans former president,Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a moderate opponent of Mr. Ahmadinejad. He has organized himself, placed bureaucrats in key positions. He will outlive his two terms, and so will his friends. But how he will remain and at what costs is unclear for now. Mr. Ahmadinejads support of Mr. Mashaei, his spiritual mentor and the father-in-law of his son, is a particular stick in the eye for the conservatives, as well as a subtle appeal to more progressive Iranians. In messages filled with poetic language, Mr. Mashaei repeatedly propagates the importance of the nation of Iran over that of Islam. Leading ayatollahs and commanders say that Mr. Ahmadinejad has been bewitched by the tall, beardless 52-year old, whom they have called a Freemason, a foreign spy and a heretic. They accuse Mr. Mashaei of plotting to oust the generation of clerics who have ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and of promoting direct relations with God, instead of through clerical intermediaries. He and his allies, they say, are part of a deviant current. The American South has long laid claim to Country Captain. As found on tables from Charleston to Savannah, its a dish of chicken crisped then simmered with half-melted tomatoes and curry powder. It comes with toppings, decorous or wanton, as you wish: almonds and grated coconut for crunch, sweet-sour currants, nubs of bacon like a strafe of salt. The constant is a bed of Carolina rice, each grain fluffed and preening. But curry powder is no more native to the United States than tomatoes (which grew wild in the Andes before they were cultivated by the Mayans in Central America and may have ended up in the Carolinas via the Caribbean). It was a British shortcut to Indian flavors, a spice mix first commercially packaged and sold in the late 18th century, after the London-based East India Company seized control of much of the subcontinent, fielding a private army bigger than Britains. In The Raj at Table, the New Zealander food historian David Burton notes, The term country used to refer to anything of Indian, as opposed to British, origin. So the country captain of the recipes name wasnt some sleepy rural squire but most likely a commander, either of a ship plying the trade routes to and from India or of Indian troops pressed into British service. As for curry powder, it was just an approximation of the kind of spice blends that Indian cooks tailor to each dish, infinitely changeable, as the Canadian writer Naben Ruthnum puts it in Curry: Eating, Reading, and Race. An earlier version of Country Captain persists in Britain and India. Rohan Kamicheril, the founder and editor of Tiffin, a website devoted to the regional cuisines of India, and in nonpandemic times, a dapper supper-club host, grew up eating the dish in Bangalore. His mother follows the recipe of her mother, who was of Anglo-Indian descent. It has none of the soupy tomatoes of its American counterpart, no stew or gravy, nothing so thick as to constitute a sauce. All you need are the hot juices running from the chicken. In the years since whether they were working on Les Roches Rouges, a chic resort on the French Riviera, or Le Barn, a country getaway outside Paris the partners have become experts at sourcing vintage objects and fabricating furniture and lighting on behalf of hospitality clients. About a year ago, in the middle of the pandemic, they decided to produce more of their own objects and rebranded as Saint-Lazare, moving from the top of a building across from the Centre Pompidou into their ground-floor studio. We wanted the creative energy of a large space, where the team can experiment, prototype ideas, print their own artwork theres even a kiln for firing ceramics, Ricardou says. That dedication to experimentation and collaboration informs the design itself. There are no assigned seats, and virtually every corner is made for flexible, multipurpose use. At the center of the space is a white-tiled kitchen, where colleagues and clients can meet for coffee or chat with a chef who has come by to cook lunch. Lately, Saint-Lazare has been making wooden furniture a simple bench for the foot of a bed; a matching trestle upon which to fling clothes; boxy stools that adds touches of warmth and life. But as with any good design, the idea is that none of this not the objects nor the place in which theyre dreamed up feels designed per se. The goal, says Larroumet, is to create only things that have a purpose, that are true to their function and that are timeless. Photo assistant: Michael Campi Pointing to the new normal of Europe in the face of Russian military provocations, the secretary-general of NATO said on Wednesday the alliance was drawing up plans for new combat units in central and southeastern Europe, while Britain said it was doubling the size of its NATO deployment in Estonia. We do not know what will happen in Ukraine, the secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, said. But the situation has already demonstrated that we face a crisis in European security. Moscow has made it clear that it is prepared to contest the fundamental principles that have underpinned our security for decades, and to do so by using force. I regret to say that this is the new normal in Europe. NATO defense ministers directed the military commanders to make plans for new combat units to step up the military alliances presence in member nations near Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, Mr. Stoltenberg said. The ministers decided to develop options to further strengthen NATOs deterrence and defense, including to consider establishing new NATO battle groups in central and eastern and southeastern Europe, Mr. Stoltenberg said at a news conference. Ukraine has sought for weeks to tamp down the language regarding the peril the country finds itself in as Russia amasses forces to its north, south and east. At the same time, the armed forces have been actively preparing to defend the nation. President Volodymyr Zelensky attended military exercises on Wednesday at a base near Rivne, about 60 miles from the Belarus border. In the years since Harper Lees death in 2016, her 1960 novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, has been reimagined in surprising new ways. It was released as a graphic novel in 2018, and adapted into a hit Broadway production by the screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. Now, after a yearslong legal battle, the path has been cleared for another major adaptation: a film remake or sequel. No plans have been announced, or are even being contemplated, according to the successors and heirs of the makers of the original 1962 film adaptation starring Gregory Peck. But unsealed documents filed in an Alabama federal court reveal how those successors and heirs successfully fought Lees estate to preserve the right to make any sequel or derivative movie, which they argued had been originally granted by Lee in 1961 and reaffirmed by her in 2008. Shelling on Ukraine border raises fear A spike in shelling is heightening fears that Russia may claim a pretext to invade Ukraine. Residents near Ukraines front line scrambled into basements for cover as exchanges of artillery fire with the separatist forces reached their most intense level in months. The Ukrainian military said shelling there damaged a kindergarten and wounded three adult civilians. Perhaps most worrisome, Russian-backed separatists claimed that they had come under fire from the Ukrainians precisely the sort of incident Western officials have warned that Russia might try to use to justify military action. President Biden warned that the threat of an attack remained very high. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the U.N. that Russias ground and air forces were preparing to launch an attack against Ukraine in the coming days. The talks: Russia repeated its threat of unspecified military-technical measures unless its security demands in Eastern Europe were met. But the Kremlin sounded positive notes about diplomacy. UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The last UN staff member detained by authorities in Ethiopia is now free, a UN spokesman said on Friday. "This is an issue that the deputy secretary-general (Amina Mohammed) brought to the attention of the Ethiopian leadership during her travels there recently," said Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Mohammed returned last week from a five-day visit to Ethiopia. Dujarric did not give any details on the identity of the released staffer except that the staffer is an Ethiopian national. Asked whether the staffer and the other two who were released days earlier were Tigrayans, Dujarric said the United Nations does not keep data on ethnicity. "For us, they were Ethiopians who were working for the United Nations," he said. Challenges for the humanitarian community remain in trying to help victims of the conflict in northern Ethiopia, said the spokesman. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and UN humanitarian partners are working with Ethiopian authorities to provide emergency aid to thousands of Eritrean refugees who recently fled a refugee camp in the northern Afar region in Ethiopia due to fighting, Dujarric said. At least five refugees were killed in the recent raids, and several women were kidnapped. "Refugees who trekked the long distance to the regional capital in Semera told the UNHCR that armed men stole their belongings and occupied their homes," he said. "With yet another refugee camp severely impacted, the UNHCR remains extremely worried about the safety and well-being of thousands of Eritrean refugees caught up in the conflict." What makes Ming watches so popular? I think their aesthetic is unique in the industry, Kathleen McGivney, chief executive of RedBar Group, the largest global watch collector community by membership, wrote in an email. I also like their almost obsessive attention to detail. For example, the bracelet they offer universally fits on all Ming watches, which is a practical lug design element that would only be thought up by a true watch aficionado. There also are a few signatures in Mings minimalist designs, including the 12 oclock marker and flared lugs, and on some models the four-letter name is all but hidden as the 3 oclock marker. Ms. McGivney said she owns two Mings, the 17.01 and 17.09. The latter, released in 2021, is a 38-millimeter piece featuring a dial with a Clous de Paris, or hobnail, pattern and a laser-etched, lume-filled sapphire that makes skeletonized hands and indices glow in the dark. It sells for 1,950 Swiss francs; Mings most expensive model is more than 50,000 Swiss francs. There is not much in Mr. Theins background that would indicate a career in watch design. Born in Kuala Lumpur, he was a prodigy as a child and graduated from Oxfords Balliol College with a masters in physics at the age of 16. After spending some time in finance, he worked as a professional photographer from 2012 to 2019, including a period as chief strategist for the Swedish camera brand Hasselblad. He accepts only the occasional commission now, but he does do all of Mings watch photography. The race for attorney general was once expected to be a highly contested one, with as many as five candidates mounting campaigns after Ms. James announced her candidacy for governor. But they all dropped out in swift succession as soon as Ms. James abandoned that bid, clearing the field for her re-election. Even with no major opponent, Ms. James gained a torrent of not-so-surprising endorsements over the past few weeks, from organized labor, from lawmakers on Long Island and from most of the states Democratic congressional delegation. At the same time, rumors began to swirl that Mr. Cuomo was entertaining thoughts of running for attorney general against Ms. James, who he has incessantly blamed for his downfall. Ms. Jamess office oversaw an investigation that found that a slew of sexual harassment allegations against Mr. Cuomo were credible; he has denied the accusations. Their feud briefly spilled over onto the convention floor on Thursday, with the crowd applauding after Ms. James offered a passionate defense of the investigation. It has become clear the former governor will never accept any version of these events other than his own, Ms. James said during an 18-minute speech in a Midtown Manhattan hotel. And to achieve that he is now claiming the mantle of victim, disgracefully attacking anyone in his path, pushing others down in order to prop himself up, but I will not bow. I will not break. She sought to directly link Mr. Cuomo to the former president, whom Ms. James has repeatedly challenged in court as attorney general: I will not be bullied by him or Donald Trump. Indeed, the convention was replete with reminders of the dramatic upheaval that the New York political landscape has undergone in less than a year. A spokesman for the Bridgewater Police Department referred questions to the Somerset County Prosecutors Office, which did not respond to requests for comment. ZKyes mother said her son was at the mall with friends around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday when the white teenager started harassing one of ZKyes friends, who is in the seventh grade. ZKye defended his friend, she said, as other teenagers at the mall began recording the encounter with their phones. In the video, the white teenager, who is wearing a dark sweatshirt, jabs a finger near ZKyes face. ZKye pushes his hand away. Then the white teenager shoves ZKye in the chest with both hands. ZKye stumbles back. Then, both teens start throwing punches as the crowd around them backs away. The older teenager tackles ZKye onto a couch. More punches are thrown. The white teenager tackles ZKye and is above him when two uniformed officers, who appear to be white, arrive. The officers throw the white teenager toward the couch and one briefly stays with him as the other officer tackles ZKye to the floor and begins to handcuff him. The officer who was with the white teenager on the couch leaves him there to help restrain ZKye, both officers placing their knees on his back. The white teenager stands up and appears to take a few small steps toward the officers and ZKye. The video ends as one officer picks ZKye off the ground and the other walks over to the white teenager and puts a hand on his chest as if to guide him back to the couch. In his last months as mayor, Mr. de Blasio had restarted the program after a pandemic pause, but it was rolling out slowly. So far, the service has resumed in just seven community-board districts: four in Brooklyn, one in the Bronx and two in Manhattan. Under Mr. Adamss proposal, service there will continue, but only there, for now. The move is the latest snag for a program that climate experts say is one of the easiest ways to reduce New Yorks planet-warming emissions, in an area where successive mayors have sought to position the city as a leader. It comes just weeks after Rohit Aggarwala, Mr. Adamss new chief climate officer, pledged that climate impact would be taken into account in every city decision. Organic waste makes up 34 percent of the citys residential garbage. Composting keeps it out of landfills, where it emits methane, a greenhouse gas that is far more potent than carbon dioxide. And just as important for a city with a growing rat problem, advocates say, separating food scraps and other organic waste into plastic bins reduces the attractiveness of the citys garbage to rodents. The consequences of not equitably expanding the organics program are more rats ripping open our trash bags and thus more litter on our streets, Sandy Nurse, a City Council member from Brooklyn who heads the sanitation committee, said in a statement. She called the cuts a missed opportunity to address the climate crisis that would cost the city more in the long run. But on Thursday, Mr. Adams said the program was broken, with participation too low to justify the diesel fuel emissions and cost of sending trucks to areas where only 10 percent of residents are putting out compost. AUSTIN, Texas A Texas district attorney said on Thursday it was very likely that several Austin police officers would be indicted on criminal charges for their treatment of protesters who were denouncing police violence and racial injustice after George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis law enforcement in 2020. Grand juries meet in secret, and many details of the investigation by Travis County have not yet been publicly released. But District Attorney Jose Garza said at a news conference that a special grand jury had concluded its work, and Joseph Chacon, the citys police chief, separately declared that he was extremely disappointed in the news that charges against his officers were forthcoming. Ken Casaday, president of the Austin Police Association, said several lawyers representing officers told the union that 19 officers had been indicted. The discussion of charges could begin to rekindle divisions that gripped the state capital during days of violent confrontations. Several protesters were injured as officers armed with less-lethal weapons, such as rubber bullets and beanbag rounds, confronted large crowds that intermittently blocked traffic on Interstate 35 through downtown Austin. At the C.I.A. meeting, Mr. Sussmann shared concerns about data that suggested that someone using a Russian-made smartphone may have been connecting to networks at Trump Tower and the White House, among other places. Mr. Sussmann had obtained that information from Mr. Joffe. The court filing also stated that Mr. Joffes company, Neustar, had helped maintain internet-related servers for the White House, and accused Mr. Joffe whom Mr. Durham has not charged with any crime and his associates of having exploited this arrangement by mining certain records to gather derogatory information about Mr. Trump. In the fall, The New York Times had reported on Mr. Sussmanns C.I.A. meeting and the concerns he had relayed about the data suggesting the presence of Russian-made YotaPhones smartphones that are rarely seen in the United States in proximity to Mr. Trump and in the White House. But over the weekend, the conservative news media treated those sentences in Mr. Durhams filing as a new revelation while significantly embellishing what it had said. Mr. Durham, some outlets inaccurately reported, had said he had discovered that the Clinton campaign had paid Mr. Joffes company to spy on Mr. Trump. But the campaign had not paid his company, and the filing did not say so. Some outlets also quoted Mr. Durhams filing as using the word infiltrate, a word it did not contain. Most important, the coverage about purported spying on the Trump White House was premised on the idea that the White House network data involved came from when Mr. Trump was president. But Mr. Durhams filing did not say when it was from. Lawyers for a Georgia Institute of Technology data scientist who helped analyze the Yota data said on Monday that the data came from the Obama presidency. Mr. Sussmanns lawyers said the same in a filing on Monday night complaining about Mr. Durhams conduct. Mr. Durham did not directly address that basic factual dispute. But his explanation for why he included the information about the matter in the earlier filing implicitly confirmed that Mr. Sussmann had conveyed concerns about White House data that came from before Mr. Trump was president. MUNICH President Biden and his top aides acknowledge they are risking American credibility as they constantly renew the alarm that Russia is only several days away from triggering an unprovoked land war in Europe that could kill tens of thousands of Ukrainians in its opening hours, and plunge the world back into something resembling the Cold War. But Mr. Bidens aides say they are willing to take that risk. They would rather be accused of hyperbole and fearmongering than be proven right, they say, if thats what it takes to deter Russian President Vladimir V. Putin from pursuing an invasion that they worry will not stop at Ukraines borders. If Russia doesnt invade Ukraine, then we will be relieved that Russia changed course and proved our predictions wrong, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said at the United Nations Security Council on Thursday morning, in a speech that Mr. Biden had asked him to give only hours before. That would be a far better outcome than the course we are currently on. And we will gladly accept any criticism that anyone directs at us. I am here today not to start a war, but to prevent one, he declared, an oblique reference to Colin L. Powells famous but false case, also made to the United Nations, about why the United States and its allies had to disarm Saddam Hussein. WASHINGTON Representative Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican leader, on Thursday endorsed Representative Liz Cheneys G.O.P. rival for Wyomings sole congressional seat, taking the unusual step of intervening in a party primary to oust a onetime ally who has become the prime political target of former President Donald J. Trump. Mr. McCarthy said he was backing Harriet Hageman, a pro-Trump candidate who has repeated the former presidents false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, in a race that has become a prominent test for the Republican Party. I look forward to welcoming Harriet to a Republican majority next Congress, where together, we will hold the Biden administration accountable and deliver much-needed solutions for the American people, Mr. McCarthy said in a statement. The most successful representatives in Congress focus on the needs of their constituents. It was an extraordinary move for a leader who is aiming to become speaker of the House if his party wins control of Congress in Novembers midterm congressional elections, and has worked to toe a fine line between his far right flank and more mainstream conservatives. DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Two miners have been killed by a dynamite explosion in Tanzania's northern region of Mara, an official said on Thursday. Farida Nchagwa, a councilor for Kenyamanyori ward in Inchage division in Mara region, told a meeting of councilors that the duo was killed by the explosion while they were underground mining gold on Wednesday. Nchagwa said the victims were aged 20 and 21 years, appealing to relevant authorities to conduct regular inspections in mining pits to avoid further disasters. She said ongoing rains have affected mining activities, especially for small-scale miners who are using crude mining facilities. Innocent Kweka, a medical officer for Tarime district government hospital, said bodies of the victims were mutilated beyond recognition. Agencies need certainty, the businesses that rely on government for contracts need certainty, and our men and women who are serving in the military need certainty, said Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire. It is also likely that many or all longtime policy provisions, like the Hyde Amendment, which bans federal funding for most abortions, would be kept in some form in any such package. Republicans had also warned that those conditions known as policy riders would need to be maintained to ensure that enough of their party would back the legislation. Because the spending package is one of the few remaining measures that must pass before the end of this Congress, rank-and-file lawmakers are likely to try to attach additional legislation, potentially upending a final deal. Once you start a vehicle moving, a lot of people want to ride on it, said Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, the top Republican on the Appropriations Committee. Among the most obvious candidates is an emergency pandemic aid package, although the White House has not yet made a formal request. The Biden administration told key congressional officials on Tuesday that it could need as much as an additional $30 billion in coronavirus response funds, including to improve testing and vaccinations across the country. Several Republicans have signaled a reluctance to support more pandemic spending after Democrats muscled through a $1.9 trillion pandemic aid package in March over their unanimous opposition. In an informal briefing with key congressional officials on Tuesday, Biden administration officials floated an additional $17.9 billion for vaccines and therapeutics, $4.9 billion for diagnostics and additional money to counter future variants, according to one official briefed on the details, who was not authorized to speak publicly and described the session on the condition of anonymity. They havent sent us a relief package yet, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, said on Tuesday. But obviously, were going to have to do something. [Follow our live coverage of the Ottawa Protests.] OTTAWA After weeks of protests that have paralyzed parts of Canada and seized global attention, police forces mobilized on Thursday in and around Ottawa, scene of the last major blockade, warning that a crackdown was imminent and threatening demonstrators with an array of legal penalties. Tension built throughout the day as the authorities issued a stream of warnings, saying that once they move in to clear the streets of the capital city, the protesters face arrest, seizure of their vehicles, loss of any pets in their trucks and cars, revocation of their drivers licenses, fines and up to five years in prison if they bring children to an unlawful demonstration. Weve been bolstering our resources, developing clear plans and preparing to take action. The action is imminent, Ottawas interim police chief, Steve Bell, said in an afternoon news conference. He said the police had created a perimeter with about 100 checkpoints to keep any newcomers from joining the protests in the downtown area around Parliament Hill. After declaring the downtown a secure zone closed to outsiders, police officials also closed all exits leading to the city center on the Trans-Canada Highway, which is Ottawas crosstown expressway. By Thursday evening, there was widespread gridlock through several neighborhoods in the inner parts of the city. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia this week repeated his false claim that Ukraine was carrying out a genocide against Russian speakers in the countrys east, while the Russian authorities announced an investigation into supposed mass graves of Russian-speaking victims of Ukrainian forces. And on Thursday, the Kremlins spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, offered an ominous assessment. The excessive concentration of Ukrainian forces near the contact line, together with possible provocations, can pose terrible danger, he said. Mr. Blinken told the Security Council that Moscow appeared to be setting the stage. Russia plans to manufacture a pretext for its attack, he said, citing a so-called terrorist bombing or a fake, even a real attack with chemical weapons. This could be a violent event that Russia will blame on Ukraine, he said, or an outrageous accusation that Russia will level against the Ukrainian government. If so, it would not be the first time. When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, it did so after claiming that Russian speakers there were threatened by the pro-Western revolution in Kyiv, which the Kremlin described as a fascist coup. And in 2008, Russia invaded Georgia after the Georgian Army moved into a Russian-backed separatist enclave there. The skirmishing in Eastern Europe between Ukrainian forces and Kremlin-backed separatists is longstanding, but Thursdays violence was the worst since a cease-fire was reached two years ago. The combatants exchanged not just shells but accusations. The Ukrainian military said three adult civilians had been wounded at the kindergarten, and on the other side, a Russian-backed separatist leader claimed Ukraine had launched mortar fire barbarically and cynically. OSIPOVICHI, Belarus Mocking the United States for spending billions on intelligence agencies that he said had wrongly predicted an attack on Ukraine, the autocratic leader of Belarus, Russias western neighbor and closest ally, said Thursday that joint military exercises now underway between the countries did not presage an invasion at least not now. Western officials have warned that the military maneuvers, known as Allied Resolve 2022 and described by NATO as the biggest deployment of Russian troops in Belarus since the end of the Cold War, could serve as cover for an assault on Ukraine, which shares a nearly 700-mile-long border with Belarus. There will be no invasion tomorrow, the Belarusian leader, Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, told reporters after watching artillery and warplanes from Belarus and Russia put on a noisy display of firepower at a desolate military training ground outside Osipovichi, a small town southeast of Minsk, the capital. The United States and its allies say the Russian threat remains high. Russia did not show off its most advanced warplanes or battle tanks. But Sukhoi fighter bombers and Mi-24 helicopter gunships still projected power, streaking over a snow-covered expanse of land now fast turning to mud far from ideal conditions for the land assault on Ukraine that American officials have been predicting for weeks. Sidney Miller II, who in 1976 founded the influential trade magazine Black Radio Exclusive after concluding that Black voices were not being sufficiently represented and respected in the music business, died on Jan. 20 in Arlington, Va. He was 89. His family said in a statement that the cause was complications of Covid-19. Mr. Miller began promoting music acts while he was a student at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, and he had worked in several capacities at Capitol Records when he decided to start the magazine. Although Black artists were having success on the mainstream pop charts at the time, music that appealed mostly to Black listeners and the radio stations that played it were not getting much attention. Black Radio Exclusive often known as BRE took a close look at the world of Black music, spotlighting artists, executives and radio stations. It also published its own singles charts and detailed lists of whose records were trending in which markets. At annual conferences that BRE sponsored, leaders in the Black music and radio worlds talked shop and awards were handed out to stations, disc jockeys and others. But America is certain theyre certain that Russia is still planning to invade. In fact, today the U.S. Secretary of State even said what Russia might do to justify an invasion is launch fake or even real chemical weapons at themselves and then blame it on Ukraine. Yeah, yeah, first of all, uh, spoilers, hello! TREVOR NOAH Secondly, can you imagine that, staging a chemical attack on yourself to justify your invasion? Thats pretty messed up, especially for the Russian soldiers who have to carry out the mission: [imitating Russian soldier] So we launch this on ourselves but this is fake, yes? [imitating another Russian soldier] Yeah, we will find out when bomb explodes. Mystery, excitement. TREVOR NOAH And you know, people, as erratic as the Russians actions might seem, you understand what theyre doing right now, right? Theyre playing chess. This is literally what chess is all about: [imitating chess player] Oh, Im moving forward. Im moving backwards. Im attacking. No, Im not. The horse is going this way, then it turns. This is what Russia is doing and the Russians love playing chess. Theyve been designed for this moment. Meanwhile, the rest of us, we dont play chess anymore. We love dumb games now. Were like, Uh, I need a five-letter word that ends in d-e. Plate? No. TREVOR NOAH China has done everything in its power to keep the virus outside its borders and protect its people almost. It has kept cases and deaths remarkably low through a zero-Covid strategy that has involved tracking and tracing every case, closed its borders and locked down cities of millions of people. It fostered domestic vaccines that allowed the country to carry out a massive inoculation effort. But two years into the pandemic, Chinas 1.4 billion people still dont have access to one of the most effective coronavirus vaccines the world has to offer. Those vaccines use the breakthrough mRNA technology that was developed and approved in the West, and they have been embraced by dozens of countries. The effectiveness of Chinese vaccines has been in doubt partly because they use a century-old method for inoculation. Last spring, the country said it would approve BioNTech, the German mRNA shot made in partnership with Pfizer. Months later, China said that it was also close to producing its own mRNA vaccine. Neither are available today. The Federal Reserve on Friday adopted a new set of ethics rules meant to prevent questionable financial market trading activity by top officials, a sweeping response to a scandal that has rocked the central bank since late last year. Fed officials traded in individual stocks, real estate securities and stock funds in 2020, a year in which the central bank rolled out a range of pandemic response programs that placed officials day-to-day decisions at the core of what happened in financial markets. Three high-ranking policymakers resigned earlier than they had planned after news of the trading broke last year and early in 2022. Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, acknowledged in the wake of the revelations that he and his colleagues were not happy with what had happened and said they would revamp the central banks ethics rules to prevent a similar situation in the future. The new rules, which were previewed in October, aim to fulfill that promise. They prevent senior officials from purchasing individual stocks or funds tracing business sectors, the Fed said, and they ban investments in individual bonds, cryptocurrencies, commodities or foreign currencies, among other securities. Oil prices slumped on Friday, falling more than 3 percent before recovering lost ground later in the day, as Western leaders sounded the alarm about an imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine. Markets are worried about the potential of a supply disruption from conflict in Ukraine since Russia produces about 10 million barrels of oil a day. But they are also reacting to reports that talks to revive a nuclear deal with Iran are making progress, a development that could bring tens of millions of barrels of oil to the market. On Wednesday, an Iranian negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani, tweeted: After weeks of intensive talks, we are closer than ever to an agreement; nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, though. Brent crude, the international benchmark, was trading at $92.92 a barrel, down 0.2 percent. West Texas Intermediate slipped 0.3 percent to $91.37. JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- As part of the collaboration between government and non-governmental organizations to increase vaccine uptake among young people, South African Health Minister Joe Phaahla on Friday launched the Youth Vaccination Program at Tshwane TVET College. As opposed to traditional speeches and formal launches with formal suits, the #KeReady Youth Vaccination Program opened with an open discussion between ministers and young students about vaccine benefits and ways to overcome vaccine hesitancy. "This is about the future, we need more ambassadors (young people) to spread the message of vaccines, the more we can defeat covid, the more we can have our lives back. COVID-19 has destroyed our lives," Phaahla said. Three junior doctors were also involved in the discussion aimed at breaking down myths and conspiracy theories that contribute to low vaccination rates among young people in South Africa. Vaccines do not cause sexual problems, and microchips are not included in vaccines, as the doctors told students and young people. It also emerged that South Africa has no deaths that have been linked to COVID-19 vaccines. In addition to Phaahla, the Minister for Higher Education and Training Lindiwe Zulu and representatives of a variety of establishments were present to encourage young people to get vaccinated. "If we can vaccinate more than 70 percent of young people, we can open up more. We want to defeat covid for today and tomorrow. The youth are the future of the country. The economy can't succeed without them," the minister noted. The movement came after a low vaccination rate among youth in the country. In contrast to the 40 percent of the adult population that has received vaccines, only 28.4 percent of 18 to 34-year-olds have received them. According to the health department, the population of youth between 18 and 34 years of age makes up the largest targeted group, but the least vaccinated group in the country, with fewer than 5 million out of 17.7 million individuals receiving this life-saving COVID-19 vaccines. While there has been a growing number of universities making vaccines mandatory for students to enter their campuses for the 2022 academic year, some student protests have erupted over these mandates. According to Buti Manamela, Higher Education deputy minister, the government has decided all universities should reopen but has set certain conditions for re-opening. "Twenty-eight percent is quite worrying. We need to still have as many young people as possible vaccinated. If you are vaccinated and you understand the message we are trying to spread, you'll be helping us," he said. The prospect of cyberattacks, on the other hand, is more worrisome. Government websites, state-owned banks and parts of the nations infrastructure have battled online invasions by hackers, believed by Ukrainians to be Russians, looking to disable computers and steal data. European and American companies in Ukraine see digital attacks as one of the major threats they must deal with and have moved to strengthen their cybersecurity, Ms. Derevyanko said. The IT Ukraine Association, which includes local and international tech companies, such as Sigma Software and the video game giant Ubisoft, said that the industrys presence in the country had grown steadily since Russias devastating invasion of Crimea in 2014. Companies in the tech industry, now worth $6.8 billion, have plans to ensure the security and safety of their employees in the event of emergencies as part of their business strategy, the association said in a statement. The Armed Forces of Ukraine have accumulated strength, gained combat experience and is ready to defend the country and its population, the statement continued. In turn, it said, tech companies response plans are aimed at protecting talent and their business processes continuity. More than 90 percent of the tech companies surveyed this month assessed the risk of an escalation of the conflict as low to medium, the association added, noting that none had prepared for a full relocation. These in-betweeners are slow-walk planning to arrive at the moment when they are not working anymore. Whats involved is a delicate jigsaw puzzle of decisions, nest egg bolstering and financial calculations. This transitory time also presents a meaningful time for reflection and short-term planning. Roughly 55 million Americans are 65 and older now, with those born at the peak of the baby boom hitting that milestone age this year. As a combination of the pandemic, job dislocation, inflation and higher medical costs continues to sting retirees, millions are staying in the work force while they transition to full retirement. Whether youve already chosen your quit date or are mulling your options, there are several issues to consider. Social Security Benefits The age at which you take Social Security is crucial for tax and investment portfolio planning, so run some numbers on benefits at various ages. The good news is that you wont be taxed with a Social Security earnings penalty if youre working and take benefits on or after age 66, which is, for most people, what the Social Security Administration calls the full retirement age. Of course, you can begin to draw benefits anytime after age 62, but the earlier you retire, the lower the monthly payment. The administration looks backward at your best earnings years and forward to the age youll be taking them to calculate your monthly check. While many financial advisers counsel their clients to wait as long as they can to pull the Social Security trigger, only a handful do. Some 5 percent of people surveyed last year by the asset manager Schroders said they took Social Security at 70, when the highest possible benefit is paid. That often leaves a gap to fill. Keep in mind that Social Security gets complicated when youre considering spousal benefits, which generally are as much as half of the other beneficiarys primary insurance amount, or the amount one would receive at full retirement age. You can apply for the spousal benefit beginning at 62, or you can wait to apply later for a higher benefit. Its also possible to draw a higher payment based on your own lifetime earnings record. Youll need to run some numbers to see how to best maximize payments. Divorced people, under certain circumstances, may also qualify for spousal benefits. Stocks fell again on Friday, capping another down week as continued concerns about a Russian invasion of Ukraine added to Wall Streets already-fragile sentiment. The S&P 500 fell 0.7 percent, bring its losses for the week to 1.6 percent. The Nasdaq composite fell 1.2 percent on Friday. The weeks selling came amid mixed messages about the situation in Ukraine. American officials said on Friday that Russia had amassed as many 190,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, raising concerns about an invasion that could hit the global energy supply and add to inflation. At the same time, President Bidens secretary of state, Antony J. Blinken, accepted an invitation to meet next week with the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov. With stock markets in the U.S. set to be closed on Monday for the Presidents Day holiday, the uncertainty gave investors a good reason to back away. For months, former President Donald J. Trump has promoted Truth Social, the soon-to-be-released flagship app of his fledging social media company, as a platform where free speech can thrive without the constraints imposed by Big Tech. At least seven other social media companies have promised to do the same. Gettr, a right-wing alternative to Twitter founded last year by a former adviser to Mr. Trump, bills itself as a haven from censorship. Thats similar to Parler essentially another Twitter clone backed by Rebekah Mercer, a big donor to the Republican Party. MeWe and CloutHub are similar to Facebook, but with the pitch that they promote speech without restraint. Truth Social was supposed to go live on Presidents Day, but the start date was recently pushed to March, though a limited test version was unveiled recently. A full rollout could be hampered by a regulatory investigation into a proposed merger of its parent company, the Trump Media & Technology Group, with a publicly traded blank-check company. (Reuters reported that the company still planned to have the app available for download from the Apple Store on Monday.) If and when it does open its doors, Mr. Trumps app will be the newest and most conspicuous entrant in the tightly packed universe of social media companies that have cropped up in recent years, promising to build a parallel internet after Twitter, Facebook, Google and other mainstream platforms began to crack down on hate speech. This is Clued In, a column that will give you insight into some of the New York Times Crossword clues and answers. Cocktail favored by Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City, five letters: COSMO. COSMO has been used in 51 New York Times crossword puzzles, according to XWordInfo. It has been clued several ways, including Pink drink, for short, Hearst mag founded in 1886 and Jerrys sitcom neighbor. COSMO first appeared as an entry in the New York Times Crossword in 1942 with the clue Given name of former archbishop of Canterbury. Most recently, it appeared in Mondays puzzle, constructed by Alan Siegel. Cosmopolitan cocktails, while simple, have been prevalent in pop culture for decades, making a statement in shows like Sex and the City in the 90s and generating buzz on Ina Gartens Instagram account more than 20 years later. With the release of the Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That and an increased interest in the early 2000s, the Cosmo is primed to make a comeback. Ina Gartens Cosmo was a big hit on social media at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. In April 2020, Ms. Garten made a Cosmo in a giant martini glass and posted a video of the process on Instagram. The video skyrocketed in popularity, eventually garnering more than 3.2 million views and generating buzz on both Instagram and Twitter. I think we all needed something fun and we needed permission to make a big cocktail, she said. I have to tell you the truth: I did not want to write you about chicken this week. (No offense to the chicken below, which is great.) I wanted to write to you about desserts, because earlier this week we published 24 Brilliant Baking Recipes to Change Your Kitchen Game, and because in the middle of February, I find it more enthralling to think about cake than weeknight cooking. But my boss, Sam Sifton, beat me to it in his newsletter today. So Ill just say you should look at this particular cake, which is called the Worlds Best Chocolate Cake for reason. Theres also a whole-lemon tart, Earl Grey sugar cookies, peanut butter miso cookies the list goes on. Theyll all be in print in Sundays New York Times. But we need to eat dinner, and Ive actually been cooking a ton lately. Let me know what youre making, or what youd like to see in coming newsletters: dearemily@nytimes.com. (And I promise Ill do a dessert edition soon.) Once the lamb was seared, I set aside the shanks and added the onions and leeks (as well as some finely diced carrots) to the pot as Alicia stirred. Her attention span doesnt allow for an hour of slow-stirring, so I had to deviate a bit from Jasons technique. That was OK. Despite what many recipes insist, onions need not be cooked until jamlike and sticky-sweet to make excellent soup. Ive been making Jacques Pepins Lyonnaise-style version for years, a recipe that calls for only 20 minutes of cooking on the stovetop. Part of the secret is that the soup is simmered once the stock is added, then transferred to crocks and baked uncovered in the oven, allowing the top layer of onion-rich broth to caramelize more deeply. As you eat it, those darker layers mix with the lighter broth underneath, adding sweetness and complexity to each bite. We took a similar tack with our stew: After just 20 minutes of sauteing, we added garlic and tomato paste to the onions (this adds body to the finished sauce), deglazed with red wine and stock (store-bought chicken stock, because I am not crazy enough to make roasted veal stock at home). Then, we nestled the lamb shanks back in the broth with a sprig of rosemary before transferring the pot to the oven with the lid cracked. Members of the billionaire Sackler family have sweetened their cash offer to settle thousands of opioid-related lawsuits against them and their company, Purdue Pharma, offering up to $6 billion, an increase of more than $1 billion from an earlier offer, according to a mediators report filed Friday afternoon in bankruptcy court. But the deal is not done. The Sacklers have not budged from the line they drew in the sand at the outset of the case. In exchange for their billions, they are continuing to demand an end to all civil claims against them related to Purdue and opioids, and that future such claims be prohibited. Legal experts and the public have criticized efforts by the Sackler family to seek personal protection from liability. It is a shield typically granted to companies seeking bankruptcy restructuring, as Purdue is, but rarely extended to owners who do not file for personal bankruptcy. Eight states and the District of Columbia refused to sign on to an earlier proposal because of the Sackler liability shields. The mediator, Judge Shelley Chapman, a federal bankruptcy judge, said in her report that a supermajority of those states had now agreed to the new offer. But holdouts remain and the deal is not yet done. Mel took a liking to me and the project, and he asked what else he could do to help. I asked him if he would sing a song. I would have it written for him, so all he had to do was go to the recording studio and perform it. He said, yeah, sure, and maybe even you and me, we can write something together, think up some ideas. A few weeks later he called me back and said, you know, Lisa, Ive been doing some writing, and I got something. Listen to this! He starts singing to me on the phone, and its the beginnings of the song. Then a few weeks later, hes got more. So he wrote the whole song. Its the nicest thing anyones ever done for me! Mel thinks Im nutty in the nicest way possible, but he believes in the project. And I wanted the music to match the era. I wanted it to feel like an old Hollywood movie. Does the Automat represent an American ideal in some ways, with its democratic approach? It really does. And its a window onto America over 100 years. It was such an important place for immigrants. As people came into New York, the Automat became part of their American story. It played a role in the Americanization process, because it was an incredible environment: it had incredible food, it was cheap, you didnt need to speak English, you could stay there a while. You could get freebie fare like ketchup soup, lemonade, water. And a place to stay warm. I think the Automat represents people coming together in the literal and metaphorical senses. LONDON When Ruth Paxton was 14, her father sneaked her into a movie theater in Scotland to see an anniversary rerelease of The Exorcist, the classic 1973 film about a possessed girl. He was really excited about us watching it, Paxton said recently, pointing out that the film had once been banned from home video release in Britain. But when we came out, I was, like, That was rubbish! It probably didnt feature enough blood for her taste, she added, laughing. Now, Paxton, 38, is trying to unsettle audiences with her own story of possession. Her debut feature, A Banquet, about a girl who refuses to eat, comes to U.S. theaters and on-demand services on Friday. Writing in The New York Times, Lena Wilson praised the films slow-burn magic and made it a Critics Pick. TUNIS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia has been selected as one of the first six African countries to receive the technology needed to produce their own mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccines under a scheme led by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Tunisian Health Ministry said Friday. Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa are the five other African countries to join the WHO scheme, the ministry said in a statement. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the decision on the sidelines of the sixth European Union-African Union (EU-AU) summit held in Brussels on Feb. 17-18, it added. In 2021, the WHO created the COVID-19 technology transfer hub for mRNA vaccines in the hope of increasing the production of vaccines in low- and middle-income countries. This World Alone Stream it on Hulu. A post-apocalyptic future in which advanced technology has somehow vanished is a common nightmare or perhaps, to a growing number of people, a fantasy. No more internet, no more electricity, no more cars: We are back to churning butter and reading well-worn classic novels. We may also be forced to kill a beloved pet so we can eat it, as happens to Sam (Belle Adams) and her pig in the first scene of Jordan Noels film. Sams mother (Carrie Walrond Hood) wants the sustenance, but also to teach her daughter to be tough enough to survive. When the younger woman sets off to find antibiotics for an emergency, she runs into the 18-year-old Dart (Laurie Roach), who is on the equivalent of the Amish rumspringa, except he has to survive on his own for 30 days. Dart lives in New Macedonia, a settlement with rather antiquated ideas about gender roles that clash with Sams quest for independence, leading to quietly intense conversations. To the Editor: Re Biden Rebuffs Trumps Effort to Shield Logs (front page, Feb. 17) and Facing Doubts About His Wealth, Trump Produces New Figures (front page, Feb. 17): Will the visitor logs from the Trump White House that the Jan. 6 committee seeks be an accurate record of visitors to the White House? It is hard to believe, with former President Donald Trump involved, that they could be anything other than purposely incomplete. Will Mr. Trumps actual wealth ever be determined, or will he continue to change his story? He seems to be contradicting himself every day now in an effort to confuse and obscure. As the walls are closing in on Donald Trump, he continues to do what has served him well his whole life compounding his lies with more lies and doing so with a straight face. It is obvious that he believes that morality is for wimps and laws never apply to him. History has shown us where men like Donald Trump can take us. We must press on with every effort to investigate this man so that never again will he be in any position where he can attempt to eviscerate democracy. That day reminded us that there is nothing more essential to the survival of a democracy than the orderly transfer of power, and there is nothing more essential to the orderly transfer of power than clear rules for effecting it. We should not depend on the fidelity and resolve of vice presidents to follow the intent of these rules; the law should be crystal clear on the parameters of the vice presidents powers and consistent with the very limited role set forth in the Constitution. Vice President Pences actions on Jan. 6 were heroic. But the peaceful transfer of power shouldnt require heroes. Much debate has focused recently on the casting of ballots. Much more attention must be paid to the counting and certifying of votes. Our democracy depends on it. To prevent the subversion of the electoral process, Congress must reform the Electoral Count Act. A bipartisan group of 16 senators is working to do that. The ambiguously phrased Electoral Count Act must be amended to make absolutely clear that a vice president cannot manipulate or ignore electoral votes as he or she presides over this joint session of Congress. But other flaws in the law must also be remedied. For instance, the laws threshold for triggering a challenge to the results of a state is far too low: Only one representative and one senator are required to object to a states electors. In the past, members on both sides of the aisle have challenged the vote without any real evidence of wrongdoing. Our group of senators shares a vision of drafting legislation to ensure the integrity of our elections and public confidence in the results. We want a bill that will be considered by committees, debated on the Senate floor, garner the support of the Senates two leaders and pass the Senate with 60 or more votes. The broader we cast our net, however, the more difficult it will be to achieve consensus. We have to be careful about expanding a reform bill to include provisions that go well beyond correcting the current law, strengthening election security and protecting poll workers from threats of violence. Relitigating bills that have already been rejected wont get us to the finish line. Our primary focus must be on avoiding another Jan. 6 by reforming the Electoral Count Act. That is the vital goal in itself, it is our duty to get it done, and it is a worthy mission that should not be derailed by good-faith but ultimately partisan provisions. We do not know if we will succeed, but we are trying to fix a serious problem. The senators working on this legislation have philosophical, regional and political differences. When we disagree, we attempt to persuade one another we cajole, haggle and even argue but we do so with an eye on a common goal. That is the way it is supposed to work in a democracy. Maybe we could refer to the process as legitimate political discourse. Every interaction that a person has with their government, whether thats a traffic stop or going to the D.M.V. or getting access to SNAP thats where democracy is happening, Elizabeth Linos, a behavioral economist at the University of California, Berkeley, told me. If we get all of those small interactions right, then we have created a society where the government is responsive to its citizens, and citizens trust that it will deliver when it says itll deliver. Mr. Bidens executive order notes that it is about both getting people what they need and proving that democracy still works. And yet its clear his administration has only partly learned its own lessons. Just look at its two approaches to free at-home Covid tests. All Americans can go to a Postal Service website, enter their addresses, and sign up in minutes to receive four free tests per household. But when a household runs out of its four free tests, its members have to wrangle with the other option the administration has set up. Insurers have been ordered to cover eight tests per month free. That of course leaves out the 27.4 million people without insurance. Even if you have it, if you dont buy the tests at your insurers preferred pharmacy you have to pay up front, hold on to your receipt and maybe even the test box, and submit a claim for reimbursement, then fight to get it processed. There are trade-offs, given which goals are prioritized. Is it most important to reduce the use of government resources? Is it most important to keep the supposedly undeserving from sneaking in? Or is the goal to ensure that as many people who are eligible get the benefits they deserve as soon as possible? It used to be that experts believed those who needed help the most would work the hardest to get it, overcoming any barriers thrown in their way. But that isnt true. Work requirements, for example, have mostly kept people off welfare and further impoverished them, and when briefly instituted in Arkansass Medicaid program, a work requirement kicked people off many of whom actually qualified without increasing how many worked. The pandemic gave us an opportunity to rethink whether or not all of those hurdles were necessary, Dr. Linos said. More people were made eligible for unemployment insurance. Stimulus checks were sent to most Americans with no strings attached. Rental assistance rules were loosened to get the money flowing faster. The organization Code for America has long been focused on how to make it easier for people to get the benefits theyre eligible for. So when Democrats expanded Child Tax Credit payments, it built a simple site for nonfilers to claim them. The site sought only information the I.R.S. wasnt able to get itself, like bank account details, and didnt require people to track down a bunch of documents. The questions were simplified. It was available in Spanish as well as English. Families were able to fill out the form in 10 to 15 minutes, and virtually all of them didnt need help. More than 115,000 households used the website to claim $438 million in less than three months, about a quarter of whom had never filed taxes before. Congratulations, road warrior. Last year you did business in five states in a week emails from airports, phone calls from taxis, videoconferences from hotel rooms, business meals here and there. Later, when you took vacation in yet another state, you flipped open your laptop now and then to check in with colleagues. Now the bad news: Depending on which states you went to, you may have to file tax returns in all six of them, even if your work there took mere minutes. Ridiculous, right? Thats what the law says, though. According to the Tax Foundation, there are 24 states that require people who did work in their states to file tax returns, no matter how briefly they worked or how little income they earned. (Examples are Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania.) In another five states, including California, theres also no time minimum, although there is an income threshold below which you dont have to file a return. Most states dont pursue short-time visitors for nickels and dimes because its not worth the effort. Youre unlikely to get a threatening letter from Nebraska because of that work phone call you made when you attended that wedding in Omaha. As written, though, the state laws make scofflaws of us all, says Jared Walczak, the vice president for state projects at the Tax Foundation. Horseshoe crabs are little armored vehicles with bright blue blood. For hundreds of millions of years, theyve been trundling along the ocean floor. In all that time, other mighty creatures have come and gone: dinosaurs, mammoths, terror birds, Neanderthals. The humble horseshoe crab has lived on, looking not that different these days from their forebears in the Mesozoic Era. I find their fossil record amazing, fantastic and brilliant, said Russell Bicknell, a paleontologist at the University of New England in Australia who studies the crabs evolution and development. I just love that with, realistically, such a tiny tool kit, theyve managed to do so much. But while the horseshoe crab may seem eternal, it has been pulled into the middle of a scientific controversy. In a paper published last week in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, Prashant Sharma, a professor of biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and his colleagues are challenging the idea that horseshoe crabs are on their own very particular and individual branch on the tree of life. Rather, they claim that the animals belong right in the middle of the family tree of the arachnids, the group that includes spiders and scorpions. If their analysis is correct, it throws the roots of the arachnids tree into question, and suggests arachnids have a stranger, more complicated evolutionary history than scientists realized. Jackson Thomas Blaisdell knew he wanted to marry Radha Jain two months after they started dating in late 2015. But any plans for a wedding became far less certain when the couple broke up about five years later. It was a very amicable breakup, Ms. Jain said of their decision to part ways in August 2020. Wed been dating since we were 19. Do we really know who we are if we dont know ourselves apart from each other? The two first met in an economics class at Stanford University, where Mr. Blaisdell, 26, was a year ahead of Ms. Jain, 25. After exchanging numbers at a party, they soon began dating. We pretty much just jumped right into it, said Mr. Blaisdell. In their free time, Mr. Blaisdell, who grew up nearby in Los Altos, Calif., and Ms. Jain, who grew up in London, spent much of the next few years camping and hiking in Californias national parks. They also made frequent trips to Koma Sushi in Palo Alto, Calif., a restaurant near campus where they had their first date in November 2015. On the night of the Primetime Emmy Awards in September 2017, James Pearse Connelly was nominated for outstanding production design for his work on two shows: Bill Nye Saves the World and The Voice. He did not win for either. But Walter Wachter likes to say that Mr. Connelly ultimately won something better. It was at the award ceremony, held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, where Mr. Connelly first met Mr. Wachter, a production manager of original series at Netflix. The two had a brief exchange after being introduced by Jonathan Mussman, Mr. Wachters boss at Netflix, whom Mr. Connelly also knew. Though their conversation was short, Mr. Wachter, dressed to stand out in white patent leather Oxford shoes and a matching white bow tie, made a lasting impression on Mr. Connelly, who had brought his mother as his date that evening. A few days later, Mr. Connelly sent a Facebook message to Mr. Mussman asking him about, as Mr. Connelly recalled, the cute guy with the white bow tie and white shoes. Mr. Mussman happened to be in a meeting with Mr. Wachter when the message came through, and he showed it to him. But what separates a food writer from someone who just happens to write about food? As with any compartmentalizing of genre, there is something in the title that implies a diminishment, as if today, as in ancient Greece, the act of eating were too frivolous to be worthy of serious meditation. Matro aimed for comedy in the excesses of his dinner-party verse, but the tone of Archestratos work isnt so clear, and he was disdained by later scholars for daring to imagine that, in compiling an index of culinary pleasures, he was laying the foundation of some science likely to improve human existence. Still, when contemporary food writers (and, I suppose, I am one) stray from celebrating flavors to probe the larger issues surrounding the parade of dishes to our tables exploitation of labor, abuse of animals, climate change, the homogenizing of cuisines and cultures under globalization, systemic injustices that allow millions of people to go hungry each year some readers complain. Food should not be political, they insist. Food is universal; food unites us. Let us have our cake in peace. OF COURSE, PEOPLE have always written about food. Our earliest surviving recipes were carved into tablets in Mesopotamia nearly 4,000 years ago; a text from the same millennium includes a spoof menu of seasonal dishes featuring ingredients like donkey haunch and the excrement of dogs and dust flies. (Scatological humor is evidently equally eternal.) The Greek historian Herodotus, in the fifth century B.C., minutely documented the foodways of barbarian (i.e., non-Greek) cultures, mostly from information that was obtained secondhand and sometimes fantastical he observes that the Persians pile on desserts, while the Scythians drink horse milk and prefer their food boiled and it remains a question whether this was intended to make these foreigners seem more alien, and thus inferior to the Greeks, or to show, through the common act of eating, how much people are the same. A literature dedicated to food, however, beyond manuals on the technicalities of cooking, is of more recent vintage. In Paris in the mid-18th century, there emerged the peculiar institution known today as the restaurant originally, the word signified the kind of restorative consomme served at such places which yielded, in the early 19th century, the first restaurant critic, Alexandre-Balthazar-Laurent Grimod de La Reyniere, who published culinary guidebooks and a monthly journal for which he convened friends to sit in judgment on the citys chefs. The epicure Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarins weighty The Physiology of Taste (1825) elevated eating to a discipline for historians and philosophers, a tradition furthered in the 20th century in the West by writers who made cookbooks meant to be read, not just followed, and who changed the way people and even entire nations ate and thought about food, from Elizabeth David and Claudia Roden in England to Edna Lewis and Madhur Jaffrey in the United States. Today, there is so much written about food, in so many forms and outlets, that it can be difficult to define as a coherent genre. In Kazakhstan, the internet was turned off by order of the authorities, he said. In Ukraine, we fear that the internet will be disabled by shelling. Control of the internet is increasingly part of any modern conflict. Recognizing that the web is vital for communications, economics and propaganda, authorities have used shutdowns more and more to stifle dissent and maintain power, in what is akin to holding energy sources, water or supply lines hostage. In 2020, there were at least 155 internet shutdowns across 29 countries, according to the latest annual report from Access Now, an international nonprofit group that monitors these events. From January to May 2021, at least 50 shutdowns were documented in 21 countries. They included in Yemen, where Saudi-led forces targeted the countrys telecom and internet infrastructure in the war there, according to Access Now. In November, Sudans leaders turned off the internet for nearly a month in response to protests. And in Burkina Faso, the government ordered telecom companies to turn off mobile internet networks for more than a week in November, citing national security concerns. The only way to be absolutely sure that nobody is getting online is to pull the plug on everything, said Doug Madory, director of internet analysis for Kentik, a telecom services company. CANBERRA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Australia's COVID-19 case numbers continued to rise on Friday when the local government of the capital announced a further easing of restrictions. Andrew Barr, the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), announced that from 6:00 p.m. local time on Friday all density limits that currently apply to restricted businesses and activities in the ACT will be lifted, as will a ban on dancing and requirements for patrons to be seated while eating and drinking in licensed venues. From Monday, elective surgery will resume at Calvary Public Hospital Bruce, with a gradual return to full capacity in the following days. Barr said while there would likely be an uptick in COVID-19 cases in winter, he was optimistic about the months ahead. "Our case numbers have steadied, and we are cautiously optimistic about the autumn period," he said in a statement. "While we recognize the situation could change if a new variant of concern emerges or there is a surge in cases, this step is designed to minimize the disruption of COVID-19 on our local businesses when it is safe to do so." Australia on Friday reported more than 20,000 new COVID-19 cases, including 561 in the ACT, and more than 30 deaths including 15 in New South Wales and 14 in Victoria. According to Department of Health data, there were 2,677 cases being treated in Australian hospitals on Thursday including 224 in intensive care, 90 of which were on ventilators. Israels policy is currently the closest to Switzerlands, but it is likely to change yet again. A second or third shot is only valid for six months, so under those rules someone who got their booster in December wouldnt be able to enter come June or July unless a fourth shot became available. But according to Tourist Israel, a tour provider which closely tracks the rules, the country is expected to waive time limits on boosters in March. (Exceptions are currently made for people who can show a certificate of recovery from Covid.) How do other types of vaccine expiration dates affect travelers? In some cases for example, in France and Estonia there are time limits on the validity of full vaccinations without a booster (nine months for France and a year for Estonia). Because these countries prohibit tourists from the United States and some other countries from visiting if they are not fully vaccinated, that means that a traveler who got their second Moderna shot before May 17 cant enter France unless they first get a booster. Having a booster makes things easier when it comes to timing constraints since these places treat boosters as a sort of expiration-free additional dose. Ireland and the Czech Republic treat anyone who got their second dose more than nine months ago as if they are unvaccinated. Croatia takes the same approach, but makes it more than a year. But their governments do not prohibit unvaccinated American tourists from entering. A traveler who got their second Moderna shot before May 17 could take a test or get a booster to enter these countries. Are there any countries that require being boosted for entry? Not currently. Austria, for example, does not consider someone fully vaccinated unless theyve had the booster. But travelers who do not meet that requirement can still enter the country by obtaining a negative result from a P.C.R. test. Why do countries impose these time limits? One reason, Ms. Bonga said, is to encourage people to get boosters. There is also some evidence that coronavirus vaccines stop providing as much protection as time goes on. What if different entities and sites are giving me conflicting information? This may happen. Getting the answer to Mr. Henrettas query about traveling to Switzerland, for example, was far from straightforward. The fact that the last shot of a vaccine timed out after 270 days was clear, but some sources could not agree on whether unvaccinated Americans could enter the country or not. A representative for the countrys information line for travelers suggested that they could; in that case, Mr. Henretta could simply provide a negative test result. Swiss International Air Lines initially offered the same answer on its site and by email. But the State Secretariat for Migration, two representatives from the Swiss tourism office, and the official Swiss entry tool took a different position: Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated American tourists could not enter. Eventually, a representative from Swiss International Air Lines clarified that although unvaccinated visitors from some countries can enter with a test, unvaccinated Americans cannot because the United States is currently classified as a high-risk country. In the end, almost everyone was finally in agreement: Mr. Henretta could not take his long booked flight unless a fourth shot becomes available or the rules change, which happen fairly frequently. The head of the California State University system, the largest four-year higher education system in the country, announced on Thursday that he was resigning, effective immediately. The chancellor, Joseph I. Castro, 55, did not give a specific reason for the decision, which came amid allegations that he had mishandled sexual harassment complaints against an administrator while he was the president of Fresno State University. I have been honored to serve the California State University for more than eight years, including as its eighth chancellor, and the decision to resign is the most difficult of my professional life, Dr. Castro said in a statement. While I disagree with many aspects of recent media reports and the ensuing commentary, it has become clear to me that resigning at this time is necessary so that the C.S.U. can maintain its focus squarely on its educational mission and the impactful work yet to be done, he added. Dr. Castro appeared to be referring to a USA Today investigation published on Feb. 3 that said he had repeatedly declined to discipline Frank R. Lamas, a former vice president for student affairs at Fresno State, despite complaints against him over six years involving sexual harassment, bullying and retaliation. A Marine Corps reservist who was charged with entering the Capitol during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021, is now accused of conspiring with a nurse to steal, forge and distribute hundreds of fraudulent coronavirus vaccination cards, prosecutors said on Thursday. The reservist, Jia Liu, 26, of Queens, N.Y., and the nurse, Steven Rodriguez, 27, of Long Beach, N.Y., plotted to distribute the fraudulent vaccination cards to people who were not vaccinated, including Marine reservists who were trying to evade the Pentagons vaccine requirement for members of the military, prosecutors said. Michael J. Driscoll, the assistant director in charge of the F.B.I.s New York field office, said the scheme resulted in more than 300 stolen or false vaccination cards circulating through the community as well as the destruction of multiple doses of the coronavirus vaccine. Mr. Liu and Mr. Rodriguez were arrested on Thursday morning and charged in an indictment with one count of conspiring to defraud the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and one count of conspiring to commit forgery, prosecutors said. NASHVILLE Not since Patsy Cline made it a country standard in 1961, perhaps, has I Fall to Pieces resonated so poignantly in Music City. Nashville has been represented by a single seat in the House of Representatives for as long as Tennessee has been a state. The seat has been held by a Democrat for 147 years. All that was blown up this month when Gov. Bill Lee signed into law new political maps approved by fellow Republicans in the state legislature. The maps dismembered Nashvilles solidly Democratic House district and scattered its remains among three new districts that stretch deep into Republican rural areas. Almost certainly, each of the next House members representing parts of Nashville will be a conservative Republican. To Democrats, the Nashville gerrymander is an especially egregious twist of the political knife by a rural-dominated Republican legislature that regards the big city with a mixture of disdain and envy. A federal judge in Washington ruled on Friday that three civil lawsuits against Donald J. Trump related to the attack on the Capitol last January were able to move forward, saying that the former president was not shielded by the normal protections of immunity or the First Amendment. The ruling by the judge, Amit P. Mehta, meant that the plaintiffs in the suits several members of Congress and police officers who served at the Capitol during the attack will likely be able to seek information from Mr. Trump about the specific role he played in fostering the chaos at the building on Jan. 6, 2021. If ultimately found liable, Mr. Trump could also be on the hook for financial damages. Judge Mehtas order capped a difficult week for Mr. Trump, one in which a judge in New York ruled that he had to answer questions from state investigators examining his company, the Trump Organization, for evidence of fraud. Officials at the National Archives also said that Mr. Trump had taken classified national security documents from the White House to his private club in Florida. The lawsuits, all of which were filed last year, accused Mr. Trump of overlapping charges of conspiring with several others people like his lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani, his son Donald Trump Jr. and extremist groups such as the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers militia to sow doubts about the 2020 election, culminating in the violent storming of the Capitol. Judge Mehta allowed the suits to go ahead against the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, but dismissed them against Mr. Giuliani and Mr. Trumps son. In June 2018, the archives learned from an article in Politico that textual presidential records were being torn up by former President Trump and that White House staff were attempting to tape them back together, the letter said. The letter added, referring to the National Archives and Records Administration: The White House Counsels Office indicated that they would address the matter. After the end of the Trump administration, NARA learned that additional paper records that had been torn up by former President Trump were included in the records transferred to us. Although White House staff during the Trump administration recovered and taped together some of the torn-up records, a number of other torn-up records that were transferred had not been reconstructed by the White House. In a statement on Friday night, Mr. Trump said the material had been turned over to the archives as part of an ordinary and routine process and suggested that efforts by Democrats to raise questions about his handling of the documents were a scam. The fake news is making it seem like me, as the president of the United States, was working in a filing room, he said. The confirmation by the archives that it had found classified information in the material could present the Justice Department with choices about how to proceed. It could open a criminal investigation into whether Mr. Trump and his aides mishandled classified information, as it did in Ms. Clintons case. Such an investigation would be highly complex, in part because, as president, Mr. Trump had the ability to easily declassify whatever information he wanted. He could argue that he declassified the materials he took with him before he left the White House. Regardless of whether the bureau opens a criminal investigation, it often conducts a review to determine whether any of the mishandled information exposed sources and methods, and could have damaged national security. The department could also choose to treat the matter as more routine. Senior U.S. officials often mistakenly mishandle classified information, for example by taking it home from work or accidentally using it or discussing it on unsecured channels. In many of those instances, the F.B.I. treats the matter like a spill that has to be cleaned up. Since December, Mrs. Trump has accelerated her efforts to raise or make money for herself and for charitable causes holding an online auction last month to sell a white hat she had worn at the White House during a visit by the French president in 2018, as part of what she called the Head of State Collection. She also recently announced plans to host what she called an exclusive high tea that she is calling Tulips & Topiaries, selling tickets for as much as $50,000 for V.I.P. table sponsors. The money raised from the event, scheduled to be held in Naples, Fla., in April, would be at least partly donated to a cause that supports children in or emerging from foster care, Mrs. Trump has said. The money, she told The New York Times in a statement this month, would be used to provide children within the foster community the ability to secure entry-level jobs within the technology sector, resembling the mission of the Holberton School. But the planned event in Florida has drawn questions from officials who are investigating whether Mrs. Trump complied with state law. Florida requires anyone soliciting charitable donations to register with the state, and officials there could not find a registration filed on behalf of Mrs. Trump or the programs she said she was raising money for, called Be Best and Fostering the Future. In the statement on Friday, Mrs. Trump said that she did not intend to create her own formal nonprofit organization, registered with Florida or the federal government. Instead, she said, the money raised at the April event would go to Gen Justice, an existing nonprofit also known as Generation Justice that uses legal action to try to improve the foster care system in the United States. Mrs. Trump also said she was working with a conservative nonprofit called the Bradley Impact Fund that had selected the foster-care related charities she intended to support. Both organizations are registered in Florida to raise charitable donations. A spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which oversees charitable giving in the state, declined to comment on Friday about the inquiry. Thats left no clear evidence linking progressive policies to these trends, but critics have been quick to make the connection, suggesting that prosecutors have let offenders walk and created an expectation that low-level offenses wont be charged. Those arguments have landed on voters and city leaders already grappling with a scourge of pandemic-related ills including mental health care needs and housing shortages, rising drug use, even traffic deaths. Last week, a Quinnipiac University poll of registered voters in New York City found that 74 percent of respondents considered crime a very serious problem the largest share since the survey began asking the question in 1999 and more than 20 percentage points greater than the previous high, which was recorded in January 2016. Politicians are heeding those concerns. In New York, Mr. Adams, a Democrat, has promised to crack down on crime, and his police commissioner, Keechant Sewell, slammed Mr. Braggs proposals as threatening the safety of police officers and the public. In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed has become an outspoken critic of Mr. Boudins approach, which emphasizes social services over policing. This is not working, Ms. Breed said recently on The New York Times podcast Sway. Weve added all these additional resources the street crisis response team, the ambassadors, the services, the buildings we purchase, the hotels we purchase, the resources. Weve added all these things to deal with food insecurity. All these things. Yet people are still being physically harmed and killed. The criticisms from two prominent Black mayors are particularly biting. In their liberal cities, the leaders nuanced complaints have far more influence with voters than familiar attacks from Republicans or police unions. Both mayors have argued that the minority communities that want racism rooted from the justice system also want more robust policing and prosecutions. President Biden, who was one of the architects of the tough-on-crime criminal justice overhaul of the 1990s, recently spoke highly of Mr. Adamss focus on crime prevention. Some prosecutors and their allies took that as a sign that the Democratic establishment is digging in on a centrist approach to criminal justice reform. Mr. Bidens comments came as the Democratic Party worried about retaining the support of moderate suburban voters in midterm elections this year. Many Democratic lawmakers and strategists believe that protest slogans like defund the police hurt the party in the 2020 elections particularly in Congressional swing districts and in Senate races. Republican candidates, eager to retake control of Congress in November, already have run advertisements casting Democrats as soft on crime. MARTINSBURG, W.Va. The wife of a Navy nuclear engineer pleaded guilty on Friday to taking part in a conspiracy to sell submarine secrets to a foreign country, bringing to a close an espionage case that mixed spycraft and politics with the travails of a suburban family. Four days after her husband, Jonathan Toebbe, pleaded guilty in the case under a deal with the government, Diana Toebbe, a high school teacher in Annapolis, Md., acknowledged her part in a scheme to sell nuclear reactor secrets her husband had taken from the Navy, and will face a sentence of not more than three years, according to the terms of her agreement with the government. Her plea was entered during a hearing at a federal courthouse in Martinsburg. In April 2020, the couple wrote to an undisclosed foreign government, which turned over the letter to the F.B.I. Investigators then set up a series of dead drops to ensnare Ms. Toebbe and Mr. Toebbe; he faces 12 to 17-and-a-half years in prison under the terms of his plea. In the court proceeding Friday, prosecutors outlined how Ms. Toebbe served as a lookout while her husband deposited information in a dead drop set up by the F.B.I. Ms. Toebbe said she knowingly and voluntarily joined a conspiracy with my husband, Jonathan Toebbe, to attempt to sell government secrets to a foreign nation. THE HAGUE, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Netherlands was not well prepared for a protracted, national health crisis, such as the COVID-19 outbreak, the Dutch Safety Board (OVV) concluded in a first sub-report on the pandemic. "The country's crisis structure and crisis communication proved to be inadequate," the board said in its report published on Wednesday. "People from all sectors involved in tackling the crisis worked hard and in difficult circumstances. But the effort put in by so many does not detract from the fact that improvements in the crisis approach are both possible and necessary," it said. The OVV is an independent organization that investigates specific incidents as well as broader safety issues and unsafe situations. This research report examined the Dutch preparations for a pandemic and the approach taken during the first six months of the crisis until September 2020. "The COVID-19 crisis touched people's lives throughout the world. Here, the health crisis spilled over into the biggest social crisis we have seen in decades," Jeroen Dijsselbloem, chairman of the OVV, told a press conference. "The Netherlands proved to be vulnerable. This was due to the structures the government had in place for the health sector and the crisis response: they fell short given the nature and scope of the crisis," he said. On Feb. 27, 2020, the first patient tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the Netherlands. In response, the government implemented a series of measures to tackle the crisis, mitigate the risks and develop new knowledge. The COVID-19 pandemic expanded to a crisis encompassing the whole of society, on a scale previously unprecedented in post-war Netherlands. According to the OVV, the lack of knowledge about the virus and the limitations of the testing policy in place in the investigated period meant that information on the spread of the virus and the effectiveness of the chosen approach was not sufficiently clear. In a letter included in the report, former Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport Hugo de Jonge opposed the claim that the Netherlands was not well prepared for a pandemic at the beginning of 2020. "Back then, the seriousness and impact of infectious diseases were indeed estimated on the basis of the scientific knowledge at the time," he wrote. The Dutch government based its decisions on the advice of the Outbreak Management Team (OMT). This was, according to the OVV, a conscious decision, but also meant that the Dutch focus during the first COVID-19 wave became overly fixated on the situation in the hospitals. "Little attention was paid to the other effects of a crisis that was having an unprecedented impact on nursing homes, education, cultural institutions, and small and medium-sized businesses, among other sectors," the report said. "These effects turned the health crisis into a wider social crisis. The Dutch Safety Board concludes that the government could have improved the effectiveness of its crisis response by making a greater effort to look further ahead and by seeking advice on a wider range of issues than the effects of the virus on acute care," it said. Two further sub-reports for the subsequent periods will follow and after that a parliamentary inquiry will start. WASHINGTON The Supreme Court agreed on Friday to decide whether the Biden administration can end a Trump-era immigration program that forces asylum seekers arriving at the southwestern border to await approval in Mexico. The court put the case on a fast track, scheduling arguments for April. A decision will probably arrive by the end of the courts current term in late June or early July. The challenged program, known commonly as Remain in Mexico and formally as the Migrant Protection Protocols, applies to people who left a third country and traveled through Mexico to reach the U.S. border. After the policy was put in place at the beginning of 2019, tens of thousands of people waited in unsanitary tent encampments for immigration hearings. There have been widespread reports of sexual assault, kidnapping and torture. Soon after he took office, President Biden sought to end the program. Texas and Missouri sued, saying they had been injured by the termination by having to provide government services like drivers licenses to immigrants allowed into the United States. Thousands of Texans have had their absentee ballot applications denied as a result of regulations put in place under the states new election law, a jump in rejections that could force many older and disabled voters to either vote in person or not at all in primary elections early next month. With a Friday deadline, election officials in the states most populous counties have rejected 10 percent or 12,000 of the absentee ballot applications received as of Thursday, according to voting data obtained by The New York Times. Officials said the rejection rate reflected a significant increase from past years, and most often because a voter failed to satisfy the new identification requirements. Its high, theres no question, Bruce Sherbet, the election administrator for Collin County, northeast of Dallas, said of the number of rejections. Mr. Sherbet said his county typically rejects a handful of applications. This year, that number was roughly 300. The Times tallied rejected applications in 12 of the 13 Texas counties with more than 400,000 residents. Bexar County, home to San Antonio, did not disclose its numbers. The total of rejected ballots could still change as applications were still arriving ahead of the Friday night deadline. The United States will increase coronavirus vaccine assistance to 11 African nations, officials said on Thursday, in an effort to prevent future variants and bolster inoculation efforts in the least vaccinated continent. Through the Initiative for Global Vaccine Access, or Global Vax, the Biden administration will provide intensive financial, technical and diplomatic support to African countries that have recently shown the capacity to hasten vaccine uptake, according to a statement from Rebecca Chalif, a spokeswoman for the United States Agency for International Development. The agency said it selected a group of countries in sub-Saharan Africa Angola, Eswatini, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Lesotho, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia based on the burden of Covid-19 on their populations, the capacity of their health systems, their readiness to quickly administer vaccine doses in the absence of supply constraints and their ability to effectively deploy additional U.S. investments. The agency had allocated $510 million to support global vaccination programs, and more than half of that funding will be allocated to the first group of African countries. The Global Vax initiative began in December to help countries, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa, to get more shots into more arms. Even as African countries have received more vaccines, many of them have struggled to distribute them because of a shortage of the ultracold chain freezers needed to keep doses from expiring and because of the difficulties in delivering them to remote towns and villages. Vaccine hesitancy and misinformation have also posed problems. KABUL, Afghanistan A young boy died on Friday after being trapped in a well for several days in southern Afghanistan, Taliban officials said, heralding a tragic end to a round-the-clock rescue effort led by officials at the highest levels of the countrys new government. The boy, Haidar Jan, who was thought to be 5, fell into a roughly 85-foot-deep well on Tuesday in a village near Qalat, the capital of Zabul Province. By Thursday, rescuers had sent cameras and ropes down the barely foot-wide borehole to no avail, in a scene reminiscent of an effort in Morocco this month. Around the time they discovered that Haidar was not moving, officials said, they began digging into the earth around the scene. Zabul officials, in coordination with Kabul officials and the Zabul municipality, worked for about 70 hours and used various tools and equipment to rescue the child, said Sharafat Wyar, the head of Zabuls information and culture department. When the child was rescued from the well, he was alive for a short time, but after awhile, he died. SEOUL South Korea, which is experiencing its largest Covid-19 wave yet, will set aside a 90-minute window just for voters with the coronavirus to cast their ballots at polling stations next month. The recent surge in coronavirus cases had raised questions about how the countrys tight presidential election would be held. Lawmakers agreed this week to reserve 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on March 9, Election Day, for voters with Covid. The rest of the electorate will vote from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Protecting everyones right to vote is paramount, Dr. Jung Jae-hun, a professor who is a Covid-19 policy adviser to the prime minister, said in an interview. Its entirely possible to do so while preventing outbreaks. The National Election Commission reported on Thursday that interest in voting in the upcoming election was at its highest since 2012, demonstrating that the surge in coronavirus infections might not dampen turnout. BRUSSELS Ulrike Franke is a self-confessed German millennial, a defense analyst who worries about her generations allergy to the military, especially as it moves into positions of power. After 30 years of peace, she wrote last year in a well-read essay, German millennials have a hard time adjusting to the world we are living in now. We struggle to think in terms of interests, we struggle with the concept of geopolitical power, and we struggle with military power being an element of geopolitical power. Russias massive and open military threat to Ukraine, she and others say, is now shaking a sense of complacency among young and old Europeans alike who have never known war, hot or cold. For some, at least, the moment is an awakening as the threat of war grows real. But just how far Europe is prepared to go in shifting from a world where peace and security were taken for granted remains to be seen. For decades Europeans have paid relatively little in money, lives or resources for their defense and paid even less attention, sheltering under an American nuclear umbrella left over from the Cold War. LONDON Strong winds battered parts of Britain and Northern Europe on Friday, as a severe storm led to the deaths of at least seven people in the region, damaged buildings and severely disrupted travel by air, land and sea. The storm, called Eunice, tore into roofs, flung debris through streets, wobbled planes in the skies and led the British authorities to issue a rare weather safety warning for London. Britains national weather service, the Meteorological Office, said a wind gust of 122 miles per hour was recorded on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England, which if confirmed would be the countrys highest ever. Severe weather warnings were also issued in Belgium and the Netherlands. Richard Miles, a spokesman for the Met Office, said the storm was going to be more significant than any since one in January 1990 that killed dozens of people in England. ATHENS Hundreds of people were rescued on Friday from a burning ferry near the Greek island of Corfu, according to a Greek Coast Guard spokesman, who said two passengers remained trapped in the ships garage and at least 11 were missing. The fire broke out early Friday morning on the deck of the ship, the Euroferry Olympia, which was bound for the Italian port of Brindisi, the Coast Guard said. Four Coast Guard ships, along with vessels of the Italian financial police, came to the ferrys aid after its captain made an emergency call. The ferry departed early Friday morning from the port of Igoumenitsa, in northwestern Greece, carrying 239 passengers and 51 crew members, as well as 153 commercial vehicles and 32 passenger vehicles. As fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine mount, President Biden is set to speak with global allies on Friday afternoon about Moscows buildup of military troops, in a continued effort to deter any hostile advances on its neighbor. While the American leader has said there is a path to a diplomatic resolution, Mr. Biden has also warned that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia could launch an invasion within several days. Washington and Moscow have been trading conflicting accounts over whether Russian forces are really pulling back from the Ukrainian border, with Russia insisting that it has no plans to invade and dismissing the American warnings as information terrorism. A heated exchange of artillery fire on Thursday between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces, the most intense in months, amplified the tensions. The separatists claimed on Thursday that they had come under fire from Ukrainians, the type of fighting that Western officials have warned Moscow might try to use to justify military action. The Ukrainian military said that shelling at a kindergarten had wounded three adult civilians. KYIV, Ukraine Pavlo Kaliuk, a freelance property broker in Ukraines capital, used to sell and rent properties to clients from the United States, France, Germany and Israel. Then in November, when Russia first began posting troops along the countrys border, the deals quickly dried up. In Kyiv, if you are talking about apartments which are medium level or higher, most deals are on pause because we are really not sure what will happen tomorrow, said Mr. Kaliuk, 34. Ukraine, which has been at war with Russia since 2014, is once again in a state of fearful suspended animation. The United States estimates that a combined 190,000 Russian troops and Moscow-backed secessionists are encircling the country and inside separatist-held territory as President Biden and other Western leaders warn that an invasion or attack could happen any day and leave tens of thousands of people wounded or killed. Without outright declaring war or taking action that would trigger the harsh sanctions promised by the West, Russias president, Vladimir V. Putin, has once again succeeded in destabilizing Ukraine and making clear that Russia could wreck the countrys economy. The evacuation announced last week of American, British and Canadian citizens has led to panic. Several international airlines have stopped flights into the country. Russian naval exercises in the Black Sea have exposed the vulnerability of Ukraines critical ports for commercial shipping. MOSCOW, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Kiev authorities have to hold dialogue with representatives from Donbas to restore peace in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a briefing following talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow on Friday. "The President of Belarus and I agreed that the key to restoring civil peace in Ukraine... is the implementation of the Minsk agreements," Putin said. "All Kiev needs to do is sit down at the negotiating table with representatives of Donbas and agree on political, military, economic and humanitarian measures to end the conflict," he added, pointing out that there were growing tensions in the region. Lukashenko in turn said that Belarus and Russia would work together on protecting their borders amid heightened tensions and increased weapon flows to Ukraine. "Conducting military exercises was our common decision, which was determined by the situation, and we are conducting the exercises as transparently as possible on our territory," Lukashenko said. Putin said Russia and Belarus agreed to continue taking all necessary collective measures to ensure the security of the two countries in light of the growing military activities of NATO countries along the external borders of both states. Eastern Ukraine, poor, remote and stuck in a grinding, eight-year-old war, is now looking increasingly like the flash point that could ignite a wider conflict. That fear was only reinforced by a video message from Russian separatists on Friday that warned without evidence of an impending Ukrainian military offensive and urged residents in the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic to evacuate to Russia. The video was denounced by Kyiv as a baseless provocation. Western governments have issued warnings on virtually a daily basis of the risks of a Russian invasion, after the Kremlin massed troops near Ukraines borders and demanded sweeping security concessions from NATO and the United States, which were largely rejected. Russian officials say they have no plans to invade but have not slowed the massing of what Western officials say are as many as 190,000 troops around Ukraines borders. U.S. officials said they were keeping a close watch on the violence in eastern Ukraine, out of concern that Russia could use the escalation and the danger it poses to ethnic Russians and other civilians as a pretext to invade. Russian officials present a starkly different view of the fighting in the east. Russias foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, said on Friday that Moscow was concerned about a sharp increase in shelling in eastern Ukraine, which he blamed on the Ukrainian forces. In most years, the Munich Security Conference has focused on crises far away, like those in Afghanistan or Iraq. But for this years gathering, which begins Friday, the topic will be Europe itself, as one of its largest nations faces a potentially catastrophic invasion. Our world is in danger, Wolfgang Ischinger, the gatherings chairman, wrote in a note before the talks. Traditional certainties are crumbling, threats and vulnerabilities are multiplying, and the rules-based order is increasingly under attack. The need for dialogue has never been greater. Here are key things to know as it gets underway. What is the conference? The gathering, ordinarily a quiet affair in a sedate Bavarian city, brings together heads of state, diplomats and business leaders from the worlds leading democracies for three days of meetings and presentations. This years event kicks off as Russia appears to be preparing for a military incursion into Ukraine, a nation on Europes eastern edge. Hope springs eternal for Japans Reconstruction Agency, which is running a sponsored content campaign in the Financial Times, to attract travelers to its Fukushima Prefecture, which in 2011 suffered the biggest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. RA wants to lure travelers who are ready to hit the road as COVID-19 fades and are thirsting for new destinations. The Agency puts all its cards on the table, acknowledging that Fukushima has been greatly affected by the accident at TEPCOs Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. It seeks to entice visitors by stating, After suffering a triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident in March 2011, the region has been recovering at a remarkable speed. Beyond the stricken nuclear complex, the region features magnificent landscape, wildlife, ponds, lakes and resort hotels. The RA website has a Lets Learn About Radiation section that says normal life exists in 97.6 percent of the region. Radiation is only high in the sealed off difficult-to-return zones. The marketing push uses the tagline: Isnt that image getting old? Its time to update Fukushima in your mind. I think I'll stick with a trip to the Catskills. Japans Nikkei Inc. owns the FT. The military fat cats get fatter. The US State Dept. on Feb. 18 fast-tracked the approval of the $6B sale of 250 Abrams tanks to Poland, in light of the potential Russian invasion of Ukraine. General Dynamics CEO Phebe Novakovic on Oct. 27, 2021 predicted US approval for the deal could take up to two years. Her firm is one of Americas Top 5 military contractors, a group that includes Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and Boeing. The Pentagon has warned that consolidation of the military-industrial complex is jacking up prices for weapons systems. It released a report on Feb. 15 calling for tougher oversight of defense company mergers and called for more small businesses to bid on contracts. Thats easier said than done because there just arent that many contractors with the financial clout to compete with the big guys as an acquisition wave beginning in 1990 has trimmed the number of prime military contractors from 51 in 1990 to five today. As for small businesses, it isnt very easy to break into the tank business. US judge Arthur Engoron earns the No Spin Zone Award" (Hat tip to former Fox talking head Bill OReilly) for destroying the Trump Organizations legal strategy in New York states probe of its finances. It attempted to put a positive spin on the decision by Mazars accounting firm to walk away from 10 years of financial reports. Mazars admitted the reports do not contain any material discrepancies, which to TOs legal eagles made the New York probe moot. Engoron likened the lawyers argument to slogans like War Is Peace in George Orwells 1984; to Lewis Carrolls sayings in Through the Looking Glass; and Kellyanne Conways alternative facts. It's too bad Engoron wasnt around to analyze the magical thinking during the Trump White House. Trumps financial guru Allen Weisselberg also had a great line about the claim that the former presidents 30,000 sq. ft. triplex (Fact Check: the apartment is 11K sq ft) was worth $327M. Weisselberg admitted the apartment was overvalued by give or take $200M. Touche, Allen. Shrinking Smartly in Estonia Preparing Regions for Demographic Change Many lower density regions in the OECD face shrinkage, with projections suggesting that half of Europe will need to manage decline in remote regions by 2050. Half of Estonias counties experienced population decline greater than 25% since 1991. Shrinkage leads to problems including lower municipal revenues, ageing, and greater per capita costs of service and infrastructure provision. Estonia is also the most carbon-intensive economy in the OECD, and heavily utilises its forests and land. To tackle these challenges, the report provides analyses in a number of policy areas to respond to demographic change in a smart and sustainable manner. A policy framework that emphasises a spatially oriented, coordinated approach for responding to shrinkage is developed. The report provides policy recommendations to make land use more efficient and spatial planning more coherent. It suggests ways to improve the transfer system and strengthen the municipal revenue base while encouraging inter-municipal cooperation. It also discusses education, the municipalities largest spending responsibility, providing recommendations that adapt the school network to shrinkage while ensuring access to high-quality education for all students. In series:OECD Rural Studiesview more titles A local TD has said the government's recent cost of living package missed renters and rural dwellers. Laois/Offaly Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley was speaking in the Dail on a Sinn Fein motion to disincentivise investors from bulk purchasing new homes to the exclusion of ordinary families. Deputy Stanley told the Dail: The reality is that thousands of workers are trapped in private rented accommodation with spiralling rents and no hope of ever getting a mortgage or securing a permanent roof over their heads. Figures released on daft.ie last week revealed that rents in County Laois went up by 11.3% in 12 months while in County Offaly, they went up by a whopping 14.6%. The average purchase cost of a home in 2021 was 225,000. The Government has completely abandoned renters and workers earning in the category of 18,000 to 60,000 in terms of either being able to buy a home or rent one with secure tenure tenancies. The Government's budget and recent announcement delivered no solutions to these housing problems. It has failed renters and rural dwellers. Sinn Fein has long called for an immediate rent freeze, which we would introduce, and provide renters with a tax rebate to the value of one month. Give the renters a break. Do not give it to the institutional investors. Why not give it to our own people who are absolutely nailed to the wall every week and month trying to figure out where they will get the rent? Give them a modest tax break of one month's rent back every year. Workers and families need that break. These two measures would provide some relief but also would help renters to save for a deposit. Our proposal this evening also calls for an increase in stamp duty and to take away the incentives for these vulture funds to bulk buy homes that ordinary families and couples need. End their tax breaks. Workers and families in rural Ireland are also facing huge energy costs and the measures the Minister brought in last week did not address this. All they are facing is more carbon tax increases in areas where there is not public transport. The Government has really and truly done nothing to address the situation for renters and rural dwellers. An Offaly woman was sentenced to six months imprisonment in Dochas Centre during last week's Tullamore Court sitting. Martina Mullen, 323 The Sycamores, Edenderry pleaded guilty to assaulting another woman at The Sycamores, Edenderry on September 29 last. A picture of the injured party was handed in to the Judge to show her the injuries. The court was told there was blood on the injured party's face and hair after the assault and that the victim had shown mobile phone video footage of the incident to the Gardai. The court was told that Ms Mullen and the injured party were neighbours. Sergeant James O'Sullivan said Ms Mullen had two previous convictions for Section 2 assault. The defending solicitor, Donal Farrelly said she had had an issue with alcohol some years ago and was taking medication for the condition. However, when the assault happened she was off her medication. Mr Farrelly said Ms Mullen went through a traumatic period in her life a few years ago, during which she endured a violent relationship. He added that his client hasn't consumed alcohol since 2016. A victim impact statement was handed in to the Judge. The Judge read it out in court. The statement said she is very anxious since the assault and no longer walks on her own. She said the experience had been terrible and it was difficult to describe how bad she has been feeling since it happened. I will never forget the terrible words which my attacker said to me as she assaulted me. Judge Catherine Staines said the matter was very serious. She sentenced Ms Mullen to six months imprisonment in Dochas, Dublin and ordered that 1,000 be paid from the Court Poor Box to the victim as some small compensation for what you have had to suffer. The Brewery Tap pub in Tullamore has led tributes to Tony Holleran after the musician's sad passing this week. In a statement, they said: "We are so sorry to hear the very sad news of the passing of Tony Holleran today. Tony was the kindest, warmest man you could meet. "He leaves behind an incredible legacy in the music industry. Tony and his great friend Dominick Madden played every Monday night here in the Tap since 1989. "Even during lockdown, Tony continued to play on our Zoom sessions. We have so many fond memories of all the sessions we had here down the years. "We would like to offer our deepest sympathies to Liz, Shay and Martin. RIP Tony, Ireland has lost an absolute legend today." Other locals were quick to add to the tributes. Viv O'Connor said: "So sorry to hear that. We remember him and Dominick from nights at The Vine House many years ago. We last saw him a few years ago playing in the Brewery Tap. Rest in Peace Tony and sympathies to his family and friends." Brigid Doolin added: "So sorry to hear this sad news. Watched him on Monday nights in Tap and remember Tony when he taught in Ferbane National School. Condolences to his family and friends. RIP." The Midlands Youth Orchestra has been very busy over the past couple of weeks preparing for their performance at the 26th edition Festival of Youth Orchestras next Saturday February19th. T The concert, which will feature four other youth orchestras, will take place in the National Concert Hall, Dublin. The concert is presented by the Irish Association of Youth Orchestra which was established in 1994.To prepare for this, with the generous support of Offaly County Councils Arts Office, the orchestra commissioned the prolific harpist and composer Michael Rooney to write a dedicated arrangement of a suite An Bealach Ar Ais which will be part of the repertoire to be performed on Saturday. The three pieces - Aonru, Sult, and Dochas - are Michael Rooneys own compositions, and represent a seamless fusion of classical and traditional music. Not only did Michael arrange the pieces for the orchestra, but he also facilitated a day-long workshop on Sunday October 24th. Michael Rooney has composed many pieces which combine traditional Irish music with classical music. He is widely regarded as one of the foremost players of the traditional Irish harp. He was awarded the TG4 Composer of the year in 2017. One of his compositions the "Macalla Suite" composed for the 1916 centenary was performed in London by the Macalla Orchestra - some past members of Irish Midlands Youth Orchestra were members of that orchestra. Other notable compositions by Michael Rooney include the Famine Suite (2019) and the Battle of the Books Suite (2007). His music also features on the The Queens Speech, RTEs documentary of Queen Elizabeths visit to Ireland. The Midlands Youth Orchestra was founded by Vincent Hunt in 2006 after a collaborative project involving different orchestras from around the midlands. It is now a well-established and successful group of over forty young musicians, aged between 12 and 22 who come primarily from Co. Offaly with a small number from adjoining counties. With the easing of covid restrictions the orchestra if getting back to rehearsing one day per month, augmented by additional workshops where new music pieces are planned and introduced. The orchestra plays music of a range of styles from classic to modern pop and traditional Irish. With the now easing of covid restrictions, there a number of performances are in the pipeline to showcase the rich and high standard attained under our current Musical Director, Matt Rafter. Matt Rafter is a cellist, conductor, and event producer based in Dublin. As a freelance musician he is in regular demand for performing, recording and touring projects, which he balances against his passion for music education at all levels. He is currently Musical Director of the Irish Midlands Youth Orchestra, and cellist of both the Vltava and Belenus String Quartets. He also serves as Concerts Manager for Crash Ensemble, Irelands foremost contemporary music group. Matt completed his undergraduate degree in Music at Trinity College, Dublin in 2013, where he played an active role in the musical life of the college, including conducting the Trinity Orchestra at major Irish festivals and internationally. From 2013-14 Matt toured internationally as cellist with Irish sensation Hozier, as well as performing variously with Kodaline, The Riptide Movement, Heathers and many more. From 2015-18 he was a Musician Educator on the strings programme with Music Generation South Dublin and proceeded to establish orchestra projects in several schools as the programmes matured. Matt was a member of the Irish Midlands Youth Orchestra as a teenager, he returned to become Musical Director in 2015 18, enjoying performances in the National Concert Hall and in Madrid in 2017. After two years living in Montreal, Matt returned to Ireland and was delighted to return to his role with the Irish Midlands Youth Orchestra in 2020. Matt is adventurous, innovative and ambitious for the orchestra and is looking forward to the forthcoming Festival of Youth Orchestras. Matt is delighted that the orchestra will be able to feature the music of the distinguished composer Michael Rooney. For information on becoming a member send email to: irishmidlandsyo@gmail.com Olean, NY (14760) Today Rain. Low 56F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Rain. Low 56F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) going into effect has given an extra push for Vietnamese goods into the Swedish market as import tariff cut heightens their competitiveness, Diep Van Ty, chairman of the Vietnamese trade association in Sweden, has said. Food and foodstuff are the biggest earners from the trade deal since the tariffs were slashed to zero as soon as it took effect, said Ty, who is also Chairman of East Asian Food AB, a Sweden-based food importer. These are also the most popular Vietnamese exports to Sweden, he added. Data from the Vietnamese Trade Office in Sweden showed Vietnam was among the three exporters of rice, besides the US and Norway, posting positive growth in the Northern European country, attributable to the benefits brought about by the EVFTA. Ty pointed out several challenges facing Vietnamese goods in the Swedish market, notably high shipping costs caused by the long geographical distance between the two countries. Many Swedish consumers have become familiar with food imported from Thailand and other countries, so it takes time to influence their taste and habit, he explained, adding that the supply of most of the imports from Vietnam can be disrupted by seasonal factors. To fix the problems, the Vietnamese trade association plans to raise investment for the construction of a major logistics centre for Vietnamese products located at the city of Malmo, expected to facilitate the distribution of goods in Sweden and reduce costs. The association is also considering to send a delegation to Vietnam this year to seek for quality and stable suppliers./. VNA OTTAWA, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- "I'm staying until probably Saturday night. I've got things to do at home," 61-year-old Canadian trucker Al Forrest said Thursday. Forrest was among a thin crowd of truckers gathering in downtown Ottawa on this cold rainy day to oppose the Canadian government's vaccine requirement for truckers crossing the border into the United States. The truck convoy protests in the capital city of Canada, starting from late January, have so far seen around 600 trucks. Now some big ones have left, temporary newcomers have joined in, and more police officers have poured into the area. Security fencing and barriers have been put around federal buildings and throughout the downtown core. Forrest said he got a parking ticket of 110 Canadian dollars on his minibus window shield. There have been many others like him who received parking fines or warnings from the police. For the first time in Canada's history, the Emergencies Act was invoked on Monday to give the Canadian federal government extra and "temporary" powers to end the trucker convoy protests and blockades. According to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the act, which provides special powers to respond to emergency scenarios, will ensure that essential services, such as towing services to remove trucks, are rendered. It will also be used to protect critical infrastructure such as borders and airports from the trucker blockades, and the government will give the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) more power to arrest people gathering at illegal assemblies, and allow the RCMP to assist provincial and municipal police officers to enforce their own laws. While a recent poll suggested that the invocation has received support from 66 percent of Canadians, it was met with hot debates in Parliament on Thursday. In response to critics of the invocation, Trudeau told the House of Commons on Thursday: "We're not using the Emergencies Act to call in the military. We're not limiting people's freedom of expression. We're not limiting freedom of peaceful assembly. We're not limiting people from exercising their right to protest, legally." "Illegal blockades and occupations are not peaceful protests. They have to stop," he said. "Law enforcement now has more tools and resources to give the people of this city their jobs, neighborhoods and freedoms back." While protests in the capital will soon reach the fourth weekend in a row, there has so far been no negotiation between the protesters and the government. "Under provincial and federal legislation, you will face severe penalties if you do not cease further unlawful activity and remove your vehicle and/or property immediately from all unlawful protest sites," the Ottawa Police Service told demonstrators on Wednesday in a statement. Police at the scene in downtown Ottawa told Xinhua on Thursday that they were just there for public safety. They have warned that transporting fuel needed to keep heaters on inside the trucks will be fined, but the warning has not stopped the flow of fuel delivery. Chris, a retired teacher who declined to give his surname, has been transporting jerry cans of diesel with his wagon from a gas station 12 blocks away. "I'm told to bring these cans which are full of fluid up to help these truckers. That's what I'm told. For the past two years, I've been sitting around reading, talking, going to rallies, but we have to take some actions. So this is our opportunity to take action," he said. Mike Waselen, a 66-year-old retired ticket seller for the Toronto Maple Leafs, has taken six full laps around Parliament Hill together with other protesters. "On the seventh lap at one o'clock, the horns will blow. This is an assembly. This is not a protest," Waselen said. Meanwhile, Geoff Eavley, a retired master warrant officer at the Canadian Armed Forces, has volunteered to stand sentry on the site of the National War Memorial in downtown Ottawa. Video shots posted on social media in late January have shown protesters urinating on the site and dancing on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. "It was an absolute desecration, a desecration of sacred ground," Eavley said. 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. Are you a current print subscriber? You qualify for online access to the Omak Chronicle. To receive your access, create a website account and then verify your print subscription or e-edition subscription with your subscriber number, which may be found on your bill or mailing label. LOS ANGELES, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday announced a new package of meaningful gun safety legislation against gun violence, including allowing Californians to sue the gun industry for the harm their products cause when state laws are not followed. Newsom shared his plans on gun safety measures in San Diego County alongside California Attorney General Rob Bonta, and legislators and local officials. "It's time to go on the offensive with new measures that empower individuals to hold irresponsible and negligent gun industry actors to account, crack down on shameful advertising that targets our kids and more," Newsom said at Del Mar Fairgrounds, where the sale of firearms and ammunition was prohibited under legislation he signed into law in 2019. "This is not about attacking law-abiding gun owners - it's about stopping the tragic violence ravaging communities across the country," he added. According to the governor's office, a bill will be introduced by California State Senator Robert Hertzberg on Friday, which would allow private citizens to sue anyone who manufactures, distributes, transports, imports into the state or sells assault weapons, .50 BMG rifles, ghost guns, or ghost gun kits. The bill would let people seek a court order to stop the spread of these weapons and recover up to 10,000 U.S. dollars in damages for each weapon, plus attorney's fees. Meanwhile, another bill will be introduced to the state legislative institution by Assembly members Philip Ting, Mike Gipson and Christopher Ward, allowing individuals and the California Attorney General to sue manufacturers and sellers of firearms for the harm caused by their product. In 2005, Congress passed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which shields gun manufacturers and dealers from civil suits when crimes are committed using the guns they produce. But California's new assembly bill utilizes an exemption to the federal statute that allows gun makers or sellers to be sued for violations of state laws concerning the sale or marketing of firearms. "Almost every industry in the United States can be held liable for what their products do, but the gun industry is not held to the same standard. Financial repercussions may finally push them to be more responsible by improving their practices and adhering to California's strict gun laws," said Assembly member Ting. "The U.S. has less than 5 percent of the world's population, yet we make up nearly a third of the world's mass shootings," said Assembly member Ward. "This is a public health crisis that the federal government has continually failed to address. California must take action and hold irresponsible, reckless and negligent gun manufacturers, distributors and sellers accountable." Hertzberg also tweeted that he was proud to answer Newsom's call for legislation to help restrict illegal ghost guns and assault weapons in the Golden State. The Majority Leader in the California State Senate noted his bill was modeled after Texas' SB8, the most restrictive abortion ban in the country allowing for private citizens to sue abortion providers after learning of someone getting an abortion past the six-week mark and collect 10,000 U.S. dollars in damages if they win. Despite outcries from supporters of woman's rights, the Supreme Court of the United States rejected several attempts to challenge the Texas abortion law which took effect from last September, not only ending almost all abortion care in the state but also controversially handing responsibility for enforcing the law to private citizens rather than state officials. "My bill creates a private right of action for Californians to use against those selling and manufacturing illegal guns," Hertzberg tweeted. "In a just world, a woman's right to choose would be sacrosanct, and California's people would be protected from ghost guns and assault weapons. Sadly, a misguided Supreme Court decision has turned common sense on its head. With this bill, we take advantage of the Court's flawed logic to protect all Californians and save lives," said Hertzberg. California has banned the manufacture and sale of many assault-style weapons for decades. However, a federal judge overturned that ban in last June, ruling it was unconstitutional and drawing the ire of the state's Democratic leaders by comparing the popular AR-15 rifle to a Swiss Army knife as "good for both home and battle." California's ban remained in place while the state appealed, but the June ruling and Texas abortion law enraged the state's politicians, most of whom support abortion rights and gun ban. "If states can now shield their laws from review by the federal courts that compare assault weapons to Swiss Army knives, then California will use that authority to protect people's lives, where Texas used it to put women in harm's way," Newsom said in a statement last December. Oneindia 16 Dec 2021 In development to the case of former media executive Indrani Mukerjea, where she was accused of killing her daughter Sheena Bora in.. Corfu or Kerkyra is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered by three municipalities with the islands of Othonoi, Ereikoussa, and Mathraki. The principal city of the island is also named Corfu. Corfu is home to the Ionian University. Chris Barber, a key organizer of the so-called Freedom Convoy, has been arrested in Ottawa, CBC News has learned. He is currently in police custody and is expected to face criminal charges. Market grounds in Perth and Henry Summer in Northbridge are high-risk exposure sites for COVID-19 transmission from last weekend. NEW YORK (AP) To plead the Fifth, or not to plead the Fifth? That is the question Donald Trump may face after a New York judge ordered the former president to testify in a long-running state civil investigation into his business practices. Trump's lawyers are almost certain to appeal Judge Arthur Engoron's ruling Thursday that Trump and his two eldest children, Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr., have 21 days to comply with a subpoena seeking their testimony in a probe by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Barring a successful legal challenge, Trump would face a decision between answering questions under oath or remaining silent and invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination a tactic he has equated with evidence of guilt. The mob takes the Fifth, Trump told a campaign crowd in Iowa when running for president. If you are innocent, do not remain silent, Trump tweeted in 2014, offering free advice as Bill Cosby faced a flurry of sexual assault accusations. You look guilty as hell! Aside from any legal considerations, refusing to answer James' questions carries political risks. For a former president and potential candidate for the office to take the Fifth would really be remarkable, said Stephen Gillers, a law professor at New York University. The problem with appearing at least as his lawyers will see it is that Trump cant be controlled and hes likely to say things that will cause more trouble for him and his family. Trump's own lawyers acknowledged during a court hearing Thursday that the former president faces risks by sitting down with attorneys heading up an investigation he long has derided as a witch hunt. James, a Democrat, says her investigation has uncovered evidence... Leave it to Elon Musk to stir up controversy without saying or tweeting a word. In November, according to a regulatory filling, the Tesla CEO donated to charity about 5 million shares of company stock, worth $5.7 billion. Since the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission was made public Monday, Tesla hasn't responded to a request for comment. Nor has Musk mentioned the donation on Twitter, his favorite communications forum. Yet that hasn't quelled debates in and out of philanthropy, about transparency, tax deductions and congressional legislation, along with speculation about where exactly the money was donated. Some experts say Musk likely donated his shares to his donor-advised fund, or DAF for short. DAFs are essentially charitable investment accounts in which donors can claim a tax deduction upfront but arent legally required to distribute the money. Experts say that would be the most advantageous strategy for Musk, currently the world's richest man with an approximate net worth of more than $220 billion. A DAF donation would allow him to claim a tax deduction of as much as 30% of his 2021 adjusted gross income, instead of 20% if he had donated it instead to his foundation. Musk could also deduct the fair market value of the stock, instead of its original value. He can do whatever he wants with his money anyone can, said John Arnold, a billionaire philanthropist who co-founded the Laura and John Arnold Foundation and Arnold Ventures with his wife, Laura. But if hes getting a subsidy from society through this tax deduction, then theres a responsibility that goes with it. Whether or not Musk donated his Tesla shares to a DAF, Arnold said, the possibility that he did highlights a questionable tax loophole for many wealthy Americans. Society... Moscow says its worried by worsening violence in eastern Ukraine amid reports of intensified shelling. Meanwhile, Washington claims that, despite saying otherwise, Russia is moving troops nearer. DW has the latest. The Next Web 18 Feb 2022 For the past few weeks, Russia has been deploying military forces into strategic positions on Ukraines borders. However, there.. Delegates from across the world have gathered in Munich for the diplomatic forum, held this year in the shadow of the Ukraine crisis. But Russia is not officially represented. Separatist authorities in eastern Ukraine urged civilians to leave, with warning sirens blaring. The Kremlin said it was worried by violence in eastern Ukraine amid reports of intensified shelling. DW has the latest. South Boston, VA (24592) Today Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy after midnight. Low near 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. With NATO's secretary general now calling the hair-trigger atmosphere in Europe "the new normal," there were signs Thursday the Liberal government is prepared to deploy additional Canadian troops to eastern Europe to shore up NATO defences as the threat of a Russian invasion continues to hang over Ukraine. US intelligence agencies say an assault on Ukraine could be ordered within days, despite Russia's claims that it is withdrawing troops from the border. Washington says its top diplomat is set to meet his Russian counterpart next week. US President Joe Biden is also scheduled to speak with NATO allies Friday. The boy was pulled out after several days after rescuers worked round the clock to save him. Daily Record 14 Feb 2022 The Duchess of Cornwall said she felt 'lucky' on Thursday when she was Covid free despite the Prince of Wales contracting the virus.. Washington says Moscow is moving more troops toward the Ukraine border and that an invasion is likely. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock accused Russia of making Cold War demands. Follow DW for the latest. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini visits Germany to shore up long-term financial commitments. After the US stopped funding the agency, Germany became one of its most important donors. The US state of California announced it was switching to living with the virus as an endemic threat. Elsewhere, South Korea eased restrictions despite a surge in cases. DW has the latest. Vice President Kamala Harris, in Munich, said Friday the US still sees diplomacy as an option in Russia-Ukraine crisis. The US is moving to bolster Poland's defense capabilities amid the rising threat of war between neighboring Ukraine and Russia. Defense Secretary Austin said the conflict could lead to a flood of refugees. PARIS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The public transport operator in Paris and the Ile-de-France region is on strike on Friday due to disagreement between unions and management over annual pay increase. The public transport company in Paris and Ile-de-France region, RATP Group, said the strike would cause heavily disrupted traffic, urging people to differ their travels. For the subways, some lines were saturated while others only functioned during peak hours (6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.) and different stations closed. In total, eight lines were interrupted. The train service between Paris and the suburbs (RER) was affected and circulated between 5:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. with one train out of two working during peak hours and one train out of three working in normal hours. Buses and tramways were functioning on a reduced service. The public was asked to check the updated timetables during the day before setting off. Ms. Potter fatally shot Mr. Wright after drawing her gun instead of her Taser during a traffic stop near Minneapolis. Kuwait City (AFP) Feb 17, 2022 Kuwait said Thursday the interior and defence ministers had resigned, after they protested the manner of parliamentary questioning of ministers in the oil-rich Gulf emirate. A royal decree said the resignations of the two ministers, both members of the royal ruling family, had been accepted. Interior Minister Sheikh Ahmed Mansour al-Ahmed Al-Sabah was replaced in a caretaker role by Oil Kinshasa (AFP) Feb 17, 2022 DR Congo president Felix Tshisekedi on Thursday lashed out at "cases of indiscipline" at all levels of the military and told army officers to remain "apolitical". Tshisekedi's warning comes after the arrest of his security adviser earlier this month fuelled speculation of division within the government or even suggestions of a coup attempt. The Democratic Republic of Congo's army is carr Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers saluted a job well done by his players after they beat Danish outfit Randers 4-1 in the first leg of their Europa Conference League play-off tie. Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of systematic human rights violations against the countrys Russian-speaking population as Moscow ratcheted up the pressure in its stand-off with the West. With the continuing threat of Russia invading Ukraine, a foreign policy crisis is colliding with one of President Joe Biden's political vulnerabilities: Rising gasoline prices at home. (Feb. 17) Fears of a new war in Europe resurge with warnings that Russian troops could soon invade Ukraine. Russia expert Dr. Fiona Hill cautions the West to "buckle up," in the face of Moscow's aggression. "This is going to be very difficult," she says. (Feb. 17) Jacob Weinreb, the principal of Weinreb Management, is accused of failing to correct hazardous defects on the facade of the West 86th Street building and 10 others. Ottawa police are pushing back and arresting protesters who have paralyzed traffic for three weeks in a demonstration against the country's COVID-19 restrictions. Police have not said how many have been arrested. (Feb. 18) The Portuguese navy rescued the 22-member crew from the Felicity Ace, which was scheduled to arrive in the port of Davisville, R.I., next week. None of the crew was injured. 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. Lawyers for Prince Harry told a court hearing on Friday that the British royal is unwilling to bring his children to his homeland because it is not safe. The cloud-based solution adds vendor network, enables businesses to source and manage independent contractors without any cost or fees. BERLIN, GERMANY - [DATE]: Onsiter ApS, a marketplace for independent contractors, has launched Onsiter Vendor Management System (Onsiter VMS), a platform for finding and managing independent contractors. The VMS features a large network of IT and business independent consultants, end-to-end vendor management tools, and is free to use by any company that The partnership between Hospital BC and SEO Guru Atlanta began just three months ago. Traffic to their website has more than doubled during this period, which is impressive all on its own. Tijuana, B.C., Mexico | February 10, 2022 -- They say without a powerful online presence, your business might as well not exist. The problem? Most businesses are spread to thin to achieve stellar digital marketing results on their own. The following is a translation of Pope Francis video message sent to the Argentinian faithful gathered in the shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes in El Challao, Mendoza, to celebrate her Feast Day on Friday, 11 February. Dear Brothers and Sisters, You have gathered to prepare and to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and you are doing so by going on pilgrimage with your soul, and asking the Virgin for a tremendous grace: Mother, help us to be a community that goes out to encounter everyone. Being a community that goes out to encounter everyone, going out to encounter others but also going out to let ourselves be encountered, because an encounter is mutual, an encounter is not almsgiving, it is getting involved for an idea, it is walking together, escaping from solitude and isolation to be together with others, with friends, with family, with the People of God, all together praying before Our Lady. This is why we ask Our Lady to help us to be community. Mother, help us be a community, so that we may go out and encounter as a community. Encountering always means opening ourselves to others. The opposite of encounter is to close our hearts. Mother, may our hearts not be closed, because selfishness is like a worm that eats into the heart. Dear brothers and sisters, I join you in this celebration of the Shrine, I pray for you, and please, I ask you to do the same for me. And I send you my blessing. May Jesus bless you abundantly, and may the Virgin accompany you, taking you by the hand. Have a happy Feast Day! On Thursday morning, 17 February, in the Paul vi Hall, the Holy Father addressed the International Theological Symposium on the Priesthood, promoted by the Congregation for Bishops and by the Research and Anthropology Centre for Vocations. In speaking to priests, Pope Francis offered a reflection that could be considered the swan song of his priestly life, since it is the fruit of his more than 50 years of ministry. The following is the English text of the Pontiffs discourse to the attendees. Dear brothers, good day! I am grateful to have the opportunity to share with you this reflection on some things that the Lord has gradually helped me to realize over the more than fifty years of my priesthood. In this grateful remembrance, I wish to include all those priests who, by their life and witness, showed me from my earliest years what it means to reflect the face of the Good Shepherd. In thinking about what to share concerning the life of the priest today, I concluded that the best thing is to speak of the witness I have received from so many priests over the years. What I now offer is the fruit of my thoughts about them, and my recognition and appreciation of what it was that distinguished them and gave them singular strength, joy and hope in their pastoral mission. At the same time, I should also speak of those brother priests whom I have had to accompany because they had lost the flame of their first love and their ministry had become barren, repetitive and almost meaningless. There are different times and situations in the life of every priest. I personally have passed through a variety of times and situations and, in ruminating on the movements of the Spirit, I have come to realize that in some of those situations, which included moments of trial, difficulty and desolation, somehow there always remained a sense of peace in my life. I realize we can talk and speculate endlessly on the priesthood, but today I want to share with you this little album, so that todays priests, wherever they find themselves, can experience the peace and fruitfulness that the Spirit desires to bestow. It may be that these reflections are the swan song of my own priestly life, but I can assure you that they are the fruit of my own experience. I am speaking about what I have experienced, not any theory. The times we are living in require us not only to experience change, but to accept it in the realization that ours is a time of epochal change I have said this many times. If we had any doubts about this, Covid has made it amply evident: indeed, the outbreak of the virus cannot be restricted to a question of medicine and health care; it is much more than a cold. We can respond in many different ways to the challenge of change. The problem is that while many actions and attitudes can be helpful and good, not all of them have the flavour of the Gospel. Here is the crux of the matter: discerning whether changes and actions have the flavor of the Gospel or not. For example, seeking established ways of doing things, very often anchored in the past, that guarantee a sort of protection from risks, sheltering us in the world or a society that no longer exists (if it ever did), as if this determined order could quell the conflicts that history sets before us. That is the crisis of going backwards in order to find shelter. Another attitude might be that of exaggerated optimism Everything will be all right moving too far forward without discernment and without taking necessary decisions. This optimism ends up ignoring the pain involved in this transformation and failing to accept the tensions, complexities and ambiguities of the present time, consecrating the latest novelty as the ultimate reality and thereby dismissing the wisdom of the years. Both are a kind of flight. They are the response of the mercenary who sees the wolf coming and runs away: either towards the past or towards the future. Neither can lead to mature solutions. The concrete reality of the present time is where we must stay, there in todays concrete reality. I prefer the response born of a trusting acceptance of reality, anchored in the wise and living Tradition of the Church, which enables us to put out into the deep without fear. At this moment of history, I feel that Jesus is once more inviting us to put out into the deep (cf. Lk 5:4) trusting that he is the Lord of history and that, with his guidance, we will discern the direction to take. Our salvation is not aseptic, the product of a laboratory or a disembodied spiritualism: this is always the temptation of gnosticism, one that is contemporary, that is current. Discerning the will of God means learning to view realities with the Lords own eyes. It means not evading the realities that our people are experiencing, or anxiously seeking a quick and quiet exit provided by the ideology of the moment or prefabricated answers. Neither of these is capable of dealing with the more difficult and even dark moments of our history. These two paths would lead us to deny our history as a Church, which is glorious precisely because it is a history of sacrifice, of hopes and daily struggles, of lives spent in service and fidelity to work (Evangelii Gaudium, 96). These challenges are also affecting the lives of priests; a symptom of this is the vocations crisis experienced by our communities in a number of places. Often, however, this is due to the absence within communities of a contagious apostolic zeal, with the result that they lack enthusiasm and attractiveness: communities, for example, that function and are well-organized yet without enthusiasm, where everything is in place yet without the fire of the Spirit. Where there is life and fervour, and a desire to bring Christ to others, genuine vocations spring up. Even in parishes whose priests are not particularly engaged and joyful, the active and fraternal life of the community can awaken a desire to consecrate ones life entirely to God and to the preaching of the Gospel. This is especially the case if that community prays insistently for vocations and has the courage to propose to its young people a path of special consecration. When we fall into functionalism or pastoral organization if this becomes the only thing that does not attract at all. Instead, when the priest or the community has a Christian baptismal fervor, this attracts new vocations. The life of a priest is above all the salvation history of one baptized person. Cardinal Ouellet has spoken of the distinction between the ministerial priesthood and the baptismal priesthood. At times we forget about baptism, and the priest then becomes a functionary, and the danger of functionalism sets in. We should never forget that each particular vocation, including that of Holy Orders, is a completion of baptism. It is always a great temptation to live a priesthood without baptism and there are some priests without baptism in other words, forgetting that our primary vocation is to holiness. To be holy means to conform ourselves to Jesus, letting our hearts thrill with his same sentiments (cf. Phil 2:15). Only when we strive to love others as Jesus does, do we make God visible and fulfil our vocation to holiness. Quite rightly, Saint John Paul II reminded us that, the priest, like every other member of the Church, ought to grow in the awareness that he himself is continually in need of being evangelized (Pastores Dabo Vobis, [25 March 1992], 26). And when you say to some Bishops or priests that they need to be evangelized, they dont understand. This happens, this is a tragedy nowadays. Each specific vocation must be submitted to this kind of discernment. Our vocation is before all else a response to the One who loved us first (cf. 1 Jn 4:19). This is the source of our hope, for even amid crises, the Lord never ceases to love us and to call us. Each of us can testify to this: one day the Lord found us, where we were and as we were, in uncertain circumstances or complex family situations. I like to re-read Ezekiel 16 and at times see myself: the Lord found me there, he found me in that state, and he led me forward. Yet this did not discourage him from using each of us to write the history of salvation. So it was from the beginning we can think of Peter, Paul and Matthew, just to name a few. Jesus did not choose them because they were perfect, but because he was concretely committed to each of them. In looking at his own humanity, his own history, his own personality, each of us should ask, not if responding to a vocation is agreeable or not, but whether, in conscience, that vocation brings to light within us the potential for Love that we received on the day of our baptism. In these changing times, many questions have to be faced and many temptations will arise. In these remarks, I will simply speak about what I consider decisive for the life of a priest today. Saint Paul tells us that, in Christ, the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord (Eph 2:21). Growing in a well-ordered way means growing in harmony, and growth in harmony is something only the Holy Spirit can bring about, for as Saint Basil says so beautifully, He himself is harmony (Ipse harmonia est) [Treatise on the Holy Spirit, No. 38]. Every structure, to keep standing, needs solid foundations. For this reason, I would like to speak of the attitudes that sustain us as priests. You have heard of these attitudes already, but I will repeat them once more. I will refer to those four pillars of our priestly life as four forms of closeness, since they imitate Gods own style, which is essentially that of closeness (cf. Deut 4:7). God defines himself this way to his people: For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as I am to you?. Gods style is closeness, a special, compassionate and tender closeness. These are three words that define the life of a priest, and of a Christian as well, because they are taken precisely from Gods style: closeness, compassion and tenderness. I have mentioned these in the past, but today I would like to discuss them more fully because, more than recipes or theories, priests need concrete tools for exercising their ministry, their mission and their daily activity. Saint Paul exhorted Timothy to rekindle the gift of God that he had received through the laying on of his hands: a spirit not of fear, but of strength, love and self-discipline (cf. 2 Tim 1:6-7). I am convinced that these four pillars, these four forms of closeness that I will speak of now can help us in a practical, concrete and hope-filled way to rekindle the gift and the fruitfulness that were once promised to us, to keep that gift alive. First of all, closeness to God. Four forms of closeness, the first of which is closeness to God. Closeness to God First closeness to God, that is, to the Lord of closeness. I am the vine, you are the branches. These words occur when Johns Gospel speaks about remaining. Those who abide in me, and I in them, bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you (Jn 15:5-7). A priest is called above all to cultivate this closeness, this intimacy with God, and from this relationship, he will be able to draw all the strength needed for his ministry. Our relationship with God is, so to speak, what grafts us to him and makes us fruitful. Without a meaningful relationship with the Lord, our ministry will prove fruitless. Closeness to Jesus and daily contact with his word, enables us to measure our life against his, learning not to be scandalized by whatever befalls us and protecting ourselves from stumbling blocks. Like the Master, you will experience joy, wedding feasts, miracles and healings, multiplications of loaves and repose, moments of praise. But you will also experience ingratitude, rejection, doubt and solitude, to the point of crying out: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Mt 27:46). Closeness to Jesus makes us unafraid of those times not because we rely on our own strength but because we look to him, cling to him and cry out: Lord, keep me from falling into temptation! Make me realize that I am experiencing a critical moment in my life and that you are with me, to test my faith and my love (C.M. Martini, Perseverance in Trials. Reflections on Job, Collegeville, 1996). This closeness to God can sometimes take the form of a struggle: a struggle with the Lord, especially in those moments when his absence is most felt in our own lives and in the lives of the persons entrusted to us. A struggle that lasts through the night, and in the midst of which we ask his blessing (cf. Gen 32:25-7), which will be a source of life for many. At times this is a struggle. A priest who works here in the Curia he is young and has a difficult job, keeping track of things, said to me that he returned home tired, but he took a little rest in front of Our Lady with his rosary in hand before going to bed. This Curial official, this Vatican employee, needed that closeness. To be sure, sometimes people in the Curia are much criticized, but I can also say and bear witness that there truly are saints in the Curia. Many crises in the priesthood originate precisely in a poor life of prayer, a lack of intimacy with the Lord, the reduction of the spiritual life to mere religious practice. I want to point this out even in formation: the spiritual life is one thing, religious practice is another. How is your spiritual life going? Good, good. I make my meditation in the morning, I pray the rosary, I pray the breviary and all the rest. Im doing everything. No, this is religious practice. But how is your spiritual life going? I can think of important moments of my own life, where closeness to the Lord proved decisive in sustaining me, sustaining me in dark moments. The intimacy born of prayer, the spiritual life, concrete closeness to God through listening to his word, the celebration of the Eucharist, the silence of adoration, entrustment to Mary, the wise accompaniment of a guide and the sacrament of Reconciliation Without these concrete forms of closeness, a priest is merely a weary hireling who has none of the benefits of the Lords friends. In my former diocese, I liked to ask priests: Tell me, they told me about all their work Tell me, how do you go to bed? They did not understand. Yes, yes, at night, how do you go to bed? I come home tired, I have a bite to eat and I go to bed, but before bed, a little television. Ah, good! But you dont stop before the Lord, at least to tell him good night? This is the problem. A lack of closeness. Being tired from work is normal, going to rest and watching television are legitimate, but without the Lord, without this closeness? Praying the rosary, praying the breviary, but without intimacy with the Lord. Feeling no need to say to the Lord, Goodbye, until tomorrow, many thanks! These are little acts that reveal the attitude of a priestly soul. All too often, for example, in the life of priests, prayer is practiced only as a duty; we forget that friendship and love do not come from following rules, but are a fundamental choice of the heart. The priest who prays remains, ultimately, a Christian who has come to appreciate fully the gift received at baptism. A priest who prays is a son who constantly remembers that he is such, and that he has a Father who loves him deeply. A priest who prays is a son who keeps close to the Lord. None of this is easy, however, unless we are accustomed to find moments of silence throughout our day and to set aside the activism of Martha in order to learn the quiet contemplation of Mary. We find it hard to give up that activism and very often activism can be an escape because once we stop running around, what we immediately feel is not peace but a kind of emptiness; and in order to keep from feeling that, we are unwilling to slow down. Work is a distraction, in order not to enter into desolation. Yet desolation is a little point of encounter with God. Once we accept the desolation that is born of silence, fast from our activities and words, and find the courage to take a sincere look at ourselves, everything takes on a light and peace no longer based on our own strengths and abilities. We need to learn to let the Lord bring his work to fulfilment in each of us and to prune all that is unfruitful, barren or unworthy of our calling. Perseverance in prayer is more than simply remaining faithful to its practice: it means not running away in those times when prayer draws us into the desert. The way of the desert is the way that leads to intimacy with God, provided we do not run away or find ways to avoid this encounter. In the desert I will speak tenderly to her, says the Lord to his people through the words of the prophet Hosea (Hos 2:14). This is something that a priest must ask himself: if he is able to let himself be led into the desert. Spiritual guides who accompany priests have to understand and help them and pose this question: are you able to let yourself be drawn into the desert? Or do you go right away to the oasis of television or something else? Closeness with God enables the priest to touch the hurt in our hearts, which, if embraced, disarms us even to the point of making possible an encounter. The prayer that, like fire, stirs up our priestly life is the plea of a contrite and humble heart, which, as the Scripture tells us, the Lord does not disdain (cf. Ps 51:17). They call and the Lord hears and rescues them from their distress. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted; those whose spirit is crushed he will save (Ps 34:17-18). A priest needs to have a heart sufficiently enlarged to expand and embrace the pain of the people entrusted to his care while, at the same time, like a sentinel, being able to proclaim the dawning of Gods grace revealed in that very pain. Embracing, accepting and showing his own impoverishment in closeness to the Lord is the best means to learn gradually how to embrace the neediness and pain that he encounters daily in his ministry, and thus to be conformed ever more closely to the heart of Christ. That, in turn, will prepare the priest for another kind of closeness: closeness to the people of God. In closeness to God, the priest grows in closeness to his people; and conversely, in closeness to his people, he experiences closeness to his Lord. And this closeness to God this gets my attention is the first task of Bishops, for when the Apostles invented deacons, Peter explained their role and said: But we the Bishops will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word (cf. Acts 6:4). In other words, the first task of a Bishop is to pray; and a priest must take this up as well: to pray. In the words of Saint John the Baptist, He must increase, but I must decrease (Jn 3:30). Intimacy with God makes all this possible, for in prayer we realize that we are great in his eyes, and so, for priests close to the Lord, it is easy to become small in the eyes of the world. There, in that closeness, we no longer fear to be configured to the crucified Jesus, as is demanded of us in the Rite of Priestly Ordination. This is very beautiful yet we often forget it. Let us turn now to the second form of closeness, which will be briefer than the first. Closeness to the Bishop This second form of closeness has long been interpreted in a one-sided way. As Church, all too often, even today, our view of obedience is far from the sense of the Gospel. Obedience is not a disciplinary attribute but the deepest sign of the bonds uniting us in communion. To obey, in this case obeying the Bishop, means to learn how to listen, to remember that no one owns Gods will, which must be understood only through discernment. Obedience is thus attentive listening to the will of God, which is discerned precisely in a bond, a relationship with others. Such an attitude of attentive listening makes us come to realize that none of us is the beginning and the end of life, but that each of us must necessarily interact with others. The internal logic of closeness in this case with the Bishop, but with others too enables us to conquer all temptations to closedmindedness, self-justification and living our lives as bachelors. When priests close themselves off, they end up as bachelors, with all the quirks of bachelors and this is not good. Instead, this closeness invites us to listen to others, in order to find the way that leads to truth and life. The Bishop is not a school superintendent or supervisor; he is a father and must show this closeness. The Bishop must try to behave this way because otherwise he pushes his priests away, or he comes near only to the ambitious ones. The Bishop, whoever he may be, remains for each priest and for every particular Church a bond that helps discern the will of God. Yet we should not forget that the Bishop himself can be a means for this discernment only if he is himself attentive to the lives of his priests and of the holy people of God entrusted to his care. As I wrote in Evangelii Gaudium, we need to practice the art of listening, which is more than simply hearing. Listening, in communication, is an openness of heart that makes possible that closeness without which genuine spiritual encounter cannot occur. Listening helps us to find the right gesture and word which shows that we are more than simply bystanders. Only through such respectful and compassionate listening can we enter on the paths of true growth and awaken a yearning for the Christian ideal: the desire to respond fully to Gods love and to bring to fruition what he has sown in our lives (No. 171). Not by chance does evil, in order to destroy the fruitfulness of the Churchs work, seek to undermine the bonds that establish and preserve us in unity. To defend the bonds of a priest with his particular Church, with the Institute to which he belongs, and with his Bishop, makes priestly life trustworthy and sure. To defend the bonds. Obedience is the fundamental decision to accept what is asked of us, and to do so as a concrete sign of that universal sacrament of salvation which is the Church. Obedience can also be discussion, attentive listening, and in some cases tension, but not a rupture. This necessarily demands that priests pray for their bishops and feel free to express their opinions with respect, courage and sincerity. It likewise demands that bishops demonstrate humility, an ability to listen, to be self-critical, and to let themselves be helped. If we can preserve this bond, we will advance securely on our way. I think this is enough about closeness to the Bishop. Closeness to other priests The third form of closeness. Closeness to God, closeness to the Bishop and closeness to other priests. It is precisely on the basis of communion with the Bishop that a third form of closeness emerges, the closeness of fraternity. Jesus is present wherever there are brothers and sisters who love one another: For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them (Mt 18:20). Fraternity, like obedience, cannot be a moral imposition from without. Fraternity means choosing deliberately to pursue holiness together with others, and not by oneself. As an African proverb, which you know well, says: If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go with others. Sometimes it seems that the Church is slow, and that is true. Yet I like to think of it as the slowness of those who have chosen to walk in fraternity. Also accompanying those who are least, but always in fraternity. The signs of fraternity are those of love. Saint Paul, in the First Letter to the Corinthians (Chapter 13), has left us a clear roadmap of love and, in a certain sense, has pointed out the goal of fraternity. Before all else, to learn patience, the ability to feel responsible for others, to bear their burdens, to suffer in some way with them. The opposite of patience is indifference, the distance we create with others, so as not to get involved in their lives. Many priests experience the drama of solitude, of loneliness. We can feel undeserving of patience or consideration. Indeed, it can appear that from others we can expect only judgment, not goodness or kindness. Others seem unable to rejoice in the good things happening in our lives, or we ourselves seem unable to rejoice when we see good things happening in the lives of others. This inability to rejoice in the good of others and I want to emphasize this is envy which is very present in our circles; it is an obstacle to the pedagogy of love, not merely a sin to be confessed. Sin is the end result, it comes from an attitude of envy. Envy is very present in priestly communities. Gods word tells us that it is a destructive attitude: through the envy of the devil, sin entered the world (cf. Wis 2:24). Envy is the door for destruction. We have to speak clearly about this: envy exists in our presbyterates. It is not that everyone is envious, no, but the temptation to envy is there at hand. We need to be attentive, for from envy comes gossip. In order to feel part of the community or group, there is no need to put on masks to make ourselves more attractive to others. We have no need, in other words, to be boastful, much less to be inflated or, worse yet, to be arrogant or rude, lacking respect for our neighbor. There are also clerical forms of bullying. If there is one thing a priest can boast about, it is the Lords mercy. For conscious of his own sinfulness, weakness and limitations, he knows from experience that where sin abounds, love abounds all the more (cf. Rom 5:20). This is the first and most reassuring message that he brings. A priest who keeps this in mind is not, and cannot be, envious. Fraternal love does not insist on its own way, or yield to anger or resentment, as if my brother or neighbour had somehow cheated me of something. When I encounter the meanness of others, I choose not to harbour a grudge, to make that my sole basis of judgment, even perhaps to the point of rejoicing over evil in the case of those who have caused me suffering. True love rejoices in the truth and considers it a grave sin to offend truth and the dignity of our brothers and sisters through slander, detraction and gossip. These originate in envy, to the point even of slander in order to get a position. And this is very sad. When we ask for information in order to appoint someone a Bishop, many times we receive information poisoned by envy. This is a sickness of our presbyterates. Many of you are formators in seminaries; you should bear this in mind. We should never, on the other hand, allow fraternal love to be considered utopian, much less a trite phrase useful for awakening warm feelings or stilling disagreements. No! All of us know how difficult it can be to live in community, or in a presbyterate a saint once said that community life was his penance yet how difficult it is to live alongside those we have chosen to call our brothers and sisters. Fraternal love, provided we do not make it saccharine, redefine it or diminish it, is the great prophecy that we are called to embody in todays throwaway society. I like to think of fraternal love as a gymnasium of the spirit, where we daily take stock of our progress and check the temperature of our spiritual life. Today the prophecy of fraternity has not faded, but it does need heralds, men and women who, while conscious of their own limitations and challenges, let themselves be touched, challenged and moved by the words of the Lord: By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (Jn 13:35). Fraternal love, for priests, cannot be restricted to a small group, but finds expression in pastoral charity (cf. Pastores Dabo Vobis, 23), which inspires us to live that love concretely as mission. We can say that we love only if we learn to express love in the way that Saint Paul describes. Only the one who seeks to love remains secure. Those who live with the syndrome of Cain, convinced that they are incapable of loving others because they themselves feel unloved and unappreciated, end up living always as restless wanderers, never feeling quite at home, and precisely for this reason all the more exposed to evil: hurting themselves and hurting others. This is why love among priests has the role of safeguarding, of safeguarding each other mutually. I would also add that when priestly fraternity, closeness among priests, thrives and bonds of true friendship exist, it likewise becomes possible to experience with greater serenity the life of celibacy. Celibacy is a gift that the Latin Church preserves, yet it is a gift that, to be lived as a means of sanctification, calls for healthy relationships, relationships of true esteem and true goodness that are deeply rooted in Christ. Without friends and without prayer, celibacy can become an unbearable burden and a counter-witness to the very beauty of the priesthood. We come now to the fourth and last form of closeness, closeness to the holy People of God. We would do well to read Lumen Gentium, number 8 and number 12. Closeness to people I have often emphasized how our relationship with the holy People of God is for each of us not a duty but a grace: Loving others is a spiritual force drawing us to union with God (Evangelii Gaudium, 272). For this reason, the proper place of every priest is in the midst of people, in close relationship to others. In Evangelii Gaudium, I stressed that to be evangelizers of souls, we need to develop a spiritual taste for being close to peoples lives and to discover that this is itself a source of greater joy. Mission is at once a passion for Jesus and a passion for his people. When we stand before Jesus crucified, we see the depth of his love which exalts and sustains us, but at the same time, unless we are blind, we begin to realize that Jesus gaze, burning with love, expands to embrace all his faithful people. We realize once more that he wants to make use of us to draw closer to his beloved people. Jesus wants to make use of priests to draw closer to the holy faithful People of God. He takes us from the midst of his people and he sends us to his people; without the sense of belonging we cannot understand our deepest identity (No. 268). Priestly identity cannot be understood without this belonging to the holy faithful People of God. I am convinced that, for a renewed understanding of the identity of the priesthood, it is important nowadays to be closely involved in peoples real lives, to live alongside them, without escape routes. Sometimes we are tempted to be that kind of Christian who keeps the Lords wounds at arms length. Yet Jesus wants us to touch human misery, to touch the suffering flesh of others. He hopes that we will stop looking for those personal or communal niches which shelter us from the maelstrom of human misfortune and instead enter into the reality of other peoples lives and know the power of tenderness. Whenever we do so, our lives become wonderfully complicated and we experience intensely what it is to be a people, to be part of a people (ibid., 270). A people is not a logical category, no; it is a mythic category. To understand this we must approach it as we approach a mythic category. Closeness to the People of God, a closeness that, enriched by those three other forms of closeness, invites and indeed demands that we imitate the Lords own style. That style is one of closeness, compassion and tenderness, in which we act not as judges, but as Good Samaritans who acknowledge the wounds of our people, their silent sufferings, the self-denial and sacrifices made by so many fathers and mothers to support their families. Who acknowledge, too, the effects of violence, corruption and indifference that, in their wake, seek to stifle all hope. A style of closeness that allows us to pour balm upon wounds and to proclaim a year of favour from the Lord (cf. Is 61:2). It is imperative to remember that the People of God are hoping to find shepherds in the style of Jesus. Not clerical functionaries or professionals of the sacred lets recall that period in France, the time of the Cure of Ars: he was a curate, but there was also monsieur labbe, a clerical functionary. Today, too, people are asking us to be shepherds of the people and not professionals of the sacred, shepherds filled with compassion and concern. Men of courage, ready to draw near to those in pain and lend a helping hand. Contemplative men, whose closeness to people enables them to proclaim before the wounds of our world the power of the Resurrection even now at work. One of the distinctive marks of this, our society of networks, is peoples growing sense of being orphaned, a current phenomenon. Though connected to everybody and everything, we lack the feeling of belonging, which is something more than mere connectivity. The closeness of a pastor makes it possible to gather a community and foster the growth of that sense of belonging. For we belong to Gods holy and faithful people, which is called to be a sign of the breaking of the kingdom of heaven into the here and now of history. If their shepherd strays or withdraws, the sheep will scatter and be at the mercy of any and every wolf. This sense of belonging will in turn prove an antidote to the distortion of vocation that happens whenever we forget that the priestly life is owed to others to the Lord and to the persons he has entrusted to us. Forgetting this is at the root of clericalism what Cardinal Ouellet spoke of and its consequences. Clericalism is a distortion, as is one of its signs, rigidity. Clericalism is a distortion because it is based not on closeness but on distance. This is strange: not closeness, but the opposite. When I think of clericalism, I also think of the clericalization of the laity: the creation of a small elite around the priest who end up betraying their own essential mission (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 44), the mission of the laity. Many lay persons are clericalized: I belong to that association, we are there in the parish. The lay clericalized elect is a great temptation. Let us remember that my mission of being in the heart of the people is not just a part of my life or a badge I can take off; it is not an extra or just another moment in life. Instead, it is something I cannot uproot from my priestly being without destroying my very self. I am a mission on this earth; that is the reason why I am here in this world. We have to regard ourselves as sealed, even branded, by this mission of bringing light, blessing, enlivening, raising up, healing and freeing (Evangelii Gaudium, 273). I would like to relate this closeness to the people of God with closeness to God, since the prayer of a shepherd is nurtured and becomes incarnate in the heart of Gods people. When he prays, a pastor bears the marks of the sorrows and joys of his people, which he presents in silence to the Lord, to be anointed by the gift of the Holy Spirit. Such is the hope of every shepherd who trustingly and tirelessly works so that the Lord may bless his people. Saint Ignatius teaches that it is not knowing much but realizing and relishing things interiorly that contents and satisfies the soul (Spiritual Exercises, Annotations, 2, 4). Bishops and priests would do well to ask, How am I practicing these forms of closeness? How am I living these four aspects that intersect and shape my priestly heart, enabling me to deal with the tensions and imbalances that we experience daily? Those four forms of closeness are good training for playing on an open field, where the priest is called to be present without fear or rigidity, without reducing or impoverishing his mission. A priestly heart knows about closeness, because his primary form of closeness is with the Lord. May Christ visit his priests in their prayer, in their Bishop, in their brother priests and in their people. May he upset our routine, disrupt our lives and disquiet us as at the time of our first love and lead us to employ all our talents and abilities to ensure that our people may have life and life in abundance (cf. Jn 10:10). The forms of closeness that the Lord demands closeness with God, closeness with the Bishop, closeness among us priests and closeness with the holy faithful People of God are not an added burden: they are a gift that he gives to keep our vocation alive and fruitful. If we are tempted to get caught up in interminable speeches, discussions about the theology of the priesthood or theories about what the priesthood should be, the Lord for his part simply looks upon us with tenderness and compassion. He shows priests the signposts that point the way to appreciating and rekindling their missionary zeal: closeness that is compassionate and tender, closeness to God, to the Bishop, to brother priests and to the people entrusted to their care. A closeness in the style of God himself, who is ever close to us, with compassion and tender love. Thank you for your closeness and patience, thank you, thank you very much! I wish all of you well in your work. I am going to the library because I have many appointments this morning. Please pray for me and I will pray for you. I wish you all good work! His Holiness Bartholomew has unceasingly pointed to dialogue, in charity and in truth, as the only possible way for reconciliation between all believers in Christ and for the restoration of their full communion. We certainly wish to continue walking together along this path, Pope Francis said in a video message to mark the 30th anniversary of the election of the Ecumenical Patriarch on 22 October 2021. The following is a translation of the Holy Fathers words. I am particularly glad that the 30th anniversary of the election of my friend and brother Bartholomew as Patriarch of the ancient and glorious See of Constantinople is celebrated by so many who will want to give thanks to the Lord for his life and ministry. The good personal rapport between us was born on the very day of the inauguration of my ministry, when he honoured me with his presence in Rome, and it went on to ripen into a fraternal friendship in the many meetings we have had throughout these years, not only in Rome but also in Constantinople, Jerusalem, Assisi, Cairo, Lesvos and Bari. Patriarch Bartholomew and I are united by a shared awareness of our joint pastoral responsibility towards the urgent challenges that the entire human family must face today. I am deeply grateful for the Ecumenical Patriarchs commitment to the protection of creation and for his reflections on the matter, from which I have learned, and continue to learn, a great deal. With the outbreak of the pandemic and the spread of its dramatic healthcare, social and economic consequences, his witness and his teaching on the necessary spiritual conversion of humanity have gained further relevance. Furthermore, His Holiness Bartholomew has unceasingly pointed to dialogue, in charity and in truth, as the only possible way for reconciliation among all believers in Christ and for the restoration of their full communion. We certainly wish to continue walking together along this path. It is our joint conviction that closeness and solidarity among us Christians and among our Churches is a dutiful contribution to universal brotherhood and social friendship, which humanity so urgently needs. With these sentiments, I wish to express to Patriarch Bartholomew my warmest wishes for his anniversary, asking God to grant him health, serenity, spiritual joy and may I say a sense of humour: even more! Holiness, beloved brother in Christ, ! [Chronia polla!] Ad multos annos! Pope Francis has sent a telegram of condolences to Archbishop Giuseppe Baturi of Cagliari, Italy, expressing his sorrow over the death of Cardinal Luigi De Magistris, Major Pro-Pentitentiary emeritus, who died on Wednesday, 16 February, at the age of 95. Remembering the Cardinals irreproachable priestly zeal who served the Lord and the Church with great dedication, and his love for the ministry of Reconciliation, the Holy Father expressed his gratitude for his generous commitment to the Holy See as a diligent and wise collaborator of previous popes. Pope Francis prayed that, through the intercession of Our Lady, the Lord may welcome this faithful servant into the heavenly Jerusalem. Cardinal De Magistris was born in Cagliari on 23 February, 1926. After his ordination to the priesthood on 12 April 1952, he served in parish ministry and at the diocesan ecclesiastical tribunal. On 1 October 1958, he entered the service of the Holy See as secretary of the Lateran Athenaeum and, from February 1959, he served in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, first as a substitute notary, and subsequently as a summist. In February 1969 he was transferred as a minutant at the Council of Public Affairs of the Church and on 2 May 1979 he was appointed as regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary. He was ordained a bishop on 28 April 1996, following his appointment as titular of Nova. On 22 November 2001, he was appointed Major Pro-Penitentiary, a role he fulfilled until 7 October 2003. Cardinal De Magistris served as consultor of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Congregation for the Clergy and the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei. He was created and proclaimed cardinal by Pope Francis in the consistory of 14 February 2015. Project developers plan to build carbon capture pipelines connecting dozens of Midwestern ethanol refineries. Poet, the country's largest producer of biofuels, operates this refinery in Chancellor, South Dakota, shown on Thursday, July 22, 2021. The company has not indicated whether it will connect its ethanol refineries to the carbon capture pipelines. ELDON [mdash] A graveside memorial service, with military honors, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 14, 2022, at the Eldon Cemetery in Eldon, IA for Charles and Irene Stribling. Family and friends are welcome to attend. 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. Senate Bill 768, Cut state income tax rate: Passed 22 to 16 in the Senate To cut the state income tax rate from 4.25% to 3.9% starting Jan. 1, 2022; authorize a $600 nonrefundable tax credit for dependents age 18 and below; and reduce the corporate income tax from 6.0% to 3.9%. The bill would also increase the annual income tax deduction allowed for individuals age 67 and above from $20,000 to $30,000, and for couples from $40,000 to $60,000. 33 Sen. Rick Outman R - Six Lakes Y 35 Sen. Curt VanderWall R - Ludington Y House Bill 4195, Delay divorce filing publication until defendant served: Passed 104 to 0 in the House To establish that when a person files for a divorce the court may not make the filing available to the public until the defendant has been served with or received notice of the complaint, or until 92 days have passed, whichever comes first. 97 Rep. Jason Wentworth R - Clare Y 100 Rep. Scott VanSingel R - Grant Y 102 Rep. Michele Hoitenga R - Manton Y House Bill 4084, Revise fines for illegal garbage dumping: Passed 94 to 7 To make it a misdemeanor punishable by fines up to $2,500 for unauthorized dumping of between 3 cubic feet and 5 cubic yards of refuse or trash, with the fine going up by another $2,500 for each subsequent offense. Employers would be potentially liable, and offenders could also be ordered to clean up the mess. Under current law this is a civil not criminal offense. 97 Rep. Jason Wentworth R - Clare Y 100 Rep. Scott VanSingel R - Grant Y 102 Rep. Michele Hoitenga R - Manton N House Bill 5058, Exempt industrial hemp from food adulterant list: Passed 98 to 3 in the House To amend a section of the state food law that deals with adulterated food, so as to declare that its prohibitions do not apply to food that contains or has added to it any quantity of "industrial hemp." 97 Rep. Jason Wentworth R - Clare Y 100 Rep. Scott VanSingel R - Grant Y 102 Rep. Michele Hoitenga R - Manton Y House Bill 5304, Authorize robo-bartenders: Passed 74 to 27 in the House To authorize and create a comprehensive regulatory regime for the use of robo-bartender dispensing machines for beer, wine and mixed drinks that are located at a customer's table or with use of a secure "key card" in other parts of establishments with a liquor license, including restaurants, certain hotel rooms and more. The machines could not dispense more than 96 ounces in a single order, or dispense spirituous liquor straight. Customers would still have to place the order with a human staff member, and staff members would still be required to monitor the service. There are some changes tax filers need to be aware of when filing their 2021 taxes, whether theyre filing themselves or with help. Angela Anderson, tax preparer with FiveCap, said tax filers can still qualify for a stimulus payment if they did not receive the third stimulus check in 2021, or if they did not get the full $1,400 amount. We can do what is called a rebate recovery worksheet, Anderson said. According to IRS.gov, people can also still modify their 2020 tax returns and fill out a rebate recovery worksheet if they did not receive or did not receive the full amount of the first or second stimulus checks issued in 2020. Certain credits have also changed, according to Amy Plumstead, certified public accountant and owner of Plumstead PC, in Frankfort. There are some changes to the dependent care credit, which some people call the child care credit. According to IRS.gov, people who dont normally file a tax return should file for 2021 due to expanded benefits. Where to get free tax preparation FiveCap FiveCap is offering free tax preparation to low-income residents of Mason, Manistee, Lake and Newaygo counties. Residents can call their local county FiveCap office for an appointment for tax preparation and e-filing. Appointments for Manistee County residents are being scheduled at the FiveCap office in Scottville. To schedule an appointment, call (231) 757-3785. For more information, including information needed to file taxes, visit fivecap.com. Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency is also helping people file their 2021 income taxes. People can begin filing their taxes using physical paperwork by requesting a tax packet be sent to their address through a Google Forms request at forms.gle/s3V1jofgPd8F4hDH9 or downloading the packet at nmcaa.net/tax_preparation.asp. A packet can also be requested by calling 800-632-7334 or emailing taxes@nmcaa.net. There is also an option to prepare the packet and upload relevant tax documents directly to the action agency. To do this, visit getyourrefund.org/NMCAA. For more information, visit nmcaa.net Benzie Senior Resources Benzie Senior Resources is helping Benzie County seniors get their taxes to the Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency. People may pick up a tax packet at Benzie Senior Resources, or one can be mailed. Completed packets can be mailed to the action agency, dropped off at Benzie Senior Resources' drop box on the west side of the administrative office or dropped off inside the office. Those packets delivered to Benzie Senior Resources will then be delivered to the action agency for preparation and filing. Once filed electronically, documents and return copy will be delivered to Benzie Senior Resources office for filers to pick up. Benzie Senior Resources is located at 10542 Main St. in Honor. To contact them about having a packet mailed, call 231-525-0600. See More Collapse This is a year when many people who don't normally need to file a return should consider filing so they can take advantage of such expanded benefits as the Recovery Rebate Credit, Child Tax Credit, Credit for Child and Dependent Care Expenses and Earned Income Tax Credit, reads a fact sheet on IRS.gov. Because these expanded benefits will mean larger refunds for many people, be sure to file an accurate return electronically and choose direct deposit to avoid processing delays and speed delivery of a refund. Anderson said FiveCap has always worked to try and get filers who use their services the most refund using various credits, and the expanded credits will help. We try to get people as much money back as we can, she said. Weve always done that. Most of my clients are on social security, or working, single parents. However, Plumstead said it might take longer for people claiming those expanded credits to see a refund. Returns claiming those credits take longer than usual to check for accuracy and fraudulent claims, she said. Both Plumstead and Mary Trucks, executive director of FiveCap, said everything will take longer this tax season. People are still waiting for tax documents related to unemployment (10-99 G,) Trucks said. Those documents have been delayed. People were told theyd have them by (Jan. 31) and they havent seen them yet. People are still waiting. She also said people should expect to wait longer for refunds to come in as well. Weve all bee forewarned there will be delays, Trucks said. Some people are still waiting on last years returns. It is not going to be as quick as previous years. The IRS made it clear, they are thousands of workers short. Tax filers should also be aware of a big change made in 2021 that affects people who make money online through sales or rentals. As part of the America Rescue Plan Act, there was a change to a lot of thresholds, Plumstead said. Starting this year, the threshold requiring third party sellers like Amazon and Ebay and payment services like Venmo and Pay Pal to report a users income to the IRS has dropped from $20,000 to $600, according to IRS.gov. This means anybody who makes more than $600 in profit from online sales will have their income reported to the IRS from the services they use for listing and payment, and they will have to report that income when filing their 2022 taxes. Those services must also issue a 1099-K to the people using them if they cross the $600 threshold. This also applies to online rental listings. For more information on changes to the tax code, visit IRS.gov. The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Collin Periatt. Wednesday, Feb. 16 7:17 p.m. Officers investigated a crash involving injury near Lambros Drive and Fairlane Street. 1:15 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to the Sanford Dam for a report of subjects using the park to access the river for fishing. Deputies spoke to a Four Lakes Task Force representative, who stated they are working with the DNR. Signs were being posted, warning that people fish at their own risk and that the ice may be unsafe. The Four Lakes rep advised if they had further issues, they would contact the DNR. 12:20 p.m. A deputy responded to a Homer Township location for a report of an 11-year-old boy in possession of a weapon. The boy was transported to the Juvenile Care Center without incident. 11:47 a.m. Midland County Sheriff's detective bureau received a referral from the Department Health and Human Services alleging that a 9-year-old child was sexually assaulted by their siblings. Subsequent investigation led to the lodging of a 12-year-old at the Juvenile Care Center, and charges are also being sought against a 14-year-old sibling. 10:40 a.m. Referral from Adult Protective Services regarding a 60-year-old man being exploited financially. Contact was made with the man, who advised he gave approximately $40,000 to a woman whom he talked to online. The woman told him that she needed money to pay off the government in Germany regarding the death of a family member. The man advised that he is working with his financial advisor regarding the situation, and he does not need law enforcement assistance at this time. Anglers must remove their ice shanties soon as temperatures begin to rise and fluctuate, weakening the strength of the ice, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources The DNR announced removal dates in a press release on Wednesday. Removal dates begin with Lake St. Clair on Feb. 27. But, changing ice conditions could require the removal of fishing shanties before the dates set by the DNR. "This is a possibility every year because all shanties must be removed once ice can no longer safely support them," the DNR stated in the release. "Shanty owners whose structures fall through the ice are subject to penalties of up to 30 days in jail, fines up to $500, or both," the agency continued. "If a shanty is removed by a government agency, the court can require the owner to reimburse that agency for up to three times the cost of removal." The agency also reminded anglers to always use extreme caution when on the ice. "The repeated thawing and refreezing of ice weaken its strength, decreasing its ability to support the additional weight of people, snowmobiles, ORVs and shanties," the DNR stated in the release. "Deteriorating ice, water currents and high winds increase the probability of pressure cracks, which can leave anglers and others stranded on ice floes or at risk of falling through the ice." Ice shanties on Lake St. Clair, located northeast of Detroit, must be removed before sunset Sunday, Feb. 27, per the DNR. Shanties in the northern Lower Peninsula must be removed by midnight Tuesday, March 15. Those counties include Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Bay, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Clare, Crawford, Emmet, Gladwin, Grand Traverse, Iosco, Isabella, Kalkaska, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Midland, Missaukee, Montmorency, Newaygo, Oceana, Ogemaw, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon and Wexford. Ice shanties in the remaining counties of the Lower Peninsula must be removed by midnight Tuesday, March 1. 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. Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Several gunmen, presumed terrorists, killed 40 civilians Sunday, 6 February, 2022, at about 2 pm, during a concomitant attack in several villages of the rural commune of Tessit in the circle of Ansongo, in the region of Gao (North), the Malian News Agency (AMAP) reported Frida on its website Cotonou, Benin (PANA) - Six Beninese Trade unions and centres, rose from a giant meeting on Friday in Cotonou to register protest their anger against the high cost of living, PANA reported Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, says it is working with the Ethiopian authorities and partners to provide emergency aid to thousands of Eritrean refugees who fled Barahle refugee camp and its environs in the Afar region after fighting engulfed the area Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - Increasing levels of military hostilities in Tigray region, which include an airstrike reported on Atsbi town in Eastern Zone on 12 February killing and injuring a number of civilians, has made it impossible for humanitarian aid to reach civilians in the region, UN relief agencies said on Friday Photo: (Photo : Getty images ) Abbott Laboratories announced on Thursday that it was recalling powdered baby formulas, including Similac after four consumers complained about Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria or Salmonella Newport in infants who consumed the products. According to Reuters, Abbott will also recall Alimentum and EleCare baby formulas manufactured in the Sturgis plant. FDA Advice on Baby Formula Recall Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that they are investigating consumer complaints regarding the Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria or Salmonella Newport infection in infants. The agency also alerts consumers to avoid purchasing or using certain powdered infant formula products manufactured at the facility. Abbott is also working with the FDA to initiate a voluntary recall of the potentially affected products. The FDA issued a warning not to use Similac, EleCare, or Alimentum infant formula if, upon checking the multidigit number at the bottom of the container, the milk product contains the following information: The first two digits of its code are 22 through 37; and The container comprises codes K8, SH, or Z2; and The expiration date is 4-1-2022(APR 2022) or later. Read Also: Button Batteries: 17-Month-old Baby Hugh Dies of Poisoning, Parents Call For Its Ban in Scotland Complaints of four infant illnesses The recall came after FDA received complaints of four infant illnesses from the different states. All the cases involved hospitalization, and the FDA said that Cronobacter may have contributed to a death. The complaints came from Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas. FDA conducted an onsite inspection at the facility. As per the investigation, FDA found several environmental samples that were Cronobacter sakazakii positive. FDA investigators also noted several adverse inspectional observations. Frank Yiannas, the FDA Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response, expressed that the agency is "deeply concerned" about the report of the bacterial infection and is working with their partners in the investigation. He also assured the public that they would resolve the concern as "quickly as possible." Cronobacter sakazakii According to CDC, Cronobacter sakazakii is a gram-negative bacteria that can survive even in dry conditions. Although the natural habitat or the bacteria is unknown, it is commonly found in dry foods, including skimmed milk powder, powdered infant formula, herbal teas, and starches. It is also found in wastewater. Although the illness is rare, it is frequently lethal for infants and can pose severe threats to the elderly and people with immunocompromised conditions. Several Cronobacter investigations have been found in powdered infant formula that might have been contaminated in the factory. In some cases, the contamination happens after the formula has been opened at home or elsewhere. Formula lids or scoops that are contaminated with Cronobacter may contaminate the milk. Powdered infant formula is particularly vulnerable to Cronobacter as it is not sterile. According to manufacturers, it is impossible to produce sterile powdered infant formula with the current technology. A milk formula can get contaminated with bacteria if the raw materials are contaminated or if the powder comes in contact with a contaminated surface in the manufacturing environment. Abbott clarified that the baby formula recall does not include liquid formula, powder formula, or nutrition products from other facilities. The only recalled products were those manufactured in Sturgis, Michigan. Related Article: Father's Alcohol Intake Can Affect Fetal Development, According to Mice Study (Click on image to Greatly Enlarge) Today, Samsung opened a new 'Experience Store' at the Stonebriar Mall in Frisco, Texas. Shoppers can choose exactly the way they want to shop at every step: From learning about our latest technology, experiencing the Galaxy ecosystem, to getting in-store support on current devices. Samsung knows that over 71% of all U.S. households own at least one Samsung product. At their stores, they bring Samsungs innovative products together in one place, so consumers can learn and experience firsthand how their favorite Galaxy devices work seamlessly together. (Click on image to Greatly Enlarge) Though Samsung is a global brand, they have deep ties to Texas. In fact, this year marks the 25th anniversary of Samsung working and investing in the state, from their state-of-the-art semiconductor facility in Austin to their U.S. Mobile "eXperience" Business Headquarters in Plano. Frisco is the perfect place for us to bring hands-on experiences with the Galaxy to consumers backyards. The Frisco store is built to be open, with a large front window so consumers can see exactly whats inside and even watch through a window as their own devices receive expert care. Watching this process is a part of our customer-first Care experience at this location. From troubleshooting to repairing devices, Samsung's certified technicians are trained to service devices to the highest quality standards. And they're thrilled to offer same-day repairs like screen and battery replacements on most Galaxy devices at our latest location. (Click on image to Enlarge) (Location for Frisco locals: Click on image to Enlarge) (Click on image to Enlarge) This morning Apple Original Films announced that audience favorite "CODA" will be re-released in theaters for a limited theatrical run following its history-making Academy Award nominations, including a nomination for Best Picture. The film will be presented in major cities across the U.S. and London, free of charge and with open captions, beginning Friday, February 25 through Sunday, February 27, 2022, so that more theater-goers can experience the touching story of the Rossi familys journey. Heralded by critics as "an emotional powerhouse" and "impossible not to love, CODA is the first motion picture starring a predominantly Deaf cast to be honored with a Best Picture Oscar nomination, and with a nomination for Best Supporting Actor, CODA star Troy Kotsur is the first Deaf male actor to ever be nominated for an Oscar. Additionally, the film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, marking the first for writer/director Sian Heder. Every so often, a film comes along that strikes a deep emotional chord for audiences who celebrate its win for humanity. 'CODA does just that. Sian and the amazing cast and crew of 'CODA' gave the world a gift with this film, and we are inspired to pass this gift on," said Matt Dentler, Apple's head of features. CODA will be available to screen free of charge in premium theaters in major cities across the country, with three daily showtimes that will be available for audiences to attend on a first come, first served basis. Free screenings will also be available in London. All screenings of CODA will be open captioned. Audiences at a special showing in Los Angeles will have the opportunity to be part of a live Q&A with the cast and writer/director Sian Heder, which will have translators in ASL. Information and theater listings may be found here. CODA first premiered in theaters and globally on Apple TV+ in August 2021, and prior to premiering in theaters, the beloved Apple Original film first debuted at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival where it landed an unprecedented four awards, including the Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast, the Directing Award, the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize. Since its global debut, CODA has received a continuous streak of acclaim and honors. In addition to three Academy Award nominations, the film was recently recognized with an AFI Award, BAFTA Award nominations, a PGA Award nomination and historic SAG Award nominations making it the first film with a predominantly Deaf cast to receive a SAG Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. CODA has also earned nominations for an NAACP Image Award, and nine nominations for the Hollywood Critics Association Awards. "CODA" 17-year-old Ruby (Emilia Jones) is the sole hearing member of a deaf family a CODA, child of deaf adults. Her life revolves around acting as interpreter for her parents (Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur) and working on the familys struggling fishing boat every day before school with her father and older brother (Daniel Durant). But when Ruby joins her high schools choir club, she discovers a gift for singing and soon finds herself drawn to her duet partner Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo). Encouraged by her enthusiastic, tough-love choirmaster (Eugenio Derbez) to apply to a prestigious music school, Ruby finds herself torn between the obligations she feels to her family and the pursuit of her own dreams. This is a great gesture on Apple's part, to be sure. The only oddity and head scratcher to the announcement is why Canada was skipped over for London. Archive: Apple TV News The European Union is filing today a case against China at the World Trade Organization (WTO) for restricting EU companies from going to a foreign court to protect and use their patents. China severely restricts EU companies with rights to key technologies (such as 3G, 4G and 5G) from protecting these rights when their patents are used illegally or without appropriate compensation by, for example, Chinese mobile phone manufacturers. The patent holders that do go to court outside China often face significant fines in China, putting them under pressure to settle for licensing fees below market rates. This Chinese policy is extremely damaging to innovation and growth in Europe, effectively depriving European technology companies of the possibility to exercise and enforce the rights that give them a technological edge. Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade: "We must protect the EU's vibrant high-tech industry, an engine for innovation that ensures our leading role in developing future innovative technologies. EU companies have a right to seek justice on fair terms when their technology is used illegally. That is why we are launching WTO consultations today." Since August 2020, Chinese courts have been issuing decisions known as "anti-suit injunctions" to exert pressure on EU companies with high-tech patents and to prevent them from rightfully protecting their technologies. Chinese courts also use the threat of heavy fines to deter European companies from going to foreign courts. This has left European high-tech companies at a significant disadvantage when fighting for their rights. Chinese manufacturers request these anti-suit injunctions to benefit from cheaper or even free access to European technology. The EU has raised this issue with China on a number of occasions in an attempt to find a solution, to no avail. As the Chinese actions are, according to the EU, inconsistent with the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), the EU has requested consultations at the WTO. Next steps The dispute settlement consultations that the EU has requested are the first step in WTO dispute settlement proceedings. If they do not lead to a satisfactory solution within 60 days, the EU can request the WTO to set up a panel to rule on the matter. Background The patents concerned by this case are standard-essential patents (SEPs). SEPs are patents that are essential in order to manufacture goods that meet a certain international standard. Because the use of the technologies protected by these patents is mandatory for the production of, for example, a mobile phone, patent owners have committed to licensing these patents to manufacturers under fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. A mobile phone manufacturer should, therefore, obtain a license (subject to a license fee negotiated with the patent holder) for these patents. If a manufacturer does not obtain a license, and/or refuses to pay, a patent holder can enforce these patents and get a court to stop the sales of the products incorporating that unlicensed technology. In August 2020, China's Supreme People's Court decided that Chinese courts can prohibit patent holders from going to a non-Chinese court to enforce their patents by putting in place an anti-suit injunction. The Supreme People's Court also decided that violation of the order can be sanctioned with a 130,000 daily fine. Since then, Chinese courts have adopted four such anti-suit injunctions against foreign patent holders. The Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid has disclosed that the price deregulation policy of the petroleum sector is being reviewed. Addressing the media on Friday, 11 February 2022 in Kumasi after a tour of the Ashanti region, he said a committee was set up and has completed its work on it and has presented its report to him. Dr. Mustapha said the report will be studied by him and pass it on to the Minister for Energy to also study it. He said the Minister will decide with his technocrats whether to take it to the cabinet for a proper cabinet decision to be taken on the next face of the deregulation policy. The policy was implemented in 2015 to allow marketers and importers of petroleum products to set directly, their prices based on import parity costs, taxes, and margins. It brought an end to government subsidies on the product. Dr. Mustapha said the policy is being reviewed. Source: kasapafmonline.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 United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated Braille teaching and learning materials to 1,400 visually impaired Ghanaian students. The materials were developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Educations Special Education Division. The Education Office Director for USAID, Rasheena Reid, joined the Honorable Deputy Minister of Education Reverend John N. Fordjour at the Akropong School for the Blind to officially present the 1,400 Braille Teaching and Learning Materials to all nine Special Education Schools that support visually impaired Ghanaian learners. Speaking at the event which took place during the Global Disability Summit, Rasheena Reid noted that Education opens doors for professional, economic, and cultural opportunities. Visually impaired students deserve those same opportunities. "We congratulate the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service on its commitment to inclusive education, especially as the Government of Ghana supports the Global Disability Summit". This collaboration with Ghanas Ministry of Education focuses on promoting quality education for Ghanaian children. The Partnership for Education: Learning program, also known as Learning, partnered with the Ministry to create the materials to help improve the reading performance of visually impaired learners in Ghana, she added. Sixty-five teachers from the nine special education schools for the blind and selected District Special Education Coordinators will receive training on the use of the materials. The Hon. Deputy Minister for Education stressed the importance of inclusive education for all learners. He reiterated government's committment to help improve the standard of education in the country. The Braille materials will be distributed to nine special education schools supporting the Blind across the country including: Wa Methodist School For The Blind Bechem School For The Deaf/Blind Cape Coast School For The Deaf/Blind Demonstration School For The Deaf/Blind Volta School For The Deaf/Blind Ashanti School For The Deaf/Blind Three Kings Special School Ghana National Basic Inclusive Akropong School For The Blind This activity is part of the Learning T2E Plus program, which supports the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to improve early grade reading of learners in Ghana. The program has trained over 20,000 teachers and reached over 750,000 pupils from over 5,000 schools across Ghana. About USAID USAID is the lead U.S Government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential. USAIDs activities are strategic partnerships that support Ghanas journey to self-reliance and a Ghana Beyond Aid. Our work advances an integrated approach to development. It promotes accountability, sustainable systems, and inclusive development. Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected] 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 Energy analyst, Kojo Poku Nsafoah says the recent hike in fuel prices is a global concern and not Ghana alone. He said the situation in Ghana is worrying considering the hardship Ghanaians are facing in recent times. Its a global situation now, the world market determines our price here, he said in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show, Ghana Montie. The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers Ghana (COPEC) foretold fuel prices could go up by up to 30 pesewas soon. COPEC in a statement stated that, From 16th February 2022, at FOB price of $880.79, our projected Ex-pump price is GHS7.764, so its expected that the max Ex-pump price shall be hovering around GHS7.750. From 16th February 2022, at FOB price of $828.58, our projected Ex-pump price is GHS7.981, so its expected that the max Ex-pump price shall be hovering around GHS7.950, their statement said. Fuel prices at some fuel stations Thursday, February 17, 2022, is now GHS7.990. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The National Service Scheme (NSS) is collaborating with over 250 tertiary institutions to establish employment training programmes at each school to ensure that national service personnel are readily employable or set up their own businesses after service. Already, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has assisted service personnel to establish a real estate entity to construct building for teachers, while together with University of Professional Studies (UPSA), it had assisted personnel to establish business incubation. The Executive Director of NSS, Mr Osei Assibey Antwi, who announced this at a stakeholder conference in Accra yesterday, said the scheme was seeking to go beyond just deployment and offer employment. The conference which attracted over 300 principals and registrars of both public and private tertiary educational institutions was on the theme Strengthening GNAA Database through Digitalisation for Efficient Deployment. We want to make sure that national service has at least one project with every university in the country. All the projects will gear towards creating employment, Mr Assibey Antwi added. The move which is a major boost to complement governments employment generation agenda is also coming out with an electronic job platform to absorb all completing personnel and appropriately match their skill sets for companies in need of their services. Mr Assibey Antwi said the employment drive fell within its new vision of not only deploying the personnel but ensuring that they either become self-employed, offering employment for others and also be ready for employment under broader scheme of Deployment for Employment. Models Some of the models for training and employment include Pathways to Sustainable Employment (PaSE), Project Ghana Tech Lab (GTL), which is currently training a lot of service personnel in mobile apps and websites building skills; Venture Building Programme which is grooming Service Personnel with entrepreneurship skills throughout the service year and GNSS. Mr Osei Assibey said although the scheme was not deviating from the dictates of Act 426 (1980), it was determined to be innovative in meeting the socio-economic needs of the Ghanaian graduate. Over the years, we have traditionally deployed personnel for their national service after which many of them are left without meaningful employment, he said, and added that to close this gap, management has engaged the services of a consultant to draft a policy document. Pen-drive Touching on the new platform for transmitting list, he indicated that over the years tertiary institutions have submitted their class list on pen drives, through emails, and hand copy which were susceptible to manipulation, errors due to multiple desktop processing, delayed processing due to time spent correcting mistakes and causing stress to the graduates. Mr Osei Assibey explained that the new NSS digitalised class list submission system offered secured interactive platform for the institutions and the national service for smooth, efficient and effective ways to provide secured and real time data. The Board Chairman of the NSS, Nee Odoi Tetteyfio, called for closer collaboration with the stakeholders, especially the tertiary institutions, in ensuring the new direction of the scheme to provide e-platform for collecting information was successful. This, he explained, would also aid in the provision of entrepreneurial skills set to ensure that the personnel become the next wealth and employment creators for the country. Match-making The Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, Prof. Mohammed Salifu commended the management of NSS and said the new system for the submission of the class list provided a huge resource for policy makers and the business community to rely on in their decision making process. He enumerated the four-step process which includes creation which bothered on partnership, deployment which covered tools to support the partnerships and the data base, then training where the support system would be provided for the trainees in terms of entrepreneurship, incubation, development of prototypes and preparing them for the world of work. Flair Prof. Salifu said the Flair system included in the new system was a match-making website for prospective employers meeting employees with the required skills set, adding that there could not be a better platform like this because it would address the needs of the labor market with its one stop shop. He welcomed the assurance by the NSS that the training for the registrars and would be replicated at the various regional levels and engage them directly so that managers of the various tertiary intuitions would be able to provide the required data. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ministry of Roads and Highways is to remodel tollbooths in the country to serve as police posts, emergency centres, and towing service centres, and other ancillary services. The facilities, which will offer other ancillary services, will be incorporated into the Ministrys programme to dualise the major highways in the country. This was in a statement signed by Mr Nasir Ahmad Yartey, Head, Public Affairs Unit, Ministry of Roads and Highways, copied to the Ghana News Agency. The statement asked the public to ignore the gross misrepresentation in the media that the Ministry had plans to convert the toll booths to washrooms. The statement said Mr Kwasi Amoako-Attah, the Minister of Roads and Highways, only alluded to proposals government had received on alternative uses for the 38 toll booth locations with over 100 toll booths across the country. "It is important to restate that the reference by the Minister was to the 38 toll booth locations and not the toll booths themselves, which are over 100 in number," it said. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) on Thursday, February 17, 2022, commenced its 36th Technical Commission (TC)/Plenary and its 24th Ministerial Committee (GMC) meeting at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel, Accra, Ghana. The GIABA Plenary is an assembly of experts, including representatives of Member States (MS), development partners, and observers in the fight against money laundering (ML) and terrorist financing (TF), who meet twice yearly to share their experiences with respect to the challenges they face in implementing effective Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Financing of Terrorism (CFT) measures. Plenary meetings are GIABA Statutory meetings, thus an integral part of efforts to ensure MS compliance with AML/CFT standards and to foster regional peace, security, prosperity, and integration in the ECOWAS region. Giving an address at the opening ceremony of the 36th meeting of GIABA Technical/Plenary Commission, Director General Justice Kimelabalou ABA called on member states within the ECOWAS region to double collaborative efforts to combat terrorism. The occurrence of terrorist acts and transnational organized crimes in our space is tangible proof that AML/CFT systems are ineffective and fail to prevent criminals from carrying out their illicit activities which bring them huge profits that they launder and/or make available to terrorist individuals or organizations. It is important to redouble efforts so that the recommendations formulated in the MERs in the light of the deficiencies identified are fully implemented in order to strengthen the AML/CFT systems and enable operational actors to be more effective in their assignments, Justice Kimelabalou ABA told the gathering of experts drawn from the various ECOWAS member states. The Chairman of the GIABA Technical Commission said in the midst of the tension in the sub-regional marked by the resurgence of political crises, all representatives of member states must bring expertise on board to find lasting solutions. On his part, Ghanas Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta while delivering an address to declare the session opened bemoaned how terrorism and money laundering continue to pose a threat to the progress of states under ECOWAS. He said the phenomenon is underpinned by several factors, including the presence of large, informal, cash-based economies, weak and porous borders, political instability, ethnic and communal violence, corruption, poverty, and unemployment. The Finance Minister for Ghana emphasised that the time is now for a collaborative effort to combat money laundering and terrorism funding. Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (ML/TF&P) continue to pose enormous risks to the global financial systems, peace, and socio-economic development. With the West African Sub-region not being left off the hook, currently being a major region of concern regarding terrorist financing and its activities, you will all agree with me that there is the need to strengthen collaboration among member States in order to curb this menace with all its associated predicate offences, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta shared. He continued, We must arise and provide innovative and collective preventive measures which adapt to the growing risks, build resilience, and ultimately prevents the next security and humanitarian disaster. Furthermore, we must put in every effort to identify sources of funds for terrorist groups, freeze them, and use every legal means to ensure they never get access to the funds again. Fellow participants, I believe there is no better time to act than now. A key feature about this weeks meetings is the fact that there will be the consideration and approval of the follow-up reports of the mutual evaluation (ME) of member States level of compliance with the FATF 40 Recommendations on AML/CFT. In addition, the 2nd Round of Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) of Guinea Bissau is to be considered at the Plenary while an update will be received on the ME of the Republic of Comoros. For this session, participants are working on, among other subjects, the following documents: the Summary Activity Report of the Chief Executive Officer; the Report of the Co-Chairs of the GEC; the 2nd Round Mutual Evaluation Report of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau; the Report of the Co-Chairs of the RTMG; the update on the mutual evaluations of Comoros, Guinea and Sao Tome and Principe; the progress report on the implementation of the Action Plan for Improving the Efficiency of GIABA; the Report of the 36th Meeting of the Technical Commission of GIABA. 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 Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, has called for increased political commitment from the governments of West African states to combat illicit financial flows. He said such commitment and political will would help eliminate the criminal activities such funds were used to support. He noted that a reduction in the menace would help reduce the unlawful outflow of financial resources from West Africa and also contain terrorism and political insurgence, which were gaining currency in recent years. Mr Ofori-Atta expressed concern over the fact that being grey-listed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) risked becoming a stranglehold on the region by eroding confidence in the financial system and freezing banking assets worth over $500 billion. GIABA meeting The Finance Minister made the call when he addressed regional experts in anti-money laundering (AML) and counter terrorism financing CTF) at the 36th Technical Commission/Plenary Meeting of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) in Accra Thursday. The meeting, which is also the 24th GIABA Ministerial Committee (GMC) meeting, will end on Saturday. Present at the opening ceremony were the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah; the Director-General (D-G) of GIABA, Justice Kimelabalou Aba; the Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Mrs Elsie Addo Awadzi; the Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), Mr Kwaku Duah, deputy ministers and heads of financial intelligence units (FIUs) in the sub-region. Ghana last hosted the GIABAs Technical Commission/Plenary and GMC meetings in 2013. Political will Mr Ofori-Atta said a strong political will was needed to rid the countries and the region at large of the malpractice and save them from being put on the grey list of countries with AML and CTF regimes. He noted that the money laundering and terrorist financing were becoming increasingly complicated and West African states must be innovative in identifying and confiscating illicit funds before they were used by criminals for nefarious activities, including terrorism and political violence. He said the malpractice continued to pose enormous risks to the global financial system, peace and socio-economic development, with West Africas case being peculiar. Given that the subregion was a major region of concern regarding terrorism financing and its activities, he said there was the need to strengthen collaboration among member states in order to curb the menace, with all its associated predicate offences. The phenomenon is underpinned by several factors, including the presence of large, informal, cash-based economies, weak and porous borders, political instability, ethnic and communal violence, corruption, poverty and unemployment. There is no better time than now and this is really a call to arms to sit up and protect our region, he said. Mr Ken Ofori-Atta (5th from left), the Finance Minister; Justice Kimelabalou Aba (4th from left), the Director-General, GIABA; Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah (6th from left) and Mrs Elsie Addo Awadzi, Second Deputy Governor, Bank of Ghana, after the opening of the 36th GIABA Technical/Plenary Commission in Accra Mutual evaluation Ghana completed a mutual evaluation in 2016, after which it was put in the FATF list of countries with strategic deficiencies in their AML/CTF regimes. It successfully exited the grey list last year, after revamping its AML/CTF strategies, including the enactment of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044) and the Real Estate Agency Act, 2020 (Act 1047), the establishment of the Beneficial Ownership Register and the Non-Profit Organisation Secretariat, as well as strengthening some existing regulatory bodies. Mr Ofori-Atta said while Ghanas experience had been tough, the country was now well placed to support its peers to go through their second round of mutual evaluation. Mutual evaluation The Finance Minister said it was of concern that although GIABA comprised 17 members, only nine of them had gone through the second round of mutual evaluation, during which their AML/CTF systems, policies and strategies were examined to identify deficiencies and propose solutions to them. It is evident that we are racing against our mutual evaluation calendar, and as a member of a global community, it is expected of us to meet such timelines to be at par with the broader calendar, as was discussed at the First Extraordinary GMC meeting in October last year, Mr Ofori-Atta pointed out. Commendation Justice Aba commended Ghana for implementing before term the FATF action plan that was mutually agreed with the Joint Africa/Middle East Group, leading to the countrys early exit from the monitoring process. He said the country was able to match words with deeds. He explained that the experience in the process would now be very enriching and inspiring for other member states who have joined the said process or who will do so very soon. Mr Duah, whose outfit, the FIC, coordinates Ghanas response strategy on AML/CTF, commended GIABA and FATF for the support in developing and implementing the action plan, leading to the countrys exit. He pledged to ensure that the AML/CTF regime was strengthened to ensure that Ghana did not return to the list. 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 Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) says it has delayed its fares increment due to the already hardship in the country. The unions Head of Communication, Abass Ibrahim Moro told NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie that the union will reconsider the earlier 30 per cent increment to favour all. We have to consider the citizens before any decision is made, he said. Abass Ibrahim Moro also urged the public to disregard reports suggesting that transport fares will go up by 30 per cent Friday, February 18, 2022. According to him, the union will decide on its new rate after a negotiation with the government on Monday, February 21, 2022. We have not yet concluded negotiations so the public should ignore those reports. Officially, we have planned that we will state to announce the new rate after we meet with the Transport Minister on Monday, he told host Kwesi Aboagye. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Minister in charge of Finance and Economic Planning in Ghana, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta has called on member States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to join hands to curb the menace associated with money laundering and terrorism. According to him, money laundering, terrorist financing and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (ML/TF&P) continue to pose enormous risks to the global financial systems, peace and socio-economic development. Speaking at the opening of the 36th GIABA Technical Commission/Plenary and 24th Ministerial Committee Meeting, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta lamented about how this phenomenon is underpinned by several factors including the presence of large and informal cash-based economies, weak and porous borders, political instability, ethnic violence, corruption, poverty and unemployment. Mr. Ofori-Atta told the ECOWAS members at the meeting that the time is now for a collaborative effort to combat money laundering and terrorism funding. With the West African Sub-region not being left off the hook, currently being a major region of concern regarding terrorist financing and its activities, you will all agree with me that there is the need to strengthen collaboration among member States in order to curb this menace with all its associated predicate offences. He added; We must arise and provide innovative and collective preventive measures which adapt to the growing risks, build resilience, and ultimately prevent the next security and humanitarian disaster. Furthermore, we must put in every effort to identify sources of funds for terrorist groups, freeze them, and use every legal means to ensure they never get access to the funds again. Fellow participants, I believe there is no better time to act than now. Mr. Ofori-Atta further reposed confidence in GIABA as a specialized institution of the ECOWAS responsible for strengthening the capacity of member States towards combatting money laundering and terrorist financing in the West African sub-region. He stressed that Ghana has no doubt GIABA will continue to provide technical support for its members irrespective of the numerous challenges facing them. Similarly, as member states, we will rally behind GIABA and give it all the needed support to implement the Effectiveness Improvement Action Plan to strengthen GIABA in delivering on their mandate, Ken Ofori-Atta added while thanking the GIABA Secretariat, Technical Commission, and all Working Groups including Committees who worked assiduously to plan the Plenary meeting in Ghana. 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 It was a festival of tradition, culture and costume as a sea of people gathered at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi to celebrate Awukudae with the Asantehemaa, Nana Konadu Yiadom III. The ceremony, which was attended by the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and the First and Second Ladies, coincided with the 5th anniversary of the enstoolment of the Asantehemaa. The Queenmother, who sat in state together with Otumfuo Osei-Tutu II, the Asantehene, to receive visitors, entered the durbar ground in a palanquin adorned in exquisite handwoven Kente. Her entry was announced with rich traditional displays by her entourage who fired traditional guns to announce her arrival. It was a similar display that preceded the arrival of the Asantehene; however, he was not carried in a palanquin. The costumes of the various Queenmothers, who graced the occasion, were also a sight to behold as they portrayed the Asante culture with finesse. As they arrived one after the other, the celebrants could not help but admire their beauty and thus showered praises on them. Some of the royals danced to the tunes of the cultural groups that had positioned themselves to welcome them with traditional songs. The GNA observed that most of the invited guests were dressed in traditional attires to suit the occasion, adding a lot of colour and fun to the celebration. Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Samira Bawumia looked splendid in their traditional fashion as they arrived in their beautiful Kente clothing. The celebrants were entertained by the traditional performances that filled the occasion. The atmosphere at the Manhyia Palace was, to say the least, an epitome of Asante culture and tradition, a celebrant told the Ghana News Agency, as he beamed. 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 Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his commitment and leadership in the vaccination exercise on the continent. In series of tweets, he said Thank you my brother @NAkufoAddo, President of #Ghana, for your commitment and leadership on #VaccinEquity in Africa. Together, for a healthier, safer world. [email protected] is committed to working with all partners, & with our brothers & sisters from Africa to build the continents capacities & self-reliance, to bring the #COVID19 pandemic under control & drive a truly inclusive & sustainable recovery. #VaccinEquity, he added. This was after the launch the BioNContainer mRNA vaccine initiative. This project, in conjunction with the mRNA vaccine tech transfer hub in South Africa, will provide Africa with needed and sustainable production capacities. I wish BioNTech every success in this endeavour, and I am confident that together, we can be successful. #VaccinEquity, he added. Thank you my brother @NAkufoAddo, President of #Ghana, for your commitment and leadership on #VaccinEquity in Africa. Together, for a healthier, safer world. pic.twitter.com/4uUj2P548t Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) February 16, 2022 .@WHO is committed to working with all partners, & with our brothers & sisters from Africa to build the continents capacities & self-reliance, to bring the #COVID19 pandemic under control & drive a truly inclusive & sustainable recovery. #VaccinEquityhttps://t.co/PMCChMsAt9 pic.twitter.com/GCDst32hMN Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) February 16, 2022 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 NPP Member of Parliament for Akim Oda constituency, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has described as disappointing some comments made by former President John Mahama in relation to recent happenings in the august House. Former President Mahama appears to back the infamous brawl that took place in Parliament in December 2021 against the controversial e-levy, when he described it as a fight for democracy. Emotions Spiral On Monday, December 20,2021, members of Ghanas Parliament couldnt keep their emotions in check as they brawled in the House shortly before the final vote on the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy Bill, better known as e-levy. The sit-in Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, had declared that a division would be held to adopt the Bill, which had been tabled under a certificate of urgency, and that he would vote in his position as a Member of Parliament as well. Members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) seemed to be irritated by his choice to vote after presiding over the nights events. They made their way to the front of the dais, hurling threats at the Bekwai MP. This prompted the Majority MPs to launch their own protests, and the fight erupted as soon as Mr Osei-Owusu turned over the presiding function to the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah. "Fight For Democracy" - Mahama Speaking during a meeting with a delegation from the leadership of the various church groups and associations in his office in Accra this week, the former President said: that fight was a fight for democracy. There is no way a Speaker can sit in the chair, relinquish the chair, let somebody else come and sit in it and take a vote in something that he has presided over. The constitution is clear.....It was felt that our MPs should sit timidly and let them pass this unconstitutionality, it wont happen. I am happy that that rowdy scene has woken your consciences...." Mahama Preaching Violence But his comments seemed to have shaken the Akim Oda MP to the core. Hon Akwasi Acquah said he expected the former president to rather outrightly condemn the act. "I'm getting disappointed in Mahama...I dont know when fisticuffs became part of our democracyeverybody is condemning this act and instead of also speaking against it, this is what you have to say? This action is not to protect democracy. We have a way to protect the constitution but not through fisticuffs.... "Why would you continue preaching violenceIm really disappointed in him," he added while contributing to a discussion on UTV's "Adekye Nsroma". Listen to him in the video below However, MP for Wassa East Constituency, Isaac Adjei Mensah says the former President has been misconstrued. Listen to him in the video below Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Atwima Kwanwoma, Mr Kofi Amankwa-Manu, has cautioned Ghanaians to desist from encouraging dissidents to engage in coup detat to topple the government. He said such pronouncements had the tendency to create fear and panic and also embolden such dissidents to engage in acts that could derail the development of the country. Livelihood empowerment Mr Amankwa, who is also the Deputy Minister of Defence, gave the caution last Sunday at the launch of a Livelihood Empowerment Project (LEP) for the youth of the constituency. He said those clamouring for coups were doing so out of ignorance as most of them had never experienced it before and therefore knew next to nothing about the devastating effects of coups. Ghana has seen it before and we all know how devastating it was; we lost lives and also lagged in development, he said. He explained that most coup sponsors were mostly not part of the rebellion, but ran to other countries and caused mayhem only for innocent people to die. How do we win investors if people continue to spread negative rumours; only to turn around and criticise the government on the same economy they, the coup mongers, are working against? he quizzed. He, therefore, asked the people not to encourage coup mongers as such people had no good intention for the country. LEP The project is to empower the constituents with employable skills and make them self-sufficient as part of efforts to build an economically viable community. Christened Kofi Amankwah Manu Livelihood Empowerment Project (KAM-LEP), the project is intended to create job opportunities for every household in the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency. The MP distributed 320 sewing machines to beneficiaries of the Fashion Module. Other modules include hairdressing, baking and greenhouse technology. Already, over 150 youth including 40 masters have been enrolled into the trainer of trainers programme to sharpen their skills to serve as trainers for other would-be beneficiaries. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Majority in Parliament has disagreed with the move by the Minority, initiating a process for the removal of the Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu over the botched Sputnik-V deal with Sheik Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Alexander Afenyo Markin, the Minority was acting in bad faith since the Ad-hoc committee that was formed to look into the matter had already had its report adopted by the plenary. And that report, he argues recommended that the Minister of Finance should ensure that all monies already paid to Sheik Al Maktoum should be refunded. This he said had been done. Minority The Minority in Parliament on Wednesday [February 16, 2022] initiated moves for the removal of Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu as the Minister of Health. The Minority has filed a motion for a vote of censure for the House to pass a vote of no confidence in Mr Agyeman-Manu as the Minister of Health. Per the rules of the House, a two-thirds majority should vote in favour of the motion for the minister to be removed. Reaction But responding to the move in a radio interview with Accra-based Citi FM, monitored by Graphic Online on Wednesday evening, the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Alexander Afenyo Markin argued that there were no breaches of the law. To him, as far as he was concerned, Parliament formed an Ad hoc committee, they did their work, finished it, and presented the report to the plenary, it was debated and the plenary did not amend the report. The report was accepted and so far as I am concerned, we have to deal with the recommendations in the report and the findings thereon. His point was that, per the report of the Ad hoc committee and the approval of the House, there was no basis for the U-turn by the Minority side's call for the vote of censure, "when they know they will not get the two-thirds majority." If you are now doing a U-turn, attacking the minister, what is the basis of the attack, he questioned. Adding, he said the Minority was acting in bad faith with its motion for a vote of censure on the Minister of Health. Calling for censure, what is your basis? They have to be fair, theyve been in government before and I expect them, reasonably, to act in good faith. But this new attack on the Minister, I think it is another personal attack and nothing more. No breach of PPA law Mr Afenyo Markin insisted the Ministry of Health did not breach the Public Procurement law as is being touted by the Minority. Working with our [Ad hoc committee] report, we made it clear. The law allows for a decision to be taken, [and then] a referral made to the PPA for ratification... On the issue of Article 181, we are dealing with two contracts here, the SL Global, which is a Ghanaian company has no issue." He said the issue is with Al-Maktoum and the minister in his submission at the committee hearing, admitted that bilateral talks with all countries including the COVAX facility were not forth coming with good results when Ghana needed the vaccines urgently to save lives and so he [minister] had to take a step and this company [Sheik Al Maktoum] said they had the capacity to supply. He said the NDC Minority side was creating the impression that it was only when it got to the committee hearing that the minister wrote to the Attorney-General about it. The Minister, he said had earlier written to the Attorney-General (A-G) and the A-G had responded and the minister had indicated on oath that he was then preparing a memo to add to the A-Gs advice to Parliament. "The move by the Minority to suddenly say there must be a censure against the minister, that I [Afenyo Markin] think is an attempt to being overly partisan to attack the integrity of the minister. And that is unfair, he is a colleague and we are to argue on facts, and we should look at the national interest. Our [committee] primary concern was how to get the refund made for the unsupplied doses [of Sputnik-V vaccines) because an LC (letters of credit) was established and it could only be cashed when the delivery had been made. But there was a commitment on the down payment. And these supplies were used, the Statistical Service [Population Census], they used it. Some health professionals also used the vaccine for a certain critical category of people in the public service. All these facts were made known to us. And then we said, yes, you saved lives but the key concern is possible financial loss to the state. The Ministry then showed us correspondents, one of which indicated that Al Maktoum had repudiated the contract and Al Maktoum had indicated willingness to refund the down payment. All these, he said were done even before the committee concluded its report and committee members had evidence of it." Ad hoc Committee Graphic Onlines Parliamentary correspondent, Nana Konadu Agyeman reports that the Ad hoc Committee of Parliament that was set to investigate the contract agreement the between the government and the Private Office of Sheik Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum for the procurement and supply of 300,000 of Sputnik-V vaccines at the unit cost of $19 per dose has stated the Minister of Health erred in signing the agreement. Konadu reported that the committee noted that although the contract agreement was of an international nature in line with article 181 (5), Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu signed the agreement without seeking prior parliamentary and cabinet as well as the approval of the board of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA). It noted that an amount of $2.85 million, representing 50 percent of the contract sum of 5.7 million, had been paid to Sheik Al Maktoum. The amount paid was cedi equivalent of GH16.3 million at the then prevailing exchange rate of $1 to GH5.73, a payment the minister told the committee that he had no knowledge of under oath, the report said. Nana Konadu Agyeman reported that the committee, therefore, urged the Minister of Finance to take steps to recover the money due Ghana in respect of the amount of $2.85 million (cedi equivalent of GH16.3 million) being the cost of the Sputnik-V vaccines that were proposed to be procured. It, however, said, S. L. Global, the second entity the minister signed an agreement for the supply of Sputnik-V at a unit cost of $18.5 per cost, was a Ghanaian incorporated company, hence the ministrys agreement with the firm did not qualify as an international business or economic transaction where parliamentary approval would be required. These were contained in a report the nine-member committee, chaired by the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, submitted to the House last week, and was adopted by consensus by the House Wednesday [February 16, 2022]. Refund It will be recalled that the Dubai businessman refunded $2.4million to the government. The Sheikh, in a letter dated August 11, 2021, and addressed to the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Mr Kwabena Boadu Oku-Afari, said $2.47million has been refunded to the designated bank account provided by the ministry. The Ministry of Health engaged the services of the Private Office of Sheikh Al Maktoum for the supply of the Sputnik-V vaccines. Ghana had already taken delivery of 20,000 out of an expected 300,000 doses. Procurement process The report noted that the committee found that the Ministry of Health did not seek approval from the board of Public Procurement Authority under sections 40 and 41 of Act 663 before signing the agreements. The ministry, the report said, however, applied for ratification under section 90(3) (c) of the Act which had still not been granted. According to the report, the committee found that the ministry dealt with the Private Office of Sheik Al Maktoum and S. L. Global, two entities that were appointed by the Aurugulf Health Investment of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to be both agents and distributors of the Sputnik-V vaccines in Ghana. Cost of the Vaccines The committee found that the amount of $19 was the agreed price of the vaccine under the ministrys agreement with Al Maktoum and $18.50 under the agreement with S. L. Global which was originally $26 per dose. The report said the committee found that the ex-factory price of the Sputnik-V vaccine was $10. Per the report, the minister explained that the prices achieved under the two agreements included the cost of documentation, shipping, packaging, logistics and expenses in relation to transportation of the vaccine from its place of origin to Ghana. Procure the Vaccines The committee also established that the Health Ministry entered into the two agreements without cabinet approval but only based on a ministerial decision based on the advice of the COVID-19 Emergency Operating Committee. The Committee said it was of the opinion that even if the situation in the country at the time the agreement was signed was that of an emergency, due process of law should have been followed because Parliament would have treated the issue with the urgency it deserved and the appropriate action would have been taken. The agreement would have been taken under certificate of urgency in accordance with the Standing Orders and the practices of the House. The point must also be made that, even if it was an emergency, the minister should have found time to communicate effectively and engage with the Committee on Health. The extensive engagement would have saved the ministry from the negative reactions from the citizenry and some Members of Parliament, Nana Konadu Agyeman reported from Parliament House. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Years after the sudden passing of late President John Evans Atta-Mills, questions have been asked by both leading political parties (NPP, NDC) as well as the general public of the cause of Atta-Mills death. Yet, no medical report has been made public of what might be or is the cause of the former presidents demise. Accusations upon accusations have been hovering over the years with no authenticity whatsoever of what killed the soft-spoken president. His darling boy and now the founder and CEO of the Atta-Mills Institute, Koku Anyidoho is bitter of some allegations that he might have killed the president for his personal gains. But, The Bull as affectionately called in politics has emphatically stated in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show, Ghana Montie that he is "innocent". How can I kill Atta Mills? he unhappily questioned his accusers who he described as backstabbers. MPs motion to probe Atta-Mills death The unanswered question as to what killed Atta Mills finds itself in parliament when four members of the Majority group filed a private members motion seeking the constitution of a bi-partisan group to probe the death of the late President John Evans Atta-Mills. The group behind this motion is led by Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh Dompreh. Its unclear what the grounds for the probe are, but if the motion is admitted by the Speaker and tabled for debate, the sponsors would be required to provide a basis for their motion. Kokus support However, Koku Anyidoho who claimed to not know why the four members are seeking to probe the death of Atta-Mills extend his support praying and hoping to know the actual cause of the death of his late boss. Let us get to the bottom of what killed Prof. Atta-Mills. Ghanaians deserve to know how the president died and what killed him, he strongly said. Was Atta-Mills sick? Yes nonetheless, the cause of his death was not released. A piece of public information indicated that Atta-Mills was battling throat cancer, and in the days leading up to his death, had been in the US for some medical attention. His brother, Dr. Cadman Mills, also made it public that the former president died from complications of a massive hemorrhagic stroke resulting from a brain aneurysm. The Mills passing Atta-Mills had returned to Ghana after visiting the US for medical checks shortly before his death. He died aged 68, served as Vice President to the former military ruler, late Jerry John Rawlings between 1997-2001. Winning election John Fiifi Evans Atta-Mills came to power after narrowly winning over the then governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, in the 2008 elections. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN. [Photo/Agencies] China's ambassador to the United Nations on Thursday stressed that regional security should not rely on "muscling up or even expanding military blocs", and the settlement of the Ukraine issue must return to the implementation of the Minsk agreements. The Security Council on Thursday held a briefing on Ukraine and considered the implementation of the new Minsk agreements. Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN, elaborated on China's position on the current situation in Ukraine. Feb 12 marked the seventh anniversary of the new Minsk agreements. The Minsk agreements are recognized by all as a fundamental and binding political document for the settlement of the Ukraine issue and were unanimously endorsed by Security Council Resolution 2202. Therefore, they deserve complete and effective implementation by all parties concerned, said Zhang. "Regrettably, the majority of the agreements' provisions have yet to be truly implemented. New cease-fire violations have reportedly occurred on the lines of contact," he said. Zhang pointed out that to solve the Ukraine issue, it is imperative to return to the agreements. "We hope that all parties concerned will take a constructive attitude, resolve through dialogue and consultation whatever differences that may arise in the implementation of the agreements, and draw up a roadmap and timetable to implement the agreements to the letter without delay, so as to pave the way for a political solution to the Ukraine crisis," the envoy said. Zhang said that in the current context, all parties concerned should "let reason prevail, adhere to the general direction of political solution, and refrain from any act that may provoke tensions or hype up the crisis". "The parties should fully consider each other's legitimate security concerns and show mutual respect, and on such a basis, properly resolve their differences through equal-footed consultations," he continued. Zhang said that China supports all efforts conducive to easing the tensions and noted that the recent diplomatic engagement between the Russian Federation with France, Germany and other European countries at the leaders level. "A negotiated, balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism will serve as a solid foundation for lasting peace and stability across Europe," he said. "We trust that European countries will take decisions with strategic autonomy in line with their own interests. China also supports the secretary-general's good offices aimed at reducing tensions." Zhang stressed that everything happens for a reason. "NATO enlargement is an issue that cannot be overlooked when dealing with the current tensions related to Ukraine. NATO's continuous expansion in the wake of the Cold War runs counter to the trend of our times that is to maintain common security," he said. "One country's security cannot be at the expense of the security of others. By the same token, regional security should not rely on muscling up or even expanding military blocs. This applies as much to the European region as to other regions of the world," said Zhang. "There is one country that refuses to renounce its Cold War mentality. It says one thing and does another, in order to seek absolute military superiority. It has been ganging up in the Asia Pacific region, creating trilateral and quadrilateral small cliques, and bent on provoking confrontation," Zhang said. The ambassador said what it is doing will only throw the Asia Pacific region into division and turmoil and seriously threaten the area's peace and stability, to the detriment of the countries in the region while getting nothing for itself. "China urges the countries concerned to learn from history, subscribe to the notion of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, adhere to the approach of enhancing mutual trust and settling disputes through dialogue and consultation, and do more to contribute to world peace and regional stability," said Zhang. A vessel carrying passengers evacuated from a ferry arrives at the port of Corfu island, northwestern Greece, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. More than 280 people have been evacuated from a ferry in northwestern Greece that caught fire overnight while heading to southern Italy, authorities said. (Stamatis Katopodis/InTime News via AP) A protester yells freedom towards a person who attempted to stick a paper sign on a truck criticizing the so called Freedom Convoy, a protest against COVID-19 measures that has grown into a broader anti-government protest, on its 18th day, in Ottawa, on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang Wilma McDaniel celebrated her 104th birthday at The Mission at Agua Fria Senior Living on Feb. 4. McDaniel ran a flower business in Iowa with her husband for 35 years. Logansport, IN (46947) Today Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 46F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 46F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. 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. Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. The Edgefield County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a 24-year-old man in Edgefield County following the discovery of a body Thursday night. Around 9:45 p.m. Thursday night, officers responded to a Royal Place address in reference to a deceased male. "The family of the deceased 24-year-old man found him in his home," according to Edgefield County Sheriff Jody P. Rowland. The man has been identified as Damon Lino Jr., according to the Edgefield County Coroner's Office. An autopsy to determine the cause of death is scheduled for Monday, according to the coroner's office. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is assisting, along with the Edgefield County Coroners Office. Breaking news. This story will be updated as new information becomes available. (Last updated: 1:45 p.m. Friday) A Virginia-based restaurant with a bawdy-sounding name will welcome diners Feb. 19 in downtown Charleston. Well Hung Vineyard, named after a former grape-growing farm in the Old Dominion, will open at 10 a.m. in a three-story building at 49 S. Market St. across from the City Market. Owner Anthony Herring has two other locations in Virginia in Roanoke and in Gordonsville, near the companys base outside Charlottesville. Herring bought the business in 2016. It started as a vineyard near Charlottesville in 2008 by three women. The restaurants wines come from a winery in the Old Dominion that makes them from grapes grown in Washington, Oregon and California. The eclectic menu will be tweaked every three months. Offerings include salads, sandwiches, pizzas, shrimp and grits, and various other dishes. The Market Street site will include some seafood choices the restaurants in Virginia do not offer. The restaurant will be open seven days a week with brunch on weekends. The dining room will include the bottom two floors while the third floor will serve as an office. Aaron Lee is the general manager, and Stephanie Wilson is the chef. The restaurant will be open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekends. Reservations are not required. COLUMBIA The University of South Carolina has plans to commission statues memorializing three students responsible for desegregating the school nearly 60 years ago. Robert Anderson, Henrie Monteith Treadwell and James Solomon Jr. enrolled at the Columbia campus of the state's largest university in 1963. They became the first Black students to attend the school since Reconstruction. Monteith Treadwell and Solomon's family were on hand for the Feb. 18 vote by the school's board of trustees. "I think this is significant in that during my previous visits it felt like I was a ghost walking around," Monteith Treadwell said. "This is something tangible." She is hopeful the sculpture's presence will inspire others and give students, particularly those of color, a "sense of being seen and acknowledged." A national search will be launched for a sculptor, university architect Derek Gruner said. A location has not yet been selected but Gruner said it will be a place that was "meaningful to the campus experience of these three." In 2018, the state's largest college erected a statue of its first African American professor, Richard Greener, near the Thomas Cooper Library. Placing a statue for the three prominent African American alumni would help fulfill a July pledge by the university to honor more people of color, following the work of a special presidential commission. The special commission was charged by former university president Bob Caslen with examining the names of buildings and landmarks on campus named after historical figures with racially insensitive records. USC ultimately did not push to rename any buildings. Instead, the school's board said it would focus on names of any new or unnamed buildings to honor the university's other notable Black and minority figures. "It is a momentous day for the University of South Carolina," board Chairman Dorn Smith said. "Those statues may become symbols of hope, perseverance, the quest for equality." The announcement comes just over a month after the university said it would, for the first time, name a building after a person of color. The board voted in January to name a student housing complex at 700 Lincoln St. after Columbia African American community leader and celebrated educator Celia Dial Saxon. The plans for the new statues also come days after the university celebrated a $1.5 million gift for the operation of the civil rights center on campus, housed in the auditorium of the former Booker T. High School where Black children of Columbia were educated for more than 50 years. Clemson University has a historical marker honoring its first Black student, Harvey Gannt, outside Tillman Hall. The street outside Tillman is called Gantt Circle, and the school's multicultural center is named after Gantt and his wife, Lucinda, who also was among the first African Americans to attend the state's second-largest college. Harvey Gantt arrived at Clemson eight months before the first Black students at USC. Anderson, Solomon and Monteith Treadwell's arrival on the USC campus was highly scripted to avoid disruptions that took place at other colleges. There had been riots at the University of Georgia in 1961, and 1962 riots at the University of Mississippi left 300 people injured and two dead. State Law Enforcement Division officers were stationed around campus as a precaution as the trio walked from the Osborne Administration Building to the Naval Armory. "I don't really know what I was thinking. I was 17," Monteith Treadwell said. "I just knew that I had to take that walk, as it turns out, a walk into history." The day was uneventful, though the three, particularly Anderson, endured racial taunts and harassment during their time on campus. "Today is a day for celebrating but celebrating will always go hand in hand with the memory of a more somber time at the university and in society. It serves us well to remember the struggle that proceeded that historic day," Interim President Harris Pastides said. "We were all made better at that moment. But that will only remain true if we continue the journey of ensuring the equality, freedoms and justice that every member of our community deserves." Monteith Treadwell, who still often speaks with students on campus, said she often hears from them that there is more that needs to be done to promote equality at the flagship university. She called on school leadership to listen to the students. "It's been a long time coming for me," she said. "I don't want it to be a long time for them too." After earning a bachelors degree in biochemistry from USC, Monteith Treadwell went on to earn a masters and doctorate from Atlanta University. She has served as director of Community Voices at Morehouse School of Medicine, studying health care for underserved populations. Anderson, a veteran of the war in Vietnam, served as a social worker in New York City for many years and ran an alcohol counseling program, according to a biography by USC. He also worked in the U.S. Veterans Administration for 12 years. He died in 2009. Solomon, an Air Force veteran, also was teaching math at Morris College when he enrolled in USC's graduate math program. He would go on to work in state government, holding positions as division director at the state Commission on Higher Education and commissioner of the Department of Social Services. When he was elected to Sumter District 17 School Board, he became the first African American elected to public office in Sumter County since Reconstruction, according to a biography compiled by USC. He was awarded the Order of the Palmetto by Govs. Richard Riley and Carroll Campbell. Solomon was commemorated once before by his alma mater, with a plaque unveiled by the USC Mathematics Department in 2019. Andy Shain contributed to this story. GEORGETOWN Liberty Steel said it has filed an appeal to the city of Georgetown's decision that its mill does not comply with current zoning and should close to allow more tourism-friendly development on the 50-acre waterfront site. Georgetown will allow the recently reopened steel mill at U.S. Highway 17 and Front Street to keep operating during the appeals process. Plant owners had 15 days to file an appeal from when they received a letter sent by the city that said the mill must close because it no longer met current zoning rules. The mill's British-based owners, GFG Alliance, received the letter Feb. 11, the city said. Howard Law, a New York attorney representing GFG Alliance, told Georgetown Times that the appeal was hand delivered to Georgetown City Hall on Feb. 17, well before the deadline. In its appeal, the company calls the city's decision "a farce designed to benefit the interest of real estate speculators at the expense of jobs in the city and Liberty's property right." Mayor Carol Jayroe has said the number of jobs Liberty brought back would not match the potential of other development. On Feb. 17, Jayroe said she does not know how Georgetown plans to stop the plant from operating if owners lose their zoning appeal. She referred further questions to the citys attorney. Elise Crosby, an attorney working with Georgetown city officials, did not respond immediately to an email and a phone message. Liberty Steel, which makes wire rod used in tires and bridge cables, stopped plant operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic and had a year to reopen before triggering a 2018 city ordinance that would shift the zoning from an industrial to a commercial use. Mill owners and the city are debating on when the clock started. Liberty's owners believe the plant closed in February 2021. The company restarted work at the mill with 65 workers in mid-January with the understanding that it had just beaten the deadline making it compliant with current zoning. Georgetown officials believe, however, the mill closed in April 2020, meaning the plant is well past the year deadline that triggers the rezoning, according to a letter from Chris Inglese, a former Georgetown zoning administrator still assisting the city. In its appeal, Liberty Steel claims that the April 2020 date should not have started the clock because the mill shut down temporarily because of the COVID-19 pandemic, an act that was outside its influence. Liberty owners said the city ordinance included a provision that did not start the clock for acts not within the company's control and that issues was discussed with city officials. The company included in its appeal a Jan. 29, 2021, letter from Georgetown Administrator Sandra Yudice to GRG Alliance CEO Sanjeev Gupta that said the clock started on Feb. 1, 2021. Additionally, mill owners allege Inglese should not have been allowed to determine its future because he had already accepted a job as Newberry County's administrator, while assisting Georgetown as its zoning administrator. Liberty cited a provision in the state Constitution that bars public officials from holding two roles. Georgetown made a zoning decision "illegally and improperly" when Liberty had no other recourse, the company said in its appeal. The new zoning at the mill site would encourage residential and retail development along the Sampit River. The plant, a fixture in the city for decades, once employed more than 1,500 workers but is not far from areas where redevelopment is starting. The work includes the former Georgetown Times building becoming a boutique hotel along the citys Harborwalk and a $25 million project to turn the citys old electric department building into luxury apartments and an open-air market. CLEMSON Clemson University is dropping its mask requirements for the vast majority of its campus, citing a "rapid decline" of the omicron variant of COVID-19. The move announced Feb. 18 in the university's newsletter on the same day South Carolina's health agency characterized the two-year health crisis as nearing an "endemic" phase will take effect at the start of next school week on Feb. 21. On Clemson's campus, masks will still be required at medical facilities and testing sites, on public transportation and in the university's municipal court, though the South Carolina State Supreme Court will drop requirements in municipal courtrooms on March 1. Anyone emerging from isolation or quarantine must wear a mask for five days, and the university is encouraging masks in close quarters such as classrooms and is offering KN95 masks for free. Earlier this week, the university changed the frequency of required COVID testing from weekly to bi-weekly. "As shown on the universitys COVID dashboard, the number of COVID cases and number of students in isolation and quarantine have substantially declined in recent weeks," the school's Feb. 18 notice read. When the spring semester resumed last month, the omicron variant had surged across the state and the country to unprecedented levels seen over the two years of the pandemic. Nearly a month ago, Upstate hospital leaders predicted reaching a peak in the omicron wave in the ensuing weeks and a precipitous decrease by mid-February. Clemson's removal of the mask mandate comes the day after the governing board of Coastal Carolina University voted to lift the Pee Dee school's mask requirements. The University of South Carolina has no imminent plans to change its masking mandate, spokesman Jeff Stensland said. The state Department of Health and Environmental Control announced Feb. 18 that, beginning March 1, it will fold its free COVID testing sites and will instead urge the public to rely on at-home rapid antigen tests. "South Carolina is now seeing a decrease in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations from the peak of the Omicron surge," DHEC's announcement stated. "As the virus continues to trend toward an endemic, screening testing is no longer necessary or recommended in most instances." The endemic phase is a shift toward recognizing the presence of the virus that causes COVID as a function of daily life to manage. The drive-thru PCR tests that had been a routine aspect of the pandemic, where samples are shipped to labs and results returned hours or days later, are less effective now in controlling spread of the virus compared to rapid tests, DHEC said. Throughout the course of the pandemic, health experts have described rapid tests as less reliable than PCR lab tests. However, the agency now says rapid tests are more timely and now more plentiful, following a scarcity of them at the height of the omicron surge that began in early December. Because at-home tests can go largely unreported, DHEC will cease issuing daily counts of COVID cases and will instead reference hospitalizations and deaths on a weekly basis as "the most accurate indicators of disease severity and the impact of COVID-19 on our state." Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. MYRTLE BEACH Coastal Carolina University became the first of South Carolina's largest colleges to drop its indoor mask requirements this year. The Coastal Carolina board voted Feb. 17 to end mask mandates in classrooms and most other common areas. Face coverings are still required at the state's fourth-largest college inside student health service offices, counseling service offices and university shuttles. They also must be worn at COVID-19 testing and vaccine sites. After spiking to 187 cases in late-January, the number of new COVID-19 cases on the Conway campus have fallen sharply to 38 cases on Feb. 9, according to university data. Clemson University announced Feb. 18 that it is dropping mask mandates in classrooms on Feb. 21. The state's second-largest college had already ended face covering requirements in dorms, dining halls and recreation centers. The University of South Carolina and College of Charleston, the state's largest and third-largest schools respectively, still require masks in classrooms, dining halls, common areas of dorms and many other indoor gathering areas. USC has no imminent plans to change its masking mandate, spokesman Jeff Stensland said. College of Charleston has lifted mask requirements at fitness centers but the rule remains in place at USC. USC's student senate narrowly passed a resolution Feb. 16 asking the administration to lift campus mask rules, The Daily Gamecock reported. GOOSE CREEK Economic development is expected to be a continued focus for the future of this growing Berkeley County city. During Mayor Greg Habib's annual State of the City address on Feb. 17, Habib highlighted the city's goal of using economic development to become more than an area people drive through. According to Habib, around 80,000 cars move through the city every day. Goose Creek's population is around 47,000. Many of those drivers are passing though the city to get somewhere else, he said. The hope is to craft more amenities and resources to attract people to remain in the city. He also stressed that economic development doesn't increase traffic. "Economic development goes where traffic already is," he said. Developing the city and its downtown area has been an ongoing mission for Goose Creek officials. The city recently partnered with organizations like Lowcountry Local First to provide support and training for aspiring business owners in the community. During his annual address, Habib noted that more than 5,000 homes will be built in the city over the next couple of years. So adding retail options to support the residential increase will be a continued focus, he said. Retail sales are outpacing the growth of the residential areas of the city. Since 2018, Habib said, residential growth has increased by nearly 8 percent. Sales growth has increased by 43 percent. That's going from $900 million to $1.3 billion in retail sales in the city, he said. "That's a good thing. In fact, it's a crucial thing," Habib said. He highlighted the opening of the Creek City Grill and Wide Awake Brewing Co. It's the city's first local brewery and is located at the city's former fire station on Button Hall Road. The upcoming $9 million all-inclusive 13-acre park also received special attention during Habib's mayoral address. The city is expected to break ground on the park soon. But when completed, the park is expected to come with amenities that will allow children of all abilities to enjoy it. Habib said around 10 percent of the the city's population is managing a disability. The space, which will be known as Central Creek Park, will also include pickleball courts and areas for concerts, a farmers market and food trucks. "It is a park that will be the pride of our city," he said. The area around Red Bank Road is slated to receive some development attention. Habib said the plan is to make it more walkable and pedestrian-friendly with additional amenities. "We know that our residents had asked for something more," he said. Sharina Haynes, president of the Goose Creek Branch of the NAACP, was in the audience for the State of the City event. She and some of her colleagues said they appreciated the mayor's acknowledgment of the city's diversity. She said she hopes the NAACP has a seat at the table during those economic development conversations. But one topic she said she wished the mayor had gone into more detail on is affordable housing. With the city growing so much, she said people affording to stay here has to be a focus. And Habib said he agrees with that. They are having conversations with developers about adding affordable housing when they are building homes in the city, he said. After the address, Habib said there is a plan to partner with Habitat for Humanity of Berkeley County to build around 10 new homes in the city as one way to begin to address the need. Augusta University Health Systems Brennan Francois brought energy and humor to the Palmetto Terrace of North Augusta City Hall on Thursday when he broached the topic of equity and inclusion during North Augusta Chambers quarterly luncheon. From fried okra to the Bulldogs to mothers and them being as full as a tick on a dog, Francois lightened the air before bringing it back to why that laughter rang out in that moment and how that shared humor and culture had joined those present, despite varying backgrounds, to a common theme. In order for our businesses to thrive, in order for our city to thrive, in order for our communities to thrive, in order for our schools to thrive, in order for this state of South Carolina to thrive, the state of Georgia to thrive, we need stronger, more meaningful connections, said Francois. Francois was appointed chief diversity officer at AU Health in January. He previously had served as chaplain in the position of director of spiritual care. Francois talked about his own experiences, first of arriving at a college in Texas that was not historically a Black university. For the first time in my life, Im in an environment that Im not used to, that Im not accustomed to, that Im not comfortable there I dont know the culture, I dont know the people, I dont know the norms, he said. But he was welcomed there, he added, and he expounded on the importance of that experience for him. He also talked about the friendship he formed with a police officer not long after racial tensions had peaked in the summer of 2020 and how that friendship had grown from a process of setting aside differences. Wouldnt it be great if we got to the business of creating a stable structure for children and our offspring to matriculate in instead of judging one another? In order to create a place where everybody feels an intricate part, its going to be important for us to lay our judgments aside, he said. Francois was promoting the notion of creating the WEB, Where Everyone Belongs, and how inclusion of others is symbiotically productive. The key to building the WEB is to acknowledge and recognize where our biases are and to know what they are; to know how our biases impact and affect other people, he said. If youre growing your business, its going to be important for you not to just have conversations with people who look like you, think like you and believe like. Youve got to engage every person youre going to serve in your business. When you invite people to the table, dont judge them. Dont predetermine what they have to offer. We can learn from anybody if were willing, he added. There have been contradictions about our local government's strategy on COVID-19 testing and limitations for those who have come in close cont Read more No charges have been brought (sealed or unsealed) and no arrests have been made in the massive free lunch fraud that exploded into the local news last month. In previous posts, I embedded copies of the three search warrants whose unsealing made the story public. Based on the warrants, I infer the charges will come. The search warrants also established the existence of assets real estate, cars, and other luxury items that can be seized and liquidated to mitigate the fraud. The government cannot let it ride. Indeed, the FBI seized certain of Feeding Our Future principal Aimee Bocks assets in the course of its January 20 search of her residence. According to her attorney, Bock has been advised that she is a target of the investigation, but she denies wrongdoing and seems to say that shes a victim of racism (all the other possible fraudsters appear to be Somali). The government has in fact commenced a civil forfeiture action to take possession of 14 real properties around the Twin Cities area. The government filed the complaint on January 20. Courtesy of Tasha Zerna of the United States Attorneys office, I have obtained a PDF of the complaint (embedded below). Having reviewed the complaint, Joey Peters noted allegations involving Abdi Nur Salah, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Freys senior policy aide. When Peters called to ask about it on behalf of Sahan Journal story here he got results: Sahan Journal called a spokesperson for Frey at 1 p.m. on Thursday to ask about the allegations against the mayors senior policy aide. At 5 p.m, the spokesperson emailed Sahan Journal with a statement: Abdi Salah is no longer an employee of Mayor Freys office. His last date of employment was today. The Star Tribune obscures the obvious cause and effect in Former aide to Minneapolis Mayor Frey named in forfeiture lawsuit over alleged fraud in meals program. Salah told the Star Tribune he was moving on because he is taking paternity leave. Maybe he is, but readers who rely on the Star Tribune story arent given much of a chance to make up their own mind about whats going down. Peters story fills out the picture. The Center of the American Experiments Bill Glahn reviewed the story to date in his February 17 post The alleged Feeding Our Future scandal, four weeks in. More to come. Civil Complaint by Scott Johnson on Scribd I had breakfast with Kevin Roche earlier this week and asked him if he might write up a summary of lessons learned to date. He has drafted up lessons learned with a Minnesota focus over at Heathy Skeptic in the post What Gov. Walz and the Department of Health Got Wrong and Still Get Wrong. I thought Power Line readers would find it of interest. Here it is, in lightly edited form: Now that this appears to be winding down for the third of fourth time, once more I start thinking about what lessons we should learn. I say should because I dont think our politicians and public health officials will learn anything and may not be capable of learning anything. I suspect they will dictate the same panicked, stupid and futile suppression measures that they did this time. But here I go with what I would hope is kept in mind for the next respiratory virus epidemic and there will be one. I tried to keep this succinct. 1. Respiratory virus epidemics have certain known characteristics, which should be assumed to be operative in a new epidemic unless and until there is evidence to the contrary. Those characteristics include pervasive and hard to identify methods and places of transmission, rapid infection that thwarts an immediate clearing upon exposure, high mutation rates that limit effectiveness of infection or vax-derived immunity against transmission, and relatively low burdens of serious disease or death. These characteristics should guide an awareness of and attention to the likelihood that interventions to suppress transmission are likely to be ineffective. In this epidemic, in Minnesota and elsewhere, there was a fundamental belief by public health experts and politicians that they could suppress or significantly limit transmission a belief which was clearly wrong. 2. Being responsible for public health means being responsible for all of public health, not just the specific disease you are trying to limit. Whatever measures you take need to be evaluated in regard to their total impact on public health and need to be considered over a long period of time. In this epidemic, in Minnesota and elsewhere, government actions have done more damage than the virus, and that damage will persist for years or decades. This includes damage to childrens mental health, educational and social attainment and future economic prospects damage that cannot be undone. And more deaths will ultimately be caused by the responses to the epidemic than were actually caused by Covid-19. 3. Modeling in regard to a novel respiratory virus epidemic cannot be relied upon as a primary source of information for decision-making. Modeling is inherently unreliable because it is dependent on assumptions which have not been tested and for which enough data are not available. Extreme caution must be taken in regard to the use of any data gathered early in an epidemic. It is very unlikely to be representative of the data gathered during the totality of the epidemic. 4. There are no experts who can be relied on exclusively. The widest possible set of perspectives should be considered. Everyones advice should be questioned for biases, assumptions and lack of consideration of all consequences. 5. Avoid herd mentality in responses. No further explanation needed, given the lemming-like government actions in this epidemic. 6. Avoid the trap of believing that doing something is better than doing nothing. You can make things worse. 7. Trust peoples judgment. If you trust citizens to make their own judgments about appropriate behavior, they will be more informed and make better decisions than if you force behavior on them. 8. Avoid politicizing responses. Do not rely on executive actions for more than two or three days. Any response longer than that must come from legislative bodies and any measure lasting more than a month should be put to a vote. 9. Provide truly transparent data and research. Give out all data, explain its sources and possible limitations. Any research should be fully transparent as well - provide all data, set forth all statistical methods, and disclose all potential issues with the accuracy of findings. Do not selectively use data or research for public relations purposes to support decisions already arrived at. 10. Because ten is already too many, I will stop on this one, which I view as the most important. DO NOT TERRORIZE THE CITIZENRY. Do not exaggerate risk, emphasize the need to be prudent and go on living ones life. Do not discourage people from seeking needed health care. Keep businesses open and people employed. KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN. Dont isolate the frail elderly at the end of their lives. People being terrified, anxious and fearful is not good for them or society. The Walz administration and the Department of Health violated every one of these precepts. It ignored data and science while pretending to follow it and only used or highlighted data that supported measures the administration had already decided to implement. The Governor personally and repeatedly lied to and terrorized the public, exaggerating risk. He bears the responsibility for creating a higher total toll on public health than we would be experiencing if he had been more moderate in his tone and in his actions. Thanks, [Incompetent Blowhard, as Kevin calls Walz], you truly are a pathetic weasel. If you roll back the timeline to 1978, youll recall that the tax revolt began with the landslide passage of Proposition 13 in California, which cut property taxes by more than half, severely limited their future increase, and imposed a 2/3rds requirement on the state legislature for all future tax increases. The tax revolt spread quickly around the country, with Michigan and even Massachusetts (!) cutting property taxes significantly. It was a milestone in the supply-side revolution that culminated two years later with Reagans election, and his income tax rate reductions shortly spread around the world. Even those Scandahoovian social democracies cut their income tax rates (and some even abolished their capital gains taxes entirely) by the mid-1980s. The left didnt take it well. I think my favorite example of a liberal freak out was New York Times columnist Tom Wicker, who ran a column attacking the voters of California under the headline How To Spit in Your Own Face. Because high taxes are good for you, you lowly peasants. The left in California has dreamed for years of overturning Prop. 13. As late as 1994 I was debating liberals (like Richard Reeves once in Santa Barbara) about their mania that everything wrong with California could be attributed to Proposition 13. This week California delivered another mortal blow to progressivism with the vote in San Francisco to recall three far-left school board members by a 3 1 margin. I think that qualifies as a landslide. In San Francisco. Where Republican voters can fit in a phone booth. The crazy three were behind the risible idea of stripping the names of Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and even Dianne Feinstein from schools, and with one member saying that Asian success came from their embrace and practice of white supremacy. This is the face of so-called anti-racism. Youd think that, like Prop. 13, the left might learn a lesson. This ought to be the political earthquake that shakes the foundations of progressivism. Smart liberals like James Carville have been saying this for several years now. I think his phrase is that Democrats need to stop taking their politics from the faculty lounge and go back to taking their cues from union halls (most of which will tell Biden to build the Keystone Pipeline). But of course not. Since the core value of progressivism is the fixed belief in your own moral superiority, changing ones mind is not permitted. The left is not taking this result well. The prize for the most unhinged reaction so far comes fromwait for it!CNNs Nicole Hemmer. You couldnt see that coming! Lets just linger with this headline for a moment. Its amusing how progressives say they want to hear the voice of the people (and have more people voting, several times if convenient), but then deplore the people when they produce the wrong result. And wrong often jumps to dangerous. Those dangerous voters in San Francisco! Anyway, the rest of this long, lugubrious article fully lives up to the headline. As I like to say, you have to read it, not to believe it. A few short samples: But while the results in San Francisco may resist simple analysis, the politics swirling around the recall tell us something important about a process underway across the country. In San Francisco, deep-pocketed, right-leaning donors shoveled money into the recall, while activists and media outlets began using language that lashed together the disparate dissatisfactions into a coherent message. OMGa coherent message. What a thing. Behold the power of San Francisos right-leaning donors, whose success in generating a coherent message has reduced the left to incoherence. From here the article wanders through a potted history of public education controversies going back to the 1990s (the controversy over Ebonics even shows up for duty), in a transparent effort to change the subject and distract the reader, as none of those older controversies have any connection to the issues that rightly enraged even most left-of-center voters in SF. Political organizing around schools is nearly as old as compulsory schooling itself, sparking battles over access, the teaching of subjects like evolution and sex and mandatory prayer and pledges of allegiance. Parents played a role on both sides of all these issues, advocating for the school rules that they felt aligned with their own values. Yet because so many of these issues would ultimately be settled in state legislatures, Congress and the courts, the right successfully framed school politics as concerned parents having their rights infringed by politicians, bureaucrats and judges. Perhaps the right successfully framed school politics as being an infringement by bureaucrats and judges because it is true? Perish the thought. Memo to the left: please please stay in denial. Well see you in November. Chaser: Quintez Brown is charged with the attempted assassination of Democratic Louisville mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg and four others in the office. Brown failed, but you cant say he didnt make a good faith effort. One of the bullets pierced Greenbergs sweater. Breitbart News reports the story here. The judge set bail at $100,000, which seems a little light to me. Breaking: @LouCommBailFund has paid the $100,000 to bail out @BLMLouisville member Quintez Brown. Brown was arrested & charged over the attempted shooting assassination of mayoral candidate @RunWithCraig. Video by @RachelDrozeTV. #BLM pic.twitter.com/SmRNLx6Zcb Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) February 16, 2022 Jewish Journal does a good job of collecting the available information from a variety of sources in its story. Brown is out on bail, and why not? WHAS11 reported that the Louisville Community Fund, which is reportedly organized by BLM Louisville, officially posted the bond for Brown. Brown was reportedly involved with BLM Louisville and regularly participated in the George Floyd protests. Brown will be put under home incarceration in the interim. The Free Beacon takes up the bail fund here (ActBlue, Justice Democrats, and the Tides Center did not return requests for comment). There is more: BLM Louisville organizer Chanelle Helm told WHAS11 that the bail was posted for Brown because they are calling for this individual, this young man who needs support and help, to be punished to the full extent. It is a resounding message that people are down for the torture that has taken place in our jails and prisons. She also told The Courier Journal that they are seeking mental health counseling for Brown. Jails and prisons do not rehabilitate people, Helm said. The communitys been doing that. Browns attorney, Rob Eggert, had similarly told The Courier Journal that Brown suffered a mental health breakdown and needs treatment, not prison. Theres something about Quintez. The suspense isnt great, but check out the rest of the Jewish Journal story to ascertain what it might be. Nigerias biggest beer-maker Nigerian Breweries reported, for the 2021 financial year, a post-tax profit 72 per cent higher than what it posted a year earlier after sales climbed to peak level since the company started bottling beer in June 1949. Bottomline got a spur from a 30 per cent rise in revenue, which grew to N437.3 billion from N337 billion, according to the brewers audited earnings report published by the Nigerian Exchange on Friday. The companys share price jumped 2 per cent higher at 12:31 WAT on Lagos Custom Street on Friday, following the news. But a dramatic surge in cost of sales and operating expenses plunged Nigerian Breweries to its second weakest annual profit since at least 2013 even though none of the yearly revenues for those eight years was any way near that of the period under review. That left profit margin, which depicts how much of the companys revenue has turned into profit, at just 2.9 per cent. The figure compares with the 16 per cent margin reported in 2014, when revenue was much lower, standing at N266.4 billion. A spokesperson for Nigerian Breweries did not immediately respond to PREMIUM TIMES call for comment. Profit Before Tax came to N23.7 billion, more than two fold bigger than what the firm reported the year before while after-tax profit swelled to N12.7 billion from N7.4 billion. Liquor powerhouse Heineken Brouwerijen B.V., which owns more than 165 breweries in over 70 countries, wields the biggest stake in Nigerian Breweries, controlling 38.1 per cent of the outstanding shares, while Distilled Trading International B.V. and Stanbic Nominees Nigeria Limited come in tow on the brewers ownership pecking order at 15.5 per cent and 12 per cent stakes respectively. At the moment the biggest brewer in Europe, Heineken, through its nominee Raysun Nigeria Limited, holds an 85 per cent interest in Uyo-based Champion Breweries, and has mounted a mandatory takeover bid to buy the rest 15 per cent shareholding from Champion Breweries minority stockholders at a premium-included price of N2.65 per share compared to a market price of N2.05 as of 13.07 WAT on Friday. When Do You Need to Make a Mandatory Offer Under the Takeover Code? The Takeover Code pertains to shareholders and is a binding set of rules that apply to UK public and certain UK A dissenting group of minority shareholders of the target company have informed the stock market watchdog Securities and Exchange Commission they will opt for a merger with Nigerian Breweries instead. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday objected to an application to examine musician Azeez Fashola a.k.a Naira Marleys iPhone SIM slot. Naira Marley is being charged with cybercrime. The EFCC preferred cybercrime charges against the musician on May 14, 2019. Naira Marley, who sang the popular song: Am I a Yahoo Boy, was arraigned on May 20, 2019, before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, but he pleaded not guilty. The court granted him bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum. The trial had since begun in the case and the second prosecution witness who concluded his examination-in-chief on Oct. 27, 2021, is under cross-examination. Court proceeding EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, objected during the cross-examination of the second prosecution witness, Augustine Anosike, before a Federal High Court in Lagos. Mr Oyedepo said the witness should not be made to open the SIM slot of Naira Marleys phone to determine the presence of a SIM card or otherwise, since he never opened it during his analysis. On Thursday, the defence counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo, had asked the witness if he recalled testifying that his gadgets could capture and retrieve deleted information. When the witness replied in the affirmative, Mr Ojo asked if he had indicated in Exhibit F or F1 that any information was deleted and retrieved. In response, the witness told the court that the content of his report indicated that items recovered also included deleted information. When the defence counsel redirected the witness to specifically answer the question, he told the court that for instance, in the column tagged messages, it was stated that two pieces of information were deleted but recovered. He said that in the web/history column, it was indicated that about 688 information were deleted but recovered, while another web column indicated that 120 items were deleted but recovered. Referring to Pages 1958, of Exhibit F1, the witness told the court that it indicated that an incoming text was deleted, adding that the message ID read Nairamarley@icloud.com He told the court that the deleted and recovered items showed that the gadgets were able to recover even deleted information. Defence counsel then asked the witness if the defendants iPhone had a SIM card when he worked on it. Cross-examination In response, the witness told the court that he did not open the phone of the defendant, but only ran the extraction and emerged with the result. When asked if he was able to detect that the iPhone was a used phone before it was sent to him for analysis, the witness replied that he did not do so. When asked when the first information extracted was done, the witness said that for instance under contract, the first index was created on September 2, 2018, and modified on December 21, 2018, as recorded in the device. Defence counsel then called for the defendants iPhone and applied to the court for the witness to be allowed to open the SIM slot to determine whether a SIM card was present. However, the prosecutor objected to the application on grounds that the witness had already testified on record that he did not open the phone during analysis. He argued that having not done so during analysis, the witness should not be made to do so during trial. However, Mr Ojo said that what he sought to demonstrate before the court was whether the SIM card was inside the iPhone of the defendant, and not to remove or tamper with it. Advertisements He told the court that he also sought to demonstrate that the said phone number of the defendant, which ended with 32, was in use at the moment, whereas the same phone was in the custody of the court After arguments and counter-arguments, the court upheld the argument of the prosecution that opening the SIM slot was not the proper thing to do. The judge adjourned the case until April 6, for the continuation of trial. Background According to the EFCC, Naira Marley committed the offences on different dates between November 26, 2018, and December 11, 2018, as well as on May 10, 2019. The commission alleged that Naira Marley and his accomplices conspired to use different Access Bank automated teller machine cards to defraud their victims. It alleged that the defendant used a bank credit card issued to another person, in a bid to obtain fraudulent financial gains. The EFCC also said that the defendant possessed counterfeit credit cards belonging to different people, with the intent to defraud. The alleged offences contravene the provisions of Sections 1 23 (1) (b), 27 (1) and 33(9) of Cynthia er Crime (Prohibition) Prevention Act, 2015. With no fatalities, Nigeria on Friday recorded 45 new COVID-19 infections maintaining the trend of low infections recorded within the past few weeks. But while Nigeria experiences a significant decline in the number of infections, the World Health Organisation (WHO) acknowledged on Friday that 75,000 deaths from COVID-19 were reported last week alone. WHO disclosed this on its official Facebook account, noting that Omicron is leading to a significant increase in the number of hospitalisations and deaths. Nigerias COVID-19 Update The latest statistics released by the NCDC early Saturday morning revealed that the new infections were reported across seven states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The new cases have raised Nigerias infection toll to 254,182, while the fatality toll still stands at 3,141. The data also shows that the number of people still down with the illness is over 20,500 while a total of 230,530 people have been successfully treated and discharged in Nigeria since the disease outbreak two years ago. The disease centre noted that FCT and Oyo State reported a backlog of 17 and three discharged cases respectively for February 16, 2022. Breakdown The breakdown of the NCDC data revealed that Lagos State, Nigerias epicentre of the disease, topped the infection chart with a backlog of 18 cases for February 16, 2022, followed by Cross River State with seven cases. FCT came third on the log with a backlog of seven cases for February 16, 2022. While Oyo State reported five cases, Kano and Nasarawa recorded three cases each, while Ekiti and Rivers states reported a single case each. NCDC also noted that nine states: Abia, Bauchi, Imo, Kaduna, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Plateau, and Sokoto reported that they recorded no cases on Wednesday. WHO speaks on Omicron Variants In a video posted on its official Facebook page, WHO COVID-19 technical lead, Maria Kerkhove, elaborates on Omicron and its sub-lineages transmission and severity. She explained that Omicron has several sub-lineages, which are the BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3, noting that within the sub-lineages, BA.2 is more transmissible. She said: Its quite incredible how quickly Omicron, the latest variant of concern, has overtaken Delta around the world. We could see some further infections of BA.2 after this big wave of BA.1 and I know a lot of people are concerned about this, but this is something that we are looking at. Omicron is not, quote-unquote, mild. It is less severe than delta. But we are still seeing significant numbers of hospitalisations of Omicron and deaths. She noted that they should not be mistaken for the common cold or influenza. Preventive measures The Executive Director, WHO health emergency programme, Mike Ryan, also recommended a slow approach for countries that are lifting all public health and social measures despite high numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths. He said: We do recognise this desire to open up and go back to normal, but if that desire to go back to complete normal will sustain this pandemic going forward for much longer, then we need to think about that. And I do think that in some situations, the political pressure now to open up and remove all restrictions of all kinds is so high that we may overshoot the runway. Mr Ryan added that if countries lift all restrictions and get hit with another variant, then it will be difficult to get back to normal. He, however, urged individuals to take preventive measures. Reduce your risk of being infected and chances of infecting someone else. Be smart, protect yourself, protect others, get vaccinated, and just be safe and careful, he said. Nigerias President Muhammadu Buhari has urged teh European Union to support the African Union in sanctioning coup plotters in African countries. There have been at least six successful coups leading to unconstitutional transfer of power in five sub-Saharan African countries in the past two years, PREMIUM TIMES reported, leading to fears of a resurgence of coups on the continent. Some of the countries include Chad, Mali (twice), Guinea, Burkina Faso and Sudan. The African Union has imposed sanctions on some of the coup plotters including in Mali and Guinea. The sanctions include travel bans and assets freeze, PREMIUM TIMES reported. On Thursday, the Nigerian leader urged the EU to support such sanctions. We also call for stronger support from the European Union in the condemnation and imposition of weighty sanctions on countries that engage in unconstitutional change of governments, as well as manipulation of constitutions in favour of extension of term limits, Mr Buhari was quoted as saying at the AU-EU summit in Brussels. Read the full statement by Mr Buharis spokesperson, Garba Shehu, on the presidents speech, below. AT EU-AU SUMMIT, PRESIDENT BUHARI CALLS FOR WEIGHTY SANCTIONS FOR UNCONSTITUTIONAL LEADERSHIP CHANGES IN AFRICA President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Brussels, Belgium called on European leaders as partners in promoting democracy and good governance to lend their weight behind measures put in place by the African Union to stem the tide of unconstitutional leadership changes, rearing its head again on the continent. In his contribution to the roundtable discussion on Peace, Security and Governance at the ongoing 6th EU-AU Summit, President Buhari equally stressed the need to nip the root causes of extremism, conflicts and tensions in Africa at inception. Africa has continued to witness different waves of violent extremism, community-based conflicts and inter-ethnic tensions, notably in rural areas. For many decades, our continent has been deprived of political stability and socio-economic development due to terrorism and violent extremism. More worrisome is the current state of democracy on the continent, which has become a great source of concern to many of us, with increasing cases of unconstitutional change of governments across the continent, particularly in West Africa. This is in addition to the challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic. The African Union has often responded to these challenges through its different structures, such as the African Peace and Security Architecture and the African Governance Architecture. Through enhanced collaboration with our development partners, especially the European Union, we can identify areas of cooperation for quick and substantive results. As leaders and policymakers, it is important for our partnership to place priority on tackling the root causes of conflicts in Africa, as well as taking measures in safeguarding peace and security, if we are to achieve the African Union Agenda 2063. We also call for stronger support from the European Union in the condemnation and imposition of weighty sanctions on countries that engage in unconstitutional change of governments, as well as manipulation of constitutions in favour of extension of term limits, he said. The Nigerian leader added that it was imperative to ensure that election processes in Africa have outcomes that truly reflect the wishes of the electorate, as to go contrary to these is courting instability. According to him, we have a responsibility to reduce conflicts that stem from lack of good governance, unaccountability, corruption and social exclusion. Free, fair, credible and transparent elections remain crucial elements in ensuring peace and security, and promoting constitutional order, democracy and inclusive governance on the continent. It is therefore imperative for our partnership to also focus on strengthening election processes in Africa and prevent interference to influence the process and outcomes of elections. President Buhari also called for the concretization and transformation of promises of cooperation made by the European leaders to actions. I wish to underscore the need to convert our pledges on political cooperation in the area of peace, security and conflict prevention into concrete initiatives such as joint field missions, shared understanding and analysis on crisis situations, as well as joint early action and swift implementation of agreed positions. The movement and operation of terrorists and violent extremist groups along the Sahel could better be addressed through an improved Continental Early Warning Mechanism. Consequently, we believe there is a clear need to strengthen our cooperation on security with the European Union, particularly through improved intelligence sharing and acquisition of military equipment and hardware. We invite the EU to upscale its support for the G5 Sahel and the Multinational Joint Taskforce in the Lake Chad Region as we strive to further degrade the Boko-Haram insurgents and their Islamic State in the West Africa Province counterparts. Africa also looks up to Europe for enhanced support in the area of combating Illicit financial flows and terrorism funding that aid the activities of terrorists and violent extremist groups. He called for all hands to be on deck to ensure that Africas Blue Economy Agenda for development is realized. According to him, I must emphasize the importance of expanding regional and international cooperation on ocean governance, on the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing as well as on maritime security, including piracy, illicit trafficking and other maritime crimes and threats as reflected in the 2050 Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy. Advertisements Garba Shehu Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) A tanker belonging to Olam and carrying petrol exploded on Friday killing at least 17 people, the FRSC has said. The tanker caught fire along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Ogun State at about 5 a.m. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the tanker, which has Dangote Flour inscribed on it, belonged to the Dangote Group. However, a spokesperson for the Dangote Group said although Olam acquired the Groups flour arm two years ago, they did not wipe off the name from their trucks. Olam is the parent company of Crown Flour Milk. Florence Okpe, the FRSC spokesperson in the state, said the accident happened before Isara bridge in Ogun east senatorial district. Ms Okpe said 14 of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition, adding that the FRSC was able to identify one man, one woman, and a girl. She added that the tanker had a head-on collision with a Mazda bus marked, ZT728 KLD. The total number of people involved is not ascertained, but a total of 17 bodies have been identified. One male, one female, and one female child only have been identified, while others were burnt beyond recognition and no injury sustained, Ms Okpe said. The suspected causes of the fatal crash were route violation and dangerous driving, which resulted in a head-on collision and fire outbreak. The Ogun FRSC Sector Commander, Ahmed Umar, described the crash as an avoidable one if one of the drivers had obeyed traffic rules and regulations. The FRSC boss also commiserated with the families of the victims, enjoining them to contact the FRSC office in Ogere for more information about the crash. With barely 24 hours to the governorship primaries in Osun State, party chieftains are making frantic moves to mend the cracks and unite the two factions of the party in the state. One faction, led by former governor and minister of interior, Rauf Aregbesola, is backing the candidature of a former secretary to the state government, Moshood Adeoti. The other group is seeking the re-election of Governor Gboyega Oyetola for another four-year term. Mr Oyetola, who succeeded Mr Aregbesola in 2018, fell out with his predecessor months after being sworn into office. Addressing party loyalists this week, Mr Aregbeseola had attacked his former ally and leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu, accusing him of handpicking a successor who has refused to continue his legacy in the state. Mr Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, was instrumental to Mr Aregbesolas election as governor in 2010. Peace moves With the primaries slated for February 19, party leaders have been in a race against time to reconcile the two warring factions. It was gathered that the leaders had mandated three governors to meet Mr Aregbesola last Tuesday to commence the process for reconciliation. Also, the ministers political associates were said to have flown into Abuja from Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, and some South-East states to prevail on him to be open to reconciliation in order to save the party. A source close to the meeting gave two of those who moved to compel Mr Aregbesola to accept reconciliation to be the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Solomon Adeola, and the partys organising secretary in Lagos, Abdulahi Enilolobo. It was also gathered that three governors of the APC, Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and David Umahi (Ebonyi) had urgently travelled to Abuja to meet Mr Aregbesola and appealed to him to consider reaching a consensus. Mr Aregbesola reportedly gave the governors one condition to sheathe his sword: that Governor Oyetola allow a free and fair primaries. The spokesperson to Mr Aregbesola, Sola Fasure, told PREMIUM TIMES that, indeed, meetings had been held to prevail on his principal. He, however, said he could not confirm the identity of the peacemakers nor the content of their discussion. What I will say is that the caucus of the former Governor and Minister for Interior are ready for the primaries but on the preparedness of the national secretariat for the primaries, I cant speak for them. The political system always have an unending negotiation. There is always moves and there will continue to be moves. It was further gathered that Mr Tinubu rebuffed attempts to broker peace with Mr Aregbesola and party leaders have continued to persuade him to put the partys interest first. Tunde Rahman, Mr Tinubus spokesperson, declined comments. Calls for postponement There have been calls from some party leaders to postpone Saturdays primaries in the state because of the level of preparedness of the party. The leaders also argued that more time should be given to enable them broker peace between the warring factions. A party member who did not want to be named because he is not authorised to speak said the membership register, which is supposed to be used for the primaries, was yet to be made available as of Friday morning. The Returning Officer for the primaries, Governor Abdulrasaq Abdulrahman of Kwara, is said to have also been bothered about the poor state of preparation, which might taint the outcome of the exercise. James Akpanudoedeche, who doubles as APC spokesperson, did not respond to phone calls and text message requests for comments. The African Editors Forum has released two major resources on COVID-19 and pandemics in Africa. The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching impacts for all economic sectors, but as front-line workers, it has had acute impacts on journalists. Journalists financial, physical and electronic safety and security has been challenged, leading to poorer news content and impacting their capacity to fulfill their role as they should in reporting in an emergency of this nature. While the media have been hamstrung, misinformation and disinformation have proliferated online, which have led to countless infections and even deaths with journalists struggling to deal with the tide of falsehoods. These are some of the findings of a study by the African Editors Forum (TAEF), Reporting at a Distance: The Impact of COVID-19 on Journalists and Journalism in Africa. The report will be launched on February 23, 2022, together with The Safety Guide for Journalists covering pandemics in Africa. The Impact of COVID-19 on Journalists and Journalism in Africa, which was continent wide and the first of its kind and was funded by UNESCOs International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC). The Safety Guide for Journalists covering Pandemics in Africa was co-funded by UNESCOs Multidonor Programme on Freedom of Expression and the Safety of Journalists (MDP) and the #Coronavirusfacts project supported by European Union. TAEF is not only happy to provide the study, which will be a necessary tool for journalists and researchers. The guide will be a useful weapon in the arsenal of the media as they cover pandemics, said TAEF chairperson Jovial Rantao. Sandra Roberts, author of the research report, said: Not one of the journalists interviewed in the fifteen participating countries, spread out in all regions of Africa, was left unaffected by the pandemic. One of the key challenges of the pandemic has been the ability and in some cases the tendency of governments to restrict the movement of journalists and pose a risk to their safety. A female journalist in Zimbabwe said Every time there is a roadblock, you then have to produce your ID, you then have to produce a letter and sometimes they had to verify that. People were told no, go back, you cant proceed. The journalist continued to explain the increased surveillance, especially during lockdowns, meant that journalists own, and their sources, safety could be compromised. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has congratulated Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State and wished him well as his tenure winds down. Mr Osinbajos spokesperson, Laolu Akande, told State House correspondents that the vice president sent his good wishes to the governor at a virtual NEC meeting anchored from the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Obianos tenure ends on March 17. Because today is the last attendance of NEC by the Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, the Vice President, on behalf of the council, congratulated him for eight years of meritorious service to his state and also as a member of NEC. The vice president wished him well in his future endeavours whether it will be civic, political or any kind of future endeavours that he might get into; he wished him very well. Mr Akande said Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and Nigeria Governors Forum Chairman, also bade Mr Obiano farewell. Similarly, the chairman of the governors forum also congratulated him and expressed similar sentiments, The Nigerian government has formally handed over the 3.5HZ spectrum of the fifth Generation (5G) network to the Nigeria Communications Commision (NCC). The minister of communication and digital economy, Isa Pantami, performed the handing over ceremony on Thursday in Abuja. The allocation of bulk spectrum to the NCC is based on its regulatory roles in the telecommunication industry. The initial allocation is done under the auspices of the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC). The NFMC is the custodian of the National Frequency Spectrum Scarce Resource and the apex body for the management of the spectrum. It focuses on the non-commercial spectrum and gives bulk spectrum allocation to statutory bodies empowered by law to assign spectrum to end users. The ministry allocates spectrum for non-commercial use and this is done through the Spectrum Management Department. On Thursday, Mr Pantami said that a total of 148 spectrum allocations have been made since 2019. We are here today to officially allocate the 3.5GHz frequency band, specifically the 3.52GHz to 3.90GHz (or 380 MHz), to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for onward assignment to the winners of the 5G Auctioning Process. The initial allocation is done under the auspices of the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC), Mr Pantami said. 5G networks offer major advantages over technologies that preceded it. These advantages include much lower latency, higher bandwidth, greater device density, longer battery life for nodes and greater network flexibility. As at the end of December 2021, 200 mobile operators in 78 countries/territories had announced 3GPP compatible 5G service launches (either mobile or fixed wireless access), including about 9 countries in Africa. With our population and market size, we are on course to become the country with the largest 5G deployment in Africa. In December 2021, Mafab Communication and MTN Nigeria emerged the two successful winners of the 3.5gigahertz(GHz) spectrum auction for the deployment of 5G technology. The winners emerged after 11 rounds of bidding that lasted for eight hours. The commission fixed the base price at $197.4 million, and the two winners got the nod of the regulator at $273 million. The federal government, on Friday, arraigned the chair, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Olanrewaju Suraju, for allegedly cyberstalking former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Adoke. Mr Adoke had petitioned the police accusing the HEDA chair of peddling falsehood against him in respect of the Malabu Oil scam. Mr Suraju was arraigned before Binta Nyako, a judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on a two-count amended charge. In count one of the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/370/2021, Mr Suraju is accused of intentionally circulating an audio telephone interview between one Ms. Carlamaria Rumur, a reporter with RIAReporter in Italy, about Mohammed Adoke via his twitter handle @HEDAagenda, which he knew to be false. The prosecution accused him of spreading the alleged falsehood for the purpose of causing an insult to Adoke and thereby committing an offence contrary to section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention ETC) Act 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act. In count two, the defendant is accused of committing the same offense in count one via the Facebook handle @HEDAResourcecentre. Mr Suraju denied both charges, pleading not guilty when read to him on Friday. Salihu Bagudu, from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, announced appearance for the prosecution, while Muiz Banire, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), announced legal representation for Mr Suraju. Mrs Nyako granted bail to Mr Suraju following the passionate plea of Mr Banire. The court, however, ordered that the defendant should tender the cheque of N7 million to the courts registrar, being the highest sum for penalty of the offence upon conviction. The suit was adjourned until May 10 for hearing. The arraignment had suffered three earlier adjournments on account of the prosecution and Mrs Nyakos absence. Background Mr Adoke had petitioned the Nigerian police over the circulation of the audiotape and email which Mr Adoke said were forged to incriminate him regarding the Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) 245 corruption case in Milan, Italy. The police investigated Mr Adokes petition against Mr Suraju and subsequently sent the case file to the Attorney-General of the Federations office which filed a cyberstalking case against Mr Suraju. But, during their series of denials of wrongdoing regarding the matter, HEDA and Mr Suraju had explained that the items he was accused of fabricating were court exhibits which featured in the Malabu Oil scam trials in Milan, Italy. In their open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, they maintained that the statements allegedly made by Mr Suraju were identical to those that have been made by the Federal Republic of Nigeria in its civil cases against JP Morgan Chase in London and its case against Shell, Eni and other defendants in Milan. Nigeria has been part of civil and criminal cases in the U.K., Italy, and the U.S. in a bid to bring beneficiaries of the fraudulent transactions to book and to recover proceeds of the controversial deal from them. The email and audiotape complained of by Adoke had featured in the criminal case in Milan, Italy over the transfer of about $1.1 billion by Shell and ENI through the Nigerian government to accounts controlled by a former Nigerian petroleum minister, Dan Etete. The controversies surrounding the OPL 245 started in 1998 when Mr Etete originally awarded the block to his Malabu Oil and Gas Limited while serving as petroleum minister in the late Sani Abacha`s regime. Nigerian investigators and activists had alleged that Mr Etete bribed some top officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration after Eni and Shell controversially acquired OPL 245, one of Nigerias richest oil blocks. The Nigerian government did not benefit from the $1.1 billion transferred for the acquisition of the rich oil field while the ownership logjam over the oilfield remained unresolved. In 2011, the AGF, Mr Adoke advised the administration of Goodluck Jonathan on the OPL 245 transactions at the time to resolve the ownership logjam that prevented it from being explored over the years. His name has repeatedly featured in matters connected to the deal. He is being currently prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the Federal High Court in Abuja over his roles in the alleged scam. Advertisements A Milan court would later acquit Eni and Shell regarding the charges filed against them regarding the Malabu scam. The University of Oxford, England, has introduced the teaching of Igbo Language as a course in the university. Igbo is spoken mainly by the Igbo people who occupy the South-east region of Nigeria and millions of people of Igbo extraction who reside in different parts of the world. Emmanuel Umeonyirioha, who has been inducted as the first official Igbo lecturer in the Oxford University, disclosed this in a Twitter post on Thursday. It is official that I am the first official Igbo Language lecturer at the number one university in the world, the University of Oxford, Mr Umeonyirioha stated in his post which has received great excitement from the Nigerian communities on Twitter and Facebook. Our induction happened today (Thursday) by Marion Sadoux, Head of Modern Language Programmes, University of Oxford Language Centre, Mr Umeonyirioha added. Mr Umeonyirioha posted a photo of himself holding a textbook, a learners manual on Igbo Language. He also uploaded a video clip showing him teaching a white woman how to read out some Igbo words. Mr Umeonyirioha said classes would commence next week, Thursday, from 3p.m. to 4p.m. The introduction of Igbo Language in the university was made possible by the James Currey Society, the lecturer said. The James Currey Society, a nonprofit organisation, is dedicated to studying the works done by British publisher, James Currey. It was founded by Nigerian writer and publisher, Onyeka Nwelue, who serves as its director. This is the first time Igbo language will be taught at the university. History has been made. I am so happy and grateful for this opportunity. I promise to make the Igbo language and culture known to the world, he said on the microblogging site. The Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, says the renewed understanding and commitment of the governors of oil producing states will help in addressing the security challenges in the oil and gas sector. Mr Irabor said this at the end of meeting governors of oil producing states and heads of security and intelligence agencies on Friday in Abuja. He said the outcome of the meeting with the governors was fruitful, adding that it would help the federal government take decisions that would lead to increase in productivity in the oil and gas sector. Mr Irabor said the collaboration would bring greater security to the region where oil and gas exploration is being carried out. I believe that going forward, Nigerians will see the change, he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Irabor had , on Friday, convened a meeting involving the governors of the oil producing states of the Niger Delta ALSO READ: Two more bodies recovered after oil facility explosion The governors of Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Rivers and Abia States were present, those of Edo, Imo and Ondo States were represented by their deputies. Also, heads of security and intelligence agencies present were the CDS, Inspector General of Police, Directors-General of the Department of State Services, National Intelligence Agency and the Chief of Defence Intelligence. Others were the Commandant-General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and an NNPC representative. (NAN) In a bid to achieve vaccine equity, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has selected the first six African countries that will receive the technology needed to produce mRNA vaccines on the continent. The countries are Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia This was announced by the WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, at the European Union-African Union summit in Brussels on Friday. He noted that the countries all applied and have been selected as the first technology recipients of the mRNA vaccine hub. In a statement published on the WHO website, Mr Ghebreyesus said: No other event like the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that reliance on a few companies to supply global public goods is limiting, and dangerous. He also emphasised that the best way to address health emergencies and reach universal health coverage is to significantly increase the capacity of all regions to manufacture the health products they need, with equitable access as their primary endpoint. About mRNA technology hub According to WHO, the global mRNA technology transfer hub was established in 2021 to support manufacturers in low- and middle-income countries to produce their vaccines. The technology will also ensure that the countries have all the necessary operating procedures and know-how to manufacture mRNA vaccines at scale and according to international standards. It explained that the hub was primarily set up to address the COVID-19 emergency because it had the potential to expand manufacturing capacity for other products as well. WHO and partners will work with the beneficiary countries to develop a roadmap and put in place the necessary training and support so that they can start producing vaccines as soon as possible, it added. Vaccination goal WHO had set a target to vaccinate 10 per cent of every country, economy, and territory by the end of September 2021 but by that date 56 countries, including Nigeria, had not been able to do so. WHO came up with a new strategy and concluded to vaccinate 40 per cent of the population of every country by the end of 2021 and 70 per cent by mid-2022. According to the New York Time vaccine tracker, as of February 18, 2022, more than 4.89 billion people worldwide have received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, equal to about 63.7 per cent of the world population. A Welcome development President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday welcomed the designation of Nigeria as one of the manufacturing bases for the COVID-19 vaccine. In a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the president calls for collaboration to address the effects of the pandemic. Mr Buhari said: I am delighted to receive the news of the selection of Nigeria among recipients of MRNA Vaccine technology transfer. We shall ensure the best use is made of the opportunity. Nigeria also offers to host the Bio-manufacturing Training hub proposed by WHO and we commit to providing support to make the hub functional in the shortest possible time, he said. He explained that African leaders are prioritising the manufacturing of vaccines on the continent and in the sharing and transfer of technology We call on the EU to support the WTO towards the conclusion of negotiations on intellectual property rights waiver to ensure that the manufacturing of vaccines can start early in Africa, he said. Vaccines inequity Mr Buhari also appealed to foreign partners to improve on COVID-19 vaccine distribution as less than 10 per cent of the African population had gotten the jab. He stressed that this situation could negatively affect Africas developmental projections. We commend the efforts and support of Team Europe for the substantial contribution to the COVAX facility and the EU contribution for Vaccination rollout campaign in Africa. But currently, less than 10 per cent of Africas population has been vaccinated, compared to more than 60 per cent total vaccinations in the EU, as at the end of 2021, he said. He noted that millions of African citizens are yet to receive their first dose of vaccination jabs, while their counterparts in Europe and other parts of the world are bracing up for their third booster shots. Advertisements When eventually, Africa received about 700 million doses of vaccines before the end of 2021 under the COVAX Facility, it represented a considerable shortfall for a population of 1.383 billion. Nigeria strongly believes that these low figures could not only cause a future health crisis but could negatively impact economic growth and our ability to achieve the African Union Agenda 2063, the president said. Similarly, Mr Ghebreyesus called for equitable access to vaccines worldwide to beat the COVID-19 pandemic as Africa is lagging behind other continents in the global vaccination effort. He said, vaccine inequity is a killer of people and jobs, and it undermines a global economic recovery. He noted that the essence of the disparity is that some countries are moving towards vaccinating citizens a fourth time, while others have not even had enough regular supplies to vaccinate their health workers and those at most risk. Booster after booster in a small number of countries will not end a pandemic while billions remain completely unprotected. But we can and must turn it around. In the short-term, we can end the acute stage of this pandemic while preparing now for future ones, he said. More investment Mr Buhari called for a closer collaboration with the EU to tackle the effects of the pandemic on the African continent. He said the severe impact of the pandemic has once again brought to the fore the vulnerabilities of mankind and the weakness of health systems across the world. He said to mitigate future devastating health pandemics, there is an urgent need for increased funding for healthcare systems in Africa and increased local manufacturing of materials and equipment along the whole value chain. This can happen only with the cooperation that would close the gaps in the health systems on our continent. We urge our European partners to focus more on investments targeted at improving the African health systems and production of vaccines, he said. Nigerian governors are targeting a 200 per cent increase in the countrys tax aggregate revenue despite the challenges facing businesses in the country. To achieve this, they are collaborating with the Joint Tax Board on an initiative tagged Data for Tax. The Data for Tax (D4T) initiative envisages an ecosystem where financial and non-financial data on all individuals and economic transactions will be collated into a central National Tax Data Bank with the National Identification Number (NIN) as the primary unifying code. During their meeting on Wednesday, members of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) received a presentation from the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Service (FIRS) and Chairman of the Joint Tax Board (JTB), Muhammad Nami, on the national D4T Initiative with regards to how it can be achieved. The governors pledged their support for the project which is aimed at expanding the countrys tax net to at least 90 per cent of all eligible taxable persons. They also committed to collaborating with the JTB to increase the countrys aggregate tax revenue by up to 200 per cent as envisaged. These were contained in a communique issued on Thursday and signed by the NGF chairman, Kayode Fayemi. The governors also received a presentation from the National Convener of the UN Food Systems and Permanent Secretary of Budget and National Planning, Olusola Idowu, on the National Pathway to Food Systems Transformation. The role of governors in the project is to prioritise the establishment of farm settlement estates for groups of smallholder producers, including women and youths, to increase the supply of farm inputs, the use of machinery, access to extension services, and market access. To this end, the Forum affirmed its commitment to the ideals of the programme which it said, many states are already pursuing and committed to working with the federal government to expand the development of these settlements across the country. Also at the meeting, the governors received a presentation on the status of the countrys digital identification programme from Aliyu Aziz, the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). This is aimed at strengthening the national enrollment exercise which has seen the issuance of over 74 million national identification numbers (NIN) to Nigerians across the country. Governors, according to the statement, pledged to support the programme through sensitisation activities, integration of NIN in state services and collaboration with telecoms providers to improve network infrastructure for sustained identity registration and authentication. The Forum stressed the need to complete the harmonisation and integration of databases, to reduce the carriage of multiple identifications (IDs) by citizens noting that being able to uniquely identify persons is extremely important for social security and cross state border management. Furthermore, NIMC is to liaise with state governments through its various state coordinators in addition to working with the NGF Secretariat. On COVID-19, the NGF Secretariats Health Adviser, Ahmad Abdulwahab, delivered an update on the countrys health security interventions, particularly on the COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Project (COPREP) and the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHPF). The governors also discussed the status of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lassa fever outbreak, the need to improve the quality of Polio campaigns, as well as the setup of State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance Services (SEMSA) with accredited health facilities and requisite personnel. The Forum announced that from February 23 to 25, 2022, the state governors will be joined by a delegation from Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, with the aim of deepening the governments engagement on routine immunisation, health system strengthening and COVID19 vaccination in the country. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited has assured Nigerians that the company had placed significant orders of over 2.1 billion litres of methanol-free petroleum to ensure that the long queues of petroleum end in a few days. This was disclosed in a statement by GarbaDeen Muhammad, the group general manager, group public affairs division of the NNPC Limited. According to the statement, the NNPC boss, Mele Kyari, gave the assurance while briefing the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream). The federal government had on Tuesday last week said methanol, a chemical additive, found in recently imported fuel exceeded Nigerias specification. The development has resulted in a shortage of petrol and queues reappearing in major cities including Abuja and Lagos. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the scarcity worsened Tuesday across many cities, as many struggled to go to work or engage in other daily routines. Traffic gridlocks appeared across some major parts of the city as many service lanes were closed to traffic due to queues from petrol stations. Mr Kyari explained that the situation came about as a result of the discovery of methanol in the PMS cargoes shipped to Nigeria under the subsisting commercial contract operated by the NNPC and its partners. The NNPC boss said the reason tests did not reveal methanol presence was because Nigerias testing mechanism does not cover methanol. He also noted that methanol discovery was made by its inspection agents who noticed the emulsification at the filling stations. We are a law-abiding company. There is no way we could have known about the methanol presence. The only way we could have known about it is if our suppliers, in good faith, disclosed it to us, he said. In this particular instance, the discovery was made by our inspection agents who noticed the emulsification at the filling stations and brought it to our attention. Subsequent investigation revealed that the four cargoes which are all from the same source also contained methanol-blended PMS, Mr Kyari said. He noted that the NNPC then moved swiftly to trace all the affected products and quarantine them to forestall further damage. While assuring the committee and Nigerians that measures have been put in place to accelerate fuel supply and distribution in the country, he said the company had placed significant orders of over 2.1billion litres of methanol-free PMS to ensure the queues vanish in a few days. He pledged that NNPC would cooperate with the committee and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to get to the root of the matter. He expressed deep empathy with Nigerians on the current situation and assured that adequate measures have been put in place to maintain supply sufficiency and prevent future occurrence. Nigerias anti-graft agency, EFCC, has rejected the proposed criminalisation of ransom payment to kidnappers or terrorists to secure release of hostages. The Senates plan to criminalise ransom payment is part of ongoing amendment to the Terrorism Prevention Act. The agency said instead of criminalising ransom payment to abductors, such negotiation should be subjected to security vetting. The EFFCs Director, Legal and Prosecution Department, Chile Okoroma, made this known when he appeared before the Senate Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters; and Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes for the public hearing of the amendment bill. The bill, sponsored by Imo senator, Francis Onyewuchi, proposes 15 years imprisonment for anyone who pays ransom to kidnappers. Section 14 of the bill reads, Anyone who transfers funds, makes payment or colludes with an abductor, kidnapper or terrorist to receive any ransom for the release of any person who has been wrongfully confined, imprisoned or kidnapped is guilty of a felony and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than 15 years. The EFCC , however, thinks otherwise. While Mr Okoroma applauded other provisions of the bill, he said it would be unfair to penalise people who pay ransom. He suggested that the penalty be narrowed down to the receivers of the ransom, not the givers. Similarly, the Nigerian Navy kicked against the idea. A naval officer, K.O. Egbuchulam, who represented the Chief of Naval Staff, said such negotiations would be subjected to security vetting and tracking of kidnappers. It is suggested that the bill could make the negotiation and proposed payment of ransom to kidnappers or terrorists to secure release of hostages, subject to the prior knowledge of ONSA/Armed Forces of Nigeria/Police for coordination. It is opined that subjecting such payment of ransom to security vetting and tracking is preferable to outright criminalisation, he said. EFCC, AGF disagree over proceeds of crime commission At the hearing, three other anti-corruption bills were considered Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) bill, Public Complaints Commission (Repeal and Re-Enactment) bill and the Proceeds of Crimes (Recovery and Management) bill. The Proceeds of Crimes (Recovery and Management) bill, seeks to establish a commission to handle forfeiture of assets acquired through criminal and illegal activities. Both the EFCC and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, disagreed on the need to create a new agency to be solely responsible for forfeiture of the proceeds of crimes assets. While the EFCC said creating a new agency is not necessary since the anti-graft body is well positioned to handle such duties, the AGF believed the agency will not pose financial challenges for the country only help to recover stolen revenues. Secretary to the EFCC, George Ekpungu, reminded the panel of the federal governments white paper on the reduction of the establishment of new agencies. I dont think creating a new one that would manage the proceeds of crimes is necessary. This one is like a caveat. We remember the Presidential Panel on Investigation and Recovery of Public Property and what it almost foisted on the nation crises, confusion and drawbacks, he said, adding that the proposed agency would lead to additional financial burden for the country. Mr Malami, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Legal Drafting, Federal Ministry of Justice, Godwin Iheabunike, said the commission would handle civil forfeiture for the ministry. Our agencies right now are handling criminal forfeitures which means we have to wait until they are done with prosecutions before they can now come back to do recovery. But now, this agency will do civil recovery. It would also help Nigeria to gain a reputation in the global community. CBN rejects new anti-money laundering laws Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) opposed moves by the Senate to enact a new anti-money laundering law instead of amending the existing Money Laundering (Prevention) Act 2011. Advertisements A Director of the CBN, Chibuzor Efobi, who represented the apex bank, said where the existing Money Laundering (Prevention) Act 2011, is repealed and re-enacted, there would be new legal foundations which have not been assessed against the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards. This, he said, would bring about a new law that may likely be deficient in other areas not limited to the deficiencies identified in the Mutual Evaluation Report. Additionally, the new law will have to be completely reviewed by the FATF and GIABA (Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa) for compliance with FATF recommendations. There will be a risk that the international assessment identifies new gaps which would lead to rating downgrades. Consequently, the CBN is opposed to the passage of the proposed bills for the repeal and re-enactment of the existing Money Laundering (Prevention) Act 2011. We have attached a copy of a proposed amendment to the 2011 Act for your consideration and necessary action. Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the joint committee, Suleiman Kwari (APC, Kaduna North), said the proposed legislations were aimed at strengthening the fight against corruption in the country. While stressing the need to observe certain international commitments and obligations, Mr Kwari assured that the National Assembly is mindful of the nations sovereignty. Sierra Leonean rebel leader, Gibril Massaquoi, who is standing trial in Finland for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Liberia, has been released from prison ahead of the verdict in his case, coming in the next few months. Massaquois charges include rape, ritual murder and recruitment of child soldiers, which prosecutors say he committed during Liberias second civil warcharges he denies. Massaquoi has been imprisoned for approximately two years, which can be considered an exceptionally long period, the Pirkanmaa District Court said in a statement on Wednesday. The Court added: Moreover, an exceptionally long period of almost 20 years has already elapsed since the alleged acts. Presiding Judge Juhani Paiho said in a WhatsApp message that his Court acted on the instructions of the Finnish Supreme Court. The Supreme Court in Finland has previously issued rulings that the general rule is that the accused should be released to await the verdict. He has been in detention for two years now. Possible crimes were committed almost 20 years ago. It was considered to be unfair to continue his detention taking into consideration human rights aspects also we have to follow guidelines from our Supreme Court. The release of Massaquoi, 51, from the prison, will frustrate human rights campaigners. But Judge Paiho clarified that the decision to release him in no way reflected a decision on the part of the judges as to Massaquois guilt or innocence. This decision does not prejudice the coming verdict, he said. Judge Paiho said that Massaquoi is under no surveillance He is not. So far, there has been no reason to have a risk of flight. Of course, we can never say for sure. This was the assessment of the Court as a whole. Background Massaquoi served as an informant for the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone, which prosecuted and sentenced former Liberian President Charles Taylor to 50 years in prison for aiding and abetting the rebels in the Sierra Leonean civil war, which killed an estimated 50,000 people. The court found that Taylor supported the rebel group the Revolutionary United Front of Sierra Leone, with which Massaquoi he held several positions, including spokesman. In exchange for his testimony, Massaquoi was not prosecuted for his role in Sierra Leone and he and his family were relocated to Finland in 2008 in an arrangement with Special Court. But prosecutors there, working with two nonprofit NGOs Swiss-based Civitas Maxima and its Liberian counterpart, Global Justice and Research Project indicted him in March 2020. Massaquois trial formally began in Finland in February 2021. The Court heard testimony from dozens of witnesses in Liberia and Sierra Leone. There were two phases of the hearings in Liberia, and one in Sierra Leone, where proceedings were delayed when two judges contracted typhoid. The court then recessed and returned to Finland to hear additional witnesses. Among the witnesses the court heard in Liberia were Massaquois alleged victims, some of whom displayed scars on their bodies they claimed Massaquoi caused either personally or through orders to his soldiers. Massaquoi is facing trial under Finnish law. He is the first Sierra Leonean to stand such charges for an alleged role in Liberias two civil wars between December 1989-August 2003. Liberia is yet to legislate a court to try those accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the wars despite recommendations from the former Truth and Reconciliation Commission, local campaigners, the UN and international donor countries that it do so. In October 2018, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution directing the country to establish the court and implement the TRCs recommendations. A year later, over two-thirds of Liberias House of Representatives also approved a resolution for the court. In June 2021, the Liberian National Bar Association led a group of civil society organisations to formally present a bill to the Legislature on the matter. But the Senate dashed hopes that the Legislature would approve the court when it, also in June 2021, urged President Weah to set up a transitional justice commission to review the TRCs recommendationsa decision that angered justice campaigners, who said the move was a delay tactic that showed the Senate was not interested in ensuring accountability for war-time atrocities. One of the Senates most powerful members, Prince Johnson, would likely be among the first to be tried in a Liberian court. President George Weah backed the Senates action. Justice campaigners claim it was to keep the votes of Johnson. I have taken due note of the advisement contained in the comprehensive report of the Honourable Senate aimed at bringing to closure the issues of reconciliation and justice arising from the Liberian Civil Conflict, Weah said in a communication to the Senate in August 2021. Advertisements Mr Weah, who backflipped on his earlier endorsement of a war crimes court before he became president, assured the body he would act on its suggestions. I would like to assure you that I shall give these recommendations timely and due considerations, he said. The four-judge panel in the Massaquoi trial is set to issue its verdict in March or April. This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Project. A senator and former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, says his group will appeal Thursdays judgment of the Court of Appeal that returned the control of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. Mr Shekarau also accused the governor of incitement against members of his group in his remarks on Thursdays judgment. The Court of Appeal in Abuja set aside the judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory which invalidated the ward and local government congresses of the APC in Kano State. The lower court had delivered the judgment in a suit filed by a faction of the party led by Mr Shekarau, which had conducted parallel congresses. The court also declared the congresses of the plaintiffs as valid. However, on Thursday, the appellate court said the lower court lacks jurisdiction over the case as it is not a pre-election matter but an internal affair of the party, which should be decided by the leadership of the APC. The judgment hands the control of the APC in Kano back to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. The decisions of the appeal court were delivered by Justices Haruna Tsammani, Gafai and J. Amadi. Following the ruling, the APC on Thursday presented a certificate of return to Abdullahi Abbas, a loyalist of Mr Ganduje, as the state executives elected at the state chairman of the party. Speaking on the judgment, Mr Ganduje, in a video in which he spoke in Hausa and posted on Facebook by his new media aide, Abubakar Ibrahim, said the useless G7 group has been crushed. G7 refers to the Shekarau faction. This is the outcome of what they have done. We are thankful to the people of Kano State, APC members and all those involved in the struggle and we hope that the APC will present a certificate of return to Abdullahi Abbas. We shall continue to pray because this is not the end of the matter. We are going to restrategise and intimate our party leaders from the grassroots to the state to be prayerful and cautious about the useless G-7 group because they are still breathing. We will ensure that we crush them, Mr Ganduje said. Gandujes statement unbecoming of a leader Shekarau In his response after a meeting with the members of his group, Mr Shekarau described the governors remarks as unbecoming of a leader, saying the remarks have put the lives of members of his group in danger. When we were having success in the courts, we did not abuse or disrespect any person. But unfortunately, following their success, Governor Ganduje appealed to violence and maligned us publicly. He said whoever does not accept the court judgment should be crushed. That statement does not portray him as a responsible leader that is willing to reconcile and make the APC one united party in the state, Mr Shekarau said. The former governor also accused the national leadership of preferential treatment for presenting the certificate of return to Mr Abass. They did not present to us the certificate of return despite court judgement in our favour but did that to Ganduje faction in less than two hours of the court judgment, Mr Shekarau added. However, Mr Shekarau said the group received the court judgment in good faith but we have directed our lawyers to analyse the judgment and go to the Supreme Court. We shall ensure justice to all APC members in the state by ensuring a purposeful and all-inclusive leadership of the party in the state, Mr Shekarau said. Yewande Sadiku, a former executive secretary and chief executive officer of Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), who helped bring reforms to the commission but faced intense opposition from staff, has been appointed to the board of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, the food company said in a regulatory filing published by the Nigerian Exchange Friday. The firm appointed Ms Sadiku as a non-executive director with effect from February 16. Ms Sadiku is the immediate past executive secretary/chief executive officer of NIPC, which she led between November 2016 and September 2021. Taking transparency as part of the focal point of her administration, the 49-year-old helped improve the reputation of NIPC in the Freedom of Information ranking for compliance and transparency from 90th position to 1st position within five years. NIPCs internally generated revenue grew from N296 million to N3.1 billion under her watch. Ms Sadiku faced a myriad of battles from entrenched interests during her NIPC years in her quest to sanitise the agency, the high point of it being allegations of corruption and lawsuits, some from the commissions governing board. Last month, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission exonerated her of graft and fraud charges after completing its investigations. Prior to joining the government department, Ms Sadiku headed Stanbic IBTCs investment banking arm, Stanbic IBTC Capital. In her banking career, spanning 23 years, Ms. Sadiku handled assignments for clients in virtually every sector of the Nigerian economy, providing strategic financial advice, while ensuring strict legal and regulatory compliance, Flour Mills, Nigerias biggest listed consumer goods firm by revenue, said. A recipient of the Eisenhower Fellowship for International Leadership, she is at the moment the acting chairman of the board of trustees of the Investors Protection Fund of Nigerian Exchange Limited. Ms Sadikus executive leadership experience of more than 20 years in investment banking and the capital market will be of tremendous value to FMN as we continue to position the group to take advantage of the ever-changing consumer landscape in the foods and agro-allied sectors, caid CEO John Coumantaros. Her appointment represents our determination to ensure that we have a diverse mix of gender, skills and viewpoints on the FMN board as we continue to fulfil our purposeof feeding the nation, everyday, he added. The ECOWAS Court sitting in Abuja has rejected the Nigerian governments application for the dismissal of a suit challenging last years ban of Twitter in the country. This is despite the lifting of the ban on Twitter in January, seven months after the indefinite suspension of the platform was announced by the Nigerian government in June 2021. According to a statement by the courts information unit on Friday, a three-member panel of the court which sat on the case, fixed May 10 for its final judgement after turning down the federal governments application for the dismissal of the suit. The presiding judge, Gberi-Be Ouattara, who delivered the ruling dismissing the governments application, described it as baseless. Two other members of the panel Keikura Bangura and Januaria Moreira Costa concurred. The court noted that the lawyers representing the Nigerian government only filed the application for the dismissal of the suit after the suit had been adjourned for judgment. It added that the Nigerian government did not provide evidence of the agreement it reached with Twitter management as evidence of resolution of the issue. The ruling followed a hearing on the application on February 16. Twitter ban, suits Several individuals and organisations, including the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), had filed different suits against the Nigerian government in the wake of the announcement of an indefinite suspension of Twitter operations in the country on June 4, 2021. The ban on Twitter operations came two days after the microblogging site deleted a controversial tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari. But the Nigerian had insisted that it took the action against Twitter, amongst other reasons, in response to the abuse of the platform which it claimed was a channel for spreading fake news against Nigerias corporate existence. SERAP, the Media Rights Agenda and eight others; Malcolm Omirhobo; and Patrick Eholor, subsequently filed the suits marked: ECW/CCJ/APP/23/21,ECW/CCJ/APP/29/21,ECW/CCJ/APP/24/21, and ECW/CCJ/APP/26/21, respectively, against the Twitter ban which they alleged infringed on their rights. The ECOWAS Court subsequently ordered the consolidation of the suits into one. Ruling on an application by the plaintiffs on June 22, 2021, the court issued an interlocutory order restraining the federal government from taking any action against media houses, organisations or individuals making use of Twitter in defiance to the ban pending the hearing of the suit. The ban, however, continued while the government continued to announce ongoing negotiations with Twitter. After seven months, the government unblocked access to the site in January 2022. Why suit should be dismissed The government subsequently filed an application dated January 26, 2022 asking for the ECOWAS Court to dismiss the suit challenging the Twitter ban. On February 16, the governments legal team argued the application for the dismissal of the suit, citing the lifting of the ban on Twitter. Abdullahi Abubakar and Abubakar Nuhu, both assistant state counsels, representing the Nigerian government, said that with the lifting of the suspension of Twitter, the suit had lost its purpose and amounted to an academic exercise. They justified the earlier ban on Twitter, saying the platform was consistently being used for activities capable of undermining the existence of Nigeria and national security. They added that Twitter had entered an agreement promising to be law abiding which resulted in the lifting of the ban on Twitter. They also contended that a decision of the court on the suit would constitute no value for the applicants since the subject matter was now devoid of purpose. Plaintiffs oppose call for dismissal The plaintiffs opposed the submissions of the Nigerian government, saying the suspension of Twitter was not the subject matter of the suit, but the action of the government which violated their rights. They also told the court that the lifting of the suspension on Twitter was only one among other prayers sought from the court. They called on the court to reject the governments request for dismissal of the suit and go ahead to deliver its judgement. Advertisements The applicants had in their suits challenged the decision of the Nigerian government to suspend access to the Twitter platform in Nigeria, alleging that the action constituted the violation of their fundamental rights including their rights to freedom of expression and press freedom. They also asked the court to declare the suspension a continuous violation of their fundamental rights. Highlight of governments interference At the earlier hearing on September 29, 2021, two groups intervening as amici curiae (friends of the court) offered insights on state interference with the right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, access to information, political participation and socio-economic rights in the internet age, the courts information unit stated of the previous proceedings in the case. Deji Ajare, Nanpon Wuyep and Mrs Miriam Orika representing the two amici curiae comprising three groups Access Now, gElectronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Open Net Association on one hand, and Amnesty International on the other, made joint oral submissions intended to provide useful findings that could assist the Court in deciding on the matter. Another group the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights represented by Mr Ikechukwu Uzoma also made submission following its application to intervene in the matter as amicus curiae. In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy All praise is to Allah, the Lord of the universe, and peace be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad, the seal of Prophets, and upon his household, companions, and all those who follow their example until the end of time. Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you; You keep good relations with your Kith and kin, you tell the truth, you help the poor and the destitute, you serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones. [Sahihul Bukhari] Respected brothers and sisters! By these great words, the Mother of Faithful Believers, Khadijah (RA), strengthened the heart of the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him), when he talked to her about the Angel that descended to him in the cave of Hirah. Expressing his fear, he (Peace be upon him) said to her: I fear that something may happen to me. The role of the righteous woman and wife was to relieve the severity of the hardship that affected the Prophet of mercy (Peace be upon him), following this hard difficult meeting with Angel Jibril; and to ensure him about Allahs Care for him, proving that by referring to the virtuous morals that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) used to practice in his community. She is clarifying for him that Allah, Glory be to Him, will never disgrace him for one collective reason: he is preserving a group of social worships, so Allah, Glory be to Him, will never disgrace a person, who keeps good relations with kith and kin, who tells the truth, who helps the poor and the destitute, who serves his guests generously and who assists the deserving calamity-afflicted ones. She is speaking to her husband as if she was a psychologist, a philosopher and a scholar, who is knowledgeable about Allahs Divine rules in his creatures By such words, she anticipated what the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon Him), said: Good deeds protect against bad ends, epidemic and ruin [Imam Al-Hakim] Dear brothers and sisters! Wallahi, Allah will never disgrace this great heart that carries all this goodness for people. Sadness will never touch this heart. Fear from people will never reach his soul. Happiness rather will fill his life, tranquility will fill his soul, bliss will overwhelm his life and the dust of misery will be shaken off his head. Never Your heart will not become sad as long as it carries goodness for people Have glad tidings The wound will be healed, all the pain will vanish away, and you will move forward in the way of life with this righteous heart, out of which light is overflowing to humans, to light up covered hearts, blind eyes and deaf ears. By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you Youre not that kind of people that Allah would disgrace; youre not that servant that his Lord would abandon him, because youre a servant, who does good deeds to the servants of Allah. You fed them when they were hungry, you clothed them when they were naked, and sympathised with the orphan. Thus, you acted as a father. You forgave those who did wrong to you. Thus, your forgiveness was like that of a mother towards her children. You have mercy like that of a father or a mother. These are the two merciful ones in this life. Allah did not disgrace you and will never disgrace you. Enjoy your life! You keep good relations with kith and kin. You keep good relations even with those who abandoned you. You enrich the poor kin, and strengthen the weak kin. You are support for your people and a stake for your relatives. They did not hear but good words from you. They did not touch but good deeds from you. You are a son for their old, a father for their young and a brother for their fellows. You tell the truth. You never tell lies. You never cheat, you never commit perjury, or conceal the truth. You have never been charged of even one lie in your life. You have never been stained by the claws of lying even for a single moment. You help the destitute. The destitute is that one, who can not afford his own needs. You do not only help him, but you support him! You even carry his stuff on your shoulders! No one seeks your help without having his need fulfilled, his weakness comforted and his heart pleased. You serve your guests generously. What an honoured guest that you host! What a great guest that you serve! You prepared the kettles, provided the pillows and fulfilled the needs. Guests spend their nights at your home in safety and hospitality, and they leave it honoured and pleased. You assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones. Life calamities are countless, and reality misfortunes are enormous. However, you help those afflicted till they overcome their calamities, and you help those agonised till they get over their agony. You are the aid of the miserable, treating their wounds and looking after their orphans. His (Peace be upon him) friend is no Exception! Abu Bakr, his great student, his great companion, follows his steps and practices his morals. When he was tried, he emigrated towards the Land of Habasha, till he reached (Bark Al-Ghamad), where he met Ibn Ad-Dughunnah, the master of the (Peninsula). He asked, Where are you going Abu Bakr? Abu Bakr said, My people ousted me, so I like to travel in the land, in order to worship my Lord. Ibn Ad-Dughunnah said, A person like you, Abu Bakr, should not be ousted. You keep good relations with your Kith and kin, you tell the truth, you help the poor and the destitute, you serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones. Im your protector. Go back and worship your Lord in your land. Wallahi, Allah will never disgrace the doers of these good deeds. He will never abandon them in the face of a far disbeliever or a near oppressor. Those people are the most worthy of having the power in the land. They are the most deserving ones to have pleasure in this life and in the Hereafter. It was incumbent upon Allah to employ persons such as Ibn Ad-Dughunnah to love, assist and support them, so that good doers enjoy under the protection of Allah, Glory be to Him. Hence, you should do good deed so your heart is pleased and Allah will never disgrace you. Our great religion (Islam), is not just to pray, to fast and to go to Hajj or Umrah many times, but also give to people their due rights. We need to pay attention to the people around us as well our parents, our family, our neighbours, our guests, the poor and the destitute, people afflicted with calamities. During the Prophets spiritual retreat in a cave of Hirah, outside Makkah, he encountered Angel Jibril (AS) and was given the first Message. Profoundly perplexed and heavy hearted, the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, rushed home and said to his wife, Khadijah Bint Khuwailid, Allah be pleased with her, Cover me! Cover me! O Khadijah, what has happened to me? I fear for myself! How did his wife responded and comforted him? She said: Never! I swear by Allah! He will never forsake youyou keep good relations with your kith and kin, you help the poor and the destitute, you serve your guests generously, you assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones. She didnt say, Never! I swear by Allah, He will never forsake you..you pray, you fast, you spent a lot of time thinking about Allah because our relationship with Allah appears in our treatment of others, and she saw only the best of her husband by his excellent treatment of others. This is the message from the tongue of the best woman of Paradise (Khadijah). It should remind us about the importance of choosing a righteous spouse (and to teach our children that) as well as keep family ties, help the poor and the destitute, serve the guests generously (dont be stingy) and help those who are afflicted with calamities. Our great religion (Islam) is a social religion and by you serving His creation well for His sake, you are serving Allah. One certainly cannot claim to be religious or righteous if one is not good and merciful to others. So evaluate yourselves! How is your relationship with your parents, your children, your spouse, your family? How do you treat those under your charge, your neighbours, your teachers/students, your elders? What are you doing to help the poor, the needy and those afflicted with calamities? If you are oblivious of these things and lacking, change. They have certain rights in Islam and you have to give them their due rights and treat them in the best possible manner and Allah will not forsake you In Shaa Allah. Dear servants of Allah! Allah will never leave you. No matter how difficult a situation, no matter how long youve been there, Allah is by your side. Allah will never forsake you, for you maintain the ties of kinship, you are true to your word, you bear the burdens of the weak, you give to people what no one else is able to give, you hospitably entertain your guests, and you help people who are afflicted with calamities. [Sahihul-Bukhari] And all praise is for Allah, Lord of all creation, who guided us to Islam and the Sunnah. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true and sincere followers. Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumuah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okenes Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761. This Jumuah Khutbah (Friday sermon) was prepared for delivery today, Friday, Rajab 16, 1443 A.H. (February 18, 2022). Whoever talks unwisely about women being the weaker vessel has never heard or read about Nwanyeruwa Ojim, Yaa Asantewaa, Winnie Mandela, Joan of Arc and the general amongst generals, Micaela Bastidas. Those who derogatorily, unscientifically, and unwisely call women the weaker sex, have not heard about the unarmed women in South-East and South-South Nigeria who took on armed British soldiers in a series of battles. The conflicts were ignited when Nwanyeruwa Ojim, an elderly native nurse in October 1929 protested against the decision of the colonialists to tax women. She physically fought the colonial tax enumerator. She consequently mobilised other women, which led to what became known as the Aba Women Uprising. The British sent in armed troops to confront the women protesters. In the clashes, 55 women were killed and 50 injured. Despite these crimes against humanity, the taxes that the colonialists desperately wanted were, to use a Fidel Castro phrase, not only unpayable, but also uncollectable. Yaa Asantewaa, 1840 October 17, 1921, was the Queen Mother of Ejisu, Ashanti, Ghana. When the British exiled the king, who was her grandson, to Seychelles in 1896, she led the Ashanti army of 5,000 soldiers in war but was captured along with 15 other leaders, and were all also exiled to Seychelles. She died in exile. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was an innocent 22-year-old South African social worker who married an activist lawyer, Nelson Mandela, in 1958. He was given life and she became his public face for 27 years. Her coming of age in the struggle for human progress was from May 12, 1969, when the evil forces of Apartheid detained her for 491 days, spending months in squalid solitary confinement. She subsequently unbanned herself and met the fascist Apartheid violence with the peoples violence. She became the Mother of a bleeding nation and was never conquered until she eternally bowed out on April 2, 2018. Joan of Arc was a 17-year-old girl when she enlisted in the French army during the 100-year British-French War. She arrived in besieged Orleans on April 29, 1429 and played a prominent role in lifting the siege within nine days of her arrival. She moved to the Battle of Patay, playing a major role in the defeat of the British. In May 1430, she led volunteers to take Compiegne, Northern France, but was captured and handed over to her British enemies. She was tried for heresy and burnt at the stake. Joan was merely 19! Despite the fact that the couple and their three sons were wealthy, Bastidas urged her husband, who was from the Incan royal line, to take a stand against Spanish colonialism and exploitation. This was after he had, for a period, petitioned the Spanish colonial authorities to free the indigenous populations from the obligation to work in the mines or be subjected to forced labour. Those with the mistaken impression that women are the weaker vessel have certainly never heard of Micaela Bastidas, a courageous tactician and general in the Peruvian rebel army, who as co-leader with her husband, Tupac Amaru II, led the war against Spanish colonialism in Peru. Born a Zamba (mixed parentage with an African father and indigenous mother) in 1747, she was essentially an unlettered housewife who married at 15. Despite the fact that the couple and their three sons were wealthy, Bastidas urged her husband, who was from the Incan royal line, to take a stand against Spanish colonialism and exploitation. This was after he had, for a period, petitioned the Spanish colonial authorities to free the indigenous populations from the obligation to work in the mines or be subjected to forced labour. After exhausting these peaceful options, on November 4, 1780, Tupac issued an independence proclamation. As co-leader, Bastidas recruited soldiers for the war, organised logistics, including arms, ammunition and finance, ran a spy network, a judiciary, and ensured the loyalty of the peasantry. Walking barefoot through villages, she sold the rebellion as a religious obligation by all Christians and ordered the rebel soldiers to wear crosses on their hats as a sign of their faith. This was a winner in a highly religious society. She governed the liberated areas and became known locally as Clara (Queen) Micaela Bastidas. Bastidas was quite conscious of the risks in leading the rebellion and once said, For the liberty of my people, I have renounced everythingI will not see my children flourish. At another time, she said: I will die where my husband dies. She was a brilliant strategist and tactician. In a letter, she warned Tupac Amaru that the soldiers did not have enough food, and although they were receiving a salary, that money would only last for a short time after which they would desert because as you have noticed they act mainly out of self-interest . When the rebel forces took the Yauri villages, she analysed the war and the next step of the colonialists. Based on this, she wrote her husband on December 6, 1780, not to tarry: Thus, we will lose all the people I have gathered and prepared for the descent on Cuzco. [] I gave you plenty of warnings to march on Cuzco immediately, but you took them all lightly, allowing the enemy sufficient time to prepare as they have done, placing a cannon on Picchu mountain, plus other trickery so dangerous that you are no longer in a position to attack them. the executioners threw scarves around her neck and pulled from different directions. But she continued to struggle, so they hit her with a club and started kicking her breasts and stomach until she gave up the ghost. Her head was then severed and her body dismembered with the parts taken to various parts of the colony and displayed publicly. Then she added: After I had finished this letter, a messenger arrived with the definite news that the enemy from Paruro is in Acos; I am going forward to attack them, even if it costs me my life. Eventually, when the assault on Cuzco took place, it failed and she, her husband, Tupac, their sons, Hipolito and Fernando and some rebel leaders, were captured. It is part of the conjectures in history if the Peruvian uprising would have succeeded had Tupac taken immediate actions as his wife advised or had she escaped while she could, rather than decide to stick by her captured husband. The prisoners of war were sentenced to death. On May 18, 1781, they were taken out for execution. Her son, Hipolitos tongue was first cut out for having spoken against the colonialists; he was then hanged. Then she was forced to climb the platform. She began to fight her executioners on the platform until she was subdued and her tongue, severed. But she was still alive, and could not be hanged immediately because her neck was too thin to reach the winch. So the executioners threw scarves around her neck and pulled from different directions. But she continued to struggle, so they hit her with a club and started kicking her breasts and stomach until she gave up the ghost. Her head was then severed and her body dismembered with the parts taken to various parts of the colony and displayed publicly. Her husband was also executed, dismembered and the parts put on public display. Her 10-year-old son, Fernando was, due to his age, spared the death sentence but sentenced to life imprisonment and exiled from Peru. Whoever talks unwisely about women being the weaker vessel has never heard or read about Nwanyeruwa Ojim, Yaa Asantewaa, Winnie Mandela, Joan of Arc and the general amongst generals, Micaela Bastidas. Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary general of African workers, is a human rights activist, journalist and author. Even though jihadism and banditry may seem to overlap in some cases as jihadism offers bandits the chance to justify their criminal activities, the latter has no interest in pushing religious ideologies. What obtains, according to one writer, is a case of co-existence, cooperation or convergence. The northwests problem is not ungoverned spaces as wonks like to say, but spaces governed by criminal sovereigns. James Barnett Bandits, Jamaat Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Dawah wal-Jihad (JAS) or simply referred to as Boko Haram, the Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP), Jamaatu Ansarul Muslima fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru). They constitute an alphabet soup of terror groups in the business of stone-hearted killings and wanton destruction of properties across the length and breadth of northern Nigeria. So why should anyone waste precious time trying to make what may seem like an academic distinction between them? Well, except that if you treat simple headache with cancer pills, the headache will not go away, while the therapy may end up destroying what is left of the body cells, irredeemably. Therein lies the reason why accurate diagnosis is crucial if the plan is to offer an effective prescription against these cancers. What if I tell you that Boko Haram and its splinter factions including ISWAP is no more Nigerias biggest terror group? Whereas the U.S. Department of Defense estimated, in 2020, that JAS and ISWAP together fielded at most 7,000 fighters, based primarily in the broader Lake Chad basin area, the bandits of North-Western Nigeria are estimated to number as high as 30,000 or more. But first off, follow me on a journey down this labyrinth. In May 2021, evidence emerged that Boko Harams blood-thirsty and erratic leader, Abubakar Shekau had killed himself instantly by detonating an explosive, while surrounded by fighters of a rival terror group. The evidence seemed to have come via an audio message, apparently recorded by Abu Musab al-Barnawi, who also led the breakaway rival group called the Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP), a group that had since pledged allegiance to ISIS. At first it appeared that the terror groups were simply bedeviled by competing human interests but ISWAP splintered from Boko Haram mostly because of differences in ideology. To them, Mr Shekaus violence against Muslim civilians was not just unacceptable but works against what they stand for. What we have today are amorphous groups of terror franchises dotting the entire landscape, pushing different ideologies and going after different targets. JAS is a salafi preaching movement started by Mohammed Yusuf and later turned into a violent jihadi organisation, starting in 2009. This is the faction led by Abubakar Shekau till his death and replacement by one Bakura. Shekaus takfiri creed, which stated that except for those living in Boko Haram territories, everyone else is considered an infidel and so should be penciled down for destruction, explains his bombing campaigns that targeted both Muslim and non-Muslim populations, all across the northern states. Most of senior Boko Haram fighters and commanders pledged allegiance to ISWAPs al-Barnawi in the wake of Shekaus death. JAS, like bandits, relied heavily on raiding and looting conquered territories for survival and informed the reason for the massive surrender to government forces witnessed after the killing of Shekau in May 2021. ISWAP, the now dominant group, prohibits such raid on Muslim civilians and the JAS insurgents ran out of food. ISWAP, led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi (born Habib Yusuf), the son of the deceased Boko Haram founder until his death in late 2021, is regarded as the West African branch of the Islamic State. Al-Barnawi was once a JAS spokesperson but he opposed Shekaus indiscriminate violence, which was responsible for the split with Shekau in 2019. In the northern states of Borno and Yobe where it controls, the group is adding a political approach to insurgency in order to control hearts and minds. ISWAP also does not consider as part of their mandate, the kidnap of school children, as was the case with the Chibok girls in 2014. They would rather protect than attack fellow Muslims and prefer to go after hard targets like military installations. ISWAP today is seen as the strongest jihadi group in Nigeria. Ansaru was part of Boko Haram but that relationship ended in 2012. The group positions itself as The Vanguard for the Protection of Muslims in Black Africa and has vowed to restore the dignity of Muslims in black Africa by reviving the Sokoto Caliphate. Ansaru is critical of Boko Harams indiscriminate killing of civilians, claiming that its followers would not kill innocent non-Muslims or security officials in self-defence. At its peak, the group had between 2, 000 and 3,000 fighters but since 2015 it has been dormant for the most part, although on January 2, it was reported by FDDs Long War Journal that Ansaru had reaffirmed its allegiance to al-Qaeda. Unlike Boko Haram, which is largely based in the North-Eastern state of Borno, Ansaru once operated in the North-Central state of Kano and its environs, considered the heartland of the Hausa-Fulanis. From available information, as many as 30,000 bandits spread over 100 gangs operate in Nigerias North-West region. Banditry initially started over the fight for water resources and grazing rights between sedentary Hausa farmers and Fulani pastoralists but soon, the latter preoccupation morphed into a huge and lucrative criminal enterprise. The three main jihadi groups mentioned above that operate in Nigeria today JAS, ISWAP, and Ansaru were part of the original JAS, popularly known as Boko Haram. Though there are some differences in ideology between the groups, majority are of the belief that northern Nigeria has come under the control of a group of corrupt people who are not true Muslims and they want to dethrone the Federal Republic of Nigeria in order to create what they call a pure Islamic state ruled through sharia law. The bandits, on the other hand, could care less about religion to the extent that it does not bother on economics. Whereas bandits fight among each other mostly over pecuniary interests, jihadis split over ideologies. From available information, as many as 30,000 bandits spread over 100 gangs operate in Nigerias North-West region. Banditry initially started over the fight for water resources and grazing rights between sedentary Hausa farmers and Fulani pastoralists but soon, the latter preoccupation morphed into a huge and lucrative criminal enterprise. In many areas within Nigerias North-West, the bandits operate like a government bound by an extractive relationship with the local population where they are situated. You pay taxes to them in exchange for protection, in addition to assuming other state powers. Quoting one group that extensive studied this menace: One bandit leader, Dogo Gide, regulates farming through neo-feudal sharecropping arrangements. Another, Turji, builds mosques in local villages while dispensing harsh justice against petty criminals. In another part of Zamfara, the bandit Dankarami holds court with local politicians, hearing their petitions like a Saxon king. Even though jihadism and banditry may seem to overlap in some cases as jihadism offers bandits the chance to justify their criminal activities, the latter has no interest in pushing religious ideologies. What obtains, according to one writer, is a case of co-existence, cooperation or convergence. Many months after Abubakar Malamis Ministry of Justice informed Nigerians of being in possession of a list of sponsors of terrorism, nothing else has been said or done about this. The outlook is not good and Nigerians should all brace up for the long and bumpy ride ahead. Coexistence is a situation where the two occupy one geographic space at the same time. Cooperation is when criminals and terrorists develop a symbiotic relationship to pursue shared interests, while convergence happens when one group engages in behaviour that is more commonly associated with the other. In the past, some jihadis have converted to bandits but it is hardly the other way round. Part of the reason for this is that the bandits have grown so powerful that they are not in need of cooperation from another criminal element. They are also loosely organised, making it difficult to come under a central leadership. Above all, bandits have no coherent political agenda, except to grow rich and powerful through criminal behaviour. In all these, Nigeria appears to be helpless and ill-prepared to take on terrorists who are getting increasingly emboldened, both in the frequency and scale of their attacks, by the day. Niger State, which is the countrys largest state in terms of landmass, is said to have only 4,000 police officers, most of who are concentrated in the state capital. Military forces are also limited forces and so you have a situation where some communities are hours away from the nearest police or military outpost. The same could be said of the other states in the north with massive land areas. Many months after Abubakar Malamis Ministry of Justice informed Nigerians of being in possession of a list of sponsors of terrorism, nothing else has been said or done about this. The outlook is not good and Nigerians should all brace up for the long and bumpy ride ahead. Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com Somadina Umeh was ecstatic when he was awarded the sum of one million naira at his brother-in-laws shop in Orile, Lagos State. This is a full-circle moment for me. I left Anambra three years ago and came to Lagos so I can make something of myself. My brother-in-law took me in and trained me. Now, three years later, ALAT has given me the opportunity to turn my life around. I can now fully establish myself as my own man. The 27-year-old is the sixth millionaire and one of the 421 customers that ALAT has rewarded in the course of its 5for5 promo. ALAT began its 5for5 Promo in July 2021 to reward loyal customers, encourage a healthy savings culture and renew relationships with old customers. Since July 2021, ALAT has rewarded over 420 customers monthly with cash prizes ranging from N10,000 to the grand prize of one million Naira. By the end of 5for5 promo, ALAT would have awarded 31.5 million naira in cash prizes to 639 customers. Since the start of the promo, ALAT has visited various cities (including Benin, Abuja, Akure and Lagos) to hold the raffle draws, which have so far led to the emergence of six millionaires. According to the Retail Divisional Head, Wema Bank, Dotun Ifebogun, We introduced this promo to reward loyal customers, encourage a healthy savings culture and renew relationships with old customers. And in the past six months, we have done just that. The response across the country has been humbling. So far, we have given over 400 customers an avenue to make a difference with their winnings. We are not only creating financial freedom, but we are also providing financial literacy on how they can spend, save and invest their winnings wisely. Ifeboguns words ring true, especially among the one-million-naira grand prize winners. All six winners have invested their earnings into businesses or personal investments, guided by ALAT. The first raffle draw held in Lagos and heralded Rachel Adejumo as the first-ever grand prize winner of the 5for5 promo. A trader based in Osogbo, Rachel was elated, as the reward was timely. She was the pioneer winner and set the pace by investing the money to upgrade her business. Another trader, Zainab Ayoola, who won in November, also upgraded her business from a small-scale bread seller to a store owner while caring for the expenses of her teenage daughter. Osun State civil servant, Aderemi Comfort Ajuwon, was having a conversation with her husband in August when she received a call from a Wema Bank representative informing her that she had won one million naira in the 5for5 promo. Her initial thought was that she was about to be duped by a con artist. However, after confirming that she had truly won one million naira, she used her winning to complete her building project, something she has in common with Septembers raffle draw winner, 44-year-old Alade Rafiu. A bashful Alade was happy when he visited the Wema Bank branch in Agege with friends and family. He had lost his phone a few days prior to the draw and had to be contacted through one of his friends who denied knowing him, fearing that his account had been hacked and used for fraudulent activities. He thanked ALAT for giving him the opportunity to become a landlord. Edikan Israel Jumbo, the youngest of ALATs one million naira winners, is a 24-year-old youth corps member who had heard about the promo but didnt believe she stood a chance at winning. Jumbo is currently looking forward to the end of her NYSC service so she can begin her life as an entrepreneur, thanks to ALAT. Most of the previous winners were Wema Bank customers who had transitioned to using the ALAT app for its versatility, the December grand prize winner, Somadina Umeh, however, had downloaded the app from the play store because he liked the aesthetics. Apart from the six millionaires, other Nigerians across various walks of life have been privileged to win up to two million Naira worth of cash prizes in the course of the ALAT promo, including students from the University of Lagos and Obafemi Awolowo University. Plattsburgh, NY (12901) Today Rain. Low near 50F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Rain. Low near 50F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. CASABLANCA, Morocco, Feb. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Les Eaux Minerales d'Oulmes, the leading company in the bottling water industry, has recently been recognized as one of the "Best Places to Work" in Morocco for 2022. This label acknowledges the company's dedication towards fostering an environment with a corporate culture of respect, commitment, innovation, solidarity and pride of belonging, amongst its employees. According to the company's results, 86% of the employees confirmed "the company is a great workplace", largely above the national average. In the last couple of years, the company succeeded in creating a policy that supports a vibrant and diverse workforce of highly skilled people who work together to deliver the best products in Morocco and beyond. "Best Places to Work" is an international certification program considered as the 'Platinum Standard' in identifying and recognizing top workplaces around the world, providing employers the opportunity to learn more about the engagement and the satisfaction of their employees, and honor those who deliver an outstanding work experience with the highest standards in regards to working conditions. Naoufel Jellal, the Managing Director of the company states: "The Best Place to Work certification makes us very proud. It clearly shows that our best practices of governance and transparency have led to a high engagement level amongst our employees. Providing our employees with an inclusive environment will continue to be a top priority of ours. Ultimately, they are our greatest asset." "We are pleased to notice that the engagement of our employees is so high. This is a testimony that the continuous improvement of our HR policies is recognized and contribute to the overall performance," commented Alami Lachkar, HR director of Les Eaux Minerales d'Oulmes. About the "Best Places to Work" Program Best Places to Work is the most definitive 'Employer of Choice' certification that organizations aspire to achieve. The program certifies and recognizes leading workplaces in many countries around the world with its proprietary assessment that analyses a company's attractiveness through a two-step process focusing on 8 Workplace factors. Join our community on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. For more information, please visit www.bestplacestoworkfor.org About "Les Eaux Minerales d'Oulmes" Les Eaux Minerales d'Oulmes is a public limited company listed on the Casablanca stock exchange, a subsidiary of Holmarcom Group. The company is the leading producer and distributor of bottled water in Morocco. Being an international key player, it also operates in sub-Saharan Africa through its subsidiary E.T.E. located in Benin. Les Eaux Minerales d'Oulmes is recognized to be a Moroccan corporate socially responsible company dedicated to healthy hydration and refreshment, which has supported three generations of Moroccans in their daily lives through its emblematic brands. For nearly 90 years, the company has been continuously innovating to offer superior quality products, according to strict international standards. The group is committed to sustainable and responsible growth, and has made reducing its environmental footprint a priority at the heart of its corporate mission. Among the initiatives, Les Eaux Minerales d'Oulmes is a member of the United Nations "Global Compact" agreement, to which it reports each year on the progress made in terms of contributing to the global objectives of sustainable development. The company has also been awarded the CSR award from the CGEM since 2017. For more information: www.oulmes.ma Contacts : Hamza Idrissi, [email protected], +44 208 895 6562 SOURCE Best Places To Work WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) applauds the passage of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act (H.R.1667), legislation that takes significant steps to prevent physician suicide, reduce burnout, and address major concerns about the mental health of emergency physicians and care teams. "ACEP is grateful that Congress recognizes the weight of the challenges shouldered by medical professionals on the frontlines throughout the pandemic," said Gillian Schmitz, MD, FACEP, president of ACEP. "This important legislation honors Dr. Breen's legacy and charts a path forward that helps limit the barriers currently preventing many emergency physicians from seeking the mental health care they need." ACEP has been instrumental in the collaborative effort to craft and pass the legislation named for Dr. Lorna Breen, an emergency physician and ACEP member in New York who died by suicide in 2020 after courageously treating COVID-19 patients and contracting the virus herself. The legislation calls for behavioral health and wellbeing training programs, a national campaign to encourage health care professionals to seek support and treatment, a federal study into health care professional mental health and burnout, and grants to establish and expand mental health support services. Emergency physicians deeply appreciate the efforts to finalize this legislation by Reps. Susan Wild (D-PA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Judy Chu (D-CA), David McKinley (R-WV), and more than 160 co-sponsors in the House, as well as Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Todd Young (R-IN), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and countless physician mental health champions. Emergency medicine is an extraordinarily challenging profession with more than 65% of emergency physicians and residents indicating that they experience burnout during their careers, according to research in Annals of Emergency Medicine. Despite the toll of serving on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic, many emergency physicians hesitate to prioritize their mental health. An ACEP/Morning Consult poll from October 2020 shows that almost half (45%) of the nation's emergency physicians do not feel comfortable seeking mental health treatment. Many physicians have legitimate concerns that seeking necessary mental health care could result in the loss of their medical license or other professional setbacks. Protecting physicians' mental health is a major priority for ACEP. The association developed a statement with more than 40 leading medical organizations with recommendations to remove barriers to treatment. ACEP also strongly supports the Joint Commission's stance that a health professionals' history of mental illness should not be used as an indication of their current or future ability to practice medicine. For its members, ACEP offers free mental health counseling sessions, a 24-hour support line, and other tools and resources. "The impact of this pandemic will be felt long after the last surges diminish," said Dr. Schmitz. "Emergency physicians must be empowered to prioritize their mental health and this bipartisan effort to enhance critical mental health resources is undoubtedly a lifeline for many people who would otherwise struggle in silence." The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is the national medical society representing emergency medicine. Through continuing education, research, public education, and advocacy, ACEP advances emergency care on behalf of its 40,000 emergency physician members, and the more than 150 million Americans they treat on an annual basis. For more information, visit www.acep.org and www.emergencyphysicians.org. SOURCE American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) CHICAGO, Feb. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This spring, the Driehaus Museum is proud to present the work of Los Angeles-based artist Theodora Allen in Theodora Allen: Saturnine. The exhibition marks the latest iteration of the Museum's newest initiative: A Tale of Today, which features work by leading contemporary artists to expand the immersive experience and to shape our understanding of the world through the art, architecture, design, and cultural history of the Nickerson Mansion, the Museum's home. Curated by Stephanie Cristello, Theodora Allen: Saturnine derives its title from the figure of Saturn and its historical association with melancholy, often referred to as the curse of artists. Visitors to the Museum will see Allen's luminous and meditative compositions, filled with a lexicon of snakes, planets, moons, and plant life motifs that draw from ancient Greek mythology, literature, fin-de-siecle Europe, and the zeitgeist of 1960s California. According to Cristello, "Through these intensely detailed and distilled paintings, we come closer to an experience of understanding the enduring symbols that surround us." Allen's paintings will be exhibited in the second-floor galleries of the Driehaus Museum, convening a dialogue between the rich ornamentation of the Gilded Age Nickerson Mansion and the artist's interpretation of iconic mythical, natural, and celestial symbols. Alongside its collection of Tiffany glass, pre-Raphaelite paintings, and Art Nouveau flourishes, the unique environment of the Driehaus Museum becomes an essential part of Theodora Allen: Saturnine. "As the Driehaus Museum moves into its next chapter, we are thrilled to recommit to the core philosophy pursued by both the Nickerson family and founder Richard H. Driehaus to enliven the Mansion as a host to art and artists of their time and ours for connection, inspiration, and learning," said Anna Musci, Executive Director of the Driehaus Museum. "Theodora Allen's work is emblematic of timeless tropes that resonate with the Museum and the Collection, as well as our present day." Theodora Allen: Saturnine opens March 25th and runs through July 10th. Theodora Allen is represented by Blum & Poe (Los Angeles / New York / Tokyo), Kasmin (New York), and 12.26 (Dallas). A monograph published by Motto Books (Berlin, Germany) accompanies this iteration of the exhibition traveling from Kunsthal Aarhus (Denmark) and will be available for sale in the Driehaus Museum Store. The Museum will offer exhibition programs throughout the run, including select events presented in partnership with EXPO CHICAGO. Theodora Allen: Saturnine is made possible in part by loans from Kasmin and Blum & Poe and through the generous support of Gary Metzner and Scott Johnson, Jean and Eugene Stark, TBD Collection, Forrest E. and Cynthia D. Miller, Howard Rachofsky, and Josi Fleishman. About the Richard H. Driehaus Museum https://driehausmuseum.org/about/about-the-driehaus-museum Address: Phone: Website: 40 East Erie Street, Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 482-8933 driehausmuseum.org Facebook.com/RHDriehausMuseum Twitter.com/driehausmuseum Instagram.com/driehausmuseum For more information, please contact: Julie Treumann The Richard H. Driehaus Museum [email protected] 312-874-5909 SOURCE Richard H. Driehaus Museum Now, reported in the scientific journal Cell, researchers at Gladstone Institutes have developed a novel method for identifying genetic variants that are likely to play important roles in congenital heart disease, opening up opportunities to accelerate research into this serious condition. The study was led by Gladstone President and Senior Investigator Deepak Srivastava, MD, and Katie Pollard, PhD, director of the Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology. The new strategywhich combines techniques from genetics, computational biology, stem cell biology, and proteomicscould also be applied to study numerous other diseases with complex genetic causes. "Previous methods have generated long lists of variants detected in patients, but many actually turned out to be inconsequential, so a major challenge in the field has been identifying which variants are most important," says Srivastava, who is also a pediatric cardiologist and a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UC San Francisco (UCSF). "Our approach pinpoints variants that are most likely to be involved in disease, allowing us to focus on those variants, deepen understanding of the underlying biology of the disease, and, we hope, move more rapidly toward new treatments." Leveraging Interactions between Proteins Rather than looking at variants in isolation, the novel strategy considers the interactions between proteins to zero in on which might variants be causing diseasein this case, congenital heart disease. The proteins GATA4 and TBX5 were already known to be required for healthy human heart formation, and to collaborate with a network of additional proteins to help grow a heart. Mutations in the other proteins in the network could, in theory, contribute to heart malformation. To identify these potential culprit genes, the researchers carefully mapped out the entire network of interactions between the GATA4 and TBX5 proteins using precursor heart cells grown from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Next, they cross-referenced this 273-protein network with DNA sequencing data from over 3,000 children with congenital heart disease and their parents, developed by a National Institutes of Healthfunded consortium. Several dozen variants in the children's sequencing data matched specific proteins also found in the GATA4-TBX5 network, far more than expected, pinpointing them as candidates that may contribute to congenital heart disease. "We first identified important protein networks in the types of cells affected in congenital heart disease, and then integrated large-scale, protein-coding sequencing data," says Barbara Gonzalez Teran, PhD, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral scholar in Srivastava's lab. "Many scientists had speculated this approach was possible, but to our knowledge, this is the first time it has actually been done, for any disease." New Top-Ranking Variant Discovered Determining whether each of the candidate variants identified in the GATA4-TBX5 network actually contribute to heart disease would involve years of research. So instead, for the final step of their new method, Maureen Pittman, a UCSF graduate student in Pollard's lab, developed a computational tool that ranks the candidates according to their likelihood of contributing to congenital heart disease. This ranking algorithm takes into account characteristics of the variant, the affected gene, and the type of heart defect found in patients with the variant. "Of the top-ranking variants we identified with the algorithm, some were in genes already known to contribute to congenital heart defects," says Pittman. "But many had never before been linked to heart development, including a protein called GLYR1, which is involved in turning other genes on and off." Additional experiments in cells and mice indicated that GLYR1 indeed plays a central role in the formation of the heart, and a patient variant of GLYR1 disrupts heart development by hampering its interaction with GATA4. "Identifying GLYR1 as a key gene in heart development opens up a whole new biological space for understanding how this system works," says Srivastava. "We will continue to study the biology of GLYR1, and we hope that others will follow up on the other high-scoring variants we found." Srivastava notes that the new study relied heavily not only on computational techniques developed in the Pollard Lab, but also on proteomics techniques from the lab of Nevan Krogan, PhD, senior investigator at Gladstone and director of the Quantitative Biosciences Institute at UCSF. "The dynamic and teamwork-focused efforts at Gladstone really made this possible," says Srivastava. A New Tool for Studying Complex Disease Thanks to advancements in surgery, millions of children with heart defects now survive to adulthood. But many continue to face lifelong problems, such as an increased risk of heart failure. "A better understanding of the genetic basis of congenital heart disease could point to new strategies for not only blocking the development of the disease, which is currently very challenging, but also for alleviating issues that persist after surgery in order to improve quality and length of life," says Gonzalez Teran. The researchers believe the power of their new method lies in its promise to help illuminate how combinations of variantsrather than single variants on their ownwork together to cause congenital heart disease. "Rarely is this disease caused by a single gene; a patient with the GLYR1 variant, for instance, could perhaps have additional variants inherited from their parents that by themselves were not enough to cause disease, but do so alongside the GLYR1 variant," says Pollard, who is also a professor at UCSF and a Chan Zuckerberg Biohub investigator. "Our new approach could help identify specific combinations of variants that cause heart defects." This method could also be adapted to identify combinations of variants that may underlie other complex diseases. For instance, Pollard's team is already looking into applying it to neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and epilepsy. "With more and more sequencing data being generated every year from patients with complex diseases, our approach will help guide where to focus among all the detected variants," Srivastava says. About the Study The paper, "Transcription Factor Protein Interactomes Reveal Genetic Determinants in Heart Disease," was published by the journal Cell on February 18, 2022. Other authors are Franco Felix, Reuben Thomas, Desmond Richmond-Buccola, Ruth Huttenhain, Krishna Choudhary, Mauro W.Costa, Yu Huang, Arun Padmanabhan, Michael Alexanian, Clara Youngna Lee, Bonnie E. J. Maven, Kaitlen Samse-Knapp, Michael McGregor, Casey A. Gifford, Bruce R. Conklin, and Benoit G. Bruneau of Gladstone; Elisabetta Moroni of SCITEC-CNR in Italy; Sarah U. Morton of Boston Children's Hospital; J. G. Seidman and Christine E. Seidman of Harvard Medical School; Bruce D. Gelb of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Giorgio Colombo of the University of Pavia, Italy; and Brian L. Black of UCSF. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grants P01 HL098707, P01 HL146366, R01 HL057181, R01HL127240, UM1 HL098179, 1U01MH115747), the American Heart Association, and Gladstone. The researchers were also supported by an AHA/CHF Congenital Heart Defect Research Award, the Swiss National Science Foundation, the San Simeon Fund, the Roddenberry Foundation, the L.K. Whittier Foundation, the Younger Family Fund, the TobaccoRelated Disease Research Program, the A. P. Giannini Foundation, the Michael Antonov Charitable Foundation, the Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Foundation, and the Boston Children's Hospital Office of Faculty Development. About Gladstone Institutes To ensure our work does the greatest good, Gladstone Institutes focuses on conditions with profound medical, economic, and social impactunsolved diseases. Gladstone is an independent, nonprofit life science research organization that uses visionary science and technology to overcome disease. It has an academic affiliation with the University of California, San Francisco. Media Contact: Julie Langelier | Associate Director, Communications | [email protected] | 415.734.5000 |1650 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA 94158 | gladstone.org | SOURCE Gladstone Institutes DUBLIN, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Bladder Cancer Drug Market (2021-2026) by Type, Treatment, Malignant Potential, Distribution, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Bladder Cancer Drug Market is estimated to be USD 3.25 Bn in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 6.89 Bn by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 16.2%. Market Dynamics The factors driving the market's growth are the increasing incidence of bladder cancer. The American Cancer Society's estimates for bladder cancer in the United States for 2021 are about 83,730 new cases of bladder cancer. In addition, the rising geriatric population, unhygienic sedentary lifestyle, and smoking habits are increasing the prevalence of most cancer cases. In addition, growth in the use of technology advancement such as nanotechnology to increase the efficiency of the drugs is further escalating the market growth. However, the growing use of biologics and targeted therapies is anticipated to hinder market growth. Major players use acquisition, merger, and collaboration strategies to increase the market expansion during the forecast period. Innovations in novel bladder cancer drugs and new infrastructure are expected to generate untapped market participants. The Global Bladder Cancer Drug Market is segmented based on Type, Treatment, Malignant Potential, Distribution, and Geography. Company Profiles Some of the companies covered in this report are Eli Lilly, Hamlet Pharma, Medtronic, Novartis, Photocure, etc. Countries Studied America ( Argentina , Brazil , Canada , Chile , Colombia , Mexico , Peru , United States , Rest of Americas) , , , , , , , , Rest of Americas) Europe ( Austria , Belgium , Denmark , Finland , France , Germany , Italy , Netherlands , Norway , Poland , Russia , Spain , Sweden , Switzerland , United Kingdom , Rest of Europe ) ( , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Rest of ) Middle-East and Africa ( Egypt , Israel , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , South Africa , United Arab Emirates , Rest of MEA) and ( , , , , , , Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific ( Australia , Bangladesh , China , India , Indonesia , Japan , Malaysia , Philippines , Singapore , South Korea , Sri Lanka , Thailand , Taiwan , Rest of Asia-Pacific ) Competitive Quadrant The report includes a Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Why buy this report? The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Bladder Cancer Drug Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies. The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry. The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report. The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies. The report also contains the competitive analysis using IGR Positioning Quadrants, Infogence's Proprietary competitive positioning tool. Key Topics Covered: 1 Report Description 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Market Influencers 4.1 Drivers 4.1.1 Rising Prevalence of Bladder Cancer 4.1.2 Unhygienic Workplace Exposure and Increase in Smoking Habits 4.1.3 Use of Nanotechnology for Production of Medicines 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 Growing Use of Biologics and Targeted Therapies 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Recent Development and Drug Approval for Bladder Cancer 4.3.2 Collaboration for Market Dispersion 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 Side Effects Associated to Bladder Cancer Drugs 5 Market Analysis 5.1 Regulatory Scenario 5.2 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Ansoff Matrix Analysis 6 Global Bladder Cancer Drug Market, By Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer 6.3 Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer 7 Global Bladder Cancer Drug Market, By Malignant Potential 7.1 Introduction 7.2 High-Grade Tumors 7.3 Low-Grade Tumors 8 Global Bladder Cancer Drugs Market, By Treatment 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Chemotherapy 8.3 Immunotherapy 8.4 Radiation therapy 8.5 Others 9 Global Bladder Cancer Drug Market, By Distribution 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Hospitals Pharmacies 9.3 Online Pharmacies 9.4 Retail Pharmacies 10 Global Bladder Cancer Drug Market, By Geography 11 Competitive Landscape 11.1 Competitive Quadrant 11.2 Market Share Analysis 11.3 Strategic Initiatives 11.3.1 M&A and Investments 11.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 11.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 12 Company Profiles 12.1 Agilent Technologies 12.2 AstraZeneca 12.3 Bayer 12.4 Bristol-Mayers Squibb 12.5 Eisai 12.6 Zydus Cadila 12.7 Eli Lilly 12.8 Roche 12.9 Genetech 12.10 Hamlet Pharma 12.11 Johnson & Johnson 12.12 Merck 12.13 Novartis 12.14 Pfizer 12.15 Photocure 12.16 Sanofi 12.17 SBI Pharmaceuticals 12.18 Sitika Biopharma 12.19 UroGen Pharma 13 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ud8bou Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform Complimentary updates for one year Edition: 6; Released: February 2022 Executive Pool: 674 Companies: 43 - Players covered include Ciel & Terre International; GCL-SI; Hanwha Group; ITOCHU Corporation; JA SOLAR Technology Co. Ltd.; KYOCERA Corporation; LONGi Solar; Pristine Sun Corp.; Sharp Corporation; Talesun; Trina Solar; Vikram Solar Limited; Wuxi Suntech Power Co., Ltd.; Yellow Tropus Pvt. Ltd.; Yingli Solar and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Type (Stationary, Tracking) Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; Spain; Russia; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (Australia; India; South Korea; and Rest of Asia-Pacific); Latin America (Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; and Rest of Latin America); Middle East (Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Rest of Middle East); and Africa. Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry ABSTRACT Global Floating Solar Panels Market to Reach 4.8 Thousand MW by the Year 2026 Floating solar panels or floating photovoltaics (FPV), which are also known as floatovoltaics, are solar panels that are mounted on a structure floating on a water body, typically a lake or a reservoir. FPVs float on water and an embedded solar tracker follows the sun's movement and place the solar panel to increase the time of exposure to sunlight and enhance the complete efficiency of the FPV system. Moreover, floatovoltaics allow low maintenance and management costs and remove the requirement for costly land areas, which considerably decreases the cost of generating solar power and frees up the land. The water-based PV systems are beneficial in several aspects such as reduced algae growth and evaporation. Floatovoltaics additionally reduce PV's operating temperature and costs of generating solar energy. As the water bodies are generally government-owned, it is easy to obtain permits for water bodies compared to land. Furthermore, FPVs provide shade assisting the algae to bloom and reducing water evaporation, and although power generation on individual sites is not equal to ground mounts, the FPVs are suitable for the cities having a limited roof or land space. Global Floating Solar Panels market is projected to register significant growth over the near-to-long term. The market, estimated at 2.5 Thousand MW in 2022 is projected to reach 4.8 Thousand MW by 2026, registering a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33.7% over the analysis period. Asia-Pacific represents the largest regional market for Floating Solar Panels, accounting for an estimated 62.2% share of the global total in 2020. The market, estimated at 771.6 MW in 2021 is projected to reach 2.7 Thousand MW by 2026. China is expected to spearhead growth and emerge as the fastest growing regional market with a CAGR of 59.4% over the analysis period. The market is expected to progress steadily to evolve as a major regional market for Floating Solar Panels, supported by various factors conducive to healthy growth. Advantages related to setting up FPV panel plants in comparison with traditional plants are anticipated to boost the FPV panels' market growth. Shifting preference towards renewable energy resources such as solar and wind for power generation, rise in investments for renewable resources of energy, and various government initiatives to encourage solar energy are the prime factors driving the FPV panels' market growth. Generally, 1 MW of FPV plant covers water bodies of nearly 7 to 10 hectares, conserves water of 15 MI, and generates electricity of 1500 MWh. However, the FPV panels' overall cost is much high compared to the stationary solar panels, which is estimated to be the key factor hindering the FPV panels' market growth. Additionally, increased demand for energy, rising solar installers' networks, and decreased prices of FPV technology are estimated to augment the growth of the FPV panels' market. Demand for FPV panels will also be supported by the fact that FPV panels' installation doesn't require colossal land areas and the FPV projects are cost-efficient. FPV panel projects are possible to set up on unused water bodies, which are anticipated to be the prime driving factor for the FPV panels' market growth. Countries like India, China, Germany, the USA, and Japan emerged as solar powerhouses, and the growing solar energy-based electricity production, in turn, boosted the market growth of FPV panels. The US has over 24,000 water bodies that are manmade which are anticipated to be useful in FPV development, as man-Made water bodies are easy to manage and have infrastructure and roads in place. The untapped regions' exploration such as Russia and Azerbaijan for growth, too, is estimated to benefit the FPV panels' market. The offshore segment based on location dominates the FPV panels' global market and is anticipated to continue dominating in years to come. However, forceful water currents and tides are estimated to cause issues or damage the FPV panels. Furthermore, high construction and maintenance costs of seawater plants are estimated to cause the inland segment to observe increased growth. The Netherlands is the epicenter of inland FPVs and GroenLeven owns a huge FPV farm in Europe promising a steady income for people willing to rent the locations that have the ability to host FPVs. More MarketGlass Platform Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide. Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years. CONTACTS: Zak Ali Director, Corporate Communications Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Phone: 1-408-528-9966 www.StrategyR.com Email: [email protected] LINKS Join Our Expert Panel https://www.strategyr.com/Panelist.asp Connect With Us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-industry-analysts-inc./ Follow Us on Twitter https://twitter.com/marketbytes Journalists & Media [email protected] SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc. SEATTLE, Feb. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- JND Legal Administration announces that a proposed Partial Settlement has been reached in an antitrust class action called In Re: Packaged Seafood Products Antitrust Litigation, No. 15-MD-2670 DMS (MDD) in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. Those who sued are called the End Payer Plaintiffs or EPPs. The companies they sued are the Defendants and include Tri-Union Seafoods LLC d/b/a Chicken of the Sea International and Thai Union Group PCL (collectively "COSI"), StarKist Company and its parent company, Dongwon industries Co. Ltd (collectively "StarKist") and Bumble Bee Foods, LLC ("Bumble Bee") and its parent companies Lion Capital (Americas), Inc. ("Lion America"). EPPs allege that from June 1, 2011 to July 1, 2015 Defendants participated in an unlawful conspiracy to raise, fix, maintain, or stabilize the price of Packaged Tuna products at an artificially high level in violation of antitrust and unfair competition laws. In July 2019, the Court certified a class of End Payer Plaintiffs and selected Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP to act as Class Counsel. On April 6, 2021, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the District Court's order and remanded to the District Court for further consideration. On August 3, 2021, following a vote of non-recused active judges, the Court of Appeals vacated the April 6, 2021 decision, ordering that an eleven-judge panel rehear the case. Oral argument before this larger panel was held on September 22, 2021. The parties await a decision. Case updates will be provided at the Case Website at www.TunaEndPurchaserSettlement.com, or call toll free at 1-866-615-0977. The proposed Settlement is with COSI only. Although COSI denies many of the EPPs' allegations and has asserted a number of defenses to their claims, they have agreed to settle this action to avoid the uncertainties and risks of further litigation. Am I part of the COSI Settlement Class? The COSI Settlement Class includes all persons and entities who resided in Arizona, Arkansas, California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, who indirectly purchased Packaged Tuna in cans or pouches smaller than forty ounces for end consumption and not for resale, produced by any Defendant or any current or former subsidiary or affiliate thereof, or any co-conspirator during the period from June 1, 2011 to July 1, 2015. The EPPs will continue their Class Action against StarKist and Lion America. Bumble Bee is in bankruptcy. What does the COSI Settlement provide? COSI will pay a maximum of $20 million, of which up to $5 million may be used to administer notice. The remainder ($15 million) will be available for distribution to qualifying Class Members and to pay litigation expenses incurred to date in the amount of $4,155,027.67. Settlement Class Counsel will not seek reimbursement for attorneys' fees from the COSI Settlement, but Counsel reserve the right to seek an award of attorney fees from any monies recovered from the non-settling Defendants through settlement, trial or judgment based, in part, on the benefit provided by the COSI Settlement. COSI will also support the EPPs with their litigation against the non-settling Defendants. COSI Settlement Class Members who timely submit a valid approved claim are entitled to be treated equally and to receive compensation on a pro rata basis such that the Settlement Fund is exhausted. The Claims Administrator will distribute no monies until all remaining claims in the Class Action are resolved. How can I get a payment? Go to www.TunaEndPurchaserSettlement.com to file or download the claim form. The initial claims filing date is August 22, 2022. What are my other options? If you do not want to be legally bound by the COSI Settlement, you may send a request for exclusion no later than May 13, 2022. If you exclude yourself, you will not receive any COSI Settlement benefits, but you will keep your right to sue COSI for the claims in this case. If you do not exclude yourself, you may object to the COSI Settlement by writing to the Court explaining why you do not like the COSI Settlement no later than May 13, 2022. You will still be bound by the COSI Settlement if your objection is rejected. If you do nothing, you will not receive any COSI Settlement benefits; you will be bound by the COSI Settlement; and you will give up your right to sue COSI for the claims in this case. You are not releasing your claims against StarKist or Lion America by staying in the COSI Settlement. For details on how to opt out or object, go to www.TunaEndPurchaserSettlement.com. The Court's Fairness Hearing. The Court will hold a hearing on July 15, 2022 to consider whether the proposed COSI Settlement should be approved as fair, reasonable, and adequate. The Court will also consider how much to pay Class Counsel for its litigation costs and will consider objections. You or your attorney may ask to appear and speak at the hearing at your own expense, but you don't have to. After the hearing, the Court will decide whether to approve the COSI Settlement. We do not know how long these decisions will take. Questions? Visit www.TunaEndPurchaserSettlement.com, write Tuna End Purchaser Settlement, c/o JND Legal Administration, P.O. Box 91442, Seattle, WA 98111, email [email protected], or call toll-free 1-866-615-0977. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE COURT. SOURCE JND Legal Administration ATLANTA, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Invesco Ltd. (NYSE:IVZ) today announced that it will hold its 2022 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time at Invesco's Global Headquarters located at 1555 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 1800, Atlanta, Georgia 30309. Invesco shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 14, 2022 are entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting and vote their shares. About Invesco Ltd. Invesco Ltd. is a global independent investment management firm dedicated to delivering an investment experience that helps people get more out of life. Our distinctive investment teams deliver a comprehensive range of active, passive and alternative investment capabilities. With offices in more than 20 countries, Invesco managed US$1.6 trillion in assets on behalf of clients worldwide as of December 31, 2021. For more information, visit www.invesco.com. Investor Relations Contact: Greg Ketron 404-724-4299 Aimee Partin 404-724-4248 Media Relations Contact: Graham Galt 404-439-3070 SOURCE Invesco Ltd. ATLANTA, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. (NYSE: IVR) (the "Company") today announced it will hold its 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at 2:00 pm ET at the Company's headquarters, located at 1555 Peachtree Street NE, 18th Floor, Atlanta, Georgia 30309. Stockholders of record of the Company as of the close of business on March 4, 2022 are entitled to attend the Annual Meeting and vote their shares. About Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. is a real estate investment trust that focuses on financing and managing residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities and mortgage loans. Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. is externally managed and advised by Invesco Advisers, Inc., a subsidiary of Invesco Ltd., a leading independent global investment management firm. Additional information is available at www.invescomortgagecapital.com. Investor Relations Contact: Jack Bateman, 404-439-3323 SOURCE Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. HARRISONBURG, Va., Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- James Madison University's world class academic excellence and national prominence has been validated with a new Carnegie Classification of R2 Doctoral University with high research activity through the Carnegie Commission. JMU has received a Carnegie Classification of R2 Doctoral University with high research activity through the Carnegie Commission. "Our rise to such levels of recognition is a direct result of JMU's decades of excellent teaching, support for students and commitment to a premier undergraduate and graduate experience," explains JMU President Jonathan Alger. "This transition has been intentional as the university grows and better aligns us with our peer institutions, while allowing JMU to maintain its uniqueness." As an R2 university, JMU will have new opportunities to elevate the academic mission of the university, while expanding research and scholarship for faculty and students and participating in larger, national conversations. JMU was previously considered a master's-level institution. This transition to R2 will continue emphasizing the university's core commitments of providing close faculty and student interactions; high-quality undergraduate and graduate education enhanced by research and scholarship; and extraordinary teaching faculty who provide opportunities that are collaborative, interdisciplinary and engaging within the community. "I am tremendously proud of our faculty for establishing an environment in which JMU can remain distinctive in its emphasis on strong mentoring and high-quality teaching at all levels and on providing students with rich opportunities to learn through hands-on experiences and participation in research," said JMU Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Heather Coltman. "We arrived at this milestone through the increasing national reputation and success of our graduate and doctoral programs, combined with our continued growth and prominence in research, scholarship and creative activities." "While these changes are critically important to the growth of JMU, we have not lost sight of what makes JMU special. The university will continue to be a place where students can develop into their full potential and be their best and authentic selves. This is an exciting and important milestone for JMU, and we're fortunate to be surrounded by such talented students and colleagues," said Alger. To read more about JMU's classification, visit www.jmu.edu/being-seen. Additional information about the Carnegie Classification can be found online. SOURCE James Madison University SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This year, the Virtual Edition of The 36th Annual San Francisco Tribal and Textile Art Show is being presented at the same time as the Virtual Edition of The 38th Annual American Indian Art Show/ San Francisco . These two historic shows combine to create the major event of the year in the U.S. for Tribal and American Indian Art. It will offer the largest presentation of its kind with international galleries, dealers and Native artists presenting the very best in Indigenous art from around the world. The benefit preview opening is Friday, February 18th from 9AM to 5PM and costs $25. All proceeds will benefit Indigenous Celebration New Mexico 2022. Steve Smith Kwagiulth; on offer by Buffalo Barry's Indian Art Punu Mask; on offer by Galerie Flak Log on anytime to attend the regular show days that are free to the public; February 19th through the 28th. After two hugely successful first virtual shows in 2021, Kim Martindale, co-producer of the show, is looking forward to an even larger audience this year. "We've upgraded the virtual platform so the user experience will be even better than last year's very successful first virtual show." John Morris, the shows' co-owner along with Martindale, added, "We're all striving to find creative ways during this time for our exhibitors and art-lovers to connect with so much uncertainty at physical venues. We are looking forward to adding the live shows back in San Francisco as soon as we can," he stressed. Usually held at Fort Mason in San Francisco, COVID-19 caused the organizers to quickly take the shows online in 2021. It was a huge successfairgoers from more than 35 countries signed on in droves to the virtual shows to see art on offer from more than 100 exhibitors, also from around the world. With many people now used to virtual fairs, and a robust marketplace for tribal art, show organizers predict even better virtual attendance this year. Show Details: The 36th Annual San Francisco Tribal & Textile Art Show is a preeminent, international art fair devoted exclusively to top-tier works from Africa, Asia, Australia, Oceania, and the Americas. Over 50 national and international galleries and exhibitors will offer museum-quality objects and artifacts, making this the perfect event for collectors and enthusiasts alike. Running concurrently, the 38th American Indian Art Show/ San Francisco is the most significant showcase of American Indian art on the west coast, emphasizing antique American Indian art and the best in contemporary American Indian art. Over 65 discerning art dealers will present in combination. Virtual Previews: February 18, 2022 (Friday) Admission $25 San Francisco Tribal & Textile Art Show Virtual Benefit 9 AM to 5 PM PST American Indian Art Show / San Francisco Virtual Benefit 9 AM to 5 PM PST General Admission Show Hours for both shows: Admission is Free February 19, 2022 (Saturday): Shows open at 10:00 AM PST and remain open until February 28, 2022 (Monday) when Shows close at midnight PST. Both shows the San Francisco Tribal & Textile Art Show and the American Indian Art Show/ San Francisco will be available through www.ObjectsofArtShows.com . For expert interviews and photographs contact Clare Hertel Communications at 505-670-3090 or at [email protected]. SOURCE Objects of Art Show CHICAGO, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new research report the "Military Antennas Market by Component (Reflectors, Feed Horn, Feed Networks, Low Noise Block Converter (LNB)), Frequency Band (HF, VHF, UHF SHF, AND EHF), End Use (OEM and Aftermarket), Type, Application, Platform and Region Global Forecast to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Military Antennas Market is projected to grow from USD 3.9 billion in 2021 to USD 5.2 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 5.9% during the forecast period. Military antennas refers any device that converts electronic signals to electromagnetic waves (and vice versa) effectively with minimum loss of signals. Military antennas are more ruggedized than regular commercial antennas to withstand harsh conditions. The military antennas market is expected to grow at a significant rate in the coming years, owing to the adoption of various electronic systems for communication, intelligence, surveillance & reconnaissance (ISR), and command and control in the defense industry. These military systems require antennas for transmitting and receiving data. Antennas should be rugged to withstand harsh environmental conditions. Defense modernization programs and increasing procurement of radar and air defense systems are also expected to fuel the growth of the military antennas market. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=217007639 Growing investments by several governments particularly in developed and developing economies such as the US, India, and China, among others. COVID-19 has affected the Military antennas market growth to some extent, and this varies from country to country. Industry experts believe that the pandemic has not affected the demand for Military antennas. Based on component, reflectors segment is estimated to witness the largest share of the military antennas market from 2021 to 2026. Based on component, reflectors segment of the military antennas market is estimated to held the dominant market share in 2021. This is due to the innovation in reflector design to decrease the assemble time. Reflectors are integrated into antenna assembly to modify the radiation pattern of the antenna so that the signal gain can be improved in target direction. Various manufacturers are focusing on improving the reflector design so that the assembly time can be decreased. For instance, in 2021, Airbus selected Ariane Group as the supplier of the satellite antenna reflectors for OneSat, its new satellite product, which is fully reconfigurable in orbit. OneSat will be fitted with the latest generation of ultra-light SPRINT antenna reflectors, which can be assembled in only 11 weeks compared with 24 weeks for ultra-light reflector technology. Based on frequency band, super-high frequency segment of the military antennas market is projected to witness the largest share in 2021. Based on frequency band, super-high frequency segment is projected to lead the military antennas market during the forecast period. The growing demand for reliable military satellite communication is primarily driving this segment. The small wavelength of this band permits transmission of narrow beams by aperture antennas such as parabolic dish antennas and horn antennas. This band is used for point-to-point satellite communication and data links. The SHF band is used in airborne radar for airborne ground mapping. This band is used for point-to-point communication and data links. This frequency range is used for most radar transmitters, wireless LANs, satellite communication, microwave radio relay links, and numerous short-range terrestrial data links. Based on type, array antenna segment is estimated to account for the fastest growth of the military antennas market from 2021 to 2026. Based on type, array antenna segment of the military antennas market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This growth is driven due to Phased-array antenna systems are used in naval and airborne platforms. In 2020, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) (US) awarded a contract to ThinKom Solutions to test and evaluate one of the company's commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) aeronautical phased-array antenna systems as a solution for next-generation communications on the US Navy ships. Under the seven-month contract, ThinKom delivered a ThinAir Ka2517 antenna system for on-board testing to meet the requirements for multi-domain tactical communications (MDTC) by the US Navy. The Ka-band antenna, based on the company's patented VICTS technology, will demonstrate the capability to be integrated onto a US Navy ship. Based on platform, ground segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the military antennas market from 2021 to 2026. Based on platform, ground segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the military antennas during the forecast period. This growth is driven due to need for on-the-walk and on-the-move SATCOM capabilities for voice and data transmission, grounds stations use SATCOM to collect and stream remote sensing satellite data to a variety of users and applications, predominantly use manpack antennas in military operations, and UGVs antennas are used to carry out ground surveillance missions. In 2021, ARLINGTON, Va. FLIR Systems won an additional USD 30.1-million contract from the US Army for sustainment efforts connected to the service's Man Transportable Robotic System Increment II (MTRS Inc. II) and Common Robotic System-Heavy (CRS-H) unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) programs. Browse in-depth TOC on "Military Antennas Market" 314 Tables 39 Figures 281 Pages Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=217007639 Based on application, electronic warfare segment is estimated to account for the fastest growth of the military antennas market from 2021 to 2026. Based on application, electronic warfare segment of the military antennas market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This growth is driven due to incorporation of effective RF technology in various electronic equipment used in military applications. In January 2021, Raytheon Intelligence & Space (Raytheon Technologies business) received a contract worth USD 12.7 million to build a phased array antenna that will reveal new capabilities in the millimeter-wave part of the radiofrequency spectrum for small, mobile platforms such as aircraft. Millimeter-wave is less overcrowded than other parts of the RF spectrum on the battleground. Based on end use, OEM segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the military antennas market from 2021 to 2026. Based on end use, OEM segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the military antennas during the forecast period. This growth is driven due to increasing upgradation of military antennas and procurement of military vehicles across the globe. The OEM segment is expected to lead the market during the forecast period due to the increasing inventory of newly inducted airborne platforms, including unmanned aerial vehicles, fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-generation fighter aircraft, and helicopters. The use of these airborne platforms is increasing in anti-submarine warfare, air-to-ground support, and air defense roles. The development of new missiles such as beyond-visual-range missiles and anti-radiation missiles for newly inducted platforms has further propelled the demand for military antennas. The Asia Pacific market is projected to contribute the largest share from 2021 to 2026 in the Military antennas market Based on region, Asia Pacific is expected to lead the Military antennas market from 2021 to 2026 in terms of market share. An increase in the instances of terror attacks in the Asia Pacific region has led countries of the region to enhance their surveillance and anti-terrorism capabilities. In addition, the increase in defense expenditures of India and China, among others, and the expansion of military commands in emerging economies have accelerated the demand for military antennas in the Asia Pacific region. In 2019, Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd, a worldwide leader in satellite networking technology, solutions, and services, and China Satellite Communications Co., Ltd. (China Satcom) announced a strategic partnership to jointly provide advanced satellite communication services for aero, land, and maritime fixed and mobility applications. In 2021, China launched the Tiantong 1-03 communications satellite, which operates in the S-band frequency, providing mobile communication services. Once in its orbit, the satellite will be networked with Tiantong 1-01 and 1-02 satellites to improve resource efficiency and system service capabilities. Contracts were the main strategy adopted by leading players to sustain their position in the Military antennas market, followed by new product developments with advanced technologies. Many companies also collaborated to set up special centers for the research & development of advanced Military antennas. The Military antennas market is dominated by a few globally established players such as L3Harris Technologies (US), Airbus (Netherlands), General Dynamics (US), Maxar Technologies (US), and Honeywell International Inc. (US), among others. Related Reports: Military Radars Market by Component (Antenna, Transmitter, Receiver, Duplexer, Display, Digital Signal Processor), Platform (Land, Naval, Airborne, Space), End User, Type, Frequency Band, Dimension, Range, Application, & Region - Global Forecast to 2025 Aircraft Antenna Market by Frequency (VHF&UHF band, Ka/Ku/K band, HF band, X band, C band, L band), Antenna Type, Installation, Application, End User (OEM, Aftermarket), Aircraft Type, & Region (North America, Europe, APAC, RoW) - Global Forecast to 2026 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/military-antenna-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/military-antenna.asp SOURCE MarketsandMarkets WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --NASA will provide coverage of the prelaunch and launch activities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) next weather observing and environmental monitoring system satellite. Currently known as GOES-T, this is the third satellite in NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) R series. GOES-T is scheduled to launch at 4:38 p.m. EST Tuesday, March 1, on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. There is a two-hour launch window. Live launch coverage will begin at 4 p.m. on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency's website. NASA will hold a science briefing at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25, followed by a prelaunch news conference at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26. GOES-T will be renamed GOES-18 once it reaches geostationary orbit. Following a successful orbital checkout of its instruments and systems, GOES-18 will go into operational service as GOES West. In this position, the satellite will provide critical data for the U.S. West Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, and the Pacific Ocean. All media participation in news conferences will be remote except where noted otherwise. Full mission coverage is as follows: Friday, Feb. 25 1 p.m. GOES-T Science Briefing with the following participants: Dr. Dan Lindsey , GOES-R program scientist, NOAA , GOES-R program scientist, NOAA Dr. James "Jim" Yoe, chief administrator, Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation Candace Carlisle , GOES-R flight project manager, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center , GOES-R flight project manager, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Tewa Kpulun, Geostationary Lightning Mapper science lead, Lockheed Martin Daniel Gall , Advanced Baseline Imager chief systems engineer, Space and Airborne Systems, L3Harris Technologies For the science briefing dial-in number and passcode, please contact the newsroom at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at: [email protected] no later than 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24. Members of the media, as well as the public, also may ask questions, which may be answered in real-time during the segment, by using #AskNASA on social media. Saturday, Feb. 26 1 p.m. GOES-T Prelaunch News Conference, with the following participants: Steve Volz , acting assistant secretary of commerce for environmental observation and prediction and assistant administrator for satellite and information services, NOAA , acting assistant secretary of commerce for environmental observation and prediction and assistant administrator for satellite and information services, NOAA Pam Sullivan , director, GOES-R Program, NOAA , director, GOES-R Program, NOAA John Gagosian , director, Joint Agency Satellite Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA , director, Joint Agency Satellite Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Tim Dunn , launch director, NASA's Launch Services Program, NASA Kennedy , launch director, NASA's Launch Services Program, NASA Kennedy Scott Messer , program manager, NASA Launch Services, United Launch Alliance , program manager, NASA Launch Services, United Launch Alliance Jessica Williams , launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron, Space Launch Delta 45 For the prelaunch news conference dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom at: [email protected] no later than noon Friday, Feb. 25. Members of the media, as well as the public, also may ask questions, which may be answered in real-time during the segment, by using #AskNASA on social media. Monday, Feb. 28 10 a.m. NASA EDGE will host the GOES-T rollout show. The rollout show will air live on NASA TV and YouTube . Tuesday, Mar. 1 4 p.m. - NASA TV live launch coverage begins. Audio only of the news conferences and launch coverage will be carried on the NASA "V" circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, -1260 or -7135. On launch day, "mission audio," countdown activities without NASA TV launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135. A "clean feed" of the launch without NASA TV commentary will be carried on the NASA TV media channel. For questions about countdown coverage, contact the Kennedy newsroom at: 321-867-2468. Follow countdown coverage on the GOES-T launch blog at: https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/tag/goes-t/ Public Participation Members of the public can register to attend the GOES-T launch virtually. The virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the virtual guest passport following a successful launch. GOES-T Virtual Social As launch preparations are finalized, the public is invited to join a virtual GOES-T Social on Facebook. Stay up to date on the latest mission activities, interact with NOAA, NASA and GOES-T team members in real-time, and watch the launch of the ULA Atlas V rocket that will boost GOES-T toward its destination. Para obtener informacion sobre cobertura en espanol en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en espanol, comuniquese con Antonia Jaramillo 321-501-8425. NOAA oversees the GOES-R Series Program through an integrated NOAA-NASA office, managing the ground system, operating the satellites, and distributing their data to users worldwide. The launch is managed by NASA's LSP, based at Kennedy. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, oversees the acquisition of the GOES-R satellite and instruments. Lockheed Martin designs, creates, and tests the GOES-R Series satellites. L3Harris Technologies provides the main instrument payload, the Advanced Baseline Imager, and the ground system, which includes the antenna system for data reception. Watch, Engage Online Stay connected with the mission on social media, and let people know you're following it on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtag #GOEST. Also follow online at: Twitter: @NASA, @NASASocial, @NASA_LSP, @NASAKennedy, @NOAASatellites Facebook: NASA, NASA LSP, NASA Kennedy, NOAA Satellites Instagram: NASA, NASA Kennedy, NOAA Satellites For more information about the launch of GOES-T, visit: https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/tag/goes-t/ SOURCE NASA SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Netskope, the SASE leader, today announced that Gartner, Inc., has recognized the company as a Leader in the 2022 Magic Quadrant for Security Service Edge (SSE). Netskope believes this recognition from Gartner underscores its rapid growth and worldwide customer adoption, strategic technology vision, and ability to execute behind SSE the most important security shift of the decade. A dramatic increase in work-from-anywhere and the frequency of malware delivered from the cloud are among the trends that were already underway for enterprises before the global pandemic further accelerated them. With these trends, architectural change in security and networking is rapidly taking hold, and enterprises are moving past outdated technologies and legacy providers to embrace SSE, the security capabilities critical to the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) architecture of the future. Gartner has stated "by 2025, at least 60% of enterprises will have explicit strategies and timelines for SASE adoption encompassing user, branch and edge access, up from 10% in 2020.1 Security Service Edge (SSE), as defined by Gartner2, "secures access to the web, cloud services and private applications. Capabilities include access control, threat protection, data security, security monitoring and acceptable use control enforced by network-based and API-based integration. SSE is primarily delivered as a cloud-based service and may include on-premises or agent-based components." As enterprises transform their legacy IT infrastructure and move applications and data to the cloud, security needs to transform as well. Netskope's Security Cloud delivers SSE through a comprehensive, cloud-native platform of technologies that enable secure enterprise digital transformation and secure work-from-anywhere connectivity using integrated Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), Secure Web Gateway (SWG), and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) capabilities, with Remote Browser Isolation (RBI) and Cloud Firewall included as well. Netskope's architecture also includes NewEdge, the world's fastest-growing and most-connected private cloud, which enables fast and secure access from any location to data, applications, and websites wherever they reside. "Netskope was founded on the idea that the rapid adoption of cloud apps by IT and end users, the transformation of general internet and on premise access to be from anywhere and from any device, and the most valuable non-human asset of a company being its data, would transform the enterprise's perimeter to a virtual security edge. Our view has always been that security must be able to move with people and data wherever they go, and be contextually aware to protect that data wherever and whenever it is accessed," said Sanjay Beri, Netskope CEO. "SSE, as the security stack that enables SASE, describes exactly what Netskope already provides to enterprises and governments worldwide. We are extremely proud and feel exceptionally validatedboth in the strength of our vision and our ability to executethat Gartner has recognized Netskope as a Leader in this inaugural Magic Quadrant for SSE." Read more on the Netskope blog from CEO Sanjay Beri. To review the 2022 Magic Quadrant for Security Service Edge, download your complimentary copy from Netskope. Continued Customer Recognition With more than 1,500 customers, Netskope serves some of the world's largest and most technically demanding organizations. Based on verified reviews posted on Gartner Peer Insights as of February 18, 2022, here is what Netskope customers say about Netskope's SSE strengths: A Security Architect in the manufacturing industry states, "Netskope is the most innovative, and customer-centric SASE vendor on the market. Netskope fully convinced us as being the best SASE vendor for large enterprises, from the RFP to implementation phase. They proved strong product security, and compliance throughout a very tough due diligence process. We quickly rolled out the Netskope agent globally across 200,000+ clients, and migrated from a traditional on-prem proxy infrastructure to Netskope SWG, with TLS Interception. This enabled our employees to work from home in a fast, secure, and efficient way. The Netskope team has been very responsive and dedicated all the time." A Director of IT Security in the services industry states, "Netskope has great visibility after an easy deployment. After looking at several different CASBs many years ago, I chose Netskope. We have integrated Netskope into many of our production applications. In 2021, we rolled out the desktop agent to increase visibility on remote laptops. Rollout of both solutions went extremely well and has given better than expected results." An IT Security Engineer in the finance industry states, "Netskope has been a great addition to our environment to provide us with visibility to cloud applications in our environment as well as data security. The DLP detection mechanism it uses is mind blowing what you can do." A Manager of Perimeter and Cloud Security in the manufacturing industry states, "Going to Netskope SWG from another leading NextGen SWG was the right choice for us. We have worked with another cloud-based NextGen SWG vendor before switching to Netskope. The migration itself was well prepared using Netskope professional services and was mostly seamless to the end-user. We also deployed their Netskope Desktop Client in the roll-out which adds more security to our devices since it enforces 24/7 usage of Netskope regardless if a user is connected to our corporate network or directly on the internet." A Chief Information and Technology Officer in the finance industry states, "Our organization was in a digital transformation journey and we were looking out for the cloud native vendors to assist us in migrating traditional solution-to-cloud native approach. With COVID, our thought process became clear to adopting cloud first solution vendors. We finalized Netskope based on current and future capabilities from the same platform." An IT Services, Infrastructure and Operations professional in the services industry states, "Productivity and security follow the user wherever it goes. Netskope's ability to discover SaaS based applications and its ability to provide granular controls, even on the standard version is far better than its nearest competitor." A Chief Security Advisor in the finance industry states, "Netskope is a one stop shop for cloud security. Being a single platform for all my SASE needs, it makes more sense and value for the money. Additionally, the support that I get from the team is commendable." A Security Engineer in the services industry states, "Easy To Learn, Easy To Master, Zero Trust Network Access. The Netskope Private Access solution proved to be extremely simple to adopt both in deployment and distribution. NPA made it possible to adopt remote working very quickly. It also allows an in depth control of access to corporate resources and in some cases has even permitted increased security levels compared to similar, but traditional solutions." Gartner Disclaimer Gartner, "Magic Quadrant for Security Service Edge," John Watts, Craig Lawson, Charlie Winckless, Aaron McQuaid, February 15, 2022 Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Gartner and Magic Quadrant are registered trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner Peer Insights content consists of the opinions of individual end users based on their own experiences with the vendors listed on the platform, should not be construed as statements of fact, nor do they represent the views of Gartner or its affiliates. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in this content nor makes any warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this content, about its accuracy or completeness, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. About Netskope SSE Netskope's leading security service edge (SSE) is fast, easy to use, and secures enterprise transactions wherever people and data go. This helps reduce risk, accelerate performance, and provide unrivaled visibility into any cloud, web, and private application activity. To empower safe collaboration, Netskope balances trust against risk with granular controls that adapt to situational changes. Netskope SSE simplifies operations and ensures a fast user experience through a single-pass inspection to neutralize cloud-enabled threats and monitor and control sensitive information. Media Contact Inkhouse for Netskope [email protected] 1Gartner, "2021 Strategic Roadmap for SASE Convergence," Neil MacDonald, Nat Smith, Lawrence Orans, Joe Skorupa (3/21) 2Gartner, "Magic Quadrant for Security Service Edge," John Watts, Craig Lawson, Charlie Winckless, Aaron McQuaid, February 15, 2022 SOURCE Netskope HOUSTON, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DrivenData, in collaboration with HeroX , have announced their newest crowdsourcing competition on behalf of NASA: Mars Spectrometry, Detect Evidence for Past Habitability. The challenge, which offers a $30,000 prize purse, seeks innovative methods to automatically help analyze and interpret evolved gas analysis-mass spectrometry data related to Mars exploration. This data is from geological samples of scientific interest to better understand the planet's potential signs of past habitability. Competition Calls on Innovators to Analyze Mass Spectrometry Data from Mars to Detect Conditions for Past Life; Total Prize Purse of $30K One of the most important planetary science discoveries in recent years is that Mars had environmental conditions that could have been livable in the past. Understanding how these conditions changed is important to understanding Mars' conditions for habitability over time. For these inquiries, several robust and powerful rovers have been sent to Mars to collect rock samples and take measurements that can be used to determine their chemical makeup. Additionally, thousands of samples have been analyzed in labs on Earth to help scientists understand the context for the data collected on Mars. By taking advantage of the many supporting experimental runs done on comparable rock samples, data science methods can be developed in order to support scientists in their analysis and interpretations of data collected by planetary mission instruments and laboratory instruments. These advancements may also help scientists more quickly and effectively conduct future mission operations. For this challenge, participants are tasked with building an innovative method to automatically analyze evolved gas analysis (EGA) data of simulated Mars samples collected on both commercial and laboratory instruments analogous to those used for Mars exploration. The best methods should be able to detect the presence of certain families of chemical compounds (specified in the challenge) in the samples. The winning techniques may be used to help future planetary missions such as the ExoMars mission and the Dragonfly mission to Titan. "This is supporting a fascinating research question where machine learning tools can have a real impact on how we can learn more about our place in the universe," said Greg Lipstein, Principal, DrivenData. "It's a great chance to harness the collective intelligence and passion of the data community to advance the state of open science." "It's exciting to think there might be clues of past habitable conditions on Mars that these investigations can help to interpret," said Kal K. Sahota, CEO, HeroX. "These challenges are so inspiring as we search for evidence of extraterrestrial life." The Challenge: The methods should detect the presence of certain families of chemical compounds in data collected from performing EGA-MS on a set of geological material samples. The Prize: A prize purse of $30K will be shared among four teams. Eligibility to Compete and Win Prize(s): The prize is open to anyone aged 18 or older participating as an individual or as a team. Individual competitors and teams may originate from any country, as long as United States federal sanctions do not prohibit participation (some restrictions apply). Additional eligibility requirements or limits can be found in the challenge rules. To accept the challenge, visit https://mars.drivendata.org/ ABOUT DRIVENDATA DrivenData is a social enterprise dedicated to bringing the data tools and methods that are transforming industry to the world's biggest challenges. As part of that work, the DrivenData competition platform channels the skills and passion of data scientists, researchers, and other quantitative experts to build solutions for social good. These online machine learning challenges are designed to engage a large expert community, connect participants with real-world data problems, and highlight their best solutions. See our past competitions and learn more at www.drivendata.org ABOUT HEROX HeroX is a platform and open marketplace for crowdsourcing innovation and human ingenuity, co-founded in 2013 by serial entrepreneur, Christian Cotichini and XPRIZE Founder and Futurist, Peter Diamandis. HeroX offers a turnkey, easy-to-use platform that supports anyone, anywhere, to solve everyday business and world challenges using the power of the crowd. Uniquely positioned as the Social Network for Innovation, HeroX is the only place you can build, grow and curate your very own crowd. Explore the latest challenges at www.herox.com Media Contact: Alexandra Pony [email protected] 250.858.0656 SOURCE DrivenData; HeroX HOLYOKE, Mass., Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NextMart, Inc. (the "Company" or "NXMR" - Pink Sheets Alternative Reporting Pink: NXMR) NXMR would like to announce the hiring of Mark McKenzie as the new President for its subsidiary, EMCO Oilfield Services, LLC ("EMCO"). William Bouyea (President and CEO of the Company), states" We are pleased to announce that our subsidiary, EMCO Oilfield Services, LLC ("EMCO") has come to agreement with Mark McKenzie as its new President. Mr. McKenzie was the former owner of Defender Contracting, LLC ("Defender") which we acquired earlier this month. We believe that under his leadership, Emco can not only expand its operations in the oilfield service industry, but also increase both top line revenue and bottom-line cash flow. Mr. McKenzie is the perfect fit to be the steward of this division of the Company which will allow me to focus my attention on other opportunities for the Company to diversify its overall operations." Defender is located in the heart of the Permian Basin, and its acquisition by the Company will add ten new semi-trucks and vacuum trailers to the Emco fleet. Mr. McKenzie will operate Emco from its current headquarters in Carlsbad, New Mexico and will rebrand the Defender location in Monahans, Texas as an Emco location as well. This will double Emco's marketing footprint across the greater Permian Basin, the biggest oilfield in the world producing close to 5,000,000 barrels of oil per day. Mr. McKenzie (New President of Emco) stated" I am excited to be a part of an organization that is willing and able to make the moves to rapidly expand to meet the huge demand for oilfield services in the prolific Permian Basin. The addition of the Defender trucks to the Emco fleet will enable it to add to both companies' already impressive listof large Master Service Agreements with new oil and gas clients across the Permian Basin. I am very excited about the future of Emco and am extremely grateful for the opportunity to build Emco's client base." Mr. McKenzie is a military veteran with two combat tours during his four years with the U.S. Marine Corp. where he was a crew chief in charge of route clearance and handled combat logistics to ensure safe travel for convoys throughout multiple countries in the Middle East. After an honorable discharge, Mark went to work for Baker Hughes in the offshore oil and gas business as a deep-water fluids engineer. After two years, Mark relocated to the Permian Basin to form Defender, originally as a Drilling Fluids Engineering firm. Mark soon combined his oil and gas and combat logistics experience to restructure Defender as an oilfield trucking services company. Defender's focus is in Chemical, Mud, Water, and Equipment transport as well as remediation of hydrocarbon, salt, and chemical spills. Below are the two websites for Emco and Defender : Emco Oilfield Services, LLC - https://emcooilfield.com/ Defender Contracting, LLC - https://www.defendercontracting.com/ Forward Looking Statement Certain statements that we make may constitute forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The statements contained herein may contain certain forward-looking statements relating to NXMR that are based on the beliefs of NXMR's management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to NXMR's management. These forward-looking statements are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements relating to the NXMR's business prospects, future developments, trends and conditions in the industry and geographical markets in which NXMR operates, its strategies, plans, objectives and goals, its ability to control costs, statements relating to prices, volumes, operations, margins, overall market trends, risk management and exchange rates. ABOUT US NextMart, Inc., a Delaware Corporation, is a public quoted Pink Sheet issuer under the ticker symbol "NXMR". Currently, NXMR currently operates two subsidiaries Emco Oilfield Services, LLC and Defender Contracting, LLC which operate in the oil field services industry in the Permian Basin of Eastern New Mexico and Western Texas. CONTACT 98 Lower Westfield Road Holyoke, MA 01040 Phone: (602) 499-6992 Web Site: www.nextmarkcorporation.com Twitter: @CorporationNxmr Email: [email protected] SOURCE NextMart, Inc. RAIPUR, India, Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stratview Research, a leading market research firm has launched a report on the Condition Monitoring System Market which provides an in-depth analysis of the market dynamics, current and emerging trends, industry forecast, and competitive landscape. Following is the list of reports in the Condition Monitoring System Industry offered by Stratview Research: Global Condition Monitoring System Market: Click Here for Sample Aerospace & Defense Condition Monitoring System Market: Click Here for Sample Automotive Condition Monitoring System Market: Click Here for Sample Marine Condition Monitoring System Market Mining Condition Monitoring System Market Oil & Gas Condition Monitoring System Market To view all the above-mentioned reports in the Condition Monitoring System industry, visit: https://bit.ly/359pNBf How are the Reports Helpful? The report has a very high utility for the key decision-makers and strategists in terms of accurate market insights, future growth opportunities, and key success factors. Most importantly, the report analyses the possible impact of COVID-19 on the market dynamics which offers cushioning against the uncertain business environment and helps in streamlining the resources and investment decisions in a fruitful manner. What are the Top Market Drivers? According to the report, the Condition Monitoring System Market is driven by a host of factors, some of which are noted below: The oil & gas industry is the biggest demand generator for a condition monitoring system. The companies are focused on developing systems and equipment which gives the prediction about the machine's service life. The report also includes growth rate estimates based upon the intensity of drivers and constraints and provides the users with several graphical illustrations of the key insights. Which region offers the best opportunity and growth? North America is expected to remain the largest market for condition monitoring systems during the forecast period. North America, more precisely the USA remains the biggest market for several end-use industries. As a result of that, almost all the leading players have their presence in the region to tap the market. Furthermore, the region is a go-getter in terms of the adoption of advanced technologies. Also, the region has stricter regulations regarding workplace and personnel safety, which overall pushes the demand for condition monitoring systems in major end-use markets. Asia-Pacific is subjected to grow at the highest rate in the years to come. China remains the growth propeller in the region's market in the near future. COVID-19 Impact on the Condition Monitoring System Market COVID-19 has put an instant halt to many industries across the globe. Lockdown norms in several countries have swiftly affected the global economy by affecting the supply chain, production, and demand in the market. Both direct, as well as indirect impacts of the pandemic, have been incorporated in this report. Who are the Top Market Players? After a thorough analysis of the market, the experts have listed few key players and discussed company profiles of below-given players - Baker Hughes Company SKF Emerson Electric Co. Siemens Schaeffler AG Meggitt PLC Rockwell Automation, Inc. Eaton PARKER HANNIFIN CORP Teledyne FLIR LLC The reports cover the market share analysis, profiling, and landscaping of 5-10 leading players of the market, depending upon the market concentration. The competitive landscape covers: Market share analysis Product & Service mapping Geographical presence and dominance Strategic alliances Product launches Other profiling parameters Contact us for Dataset and other specific requirements: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/contact What deliverables will you get in this report? In-depth analysis of the Condition Monitoring System Market. Detailed market segmentation. Competitive-landscape analysis. Historical, present, and future market size analysis. Industry trends, technologies, and advancements. Growth and operation strategies adopted by key players. Potential segments/regions offering promising growth. Geographical presence of the key players. About us Stratview Research is a global market research firm that offers reliable market reports, market entry strategies, strategic growth consulting, and more. The market experts compile high-quality market information to help users obtain granular level clarity on current business trends and expected future developments. Stratview Research also offers customisation of the reports. Reach out to the analysts to customize the given report according to your priority/requirement. Stratview Research has also launched 'Composights', an online portal that offers free thought leadership reports, whitepapers, market report synopsis, and much more for Composites and allied industries, worth US$ 20,000 every year. Click here to sign up (No costs involved): https://www.stratviewresearch.com/composights/sign-in Connect with the team at Stratview Research E-mail: [email protected] Direct: +1-313-307-4176 SOURCE Stratview Research ALBANY, N.Y., Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global superhydrophobic coatings market was valued at US$ 12.67 Mn in 2020. The global market is likely to rise at a CAGR of 34.1% during the forecast period, from 2021 to 2031. The global superhydrophobic coatings market is estimated to cross the mark of US$ 319.52 Mn by 2031. The rapid rise of the global superhydrophobic coatings market can be attributed to rising demand for superhydrophobic coatings from a range of end-use industries, such as the electronics & telecommunications, building & construction, textile & leather, and automotive. The worldwide growth in the electronics and telecommunications industries is projected to fuel the expansion of the global superhydrophobic coatings market. As they are heat resistant and easy to apply on the surface, superhydrophobic coatings are widely used in electronics and telecommunications sectors. They are important for protecting delicate electrical components from water damage. The need for water-resistant electronic items is predicted to expand even more in the upcoming years, due to increasing disposable incomes and resulting demand for better & lasting products. This factor is projected to drive the global superhydrophobic coatings market during the forecast period. The superhydrophobic coatings market in North America is being fueled by the strong growth of electronics and telecommunications industries, as well as the revival of the building & construction business, particularly in the U.S. Get PDF Brochure for More Insights https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=8320 Key Findings of Market Report Building and construction, as well as automotive, are important end-use industries for superhydrophobic coatings. Environmentally friendly, superhydrophobic coatings are suitable with masonry, concrete, ceramics, and composite substrates. These coatings are also suitable for waterproofing ceramic floor and wall tiles, roofs, and cement walls in both external and interior structures. The textile and leather end-use categories are expected to grow rapidly over the forecast period, providing profitable opportunities for market participants. The growing demand for dirt-resistant and protective apparel in military, as well as self-cleaning garments for everyday use is expected to increase the demand for superhydrophobic coatings in textile and leather industries. Get Covid 19 Analysis - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=covid19&rep_id=8320 Healthcare & medical, electronics & telecommunications, textile & leather, automotive, building & construction, optical, and power generation are a few of the industries that make use of superhydrophobic coatings. Electronics and telecommunications accounted for around 32% of the global superhydrophobic coatings market in 2020, in terms of demand. Due to the increasing use of superhydrophobic coatings in semiconductors, consumer electronics, and other electronic components, the category is likely to grow considerably throughout the forecast period. During the forecast period, Western European countries such as the U.K. and Germany are expected to be major consumers of superhydrophobic coatings Request a Sample https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=8320 Global Superhydrophobic Coatings Market: Growth Drivers Superhydrophobic coatings resist water and protect against microbial development, dust, corrosion, water, oil spills, and various other liquids. Self-cleaning window glasses, textiles, and paints as well as low-friction and antimicrobial surfaces benefit from superhydrophobic coatings. They can also be used to prevent corrosion in alloys and metals. Due to increasing development in the consumer electronics industry and expanding residential development & infrastructure activities in the region, the market in Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a rapid rate during the forecast period. China , India , and numerous ASEAN nations are projected to mirror this scenario in the years to come. Make an Enquiry Before Buying: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=EB&rep_id=8320 Global Superhydrophobic Coatings Market: Key Players Some of the key market players are Rust-Oleum Corporation NTT Advanced Technology Corporation The Sherwin-Williams Company UltraTech International Inc. Lotus Leaf Coatings Inc. DryWired LLC Global Superhydrophobic Coatings Market: Segmentation End Use Type Electronics & Telecommunication Building & Construction Textile & Leather Automotive Medical & Health Care Others Chemicals & Materials Industry battles Tangible Impact of Economic and Cultural changes, Explore Transparency Market Research's award-winning coverage of the global Chemicals & Materials Market: Glass Coatings Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/glass-coatings-market.html Insulation Coatings Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/insulation-coatings-market.html About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyse information. Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. For More Research Insights on Leading Industries, Visit our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8e-z-g23-TdDMuODiL8BKQ Contact Mr. Rohit Bhisey Transparency Market Research State Tower, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Press Release Source: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/superhydrophobic-coatings-market.htm SOURCE Transparency Market Research Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform Complimentary updates for one year Edition: 9; Released: February 2022 Executive Pool: 883 Companies: 53 - Players covered include Ajinomoto Co., Inc.; Akzo Nobel N.V.; Bachem AG; Evonik Industries AG; Iris Biotech GmbH; Kyowa Hakko Bio Co., Ltd.; Luojiang Chenming Biological Products Co.; Ningxia EPPEN Biotech Co.,ltd.; Sichuan Tongsheng Amino Acid Co., Ltd.; Suzhou Yuanfang Chemical Co. Ltd.; and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Application (Food & Beverage, Animal Feed, Pharmaceutical, Other Applications) Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; Spain; Russia; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (Australia; India; South Korea; and Rest of Asia-Pacific); Latin America (Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; and Rest of Latin America); Middle East (Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Rest of Middle East); and Africa. Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry ABSTRACT- Global Glutamic Acid Market to Reach US$13.5 Billion by the Year 2026 Glutamic acid, also known as glutamate, is a non-essential amino acid that is critical for effective functioning of cells. The amino acid is also essential for disposing off excess nitrogen from the human body. In the nervous systems, glutamic acid is a major excitatory neurotransmitter. The amino acid plays a crucial role in synaptic plasticity, and takes part in various cognitive functions in the brain including memory and learning. Glutamic acid functions as a precursor for synthesizing inhibitory GABA. Over stimulation of glutamic acid is linked to diseases such as Alzheimer's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and lathyrism. Glutamine is also known to promote muscle glycogen synthesis, and is hence being researched for possible improvement of muscle strength. Researchers have theorized that overtraining can lead to reduced plasma glutamine levels in athletes, which can in turn cause impairment to immune system's functions and expose athletes to various illnesses. Few studies have found less incidence of infections among athletes consuming glutamine-supplemented drink post intense training. Other studies have found that despite glutamine supplementation helping maintenance of plasma glutamine levels subsequent to intense exercise, the supplementation had limited impact on different immune response testes. Glutamine has potential to stimulate muscle glycogen synthesis. Glutamate supplements are most often available in powder form. Glutamic acid HCL powder contains HCL (hydrochloric acid) too as it eases digestion and is easily dissolvable in liquids. While glutamic acid is safe for all adults and children, nursing or pregnant women and those suffering from epilepsy or liver or kidney disease are at risk as glutamic acid can worsen their condition. Athletes and bodybuilders take glutamic acid supplements. This is because of the fact that glutamic acid is known to alter its structure to form glutamine that enhances muscle strength. Athletes and bodybuilders use glutamine to build muscle mass, strength, and endurance. Glutamine is also prescribed for those suffering from Colitis and Crohn's disease. It is often prescribed for those suffering from short bowel syndrome that affects patients who have had a significant portion of their small intestine removed by surgery. The FDA approves the use of glutamine for those suffering from sickle cell disease. However, using a single amino acid supplement for glutamic acid can result in a negative nitrogen balance and can adversely affect the metabolism. It can lead to growth issues in children and pregnant and breastfeeding women should steer clear of glutamic acid supplements. Some of the side effects associated with glutamic acid supplements include fatigue, headaches, or even systemic acidosis in persons whose kidneys are unable to excrete the acid from the body. Abnormal levels of glutamic acid concentrations result in overexcitation of the receiving nerve cell. Prolonged excitation can result in nerve cell toxicity and even result in a stroke or epilepsy. Calcium might flood the neurons and lead to glutamate toxicity. The prolonged calcium in the cell can lead to severe cell damage or even cell death. Excessive glutamic acid can cause neuronal damage that leads to premature death of cells. However, the presence of glutamate transporters in glial and neuronal membranes facilitates the disposal of excessive glutamate. Glutamic acid is found in several food ingredients, and also is involved in providing the humans with the sense of taste, particularly in combination with salt. As a result, monosodium glutamate (MSG), the sodium salt of glutamic acid, is extensively used for improving the flavor and functions as a food additive. Glutamic acid is a vital energy source that is found abundantly in wheat and soybean. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Glutamic Acid estimated at US$10 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$13.5 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 7.1% over the analysis period. Food & Beverage, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 7.3% CAGR to reach US$11.2 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Animal Feed segment is readjusted to a revised 6.3% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 12% share of the global Glutamic Acid market. With its multiple advantages, the glutamic acid market continues to witness healthy growth. Growing demand for animal feed, food enhancers and food additives in the food & beverage industry are some of the main reasons for the increasing demand for this product. With increasing awareness about consumption of healthy products, glutamic acid demand in the pharmaceutical, beverage and food industry has increased. Processed food and animal feed industries especially stands out and will witness significant growth due to increasing global population, growing meat and dairy products consumption, rise in disposable income, and increasing demand for healthier, more nutritional, tastier, and higher quality meat food products. This trend would in turn fuel the glutamic acid market growth. Ready-to-eat foods and processed foods are expected to boost glutamic acid market growth through the forecast period, because glutamic acid is used for flavor enhancement in ready-to-eat and processed foods, as well as in food additives. Additionally, increasing numbers of health-conscious consumers are preferring natural food additives to synthetic food additives. In order to cope with the changes in the food patterns of today's consumers, manufacturers are looking at various ways to provide innovative food products. These shifting consumer trends are expected to boost the growth of glutamic acid market. Sugarcane molasses, glucose and Coryneform bacteria are the raw materials for producing glutamic acid. Some of the main suppliers of raw materials are United States Biological, Mahajan Molasses Company, Eurosweet GmbH, Cargill, Incorporated, Roquette Freres and Ambuja Group having a strong distribution network. The various processes involved in the production of this acid are and ion exchange, crystallization, evaporation, carbon adsorption, centrifugation and fermentation. Manufacturers prefer fermenting as it gives high purity and high-quality products. Nevertheless, the manufacturing process requires high energy and it is water and capital-intensive. However, there are certain issues that are impeding market growth. The excessive intake of glutamic acid can lead to fatigue problems and headaches that may hamper market growth. Some other side effects can be swelling of face, nose and throat, skin burning sensation, rash or itchiness, weight loss or gain, breathing difficulty, dizziness, muscle pain, allergic reactions, bleeding, slow wound healing, cramps, skin thinning, nausea, mood changes, chest pain, stomach pain, bloating, cloudy urine, vomiting, abdominal pain, memory problems, depression, irritability and confusion. The U.S. Market is Estimated at $1.5 Billion in 2022, While China is Forecast to Reach $5 Billion by 2026 The Glutamic Acid market in the U.S. is estimated at US$1.5 Billion in the year 2022. The country currently accounts for a 15.39% share in the global market. China, the world second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$5 Billion by the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 8.3% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 5.2% and 6.1% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 5.9% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$5.5 Billion by the close of the analysis period. Asia-Pacific region is forecast to register significant growth and become the fastest growing glutamic acid market over the upcoming years due to growing demand for food additives and processed food in countries such as Japan, India, and China. Demand for food additives is driven by increasing population and rising purchasing power of the people in these countries. These trends are expected to create huge opportunities for existing players as well as new entrants. Widespread use of monosodium glutamate (MSG) has been the key contributor to the overall amino acids market in Asia, although saturating market conditions present a challenge. China and India in particular hold promise due to their huge population, burgeoning economies, increasing income levels, and rising living standards, and the subsequent growth in demand for a range of foods & beverages. The abundant livestock population also contributes to the rising demand for glutamic acid in these regions. Some of the factors for this market growth are expansion of end-use industries such as beverage, food, ready-to-eat foods, personal care, pharmaceuticals and animal feed along with improved purchasing power of consumers and increasing awareness and adoption of healthy lifestyles. It is expected that there will be significant growth in the animal feed industry due to increasing meat and dairy product consumption, growing disposable incomes, increasing population and increasing demand for superior meat quality and processed food. As people prefer natural food additives to synthetic ones for health reasons, it is expected to have a positive impact on glutamic acid industry. North America is a major consumer of glutamic acid, and the trend is attributed to the region's ever-growing processed food industry, especially in the US and Mexico. In Europe, increasing health concerns and new government regulations related to feed additives and public health are expected to positively impact the region's glutamic acid market. While the established market strengthened by the processed food industry's sustained growth would make North America the market leader, Europe is also expected to play a crucial role in the global glutamic acid market due to stringent government regulations that support the use of natural food additives. Growth of glutamic acid markets in North America and Europe are driven by heightened consumption of packaged and processed foods in these regions. Pharmaceutical Segment to Reach $1.1 Billion by 2026 Glutamic acid is used in the pharmaceutical industry to stimulate nerves in neural drugs, in the treatment of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and muscular dystrophy, hypoglycemic coma, epilepsy, ulcers, mental retardation, nerve damage during chemotherapy, neurotransmission imbalances, behavioral and cognitive problems among individuals and for metabolic disorders. Glutamates are salts of glutamic acid and are non-essential amino acids. They are metabolized in the brain and act as neurotransmitters in the nervous system for normal and healthy functioning of the brain. Another important function of glutamates is the disposal of excess nitrogen from the body. The sodium salt of this acid is known as monosodium glutamate (MSG) and is one of the most popular food additives. It is used as a food enhancer in cheese, bread, ice cream, carbohydrate-based snacks, processed meat, soups, salad dressings and canned vegetables. MSG is known to improve the functioning of the heart and decrease coronary disease-related chest pain. In the global Pharmaceutical segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 8% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$508.6 Million will reach a projected size of US$873 Million by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$169.7 Million by the year 2026, while Latin America will expand at a 8.1% CAGR through the analysis period. More MarketGlass Platform Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide. Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years. CONTACTS: Zak Ali Director, Corporate Communications Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Phone: 1-408-528-9966 www.StrategyR.com Email: [email protected] LINKS Join Our Expert Panel https://www.strategyr.com/Panelist.asp Connect With Us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-industry-analysts-inc./ Follow Us on Twitter https://twitter.com/marketbytes Journalists & Media [email protected] SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform Complimentary updates for one year Edition: 10; Released: February 2022 Executive Pool: 6831 Companies: 43 - Players covered include BAE Systems PLC; Boeing Company, The; CMC Electronics Inc.; Elbit Systems Ltd.; General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc.; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Northrop Grumman Corporation; Raytheon Company; SAAB AB and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Segment (Fixed-Wing Fighter Aircrafts, Rotary Wing & UCAV) Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific; Rest of World. Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry ABSTRACT- Global Airborne Weapon Delivery Systems Market to Reach US$4.5 Billion by the Year 2026 Countries worldwide are currently focused on reducing troop casualties in missions of high-risk. They are conducting more unmanned attacks because of which, there has been an increase in rotary wing aircrafts and Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) deployment lately. UCAV comes integrated with forward looking infrared cameras, synthetic aperture radar electronic countermeasures and laser designators. It is able to transmit data via secured links of communication. It can receive control as well as mission planning data and other commands from mobile ground-control systems. Fighter jets are driving market growth, supported by the growing need for detection of threat, military surveillance and other defense capabilities during wars and other such scenarios. Investments by missile providers and military agencies for improving small bomb capabilities that are fired using UAVs are rising, owing to the altering traditional approaches for conducting air-to-surface missile attacks. The emergence of small missiles underpinned by guidance technology miniaturization will foster military investments in these missiles, which will bode well for the market for airborne weapon delivery systems. Design of miniature UVAs is expected to gain momentum. Focus is on developing miniaturized EO/IR systems which can be equipped with small UAVs and have the capability to dissipate heat without impacting the UAV's performance. The considerable developments in C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence) Systems are also stimulating the growth of the market. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Airborne Weapon Delivery Systems estimated at US$3.1 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$4.5 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 8.5% over the analysis period. Fixed-Wing Fighter Aircrafts, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 7.9% CAGR to reach US$3.7 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Rotary Wing & UCAV segment is readjusted to a revised 10.4% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 22.6% share of the global Airborne Weapon Delivery Systems market. Growing defense spending in various countries worldwide is driving interest in the adoption of fighter jet aircraft. Fighter aircrafts are integrated with advanced features including sensor fusion, advanced stealth, superior logistics and integrated avionics among others. With advanced stealth, aviators can infiltrate critical areas and not be identified. The U.S. Market is Estimated at $1.2 Billion in 2022, While China is Forecast to Reach $623.9 Million by 2026 The Airborne Weapon Delivery Systems market in the U.S. is estimated at US$1.2 Billion in the year 2022. The country currently accounts for a 37.5% share in the global market. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$623.9 Million in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 10.6% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 7.1% and 8.4% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 7.9% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$285 Million by the end of the analysis period. North America dominates the global airborne weapon systems market, supported by the rising investments by the government in air defense systems and RADAR. Further, the growing adoption of novel weapon systems and weaponry is also driving market growth. Also, the presence of major market players in the region is aiding the market. Producers in the region are developing sophisticated products at various price points to fulfil customer demands. Asia-Pacific is expected to be a lucrative market for airborne weapon systems, due to the increasing political tensions among India, China, and Afghanistan. More MarketGlass Platform Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide. Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years. CONTACTS: Zak Ali Director, Corporate Communications Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Phone: 1-408-528-9966 www.StrategyR.com Email: [email protected] LINKS Join Our Expert Panel https://www.strategyr.com/Panelist.asp Connect With Us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-industry-analysts-inc./ Follow Us on Twitter https://twitter.com/marketbytes Journalists & Media [email protected] SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc. ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ACRES Capital Corp. (together with its subsidiaries, "ACRES"), a leading commercial real estate middle-market lender, has originated a $16 million loan to fund the development of Nona Cove Self Storage (the "Property") in Orlando, FL. The property comprises 98,448 net rentable square feet to be developed into an Extra Space self-storage building containing 1,046 climate controlled self-storage units and 7,593 net rentable square feet of ground floor retail space. The Extra Space self-storage development will be one element of a mixed-use multifamily and retail development called FUTURA @ Nona Cove. This project is well situated close to Orlando International Airport and Lake Nona Medical City a 650-acre life sciences park designed with a long-term vision of creating a centralized and sophisticated medical treatment, research, and education facility in Central Florida. The Lake Nona area is experiencing a development boom alongside an expected significant increase of residents. Expansion plans feature millions of square feet of commercial space, thousands of hotel rooms, and more than 100 retail shops and restaurants. "The Lake Nona area is considered an exceptional market to develop as self-storage doesn't currently exist within a three-mile radius of the area," said ACRES Chief Executive Officer and President Mark Fogel. "We are pleased to partner with a sponsor possessing strong knowledge of this market and the foresight to contribute to the planned growth of Lake Nona." The loan was provided to FUTURA, a private real estate investor and development company dedicated to the acquisition and creation of unique, design focused, and financially sustainable mixed-use lifestyle centers. The loan was arranged by Steve Liebert of CCM Commercial Mortgage and originated by James Bracco of ACRES' Miami office. About ACRES ACRES is a nationwide direct lender and SEC-registered investment adviser that provides construction, bridge and permanent debt capital solutions for the commercial real estate industry. ACRES partners on targeted opportunities in the $10 million to $100 million range, including multifamily, student housing, retail, office, hospitality, and industrial. Contact us at www.acrescap.com or at (516) 535-0015. SOURCE ACRES Capital Corp. The fourth Operational Readiness Test (ORT-4) for the CAPSTONE mission conducted by the Advanced Space team simulated a week of real-time mission operations in a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO), the designated orbit for Gateway, which is being developed by NASA and its international and commercial partners. The Gateway will provide astronauts access to the lunar surface and act as a staging point for deep space exploration. It will feature living quarters for astronauts, a lab for science and research, and ports for visiting spacecraft. CAPSTONE will be the first spacecraft to fly in this NRHO and one of the first CubeSats to fly in cislunar space. It will traverse a low-energy ballistic lunar transfer and use solar perturbations to greatly decrease the spacecraft propulsion requirements for the mission. It will also test the peer-to-peer navigation system developed by Advanced Space, CAPS (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System), to determine its position via crosslink measurements with NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter without relying on ground stations. CAPS is supported by NASA's Small Business Innovation Research program. CAPS may enable autonomous navigation of satellites in cislunar space, helping to propel humans beyond Earth in a sustained way. "These tests confirm our Advanced Space team is ready for launch," said Bradley Cheetham, Advanced Space CEO. "We are excited to partner with NASA on this historic Moon mission. CAPSTONE will change the way we explore space," Cheetham added. Previous tests also simulated NRHO operations, but an exciting addition for Advanced Space's ORT-4 was the expanded testing of CAPS crosslink procedures. As part of the CAPS planning procedures, operators generate appropriate commands, like telling the spacecraft where to point, in order to execute the CAPS activities on board the spacecraft. Additionally, in ORT-4, operators performed real-time simulations of CAPS measurements on flight-like hardware. "Our technology is a breakthrough for how NASA and other customers can navigate in space," said Dr. Jeff Parker, co-founder of Advanced Space, Chief Technology Officer, and author of the book Low-Energy Lunar Trajectory Design. "Each time we have a test event, our lessons learned and ideas for improvements to our system allow us to better prepare for flight operations." The main objectives for ORT-4 were to demonstrate scripts and processes for Maneuver Planning and Payload Planning and to exercise the Operations team in nominal and contingency situations in NRHO operations. Additionally, the test conductors injected anomalies to test the Operations team and expose them to possible contingency situations they might see in flight. With the mission targeted for this Spring, these tests and constant communications with our partners like Tyvak, the spacecraft manufacturer, and Rocket Lab, the launch provider, are critical and increasing the level of excitement. Advanced Space of Colorado owns the satellite and is responsible for overall mission operations. Mission partners include: NASA: CAPSTONE's development is supported by the Space Technology Mission Directorate via the Small Spacecraft Technology Program and the Small Business Innovation Research program at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley. Advanced Exploration Systems within NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate supports the launch and mission operations. NASA's Launch Services Program at Kennedy Space Center in Florida is responsible for launch management. CAPSTONE's development is supported by the Space Technology Mission Directorate via the Small Spacecraft Technology Program and the Small Business Innovation Research program at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley. Advanced Exploration Systems within NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate supports the launch and mission operations. NASA's Launch Services Program at in is responsible for launch management. Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems: Spacecraft design, development and implementation, hardware manufacturing, assembly, and testing and mission operations support. Spacecraft design, development and implementation, hardware manufacturing, assembly, and testing and mission operations support. Stellar Exploration: Propulsion subsystem provider. Propulsion subsystem provider. Rocket Lab USA , Inc.: Launch provider that will launch CAPTONE on a three-stage Electron launch vehicle. Launch provider that will launch CAPTONE on a three-stage Electron launch vehicle. Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL): Communication, tracking, and telemetry downlink via NASA's Deep Space Network, Iris radio design and groundbreaking 1-way navigation algorithms . Communication, tracking, and telemetry downlink via NASA's Deep Space Network, Iris radio design and groundbreaking 1-way navigation algorithms Space Dynamics Lab (SDL): Iris radio and navigation firmware provider. Iris radio and navigation firmware provider. Orion Space Solutions (formerly Astra): Chip Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC) hardware provider necessary for the 1-way ranging experiment. About Advanced Space Advanced Space (https://advancedspace.com/) supports the exploration, development, and settlement of space through software and services that leverage unique subject matter expertise to improve the fundamentals of spaceflight. Advanced Space is dedicated to improving flight dynamics technology development and expedited turn-key missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Learn more about Advanced Space; check out details on the CAPSTONE mission page. SOURCE Advanced Space ALBANY, N.Y., Feb. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Clinical use of ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices to assess heartbeat rate over time, correlate symptoms with heartbeat, detect abnormal heart rhythms, and to analyze other symptoms of the heart fuel the growth of ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices market. The ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 7.4% from 2021 to 2031. Ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices feature distinct functional properties. The devices enable to monitor the heart with increased detection time and obtain precise results in comparison with conventional heart monitors. Ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices have proven to be useful to monitor and record the heartbeat for longer duration to capture a brief, irregular, but potentially critical arrhythmia. Importantly, these devices are used to assist doctors to diagnose irregular cardiac arrhythmias that occur infrequently and unpredictably. Such arrhythmias usually exhibit symptoms, but are mostly not present by the time patient reaches the doctor. For such reasons, several cardiac arrhythmias are challenging to be diagnosed using conventional ECGs. Request Brochure of Ambulatory Cardiac Monitoring Devices Market Research Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=81581 North America is a key region in the ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices market. This can be attributed to substantial funds for advanced devices for the treatment of cardiac diseases and high incidence of heart failure due to a sizeable elderly population. Ambulatory Cardiac Monitoring Devices Market Key Findings of Report High incidence of prevalence of heart-related issues, including angina, coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, and valve blockage stirs demand for ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices to track and monitor the heart to avoid fatal outcomes Critical use of cardiac monitoring devices for the value of cardiac output in the treatment of heart attacks, and to monitor the heart to avoid fatal outcomes create ample opportunities Need to execute advanced and minimally invasive surgery to improve patients' heart activity and improved outcomes of various cardiac procedures propels the ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices market Growth curve of ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices market to benefit from rising demand for advanced cardiac devices such as event monitors, Holter monitors, implantable loop recorders, and mobile cardiac telemetry Use of ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices to detect, eliminate, and restrict mycoplasma infection in cell culture displays demand from research institutions and organizations Investments in healthcare from governments and large corporations, along with favorable reimbursement policies to fuel the growth of the ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices market Significance of ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices to serve individuals at remote locations that do not have a cardiologist in proximity, and have the advantage of interns and junior practitioners to be trained to use these devices Request for Analysis of COVID-19 Impact on Ambulatory Cardiac Monitoring Devices Market https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=covid19&rep_id=81581 Ambulatory Cardiac Monitoring Devices Market Growth Drivers Rise in the number of individuals afflicted with obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, and high blood pressure that are the leading causes of heart failure fuels the growth of ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices market. According to statistics of the American Heart Association, congestive heart failure is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. that accounts for 8.5% of deaths. Advantages of ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices for uninterrupted monitoring of the heart stir demand TMR offers custom market research services that help clients to get information on their business scenario required where syndicated solutions are not enough, Request for Custom Research - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=CR&rep_id=81581 Ambulatory Cardiac Monitoring Devices Market Key Players Some of the key players operating in the ambulatory cardiac monitoring devices market are; Abbott Boston Scientific Corporation GE Healthcare Hill-Rom Holdings Koninklijke Philips N.V. Medtronic Nihon Kohden Corporation Asahi Kasei Medical Co. Ltd. Buy Ambulatory Cardiac Monitoring Devices Market Research Report https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=81581